 Public executions were normally attended by large crowds . For the killing in 1546 of Anne Askew , charged with heresy and tortured at the Tower of London , a " <unk> Stage " was built to seat the various officials who presided over her burning . A witness to proceedings reported that Askew was so badly injured by her torture that she was unable to stand . Instead , " the <unk> <unk> was <unk> up <unk> <unk> <unk> , <unk> <unk> there in a <unk> " . 
