The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-09-28
The Murder of Sir Thomas Overhury.

Nicholas Overbury, a Glouchestcrshire
squire, and born at Compton Scorlcn in
Warwckshlrc, the residence of his mater
nal grandfather, in 1880. His family
must have been in easy pecuniary circum-
stances, for we find him at the age of
fourteen student of Queens College,
Oxford, where it is said he highly distin-
guished himself by his proficiency in logic.
philosophy and bellies letters, and where
he graduated with the degree of bachelor
OF arts in 1893. He does not seem to
have been compelled to follow any settled
avocation as a means of livelihood. for
after remaining a little while at the Mid
die Temple, he set out on what was then
termed the grand tour, .ourneying leisure
ly through France, Germany and Italy
returning to England with the cnviable
reputation Of being finished gentleman
having nothing to do, and a very agree
able companion too, others engaged in the
same line Of business. He was somewhat
given to literary pursuits, and wrote Il
| didactlc poem called 1.-The Wife" Il
humorous work entitled ''Characters,"
and another called "Crumms Fallen from
King James Table"-none of which,
however, were printed until after death
had given their author a gloomy celebrity.
In 1901, while visiting Scotland he made
the acquaintance of u young fellow who,
though bad enough then, subsequently
bloomed out into u stupendous rascal
Robert Carr, at that time n page i'll the
service of the Earl of Dunbar. 1t is hard
to understand what bond of sympathy
| there could be between these two for
Oyerburyi was q gentleman hy birth and
a scholar by taste as well rs education;
while Carr was literally nobody, igno-
rant sensual, and utterly worthless. But
whatever the tie, they speedily became
intimate friends, and when Overbuly
went back to London, Carr either ac-
companied, or soon followed him-to he,
enemy. and finally his murderer That
pedantic, sloven and cowardlv lubber,
James |, came to the throne in 1908, and
Overbury- whether by his own merits, or
through the Intervention of powerful out
side influence, is not llnown-was appoint
ed secretary to the king Whether Carr
attracted the attention Of James prior to
this period cannot now he determined
but ii seems probable that he owed his
presentation at court to his friend Once
there, however. he Immediately gained
strong hold upon the affections of his
monarch-who being both clumsy and
ugly himself, admired the marvellous
beauty and Grace Of the Scottish advcn-
turcr rose rapidly in favor, and was
soon made an ilustrious scion of arstoc-
racy under the title of Niscount Rochester.
Overbury, so far from being Jealous nj
this preferment, is supposed to have done
all he could to aid it, and had he stopped
there might have been honored and re-
Spcctcd for his diSinterested friendship.
But not satisfied with assisting Carr in the
exercise of legitimate ambition, he stoop-
ed to be the pander of his vices, and in
the end paid 4 fearful penalty for the foul
work. Now comes the inevitable woman,
who, though ''made u little lower than
the angels" and said TO be admirably fit
ted to '.warn, to comfort, to command >
is generally found at the bottom of most
of the wicked tricks played in this wicked
world.
Frances Howard was the daughter of the
Earl of Sussex; supulbly beautiful, rarely
accomlished tor that day but as fine a speci-
men Of a devil as ever wore pcttlcoats, or
tempted man to damnatlon In 1906 tat the
aoe of thirteen, She was married to the
Earl of Essex, who himself counted but
fourteen years and the union being one
of family convenience mrrcly,it was treat
ed as such, and Immediately after the
wedding. ESSEX went of to the continent
with his tutor. and his wife went back
to her mother. At the expiration OF FIVE
wears, the young husband returned I'd
claim his bride, but found her not at all
anxious to enjoy the delicious comedy of
welded life with him rs the leading male
character In short, the countess, now u
dashing belle of eighteen, had been re-
f markabIy fast during the absence of her
, lord, tlirted vigorously with all the cligi-
BILE gallants around the court. and capped
the climax of her naughtiness by engagin :
in an intrigue with Lord Rochester,
Overbury had helped his friend in this
love passage but being sincerely attach
ed to him did not want the affair to 90
) any farther. The lady and gentleman,
however, We're mutually inspired by the
tiercest passion for each other and deter
mined to have the means Of indulging it
! openly. Accordingly the countess sued
fora divorce from her husband on grounds
| not to be named in ears polite, and was
, successful. No sooner was the decree
, obtained than she commenced prepara-
) tions for a second marriage. Overbury
, now eXerted all his influence with Roches-
: ter, and tradition tells us that one day
when walking together i'll the gallery OF
+ Whitehall, he said to him. ''Well. my
lord, if you DO marry that base woman,
you will utterly ruin your honor and your
E self You shall never do it with my ad-
+ vice or consent; and il you do you had
best look to stand fast Rochester ac-
: cepted the rcbullo az might have been *
y pected of such man; he lung OVcrburv
+ from him with an oath, and exclaimed
IL will he even with you for This - Going
straight to the countess he informed her
q what had occurred, and the hatred and
9 genius Of the woman being aroused, TO-
q gether the two plotted vengeance. 1t
happened that a Scotchman, Sir David
Wood, had particular grudge against
/ Overbury which the countess knew of,
! and she therefore offered him s., 1000 to
assassinate his enemy. But Wood, al
: though he loved money and hated his foe,
h would do nomurdcr- at least for that price
: and so the amiable design fell through
Meanwhile Rochester and the countess
o showed not the slightest animosity toward
Overbury, but on the contrary treated
q him in the most friendly manner, which
:. prevented on his part of the rise of the
. slightest suspicion. Through Rochcster's
4 influence, Oyerbury was appointed en-
= bassador to Russia, and when the latter
!. consulted his friend in regard to the mat
f ter, he was advised to decline the position
:. Rochester moreover promising to eN-
= plain the reasons Of the declination to the
O king, and thus turn aside The royal liSpleas-
g ure should it be reused. Ovcrbury walked
# straight into the trap prepared for him ;
he declined the mission and Rochester
forthwith persuaded James that the action
I ,,.,I