At Least it was a Painful Death

We've been watching a series of programmes about the Gough Map, the first complete, medieval map of Britain.

One programme contained an item concerning Exeter Cathedral and the medieval attitudes to death. Whereas we would say; "Well, at least it was a painless death," the medieval mourner might say; "Well, at least it was a painful death."

The reason for this is that it was thought that a painful death reduced the deceased's time in purgatory, as he or she suffered before dying.