The Valet's Tragedy, and Other StudiesLang, Andrew
History
The Valet's Tragedy, and Other Studies
Lang, Andrew
History; World history
*Civ. Catt. Series V., vol. vi. 710. Home and Foreign Review, vol.
i. 156.
Lord Acton conjectured that the name ‘de la Cloche’ was taken from
that of a Protestant minister in Jersey (circ. 1646). This is the more
probable, as Charles later invented a false history of his son, who was
to be described as the son of ‘a rich preacher, deceased.’ The surname,
de la Cloche, had really been that of a preacher in Jersey, and survives
in Jersey.
After 1665, James de la Cloche was pursuing his studies in Holland,
being at this time a Protestant. Conceivably he had been brought up in a
French Huguenot family, like that of the de Rohan. On February 7, 1667,
Charles wrote a new document. In this he grants to de la Cloche 500
pounds a year, while he lives in London and adheres to ‘the religion of
his father and the Anglican service book.’ But, in that very year (July
29, 1667), de la Cloche went to Hamburg, and was there received into the
Catholic Church, forfeiting his pension.
Christina of Sweden was then residing in Hamburg. De la Cloche apprised
her of his real position--a son of the King of England--and must have
shown her in proof Charles’s two letters of 1665 and 1667. If so--and
how else could he prove his birth?--he broke faith with Charles, but,
apparently, he did not mean to use Charles’s letters as proof of his
origin when applying, as he did, for admission to the novitiate of the
Jesuits at Rome. He obtained from Christina a statement, in Latin, that
Charles had acknowledged him, privately, to her, as his son. This note
of Christina’s, de la Cloche was to show to his director at Rome.
It does not appear that Charles had ever told Christina a word about
the matter. These pious monarchs were far from being veracious. However,
Christina’s document would save the young man much trouble, on the point
of his illegitimacy, when, on April 11, 1668, he entered St. Andrea al
Quirinale as a Jesuit novice. He came in poverty. His wardrobe was of
the scantiest. He had two shirts, a chamois leather chest protector,
three collars, and three pairs of sleeves. He described himself as
‘Jacques de la Cloche, of Jersey, British subject,’ and falsely, or
ignorantly, stated his age as twenty-four. Really he was twenty-two.*
Why he told Christina his secret, why he let her say that Charles had
told her, we do not know. It may be that the General of the Jesuits,
Oliva, did not yet know who de la Cloche really was. Meanwhile,
his religious vocation led him to forfeit 500 pounds yearly, and
expectations, and to disobey his father and king.
*Civ. Catt., ut supra, 712, 713, and notes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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