Simson lies in anguish on the rack ("Cutbert Simson upon the racke." ["Cuthbert Simpson upon the rack"]). Under the direction of a priest and two richly dressed figures, two workers operate the device. Stairs ascend upward at the left of the image. In an upper right insert, Simson stands handcuffed and bound in an iron collar that descends to the ground ("The description howe Cutbert Symson stoode in an engyne of yron three houres within the Tower, commonlye called Sceuyng tons gyues" ["The description how Cuthbert Simson stood in an engine of iron three hours within the Tower, commonly called Scevingtons gives"]). In an upper left insert, Simson receives an arrow passed through his fingers ("The gratynge of an arrowe throughe Cutbert Symsons fyngers" ["The grating of an arrow through Cuthbert Simson's fingers"]). These incidents transpire at the Tower of London, which served as a prison during the Tudor period. This woodcut appears in the first through fourth editions (1563, 1570, 1576, and 1583). Luborsky and Ingram 11222/50, 11223/101. JPEG file (990 KB).
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