"The x day of March was a mayde boyllyd in Smythfelde for
poysynyng of dyvers persons."
This last is the same case which is cited by L. H. K. in your Vol. ii.,
p. 519. If my view of the statute of 22 Hen. VIII. be the right one, it
still remains to be ascertained when this barbarous punishment was first
adopted; and is it certain that it ceased with the reign of Hen. VIII.?