The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-09
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THE TRIAL
3. ~. e.T OF THE t...'.
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FOR THE POISONING OF
SIR THOMAS OYERBURY.
ny ANDREW AMOS, ESQ.


This first dose proving insufficient, Il appears that
posons put into certain and pots of Jelly
which were sent to Overbury under the pretext Of a
friendly regard for his comfort. There Is letter from
Lady Frances 10 Elves, which contains the follow
ing passage; ~ was bid to tell you that you must
take heed Of the tarts because there letters In
lhem and therefore neither give your wife nor chill
dren of them but of the wine you may, for there
no letters in It," Lady Frances, on her examina
ton, owned that by the words 'letters' she meant
poison But there IS no proof that she meant Elves
to understand it 80; the contrary, there seems no
thing in this extract inconsistent with the SUPPOSE
ton that she looked upon Elves as one who knew
nothing of her design. Elves, however, was not one
to be duped he took that the tarts should never
come near Overbury. Sometimes he made answer
be given that his children had desired them; some-
times he caused his cook to prepare similar ones
and at last the trouble Of perpetual excuses
his keeper desired the messenger to bring no more
since Ovcrbury found in the house thai which pleased
him well.
The prisoner might have escaped altogether bu
that unfortunately he now fell III IN earnert He seems
10 have been Of feeble constitution, broken by
licenous life; and, without ahy suspicion of poi
sonng, the close confinement, anxiety, and hope de-
erred, may sufficiently account for his disorder On
hearing of it, Somerset Immediately took care TO pro-
vide him with the best medical advice. He sent him
Drs. Mayerne and Lobell the kings physician and
apothccary, men who stood at the head OF their re-
spective professions Dr. Craig, another of the king
physicians, also admitted, TO the prisoner by
an order under Somerss,s hand. This seems incon-
sstcnt with the superstition that Somerset believed
the of illness to be poison administered by his
directions unless indeed we are to suppose that the
medical men were among his coniederates. This
seems an idle thought and is at least entirely unsup-
ported by proof Of any kind If Somerset had been
once tempted to seek Overbury's destruction we be-
lieve that his care TO provide him with doctors only
proves him TO have now rcpented ~
Meanwhile, Oyerbury being still alive though il
was some months since the first poisons were sent
TO him, Lady Frances began to grow suspicious
She sent for Weston and closely questioned him
but he maintained he had given poison enough TO kill
twenty men, and could only suppose as Bacon after
wards said ut the trial, that Overbury had become
used to that sort of diet Her suspicious however,
could not have been quite aayed. Shortly after this,
Weston was sent for by DR.. Franklin who question
cd him us to Overburys state, and on learning that
he took cysers, said that apothecary should have
ego To give him one. ...,,. .. .,
Weston asked whether he meant 10 bride Overbu-
RVS customary apothecry ....
mo- said Franklin, another shall give il him."
All this went Immediately from Weston to the
Lieutenant, who strictly charged him to give admit
lance to no strange apohecary Thus far Elves had
successfully contemplated the PRISONERS. Unfor-
tunatcly, when the kings medical attendants took
charge of his prisoners the I.ieutenants vigilance
was relaxed he thought himself safe in the hands OF
such approved honest men. Now IL was that Frank.
lin accomplished hspurpose. He bribed Lobelps boy
to put poison.which is said TO have been sublmate
of mcrcury-into a cIyster which 'Overbury had on
the 18th September, 1903. On the following day he
was u dead man.
An inquest was held by one Of the coroners OF
Mddlesex but 1t throws no great light on the bust
ness At the express desire oi Somerset, Overbury's
broiher-in-klw and three four friends was admit
ted to see the body and they were ut liberty to carry
il way and 10 bury 1t, If they pleased But the state
OF the corpse was such as To make speedy burial
and ii was inferred within the precincts
Of the Tower.
Months and
world and out OF the iaithess memories OF men, few
admirers had recorded their regrets in eleg
and eulogistc verses to be prexed to new edition
Of his works; but those works--long since utterly
forgotten but for their authors untimcly fae-were
then all that kept him in recollection Essex had forgot
ten his injuries in second marriage. Somerset and
his countess were still the glass OF fashion and the
mould o form; the brightest ornaments OF the court
the envy of all, for their beauty, accomplishments
and mutual love- the ladder by which all men stroye
10 reach the kings favor, Somerset had lust been
made Lord Chamberlain; and this new mark Of royal
bounty had been rendered doubly grateful by the
manner OF conlerring it. The king, in presence OF
his court, gave him the staff Of office, saying "Lo
here, friend Somerset" and graciously added that
the place was Of great nearness to his person
he had given il to him whom oil all men living, he
most cherished
but Somersets fall was now al hand Hume tells