Graffiti left by prisoners in the Tower of London, ca. 12th-20th century. (info in post) Liberated from the EE. Some interesting comments: Many of the prisoners lived in considerable luxury in The Tower. Many of them were allowed to wander about within the walls, and a few even had their families with them. The prisoners could do hobbies, some - like Raleigh - wrote books, and one early 17th century Earl of Northumberland (imprisoned for suspected involvement with the Gunpowder Plot, which he was completely innocent of) had a lab to do science experiments in. There was quite a lot to do within The Tower. Hundreds of people lived and worked there, it was much more like a fortified village than a prison as understood today. The mint was there, and the royal zoo, plus government arms factories, the national archives and museums of treasures, weaponry and weird but cool stuff that the government had collected over the years. Even in the 16th and 17th centuries, The Tower’s most notorious period, much of the castle was open to the public. It’s odd to think that people would be taking their kids to see the animals in the zoo, or going to work at the mint while not far away folk were being horribly tortured. Italian inscription on the right. An inscription in old Italian. Sperando mi goderò, 1537. A cipher—probably made by some prisoner who had been concerned in Aske’s rebellion in the North. “I’ll have pleasure in hope” Italian proverbs are quite clear about what happens to those who live in hope, sadly. The most presentable is “who lives in hope dies in despair”. One of my ancestors was a man who tortured people held in the Tower, which earned him the unfortunate nickname of “Rackmaster.” During that time was when this famous piece of graffiti was carved in: Thomas Miagh, which lieth her alone, That fayne would from hens begon; 3y torture straunge mi trouth was tryed let of my libertie denied. 1581. Thomas MYAGH It was very weird for me to see that firsthand when I visited the Tower. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London