Buttock mail

Buttock mail was the colloquial term for a Scottish Poor Law tax which was introduced in 1595. Enforced by the ecclesiastical courts who had responsibility for the moral behaviour of the laity, buttock mail was levied as a fine for sexual intercourse out of wedlock.

Etymology

In the 17th century, and perhaps earlier when the law that became known as buttock mail was passed, buttock was a colloquial term for a prostitute. The term mail is an old Scots word meaning a monetary tribute or payment, from the same root as the word blackmail. Thus, the term buttock mail literally means a monetary payment related to prostitution, referring to its being a fine for fornication, or sex outside of marriage.^[1]

History

Ecclesiastical courts had existed since the Norman invasion. While secular courts were tasked with enforcing secular laws, the responsibility of the ecclesiastical courts was to enforce religious and moral laws. This included discipline of the clergy, enforcement of probate and wills, as well as enforcement of laws that kept the laity within moral bounds. These ecclesiastical courts were very powerful until the late 17th century, when the Glorious Revolution removed much of their power. The remaining jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical courts was removed in the 19th century.^[2]

Fornication was against the law, and punishments were enforced by these ecclesiastical courts.^[3] The normal punishment was a public confession through use of the Stool of Repentance, but payment of buttock mail commuted this sentence, allowing the convicted fornicator to avoid public humiliation.^[4] The term buttock mail was in use from the 16th until the 19th century.^[5]

Notes

^ Grose & Partridge 1931, p. 64
^ Cannon, John (2002). The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860514-5.
^ Jamieson 1825, p. 166
^ Smith, Sydney; et al. (1804). The Edinburgh review: or critical journal, Volume 3. A. Constable. p. 206.
^ Partridge & Simpson 1973, p. 139

References

Grose, Francis; Partridge, Eric (1931), A classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue, Beard Books, ISBN 1-58798-247-1
Jamieson, John (1825), An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language ...: Supplement, Volume 1, University Press, p. 166
Partridge, Eric; Simpson, Jacqueline (1973), The Routledge dictionary of historical slang, Routledge, ISBN 0-7100-7761-0

[1] Grose & Partridge 1931, p. 64

[2] Cannon, John (2002). The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860514-5.

[3] Jamieson 1825, p. 166

[4] Smith, Sydney; et al. (1804). The Edinburgh review: or critical journal, Volume 3. A. Constable. p. 206.

[5] Partridge & Simpson 1973, p. 139

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v t e Poor laws of the British Isles
Poor laws by territory	England and Wales Scotland Ireland Isle of Man	Nantwich workhouse
Old Poor Law	Vagabonds and Beggars Act 1494 Tudor poor laws Poor Relief Act 1597 Poor Relief Act 1601 Poor Relief Act 1662 Relief of the Poor Act 1696 Poor Relief Act 1722 Relief of the Poor Act 1782 House of correction Overseer of the poor Poor rate Poor relief Buttock mail
Relief systems	Outdoor relief Speenhamland Labour Rate Roundsman Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor
New Poor Law	Royal commission (1832) Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 Poor Law (Scotland) Act 1845 Less eligibility Workhouse Workhouse test Board of guardians Outdoor Labour Test Order Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order Poor law unions Opposition Book of Murder Scottish poorhouse
Changes after 1834	Poor Law Commission Poor Law Board Local Government Board Andover workhouse scandal Huddersfield workhouse scandal Union Chargeability Act
Decline and abolition	Liberal welfare reforms Royal Commission (1905–09) Majority Report Minority Report Interwar poverty National Assistance Act 1948
Other	Christmas Day in the Workhouse Historiography of the Poor Laws Timeline of the English poor law system Poor Relief Act List of poor law unions in England List of poor law unions in Wales List of Irish poor law unions