THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 7, 1939.
TO-DAY'S STRANGE STORY OF REAL PEOPLE
ENGLAND'S NEAR-KING WHO VANISHED
BY VINCENT TOWNE
When that Prince of Wales who became King Charles II. of England was a lad barely.18 he enjoyed Д mance upon that garden spot, the Isle of Jersey. Some authorities state that a secret morganatic marriage resulted, others that the affair was adventure. Whatever its status, child resulted-a son, who assumed. the name James de la Cloche,
a mere
a
There were persistent rumours that the lad's mother was Marguer- ite de Cartaret, who, with her bro- ther, Sir George Cartaret, dwelt in the beautiful old Manoir de la Trinite, on the isle above mentioned.
The young prince and his broth- er, the Duke of York, were enter tained there by Sir George, to whom Charles, when King, gave what is now our State, New Jersey, named in honour of that Eden which has such a warm place in the royal memory. In any event, James de la Cloche is known to have been recognized by Charles II. as his son. His royal father had him educated in France and granted him a pension of 500 pounds a year, which was to con- tinue so long as he remained a Pro- testant-this proviso being more on account of its political effect than any strict aversion born eby the king to the Catholic faith, for His Majesty was at heart a Romanist.
or affected so
to forfeit, his comfortable pension by joining the Jesuit order and entering one of its monasteries when he was 22 years old. But, King Charles instead of seeking to punish his offspring for this deflance either forgave him forthwith to do, for not long afterward he sent a secret message to Olivia, gen- eral of the Jesuits, confessing that his heart craved Catholicism and asking that the young Jesuit James de la Cloche, be sent to him to instruct him in the faith. About the same time James received from his fath- er a letter addressing him as:
"Our Honoured Son, the Prince Stuart, dwelling under the name of Signor de la Cloche."
So in the Autumn of 1668, de la- Cloche, in disguise and under an assumed ' name, proceeded to Lon- don to see the king, bearing with him the bellef that he might one. day sit upon the British throne, should he see fit to leave the militant order of the Church of Rome. But King Charles was not yet ready to acclaim him to the multitude as his son and heir. Instead he wished to make use of him as a secret messenger between him and his ally, the Pope.
In several letters Charles II. ex- pressed his purpose to one day pub- licly recognize his son. He further hinted that he might declare that youth his rightful heir to the throne, for Charles and his queen had no issue; nor had the Duke of York at that time. King Charles stipulatd to James de la Cloche that he must not reveal his parentage until his re- cognition should be openly made, but the young man disobeyed, this com- The message which de la Cloche mand by confiding in Queen Christina was to bear gave assurances to the of Sweden, whom he met at Ham Holy See that Charles II., his, sister, burg. Subsequently he proceeded to Duchess Henriette of Orleans, and Rome bearing with him a letter writ- Louis XIV, of France had conspir- ten by Her Majesty in Latin and at-ed to wage war against Holland and testing that Charles II. had privately restore Roman Catholicism in Eng- acknowledge him to be his son.
land.
don with this confidence, whose be- trayal would have wrecked his father's throne and his own chances for succession thereto. While pro- ceeding back to Rome he became lost to history, and to-day no one knows
what became of him.
Some
authorities
believed
that he was followed and murdered by some one who fostered jealousy over the royal favour shown to him while he was being entertained at court; others that one of his ser- vants assassinated him.
Some have advanced the belief that James de la Cloche was disposed of by no less a personage when his own royal father; that while bearing back to Rome the 'news of the con- spiracy to recatholicize England he had somewhere committed the in- discretion of confinding this confiden- ce to some one, as he had confided his parentage to the Queen of Sweden.
ULSTERMEN
RUSH TO JOIN ARMY
London, To-day.
The following statement has been issued by the Prime Minister of Northern Ire- land:
"In no part of the
he UK, has the call to duty been more deeply re- cognised than in loyal Ulster. "Her people, in common with their fellow citizens throughout the United King- dom are throwing their full weight and entire resources into the conflict which has been forced upon Great Britain and the Empire.
other
"Despite the fact that Ulster's re- cord in recruitment for the armed forces of the Crown has always been relatively as great as in any part of the United Kingdom, enlist- ment during the past few days has been so overwhelming that the staffs at the various recruiting centres are
experiencing the greatest difficulty in coping with the situation.
"Those who have played their part in the triumph of Right over Might are to-day joined by a new genera- tion ready to man defences and up- hold the cause of freedor
de-.
"Ulster awaits
mands which may be made upon her
any further
by the Imperial authorities and I am glad to say that good order and discipline prevail throughout." British Wireless.
KING'S BROTHER AS LIAISON OFFICER
According to this theory, King Charles,.on hearing of his son's be- trayal of his confidence, trembled
London, To-day. with the fear that the story might The King has approved the ap- get abroad, that the Protestants in pointment of the Duke of Gloucester England might again rise in their as Chief Liaison Officer of the Bri- bloody wrath, and that his head, like tish Forces, says a War Office an- his father's, might fall by the axe.nouncement.-Reuter, Consequently he gave the alarm to his "great and good friend," Louis.. XIV., who had James de la Cloche arrested and placed in Prison, where he became that mysterious personage. "The Man of the Iron Mask.”
But that is all idle speculation, and the world can as yet but guess at the
In Rome James de la Cloche chose The mouth following that of his fate of this young man who might to further disobey his royal sire and return to England, James left Lon-have become King of England.
LOCAL DOLLAR
The demand rate on the Hong Kong dollar to-day was 1/2-13/16.
The London on New York cross rate was quoted at £1-U.S.$4.02 (Sellers) and 4.06 (Buyers), and the New York on London rate at. £1-U.S.$4.07-3/4.
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