DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53269#0241
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native country. His refufal being the fame day reported to the king,
and the infolence of this fpeech (as it was termed) being in pri-
vate highly aggravated by Rochefter, Overbury was fummoned to appear
■before the Council; and his anfwer being adjudged a high contempt, he
-was committed to the Tower. In about a fortnight after he was lodged
there, finding that Sir William Waad, a man of incorruptible integrity,
who was then lieutenant of the Tower, would be an obftrudtion to their
wicked fcheme, Rochefter and Northampton contrived that he ftiould be
removed from that office, and Sir Gervafe Helwyffe, one of the gentlemen-
penfioners,* and a needy dependent on the houfe of Howard, who had
diffipated his fortune by play, ftiould be put in his place. The under-
keeper alfo, who was immediately to attend the prifoner, was removed ;
and Sir Thomas Monfon, at Lady Effiex’s requeft, prevailed on the new
lieutenant to appoint in his room one Richard Welton, fervant to Mrs.
Turner, the widow of a phyfician ; a woman of notorious ill fame, ofwhofe
commodious fervices the countefs had availed herfelf in her criminal inter-
courfe with Rochefter. And ftiortly afterwards an illegal order was
fent, figned by Rochefter and Northampton, charging the lieutenant to
keep Overbury (though committed only for a mifdemeanor) a cloj'e prifoner,
and not to permit any of his friends or relations to have accefs to him. By
thefe inftruments, with the aid of one Franklyn a druggift, and others,
this unfortunate gentleman was tortured for near five months; during which,
period four different forts of poifon were at various times adminiftered to
him in his food, and in other ftiapes; fame of which were fent diredtly
from Lady Effex and Rochefter. The doles, however, being either too
fmall, or his conftitution too ftrong for them, he was not immediately
difpatched, but languished in a ftate of great weaknefs till the 15th of
September in the fame year; when he was finally releaied from his milery
by an impoifoned clyfter, adminiftered to him the preceding evening. In
a few hours afterwards he was buried, with great precipitation, in the
chapel of the Tower ; no inquifition being taken on the body, or at leaft
*See Wotton’s Remains, 8vo. 1685. p. 4.1;.
S
native country. His refufal being the fame day reported to the king,
and the infolence of this fpeech (as it was termed) being in pri-
vate highly aggravated by Rochefter, Overbury was fummoned to appear
■before the Council; and his anfwer being adjudged a high contempt, he
-was committed to the Tower. In about a fortnight after he was lodged
there, finding that Sir William Waad, a man of incorruptible integrity,
who was then lieutenant of the Tower, would be an obftrudtion to their
wicked fcheme, Rochefter and Northampton contrived that he ftiould be
removed from that office, and Sir Gervafe Helwyffe, one of the gentlemen-
penfioners,* and a needy dependent on the houfe of Howard, who had
diffipated his fortune by play, ftiould be put in his place. The under-
keeper alfo, who was immediately to attend the prifoner, was removed ;
and Sir Thomas Monfon, at Lady Effiex’s requeft, prevailed on the new
lieutenant to appoint in his room one Richard Welton, fervant to Mrs.
Turner, the widow of a phyfician ; a woman of notorious ill fame, ofwhofe
commodious fervices the countefs had availed herfelf in her criminal inter-
courfe with Rochefter. And ftiortly afterwards an illegal order was
fent, figned by Rochefter and Northampton, charging the lieutenant to
keep Overbury (though committed only for a mifdemeanor) a cloj'e prifoner,
and not to permit any of his friends or relations to have accefs to him. By
thefe inftruments, with the aid of one Franklyn a druggift, and others,
this unfortunate gentleman was tortured for near five months; during which,
period four different forts of poifon were at various times adminiftered to
him in his food, and in other ftiapes; fame of which were fent diredtly
from Lady Effex and Rochefter. The doles, however, being either too
fmall, or his conftitution too ftrong for them, he was not immediately
difpatched, but languished in a ftate of great weaknefs till the 15th of
September in the fame year; when he was finally releaied from his milery
by an impoifoned clyfter, adminiftered to him the preceding evening. In
a few hours afterwards he was buried, with great precipitation, in the
chapel of the Tower ; no inquifition being taken on the body, or at leaft
*See Wotton’s Remains, 8vo. 1685. p. 4.1;.
S