New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-13
A HALF-|R|SH BOURBON
Kings Brother Married
Waterford Beauty.

NIIy DI OtliCi Wdi ICU
Waterford Beauty.
copyright. 1918 by tho Brentwood Company,
Francis Charles of Bourbon. whose IN.
sanity for the last forty wears formed tho
subject Of a short cable dispatch from
Rome in the American newspapers a few
days ago. is not. As stated therein.
Prince OF Bourbon por vet entitled 10 tho
style Of Prince Of Capua. by which MI,
father was known. Ills real ttlo Is Com,
Mascai Tho mention. however. OF the
unfortunate lunatic who Is half Irish. srd
who was believed by many to have dlel
long ago. serves to recall an cNtraordi.
nary romance Of seventy and eight Gears
ego. to which no reference is made IN tho
dispatch. and which. relating rs il does
TO the nfatuation Of n Kings brother for
a particularly lovely daughter Of Erin. IS
worthy II being given here briefly.
\ couple Of years before the accession OF
Queen Victoria To the throne Prime
Charles Ferdinand of bourbon. brother OF
Ferdinand II Of Naples ,and a Younger
sor Of Francis I and of. that Queen caro-.
line who ayishcd 50 much favor on Lord
Nelson. and who was sister OF Queen
Mario Autonette Of Franco, fell in love
with Miss Penelope SmVhe, daughter Of
Grce Smythe. squire Of Balynatrly in
County Waterford lie had become &C.
quaiutod with her at the court Of his
brother at Naples, ami had entrcated the
King for that permission 10 marry her
which was INDISPENSABLE 10 the contract.
ing Of any valid union, under the terms
Of the Neapoltan royal marriage act OF
1929. Ferdinand II proved obdurate, and
thoreupon the prince, who bore the title
OF Prince Of Cspua, determined 10 accom-
plsh abroad what he could not bring
about in his brothers dominions. Accord.
ingly, he caused himself TO be married
10 the fair Penelope. first AZ Madrid, then
Al Gretna Green. then at Rome by Cardi.
nal Wells. and. finally, in London, in 81.
Georges. Hanover Square, in conformity
with the rites OF the Church of England.
on MAY %, 1896 The record Of the mar.
riaSc still exists in the parish register Of
Roosevelt and the present Mrs. Roosevelt
we're married many years later.
The Prince OF Capua had been informed
that none OF his previous marriages were
valid in the eyes OF the law, and conse.
quently described himself and his bride.
on the parish register, as bachelor and
spinster. lie had also been told that IL he
were married according 10 English law
in 4 church OF the state estahlishneu;
in England, IL would constitute at any
rate, "A perfectly legal union in that coun.
try.
But in England. ss in this country one
has 10 obtain a license TO wed. especially
when one dispenses with the delay en-
tailed by the banns on successive sun
days When. however the prince applied
TO the authorities in London for a li,onS'
Count Ludolf, the Minister Plonirotcn-
tisry OF King Ferdinand Of Naples in
London. instituted legal proceedings to
prevent the grant OF the license on the
strength Of the Neapoitau royal mal.
riagc act. The application Of 'puW
Ludolf was successful. and tho gran; pl
the license was refused with tG" result
trat the marriage Of tn. prince iu T.
Georges, Hanover square, cortragt'
without a license. was even still less valid
in point OF English law than amy ui 90.
previous wedding ceremonies which he
had gone through.
The ceremony in ST. Georges. Hauoyc.
Square. was followed by decree OF ban
ishment issued by Ferdinand II AGAINST
his brother. who from that tim" forth
until the Kings death. nearly a qydrtc'
OF a century afterward. was compelled 90
live abroad with his Irish wife, mainly Dc
England. where they were treated with
the utmost kindness by Queen Victoria
Indeed, the latter acted as godmother u
one Of the two children born OF this
Neapolitan-Irish union. who were created
Count and Countess Mascaii by Pope Plus
y. And when Victoria Bourbon, this god
daughter. died unmarried as Countess
Mascali at her villa Marlia, near Lucea,
in Northern Italy, the British Amoassa-
dor at Rome attended the funeral as tns
representative OF Queen Victoria and by
the latter's direction.
Victoria Bourbon. Countess MascaI,
was a woman OF celebrated loneliness
singularly gifted. and with such mag
nifcent contralto voice that Meyeroeer
was moved 10 specially compose and dedi-
cate to her one Of his most beautiful
songs. The latter part OF her life was
spent in Italy. at her villa and estate OF
Martha. save for occasional visits 10 Ire
land and England TO stay with her
mothers sister, Lady Dlnorben. and Wiz
the latter's daughter. Lady Neave. mother
of that Sir Thomas Neave who Is so fire.
quent a visitor to- the United States and
Canada and who has so many friends on
this side OF the Atlantic.
Victoria Bourbon maintained the friend
lest relations with the italian royal ram
lily. especially with King Humoert ara
Queen Margherita. They not only treate'
her as a kinswoman. although the Bouf-
bons of Naples. OF France OF Parma arc
OF Spain declined TO recognize her, DIV
Humbert even furnished her with very
handsome annuity, derived from tn7
Bourbon crown property in Italy mat
had passed into the possession OF u"
reigning House of Savoy after the over
throw of the Kingdom OF Naples
Victoria's only brother, Francis ChafleS.
was feeble minded from his birth' anu
by the time he had attained his thIrt'e"
year he had become a lunat!c. Ihrous"
the kindness and intervention Of iiunoeN
this brother was allowed to remain undeL
restraint at the Villa Marlia. instead