CONCERNING THE POYSONING OF THE L. Marquis of Hamilton.

Bucikngham ones raised from the bottome to the top of fortunes wheele, by what desert, by what right or wrong, no matter is it, by his cariage verifyed the prouerb, ‘No thing more proud then baser broud vvhen it doth rise aloft.’

Suffered his ambition to cary him selfe so farre as to aspire to match his blood with the blood Royall both of England and Scotland, and well knowing that the L. Marquis of Hamilton was acknowledged by King Iames to be the prime man in his dominions, who next to his owne line in his propre season might clame an hereditarie title to the Kingdom of Scotland by the daughter of King Iames the first, and to the crowne of England by Ioan of Somerset wife to King Iames the first, declared by act of parliament heretrix of England in her due ran­ke, neuer suffered the King to be at rest, but vrged him alwayes to send some of the priuy counsell to sollicit the Marquis to match his eldest sōne with Buckinghās neece making greate promises of cōditiōs which [Page 12] the meane familie of the bride could not performe vvithout the kings liberalitie, to vvit fiftie thousand pounds sterling (valueing fiue hun­dreth thousand florens) vvith the Erledome of Orknay vnder the title of a Duke whatsoeuer the Marquis vvold accept, euen to be the first Duke of Britan. The glorious title of a Duke the Marquis refused tvvise vpon spe­ciall reasons reserued to him selfe. The matter of money vvas no motiue to cause the Marquis match his sonne so vnequally to his degree, seing Buckingham him selfe the chief of his kinred vvas but a nouice in no­bilitie, his father obscure amongst gentlemen, his mother a seruing vvo­man, and he being infamous for his frequent consultations vvith the ring­leaders of witches, principally that false Doctor Lamb publikly con­demned for vvitchcraft. VVherby the Marquis knovving that the king vvas so farre bevvitched to Buckingham that if he refused the match demanded, he should find the kings deadly hatred against him. And seing that Buckinghams neece vvas not yet nubile in yeares, and that before the mariage should be confirmed a vvay might be found out to annull it, vnto vvhich he vvas forced by deceitfull im­portunity, therfore he yeelded vnto the kings desire of the match. wherupon Buckingham and his faction fearing that delayes Wold breed lets, vrged my L. Marquis to send for his sonne upon a sunday morning be times in all hast from London to courtat Greenvvich, where neuer a word Was spoken of mariage to the young lord, till a Litle be­fore supper, and the mariage made before the king after supper. and to make it more authentike Buckingham caused his neece be layd a bed with the Marquis his sonne for a short tyme in the kings chāber, and in his Majeties presēce, albeit the brid was yet innubile. Many vvere astoni­shed at the suddaine nevves thereof. All the Marquis his friends fretting thereat, and some writing vnto him very scornefull letters for the sa­me. The Marquis hauing satisfyed the kings demand, did what he could to preuent the confirmation of the mariage, and intended to send his sonne beyōd the seaes to travel through Frāce and Italie, and so passe his tyme abroad vntill the tyme that meanes were found to vntye that knot which Buckingham had vrged the king to tye vpon his sonne. But Buckingham to contreuene the Marquis his desaine caused the king and the Prince to make the Marquis his sonne be sworne gentleman of the Prince-his bedchamber, and so to be detayned with him vvithin the kingdome vntill that the bride vvas of yeares ripe for mariage.

The tyme expired that Buckingham his neece became marigeable, Buckingham sent to the Marquis to desire him to make the mariage completly confirmed. The Marquis not vvilling to heare of any [Page 13] such matter answered breefly, he scorned the motion. This ansvver re­ported to Buckingham, and he seing him selfe likly to be frustrate of his ambitious matching of his neece, and perceauing that the L. Mar­quis vvas able to raise a great faction aganst him whether king Iames did liue or die, was mightily incēsed against the Marquis, at his first en­counter with him did challenge him of speaking disdainefully of him and his house. The Marquis replyed that he did not remember of any offensiue words vttered by him selfe against Buckingham, Then Buckin­ghā proudly sayd vnto him out of the words of thy mouth I vvill iudge the. For you haue sayd you scorned the motion of matching vvith my house, vvhich I made vnto yovv. The Marquis ansuered that if he had sayd so, it became not the Duke to speake to him in that fashion. So Buckingham threatned to be reuenged, the Marquis vttrered his de­fiance. and thus the quarrell begoud, vvhich foure or fiue tymes reiterate and as often reconciled by the Marquis de Fiatta a litle before the Marquis of Hamilton fell sicke, vvherin it is euident that the quarrell hath been very violent that needed so many reconciliations, the Ducks fire of his anger and furie being inextinguible, as king Iames oftē did cēsure him in his absence albeit a fauorite, that he vvas vvōderfully vindicatiue vvhose malice insatiable tovvards my L. Marquis of Hamilton did vvell shovv it selfe as shall appeare hereafter. Hardly can any man tell vvhether by the Marquis in his sicknes Buckingham vvas more suspected then accused of the poyson giuen or to be giuen him. For he vvold not tast of any thing that vvas sent to him by any of Buckinghams freinds but he vvold first haue some of his seruants tast it before; and for the loue that was mutuall betvvixt him and your peti­tioner whom he wold neuer suffer to go out of his sight during his sick­nes, your petitioner also tasted of all that he tooke at that time, vnto whom his suspicion of Buckingham▪ he expressed by name, and to other sufficient witnes, who will iustifie it vpon oath, if there be any course taken therin for the searche therof. All the tyme of his sicknes he en­treated your petitioner not to suffer my L. of Buckingham to come neere him, but your petitioner hauing often sent word aud also sometymes signified him selfe to Buckingham that there vvas no fit oportunitie to see the Marquis, pretending something to be ministred vnto him, but vvhen your petitioner could find no more excuses, he tould my L. Mar­quis that he had put my L. of Buckingham avvay so often that he could not keepe him avvay any longer, but that he must needs see him. Then he knovving Buckinghams visit to proceed of dissimulation, requested [Page 14] your petitioner at least to find the meanes, to gett him avvay quikly, vvhich your petitioner did, interrupting Buckinghams discourse and intreating him to suffer my. L Marquis to be quiet. This did euidenly shovv my L. Marquis his disliking and distrusting of Buckingham, whereas he was well pleased with other noblemens compainie. all the tyme of his sicknes the Duke and my L. Denbigh wold not suffer his ovvne sonne to come to him, pretending that he was also sicke, which vvas false for the tyme that my L. Marquis called for him after that your petitioner aduised his Lordship to dispose of his estate and of his conscience, because his sicknes was not without danger. which your petitioner four dayes before my L. his death did in such maner that he gaue him no cause to dispare of his health, but intreated him to commit all the caire of his health to God and his Physitians, assuring him how­soeuer he had gotten wrong abroad, he should get none in the cure of his disease. At length his lordship burst out in these words to my lord Dēbigh, it is a greate crueltie in you that yovv vvill not suffer my sonne to come to me when I am a dying that I may see him and speake to him before I die. so they delayed his comming with excuses vntill my L. his agonie of death vvas neere, to the end that he should not haue tyme to giue his sonne priuat instructions to shun the mariage of Buckinghams neece, or to signifie vnto him the suspicion that he had of poyson, for they had rather his sonne should knovve any thing then either of these. Yet many did suspect his poyson before he dyed, for tvvo dayes before his death tvvo of his seruants dyed with manifest signes and symptomes of poyson, one belonging to his wine seller, and another to his kitchin. The fa­tall houre being come that my L. Marquis deceased, your petitioner intreated them that were present to suffer no man to toutch his body vntill that he retourned to see it opened, for then he protested earnestly that all the tyme of his sicknes he iudged him to be poysoned, and in all consultations vrged allvvayes antidotes to be administred, but this poyson vvas such and [...] farre gone that none could helpe. Neuerthelesse to haue the matter concealed Buckinghams folks wold haue had him buryed that same night in, VVestminster church, and the ceremonies of the buriall to be made aftervvard, saying that such delicate bodyes as his, could not be long kept. But his friends taking [Page 15] hold of the caueat giuen them by your petitioner, refused so to doe and replyed that they vvold haue him as became him buryed in Scotland in his ovvne Chappell vvhere his ancestours haue beene buryed about this four hundreth yeeres ago, and that his body must be first visited by his Physitians. No sooner vvas he dead, vvhen the force of the poyson had ouercome the forces of his body, but it begoud to svvell in such sort that his thighes vvere as big as six tymes there naturall proportion, his belly became as big as the belly of an oxe, his armes as big as the naturall quantitie of his thighes, his necke so broad as his shoulders, his cheekes ouer the tope of his nose, that his nose could not be seene or distinguished, the skinne of his forehead ouer his eyes, and the same skinne, vvith all the rest of the skinne of his head tvvo finger high svvelled, his haire of his beard, eyebrovves, and head, so farre distant one from an other, as if an hundreth had beene taken out betwixt euery one, and when one did toutch his haire it came avvay with the skin as easily as if one had pulled hay out of an heape of hay. He Was all ouer his breast, necke, shoulders, and armes, blistered with blisters so big as ones fist, with blisters I saie, of six diuers colours full of vvaters of the same coulours, some white, some blacke, some red, some yeallovv, some greene, some blevv, and that as well within his body as vvithout. Also the cauities of his liuer greene, his stomake in some places a litle purpurated vvith a blevvish clammie matter adharinge to the sides of it, his mouth and nose foming blood mixt with froth of diuers coulors a yard high. Your petitioner being sent for to come visit his body and his seruants all flocking about him saying see, see, pre­sently weeping sayd he vvas poysoned, and that it vvas a thing not to be suffered, moreouer he sayd that albeit his speach might cost him his life, yet seing his sorrovv had extorted that speech out of him, he vvold make it manifest and vvold haue a iury of Phy­sitians present. Some of my L. Marquis of Hamiltons freinds sayd, vve must send to my L. Duke that he may send his Phisitians, but your petitioner replyed what haue vve to do vvith the Dukes Physitians? let us haue indifferent men. Captaine Hamilton hearing your petitioner so boldly take exceptions at Buckingham, and iudging that he had good reason for vvhat he had spoken sayd, for all that let [Page 16] vs send to the Duke, and signify that they all who see the Marquis his body both Physitians and Chirurgians, and others, thinke that he is poysoned, and that his freinds desire more Physitians out of the Col­ledge of London besydes the Dukes physitians, to beare witnesse in what case the Marquis his body is in, and then if the Dukes consciē ­ce be guylty (sayd the Captaine) it will show it selfe. Which in deed it did. For the Duke being aduertised hereof sent for his owne Physitians and others out of London, whom he caused first to be brought to him before they went to see the Marquis his body, giuing them his direction in these words, my masters there is a brute spred abroad that the Marquis of Hamilton is poysoned. Go and see, but be­ware, what yow speake of poyson, (which he said in a threatning for­me of deliuery) for now euery noble man that dyeth must be poy­soned. If his conscience had not beene guilty should he not haue com­manded the Physitians to inquire be all meanes possible, and make it knowen rather then to suppresse the speech of the poysoning. These Physitians being come, your petitioner with the one hand leading Doctor Moore to the table where the Marquis his body was laid to be opened, and with the other hand throwing of the clothe from the body sayd to him, looke yow here vpon this pitifull spectacle. At the sight therof Doctor Moore lifting up both his hands and his hat and his eyes to the heauens astonished, sayd Iesus blisse me, I neuer saw the like. I can not know him, I can not distinguish a face vpon him, aud in like maner all the rest of the Doctors and also the Chirurgians affirmed that they never saw the like, albeit they had traveled and practised through the greatest part of Europe, only one that saw my L. of Southamptons body opened in Holland (which L. was also one of Buc­kinghams opposits) sayd that my L. of Southamptons body was blistered all within the breast as my L. Marquis his was. Doctor Leester one of my L. of Buckinghams creatures, seing Doctor Moore and others so amased at the sight of my lords body, drew first him a syde and then the others one after an other, and whispered them in the eare to silence them. wherupon many went away without speaking one worde, the o­thers who remayned acknowledged that those accidents of the dead body could not be without poyson, but they sayd they could not know how such a subtil art of poysoning could be brought into England, your pettioner replying that money could bring both the art and the artist from the furthest part of the vvorld into England. from vvhence since your petitioner departed he hath conferred vvith the skilfullest pestmasters that could be found, vvho visit the bodyes of those [Page 17] that die of the venime of the pest. They all admire the description oe my L. Marquis his body, and testifie that neuer any of the pest hau­such accidents, but carbuncles, bubons, or the spots, no such huge blisters with waters, and such an huge vniforme swelling to such di­mēsions aboue six-tymes the naturall proportiō. But he hath met with some, who haue practised the poysoning of dogges to trie the forces of some antidotes, and they haue found that some poysons haue made the dogges sicke for a fortnight or more, without any swelling vntill they were dead, and then they swelled aboue measure, and became bliste­red with waters of diuers colours, and the haire came away vvith the skin vvhen it vvas toutched. The Plysitians then vvho remained were willing to certifie with there handwrit that my L. Marquis was poysoned, but your petitioner tould them it was not needfull, seing we must attend Gods leasure to discouer the author, the matter being so apparent, and so many hundreths hauing seene his body to witnesse it, for the doores were kept open for euery man to behold and to be wit­nes who wold. The Duke of Buckingham making some counterfeited show of sorrow to mē of great qualitie, found no other shift to diuert the suspicion of the poysoning of the Marquis from his selfe, but to lay it vpon his Master the King, saying that the Marquis for his persō, spirite, & cariage, was such that he was borne worthy to reigne, but the King his Master hated him to death, because he had a spirit too much for the commonwealth. Wherby the Duke shew him selfe no good subiect of the Kings, who made the Kings humor to be ty­rannicall, and the King a bloodthristie murtherer, and a most vile dis­sembler hauing heaped so many honors dayly vpon the Marquis euen to the very last, making him Lord high Stevvard of his Maiesties house and iudge of the verge court, whom he had made before Viceroy of Scotland for the tyme of the parliament in Scotland, Erle of Cambridge, a priuy counselor in Englād, and Knight of the garter, as if he had raised him to all these honors that the murthering of him might be the lesse suspected to proceed from him. The Kings nature hath beē allways ob­serued to be so gratious and so free harted to euery one, that he would neuer haue wished the Marquis any harme vnlesse that Buckingham had put great feares and ialousies in his minde, for if any other had done it, he would haue acquainted his fauorite therewith, & thē was it Buckinghams duety to remoue from the King such sinistrous conceits of the Marquis, as the Marquis hath oftē doone for Buckingham, vphol­ding him in all occasions, and keeping the King from giuing way to introduce any other fauorite. Wherefore Buckinghā in that diuersion of [Page 18] the crime from him selfe, hath not only made the King but also himselfe guylty of the Marquis his death. But Buckinghams falshood and euill intention long before vvas rightly discouered, vvhen he did what he could to make the Erle of N [...]esdale and my L. Gordon both neere Kinsmen of my Lord Marquis so incēsed at him, that they had likely all three killed one an other if it had not been that my L. Marquis by his vvisdome did let them all knovv how they vvere abused. if any dissimulation be greater then Buckinghams let any man iudge, for vvhen my L. Marquis his body vvas to be transported from Whitehall to his house at Bishopsgate, Buckingham came out muffed and furred in his coatch, giving out that he vvas sick for sorrovv of my L. Marquis his death, but so soone as he vvent to his house out of London before his coming to the King he triumphed and dominired vvith his factiō so excessively, as if he had gayned some greate victorie, and the next day comming to the King put on a most lamentable and mournefull countenance for the death of the Marquis of Hamilton. No greater vi­ctorie could he haue gotten to his mind, then to haue destroyed that man vvho could and vvould haue fetched his head of his shoulders if he had outliued King Iames to haue knovven his cariage in the poyso­ning him in his sicknes, wherfore he thought it necessary to remoue the Marquis before hand. The same day that my L. Marquis dyed Buc­kingham sent my Lord Marquis his sonne out of the towne, keeping him as a prisoner that none could haue priuat conference with him vntill his mariage of Buckinghams neece was complete, but allwayes either my L. Denbigh or my lady Denbigh or my L. of Buckingham or the countesse of Buckingham or the Dutchesse of Buckingham was pre­sent, that none could let him vnderstand how his father was murthe­red. euen your pertioner him selfe when he went to see him within few dayes after his fathers death was intreated not to speake to him of the poysoning of his father which he did conceale at his first meeting because there sorrovv vvas too recent, but he vvas preuented of a se­cond meeting. Neither vvould Buckingham suffer the young lord to go to Scotland to his fathers funeralls and to take order vvith his freinds concerning his fathers estate, for feare that there intended mariage, should be ouer throvvne. This captiuitie of the young lord Marquis la­sted so long vntill that Buckingham caused his Maiestie King Charles take the young lord with him selfe and Buckingham into K. Iames his Parke discharging all others to follovv them, and there to perswade and vrge the younge lord without any more delay to accomphih his mariage vvith Buckinghams neece, which instantly vvas performed [Page 19] so that Buckingham trusteth and presumeth that albeit the young lord should vnderstād hovv his father vvas poysoned by his meanes, yet being maryed to his neece, should not sturre to reuenge it, but com­port with it. To all what is obserued before, it is vvorthy to be added that the bruit vvent through London long before my L. Duke of Richemonds death, or his brothers, or my lord of Southamptons, or of the Marquis, that all the noblemen that vvere not of Buckinghams faction should be poysoued, and so remoned out of his way. Also a pa­per vvas founde in kingstreete about the tyme of the Duke of Riche­monds death, wherin the names of all these noblemen vvho haue dyed since vvere expressed, and your petitioners name also set next to the lord Marquis of Hamiltons name, vvith these vvords to embavvme him. This paper vvas brought him by my lord Oldbarres dawghter cousin german to the lord Marquis. Likevvays a mountebanke about that tyme vvas greatly countenanced by the Duke of Buckingham, and by his meanes procured letters patents and recommendation from the King to practise his skill through all England, who cōming to London offered to sell poysons to kill men or beasts within a yeere, or halfe a yeare, or tvvo yeares, or a moneth, or tvvo, or vvhat tyme praefixed any man desired, in such sort that they could not be helped nor yet disco­uered, Moreouer the Christmas before my L. Marquis his death one of the Prince his footemen sayd that some of the greate ones at court had gotte poyson in his belly but he could not tell vvho it vvas. Here your honors considering the premisses of my L. of Buckingham his ambitious and most vindicatiue nature, his frequent quarrels vvih my L. Marquis after so many reconciliations, his threatning of him, his threatning of the Phisitians to speake of poyson, his triumphing after my Lord Marquis his death, his detayning of his sonne almost as a prisoner vntill the mariage complete vvith his neece, the preceeding bruit of poysoning of Buckinghams aduersaries, the paper of there names found vvith sufficient intimation of there death by the conclusion of the vvord Embavvming, the poysonmunger mountibanck graced by Buckingham, may suffise for ground to take him and torture him, if he were a priuat man. And herein your petitioner most humbly and most ernesty demandeth iustice against that treator, seing by act of parlia­ment it is made treason to conspire the death of a priuy counsellor. out of this declaration interrogatories may be dravven for examination of vvitnes, vvherin more is discouered to beginne vvith all, then vvas layd open at the beginning of the discovery of the poysoning of sir Thomas Ouerbury.

CONCERNING, THE POYSONING OF KING Iames of happy memorie, King of great Britan, &c.

THe Duke of Buckingham being in Spayne aduertised by letters, how that the King begoud to censure him in his absence freely, and that many spoke boldly to the King against him, and how the King had intelligence from Spayne of his vnworthy cariage in Spayne, and how the Marquis of Hamilton vpon the suddaine nevves of the Prince his departure, had noblely reprehended the King, for sending the Prince vvith such a young man vvithout experience, and in such a pri­uat and suddain manner, vvithout acquainting the nobilitie or counsell thervvith, vvrotte a very bitter letter to the Lord Marquis of Hamilton, conceiued nevv ambitious courses of his ovvne, and vsed all the deui­ses he could to disgust the Prince his minde of the match vvith Spayne so farre intended by the King. Made hast home, vvhere vvhen he came he so caryed him selfe that vvhat soeuer the King commanded in his bedchamber he controlled in the next chamber. Yea received packets to the King from forraine Princes and dispetched ansvvers vvithout acquainting the King therevvith not in a great time thereafter. Wher­as perceiuing the King highly offended and that the Kings minde vvas beginning to alter tovvards him, suffering him to be quarrelled and effronted in his Maiesties presence, and obseruing that the King re­serued my Lord of Bristou to be a rod for him, vrging dayly his dispetch for France, and expecting the Erle of Gondomar his comming to England in his absence, feared much that the Erle of Gondomar, vvho as it see­med vvas greatly estemed and vvonderfully credited by the King, vvold secund my Lord of Brestovves accusations against him. He knevv also that the King had vovved, that in despite of all the deuils of hell he vvold bring the Spanish match about againe, and that the Marquis of E [...]echosa had giuen the King bad impressions of him. by vvhose arti­cles of accusation the King him selfe had examined some of the nobi­litie and priuy counsell, and found out in the examination that Buckin­gham had said after his comming from Spayne that the King vvas an old man, it vvas novv tyme for him to be at his rest, and to be confined to some parke to passe the rest of his tyme in hunting, and the Prince to be crovvned. The more the King vrged him to be gone to France the more shiftes he made to staye, for he did euidently see that the King was fully resolued to rid him selfe of the oppression wherin he held him.

[Page 21]The King being sicke of a tertian ague, and that in the spring which vvas of it selfe neuer found deadly, the Duke tooke his opor­tunitie when all the Kings Doctors of Physicke vvere at Dinner vpon the munday before the King dyed, without there knovvledge or consent, offered to the King a white povvder to take, the which the King longtime refused, but ouercome by his flattering importunitie at length tooke it, drunk it in wine, and immediatly became vvorse and worse, falling into many soundings and paynes, and violent fluxes of the belly so tormented, that his Maiestie cryed out aloud, o this white povvder! this white povvder! wold to God I had neuer taken it, it wil cost me my liffe. In lyke maner the countesse of Buckingham my L. of Buckinghams mother vpon the fryday therafter, the Physitians also being absent and at dinner, and not made acquain­ted with her doings, applyed a plaster to the Kings harte and breast, wherupō his Maiestie grevv fainte, short breathed and in great agonie. Some of the Physitians after dinner retouning to see the King, by the offensive smell of the plaister perceiued some thing to be about the King hurtfull to him, and searched what it could be, found it out and exclamed that the King vvas poysoned. Then Buckingham entring commanded the Physitians out of the roome, caused one to be committed prisoner to his ovvne chamber, and another to remoue from court, quarrelled others of the Kings servants in the sick Kings ovvne presence, so farre that he offered to dravv his svvord against them in the Kings sight. And Buckinghams mother kneeling before the King, vvith a brazen face cryed out iustice, iustice, sir I demand iustice of your Maiestie. The King asking for vvhat? she answered, for that vvich there liues is no sufficiēt satisfaction, for saying, that my sonne and I haue poysoned your Maiestie, poysoned me sayde the King. vvith that he turning him selfe sounded, and she vvas remoued, The sunday thereafter the King dyed, and Buckingham desired the Physitians vvho attended the King, to signe vvith there handvvrits a testimonie that the povvder vvhich he gaue the King vvas a goode and a safe medicin, vvhich they refused to do. Buckinghames creatures did spred abroad a rumor in London that Buckingham vvas so sory at the Kings death, that he vvold haue dyed, that he vvold haue killed him self, if they had not hindered him. Which your petitioner purposly inquired of them that vvere neere him at that tyme, vvho sayd that neither in the tyme of the kings sicknes nor after his death, he vvas more moued then if there had neuer happened either sicknes or death to the King. One day vvhen the King vvas in great extremitie he rode post to [Page 22] London to pursue his sister in lavv to haue her stand in sackcloth at Povvles for adultery, an other tyme of the Kings agonie he vvas bussy contriuing and concluding a mariage for one of his cousins. Immedi­atly after the Kings death the Physitian vvho vvas commanded to his chāber, vvas set at libertie vvith a caueat to hold his peace, the others threatned if they kept not good tounges in there heades. But in the me­ne tyme the Kings body and head svvelled aboue measure, his haire with the skin of his head stucke to the pillow his nayles became loose vpon his fingers and toes. your petitioner needeth to say no more to vn­derstanding men. Onely one thing he beseecheth that taking the trai­tor who ought to be taken without any feare of his greatnes, the other matters be examined, the accessories with the guilty punished.