(Vol. ii., p. 519.)
L. H. K. gives an extract from Howe's _Chronicle_, detailing the
punishment of one _Richard Rose_ (as also of another person) in the
above manner for the crime of poisoning, and inquires if this was a
peculiar mode of punishing of _cooks_. No reply to this having yet
appeared, and the subject being only incidentally mentioned at Vol.
iii., p. 153., I venture to submit to you the following Notes I have
made upon it.
The crime of poisoning was always considered as most detestable,
"because it can, of all others, be the least prevented either by manhood
or forethought." Nevertheless, prior to the statute of 22 Hen. VIII. c.
9. there was no peculiarity in the mode of punishment. The occurrence to
which Howe refers, appears to have excited considerable attention,
probably on account of the supposition that the life of the bishop was
aimed at; so much so, that the extraordinary step was taken of passing
an Act of Parliament, _retrospective_ in its enactments as against the
culprit (who is variously described as _Rose_, _Roose_, otherwise
_Cooke_, and _Rouse_), prescribing the mode of punishment as above, and
declaring the crime of poisoning to be treason for the future. The
occurrence is thus related in a foot-note to Rapin, 2nd edit. vol. i. p.
792.:--
"During this Session of Parliament [1531] one _Richard Rouse_, a
_cook_, on the 16th February poisoned some soop in the Bishop of
Rochester's kitchen, with which seventeen persons were mortally
infected; and one of the gentlemen died of it, and some poor
people that were charitably fed with the remainder were also
infected, one woman dying. The person was apprehended; and by Act
of Parliament poisoning was declared treason, and _Rouse_ was
attainted and _sentenced to be boiled to death_, which was to be
the punishment of poisoning for all times to come. The sentence
was executed in Smithfield soon after."
This horrible punishment did not remain on the Statute Books for any
very lengthened period, the above statute of Henry being repealed by
statutes 1 Edw. VI. c. 12., and 1 Mary, stat. I. c. 1., by which all
_new_ treasons were abolished, since which the punishment has been the
same as in other cases of murder. If within the reach of any
correspondent, an extract from the statute of Henry would be
interesting.