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ing fleet for that which they had so long been promised, andso anxiously expecting—the Gallo-Hispano fleet, which wasto have brought them aid against the myrmidons of Ferdinandand his motley allies. Bitter were the reproaches which,amongst themselves, they then began to bandy about, or fixupon their own several conducts, in not having held out alittle longer. But alas! these coming ships were those ofNelson, which all arrived and anchored before the sun had set.During the whole of the night a favourable wind endured,but still the prepared refuge vessels did not sail. Nextmorning their anchorage was changed, they were placedclose under the guns of the castle Ovo—their rudders andsails were abstracted—guards placed on board, and theseships of refuge, and most sacred asylum, were convertedinto prisons.

The astonished and alarmed passengers sent to request theexplanation and interference of Lord Nelson, but the “ heroof the Nile ” did not scruple or blush at declaring the capi-tulation void; in confirmation of which, he published therecent edict of king Ferdinand, which said,

“ The king does not treat with subjects. The acts of hisvicar are null. He himself will exercise his royal will uponthe rebels.” After this, commissaries of police were senton board the sacred vessels, and began their work by drag-ging forth eighty-four of the most distinguished persons,who, chained together two and two like galley slaves, wereparaded through the streets, subjected to the insults and theinjuries of ferocious priests and bandits, and cast into dun-geons in those very castles which they had just ceded tothe English , who now garrisoned them. The remainder ofthe unhappy exiles, leaving behind them wives, children,property, and hope, were allowed to sail for Marseilles .Ector Caraffa, Count Ruvo, that brave and good young man,having shortly after arrived at Naples, for the purpose of