Thomas Overbury

, Son of Nich. Overbury of Boorton on the hill near to Morton in Marsh in Gloucestershire Esquire, by Mary his Wife Daughter of Giles Palmer of Compton-Scorfen in the Parish of Ilmington in Warwickshire, was born at Compton-Scorfen in the house of his Mothers Father, and educated partly in Grammar learning in those parts. In Michaelmas Term an. 1595. he became a Gent. Commoner of Queens coll. in the year of his age 14. where by the benefit of a good Tutor and severe discipline, he made great proficiency in Logick and Philosophy. In 1598. he, as a Squires Son, took the degree of Bach. of Arts, which being compleated by Determination in the Lent following, he left the University, and setled for a time in one of the Temples, where he had before been entred in order to study the municipal Laws. Afterwards he travelled for a time, and returned a most accomplished person, which the happiness of his Pen both in Poetry and Prose doth declare. About the time of the Coronation of King Jam. 1. he became familar with Sir Rob. Carre Kt. of the Bathe, who perceiving him to be a person of good parts and abilities, and withal sober and studious, did take him nearer to, and made, him his bosome friend. Soon after Carre being in great favour with the King, he not only procured Overbury to be Knighted at Greenwich 19. June 1608. but his Father to be made one of the Judges in Wales about that time. But so it was that a familiarity bing made between Carre then Viscount Rochester, and the Lady Frances Daughter of Thomas Earl of Suffolk and Wife of Robert E. of Essex, it did so much distaste Overbury, who knew her to be a Woman of no good reputation, that he endeavoured out of pure affection and friendship to diswade Carre from her company, fearing withal (upon very good grounds then on foot) that he might in the end marry her, and so consequently ruin his honour and himself, adding, that if he went on in that business, he would do well to loo [•] to his standing. Which advice Carre taking impatiently, because thereby he had touch’d the Lady in her honour, discovered all to her, Whereupon she thinking that he might prove a great obstacle to their enjoyment of each other, and to the marriage then design’d, she never ceased, till she had procured his overthrow. It hapning therefore about that time, that Overbury being designed to be sent Embassador into Russia by the King, which was proposed to him by the Lord Chancellour, and the Earl of Pembroke; Carre, (whose counsel he asked) advised him to refuse the service, by making some fair excuse. Which advice he followed, supposing that it did proceed out of kindness; but for his refusal he was committed to the Tower 21. Apr. 1613. Soon after he being closely confin’d, she by her instruments endeavoured to work his ruine by Poyson, (the particulars of which are now too many to enumerate) but Nature being very strong in Overbury, it was repell’d by breaking out in botches and blaynes on his Body. At length by a poyson’d Clister given to him under pretence of curing him, he was dispatch’d in Sept. following. But before two Months were past, all being discovered, his death was closely examined, and several persons being found guilty of, and consenting to, it, were afterwards executed, viz. Sir Jervice Elwaies Lievtenant of the Tower consenting, Rich. Weston and James Franklin, who attended Overbury in his Chamber, and gave him the Meats and Broaths wherein the poyson was mingled, and Anne Turner Widdow, the preparer of them, actually concerned in the matter. Some time after, Carre, then Earl of Sommerset, and his Lady Frances before-mentioned, were brought to their trials for contriving his death, and hiting others to make him away; who being both found guilty, had the sentence of death passed on them, but through the clemency of the King being spared, they were only banished the Court. As for our author Overbury, who in learning and judgment excelled any of his years, (which, as ’twas generally thought, made him while living in the Court to be proud, to overvalue himself, undervalue others, and affected, as ’twere, with a kind of insolence,) hath written,

A Wife. Being a most exquisite and singular Poem of the choice of a Wife, &c.—Printed several times at Lond. while the author lived. In 1614 it was printed there again in qu. being the fourth or fifth impression, bearing this title, A Wife, now the Widdow of Sir Tho. Overbury, being, &c.

Characters: Or, witty descriptions of the properties of sundry persons.—Which Characters, as ’tis observed, were the first that were written and published in England. To them are added, (1) Certain Edicts from a Parliament in Eutopia; written by the Lady Southwell. (2) Newes from any whence; or old truth under a supposal of novelty, occasioned by divers Essays and private passages of Wit, between sundry Gentlemen upon that subject. (3) Paradoxes, as they were spoken in a Mask before his Majesty at Whitehall. (4) The Mountebanks Receipts. (5) Songs.

Of the remedy of Love: In two parts. A Poem. Lond. 1620. in about 2 sh. in oct.

Observations in his travells upon the state of the 17. Provinces, as they stood, an. 1609.—Printed 1627. qu. This goes under his name, but doubted by some, whether he wrote it.

Observations upon the Provinces united. And on the state of France. Lond. 1651. oct. with his picture before it, an. aetat. 32. This also is doubted, whether ever he wrote it.

The arraignment and conviction of Sir Walt. Ralegh at the King’s Bench Bar at Winchester, 17. Nov. 1603. &c. Lond. 1648. in 5 sh. in qu. Said to be copied by Sir Tho. Overbury, but doubtful. He yielded up his last breath, occasioned by poyson, as I have before told you, on the 15. Sept. in sixteen hundred and thirteen, 1613 and was buried, as some authors say, presently and very unreverently in a pit digged in an obscure and mean place. But the Register of the Tower.-Chappel, dedicated to S. Peter ad vincula, saith he was buried in the said Chappel 15. Sept. (being the day of his death) an. 1613. as I have been informed by the Letters of that learned Gent. Sir Edw. Sherburne Knight, late Clerk of his Maj. Ordinance and Armories within the Kingdom of England. Over his Grave tho no memory by writing was ever put, yet Ben. Johnson’s Epigram (a)(a) In the first vol. of his works, Epigr. 113. written to him will eternize it, and other verses by the Wits of his time, set before his Poem called A Wife, and in particular that Epigram written by Owen (b)(b) In Epigram. ad Hen. Princ. Wall. &c. nu. 48. See also in Char. Fitz-Geoffry’s Affania. &c. lib. 1. the Welsh Bard, running thus.

Vxorem angelico describis carmine talem,

Qualem oratorem Tullius, ore potens.

Qualem describis, quamvis tibi nuberet Vxor,

Aequalis tale non foret illa viro.

Our author Sir Tho. Overbury had a Nephew of both his names, a Knight, and Justice of the Peace for the County of Gloucester, who lived, and injoyed the inheritance of the Overburies at Boorton on the hill before-mentioned. He wrote, (1) A true and perfect account of the examination, trial, condemnation, and execution of Joan Perry and her two Sons John and Rich. Perry, for the supposed Murder of Will. Harrison Gent, &c. Lond. 1676. in 4 sh. and half in qu. Written by way of Letter to Thom. Shirley Doctor of Physick in London. (2) Queries proposed to the serious consideration of those who impose upon others in things of divine and supernatural revelation, and prosecute any upon the aecount of Religion; with a desire of their candid and christian resolution thereof. Printed 1677. Answered by George Vernon Rect. of Boorton on the water, the same year, in his Ataxiae obstaculum. Whereupon Sir Tho. came out with a reply intit. Ratiocinium vernaculum: or a Reply to Ataxiae obstaculum. Being a pretended answer to certain Queries dispersed in some parts in Gloucestershire. Lond. 1678. oct. This Sir Tho. Overbury was not educated in any University, only was a great Traveller in parts beyond the Seas, and afterwards a favourer of Protestant Dissenters; which is all I know of him, only-that he sold his Inheritance at Boorton on the hill to Alex. Popham Esq about 1680. and afterwards retiring to an Estate that he had at Adminton in Queinton Parish in Gloucestershire, died there 28. Feb. 1680. and was buried in Queinton Church.