The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-01-19
ONLY THREE OF THEM
A TRIO OF FAMOUS ENGLISH ADvEN-
TURERS.

They Were Brothers and Belonged to an
Ancient Family, but They Loved to Stir
Up Things-Diplomatists Of a Combative
Kind, Always In Stew.
In 1911 Robert Shirley was received by
King James as special envoy from Shah
Abbas and knighted. He brought his Cir
cassian wife with him, and a child was
born during their residence here, to whom
the queen and Prince Henry stood spon-
sors. In short, he was treated with great
distinction. On his return next year the
king gave him $500 and sent him home
In fine ship with an autograph letter to
the shah. This was so satisfaoto that In
1928 Sir Robert solicited and obtained an
other mission, which proved to be no less
agreeable Perhaps 1t was the diversions
Of the court which tempted him to neglect
his correspondence with the shah. At
least that arbitrary painim took offense
and presently dispatched another envoy.
When this parsonage arrived, he sent due
notice to Sir Robert who ought to have
left the country forthwith, but he paid no
attention, and when No. 2 was received at
court to his horror he beheld No. actual
ly In the presence chamber. Words could
not express his Indignation at this breach
of etiquette, though he used the strongest
language In the loudest voice He slapped
Sir Roberts face, and his son knocked him
down In the kings presence. The incident Is
unique perhaps in the annals of diplomacy.
Both parties were hurried out, and his
majesty ordered them to quit the realm.
They sailed for Persia in different ships.
AS he approached his native shores No
felt more and more strongly that he had
gone too far, and at length took to an ex-
elusive diet of opium, whereof he died in
sight of land. The shah gave Sir Robert
an audience, but scarcely spoke to him.
He even Knocked his personal appearance
the old English cheer had developed fat
perhaps or a red nose. When the poor man
heard this, his distress brought on a fit Of
spoplexy and they buried him under the
threshold Of his own house at Ispahan.
But who was Sir Robert Shirley and
how came 1t that the great Shah Abbas
sent him on embassiesp The story Is long,
even summarized, for one cannot mention
Robert without abiding to his elder
brothers. Among English adventures
they stand in the first rank. Thomas, the
head of his ancient family and heir to
large fortune, served In the low countries
with great distinction. Then he fitted out
three vessels to make private war upon the
ing an enormous ship, which he captured
however, convinced his men that he was
not a businesslike leader, and they mu-
tinted. Finally Sir Thomas was taken
prisoner and confined for four years in
dungeon at Constantinople treated with
horrible barbarity and ordered to execution
at least three times. At length his father
ransomed him, but the man was incorrigi-
BILE. A letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury
states, Sept. z, 1907: Young Sir Thomas
Shirley Is committed to the tower. Some
say it was for overbusying himself with
the traffic of Constantinople to have
brought 1t into Venice and the Florentine
territories" etc. That is the last we hear
of him.
Anthony, the second son, graduated at
Oxford, fought in the low countries and in
France, where Henry of Navarro decorated
him. 1t was on this occasion that Eliza
beth declared, 81 will not have my sheep
marked with a strange brand or suffer
them to follow the pipe of a strange shep-
herd" Sir Anthony was committed to
the fleet. Then he went buccaneering, cap
tured ST. Jago and Jamaica, served with
| Essex at Cadz and in Ireland, where he
was knighted, and presently led a force of
| picked English soldiers to Venice to sup
| port Don Cesare d Este. Upon arrival,
| however, he found that the disputants had
| come to terms, and from Venice he started
| for Persia. Essex and the company Of
| Aleppo merchants supplied him with
| funds, for what object we do not see clear
| ly, but the adventurer's resources all
through life were mysterious. He travelled
| In prodigious state At length he reached
Ispahan and gained the shah's favor at
once. He was first named lieutenant of
the imperial army, but presently the shah
dispatched him to Europe on rowing mis-
| sion to stir up the Christian powers against
the Turk. Through Muscovy, Germany,
Italy and Spain this astonishing man tray
eled like prince, receiving the highest
honors everywhere. The German emperor
sent him as ambassador to Marocco.
| In Spain he was made Knight of st.
Jago and appointed captain general of a
feet comprising 200 great ships, besides
galleys and small vessels, manned by 30,-
600 sailors and soldiers. The purpose of
this armament is not divulged, but it
caused such alarm that James l ordered
his subject to return to England at once on
peril Of his life. Sir Anthony disobeyed
the summons but he thought it prudent
to resign his high command. He died in
Spain in 1880, magnificent to the last,
though his only visible income was pen
| sion of 1000 ducats as a count of the Holy
Roman Empire.
| Robert, the third son, accompanied his
brother to Persia and became great ia
vorite with the shah. He commanded the
army in several campaigns against the
Turk, always victorious When the shah
discovered that Anthony was making no
progress in the organization Of the league
against Turkey, he sent Robert on the
same errand. Thus the special envoy
came to England, as has been told.-Pall
| Mall Gazatte