The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

324 CHARGE AGAINST ROBERT, EARL OF SOMERSET.
he had possessed so long, and by whose greatness therefore, the next link of the chain was to dishe had promised himself to do wonders; and place the then lieutenant, Waade, and to place
being aman ofanunbounded andimpetuousspirit, Helwisse, a principal abettor in the impoisonhe began not only to dissuade, but to deter him ment: again, to displace Cary, that was the underfrom that love and marriage; and finding him keeper inaWaade's time, and to place Weston, who
fixed, thought to try stronger remedies, suppos- was the principal actor in the impoisonment: and
ing that he had my lord's head under his girdle, this was done in such a while, that it may appear
in respect of communication of secrets of estate, to be done, as it were, with one breath, as there
or, as he calls them himself in his letters, secrets were but fifteen days between the commitof all natures; and therefore dealt violently with ment of Overbury, the displacing of Waaade, the
him, to make him desist, with menaces of dis- placing of JHelwisse, the displacing of Cary, the
covery of secrets, and the like. under-keeper, the placing of WYeston, and the
Hereupon grew two streams of hatred upon first poison, given two days after.
Overbury; the one, from the lady, in respect that Then, when they had this poor gentleman in the
he crossed her love, and abused her name, which Tower, close prisoner, where he could not escape
are furies to women; the other, of a deeper and nor stir, where he could not feed but by their
more mineral nature, from my Lord of Somerset hands, where he could not speak nor write but
himself; who was afraid of Overbury's nature, through their trunks; then was the time to
and that, if he did break from him and fly out, he execute the last act of this tragedy.
would mine into him, and trouble his whole Then must Franklin be purveyor of the poifortunes. sons, and procure five, six, seven several potions,
I might add a third stream from the Earl of to be sure to hithiscomplexion. Then must Mrs.
Northampton's ambition, who desires to be first in Turner be the say-mistress of the piosons, to
favour with my Lord of Somerset; and knowing try upon poor beasts, what is present, and what
Overbury's malice to himself and his house, works at distance of time. Then must Weston
thought that man must be removed and cut off. be the tormentor, and chase him with poison after
So it was amongst them resolved and decreed that poison; poison in salts, poison in meats, poison
Overbury must die. in sweatmeats, poison in medicines and vomits,
Hereupon they had variety of devices. To until at last his body was almost come, by use
send him beyond sea, upon occasion of employ- of poisons, to the state that Mithridates's body
ment, that was too weak; and they were so far was by the use of treacle and preservatives, that
from giving way to it, as they crossed it. There the force of the poisons were bluinted upon him:
rested but two ways, quarrel or assault, and Weston confessing, when he was chid for not
poison. For that of assault, after some proposi- despatching him, that he had given him enough
tion and attempt, they passed from it; it was a to poison twenty men. Lastly, because all this
thing too open, and subject to more variety of asked time, courses were taken by Somerset, both
chances. That of poison likewise was a hazard- to divert all means of Overbury's delivery, and to
ous thing, and subject to many preventions and entertain Overbury by continual letters, and partly
cautions; especially to such a jealous and work- of hopes and projects for his delivery, and partly
ing brain as Overbury had, except he were first of other fables and negotiation; somewhat like
fast in their hands. some kind of persons, which I will not name,
Therefore, the way was first to get him into a which keep men in talk of fortunetelling, when
trap, and lay him up, and then they could not they have a felonious meaning.
miss the mark. Therefore, in execution of this plot, And this is the true narrative of this act of imit was devised, that Overbury should be designed poisonment, which I have summarily recited.
to some honourable employment in foreign parts, Now, for the distribution of the proofs, there
and should underhand by the Lord of Somerset are four heads of proofs to prove you guilty, my
be encouraged to refiuse it; and so upon that con- Lord of Somerset, of this impoisonment; wheretempt he should be laid prisoner in the Tower, of two are precedent to the imprisonment, the
and then they would look he should be close third is present, and the fourth is following or
enough, and death should be his bail. Yet were subsequent. For it is in proofs as it is in lights,
they not at their end. For they considered that there is a direct light, and there is a reflexion of
if there was not a fit lieutenant of the Tower for light, or back light.
their purpose, and likewise a fit under-keeper of The first head or proof thereof is, That there
Overbury; first, they should meet with many was a rootofbitterness, a mortal malice or hatred,
impediments in the giving and exhibiting the mixed with deep and bottomless fears, that you
poison. Secondly, they should be exposed to had towards Sir Thomas Overbury.
note and observation that might discover them. i The second is, That you were the principal
And, thirdly, Overbury in the mean time might actor, and had your hands in all those acts,
write clamorous and furious letters to other his which did conduce to the impoisonment, and
friends, and so all might be disappointed. And, which gave opportunity and means to effect it'