any English minister wanted to make me an instrument of hurting the feelings of His Sicilian Majesty, I would give up my commission sooner than do it....  I am placed in such a situation—­a subject of one King by birth, and, as far as is consistent with my allegiance to that King, a voluntary subject of His Sicilian Majesty—­that if any man attempted to separate my two Kings, by all that is sacred, I should consider even putting that man to death as a meritorious act."[87] On the other hand, it must be considered that Nelson, though humane, tended even in his calmest moments to severity towards military offenders.  Writing with reference to a captain convicted of misbehavior before the enemy, he said, “If a man does not do his utmost in time of action, I think but one punishment ought to be inflicted;” and it may be inferred that he would have approved Byng’s execution, where cowardice was not proved, but grave military dereliction was.

On the 10th of July the King of the Two Sicilies arrived from Palermo in the Bay of Naples, and went on board the “Foudroyant,” which, for the whole time he remained,—­about four weeks,—­became practically his seat of government.  There the royal standard was hoisted, there the King held his levees, and there business of State was transacted.  In and through all moved the figures of Sir William and Lady Hamilton, the latter considering herself, and not without cause, the representative of the Queen.  The latter had remained in Palermo, being out of favor with the Neapolitans, and with her husband, who attributed to her precipitancy the disasters of the previous December.  The two women corresponded daily; and, if the minister’s wife deceived herself as to the amount and importance of what she effected, there is no doubt that she was very busy, that she was commonly believed to exert much influence, and that great admiration for one another was expressed by herself, Hamilton, and Nelson, the "Tria juncta in uno" as the latter was pleased to style them.  “I never saw such zeal and activity in any one as in this wonderful man [Nelson],” wrote she to Greville.  “My dearest Sir William, thank God! is well, and of the greatest use now to the King.”  “Emma has been of infinite use in our late very critical business,” said Hamilton to the same correspondent.  “Ld.  Nelson and I cou’d not have done without her.  It will be a heart-breaking to the Queen of N. when we go”—­back to England, as was then expected.  “Sir William and Lady Hamilton are, to my great comfort, with me,” wrote Nelson to Spencer; “for without them it would have been impossible I could have rendered half the service to his Majesty which I have now done:  their heads and their hearts are equally great and good.”