BERGAMI, Bartolommeo. The celebrated trial of Queen Caroline, wife of George IV of England, was principally founded upon a, charge of adulterous intercourse with Bergamt, who, in 1814, upon recommendation of the Marquis Ghislieri, in whose previous employ ment he had been, was attached to her house hold. Bergami, who had fought his way up in the Italian army from a common soldier to the rank of quartermaster, belonged to a respec table family, and the Marquis Ghislieri described him to the queen as a person of character and attainments superior to his condition, and bespoke for him a kind treatment. This, and the personal advantages of Bergami, who was singularly good-looking, combining athletic strength and stature with almost feminine beauty, naturally disposed the queen in his favor. Moreover, he was full of loyalty and devotion, and on one occasion nearly became the victim of poison intended for her. The queen treated his whole family, especially a little child of his, with the greatest generosity and kindness. All these circumstances were used by. her enemies as so many indications of her criminality, and during the trial one of the Italian witnesses, Teodore Majocchi, excited special indignation by his admitting every fact unfavorable to the queen, and by answering every question which might tell in her favor with Non sin ricordo. Bergami, who was at Pesaro during the trial, exclaimed, when he was apprised of her acquittal, but at the same time of her death, that she had been poisoned, and never could be convinced to the contrary. To
the last he ever spoke of the queen with the greatest reverence and affection, and his deport ment before and after her death led to the conclusion that he looked upon her rather as a benefactress than as a mistress. However, wherever he went he became the observed of all observers. During his occasional excursions to Paris his apartments were crowded with visit ors, consisting principally of ladies, who, under the pretext of having been friends of Queen Caroline, gratified their curiosity and obtained an interview with the portly courier. When at home he lived in great splendor; in the capitals of Italy, Rome, Naples, Milan, he was a lion, and the houses of ((the best families') were open to him. At the time of the trial many different statesments about Bergami's character were cir culated in the House of Lords, but however contradictory in many other respects, they all agreed in this one fact, that he was as inoffen sive as he was good-looking a person, who probably would never have been heard of be yond the precincts of Italian barracks if it had not been for his relation with Queen Caroline, and for the peculiar construction which was put upon it by her enemies at the trial. His name in England was, by a curious mistake, spelled with a P.