![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjbgVeiIqo9Y8eQ_UGqHhBRtMFkyBrgohB0S6EjVUmRZkdfTNIFGtcenQbXY_g9wq5Xk4HMEFX_YjpJXZlS6u7ekX6M4nv2em6qD3e2p-UpA7Nw_RN1CYpp6Oaimz3Oh9J5qoOQ/s1600/stocks_pillory_cartoon.jpg)
I seem to do a lot of history-based cartoons, often set in the Middle Ages/medieval period. I use these terms very loosely, please don't post, er, pedantic comments pointing out incorrect dress etc.
Sometimes this involves riffing on a specific theme, such as public executions ...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cblWBUgRLa-gXW3ZO9dU5vrQThGMIOLsIAhBQX3Pnn6cA-3cmgtVOGUBV1baMszX5o_QCc9r9m6bIchD_tuQhs811aeU_vQZDveyo9vPp34g3b1dJzh8-GNMarxS0RAj_cesBg/s1600/execution_cartoon.jpg)
And, for some unknown reason, battering rams!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiev9Nb3DK2INHFbjeYbUEIMrNsUpSW0s0esMYZxL8C5C5ycNRB45fheOVdEXvPP20sguJqcTW9G6mO-tVKuSF5LIkTbeEJvay4SaHFinnYvxQmhqhsUu3bNLPtqjpPXmBM53bh3A/s1600/royston_heritage.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHLjI54nLyRKWr89hKQoTWyT-MhFaHpIaV-udI8ghSB46RYgWKw9I-0Qa-9UB7mMc1WxMORxal_pv5Uj6IXFEtKVujT0G5DZ5IZ2mq8gtjV_Lg3oc0k97Bq3s_uWd7_t64vL99A/s1600/battering_ram_cartoon.jpg)
I think I first realised that this is a rich source of jokes when I provided cartoons for the BBC's short-lived Robin Hood Adventures magazine some years ago. There's more historical hilarity here, and here and here.