Meanwhile the cabal against the ruined Ripperda raged with redoubled
fury in the Spanish cabinet. No appeals from him were suffered to reach
His Majesty, while he was accused of every political crime that could
criminate a minister; and amongst others, of bribery from the merchants
of Ostend; and this, Baptista Orendayn protested on oath, having seen
the golden caskets in the hands of his son. Charge after charge was
brought forward by the Spaniards. Baron Otho de Routemberg, (a brother
of the Austrian minister, and his Ambassador at Madrid) supported them
all by a shew of evidence; till, at last, the King was so far persuaded
of the attempt at poisoning him having originated with Ripperda, that
he privately summoned a committee of the Council of Castile, and laid
the proofs before their judgement.
With equal secrecy they consulted together, and declared it expedient
to commit the regicide to some stronger hold than that of the English
ambassador's house, till the full council could be assembled, and a
solemn trial be made of the offender.
General Stanhope afterwards learnt, that while the new ministers
affected great indignation at what they represented as Ripperda's
clandestine intelligence with the emissaries of James Stuart, they
were severally giving private audiences to Duke Wharton. Philip was
entirely in the dark, as to this avenue of their intelligence; for the
Duke's presence in Madrid was not generally known, though the Queen
herself was more than suspected of having admitted him to a conference
in the disguise of a priest. But Stanhope had proof given him, that
Wharton passed several hours alone with Grimaldo, on the evening of
his rescuing Ripperda from the populace; and that on the night of the
sitting of the committee of the Council of Castile, he was seen gliding
out of the chamber of the Queen's confessor; who immediately after,
went to Her Majesty; and thence carried a message from her to the King,
just as he was passing into the cabinet to decide on the judgement that
was denounced on Ripperda.
The sentence that was then determined on, and sanctioned by the royal
assent, was executed the following morning some hours before the usual
time of rising. While all was in profound tranquillity in the city, the
Chief Alcaid of the court got into a carriage equipped for travelling,
and with a strong escort set forth towards the British residence. A
double detachment of soldiers was already there, with orders to support
him in case of resistance. It happened that the house porter had
risen before his accustomed time; and supposing, from a stir he heard
without, that the usual guard was going to be relieved, he opened the
door to amuse himself with the ceremony. The Alcaid and his officers
seized the favourable moment, and entered the house without opposition.
Some of the soldiers secured the porter from creating an alarm; and the
rest filling the hall, fastened the door.
The Alcaid having learnt from the terrified domestic, in what part of
the residence the Duke de Ripperda slept, went with his Alquazils, and
a military guard, up stairs in the described direction. The tumult
they made in hurrying along the passages, awoke General Stanhope; who,
hastening out of his room to investigate the cause, met the officer
of justice in the lobby. A few words explained his errand; but the
brave Englishman would hardly hear it to the end. He had received the
King's word, that the Duke de Ripperda should remain unmolested in his
house, until he was demanded to public trial; and he declared, that on
the peril of his life, he would resist all illegal proceedings to the
contrary.
The Alcaid presented a letter from the Count de Paz, begging His
Excellency to read it at least, while he went forward to apprise the
ex-minister of the sentence against him. Stanhope, having no other
covering than his dressing gown, took the letter, and retired in angry
haste, to read it and hurry on his cloaths. Its contents were to this
effect; and they were addressed to him.
"That His Majesty, knowing the integrity of the British ambassador,
appealed also to his good understanding. His Excellency must be too
well acquainted with the Duke de Ripperda's delinquency, not to see the
fatal consequences to the royal authority, should His Majesty bear any
longer with the temerity of the Duke, in braving his sovereign with
propositions in the language of a prince, rather than of a subject; and
all from being in the fancied security of a foreign ambassador's house.
"Such a scandalous example, might hereafter induce some other minister
of His Majesty to transgress in a similar way, under the assurance of a
similar asylum; and so cover guilt from the royal justice, even within
the walls of the royal courts!
"These reflections ought to engage His Excellency to surrender the Duke
de Ripperda, on the first summons; and that summons is made in the name
of the King, who commands it to be imparted to the British ambassador,
that if he insists on the sanctuary of his house, he places the Duke
equally out of the reach of His Majesty's mercy, as of his justice. If
on a farther impartial inspection of his ministry, it should appear he
had not only betrayed the interests of the state, but had devised the
death of the King; when the delinquent was in the power of justice,
then His Majesty could either make him a great example in an exemplary
punishment; or, what was infinitely more precious in his sight, shew
the world as great an example in pardoning so formidable a criminal."
While Stanhope was reading these, and other arguments to persuade,
where force was already determined, the Alcaid and his guards
approached the door of the Duke's anti-chamber. On opening it rather
rudely, (for all now depended on dispatch,) Martini sprang from his
mattrass, and seeing the armed men by the dawning light, demanded what
they wanted?
"We must speak with your master," replied their leader.
Martini had now approached them; and recognising the office of the
Alcaid by his habit, when he glanced also on the drawn swords of his
attendants, he was at no loss to guess the purpose of their visit; but
placing himself before the entrance of the interior chamber, with all
the pride of its noble occupier elevating his own manner, he replied:
"My master is not accustomed to intrusion at an hour like this. You
must await his commands till noon."
"Seize that fellow," returned the Alcaid, motioning to his men. Two of
them obeyed; and Martini was held, pinioned between them, while the
Alcaid, followed by the rest, passed direct into the chamber. Since his
misfortunes, the Duke's sleep was peculiarly profound, and he now lay
in as composed a slumber, as if he slept in his tomb. But the Alcaid,
fearing resistance from the Ambassador, should he rejoin them before
Ripperda had surrendered himself, darted towards the bed; and drawing
back the curtains, roughly awoke the Duke. Ripperda started up in the
bed, and beheld it surrounded by gleaming sabres. Before he could
speak, the officer of Justice proclaimed his errand: that he arrested
him for high-treason, and came to carry him to the state-prison of
Segovia.
"It shall be my corpse!" cried the Duke, snatching a sword from the
unprepared hand of the soldier who stood nearest to him, and attempting
to rush from the bed.
But the Alcaid had ordered a concerted sign to be made to the men
below; and, while those present threw themselves upon the Duke, the
other guards hastened up stairs, and filled the chamber. Stanhope came
into the room at the same instant, and called loudly on the illegal
proceeding; on the breach of his privileges as an ambassador, on the
shameful violation of the claims of honour, and the sacred rights of
hospitality!
The Duke was now insensible, from a blow he had received on the
temple, in the scuffle. This sight redoubled the indignation, and the
threatenings of the brave Englishman; but the Alcaid drew forth his own
order, signed by the King, "to take Ripperda, dead or alive;" and then
the minister found himself obliged to resist no longer. However, though
he stood quiescent while the lifeless Duke was wrapped in the coverlid,
and carried to the carriage, he called all around to witness, that he
protested against a deed so contrary to the law of nations, and the
commonest bonds of faith between man and man.
In passing through the hall, (Martini having been hurried thither by
his sentinels,) when the faithful Italian saw his master in so lost a
condition, he broke from his guards, and with a dreadful malediction on
his murderers, rushed towards him. The soldiers attempted to beat him
back; but throwing himself almost upon their swords, his attachment so
affected General Stanhope, that he said to the Alcaid:
"If it be not against your positive orders, let me see, Sir, that
you have some regard to humanity, in respecting the fidelity of that
man.--Let him accompany his master."
The Alcaid replied, he had no orders, but what related to the person
of the Duke; and therefore, to oblige his Excellency, he would permit
Martini to attend his Master.
"Not to oblige me;" returned the English minister, "but to lessen the
account of outrages I shall immediately charge upon this court to my
own! Therefore, on the peril of your safety, pretend to augment that
sum, by your own authority alone!"
The Alcaid bowed to Stanhope; and ordered Martini to be placed in the
carriage with his master, between a soldier, and an officer of the
police. The vehicle then drove off at a rapid gallop, followed by the
Alcaid and a grand escort of armed cavalry, towards the dismal Alcazar
of Segovia.