CHAPTER XXVI

THE JACOBITE REBELLIONS

195. The Proclamation of James III.
(1715)

Clarke

The first Jacobite Rebellion, which was doomed to end in a complete fiasco, was hardly imposing in its beginnings. The account given by PETER CLARKE of the reading of the Pretender's proclamation at Kendall reads like the description of the rehearsal of a comedy, rather than a serious uprising. Yet the play turned out to be a tragedy for many, although from the inception it was a hopeless undertaking.

Sir, On Wednesday the second day of November one thousand seaven hundred and fifteen, the then high sherriff of Cumberland assembled the posse comitatus on Penrith Fell, Viscount Loynsdale being there as commanded of the malitia of Westmoreland, Cumberland, and Northumberland, who were assembled at the place aforesaid for prevention of rebelion and riots. The Lord Bishop of Carlisle and his daughter were there. By the strictest observation the numbers were twenty-five thousand men, but very few of them had any regular armes.

At II o'clock in the afternoon of the same day the high sherriff and the two lords received a true account that the Earl of Derwentwater, together with his army, were within 6 miles of Penrith. Vpon receipt of this news the said high sherriff and the said 2 lords, the posse comitatus and the malitia fled, leaving most of their armes vpon the said fell.

There is no doubt had the men stood their ground the said Earl and his men (as it hath since beene acknowledged by diverse of them) wood have retreated. About 3 aclock in the afternoon of the same day the said Earl, together with his army in number about one thousand seaven hundred, entred the said towne of Penrith, where they proclaimed their king by the name and title of James the 3d of England and Ireland, and 8th of Scotland. In this towne they received

what excise was due to the crowne and gave receipts for the same. A small party were sent to Lowther Hall to search for Lord Loynsdale, but not finding him there (for he was gone into Yorkshire), they made bold to take provision for themselves and their horses, such as the Hall aforded. There were only at that time two old woomen in the said Hall who received no bodily damage. But provision being scarce in the said towne, Penrith, they marched betimes next morning for Apleby. The gentlemen paid their quarters of for what they called for in both these townes, but the commonality paid little or nothing, neither was there any person that received any bodily damage in either of the said townes. If they found any armes they tooke them without paying the owners for them. Only one man joyned them in their march from Penrith to Apleby. In this towne they made the same proclamation as they had done in the former, and received the excise. The weather at this time for some days before was rainey. They marched out of this towne betimes on Saturday morning, being the 5th of November, in order for Kendall. In this days march none joyned them (excepting one, Mr. Francis Thornburrow) son of Mr. William Thornburrow of Selfet Hall neare Kendall. His father sent one of his servant men to wait vpon his son because he was in scarlet cloathes, and stile of Captain Thornburrow.

About 12 a'clock of the same day 6 quartermasters came into the towne of Kendall, and about 2 aclock in the afternoone Brigadeer Mackintoss and his men came both a horseback, having both plads on their targets hanging on their backs, either of them a sord by his side, as also either a gun and a case of pistols. The said Brigadeere looked with a grim countenance. He and his men lodged at Alderman Lowrys, a private house in Highgate Street in this towne. About one houre after came in the horsemen, and the footmen at the latter end. It rained very hard here this day, and had for several days before, so that the horse and the footmen did not draw their swords, nor shew their collours, neither did any drums beat. Onely six highlands bagpipes played. They marched to the cold-stone or the cross, and read the same proclamation twice over in English, and the reader of it spocke very good English without any mixture of Scotish tongue. I had for about one month lived and was clerke to Mr. Craikenthorp, attorney at Law, and as a spectator I went to heare the proclamation read, which I believe was in print, and began after this manner, vizt., Whereas

George Elector of Brunswick has vpsurped and taken vpon him the stile of the king of these realms, etc. Another clause in it I took particular notice of which was this, vizt., Did imedietly after his said fathers decease become our only and lawful leige. At the end of the proclamation they gave a great shout. A quaker who stood next to me not puting of his hat at the end of the said ceremony, a highlander thurst a halbert at him, but it fortunatly went between me and him, so that it did neither of vs any damage. So they dispersed.

(Peter Clarke's Journal, 1715. From Miscellany of the Scottish History Society ed. I, p. 513.)

196. Landing of the Young Pretender

(1745)

Duncan Cameron

The following account is taken from The Lyon in Mourning, a collection of journals, narratives, etc., of the second Jacobite invasion. This collection was made by the Rev. Robert Forbes, M.A., Bishop of Ross and Caithness. He was an ardent supporter of the Jacobite cause, and indefatigable in the acquisition of facts pertaining thereto. The original title-page of the manuscript from which the published work was edited, reads as follows: "The Lyon in Mourning; or, A Collection (as made as exactly as the Iniquity of the Times would permit) of Speeches, Letters, Journals, &c., relative to the Affairs, but more particularly to the Dangers and Distresses of...

Journal of the Prince's imbarkation and arrival, etc., the greatest part of which was taken from Duncan Cameron at several different conversations I had with him.

At Nantes the Prince and his few attendants waited about fifteen days before the Elizabeth ship of war came, which was to be their convoy in the expedition. To cover the design the better, Sir Thomas Sheridan passed for the father, and the Prince for the son, for none knew the Prince to be in company but the seven, some few others, and Mr. Welch (an Irishman, a very rich merchant in Nantes), who was to command the frigate of sixteen guns, on board of which the Prince and the few faithful friends with the servants were to imbark.

After the Prince was on board he dispatched letters to his father, and the King of France, and the King of Spain, advising them of his design, and no doubt desiring assist

ance....

Two or three hours before landing, an eagle came hover

ing over the frigate, and continued so to do till they were all safe on shore. Before dinner the Duke of Athol had spied the eagle; but (as he told several friends in Scotland) he did not chuse then to take any notice of it, lest they should have called it a Highland freit in him. When he came upon deck after dinner, he saw the eagle still hovering about in the same manner, and following the frigate in her course, and then he could not help remarking it to the Prince and his small retinue, which they looked upon with pleasure. His grace, turning to the Prince said, "Sir, I hope this is an excellent omen, and promises good things to us. The king of birds is come to welcome your royal highness upon your arrival in Scotland."

When they were near the shore of the Long Isle, Duncan Cameron was set out in the long boat to fetch them a proper pilot. When he landed he accidentally met with Barra's piper, who was his old acquaintance, and brought him on board. The piper piloted them safely into Erisca (about July 21st), a small island lying between Barra and South Uist. "At this time," said Duncan Cameron, "there was a devil of a minister that happened to be in the island of Barra, who did us a' the mischief that lay in his power. For when he had got any inkling about us, he dispatched away expresses with informations against us. But as the good luck was, he was not well believed, or else we would have been a' tane by the neck."

When Duncan spoke these words, "a devil of a minister," he bowed low, and said to me, "Sir, I ask you ten thousand pardons for saying so in your presence. But, good faith, I can assure you, sir (asking your pardon), he was nothing else but the devil of a minister."

When they landed in Eriska, they could not find a grain of meal or one inch of bread. But they catched some flounders, which they roasted upon the bare coals in a mean low hut they had gone into near the shore, and Duncan Cameron stood cook. The Prince sat at the cheek of the little ingle, upon a fail sunk, and laughed heartily at Duncan's cookery, for he himself owned he played his part awkwardly enough.

Next day the Prince sent for young Clanranald's uncle (Alexander MacDonald of Boisdale), who lived in South Uist, and discovered himself to him. This gentleman spoke in a very discouraging manner to the Prince, and advised him to return home. To which it is said the Prince replied,

"I am come home, sir, and I will entertain no notion at all of returning to that place from whence I came; for that I am persuaded my faithful Highlanders will stand by me." Mr. MacDonald told him he was afraid he would find the contrary. ...

The royal standard was set up at Glenfinnan (August 19th), the property of Clanranald, at the head of Lochschiel, which marches with Lochiel's ground, and lies about ten miles west from Fort William. The Prince had been a full week before this, viz., from Sunday the 11th, at Kinlochmoydart's house, and Lochiel had been raising his men who came up with them just as the standard was setting up.... September 4th. In the evening he made his entrance into Perth upon the horse that Major MacDonall had presented him with....

September 16th. The Prince and his army were at Gray's Mill upon the Water of Leith, when he sent a summons to the Provost and Town Council of Edinburgh to receive him quietly and peacefully into the city. Two several deputations were sent from Edinburgh to the Prince begging a delay till they should deliberate upon what was fittest to be done. Meantime eight or nine hundred Highlanders under the command of Keppoch, young Lochiel, and O'Sullivan, marched in between the Long Dykes without a hush of noise, under the favour of a dark night, and lurked at the head of the Canongate about the Nether Bow Port till they should find a favourable opportunity for their design, which soon happened. The hackney coach that brought back the second deputation, entred at the West Port, and after setting down the deputies at their proper place upon the street, drove down the street towards the Canongate, and when the Nether Bow Port was made open to let out the coach, the lurking Highlanders rushed in (it being then peep of day) and made themselves masters of the city without any opposition, or the smallest noise.

(The Lyon in Mourning, Robert Forbes, edited from his Manuscript by Henry Paten, 3 vols., University Press, Edinburgh, 1895. I, 201.)

197. Escape of Prince Charles at Moy Hall

Gib

The peril which the Pretender narrowly escaped at Moy Hall on February 17th - not 24th, as erroneously dated in Gib's account is a good example of the dangers to which he was constantly subjected, and of the devotion of his adherents. Gib's "accompts" are mostly made up of household expenses, with occasional interruptions in the shape of narrative.