EARL OF SOMERSET. 211 



Hereupon grew two streams of hatred upon 

 Overbury ; the one, from the lady, in respect that 

 he crossed her love, and abused her name, which 

 are furies to women ; the other, of a deeper and 

 more mineral nature, from my lord of Somerset 

 himself; who was afraid of Overbury s nature, 

 and that if he did break from him and fly out, 

 he would mine into him and trouble his whole 

 fortunes. 



I might add a third stream from the earl of 

 Northampton s ambition, who desires to be first in 

 favour with my lord of Somerset ; and knowing 

 Overbury s malice to himself and his house, thought 

 that man must be removed and cut off. So it was 

 amongst them resolved and decreed that Overbury 

 must die. 



Hereupon they had variety of devices. To send 

 him beyond sea, upon occasion of employment, that 

 was too weak ; and they were so far from giving 

 way to it, as they crossed it. There rested but two 

 ways, quarrel or assault, and poison. For that of 

 assault, after some proposition and attempt, they 

 passed from it ; it was a thing too open, and subject 

 to more variety of chances. That of poison likewise 

 was a hazardous thing, and subject to many pre 

 ventions and cautions ; especially to such a jealous 

 and working brain as Overbury had, except he were 

 first fast in their hands. 



Therefore the way was first to get him into a 

 trap, and lay him up, and then they could not miss 

 the mark. Therefore in execution of this plot it 



