forthathisfriendswereexertingthemselvestosoftentheKing’sdispleasure。Stillpretendingtheextremeofsympathyforhim，hefollowedupthelettersbypresentsofpastryandotherdelicacies，whichcouldnotbeprocuredintheTower。Thesearticleswereallpoisoned。Occasionally，presentsofasimilardescriptionweresenttoSirJervisElwes，withtheunderstandingthatthesearticleswerenotpoisoned，whentheywereunaccompaniedbyletters:ofthesetheunfortunateprisonernevertasted。Awoman，namedTurner，whohadformerlykeptahouseofillfame，andwhohadmorethanoncelentittofurthertheguiltyintercourseofRochesterandLadyEssex，wastheagentemployedtoprocurethepoisons。TheywerepreparedbyDr。
　　Forman，apretendedfortune-tellerofLambeth，assistedbyanapothecarynamedFranklin。Boththesepersonsknewforwhatpurposesthepoisonswereneeded，andemployedtheirskillinmixingtheminthepastryandotheredibles，insuchsmallquantitiesasgraduallytowearouttheconstitutionoftheirvictim。Mrs。Turnerregularlyfurnishedthepoisonedarticlestotheunder-keeper，whoplacedthembeforeOverbury。Notonlyhisfood，buthisdrinkwaspoisoned。
　　Arsenicwasmixedwiththesaltheate，andcantharideswiththepepper。Allthistime，hishealthdeclinedsensibly。Everydayhegrewweakerandweaker；andwithasicklyappetite，cravedforsweetsandjellies。Rochestercontinuedtocondolewithhim，andanticipatedallhiswantsinthisrespect，sendinghimabundanceofpastry，andoccasionallypartridgesandothergame，andyoungpigs。Withthesauceforthegame，Mrs。Turnermixedaquantityofcantharides，andpoisonedtheporkwithlunar-caustic。Asstatedonthetrial，Overburytookinthismannerpoisonenoughtohavepoisonedtwentymen；buthisconstitutionwasstrong，andhestilllingered。Frank]in，theapothecary，confessedthathepreparedwithDr。Formansevendifferentsortsofpoisons；viz。aquafortis，arsenic，mercury，powderofdiamonds，lunar-caustic，greatspiders，andcantharides。OverburyheldoutsolongthatRochesterbecameimpatient，andinalettertoLadyEssex，expressedhiswonderthatthingswerenotsoonerdespatched。
　　OrderswereimmediatelysentbyLadyEssextothekeepertofinishwiththevictimatonce。Overburyhadnotbeenallthistimewithoutsuspicionoftreachery，althoughheappearstohavehadnoideaofpoison。Hemerelysuspectedthatitwasintendedtoconfinehimforlife，andtosettheKingstillmorebitterlyagainsthim。Inoneofhisletters，hethreatenedRochesterthat，unlesshewerespeedilyliberated，hewouldexposehisvillanytotheworld。Hesays，“YouandI，ereitbelong，willcometoapublictrialofanothernature。“*
　　**“Drivemenottoextremities，lestIshouldsaysomethingthatbothyouandIshouldrepent。“***“WhetherIliveordie，yourshameshallneverdie，buteverremaintotheworld，tomakeyouthemostodiousmanliving。“***“Iwondermuchyoushouldneglecthimtowhomsuchsecretsofallkindshavepassed。“***“Bethesethefruitsofcommonsecrets，commondangers？“
　　Alltheseremonstrances，andhintsastothedangeroussecretsinhiskeeping，wereill-calculatedtoservehimwithamansorecklessasLordRochester:theyweremorelikelytocausehimtobesacrificedthantobesaved。Rochesterappearstohaveactedasifhethoughtso。
　　Hedoubtlessemployedthemurderer’sreasoningthat“deadmentellnotales，“when，afterreceivinglettersofthisdescription，hecomplainedtohisparamourofthedelay。Westonwasspurredontoconsummatetheatrocity；andthepatienceofallpartiesbeingexhausted，adoseofcorrosivesublimatewasadministeredtohim，inOctober1613，whichputanendtohissufferings，afterhehadbeenforsixmonthsintheirhands。Ontheverydayofhisdeath，andbeforehisbodywascold，hewaswrappedupcarelesslyinasheet，andburiedwithoutanyfuneralceremonyinapitwithintheprecinctsoftheTower。
　　SirAnthonyWeldon，inhis“CourtandCharacterofJamesI，“givesasomewhatdifferentaccountoftheclosingsceneofthistragedy。Hesays，“FranklinandWestoncameintoOverbury’schamber，andfoundhimininfinitetorment，withcontentionbetweenthestrengthofnatureandtheworkingofthepoison；anditbeingverylikethatnaturehadgottenthebetterinthiscontention，bythethrustingoutofboils，blotches，andblains，they，fearingitmightcometolightbythejudgmentofphysicians，thefoulplaythathadbeenofferedhim，consentedtostiflehimwiththebedclothes，whichaccordinglywasperformed；andsoendedhismiserablelife，withtheassuranceoftheconspiratorsthathediedbythepoison；nonethinkingotherwisethanthesetwomurderers。“
　　Thesuddendeath——theindecenthasteofthefuneral，andthenon-holdingofaninquestuponthebody，strengthenedthesuspicionsthatwereafloat。Rumour，insteadofwhispering，begantospeakout；
　　andtherelativesofthedeceasedopenlyexpressedtheirbeliefthattheirkinsmanhadbeenmurdered。ButRochesterwasstillallpowerfulatcourt，andnoonedaredtoutterawordtohisdiscredit。Shortlyafterwards，hismarriagewiththeCountessofEssexwascelebratedwiththeutmostsplendour，theKinghimselfbeingpresentattheceremony。
　　ItwouldseemthatOverbury’sknowledgeofJames’scharacterwasdeeperthanRochesterhadgivenhimcreditfor，andthathehadbeenatrueprophetwhenhepredictedthathismarriagewouldeventuallyestrangeJamesfromhisminion。Atthistime，however，Rochesterstoodhigherthaneverintheroyalfavour；butitdidnotlastlong-
　　conscience，thatbusymonitor，wasatwork。Thetongueofrumourwasneverstill；andRochester，whohadlongbeenaguilty，becameatlastawretchedman。Hischeekslosttheircolour——hiseyesgrewdim；andhebecamemoody，careless，andmelancholy。TheKingseeinghimthus，tookatlengthnopleasureinhissociety，andbegantolookaboutforanotherfavourite。GeorgeVilliers，DukeofBuckingham，wasthemantohismind；quick-witted，handsome，andunscrupulous。ThetwolatterqualitiesaloneweresufficienttorecommendhimtoJamesI。InproportionastheinfluenceofRochesterdeclined，thatofBuckinghamincreased。Afallingfavouritehasnofriends；andRumourwaggedhertongueagainstRochesterlouderandmorepertinaciouslythanever。A
　　newfavourite，too，generallyendeavourstohastenbyakickthefalloftheoldone；andBuckingham，anxioustoworkthecompleteruinofhisforerunnerintheKing’sgoodgraces，encouragedtherelativesofSirThomasOverburytoprosecutetheirinquiriesintothestrangedeathoftheirkinsman。
　　Jameswasrigorousenoughinthepunishmentofoffenceswhenhewasnothimselfinvolved。Hepiquedhimself，moreover，onhisdexterityinunravellingmysteries。TheaffairofSirThomasOverburyfoundhimcongenialoccupation。HesettoworkbyorderingthearrestofSirJervisElwes。James，atthisearlystageoftheproceedings，doesnotseemtohavebeenawarethatRochesterwassodeeplyimplicated。Struckwithhorrorattheatrocioussystemofslowpoisoning，theKingsentforalltheJudges。AccordingtoSirAnthonyWeldon，hekneltdowninthemidstofthem，andsaid，“MyLordstheJudges，itislatelycometomyhearingthatyouhavenowinexaminationabusinessofpoisoning。Lord！inwhatamiserableconditionshallthiskingdombetheonlyfamousnationforhospitalityintheworldifourtablesshouldbecomesuchasnare，asthatnonecouldeatwithoutdangeroflife，andthatItaliancustomshouldbeintroducedamongus！Therefore，myLords，Ichargeyou，asyouwillansweritatthatgreatanddreadfuldayofjudgment，thatyouexamineitstrictly，withoutlayout，affection，orpartiality。Andifyoushallspareanyguiltyofthiscrime，God’scurselightonyouandyourposterity！andifIspareanythatareguilty，God’scurselightonmeandmyposterityforever！“
　　TheimprecationfellbuttoosurelyuponthedevotedhouseofStuart。Thesolemnoathwasbroken，andGod’scursedidlightuponhimandhisposterity！
　　ThenextpersonarrestedafterSirJervisElwes，wasWeston，theunder-keeper；thenFranklinandMrs。Turner；and，lastly，theEarlandCountessofSomerset，towhichdignityRochesterhadbeenadvancedsincethedeathofOverbury。
　　Westonwasfirstbroughttotrial。Publiccuriositywasonthestretch。Nothingelsewastalkedof，andthecourtonthedayoftrialwascrowdedtosuffocation。The“StateTrials“report，thatLordChiefJusticeCoke“laidopentothejurythebasenessandcowardlinessofpoisoners，whoattemptthatsecretlyagainstwhichthereisnomeansofpreservationordefenceforaman’slife；andhowrareitwastohearofanypoisoninginEngland，sodetestableitwastoournation。
　　Butthedevilhadtaughtdiverstobecunninginit，sothattheycanpoisoninwhatdistanceofspacetheyplease，byconsumingthenativumcalidum，orhumidumradicale，inonemonth，twoorthree，ormore，astheylist，whichtheyfourmannerofwaysdoexecute；viz。haustu，gustu，odore，andcontactu。“
　　Whentheindictmentwasreadover，Westonmadenootherreplythan，“Lordhavemercyuponme！Lordhavemercyuponme！“Onbeingaskedhowhewouldbetried，herefusedtothrowhimselfuponajuryofhiscountry，anddeclared，thathewouldbetriedbyGodalone。Inthishepersistedforsometime。Thefearofthedreadfulpunishmentforcontumacyinducedhim，atlength，toplead“Notguilty，“andtakehistrialinduecourseoflaw。
　　[Thepunishmentforthecontumaciouswasexpressedbythewordsonere，frigore，etfame。Bythefirstwasmeantthattheculpritshouldbeextendedonhisbackontheground，andweightsplacedoverhisbody，graduallyincreased，untilheexpired。Sometimesthepunishmentwasnotextendedtothislength，andthevictim，beingallowedtorecover，underwentthesecondportion，thefrigore，whichconsistedinhisstandingnakedintheopenair，foracertainspace，inthesightofallthepeople。Thethird，orfame，wasmoredreadful，thestatutesaying，“Thathewastobepreservedwiththecoarsestbreadthatcouldbegot，andwateroutofthenextsinkorpuddle，totheplaceofexecution；andthatdayhehadwaterheshouldhavenobread，andthatdayhehadbread，heshouldhavenowater；“andinthistormenthewastolingeraslongasnaturewouldholdout。]
　　Allthecircumstancesagainsthimwerefullyproved，andhewasfoundguiltyandexecutedatTyburn。Mrs。Turner，Franklin，andSirJervisElweswerealsobroughttotrial，foundguilty，andexecutedbetweenthe19thofOctoberandthe4thofDecember1615；butthegrandtrialoftheEarlandCountessofSomersetdidnottakeplacetillthemonthofMayfollowing。
　　OnthetrialofSirJervisElwes，circumstanceshadtranspired，showingaguiltyknowledgeofthepoisoningonthepartoftheEarlofNorthamptontheuncleofLadySomerset，andthechieffalconerSirThomasMonson。Theformerwasdead；butSirThomasMonsonwasarrested，andbroughttotrial。Itappeared，however，thathewastoodangerousamantobebroughttothescaffold。HeknewtoomanyoftheodioussecretsofJamesI，andhisdyingspeechmightcontaindisclosureswhichwouldcompromisetheKing。Toconcealoldguiltitwasnecessarytoincurnew:thetrialofSirThomasMonsonwasbroughttoanabruptconclusion，andhimselfsetatliberty！
　　AlreadyJameshadbrokenhisoath。Henowbegantofearthathehadbeenrashinengagingsozealouslytobringthepoisonerstopunishment。ThatSomersetwouldbedeclaredguiltytherewasnodoubt，andthathelookedforpardonandimpunitywasequallyevidenttotheKing。Somerset，whileintheTower，assertedconfidently，thatJameswouldnotdaretobringhimtotrial。Inthishewasmistaken；butJameswasinanagony。Whatthesecretwasbetweenthemwillnowneverbeknownwithcertainty；butitmaybesurmised。SomehaveimaginedittobethevicetowhichtheKingwasaddicted；whileothershaveasserted，thatitrelatedtothedeathofPrinceHenry，avirtuousyoungman，whohadheldSomersetinespecialabhorrence。ThePrincediedearly，unlamentedbyhisfather，and，aspublicopinionwhisperedatthetime，poisonedbySomerset。Probably，somecrimeorotherlayheavyuponthesouloftheKing；andSomerset，hisaccomplice，couldnotbebroughttopublicexecutionwithsafety。HencethedreadfultorturesofJames，whenhediscoveredthathisfavouritewassodeeplyimplicatedinthemurderofOverbury。EverymeanswastakenbytheagonizedKingtobringtheprisonerintowhatwascalledasafeframeofmind。Hewassecretlyadvisedtopleadguilty，andtrusttotheclemencyoftheKing。ThesameadvicewasconveyedtotheCountess。