A PUBLIC PENANCE, EXETER, 1836.

 I was under the impression that public penance in Anglican churches had long gone out of fashion by 1836 but in Exeter, in the parish of Saint Olave, a hellier (roofer) by the name of Henry Turpin was 'adjudged to do penance' for calling his sister-in-law, Mrs Charlotte Heath, several names impugning her chastity, &c. &c.

I suppose Henry could have opted out of the Anglican Church but that clearly was not for him an alternative.

There was a ceremony at the church.  A large crowd  assembled to see the fun.  Henry was "dressed in a white fustian coatee, breeches and gaiters to match, but was not arrayed in a white sheet, according to the popular notion."

The clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Birch, read the warrant:

"By authority of the Venerable John Moore Stevens, Clerk, Master of Arts, Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of Exeter, lawfully constituted, it is ordered that Henry Turpin, of the parish of St. Olave in the City of Exeter, and within our Archdeaconry, hellier, shall, upon some day,...come before the minister, and churchwardens of the parish... and repeat the following words."

The Reverend Birch then read, and Henry Turpin repeated:

"I, Henry Turpin, do hereby acknowledge and confess that I have abused and defamed the said Charlotte, wife of  Robert Heath, by saying that she is a black bastard  ------&c. &c. &c., for which I beg her pardon, and promise no more for the future to defame and abuse her again in the like manner."

The Western Times  (24th September, 1836.)  commented that:

"the 'congregation' ...seemed to think that Mr. Turpin's slander and Mrs. Heath's reputation were not the most solemn subjects to be settled at Church, and joined in the ceremony with much fun and merriment."

It is to be noted that in 2022 Henry's choice of insults, the one that The Times though fit to print,  would  have got him into trouble with the criminal law of England, never mind the Church!