1303, the treasury of Westminster Abbey was robbed while holding a large sum of money belonging to King Edward I. After the arrest and interrogation of 48 monks, three of them, including the subprior and sacrist, were found guilty of the robbery and flayed. Their skin was attached to three doors as a warning against robbers of church and state. At St Michael & All Angels' Church in Copford in Essex, England, it is claimed that human skin was found attached to an old door, though evidence seems elusive. In Chinese history, Sun Hao, Fu Sheng and Gao Heng were known for removing skin from people's faces. The Hongwu Emperor flayed many servants, officials and rebels. Hai Rui suggested that his emperor flay corrupt officials. The Zhengde Emperor flayed six rebels, and Zhang Xianzhong also flayed many people. Lu Xun said the Ming dynasty was begun and ended by flaying. Examples and depictions of flayings Artistic One of the plastinated exhibits in Body Worlds includes an entire posthumously flayed skin, and many of the other exhibits have had their skin removed. Mythological In Greek mythology, Marsyas, a satyr, was flayed alive after losing a musical contest to Apollo. Also according to Greek mythology, Aloeus is said to have had his wife flayed. In Aztec mythology, Xipe Totec is the flayed god of death and rebirth. Captured enemy warriors were flayed annually as sacrifices to him. Historical Yahu-Bihdi, ruler of Hamath, was flayed alive by the Assyrians under Sargon II. According to Herodotus, Sisamnes, a corrupt judge under Cambyses II of Persia, was flayed for accepting a bribe. The Talmud discusses how Rabbi Akiva was flayed alive by the Romans for publicly teaching the Torah. Catholic and Orthodox tradition holds that Saint Bartholomew was flayed before being crucified. In 202 AD, Saint Charalambos was reportedly tortured mercilessly at the age of 113 during the reign of Septimius Severus. The torturers lacerated his body with iron hooks and scraped all the skin from his body. In 260 AD, the Roman emperor Valerian was seized during a parley by Shapur I, king of Persia, at Edessa. According to some accounts he was flayed alive. Mani, founding prophet of Manichaeism, was said to have been flayed or beheaded (c. 275). Vasak Mamikonyan, commander-in-chief of the Armenian army during the reign of Arsaces (Arshak) II, king of Armenia, was flayed alive on the order of