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THELASTOFTHE
HERBERT M.VAUGHAN
Hursley Park,
Winchester.
THE LAST OF
THE ROYAL STUARTS
ftf\ut.^ktJt
HENRY STUART, CARDINAL DUKE OF YORK
WITH ROYAL SIGNATURE, JUNE 3RI), 1804
THE LAST OF THE
ROYAL STUARTS
HENRY STUART, CARDINAL DUKE OF YORK
BY
HERBERT M. VAUGHAN
B.A. (Oxon.)
WITH TWENTY ILLUSTRATIONS
METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C
LONDON
First Published in 1906
LIBRARY
SANTA BARBARA
j
(r
TO
F. E.
THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
BY THE AUTHOR
Florence, April iqob
PREFACE
WITH the continued interest taken in Jacobite
literature it appears strange that so little has
been written concerning Henry Stuart, Cardinal Duke of
York, titular King Henry the Ninth of Great Britain,
France and Ireland, whose personality has habitually
been neglected by English historians. Only in so far as
his course of action is associated with that of his brilliant
and popular brother, the " Bonny Prince Charlie " of song
and story, has the life of the last of the Royal Stuarts
ever been seriously touched upon ; whilst his important
ecclesiastical career, his personal influence in the affairs
of his family, and his obstinate assumption of the royal
title are so little understood or appreciated by English
readers that we offer no apology for this Biography.
We so often read and hear of the Young Pretender, that
many of us are apt to regard him as the final member
of his House, although his brother and political heir
survived him for nearly twenty years. Few realise,
in short, that there was a younger Pretender still,
insistent on his hereditary claims to the British Throne,
and strongly imbued with all the royal traditions of his
House.
In my work of research at the British Museum I wish
in the first place to express my deep debt of gratitude to
viii PREFACE
Mr. Henry Jenner, F.S.A., for his invaluable assistance. I
have also to acknowledge the help afforded me by Mr. J. A.
Herbert, of the Manuscript Department, British Museum ;
by Mr. G. F. Hill, of the Coin and Medal Department of
the British Museum ; by Father Bartoli, SJ. ; by Mr.
John Ballinger, of the Cardiff Free Library ; and by the
officials of the Record Office. My thanks are likewise
due to the Rev. W. H. Hutton, of St. John's College,
Oxford, for permission to include Dr. Samuel Crisp's
interesting letter in Chapter I. of this work ; and to Mr.
J. F. F. Horner, of Mells Park, Somersetshire, for kindly
supplying me with the photograph of Sir John Hippisley's
portrait in his possession.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AMONGST the printed works that have been consulted
during the preparation of this Biography, some of
the more important and useful are mentioned below : —
Bernard W. Kelly, Life of Cardinal York (London, 1899).
Professor A. C. Ewald, Life of Prince Charles Stuart (3rd Edition,
London, 1904).
C. S. Terry, Life of the Young Pretender (London, 1903).
Marchesa Vitelleschi, A Court in Exile (London, 1903).
Andrew Lang, Pickle the Spy (London, 1897).
Marquis Massue de Ruvigny et Raineval, The Jacobite Peerage
(Edinburgh, 1904).
Vernon Lee, Life of the Cotmtess of Albany (London, 1884).
J. H. Jesse, The Pretenders and their Adherents (London, 1845).
Dr. Doran, Mann and Manners at the Court of Tuscany.
Cardinal Wiseman, Pecollections of the Last Four Popes.
Dennistoun, Memoirs of Strange and Lumisdeti.
Memorials of John Murray of Broughton (Scottish Historical
Society, Edinburgh, 1898).
Earl Stanhope, History of England (London, 1836).
Earl Stanhope, Decline of the Last Stuarts (Roxburgh Club's
Publications).
W. H. Lecky, History of England in the Eighteenth Century
(London, 1878).
Professor George Skene, "The Heirs of the Stuarts" {Quarterly
Review, June, 1847).
Life and Times of Valentine, Lord Cloncurry (Dublin, 1849).
Joseph Forsyth, A Tour in Ltaly (London, 1812).
Thomas Gray, Poems and Letters (London, 1820).
x BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sir H. Nicholas, Despatches and Letters of Lord Nelson (London,
1845).
Robert Southey, Life of Nelson.
J. H. Rose, Life of Napoleon the First (London, 1901).
W. Maskell, Monnmenta Ritualia Ecclesice Anglicance.
Diario per P Anno 1788 di Enrico Benedetto, Cardinale Duca di York.
(A fragment of the Cardinal Duke's Diary printed in London,
1876.)
Annual Register (1 796-1 801).
Gentleman's Magazine (1 788-1 801).
Notes and Queries {passim).
Dictionary of National Biography (London, 1893).
St. Rene-Taillandier, "La Comtesse d'Albany" {Revue des Deux
Mondes, Janvier, 1861).
Charles de Brosses, Lettres icrites sur I'/talie en 1740.
Chevalier Artaud, Vie du Rape Pie vn (Paris, 1836).
Don Alessandro Atti, Cenni Storici del Cardinale Duca di York
(Rome, 1864).
Don Marco Mastrofini, Orazione per la morte di Errico, Cardinale
Duca etc. (Rome, 1807).
Relazione della Morte di Giacoma in etc. (Rome, 1766).
Vita di Vittorio Alfieri da Lui stesso (Florence, 1864).
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
Childhood and Youth. (1725-1745)
The Stuart Palace in Rome — Birth and Baptism of Henry
Benedict Stuart — Domestic Quarrelling — Death of Queen
Clementina — Her Funeral — Her proposed Beatification —
Rome in the Eighteenth Century — Letters of Samuel
Crisp and Thomas Gray — De Brosses' Account of James
Stuart and his two Sons — Characters of Charles and
Henry Stuart — John Murray of Broughton's high Opinion
of the Latter .......
CHAPTER II
Visit to France. (1745-1747)
War of the Austrian Succession — Increase of Jacobite Hopes —
Charles Stuart arrives in France, and finally reaches
Scotland — Henry Stuart sets out for France — His Visit to
Avignon — His Command of Troops at Dunkirk — Failure
of Charles' Expedition and its effect upon Henry's French
Enterprise — Henry's Efforts on behalf of his Brother's
Safety — Charles returns to Brittany — The two Brothers
at the French Court — Abrupt departure of Henry for
Rome — Letter of James Stuart to his elder Son, giving the
cause of Henry's Flight — Anger of Charles .
PAGE
xii CONTENTS
CHAPTER III
Career in the Church. (1747-1769)
l'AGE
Henry Stuart reaches Rome — His decision to embrace an
Ecclesiastical Career — He is created Cardinal Deacon by
Pope Benedict xiv — The Pope's Allocution to the Sacred
College on this Occasion — The Cardinal Duke is con-
secrated Priest — He is nominated Arch-Priest of St.
Peter's — His Benefices in Italy, France and Spain — The
Conclave of 1758 and the Election of Pope Clement xm
— The Cardinal Duke is appointed Archbishop of Corinth,
and afterwards Bishop of Frascati — He becomes Vice-
Chancellor of the Roman Church — The Cardinal Duke's
official Diary — Don Angelo Cesarini — An Estimate of the
Cardinal Duke's total Income . . . -5°
CHAPTER IV
Bishop of Frascati. (1761-1803)
Appointment to the See of Frascati — State Entry into the City
and Cathedral — Description of Frascati and of ancient
Tusculum — Life in the Episcopal Palace of La Rocca —
Various Charities and Public Actions — Founding of the
Seminary and its Library — Accident at the Palace, and
subsequent Restoration of the Building — Destruction of
the Temple of the Latin Jove on Monte Cavo — The
Cardinal Duke's Treatment of the Inhabitants of the
Molara — Commemorative Tablets at Frascati — Visit of
Pope Pius vii and King Charles Emmanuel IV of
Sardinia to the Cardinal Duke — His compulsory Resigna-
tion of the See of Frascati . . . . .66
CONTENTS xiii
CHAPTER V
Last Years of James the Third, (i 747-1766)
PAGE
Altered Position of the Stuart King in Rome — Charles Stuart
refuses to visit his Father — James and Henry make a
Pilgrimage to Loreto — Quarrel between the Stuart King
and the Cardinal Duke concerning the Dismissal of
Monsignore Lercari — Continued Bad Health and Mortal
Illness of James — His Death and Obsequies . . 92
CHAPTER VI
"Charles the Third." (1766-1774)
Reconciliation between the Cardinal Duke and Prince Charles
prior to their Father's Death — Question as to the Attitude
of the Papal Court towards the Stuart Family — The
Cardinal Duke's Efforts on behalf of his Brother's Claims —
The Hostility of Cardinal Albani — The Consistory refuses
to acknowledge Charles Stuart's Sovereignty — The Cheva-
lier's Arrival in Rome — Further Attempts to influence the
Pope — Sir Horace Mann's Diplomacy— His Secret Under-
standing with Cardinal Albani — The Cardinal Duke induces
his Brother to pay a Private Visit to Clement xm —
Marriage of Charles Stuart with Princess Louise of
Stolberg — Their Entrance into Rome — The Cardinal
Duke visits his Sister-in-law — Foolish Conduct of Charles
towards the Papal Government — Henry's extreme Annoy-
ance — The Count and Countess of Albany leave Rome . 107
CHAPTER VII
The Countess of Albany. (1 780-1784)
The Count and Countess of Albany in Florence — The Count
buys the Palazzo Guadagni for a Residence — Appearance
xiv CONTENTS
PAGE
of Count Vittorio Alfieri — Incident on St. Andrew's Day
1780 — Flight of the Countess — Her Appeal for Help to
the Cardinal Duke — His Reply — Arrival of the Countess
in Rome — She leaves the Ursuline Convent for the
Cardinal Duke's Palace of the Cancellaria — Alfieri in
Rome — His warm Reception by the Cardinal Duke and
by Pius VI — Illness of the Count of Albany — Henry visits
him in Florence — Banishment of Alfieri from Rome —
Grief and Indignation of the Countess — Legal Separation
of the Count and Countess — Defence of the Cardinal
Duke's Conduct . . . . . .138
CHAPTER VIII
Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany.
(1784-1789)
Arrival of Charlotte Stuart in Florence — The Story of her
Birth and Education — Her Father legitimises her and
creates her Duchess of Albany — Extreme Anger of the
Cardinal Duke, who expostulates with his Brother — A
Reconciliation between Charles and Henry effected —
Meeting of Charlotte Stuart with her Uncle at Perugia —
The Count of Albany returns to Rome — His Death in the
Stuart Palace — His Funeral at Frascati — Subsequent
Position of the Duchess of Albany — Her Fatal Illness and
early Demise at Bologna — Her Will — Death of her Mother,
Clementina Walkinshaw . . . . .166
CHAPTER IX
"Henry the Ninth." (1788-1807)
Assumption of the Royal Title by the Cardinal Duke — His
Manifesto published after his Brother's Death — A Medal
commemorative of his Succession is struck — He touches
CONTENTS xv
PAGE
for the Scrofula, or " King's Evil " — Relations of Pius VI
with the British Government — Mission of Sir John
Hippisley in Rome— Annoyance of the Cardinal Duke,
who sends a Formal Protest to Pius vi — The Effects of
the French Revolution in Rome — Riot in the Corso and
Death of Basseville — Napoleon invades the Papal States —
Armistice of Bologna — The Treaty of Tolentino— Raising
of the War Indemnity at Rome — Generosity of the
Cardinal Duke . . . . • • 197
CHAPTER X
The Royal Pension. (1799-1800)
Entry of the French Troops into Rome — Flight of the Cardinal
Duke from Frascati — He seeks Refuge at Naples — His
Flight by Sea from Naples to Messina — His Voyage from
Messina to Venice — His Ill-health and Poverty — Corre-
spondence between Cardinal Borgia and Sir John
Hippisley — Letters of the Cardinal Duke, Lord Minto,
Mr. Coutts and Sir John Hippisley — The Conclave of
Venice, and the Election of Pope Pius VII — Granting of
the Royal Pension to the Cardinal Duke — Story of the
unpaid Dower of Queen Mary of Modena . . . 221
CHAPTER XI
Dean of the Sacred College. Last Years and
Death. (1803-1807)
Recapture of Rome by the British from the French — Prepara-
tions for the Return of the Cardinal Duke — He arrives in
Rome and proceeds direct to Frascati — The Return of
Pius VII — Lord Cloncurry and Joseph Forsyth visit Fras-
cati — The Cardinal Duke becomes Dean of the Sacred
College and Bishop of Ostia and Velletri — His State Entry
xvi CONTENTS
PAGE
into Velletri — His increasing Feebleness — His Death and
Funeral — The Stuart Monument in St. Peter's — The
Cardinal Duke's Will — Bequests to the Prince Regent and
his English Friends — The Political Testament — The
Stuart Papers bought by the Chevalier Watson — Cardinal
Consalvi presents them to the Prince Regent — The Story
of the Sobieski-Stuarts . . . . . 251
CHAPTER XII
The Cardinal Duke as an Historical Figure
of the Eighteenth Century . 281
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
i. Henry Stuart, Cardinal Duke of York . Frontispiece
From the Pastel attributed to Rosalba Carrieka, in the
National Portrait Gallery. Royal Signature, June 3rd,
1804
2. Henry Stuart as a Child .... 5
From the Picture attributed to NICOLAS Largilliere, in
the National Portrait Gallery
3. Clementina, Queen of Great Britain, France,
and Ireland . . . . . .11
From the Engraving by Jacques Frey
4. Charles Stuart as a Youth . . . .17
From the Picture attributed to Nicolas Largilliere, in
the National Portrait Gallery
5. Medals of Charles and Henry Stuart in their
Youth : Silver Token of the Latter as Papal
Vice-Chancellor, 1769 .... 21
Coin Department, British Museum
6. Henry Stuart in 1745 . . -37
From the Engraving by J. Daille
7. Henry Stuart, Cardinal Duke of York and
Bishop of Frascati . . . . -65
From the Engraving by J. C. Mallia, 1762
xviii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
8. Concluding Portion of Holograph Letter with
Signature, dated 1752 . . . .81
Manuscript Department, British Museum
9. James Stuart ...... 97
From the Picture by Alexis Simeon Belle, in the
National Portrait Gallery
10. The Count of Albany . . . . 113
From the Pastel by Pompeo Batoni, in the National
Portrait Gallery
ir. Princess Louise of Stolberg, Countess of Albany 131
From an Engraving by W. Read, after the Picture by Ozias
Humphry, R.A.
12. Pius VI ... 157
From the Painting by Labry, in the possession of Sir
Charles Mansfield, K.C.M.G., Florence, Italy
13. Clementina Walkinshaw . . . .169
From the Picture by Allan Ramsay, in the possession of
James Maxtone Grahame, Esq., Cultoquhey, Crieff,
N.B.
14. Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany . . 177
From the Portrait in Chalk by Gavin Hamilton, in the
possession of the Countess Dowager of Seafield,
Cullen House, Banffshire
15. Medals struck in 1766 and 1788: Touch-Piece of
the Cardinal Duke ..... 201
Coin Department, British Museum
16. Sir John Coxe Hippisley, Bart. . . . 209
From the original Portrait in the possession of J. F. F.
Horner, Esq., of Mells Park, Somersetshire
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xix
PAGE
17. Pius VII, with Autograph Signature . . 263
From an Engraving by W. Read
18. Stuart Monument in St. Peter's, Rome . . 267
From a Photograph by Alinart Fratelli, of Florence
19. Cardinal Ercole Consalvi .... 273
From an Engraving by F. C. Lewis, after the Picture by
Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A.
20. Henry Stuart, Cardinal Duke of York . . 289
From the Picture by Pompeo Batoni, in the National
Portrait Gallery
The Armorial Device on the Book-cover is copied from the
original design upon a Volume of the Cardinal Duke's, now in the
possession of the Author.
King = Anne,
James I.
daughter
. ,l
Frederick n
of
Denmark.
King = Anne,
Louis
XIII
trance.
daughter
of the
Emperor,
Ferdinand.
Francis
d'Este
the
Great,
Duke
of
Modena.
Maria
Farnese
of
Parma.
Count = Marguerite
S(
C,
Geronimo
Martin-
ozzi
of
Fano.
de
Mazarin,
sister to
Cardinal
Mazarin.
King :
Charles i.
Princess
Henrietta-
Maria
of
France.
Alfonso
d'Esle,
Duke
of
Modena.
Countess
Laura
Martin-
ozzi.
1
King =
1
Maria
James 11.
Beatrix
d. 1 701.
d'Este.
d. 1718.
1
"James in,
the Old
Pretender.''
b. 1688.
d. 1766.
Charles Edward Stuart.
Prince of Wales,
"the Young Pretender,
Charles in."
b. 1720. d. 1788.
Mi
(1719)
CI
"SEIZE QUARTIERS," OR PLAN OF THE LINEAL ANCESTORS
OF CHARLES AND HENRY STUART.
= Theophila
Henri =
: Francoise
Wolfgang =
= Princess
George, =
= Princess
i.
Danilowic-
de la
de la
Wilhelm,
Madeleine,
Landgrave
Sophia
in
zovna.
Grange,
Chastre.
Count
daughter
of
Eleonora,
Marquis
Palatine
of the
Hesse-
daughter
r #
and
of
Elector of
Darmstadt.
of the
Cardinal
Neuburg.
Bavaria.
Elector of
d'Arquien.
= Marie
Saxon}-.
King =
!
Philip =
. 1
= Princess
John III
Casimire
Wilhelm,
Elisabeth
of
de la Gran£
! e >
Elector
Christina
Poland.
" Queen
Marysienka
widow of
Prince Joh
Zamoyski
M
)
n
Palatine.
(15th child).
i
Prince =
1
= Princess
facques
Hedwig(
Louis Henry
Elisabeth
Sobiesku
Amelia.
len
* ^in-
d. 1722.
1.
lenlina Sobi
eska,
•-heiress of the
! Polish House
of
Sobieski
ler with her sis
L er
#
Charlotte Sobi<
•ska.
• was married t
i
Godefroi de la '
rour,
ic de Bouillon.
[702. d. 1735.
ct Stuart
Henry Benedi
Cardinal Duk
e of York,
" Henry
IX."
b. 1725. a
'. 1807.
HENRY STUART
CARDINAL YORK
CHAPTER I
CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH. 1725-1745
" Ungrateful Britons, rouse for shame,
And own the royal race,
Who can alone your fame restore,
Your sufferings all redress.
To Royal James, your native king,
Your vows and homage pay,
That ages late may see him reign,
And his blest son obey."
MIDWAY between the Forum of Trajan and the
beautiful Trevi fountain lies the Piazza dei Santi
Apostoli, which, despite the enormous changes Rome has
suffered since the Italian occupation, still presents much
the same appearance as it did in the distant days when
the Royal Stuarts were occupying the palace at its
northern end that partly faces the newly-made, busy
Via Nazionale. A long narrow space, the piazza's eastern
side is distinguished by the ornate facade of the Colonna
Palace and the lengthy pillared front of the Basilica of
the Holy Apostles, a church that is closely associated with
2 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
the fortunes of the exiled House ; whilst its side towards
the Corso contains the huge palace of the Odescalchi,
which, strangely enough, had early in the eighteenth
century sheltered for some years Clementina Stuart's
grandmother, the notorious Queen Marysienka of Poland.
The former Stuart residence itself, usually known as the
Palazzo Muti, is a commonplace structure, boasting neither
antiquity (for it had only been erected in the previous
century) nor architectural interest like many of its neigh-
bours. All traces of regal splendour have disappeared,
and to-day the old Stuart palace has a mean, unimposing
appearance, although the entrance to its dingy courtyard
still contains a marble tablet commemorating the subject
of this biography. 1 Being roomy enough to house a large
number of Jacobite courtiers and servants, the Palazzo
Muti had been purposely selected by Pope Clement XI
(Albani) as suitable quarters in Rome for James the Third,
titular King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, and
for his bride, the Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska,
granddaughter of King John III of Poland. Before
its doors the Papal cuirassiers daily mounted guard
as at the Vatican or Quirinal, for James was treated in
the Eternal City with every possible mark of reigning
sovereignty ; and under its roof, on the last day of the
year 1720, was born Charles Edward Stuart, Prince of
Wales.
It was in this gloomy old palace, too, that on March
1 " Abito questo Palazzo Enrico Duca poi Cardinale di York che figlio
superstite di Giacomo ill d'Inghilterra prese il nome d'Enrico IX in lui nell'
anno MDCCCVII s'estinse la dinastia de' Stuardi."
(There once dwelt in this Palace Henry, Duke and afterwards Cardinal
of York, who as sole surviving son of James in of England took the title
of Henry IX and in whom the Dynasty of Stuart expired in the year 1807.)
CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 3
6th, 1725, Henry Benedict, the younger son of James
and Clementina Stuart, first saw the light, the news of
his birth causing further elation at the Jacobite Court and
a corresponding amount of annoyance to John Walton,
the Hanoverian spy in Rome, who had confidently pro-
claimed that the Stuart Queen was incapable of bearing
another child. James, having at once sent word to inform
Pope Benedict XIII (Orsini) of this happy event, lost no
time in conferring the ancient dignity of Duke of York
upon his second-born, a royal English title that had not
hitherto been of good omen in the Stuart family, for of
its two previous holders one had lost his head and the
other his throne ; it is, moreover, a peculiar circumstance
that this title of York, though bestowed by the Jacobite
king, has always been associated with Henry Stuart's
name by the British people. On the Pope's arrival at
the palace of the Santi Apostoli, the delighted monarch,
advancing to meet his august visitor with the newborn
baby in his arms, proudly exhibited the young Prince to
the Pontiff with these words : " I present the Duke of
York to Your Holiness, that you make him a Christian." l
Benedict without delay baptized the royal infant in the
private chapel of the palace, giving him no fewer than
twelve names, of which four only, Henry Benedict Maria
Clement, were ever made use of by their owner : — Henry,
in memory of eight English kings ; Benedict, in honour
of his sponsor; and Maria Clement in remembrance of
his Polish mother. Later in the day every Cardinal then
residing in Rome came in person to congratulate their
Britannic Majesties on the birth of a second prince.
Before proceeding further it will be useful to note the
1 B. W. Kelly, Life of Cardinal York.
4 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
relationship of Charles and Henry Stuart with the various
royal and noble houses of Europe. By glancing at their
" Seize Quartiers," or genealogical scheme of their lineal
ancestors, it will quickly be perceived how curious an
admixture of British, Polish, French, Italian and German
blood flowed in the veins of the rising generation of the
Royal Stuarts. Through their paternal grandmother,
James Il's exiled Queen, the two young princes were
allied to the ducal family of Modena, — an illegitimate
branch of the famous House of Este of Ferrara, — whilst
through their mother's mother, Princess Hedwige-
Elizabeth of Bavaria-Neuburg, they were connected with
a number of German reigning dynasties. The Sobieskis
themselves were of pure Polish descent, but Queen
Marysienka of Poland, wife of King John III, had been
born Marie - Casimire d'Arquien, daughter to a plain
French country-gentleman, who owing to Marysienka's
influence ultimately died a Cardinal. Outside this plan
of their " Seize Quartiers," the nearest collateral relations
of Charles and Henry Stuart were their uncle, the
attainted Duke of Berwick, James Il's favourite natural
son, who founded the ducal houses of Liria in Spain
and of Fitz-James in France ; and their aunt, Marie-
Charlotte Sobieska, Duchess of Bouillon, who finally
became co-heiress together with her sister, the Stuart
Queen, of the royal honours and considerable wealth
of the Sobieskis. Through their grandfather's sister,
Henrietta Stuart, Duchess of Orleans, the two boys were
connected with the Royal Family of Sardinia, and still
more remotely (by the far-off union of James i's daughter
with Frederick V, Prince Palatine) with their Hanoverian
supplanters on the British Throne.
HENRY STUART AS A CHILD
CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 5
By a singular coincidence the birth of Henry Stuart,
who throughout his long life always exhibited a peculiar
love of peace and a strong aversion to domestic strife,
occurred at a moment of fierce quarrelling within the
walls of the palace of the Santi Apostoli. Almost on the
eve of his second son's birthday, James had appointed
for his secretary of state the titular Earl of Inverness, an
act that roused to fury his Consort, who, rightly or
wrongly, imagined the existence of a guilty attachment
between her husband and Lady Inverness, "a mere