210 CHARGE AGAINST ROBERT 



the house of the Howards, against whom he had 

 always professed hatred and opposition : so all was 

 but miserable bargains of ambition. 



And, my lords, that this is no sinister construc 

 tion, will well appear unto you, when you shall hear 

 that Overbury makes his brags to my lord of Somer 

 set, that he had won him the love of the lady by his 

 letters and industry : so far was he from cases of 

 conscience in this matter. And certainly, my lords, 

 howsoever the tragical misery of that poor gentle 

 man Overbury ought somewhat to obliterate his 

 faults ; yet because we are not now upon point of 

 civility, but to discover the face of truth to the face 

 of justice ; and that it is material to the true under 

 standing of the state of this cause ; Overbury was 

 naught and corrupt, the ballads must be amended 

 for that point. 



But to proceed ; when Overbury saw that he 

 was like to be dispossessed of my lord here, whom 

 he had possessed so long, and by whose greatness he 

 had promised himself to do wonders ; and being a 

 man of an unbounded and impetuous spirit, he 

 began not only to dissuade, but to deter him from 

 that love and marriage ; and finding him fixed, 

 thought to try stronger remedies, supposing that he 

 had my lord s head under his girdle, in respect of 

 communication of secrets of estate, or, as he calls 

 them himself in his letters, secrets of all natures ; 

 and therefore dealt violently with him, to make him 

 desist, with menaces of discovery of secrets, and the 

 like. 



