Castigatory Law and Legal Definition
Castigate means to inflict severe punishment. Castigatory was a device for punishing scolds (A person who regularly breaks the peace by scolding people, increasing discord, and generally being a public nuisance to the neighborhood) by repeatedly plunging them underwater. This device is mentioned by the ancient Saxons and in Domesday Book. It is also termed as ducking stool, cucking stool and trebucket.
