Chapter VII: The Errant Ariadne

The Princess arrives at Hamburgh--Assumes the title of
Countess of Wolfenbüttel--Travels in Switzerland--
Meeting of the Princess with the ex-Empress Maria Louisa
and the divorced wife of the Grand Duke Constantine--
The Princess at Milan--Her English attendants fall off
--Her reception by the Pope--At a masked ball at Naples
--Her imprudence--Her festivals at Como--The Princess
at Palermo--Bergami her chamberlain--The Princess at
Genoa--Corresponds with Murat--Personal vanity of Queen
Charlotte--The Pope visits the Princess--Surrounded by
Italians--Her roving life--Proceeds to Syracuse--At
Jericho--Lands at Tunis and visits the Bey--Liberates
European slaves--The Princess at Athens--At Troy--
At Constantinople--At Ephesus--At Acre--Stopped at
Jaffa--Enters Jerusalem--Her reception by the Capuchin
Friars--Institutes a new order of chivalry--Life on
board the polacca--The Princess and Countess Oldi at Como
--Private theatricals a favourite pastime--Agents and
spies--Innocent incidents converted into crimes--Bergami
divested of his knighthood--The Princess at Carlsruhe--
Contemptuously neglected at Vienna--The chamberlain her
only attendant--The Princess in public--Deeply affected
by the death of Princess Charlotte--As uncircumspect as
ever 313

CHAPTER VIII.

THE RETURN TO ENGLAND.

Report of the Milan Commissioners--The Princess’s
determination to return to England--Studied neglect of
her by Louis XVIII.--Lord Hutchinson’s proposal to her to
remain abroad--Her indignant refusal--Bergami’s anger
on the refusal of the proposition--Discourtesy of the
French authorities to the Princess--Her reception in
England--The Regent’s message to Parliament--The green
bag--Sympathy with the Queen--Desire for a compromise
evinced; meeting for the purpose at Lord Castlereagh’s--The
contending parties in Parliament--Mr. Wilberforce as Mr.
Harmony--Mr. Brougham the Queen’s especial advocate--The
Queen’s name in the Liturgy demanded--Mr. Denman’s argument
for it--Address of the House of Commons to the Queen--Her
reply, and appeal to the nation--A secret inquiry protested
against--The Queen at Waithman’s shop--Violence of party
spirit 334

CHAPTER IX.

QUEEN, PEERS, AND PEOPLE.

The secret committee on the Queen’s conduct--Encounter
between the Queen and Princess Sophia--Bill of Pains and
Penalties brought into the House of Lords--The Queen
demands to know the charges against her--Her demand refused
--The Queen again petitions--Lord Liverpool’s speech--
The Queen’s indignant message to the Lords--Money spent
to procure witnesses against her--Public feeling against
the Italian witnesses--Dr. Parr’s Advice to the Queen
--His zealous advocacy of her cause--Lord Erskine’s
efforts in her favour--Her hearty protest against legal
oppression--Gross attack on her in a provincial paper--
Cruel persecution of her--Her sharp philippic against
Ministers--Lord John Russell’s letter to Mr. Wilberforce,
and petition to the King--The Queen at Brandenburgh House
--Death of the Duchess of York--Her eccentricities--Her
character--Addresses to the Queen, and her replies 349

CHAPTER X.

THE QUEEN’S TRIAL.

The Queen’s reception by the House of Lords--Royal progress
to the House--The Queen’s enthusiastic reception by the
populace--Their treatment of the King’s party--Marquis
of Anglesea--The Duke of Wellington’s reply to them--
The Attorney-General’s opening speech--Examination of
Theodore Majocchi--The Queen overcome at the ingratitude
of this knowing rogue--Disgusting nature of the evidence
--Other witnesses examined--Mr. Brougham’s fearless
defence of the Queen--Mr. Denman’s advocacy not less bold
--His denunciation of the Duke of Clarence--Question of
throwing up the bill entertained by Ministers--Stormy
debates--Lords Grey and Grosvenor in favour of the Queen
--Duke of Montrose against her--Ministerial majority--
The Queen protests against the proceedings--The Ministers
in a minority--The bill surrendered by Lord Liverpool--
Reception of the news by the Queen--Her unspeakable grief 365