writes Sir Horace Mann in one of his last letters to
Walpole, "decays every day visibly. The disorder in
his legs increases. His Daughter did well to come in
time to reap his succession, for which she will not wait
1 Historical MSS. Commission Report.
1 68 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
long. The faculties of his mind are as weak as his body.
They are always employed, when awake, in abusing his
brother, the Cardinal, for refusing to adopt his Niece, to
whose letter on her arrival here he made no answer,
though the Pope did, and congratulated her upon it." 1
Before, however, proceeding to describe Charlotte Stuart's
influence at her father's Court, and its consequences to
the Cardinal Duke, it will first be necessary to give a
short account of her previous history.
Charlotte Stuart was the only child of the Young
Chevalier by his recognised mistress, Clementina
Walkinshaw, a member of a good Scottish family, being
the tenth daughter of John Walkinshaw, of Camlachie,
and a niece of Sir Hugh Paterson, of Bannockburn
House, where the Prince stayed during January 1746
and in all probability first made Clementina's acquaint-
ance. Shortly after his expulsion from French territory,
Clementina (who, like many other daughters of noble Scot-
tish Jacobite Houses, had been so christened in honour of
the dead Stuart Queen) joined her Prince at Ghent, in ful-
filment of a promise made in Scotland, and accompanied
him as his mistress for several years, until finally she
fled for refuge from his ill-treatment to a Parisian convent
in 1760. The cause of her flight was twofold, for it was
due partly to the fact that Charles had long ceased to
care for the devoted Scottish girl whose life he had
ruined, and partly to his suspicion that she was acting
as a spy upon his movements and plans, — an unfair
charge which had no other ground of foundation than the
chance circumstance that one of Clementina's sisters
happened to be a maid-of-honour to the Princess of
1 Letters of Sir Horace Mann.
( I.KMKX'I I\A WALKIXSHAW
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY 169
Wales, the mother of George III. But as the chief source
of details concerning her mode of living and her move-
ments during this period is a Memoire, included in the
CEuvres Completes of St. Simon, published in 1791,
which was probably written either by or for Charlotte
Stuart in later years, Clementina's career between 1746
and 1760 is involved in much obscurity. This Memoire
relates that Miss Walkinshaw became a member of a
noble chapter of canonesses at some unnamed place in
the Netherlands, a high position that the influence of her
uncle General Gram (Graeme?) secured for her; that
she left her religious duties under some mysterious and
solemn compact made beforehand with the heir of the
Stuarts, and that later she gave birth to a daughter at
Liege, where the wandering couple were " openly recog-
nised by everybody as husband and wife." From such
details it is easy to perceive that the Memoire was
expressly written to exhibit the noble character of Miss
Walkinshaw's antecedents, and to prove the possibility of
a genuine though secret marriage between herself and
the Prince ; consequently its statements must be accepted
with great caution. It is, however, certain that
Clementina, whilst leading a roving life with her royal
lover under an assumed name, was delivered at Liege on
October 29th, 1753, of a daughter, who was registered at
the parish church of Notre Dame aux Fonts as Char-
lotte Johnson. For nearly seven years after this event
the poor woman continued to endure the cruel suspicion
and the drunken brutality of her paramour, until, goaded
to desperation, she at last fled, together with her infant
daughter, to a convent in Paris, where, safe from the
Prince's threats and violence, they both lived upon a
170 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
pension of 10,000 Hvres a year, granted them by the old
Stuart King in Rome. On James' death, mother and
daughter, now styling themselves Comtesse d'Alberstroff
and Lady Charlotte Stuart, were left penniless, and on
appealing to Charles and the Cardinal Duke, they met
with a contemptuous refusal of any aid from the former ;
whilst the latter agreed to grant an annual allowance of
5000 livres, but only on condition that Clementina should
sign a paper positively declaring that no form of marriage
between Charles and herself had ever taken place. 1 The
reason of this somewhat harsh insistence on Henry's part
was the spreading abroad of a report of her marriage,
which he regarded as equally mischievous and incredible,
and to which he alludes in a letter, probably intended for
Gordon, Principal of the Scots' College in Paris, as of a
rumour started by enemies of the family, to the effect
that "the King, my brother, was actually married to a
certain lady, and which he believes when she hears of it,
she will schiver to imagine that anybody could think her
capable of such an intrigue, and of such a supposition,
the falsehood of which nobody can know better than
herself." 2 Yet despite the Cardinal Duke's fixed intention
to withhold all support, unless a formal denial of marriage
were made, it was only with the greatest reluctance that
Clementina Walkinshaw could be induced to sign such a
document, even under financial pressure.
Shortly after Charles' marriage both mother and
daughter were imprudent enough to travel out to Rome,
this time for Charlotte to obtain her father's acknowledg-
1 Dennistoun, Memoirs of Sir R, Strange. The date of this declaration
is given as " March the 9th, 1767."
8 Historical MSS. Commission Report.
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY 171
ment of herself as his natural daughter. But the hard-
hearted Prince absolutely refused to receive her if ac-
companied by her mother, and after some messages had
passed, the pair had to return disconsolate to their convent
at Meaux-en-Brie, under a threat of having their small
annuity stopped if they remained in Rome. Monsignore
Lascaris seems to have acted as intermediary on this
occasion, for there is a letter extant from Charlotte Stuart,
addressed to him, and thanking him "for all the trouble
he had taken to soften a little her unhappy lot." 1 At the
same time her father with selfish obstinacy forbade
Charlotte, under the threat of disowning his paternity
altogether, either to take religious vows or to think of
marrying, although Gordon pleaded hard on her behalf
as " being esteemed by all who knew her as one of the
most accomplished young women in this town " (of Paris).
Charles, in short, meant to guard his daughter jealously,
keeping her, as it were, as a reserve-force in case of need ;
and thus forbidden equally to seek consolation as a nun
or as a bride, this unfortunate young woman, then about
twenty-one years of age, was forced patiently to endure
the dull routine of convent life, until such time as a callous
and self-centred father should think fit to summon her to
his presence. But at last the long-deferred, long-expected
invitation came after nine years of weary waiting, and it
found Charlotte fully prepared and only too eager to obey
the rcyal mandate. In October 1784, therefore, she was
installed as mistress of her father's palace in Florence,
where she was destined before long to obtain unbounded
influence over the querulous old invalid. In marked
contrast with his former meanness and indifference,
1 Ibid.
172 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
Charles now began to load his daughter with honours and
attentions, treating her openly as his legitimate heir, and
investing her on St. Andrew's Day, only a few weeks after
her arrival in Florence, with the great Scottish order and
with the royal title of Duchess of Albany : " a strange
proceeding," which elicited a strong complaint to the
Cardinal Duke from Madame d'Albany, then wintering
in Bologna.
But Charles' favours towards Charlotte Stuart did not
end here. Early in November he sent a letter in his own
sprawling, feeble, untidy handwriting to his brother,
announcing his daughter's newly granted honours : —
" Florence, November 2nd, 1784.
" My dear Brother, — ... I am very happy to be
able to tell you myself of my very dear Daughter's recogni-
tion by Me, by France and by the Pope ; henceforward she
is therefore Royal Highness for yourself on every occasion.
I in no wise dispute your own rights. They are already
established, since you are my Brother, but at the same
time I beg of you not to dispute those of my very dear
Daughter, whose title must be sacred to you. — I am your
very affectionate Brother,
"Charles R" 1
Charlotte also, who, to judge from her easy and able
style of writing, must have employed the long hours of
leisure in her French convent to good purpose, now opened
a long correspondence, lasting over a year, with her
" Royal Uncle," as she sometimes styles the Cardinal
Duke, her letters numbering thirty-four in all. The first
1 Stuart Papers.
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY 173
of these, which is dated October 7th, 1784, is written
ostensibly to announce her arrival at the Palazzo
Guadagni, but it likewise alludes, in a strangely intimate
tone, to many other matters of importance : —
" MONSEIGNEUR, — I should consider myself lacking in
respect both to your Royal Highness and to myself, were
I not to acquaint you with the news of my arrival in
Florence. The kindness with which you have treated me
up till the present moment appears to me a sure guarantee
of your pleasure in receiving such news, and in sharing
the joy and happiness with which my mind is filled to-
day. The King, my Father, by an authentic Act has now
acknowledged me as his legitimate daughter ; and he has
sent this Act to the King of France, who has promised to
place it on record, and consequently to grant me Letters
Patent registered in the Parliament ; so behold me to-day
rejoicing in the good fortune of now approaching very
closely to your Royal Highness, as well as being able to
give all my attention to the nursing of a beloved Father,
whose strength and health I shall bring back, if possible.
I want him to share my own good health, and to free him
from all the troubles that Fortune has imposed upon him.
" I have now, my very dear Uncle, to thank you for all
the kindnesses you have heaped upon me since King
James' death. The recollection of them lies deep in my
heart. . . . Ever since I had the misfortune to lose my
grandfather, King James, Your Royal Highness has
generously made my mother and myself an allowance of
5000 livres. I have now the honour to renew my respect-
ful thanks for the past, and to entreat you for the future
to continue the annuity to my mother, who is penniless
174 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
to-day ; I regard her as a Second Self, if I may dare use
such an expression. I feel sure you will not refuse me
this service, for you understand my father's position, and
know how the wreck of his fortune has left him poorer
than ever. All circumstances compel me to rely on your
kind heart. The King, my Father, joins with me in im-
ploring this favour of Your Royal Highness, and he begs
me to assure you of his constant affection. I ask you.
Monseigneur, not to mistake the feelings of devotion and
of respect with which I shall always remain your Royal
Highness' very humble and very obedient servant,
" Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany." 1
Neither to this remarkable letter nor to her succeeding
communications did the Cardinal Duke vouchsafe any
reply ; for he was greatly annoyed both at his brother's
action and at the somewhat aggressive pretensions of the
new Duchess, who aroused his wrath still further by
certain hints and disparaging remarks concerning Louise
of Stolberg, with whom he was still on tolerable terms of
amity. " Nothing, Monseigneur," writes this pert young
woman in her second letter to her uncle, " can more shock
your own delicacy of feeling, your own principles, and the
glory of your House, than the conduct of Monsieur Alfieri
and his influence over Madame." But it must be re-
membered that though the words and expressions are
those of Charlotte Stuart, it was the Chevalier, brooding
revengefully over the past, who urged her to write them.
Obtaining no answer whatsoever, Charlotte, doubtless
1 Stuart Papers. (From the original French, which language Charlotte
Stuart always uses in her correspondence.)
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY 175
with her father's approval, now played a still bolder game
in order to draw her unwilling uncle into direct corre-
spondence with herself. A letter, dated April 19th, 1785,
nearly seven months after her arrival in Florence, contains
a positive demand for recognition.
" I think," she writes, " that the highest pleasure you
can bestow on the King, your brother, is to speak of me
by the title that he desires you to accord me. Also it
would be an immense service to all of us, if henceforward
you would allow all correspondence to pass through my
hands, in order to save him fatigue." x
The effect of this blunt and tactless request was
quickly felt, for it brought an immediate reply, though
one of an unexpected nature, from the Cardinal Duke.
It was seldom that Henry's essentially placid nature
was thoroughly roused, but on such rare occasions he
was wont to express his feelings in the strongest and
plainest of terms. And Charlotte's appeal for recogni-
tion of birth and title drew from him a violent protest,
addressed in the third person to his brother. In this
strange document, of which both the original draft and
a fair copy are in existence, the Cardinal Duke gives
full vent to his annoyance at the "irregular and improper
arrangements made on the occasion of the arrival of a
natural daughter." He then enumerates four distinct
reasons for his extreme displeasure : the indecent haste
with which Charles had summoned to Florence an
illegitimate child whom he had neglected for over thirty
years, and for whose maintenance and education the
writer himself had alone provided ; the cunning and
secrecy of the whole proceeding, in which his own
1 Ibid.
176 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
opinion had never been invited ; the immediate granting
of a royal title in a case where it was most unnecessary,
seeing that their grandfather James II had waited many
years before raising his favourite son to the Dukedom
of Berwick ; and finally, the total illegality of the so-
called Act of Legitimation according to English law.
This last reason is of special interest as showing the
writer's clear knowledge of the British Constitution, when
he declares that " in no case has his Royal Brother, King
Charles III, according to the law of England, any shadow
of right to nominate a natural Child as heir to the British
Crown, without applying to Parliament ; and that of such
an instance there exists no example in history." x This
letter, undated but evidently written and dispatched
about April 25th, not unnaturally had a most depressing
effect on the spirits of Charles and his adopted heiress
in Florence. Charlotte Stuart, hitherto so confident of
ultimately gaining her uncle's approval, now sent in
fear and trembling a most humble and piteous apology.
" Let me place," she writes, " at the feet of your Royal
Highness my regrets and the sincere sorrow I feel at
having offended you. My grief is unbearable. I see
my happiness has proved to be only a dream." Fortun-
ately, however, for Charlotte, the genuine alarm and
contrition expressed in this letter were able to force a
quicker entrance into a kindly heart than her previous
attitude of boastful self-confidence, and for the first time
the new - made Duchess received a direct reply from
Frascati. In a letter, dated May 4th and addressed to
" Ma Cousine " (by which term he undoubtedly acknow-
ledges the title, but not the close relationship of his
1 Stuart Papers.
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY 177
correspondent), the Cardinal Duke writes in a friendly
and conciliatory spirit : —
" My COUSIN, — I do not lose an instant in expressing
my regret for having caused you trouble through my
last letter. . . . Moreover, I beg you to understand that
after some reflection I have become convinced of the
uprightness of your intentions, and so certain am I of
this, that I esteem you the more for them. And since
you appear so anxious to obtain my friendship and my
confidence (which pleases me much), I can assure you
frankly that you have lost nothing of either of them,
and that in the continuance of our correspondence I
am certain we shall grow to appreciate each other, since
in whatever I do I hope you will recognise my sincere
interest and my good faith in all that affects you. I
beg you to inform me that you are quite pacified. Give
me all news you can of my Brother's health, for I dread
the idea of his travelling to Pisa . . ." 1
It is not easy to specify the exact cause of the
Cardinal Duke's changed attitude towards his brother's
child. Perhaps in the meantime he had been informed
privately of the excellent results so far as concerned
Charles' welfare that had attended Charlotte's arrival in
Florence, and consequently felt softened towards her and
less impatient of her claim to be regarded as a member
of his family. Perhaps Pius VI, who had been favourably
inclined towards Charlotte from the first, may have inter-
ceded with the Cardinal Duke on his niece's behalf, for
later in this same year we find His Holiness writing
1 Ibid.
12
178 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
personally to congratulate him on the marked improve-
ment in his brother's spiritual condition : a happy circum-
stance for which the influence and zeal of his daughter
were mainly responsible, although the Pontiff piously
refers it " to the powerful hand of God, Who has called
your Royal Brother from the principles of darkness, in
which he had previously walked, to those of the true
light." 1 Perhaps Henry may simply have been touched
by Charlotte's sad appeal to himself, but whatever its
cause, both father and daughter appear jubilant over
the welcome news of his change of feeling. " I have
received the letter Your Royal Highness has deigned
to write me with equal joy and gratitude," replies
Charlotte in ecstasies of delighted surprise ; whilst
Charles himself (June 21st) supplements her letter by
imploring his brother's full protection for his daughter,
" which, my very dear Brother, I do not believe you
can refuse ; for when once you have made her acquaint-
ance, she will find a second father in yourself. This
thought consoles me." Again, the Chevalier writes
(July 9th) : " Your letter of the 6th current has been
balm to my heart, since it assures me of your affection
towards Myself, and towards a Second Self which I
venture to state fully merits your generosity and esteem
by her excellent virtues. I cannot describe to you, my
very dear Brother, the happiness I feel in expecting
that some day you will play the part of a father to a
daughter that I have every reason to love tenderly." 2
After this partial reconciliation, Charlotte Stuart's
correspondence with her uncle proceeds smoothly enough,
nor does the Cardinal Duke appear any longer to resent
1 Stuart Papers. 2 Ibid.
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY 179
the many slighting allusions to " Madame " and Alfieri
contained in most of her letters. As autumn approached,
the meeting between his brother and his daughter, upon
which Charles had so set his heart, was arranged to take
place at some town in the Papal States, for owing to his
continued ill-health the Chevalier was unable to leave
Florence, and his brother, for political reasons, expressed
himself unwilling to enter Tuscany. In a letter, dated
September 8th, Charles finally writes to Henry on this
subject : —
" I quite understand, my very dear Brother, the
obstacles to your visiting Tuscany, and I am sorry
for the consequent deprivation of seeing you myself.
It is indeed a very great sacrifice that I am asked to
make. ... As an invalid, I absolutely require my dear
daughter for comfort and companionship, and it is only
on her account and in her presence that I can receive
people in my house. Without being at all importunate,
she has gained my complete confidence, and consequently
the days during which I shall be deprived of her presence
must prove very long and very dull. . . . But in this
anxiety she shows to pay you her duty I recognise her
goodness of heart, and I cannot refuse to satisfy her in
this request." l
In October, therefore, Charlotte, eagerly availing
herself of the granted honour, proceeded alone to
Perugia, in order to meet her uncle, then engaged on
a round of official visits within the States of the
Church. The interview was most satisfactory, at least
1 Ibid.
180 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
from the niece's point of view, for Charlotte's modest
behaviour and pleasing appearance (which included a
strong family likeness to her father) made so good an
impression on the susceptible Cardinal Duke, that he
warmly urged his brother and herself to spend the
winter months in Rome. Besides gaining this point,
Charlotte was at last enabled to put before her uncle
forcibly by word of mouth her father's own views
concerning his absent wife's conduct, and so successful
were her arguments, that a little later in the year a
joint letter, signed by the two brothers, was sent to
the French Court, complaining of Madame d' Albany's
continued intimacy with Alfieri and demanding the
withdrawal of her pension on account of the scandal.
The dispatch of this letter marks the Cardinal Duke's
complete break with his sister-in-law, and his final and
lasting reconciliation with his brother ; whilst such
substantial fruits of Charlotte's visit to Perugia prove
marvellous natural powers of diplomacy in a convent-
bred girl who had had no previous experience.
On Charlotte's return to Florence, Charles decided to
leave for Rome at the earliest opportunity, although his
state of health made all travelling more or less dangerous.
On October 29th he sends to his brother a dictated letter,
with the autograph signature "C. Rex" almost illegible,
announcing his determination of spending the winter in
the old Stuart palace in Rome, which had now remained
untenanted for upwards of eleven years : —
" Dearest Brother, — With infinite pleasure and
the deepest satisfaction I have heard of your safe
arrival in Rome, and also with great content of the
CHARLOTTE STUART, DUCHESS OF ALBANY 181
kindness and generosity you have displayed in furnishing
my palace. ... I must not keep concealed from you the
fact that on my journey, and during all my stay in Rome,
I particularly desire to observe a complete incognito, and
to be known by the title of Count of Albany, and my
beloved daughter will be called Duchess of Albany. For
some days I have been kept to my room and my bed,
suffering much agony and terrible pain, due to the severe
attack in the legs, but I hope to find ease and relief
shortly. Meanwhile I beg you to acquaint His Holiness
of my intention to visit Rome, and to render him my
most profound reverence, and to pay him court, with a
thousand other matters that I leave you to arrange in my
name. I embrace you dearly,
"C. Rex." 1
All November was passed in preparation for this
projected journey, which, however, was dependent on " the
King's legs not refusing him some service." By November
19th all is ready for their departure, and Charlotte writes
cheerfully that " the King has expressly charged her to
assure her uncle that he only awaits the moment of
getting into his carriage." Yet Charles' critical condition
still caused delay, for the Duchess' last letter is dated
November 29th : " we shall be eight days on the road,
going with our own horses, by which precaution I hope
the King will manage to bear the journey perfectly, for
his health was never better than at this moment. The
Abbe - Barbier goes with us. My august Father has
accepted his offer to come with pleasure." 2
Finally, on December 2nd, the travelling coach
1 Stuart Papers. - Ibid.
1 82 HENRY STUART CARDINAL YORK
containing the helpless wreck of the Chevalier and his
daughter started to leave for ever the Florentine palace
that had during the last eight years witnessed so much
scandal, hard drinking and unhappiness. Going south-
ward by easy stages, the pair reached Viterbo, where
they were met by the Cardinal Duke in person, who,
after embracing his brother with emotion in the presence