Ramsay and Jacobitism
Quite unexpectedly , and certainly as a result of the Pretender ’ s intervention , Ramsay was made Chevalier of the Order of St . Lazarus of Jerusalem by Philippe d ’ Orléans on May 20 , 1723 . This entitled him to claim an ecclesiastical benefice , and he was accordingly assigned an income from the Abbey of Signy by the Regent in October of that year .
Three days after receiving the title of Chevalier , he was granted a certificate of nobility by James III ; Andrew Michael Ramsay was now a nobleman , a member of the Royal and Military Order of St . Lazarus of Jerusalem , endowed with a living , and surrounded by influential patrons . The Pretender had given this loyal Jacobite a powerful testimony of confidence which fulfilled his dearest wishes .
b ) In Rome
The expressions of gratitude did not stop there . The following January , James enlisted Ramsay as tutor to his threeyear-old son Charles Edward , Prince of Wales . The young prince ’ s education went smoothly enough ; yet after 10 months of service , Ramsay left Rome and the court of James III . Upon his return to Paris , he declared that he had asked his employer for permission and that James had given him leave of absence for a while .
However , he never went back to Rome . Four months after his departure , James wrote in a letter to his physician , John Murray : “ Ramsay is an odd body . He exposed himself strangely here to myself and many others on many different occasions , but as yet I will be charitable to think him a mad man .” 1
What on earth could this loyal Jacobite have done to come in for such a harsh judgment on the part of the Pretender ? His biographers ’ opinions on the matter differ significantly .
IV . The Estrangement of Ramsay : The Limits of His Jacobitism
A
complex person , elusive , and very secretive , Ramsay sometimes acted in an ambiguous fashion . Thus , it is difficult to determine with precision the personality of the Chevalier who , constant in his friendships , entered into numerous relationships and gained admission into several institutions on both sides of the Channel .
1 . Ambiguity in His Relations
After his departure from Rome , Ramsay seems to have had very few contacts with the Stuarts , turning mostly toward Cardinal Fleury . Ample evidence of this can be seen from the fact that the Chevalier ’ s handwriting is recognizable in various notes and reports which make up the Cardinal ’ s papers . Nothing in the dates contradicts the thesis that Ramsay was the author of this collection of documents , most of which deal with religious matters . Whatever may have been the activity entrusted to Ramsay by Fleury , there is no doubt that he used his services and , in all likelihood , remunerated him for them .
1 National Archives , Kew , State Papers , Italian States 85 / 15 .
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