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further of ‘‘having had no other means to maintain her and her children
but what came from the Countess。'' This last； of course； was less than the
truth。 Anne was not so indigent that she needed to take to poisoning as a
means of supporting her family。 She also said ‘‘that when her hand was
once in this business she knew the revealing of it would be her overthrow。''
In more than one account written later of her execution she is said to
have worn a ruff and cuffs dressed with the yellow starch which she had
made so fashionable； and it is maintained that this association made the
starch thereafter unpopular。 It is forgotten that with Anne the recipe for
the yellow starch probably was lost。 Moreover； the elaborate ruff was
then being put out of fashion by the introduction of the much more
comfortable lace collar。 In any case； ‘‘There is no truth；'' writes Judge
Parry；
in the old story＇14＇ that Coke ordered her to be executed in the
yellow ruff she had made the fashion and so proudly worn in Court。
What did happen； according to Sir Simonds d'Ewes； was that the hangman；
a coarse ruffian with a distorted sense of humour； dressed himself in bands
and cuffs of yellow colour； but no one heeded his ribaldry； only in after
days none of either sex used the yellow starch； and the fashion grew
generally to be detested。
＇14＇ Probably started by Michael Sparke （‘‘Scintilla''） in Truth
Brought to Light （1651）。
Pretty much； I should think； as the tall ‘choker' became detested within
the time of many of us。 After Mrs Turner Sir Gervase Elwes was
brought to trial as an accessory。 The only evidence against him was that
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of the liar Franklin； who asserted that Sir Gervase had been in league with
the Countess。 It was plain； however； both from Weston's statements and
from Sir Gervase's own； that the Lieutenant of the Tower had done his
very best to defeat the Turner…Essex…Northampton plot for the poisoning
of Overbury； throwing away the ‘‘rosalgar'' and later draughts； as well as
substituting food from his own kitchen for that sent in by Turner。
‘‘Although it must have been clear that if any of what was alleged against
him had been true Overbury's poisoning would never have taken five
months to accomplish； he was sentenced and hanged。''＇15＇
＇15＇ Sabatini； The Minion。
This； of course； was a glaring piece of injustice； but Coke no doubt
had his instructions。 Weston； Mrs Turner； Elwes； and； later； Franklin had
to be got out of the way； so that they could not be confronted with the
chief figure against whom the Great Oyer was directed； and whom it was
designed to pull down； Robert Carr； Earl of Somerset and with him his
wife。 Just as much of the statements and confessions of the prisoners in
the four preliminary trials was used by Coke as suited his purpose。 It is
pointed out by Amos； in his Great Oyer of Poisoning； that a large number
of the documents appertaining to the Somerset trial show corrections and
apparent glosses in Coke's own handwriting； and that even the confessions
on the scaffold of some of the convicted are holographs by Coke。 As a
sample of the suppression of which Coke was guilty I may put forward the
fact that Somerset's note to his own physician； Craig； asking him to visit
Overbury； was not produced。 Yet great play was made by Coke of this
visit against Somerset。 Wrote Somerset to Craig； ‘‘I pray you let him
have your best help； and as much of your company as he shall require。''
It was never proved that it was Anne Turner and Lady Essex who
corrupted the lad Reeves； who with Weston administered the poisoned
clyster that murdered Overbury。 Nothing was done at all to absolve the
apothecary Loubel； Reeves's master； of having prepared the poisonous
injection； nor Sir Theodore Mayerne； the King's physician； of having been
party to its preparation。 Yet it was demonstrably the injection that killed
Overbury if he was killed by poison at all。 It is certain that the poisons
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sent to the Tower by Turner and the Countess did not save in early
instances； get to Overbury at allElwes saw to thator Overbury must
have died months before he did die。
According to Weldon； who may be supposed to have witnessed the
trials； Franklin confessed ‘‘that Overbury was smothered to death； not
poisoned to death； though he had poison given him。'' And Weldon goes
on to make this curious comment：
Here was Coke glad； how to cast about to bring both ends together；
Mrs Turner and Weston being already hanged for killing Overbury with
poison； but he； being the very quintessence of the law； presently informs
the jury that if a man be done to death with pistols； poniards； swords；
halter； poison； etc。； so he be done to death； the indictment is good if he be
but indicted for any of those ways。 But the good lawyers of those times
were not of that opinion； but did believe that Mrs Turner was directly
murthered by my lord Coke's law as Overbury was without any law。
Though you will look in vain through the reports given in the State
Trials for any speech of Coke to the jury in exactly these terms； it might be
just as well to remember that the transcriptions from which the Trials are
printed were prepared UNDER Coke's SUPERVISION； and that they； like
the confessions of the convicted； are very often in his own handwriting。
At all events； even on the bowdlerized evidence that exists； it is plain
that Anne Turner should have been charged only with attempted murder。
Of that she was manifestly guilty and； according to the justice of the time；
thoroughly deserved to be hanged。 The indictment against her was faulty；
and the case against her as full of holes as a colander。 Her trial was
‘cooked' in more senses than one。
It was some seven months after the execution of Anne Turner that the
Countess of Essex was brought to trial。 This was in May。 In December；
while virtually a prisoner under the charge of Sir William Smith at Lord
Aubigny's house in Blackfriars； she had given birth to a daughter。 In
March she had been conveyed to the Tower； her baby being handed over to
the care of her mother； the Countess of Suffolk。 Since the autumn of the
previous year she had not been permitted any communication with her
husband； nor he with her。 He was already lodged in the Tower when she
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arrived there。
On a day towards the end of May she was conveyed by water from the
Tower to Westminster Hall。 The hall was packed to suffocation； seats
being paid for at prices which would turn a modern promoter of a world's
heavyweight…boxing…championship fight green with envy。 Her judges
were twenty…two peers of the realm； with the Lord High Steward； the Lord
Chief Justice； and seven judges at law。 It was a pageant of colour； in the
midst of which the woman on trial； in her careful toilette； consisting of a
black stammel gown； a cypress chaperon or black crepe hood in the
French fashion； relieved by touches of white in the cuffs and ruff of
cobweb lawn； struck a funereal note。 Preceded by the headsman carrying
his axe with its edge turned away from her； she was conducted to the bar
by the Lieutenant of the Tower。 The indictment was read to her； and at its
end came the question： ‘‘Frances Howard； Countess of Somerset； how
sayest thou？ Art thou guilty of this felony and murder or not guilty？''
There was a hushed pause for a moment； then came the low…voiced
answer： ‘‘Guilty。''
Sir