Thurn, Caraccioli's bitterest enemy at their head, and assembled on board the British flag-ship, the Foudroyant, the very ship in which Captain Hardy could, " with the utmost difficulty restrain the insults and violence of the Neapolitan royalists " towards the prisoner. This was done, because " it would have been very dangerous to have ordered a court-martial to assemble on board a Neapolitan ship, from the love which the Sicilian seamen bore to Caraccioli ; " and moreover, because " the Foudroyant was considered as the seat of government of the King of Naples," * although the latter was then at Palermo. In two hours the court passed sentence of death on this poor old man (he was upwards of 70 years of age), and Lord Nelson immediately issued an order for his execution on board the Neapolitan frigate Minerva, Count Thurn's ship. " During the awful interval that ensued, from the close of his trial, to the execution of his sentence, Caraccioli twice requested Lieutenant Parkinson to go and intercede with Lord Nelson; at first, for a second trial, and, afterwards that he might be shot. ' am an old man, sir,' said Caraccioli, ' I have no family to lament my death ; I therefore cannot be supposed to be very anxious about prolonging my life, but the disgrace of being hanged is dreadful to me.' Lord. Nelson replied, 'Caraccioli has been fairly tried by the officers of his own country ; I cannot interfere.' On being urged a second time by Lieutenant Parkinson, he exclaimed with much agitation, 'Go, sir, and attend to your duty ! ' Caraccioli, then, as a last hope, asked Lieutenant Parkinson, whether he thought an application to Lady Hamilton would prove beneficial. Upon which that officer went to the quarterdeck, but, not being able to meet with her, � he returned. At 5 p.m. Caraccioli was removed from the Foudroyant, and hanged at the fore yard-arm of the Neapolitan frigate la Minerva. His body was afterwards carried out to a considerable distance, and sunk in the bay of Naples. �

On the day previous to Caraccioli's caption, trial (for so we must for form sake call it), and execution, Captain Foote had sailed for Palermo, to bring their Sicilian majesties to the spot. On the 8th of July the latter arrived, in their own frigate, the Sirena, accompanied by the Seahorse as an escort. Imbecility of mind, where not the associate, is often the tool of depravity of heart. Ferdinand IV., although not naturally a cruel, was. undoubtedly a weak man. Lady Hamilton and his ministers did with him as they pleased ; and, in consequence, such scenes were now acted on board the prison-ships (the cartels that had been!) as would scarcely be believed, even if those

* Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii., p. 105.
� The partial biographers of Lord Nelson have softened this. She would not be seen. But even they admit (vol. ii., p. 188), that Lady Hamilton was present at Caraccioli's execution !
� Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii., p. 186.

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