A device which held an offender by head and hands or by hands and feet for public punishment, where public humiliation was intense. Offenders were to be amerced the first two or three times, so long as the offence were not too grievous. However, the pillory's use was qualified: it was to be used without bodily peril to either man or woman. In the 12c Chester brewers of bad ale were put into the cathedra stercoris, i.e. the shit-seat or dung-seat. However, the pillory was not used as often as popular imagination has it. For instance, in London between 1347 and 1375 the pillory was only resorted to 23 times. -
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.