Malcolm Cox

Introduction Last week I was away with my father and Penny on holiday in the delightful county of Dorset. We spent one afternoon in Dorchester, and several hours in the Dorset County Museum. I can highly recommend it. It is certainly one of the best regional museums I have ever been to. We got a good feel for the lives of the people of Dorset through the centuries. Among the exhibits were a set of stocks. I was not quite sure what to make of them and the description in the pictures accompanying this recording. The board reads thus: Hugh Baker, Currier, of this Borough, was complaynd of to Mr. Maior that he went out of church yesterday at Morning Prayer before prayers were ended, and confesseth the same, and is censured to sit in the stocks two houres for his misdemeanour. Dorchester Offenders' Book, 1629-1630Poor Hugh Baker was stuck in those stocks for two hours simply because he left church early. We don't know the circumstances. Perhaps he was ill. Perhaps the person praying was boring! But let's face