USil.] 
he thought, anew man; thou andI have 
a dangerous part to act, yet be honest and 
true to me, and I doubt not, but with 
God’s help, we shall performe it well, 
both before God and the world. Weston 
faithfully promised him, and for along 
time as faithfully performed with him 35 
the Jieutenant willed him, tq bring all 
such things as were sent him to give 
Overbury, unto him, which he accord- 
ingly did; the lieu:enant ever gave them 
to cats and dogs, which he ever had ready 
in his study for that purpose ; some dyed 
presently, some lay lingering a longe? 
time, all which, with the jellies and tarts 
sent to Overbury, he cast into his privy, 
they destrajning the very dishes. 
This continued long, the earle ever 
sending to visite Overbury, assuring him 
he did not forget his release, which should 
not be long deferred, wherein most mén 
did verily beleeve he meant most nobly 
and truly, though others conjectured his 
meaning was a dissolution: at last the 
countesse sent for Weston, reviling him, 
and calling him treacherous villaine, for 
had he given those things sent, he had 
not been now alive, vowing she would 
be revenged on him; upon the very 
feare whereof, he after gave those poy- 
sons sent without acquainting the lieute- 
nant; yet for all this schooling of Wes- 
ton, and his assurance given of his future 
fidelity to the countesse, she would not 
single any more, but put another coad- 
jutor to him, one Frankelin, a. verier: 
‘villaine then Weston, and truly they may 
be deemed very il that could seek out 
such instruments. 
*¢ These two villaines came into Over- 
burie’s chamber, and found him in infi- 
nite torment, with contention between 
the strength of nature and the working 
of the poyson, and it being very like na. 
fure had gotten the better in that con- 
tention by the thrusting out of boyles, 
_. botches, and blains, they fearing it might 
_ come to light, upon the judgement of 
- Rhisitians, that foul play had been offered 
him, consented to stifle him with the bed- 
_cloaths, which accordingly was performed, 
and so ended his miserable life, with 
the assurance of the conspirators, that 
“he dyed by poyson ; none thinking other- 
wise but these two murderers.” 
A strange Melamorphosis of Maun trans- 
Formed inio a Wildernesse. Deciphered 
én Characters. London, 1684.” 12mo. 
From this little treatise, which com- 
pee forty characters, we shall trans- 
poke liut one,’ It will serve as a‘suth- 
Scarce Tracts, Ke. 535 
cient specimen of the quaintness of the 
whole. ’ 
“10. THE ECHO 
‘Ts the iris of the eare, as the iris js 
the echo of the eyes. She is the true 
camelion of, the aire, that changes into 
every colourable sense, The Proteus 
that transformes herselfe to every shape 
of words. She is the inamourado of the 
forrest, that will be taken with every 
ones love, and as Narcissus with his own 
beauty, be enamoured with her owne- 
tongue, and take delight to heare here 
selfe speake. Yea, she is a thing-or no- 
thing, a tattling gossip, a meere babler,® 
a teller of tales: one that hath no sub- 
stance in her, but is a meer accident, in 
that she comes suddenly upon you un- 
looked for. She is of a strange qualitie, 
who takes delight to affright the ignorant 
and simple: will play the hobgoblin, the 
fairie of the woods, least.in sight, or 
wholly out of sight. Though shee bee a 
talker, and full of her tongue, yet she 
hath no invention with her, nor can con- 
trive any thing of her owne, for she 
speakes but by hearsaye, only all shee 
utters, and that upon trust of another, 
nor can tell you the author, unlesse he 
discover it himselfe. She hath no mee 
morie at all, and therefore can remember 
but the last words shee heares, which 
she will do very faithfully indeed, and not 
leave you out a little. She hath no cere 
taine tone of her owne, but as she is 
taught, immediately before which she 
will exactly imitate, if her master bee 
present, else not, for shee cannot re- 
taine her lesson long, but must instantly 
recite it, or else she is no‘bodie. She 
will keepe her key well if she sing, and 
never misse. it, if he that is the rector 
chori guides the quire, mistake it nots. 
and when shee sings at any time, she 
sings no distinct part from her fellow, or 
the rést of the parts, for she hath no skill 
at all to compose or set a whit, or to 
runne descant ona ground, but sings the 
very same the others do. She dares not 
stand to any thing she saith, but goes 
her wayes presently, and never yet durst 
shew her face, She is .a very monster 
and a prodigie of nature, having no body 
to speake of, at least as small and slender 
as the ayre, and yet hath a mouth as _ 
wide as the valleyes, She hath no pro- 
per tongue of her own, but what she 
borrowes. Ifthe lyon roare, she roares 
likewise ; if the heyfer lowe, she lowes as 
loud; if the wolfe but howle, she howles 
for company; yea, rather than stand our, 
she will bray with the verie asse ; ‘but is 
never 
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