Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE

Legislatorial Trial

OF THE

QUEEN,

COMMENCED AUGUST 19, 1820.

En the House of Lords.

THE great and important trial of her majesty at length commenced, after the failure of every attempt to evade it. The expectations of the public were at their height when lord King gave notice of a motion to stop all further proceedings.

Ou Saturday, August 19, 1820, lord King moved, "That it appears to this house that it is not necessary for the public safety or the security of the country, that the Bill entitled, An Act to deprive her Majesty,' &c. should pass into a law."

On which lord Liverpool moved as an amendment, "That the AttorneyGeneral be directed to be called in." Earl Grey opposed the amendment. The house divided,

For the amendment
Agaiust it

.... 181

..........

65

[blocks in formation]

The counsel were then called in, and the Attorney-General and the counsel for the crown on the one side, and Mr. Brougham aud the counsel for her majesty on the other, appeared at the bar.

The Lord Chancellor. Mr. Attorney-General, you will proceed to open your case.

The Attorney-General immediately proceeded to address the house in a low tone of voice, and spoke as fol lows:

MY LORDS,

I now attend at your bar to fulfil the duty which you have demanded, of stating to your lordships the circumstances which are to be adduced in evidence in support of the charges which are contained in the preamble of the bill now under your lordships' consideration. A duty, my lords, more painful, or more anxious, I believe, was never imposed upon any individual to accomplish. (Cries of 'Speak up'.)

My lords, I am sure I shall receive your lordships' indulgence, if under the weight of this most important duty I feel that which I cannot express. (cries of "louder.")

My lords, I was stating to your lordships, that the duty which I now have to perform is one of the most painful and anxious which was ever cast upon any individual. I have, my lords, to state to your lordships the circumstances which are to be adduced in evidence to your lordships

adduced in proof before you. My

in support of those serious and heavy charges which are made in the pream-lords, undoubtedly, the recital must inble of the bill, which has already been volve a considerable space of time and so much the subject of discussion. apply to facts which took place in vaCharges which, in the language of the rious places, in which her majesty preamble, not only reflect the greatest chanced to be during her residence scandal and disgrace upon the indivi- abroad. I shall, therefore, commence dual against whom they are made, but my statement at that period when her also reflect the greatest disgrace upon majesty quitted this country, and prothe country itself. The highest indi- ceed, as well as I can, to detail the va vidual, as a subject, in the country, is rious facts and circumstances which charged with one of the most serious took place from that period almost to offences against the laws of God and the time I now have the honor of adman. It is that of an adulterous inter- dressing your lordships. course an adulterous intercourse carried on under circumstances of the greatest aggravation.

My lords, upon the nature of this charge, or upon the importance of this investigation, it is quite unnecessary for me to enlarge. Your lordships, and every individual in the country, are capable of estimating these topics in their proper light. The only consolation, my lords, which I derive under the discharge of the duty which I have now to fulfil, is, that it calls not upon me to address myself to your lordships' passions or feelings; and that I shall best discharge it according to your lordships' commands by abstaining from any observation which might tend to aggravate the charge made against so illustrious a person. I shall confine myself, in this stage of the proceeding, to a clear, simple, but full recital, of the facts which are to be alleged in evidence.

My lords, we are now arrived at that period of the proceedings, in which silence can no longer be preserved. It is now necessary to state the charges in the fullest extent in which they can be laid before your lordships and the public; and if in the recital of the circumstances which I have to detail, I shall be under the painful necessity of bringing before your lordships scenes which must disgust every well-regulated mind, transactions which must offend the feelings of every honourable and virtuous per son, I am sure your lordships will think that upon this occasion I ought to hold no reserve, at the same time taking care to state nothing which, in my conscience, I do not believe I shall be able to substantiate in proof.

My lords, it is well known to your lordships and the country, that in the year 1814, her majesty, for reasons operating upon her mind, and not by compulsion, as has been insinuated by my learned brothers, thought fit to withdraw herself from this country to a foreign land.

Mr. Brougham here made some remarks explanatory of his own observations on this subject.

The Attorney-General. I beg pardon (cries of "order, order,'), but if I am to be interrupted, it will be impossible for me to do justice to the task which your lordships have cast upon me. I am sure I shall receive your lordships' indulgence

Mr. Brougham. I did not mean to interrupt the learned person (eries of "order, order ")

Mr. Brougham. My Lords, in alt courts, (order, order.)

Mr. Brougham. In every Court, (order, order. Go on, go on.)

Mr. Brougham was reluctantly sileat.

The Attorney-General:-My lords, it was, perhaps, more my fault than that of my learned friend in alluding to what had passed. I will not, therefore, take up any fur her time on this subject. I was stating, my lords, that in 1814, her majesty withdrew herself from this country, for the purpose of travelling upon the continent, or visiting other countries. My lords, she went in the first instance to Brunswick, and from thence, after a short stay, she went to Italy; she arrived at Milan on the 9th of Oct. 1814.-My lord, her Majesty, when she quitted this country, quitted it with persons about her who were precisely such

I shall now, my lords, without fur-per-ons as should be about an indivier preface, state to your lordships painful narrative of those facts circumstances which are to be

dual of her exalted rank. She was accompanied by individuals connected with distinguished families in this

kingdom. Among these were lady ject of her peculiar attention, and, in Charlotte Lindsay and lady Eliza- fact, was in the habit of sleeping in a beth Forbes, who were her maids of bed in the same room with her majesty. honor, Mr. St.. Leger, who was her The arrangement of her majesty's chamberlain, and Sir William Gell and own sleeping apartment devolved the hon. Keppel Craven, who, I be upon one servant, whose peculiar duty lieve, were attached to her in a similar it was to attend to that branch of her character. She was also accompanied domestic comfort. On the arrival of by captain Hesse, as her equerry, her majesty's suite at Naples, it was and Dr. Holland, as her physician, so ordered that her majesty's sleeping besides other persons whom it is un room was at an opposite side of the necessary to enumerate. With this house to that of her menial domestics. suite her majesty arrived at Milan. among whom was her courier.—On It was her intention to have proceed the first night of her majesty's arried from thence to other parts of italy, val at Naples (the 8th of November), to and to have visited Naples. She re- which I have called your lordships' at. mained at Milan for a space of three tention, this arrangement was contimonths, and during that period a per- nued. Bergami slept in that part of 800 was received into her service, the house which had been prepared for whose name occurs in the preamble of the domestics, and young Austin slept this bill, and whose name will as fre- in her majesty's apartment. But on quently occur in the course of these the following morning, Nov. the 9th, proceedings-a person of the name of the servants of the establishment Bergami, who was received into her learned with some surprise, because no service as a courier, or footman, reason appeared to them for the change, or valet de place. My lords, this that Bergami was no longer to sleep in person at the time be so entered into that part of the house where he had her majesty's service, was in want of slept the night preceding; but that it employment, but he had been in the was her majesty's pleasure that he service of general Pino. It does not should sleep in a room from which appear how he became recommended there was a free communication with to her majesty, but he was received that of her majesty, by means of a corinto her suite. I need hardly remark ridor or passage, which had been, by to your lordships upon the distance her majesty's express desire, prepared which interposed between her majesty for him. My lords, I need not state and her courier, or observe that, from to you that such a circumstance was the natural course of things, the com- calculated to excite the surprise of munication between her majesty and those whose duty it was to attend enthis man must have been most unfre- tirely to her majesty's person; and, quent. It was about fourteen or fif my lords, that suprise was increased teen days previous to her majesty's when they learnt from her majesty departure from Milan, that Bergami that she would no longer permit Wilentered into the situation I have de- liam Austin to continue to sleep in her scribed. Her majesty, on quitting room. For this she assigned a reason, Milan, proceeded to Rome, and from which, if it was her only motive, was thence she went to Naples, where she very proper. She said that he had now arrived on the 8th of Nov. 1814. At arrived at an age when it became no Naples, this person had not been in longer correct that he should sleep in her majesty's service more than three her apartment; and a separate room weeks. beg to call your lordships' was prepared for his use. My lords, attention to this circumstance, because I have already stated, that, from the you will find how material it becomes situation assigned to Bergami, a direct when you listen to the facts which communication was opened between presently it will be my melancholy his chamber and that of her majesty ; duty to relate. I should have stated, and I believe that I shall be able to that besides the persons whom I have satisfy your lordships that on the mentioned as accompanying her ma- evening of the 9th of November, that jesty from this country, there was a intercourse, which is charged between lad, whose name is, perhaps, familiar her majesty and Bergami by the preto your lordships-I man William sent bill, commenced and was contiAustin. Up to the time of her majesty's nued from that time till he quitted arrival at Naples, this ląd was the ob her service. Upon the evening of the

on

ing known, she was, of course, visited by most of the rank and fashion of the town, but she was not visible until a late hour on that morning. I have already drawn your lordships to the observations which had been made by the servants respecting the beds. I say then, my lords, that if the case depended on these facts alone, there is not any man who can doubt of the conclusion at which your lordships must arrive. But, my lords, you will perceive by what I have yet to detail, that this scandalous, depraved, and licentious intercourse, was carried without interruption for a very great length of time. The natural effect of such an intercourse was to alter the comparative distance between this courier, this menial, and the royal personage, who descended from her royal dignity so far. A freedom was, therefore, assumed by Bergami, in which he, could under no other circumstances presume to indulge. It was also observed by the other servants that a considerable alteration took place in the demeanour of her royal highness towards Bergami.

9th of November, her majesty went
to the opera at Naples, but it was ob-
served that she returned very early
from thence. The person who waited
upon her on her return, was the maid-
servant, whose duty it was particular-
ly to attend to her bed-room. My
lords, she was struck with the manners
of the princess, and with the agitation
which she manifested. She hastened
to her apartment, and gave strict or-
ders that William Austin should not be
admitted to her room that evening.
She was then observed to go from her
own room towards that assigned to
Bergami. She very soon dismissed
her female attendant, telling her that
she had no further occasion for her
services. The fernale servant retired,
but not without those suspicious which
the circumstances I have mentioned
were calculated to excite in the mind
of any individual.
She knew at the
time, that Bergami was in his bed-
room, for this was the first night of
his having taken advantage of the ar-
rangement which had been previously
made. It was quite new on the part
of the princess to dismiss her attend-
auts so abruptly, but when her cou-
duet and demeanour were considered,
suspicions arose which it was impossi-
ble to exclude. But if suspicion ex-
isted that evening, how were they con-
firmed by observations made on the
following day-observations which, if
stated to a jury in any common case,
must induce them to come to a conclu-sumed character
sion that an adulterous intercourse
had taken place that night between
this exalted person and this menial
servant; for upon the following morn-
ing it was discovered that her ma-
jesty had not slept in her own room
that night. Her bed remained almost
precisely in the same state as on the
preceding evening; and, my lords, the
bed of the other person on inspection
was decisively marked as if two per-
sons had reposed in it. I stated to
your lordships, that the apartments of
her then royal highness were distaut
from those of her suite. On the morn-
ing following it was observed that her
royal highness did
come from
her apartments at the usual hour. Her
royal highness's attendants never en-
tered her rooms without her express
permission. It was also observed that
Bergami also resided in his room later
than usual on that morning.
Her
royal highness's arrival in Naples be-

not

peasant.

was

An alteration which convinced those
who observed it, that an improper
intercourse existed between them.-
A few days after the period to which
I have just alluded, her royal highness
gave her last ball at the house of the
ball.
then king of Naples. It was a masked
Her royal highness's first as-
a Neapolitan
In a short time, however,
she returned to the house at which she
dressed, not to her residence. She
withdrew to a private room to change
her dress, and to the surprise of her
servants, and the attendants belong-
ing to the house, her servant Bergami
with her. The character which it had
was sent for, and retired into the 100m
pleased her royal highness to assume
on that occasion was, the Genius of
History, and she was conducted by a
gentleman to the ball in that charac-
ter. I am instructed to state, that the
dresss worn by her royal highness on
that occasion, was of a most indecent

and disgn ting kind. Now, my lords,
it is most material to observe, that her
majesty had taken off her other dress
and put on this in the presence of her
courier Bergami-be alone being pre-
sent. Let me ask your lordships what
motive could her majesty have in pre-
ferring the services of this man to that

of her usual attendants on such an occasion? Why should she require the assistance of a man, and that man one of her menial servants, in her dressing room? A man who waited behind her chair at dinner, and who went before her as her courier, when she travelled from place to place. What, I ask, could her reason be for selecting this man on such an occasion, unless for the purposes alleged in the preamble of the bill? But more. Her majesty returned a third time from the ball. She then changed her dress to that of a female Turkish peasant,-and who was her companion on this occasion ? Her courier, her menial servant, Bergami; he accompanied her majesty, dressed as a Turkish peasant, to a ball given to royalty, and to the first nobility of the country. It appears, however, that Bergami did not long remain at this ball. He returned home, apparently dissatisfied with something that bad occurred.-I know not what. Her majesty came home shortly after, and endeavoured to prevail on him to go back to the ball; she pressed him much, but he declined going. Her majesty then returned alone to the ball, but she did not remain long. It was observed by those servants whose business it was to be more immediately in attendance on her majesty, that at whatever hour she rose in the morning, Bergami rose at the same period; and also, that her majesty was in the habit of breakfasting in her apartments in company with him alone, her suite being in apartments at some distance from her's. Notwithstanding this great familiarity and preference, the situation of Bergami remained the same; he still acted as her courier, her valet-de-chambre, and continued to wait at table as usual; in short, he appeared to the English ladies who attended her royal highness just in the same character as when he was first hired. It was only in secret, or at least before her majesty's immediate attendants that those familiarities of which I speak were at all visible. Her majesty was in the habit of occasionally walking on a terrace, and there she was seen at various times, leaning on Bergami's arm with the greatest familiarity. It happened during her majesty's residence at Naples, that Bergami had been injured by a kick from a horse. He was for some time so ill as to be confined to his

room, and your lordships must perceive how great must have been the ascendancy which this man acquired over her royal highness, when I state that she hired a servant introduced by him, as an attendant during his illness. This man slept in a room close to that occupied by Bergami, and had, on three or four occasions, observed her majesty, after her household had retired to rest, go from her own room with much caution, along the passage to that of Bergami. On each occasion she remained in the room a considerable time. I am instructed to state, and it will appear in evidence, that, after her majesty entered the room, this man could distinctly hear them kissing. (Here a buz of surprise was heard throughout the House.) I am aware my lords how these circumstances, disgusting as they are, must excite feelings of disgust in the minds of your lordships, and even feelings of prejudice against bim, whose painful duy it is to recite them; but painful as it is, it is still a duty which devolves upon me by your lordship's order, and I feel myself bound so to state the facts, that your lordships may fully understand the nature of the intercourse which took place between her majesty and this individual. I feel assured that in doing this, to the best of my ability, I shall not incur your lordships', censure. Her majesty resided at Naples from November to the March following, and during the whole of that period the intimacy which I have described, continued without interruption. I do not wish to avail myself of any rumour that was afloat at the time; but I cannot help remarking on the singularity of the circumstance, that her majesty on quitting Naples lost the greater part of her English suite. I shall leave the facts, coupled with the other circumstances of the case, to speak for themelves. So it was, however, on her majesty's leaving Naples, a great portion of her suite remained behind. I should here observe, that Mr. St. Leger left her majesty at Brunswick. Of him therefore I do not mean to speak on this occasion. But Lady C. Lindsay and Lady Elizabeth Forbes remained at Naples on her majesty's departure. I beg pardon, Lady Elizabeth Forbes remained at Naples; Lady C. Lindsay accompanied her majesty, but left her at Leghorn, in

« PreviousContinue »