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Gratiae, Maria Mater miserecordie; tu me a malo protege, et hora mortis suscipe:" then "In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum:" again, "Per crucis hoc signum," crossing himself, "Fugiat procul omne Malignum: Infige crucem tuam in Corde mco, Domine." Let me always remember the cross; and so returning again to Maria Mater Gratiae, he was turned off, and hung till he was dead.

ROBERT CARR, EARL OF SOMERSET, AND LADY FRANCES, HIS WIFE, COUNTESS OF SOMERSET,

FOR THE POISONING AND MURDER OF SIR THOMAS OVERBURY, IN THE TOWER OF LONDON, ANN. 1614.

Rogpert Carr, or Kerr, was a gentleman of an ancient family in Scotland. His first preferment was being made page to King James I., of Great Britain; after which he was created Knight of the Bath, and, in the 9th of that king's reign, Viscount Rochester, and Baron Carr of Branspeth, in the bishopric of Durham; about which time, also, he was constituted Treasurer of Scotland; and, being a great favourite, in the 11th of the same king, was created Earl of Somerset, and so on to Lord Chamberlain of the Household, a Privy-Counsellor, and Knight of the Garter. But as his rise was very quick, his fall was as remarkable; for, being in love with Frances, daughter to the Earl of Suffolk, and wife to Robert, Earl of Essex, (from whom she was divorced by a sentence of nullity;) he was strongly dissuaded from marrying her by Sir Thomas Overbury, there being between them, at that time, the greatest friendship and familiarity. The earl, though he did not take this cordially, yet there was no breach between Sir Thomas and him till he discovered it to his wife; and, happy had it been for all the parties, if the earl had for ever buried it in oblivion; but this enraging the lady against Sir Thomas, she endeavoured, by all means, to ruin him, which at length was thus wickedly accomplished.