Chef boiled to death for allegedly poisoning guests in 'worst execution'

RICHARD ROOSE WAS ACCUSED OF POISONING GUESTS AT A DINNER PARTY HOSTED BY ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN THE COUNTRY - AND WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN THE MOST HORRIFIC WAY 03:03, 01 Jun 2025

A decadent feast in Lambeth, south London, back in 1531, set the scene for what would become one of history's most horrific executions – a man boiled alive. The lavish dinner turned

tragic when guests became violently ill, leading to the cook, Richard Roose, being accused of poisoning them by mixing an unknown substance into their food. King Henry VIII condemned him to

death for his alleged crime, marking Roose as the first person in Britain to suffer the gruesome fate of being boiled alive in public. READ MORE Prince William's true feelings about

'disgraced' Andrew Contemporary records describe Roose as being fastened to a gibbet, akin to gallows, before being plunged repeatedly into a scalding cauldron, where he reportedly

"roared mighty loud" and endured two hours of torture before succumbing. The method of execution, death by boiling, was intentionally designed to be a prolonged and torturous

ordeal, inflicting severe burns that led to excruciating pain, reports the Daily Star. Article continues below Although burns destroy skin cells, it is believed that it's not the burns

themselves that are fatal but rather the shock that follows severe injury, which can be lethal due to inadequate oxygen supply to the body. The NHS lists signs of shock as including a pale

face, cold or clammy skin, rapid pulse, fast and shallow breathing, and loss of consciousness. Severe burns can lead to the contraction of soft tissues, causing skin tears and the shrinking

of fat and muscle. Burn-induced muscle contractions can also cause joints to flex. Studies have shown that heat damage can cause respiratory failure by directly damaging the airways, which

can be lethal. Respiratory failure is a leading cause of death in burn victims, especially those with inhalation injuries. Historical accounts indicate that Richard Roose suffered severe

blisters from burns, but it's not clear whether the cauldron he was boiled in contained water, oil, or wax. Other historical records of similarly gruesome deaths reveal that victims

were sometimes placed in cool liquids that were gradually heated to boiling, prolonging the onset of shock and maximising pain. A YouTube video recounting such a story has viewers expressing

their shock at the barbaric punishment, with one commenting it was the "worst execution." Another viewer remarked on the brutality inflicted by humans on each other, saying,

"It's hard to fathom the brutality these people inflicted on one another. We are the cruellest of all living species." Meanwhile, a third person commented, "Even if

guilty this punishment is beyond evil." This method of execution was so brutal that it was later outlawed by Edward VI in 1547. However, accidental deaths by boiling can still occur

today. For instance, in 2016, a 23 year old tragically died and was dissolved after falling into a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park in the US. When his body was found, the water was

reportedly at a boiling point of 100°C (212°F). Article continues below The World Health Organisation reports that an estimated 180,000 deaths annually are due to burn injuries. In 2019, two

Russians were boiled alive in a sink hole when they failed to swerve their vehicle last minute - plunging into scalding water.