ter is perpetrated, beside hanging, the offender hath his
right hand commonly stricken off before or near unto the place where the
act was done, after which he is led forth to the place of execution, and
there put to death according to the law.

The word felon is derived of the Saxon words _fell_ and _one_, that is to
say, an evil and wicked one, a one of untameable nature and lewdness not
to be suffered for fear of evil example and the corruption of others. In
like sort in the word _felony_ are many grievous crimes contained, as
breach of prison (Ann. 1 of Edward the Second), disfigurers of the
prince's liege people (Ann. 5 of Henry the Fourth), hunting by night with
painted faces and visors (Ann. 1 of Henry the Seventh), rape, or stealing
of women and maidens (Ann. 3 of Henry Eight), conspiracies against the
person of the prince (Ann. 3 of Henry the Seventh), embezzling of goods
committed by the master to the servant above the value of forty shillings
(Ann. 17 of Henry the Eighth), carrying of horses or mares into Scotland
(Ann. 23 of Henry Eight), sodomy and buggery[223] (Ann. 25 of Henry the
Eighth), conjuring,[224] forgery, witchcraft, and digging up of crosses
(Ann. 33 of Henry Eight),[225] prophesying upon arms, cognisances, names,
and badges (Ann. 33 of Henry Eight), casting of slanderous bills (Ann. 37,
Henry Eight), wilful killing by poison (Ann. 1 of Edward the Sixth),
departure of a soldier from the field (Ann. 2 of Edward the Sixth),
diminution of coin, all offences within case of premunire, embezzling of
records, goods taken from dead men by their servants, stealing of
whatsoever cattle, robbing by the high way, upon the sea, or of dwelling
houses, letting out of ponds, cutting of purses,[226] stealing of deer by
night,[227] counterfeits of coin,[228] evidences charters, and writings,
and divers other needless to be remembered. If a woman poison her husband,
she is burned alive;[229] if the servant kill his master, he is to be
executed for petty treason; he that poisoneth a man is to be boiled to
death in water or lead, although the party die not of the practice; in
cases of murder, all the accessories are to suffer pains of death
accordingly. Perjury is punished by the pillory, burning in the forehead
with the letter P, the rewalting of the trees growing upon the grounds of
the offenders, and loss of all his movables. Many trespasses also are
punished by the cutting off of one or both ears from the head of