BVCKINGHAM once raised from the bottome of Fortunes wheele to the top, by what desert, by what right or wrong, no matter it is, (by his carriage the proverb is verified) Nothing more proud then basest blood, when it doth rise a­loft. He suffered his ambition to carry himselfe so farre, as to aspire to match his blood with the Blood-Royall both of England and Scotland. And well knowing, that the Marquesse of Hamelton was acknowledged by King Iames to be the prime man in his Dominions, who next to his owne line, in his proper season might claime an heredi­tary Title to his Crowne of Scotland, by the Daughter of King Iames the second, and to the Crown of England by Ioane of Sommerset, wife to King Iames the first, decla­red by an Act of Parliament Heretrix of Englond to be in her due ranke, never suffered the King to be at rest, but urged him alwayes to send some of his Privie Councell to solicite the Marquesse to match his eldest sonne with Buckinghams Neece, making great promises of conditions, which the meane family of the Bride could not performe, without the Kings liberality, to wit, fifty thousand pound Sterling, valuing five hun­dred thousand Florens with the Earldome of Orkney, under the title of Duke, what­soever the Marquesse would accept, even to the first Duke of Britaine.

The glorious Title of a Duke the Marquesse refused twice, upon speciall reasons re­served to himselfe.

The matter of money was no motive to cause the Marquesse to match his sonne so unequall to his degree, seeing Buckingham himselfe, the chiefe of her kindred was but a novice in Nobility, his father obscure amongst Gentlemen, his mother a Serving-wo­man: and he being infamous for his frequent consultation with the Ring-leader of Witches, principally that false Doctor Lamb, publickly condemned for witch-craft▪ whereby the Marquesse knowing that the King was so farre bewitched to Buckingham thrt if he refused the match demanded, he should find the kings deadly hatred agains him; And seeing that Buckinghams Niece was not yet Nubile in yeares, and that be­fore the marriage should be consirmed, a way might be found out to annull it, unto which he was forced by deceitfull importunity: therefore he yeelded unto the King desire of the match; whereupon Buckingham and his faction fearing that delayes would bring lets, urged my Lord Marquesse to send for his sonne upon a Sunday morning be times in all haste from London to Court at Greenwich, where never a word was spo­ken of marriage to the young Lord, till a little before Supper, and the marriage mad [...] before the King after Supper, And to make it more authenticke, Buckingham cause his Neece to be lard in bed with the Marquesse his sonne, for a short time in the King Chamber, and in his Majesties presence, albeit the Bride was yet innubile. Many wer [...] astonisht at the sudden newes thereof; all the Marquesse his friends fretting thereat an some writing unto him very scornfull letters for the same.

The Marquesse having satisfied the Kings demands, did what hee could to preve [...] the confirmation of the marriage, and intended to send his sonne beyond the seas travell through France, and so to passe his time a broad, untill that meanes were fou [...] to unty that knot which Buckingham had urged the King to tie upon his sonne.

But Bucking ham to countermand the Marquesse his designe, causes the King and Prince to make the Marquesse his sonne to be sworne Gent: to the Princes Bed-chamber, and so to be detained with him within the Kingdome, untill that the Bride was at yeares ripe for marriage.

The time expired that Buckinghams neece became marriageable, Buckingham sent to the Marques to desire him to make the mariage, to be cōpleatly confirmed.

The marquesse (not willing to heare of any such matter) answered briefely he scorned the motion.

This answer reported to Buckingham, and seeing himselfe like to be frust ated of his ambitious matching of his neece, and perceiving that the Lord Marquesse was able to raise a great faction against him, whether King Iames did live or die, was mightily incensed against the Marquesse: At the first incounter with him, did challange him for speaking disdainfully of him and his house.

The Marquesse replyed, he did not remember any offensive words uttered by himselfe against Buckingham. Buckingham then proudly said unto him, out of the words of thy mouth I will judge thee: for you have said, you scorne the mo­tion of matching with my house, which I made unto you. The marquesse answe­red, that if he had said so, it became not the Duke to speake unto him in that fa­shion. So Buckingham threatned to be revenged: The Marquesse uttered his defiance; and thus the quarrell began, which foure or five times was reiterated, and as often reconciled by Marquesse de Fietta, alittle before the Marquesse of Hamelton fell sick, wherein it is very evident that the quarrel hath beene very violent, that needed so many reconciliations, The Dukes fire of his anger, being unextinguishable, as K. Iames did often censure him in his absence, albeit that a favourite, that he was wonderfull vindicative, whose malice was insatiable to­wards my Lo: Marquesse of Hamelton, did well shew it selfe as shall appeare hereafter.

Hardly can any man tell whether by the Marquesse in his sicknesse, Bucking­ham was more suspected then accused of the poyson given or to be given him: for he would not taste of any thing that was sent him by any of Buckinghams friends; but he would have some of his servants taste of it before: and for the love that was mutuall betweene him and your Petitioner (whom hee would never suffer to go out of his sight during his sicknesse) your Petitioner cast off all that he tooke in that time, unto whom his suspition of Buckingham hee expressed by name before sufficient witnesse, who will testifie upon oath, if there bee any course taken therein for the search thereof, all the time of his sicknesse he intrea­ted your petitioner not to suffer my Lo: of Buckingham to come neere him, and your Petitioner having often sent word, and also sometimes fignified himselfe to Buckingham, that there was no sit opportunity to see the Marquesse, pretending something to be ministred to him. But when your petitioner could finde no more excuses, he told my Lo: Marques that he had put away my Lo: of Buckingham so often, that he could not keepe him away any longer, but that he must needes see him.

Then he knowing Buckinghams visitation to proceed of disimulation, requested [Page 10]your petitioner at last to finde the means to get him away quiekly: which your Petitioner did, interrupting. Buckingham his discourse, and intreating him to suffer my Lord Marquess to bee quiet.

This did evidently shew my Lord Marquess his disliking and distrusting of Buckingham, whereas hee was pleased with other Noblemens Company. All the time of his sicknesse, the Duke and my Lord Denbigh would not suffer his own son to come to him, pretending that he was also sicke; which was false for the time that my Lord Marquess called for him. After this your Petitioner advised his Lordship to dispose of his estate, and of his conscience, his sicknesse was not without danger, which your Petitioner foure dayes before my Lords death, did in such manner perceive, that hee had cause to commit all the care of his health to God and his Physitians, assuring howsoever hee 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 Denbigh, It is a great cruelty in you, that you will not suffer my son to come to me when I am dying that I may see him, and speake to him before I dye. So they delayed his comming with excuses, untill my Lord his agony of death was neere, to the end that he should not have time to give his son private instructions to shun the marriage of Buckinghams Neece, or to signifie unto him the fuspition of poyson: for they had rather his son should know any thing, then either of these; yet many did suspect his poyson before he died: for two dayes before his death, two of his servants died with manifest signs and suspition, of poyson, the one belonging to the Wine-celler, the other to the Kitchin.

The Fatall houre being come, that my Lord Marquess deceased, your Petitioner intreated all were present, to suffer no man to touch his body, untill that he re­turned to see it opened. For then he protested earnestly, that all the time of his sicknesse, he judged it to be poyson; but this poyson was such, and so farre gone, that none could help it: Nevertheles, to have the matter concealed, Buckingham would have him buried that same night in Westminster Church, and the Cere­monies of his buriall to be kept afterwards, saying, that such delicate bodies as his could not be kept.

But his friends taking hold of the cavet before given by your Petitioner, refused so to doe, and replied, that they would have him, as became him to bee buried in Scotland in his owne Chappell, where all his Ancesters have beene butied for more then these four hundred yeares; and that his body mustbee visited by his Physitians.

No sooner was he dead, when the force of the poysou had overcome the force of his body, but it began to swell in such sort, that his Thighes were swolne sixe times as bigge as their naturall proportion: his Belly became as the belly of an Oxe, his Arins as the natural quantity of Thighs, his Neck so broad as his Shoul­ders, his Cheekes over the top of his Nose, that his Nose could not be seen or dis­tinguished, the skin of his fore-head two fingers high swolled, the haire of his beard, eye-browes and head, so farre distant one from another, as if an hundred had been taken oat bet weene each one; and when one did touch the haire, it came a­way [Page 11]with the skin as easily, as if one had pulled hay out of an heap of hay. He was all over his neck, breast, shoulders, armes, and browes I say of divers colours, full of waters of the same colour, some white, some blacke, some red, some yellow, some greene, some blew, and that as well within the body as without.

Also the concavities of his Liver greene his ftomach in some places a little purpurated with a blew clammy water, adhering to the sides of it. His Mouth and Nose foaming blood mixt with froth mightily, of divers colours a yard high. Your Petitioner being sent for to visit his body, and his servants flocking about him, saying, See, see, presently weeping, said he was poysoned, and that it was a thing not be suffered.

Moreover, he said, that albeit his speech might cost him his life, yet seeing his sorrow had extorted that speech out, he would make it manifest, and would have a Jury of Physitians. Presently, some of my Lord Marquess of Hameltons friends said, we must send to my Lord Duke, that he may send his Physitlans: but your Petitioner replied, what have we to doe with the Dukes Physitians? Let us have indifferent men. Captaine Hamelton hearing your Petitioner so boldly take ex­ceptions at Buckingham, and juding that he had good reason for what he had spoken, said, for all that let us send to the Duke, and signifie, that they all who have seen the Marquess his body, both Physitians, Chyrurgeons, and others, may see that hee is poysoned, and that his friends desire more Physitians out of the Colledge of London, besides the Dukes Physitians, to beare witnesse in what case the Marquess his body is in; and then if the Dukes conscience be guilty (said the Captain,) it will shew it self, as indeed it did: for the Duke being advertised hereof, sent for his owne Physitians, and others out of London, whom he caused first to be brought unto him, before they went to see the Marquess his body, giving them his directions in these words, viz.

‘My Masters, there is a bruit spread abroad, that the Marquesse of Hamelton is poysoned; Goe see, but beware what you speak of poyson (which he said in a hreatning forme of delivery) for every Noble man that dieth must be poy­soned.’

If his conscience had not been guilty, should not he have commanded the Phy­ [...]itians to enquire by all meanes possible, and made it knowne rather then to uppresse the speech of poysoning so worthy a man.

These Physitians being come, your Petitioner with one hand leading Doctor More to the Table where the Marquess his body was layd, and with the o­her hand throwing off the cloth from the body said to him, Look you here upon his spectacle.

At the sight whereof Doctor More lifting up both his hands, heart and eyes [...]o the Heavens, agonished, said, Jesus blesse me, I never saw the like, I cannot [...]istinguish a face upon him; and in like manner all the rest of the Doctors, and so the Chirurgjons affirmed, that they never saw the like, albeit that they have [...]availed and practised through the greatest part of Eorope: onely one that said, [...]y Lo: of Southampton was blistered all within the brest as my Lo: marquesses [Page 12]was. Doctor Leicester, one of Buckinghams creature, seeing Doctor More & others so amazed at the sight of my Lords body, drew first him aside, and then the others, one after another, and whispered them in the eare to silence them.

Whereupon many went away without speaking one word, the other who remained, acknowledged that those accidents of the dead body, could not bee without poyson; but they said, they could not know how such a subtile art of poysoning could be brought into England; your Petitioner replyed that money would bring both the Art and the Artist from the furthest part of the World into England, from whence since your Petitioners departure, he hath conferred with the skilfullest Pestmasters that could be found, who visite the bodies of those that die of the venome of the pest.

They all admired the description of my Lo: Marques his body, and testifie that never any of the pest have such accidents, but Carbuncles, Rubons, or Spots, no such huge blisters with waters, and such a huge uniforme swelling to such di­mentions, above six times the naturall proportion. But he hath met with some who have practised the poysoning of dogs, to try the forces of some Antidotes, and they have round that some poysons have made the dogs sick for a fortnight or more, without any swelling untill they were dead, and then they swelled a­bove measure, and became blistered with waters of divers colours, and the haire came away with the skin when it was touched.

The Phisitians then who remained, were willing to certifie under their hands, that my Lo: Marquesse was poysoned. But your petitioner told them it was not needefull, seeing we must needes attend Gods leasure to discover the author, the manner being so apparant, and so many hundreds having seen the body to witnesse it, for the doores were kept open for every man to behold and to bee witnesse who would.

The Duke of Buckingham making some counterfeit shew of sorrow, two men of great quality, found no other shift to divert the suspition of the poysoning of the Marquesse from him, but to lay it upon his master the King, saying, that the marquesse for his person, spirit and carriage, was such as he was born worthy to reigne; but the King his Master hated him to death, because he had a spirit too much for the commonwealth; whereby the Duke did shew himselfe no good subject to the King, who made the Kings honour to be tyranicall, and the King a blood-thirsty murtherer, and a most vile dissembler, having heaped so many ho­nours daily upon the Marquesse even to the very last, making him Lord high Steward of his Majesties house, and Judg of the very Court, whom he had made before Vice-roy of Scotland, for the time of the Parliament in Scotland, Earl of Cambridge, privie Councellor in England, and Knight of the Garter, as if hee had raised him to all these honours, that the murthering of him might be the lesse suspected to proceede from him.

The Kings nature hath alwayes beene observed, to have beene so gracious and so free-hearted towards every one, that hee would never have wished the Mar­quesse any harme, unlesse that Buckingham had put great jealousies and fea [...]s into as minde: for if any other had done it, he would have acquainted his favourite [Page 13]therewith. And then was it Buckinghams duty to remove from the King such smistrous conceits of the Marquesse, as the marquesse hath often done of Buckingham, upholding him upon all occasions, and keeping the King from giving way to introduce any other favourite: wherefore Buckingham in that diversion of the crime from him, hath not onely made the King but also himselfe guilty of the Marquesses death

But Buckinghams falsehood and ill intention, was long before rightly disco­vered, when he did what he could to make the E. of Nethersdale and my Lord Gordan (both neere kinsmen of my Lord Marquesse) so incensed at him, that they had like all three to have killed one another, if it had not been that my Lord Mar­quesse by his wisdome, did let them all know, how they were abused.

If any dissimulation be greater then Buckingams, let any man judge: For when my Lord Marquesse his body was to bee transported from White-hall to his house at Bishops-gate, Buckingham came out muffed and furred in his Coach giving out that he was sicke for sorrow of my Lord Marquesse his death; but as soone as he went to his house out of London, before his comming to the King, he triumphed and domineered with his faction so excessively, as if he had gain­ed some great victory. And the next day comming to the King, put on a most lamentable and mournefull countenance for the death of the Marquesse. No grea­ter victory could he have gotten in his mind, then to have destroyed that man who would have fetched his head off his shoulders if he had out lived King Iames, to have knowne his carriage in the poysoning of him in his sicknesse; wherefore he thought it necessary to remove the Marquesse beforehand.

The same day that my Lord Marquesse died, Buckingham sent my Lord Mar­quesse his sonne out of Towne, keeping him as prisoner, none could have pri­vate conference with him, untill his marriage of Buckinghams Neece was com­pleat; but either my Lord of Denbigh or my lady of Denbigh, or my Lord Duke of Buckingham, or the Countesse of Buckingham was present, that none could let him understand how his father was murthered. Even your petitioner himselfe when he went to see him, was intreated not to speake to him of the poysoning of his father, which he did conceale at his first meeting, because their sorrow was too recent. But he was prevented of a second meeting, neither would Buck­ingham suffer the young Lord to go to Scotland to see his Fathers Funerals, and to take order with his friends concerning his fathers estate, for feare that their intended marriage should be overthrowne.

This Captivity of the young Lord Marquesse lasted so long, untill that Buck­ingham caused his Majesty, King CHARLS, to take the young Lord, with himselfe and Buckingham, into St. Iames his Parke, discharging all others from following them; and there to perswade and urge the young Lord, without any more delay to accomplish the marriage with Buckingham his Neece, which in­stantly was performed: so that Buckingham trusteth and presumeth, that albeit the young Lord should understand how his father was poysoned by his meanes, yet being married to his Neece, he would not stirre to revenge it, but comport with it.

To all that is observed before, it is wothy to be added, that the bruit went through London long before the Lord Duke of Richmonds death, or his brothers, or my Lord of Southamptons, or of the Marquess, that all the Noble men that were not of the Dukes faction, should be poysoned, and so removed out of his way.

Also a Paper was found in Kings Street, about the time of the Duke of Richmonds death, wherein the Names of all those Noblemen who have dyed since, were expressed; and your Petitioners Name also set next to my Lord Mar­quess of Hameltons Name, with these words (to embalme him) This Paper was brought by my Lord Oldbarrs Daughter, Cousin german to the Lord Marquess: Likewise a Mountebanke about that time, was greatly countenanced by the Duke of Buckingham, and by his means procured Letters Patents, and Recommendati­ons from the King, to practise his skill in Physick through all England: who comming to London, to sell Poyson, to kill man or beast within a yeare, or half a yeare, or two yeares, or a moneth or two, or what time prefixed any man desired, in such sort that they could not be helped nor discovered. Moreover, the Christ­mas before my Lord Marquess his death, one of the Prince his footmen said, That some of the great ones at Court had gotten, Poyson in theis belly, but he could not tell who it was.

Here your Honours considering the premisses, of my Lord Duke of Bucking­ham his ambitious and most vindicative nature, his frequent quarrels with my Lord Marquesse, after so many reconciliations; his threatning of the Physitians, not to speak of the poyson; his triumphing after my Lord Marquesse his death; his detaining of his son almost prisoner, untill the Marriage was compleat with his Neece; the preceding bruit of poysoning Buckingham his Adversaries; the Paper of their Names found, with sufficient intimation of their death, by the conclusion of the word (embalming) the Poyson-monger, Mountebank, graced by Buckingham, may suffice for ground to take him and torture him, if he were a private man: And herein your Petitioner most earnestly demandeth Justice a­gainst that Traitor, seeing by Act of Parliament it is made Treason to conspire the death of a Privie Councellor. Out of this Declaration, Interrogatories may be drawne for Examination of Witnesses; wherein more is discovered to begin withall, then was laid open at the beginning of the Discoverie of the poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury.

THe Duke of Buckingham being in Spaine, advertised by Letters, how that the King began to censure him in his absence freely, and that many spake boldly to the King against him, and how the King had intelligence from Spaine of his unwor­thy carryage in Spaine; and how the Marquesse Hamelton (upon the sudden news of the Princes departure) had nobly reprehended the King for sending the Prince with such a young man, without experience, and in such a private and sudden man­ner, without acquainting the Nobility or Councell therewith, wrot a very kitter letter to the Marquesse of Hamelton, conceived new ambitious courses of his owne, and used all the devices he could to disgust the Princes mind of the match with Spain, so far intended by the King, made haste home; where, when he came, he so car­ryed himselfe, that whatsoever the King commanded in his Bed-chamber, he con­trolled in the next; yea, received Packets to the King from forraigne Princes, and dispatched Answers without acquainting the King therewith, in a long time after. Whereat perceiving the King highly offended, and that the Kings mind was beginning to alter towards him, suffering him to be quarrelled and affronted in His Majesties presence; and observing that the King reserved my Lord of Bristol to be a rod for him, urging daily his dispatch for France, and expecting the Earle of Gond [...]mor, who as it seemed was greatly esteemed and wonderfully credited by the King, and would second my Lord of Bristol his accusations against him. He knew also the King had vowed, that in spight of all the Devils in hell, he would bring the Spanish match a­bout againe, and that the Marquesse of Inicosa had given the King bad impressions of him, by whose articles of accusation, the King himselfe had examined some of the Nobility and Privie Councel, and found out in the examination, that Buckingham had said after his comming from Spaine, that the King was now an old man, it was now time for him to be at rest, and to be confined to some Parke, to passe the rest of his time in hunting, and the Prince to be crowned.

The more the King urged him to be gone to France, the more shifts he made to stay: for he did evidently see that the King was fully resolved to rid himself of the oppression wherein he held him.

The King being sick of a certaine Ague, and that in the Spring, was of it selfe ne­ver found deadly; the Duke took his opportunity when all the Kings Doctors of Physick were at dinner, upon the Munday before the King dyed, without their know­ledge or consent, offered to him a white powder to take: the which he a long time re­fused; but overcome with his flattering importunity, at length took it in wine, and im­mediately became worse and worse, falling into many swounings and paines, and vio­lent fluxes of the belly, so tormented, that His Majesty cryed out aloud of this white powder, Would to God I had never taken it, it will cost me my life.

In like manner also the Countesse of Buckingham, my Lord of Buckinghams [Page 16]mother, upon the Friday after, the Physitians also being absent, and at Dinner, not made acquainted with her doings applyed a plaister to the Kings heart & brea [...] whereupon he grew faint, short breathed, and in a great Agony. Some of the Physitians after dinner returning to see the King, by the offensive smell of the plaister, perc [...] ved something to be about him hurtfull unto him and searched what it should be, fou [...] it out, and exclaimed, that the King was poysoned. Then Buckingham entring, commanded the Physitians out of the room, caused one of them to be committed prisoner his own house, and another to be removed from Court, quarrelled with others of Kings servants in his sick Majesties own presence, so far that he offered to draw sword against them in his Majesties sight. And Buckinghams mother kneeling do [...] before His Majesty, cryed out with a brazen face, Iustice, Iustice; Sir, I demand-stice of your Majesty. His Majesty asked her for what? For that which their li [...] are no wayes sufficient to satisfie, for saying that my sonne and I have poysoned y [...] Majestie. Poysoned me? said he; with that turning himselfe, swounded, and she [...] removed.

The Sunday after His Majestie dyed, and Buckingham desired the Physitians [...] attended his Majestie, to signe with their hands a writ of testimonie, that the pow [...] which he gave him, was a good and safe medicine; which they refused.

Buckinghams creatures did spread abroad a rumor in London, that Buckingham was so srrry for his Majesties death, that he would have dyed, that he would have led himselfe if they had not hindred him; which your Petitioner purposely enqui [...] after of them that were neere him at that time, who said, that neither in the tim [...] His Majesties sicknesse, nor after his death, he was more moved, then if there happened either sicknesse or death to His Majestie.

One day when his Majesty was in great extremity, he rode post to London to p [...] ­sue his sister in law to have her stand in sackcloth in S. Pauls for adultery. And other time in his Majesties Agonie, he was busie in contriving and concluding a m [...] ­riage for one of his cousins.

Immediately after his Majesties death, the Physitian who was commanded to chamber, was set at liberty with a caveat to hold his peace; the others threatn [...] they kept not good tongues in their heads.

But in the mean time the Kings body and head swelled above measure, his h [...] with the skin of his head stuck to the pillow, his nailes became loose upon his fin and toes.

Your Petitioner needeth to say no more to understanding men, only one thing be­seecheth, That taking the Traytor who ought to be taken without any feare of greatnesse, the other waters may be examined, and the Accessaries with the G [...] punished.