Claire | December 22, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 22nd December 1534, in the reign of King Henry VIII, John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, wrote a letter to Thomas Cromwell. Fisher was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time, and in his letter, Fisher begged for a shirt, sheet, food and books, as well as asking […]
Claire | April 5, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 5th April 1531, Richard Roose, the cook of Bishop John Fisher’s household, was boiled to death for high treason at Smithfield. He was found guilty of high treason by an act of Parliament, but why? What happened and why did King Henry VIII take a personal interest in this […]
Claire | April 5, 2019
On this day in history, in the reign of Henry VIII, Richard Roose was boiled to death at Smithfield. The former cook of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, had been attainted of high treason by a new bill, the “Acte for Poysoning”. You can find out more about what brought him to this awful end, […]
Claire | December 22, 2017
On this day in history, 22 December 1541, members of the Howard and Tilney family, plus their staff, were tried for misprision of treason for covering up the “unlawful, carnal, voluptuous, and licentious life”. of Queen Catherine Howard while she lived with the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk at Lambeth. Read more… Also on this day […]
Claire | April 5, 2017
On this day in history, 5th April 1531, Richard Roose (Rouse) was boiled to death at Smithfield after being attainted of high treason. Roose was the former cook of the household of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, and he’d been attainted after Parliament had passed a new bill, the “Acte for Poysoning”, which made it […]
Claire | April 5, 2014
On 5th April 1531, Richard Roose (or Rouse), the cook in the household of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, was boiled to death after being attainted of high treason. It was claimed that Roose had poisoned a porridge (or pottage)* served to Fisher and his guests on 18th February 1531. All who ate the porridge […]
Claire | April 5, 2013
On this day in 1531, Richard Roose (or Rouse), Bishop John Fisher’s cook, was boiled to death after confessing to poisoning the soup (or porridge) that was served to the Bishop and his guests. Fisher, the Bishop of Rochester, survived, but some of his guests, who’d eaten more of the soup, died. People were quick […]
Claire | June 22, 2011
On this day in history, the 22nd June 1535, Bishop John Fisher was beheaded on Tower Hill. His crime? Refusing to take the Oath of Succession and refusing to accept Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church in England, and also supporting Catherine of Aragon during Henry VIII’s quest for an annulment. You can […]
