delivered such a Verdict as they did and a just one upon their Views tho upon some of their Knowledges it was not that Lady they were to give Verdict upon Now is the Nullity pronounced and the Marriage with Somerset speedily Solemnized for which they and the whole Family of Suffolk paid dear in after time and had sowre Sauce to that sweet Meat of their great Son-in-Law And surely he was the most unfortunate in that Marriage being as generally Beloved as for himself and Disposition as Hated afterwards for his linking himself in that Family For in all the time of this Man's Favour before this Marriage he did nothing obnoxious to the State or any base thing for his private gain but whether this was his own Nature that curbed him or that there was then a Brave Prince living and a Noble Queen that did awe him we cannot so easily judge because after this Marriage and their Death he did many ill things Now began to appear a glimmering of a new Favorite one Mr. George Villers a younger Son by a second Venter of an Ancient Knight in Leicester-shire his Father of an Ancient Family his Mother of a Mean and a Waiting-Gentlewoman whom the Old-Man fell in Love with and Married by whom he had Three Sons all raised to the Nobility by meanâ— of their Brother Favorite This Gentleman was come but newly from Travel and did believe it a great Fortune to Marry a Daughter of Sir Roger Aston's and in truth 't was the height of his Ambition and for that only end was a hanger upon the Court The Gentlewoman loved him so well as could all his Friends have made herâ— great Fortune but an hundred Markâ— Joynter she had Married him presently in despight of all of them But before the closing up of this Match the King cast a glancing Eyâ— towards him which was easily observed by such as minded their Princes Humor and then the Match was â—aid aside some assuring him a greater Fortune was coming unto him Then one gave him his place of Cupâ—earer that he might be in the King's Eye another sent to his Mercer and Taylor to put good Cloaths on him a third to his Sempster for curious Linnen and all as In-comes to obtain Offices on his future rise Then others took upon them to be his Bravo's to undertake his Quarrels upon Affronts put upon him by Somerset's Faction so all hands helped to the piecing up this new Favorite Then began the King to Eat abroad who formerly used to Eat in his Bed-Chamber or if by chance Supped in his Bed Chamber would come forth to see Pastimes and Fooleries in which Sir Edward Souch Sir George Goring and Sir J. Finet were the chief and Master Fools and surely this Fooling got them more than any others Wisdom far above them in Desert Souch's part was to Sing Bawdy Songs and to tell Bawdy Tales Finet to compose these Songs Theâ— were a Sett of Fidlers brought up on purpose for this Fooling And Goring was Master of the Game for Fooleries sometimes presenting David Droman and Archee Armstrong the King's Fool on the back of the other Fools to Tilt at one another till they fell together by the Ears sometimes Antick Dances but Sir John Millisent who was never known before was commended for a notable Fool With this Jollity was this new Favorite ushered in This made the House of Suffolk fret and Somerset carried himself more proudly and his Bravado's ever quarrelling with the others which by his Office of Lord-Chamberlain for a while carried it but Somerset using of Sir Ralph Wynwooâ— whom himself brought in for Secretary of State in so scornful a manner he having only the Title the Earl himself keeping the Seals and doing the Business made Wynwood endeavor to ruine him who soon got an opportunity by frequenting the Countess of Shrewsburies then Prisoner in the Tower who told Wynwood on a time That Overbury was Poysoned which she understood from Sir Gervase Elwayes who did labour by her means to deal with her Two Sons-in-Law Arundel and Pembroke Winwood being also great with that â—action that when it came into question he might save his own Stake who truly was no otherwise Guilty but that he did not discover it at Weston's first disclosing it he being Keeper of the Prison so by Inâ—erence his not disclosing it was Overbury's Death and had he revealed it then he certainly had been brought into the Star-Chamber for it and undone for it was not the Time fit for discovery Winwood it was thought acquainted the King with it knowing how willingly he would have been rid of Somerset yet the King durst not bring it in question nor any Doubt ever would have been had not Somerset sought to cross him in his Passion of Love to his new Favorite in which the King was more impatient than any Woman to enjoy her Love Not long after Thrumbal Agent at Bruxels had by an Apothecaries Boy one Reeve after an Apothecary himself in London who lived sometime after gotten hold of this Poysoning business for Reeve having under his Master made some of these desperate Medicines either run away or else his Master sent him out of the way and fell in Company with Thrumbal's Servants at Bruxels to whom he revealed it and they to their Master who Examining the Boy discover'd the Truth Thrumbal presently wrote to Secretary Wynwood he had business of consequence to discover but would not send it therefore desired License to come over The King would not yield to his Return but willed him to send an Express That Thrumbal utterly refused and very wisely for letting any thing appear under his Hand leâ—t the Boy should Die or run away and then himself made the Author of that which the Courtesie of another must have justified The King being of a longing Disposition rather than he would not know admitted Thrumbal's Return and now had they good Testimony by the Apothecary who revealed Weston Mrs. Turner and Franklin to be the principal Agents yet this being now the time of Progress was not stired till about Michaelmas But still Wynwood now carry himself in a kind of braving way of Contestation against Somerset struck in with the Faction of Villers's And now on Progress the King went Westward where at the several places as he came he was highly Treated After all his Feastings homewards came the King who desired by all means to reconcile this Clashing between his declining and rising Favorite to which end at Lulworth the King imployed Sir Humphry May a great Servant to Somerset and a wise Servant to Villers but with such Instructions as if it came from himself and Villers had order presently after Sir Humphry May's return to present himself and Service to Somerset My Lord said he Sir George Villers will come to you to offer his Service and desire to be your Creature and therefore refuse him not Embrace him and your Lordship shall still stand a great
upon the English Coast an Example almost as remote from a Precedent as for a Mighty Prince to be a quiet Spectator of the Ruine of his Family Such as were of the Spanish Faction spoke most disgracefully of Count Mansfield for getting the lower footing they assigned for his Rise they admirably Proclaimed his dexterity in Mounting himself so High who at his going from hence was furnished with Men and Money the most of them lost before their Landing Such Proceedings being much in use with King James who like a ready Horse did often seem to the World as if he meant to run yet did little more in effect than stand still And here we shall give a brief Account of the Poysoning business of Sir T. Overbury on which account King James made so many dreadful Imprecations against himself and Posterity on his Knees and in the presence of his Judges If he should spare any that were found Guilty in that affair but how he failed the ensuing Relation will inform Montgomery being in the Wain of his Favour as given more to his own Pleasures than to observe the King Then was a young Gentleman Mr. R. Carr one that was very handsome and well bred who by the Interest of the Scots had a Grooms place of the Bed-Chamber he did more than any other associate himself with Sir Thomas Overbury a Man of excellent parts but those made him Proud and Insolent Now was Carr Knighted and made Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber and Overburies Pride rose with the others Honours then was the strife between Salisbury and Suffolk who should ingross this great Favourite Pythias Overbury and make him their Monopoly each presenting proffering and accumulating favours on Overbury's Kindred the Father made a Judge in Wales and himself offered an Office but being naturally of an insolent Temper which was elevated by being so intimate with a Favourite and wholly having ingrossed that Commodity which could not be retailed but by him and his Creatures with a kind of Scorn neglected their Friendships yet made use of both Northampton finding himself neglected by so mean a fellow as he thought cast about another way and followed Balaam's Counsel by sending a Moabitish Woman unto him in which he made use of one Coppinger a Gentleman who had spent a fair Fortune left him by his Ancestors and now for Maintenance was forced to lead the life of a Serving-man that formerly kept many to serve him and as an addition the worst of that kind a slat Bawd This Gentleman had lived a scandalous Life by keeping a Whore of his own therefore was fittest to trade in that commodity for another and in truth was fit to take any Impression Baseness could stamp on him as the sequel of this Story will manifest This Moabitish Woman was a Daughter of the Earl of Suffolks Married to a young Noble Gentleman the Earl of Essex This Train took and the first private meeting was at Coppingers House and himself Bawd to their Lust which put him into a far greater Bravery for a time than when he was Master of his own but it had bitterness on all hands in the end This Privacy in their stollen Pleasures made Coppinger a Friend to Northampton and Suffolk though but a Servant to Viscount Rochester for so was our new Favorite Carr made and now had they linked him so close as no breaking from them Overbury was that Iohn Baptist that reproved the Lord for the Sin of using the Lady and abusing the young Earl of Essex he would call her Strumpet her Mother and Brother Bawds and used them with so much Scorn as in truth was not to be endured by one of his Rank to persons of that Quality how faulty soever otherwise they were Then to satisfie Overbury and blot out the name of Sin his Love led him into a more desperate way by a resolution to Marry another Mans Wife against this then did Overbury Bellow louder and in it shewed himself more like an affectionate than a discreet and moderate Friend had he compounded one dram of Discretion with an ounce of Affection he might with such a Receipt have preserved his own Life and their Fortunes and Honors For those that infinitely hated that Family did as infinitely condemn his Insolent carriage and behaviour towards them so that had any of those Brothers or Name killed Overbury either by picking a Quarrel with him or Pistolling him or any other desperate way or bravely in a Duel upon some other ground of a Quarrel than blemishing their Sister the World would have justified the Action however he had stood with God but Buchanan's Character of that Family barrs all expectation of so much bravery of Spirit but a Council must be held to put him to Death by some Baser means The Plot then must be he must be sent a Leidger Ambassador into France which by Obeying they should be rid of so great an Eye-sore by Disobeying he incurred the displeasure of his Prince a Contempt that he could not expect less than Imprisonment for and by that Means be Sequestred from his Friends And thus far I do believe the Earl of Somerset for so was he now made was consenting this Stratagem took and Overbury might truly say Video meliora deteriora sequar for he indeed made the worst choice it could not be thought but such an Imployment was far above his Desert and much better for him to have accepted than to be confined to a loathsome Prison and for want of Judgment had his Sufferings been less than loss of Life he had not been worthy of Pity but Jupiter quos vult perdere hos dementat he would go to the Tower from whence he never returned rather than accept of an honourable Imployment from whence he might not only have returned but done his Friends acceptable Service either in Private or in Publick In his mannaging of this Business that Wisdom which formerly he had been esteemed for suffered under the censure of Wise Men as well as Fools Having him now fast in Prison Herodias by pleasing her Herod must also ask and have his Life for Per scelus ad scelera tutior est via to that end they prefered Emposides to be Servant to Sir Gervas Elwayes then Lieutenant of the Tower This Gentleman was ever held Wise and Honest but Unfortunate in having that place thrust upon him without his thought he was also so Religious that few in the Court did equal him so Wise as he obtained the Character of Wise Sir Gervas Elwayes yet neither could his Wisdom nor the opinion of his Religion and Honesty prevent that Fate he was so ignorant of the Plot as he never Dreamt of any such matter until one day as it should seem Weston being told Elwayes did know wherefore he was preferred unto him to wait on Overbury he asked the Lieutenant whether he should now do it Elwayes asked him what Weston at that being somewhat abashed which Elwayes quickly apprehended
replied No not yet for he did believe there was something known to Weston instantly he hasted away being a little before Dinner and went into his Study and sent for Weston to come unto him examining him the meaning of that question at last between sair means and threatning perswaded him to confess the Truth then Elwayes as he well could â—aid before Weston the horridness of the Fact the torments of Hell and the uncertainty of his momentary enjoying of either Reward or Favour after the Fact done but that it must necessarily follow so many Personages of Honour would never Cabinet such a Secret in their Breast that might ruin them at last made him so sensible of his Danger in this life and more sensible of Torments in the other that Weston falling on his knees said O Lord how good and gracious art Thou and thy Mercy is above all thy Works for this day is Salvation come to my Soul and I would not for all the World have had such a Sin upon me He gave the Lieutenant humble thanks for that he had been Instrumental in saving his Soul by putting him off from so foul Intentions The Lieutenant having thus renewed Grace in him by making him as he thought a new Man said thus to him You and I have a dangerous part to Act but if you will be true and honest to me I doubt not with Gods help but we shall perform it well both before God and the World Weston faithfully promised him and for a long time as faithfully performed with him The Lieutenant willed him to bring all such things as was sent to give Overbury unto him which he accordingly did the Lieutenant ever gave them to Dogs and Cats which he had always ready in his Study for that purpose some died presently others lay lingering a longer time all which with the Jellies and Tarts sent to Overbury he cast into his Privy they staining the very Dishes This continued long the Earl ever sending to visit Overbury assuring him he did not forget his Release which would not be long deferred wherein most Men did verily believe he did mean both Nobly and Truly though others conjectured his meaning was a Dissolution At last the Countess sent for Weston Reviling him and calling him Treacherous Villain for had he given those things sent Overbury had not been now alive vowing she would be revenged on him upon the very fear whereof he after gave those Poysons sent him without acquainting the Lieutenant yet for all this schooling of Weston and his assurance given of his future Fidelity to the Countess she would not trust him any more but put another Co-adjutor to him one Franklin a greater Villain than Weston and truly they may be deemed very ill that could seek out such Instruments These two Villains came into Overbury's Chamber and found him in infinite Torment with contention between Strength of Nature and the working of the Poyson and it being very like Nature had got the better of it in that contention by the thrusting out of Boyls Botches and Blains they fearing it might come to light upon the judgment of Physicians that foul Play had been offered him consented to stifle him with the Bed-cloaths which accordingly was performed and so ended his miserable Life with the assurance of the Conspirators that he Died by Poyson none thinking otherwise but these two Murtherers Now was all as they believed quiet and in the depth of security and the Earl and Countess began to â—arry their Loves more openly and â—mpudently so that the World did â—alk very loudly and broadly of this Adulterous Meeting it must from â—hat ground proceed to an Adulterous Marriage as well to the wronging of a Young Noble-man as to the dishonour and shame of themselves But â—hey must needs go whom the Devil drives yet know not how handsomly â—o effect this but by making the King â— Party in this Bawdy business which â—as no hard matter to effect for the King's Eye began to wander after a â—ew Favorite being satiated with the old therefore for the bringing this Bawdery to a Marriage the Bishops must be principal Actors and the Bishop of Winchester an excellent Civilian and a very great Schollar must â—e the Principal for which his Son was Knighted and did never lose that Title of Sir Nullity Bilson For by a Nullity of the first Marriage must this second take place many Meetings of the Bishops and the prime Civilians in which there wanted no Bribes from the Lord and Lady and their Friends to have this Nullity brought to pass wherein the Discourse would have better befitteâ— the Mouths of Bawds and Ruffians than the Grave Divines among them Bishop Neal Bishop of Rochester â— Creature and Favorite of the Housâ— of Suffolk took up a Learned Discoursâ— in the Science of Bawdry how many degrees in that Science must producâ— a Nullity wherein were so many Beastly Expressions as for Modesty sake I will not recite them being oâ— fensive to my very Thoughts and Memory Aristotle's Problems was a Modest Discourse to his and he appeareâ— to be better Studied in that than iâ— Divinity and to wind up this Learned Discourse concluded That aâ— those met in this Lord and Lady The Arch Bishop of Canterbury Abbot to his everlasting Fame mainly opposed all the Proceedings and protested against them for which he ever after lived in Disgrace excluded from the Council-Table and Died in disrespect of the King on Earth tho' in favour of the King of Kings Yet forsooth to make up the full measure of Bawdery and to justifie Neal's Discourse That all things in the former Marriage conduced to be a Nullity a search must be made to find whether there had been a Penetration and a Jury of Grave Matrons were found fit for that purpose who with their Spectacles ground to lessen not to make the Letter larger after their Inspection gave Verdict She was intacta Virgo which was thought very strange for the World took notice that her way was very near beaten so plain as if Regia Via and in truth was a common way before Somerset did ever Travel that way besides the World took notice they Two had long lived together in Adultery yet had Old Kettle a trick for that also The Lady of Essex for Modesty sake makes humble Suit to the Bawdy Bishops who were also Plotters in this Stratagem that she might not appear Bare-fac'd for Blushing but desired to come Vailed with a Taffety over her Face this by all means was thought so reasonable for a pretty Modest Lady that the Bawdy Bishops and Pur-blind Ladies which had forgotten Modesty themselves could not think it worthy the denial One Mrs. Fines near Kinswoman to Old Kettle was dressed up in the Countesses Cloaths and that time too Young to be other than Virgo intacta though in Two Years after had the Old Ladies made their Inspection the Orifice would not have appeared so small to have