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The Pitt or Regent

Found by a Slave--Stolen by an English Skipper--Treachery and Murder--Sold for pound 1,000--Bought for pound 24,500--Resold to the Regent of France for pound 135,000--Stolen and Restored to the Garde-Meuble--Pawned to the Dutch--Redeemed and Worn by Napoleon the Great--Captured after Waterloo, and taken to Berlin--On View at the Paris Exhibition--Among the Crown Jewels of France, and Valued at pound 480,000.

FIRST known as the "Pitt," then as the "Regent," this perfect diamond has a remarkable history. There are two stories of its original discovery. They do not differ sufficiently to cast a doubt upon the general facts. The second version of the narrative is easily reconcilable with the first. The adventures of the "Pitt" begin very much on the lines of several other great stones. Cupidity, murder, remorse, are factors in the opening chapter. Trouble, political, social, and personal, accompany the gem to its latest resting-place. It was found by a slave in the Parteal mines, on the Kistna, in the year 1701. The story goes that, to secure his treasure, he cut a hole in the calf of his leg, and concealed it, one account says, in the wound itself, another in the bandages. As the stone weighed 410 carats before it was cut, the last version of the method of concealment is, no doubt, the correct one. The slave escaped to the coast with his property. Unfortunately for himself, and also for the peace of mind of his confidant, he met with an English skipper, whom he trusted with his secret. It is said he offered to give the diamond to the mariner, in return for his liberty, which was to be secured by the skipper carrying him to a free country. But it seems probable that he supplemented this with a money condition as well, otherwise the skipper's treatment of the poor creature is as devoid of reason as it is of humanity. The English skipper, professing to accept the slave's proposals, took him on board his ship, and having obtained possession of the jewel, flung the slave into the sea. He afterwards, so this first version of the narrative goes, sold the diamond to Mr. Thomas Pitt, governor of Fort St. George, for pound 1,000, squandered the money in dissipation, and finally, in a fit of delirium tremens and remorse, hanged himself.

There is no reason to doubt the substantial accuracy of this characteristic beginning of the adventures of the great diamond, with a trifling exception. The English sea captain sold it in all probability for pound 1,000, not to Mr. Pitt, but to Jamchund, at that time the largest diamond merchant in the East, who, it will be seen in the course of our history, sold it to Mr. Pitt for pound 20,400. The circumstances connected with his purchase of the gem, are fully related by Pitt himself, who, on his return to Europe in 1710, was suspected, and even openly accused, of having procured it by foul or unfair means. Amongst others Pope was supposed to point at something of the kind in the oft-quoted lines from the Man of Ross. "Asleep and naked as an Indian lay, An honest factor stole a gem away; He pledg'd it to the Knight, the Knight had wit, So kept the diamond, and the rogue was bit."

These scandalous reports, to which, however much credence never seems to have been attached, having reached the ex-governor, at that time in Norway, he sent a letter from Bergen to the editor of the European Magazine for October, 1710, setting forth the true facts of the case. A certified copy of this document was carefully preserved in the Pitt family, and, in consequence of some fresh rumours regarding the early history of the diamond, was again published by them in the Daily Post for November 3, 1743, that is, seventeen years after Pitt's death. The chief passages bearing on the transaction are here subjoined from the latter source:-- "Since my coming into this melancholy place of Bergen, I have been often thinking of the most unparalleled villany of William Fraser, Thomas Frederick, and Sampa, a black merchant, who brought a paper before Governor Addison in council, insinuating that I had unfairly got possession of a large diamond, which tended so much to the prejudice of my reputation, and the ruin of my estate, that I thought necessary to keep by me the true relation how I purchased it in all respects, that so in case of sudden mortality, my children and friends may be apprized of the whole matter, and so be enabled thereby to put to silence and confound those and all other villains, in their base attempts against either. "About two or three years after my arrival at Madras, which was in July, 1698, I heard there were large diamonds in the country to be sold, which I encouraged to be brought down, promising to be their chaperon, if they would be reasonable therein, upon which Jamchund, one of the most eminent diamond merchants in these parts, came down about December, 1701, and brought with him a large rough stone, about 305 mangelins, and some small ones, which myself and others bought. But he, asking a very extravagant price for the great one, I did not think of meddling with it; when he left it with me for some days, and then came and took it away again, and did so several times, insisting upon not less than 200,000 pagodas, and as I best remember, I did not bid him more than 30,000, and had little thoughts of buying it for that. I considered there were many and great risks to be run, not only in cutting it, but whether it would prove foul or clean, or the water good. Besides, I thought it too great an amount to venture home in one bottom, so that Jamchund resolved to return speedily to his own country, so that, I best remember, it was in February following he came again to me (with Vincaty Chittee, who was always with him when I discoursed about it), and pressed me to know whether I resolved to buy it, when he came down to 100,000 padagoes, and something under before we parted, when we agreed upon a day to meet and to make a final end thereof, one way or other, which I believe was the latter end of the aforesaid month, or beginning of March, when we met in the consultation room, when, after a great deal of talk, I brought him down to 55,000 padagoes, and advanced to 45,000, resolving to give no more and he likewise not to abate, so delivered him up the stone, and we took a friendly leave of one another. Mr. Benyon was then writing in my closet, with whom I discoursed what had passed, and told him now I was clear of it; when, about half-an-hour after, my servant brought me word that Jamchund and Vincaty Chittee were at the door, who, being called in, they used a great many expressions in praise of the stone, and told me he had rather I should buy it than anybody; and, to give an instance thereof, offered it for 50,000. So, believing it must be a pennyworth if it proved good, I offered to part the 5,000 padagoes that were between us, which he would not hearken to, and was going out of the room again, when he turned back, and told me I should have it for 49,000. But I still adhered to what I had before offered him, when presently he came to 48,000, and made a solemn vow he would not part with it for a pagadoe under; when I went again into the closet to Mr. Benyon, and told him what had passed, saying that if it was worth 47,500 it was worth 48,000. So I closed with him for that sum, when he delivered me the stone, for which I paid him honourably, as by my books doth appear. And I here further call God to witness that I never used the least threatening word at any of our meetings to induce him to sell it to me; and God Himself knows it was never so much as in my thoughts so to do. Since which I have had frequent and considerable dealings with this man, and trusted him with several sums of money, and balanced several accounts with him, and left upwards of 2,000 padagoes in his hands at my coming away. So had I used the least indirect means to have got it from him, would he not have made himself satisfaction, when he has had my money so often in his hands? Or would I have trusted him afterwards, as I did preferable to all other diamond merchants? As this is the truth, so I hope for God's blessing upon this and all my other affairs in this world, and eternal happiness hereafter.--Written and signed by me in Bergen, July 29, 1710.--THO. PITT."

On the back of this declaration the following words are written:--"In case of the death of me, Tho. Pitt, I direct that this paper, sealed as it is, be delivered to my son, Robert Pitt."

In publishing this document the editor of the Daily Post observes that he does so "at this time of day" (that is seventeen years after Pitt's death), "by desire, and hopes that the following piece will give satisfaction to all those who may still suspect that that gentleman did not fairly come by the said stone."