Hello everyone and welcome to the History of England episode 335, the

sin of blood. Last time we heard about the arraignment and trial of some of those suspected

of murdering the courtier Thomas Overbury. We talked about literacy and then we used,

we strict our chins and wondered, how did the news get out about the scandal? Or indeed,

did it so, further than the strict confines of the court of course?

Well first of all, it is worth remembering that there were those physical facts of all

the trials and as we have seen they were madly popular, filling the scaffolding erected

for the King's mention Westminster Hall and the Guild Hall. Cook reported that

Monson's arraignment at the Guild Hall was delayed because the court was so pestered

with multitudes of people as we could not get to our place nor are necessary officers

have any room for reading of confessions and testimonies nor the witnesses to come

in. When the Countess of Summer that was arraigned,

ticket sales were fierce. John Chamberlain wrote the prices for space at Westminster Hall,

at this time were groomed to so extraordinary a rate that four or five pieces as they

call them was an ordinary price and I know a lawyer that had agreed to give ten pounds

for himself and his wife for the two days. Without wanting to spoil the plot, there

will be executions as well, famously an opportunity for public spectacle.

No doubt of course the people that crammed into the halls, talked and gossiped and spread

the news. But the fact that the trials and executions were observed by so many also fed

the news machine such as it existed at that point. What sort of network was there? I

hear you ask. Good question, I'm glad you asked it.

Well, in the early 17th century London was the nation's chief producer of political

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