Memoirs Of The Freemasons Of Naples.

treasonable designs in others ; thus family life was corrupted by putting brother against brother , son against father ; and societ y disorganised by obliging its members to look upon everyone with suspicion . The like unhappiness extended to the throne : the King and Queenbelieving they were surrounded with treachery

, and death , dismissed their body guard , and chose others ; they changed their attendants , altered the routine of the palace , ordered their food to be tested , and concealed their apartments from the under menials ; their alarm increased daily , and they deprived others of the peace of mind they could not enjoy themselves .

The anxieties occasioned by the vicinity ofthe great war , and the dread of -Napoleon ' s power , caused no cessation in these unhappy trials . The very successes of the eneiny made the government more suspicious , while the police authorities watched on all sides for any pretence of a conspirator . If any person was known to be a

Ereemason , his house was watched continually , and if he ventured out , he was followed by a government spy . They saw the sign of a conspiracy in every fashion of dress . The hair arranged in a peculiar manner , uncurled locks , or an over-long beard , certain trowsers , ribbons , coloursor appendageswere severely punished as crimes

, , entailing imprisonment and prosecution for high treason . The trouble of Iriends was also increased by the mystery maintained respecting the crimes and punishment of the persons accused . It was forbidden for the prisoner ' s name to be mentionedor his crime spoken of ; it was a treasonable act

, to plead his cause . But we have one instance where motherly affection braved the danger , and partiall y succeeded . Two ladies , the Duchess of Cessano and the Princess Colonna , each had a son in prison ; they were

both held in the highest estimation , both by the Court and the people . They were overwhelmed by sorrow for their children , and appeared in deep mourning before the Queen , and each entreated her to listen to their petition : — "Your Majesty , " said they , "may as a mother feel for our grief . Our unfortunate children have been now

languishing for four years in dungeons , and we know not even if they are alive . Their families wear mourning ; and parents , sisters , and kindred are miserable and melancholy ; they have never known happiness since the fatal night of our sons' imprisonment . Have pity ou us , and restore us our childrenand our peace of mindancl

, , God will reward you for this mercy by the happiness of your own children . " " Were they guilty ? " said the Queen . The ladies each contended that their innocence must be proved by the silence of the inquisitors , for surely if they had discovered any plot in whicli they were connected they would long ere this have put them

on their trial . " Consider also , " said they , " the youthful age of our children ; consider their virtuous life , their piety towards God , their obedience to their parents , their love of their country ; no stain , no fault can be discovered in their character , not even the trifling errors inexperienced youth are subject tocan be laid to

, their charge . " They could say no more , for , overcome ivith grief , their sobs choked further utterance , and thus they left the Eoyal presence . The Queen was more moved ivith the heartrending looks and noble character of these ladies than by their words . She would never pardonif guilty ; but these she thought must be

inno-, cent . Most persons believe that Eerdinand and Caroline wished to be just , and the blame of torturing the innocent and guilty alike rests more ivith their advisers than themselves . The Queen reported her interview with these ladies to the King , who immediately ordered the Junta of State

to expedite the prods of those accused of treason , who had been long suffering imprisonment , " by which justice had been suspended , an example productive of serious mischief , and , perhaps , occasionally unmerited suffering to our unhappy subjects . " The st yle of these commands , breathing pity , were so new and unexpected

that they alarmed both Acton and the Junta , The two chief inquisitors , Castelcicala and Yanni , accordingly met in consultation . JNTOthing had been proved in the proces , and fearing the anger of the Sovereigns , the popular outcry , and the vengeance of the accused , they agreed to shield themselves bresorting to violent and

y desperate remedies . When on the next day they met at court , the King ' s message was read aloud , and the Junta wore desired to expedite their report , when Yanni observed : " Theproces , which are at least equal in number to the accused , are now completed as far as the inquisitors are concerned ; but to be wholly satisfactory

the proof 'l y torture is still wanting , which wise legislators have enjoined as indispensable in crimes of treason , even where there is abundance of other proofs . We have to do with criminals resolved to keep a secret ; the promise they have made of secrecy seals the lips of these wretches , but there is nothing like justice and

torture to unloose those tongues kept silent by an unrighteous oath . I , armed with the authority , granted me by my King , as Inquisitor and Procurator Eiscal , demand , in the first instance , that the principal criminals , the Chevalier Luigi de Medici , the Dukedi Canzano , the Abate Teodore Monticelli , and Michele Sciaronne , should

be put to the trial of torture after the severest manner prescribed by laiv , under theformula Torquiri aciter adhibitis guatuor funiculi ' s . Do not , gentlemen , from any weak scruple , hesitate to put criminals to the torture , whom you yourselves will shortly condemn to a greater and still more merited suffering , when we cease to discuss the proces and treat of the final sentence . " Starting

from his seat , Yanni turned his sallow , cold features , with eyes that glared like those of a wild beast , round upon the assembly , and added , " It is now tivo months since I have slept , less from the labour of these proces , than from anxiety for the dangers incurred by my Sovereign , and yet you , gentlemen , can feel pity for such odious

wretches , who , if aided by fortune , aud not overtaken by justice , would have subverted all we held most sacred ; therefore , repeating my jjroposals , that the principal criminals should be put to torture , I exhort you to act with justice and loyalty towards the King , and with that courage which is the noblest attribute in jr c grp called upon to save a kingdom . "

The magistrate , Mazzochi , who was the President- of the first Junta , replied to Yanni .- " The ivords , ony sovereign , are ever on your lips , aud , under a pretence of zeal , you conceal violence and pride ; from henceforth it would be better to say , our sovereign . Then , turning to the judges , he asked their vote on the motion of Yanni ,

which was unanimously rejected , as barbarous and useless , since the inquisitors had so often sifted the proofs ; and the crimes and criminals were clearly established . One voice alone , that of the Prince di Castelcicala , was raised in a menacing tone , while supporting the arguments of his brother inquisitor : adding his own belief

that torture was just and necessary , he denounced the decision of the other judges as weak and criminal , and tried to rouse their fears by declaring that the King would take vengeance on them , ancl concluded by using all the seductive arts of which he was capable to persuade them to follow the course he suggested . Castelcicala was , like his patron , jealous of De Medici , and thought , if tortured , he would either die from shame and misery , or , if he survived , be rendered incapable of