XIV. 1726. Holy Virgin, the Emperor and Empress, and the CHAP. King and Queen of Spain !* Yet whatever might be Ripperda's degree of favour in such high places, it is clear that he found none among the people. The English ambassador declares, that "he has "for inveterate enemies not only all the other mi"nisters, but the whole Spanish nation, to whom "he has rendered himself odious beyond imagin"ation...... It is also certain that the King is "extremely agitated and uneasy, and has daily disputes and quarrels with the Queen, who does 66 nothing but cry from morning till night...... "Ripperda has entirely changed his way of talking, " and is now become as abjectly fearful, as he was "before imperiously intrepid."+ The Austrian ambassador, Count Konigseck was still more indignant, finding how much Ripperda had bragged of the resources of the Spanish monarchy, and had promised more than he was able to perform. On the other hand, it became no less apparent that the forwardness of Austria had been greatly exaggerated by Ripperda to the Spanish Court, with the view to embolden them and recommend himself. Both parties, soon undeceived, and much disap Comentarios de Don Joseph del Campo Raso, vol. i. p. 17. He truly adds, "Semejantes discursos daban de su capacidad "la opinion mas singular." + Mr. Stanhope to the Duke of Newcastle, March 25., April 11. 1726. A Spanish historian admits Mr. Stanhope's accurate information, "El incentivo de sus Guineas (o doblones) le "hacian penetrar el lo mas interior de las Secretarias de Estado." Campo Raso, vol. i. p. 69. XIV. 1726. CHAP. pointed, turned round upon Ripperda, and his own system of falsehood crushed him in its ruins. On the 14th of May he was informed that the King dispensed with his services, but granted him a pension of 3000 pistoles. His dismissal was hailed by the populace with loud acclamations, and muttered threats of tearing him to pieces. Ripperda, bewildered with his fall, and afraid either of mob violence, or of the Royal resentment, adopted the ignominious resolution of taking refuge in the house of the English minister, who had gone the day before to Aranjuez. On returning home that evening, Mr. Stanhope was not a little surprised to find in his apartments the lately arrogant Prime Minister of Spain imploring his protection. Nay more, so unmanned was Ripperda by his misfortune, and so grateful when Stanhope consented to shelter him, that he proceeded to disclose the highest secrets of his state. He communicated the particulars of the private agreement at Vienna, declaring that it aimed at nothing less than the total extirpation of the Protestant Religion; and that the King of Spain had said, that for such an object he would willingly sell his very shirt.* It seems probable, however, that Ripperda may have exaggerated these designs with a view to enhance the merit of his disclosures, or to inflame the British nation against * Mr. Keene's Memoir for the Duke of Newcastle, June 15. XIV. the two Courts which had wrought his downfall. CHA P. All the while that he dictated the secret articles to Mr. Stanhope, we are told that he "appeared to "be in the greatest agonies, and frequently burst "into tears." The Spanish Court were both offended and alarmed at Ripperda's flight, foreseeing the probability that he would discover all he knew. They made every exertion to induce Mr. Stanhope to surrender him; but Stanhope steadily refused, and bid them beware how they violated in his person the right of an ambassador and the Law of Nations. Nevertheless, after a few days of argument and altercation, an ALCALDE DE CORTE came to Stanhope at six in the morning with a party of horse-guards, and carried away the Duke by force. Stanhope publicly protested against this act, and sent home Mr. Keene, the Consul, with an account of it, and of Ripperda's revelations. The affair led to a train of representations and counter representations between the two Courts, serving only to embitter the quarrel between them. Ripperda was now committed a close prisoner to the Castle of Segovia; but, after above two years' captivity, fortune again smiled upon this singular man. He seduced the maid servant, and availed himself of an occasion, when the governor and his wife were both ill, to make his escape with her and with a corporal, whom he had also gained over. The Duke's faithful valet, meanwhile, remained behind; and for some time averted a discovery by 1726. CHAP. the pretence that his master was indisposed. RipXIV. perda, in real fact, was so, being crippled with 1726. gout, and having the greatest difficulty in descending the ladder of ropes which was lowered from his window. Nor could he afterwards travel but by very short days' journeys. Nevertheless he safely reached the frontier of Portugal, and, proceeding to Oporto, embarked for England under the name of Mendoza. His wife, and some of his children, it appears, still remained in Spain. On landing in England, Ripperda was received by the government with great attention, but great mystery. They wished to draw full information from him on the treaty of Vienna; they wished to avoid any fresh offence with Spain on his account; they therefore avoided any public interviews with him; but sent an Under Secretary of State to meet him on his way to London, and conduct him privately to the house of Dr. Bland, Head Master of Eton. There he had more than one conference with Townshend, and from thence proceeded with the same secrecy to London. After a little time, however, he flung off the mask, took a large house in Soho Square, and lived with much magnificence. He continued a correspondence with the English ministers, and nourished a chimerical hope to become one of their principal colleagues; but though treated with regard while the differences with Spain were still pending, these were no sooner adjusted than he began to suffer neglect and to show disgust. In 1731, he passed over to Holland, and again XIV. 1726. embraced the Protestant faith, which he had CHA P. forsaken when he attached himself to the Spaniards. But he had not yet reached the end of his vicissitudes. He became acquainted with one Perez, a Spanish renegado, who acted as a Moorish agent at the Hague, and, by his persuasion, was induced to enter the service of Muley Abdallah, Emperor of Marocco. He renounced, or at least dissembled, the Christian religion *, was created a Bashaw, and rose again to the direction of councils. He led an army against the Spaniards and obtained several successes; but being worsted near Ceuta, was compelled to relinquish his command. A civil war in Marocco was, in some degree, decided by his change of party, and at length, retiring to the protection of the Bashaw at Tetuan, he died there at an advanced age in 1737. Thus ended a man whose character will be found far less romantic than his fortunes. Among his mad and unprincipled projects was one which he termed the "Universal Religion," being a compound of the Jewish, Christian, and Mahometan, and intended to reconcile them in one common faith. According to this notable scheme, the Messiah was still to be ex * There is a letter preserved to his friend M. Troye, in which Ripperda protests that he had not renounced the Christian faith. (See Ortiz, Compendio, vol. vii. p. 389.) But this seems to deserve the less credit, since at the same time he asserts that he never had borne, and never would bear, arms against the Spanish Monarchy. When I was at Tetuan in 1827, I made several inquiries respecting Ripperda, but could find no trace or recollection of him. |