The great oyer of poisoning : the trial of the Earl of Somerset for the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury, in the Tower of London, and various matters connected therewith, from contemporary mss. / by Andrew Amos.

  • Amos, Andrew, 1791-1860.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The great oyer of poisoning : the trial of the Earl of Somerset for the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury, in the Tower of London, and various matters connected therewith, from contemporary mss. / by Andrew Amos. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    104/572 (page 90)
    Overbury, upon the Countess of Somerset's entreaty; and farther saith that my Lord of Northampton was acquainted with the placing of him. R. Weston examined.—My Lord and Lady Somerset gave good words of him to the Lieutenant. Lord of Somerset examined.—He denies the knowledge of Weston, either before his coming into the Tower or since. Simcocks examined.—Weston, during the time Sir T. Overbury was in his keeping, came often to my Lord, had much money of him, and wondered Sir T. Overbury had so good an opinion of my Lord ; and thought he had not so much wit as the world esteemed, for thei-e was no man hindered his liberty but he; and whenever he came to my Lord he might use such means as Rawlins his man must not know. [In this interim a scaffold broke, and there was a great noise and confusion; but after silence was proclaimed, all hushed and quiet.] Mr. Attorney/.—All the confessions of Weston were taken before conviction; and these two last witnesses are merely to his denying the knowledge of Weston. Now for the fourth link, which is the placing and displacing oflBcers. Sir Jervis Elwes examined.—Saith, that Overbury was committed April 30th, and May 6th himself came to be Lieutenant of the Tower; and that Weston was preferred to be Sir T. Overbury's keeper May 7th ; and that all this time he served he never had wages from him. Mr. Attorney.—Now the fifth link or point of the com- pass I promised to show you was, that this must not be done suddenly, but by degrees; and so he must be poisoned lei- surely, to avoid suspicion. And in the mean space you entertained his father and mother with frivolous hopes; and yet indeed hindered and made opposition (but underhand) to all the means that were used for his delivery. Mr, Overhuryi the father, sworn.—After my son was com-