1-20

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

embarkation agreeably to the compact, was, together withall who accompanied him, bound with chains, and cast intosubterraneous dungeons.

One after the other, under simulated sieges, the castles ofSan telmo, Capua, Gaeta, capitulated. The commander of Sant-elmo was the French general Megean, who for several dayspast, had been traitorously treating with the enemy for thesurrender of his fortress. Cardinal Ruffo did not offer himenough, so he applied to the English , who, to their honour, 'in this instance, be it noted, rejected his offer with disdain, jTo the cardinal, therefore, he returned, and struck the bar- jgain. Thus were the Bourbon hostages agreed upon by jthe capitulation , to be detained in that citadel, freed from !all liability. \

This French mercenary traitor, Megean, of course, ob-tained for all his fellow-countrymen, composing the main of !the garrison, the most “honourable” terms. It was alsopretended that the Neapolitans within the place should notbe given up to king Ferdinand’s forces, but to the allies. ;But on the following day, upon the garrison marching out, jBourbonic agents were seen running to and fro, and seizing jupon every Neapolitan, in which most treacherous and per-fidious office they were actually hounded and directed bythe felon Megean. In vain did Italian officers, long sincein the actual service of France , exclaim and protest againstsuch gross infringements of public faith, and appeal to LordNelson , and the other commanders of the allies. The I

I

answer was, like that of Wellington to Ney, of which I jshall by and by speak, “ the king has a right to do what helikes with his own.” These were infamous times. Whenwill they mend ?

The republic overthrown ; the war extinguished ; a far

more atrocious war commenced against all men of virtue

° I

and civil worth, who had survived the horrors of the open ;