The Valet's Tragedy, and Other StudiesLang, Andrew
History
The Valet's Tragedy, and Other Studies
Lang, Andrew
History; World history
*A. F. Steuart, Engl. Hist. Review, July 1903, ‘The Neapolitan
Stuarts.’ Maziere Brady, ut supra.
Among his sham titles are Dux Roani and ‘de Roano,’ clearly referring,
as Mr. Steuart notices, to de la Cloche’s travelling name of Henri de
Rohan. The Neapolitan pretender, therefore, knew the secret of that
incognito, and so of de la Cloche’s mission to England in 1668. That,
possessing this secret, he was set free, is a most unaccountable
circumstance. Charles had written to Oliva that his life hung on
absolute secrecy, yet the owner of the secret is left at liberty.
Our first sources leave us in these perplexities. They are not
disentangled by the ‘Lettere’ of Vincenzo Armanni (1674). I have been
unable, as has been said, to see this book. In the summary by Mr. Brady
we read that (1668-1669) Prince James Stuart, with a French Knight of
the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, came to Naples for his health.
This must have been in December 1668 or January 1669; by March 1669 the
pretender had been ‘for some months’ in Naples. The Frenchman went by
way of Malta to England, recommending Prince James to a confessor at
Naples, who was a parish priest. This priest was Armanni’s informant.
He advised the Prince to lodge with Corona, and here James proposed
to Teresa. She at first held aloof, and the priest discountenanced
the affair. The Prince ceased to be devout, but later chose another
confessor. Both priests knew, in confession, the secret of his birth:
the Prince says so in his will, and leaves them great legacies. So far
Armanni’s version is corroborated.
Mr. Brady goes on, citing Armanni: ‘At last he chose another spiritual
director, to whom he revealed not only his passion for Teresa Corona,
but also the secret of his birth, showing to him the letters written
by the Queen of Sweden and the Father General of the Jesuits.’ Was the
latter document Oliva’s note from Leghorn of October 14, 1668? That did
not contain a word about de la Cloche’s birth: he is merely styled ‘the
French gentleman.’ Again, the letter of the Queen of Sweden is now in
the Jesuit archives; how could it be in the possession of the pretender
at Naples? Was it taken from him in prison, and returned to Oliva?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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