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Rabelaisian trend in so much of Jacobean writing be any indication； a
particularly moral age。 Few ages in history are。 It was not； with a
reputed pervert as the fount of honour； a particularly moral Court。 Since
the emergence of the lovely young Countess from tutelage at Audley End
there had been no lack of suitors for her favour。 And when Frances so
openly exhibited her preference for the King's minion there would be
some among those disappointed suitors who would whisper； greenly； that
Rochester had been granted that prisage which was the right of the absent
Essex； a right which they themselves had been quite ready to usurp。 It is
hardly likely that there would be complete abnegation of salty gossip
among the ladies of the Court； their Apollo being snatched by a mere chit
of a girl。
What relative happiness there may have been for the pair in their
lovingit could not； in the hindrance there was to their free mating； have
been an absolute happiness was shattered after some time by the return
to England of the young husband。 The Earl of Essex； now almost come
to man's estate； arrived to take up the position which his rank entitled him
to expect in the Court； and to assume the responsibilities and rights which；
he fancied； belonged to him as a married man。 In respect of the latter
part of his intention he immediately found himself balked。 His wife；
perhaps all the deeper in love with Rochester for this threat to their
happiness； declared that she had no mind to be held by the marriage forced
on her in infancy； and begged her husband to agree to its annulment。
It had been better for young Essex to have agreed at once。 He would
have spared himself； ultimately； a great deal of humiliation through
ridicule。 But he tried to enforce his rights as a husband； a proceeding
than which there is none more absurd should the wife prove obdurate。
And prove obdurate his wife did。 She was to be moved neither by threat
nor by pleading。 It was； you will notice； a comedy situation； husband not
perhaps amorous so much as the thwarted possessor of the unpossessable
wife frigid and a maid； as far； at least； as the husband was concerned； and
her weeping eyes turned yearningly elsewhere。 A comedy situation； yes；
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and at this distance almost farcicalbut for certain elements in it
approaching tragedy。
Badgered； not only by her husband but by her own relatives； scared no
doubt； certainly unhappy； unable for politic reasons to appeal freely to her
beloved Robin； to whom might Frances turn but the helpful Turner？ And
to whom； having turned to pretty Anne； was she likely to be led but again
to the wizard of Lambeth？
Dr Forman had a heart for beauty in distress； but dissipating the
ardency of an exigent husband was a difficult matter compared with
attracting that of a negligent lover。 It was also much more costly。 A
powder there was； indeed； which； administered secretly by small regular
doses in the husband's food or drink； would soon cool his ardour； but the
process of manufacture and the ingredients were enormously expensive。
Frances got her powder。
The first dose was administered to Lord Essex just before his departure
from a visit to his wife at Audley End。 On his arrival back in London he
was taken violently ill； so ill that in the weeks he lay in bed his life was
despaired of。 Only the intervention of the King's own physician； one Sir
Theodore Mayerne； would appear to have saved him。
Her husband slowly convalescing； Lady Essex was summoned by her
family back to London。 In London； while Lord Essex mended in health；
she was much in the company of her ‘‘sweet Turner。'' In addition to the
house in Paternoster Row the little widow had a pretty riverside cottage at
Hammersmith； and both were at the disposal of Lady Essex and her lover
for stolen meetings。 Those meetings were put a stop to by the recovery
of Lord Essex； and with his recovery his lordship exhibited a new mood of
determination。 Backed by her ladyship's family； he ordered her to
accompany him to their country place of Chartley。 Her ladyship had to
obey。
The stages of the journey were marked by the nightly illness of his
lordship。 By the time they arrived at Chartley itself he was in a condition
little if at all less dangerous than that from which he had been rescued by
the King's physician。 His illness lasted for weeks； and during this time
her ladyship wrote many a letter to Anne Turner and to Dr Forman。 She
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was afraid his lordship would live。 She was afraid his lordship would die。
She was afraid she would lose the love of Rochester。 She begged Anne
Turner and Forman to work their best magic for her aid。 She was afraid
that if his lordship recovered the spells might prove useless； that his
attempts to assert his rights as a husband would begin again； and that there；
in the heart of the country and so far from any refuge； they might take a
form she would be unable to resist
His lordship did recover。 His attempts to assert his rights as a
husband did begin again。 The struggle between them； Frances constant
in her obduracy； lasted several months。 Her obstinacy wore down his。
At long last he let her go。
％ III
If the fate that overtook Frances Howard and Rochester； and with them
Anne Turner and many another； is to be properly understood； a brief word
on the political situation in England at this time will be neededor； rather；
a word on the political personages； with their antagonisms。
Next in closeness to the King's ear after Rochester； and perhaps more
trusted as a counsellor by that ‘‘wise fool；'' there had been Robert Cecil；
Lord Salisbury； for a long time First Secretary of State。 But about the
time when Lady Essex finally parted with her husband Cecil died；
depriving England of her keenest brain and the staunchest heart in her
causes。 If there had been no Rochester the likeliest man in the kingdom
to succeed to the power and offices of Cecil would have been the Earl of
Northampton； uncle of Lord Suffolk； who was the father of Lady Essex。
Northampton； as stated； held the office of Lord Privy Seal。
The Howard family had done the State great service in the past。 Its
present representatives； Northampton and Suffolk； were anxious to do the
State great service； as they conceived it； in the future。 They were；
however； Catholics in all but open acknowledgment； and as such were
opposed by the Protestants； who had at their head Prince Henry。 This
was an opposition that they might have stomached。 It was one that they
might even have got over； for the Prince and his father； the King； were not
the best of friends。 The obstacle to their ambitions； and one they found
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hard to stomach； was the upstart Rochester。 And even Rochester would
hardly have stood in their way had his power in the Council depended on
his own ability。 The brain that directed Robert Carr belonged to another
man。 This was Sir Thomas Overbury。
On the death of Cecil the real contenders for the vacant office of First
Secretary of Statethe highest office in the landwere not the wily
Northampton and the relatively unintelligent Rochester； but the subtle
Northampton and the quite as subtle； and perhaps more spacious…minded；
Thomas Overbury。 There was； it will be apprehended； a possible
weakness on the Overbury side。 The gemel…chain； like that of many links；
is merely as strong as its weakest member。 Overbury had no approach to