UNNATURAL MURDER Poison at the Court of James I.

Softcover. In the autumn of 1615 the Earl and Countess of Somerset were detained on suspicion of having murdered Sir Thomas Overbury. The arrest of these leading court figures created a sensation. the Countess of Somerset was both young and beautiful and had already achieved notoriety when she had divorced her first husband in controversial circumstances. The Earl of Somerset was one of the richest and most powerful men in the kingdom, having risen to prominence as the male 'favourite' of England's homosexual monarch, James I. In the coming week it was claimed that, after sending Sir Thomas Overbury poisoned tarts and jellies, the Somerets had finally killed him by arranging for an enema of mercury sublimate to be administered. Four of the couple's supposed accomplices were hanged in connection with the murder. At her trial the Countess pleaded guilty, but her husband denied all responsibility for the death of Overbury. Despite this, he too was convicted. Like his wife, he was sentenced to hang, but the King caused public outrage by freeing them after short terms of imprisonment. Despite the guilty verdicts, there is much about Overbury's death that remains enigmatic. The Overbury murder case profoundly damaged the monarchy, and constituted the greatest court scandal in English history. Illus., Notes, Bibliog. and Index. 524pp. trade size softcover. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. V.v. lightly browned pp. o/w F. with no creasing to covers.