Note 7. Ch. XVIII.--DR. JULIO.
The Earl of Leicester's Italian physician, Julio, was affirmed by his
contemporaries to be a skilful compounder of poisons, which he applied
with such frequency, that the Jesuit Parsons extols ironically the
marvellous good luck of this great favourite in the opportune deaths of
those who stood in the way of his wishes. There is a curious passage on
the subject:-"Long after this, he fell in love with the Lady Sheffield, whom I
signified before, and then also had he the same fortune to have her
husband dye quickly, with an extreame rheume in his head (as it was
given out), but as others say, of an artificiall catarre that stopped
his breath.
"The like good chance had he in the death of my Lord of Essex (as I have
said before), and that at a time most fortunate for his purpose; for
when he was coming home from Ireland, with intent to revenge himselfe
upon my Lord of Leicester for begetting his wife with childe in his
absence (the childe was a daughter, and brought up by the Lady Shandoes,
W. Knooles, his wife), my Lord of Leicester hearing thereof, wanted not
a friend or two to accompany the deputy, as among other a couple of the
Earles own servants, Crompton (if I misse not his name), yeoman of his
bottles, and Lloid his secretary, entertained afterward by my Lord of
Leicester, and so he dyed in the way of an extreame flux, caused by an
Italian receipe, as all his friends are well assured, the maker whereof
was a chyrurgeon (as it is beleeved) that then was newly come to my Lord
from Italy---a cunning man and sure in operation, with whom, if the good
Lady had been sooner acquainted, and used his help, she should not have
needed to sitten so pensive at home, and fearefull of her husband's
former returne out of the same country......Neither must you marvaile
though all these died in divers manners of outward diseases, for this
is the excellency of the Italian art, for which this chyrurgeon and
Dr. Julio were entertained so carefully, who can make a man dye in what
manner or show of sickness you will--by whose instructions, no doubt;
but his lordship is now cunning, especially adding also to these the
counsell of his Doctor Bayly, a man also not a little studied (as he
seemeth) in his art; for I heard him once myselfe, in a publique act
in Oxford, and that in presence of my Lord of Leicester (if I be not
deceived), maintain that poyson might be so tempered and given as it
should not appear presently, and yet should kill the party afterward,
at what time should be appointed; which argument belike pleased well his
lordship, and therefore was chosen to be discussed in his audience, if
I be not deceived of his being that day present. So, though one dye of a
flux, and another of a catarre, yet this importeth little to the
matter, but showeth rather the great cunning and skill of the
artificer."--PARSONS' LEICESTER'S COMMONWEALTH, p.23.