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| PORCINE PUNISHMENT During the Middle Ages, pigs in France were permitted to roam the streets freely. In exchange for their liberty, they were expected to abide by the law. Any pig caught contravening regulations was taken to court where, according to established legal procedure, its case was tried and it was duly sentenced. It was not uncommon to see a pig dressed in human clothes being tied to a bench and publicly flogged. In 1394 a pig in Normandy was hanged, having been found guilty of eating a small child. This appeared to be an instinct that pigs found difficult to curb because some years later a sow and her six piglets were accused of a similar crime. Having failed �to show cause for their conduct� the sow was executed. The court showed greater leniency towards the piglets as they were underage and had been led astray by the poor example set by their mother. |
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