by which means there grows a kind of community between them, and there wants nothing but intercourse of speech for confirmation of acquaintance, and procuring further relation either to other. Time offers opportunity; the earl and he meet, and each changeth acquaintance with acquaintance of greater familiarity, so that many times letters passed between them in their absence, and courtly discourses, being present, by which means on all hands a confident amity is concluded.

In these times the Countess of Essex being a spectator of those, and perceiving this viscount to be still raised up unto honours daily, in hope of greater, is the more fired with a lustful desire, and the greater are her endeavours by the instigation of some of her friends to accomplish what she determined: For greatness doth not qualify, but set an edge. upon lustful appetites, and, where the most means are to maintain it, there the greater affections are cherished.

The course she takes to procure affection; she combines with Doctor Forman; they conclude to bewitch the Viscount.

IN these furious fits, she makes her repair to Mistress Turner, and begins a new complaint, whereby she makes manifest an extraordinary affection towards this young gentleman, so that she could not rest without his company; neither knew she any means to attain her ends, there being no relation nor acquaintance between them: Whereupon, Mistress Turner, being still her second, and ready to put an evil attempt into execution, concludes with the countess to inchant the viscount to affect her; and, for this purpose, they fall acquainted with one Doctor Forman, that dwelt at Lambeth, being an ancient gentleman, and thought to have skill in the magick art: This man by rewards and gifts was wont to join with Mistress Turner, who now, to the intent to prey upon the countess, endeavour, the best they may, to inchant the viscount's affection towards her: Much time is spent, many words of witchcraft, great cost in making pictures of wax, crosses of silver, and little babies for that use, yet all to small purpose: At length they, continuing in their sorcery, advised her to live at court, where she had free access without controul, though of small acquaintance with him, whom she most respected, nevertheless, shewing an affable countenance towards him, hoping, in process of time, to attain that she required. Time offers opportunity, and, amongst others, at length these two fall into league; the countess, being joyful of her prey, admires him, and uses all kindness that may be to intrap him: He, whether by these inchantments, or by the lightness of his own disposition carried, is as much besotted, numbering her amongst the best women, and doubling every action in his estimation, insomuch that he could scarce rest but in her company; whereupon their meetings grew frequent, and discourses pleasant, by these means inflaming the fire of a lustful appetites

These things, having happened so well to her expectation, cause at great love towards this good couple, viz. Doctor Forman and Mistress Turner, solliciting them with letters, with money, and large promises, to continue still their friend; they willing to make use of their wealth, more than expecting any good they could accomplish by their art, persist amongst her employments: Mistress Turner makes trial for herself, by which means, many slights and accustomed tricks are practised, and now reported to return to the hurt of many; for, a woman's hands being once entered into the act of sin, she runs headlong to her destruction, turning those evil acts to evil ends, and endeavouring to purchase by that means profit and commodity.

How it was thought the Earl of Northampton had a hand in the business, who invites the Viscount to supper. The Countess and he meet; places of meeting are appointed. The Earl made Chancellor of Cambridge.

IT was vulgarly opinionated, that the Countess of Essex, having sustained these discontents with her husband, acquainted her uncle, the Earl of Northampton, of her affection especially towards the viscount, who weighing the profit that might redound to his own employments, if there were such affinity had between them, seemed to give a liking towards it, and endeavoured rather to further it, than at all to dissuade her, or give her that honest and good counsel to be dutiful to her hus band, as was fitting. However, the first meeting that they had, wherein there was any conference, was at the earl's house, who invited the viscount to supper, and, there finding the countess, they at their pleasure appointed meetings for further discourses. But, whether there was any one made privy to these things, it is not evident.

But from this time the countess and viscount continued their loose kind of life, and, as was commonly suspected, had further relation then was fitting, to the great disparagement of them both, and dishonour of so noble a house; what the issue of these things are, continues in obscurity, notwithstanding the Earl of Northampton is much blamed, the countess defamed, and the viscount himself for his looseness suspected.

Now was this lord propounded at the regent-house to be Chancellor of Cambridge; the scholars fall into divers opinions, and the Ramists propounded the prince, to oppose him; this election passed on the earl's side; he refuses, but still flatters the scholars, makes the King acquainted with it, and though willing to undertake it, yet shewing an unwillingness, endeavoured rather to be urged to it, than receive it voluntarily; this was imputed, becaused of his opposing the prince, but the truth was to perceive, whether the scholars' affections were settled upon love and respect unto himself, or merely to depend upon his greatness. The King writes in his behalf to the vice-chancellor. They proceed to the new election, the earl again is chosen, his title sent him, and he in requital sends many and plausible letters; and, that

they might be the more acceptable, being sent to scholars, wrote to them in Latin; it is intolerable the flattery that he used.

Overbury grows into grace with the King; is made a knight. The intercourse between the Countess and the Viscount made known to Overbury.

AFTER some continuance of time, Mr. Overbury grows eminent in court, as well by reason of the viscount's favour, as the good and careful diligence that he had in court employments; so, that now comparing his worth with his wealth, he is had in more respect, and the honour of knighthood bestowed upon him, with the hope of better things; this, howsoever in itself it be not valuable, yet in speculators it striketh a doubt, especially in the viscount, for sovereignty and love can abide no paragon.

Things that, at the beginning, proceed with modesty, are little or nothing regarded. But, when men grow old in such things that are hateful, they make every place alike with a blushless face, committing them to the open view: By this means Overbury came acquainted with this intercourse between the viscount and the countess; for now they, having had some time of familiarity and intercourse in remote parts, shame not to commit the sin of venery in the court, and that to the privity of Sir Thomas, who both loaths and hates what he sees, avoiding rather than intruding himself to the knowledge of it; neither meddles he any way or other with it, but lets them alone in their vicious courses, and rather seems to be ignorant, than take any notice of it.

Nevertheless, he is employed to carry letters to and again between the countess and the viscount; some to Paternoster-Row; some to Hammersmith, and others to other places of meeting, which were appointed between them, by which means, comparing both actions together, he entered into the secrets of this mystery, and became acquainted with more things than the viscount would have had him, from whence a kind of jealousy was carried towards him.

Of the second complaint of the Earl of Essex. The Countess combines with Turner to bewitch him; it taketh effect. Forman's death: One Gresham is entertained into the business.

NOW the Earl of Essex, perceiving himself to be rather less regarded than any whit at all esteemed, enters into a new discourse with his lady, with many protestations both of his constancy and love towards her; but withal tells her of her looseness, of the report of the vulgar, and what a strange course of life she led, contrary to all piety and honesty, which stung the countess to the heart, and more increased and augmented her malice towards him, so that in a great fury she takes her coach, and repairs to her ancient acquaintance Mrs. Turner, who,

according to her old custom, is ready to perform any evil act, and there they combine to bewitch the earl, and procure frigidity quoad hanc: For this purpose Dr. Forman is consulted, for the procuring of means; pictures in wax are made, crosses, and many strange and uncouth things (for what will the devil leave unattempted to accomplish their ends?) Many attempts failed, and still the earl stood it out. At last, they framed a picture of wax, and got a thorn from a tree that bore leaves, and stuck upon the privity of the said picture, by which means they accomplished their desires.

This being done according to her expectation, she repairs to her house at Chartley, and thither the earl comes to her; but, whether he was more lusty than she expected, or what other accident happened, it is unknown; nevertheless, she grew jealous of her art, and falls into a great fear, that all their labour was lost, whereupon she wrote a letter to Dr. Forman to this effect;

Sweet Father,

ALTHOUGH I have found you ready at all times to further me, yet must I still crave your help; wherefore I beseech you to remember, that you keep the doors close, and that you still retain the lord with me, and his affection towards me; I have no cause but to be confident in you; although the world be against me, yet heaven fails me not; many are the troubles I sustain, the doggedness of my lord, the crossness of my enemies, and the subversion of my fortunes, unless you, by your wisdom, deliver me out of the midst of this wilderness, which I in-, treat for God's sake.

From Chartley.

Your affectionate loving daughter,

FRANCES ESSEX.

This letter, coming to the hands of the old master, procures a new attempt, and now he goes and inchants a nutmeg and a letter; one to be given to the viscount in his drink, the other to be sent unto him as a present; these things being accomplished, he, not long after, died, leaving behind him some of those letters, whereby the countess had intercourse with him, in his pocket, which gave some light into the business, amongst which this same was one.

Dr. Forman being dead, Mrs. Turner wanted one to assist her; whereupon, at the countess's coming up to London, one Gresham was nominated to be entertained into this business, and, in process of time, was wholly interested in it. This man was had in suspicion to have had a hand in the gunpowder treason, he wrote so near in his almanack; but, without question, he was a very skilful man in the mathematicks, and, in his later time, in witchcraft, as now suspected, and therefore the fitter to be employed in those practices, which, as they were devilish, so the devil had a hand in them.

The Countess sends the Viscount this letter, inchanted by Dr. Forman : Places of meeting appointed, their intolerable looseness, and Poets verses upon them. The beginning of their fall..

UPON her return she sends congratulations to the viscount, and, with those, the letter sent her by Dr. Forman; he reads it, and, the more he reads it, the more is intangled: For no man knows the miseries that are contained in evil arts, and who can withstand the words of evil tongues? Whereupon he returns answer, and new places of meeting are assigned, amongst the rest, one at Hammersmith: In the mean time, the viscount makes dispatch of his business, leaving things half done, half undone, to the intent he might meet her, who had now staid for his coming above two hours, and, being met, they solemnly saluted each other, fall into divers discourses, and insinuating phrases, from words to deeds, and from speaking to acting the sin of venery. The countess having obtained what she desired, and the viscount caught in the net of adulation, the more he strives to be loosed, being caught the faster, lust, having, by this means, got liberty, being covered with greatness, like a fire long concealed in a pile of rotten wood, burst forth with all looseness and licentiousness; places of more frequent and private meetings being concluded between them, and persons fitting for their purposes being acquainted with their proceedings; watchwords are given. All things, having relation to a certain end, make them more boldly and safely to accomplish that which both time and memory cannot demonstrate in former history."

Now these good parts, which seemed heretofore to be hopeful in the viscount, consume to cinders, and the corruption remains to brand him in the forehead for his ill living; his modesty becomes eclipsed, his behaviour light, his carriage unseemly in his place; nothing so costly, no tyre so uncouth, but at all costs and charges he obtains it for the increase of favour; new fashions are produced, that so he might shew more beautiful and fair, and that his favour and personage might be made more manifest to the world; and for this purpose yellow bands, dusted hair, curled, crisped, frizzled, sleeked skins, open breasts beyond accustomed modesty, with many other inordinate attires, were worn on both sides to the shew of the world, so that, for the increase of dishonest appetites, they were abundantly practised and praised.

Surfeiting thus upon pleasure, having been before accustomed unto hardness, causeth him to fall into all manner of forgetfulness; letting all things go to wreck, careless in attendance, neglecting state affairs, ignorant of his own worth, and subjecting himself to the lustful appetite of an evil woman, accounting no time so well spent, nor hour deemed so happy, as when dalliance and pleasant discourses passed between them, either in words or writings; so that in him may be verified the old saying of the poet :