Read on Twitter
Hey.
Did y'all know poisoning was especially condemned and characterized as the preferred weapon of the cowardly and dishonorable in ancient law (in part) because of its high accessibility, not just to women, but the poor? https://twitter.com/GoddessMarleyxo/status/1356707550297616386
Did y'all know poisoning was especially condemned and characterized as the preferred weapon of the cowardly and dishonorable in ancient law (in part) because of its high accessibility, not just to women, but the poor? https://twitter.com/GoddessMarleyxo/status/1356707550297616386
Medieval Europeans didn't quite UNDERSTAND poisoning- They knew it could happen, but not how. There was a fear of poisoned furniture, for ex.
And poisoned clothing. Not like, a pin dipped in hemlock on the lapel; poisonous clothes. (Maybe you've read a fairytale featuring some.)
And poisoned clothing. Not like, a pin dipped in hemlock on the lapel; poisonous clothes. (Maybe you've read a fairytale featuring some.)
Even casual scholars of English history know the trouble Henry VIII had, siring a son. Well, when he finally got one? Every morning, before little Edward was dressed, another boy would put on his clothes, ALL of them, head-to-toe, and was then carefully watched for a few minutes.
This, of course, was to ensure the clothing wasn't poisoned.
Of course, setting aside poisoned clothes aren't really a thing: lots of poisons take longer than a few minutes to react. But your average medieval aristocrat was a firm believe in Game of Thrones style insta-deaths.
Of course, setting aside poisoned clothes aren't really a thing: lots of poisons take longer than a few minutes to react. But your average medieval aristocrat was a firm believe in Game of Thrones style insta-deaths.
Which meant A Bad Time for a whole lot of medieval cooks with lax kitchen hygiene regimes.
It's believed most cases of "attempted/survived poisonings" in the medieval record were food-borne illness. And since they often set in within hours of eating... welp.
It's believed most cases of "attempted/survived poisonings" in the medieval record were food-borne illness. And since they often set in within hours of eating... welp.
Textbook case: During the reign of Henry VIII- who, you'll recall, was excessively terrified of poisoning- John Fisher, the then-Bishop of Rochester and now-Catholic saint (mostly for being shitty about Hank's divorce from Cathy), got REAL sick after eating some porridge.
As a matter of fact, a LOT of people got sick after eating the porridge. Two died. Not John, though.
Fisher's cook, Richard Roose, confessed under torture to adding "a white powder" to the pot.
He was sentenced to a special death, held in reserved JUST for poisoners.
Fisher's cook, Richard Roose, confessed under torture to adding "a white powder" to the pot.
He was sentenced to a special death, held in reserved JUST for poisoners.
