ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Come Rack! Come Rope!

"Come rack! Come rope!" is a phrase from a play or story set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, which was a long time ago. The phrase means that someone is calling for a very harsh punishment, like being put on a rack or hanged with a rope.

A rack is a torture device that stretches a person's body out, causing a lot of pain. Imagine if someone was pulling your arms and legs in opposite directions until you felt like you were being pulled apart. That's what a rack does.

A rope, on the other hand, can be used to hang a person. This means they are tied up with the rope and then lifted up in the air until they stop breathing. This is a really scary and dangerous punishment.

So, when someone says "Come rack! Come rope!" they are calling for really terrible punishments to be used on someone who has done something wrong. It's not a nice thing to hear or say, and it's important to remember that we should treat other people with kindness and respect, even if they have made a mistake.