PILORI

Littré justly observes that the dérivation from pilier, the post on which

the pillory was fastened, is hardly compatible with the Provençal forai espitlori or the Mid.-Lat. spilorium. The course of corruption is always from the fuller to the more contractedform. Pilori might naturallyspring from espitlori, but never the converse. Now the essential part of the pillory consisted of a framework of two boards locking together, and shaped so as to form when shut a circular opening in the middle, which clasps the neck of the victim, and keeps his head exposed to the gaze of the multitude as if he was looking down upon thero through a peephole. Hence in the argot of E. thieves, to stand in the pillory was « to peep through the nutcrackers ». Or « to play bopeep », as in the following passage : « And evyll bakers, the which doth nat make good breade of whete, but wyl myngle other corne with whete, or do nat order and seson hit, gyvinge good wegght, / wolde they myghte play bo pepe thorowe a piller y. » Andrew Boorde (Early Engl. Text Society), p. 260 n. It seems probable therefore that espitlori may be explained from catalan espitllera, a loophole, peephole, little window, corresponding to a Lat. specularium from spécula, a lookout.