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.