CRIME IN THE ELIZABETHAN ERA
In the Elizabethan era, England was split into two classes; the Upper class, the nobility, and everyone else. Punishment would vary according to each of these classes. The Upper Class were well educated, wealthy, and associated with royalty, therefore did not commit crimes. The nobility and commoners were the most involved in crimes throughout this time period.
noble crimes
Noble crimes consists of the following:
High Treason: the act of being disloyal to the crown.
High Treason: the act of being disloyal to the crown.
Blasphemy: the act of insulting, showing contempt, or lack of reverence for God, to religious, holy person, things, or toward something considered sacred.
Sedition: conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the crown.
Rebellion: uprising or insurrection that is a refusal of order to the crown.
Murder: killing of one human being by another through various ways. A common murder was poisoning; murder or attempt to murder through the form of a dangerous substance.
Spying: individual gathering information about the crown to then deliver it to an enemy monarchy.
Adultery: the action of extramarital sex, taken more seriously when committed by women.
Witchcraft: the use of magical faculties for dangerous and evil purposes.
Petty crime: offenses lower than capital offenses that do not result in torture or execution.
Commoner crimes
Many crimes committed by commoners were through sheer desperation and abject poverty. The most common crimes were:
Theft: the taking of another person’s property without that person’s permission. A common theft was cut purses; stealing ones property from pockets or purse.
Theft: the taking of another person’s property without that person’s permission. A common theft was cut purses; stealing ones property from pockets or purse.
Begging: practice of imploring others to grant a favour, often a gift of money, with little or no expectation of reciprocation.
Poaching: illegal hunting, killing, or capturing of animals. Poaching at night resulted in a punishment, where as in the day it did not.
Adultery: the action of extramarital sex, taken more seriously when committed by women.
Fraud: deliberate deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain.
Dice cogging: a game that included a cup and dice where someone would shake the dice and someone else would guess what numbers the dice landed on. The person who shakes the dice lies or cheats with what numbers the dice would land on and when people bet money, the dice cogger (someone who is a cheat or a liar) could easily scam them and get the money.
Public Drunkenness: sometimes after events commoners would wander the streets drunk.
Murder: the premeditated and unlawful killing of another human being.
Rape: during the time period this was a man forcing a women to partake in sexual intercourse outside of marriage against her consent.