Belles of St. Mary's

Chapter 5. Marthan Discipline Part 1

Pamphlet in the Smith Collection

MORTIFICATION OF THE FLESH

A MANUAL OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT:

II. THE MARTHAN METHOD

Derived from:

Private Writings of the Irish Sisters of the Suffering Mother

By Msgr. Thomas Kelley,

In The Diocese of Gulfcoaston

Privately Printed

In The Year Of Our Salvation 1917

Gulfcoaston, Texas

Forward

Dearest Sisters in Christ.

As Catholic Women a great obligation is laid upon you to Strictly Observe the Precepts of Our Holy Mother the Church as represented by your Pastor. This booklet is one guide to accomplishing that goal. The earlier volume in this series : The Marian Discipline focused on the Disciplinary Life of Catholics in the home with a focus on wives, mothers and daughters. In particular it focused on the female Chastisements carried out in the home. This volume is focused on those with needs for female Chastisements more severe and advanced than are carried out in the home. These are called the Marthan Disciplines because, as in the Gospels, the lot of Martha is a harder one than that for Mary.

As part of Modernism, there is a pernicious movement afoot to seduce us away from the long standing practice of the Mortification of the Flesh and its attendant need for Chastisement of the Female Body. This booklet is part of a movement to attack these dissipations and bring us all closer to Communion with The Body of Christ. Only by vigorously suppressing these tendencies toward sexual perversion can we begin to approach the Humility and Submissiveness of the Blessed Virgin. She was utterly Obedient unto the Spirit and there is no better example of Redemption than that of the Sorrowful Mother. Every voice of the Secular World ridicules Corporal Discipline as old fashioned, cruel and Un-American. We have only to witness the Corruption of the Ways of the World to appreciate the falsity of their doctrine. I realize that I am calling you to Pain and Humiliation. But compared to the Fires of Hell this is a small price to pay for Redemption in the Blood of the Lamb.

This volume contains a guide to Chastisements suitable for use on females in the Convent, School or Advanced Church Penitential Services. These Chastisements are intended to be ordered by the Mother Superior, the Principal or the Confessor rather than by a Teacher or Father or Husband. These Marthan Chastisements are designed to be supervised by a Trained and Experienced Disciplinarian. In this way they are unlike the Chastisement of Volume I which are ordered and carried out by the Father or Husband. I strongly suggest that you read and thoroughly study this volume prior to the time when you are scheduled to appear for your Chastisement. A thorough knowledge of what penance you may be given will help you to prepare for your reconciliation.

Lastly, this booklet is a complete rewriting of my earlier work on the same subject. Since that pamphlet of over five years ago hundreds of penitent females have passed under my care here in Texas. On sabbatical I have had the opportunity to survey the status of Submission, Obedience and Discipline among Catholic females in Europe, both of the laity and the religious. In particular I have had the delight of spending two months as Confessor General to the Irish Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother engaged in detailed studies of female discipline in Ireland, that true font of strict Catholicism. Therein formed the principles of S.O.D. in my mind. I wish to thank the many Pastors, Mother Superiors, Principals and Headmistresses and especially the Irish Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother who have assisted me in helping so many females advance down the road to their Eternal Salvation.

In Gulfcoaston,

Lent, A.D. 1917

I. Theological Background

The approach to Female Discipline of this Manual is based upon the following Theses.

1. A major consequence of Original Sin is Concupiscence.

2. Concupiscence is most formidably expressed in the Female and is maximal between menarche and menopause.

3. God has given us the tools to control Concupiscence in the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Penance.

4. Females between menarche and menopause should Confess and go to Communion at least once a month, preferably on the Saturday and Sunday after their monthly menstruation.

5. Proper repentance by the female of her sins, particularly the sins caused by Concupiscence, should appropriately involve mortification of the flesh.

6. The best methods for Mortification of the female Flesh involve Corporal Punishment.

7. The Pastor of the Parish is the ultimate authority in the extent to which Chastisement is warranted as penance for the forgiveness of sins. Serious Chastisement may only be ordered by the Pastor or his designate (The Mother Superior or The Principal).

8. Although no Pastor ever wishes to see severe pain inflicted on one of his Parishioners, he realizes that Scripture and The Teaching Authority of the Church stand clear that sinfulness, particular in matters of pride, willfulness and disobedience can only be Reconciled through Mortification of the Flesh that can only be described as Strict or Severe.

9. Strict or Severe (Marthan) Corporal Punishment should not be administered in the Home. Marthan Corporal Punishment is defined as striking the buttocks, thighs, breasts or female genitals with thin, round, elongated pieces of leather or wood (e.g. switch, cane, whip, etc.). Marthan Discipline involves a significant chance of bodily injury and should only be done under the direct supervision of Holy Mother Church. Injuries that may result from Marthan Discipline include cuts and lacerations of the skin and scarring may ensue.

10. This Manual addresses Strict and Severe Corporal Punishment of the female (Marthan Discipline) with an emphasis on the Chastisement of Older Schoolgirls, Nuns, and Wives. Other Manuals address Chastisements more appropriate to the Home and Family Environment (Marian Discipline).

II. The Philosophy of Severe Female Chastisements.

There are times in the life of every Catholic female when Chastisements are necessary that are more severe than those normally meted out in the home. These may be due to the misbehavior or misapplication of a girl in school, the failure of a mother to properly instruct and supervise her daughter, or the failure of a woman in her wifely duties. Also, certainly, it behooves all females in Religious Orders to periodically mortify their flesh in order to purge it of sin. Under these circumstances it is unfair to place all of the burden of Judgment and Chastisement upon the male head of the household or upon the individual nun. Holy Mother Church in Her Wisdom has given us Pastors, Mother Superiors and their Assistants to aid females along their path to Salvation. Upon the shoulders of Pastors and Confessors rests the burden of assisting responsible Husbands and Fathers in dealing with Concupiscence. Women in Religious Orders have special needs for Chastisement that must be accomplished on a regular basis. Safe within the confines of our Religious Institutions many different kinds of female needs for Rigorous Discipline can be brought for the Greater Glory of God.

In all cases the principles of Submission, Obedience and Discipline must be remembered.

Chastisement is not simply inflicting pain. It involves establishing:

(i) In the mind that particular state of Humility in emulation of the Virgin Mary

(ii) In the body that trembling and shaking Expectational state, and

(iii) In the emotions that dread and morbid Anticipation.

Under these conditions, the actual infliction of pain serves only to bring the three states above to a climax of Repentance and Humility. In Marthan Discipline the Chastisements administered are Strict and Severe wherefore the resultant Humiliation, Expectation and Anticipation are the much greater. Moreover, the climactic Fear of the Lord that is established is also the greater. The methods of the Irish Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother are of the greatest utility in establishing a mighty Fear of the Lord with acceptable physical damage.

III. Expectation, Exposure and Restraint in Strict and Severe Chastisements

Three factors establish the state of mind that allows the minimal use of pain in achieving Humility and Penitence. The first is the expectation of the impending Chastisement, the second is the exposure of the female body during the process of expectation and throughout the actual physical punishment and the third is the physical restraint of the female which promotes the feelings of powerlessness, terror and helplessness. Expectation plays a powerful role in Marthan Discipline.

The female should be notified of impending Chastisement at least two days in advance of the session. Typically, if Chastisement is performed on Saturday, the female due for Chastisement is notified on Thursday. This allow plenty of time for the female to anticipate her punishment and mull over in her head the possible things that may be done to her body. Students should be sent to the Principals office and there be informed of their upcoming date with the School Disciplinarian. The girls then take a letter home to their mothers informing them of the details of the upcoming punishment. Wives should be given a letter or card from their Pastor informing them of where and when they are to report. Ideally, they should then present the letter to their husband (who is usually notified separately as well) in a ritual indicating their Submission to God, Pastor and Husband and Obedience even unto severe pain. Female Religious should receive their Marthan Discipline on a fixed, regular schedule depending on where they are in their Spiritual Exercises. All females must realize that once a Marthan Discipline is scheduled, nothing short of severe illness will stand in the way of their appointed Chastisement.

In general, there should be nothing more humiliating to the female Catholic than exposure of her body. When a female is bound, naked and forced to await Chastisement severe enough to in some cases tear her skin, her entire body and mind become focused on the approaching moment of punishment and the parts of the body that will feel pain. Therefore when the punishment is applied, the parts of the body are ready to reach a climax with minimal damage to the body.

Our females exhibit their Submission, Obedience and Discipline when they expose their bodies for Chastisement. They know that certain parts of the body are unclean and they humiliate themselves by exposing these. This humiliation increases the distress of Chastisement. When a female must expose her body she is indicating her acceptance of the impending punishment. She also realizes that pain is impending and inevitable. Therefore, in order to optimize Chastisement, some time should pass between the exposure of the body and the application of the implement. Thus both Expectation and Exposure are achieved.

In the various Marthan Disciplines the females are required to fully undress and expose the most private parts of their bodies to the gaze of outsiders. This is one the most humiliating experiences a pious Catholic female can face. Since Marthan Disciplines are performed outside the comfortable confines of the home, the female is frequently required to disrobe in front of people who, while not necessarily strangers, are outside of the family unit. Furthermore, since no Disciplinary Gown is used, the breasts and pudenda are always exposed. All the females involved in the Discipline are required to undress as a group so that frequently mothers are required to disrobe in front of their daughters, or social acquaintances must disrobe in front of each other. This semi-public undressing increases the sense of humiliation beyond that of simple nakedness.

Lastly, Submission, Obedience and Discipline are driven home by the restraints employed in the Marthan Disciplines. When a female knows that she is about to be rendered helpless and unable to escape her Chastisement, the Fear of the Lord is increased. It is bad enough to be naked but to be naked and bent over a Disciplinary Horse and bound is worse. The knowledge that her cries will be ignored and all her struggles futile, increases the humiliation of her Chastisement. She is being forced to endure this physical pain and nothing can save her.

These three factors taken together amplify the effect of the corporal punishment several fold. The Marthan Disciplines are much more painful than the Marian Disciplines, being essentially whippings rather than spankings. But they add on dread of approaching punishment coupled with being forced into nakedness in front of outsiders and the helpless terror of the futility of struggle implicit in bondage. These three additional factors produce an effect that is capable of reducing the haughtiest matron to abject blubbering tears of terror.

IV. Bondage in Strict and Severe Chastisements

As discussed above, in addition to the immediate practical advantages of chastising a restrained subject, there are even more profound psychological benefits to the use of Bondage in the Marthan Disciplines. The following section will review the various forms of Female Bondage in common use with comments upon their advantages and shortcomings.

The Disciplinary Horse This furnishing is probably the simplest and most widely employed piece of furniture dedicated to female Chastisement. Other names for this Bondage furniture are the 'Whipping Horse', 'Caning Horse' or 'Punishment Trestle'. It consists of a horizontal bar supported by two V shaped trestle supports. In its simplest form it can be no more than a 'Carpenter's Horse' made from 2 x 4 lumber and costing no more than a dollar or two. The legs should either be boxed in at the base, typically with 1 x 3's for stability, or else the legs should be secured to a base. Typically, the top of the horizontal bar is anywhere from thirty inches (schools) to thirty-six inches (parishes) above the ground. The height must be sufficient so that when the female is bent at the waist over the bar, her feet are clear of the ground. If her feet are in contact with the ground and the female begins to 'buck', she will actually be able to 'buck' a 'Disciplinary Horse', even one of moderately stout construction, about the chamber. This will greatly embarrass the Disciplinarian who will be compelled to pursue the female about the chamber while administering Chastisement. The length of the bar can be anywhere from two to four feet. Two foot wide 'Disciplinary Horses' are economical of space and do not suffer from the clumsiness of having a foot of 'horse' sticking out to the right and left of the hips of the restrained female. On the other hand, a four foot 'horse' offers the option of binding the female along the length of the 'horse' with her hands secured near the 'head' of the 'horse' and the 'horse's rump' stuck into her crotch. For this particular application, the ends of the cross member horizontal bar are often finished to a triangular point which will neatly fit the pubic triangle of the female.

By and large, however, most 'Disciplinary Horses' that we have utilized are constructed a bit more sturdily than the average 'Carpenter's Horse'. This is because, although the vast majority of females placidly accept their Bondage when bent over the bar, there is always that one in ten female who will buck in frenzied fashion at the application of the first blow. Given that lumber is cheap, we recommend that the horizontal bar be fabricated from several 2 x 4's or a 4 x 6 and that the legs be made from 2 x 6's or 4 x 4's. The skirting at the bottom of the legs should be at least 2 x 4's and preferably 2 x 6's. It is desirable that the bottom of the horizontal skirting timber be at least nine inches above the ground. This allows enough clearance so that the lower limbs of the female to be secured to the skirting by lines about the ankles and still keep the feet off the floor. Heavier timber with stout skirting about the bottom ensures that a thrashing female will remain securely restrained. Furthermore, the heavier members allow the drilling of holes for the passage of lines without significantly weakening the structure. We have always preferred lines passed though holes for securing female limbs or even restraining about the waist or chest. Fixed ligatures never seem to be in exactly the place you need them for the particular female you are putting in bondage whereas with a hole positioned every inch or two, you can always thread that rope so that it is exactly where you need it. Similarly, we have found the use of metal cleats to be equally cumbersome. They are never exactly where you need them and they are always getting in your way. The above comments on carpentry are not to be taken in a dogmatic fashion. In our travels we have satisfactorily employed Bondage Furniture made to a wide variety of specifications. And it should be remembered that furnishings to be used in female Chastisement is not designed for the comfort of the female, but rather her discomfort.

Rarely is a girl' high school or parish so small that only a single 'Disciplinary Horse' adequate. There is nothing more salubrious to maintaining good Marthan Discipline than to strictly punish females in pairs. If a pair of disciplinees, perhaps schoolgirl friends or familially related females, are bound side by side on a pair of 'horses', the Disciplinarian can administer three strokes or so of the implement to one, and then three strokes to the other. Then the Disciplinarian can switch sides and repeat the alternation. This prolongs the punishment period, allowing fuller 'ripening' of the wheals and bruises, increasing the terror of expectation and allowing the full effect of vocalizations by the one to impact on the other. Our advice to a girl's high school or Parish seeking to acquire Bondage Furniture is to visit a Catholic institution where female Chastisement is properly carried out. A bit of practice using their equipment will probably indicate exactly what sort of a 'Disciplinary Horses' suits your requirements best. Then you can use that furniture to have exact duplicates made. Estimate how many 'Disciplinary Horses' you need and then order one more additional piece.

The Pillory An alternative to the 'horse' is a single support that fixes the head and hands of the female at a level of three to four feet above the ground. Often incorrectly termed "Stocks" these furnishings once graced the village squares of most parts of the civilized world before in the days before Liberal Protestantism undermined public morality. The pillory has a significant number of proponents who believe that no other method of Bondage is more suitable for female Chastisement. However, we note that the many difficulties with the pillory make it unsuitable for use as the primary furnishing for female restraint in Marthan Disciplines.

One difficulty with the pillory is that although one size of head hole accommodates almost all females regardless of age or mass, the hand holes seem to always be either too small, cutting off circulation to fat hands if properly fastened, or too big, allowing slender hands to be extracted after a small struggle. Despite the availability of 'hand inserts' or multiple alternate top bars, we have never been impressed with the security with which a female is restrained in the pillory.

A second problem with the pillory is that because females come in a wide variety of heights. What is an optimal position for a woman of average height is so tall of a girl of short stature that she must be stood on a soap box in order to get her head through the center hole. Similarly, a very tall, heavy set matron must bend into some pillories with extreme difficulty and has a hard time keeping her legs under her when beaten with the rod. Theoretically, it should be possible to construct a pillory whose height is adjustable. However, with hinges and hasps and holes to be cut, and adaptors for various wrist sizes to fabricate and fit, the average pillory requires such carpentry as to place it at a disadvantage vis a vis the simple, sturdy 'horse'.

A third major disadvantage to the pillory is the manner in which it is classically secured to the ground. When the pillory was used in The Old Country it was usually planted into the ground on one central or two side posts. The Marthan Disciplines are carried out in private, secure from prying eyes. Chastisements are usually performed in a dedicated room in the basement of the Convent, Rectory, Church or Girl's High School. It is generally highly inconvenient to plant a post or two into the floor in these facilities. If the pillory is to be freestanding and movable, it must still be sturdy enough so that an agitated robust female does not displace it. Despite many examples viewed, we have not to date seen a pillory that we are truly satisfied with.

Why then, is the pillory even discussed at all? Because, for certain Disciplines it offers great advantage. For example, it is difficult to gain access to the breasts of a female when she is draped over the horse. On the other hand, when a mature female is bent over at a right angle to the pillory, her breasts hang down like the udders of a cow. This allows the employment of a number of interesting Chastisements. Similarly, marital relations are singularly appropriate post Chastisement. A wife, restrained in the stocks with a spectacularly marked posterior offers a singularly inviting target for the rear approach by her husband. Thus, for the Catholic institution where space is no object and expense immaterial, a pillory may make a highly interesting addition to the armamentarium of Disciplinary Furniture.

The Whipping Post The majority of Marthan Disciplines begin and end with the female being bent over, restrained, and having an implement – switch, cane, birch or whip – applied to her posterior. However, there are Disciplines that call for more extensive Chastisements. For these occasions there is nothing better than the old fashioned Whipping Post! An alternative to the post, particularly where space is limited, is bondage of the wrist with line attached to a trapeze or mounting points fixed overhead. Few pieces of disciplinary furniture are simpler in construction and more complicated in use. The complications arise because most Chastisements administered to erect females involve one form or other of suspension with the wrists overhead. With a few exceptions, the ligatures used in suspension involve the wrists and suspension by the wrists can cut off blood flow to the hands and pinch two of the major nerves (the ulnar and median) that run through the wrist. Furthermore, because the Chastisements that are conducted upon the upright female are usually quite severe, loss of consciousness is common. When the female faints, her entire weight can be placed upon the wrists with resultant blood flow to the hands and nerve damage. Loss of consciousness is promoted by the upright position and pooling of blood in the lower body versus the more equal distribution of blood in the bent over prone position or supine position.

Damage to the wrists can be minimized by the use of cuffs padded with cloth, soft leather or sheep skin with the woolly side mounted toward the skin. When the whipping post is employed, the female should be bound at multiple points (e.g. wrists overhead near the top of the post, a strap above the bosom but below the shoulders, a strap just below the bosom, a strap at the belt line, and a strap just above or below the knees. This allows access to the breasts and loins but prevents all of the female weight being placed on a single suspension point when she faints. Obviously, these strategies have limited utility when the female is restrained by her wrists from an overhead point. Therefore, it is desirable to have a facile method for taking down the dead weight of an unconscious female before damage to her hands occurs. Our experience is that a line of reasonable length should be attached to the wrist cuff of the female and then led though a block or pulley mounted overhead to a belaying point, preferably on an adjacent wall. This belaying point can be either a cleat or a ratcheted winch. The major advantage of the winch is that it is capable of fine degrees of adjustment which afford precise suspension of the female while allowing quick release when unconsciousness occurs.

The whipping post occupies a critical position in a room, usually being placed directly in the center. And generally, a whipping post requires a significant amount of room about it for the whip to be wielded. Ideally, the minimum chamber size for a whipping room is twelve by twelve feet. And if a whip is to be freely employed, the chamber should be devoid of other furniture other than perhaps a stool or small chair. Thus, it is likely that only facilities with plenty of space will enjoy the luxury of a whipping room. On the other hand, once a whipping post is provided, more than one female can be accommodated. It is not necessary for every female to have her own whipping post. Rather by provision of multiple attachment point around the top of the post, as many as three to four women can be simultaneously bound with resultant efficiency. We have had, on one occasion, the pleasure of placing a mother and three of her daughters, all married women, faces toward the post, in charming familial bondage. The scourge was thoroughly applied in round robin fashion to their backs, buttocks and thighs until all were bloodied and two were unconscious. After the females were revived, they were repositioned, backs bound to the post. With their hands bound over their heads their breasts were uplifted and beautifully positioned for receiving the switch. After their bosoms were heavily welted and bleeding and their nipples lacerated, their loins were subjected to the scourge with laudable results. Similar severe chastisements have been carried out with great efficiency on a group of a dozen nuns and a score of older school girls at a academy of the Irish Sister of the Suffering Mother. In the case of the nuns, after their scourging, the switch was used to extreme good effect upon their breasts. The nipples of the girls were spared for fear of disrupting their eventual natural functioning. In both cases the disciplinees were stripped in a central location and made to kneel, facing the wall, awaiting their chastisement. Groups of four were then led off to the whipping chamber for Marthan Discipline. Lastly, on one Lenten occasion, we witnessed the severe Chastisement of two dozen females, scourged into unconsciousness, in a single morning between Mass and an excellent luncheon.

Chastisement Tables When it is desirable to subject the most private parts of the female to the mortification of the flesh, there is no better furniture for disciplinary bondage than a table custom built to the purpose. Experience has taught that there are two basic forms for such furnishings, which we will call the "Diapering Bed" and the "Splitting Tee". Both tables are eminently suitable bondage for use when applying the whip or switch to the mons, labia and perianal areas.

The "Diapering Bed" evolved from the expedient of having the female to be disciplined lie on her back in a simple iron bed with a barred headboard. Her hands are secured to the headboard of the bed on either side. Then the female has her legs raised and her ankles secured to the top of the headboard of the bed. Thus the female is bound into a position approximating that of a baby being "diapered". In modern practice this has been greatly simplified. The "mattress" has been reduced to a four foot long and two foot wide wooden platform, approximately thirty inches above the floor. The "headboard" should be a minimum of three feet wide and should extend about eighteen to twenty-four inches above the surface of the bed. It is useful to have holes or slots in the wooden "mattress" near its "foot" whereby lines or straps can be passed to secure the female at approximately her belt line. The "headboard" can have many designs for attachment of bondage restraints. We prefer a simple headboard of wooden slats and a horizontal crosspiece. The female in need of discipline is seated on a stool placed at the "foot" of the "bed". She is then instructed to lie back and she is bound at her waist and her wrists are secured over her head. When heavyset females are being subjected to Marthan Discipline, this is an opportune time to apply the switch or scourge to their large breasts. Normally, the optimal position for Chastising the breast is upright with hands secured over the female's head. Unfortunately, large pendulous breasts hang down in such a way that only the superior surface is accessible to the implement of discipline. When the female is supine, large breasts spread out over the chest like thick pancake batter. Thus positioned, all portions of the bosom can be subjected to the whip or switch with the implement coming from a variety of different directions. After the breasts have been subjected to the mortification of the flesh, the legs of the female are elevated to over her head, splayed out to the desired degree, secured by the ankles to the "headboard", and the stool at the "foot" removed. The final advantage of the "Diapering Bed" is that it is relatively compact. In a reasonably sized Disciplinary Chamber (perhaps twelve by twelve feet), it is possible to position four "Diapering Beds" and still have sufficient room to swing a small cat o' nine tails.

The "Splitting Tee" is the table to employ when absolute exposure and maximal bondage is required. This furnishing, as expected from its name, is a tee shaped table approximately four feet long and six feet across the arms of the tee. The female is seated on a stool at the top of the tee and made to lie back along the upright arm of the tee such that her head comes to rest at the base of the tee. She is then bound, wrists just in back of and to the sides of her head, and about the waist, at the belt line, which should be at the top of the tee. At this point, the buttocks of the female should still be on the stool (which is at the top of the tee). If more control is desired, straps should be used to secure the female to the upright of the tee, just above and below the breasts. Then lines are secured to the female's ankles and the legs of the female are raised into the full vertical position. At this point the female's legs are opened into the fully spread "tee" position. When dealing with compliant females of an age young enough to have highly flexible hip joints, this can be easily accomplished and once the legs are completely spread, the ankle lines can be secured to the ends of the cross arms of the "tee". Unfortunately, given the state of terror of most females facing Chastisement on the "Splitting Tee", few women willingly spread their legs. Furthermore, as females mature their hips become less limber. Thus, the mere assuming of this splayed position frequently imposes a torment all of its own, even before the application of any implement. Some authorities suggest the use of winches positioned underneath the ends of the cross arms of the "tee" to force the legs of the female open. We do not encourage this practice as it has been reported that in Ireland and Spain, the hips of females have been broken on the "Splitting Tee". This is Mortification of the Flesh to a degree that we cannot countenance. Rather, we find that once the female is securely bound to the upright of the "tee" with her legs held by two sturdy assistance, the patient Disciplinarian with sufficient application of a whip or crop to various parts of the body, can eventually persuade even the most recalcitrant female to fully spread her legs. Once the legs of the female are spread and secured, the positioning stool can be removed. As alluded to above, this position is generally regarded as the most painful and humiliating of all standard position of bondage. Women who have undergone frequent and severe Mortifications of the Flesh report that they would willing lie supine with their legs splayed out and their arms encircling their knees and calves, keeping their legs spread while their tender parts are scourged rather than suffer the torment of bondage on the "Splitting Tee".

V. Implements for Strict and Severe Chastisements

The purpose of Marthan Discipline is to establish in the female the Fear of The Lord to a degree that approaches terror. The implements employed are those which have the potential to cut and abrade the skin. Therefore, they must be used with the utmost respect.

Nothing is more misunderstood than the role of implements in Chastisement. Marthan Discipline uses the more severe implements of discipline which generally consist of the cane, the switch, the crop and various types of whips. All of these are dangerous and should be used only by or under the close supervision of, a qualified disciplinarian. The implements should be carefully obtained and lovingly maintained. A defective implement may not only perform inadequately but may cause more injury to the female penitent than is desired.

Unsuitable Implements Here in America the wooden paddle has enjoyed enormous popularity, particularly in the public schools. Unfortunately when applied with sufficient force to cause appropriate psychological effect, the paddle generally causes too much physical damage to justify its use. This is particularly true with the school girl wherein the buttocks and thighs do not yet have the cushioning fat of the more mature female. A stout paddling of the average school girl causes deep bruises that involve bleeding into the gluteus muscles which takes weeks to resolve. This makes walking and bending difficult and interferes with the girl's ability to do her chores. The object of Chastisement is not to injure the subject being Chastised but to change their willful female attitude and to cause true repentance for the sins of concupiscence. It is amazing the degree to which skin can be made to painfully respond with the proper use of implements other than the paddle. Furthermore, it is also amazing how a heavily welted bottom with numerous small cuts will be almost completely recovered in a fortnight whereas a thoroughly paddled bottom will have to wait a month or so for further Chastisement.

Similarly, many types of whips, particularly those of the single tailed variety, have a tendency to shred the skin too easily. This is because their impact is too strong for the surface area they impact. Therefore they make a quick and clean cut which can be relatively painless. This is particularly true with "bullwhips", "dressage" whips and many types of "quirts" which are designed for the much thicker bovine and equine skins with their mats of dense hair. If these whips are employed with a force adjusted so as not to cut the skin, little more than a red mark results and the actual pain is less than that of a skillfully applied strop. Again we stress that our goal is to inflict pain rather than produce injury. The "bullwhip", "dressage" whip" or quirt just do not perform the function we desire.

The Cane The cane is a difficult instrument to wield and all too frequently results in more deep bruising than pain. True rattan canes are difficult to purchase. Frequently all that is available are "bamboo" canes which shatter within the first half dozen blows. Canes are best left to Holy Mother Church to obtain and skillfully use. The severity of punishment with the cane is ideally determined, not by the force with which the implement is wielded, which should be uniform, but by its thickness and length and by the number of strokes administered. Ideally, every stroke of the cane should induce the formation of wheal with surrounding flare but not cause bruising of the muscle underneath nor should the skin be cut or torn. Because of the severity of impact of the cane, when properly employed, it should not be necessary or even desirable, to prepare the skin by a previous spanking.

Even when employed by an expert, the tip of the cane exerts considerably more punishment than the other parts. Furthermore, the cane does not deliver a proper blow when wielded with a backhand stroke. Therefore, the cane is ideally wielded in an alternating ambidextrous manner or else two Disciplinarians should be utilized, one right handed and the other left handed. In this way both sides of the buttocks and thighs are equally chastised. Strokes should always be laid on directly across the backside resulting in side to side marks. It is not desirable to cross the strokes. The cane should never be employed striking downwards from the head of the subject in a caudal direction. Similarly, the area of the iliac crests and spine should be avoided. Breaching these precepts tends to result in severe lacerations of the skin. Similarly, the lower part of the backs of the thighs should be avoided because of the potential for damage to the hamstring tendons.

It is suggested that the proper training a Disciplinarian should involve supervised instruction by an expert in the art. At least three dozen canings should be done under direct supervision to include equal numbers of older school girls and wives. Discipline should be administered to females of all somatotypes including mesomorphs, ectomorphs and endomorphs. Chastisements should include a varied mix of moderate canings (half to a dozen strokes with a light cane) to severe punishments (two and a half to three dozen strokes with a heavy cane). After a suitable training period the Disciplinarian's expertise should be documented with a letter from the mentor stating the level of skill attained.

The effect of a caning is highly variable. A light caning leaves the female none the worse for wear excepting the half dozen or so wheals on the backside and a strong desire not to sit for a day or so. A severe caning of two to three dozen strokes will send the female to bed for two to three days. Their posterior will be exquisitely tender for a week and walking will be painful for several days. This caning can cause about a half a dozen lacerations which will take two weeks or longer to completely heal and she may bear a scar or two for several years after the Chastisement.

The most severe caning we have ever witnessed was of an adulterous wife in Ireland. This strapping woman, bound over a Disciplinary Horse, received four dozen strokes of the greatest severity with a cane over three feet in length. She lost consciousness three times during the caning resulting in a Chastisement session that lasted almost three hours. Her backside was stripped of skin from her beltline to midway down her thighs and she bled for almost a dozen hours afterwards. Her urine was red, her breathing labored and she ran a high fever with delirium for three days. She was confined to bed for almost a month afterwards and it was three months before the skin of her buttocks was free of granulation tissue. Inspection of her backside on a subsequent trip five years later revealed extensive scaring similar to that following a scalding injury. Obviously, a caning more severe than this could result in death.

The breasts and pudendum of the female can also be subjected to canings. However, all of the caveats given above apply even more stringently than when the buttocks is the target. Only the lightest (Junior) cane should be employed and that with a stroke much lighter than is used on the backside. If the breast is struck too sharply, the underlying fat is severely injured with resulting internal bleeding. On the other hand, a sharp blow of the cane can cause the fat in the breast to die, a condition called fat necrosis that rudely disfigures the breast and may cause breast cancer. On some occasions, even a single, too harsh cane stroke will cause the entire breast to swell and become black and blue. Scars from canings can subsequently form with dimpling of the breast and permanent disfigurement. Obviously, only a skilled expert should ever attempt a breast caning and we recommend that only the breasts of nuns be caned. When disfigurement results, the sister can then offer up the sacrifice of this pleasing feature to God in reparation for sin and given the concealing feature of their habits, none will be aware of their sacrifice.

Problems can also occur when the perineum is caned. Sharply striking the mons or vulvar areas not infrequently results in unconsciousness. We are aware of reports of death resulting from the stoppage of the heart during canings of the pudenda. Alternatively, very mild application of the lightest cane to the labia has been observed to cause engorgement of the female genitalia in a surprising number of mature women and we have observed shuddering, moaning and secretion of fluids similar to those observed during the climax of marital intercourse in some women. We have reason to believe that these women are actually experiencing pleasure from their chastisement just as some wanton women enjoy sexual congress. In all cases such pleasure should be followed by pain so that concupiscence will be counteracted. Therefore it is obvious that the management of these sorts of punishments are best attempted only by the experienced expert.

The Strap Although the use of the strap as the only implement of Chastisement is not recommended for Marthan Discipline, this implement can play a very useful role as part of the disciplinary armamentarium. Every facility administering Marthan Disciplines should have a wide variety of straps on hand. The main use of the strap is in the first stage in the Chastisement, preparing the skin for the application of the definitive implement. This can either be done in the home (as part of the routine weekly Marian Discipline) or it can be done in the facility dispensing Marian Discipline as a preliminary to the main Chastisement.

The mainline implement is the standard disciplinary strap, two and a half inches wide and a about quarter inch thick, attached to a handle. We recommend having three or four ranging in length from twenty to over thirty inches to suit all occasions. The specifications and use of this implement are thoroughly explicated in the Manual of Marian Discipline. A dozen "hits" delivered with one of these straps from alternating sides, with full force yields, an impressive result – a solidly red buttocks and thighs with very little untouched white skin. Two dozen blows, delivered to the average, mature woman's buttocks and upper thighs yields complete coverage with some areas of red purple bruise. Thirty to forty strokes will leave deep purple bruise that ripens to solid "black and blue" within an hour or so. As reviewed in length in the Manual of Marian Discipline, the endpoint of this preliminary preparatory beating is not simply the application of a given number of strokes but the achievement of a given degree of inflammation of the backside. One might think in terms of red, red-purple or black and blue. If the switch or the birch or the scourge is then applied to such prepared skin, the pain elicited is then greatly amplified. Applying the switch to black and blue skin is obviously much more extreme than applying the switch to merely red skin. And the interval in between the preliminary strapping and the definitive whipping allows the female to contemplate her sins and shortcomings in a truly penitent fashion.

The light strap of belt leather makes a good implement for the preliminary Chastisement of the more tender parts of the female. A one inch wide belt is almost perfect. In this case the length can be anywhere from 14 to 24 inches as longer lengths quickly become unmanageable. A handle length of about seven to eight inches provides a convenient grip. We strongly recommend making a set of three, one 16 inch, one 20 inch and one 24 inch. These can be applied to the breasts and perineal regions of adult females to redden and welt the skin prior to the application of the switch to these sensitive parts. We do not believe in the application of the switch to the nipples of high school girls because of the danger of cutting the nipples such that lactation is later interfered with. However, the breasts of older adolescent females can be very thoroughly beaten with the light strap without resultant deformity of the breast due to fat necrosis or scarring of the nipple due to severe laceration.

The Switch Perhaps the implement most widely used in America for Marthan Chastisements is the switch. Cut from shoots of hardwood trees and shrubs, stripped of its bark and pickled in vinegar brine to maintain its flexibility, the switch is cheap, easy to obtain and incapable per se of inflicting excessive tissue injury. Yet its impact is not to be underestimated. If a female is given a proper preparative spanking and is securely bound to a Disciplinary Horse, then a slow and thorough Chastisement with a switch can be one of the most excruciating experiences she will ever undergo. With a fraction of the tissue damage that the cane can cause, the switch can deliver a treatment that is every bit as painful in the end. And the female Chastised with the switch will heal faster and be ready for another Marthan Chastisement in as short a time as a month!

A wide variety of trees and bushes can supply the raw materials for switches. We have generally employed wands from the crepe myrtle bush, thin branches from the hickory tree and "water shoots" from the live oak. The main requirements are that the switch be relatively straight (crooked switches are hard to handle) and that it be resilient. Nothing is more upsetting than to just be entering the critical phase of a Chastisement and to have one's switch break, thus upsetting the rhythm of the strokes. In the room where the Chastisement is administered, we always have a minimum of half a dozen switches readily at hand. Switches should be harvest a dozen or more at a time. We usually prefer to have one of the prospective penitents harvest and prepare the switches that will later be used on her. This functions to increase her expectation of punishment. A pair of pruning shears is ideal for cutting the wands. The bark is then removed from the final two feet of the switch with a pen or paring knife. It is usually desirable to remove the knobs from the switch that are found at the attachment point of the twigs as these protuberances can cause undesired laceration of the skin. However, one or two switches can be reserved with bark intact for the more severe cases. These are often bundled together, three to six at a time to form a "birch".

We are frequently asked which wood is best for switches and are there any types of wood that are absolutely useless as switches. There is such a diversity of woods in North America and so many sub species and the common names for trees and bushes change so frequently from place to place, that one cannot be too dogmatic in ones pronouncements. For example, our British friends tell us that willow osiers are excellent whereas we know that the Southern Willow makes execrable switches. The best advice we can give is to widely sample those woods which are readily available locally and test them for suitability upon female posteriors in need of discipline. By trial and error you will quickly find some that are useful. Then lay in a goodly supply. Properly pickled switches can be stored for many months and a good switch if not abused, is capable of raising hundreds of welts before it finally breaks.

Regardless of the source of the switches, they should be 'pickled' prior to use. This is accomplished by storing them for a minimum of a day in vinegar brine. This brine is made by taking several gallons of cheap vinegar and adding three or four pounds of rock salt per gallon of vinegar until no more salt enters into the solution. The wands are best stored in a vertical position. A crock for storing switches can be made by taking a four foot long section of vitreous glazed drain pipe and sealing the slip joint end with Portland cement. Since the switches will be stored tip down, they must be suspended or else the tips will be bent. This can be done by bundling them together a half dozen or so at a time and then suspending them from the binding string. Individual switches can be likewise suspended using binder twine. Just prior to use, the switches are removed from the brine. It is not necessary to wipe the brine off prior to use since the application of the switch to the posterior of the female will soon remove any adherent brine. Should the switch become soiled with blood, as sometimes happens, one need only to dip the switch into the brine jar once or twice to rinse the blood off. Furthermore, a bit of the brine, taken up on a napkin or handkerchief, is useful for stopping bleeding from small lacerations or cuts.

Switches should be cut to a very wide range of lengths and thicknesses. For Chastising the female backside we usually employ switches of thirty to forty inches. Switches have a way of trimming themselves to the proper length as the ends break off in use at weak points that are often inconspicuous to the naked eye. One should not be alarmed when the tip of a new switch breaks on its first use. Merely take a pen knife, kept handy in a pocket expressly for this purpose, and cut off the broken tip. Sometimes, a switch will require two or three trimmings in the first half dozen strokes. Just be patient and remember that unlike the cane, the switch must absolutely be employed such that the tip squarely hits the flesh. Hitting a rounded mass of flesh with the middle of the switch is a sure way to break the wand every time. Once the natural excess of tip has been trimmed from the switch, the implement should be good for at least two dozen strokes if properly employed. Well pickled switches prepared from the most desirable woods are good for several hundred strokes. Some switches manage to retain their slender tips better than others. These switches, upon discovery, should immediately be retained for use on the breasts and pudenda and not wasted on the buttocks and thighs. The coarser switches, likewise, should be used upon the backside and not the more delicate female parts. In these matters, personal experience is the best advisor.

Fortunately, training a Disciplinarian to properly make and use the switch is much easier than cane training. Acquiring facility with the cane may require the Disciplinarian to cane fifty or more females. Expertise in shaping a switch and properly utilizing it may be acquired after Chastising no more than a dozen females. I have found that Disciplinarians trained in Ireland in the use of the cane, catch the knack of trimming and wielding the switch almost immediately upon immigrating to America. It is only the most clumsy and inept individual who cannot quickly master the use of this implement.

The only potential drawback to the switch, and it cannot really be considered a drawback, is the tendency of this implement to cut the skin when applied forcefully. This is particularly true when the switch is applied to skin that is welted from a previous strike of the switch or slap of the strap. As previously stated we do not consider the goal of chastisement the simple infliction of a fixed number of blows but rather the attainment of a given degree of punishment. Thus, the simplest degree of chastisement with the switch is the raising of welts all over the surface to be disciplined (e.g. the buttocks) without any significant tearing of the skin. The next degree of punishment with the switch might be to completely cover the buttocks with wheals and superficially abrade the buttocks so that the outermost layer of skin is torn but there are no deep cuts in the skin and there is only the most minor degree of bleeding induced. Severe punishment with the switch may result in half a dozen or more cuts with blood oozing forth or even overt bleeding.

The Birch In Britain, one of the favored implements of Chastisement is the bundle of twigs called a 'birch' after the tree whose twigs are employed in fabricating the implement. We have never been enamored of the birch as classically illustrated, perhaps because we have never been able to obtain the proper twigs. However, we have had excellent results by bundling together three to four stripped switches of a thickness just sub-optimal for employment as individual switches. Particularly when employed upon a posterior already sensitized by a thorough strapping, this bundle of switches inflicts severe pain with minimal bruising. The only caveat to be observed for the switch bundle is the same as for the switch. Over vigorous use can result in extensive laceration of the skin as alluded to immediately above.

The Whip The ultimate implement for female chastisement is the whip. No other implement can produce pain of such extreme intensity or in careless or untrained hands so easily turn skin into a raw and bleeding mess. Therefore, the whip should only be rarely used, only certain types are suitable for Marthan Discipline and on those occasions when it is used, it's employment should be by a trained and experienced expert. We strongly discourage the use of the single-tailed whip for the reasons discussed in the first part of this section ( Unsuitable Implements ). On the other hand we are strong proponents of the monastic scourge. This implement, used from the very beginning of Christianity in the Eastern Church has been used in the Roman Church since the time of St. Benedict. It usually consists of four to six leather thongs studded with overhand knots every three to six inches. The knotted thongs, approximately twenty four to thirty inches are attached to a wooden handle six to ten inches long. In the older monastic tradition the whip or scourge was used for auto-flagellation of the back, particularly by hermits. However the backs of nuns are not as heavily muscled as those of monks. Therefore, scourging of the backs of nuns is usually kept to a minimum. In more modern nunneries this implement is used extensively on the well padded buttocks and thighs. The strictest religious orders subject novices and postulants to monthly moderate scourgings, usually just after the menses. In the routine usage, this whipping is carried out until the skin is just on the verge of bleeding. In the more severe disciplinary scourgings, the whipping is carried out until blood is running down the legs of the mendicant. Many strict orders mandate a severe scourging for every sister at least once during Lent and on the anniversary of the sister's final vows. Obviously, the degree of severity of discipline of female religious should be the joint decision of the Mother Superior and the Confessor.