ussia. This apparent favour was but the first step in a deep
and deadly plot. Rochester, pretending to be warmly attached to the
interests of Overbury, advised him to refuse the embassy, which he said
was but a trick to get him out of the way. He promised, at the same time,
to stand between him and any evil consequences which might result from his
refusal. Overbury fell into the snare, and declined the embassy. James,
offended, immediately ordered his committal to the Tower.

He was now in safe custody, and his enemies had opportunity to commence
the work of vengeance. The first thing Rochester did was to procure, by
his influence at court, the dismissal of the Lieutenant of the Tower, and
the appointment of Sir Jervis Elwes, one of his creatures, to the vacant
post. This man was but one instrument; and another being necessary, was
found in Richard Weston, a fellow who had formerly been shopman to a
druggist. He was installed in the office of under-keeper, and as such had
the direct custody of Overbury. So far all was favourable to the designs
of the conspirators.

In the mean time the insidious Rochester wrote the most friendly letters
to Overbury, requesting him to bear his ill-fortune patiently, and
promising that his imprisonment should not be of long duration; for that
his friends were exerting themselves to soften the king's displeasure.
Still pretending the extreme of sympathy for him, he followed up the
letters by presents of pastry and other delicacies, which could not be
procured in the Tower. These articles were all poisoned. Occasionally,
presents of a similar description were sent to Sir Jervis Elwes, with the
understanding that these articles were not poisoned, when they were
unaccompanied by letters: of these the unfortunate prisoner never tasted.
A woman named Turner, who had formerly kept a house of ill-fame, and who
had more than once lent it to further the guilty intercourse of Rochester
and Lady Essex, was the agent employed to procure the poisons. They were
prepared by Dr. Forman, a pretended fortune-teller of Lambeth, assisted by
an apothecary named Franklin. Both these persons knew for what purposes
the poisons were needed, and employed their skill in mixing them in the
pastry and other edibles, in such small quantities as gradually to wear
out the constitution of their victim. Mrs. Turner regularly furnished the
poisoned articles to the under-keeper, who placed them before Overbury.
Not only his