CHAPTER IV. Conduct of the King whilst his people wore mourningInquest on the body of Francis-Verdict wilful murder -Treatment of Sir Robert Baker-Inquest on Honey -Verdict manslaughter-The Radicals determine to have a public funeral procession of Honey and Francis -Mr. Sheriff Waithman attends to preserve the peace -Is attempted to be assassinated-Conduct of Sir Robert Wilson at the Queen's funeral-Dismissal of Major-General Sir Robert Wilson from the army without trial-Some account of his life, and testimo nials to his character-Is dismissed, yet denied all information why or wherefore-Effects of these measures -Sentence on Messrs. Shackell, Arrowsmith, and Weaver, for a libel-Sentence on the Rev. Mr. Blacow -Reflections-Additional proofs of the late Queen's innocence, and the baseness of the witnesses against her-Bergami-Bishop Andrea's testimony, and others -Cardinal Albani's letter to the Queen-RastelliProceedings in Parliament relative to the dismissal of Sir Robert Wilson-Correspondence between Sir Robert, Sir H. Taylor, and Major Oakes-Proceedings in Parliament on Mr. Bennett's motion relative to the conduct of Government at the late Queen's funeral-Conclusion............. 359 Puge LIST OF PLATES. The Queen on her death bed, to face the Vignette THE BRITISH NATTON, The bravely stopped forward to defend the Rights and support the Cause of 15h August AN INJURED QUEEN, 1821. This Work MEMOIRS OF THE LAST DAYS OF QUEEN CAROLINE. CHAPTER 1. THE late Queen Caroline is now become a legitimate subject of history. Even whilst living, such was the importance of her situation with respect to the public at large, that it was deemed requisite to gratify that intense curiosity which her life and sufferings had excited, by the publication of her Memoirs; and it is now more than ever requisite to record the remaining details of a life chequered by so many distressing events, and terminating so awfully and abruptly. The narrative of the late Queen's sufferings, and of the perpetual insults to which she was constantly exposed, prior to the rejection and subsequent acceptance of the grant of 50,000l. per annum, need not be recapitulated. They are fresh in the reader's memory: they have indeed made an impression which death only can obliterate. This volume will be devoted to an account of what took place in Queen Caroline's life after her reception of the parliamentary grant, down to her funeral obsequies; and the important public events consequent on the disgraceful manner in which those obsequies were performed. With respect to the grant above alluded to, it has been stated, that "few things during the last year of her trials and sufferings gave her so much pain as the circumstance of her refusal to accept of that grant from Parliament. She had originally determined in her own mind to accept it, as the first gracious act of the sovereign towards her; but she was otherwise advised, and she yielded to that advice. But the severest blow to her feelings was the necessity which forced her for once to submit to retract what she had said: firm as she was of purpose and always decisive, to yield to her enemies inflicted a wound she never recovered: and what gave more anguish still, was the thought that her enemies would in triumph exclaim, She had yielded.' And for what? For money, which she cared not for; and which, at last, she only accepted to enable her to pay her debts: for, at the moment she agreed to accept the money from Parliament, she had not 107. in the house to defray the common expenses of the day, and nothing at her banker's. She expected that, on her agreeing to take the grant, government would have given her a house and some outfit for her establishment, when she would have paid all her debts, and have been quite satisfied as to pecuniary affairs, for she never valued money for her own personal gratification. Instead of this, they deducted upwards of 4,0007. |