The device used in the Middle Ages for public executions that involved a guillotine-like mechanism was the "maiden." This execution device was particularly infamous in Scotland and featured a mechanism that allowed a sharp blade to drop and decapitate the condemned. It was intended to be a more humane method of execution compared to traditional hanging. While not as widely used as the guillotine in France, the maiden was a notable tool utilized in public spectacles of justice during this period. Executions were often staged as a means of deterrence and control, reflecting the societal attitudes towards crime and punishment at the time.