Edward Trelawny’s Dagger

In March 1822 Byron, Shelley and Trelawny, with their friends John Taaffe, Pietro Gamba and Captain Hay, were returning to Pisa after their customary Sunday ride. Suddenly a horseman came galloping from behind and excited Taaffe’s horse. At the city gates they caught up with the man, a sergeant in the Tuscan Royal Light Horse called Masi. A scuffle ensued, in which Shelley was knocked from his horse and Hay wounded in the face. Masi rode off, but later encountered Byron outside his home, and in the subsequent confusion was stabbed by Byron’s coachman. Despite rumours that Masi was dying, his wound turned out to be slight. It was a nasty incident, however, and helped to break up the Pisan circle. At one point in the proceedings, Trelawny later claimed, this dagger was given to him by a blind beggar.

Anonymous

no date

1 dagger

realia

iron and leather

daggers (weapons)

Trelawny, Edward John, 1792-1881

Gift of Mrs Laetitia Call, 1911-1912.

KSH

REL-017