The Execution of Elizabeth Gaunt | Early Modern Execution | Early Modern Punishments | Executions

Elizabeth Gaunt was born around 1630 into a devout Anabaptist family in London. She was the daughter of Anthony Fothergill of Brownber, Ravenstonedale, and her life was marked by her deep religious convictions and acts of charity. Along with her husband William, she lived in the parish of St Mary, Whitechapel, where they were involved in Whig politics, a movement that opposed the absolute monarchy of the Stuart kings and sought to protect the rights of Parliament and Protestantism.
Gaunt was well-known in her community for her generosity and commitment to helping those in need, especially victims of religious and political persecution. Bishop Burnet noted that she spent her life "in acts of charity, visiting the gaols and looking after the poor of what persuasion soever they were." Her dedication to aiding the oppressed would ultimately lead to her tragic demise.
The Rye House Plot and the Monmouth Rebellion
The Rye House Plot of 1683 was a conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II and his brother, the Duke of York (later James II), in an effort to prevent the Catholic James from ascending to the throne. The plot failed, and its discovery led to a wave of arrests and executions of those involved. Although Gaunt was not directly connected to the conspiracy, her later actions would draw her into its deadly aftermath.
In 1685, during the aftermath of the Monmouth Rebellion—a failed attempt by James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, to overthrow King James II—Gaunt provided shelter to James Burton, a fugitive who had been involved in both the Rye House Plot and the rebellion. Gaunt, known for her charitable work, helped Burton escape to Amsterdam, unaware that this act of kindness would cost her life.
Arrest, Trial, and Betrayal
Burton was later captured and, in an effort to save himself from execution, betrayed Gaunt to the authorities. Despite having no involvement in the Rye House Plot itself, Gaunt was arrested and charged with high treason for aiding Burton. The trial against her, held at the Old Bailey on 19 October 1685, was widely regarded as a show trial. Historian David Hume later wrote, "He [Burton] received a pardon as a recompense for his treachery, and she was burnt alive for her charity."
During the trial, Gaunt’s demeanor was striking; she considered her trial a form of martyrdom and reportedly maintained such good humor that the audience was moved to tears. Despite the clear injustice of the proceedings, she was sentenced to death by burning, a punishment reserved for women convicted of treason. Unlike most executions of the time, Gaunt was denied the mercy of strangulation before the flames consumed her, meaning she was literally burned alive.
Execution and Legacy
On 23 October 1685, Elizabeth Gaunt was executed. She was the last woman to be burned alive in England for political reasons at Tyburn. Her composure and bravery in the face of such a horrific death left a lasting impression on those who witnessed it. William Penn, a contemporary and founder of Pennsylvania, reported that Gaunt "died with a constancy, even to a cheerfulness, that struck all that saw it."
Gaunt’s execution marked the end of an era, as she became the last woman in England to be executed for a political crime. Her death is remembered as a symbol of the extreme punishments of the time and the dangers faced by those who dared to act with compassion in a period of intense political and religious conflict.

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