The Valet's Tragedy, and Other StudiesLang, Andrew
History
The Valet's Tragedy, and Other Studies
Lang, Andrew
History; World history
It appears from this will that James Stuart, for reasons of his own,
actually did enjoy the services of two successive confessors, at Naples,
in 1669. The earlier of these two was Armanni’s informant. His account
of James Stuart differs from that of Kent and the Italian newsletters,
which we repeat, alone are cited by Lord Acton (1862); while Mr. Brady
(1890), citing Armanni, knows nothing of the newsletters and Kent, and
conceives himself to be the first writer in English on the subject.
Turning to our first source, the newsletters of Rome, and the letters of
Kent, the dates in each case prove that Kent, with variations, follows
the newsletters. The gazzetta of March 23, 1669, is the source of Kent’s
despatch of March 30. On the gazzette of April 6, 13, and 20, he makes
no comment, but his letter of June 16 varies more or less from the
newsletter of June 11. His despatch of September 7 corresponds to the
newsletter of the same date, but is much more copious.
Taking these authorities in order of date, we find the newsletter of
Rome (March 23, 1669) averring that an unknown English gentleman has
been ‘for some months’ at Naples, that is, since January at least,
and has fallen in love with the daughter of a poor innkeeper, or host
(locandiere). He is a Catholic and has married the girl. The newly made
father-in-law has been spending freely the money given to him by the
bridegroom. Armanni, as summarised by Mr. Brady, states the matter
of the money thus: ‘The Prince was anxious to make it appear that his
intended father-in-law was not altogether a pauper, and accordingly he
gave a sum of money to Signor Francesco Corona to serve as a dowry for
Teresa. Signor Corona could not deny himself the pleasure of exhibiting
this money before his friends, and he indiscreetly boasted before his
neighbours concerning his rich son-in-law.’
From Armanni’s version, derived from the confessor of James Stuart, it
appears that nothing was said as to James’s royal birth till after his
arrest, when he informed the Viceroy of Naples in self-defence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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