Used once to administer Justice: Could range to a simple exposure of the criminal to the other local people, to torture and even death. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the crimes.
The Christian cross on top, to aliviate the suffering.

Today, 25th April of 2018 it the date of the 'revolution' that was supposed to bring Democracy to Portugal. As there is no Justice, it failed completely and utterly! The crooks are rewarded, the honest people opressed and minimised.