The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 16 October 1820
“York St., 16th Oct.
“. . . I dined yesterday at Ridley’s with Grey, Lansdowne, Rosslyn, Sefton, Brougham and
various others. Grey is looking horribly ill. I dine at
Lord Derby’s to-day.”
“House of Lords, 2 o’clock.
“We are now evidently going to have a splashing debate. The same witness that we had on
Saturday has deposed to another person besides Rastelli, of the name of Raganti, having
attempted to bribe him to come and give evidence against the Queen. He not only
offered him money to come, but told him the particular
thing to swear to. Mr. Attorney
and Solicitor have objected to this as evidence. Brougham has taken the opportunity of firing the most capital
broadside into the whole concern as a conspiracy. . . . A damned flat debate
going forward instead of a splashing one. Grey has moved that the examination shall proceed, and
Liverpool opposed it, but has let out
most clearly to my mind that all the Italian evidence is
to be flung overboard. So much for the Milan commission! . . . I find that
Hutchinson and Donoughmore were with the King at Windsor to-day, so
Liverpool’s speech is accounted for. It is the
first breakdown.”
Henry Peter Brougham, first baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868)
Educated at Edinburgh University, he was a founder of the
Edinburgh
Review in which he chastised Byron's
Hours of Idleness; he
defended Queen Caroline in her trial for adultery (1820), established the London University
(1828), and was appointed lord chancellor (1830).
Robert Gifford, first Baron Gifford (1779-1826)
Barrister, educated at the Middle Temple, he practiced on the western circuit and was
Tory MP for Eye (1817-24), attorney general (1819-24), and lord chief justice of the common
pleas (1824).
Charles Grey, second earl Grey (1764-1845)
Whig statesman and lover of the Duchess of Devonshire; the second son of the first earl
(d. 1807), he was prime minister (1831-34).
Giuseppe Rastelli (1820 fl.)
An Italian groom brought to London to testify against Queen Caroline; he was accused by
the defense of bribing witnesses.
Edward Smith Stanley, twelfth earl of Derby (1752-1834)
Grandson of the eleventh earl (d. 1776); educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge,
he was a Whig MP for Lancashire, a friend of Charles James Fox, nephew of John Burgoyne,
and a committed sportsman.
