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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at|http: //books .google .com/I r wm ^T N\ r..-. h\ \ KJ I * S .E R I E S LETT E R S, DISCOVERING The Scheme projefted by France, la MDCCLIX. For an INTENDED INVASION upon England with Fl at-^ottom'd Boats; A N D^ Various Conferences and Orioinal Papers touching that FORMIDABLE DESIGN. POINTING AT The Secret sind True Motives, which precipitated the Kcgociations, and Conclufion of the laft Peace. To which tre prefixed^ The SECRET ADVENTURES of the Young Pretender- AND The Conduct of the French Court refpeAing him during his Stay in Great Britain^ and after his return to Paris. ALSO The Chief CAUfiB that brought on the late Banishment of the Jesvits from the French Dominions; a Secret as yet concealed from the Jesuits themfelves : with the real Examination of Father Hamilton, taken at Foantainbleau, Odober 1^56, who was employed to aflaffinate theYouNO Prstendsk* Together with The PARTICULAR CASE of the AUTHOR, In a MEMORIAL to his late Royal Highaefi the Dake of Cumbbkland. f ~ hy OLIVER MAC ALLESTER, Efq; VOL. L «« LONDON: Printed for the A U T H OR; and fold by Mr. Williams, Flect-ftreet; Meff. Richardson and UnQjiHAax, Royal Exchange; MeflT. Fletcher and Co. St. Paul's Church-yard; Mr. Flexnby, near Gray's-Inn Gate, Holbonm ; Mr, *>' vtnoic Lra&ABT 317895 R U tOUDCN riOMDASnONB 1' ■ -• [ a ] II _» »l«Hl !■ Illl • t I 1^ I l< Mil I ' ,',i| _, r. uwJL T O THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES Earl of C A M B p E N, <^ % Lord pigh ChanceHor of Sf^mf Brkain. Mj LORD^ "^ "f^ERMlT xne to have the honour to addrefs >^ Si and lay^ befof e- Yout Lordfhip a work, which, . ; I fla(tdr myfelf, w^ll be found as interefting as any ^K of the kind, or on political fubjedS) ever publiOied "^ in this kingdom, and to m.erit Your high conCde- >^ ration and patronage ; for in it, together with many \ other interefting fadls, will be fully difclofed the •i;^ fchemes ajijl p(^itic& of thfe- French court, in their <^ A 2 late • • • IV D E D r.C'A T I O R late ^«%n9 ftgainft hii^^cicd MajcftjgfAis cteaffp aa4 kingdoms ; and by what^ and whole means, thofe dangerous defigns were difcbvered and defeated. .: V .„/.-, . • - - - ■- I i . v.> 1 . . w- i*. J. That a perfon, who has not the honour or hap- pinefs to be known to Your Lqldfhip,'' IHould at- tltiipt to' addrefs liis wofks to fuch an emiifent anS diftinguiihed character, may ieeni fomewhat extra* ordimrf, : but as it is the work that will /peak for the perfon, and the merit thereof alone that fuppli- cate« and demands Your* Lordfhip's farour and ge- nerous protedion, the author hopes that will plead his excufe. Exalted, /or inimitable virtues, to the higheft pitch of earthly greatnefs under the Britijb crown, to be keeper and preferver of his ^jefty*8 con-; fcience, and the delight of his people, who know that juftice and equity, pure and unfpotted as new- fallen fhow, fb-eam from that fountain, which^ un« biafled and unprejudiced, flows from, and runs thro* all your adions, no wonder that the oppreiled fly to DEDICATION. v to Your Lordflup for redrefs of ills, for which the oppreflbr has no feeling. '^ * Such considerations alone made me refblve to lay this work before Your Lordfhip, in hopes that they, with my fervices, and the injuflice I have re- cdved, may reach the Royal ear ; and that I (hall obtain^ (atisfadion, according to the merit of thofe iinportant fervices ; fince, for the honour and Secu- rity of the crown, and the happinefs and profperity of the nation, nothing that may contribute to either ought to be kept fecret, or concealed from one in Your high ftation; beieeching Your Lordfhip to indulge me in the liberty I take, of fubfcribing myfelf, with all truth, and the mod profound relped, My Lord, Your Lord{hip*s mod devoted, and Moft obedient fervant, Voi.L O. MAC ALLESTER. Aj I « A S E R I E S OF L E T T E R S. LETTER THE FIRST. URIOSITY, from whofe powerful in- fluence no fcx or age is exempt, naturally leads us .to an enquiry after every thing that is new, amuling, or entertaining j but when interefling fubje£ts, objeds that regard the hapjiinefs and profperity of a mighty fovereign, and a great nation, prefent thcmfelvec to view> there can be no doubt, but (thus Vol. I. B excited) fa] ' • excited) th« ardent defire of a due knowledge thereof mud • Be raifed to the higheft pitchy amongfl: all ranks of people ; ..and that the public, ever anxious for the difcovcry of truth, itnd from whom thofe matters (for political reafons) are generally too long kept fecret^ will be greatly obliged, in having fuch difcoveries and candid explanations laid before them, as may clearly and evidently give them the fuUeft proof, and the mod ample fatisfaftion in thefe reipe€ts^ Perfuaded as I am of your impartiality in ^dging of fa<as> convinced of your rectitude of heart, and inviolable attach- ment to juftice and the laws of your country ; knowing alfo^. that every power and faculty of your mind has not been lefs* frequently employed in their defence,^ and in fupport of the juA rights -of the ilhiftrious houfe of Hanover to the imperial orown of thefe realms, againft the pretender and their com* mon enemy, than in endeavouring to prefcrve the liberty and independance of your fellow-citizens^ againft injuftice and oppreffion, I addrefs> therefore,, thefe letters to you, Sir, and with an intention to commit them to the prefs ; that the public, by a knowfce^e of the particulars of thefe interefting matters, may be truly informed thereof, and,, amongfl other things,, of fome late formidable defigns of the enemy in favour of the pretender, againft his Majefty's crowa and kingdoms, as well as againft the lives and poffeffions of his liege people in general, to the entire ruin of this nation^ By this correfpondence, you- will find difclofed, by what^. and by whofe means, that formidable defign of invading this kingdpm was difcovered and defeated ; the mjcans laid down, and r 3 J vxiA vifible in thiuielvess of making the whole troops ahd imbarkation vidims of the cnterprizc, in cafe the attempt liad been carried into execation ; together with the fecret motives that brought about the late peace ; authenticated by the ftroogeft proof^» and fuch papers as have not hereto^ fore been made known to the public^ You will alfo find^ to your great furprife, and what is fo inconfiftent with the true Britt/b fpirit, the ungenerous^ crueU and ungrateful treatment of the perfon, who ren« dered to his Majef^ and this nation thofe great and impbr« tant fervices) the manner in which he has been ufed by men in power, notwithftanding the promifes and afTurances made to him^ of a generous and liberal recompence^ both before and after the fervices were performed ; which^ I dare fay, you will confidcr ^ith the public, as a di(honouf to the Britifb nation, and a great difcouragement to others hereafter to rifle their lives, to render fuch important fer- vices to either ; the Waht of which may prove of the laft confequence «id greateil fatality to both. To fatisfy thefe objeds, and give the cleared lights intd the feveral tranfadions propofed, it may be ncceffary to ftcp a little way back, and to mention fome fads antecedent to the defigns of the enemy for invading , thi^ kingdom, in the year 1762, by the flat-bottom'd boats, and an army of about 50,000 men, then allen^bled on the coaft of France, and provided with all things neceflary for that bold and formi- dable projeift's being, with the utmoft fccrccy of its deftina- lioKj, carrJ<;d into execution. B 2 ' The [ 4 1 The conne(fHon of many fadts and anecdotes relative to the unnatural rebellion of the year 1 745, and the prefent fubjeft, makes t&is neccffary; efpecially as many of them have hot been heretofore made public. For which purpofe^ it muft be remembered, that in the years 1743 and 1744, affociations, or rather .confpiraciesj. were entered into, in Scotland^ by the chiefs of the clans there, and others at- tached to their own deftruftion, in the tyrant family of the Stuarts ; which aflbciatioris were duly figned by them, and fent to Rome, for raifing a rebellion, which (according tQ their plan; was not to break out till the year 1746 or 1747, the time judged mcift proper, for the execution thereof, by the enemies of the houfe of Hanover, to place the pretender on the throne of thefe kingdoms,, or his eldeft fon Charles 5 who was to aA, and did afterwards aiTume that title,, and prer tended to a^, as Regent^ during the troubles, which broke out in Sa^tland a year fooaer than was cxpedled, or .cyen intended, by the aflbciates or conipiratOrs themfelves.; many of whom, at that very time, were in the fetvice of the crown of England^ or had their bread depending thereoa by penfions or other advantages, from which they drew their d;aily fupport^ 4 Thoie perfbns, who had been at Rome on this bulinefs^ as commiflioners and emiiTaries, and to whom the fecret» with every precautipn for effecting; the fcheme, was ini- parted, being returned to England and Scotland, had their feveral parts affigned unto, them for bringing it to perfe.£tion.: that is to fay, they were to prepare fuch matecialsi. as^ they beft could, for this daring enterprize^ which,, they were peD* fuaded^ Is] fuadedy was to be'fccondcd hy France ^ and fupported by her trOop$9 0€* They were to found the minds and dif^ portions of their friends and acquaintance at London, and elfewheres to infinuate the great expectations of fdme new and happy change 5 to cultivate and improve every advan- tage and .circutt)iftartcc that n^ight prefeht itfelf for pro- moting this great tiefigtkt without difclofing the fecret ;, coh-^ fiding it but ta.ai Veyy few, and to thofe only as wercthcn named and agreed on; as perfons of known zeal and fidelity to the caufe, and on whofe prudence and integrity they could entirely rely ; fo that no opportunity ihould be omit- ted ^ tb^-accoflDpliihoQeiRt* of tbeii' hopes, and to condiidt matters-in fiich manner, a& to ripen into perfection for the year 1747* or at fooneft for the year 1746, according as the Englijb army fhould be then more or lefs employed abroad, in F Zanders or other diftant places, and the kingdom lefs jable< to de&ad itfolf^ fefiwajpt ofrher national troops ; an interval, which would give the French the opportunity of commencing fuch operations, as muft lay the Englijh under the neceflity of fending forces abroad to oppofe them. It, was .. at this . tiijae the boftih was . tff bfurft in Scotland, the (naik to be taken off by the French^ and the young pretender to af^ar with Juftre and eclat at the. head of a Freneb and Highland army/ according to the project then • agreed on, by- the- privity and approbation of the. French coQf t : and fo careful -were they of this fecret, that the Engiijb miniAty kne;w nothing of their defign, and would fcarce believe it, wheh it was firft reported, that they had taken i^pf^cws ixxScotlan^^ iUn^fr^the. ftaadardof.the pretender. -r.'D Want r 6 1 Want of proper intelligence of this defign broaglk on ah expence of milHons to this nation, without reckoning the loik Off many thou£md lives^ or the burning of cafttes, houfes^ plundering^ and other calannities which followed, and which ftill are recent in the minds of many j all which might have been prevented, if at that time fuch intelligence had been given, as has bcea lately communicated in a much more dangerous affair ; and which has been fo ill encouraged, and as yet remains unrewarded, as will be fully {hewn in the courfc of thefe letters. The caufe of this rebellion's breaking out a year or two fooner than the time agreed on by the rebels and confpira^ tors themfelves, {hall be the fubjedt of my next letter. C \ 1 ' • ' ' ^ --.... ' -^- - II ^iMib LETTER THE SECOND. /^ B S T I N A C Y and felf-fofficlency, ei(J)ecially where weighty matters arc in queflrion, are generally at- tended with bad confequences. The young pretender^ on the profped laid open to him by the affociations and afiurances of fupport from France (as mentioned in my former letter), could not wait the tedious delay of their being brought to maturity. Hurried by the natural inv- petuoiity of his own temper, the gf aflfying of which, even in the fma]lt{b m^tterft, • he ever |)refers before any other J con« ( 7 ) confi^eration : thirfting for vengeance on his enemies ; cxpoftii^, or rather flattering himfclf, with the vain hopes, qf imnaediate^y poffefl^ng a crown and three kingdoms, by s( C9Hp de mapi : believing his own j^dgnient ibperior to that of his father or his friends, in the purfuit of his ambitious and bloody defigns : acting in all things contrary to the expr^fs orders and conimands of the firft, and in:contempt of the advice and entreaties of the latter, which had been -frequently repeated to him, and which he had as often pro«^ mifed to obfcrve, whenever the fubjeft of an invafion was agitated ; in a wprd^ in violation of all filial obedience, and the moft ibleom pfomifes made by him, as often as this point was >n^er confideration, Edward privately deter- mined to fet out for France, having by letters to his fecret friends, and otherwise, previoufly taken all the precautions he thought neccffary, for efcaping the difixculties and dan- gers that might attend his hazardous journey, or apparentljr obflruA his fecret views and rafh deiigns^ Thus determined^ he fets out from Rome for Paris ; and arriving, in his way thither, at AvignioUy incog, he found means 6o.be well received by a gentlewoman, who had been: diftinguiflied for her wit and great connexions, and who had been brought. up in a convent of that city, and whofe uncle was a bifhop refiding there : to whom he made his court direXly, in order to conceal himfelf, by the affiftance ^f the fain rdigiout, in caife of a purfuit; which he fufr pcftcdi and, not without reafon^ apprehended might be made to flop: him^ and bring him back ta Rome. * ' * • The [ 8 ] The good lady, at that time young and gay, ' an4 fince not kfs known in the literary world by her writings, than by her misfortunes, at London , within thefe fexv years paft i nor lefs proud of her gueft than the confidence he repofed in her, was not wanting on her part to provide him a fafe retreat ; nor did (he fail, through intereft, piety, or gaiety, to fhew him every mark of politenefs, hofpitality, and ten- derncfs, whicli might render his retired fituation pleafing and agreeable to him, until fhe could take fuch meafures as her intereft, charafter, and her authority in the church, being a prelate's niece, gave her a reafonable pretext to make ufe of, for fafely conveying him out of the pope's territories into thofe of France, which are not far diftant from that city. His apprehenfions were not ill grounded ; for it was not long before mcflengers arrived with orders to the pope's governor (to whom Avignon is fubjeft) to examine all paf- fengers, and not to FufFer any to pafs the gates of that city, without apaflport; to which was annexed an order from the old pretender to flop his fon, and bring him back to Ronte, in cafe he fhould be found to travel that way. The zeal and adivity with which thefe new and extra- ordinary orders and commands were obeyed'^ in a fhort time fubfided; it being fufpefted, that the bird had flown in the dark before the cage was (hut. The kind religieufe, how- iever, negle^fted nothing that might contribute to the ac- complifhment of the wi(hes of her gueft j when feigning a pretence to vifit an abbefs, at a- convent in the country, fhe wrote to the governoV for a paflport fof herfelf ; and he not in the leaft fufpeding, that a perfon of her charaAer could have C 91 T jonogifdveatinxiv fem ber the pad iJ .Pitmdefl with thefe etfential protedions from* enqmty» a carriaget with every neceflary for his journey, was prepared ; and tboJady with her doiai^e) which fhe had drawn froirr his redretndnt^ bdbg therein artfully placed, in fuch ft^an<» oer jfi not to beiuipeifted or ieen^ £tt out oii her |nretended vlfii ; and feading a fervant a little before, to ihe w the go^ veroor's paii^it to the oiffioer, who commanded at the gate^ fhe, on her arrival there, pafTed with every mark of refpeA, and iwithoot ilKildaft! fg^^ioA cr taEafaSifiatkm ; and' cen« M^Ufitd the.iidycBktirer lafely to die place agr^d oa, in the tcrritodes of Brancef where ^her convenience hetrig pro-* vided, after Tectprocal acknowledgmetrts, declahltions of ftiendfliip^ juid t^nks^ he {liroIteutM his journey to withoat inlierruptioil J All wkkedfidfe, ycM wJll agree^ is folly ; nor Is it much to be doubted, Jb^ ^dkat C}>en ads of ^ifebedlcbce, arid cMl doings,: win W /getiksraNy attended wifh'ftfn^f^il ton£^ quences 40 thoie (vt^ho do l^m { ^flippomtmetit, nhor^ca-^ tion, and infamy, being the ufual recompence of perfidious and unjoft a(dions« *Ske {[dod offices of this lady, as (tie herfelf declares^ r^eaped this adsanitage by her Jiew ^loiuiedions ; for, hating 6mc time if ter etfmtnenced « feit «t RoMUy to be *hMved attddsftJwrgca fi«>m lier teKgf oils "^ows, a« being fbreetf iirto Voj.-. r. ' c a ai fiof^yent >y her jreUtfows, during hetl^nSetyeuif ami trary to the canons of the, church,: and conjtrarj^to hiKr.owx\ inclinations) ihc, by the intereft and recommendation of the father^ then Cbevaliir de St. George, obtained! a fentence or decree from the pope; Whereby (he was abfolved and dis- charged from, her vOw^) ind ibc dities oflaintnalj in codfe- q\ience/of, which, ihe refigned her cl^argef and- authorityv*^ which; £be held in that cooyent, aiid quitted both the hoole and the h.abit3 iince which time this lady has been the fubje^ of much difcourfe and converfation, bodi at Paris and London. AjI , The adventurer arriving at Paris, had immediately many private interviews and conferences * with his moft Chriitian Majefly and his minifters, who adviied him to lay afide his intentions of invading S^tland foe. ibme time. Here alio he met with reproaches, in letters from hb £itfaer, for^the undutiful behaviour he had (hewn, and the injudicious ftbps he was about to purfue ; but tho(e remonftrances and re- bukes, ferved only as fpurs to ahorie under the curb, to.raife and inflame his pailion for gciing forward, and to bring upon that miferable country, and thofe who joined him,, the d^Ution and fulTerings that ibon after followed. Effedhially then to carry his own projedl into execution, he went to lodge at the houfe of * Enaas Macdonnel, who afterwai*ds * Emtas Macdonnelf after the defeat of Cullodin^ furrendered himfelf to the then honourable General CapipMI, now duke of JrgyU. He was brought to London priibner, and for fome time confined at a king'p mefleogen » ^9''^ thence carried to NfwgaU^ from which place he made bii (fe^pc, by throw- ing I « 1 afterwards' apjMMttod «nder iht title of his banker, and who has fince felt the efiedts of his tyranny and ingratitude. In this houfbf as well as in other private places of rendessvous, the adventurer held his , feparate afTemblies, where Ke/fy, SuUharif Sta^kton^ Skerridafif ^ Gkngarry^ the chevalier Maclean^ ing a box of fnuff in the turnkey^s. eyes, as he was opening the door of the fii&AyM (Where Macdonrnl was confined) to let a vifitor out. , He was im- ibejiateiy retaken^ and brought back by ii poor ordinary fellow, 'who law bin rdn through the ftreets was afterwards tried and condemned at 5r. Murgwrtfi Hilly and confined in the new goal, Swtbtoari. Twice or three times the cart at the dodr, and he ready to mount therein^ and all the apparatus /or his execution ready ; when he was each time reprieved, luckily for him, before be was carried to execution* At length he obtained mercy, by his late maje- fiy'-s. moft, gracious pardon. ' On Us retvroto JFrmctf, he obcaioei a periiion fron;i that court for his (tipport, which he fome time enjoyed } but the adven* turer difpleafed, or pretending "to be difpleafed, with fomething in the con- duct of this unfortunate man, . during his CufFerings, and which mod probably favcd his life, wrote to maHhal BflUtfit againft hrm ; and never ceafed his vndpihgf ^nttl he caufed tfae,peiTfioa.i0 be lakep ai^ ;. leaving: him deftitUle of <bread, which was afterwards, neverthelefs, in fome meafure fupplied to him, by the benevolence of a farmer* generaL The caufc of the adventurer's difpIeaf^re and. y^cjumcnt was at thia timr Fai^, and;ftron^y rjeported at VerJailUs^ to be Qiyiag to fonjfu intelligence h^ h^d received from fome one then ncfar his royal l>ighne(s /V<^r/Vi^ ^l\e latr prinQc of^ff^aUsj who had coipmunicatcd ^o him fomething .that -AiiffbiMil/ had faid or difclofed wtien he was feat for one night, and examined before the.p^- — council after his condemnation, by which he faved his life; at'letfft this was the pttvailingaccoiuit given at tjuit^pap*' . • . . . *. TUs ph^tt9\^9. brought up inrirtffltf/; ianaigecittely drtitiieri^lefiiii mtones^i wis ^Idcft;ibh of. Matdmul of iSlkngarf% An the Highhnfsy ' cAief fil si^iaj^e'dan bfthattnme^ always attached to'the &iu€Tf% fuitily, and #hoie fftat^waa igg^ confideraUe. . He ms tidopn at fea with Ibi^ Derwtntuuifr^i .',' M- »!•.-: .• i.©A 'i > ' > 'J . ••..' .*^v J.-'i'i • • -and I " 1 MadwHt Bla^f and Tome lew ocbeffi^ Mttttded the con* fttltatjk)»s, and concurred in the refdotioiis* tlMre taken i fome oi whom had.ad^^^ and interefl enough ^xVtrfi^s^ at laft to draw the Frtnfh nai^Hftry into a Jeemuig approbat tion of this iJan. The two Ifidfc being. oi;dei:<d away \^^^9t'^ landy to prepare the clans, were clofeted with the king^ and afterwards with Monfieur jyArgenJon (as they themfelves boafled) the night before their departure, whei;e they re-? ceived the ftrongefl affurances of affiance in men and nao--. ney i with direAions ]to inform the friends of the caufi^ shtt there (hould not be wanting powerful fuppHes of every kind, ^when all things fliould be prepared for a rifing, and the dan5 ihould be in arms. The dievalier and Blow immediately fet out on this Gom« miflion, and were the firft meffengers of this intended de- fcent in 1745^ and the firft vidims of their own weaknefs and ftupidity, as well as of Ae vigilance oi the Britijh go- vernment: for, arriving at Edmburgb^ where they lived too freely. and made priibner in the Tower ; is the fame perfon, who at firft was fuf-^ ipeAed, and univerfally reported, to be the adventurer's brother. Hts father was a long time confined clofe prifqner in Eiinlurgh caftle, on account of the then troubles, and his younger brother was at the head of his clan in the a£Uoi> at Prefion'Pens. In 1 747, the elder, through the clemency of his late majefty,. obtained bis liberty, by being difcharged out of the Tower, and fent back ta frenee^ with Sir Hi&or MacUan and others, then di&harged. Some time after his arrival in Francis he follicited the jroung adventurer for his intereft to procure him ibme advancement in one of the ^aub regiments ; but not- vn^ftanding bis own and his family's finrvices, and fufferings, he met with the iitmoft contempt and unkindAefs ftom the adventu«r { who toM him, he thought a ierjeant's poft was too good for htm. This is not Ac only inftaMt wo ihaU meet with in him of the Uackcft ingntitude* [ >i 1 fredy^ and ftaid too long at a public-houfe^ for men charged with foch Important" matters (as they were afterwards re- proached for^ by their fuperiors and friends) the landlord fufpeftin^ jfrom their bdiltvlour and difcourfe only, that they were embarked in fome bad defign, gave information againfl^ them^ ^ and they were^ in confequence thereof, af- r«^^t; ^Vkde, warrant being font by the marquis of Tweedale, ^ktp. fcccctary • of flate for the afiRurs c^ Scotlandj to bring tt^eia to l4ind$n» th^ triere oondufted under a guard of horfe, .and kept clpie prifonefs* However, notwithftanding the fever^ examinations they underwent, they had the con« dud' to let: ikxhiog naaterial tranfpire* In fom^ weeks &fter thefe tranfadtions (iminformed of the fate of his two ejbiflaries) the adventurer himiclf, with thofe who accompanied him^ after a narrow efcape of being taken at fea, arrived in the Highlands i where we (hall leave him for the prei^t, and conclude this letter with obferving, that it was to this ifitit and obftinacy of opinion in the ad- venturer, that the rebellion broke out in j 745, and which brought him fo* ill provided into Scotland; and, in my nextp I ihall give you fome account of what vras doing at Rome^ and the fteps taken towards forwarding his affairs ; though he had withdravm himfelf from thence in the manner before mentioned, to plunge himfdf, ^d thoufimds befides, into unipeakable miferies, hardihips, and diftreifesj of which many families fed the fevere ^eds unto diis day. LETTER I f* 1 m-^m LETTER THE THIRD. r i T^ISPLEASED as the old chevalier appeared to be, at "^ his fon's precipitate flight^i fuch meafurefi were, never- thelefs, immediately refolved oh, and purfued, as might ftill favour the ^rand defign^ (this is what> in the vulga/ phrafe, • is faid ^^ to make the beft of a bad market*') amongft which it was judged necefTary to difpatch private meilengers with letters, as fix>n as poilible, to acquaint fQme of their parti- cular friends, in England^ Wales ^ and Scotland, of his fud- den departure for Paris, and thereby to invite' the few, in whom thegreateft confidence was plax^, and who could be moil ufeful, by their rank, charaAer, and abilities, to join him at Paris y as alfo to encourage all his friends to conti- nue fleady in their attachment, and endeavours for promoting the great end of the young adventurer's undertaking ; with affurances, that it would be well fupported. French promifes, Jike forjcigh bills, not duly honoured, fhould be protefted and returned for non-payment. Amongft others, a letter was wrote to the ♦ earl of Clan^ carty, to the above effed, by the Chevalier de St. George * himfelf. tl < I a^iJfc^^ * Lord Clancarty^ feveral years before he received the letter of invitation from the old pretender, had been in Inland^ where he brought ejedments for recovery of an eftate forfeited by his father, amounting to about j^. 60,000 per year, which he claimed under a fettlement of marriage. The parliament of I is r himfdif. He therein acquainted the earl/ that his fon was fet out ffom Romi for Paris, to fettle fome preliminaries with that court fipr effedtually putting the projeSl in execu- tioii ; and that as he had received the moft fatisfadtory af- iiirances of fiiccours in men and money, and every other material neceflary for the completion of the bufinefs, he prayed and required his lordfhip (who^ it was agreed on^ was to command at fea, being well acquainted with, and broughf up in that fervice) to leave London, as foon 'as con* veniently he could, and to. go .directly to Faris^ in order to join his fom, who at that time, he doubted not, but hoped, might be difluaded from purfuing ra(h meafurcs, and pre- vailed on to pbftpone his voyage to Scotland, for fome time longer at leaft, until things could be duly prepared ; and who perhaps might, in the interim, appear publickly there, according as the circumftance and fituation of affairs fhould admit, or beft cohreipond with the intrigues and politics of the French court • ' s t This nobleman, who had thought himfelf ill ufed by the miiiiftry of England, required but a very flender invitation to join in any enterprizie, that, in his opinion, might diftrefs^ them; of that kingdom pafled a vote, whereby it was refolved, that any lawyer, •counfid, att<irneyt or rollicitor, that ihould proceed in fuch fuit, (ic. fiiould 1>e deemed an enemy to his country, &r« This refolution^ which quieted the minds and interefts of the pofleflbrs of that large eftate, enraged the mind of the earl, who thought himfelf intitled to the whole ; and dlfappointed in that cxpefbtion, he fought any occafion for procuring to himfelf the profpe£l of pofleffihg^^hat great fortune, and would have joined the Grand Turk or Cham «f Tariary to obtain it. them} »nd» tb^rpfpiv, wHh' groiviiidterii^inft eMdinfll^lM«i gaft to GsttU hts afKtir^f an4 prepuc to fet outt for IVn^r, Yet the difpofition he fhewed^ of an ci>odiesiCQ to thia l6t-« ter from the old cAepab'eTf did not procoed .froni any parti- cular afFedHon or attachment to hiin tsr his hsmij, aa will appear by the fequel* • • • • dopes of recoveriixg and poflfeiling. a la^ eAate fbdeited by his fadier, with the ambition of appeatimg jat the head of a powerful fquadrion at fea^ as he was made to believe^ feem to have been his chief mo^i^ea, ^nd ftrongeft ioci^*^ ments* Be. that aa it map, h^ fbon arranged his own privator affairs, and fet out for Frsnce i but, i^ i how gnat wc^ his furprize and difappqixutment, when, <ftn laftdiag <ihere^ he found, that, wfailfl he was perfoimiDg Ha voya^ ttt France 9 the adventurer had fet out £rom xkoice on his voy-*; age to Scotlandy and had ai^ually arrived in that kingdom I Sluos Deus vult perdere nemo dement at. « ■ « • * The news of the adventurer's djanger 4md eicape at fea, and of his being fafe landed in Stotlund, wax known in France before the Englijh miniftry were fully apprifed thereof, or at leafl convinced that it was fo. This news, however, had very different effefts on thofe to whom it was conamuni* cated ; ibme were rejoiced at the happy deliverance he, had, from the danger that fo nearfy threatened him, and at his fafe landing in Scotland, looking on both as good omens in his favour; whilfl others, of more folid judgment, and grmter . [ '7 ] greater fbrefight atfd penetration, looked upon ihts Attempt as liot only ra(h ^nd inconfiderat^, but as moft eiie&ual to ihipwreck his fortune* His Iriends Whom he had left behind, efpecially thofe "virho were in<^ fanguine and earneft in foUicitations for fuc^ cours to be fent after him, begaq to conceive great hopes tp themfelves, by the news frequently received from Scotland i and they 1)okily 4>oke on that behalf, to procure troops for that fervice^ * Troops were not wanting on the coaft of France^ had the minifters at that time beeji in the leaft difpofed to fend them. Bouhgttey Calais^ Dunkirk, and other ports, were fuffici-^ ently gamilhed with forqes ; but the court was not, dr ap- peared not to be, entirdy fatud&od with the expedition. Befides, there was a large French army encamped in Flirn^ ders ; and their king was with the army, attended by his minifters, where they remained for fome time. The adventurer's brother, then called duke of Tork, was in Frdncif and had at this time his . reiidence generally at Boulogne or Dunkirk, .where he was pompoufly attended by ^feverd perfons of diftin<3:ionj and couriers under diiguifes 'and various pretexts wtre frequently going and coming to «nd from England, Wales, and Scotland, with letters and difpatches ; but no order for troops to* be fent to Scotland could be obtained from France. Vol. I. D At r 18 J At length the partizans of the caufe, thinking it duty not to negkA fo fair an opportunity, as that of the king and his miniiler's being with Ae army^ the earl of Clancarty and lord Marjhal were deputed and diipatched tOt the camp in Flanders^ to folicit the minifter for immediate affiftance, and immediate fupply of forces, to invade Scot*- Ibndi. and to keep up the fpirit of rebellion- in that kingdonu Monfieur D^Avgenfon^ the then^ minifter, received* thefe- two earls with that politenefs due to their rankr and enter- ing on the fubjeft of their commiffion^ WArgenfon (fpeak- ing to lord MarJhatJ affedEed* to be flirprifed' that his Idrd- (hip did not go to Scotland with the adventurer; to which die other replied, he thought he was fiot fufficiently fup- plied or prepared for fuch an expedition; but that, as he had begun, he might continue to make a good diverfion, until a prosier and reafonable fupply of inen.could,be,fent,tDj himc , jyArgenfon then a/ked him, what number of men he- thought might be fufficient to d6 the work, with thofe who* were already in arms ? (ftDl at times exprefling his furprife, that he did not embark with his prince^ as he called him, . and condudt him to iSc0//i^;^, as^itwas hiS' lordfhip's natisie country, and he fo well acquainted therewith, and beloved by the people, that he might have drawn many more, toge- ther, who would have readily followed him).. The lord Mar^^/ anfwered, that if he would give him- but 7000 men^. he would immediately embark with them, and undertake,, upon peril of his life, with the troops already in arms;^ and ; thofe. [ 19 1 lSi6k thtft would riie on his appearing at the head of the' army there^ to complete the work, and place the pretender oil die throne^- as there were not fufficient force then in Eftg-' land to oppofe them ; but that it was necelTary that this* fupply Should be fent with all difpatch, before the Engli/b troops could be called home from Germany. The French minifter cooly replied, that he was very forry^ as he feared fuch a laumber could not be then fpared ; but faid, he would think of it, and fee what could be done .; aJlTuring them, neverthelefs, that the caufe fhould be fuf- tained, and help fhould not be wanting. Lord Clancarty going on in importuning the minifter, and feconding lord Marjhal*^ demand, jyArget^fon fay:s to him, ^uanfa voire prince^ Mw/eigneuTf il efi alkr en Ecoffe^ en Btanctec : fen . Juisfacbi. Vous tietes pas bein coeffe^ Monfeigneur ; voukz vous queje vous envoye man pernquer, ilfait bein cceffer. Lord Clancarty is a man generally carelefs in his drefs i though, on occafions, no man drefles better, appears with more luftre, or has a better tafte in cloaths % but happened at this time to be- in a deihabiUe, with an ordinary black tie-wig, fuch as he commonly wears <mi journies, and which added no ornament to the reft of his drefs ; which gave the minifter the opportunity of changing the difcourfe, and making hini this iheering complinjent {all this being lord Clancarty^ own account). It provoked him fo much, who is naturally warm and rough, though a man of good fenfe, with a bad application of it, that he ftarted up from hid chair, defiring lord Marjbal to come aw^, and faying to D 2 him f. « J in Engtijhf which he knew the minifler did iiot ftaod^ ^ Damn the fellow, he is making his diverfion of us;'* and never after .could he be prevailed on to go near him. The confequence that followed this interview! muft rtferve for my next. It was faid indeed, that if the peer had met the minifter on any other than French ground^ he would have given him more occafion for a furgeon to drefs his head» than his lord(hip had for a barber to accommodate his wig. LETTER THE FOURTH. T>ESPONDENCY and refentment fcldom fail to fol- low difappointment cloie to the heels, when we find that promifes of fervices, and profeffions of friendfliip, arc only made and calculated to delude and deceive us. It is> not, therefore, much to be wondered at, if tl^e two lords^ mentioned in my former letter had retained a litt4e of both^. on the reception they met vnth from the French minifter^ and the little attention he (hewed for the fuccefs of the Scotch affairs, in the conference they had with him ; for the fup- port of which, their folicitations were entirely dire£led. Lord Marpal * and lord Clancarty had both been long perfetuted> by the malevolence of their adverfe ftars. For- tune • Lord Marjhal received fo many flights and affronts from the young pre- tender and his brother, after the tttacbment he had ihewn for that caufc^ whick t «« J iqne feeihed t6 hafe-ferned her back lipcm them. AccuA^ tomed to her frowns, they cot^rteii'iiotiher foniles i ncur were they ignorant of the Hith faith cha< fiumM be given to pro^^ xnifes of men> - wfaoie principal ftudy, whofe greateft merit, whofi daily pradice and highdft ambition, is to cajole and deceive. ' 'Contrary, 4ien, to jwhat one might exped to refult from fuch dreads arid dpprdhedfioirs,- as fill the mind on believing their caufe, tieir all^ to be abandoned or loft, their ardour cooled nQt ) lio dteje^ion was perceived ; nor was Acir re- ientment lefs for being fmothered. They heartity 'wiflied, it is true, all the ill pofiible to UArgenfon ; and there was not at that tioie any dne of :> the party in France tbsJt would not have triump^d at his death or downf^l. But th^ did act think it for the' intereiS: pf the cauie , to fhew any. out-- ward tokend >oY their di^bntdit. }f either did they pd^lifli iwhat had paiHd at their conference with iXArgenfony left it might difpirit their friends, and otherwife hurt the intereil of the caufe. For thofe reafons, it was made known only to a few* ' I They, therefore, continue^ their iolkitations at court> with more warpith than befot^e, Ibcbnded by the adven- turer's brother; in which ievecal of ^ the French nobility, ' ^ '• friends which' \\t had unfftftunjitely ^mbajrlcfd in^ stnd the man/ Services he h^ ren- flered tKem, ^that he 2$. length abandoned both, and would iiever after be per- fuaded to meddle in their affairs; the* Hf treatmcyit and ingratitude he thee With fr(^ tlie twoi^iothiiDa liavl^rfiiufed asd peov^ed bis Ji^^eft lefeotaieoir^ jiKbi^;4lJa^. opened his eyes, and convinced him of the errors in which h& had been toa long blindly wanderii^ [ " ] friends to that family, affifted and jomed^ feme ladies de* daring at that time, in their private cabals, that if the ad^ venturer wanted moneT, ihty would* - amoogft their own Tex, raife by {libfcription a large fum to he remitted to him^ even ihbuld they be obliged to fell or mortgage their jewek to procure it. Thus the fpirit of his affairs was revived and wrought up, when they were thought to be at low ebb. New applications were&lfo continudly making in his favour from Rome, and other places ;, which at length difpofed thd minifler to (hew, it leaft in appearance^ an intention of aid* ing and aiiifling the young adventurer, by traniporting a body of troops in^ Scotlaf^^ His fuccefs at Prefion^P^ms reanimated the courage of Jiii friends in France, and gave them room to demand, with greater freedom and boldnefs, the performance of at leafl fbmc of the bountiful promifes fo profufely Mattered in his behalf a long time before, and which, until then* feemed to be totally laid afide, or entirely forgot. The minifter then began, thro* fhame, (if any fuch thing can be found in the poffeflion of thofe miniflers, who, from die authority of office^ imagine there is no ihame in vio- lating their faith, and the moft facred promifes) or he was driven by the prefUng importunities, with which he was daily tormented, ferioufly to think of doing fomething to relieve himfelf from both, and dazzle the hopes and expedlations of all. For which purpose, fbme piquets drawn from the Irtjh brigade were ordered to embafk, which land- ed in Scotland, except a few, who were taken at fea« Lord Clares regiment entire embarked,, with old Sbortal, their lieutenants^ •• i: as I lieutenantrcolonet, who tfeen commanded them for tbafex* peditioHi being at that time the only hijbman alirc, of all thofe, who had'left />•(?&»</ with Jaaks^^fi Seicond, after hi» defeat at the Boyne. This old officer> in his very advanced age, was ifofanguine, that no argument could diffuade him to quit the colours of the regiment ; and notwithflanding die great infiffmities incident to one of his years* he em- •barkedy with the hopes of feeing* as he often iince declared, ttnce more his native country, before his death, by a voyage Be intended to make thither from Scotland^ as foon as thac^ kingdom could be reduced : which childiih reft>lution may well be sittributedL to the effedU of his great age. ^ \ . This regimenr^ \nth their old colonel^ fuiFeced much in Aeir voyage to Scotland^ from contrary winds and bad wea* jtfair ; and the old xAsm; to augmeQt his afHi^ions^ had the additional mortification of feeing only the hills and plains of th&t unhappy country (for iUch it certainly was at that jundture) without having fb much as the pleafare of putting his focjt on: £bore : for the captains of the veflels^ in whom thefe troopS> and fome.fbw others^ Were embarked, for rea^ fons and pretences beft known to themfelves (but which were foon fufpe£ted to be by fccret orders given to them by the French miniftry) refufed to land them y which created much d^urbance and diilention in thofe (hips, amongd the officers and VMSt^ who,, enraged at the difappointment of getting on (hore, were almoft ready to mutiny. Some few of the officers, however, by force or artifice, got on fhore, and w^nt and joined the rebel army ; the reft were dirciftly Brought, back to France k There In] There were at {his time likewile ibine few o^ber$, who had quilted therrregiiixents in fbreigii : fervke; who found tneans to c get itito Statkmd, unddTpret^gite of fe^eal for the cauie; bt^f 'flK>re from a principle of felf-4ntereft» to obtain» in the trouble and conftifion, at that time, daily incraafingy preferment in an undifciplined army, diat w^ted bifioers to inftt-uft theih; in the military exercife : but mdft of thofc unfortunate entttptitirs, with many others/ the year 'folii- lowing, found their retreat- in the prifbns o( Lofuhn and SoufAwark, where they remained to lament their fate, till fent back to -France. It > . Through policy or fineffe, the court of France^ to ihew, or pretending to (h^W, her approteitibn and conoirrence in this bufinefs, fent over on this oc<!afion' fas part of the promtfed fuceoursy ho ddubt) X>[fc Monfieur Bouir\ cloathed with the character of a minlfter, tor the ^buftg adveritiirep. TThis foreign dfnhaffador puffed a^^ay declarations, faid to be bis mafter's, or by his orders whereby it was deddred, that ■a treaty of alliance had been entcfed intd between bim and his cottjin 5 that as he hfad drawn the fwbrd^. he^^wouTd rot fheath it, until he had pTadfed him on the thfone of his^aii- ccftors, &c. or to jhat effeiSt i the importance of which, as well as of thi^ embafly, for fome fli6rt time, gave a high and new air to matters s and a tone extraordinary to the friends in Scotland, as weH as td die partizans ttf the caufe in France. Public promifes and profeffions of this kind, made with- out any great appqarance of performance, no eflfeftual fup- plies being yet arrived from France, though fo lortg^ expcfted, , .'r and [ H ] and ib many favourable opportunities for fending them had then! elapfed/ were not fwallowed down by all, and became doifbtful to many s in fo much that moft of the Highland chiefs, who began to look upon this man with an eye of fulpicion, would have been much better pleafed, and would haic foiuxd (as they faid themfel ves) better refource, in the arrival of three or four thoufand auxiliaries, than in all the odious, fulfome, perfidious declarations, he daily expreffed, and which ^on, like fmoak,. evaporated, without any better effect than leaving thofe, who were credulous, to be dupes to their own credulity* Gr??t, it IS true, were the expedlations which the adven- turer^s fuccefs in the adtion at Pre/ion- Pans raifed amongft his friends abfoad, and particularly amongft many of the French themfelves ; fome of whom in fecret bdgan to look upon him with fear and jealoufy } which occafioned J8(?/^r^, the pretended ambafiador^ who in fa<ft was regarded in no other light than as a fpy, to be fent over. That vidtory, which, with fo much facility, declared itfclf, in that adtion, in his favour that day, and which gave him, his followers and partizans, at home and abroad^ ihch flattering delufive hopes, had been in- finitely better for him and his followers to have been lofl than gained for him : he would then have been obliged' to have returned from whence he came, (if not taken by thofe he came to deflroy) the lives of thoufands had been fpared, and the troubles, diflrefTes, and calamities, that fpllowed^ ,ha4 never been known. This fuccefs then proved as a fnarq.or a decoy to lead him to misfortunes, which he did not forefee, and of which his advifers were ignorant, by encouraging Vol. I. E him r a6 ] him in his ambitious projed, in which providenoe» it u vifible^ intended he never (hould fucceed^ as I hope clearlf to prove to yon in my next* ——pi LETTER THB FIFTH. V TNFATUATED by this vidory, he remained at JS^«- ^ burgb^ much longer than one in his dei^erate (ituation ought to have done^ if he had any hopes of accompliihing his evil deiigns ; if he had not been under the fatality* that his wayward fate had determined to render his expe^tions abortive in the end. Many were the motives affigned for his delay^ and ftrongly reported, by his beft and neareft friends : yet at this very time he began to exert a fpirit, which he had not before (hewn, and privately to murmur at the obftinacy and per* verfenefs of the Scatcbf and ^e difreipe^ul treatment he had received from feveral of that nation, who then accom^ panied him to their own ruin. Entertainments, operas, balls^ and other amuiements of that nature, greatly occupied a confiderable part of his time.. By this he thought to render himfelf amiable and agreeable to the nobility, and others, who at that time reforted to^ Edinburgh $. [ *7 I Edittburgb I and in order, by an afikble, obliging, and cour-* teous bchairiottr, to remove dio£: prejudices that had been and ceoMined ftrongljr imprinted on the minds of moft peo- ple, againft his family, as well as to eftabliih a good opinion and favourable reputation of himielf ; whilft his natural in-- dinations, and real intentions, were, by this artful beha^ viour* concealed. On the other hand, it was faid, with equal appearance of truth, that he remained at Ettinburgb only to wait for the arrival of fome of the clans, who were preparing to follow, and who had £iithfully promifed to march and join him# One or other of thefe reafons may be true I and, for my own part, I am inclined to believe, that there is ibme truth in both. But amoogft all the idle uncreditable reports that were then fpread abroad on this fubjed, none was more ridicu* lous, falfe^ or ill founded, than that which related to an intrigue with a woman called * Miis Jenf^ Cameron : her Nation, her age, her occupation, tafte, and charader, ef^ fe^ally remove every kind of fufpicion on that head. This woman brought on berielf the reputation, or rather the nick^name* of his miftrefs, nierely by fpeaking fisivourably of him and hi$ interefts, and by profd^ing an attachment to him, virhich was common to all her name, who at diat time £ a formed rii*«WfMM^ * This woman liTed at Ediniurgb j was what the HigbUndtn called loyally attached to the family of the Stuarts i was ufed to invite the ladies and gen- tlemen of the town to come to lee her, and drink Cbarly*s health. She was far advanced in years, kept a kind of milliner's 0iopi and was only dttbb*d by way gf ridicule with the name of his miftrefs. [ ^8 ] formed a large clan. Had the liking or paffion, whicH had captivated him for Mifs Wdkingjbaw^ whom he afterwards caufed to be brought over to France to him, and who ftill remains with him, notwithftanding his repeated unkindnefles, and cruel treatment of her, as may hereafter be more parti- cularly mentioned ; had this, I fay, been known at that time, the name of Jenny Cameron had been as much in oblivion then, as it is now, and ever will remain. It was to thefe amufements^ entertainments, dancings, and the like, with waiting for fome of the clans to advance and join him, that the delay was owing ; which prevented him from marching forward fooner, in order to attack Car^ ItJUy to open for himfelf a paffage into England^ which he afterwards, but too late, eflFedted, with refpedt to his grand view, and other interefts : for whilft, by his delay at Edin^ f^HVgk* l^c was fecuring to himfelf an imaginary fund of praife and aife£tion, he was, in reality, drawing upon himfelf a load of blame, trouble, and difappointment ; which, by a woeful experience, he foon after difcovered, in the fatal C9pfequen<(es that followed. He doubted not of being joined by feveral: in his march to Deriy; but, to his great morti- fication, a , few only of the . common people, about Man* cbefteri ranked themfelves unfortunately under his forelorn ilandard. Befides, his delay gave time for the Englijh mini- fters to call home fome of the national regular troops from Flanders (where they were then employed) with the duke of Cumberland at their head ; whilft others, in the pay of Great Britain^ or by treaty united to her interefts, put themfelves in march for the fame purpofe^ and foon arrived in England. [ 29 ] This anfwercd the views of the French minifter: for, Bruffeh being at this time clofcly bcfieged by Marfhal Saxe, it foon fell into his hands. He had thrown fuch a quantity of bombs into that city, that many churches and convents fuffcred thereby ; and moft of the nuns, who for years be- fore had not once feen the ftreet, or enjoyed the converfation of men, unlefs that of their confeffors, were obliged to fly from thofe convents, for fome time, which gave them the opportunity of feeing the world once more, and of tailing, for fome (hort time, thofe pleafures of life they had fo long renounced. 1 We cannot too much admire or appkud the difpatch and chearfulnefs, with Which the EngUJIj army advanced to feck the enemy. A kind of terror had, at this time, began to ipread itfelf abroad, and the progrefs of the rebels alarmed great numbers of people ; which rendered the bufinefs much more ferious than it appeared to be in its firft breaking out. What is it any army will not do or endure, commanded by a general whom they love, and in whom they place their hopes and confidence ? After the fatigues of long campaigns abroad, their courage warm, and, ' reanimated with love, and duty for their king jmd country, they look for an occaifion to give frefli proofs of both, being perfuaded, that they fhall return with vi<5i:ory and laurels. London was not at this time, you know, entirely free from apprehenfions and inquietude i but the city, always ready to fupport the juft rights of the crown, not lefs diftin- guifhed for its zeal and attachment to the illuilrious family on i 3® 1 on the throne^ than for their detoftation and eocitempt of the Stuarts nee, waa not wanting- to take fuch precautions^ and purfue fuch meafures, as the exigence of the tkaes^ the dan* ger that menaced the public tranquillity^ and the neceffities of the national affairs, demanded. Their attention and li- berality were of very great utility : contributions * were made» and neceifary fupplies were fent to the foldiers, which were not otherwife provided for ; and who» in n hard win* ter, at that time advancing fail upon them, in proportion as they advanced to meet the enemy, found great benefit and relief thereby ; as they prevented many from being attacked by colds and other diforders, that might have been fatal to them, and weaken the arms of our country, and which are generally the certain confequences of vnnter campaigns. But this was not the only happy efFed: of their loyal and prudent deliberations and reiblutions on this event. It had an effect, perhaps, not thought of, or much expeded, at the time of taking thofe refolutions, and exerting thofe ads of zeal and generofity. The adventurer faw widi grief, that he had no friends, or none of any confequence ; that the good and glorious example of the city of London would (oan be followed by the reft of the kingdonii, if there (bould be any farther neceflity for other fupplies, of what nature foever they might be. He faw with a forrowful heart, that no riiings. . * The utility of Alderman, now Sir Stepbin Tbiodon JanJfgrCt great fervices on this occafion, can never be forgot.— -See the Appendix at the end of the 2d volume, giving an account of the parttddar fuma ndfed and appHed by the city of LQndQn on this critical oocaiion. t 3' J fififigftt or appearance of rifiiigSy in any ttfptA, (hewed dietnfelves in his hmmr, eidier in town or country, that coold be of any material consequence to him. His expe£ta-> tions of drawing any advantage from discontent or difunion amoflgfl die people^ were firuitlels ; for difcontent or mur« muring there was none. The only ftruggle was in an emu* lation amongft thoie, who were endeavouring to ihew their greateft zeal to defeajt him, and to root out the whole feed of the Jacobites. The influence refulting from this example fet by the city cf London, at iSiat critical time/ over the whole nation, did not hS, to ftrike him and his followers^ with fuch a damp, as obliged them to thinic of their own fecurity, to retreat, and to'haften back fafter than they came; left they ftiould be iurrounded, ^or cut off by the troops then advancing under the command of his rbyal highncfs the duke of Cumberland, . and tbofe other general officcry who aflcd under his orders : wherefore it became neceflary for felf-prefervation to de- camp. Dire<^ions were given to pile baggages and the retreat began. The roads, they were to take, and the difpo- iitions for their march, in order to efcape the danger that threatened them,- of being taken or cut off by the duke's army, were entirely fettled and privately directed by Sulli^ van, who, it was faid, better than any of the reft, by the fituation of the Englijh army, and the diipofitions made of fome detachments of the troops, forefaw the danger the re- bels were then expofed to, and the facility of their deftruc- lion, unlefs timely avoided by every prudent ftcp and pre- ^^WttOA Jthat was pojEIible to be taken. ■ No t 33t 1 No time was, therefore, to be loft. Ladies * and nlen, boys and wenches, -who had/dllowedthi^ir fathers, brother^, and relations, tparqhed with their army, ffMsne^ in front, £>me in rear ; fome half ilarye^^ fome ha}f naked ; but moft of m them without ihoes or flockings. It. was a kind of comedy to fee the grotefque figures many of them cut at that time i but to moft of whom^ in the end^ -it proved a tragedy. They were purfued in their retreat into^ J^dotfand by the duke, with his army at their heels. . . , So much, as I apprehend, may be material to relate, and fatisfadtory to you, as to what followed this retreat, I fhall curlbrily mention in my nextj not intend^g to write a hif-- tory of that rebellion, but only torelate fuch particular tran- fa^ions as have fome connection with what is to follow, and which may be worthy your obfervation, and ^public atten- tion, and have not been made public. * Lady OgilvUj and others, who followed the armys fl^c was afterwards taken, and made her efcape out of Edinburgh caftie* •1 . • LEtTER t 33 ] ■*— ^^— — — ■! ■ I ■ ■ ■ I LETTER THE SIXTH. ^T^HE adventurer and his army taking the rout of Carlf/le, in their way to Scotland^ he left in that city and garriibn, as he pafTed by it, a few, who, he knew, could make little or no refinance aglinfl the force that clofely purfued him, and which would foon retake that city, though it had been tea times better fupported. It was necefiary here to make, aa he thought, a {ham parade to amufe them : for which pur*^ pofe he gave orders to thofe, who commanded in CarltfUf to make the beft defence poiGble, and not to furrender till the laft extremity ; promifing that he would foon fend a fufficient force to raife the fiege, and repulfe the enemy : from which he propofed this advantage, that thereby he might retard the march of the Englijh army, and facilitate his own efcape into Scotland. . .How, cruel and wicked this deception, can eafily be ima- gined : he well knew at the time he gave thefe deceitful, or- ders, that iheCe troops, and the officers, who commanded them, and the governor of the town, muft, on the ap- proach of the Englijh army, fall a facrifice for their rebellion, and become an eafy prey to the conqueror. Their deftrucj- tion he confidered as his own fecurity, and therefore pre- ferred it ; though he might as well have brought them with him, and given them the chance with the other unfortunate v*^retches, then devoted to his' banners, to (hun for a while Vol. I. F- longer [ 34 ] longer the miferable fate that foon after befel them alU For as foon as the duke's army arrived before the town^ after a very flender refiftance^ the rebel garrifon furrendered at difcretioQ ; moft of them receiving afterwards the punifh- ment which the law in fuch cafes inflidts. Inftead of making the prefervation and happinefs of thofc, who joined him, the motive of his care and concern, he regarded, only his own intereft and fafcty; nor ever be- moaned the fufferings and misfortunes of any, provided he could accomplish thereby his ambitious views or defperate defigns i believing (tyrant like) that all thofe over whom his dominion or power extended, are born to die at his pleafure or caprice. How unhappy is, then, the ilate of human nature, if thoufands are to be wretched and mifer- able, to aggrandize one man, with wealth and power, at the expence of their liberty and lives, in whom no gra- titude ox juft acknowledgment can be found, and from whom no recompence or fatisfadion can be obtained I De- tefted and abominable muft he be, who would eftablifh his greatnefs in the oppreilion and ruin of his fellpw-creatures ; '£nce all mankind are but one family, difperfed over the whole globe of this earth. On his return into Scotland^ his friends and followers 'began to complain of their misfortunes and diftrefles, and the dangers they were ftill expofed to ; and that even vic- tory in any new engagement they might be driven to, would only ferve to render their cafe more defperate. They la- mented the loft time wafted at Edinburgh $ ajledgiog, that if C 35 1 if he had marched on to England after the battle of Prefton^ Pans, he would have found little or no refiftance^ as there^ were then hut few troops to oppofe him ; that many would have joined him, if the reinforcements from Flanks, and the auxiliary troops, had not arrived fo critically; which was what intimidated thofe who were difpofed to do any thing in his favour : diat, by purfuing fuch a plan, he would have done his bufinefs before the Englijb troops had arrived ; but that the above delay had defeated their hopes, and brou^t on their ruin. He limned to thoie remonftrances and murmurings with . comj^aiiance and patience s was careful not to ihew his un- . eafinefs or diflktisfaftion at the behaviour of fbme particular . perfons on this occafion, and fubmitted to their advice, and every tiling they faid. EJiniiirgJ^ was not a place of £ii^' now for him* to retire to, ai^d of cowfe h^ took a long and\ lafting adieu of that city. Many o£ the men, who had. marched with him into England, had returned home, >ut mo((V of them with a prqmiie of coming back to jotn^ hin^*. The broken fpirite and droQpi(lg Goq^age of tfaiofe, whaaer . companied him, he i^w with ch&gfin 4nd iadndi, but did^ all in his power to conceal it : his words and a£tions wero courteous and obliging, eafy and, lataiiliar with every oiie, anc^ ibaring with the co^nmoneft nMn t^tvy hardship and. fatigue, jln thfiit mapch«/ This- c&Bdu(^wab the dffefb^edfftap/ alone (foF ia his beairt he- love^ tbeib not) ioatird^b .litryrl ha^gl^f 3r and perverfe behavidUF, ^hich he ihet jvfitb Aomn fever$d| of the chiefs^' who- brought their men* to rjbiir limf* aedi 5«fhp ^2id command over the troops; to whom they F 2 * frequently [ 36 3 r • • • frequently gave fuch orders as they thought fit, and which were often contradiAory to what he liked ordcfircd; not daring to fhew any refentment or open diilike to this treat* ment : and his apprehenfiorts that he might in the end be betrayed and given up^ forced him to difguife his intentions and refentment. It was, however, neceflary, he thought, to remove, as far as poflible, all the difficulties or objedions that might be oppofed to his defigns, and of endeavouring, not only to keep his army from feparating, but to infpire it with fome flattering hopes of future advantages, and better fuccefs, in order to keep them together, and raife their cou* rage : for which purpofe, he aflbres them of his receivihg advice, that troops embarked from France were then at lea, and that he doubted ndt of their being landed by the time he and th6 army fliould crois the Spey ; that he feared not, with thefc fuccours, to drive the Englijh army out of Scot- land, and at leaft to ^eferve that kingdom independent, until he fhould be in sr condition to re-enter England once more, which he woidd not fail to do with fucfa an army of French and Scotch, as would compleat his defign, and fully recompence the loyalty, zeal, and attachment/ they had ihewn, as alfo their hardfhips, fuficrings, and fatigues. England being then the land of promife, thefe promifes and aflurances had the defired efied;; the army marched pn with more chearfulnefs \ and fome advantages, which they boafted to have gainec} in their retreat, confirmed in fome meaiiire their hopes, arifing from the afifurances, infinua- ttons, and proipifes, he had £> liberally beftowed upon them. Having f J7- f Having crofled the Spey^ councils and confultations were held, w^Trthcr-'^Tr^fltoulS not eppbfe at this place the paffage of the Englijh army : he was ftrongly for this propofition ; but the Scotk) expeAing the French tr06ps to land, according to promife, would not run the rifk alone ; thinking it better to gp:fartSxer nordi, thefboner to meet and join the expedt- ed iiiccoiirs, ror to bernearer the mountains and difficult paf- fages, Ti;Hiefcf» :if any misfortune happened, they might find fiirer retreats, and m6rc affiftance and relief amongft their friends aftd kiiisfblka. Mat^ were the excuies and preten- ces made ufe of for the deli^ of the French troops not ar- riving and kndingf, ti^hich gave the Scotch new caufe of murmuring and complaiht s fomtf of whom were not want- ing openly to pour out bitter ciirfes and imprecations againft that nation, and the worthy anibaffador, who had fo egre- gioufly ftiled in all his pronufes. The Englijh army having crdled the^ Spey without the leaft oppofition, purfued its flMrch; and l^cScatob having got to Culkden^ I fhall in my next touch upon what happened there, and fhortly as poffible piroceed in what relates to this march, and its mi«* Arable confequences, which the adventurer brought by his detjcftable entcrprize^ upon that nation. t . I LETTER ( 3^ 1 1 ri ] ■ ■ ■ ■ "*!Ti*mSS35 LETTER THB SEVENTH. IV^ONEY^ the food and fupport of war, had been &nt from Romcp byhilk on bdnkers at Pans, to be remits- ted to Scotlandl whiUl the. adventurer was cin iik march to England i and though the fum was not yctj confideraUe, it was much wanted, and would have been of great fervice^ and extremely acceptable^ had it arrived accordintg to expec- tation ; but in this, as ifi other ev^tiUf ,tficif e ftemed to be- a fatality or evil genius^ in GOQdu€U&^ his. aflfaira^s for the* negotiating thofe biUs, and remittibg the nieney,r was by O Brien^ then fecretary to the ohevsdter St. George at Rsm^ (and who took upon himfelf the tiek of ^9j\\q£ Ltfinartr o^ the county of JVafprford &a /r^/ii*^) luiider pretence oTIImb) being created (lich by that oM'inaii) committed to the* catV and management of his gay wifi^ tHen refidiilg at Paris aiitf VerJfiUks. This woman was tolerably handibme, of a gen- teel and good figure, of good addvef^, and pc^fediP tnjhln-fi^ of every art of intrigue and diffiriiiiftttiohv wbfidH cfould i6- commend her to that court, where flic adted as agent for her hufband and his mafler, in attending the minifters of France^ remitting to them the difpatches and letters fent to her from Rome^ receiving their anfwcrs, and fending them back ; in a word, tranfading the moft fecret matters which were then • upon the tapis relative to the pretender's afiairs. » i Her ( 39 ] Her allurements, charms, and gaiety, drew the eyes of many upon her. Though fhe was a native of Ireland p (he ^was brought over ft>. very young into France^ where flie was educated iii a convent,' that (he fcarccly fpoke a word of her native language : fb much was fhe miftrefs of the French tongue. Amongft the numerous refort of perfons of the firft dif- tinifiioh, who vifited this lady, and who were in return vifitcd by her, there was not one to whom (he (hewed more complaifance and attention, or who had gained (b abfolute a dominion and influence over her mind and affections, as the late afchbifhop of Cambrajy one of the handfomeft men in France^ a fine gentleman, a man of great learning, and the admiration and delight of the fair fex. To fuch a degree did many of that fex carry their ideas, of this ecclefi- aflic, that feveral virtuous matried ladies of the firft rank of the nobility in that court, as foon as they found themfelves pregnant', found means to have his pifture in great or fmall, which they conftantly kept in their bed-chamber or cabinet, in hopes, that by frequently looking pn it, to bring into the world a child refembling fo great a prelate. Nor was this admiration of the fair fex in any wife furpafiing the refpedt and efteem which all men bore him. He was natural fon to the late duke of Orleans^ regent of France during the jninority of the prei/bnt king, which gave him no fmall in- ,fluehce at court. Befides the great accomplifhments, which he pofTefled in the moft eminent degree, he was a fincere friend where he profe(red ; and his generofity and liberality Icnew no bounds. To fuch divine authority, to fuch tern- ' ' " poral t 40 1 poral intcrefts, to fuch manly charms, feconded by the high- eft profpcdts of \vorldly plcafure and a4vantagc, how many wopen are there not^ who would be proud to become de- votees» or glad to make their facrifice at fuch a (brine? Madam La Comteffe de Li/more^ as then called, with a fen- libility natural to gay and ambitious minds, thiriling after wealth and grandeur, unable to refift fuch a mighty torrent of temptations and benefits, as bore down, overflowed, and even fubmergcd every other confideration, became entirely devoted to his Grace : fhe then, or very foon after, took the lead ; and having at length in her turn, obtained an ab«- folute afcendant and dominion over his perlbn and fortune, ihe almoft difpofed of both, as fhe thought fit : her hotel, her brilliant equipage, and every article neceflary for ren- dering life fplendid and magiaificent, were only equalled by few. Without ipeaking of the elegance, profufenefs, and expence of their tables, fuch pomp and fplendour with thofe t)ewitching delufive amufements, which in Paris are the certain confequence of wealth and greatnefs, blotted out of her mind the thoughts of returning to Romef and almoft extinguifhed the remembrance of every thing that had been dear to her at her departure from thence, tho' Mr. O Brierij the huftjand, did not die till the year 1760; ialways con* tinuing to tranfaft at Rome the affairs of the Chevalier de St. George, as his minifter, to the time of his death. Tranfadlions fo public, and a condud fo bare-faced, could not efcape the eyes of the public, .nor the knowledge and obfervation of the court, where even the moft trifling of- fences, how artfully foever they may be concealed or dif- gulled. r.41 ] gulfed^ are generally firft known, and much fboner than moft people can imagine : in confequcnce of which, fomc animadverfions being made, and intimations given for a change of manners, and preferving decorum, fo as, at lead, tofave appearances, but without procuring the defired ef- fed, the lady was at length forbid the court, and exiled to refide and remain at Arpajon^ a village about twenty miles from \Paris9 where ihe retired, ^and went accordingly. ; J ■ Intereft and power, to the re^oach of authority, may it be faid, too frequently draw a veil over the. moft -hardened crimes, and even gild them with the name of virtues by finefle mod artifice. This baniflnmetit, therefore, did not hold a very long time, and Madame was at liberty to rpturn again to. Paris ', which flie foon did ; * and went afterwards as boldly to FerfaiUeSf with as muth pomp and magnificence, as if ncitdung in her cdndu£k had bccfi reproachable, but rather had merited fame extraordinary favour or reward, or foihe -confiderable penfion. But here again fhe was vdry much deceived, and very greatly miftaken i for, though the court xlid not diredly fhew any refentmeht or dififatisfadtion at this procedure, as bufinefs/ ' froth JSjme fometimes gave occafion for thofe journies, fhe was neverthelefs, at laft, given to underftand, that it would' be beft for her to retire even from Paris: which flie did accordingly, taking a few particular friends with her, in whom fhe could confide, and on whom fhe x:ould depend, to keep her company. • • • You will now be furprifed to think where fhe went to, and you may very rcafonably think, that, in her fitua- Vol. I. G . tion, r 4* 3 tiony the place (he choft for her refiidence and retreat was* the only place fhe ought to have declined going to, for rea- fons moft obvious and' infinite. In fhort, away {he goes . with her few friends from- Fans to Camhrny^ takes . poffef- fion of his Graoe'spaiajcc there,, and plants lierfclf and them., therein, to enjoy tliefwcets of that agreeable country; re- ceiving his lordftiip'^ . rents and largp revenues,, confiderable prefents frorn numbers of> the clergy, and vifits from many perfons of diftindlion : to all which the generality added to - her the honourable titl6 of lady btfbop^y his lordfhip ftill re--^ maining. alPiirrx.or F^r/2i^/^x^ . Paird after three or four months of rural entertainments ' and recreations, fhe xeturas to her hotel at Park^ where the- former condu(^ continued until laft year ;. when his lonL- fhip's death, untverfally, with great reafon, lamented by allr forts and' conditions of peo{de; put a. final end to this inti« macy and acquaintance. Notwithflanding his large revenue, and the income of a good eftate,. all which he difUpated in ads of generofity and bounty, he left debts to the amount of- about two hundred thoufand livres ^ to fatisfy which^ his.^ patrimony inuft.be fold, if not already difpofcd of. Whether it was owing to this lady's engagements, amufe*^ ments, or occupations, with this reverend prelate, or to the little fhare of intereft which fhe took in his (the adventu-- rer*s) affairs (fts fbe never loved him) that the money wat not fent in time to Scotland^ as direded, is not quite clear; but this . is certain, that it was . delayed for about three q^xonths longer than expe^^di and that, the adventurer laid r 43 : the whole blame of the deky upon her, and the ill con&- 'quenccs the want of that money brought on hitn and his 'affairs ; and that his reientmcnt to her is, and has ever fincc been fuch, as that he never could be prevailed on to fee her, or forgive her ; nor can he hear her ipoke of, but with hor- ror and deteftation. There was about thirty thoufand pounds brought in Ibme fhort time before the defeat at Culloden^ faid to be fent from Spain i which came under the hands and management of the before-mentioned Enaas Macdonnel. The circumftances and confequences attending this money being, I think, entertaining, and particular in its own nature* I muft extend the detail of the Scotch voyage longer than I at firfl expedbed;; and ihall, in one or other of my next, write you what relates to that fum of money, which brought one man to an untimely end, and feveral others into the jgreateft pcriL LETTER THE EIGHTH. <npHE night before the battle of CuUoden.v^ztfiXtd on by the rebels to attack the duke's camp and army, with a prefumption that they ihould be able to fucceed in the at« tempt, and, in the confufion attending fuch a defperate en- terprize, to take his royal highnefs, and the greatefl part of the Englijh army, Gfr. prifoners, as the only means to re- cover their lofies, and re-eftablifli their broken fortune^ G 2 They ', I ^1 44 1 They had nothinjg left to fave them from the impending: ruin that hourly threatened them, but to make fome rafli. efFort, by ftratagem or coup de defefimrej to free themfelves- from death, and thofe dangers and calamities, with which they were furrounded, and ready to be fwallowed up in. Their army was fomewhat reduced,, and much fatigued,, by long marches ; their provifions fcarce, and almofl ex- haufted ; many of the Highlander Sy who, in the journey to and from England^ had fcraped and raked together ibme trifling matters by plunder and rapine, retreated home with their ill-gotten wealth; which, tho' perhaps in itfelf in- confiderable, yet to them, who had never poflTeffed fo much money before, it was highly eftimablc. To preferve and conceal, therefore, thefe wretched" acquifitions, the bitter fruits, as it afterwards proved to them, of the deiblation and calamities, which they often wantonly and indifcrimi- nately lavished on all fueh perfons, and in all fuch places^ where they thought they could draw profit or advantage,, how little foever it might be, many of them retired i fore- feeing, that fome unlucky hour, which feemed not very re^ mote, might eafily deprive them of what they had fb un<- juftly and rapacibufly obtathedv in cafe they had kept this beggarly wealth, in the field. Some few of them, it is true, returned, and a few more had joined^ the pretender's fi>rce8 ; but no fuch* number as was expected : for, a kind of panic had begun to fpread itfelf, not only throughout the rebel army, but through the very Highlands in, gehei^L The profpeft of gathering like the fnow-ball was now vanifhed. The duke was clofe upon their heels ; and fcarcely was there Viy one ford amongft the Scotch nobility,, who had the. mif- fortune: f 45 ] fortune and wcaknefs to join in that unhappy bufincfs, but what now began to fee his error, to think ferioully of thie affair, and of the dreadfurcataftVophe in which they were involved, and from which there was no hope of deliverance, but by fomc accidental or defperate blow, which might fa- vour their caufe; revive their expiring hopes, and open to them* a new road of profperity, after fo many and great dif- appointments, dangers, and fuffcrings, as they had met witii, and then furrounded them. How fatal might it then have been, had thofe hopes hccn crowned with-fuccefs, you may eafily divine ; fince that re- bellious war would have been again renewed, with more fpi- . rit and vigour than before ; thofe, who had till then lain by, waitingt only to fee what tirrn affairs mijght take, per- ceiving a happy change in the adventurer's favour, would then with their clans have joined him ; many of their chiefs at that time only watching the occafion, in cafe of his fuc- cefs» ta throw off the mafk immediately, and declare againft their king -, whilfl France, through fhame, or ihtereft and folicitations, might at leafl have aded with fbme fincerity, by fending fuccours to his afliftance, and thereby laying open new icenes of expences, defolatibns, and miferies, which this nation had not before experienced; the confequence of . which no reafonable man can think of without horror. Providence, however, had Ibng fihcc withdrawn her aid ! from the family of the Stuarts. Had the adventurer but reflected on the dreadful curfe and imprecations announced upwards of 150 years ago, by the firff of his name, againfl himfelf . [ 46 3 himfelf and his poftcrity, and confidcred how fcvcrely acid €fFe£tually that curfe (which I fhall have occafion to mention - hereafter) has ever fince, with the juftice and vengeance of heaven, purfued the tyrant race, he might ea&ly have con- cluded, that proiperity can never attend him, or any enter- prize, how fagacioufly and fecretly, or how formidably fo- ever, it may be concerted and fupported, if it fhould be un- dertaken in his favour. Eviljhall hunt the wicked per/on to ' overthrow bim^ is the declaration of one that knows the fc- crets of all hearts. But moral or ferious reflections were never known to occupy one moment a place in his under- ..ftanding. The fweets of Edinburgh were now faded, and the early hopes, which flattered /and deluded him in the morning at Frefton-Fans^ were now become odious to his imagination at Culloden^ where horror, dread, and gloomy darknefs, covered eveiy countenance^ and eveiy heart was filled with terror. Under fuch a dilemma, and in this dreadful (Ituation, a council was held to think of feme eligible expedient for re- lief ^ when, after much debate and coniideration, it was . thought by many of this council, that coming to an open ; engagement in the field could not fail of giving an entire vidory to the duke, and ending tin the total ruin and de- itrudtion of the rebel army (as it afterwards proved) unlefs to a few that might, and did efcape to their friends and rela- : tions in the Highlands. It was alfo thought, that raifing the • camp, and marching forward into the country, would but augment their diflrefTes, lefTen the army by deiertion, cx- ^|)ofe themfelves to new and greater diflicuUieaj . and at beft only r 47 I cxrly protraft their final dcftrudlion for a few days longer. Thefe arguments and reafons at that time prevailing, it was therefore refolved, that, ,in fuch diftradting circumflan- ces, the beft ftratagem that could be fallen upon, was to break in upon the dike's camp in the dead of the night, and ^ to put all to the fword ; for the doing of which, they never . could meet again with fo favourable an opportunity ; efpe-- cially if they quitted the camp they then pofTeffed, and retired into the hills, without putting this, or fome fuch ftratagem, , in execution » What forwarded their hopes of an unfailing fuccefs in this projed:, was, that it was the night of the an- niverfary of his royal highnefs's birth-day ; at which time they concluded the army, after having been employed in rejoicings for celebrating . this day, many of them perhaps charged with liquor, that they might with greater facility, and lefs fufpicion, than at any other time, furprife the out- ppfts, by killing the guards before the alarm could be given ; . then entering the camp pell-mell, cut down all before them. . According to this determination, which was kept with the greateft fecrecy, .and which they looked upon as their forlorn hope iand dernier refource, private orders were given . for the troops deftined for this bold attempt to march off in the evening from ^their refpeftive quarters in the- camp, in two columns, by two different roads ; both of which united and terminated at a ground facing, at fome inconfiderable diftance, the out-pofts, where the ccntinels of the duke's camp were on guard. One body of thefe troops was com- manded by lord George Murray, and the other principally under the condua and direftion of SuHhan. None . [ 48 ]• None of the fubaltern officers or private men had the leall notion of this defign ; the fcheme being only confided to the commanding officers,^ whofe orders were to conduft the march of the troops (as the diilance or length of the two roads were near equal) in fuch manner^ and with fuch iilence and pre- caution, as to arrive at the fame ground about one and the fame time, unperceived by the Englijh ; and being there united, they were to liften and wait upon that ground, till they found that the better part of the Englijh ibldiers were retired to reft ; and, at the critical minute of repofe, when all fhould appear filent and wrapped . in fleep, to lay hold of that opportunity to detach parties to feize the Englijh cen* tinels, and fo fall on, and enter .the -camp ; which they doubted not to fill with terror and confufion, and thereby gain a.complete vidtory. The two columns marched from diftant parts of the caj^np, by the 4ifl?erent roads affigned themj and with fo great caution, that neither colunxn did fee or know any thing of the other's mar^h. The column under Sullivan's diredtions proceeded in its march, and arrived at the ground between eleven and twelve at night, where they quietly and fecretly refted on their armsi waiting the arrival of the other column to come and join them, in order to begin the operations^ and to execute their bloody execrable plan, . . After waiting a much longer time for the other column's V coming to join him, purfuant to orders, than whatJ^e thotight abundantly t 49 ] dbundantly more than fufficicnt for their arrival and jun^on> ISullivan began to be under fomc uneafinefs : his apprehen* lions increafing, he thought it neceffary to difpatch an ex- prefs immediately to the adventurer, who was with fome of his neareft and moft trufty friends, about three or four miles diftance, in the rear, to acquaint him of this delay and dif- appointment; fuppofing, for fome time, that the former orders might be countermanded. The arrival of this news aftonirtied the adventurer and his friends. Whilft the courier was gone, Sullivan ordered a few of his advanced guards to march as far forward as they could ven- ture, without being difcovered, and to obferve how things flood with refpefl: to the Englijb camp. This was done ac- cordingly; and feveral of thofe men, lying down oh the ground on they faces, could fee very plainly the lights in the Englijh camp, and hear the inarticulate voices of men Ipeaking. This they did without being perceived by any of the Englijh army. On this occafion, time was fo precious, that a moment was not to be loft, without manifeft danger and hazard. After a fliort confultation, the courier was fent back with all expedition, with orders for Sullivan to wait about half an hour longer for the arrival of the other column j and, if in that time it (hould not arrive, then to return with thofe troops which accompanied him to their former camp, by the fame road they went. The column under the command of lord George not appearing within the time limited by thefe laft orders, Sullivan's column marched back. And thus '^°^'I- H finiflied I so r fiAidiedthis bold and defp^nte fu'ojed, wherein the hand of ' pf evidence f^ems to have had ^ particular (hare» in diffipating. their councils, confounding thei^r meafures, and rendering, this bloody deiign abortive* Lord George with bis column met with feveral difficulties ^pd delays, as well from the obftinacy.of feme of the Higb^ landers^ who wanted to kjiow their deftination, or the caufe - of this extraordinary march^ as by the failing of fome car^ riages, . which principally occafioned this difappointmcnt. ^ Notwithftanding thofe difficulties and obilruftions, . which his lordfhip unexpeAedly met with, he never thelefs arrived with his men at the plac^ of deftination above mentioned (as it is affirmed by many who were in this expedition) foon after the departure or the other column ; where he received intelligence of their return tP the Ji^^Iand czmp (by fome who had been left behind to advcrtifc him thereof), occa-. fipned by the fatality, of his delay* which they faid had fa. iHiluckily fruftrated their moft fanguine hopes and cxpcdta- - tions: whereupon he al fa marched diredtly , back to the - camip, with the troops under his command. Nothing can equaLthe (hock and.tfouble that thisdifap** . ppintment gave the adventurer. Bnt what followed ? He : not only looked upon himfelf and his affairs, as loft beyond i a poffibility of retrievingt but that lord George Murray was . iJBktfole caufe thereof, and of the mifcarriage of this projedt ; in particular; on the fuccefs^ of which hehad built his only . hope and fecurity. Every kind of fufpicion and jealoufy r poflefledhis mindj hj? tbftught. himfelf fold or betrayed by . tbi&' - t 5« 1 ^this nobleman : but fuch was his art and diffltirahfion, tb^ :nothing of all this at that time appeared : he treaftrred up and concealed his hatred for this nobleman with the ftrongeft ^refentmentand ingratitude againft another opportunity, which :I ihall hereafter mention in its proper place, with the man* -ner in which he treated him. He very well knew that lord George was the life and foul of the Scotch at that time under his command ; and that he was regarded by them, and all who knew him, as a perfon of diftinguiflied courage, ho- nour, and bravery, as well as generofity ; by which he had rgained a powerful afcendant and inffuence over the grcateft part of the whole army : it was, therefore, very dangerous, and might in the end prove of the moft fatal confequence tt> the adventurer, to ihcw thfc kaft difltke to hiis lordftiip> conduft : wherefore he thought it prudent to be fifcnt witTi regard to complaints, and only communicated his fiifpi- cions to one or two perfons of confidence of another nation. The time being fhort, and the hour approaching for put- ting an end to this unlc»tuaate bufineis, I ihall relate it in my next letter. LETTER THE NINTH. YEARLY next mornings his royal highneft the duke of Cimiberland having given orders for the army under his conmiand to march, they put themfelves in movement, with all the necefTari^ and appurtenances of war ; conducted with Hz tht E 5? J the moil e?pa6t difcipUne, as well a? with the grcateft ordw and decorum, and fired with a laudable fpirltqf vengeancQ U\ the caufe of their religion, laws, liberties, and their king and country ; where I fliall leave thenj for a. nxoment, ad-» Yancing to the field^ of battle^ Intelligence having arrived, very early the fame momingi in the rebel army, .that the Engli/Ij forces were preparing to march, confultations were qjqickly held,., in order to deter-* mine what was fitted to be done.at fuch a critical conn juncture ; whether it was moft expedient and advifable to ipake a ftand, and to give battle to the Eng/iJ^ztmy,^ or to ftfike their tents, and march farther into the country; where, by the advantages of the hills, the many defiles and paiTages^ attd the narrownefs.of the^ roads through many of the moun-? tains, they might yet put off their .evil day, and more cm-- barrafs the Englijh army in their march, than they had theretpfore been : by which delays and difficulties, fo raifed by this decifjon, they might yet gain time for the arrival of fuccours from France^ on fending over with expedition to inform that court of their, neceffities and ruiqous condition. Moft of the Scotch lords at this council were inclihed to this laft meafure, as the moft fafe and falutary end, and the only one th^t^pouM affqrd them, bregthing^time tp repair their diftrefled affairs, or give them an opportunity to provide for their future fafety. There could be no difficulty or delay,, one fhpuld think, ip- the choice on thia. decifion, fince felf-prefervation, ac- gprding I 53 1' cording to the then appe?irance of things, would have in-* formed the' rooil ignorant of the neccflity they were in to follow this laft falulary refoluticn : but the adventurer, with his ufual obftinacy and felf-fufficiency, on pcrfuading fome into his opinion, perfifted, that the beft expedient for him and his followers was ta fland and give battle ; urging, that that if th^ Highlanders once camp ia to engage the EngliJIi army fword in hand, they would foon put them to the rout; and that he feared not but it would turn out another Prejion^ Pans affair to them : then he; intimated, that declining to meet ia battle would be looked upon as want of courage. The Scotjcbi rwhQ' generally fhew moil courage in the moft defperate cafes, being piqued at fuch' infinuations, readily determined for a battle; and orders were inftantly given, in confequence thereof,, for the troops to march and form in battalia. Another powerful motive for the adventurers p^ing on^this engagement. with fuch precipitancy, though he trembled for the event, and which he might have avoidr ed, was the. groundlefs apprehenilons he. entertained of lord GeorgeyVfho h^xrouldbave wifhed in any fkirnjifti or adion to be taken of,: that he himfelf might have a(5ted more de* fpptically ;. as. this nobleman was^ often a check, upon many of his rafli-^ai^i inordinate propofiitions^ . Impatience for a<9:ion.'appeardd /now< on^ all fides; but much , more fo on the fide of the Engli/b army, t whofe ap*- pcarance alone was fufficient to intimidate and ftrike <W of the rebels with fear and dread. The line of battle being formed by each army, the engagement- began,, , and was fiiMPf^ly and bloodily carried oi> by r&oth parties ; featih^ihew^ ing [ 54 1 ving every proof and demonftration of that courage and fbrti- .tudc truly natural to both nations; which made a great carnage amongft the Highlanders. Lord 'George^ fo ^tnuch fufpefted as he was by the adventurer, and who had one of -the principal commands in this dcfperate engagenaent, ' kd on his men witli that intrepidity and bravery, forfwhich he had always been diftinguifhed ; and though rcpolfed by fu- ^perior force, he rallied and attacked feveral times, and had his bonnet twice ftruck off whilft on horfeback, in the heat of the adion, which was each time gathered cup and placed again on his head by one Roinnfon\ his aid-de-camp, and with great difficulty and danger he eicaped being taken prifbner vtwice during the battle^ Every effort that men could make under Aeir circumftan^ CQ^9 was pHt in pradiee by the HigManders^.zoA their com- manders, to iMreak in on the Englijh vmj, -to coihe to the broad-fword work : but thek eflforts were in vain ; for A« Englijh troops, led by their brave commander, remained like an impregnable bulwark, tearing them to pieces wi& the fire of their artillery and mufquetry ; whilft the horfe coming in upon them, broke them with terror and confufioi^, v^^iich^ after a confiderable daughter, put them to the rout, and gave to the Englijh army, with but an inconfiderable lofs, a complete and entire victory. The purfuit condiAued for fome time, in which many &11, and many more wr^re takcoi j>riibnerfi. During the battle, the adventurer was placed, with a few oof his i)je«rQi);.fri6iid$, in a convK^nient iitoiitlon^ where he might r 55 ] might without rifk or danger obferve every thing that pafs'dV but feeing at length the fortune of the day, on which he had in the morning with fuch confidence counted, now turned againft hini> the Highlanders on all fides giving way,. and, in a word, the whole rebel army, at one and the fame time, put to the rout, and that all was loft, loaded with every ipecies of trouble, chiagrin, defpair, and aiHidion, that fuch^^ an irretrievable misfortune could bring upon a mind the leaft ienfible to fuch diftreffeSj and in which he had involved fuch numbers of innocent perfons, finking, I may fay, under fuch a weight of forrow and afflidiion at the^ifmal proipedts at each momeijit accumulating and prefenting themfelves to his view, he neverthelefe had fufficient prefence of mind left to provide for his own fafety, by riding oiF as faft as he could : he foon left thofe few friends behind him who had before accompanied him, and in his diilradtioa coiimiitted himfelf to. chance and his horfe, to conduft him to fome afylum,- where he might for fome time continue in. fafety, till he could find means to get over to France. < In thcfe amcieties and perplexities, wandering about, little money in Jbi&pocket, in a Highland drefs without breeches, he comes up with one Malcolm Mackody: who had efcaped from the battle. This man brought him home with him toi his fift^er's houfe, in a remote part of the Highlands^ where he contimsed fome time; paffing upon the fifter for a young man, that had been in the battle, and who, as a fellow-fuflferer, he had brought home for relief and protec- tion, till he could get to bis friends. The fifter would not admit him to fit at table when at fupper, though they were ihcmfelves. but. poor people. However, after Macleod and the:. [ 56 1 « the fifter had finiftied their poor repaft of bread, butter, and , eggs, fhe condefcended to his taking her place, at her leav- ing it, and partaking of the like fare. There was a young child lying in a kind of cradle, belonging to this woman, which he took up and carried about with him, and the next morning very early amufed himfelf in the fame manner. The fcene was now greatly changed j for he that had but a day or two' before feveral perfons of diftinftion devoted to jplcafe him, and feveral thoufands of men at his orders and commands, faw himfelf at once reduced to the low and mean condition of amufing himfelf with an infant in his arms. Whiift he continued with Macleody they fpent their Itimc moftly in wandering ibout the hills, where they often lay in the * tether together, and frequently at a diftance beheld parties of horfe or dragoons marching to and fro, fcouring the country ; and from whom he with great cafe, and no little danger, efcaped being difcovered or taken/ Through this man's afliftance, fome accounts were fent and received to and from fome of the moft faithful and prin- cipal friends of the party, in order to concert fome new meafures, if pofiible, to repair their Jofs : but all thefe pro- . pofitions and weak fchemes foon came to nothing ; and moft people thinking it high time to provide for their own fecu- rity, *by leaving the kingdom, numbers from time to time embarked at different ports and harbours, as they beft could, for France^ Hollandj and other places ; amongft whom lord George '^ Tether is the heath or long grafly weed growing in the mountains .in the iummer. [ ^7 ] George Murray was one ; who having facrificed his life to the laws of his country^ his perfonal interefls> and family conne<9ions^ in fihe^ his all, by the rafli and imprudent en- terprize he was perfuaded to embark in ; yet was he moil unjuftly and bafely charged by the very perfon for whom he did and fuffered all this, as a traitor and betrayer of his m^ terefts ; the conclufion of which with reiped: to this noble lord, we fhall fee in another letter. LETTER THB TENTH. npHE adventurer, tired with this fituation, and confi- dering it too dangerous to remain long in one place, which might in the end give fufpicion, or prevent his getting a convenient opportunity of embarking for France^ he takes leave of Macleod^ leaving him a filver clafp flock- buckle, which he ufually wore, as a token of gratitude and remembrance ; and with the bed precautions and in- flruftions he could take for to accomplifh the above de- fign, we mufl leave him wandering and .fculkingi till we find him at Flora MacdonaliPs ; where intelligence being received, that one Captain Macdonald was coming, with the party he commanded, to fearch for him, (he drefled the adventurer in woman's apparel; and fhe had fcarcc placed him on a chair in her room, with a fpinning- wheel before him, before the captain entered the chamber. His Vol. I. I com- [ 58 ] complai(ance for his friend and namefake, and the chamber of a young gentlewoman appearing to him fomewhat refpec* table, if not facred, reftraincd that ftridl fearch and inquiry, which otherwife, and in another place, he would no doubt have made, in confequence of the information^ received, and orders given on that fubjeft: wherefore, cafting only his eyes carelefsly about the room, and not feeing any thing that appeared to him as a man, he only a/ked, what woman that was who fat at the wheel ? to which the other replied, it was one Betty Burke, an Irijh woman, who (he had caufed to come over from the North of Ireland, to work for her> as being a remarkable good fpinner. This fatisfied the offi- cer's curiofity and inquiry ; who returning to his men, and reporting, that there was no appearance of the perfon's being in the houfe, who they were in fearch for ; after taking a cup of refrefhment, the capt^n and his party marched off with content, convinced that the information was ground- lefs, and that the trouble which they were compelled to take on this occafion, was altogether unneceftary. How like a dog look'd Hercules, when to a dijiaff' chain' d I Dryden. « Having, therefore, mentioned fomething of the money, faid to be about ^. 30,000, and to have been fent from Spain, though as probably from France or Rome, you muft know, that Macdonald, the fuppofed banker, under whofc care it had for fome time been, took alfo care of fupplying himfelf with fuch part thereof as he thought proper, to anfwer his prefent and future neceffities. He had alfo ob- tained r S9 ] tained from the adventurer his gold fnuiF-box^ a valuable diamond ring^ and other things of value. Scarcely did any man make a more pompous figure in the rebel army* or even in the Englijh camp^ at the time he furrendered him«^ felf priibner, than this man. His ordinary expences v^ere afterwards very confiderable^ till the time of his trial and con« demnation^ which was about OSlober 1747. This money waSy before the battle of Culloden, referved to be laid afide to anfwer any prefiing exigence; and accordingly it was fcnt and depofited in bulk, without examining what M^r- donald had taken to embezzle. Cameron oi Lochiel, chief of a large clan of that name, who died foon after in France^ had given a receipt for this money, which was fecretly bu« ried or depofited in fuch manner, as not to be got or come at without orders from RomCf or from the adventurer 1 and his receipt fell for fome time into the hands of Cluny Mac-^- pberfon, it was thought, who was chief of another confi- derable clan of his name, (Sc. who was obliged to abfcond on account of his rebellion. Labouring under many wants and difiireidTes, as the adv.en-^ venturer was, whilft fculking and wandering in the hills and mountains, he neverthplefs found means to iend to his faid banker for money, and advice what^ to do in this his great diftrefs, A difinal banker mufi that banker be^ Who gives no bills but of mortality^ Swirr. Z 2 This, t 6o ] This, in efFcdt, was the anfwcr he received to his mefTage ; that is to fay, Macdonald fent him word, that money he had none to fend him, and that, in fuch common danger, every body was to take care for himfelf, and to do the beft he could. Grief and refentment immediately followed the unex- pected anfwer : but as the adventurer, after his arrival in France^ and even whilft Macdonald was in Newgate^ forgave this offence and negled, it ought not to be brought in charge againfl him afterwards, nor confidered as one of the caufe^ for his prevailing on Marfhal Belleijte to deprive him of his penfion^ as formerly related. Amongfl the many ufeful good qualities that money has^ it 18 generally allowed to have one very bad one, in being the root of all evil. The avidity, which feveral of the rebels^ who got over to France^ had for laying hold of this money, or fuch part of it as they could difcover and find out, put fome of them on the mofi: dangerous projedb to obtain it. Locbgarry, formerly in the EngBJh fcrvice, with fome ethers, who, as well as he, were profcribed by adt of par- liament, and fure to fuffer, if taken, had the boldnefs to venture over incog, in fearch of this prey; but returned with- out it. Some time juft before, or foon after. Dr. Cameron^ brother to the above Locbiel, fent his wife over> and another perfon, on the fame errand. About fix hundred or a thoo- fand poonds, as others faid, were got in this expedition; but the dodorj defirous of getting the whole into his hands» Uft [ 6i 3 left France^ and ventured over into Scotland himfelf^ chiefly with that view and defign ; where, before he had brought his fcheme to any degree of perfedion, he was difcovered, taken, brought prifoner to London, tried, condemned for his rebellion and treafon, and finiihed this difmal voyage with his body hang'd and quartered at Tyburn. It is not my intention, and indeed I think it totally unnc- ceiTary, to give a detail or journal of all the doublings, wind- ings, turnings, wanderings, and fculkings of the adventurer through the hills and mountains ; or of his watchings and waitings, his wants and diftreflfes, to avoid the purfuit that was made to intercept him, or take him by land or by iea, from the time of his defeat at Culloden. It is only worth remembrance, that the minifters of France, having fuffi- ciently played their game with him, and thereby gained all they then wanted, they, began to think a little feri^ oufly for his prcfcrvation. For which purpofe, they dis- patched fome perfons of truft and confidence to Scotland, to find him out, and. to endeavour, by ftratagem and dif- guife, to condud him fafe to France. Bat this had not the defired effiedt. . f In the variety of projects then on foot for the accomplrfh- ment of this defign, few had the appearance of more fuccefs than the following. The court of France had ordered one Captain Di^/m/r/, d£ Dunkirk, to fail upon this commifiion. < \ ^ This man, a bold and enterprising fea-officer, who fpoke Englijb tolerably well, and wiis perfectly acquainted with the coaft { 62 ] coaft of England^ was no ftrangcr to that of Scotland, in the many cruifes he had niade, whilft captain and commander of feveral French privateers, prepared for this expedition. He fitted out a fmall veflcl immediately, that was a prime failor, of Englijh trim, not drawing much water ; and ha- ving got his proyifipns and all materials on board neccflary for the execution of his commiflion, amongft which provi- sions he laid in Englijh porter and Cbejhire cheefe, (which were at that time in great plenty at Dunkirk^ from the cap- tures made by the privateers of that place on the Englijh during diat war) he ordered his crew on board, . amongft whom he placed a Scotchman and an Englijhmanj who had been a long time before in that town prifonisrs at large, as ranfomers, and in that time had given fome little proofs of their good difpofition to what they called the old cauie (which feemed to be fo very old, as to be then jufl worn out) pretending he would carry theie peribns home a$ pai^ fengers, to get the owners to pay the ranfom-money, for which they had fo long ftood engaged, without any fteps being taken by thefe people for the fatisfadtion of the de- mand. The ranfomers having fwallowed the bait with the greateft thanks to Dumont, for having procured them this liberty from the governor, chearfully embraced the offer, and to fea they went. Arriving on the coaft of Scotland^ Dumont goes on (horc, at a creek in the Highlands^ as near the place as he could judge he was to make inquiry for the adventurer, according to fuch inftru^ons as he had received for that purpofe. He had left the veffel at an anchor a little off fliore, and landed I 63 1 in his fmall l)oat, taking the Scotd ranfomer with him* They had not got above a mile into the country, when turning into a field near the road, he was flruck with great furprife on feeing above fifty men in arms, with their offi- cers, marching towards him, in order, as he apprehended, to furround him, and take him and his companion prifoners* Thefe were part of the militia, fcouring the country, and fearching after rebels ; few of whom ipoke Englijh. He, who commanded, came up to Dumonf, afking him who he was ? where he was going ? and the like queflions, Dumont readily anfwered, he wds 2in Eng/i/hman ; that he was captain of a veffcl loaded with wine for the fleet, and wanted a pilot, who knew the coaft better than himfelf (having never before been that way) that by his afliftance he might get fafc to the fleet, for which he w6uld pay him what he could reafonably demand. The Scotci ranfomer continuing ih the fame tale, the militia officer ordfered an old man then <v<rith them, a fifherman by profeflion, and like- wife another young fellow, who fliewed a great defire to be of the party, to go and pilot the honeft captain to the fleet, which they doubted not to fall in with in the evening. Du^ monty in return for fuch kindnefs, invites the officer, and who he pleafed to take with him, to come to the water-fide, and taftc his Englijh porter and Chejhire cheefe. On coming down, he invites them on board; but they refufed to go: he therefore iends for porter and cheefe, and n>akes a pre- fent of them t6 the militia captain and his friends ; and ta- king hi^ pilots and ranibmer on board, bidding, a kind fare- wcl, weighed anchor, anld got under fail diredly, ordering the [ 64 ] the pilots to go under deck to eat and drink ; but it was ra«* ther to keep them out of fight, left they fhould attempt to give any fignal or alarm. No fooner were the pilots feated, and ferved with fome- thing to drink, but the old man difcovered his miftake, and tells his young companion, what he had reafon to apprehend ] and believe, namely, that the captain and crew were French^ and that they themfelves were made prifoners; that this veflel was a privateer on a cruife, and that they fhould be carried into France : which gave the old man great afflic- tion, and made him very melancholy, to be thus kidnapp'd in his old age, and taken into a ftrange country, leaving his poor family in diftrefff. Dumont foon perceiving the old man's forrow and di/con- tent, feparated his pilots, by calling the young man into his own cabbin, who, after fome difcourfe, did not fail to re- late to Dumont all that the old man had faid to him, and his extraordinary fears on this occafion. The captain threatened inflantly to caufe a large weight, that lay upon deck, to be faflencd to the old pilot's neck, and to throw him over- board ; alledging. that he did not doubt but the old man would endeavour to betray him in the courfe they were to fleer, and in his turn get him taken 5 but behaved with more kindnefs and freedom to the young man, defiring him not to be afraid, and to behave well and with fidelity, and that nothing fhould hurt him ; but that, on the contrary, he would reconipence his fervices. The young pilot promifed faithfully to behave we}l and with fidelity, begging, at the fame [ 65 ] fame time^ to ipare the old man^ with whom he had fome relation or conne&ion. The captain feemed not fo deter- mined, and becanie more mild and condercen4ing, on the other's affurancc of his engagements to anfwer with his own life for the other's condudt. To which the captain replied, all depended on his good behaviour. Then difcouriing of the coafti and Dumonfs afking fome particular queftions, the young man told him, he believed he knew what he wanted, and could guefs at the bufinefs he was upon ; and that if it was fuch as he imagined, he could be of great fer- vice to him. Dumont encouraged him to fpeak his mind, with promifes of friendfhip and reward, if he did him any fervice ; and infifted on his explaining himfelf, and telling him his fufpicions and imaginations. The other at length told him plainly, he fuppofed he might be looking for Cbarly. What then, replies the captain ; do you know any thing of him ? if you do, tell me iincerely : fpeak, here is none but ourfelves in the cabin : if you can give me any intelligence pi him, your fortune is made. I will then bring you where he is, fays the other, before twelve o'clock at night. As it is now drawing to the hour of reft, I /hall finifh this rela- tion, which will afford you more amufcment, in my next. Vol. !• K LETTER t 65 ] ^11 ■ ' -^ ■ ■ — ^— "^^^^M^^^^^^M.^ »■ '• H LETTER THE ELEVENTR O W great Dumonf^ fecret fatisfadion might be on the profpeft of finding the pcrfon, whom he was in fcarch for, by fuch an unexpeded aift of providence In his iavour, in throwing this young p^ot in his way, thefuqcefs of which, he doubted not, would raife his own merit confiderably, and procure him great honour and profit, is very eafy tp be imagined. A promife fo plainty atid peremptorily made him^ left him .no room to doubt of the perfon's veracity and knowledge of what he was about to undertake, e^ecially knowing, that» if he deceived the captain in the fmalleft article on fo delicate <an affair, he would meet with a fevere punishment and re- sentment ; of which the young man was but too fenfible. Dumtmt therefore defires him to open his mind freely to him, and to tell him diredJy, and without mincing the matter, which way they ought to proceed^ and where to find him. The young man, wliom we may now call his guide, told him he muft ftand farther out to fea, to prevent his being obferved or Aiipedted by thcfe, who might be on the hills ; •and that as the weather was very fine and favourable, they would make a tack or two, and ib come in with the land, at fucbaplace^ as he theft samed, at&cgoin|;dowAof the£in; [ «7 1 by which they might land when dark, uiiperceived, and that he would then condu€l: him to a little houfe in the hill$» a few mikd from the landiag^-placei where the adventurer and another peribn» who accompanied himj, then lay con-* cealed. This advice and in^nidlions c£ the young guide was ex- aAly followed^ and dtily executed. When coming in with the land, at a coBvenient c&ftance from the coaft, all pre* cautions arranged^ Dumont took his guide, and fuch others as he thought proper to affift him in the expedition ; and being well armed, they marched up to the hills, by favour of the darknefs, m queft of the loft fheep. Arriving at the houfe» which flood like a centry-box, in this remote and unfrequented place, no habitation for man or beaft near it, they knocked at the door ; but no anfwer being made, they repeated the knocking with violence, but with as little efied. At length Dwmfti, roaring out with a loud and refblute voice, and in the French language, fwore, if ibme one would not anfwer, and open the door, he would fet fire to die miferable hovel, and find his way in by the light of ^ flames. Menaces of this kind, repeated two or three times, at laft produced a noife of fome perfon's ftimng in the houfe ; and the threats being made in French ^ a man, who had thru ft his head through a round hc^e in the wall above, which ferved as the only vrindow of the upper room, afked with a weak and timid voice, who they were, and their bufinefs ? K 2 Dumont C 68 ] m Dumont anfwering in French^ that they were friends, true and iincere friends ; that he had nothing to fear ; that he was come from France \ defired him to order the door ta be opened immediately, and to come down in hafte, for there was no time to be loft. Quickly then was the door opened. A light being got, they entered into a poor little place at the foot of the wretch- ed flairs^ and this perfon, who appeared at the window, came down in his night-cap, with a kind of night-gown on his fhoulders, his breeches in his hand, a pair of flippers on his feet, but no ftockings on his legs. Dumont imme-^ diately informs him, that he was come by order of the court of France to fearch for the prince, and to carry, him off in his veflel, which lay at hand for that purpofe. The fears, which had till then prevailed over the other, began to ceafe ; who telling Dumont that his name was Sullivan^ and that the prince had left him early that morning, without letting him know where he was going, or when he would return, faying at his departure only, that he fhould foon hear froiif him, nothing with certainty could be faid or expected with regard to his return, or being found in time, fo as to get him on board, and to carry him off without fufpicion, or perhaps being difcovered and taken by the delay of waiting : wherefore Dumont deiiring SuUivan to get ready immediately^ and to come away, the other prepared with the utmoft di« ligence ; and fetting out together from this miferable retreat, they arrived on the coaft, embarked, and got under fail again> a little before day-*light. Suffivan r «9 ] Sullwan was now on board fettled^ in a proper place in the fliip ; and fo diiguiied, as to be thought unworthy of notice, in cafe of being vifited or taken by an enemy : his fears, however, were far fronni being at an end* Inconftancy of wind and weather is common at all times, and in all places, bat more fo on the watery element, than elfewhere : the wind being now not fo favourable as they could wifli, and, in truth, as the ncceflities of their cafe required, retarded their pafTage, and at the fame time they perceived a man of war under fail upon a cruife, and feemed difpofed to fpeak to them, by the courfe fhe fleered, and perhaps to examine thetni and fend her boat on board* D^- tnont concluded very judicioufly, that it might raifc fufpi- cion, if he appeared to ihun them, by endeavouring to run away ; and therefore rather flood towards them : the gale frefhened ; it then began to blow hard. But it is an ill wind that blows no body good, as will appear in the prcfcnt cafe; for coming within hail, the man of war's people hailed him, aiking him from whence he came ? and where bound ? to which the anfwcr given was, from London^ and that they were bound for the Englijh fleet with wine, and fome other provifions, for the admiral. This being reported to the captain of the man of war, who -was then in his cabin, he ordered that fDumontJ the captain of the vefTel fhould bring to, and take a letter to the admiral, which he had to fend. Dumonfs people defired the captain of the man of war to fend his boat on board with the ' letter, and it fhould be pundually delivered. The captain refufed to put . out his boat, becaofe it blew too bard, and the fea ran high ; and therefore [ 70 I therefore called to Dumont to come under the qoarter of the man of war, in order to Come on board. You may eafily judge oi Sullivan % terrors and feats at this timCi * Dumont for the fariie reafons refnfed, sledging his mod plaufible excufes, and the danger of the veflel's being da« in aged, in laying her on board the man of war. He there-> fore begged and defircd they would fend the ktter on board him. But all this would not do ; the captain's orden muft be obeyed, and Dumont muft come on board the great (hip, notwithAanding his arts and finefle : which at laft he faid he would do ; but for the doing of that with fafety, he muft make a tack ; which he did immediately $ and making a long flretch away, on putting about* he took care to fteer fo as to mifs the £bip : it then became neceflary to make another tack, in which be ftretch'd away fo far as to think himfclf out of the roan o( war's power to catch him, and then had the audacioufnefs to hatvl down his EngKJh colours, under which he had till then fkiled* and to hoift a French pendant. Judge again, Sir, if you pleaie, of the dread and panic of Sullivan^ who was dying with the apprehenfion of being purfued and taken : and judge alfo of the provoca- tion this gave the gentleman, who commanded the king*s {hip« He inftantly gave orders to crowd all fail, and give chace, as fad as pofIible« Dumont knew his own fhip's going, and took his meafures accordingly. Purfued that day and night, and next day, he at length got over on the coaft of Flanders ; and the man of war, having gained upon him from timie to time, fired feveral fliot. C 7« 3 fliot, fome of whilh hurt his rigging : whereupon, to pre- vent his being taken, he was forced to run on fhore at Blackendwk^ near OJiend. Roth's regiment of the L^yb bri- gade^ dien in that place^ marcked up to the middle in the fea, to cover the (mall veiTel, till fhe landed her paflengers. Which being done, Sullivan was carried dircdly away to the governor's hoofe,. and report was fjpread abroad diredly, that the young pretender had landed with him at the fame time, and was gone poft sncqg. to Puris : and that report gaining credit, and induftrioufly fpread abroad, ibon arrived at Lon^ dofit and, it was thought, cooled the fearcfa and purfuit of the pretender and his attendants in Scotland \ it being taken for granted, that the adventurer had really eibaped with Sullivan^ and faicly arrived in France. On Sullivan* % arrival, a detail of thisgaffair, and other particulars, were immediateljr diipatchcd to court, whither he went hixnfelf ibon after. Dmmont received a handibme . gratification from the king, with a prefent of a fword with this infcription, ^* for the faithful fervices he had rendered ** his ms^efty \' and he and his family were ennobled^ My next letter will iofbrai you of the farther confequence of dus bufinefi. LETTER C ^^ 3 LETTER THE TWELFTH. ^npHE court being infbrmed by Sullhan of what had ^ pafs*d in the late affair of Dumontf it was judged highly ncceflary to make ufe of fome better expedient, than what had been tried before, in order to get the adventurer away from Scotland^ and to deliver him from the dangers and miferies, under which he was then hourly langui(hing. Want, diflrefs of every kind, with a continual apprehen- fion of being at laft betrayed, or at leaft furprifed, and taken, were the continual companions of his folitude. , Several of his fecret and moft faithful friends Were from time to time difcovered, purfued, and apprehended, in their own habitations. This was hourly cutting off his refour- ces for fubfiftence, or longer concealing himfelf ; which increafed the peril of his condition, and began to render it truly infupportable. One . glimmering hope was yet how- ever left ; which was Sul/ivan's efcaping, and landing fafc in France ; from which he thought fome better fortune foon might follow. One might imagine, that he, who had fo long and fo fen- (ibly felt thofe fufFerings, would ever after have retained fuch a remembrance of them, as might prevent him from loading even an offender, much lefs an innocent perfon, with want, diftreis. ' [ 73 ] diftrefsy oppreffion, and unjuft imprironment ; or at leaft inipire him with a feeling and compafHon for thofe^ who^ through misfortune, might fall under the like afflicting cir- cumftances. But how hardened his humanity, how con* trary his difpofition, is to every- thing of that nature, will be fufficiently feen in the fequel. Letters were continually feht, and applications daily ma* king, to the court of France from Rome^ to prefs that court to take ibme efficacious meafure to extricate him out of thofe dangers, and to releafe him from thofe diftrefies, which they themfelves could not but feel for him. The court of France, touched with fuch remonftrances, and other coniiderations, but fearing, moft probably, that their own intereft might be hurt or prejudiced in his lofs, by not having him to play off againft England on any future occafion, at laft fent over two fhips, to hover about that part of the coaft oi Scotland^ which they fuppofed (from the information now received) he moft frequented ; and where they could not fail to be diftinguifhed and known from the tops of the lofty mountains in the Highlands^ whither he and his then trufty confidents (fome fifhermen) at times reforted. Thofe (hips at length arriving, were foon perceived and known to be French^ and intelligence thereof was foon conveyed to him. The profpedt of being redeemed from his miferies ; the appearance and expeftations of being delivered out of the jaws of the lion, which he had fo unjuftly pro- voked and enraged to deftroy him, for fclf-defcnce ; and Vol. I. L - feeing t 74 1 feeing then that he had but one danger more to encounter^ which he thought not very hazardous^ after thofe he had before efcaped^ and which was only that of the paflage ; his heart was filled with every tranfport of joy, which hama& nature was capable of, ih a perfon under fuch circumflances, and in his doleful fituation. Taking leave thercfone of his trufty friefxk the fiflncmlen, called Macimnons, he ibon embarked on board one of theie {hips, without any kind of baggage, almoft naked, and with a conflitution greatly impaired; and with a body loaded with poverty and difeafe. Matiy of the principal officers and chiefs of the Hi^hianders^ and many of the commonalty, had got ^v^r ioto Frcnce her fore he laiKied, and &vcral others arrived foon after : they Vfttc at firft di^ofed of in hotols, till fomething (hould be arranged for their future fupport by the miniftry« The oddity of their drefs (that is to fay, the bonnet on the head, plaid, and kelt, without breeches, fide piflol and dirk by the £de, with broad-'fword under the arm) being a<i equipment for men, that was not lefs new, than furprifing, to the French gentlemen and ladies, who are generally al- lowed to be the bed ikilled and moft elegant in fine, as well as decent drefs, of any nation whatfoever, and who never had feen or heard of fuch wild and ronoantic drefles and figures before, excited great numbers of both iexes to go to fee them ; but particularly the fair iex, who on fuch occafions, notwithftanding their inimitable politonefs and j;neateft deli- qacy. r 75 ] cacy^ could not refrain from much npufth and laugl^ter at^ hehokUng theiPf though many behaved with great kindnefs and geaerofity afterwards to Jfeveral of thofe diftrefTed fugi* lives. In fhorfj th/e ciiriofity of fteing their drcfs, and wild, but warlike appearance^ drew fuch numbers of the Pari/ians to fte the middling ibrti which made a fhocking figure in that fplondid gay metropoUsj that it may well be compared to the eagernefs and avidity with which the Londoners bur-* riftd to fee the Qh^rokei kings. You will ea^y be convinced, that the news of the ad* venturer's fafe landing and arrival at Parity was well received by his friends at court, and that exprefles were diredlly dif- patched to PAme^ ta inform his friends (here of this favour* able events AU necdTaries were immediately provided for bud \ but the greateft concern was abo«t his heaUb«. which wa^ lb much injured and impaireds that it wa9 a Wng tiu9ie before it coiild be rfi-eftabliihod* His refidence was now at the magnificent chateau* he** longing to the duke de Charters^ eldeft fon of the duke of Orleans^ about three fbaall miles from Paris ; where he way furrounded with all die Scotch and Iri^^ who had fled from Bc^tland into France^ after their defeat at Cuihden. Here he recdved jdie news of his brother's being made a cardinalf whkh was abtout "^ufy or A^Ji ^7^7* The pope's nuncio, fending that day compliments of con- ^atulaficMi on tbat occafion, intimated l^ia intention of coming in the afternoon to make him a perfonai vifit. As* ' L 2 gainft [ 76 ] gainft the time of tiis coming, whatever priefts were in and about the houfc and gardens, which were large and fump« tuous, were ordered away ; the gates were made faft, ex- cept that by which the fervants entered ; the Swifs porter was ordered to wait in the out-court facing the road, and, on the arrival of the nuncio, to acquaint his fervants that his mafter was gone from home early in the morning, before his meffage was delivered. This was a pretence to fhew his difapprobation of the brother's choice and condud, in at-* taching himfelf to the fee of Rome^ and openly declaring himfelf a Roman Catholic, and by confcquence an enemy to the church of England. The nuncio coming, in fome (hort time after, received the anfwer, as above directed to be given ; on which he Ire- turned to Paris^ not at all fatisfied with the difappointment he had met with, and perfuaded that it was a mere excufe, concerted and advifed by fome of his evil counfellors. But to carry on the joke, an article was immediately drawn up, by way of news, fetting forth the matter above related, or fomewhat to that purpofe ; which, after being handed about, perufed, and confidered, was difpatched by pofl: to London^ and foon after it appeared, as an article of important news, in fome of the Englijh news-papers, to propagate a favour- able opinion of the elder brother's zeal for the Englijh church, and the proteftant religion, ^j^lle politic^ quelle grimace^ quelle bipocrifie. Some fsw days after lord George Murray arrived at Faris^ where it may be prefumcd he expected to be well received, after r n 1. after the dangers^ fufFerings, lofTes, and fatigues, he had gone throQgh and fuftained, by his taking part in that un- happy curfed bufinefs \ having then made his lafl; voyage from Swiizerlandy where he had been concealed^ to Paris^ as it was then faid, not doubting but to meet with or find at leaft as much protection, gratitude, and civility, as thofe had done, who had not half his pretention and merit. The adventurer being fbon made acquainted with lord George* s arrival, he, without much hefitation, fends' one Stafford^ a gentleman of his bed-chamber, as he was called (but who, iot a long time^ had his own bed-chamber in the cells of Newgate^ at London^ after the defeat at CullodenJ to tell lord George^ that he would not fee him, nor hear from him, and ordered him to leave France as foon as pof- fible, and Paris in twenty-four hours"; which if he did not comply with, the Bajiile was annexed. Difputing or repre- fentations of paft fervices were totally ufelefs to an ungrate- ful mind; thecamblote had taken its plie; and of two great evils, it being bed to chufe the leaft, lord George thpught fit to order his horfes for next morning, and fo decamped for Holland or Germany. AH the Scotch at that time at Paris were highly exaiperated at this bafc ufage of lord George ; and as many of them had been eye-witnefTcs of his conduft and bravery, in the greatefl perils, and in the mofl difHcult a£fairSj they were not wanting in loudly vindicating him, and complaining of the injuflice done his lordfhip : but thofe complaints were fruitlefs, and without remedy. Had he ferved under a Caligula or a Nero^ he could not bave been worfe treated ; thofe could only, by ibme inhu- man man a6t of cruelty and butchery, h^ve deprnred him of his life ; but this tyrant, by falfehood, deceit, and treachery, endeavoured to deprive him of what was more dear taa man, and ought to be fo to every nobld mind, viis. his honour and his reputation. My next letter will inform you of fomething not lefs in- terefting than what I have wrote in this letter, but which my time will not at prefent permit me to particulariy relate. * If mmmmmmm'mmmmmmmm^ LETTER THE THIRTEENTH, npHE different facSs and tranfa^ions in the preceding let- •^ ters are purely and fimply related and fet fortb^ a< they were known, told, and pftca repeated, by the very perfons themfelyes, whofe employ and connedtions made them principal aftors thj^rein; and I hope the (impUcity, with which they are written,, will in fomc roe^fure. vouch for their veracity, fupported by a chain of circuniAancea and events, which render the whole clear and felf-evidcnt. Negotiations were now on the tapis at Aix^la^Cbapellcp where the right honourable the earl of San^i^icbj at that time his late majefty's ambaiTadoi: to the $t9,tes.'-Qener9l of the United Provinces^ was great^ omplpyed^ as ipinifter of Englandp t 79 ^3 ^Bn^ndf for iettl^ng the prelimiaarles of a peace. The difpofitions of the contending pQwers towards an accommo* dktion^ fo much wanted^ and fo much to be defired, were .xieverthdefs adtuated and governed by the hopes* of fuccefs, or firars of lofs and mifcarriage in the proje^ and events of war, neareft at haodi add moft ready ^o be difplayed, ac- cording to which tlie'terms^ )ikd this (locks» muft ri^ and fall, amongft t)ie pcditici^ ftockjobbei'Si or contending powers. . Befgeof-op^Twom^ tuatii that thse. loi&ed liipon as isipreg- nable, was beiic^d by the French^ under the conjmand 6i Marfhal Lcuendall, and taicpn ; and Maeftricht^ in a few months ^StJtx^ met with the fame fate frocn a Fremcb army^ under the command of Marihal &axe^ Such was the fituation of affairs in Flanders duriqg this campaign, that the French^ having by their fucceflcs in that country got the ball at their toe, they might have kick'd it Its they pleaied, and marched into HoUand^ and taken it with no great' lofs or difficulty. Bruffels^. Bridges^ Ofiend^ Lou^ Hsaifif MecAlki, GMt, I'ongres, Tir/emanf^ Centrvn, Matjlricht^ Antm&erpy «iid feveral other jplaces, being then imder their dominion, there was but Breda^ and a few other places of as little confequence, to oppofe their arms. It is more than probable, that their poflponing the defign of pushing their Axrcefles to the laft extremity, was to . render thcrnfel ves more formidable, and to acqiaipe more ftrength for carrying tbcm into execution, at the time they fhould find it moft - convenient C 80 •] convenient and confiftent with their other views. In cafe the negotiation fljiould come to nothing. Di(patch was now abfolutely neccffary to bring the nego- tiations to a conclufion by a peace, and thereby ward off the blow, which the continuance of a bloody and expenfive war, not very propitious to Englandi-^nd her neareft allies, might render more fatal in another campaign, than any thing that had before happened. The Englijh minifter well forefaw thofe dangers, and went earneiUy to work, in conjundlion with thofe. of the allies, to give the finiihing ftroke.to this bufmefs. He carried his demands in as high a ftrain, as if on the vi<3;orious fide of the queftion. As for the French, they had gained what they had at that time principally in view ; to which the rebellion in Scotland did not a little con- tribute ; and therefore they were the more difpofed to pa- cific meafures. All difiTerences and ceremonies being at length adjufted, a peace was concluded ; for the performance of the articles of which, fo far as related to Great Britain , two * hoftages were by France demanded, and were actually fent to Paris; on this particular condition. That the adventurer (hould be ordered to depart out of his moft Chriftian majefiy's domi« nions. His agents and emifiaries attended at. jiix^/a-Ciapel/e du- ring the conferences y and finding matters concluding con- trary ^ Lord Catbcart and Lord M^ntpn. r 8i 1 trary to their expcAations and wifhes^ a formal protefl was drawn up and prefented by the pretender againft this peace, and in fupport of his pretended rights and claim to the crown of GreMt Britain ; in which he expe^ed the French minifter would have concurred : but the French court ha- ving then no further occafion for him, that minifter gave himfelf no trouUe on the fubjed; ; unlefs to flatter and cajole him, with new promiies of dotng fomething for his iervice at a more favourable opportunity. Certain it is, that he never could be brought to believe, that France^ carried on by fiich a Current df jHrofperity in this war in FJanders, and having all Holland in a manner open at that time to her arms, or little capable to reiift them, would have ib readily made a peace, until he found that the peace was actually concluded. He rather hoped and expeded to fee Holland brought down by the war, in a campaign or two nMre i and that the Dutch or Hollanders^ three parts of which are aheady Frenchified, being reduced or brought under ibme degree of dominion or obedience to the crowii of France^ (hips, men, and money, might have been always found there, with more facility than elfewhere; in which view he had entertained that England would have fallen a prey to his ambition and vengeance. The conclu- fiout therefore, of this peace, was to him the greateft mor- tification and difappointment that could pofiibly happen to fuch an adventurer. Moft people imagined, that, after this turn of ill fortqn?^ he would have returned to Romt j which was the advice of Vol. I. M hia C 82 ] his moft fincer« and intimate friends. Tliere he might have contemplated, and at leifure have repented of his fruitlefs attempts and rafli defigns. But this was in no wife agree- able to his own inclinations ; always on the wing in purfuit of what might offer to kindle new troubles, and promote his defigns. For this purpofe he remained at Paris, fre- quently walking with his particular friends in the ThuillerieSf frequently at mafs at the Cordeliers, and often at the comedy and opera, contrary to promiie, and treaty of friendihip and peace. Notice of this condud and indulgence to the common difturber being communicated to the court of England, his Britannic majefty's diipleafure at this nuifance and breach of faith, was intimated to the French minifters, who made no difii/:ulty in finding excufes, and giving promifes to apply a proper remedy, pretending that he had been ordered to withdraw, but was obftinate. A projed: was, therefore, formed between the minifters and the adventurer, that he ihould be publickly arretted by the proper officers of diftinc- tion, and a large body of troops, under the command of the inarfhal Due de Biron^ coming out of the opera-houfe on a certaip evening fixed for that purpofe, and that they ihould carry him prifoner to St. Vincennes, a royal prifbn, about two fmall miles from Paris ; a moft delightful walk, with plea- fant avenues leading diredtly to it from the fuburbs of that city ; and in which are moil noble apartments. Here the young gentleman was lodged ; and fome of his partizans, in the fecret, were conducted to the Bq/ii/e, having been pre- vioufly advertifed to hold themfelves ready to be fent as pri- foners [ «3 J fdners to thlat placc^ as foon as the proper officers fhoufd come to their reipedtive lodgings or habitations^ to condudl them thither. Had the minifters been in earneft in this bufinefs, and' not determined to amufe the nation with a farce after the opera, he, and all thofe of his party, who could have been fuppofed obnoxious to the court, on account of their con* dud: or attachment to his perfon and intereft, or on any other account whatfoever, might have, been with lefs noife and expence, more cafe and readinefs, taken at their refpedtive places of abode^ or in the public gardens, or in the ftreets^ cofFee-houles, or taverns, as is common in all fuch cafes, and fo carried to prifon, without parade or buftle. But this was not to be the cafe : the Frencb^ in all their amufements, are fond of expence, (hew, and parade : it was, therefore^ on this extraordinary occafion, neceflary to difplay folemnity and magnificence, to give an air of reality, and remove any fufpicion of infincerity, which the Englijh nation had reafon to entertain of theii^, about that condition, which they never intended to fulfil. r . Orders Were, therefi^re, given early in the morning, for the troops to hold themfelves in readinefs to march at a cer- tain hour in the evening, and inftruftions were given to the rclpeftive officers, who were to act the principal parts in this political farce. 3everal of thofe, who were in the fe« cret, and who were dejftined for thp Bafiile^ were vfixh the adventurer in the forenoon pf the day : after dinner he walked in the Tbuif/eries, with a few particular friends, and - •. Ma fire- I H 1 fir^-arms In his pockets ; from thence he went to the opera; the troopsi to the number of ten thoufand, according to the Paris account, but which might have been about half the number, marched, according to orders, to their rcfpedbive deft i nations ; the flreets and pafTages leading to the opera- houfe were immediately blocked up orftopt by parties of the guards : moft of the avenues leading to that part of the city, and other places, particularly that leading to St. Vincenne^f were likewife fecured in the fanM manner, by feveral de- tachments from the main body. All Paris began to be filled with confternation $ nor has any uproar been iince equal to it, unlefs that which happened on £)^i^;?'^ attempt to aft faffinate the king. < No fboner was the opera finiAed, but thfc adventurer (coming out from the lodge or box where he fet) was naet in the paflage, leading towards the ftreet, by the (rfficera and gentlemen, who were appointed to arreft him, and wha waited for him there for that purpofe. They flopped him in this paflage, and inftantly acquainted him with their orders, and that he was then arretted by them de la part du roy. This he knew as well a$ them- felves. However, he made a feint, as if he would make refiftance, by firfl: putting his hands to his pocket, to take out his piftols, then to lay hold of bis fword s both which were prevented, and the arms were^ by perfuafion and po*'- litenefs, furrendered* A filken cord was then made ufe of* He was conduced, in a coach with ibme officers of dif« tindlion, to St. Vincennes^ followed by a large body of horfe wdt t , r ^5 r and £oot, and attended by the Marihal Due Je Binm id peribn; . i&/^> Sir He^r Maehan^ GiltJbMagbf his maitre d'h6tel, formerly butler to lord Clare^ and a few others, were fent to the Bafiik ; where they liirod welU and in no fort of feaV cur pain of making any great ftay i S0V9 a little time after^ they were all diicharged* Sullivan^ who was to be of the B^Jiik party» not jxnich liking the expedition, wrote a let-> ter a day or two before to the minifter, fignifying, that as he was an officer of rank in the French fervice, he defired to be excufed^ left it might be a prejudice to him hereafter, aoton^ the Frenci ofScers in the army, ignorant of the motive : which exru£b was admitted by the French mini^ ftry ; but this drew the adventurer's difpleafure upon him fbr a iong time : and Kelfy^ who hated him in his heart, improved diis to his own advantage. Sullivan having one diay toU Kelfy^ before the adventurer's face, and in his own apartments,^ that he was one of the greateft rogues living, was the caufe of Kelfy'^ averfion to Sullivan. Two or three days after this arreft, the adventurer having given his parole (as reported) to retire out of France^ he was nobly attended and conducted from St. Vincermes^ for a few miles, by officers appointed for that purpofe. He thea took fuch courie as he pleafed; fuppofed to have gone di- ire€kly to his ancle's, the d%ike ie Bouillonf at Sedan ; from whence his correspondence and vifits at court incog, were as frequent, as he liked. It could not be for any complaifance towards the Englijb nation that the French minifters entered into [ 86 I intp this affair ; for certainly there is not a people on earthy whom they fo much deteft. The true motives of this droll policy, for it was nothing elfe, I could never clearly under- ftand. Some were of opinion, that as the French (notwith- flanding the adventurer's then late misfortunes and mifcar- riages in Scotland) had, and ever will have, defigns of in- vafion on this kingdom, whenever they are in a condition to carry them into execution, they perfuaded him into this method of a feeming compuliion on him to retire a while from Faris^ to remove, as far as poflible, every fuppofition of fuch intent. Others believed it was a political fcheme to favour his de« iigns of vifiting fome foreign courts incog, to engage them^ by fuch unkindnefs fhewn him in France^ privately to efpoufe and intereft themfelves in his affairs, in any future ev^nt, which the breaking out of a new war might, and alw;ay8 will, give birth to ; and that in cafe fuch vifits and appli- cations fhould be difcovered, the French might appear to have no hand or part therein, and exche fome of thofc powers to enter into his meafures, and to ferve him with more fpirit. Be it as it may, all reafonable people faw, that the whole cf this affair was nothing but a piece of ufelefs finefle ; a refined piece of French policy, fans querefans tetCy and what we call in plain Engltflj, a hum< upon our nation : for it nei- ther leifened his interefl, nor diminiihed his correipondence ; or prevented his vifit at that court, when^er he was plea- fed to make ufe of eithen His \ [ 87 J % His travels^ as above mentioned^ being long before deter* mined, he, in purfuance thereof, fet out fome time after ; in the profecution of which, we ihall leave him for fome time, purfued through Europe by a perfon, who followed him fome years, and, as he confeiTed, was hired to airafli- nate the adventurer, by a confpiracy entered into and carried on for that purpofe, as that perfon has fince informed me, between perfons of great diftinftion in dilBFerent parts of Europe, and the Jefuits : which brought on the late ex- pulfion and diflblution of that fociety in France^ with the confifcation of their effects, to the amount of above fix mil« lions Stirling, according to the computation made thereof i the particulars of which you may expert to find in fome fu-^ ture letters s whilfl *ln the interim I take notice, as I pro- mifed in a former letter, of the curfe James I. imprecated upon himfelf and his poflerity s after touching on fome thing$ relating to that family in general, which I hope you will find worthy your obfervation and attention, before I enter on the adventurer's true character, or the late intended invafion of this kingdom, with the motives of the late peace* LETTER THE FOURTEENTH. T N my laft letter, I told you I fhould take fome notice of the curfe James L of England imprecated upon himfelf and his pofterity, with fome particulars of that family, which [ «« T which are taken from the beft authorities. This, in my opinion, is a proper interval for that bofinefs, until we find the adventurer returned from the journies he made, and again in atftion in France^ though incog, forwarding the de- figns that were for fome time hatching in his favour, and the greateft and moft expenfive ever entered into by that nation. » The defign of fuch digreffion is tihiefly to inform thofe, who have not, in the coUrfe of their reading, met with thefc particulars, with a knowledge of the wickednefs and tyranny of the deteflable race of Stuarts i and to revive and preferve in the minds and memory of thofe^ who have perufcd them, the remembrance of their lawiefs and abominable aftions, in violation of all juftice, and the moil facred oaths : which cannot fail to infpirc every fubjcft with horror and dctefta- tion of fuch a family, who will give himfelf leave to refleft on the happinefs and liberty he enjoys, under the mild and aufpicious reign of his prefent majefty i and what he may promife to be enjoyed by his poflerity, under the royal line in the houfe of Hanover. Looking into a book, in titled. The Secret Hiftory of White* halU printed and publiflied at London many years ago, you will find, that the firlt of that family, who mounted the throne oi Scotland^ obtained that fovcreign authority by mur- der, robbery, and adultery. If the tree is known by its fruit, and that the leaves of each branch refisiiiblc each * other, what lefs could a nation cxpcd from fuch a root, than what they have experienced ? Scarcely has there be^ one I ^9 1 ont of .the wretched offspring who died a natural death, or without fuipicion of poifon or the poinard. Moft of them fupported themfelves on the throne by the utmofl violence and moft atrocious aflaflinations, poifonings, and murders, -even of their neareft relations, friends, and confidents ; but this, inftead of fecuring to them that fafety and defpotic power they fought after, placed them in a more dangerous iituation, and at laft brought on the exelufion of the Stuarts family from the crown. What brought on the hatred of the people, and the ruin of that family, was their avarice, tricking, lying, and perfidy i fuch as great and virtuous minds abhor. The thirft of wealth, for which the fubje(5ls were fleeced, to lavifh on panders and favourites, contri- buted not a little to their downfal, perfonal misfortunes and punifhments, which heaven infli£fced upon them, for their de-> ceit and falfehbod. No promife could ever be relied on, which they made, if the fmalleft advantage refulted from their violation.; as if they held by patent or inheritance the right of being perfidious. And as perfidy and falfehood are a ma- nifeil evidence of a mean and difhonefl mind, fo in a prince it brings on him contempt and impotence, . . • • r I^ence it is next to an impoffibility he fhould be long free from war at home, or war with his neighbours abroad. For inftance, James V. of Scotland^ who had a fair opportunity of eftablifhing a lading peace with England^ lofl by deceit and falfehood that blcfling to himfelf and his people, toge- ther with his life ; as you will find by the following ac- count, given to us by a learned author on that fubjedl i who relates, that Vol. I. N Henry t 90 1 Henry Vlll. his uncle> theo at variance with the. pope, the emperor^ and Spain, willing to ftrengthen himfelf at home, even defirotis to fettle the fueceiflicm upon his nephew, courted him to an aIHaiice> nay to an interview and - con^^ ference at Tork. Nothing could promiife fairer for Scotland^ for many ages harra£S:d and defokted by ^ars with Enghmdi nothing prove more honourable and beneficial to die Scotch king, than the entail of the ^n^l^h crown, and the fupport oflfered by his uncle. » Henry VIII. had then on)y one datightet, and (he was de^^ clared illegitimate. King yames, therefore, by the advice of his council, accepted the prbpofal. The En^fh ambaf- fadors returned highly fatisfied ) and dieit royal niafter was as highly pleafed, who made great preparations at Tark for the reception of his nephew* But the Scotch king had minions about him, whofe in- fluence was more powerful than his councils, or his honOur, or bis intereft, if thefe two can be parted. To thefe mi- nions the clergy apply, and with bribes engage them to di& fuade the king from keeping his word« Some of the fa« vourites too were clergymen, and in the name of alt thejr laboured to debauch and deceive the king. They frightened and cheated him widi the word bere^-, and whatever of- fended die clergy in thofe days, were it man, or thing, was fure to be declared an enemy to God and the king^ and con-* fequently to be very bad and terrible^ f 9t ) Th^feld. hfif^f vas gfQwing up in England, and grw^ ing ^ft m Scotland I m4 i>retcnd«d to fljcw him what no^ tJ^^ profit tfottld acccue to his majcfty by fupprcflxng it^ and eQripbing himfelf with the eftates of fuch as profeiTed, and of fuch as favoured it. With this they gave him a lift of their names, encouraging him. to plunder and burn the bfiil: Md xkheft of Kis fubjea$. Tke king liflen^ to the propo^d too greedily, and com- ttuaiirated it to the laird of Gra/qpt, his treafurer. This wflB in honeft and hold man, who freely ihewed his mafter the ^n'cmftrous iniquity and mifchief o{ fuch cbfiniel ; cx« pofed d^e entfl ami i^acious hearts of the bi(hops, their €or» x^xpi praflSccs, infufferaUe pride, ambitious defigns, * and ungodly livM, with thdr utter unfitneis to be tmfted io council, or with any civil concerns ; reprefented how raihly and pernicioufly one of his predeceflbrs, king David, had ftript the crown <^ its paitrimoiiy to endow bishoprics and ftbbios ; vfience his majefly was now become fo poor, the pidalBS fi» jidi, foppodigdi and afiumii^, that they ^nbve to he piafters and.diirfe&xs in idl thingis. Thus be convinoed the king, and recovered him fo his fydk neafooable purpo£b, of dofing with the king of Eng^ Jindr, in fb.ttuidb, that his haq^fty, die next $kxie the pre^ Jates appcoachedr him, ^11 upon theni with gseot bitternei^ for having endeavoured to miHaad him into iuch cruelties againft fo many noblemen and barons, to the danger of his jhwji «%il^eftate. " Wherefore,^' (aid hp, ^* gMc my pre- M ileeffflTws ^, many land^ and rents tOithe idrk ? Was it>^ ,. 1 . , - N 2 ^* maintain [ 9« 1 ^ maintain hawks, dogs, and whores, to a number of idle *^ priefts ? The king of England burns, the king of Den* ^^ mark beheads yqu : I fliall flrike you with this winyard/' Whereupon he drew his dagger, and they fled with great fear. He now fully refolved to keep his promife with his uncle oi England^ as tending both to his advancement and honour; but his refolution held not. The bifhops were not eafily baulk'd nor afham'd, nor wont to relax, when intereft or dominion, or revenge, was in view. Again they af&il die minions, particularly Oliver Sinclair^ with ftore of gold, promifed him high honour by their weight and procure- ment, efpecially the command of the army.againft England, could he bring his mafter to violate his faith, and break with his uncle. ■ The next ftep was to undo the treafurer, by defaming him to the king. ^^ He was proud, he was a heretic, (an <^ imputation always powerful, however ftale and fodifh) «« he carried an Englijb New Teftament in his pouch ; nay, ^' he was fo arrogant, that he would not procure women for '^^ the king, nor proftitute his ion's wife to his majefty's plea- '' fure :" for this was one article of the charge againft him, and urged by a venerable prelate. It was ufual foir theie favourites to fumifli the young king with women, married m unmarried, in order to maintain his favour* When die king vindicated his minifter, as a plain frank gentleman, whom he loved weli> and to whom he be« grudged c 9s r grudged no reirardi the prior of Pittemoeem replied, and faid, '* Sir, the hcircfs of Kelfy is a lufty fair lafs ; and I «* dare pledge my life, that if your majcfty will fend for her •* prefendy, he (hall refufe tp fend her to you :" (the lady was betrothed to the treafurer's fon). A godly propofal, from a relikgious m^ ! And it took. » ' . The kin^ Qgned aij^-j^rder for t|iQ lady to be brought to him ; nay, the prelates and their fadion contrived, that a brother prelate, the prior of Pittenweemy fhould carry it, 9nd bring with him; the Cfiripri^e. * TJbe treafurer refui<rd to comply, for goojd ; re^ififna : among|l othe/s, tl^ reyerend envoy was his knoieiFii .f^ei^y, :«nd a l^^nown , deb^chee. The prior, however, v9ho had gained the main pqint, re«- joiced in the denial, apd ^}( it engaged the king ; in fo much^ that they obtained froQi.,hifn ^ w^rrapt to feizp the trea«- furer, and con^nq^t^h;^^ toth^e pail^oi^^^ He was aware of their mifchievous devices, and haftened to court. The :lcing lowered^ and would not ipeak to him. He boldlyi afited bi«.niai«ftyv why,^ * TOUch difple^ure,^ prefently, ; aftprii^ igpcK; jfavour^ §r4; ^^Xl w^' offence ? The king rcipliedr ^VWhy did(l j(hpu refufe to fpnd ^^ n^e the n^aiden, whom i wrote for, and give a defpiteful ?* langvi^ge t<;^ - hliA I 'ient fqr her ? " The ^treafurer faid, he jthought hin^felf ; meeteft to bripg hjer^ ; nor vfquld he truft the prior, as he knew hinii^fbe oq^ jfnfanious for ;x>(pe§j a man the mofl: notorious in Scotland for debauching ot wo- men, whether wives or y^rgins. • Such failings, it feem^, tKe ii. tli«1ioly am\ h&d, but v^s"«elIbUk Ibr'thelii^rArdiy/i^tti^ hercttcff and his country. '' •;,'•. V « Hafl thou ih6n bitotight the gendeWom^ with Aec ?* * ■ • ■ faid the king. *' Yes, Sir;" faid the trcaftirer^ This foft- encd him- " Alas ! " faith the king, '^ they haw ft* ^Bt fo *' many leafipgs againft thee, that they have obtained from ^* me a warrant ^ td '^lit ^tiiee ih wJbrd*: fctft J (b^l^mind it *'Vith a contrary orderi**' *^ ' • : ' The treafurer ^hfWered witk.laniefit&tioti» '^ My life. Sir, or Warding, is a fmaU mattef-; hut it -breaks my .hearty that the- World Aotild hear of your iiiajtSfty's fiicHicy/' , For lie had Itarnt, ^at in hid abftnte they had made die king fend t6 England to xomiradt^ his |Mt)mife, -and fefufb to meet ^i^ tmde. His lamentations avafied not : thie worft councils had fwayedhtm: the prelates, and otherminiofis corrupted by them, and fubiervient to them, ruled the kingf £4 44 .♦ t ;- Henry V'Ul. ra^s, tows to revenge lb ^aitich conK^Bptt dttd iettds' away in* airaiy, <:i6 lay i^Affci' «leJR)l«te bgr "fire ani fwof-d. The Scotch king td6 raifts'loroes ; but forces with- out heart, -as -in a 'caufe vndeftaken tei ^-lAcafureof th6 -prelates -againft titeir country. This damped tiie ipirtts of the<anny^ but t^iat quke 4rii(hed ^irdej^aioa aad de- fpair, was to fee Other Stttckin a minion and hii^Kog of thepfdates, declared genefAl in chief. •Hie loitlsand principal officers, Enough indignatfoft th^ «he court and country ihould be governed by fuch vile in- ftrumentSy I « 1 ftramenti^ i» iSae hUhops^ and ditir creatutcs, r^ufed to fighf linddr f|i(& a'wor^i^ Qommtadbr; nay* th«y fuf* ftredithem&lvetfJto be All tiik«n ptiAmeeiv* Tht whok army nras overdiseyFn* the kiligdom reddcrbd ;defeacelie&, and czpoftdttd ^ skvtjga of the oketn/, ahd the poor king to ' r * . • * "f • f ^Agaoiuft llvei hiOiqfi^ ^ mboths w«m open; al^ men: en^ raged to fee the country perifhing, to fatiate Aifir fury and ambition. The king heard die general outcry^ his eyes -vpvre opthtd, aAdi6 Ih^ -fiilmsA <^ hie ntert he dcopt ibme «x|>rsffloi^'df<ir6fentm^&C itpa^'hW gfabftlf and execrable adViibt«;<i^'#feadi expitffioni.'fhey iben n&tt tdok levere Veiifeeahcfc.' ■ ■ <- :- .•■■.-.: Such men never retra^ never for^ve. Tlie realm was Juader the. jpoiling hand- f)f encmiet and invaders, Ac -army routed, the nobility provoked, the people mirerable and murmuring, the king diftrefled, and his honour loft. Did all this i(bfl^'4ie3>3h^s7^a: to.accompiIi(h their malice, and good fervices to the public, and their fovereign, they teurdtif him:%.fti^ f jfor noffithi their: ^dtifax ahd whiilit' iBame.kiftntiM:dcidvtdificta^ictme^ tbcji had kamt tbs art of snaking an ligfistt J^ s.iiid mtb. this* *adaun>aciied by ibme of cheicAkkail irilla^ .fcboift him, fbey ifimt lup the .^days and MggAt«r>aier ,Y; ; : (IlByficfti/icptiteAliimjitf his annopeno*, then) td\ }dar. iMuuafttooaufafcttMsjdnhea M Im jpndttvf tnilid^aad ]nliQDMk>J.«idaaftlvWikiif>t!fe: . ^ .• . i . • « t Were ff Were not thefo notable <iif edors of a monarch*^ power and confcience ? Nayi ev^ii dying and '^lekd^ they^^ibufed him^ as Well as they hid :whililalivcJ ^Qne' of them at- tending him at hi^>death» ^ vdien the poor king, was expiring» didaied a willfbr bim^ which he boldly dedared to be the king's will afterwards. To fuch an amazing power in wick<- ednefsy and want of (hame^ had the clergy then grown, ty their dhormaos increaic of pifopeaiy t mBut tfctfy Were popifh clergy. Thus you fee in. a ibvereign an example of avarice, falfe-* hood, jand folly, who might and ought to have livec|, and died, ^.example ^f iincerity, hooour^ geouofity, .. and vir^ tue ; by which his own life, and the happinefs of his pep** pie, had been effedually preferved. ^— — I — I—— ^w—— —————— —Jib^ii^—pi<i^—i——pi^ ■ ',.•> ■ . . . ■ ■ ..::•. LETTER THE FIFTEENTH. . • ■•■(,. "yjn I T H rc^rd to the m^odi^kion of yams I, of Etigiatul, .meationed in the firil part of my former letter, tbcy vrho have read the hiftocies df that reigii, remember, I doubt not, that Sir Thomas O^rburyy by the plots and infernal praaicos of . the cOuhteft. of ^Jf, Sir tt>mas Mohjim, and others, and through .di&aonnivance of the earl of .^^* then one of' the ! king's . principal -favoantBS» was fffft ^ifimed, and the poifon not taking its delired effe^ fo foon as the; coni^iiUtors i 97 1 conipirators expeded, then flified, whilft he was prifoner in the Tower of London. « ' On this occafion^ an author of great authority, an eye and ear witnefs to moft of the fecret tranfadtions of that courts and who at times fupped with the ^ king, has tranf- mitted the following particulars of the king's imprecation on account of this execrable murder, which I will take the li* berty to give at large. " The king/* fays he, " went from Whitehall to Tbeo^ ^* balds t and fo to Royjion. The king fent for all the judges " (his lords and fervants incircling him) ; where kneeling ^* down in the midft of them, he ufed thefe words. The King's Curfe and Imprecation on himfelf and his pofierity. • My lord? the judges, it is lately come to my bearing, ^ that ydu have now in examination a bufinefs of poifoning^ *'Lttrd*! in what a moft mifcrable condition fhall this king- * dcm be (the only famous nation for hofpitality in the world) ^ if our tables (hoald become fuch a foare^ as noqe (;ould eat * withdut danger of life> aadihat /fn/it^.cuftom.fhould be * introduced amongft us. Therefore, my lords, I charge * you, as you will anfwcr it at that great and dreadful day * of judgment, that you examine it ftriftly, without favour^ ^ aftcftibh, ^6r parfiittfyj and if you fhall fpare.'aoy'^perfon ^ g^iliy of this bf ibie; Q^its iufje KgLt upon ypw and; your * pofterity ; and if I fpare any that are found guilty, *God'§ * cuRSB lighten ME and my to%T'b,kity for ever.\ •Vol. L O " How i 9« J •« Sow'krng Ramies foiled in this Jbojfinefs," fays ihisftoie ^uthor^ << as well by his own death, hy Jihe hlack powders ** and plafter, (thought to be given and applied to him by the duke of Buckingham, or by his dire&ion, «viioin the king had rai&d from obfcurity to be his greateft favou« ^ rite, and loaded with honours and «ches) is iofficitntly *' known. That this fearful imprecation "broisg^ down, this ^ juflicc of God upon himfelf^ by his.dca:di by poifcm, and " the fufferings of his pofterity ever fin^re, acejib mantfbft; ** that it feems to have been the purpofe of God, doubtlefs, ^^ to lay afide that family, and to make it an example to *' pofterity, according to this imprecation, and others of :.die ^< like nature^ both of king Jtmes and king Chuties^^' yameSf unfortunately for himfelf, as well as for his peo- pie, was full of every fpecies of diffimulaiion^ ftau4> and oppreffion, he dared to pradife ; and though his reign was peace, and his motto. Bead pacifich he waa. ^Fiiflnic> and in his natpre cruelt even comuving at' the <^pceffi9P6 cxer« ci&d on his people by his favourites, and thole in authority under htm. Hence it may he tmly iaid> that he who hfi* power, and permits oppreffion and cruelty^ ie erattliapd Cj^ preffive, though he knows it not ; for he onf^t to :»know iU ought to inquiret and ought to prcsBcnt it, if hQ««otiet;pQ-' niih k. Ckurk* 1* having afbeodcd the fcbcone c» 4e 4eath «f -bis Uxh^tt tnftead of making that inquiry into the.c^aie&>of his lather's death, and 4jf the deafA ftUb of hi& c^der brother* prince Henry, -as it was his doty, as a^ «i4<bK>tbcar> to 40f [ 99 1 doi gave hiniftlf no eoncern about either^ though all the \ybrld declSaired, that both of them had foul play ; and not- wlth£baAding his ikft parliament feemed intent upon that inquiry^ and to have been defirous to probe to the bottom of the wound, and that an examination had been taken, with regard to thft deadi of the prince, to bring the paricide tojttiticet who was poUickty faid to have perpetrated thefe atitxioua. Crimes ; y^t was this bufineis ftiiled in its birrh> by diifelving that parCament; and the perfon moft fttfpe<£fced of the guilt, not only continned in royd favour and autho* rity, but was again promoted to greater wealth and power than what he had before enjoyed (if greater he poflibly could en^y) uotil< the aven^g hand of juftice overtook him, and cut hka ofF by the knife of i Fenton^ in the zenith of his %lc!ndid, hot abomiivable caKtfr. Sedung tonefliablifli the Qnconftioitional maxim of govern- MtktsAf, imhH)ed from hca Bahet, fo^ take from his fubjeds mctnc^ without hm,^ and contpary M aff law, and ready to ^^fkfc^^tcJtk2tMan.aB its li&erty; by l^ing upeih it the yoke oi Atfyoti£ax) uaA> Akvuytf ciiril' v^airs^ dnfued, and extended th^pftftlvi^r^thrduglioustji^^ atid Scotfoftd. Maf^ &crdi, defiiatbnai. b^ntlasr murdef«» eHeeutions, with al! the fadnorsi and; oafixnikicS' of a. Moed^ and inteifhie war^ wcnc d» dtfnifll redbO^'cf tl»^; hf» Uh)^^ and tnoif^Hi judged politics, which clofed the fcene with hik own fatal tragedy. Mbffi natk>86 dTMmdpi^ oAeA oitc againA' th^ Holiner and cruelty of the Englijh and Scotch^ after this tragedy was O z over:; S1V8^ <,rhS [ ^00 ] over ; but none fo loud in exaggerating all fuch charges and complaints as could be made on the fubjedt, as the French. This was to take away all fufpicion of the part they had aded therein. Monf. Louvois, minifter of ftate to Louis XIV. loading the Englijh with infamy and reproach on this occa« lion, writes to the king his mafter, how neceflary and pru- dent it was in the queen, his mother, to have conveyed him out oi Paris ^ when the differences between him and his parliaments were at their greateft height, left his then rebel fubjedts fhould have followed the example fet before them by the Englijh nation. When the French have done all the mifchief they can, to ferve their purpofe, they turn all the ill, by' which the mifchief was accomplifhed, upon others, and are ,the firft to blame them. Louvois could hot but know, that cardinal Richlieu had firft laid the plan of this lidhappy king's de-« ftruftion ; and had, by his ambaffadons and emiiTaries, which he fent over for that purpofe, fomented the troubles during his life, in which he faw the king and his kingdoms fo dangeroufty involved ; and that at his deceaie cardinal Ma^ zarin finifhed the plan the other had begun, by contributing all in his fkill and power to bring that monarch to the death he fuffered, on the 30th of January 1648-9; v^Yuch Mazarin brought about under the fpecious preteince of endeavouring to prevent it. . ' ' The fame kind of perfidy had been pradifed againft Mary queen of Stots : for ^my III. or his mmifters, lent BeOuvre i t ^ [ '01 J to England^ under pretence of getting her fentence of death revoked y but he had fecrct orders to folicit her execution. T The politics and maxims of Ricblieu and Mazartn have been too much followed ever fince in France^ and their in- fedion fpread in other courts. Upon the death of Charles, the outcryings and complaints raifed againft the Englijb fub* fidedt except as above, and thofe fubfidcd. only through the prefs i nor was there one of thofe powers who fhewcd the leaft refentment, by any noble ad):iQn, in favour of his fon ; on the contrary, thofe who were loudeft in their clamours were the firft to approve of the rebellious meafures, by enter- ing into treaties of peace and friend£hip with the protestor, as foon zi opportunity ferved, and reaibnable pretences of- fered. In my next, I (hall mention to you only a few paf- fa^es and anecdotes of two of the fucceiTors of this unfortu-* nate king ; and then return to the principal fubjedl, where we fhall find the adventurer returned to France. • LETTER THE SIXTEENTH. f^HAR LES II. being reftored, betrayed the fame pif- - fion for defpotic power, the fame' defire' of oppreiling his fubjeds,^ and violating the conflitution and its laws, as had appeared in any of his predecefibrs and progenitors, or ■ i ever ever had been pradifed b^ them* Thefe fads are fi> ncto-> riouily known and confirmed^ that I own I fiiould not re?* cite them here, but to perpetuate the remembrance of them, and to anfwer thofe purpofeo as may be neceffary in the courfe of thefe letters^ Regal power was not long poi&fl«d by CAarks IT. but, with all his boafted geneiofit^ aiut affability, he difcoreretf his extreme defire of ruling independent, and liberally to» beflow on himfelf and has favoarices the public wealth, with-^ out confent of parltameitc. He fecretly tlioug^ht and fefle^-^' ed on the power and autlioriey of padiameive, what Crom^ ivell faid he thought of regaf jower^ when he trampled i« under foot, viz. that it was ufilois,. burtia«nfe«ie^ and dan^ gerou&> and would have been inl this fen& (for taking thd people*s money^ and in every other &ti&) a CrofMvetts if ho had thought hd could hav6 fucoecdcd^ without rifk of hi^ crown and his bead. He thirfled after unlimited pcwery tho*' he made a wretched ufe of what he had ; and was ufed to fay, " that a crown was not worth having, if he that wore «• it muft be. thus controulcd by 2f pareel- ^ JtHtms:' Hc^ meant the parliament ; who muft have been fellows indeed, fays an hiftorian, and bad ones too, if the worft amongft them had been as bad as himfelf. However, being prefled, upon a certain occafion^ by «fte-o# hii* pamfitear, on the fbbjcft of money, to raife a fum by laying on a tax without confent of parliament, to anfwer an emergency, uffw- j^flfiftf. 4nd he- fitafing fpr fome thne, Qbarles dediaed the propofai). fay- ing* '" %^ had travelled enough, and. did not cafe to f^ *' abroad again f ' fear alom reftrftiiM^ z% that time thii meafure. I »3 1 Aeftfure. In Biihop Bumefs hiftory, we find a ftrange and ihockiQg)diralaGRtioa of Cbarks H. concerning cbe duke o£ i4aud^,dalei that !<he duke had indeed done many damn'd things in Scotland 4 ** ibut I cannot fee," fays his majefty, ^^ -th^ ixe has idonsccany thing ajainftanyintereft :'' a fpoecht upon iwbich I make jio.r^e(9ton ; iior ce.n any imagination fumiih ^oxie, :lhat can )poflU;dy heighten its hoccor. His word or |)rottife 5e>s Jittk .to he relied on, thss hreafih of ]»^hjqh h^ «xci|f«d ^hyv^k.fusdipleafftntry^ and he wa^i in his hwiXt more (tffeudb^d to Frame, than jnras confident with his:hoDWM:» or Jbis i&temftr iss^a Britijh king. He ptofefled iumfidf )a ^otefiatnt iducing bis life, rbot di«d apapift^ ac-» £otdti^ to thf .heft acpoupts, ^ His i death happened moch feanerthaDLCould be realonablyfiippofcd or eacpe^d from ft) hefllthy and vigoirous a con^itotion, as that which he was foflefiediof; *whu^, withother «more powerful circumftan- ces, coovbice^bat his life was dispatched by foiftm. Me detciled paflittments^ *and was not beloved ^by them; eon-- fequently he flood but fli^ly in the a0t:3ion of the people^ and the city of London had as few obligations to him, as to any ibvecc^n.tfaat seigned before him, if not many lefs. ytuoesH. afiieiidifig the throne oh the demtfe of his bro-^ tittT CibarJes, poflefied his family's talents for eftablKhing ty« rasifiy ja&d oppreffion in the moft eminent degree : and as he openly profefled himfelf a papift^ it is not to bif wondered at^ that he was governed • by pbpiih |>rie(ls ; * and that the tyranny and cruelties of liis ibon, but f^toarkable reign, are ft) incredible. The ^leoutions df ^he duke of Monmouth and of the earl of Ar^yktA Edinhif-gh^ wefc^-examples of^iis ty-. . ^i ranny; [ I04 ] ranny ; and the barbarities, which he permitted judge 'jef- Jries and colonel Kirk to exercife againft his fubjeds in the fFeJi^ are bloody fpccimens of his cruelty and perfecuting ipirit, Thefc are but a few. Having ihore courage than his brother, and fupported by the promifes and aiTurances of fuccefs by the popifli clergy, who daily furrounded him, he undertook two things equally difficult and dangerous ; the firft, to fet himfelf abwe the laws^ and the ieCond, to change the eftablijhed religion. He had violated the laws, and would rule by mere will ; which is violence, and violence is war. He had no confidence in his people, whom he had draiaed and oppreiTed : he had taken an oath to govern by the laws, but kept it not : the people, therefore; oppofed not their prince, but their enemy and tyrant : he wanted to do what he pleafed with his kingdoms, and to bring his fub- je€t& into a flate of flavery ; but his people, to fave his king« doms and themfelves from the galling yoke' of his boodage# drove both hitn and his farnily from the governn^ent and fucceilion t6 the Britijh dominions. i » » - Thus the nation was delivered froni a tyrant and oppref-* for, and king James 11. was obliged to fly his country, to il*ek an afylum in a foreign ftate, and to depend on the be- nevolence of anotlier monarch for fupport, protedlion, and fubiiilenqe. But this was not all the evil this king had done his country. He left behind him at his death a pretended fuccf0br to the crown. A perfidious prince is one of the heavieft cucfes God can fend upon a people; for when he finds his perfidy and pernicious fchemes difcovered, his an- juil de^gps-pn the liberties, wealth, and properties of the people. J 'people^ difappolnted or refifted» his refource is generally to tyranny and bloodfhed. Who then can reflect on the reigns of the family of the Stuarts^ without dread and horror, feeing that a fucceffion of eight crowned heads of that unhappy race, in a direft line, by their own ill conduft, and the tyranny and oppref- fion of their fubjeds, ihould iinifh their days by violent deaths, by murder, poifon, and the ax^ except the lafl, who, to avoid the fate of thofe who went before him, aban- doned his crown, his kingdoms, and his people, forced to take arms in their own defence, and to fave themfelves from his oppreffion, tyranny, and cruelties. Therefore you will not doubt, but that the curfe of the father has fallen upon the children to the third and fourth generation, and that in this family that malediction has been exemplified in the moft ftria and literal fenfe- LETTER THE SEVENTEENTH. IVyf Y private affairs having brought me, in 1755, to Dun^^ kirk^ I was obliged to flay there a confiderable time; and the buiinefs not anfwering expectation, I returned to London^ and after fome time I prepared to go back to Dun^ kirky to finifh this aifair : in which voyage our fliip was by contrary winds forced into Sbeernefs. Vol. I. P The [ io6 ] The very next day, goihg afliore to dine in the fortifica- tion, I was apprehended, and clofely confined in an apart- ment in the tavern where I was found, and a guard was or- dered to lie in rny bied-chamber. This proceeding was founded on a falfe and malicious ififormation given againft me to the governor (a worthy man), fetting forth, that I. was employed by, or in the fervice of the court oi France-, that I had fome connexions with the minifters of that court, and that I was upon fome dangerous ent^rprize ', or to that purpofe (as I was. then irtformed) : which information was given by a man, who faw me in that tavern, and whom I had fome years before faved almoft from ftarving at Chcjier; where I fo far interefted myfelf for him in his diftrefs, as to recommend him into good bufinefs. But this abandoned wretch, havmg at this time got employment under the crown, vainly imagined, no doubt, that he could not re- commend himfelf better to his employers, than by fome officious ftep of this nature, how injurious foever it mighty in its confequences, prove to his benefadlor. About^five or fix days after, I was brought to town, in- cuftody of a meflfenger of flate, upon a warrant from the right honourable Henry Fox y Efq; (now lord Holland) at that time oae of his majefty*«i^principal fecretaries of ftate,. and clofely confined at the meflfenger's houfc. About one month after> I went through a long and ftridt examination at the fecretary of ftate's oj9ke j when it fully and clearly appeared, that there was not the leaft colour or foundation for my being thus arrefted and detained. On which that miaiftcr, convinced of the iniquity of the charge againfl [ 107 ] me^ was pleafed to order my enlargement forthwith : and indeed it would have been the higheil aft of injuftice if he had .not ; for in truth, at that time, direftly or indiredly, I had no more connedtion with the affairs of France^ or the minifters of that court, or with any politics whatfoever, than you have with the Grand Mogul, or his miniflers and their politics : nor did I at that time underftand a word of the French language, and, by confequence, I was a very unfit perfon to be employed in their fchemes or fervice. Thus enlarged by the minifter, but without any fatisfac- tion for the injuftice and damages I fuflained, I returned to Dunkirk^ where (after many difappointments) I was ftill obliged to wait, on account of my particular ajffairs, which I could not get fettled. During the time I refided at Dunkirk^ an intimacy of acquaintance arofe between the earl of Clancarty and my- felf, which, by the honour he ^id me, in admitting me frequently to dine and fup with him, fo increafed, and from time to time improved, that at laft he openly profefTed the grenteft friendfhip for me, in all companies, and on all oc- cafions : in fhort, he honoured me with more of his com- pany and converfation, than he did any other perfon whom- foever ; and would always flbcw an uneafinefs, and fort of jealouiy, if any other engagement prevented my pafling the evenings with him, though there were ever fo many other perfons of his party. We frequently went abroad together to take the air : fometimes we walked over the Downs, ob- ferving the fhips pafling the Channel^ fome coming into port, P 2 others t' i" ^f \ r 'o« r others going outtofea; at other times wc rambled' along: the port, viewing the works, or along the canals ; enjoy- itig that kind of exercife that contributes to health; On all! which occafions, as well as at home in private, our conver- sation generally turned on politics^ and public affairs. The rcafon for mentioning this will*foon be obvious^, . The late earl of Clare, in Ffa?ice c^Yltd Le MarechaV Comte de Tbomond, having come to Dunkirk, at this time> in . quality of infpedtor-gencral of the armies of France, in order - not only to review and infpefl: the feveral regiments of hbrfe, foot, and dragoons, then in garrifon there, . but alfo all the other troops of that country, all along the coaft ; I had the honour to be made known to his lordfhip, to fhare in his efteem, and to be invited by him to Paris i but I had no-» thoughts at that time of fuch a journey. Lord Cidncarty, who was born at Altena, near Hamburgh^ ^ never liked the mar(hal, who was born in France i nor would he ever vifit him^ but on fome public or particular occa- fions, and when it \ns not to be avoided; His reafon for this diflike, as^ he himfelf often fa:id, was, that the mar- shal was too- great a courtier, and too much a Frenchman i for, fays he, as he was only dropt in France of J/-^ parents, he ought not fo- rauch^ to afffecft the French cuftom«. It is not (continued he) a reafon, becaufe a- man is born in a ftable, that he ihould become a horfe. Thefe little, but bitter invcdlives, were not unknown to> or kept fecret from the marfhal, as the other made no fcruplc to fpeak thfem in pyblic company, and frequently even before fome. of the ojQiceis . ^- r« ■» f 109 J ofEccrt of tBe-inarfhal's own regiment, which oftentrmcr ereated warmdifputes and ill blood ; where nothing but lord Glancariys rank could have prevented them from being at>- tended with fatal confequences, though the marihal himfelf only fmiled at them* The marfhal was in his perfbn* of a fine (bape and figure, very handfome, and in his converfation obliging, polite, and of great affability. He was much eftcemed by the French king, beloved by the minifters, nobility, and army. All this gave fome jcalouly to the other lord ; which, together with feeing the marflial, on the feveral journies he made to Dunkirk, fo highly honoured and efleemed, as he ufually was (though there was nothing more in this, than what was due to his rank as a marfhal of France) were the caufes of his dillike to that nobleman,, more than any thing elfe. Hoflilities were now, and had for fome time before, com- menced, by the military operations and tranfadions carry- ing on in North America. This gave a fecret joy to the adventurer's party, in what place foever they were. The Englijh men. of war having taken, and. continued, from time to time, to feize all fuch French ihips or vefTels as they fell in with, either going to,, or coming from that part of the weftern world, I might, I think, have faid, or almoft dfewhere, and the aflTair of general Br^z/^i^^i (who had fome years before unfortunately deprived lord' Chncarty of the fight of one of hfs eyes, by the unlucky throwing a glafs bottle, whilft they were at fupper together at the King's Arms mPall-MaUJ began to awake the hopes of that party, , and.; hi* *^\ « Ik [ no ] ^nd to kindle thofe fpirits, which had been for eight pre- ceding years fmothered in their own aflies : thefe hoftili- ties, I therefore fay, occaiioned many complaints from the merchants, and created great murmurings amongft the trading people in France of all forts, and did not fail to give a good deal of umbrage and uneafmefs to the French mini- ftry.' From all which, and from the heavy lofTes thofe mer- chants daily fuftained, and were ftill continually expofed to, without any redrefs, notwithflanding their reiterated repre- fentations to the court on that fubjeft, a rupture between the two powers feemed abfolutely unavoidable. France^ on her part, though filent to the complaints of her people on their lofles, forefeeing that the ftorm raifed in the weiftern world was ftill increafing, and likely to Ipread itfelf all over Europe^ as well as in the eaftern world, ne- gleftcd nothing that fhe thought might be neceffary to avert from herfelf the ill efFedts thereof, and fecure herfelf from the dangers to be imparted by its influence, Confidering then, that, according to the old phrafe, it is an ill wind that blows no body good, fhe feared not to make her ad- vantages in the hurry and confufion, which it mieht ^read in its progrefs. It was now, therefore, time to ftrengthen herfelf in all events, according to her ufual politics and in- trigues. For which purpofe, a fecr^t negotiation and treaty were fet on foot, and concluded, between her and the houfe Q^ Aujlriuy before the other powers of £j^ro/!^, could, get any intelligence or certain knowledge of the matter; by which Aiijlria abandoned her engagements with England^ her beft /ricnd, and moft faithful ally ; who had for a long feries of time. time, I may fay an age before, lavilhed her moft: valuable blood and treafures in her fupport and defence. What part the adventurer had in getting this treaty againft: England advanced and concluded, w^liilft on his fecret jour- nies> is more fufpedled than afcertained, as it was conducted with the gr^ateft fecrecy. I have been told by a gentleman very iatimatc with the duke of Nivernm, and oftejn in feCret with hitx^s whilft at Berlin as ambaffador from France ta^ that court, during the fecret negotiation of this treaty, that his majefty of Pr/^/2; who had at the fame time executed a private treaty with his late majefty the king of Great Bri^ tainy ipeaking a day or two after the courier arrived at Bcr^ liny with the news of the ratification of this treaty with his relation and ally the king of England, he afked Nivernoisy if he had heard any news'? to which the other anfwered in the negative : whereupon the king faid, I will then tell you fome news» and then told him, he bad concluded a treaty with his couiin the king of England i to which the other anfwered. Sire, that is no news to me ; I knew it before : but, continues he, I will tell your majjefty a greater piece of news, which I believe you have not as yet heard. The king afking'what it was, the ambaflador told him, that the king of Franccy his mafler, had a few days before concluded a fecret treaty with the emprefs queen ; which did not . fail to furpriie and much ailcnifii the king^ according to what was judged, from his.majcfty*s countenance, and. from the whole of .his' bdaaviour; though few princes* m Europe know better how to guard againft. any furprife, or to conceal i^s difagrceable effefis^ than the king oiPruf^. L E T • [ "2 ] ^mmmmm^i'^i^''mm^mm^^mmi LETTER THE EIGHTEENTH. XT7 H I L S T France was negotiating in Germany, flic was . not lefs attentive to her interefts elfewherc, and par- ticularly to thofe at home ; and though flie received frefli accounts every day of new loffes and infults by fea, fhevyet remained quiet in all appearance ; nor would flic be pro^- voked to be the firft to declare war, flic was determined. The reafons for this policy, it feems, were, that as England had begun hoftilities in North America (without any juft caufe, as the miniflcrs of France pretended) and was daily making captures of her fliips and feamen, without the for- mality of any declaration of war, flic would throw the blame of the war upon England^ as flic thought, with a better face ; feduce thereby other powers to her intereft, or at Icaft into neutralities, and gain more time to make thofe prepa^ rations and armaments, which were neccflary for carrying her fchemes into execution, both at hoftie and abroad. The miniflcrs of England were not to be deceived or gull- ed, however, with thofe deluiions and falacious politics* They very well faw into the defigns of the French miniflcrs, and they very well knew, that France, under the fliam pretexts of fending troops to recruit thofe in her own colo- nics, and provifions for their fupport, ' had fent, and was continually fending, fuch forces, ammunition, and ftores ^thither, as indicated the moft formidable defigns upon thaf country. ["3 1 cCuntryf and threatened the abfolute and entire redudion of it under the French dominion : which was the principal ob- ItGt in reality of her political views ; imagining alfo, that by provoking and carrying on a war abroad, at fuch a great diftance, fhe might be the better able to do wKat (he pleafed at home^ or in places not fo far remote. War not being declared by France after fo many provo- cations, as (he pretended to have received, was a matter of much fpeculation to moft of the courts of Europe ; but more efpecially amongft thofe of her allies, or thofe flie thought to make fuch. This policy likewife was to raife the merit of her defiring, in appearance, the confervation of the peace, though (he fincerely wiihed the contrary. Dunkirk now began to appear in her natural colours ; every thing feemed there to put on and carry a warlike air. Many regiments both of horfe, foot, and dragoons, were newly arrived. Numbers of thofe troops, to the amount of fix or feven thoufand men, were conftantly employed f Sundays not excepted) in erecting new batteries along the fea-fide, and repairing the old fort and battery called the Rifebank. This is that battery that gave Lewis XIV. fo much uneafi- nefs and afflidtion^ when he was obliged to confcnt to have it demolUhed by the peace of Utrecht, that he was heard to fay, that when he died, and was opened, they would find RiSEBANK wrote upon his heart. Great numbers of the army were alfo employed in the works of the grand fluice, for deepening the harbour,, which Vol. I. Q^ empties empties itfelf into the fea ; the force and rapidity of wBkh was incredible. Others were deftined for cleanfitig iand fe-* pairing the bafon for the reception of men of war : a moft grand and curious piece of isoik 1 As the feveral regiments were employed to work by tums^ ©n the days that fuch regiments were not in the works, they were every morning in the field under arms by fix o'clock,. and there exercifed and reviewed by the geuend officers*^ Camps were formed, and iham battles frequently fbught oa the Downs bfetween Dunkirk and Graveline, where the prince. Je Sou&j/e, and the count St. Germain, generally appeared and commanded in chief.. Cannon were brought to the other Downs on the eaft fide ef the town, and the engineers and officers of the train and artillery exercifed in their department, by fifing at marks erected for that purpofe by the fea-fide. Th«L marine Was- not in the leaft neglefted : privateers were fitting out with all diligence, and numbers of veflels repairing ; an infinite- number of carriages of fix and four horfes fcarcely ceafbd going and coming through the town day and night, carrying; cannon, timber, fafcines, gabions, and all facts of military ftores and impliments of war, from one place to another* In a word, from the hurry that continually appeared, and the various movements of every thing in the military way^ you would have concluded, that France was going to fdl upon all her neighbours at one and the fame time^ or that flic fiuidefily expedled to be attacked by all of them toge- ther ^ . r "5 ] » ^r; and that flie was providing lor her fafety^ as far as (he could« as if to prevent her 14ft day« Thoie military preparations were not limited to Dunkirk alone j for ^ the towns and fea-pof ts along the coaft^ and throughout France, were not lefs occupied and employed in thofe military works and operations, in proportion to their grande^r^ and according to their fituation, in order to pre- pare Ipr war^ which was expeded to be declared by France every day. But amongft all the evolutions and movements, in which the French army had ever before been trained or pradifed^ there was one of a new ipecies to them at this critical dme introduced, as a necefiary excrcife and difci- pline, in which they were to be intruded, and which they never had feen or learned before. This was to learn a readinefs and facility to embark and difembark themselves on or ftoxxi on board fhips, in order \o familiarize th« troops to this kind of marine fcience. Se*** veral fliips lay at C«[4f/V» Boulogne, and other fea-ports, where fever^ regiments, Iq fke i:ourfe of theii" other ezercj^s, were for a long time d^ily obliged to praffcife that of embarking and difembarking. It frequently happened, that many of the troops remained fbme nights and days on board ^ fo that ViHhen it blew ibmewhat hard, by which the fhips were tofled or put in motion by the furges and a^tations of the iea, moft of thofe frefli water foldiers became fo fick, as to make them curfe the element as foon as they got on fliore, $U)d the ierviee alfo ; deplaring they would rather die in the field pf battle, than bear the ficknefs of a voyage by fea. 0^2 Moft [ ii6 ] Moft of them, however, began at length by degrees to get the better of this kind of fea^ficknefs, as alfb of the pre- judices, which they had conceived againft this new marine difcipline ; which, with the hope of feeing in a little time the land of wealth and plenty, for which that nation ever thirds, and which now began ftrongly to poflefs their minds,* extenuated their fatigue, and every inconyenience they had met with in this duty. But with all this, no war was, as yet, proclaimed ; which ftill continued to heighten the inw patience even of the common foldiers; a ipecimen of whicb you will fee in the following relation. One day I was walking on the fands, near the harbour*^ mouth, towards the place where the new batteries were erefted ; when looking a little to the right, I perceived prince Saubife, attended by a great number of officers, who had aecompanied him from his levee, walking towards thbfe batteries, in a direft line with me. The prince, who had often before feen and met roe, walking with other company, fent a peribn to me, who touching mc on the fhoulder, un- perceived, and on turning myfelf about, finding him to be an officer of fome diftindtion, who in very broken Englifb told me the prince wanted to fpeak to me, I was not a little furprifed, being unable to conceive what he could have to fay to me, who fpoke no French at that time, and knowing the prince fpoke no Englijh, as I had learned from many. I knew indeed, that I had conduced myfelf in fuch a manner whilfl I had remained at Dunkirk^ as never to have given o€Fence to any perfbn whatibever, and that I was well cfleemed and beloved by all my ac^u^iatance there, and that f "7 ] that 1 had not meddled dircftly or indire<Sly in any public affairs. Thefe (hart and fudden reflc<ftiohs diffipated my furprife in fome meafure, and I walked with the colonel, for fuch I afterwards found he was, and a German. On coming to the prince, he did me the honour to fajute roe in a very obliging manner, and defired me to Ictok at a little vefle], then off at fea, but which was crowding to get into the harbour, and to tell him what veifel 1 thought it was. The weather was very fine, but it blew frefli', ' I know riot what he faid ^ but the colonel, who ftood. inter- preter between us, witli diOieulty made ntc undcrftand Mm. Upon which I told him, I thought it waa'ari Engiifh cwtttt ^ which the colonel explained to him in French. iThc prince fmiled, and nodded hi^ head a little at fome of the officers that flood round us (the number of which might have be^ii about eighty) by way of a marlc of his approbation of njy opinion ^ and then defiring me to walk on with him, we advanced, the cavalcadealong with us. The little vefiel, that was under great- way, -^at the rate of, I believe, nine or tea knots an hour, about half an hour after, flie got within. the piers, and was mnning up the channel towards the town, which is but very harrow ; at which time we walked over the ba^, which confines the channel on that fide, in order to fpeak to the captain of the cuttef as he pafled ; foir fiidb the little vcficd proved to be. We had juft got near enough to call to the captain, when the colonel to]id me, the prince defired I would be &y good as ^o haU, hina tq hri^g 40$ whkh I did: but as it ble^ very I "8 ] very frefb, and die veflel going very h(k^ the captain did not at firft comprehend what I faid or meanfV With k)ud repetitioi:LS and figoals^ howerer^ from hands and hats, he icon became fenfible of what we wanted, and brought to« He got forthwith into his little 1x>at, and came on (hore at the bank where we ftood. The poor man, whofe name was GMie, ad I heard afterwards^ looked frightened and terrified, as if he was going to be put to death. He thought war had been declared in France^ that his all (his cutter J was loft, and that a priibn was to be his habitation. He ipoke a Uttl^ French i and the prince dik- ing him, if war was declared in Bngtand^ he told him it was not ^ but that when he cdnobe away from thence, they were preparing for it, and that it was .certainly to be de- ^l^red in a few days. . Being then aiked by die prince,, if he was not afraid to venture to Dunkirk^ as* the war was fo fbon to be declared againft France f he anfwered, he hoped to be away in a day or two; and that as he camie frequently there, he did not doubt but that his friends^ would make iotereft for him, in cafe of accident, and procure him fome protections as he had but a fliort time to ftay, had ufed that trade a long ttme^ and always behaved well. His fright, however, was ftitt very great, and &e man continued pale and trembling ; which the prince, as well as every body elfe, obferving, he toW Wm not to be afraid, for thttt tto harni ihotild be done to him or his veflel; that he he ihovM be Mt and five ; adding. We do not do like the ■Ef^Ufh, And thereupon he put his hand in his pocket, and gave liim ft Sol Evtt piece. Tlic ptinee Teemed very inqtiffithre and oneafy to know tviiat delayed the EngUJb from deckring war ; but this man» imaibk to fatisfy bim in that refpeS, returned to his cutter> wry iappy, and irec from any apprehenfion of danger ; the interpreting colonel faying, Da^m Engtijb dogs, ie dar nt>t declar de war. I then walked fome little way with this company, and ialirtifig fiie prince, took leave tind decamped. Oa my zii^fig zthotht to dme,. I conH not avoid telling twd ^iMcarty ^a adwnttrffc,. The cxtmvagant generofity cf At fix Irvre piece afforded matter of mirth and converfk- tion. GfiftWf, halving added as mnch more to it, as I heard fome few days after, eirtectidned that night hi^ crew^ and fome of his acquaintance, for joy of his good reception ^ whereby^ though ihe prcfent in Qiccic was but very fmall, from a perfon of his high rank and exceffive fortune, the poor man found what wa& more valuable to him, freedom and fafe1ty%.i About a week or teft days after thia incident, news ar*- ^ived, that war ogatnft France was proclainied at London, to> the great joy of the militafyandr. marine of Dimkirk f except of thofe poor people,, whofe huibands, fons, . a^d r^lalionSj had been taken at fea> and were then prifoners in England: s£ wlikb tkeic was ^ ifio^^eMtbksBUBd^eiU Thft [ 120 ]e The adventurer's . affairs now began, to have a moit fa- vourable afpc<ft, than they had wore for fomc years before : and it began to be whifpered, and fecretly hinted, that the French were determined to aft now with fincerity in his caufe, and that a defcent would be made in his favour ; but tliat it would be fome time before the projcdk could be car« ried into execution. I £i.w the party fpirit rifing, and that nothing but the greateft expectations flowed from that joy* ous event, as they termed it; Determined, for my own part, to purfue the fame kind of behaviour th Jt I had all along obferved, in not communis eating my fecret thoughts to any man, I doubted not but, by a political and prudent condud, iboner or later to be able to render the moft efTential fervices to my king and country, (which I hope you will think I have efFedtually done) as you will foon. find in the fequel of my letters. ■pi LETTER THE NINETEENTH. TI^ AR being now declared by England^ the miniflers of France delayed not to anfwer this, challenge, and to improve upon to event, which they both fccrctly and ar- dently defired. War againft England was, therefore, immediately de* clared by France^ who redoubled her preparations and her diligence. [ 121 ] diligence, in her military and marine departments, to carry it on with all imaginable fuccefs both by Tea and land ; ilot doubting, in cafe they (hould meet with fome few mifcar- riages in their operations on the watery element (notwith* ftandingf^ their precautions and endeavours to avoid as much as pofOble all naval engagements, for a purpofe to be here- after mentioned) but that the advantages, which fhe might gain by land, would in the end abundantly more than com* penfate for fuch lofles, as they might in fuch unwi(h*d*for rencounters unfortunately fuftain. Already the French looked upon themfelves vidoriou^, before the fword was drawn. For, fuch is the vanity and folly of that people (among many others) that they imagine their prowefs, their art of befieging and defending towns, the bravery of their troops, with the profound knowledge of their generals and officers in every branch of military icience, furpafs by far thofe of all other nations. But this is not all ; for, with this they infatuatedly are brought up to think, that tKe politics of their minifters are not to be equalled ; (which laft opinion, in one fenfe, may well be faid to be accounted for as true, fince none have been much worfe, it is evident) concluding, that all mankind are made to be the dupes of their politics, whilft, it is moft evident, they have been on many occafions the greateft dupes thereof themfelves. Full of thefe romantic, or r*ther Don ^ixote prepoffef- fiOns, what people like them can ever be fuppofed to doubt of conqueft, where, for the ceremony only of fccuring to Vol. I. R t;hem C 122 ] them this trifling bagatelle, already in idea their ovnXf every thing was fet in motion, however, and every thing in hurry to receive it, as the fure and certain fruits, ripe and ready to fall, for the trouble of gathering. The determined fcheme of the minifters themselves was to coomienct their operations, and carry on this war, as far from homie as they could, even in the moil diftant and remiote parts of the world* hi order to divide and draw the Britijb troops out of England^ and render their return » in cafe of any fudden neceffity or emergency, more tedious and difficult. Which in cStdi thejr did, and for which they dearly paid, in the progrcffion of their defigns, as they themfelves, and all the world, know. An event, however, now happened^ which might have given a very great change to the face af all the af&irs in Europe. The king getting into his coach to go to Triarmoft (which is a beautiful palace, only about one mile from Fer^ failles J and in thofe celebrated gardens to fee the dames of France 9 .his daughters, who then were there, was, before the doors of his palace, in the midft of his guards, and at- tended by the noblemen and others of his retinue, ftabbecl hy a paricide, one Damiens i whole punii^bment, great and unheard c^ as it was, exceeded not the wickednefs of hi& crime,, but yet exceeded all law and juftice, if he was fuch^ as on his trial he was pretended to be found; tlkat is to £iy> a madman. Be that as it may, k is not to be doubted, but that, in the long courfe of his confinement, examinations,, and trial> the court got to the bottom of the bufioefs, dif- covered every flep taken, and every perfbn's name and cont^- •diiion^ who had in any refpe£b been concenacd in tlutf afh^ nifting [ "3 ] nifhing attempt ; tbe fecrets of which (for political reaioA^) I fuppofe) are ftill with the greateft care concealed. About this period it was, that lord dancarty began, at different times and occafions, to break out againft the old chevalier de St. George and his two ions, whenever we were in private together, and often, even before fome particulars, to fay fuch things, as furprifed me to come from him» I even began to apprehend and fear, that he had a defign to lead me into fome naisjR>rtune, by opening himielf in fuch a manner to me» contrary to what might be expedted from one of his reputed attachment to a family, for whofe intereit and fupport his lordfhip's father had loft one of the moft confidcrable eftates of any fubjeft in Europe^ and died an exile, after his taking tinknown leave of the Tower. I therefore thought it pradent and fafe, in fuch a dangerous critical fituation, for ny own prefervation, in cafe I ftiould be queftioned by any perfbn upon the fubjed, as well as for othM juft and poweifal reaibns, to keep a kind of journal c^ what he faid and conununicated to me, relative to that famHyi by which you wiU fee the charafter he gives of draad, and tite opinion he fecredy entertained of them (who was beft acquainted with their pradices, fentiments, and p^&clj^les) in a fuller view, and" clearer light, than by any tfain^ diat has ever been made known or communicated to the pubfic oa that head before; and which I never (hould c^ couM have known, otherwiie than from himielf. It was to bring in this {Hece in this place, which I thought the nof^ftppoper place, in which it ought to be intitduced, R 2 that [ 124 ] that I otnittcd and declined in my former letters continuing the fubjeft, after the death oi James II. of faying any tHing touching the particular charadlers of the late chevalier St. George, or his fons. But here you will now find them in. the following detail together, with a few anecdotes, as they were delivered from the mouth of that nobleman i fotne oF which are not lefs furprifing, than interefting and amufing^» DISC OURS Mr. M A c ^ A- oC Lord Clancartv with at Dunkirk^ m feveral • Meetings and Conferences between them. 1 Tuesday, January ii, 1757. C IT TING with him in his room in the morning/ he began to talk of the young pretender with great indif- ference, as he did two or three times before. When we had drank hard after fupper> he broke out, faying. By G-d^ dear Mac, I'll tell you a fecret you don't know ; there is not a greater fcoundrel on the face of the earth than that fame prince : he is in his heart a coward and a poltroon > would rather live in a garret with fome &cotcb thieves to drink and fmoak, th^n *ferve me, or any of thofe who It^ave loft our eftates for his family or himfelf. Ingratitude has ever been, and ever will be, the favourite paflion of the Stuarts. He is fo great a fcoundrel and raical^ that he will lie^ even whea drunk i r «5 ] *^^g drunk ; a time when all other mens hearts arc mpft open, ^g and will ipeak the truth, or what they think ; and, faid he, ^^ lord Mar/ha/ knows and has faid all this and more of him^ ^ ^ and general KeitJb alfo : and they know him fo well at the % court of France for a poltroon and a rafcal, that they fecretly - of deipifed him. r- He proceeded, and faid, that the old man the father was no better than the two fons. I know no right, fays he, = that they have to be kings of Ire/and ; and that, if they would give him his eftate upon a reftoration, he would fell it for five years purchafe, rather than live under them, ^i Then he wiflied there was another Cromwell; adding, that } ^^g James IT. was as great a. villain as lived in that age, and that the king of France was a fool and an ideot for entertain- ing, aiding, and affifting him ; with other bitter inve^ftives, Thursday, January 13. Being together over a bottle, captain P , of Roo^Jb's regiment, came in, when lord Clancarty began the fame difcourfe ; adding, that lord Tbomond (whom he could not endure) or others of the ancient nobility of Ireland, had a better right to be kings of that nation, than any of that un- grateful family of the Stuarts : damn'd himfelf, if he did not love an Irijh drummer better than any of the breed. Monday, January 17. Sitting at the fire after dinner, he began the fame dif- courfe : faid, he hoped England would foon be formed into a commonwealth, and governed by a protedtor; for the people I "6 } people would never be happy under any of the femily : prayed to God that they might never be rcftorcd. As for the dd man, fays he, he is a bigot in his mind, and in his nature a tyrant. The prince has no more religion, than one of my coach horfes; and the cardinal is as bad as either. There is no living for any one that does not implicitly fob- mit to them ; nor is there a man of common fenfe about them. Let them imagine what they will, they never will fucceed : and, by G-d, it is a pity they (hould, fince the nation muft be enflaved under them, till they are ferved like their anceftors^. I would ferve them as they do bailiffs ; if they were to write to me, burn their letters, as foon as X caft one look thereon, and defpife them. The old man, fays he, and his fons, ad in their purfuit of the crown, as fome lawyers do to obtain a caufe ; lie and fwear falfe, till they get all they can out of the client, and then leave him or them, that fupported the caufe, to ftarve. And as for the duke of Tork, he behaved at Boulogne like a petit maitre *, took upon him to command and give direftions in what he was ignorant of: and that both he, his father, and brother, had difobliged lord Marjkal and general Keitb^ who knew them now too well to truft them, or do them fervice i that lord MarftAd would rather want his tide and eftate, than wt them reflored, as he knew his country muil be ruined, and the fubjed enflaved, if ever they focceeded. He a&ed me, if I knew Jemny Dawkins ? I anfwered,. I did not. He could give you an account of diem, fays he ; but lord Mar-' Jljal has given the true charader of the prince, and certified under his hand to the people of Ef^bmd what a fooundid and rafcal he is. He faid his father befaarod widi tht greateft [ "7 ] greateft mgratitttdc to the late duke of Ormonde and that he parted with his friends for two infamous villains and fcouA* dreb^ lords Invernejs and Dunbar ; that the prince had the canaille of Scotland to ailift him^ thieves, robbers, and the like ; that he was in one itnic like Henry V. with Bardolpb^ Kyme^ and Piftoti but had not his ienfe or courage. Mr. Blake coming in, he continued the fame diicourfe ; adding, he would live out of the protection of all kings, if poflible : and thus continued before lord jg— r /r, and his bro- ther Mr. A* ■ 13'"'- ^, who likewife came in, and ftaid with U8 dli dinners-time. MoNi>AY, February 21. Renewixig his refentmeftts, wd the like difcour(e, ^againft dke youQg pretender, he fwore the k of F was a bcifti that he had for a long tiooe lain with three fifters ; th*t bis 'nufuAera kept him intocdcated with the pleafures of huntings drinking, and whoring, by which they did what fiixj plMfed ; and that theie pleafures were, his only employ-- «lent, ftid the people wefe left to ruin by the management of avaritiou^ auiiifterB, who were no better than pick-poc-- kets ; and that it was no matter if fuch a feUow was but of the ^prld: dancm'd hereditary right; faid it was at firfl eftabliflied as a fcheme between kings and priefls: then damo'd hjmfclC^ if ht would not be better fati^ed that 4ang George ihould isstgn, . than the old doating baftard at JtoQi^, 'providjpd.he would reftpre him to his paternal eftate. But as j^tQgy qow are, fitys he^ I wifli Ireland wereun thb hands of ^e F^rt^ebi ^AMn^^and might be given to the ^d:^ow» }m9^^ii^ Gni^k»iW^'» toMep ham io orders [ 128 ] order ; aiid that it would be beft to give Scotland to the devil. Wednesday, March 2. The fame difcourfe and expreflions 5 adding, that father and fon were tyrants, and that he would fell his eflate, if he had it, the day after he might be pofTefTed of it, for even a year's purchafe, rather than live under them. I afked him, if his grandfather, lord S d^ did not die a Roman Ca- tholic ? He damn'd himfelf if he did; faying, he knew better things than to give himfelf any trouble about reli- gion ; and that the prince would never gain much by his turning Protejiant, and leaving his recantation and declara- tion in the hands of Dr. King of Oxford i becaufc people would not be gull'd by that artifice. Then, fays he, do you know what he lately told me, that his friends, pll thfe other fide, folicit him to turn away Mifs Walkmgjhaw^ , artd that they would allow her a good penfion. The prince fwearing, faid, I would not turn away a cat to pleafe the fcoundrels, and damn'd himfelf but he would be raafter of the Englijh dogs, in fpite of them^ and would. make them pay dear for their infolence. Thursday, March 3. The fame difcourfe continued : faid he would go to Mr. De Bertinc to get him to write to court to farnifh a fuffi- cient fofce to enable him to conquet Ire/and *, that, as he had a family, he would make it a point ; and that he woul<l put him upon fuch things/ as to iblicit it de bon aeur; as he could fh^w great hondVli* and profit would refult to him, ii^ ' ^ its [ 1^9 ] its being taken for France % to which it would turn out a Mexico and Peru^ and that Scotland was good enough for the prince, or any of the family : for fuch is their ingratitude, fays he, that they would, when their turn ihould be ferved, leave them to ftarvc, who had done moft for their fervice ; or, like Charles II. give th« national treafure to rogues and whores, and leave thofe to pcrifli, who had ferved him. And, by G-d, added his lordihip, the fchemes of k s and miniflers will never fucceed, that are not founded on gratitude and generofity, think what you will; which are virtues they never had, and the hidden rocks on which their affairs have been ever ihipwrecked, and ever will be» you know the rafcal's ingratitude to lord George MUrray, lord Elcbo^ and others. It is true, though he went to Scot^ land with Bardolpby Nytne^ and FiftoU and that his prefcnt company are of the fame ftamp, thofe men did not deferve half the ill ufage they have met with from him. Yet Scot^ landy I believe, will be elTedtually cured of any zeal for him hereafter, except that little may remain amongft a few .of the canaille, Sunday, March 6. Sitting down together to fupper, he ordered a footman to carry a dog, that had been given him that day, as a prefent to one Mrs. Story. I afked him, if it was a lap-dog? He anfwered. No ; it was king Charles % breed, the only good breed he left, and damn'd the reft of his breed. » ... Tuesday, March 8,. At dinner, I faid Lochgarry, as I was told, was c6me to Berge (this perfon is lieutenant-colonel of Ogilvte's). Lord Vol. I. S Clancarty [ ^io 1 Clancarty thereupon faysi Then there is a thief and a cow- ftealer arrived i and calls to the fbotmani and fays» Lock up my plate, for fear he (hould come to this hooie. At GraveKne he ftole lord jR ■ *8 gorget, fays he, and fcnt it back from St. Omer's^ when he 'found it was not filrcr; Botwithflanding which, on Thursday, March id. This f<mie Locb^arry came to dine with him. There was a great company, and lord Clancarty was very angry that a fcrvant maid had opened the ftrcet-door; by which he walked into the parlour very unexpedledly. After dinner^ talking of lord Clare^ he faid, be was a true Frenchman^ and never wrote truth : then changing the fubjcft, faid, king Charles IL had robbed his family of *^. 40,000 per an^ mtm^ and given it to the duke of Tark : then cries out to me. Dear Mac^ what do you think of foch an adion ? how would you like fiich a king ? I not thinking it prudent to give him a direft ahfwer in Iqch a large company, called for fome wine, and faid. My good lord, let loffes of fo ancient date be forgot, and buried in a bumper* By G-d, replies he, I cannot forget them fo eafily. Saturday, April 16. We walked to Rofindall. Returning of«r the Downs, tx> go to the port to fee the tranfport fliips then fitting out, he damn'd the prince> and all diat belonged to him ; wJflied . the k of S a would put in for England i that Scot-^ land was too good for the Stuarts i that they were a pack of villains ; that their hearts and fouk were void of jufttce or [ '3' i or gratitudes tnit full of tyi^imy and oppreffion ; that it wi& not to be wondered at, th4t fo many of that curfed family had been murdered by their own perfidious countrymen^ and that they had been the ruin of the three kingdoms. Then (aid. By G-d, I hope G and his tribe would keep the throne, rather than any of them ihould ever mount thereon. Why, continues he, the damn'd villain lord Clare, rafcal as he is, he defpifes the prince in his heart, and ufed him with contempt in my own prefence ; zsxd he is equally defpifed by .every man in England^ who knows him ; and there is not a man of the nation, of fiire hundred pounds per -year, would rife for him ; for they know him to be a fot, a drunkard, and in his nature ungrateful, and a tyrant ; and that his companions are thieves, robbers, and fcoundrels. At parting, his lordfhip made me p/omife next day to come eariy to breakfaft wldi hixn^ and not to engage to dine any whereeUe* Thursday, May 5. After dinner, he began talking of lord Clare ; curfed him, and faid, he was a villain, a lian and a deceiver ; and that "the only thing -that siade ium in -any degree tolerable to hiin, was, that he knew he defpifed in his heart the prince, TuEspA^, -May 17. Me came after me to T , obliged me to go and walk with him« In going on the wocks, he l>egan as ufual, and added. You know. Warren ?. . Yefi, xeplied J. Then you know a -bankrupt, fays he ; nne of your icoundrels to help ^a reftofation. By G*d, continnesiift,. iFiiidhias he and Lolly S 2 are I ^3* ] are in fuch aifttirs, and a reftoratton (hould be brought aboutt it will be by bankrupts, ihoe-blackj, and beggars j but it v/ill be impoffible, whilil England czn raife an. army againd tyranny ; unlefs France Ihould take the rcfolution to adb with fincerity, which is what they never did yet, nor, I believe, ever will do, for any of the family ; for they know them all too welU For miy part, conrinues he, if I go to Paris, as I fuppofe I may be fent for on the prince's appearing in pub- lic, I (hall wear gloves for the time (I am refolved) I ihall ftay there ; otherwife it will be impoffible for me to efcape the itch, from the number of Scotch thieves and beggars, who will be fwarming about him, forcing on me their com-' pliments and falfe profeffipns. But I once did, and will again, make them keep their diftance, whenever I go to join him ; which, by G-d, is not for his own fake., Wifli- ed that the French would fend him to Ireland^ to take it for themfelves, that he might get his eilate; and that they would fend the prince with a few troops to England^ in order that he might be facrificed. LETTER THE TWENTIETH. XXZHILST I remained at Dunkirk, I accidentally be- came acquainted with captain Dumont, with whom at times I frequently walked and difcourfed; in which meetings he related to me his adventures . with Sullivan, as before [ »33 J before mentioned. I had at the fern? time contrs^fd like- wife a ftrid intimacy and friendihip with one Mr. Lewis, art Englijk gentleoian, who had lived in the neighbourhood long before, in order to retrieve his fortune, which had been injured. He fpoke French tolerably well, had been well educated, was an agreeable acquaintance, and in private life was poffeffed of as many good qualities as moft mep. A reciprocal efteem and affedlion increafed between us to fuch a degree, that we were united like brothers ; and as there was fome refemblance between us, both in figure and coun- tenance, we were often taken for fuch. He often told me in the fallies, which accompany profeflions of real and dif- interefted friendfliip, that whilfl he had life, he never would quit me, and that he would even lofe it for my fake, or if our friendihip was to ceafe. Little did I dream of or imagine, at the time he faid thofe things, the great fincerity of his heart, that he fhould prove fo true a prophet, or that the unhappy death, which foon after befel him on my account, fhould ever have been his fatal lot ; the remembrance of which will ever fill my heast with the mofl afHi<5ting forrow^ The particulars of his tra- gical fate I fhall foon relate to you in its proper place. Walking one evening together,, about Jufy 1757, by the fide of the canal leading to the baibn of Dunktrky he told me he had never been at Paris i, that he had a longing de- fire to fee that famous city,, and propofed to make a journey thither, to flay for a few months, and fo return to Dunkirk^^ if I would confent to the propofal. The matter was then totally t 134 ] - ^ totally indilFercnt to mc; but at two or three times afterj he renewing the fame difcourfe with an eager and uncom- mon paffion, as if there was a fate over him, and preffing me to agree to this journey, we determined thereon, and in the latter end of the month fet out and arrived zt Paris. On arriving in the evening ^txht hotel dEntr ague 9 where we were to lodge, we did not ftir out that night i but after fupper, at the ufual hour of reft, each retired to his cham- . bcr of rcpofe, being pretty much fatigued. • Next morning, on going out after breakfaft to talce a walk together, we faw a gentleman in the coErt fpeaking to the . Swifs. Lewis hearing and underftanding what he faid, told me, he believed it was a gentleman afking for me; and being diredled by the Swifs to afk of us, he advanced, and aflced for me in TLngliJh by my name ; to which I anfwered, that I was the perfon he fought for. He then told me, he was the chevalier Mackillicote j that he was tny country- man, though born in France (the ufual mafiner of fpeaking by the French of Irijh parents), an^l that he had juft then come from marfhal ThomonJ, vdbo had defired him to call upon me to make his compliments, and invite me to hie houfe. 1 returned my beft thanks for the honour he did mc, begging him to let the marfhal know, I would have the ho- nour to wait on him in a day or two, to pay him my re- fpefts ; which I did accordingly. I was not at all furprifed at the rn?.r(haVs kindncfs and politenefs; but what moft ftrangely aflonifhed, and in a manner confounded my ima- gination, was to think, that as I had never wrote a line to Paris to any one, or To much as intimated my dcfign of ^oing t '}S 1 going thcre^ aad had not gonq out of doors from the inihnt of arriving till the time I received t^e meflage^ how it could happen that the marfhal (hould know of my being in Paris; aud it was above two months before the myftcry was dif- oovered to me, which often gave me uneafinefs, and which wa$ thus. A phyfician, who had known me a litde at Lon- don foaie years before, but who then lived at Paris, was pacing the gate pf the Jbatel d'Entrague, at the time Lewis and I were getting out of the coach, and our luggage taken to be carried in. The doiftor going to pay a viiit at the marihal's, told him he had fecn me, as above re-^ *- lated. Our j^ay in this houie was not very long ; my friend and < I went to lodge at another hdtel, where we continued to live in a brotherly manner. The marfhal was always fond of feeing me, iand prpfeffed great friendfliip for me, Ne* ceflity obliged me at laft to apply myfelf to learn the French language j in which, by.a clofe application, I foon made an extraordinary progrefs. Our leifure hours were employed in walking in the public gardens, feeing all public places,, and othef innocent amufements. We lived quiet and. re^ tired. Our domcftic affairs were direfted by one of the fe- male fex, who lived in the houfe, and was of fervice to us in our ceconomy : and as we were ibber and regular, as well in our condu£t as in all our actions, we had gained the re« %)e6; and efteeia of all our neighbours, and in truth of alt who knew us; and in that eil^te we livedo IXecember V * [ 136 1 • December following, I was faluted with a new fur prife by a gentleman, who came into our lodgings whilft we were at dinner ; who told me, that he happened to be that morn- ing at lord ^ 's's i and that lord Clancarty^ who had arrived a night or two before from Dunkirk^ came in ; that his lordfhip was like a madman to find me out, and begged this gentleman to hunt Parts for m^, till he found me, and to conduA or fend me to him immediately, in cafe he fliould meet with me : which the other promifed to do. I went next morning to the h6tel where he lived, a la rue RicblieUy and where *I found him. His lordfhip was in bed, where he kindly received inc, .and appeared very glad to fee me. He foon got up, and juft as we had done breakfaft, a per- fon came in, whom I had never feen before (this was G/7- jhenagby the adventurer's maitre d'h6tel). His lordfhip took me afide, and faid to me, that the perfon who came in was come to him on private .bufinefs 5 and therefore begged T would come to him early next morning : upon which I went away. It had happened, that a gentleman, wlio was intimate with lord Clancarty at Dunkirk^ before I had fet out from thence for Paris, talking with me one day of his lordfhip's open and unguarded manner of fpeaking, and admiring what could be the reafon thereof, faid to me, it was dangerous to be with him when he talked in fuch a manner : to which I aniwered, I was under no uneafinefs on that head, for that I had taken care to write down mofl of what he had faid tome, in order to juflify myfelf, in cafe of being called upon. [ 137 ] upon. This was the only method that occurred to m6 for Mcty, aod wjbich this gentleman greatly approved of. In fome time after^ by way of applauding my condud to fome of his acquaintance, it came to lord C/ancart/s ears, which gave him an alert, and was the chief reafon of his coming after me to Paris ; from an apprehenfion, I believe, that I might make an ufe of thofe things to his difadvantage. His fears, however, were groundlefs ; for I never conmiunicated thofe difcdurfes to any man living (though he did not. in the end deferve fo much friendfhip from me) till I came to England^ and fent them to 1— B— — ^. Having returned early next morning to lord CJancartyZf he began after breakfaft to talk q£ indifferent things, relar ting to Paris and his journey ; then fllQUd me, when I hj^l feen lord Clare (marfhal TbomondJ ? I tcJd him, fome litde time before. To-mocrow I s^m .tp be with him, fzys he : pray come every morning to bre^dcfa^ ; ^r all the day I am hurried about, and feldom at home* Have .y<3^ ji mind, continues he, for a good employment ? If you have, 1*11 gtt you a very good one in the finances : therefore I would have you go home, and write me a letter this day, to beg of me to fpeak to the minifters for you, and I'll get it done, I warrant you. Thanking his lordfliip, I told him I had no fuch thought; for that Lewis and I intended to return to Dunkirk when the winter was over, or at furthcft by the end of April i by which time I hoped my affairs would be fettled : that I ex- peded ^. 2000, due to me from Ireland, and fhould then Vol, I. T return I '38 ] return to England. He then importuned me to ftay in France^ on promifes that he would get great things done for me, and procure me a much better fortune, than I could lofe by ftay- ing, or get by going ; and at length prevailed on me to pro- mife to go home, and write the letter he defired. I took leave, fully determined to write no fuch letter, and ftrongly fufpeding his " fecret and political deflgns in thi^ propofal, which I thought very inconfiftent with a man- of honour :. but I was rcfolved to fee the end of all this. Unable to go next day, I went the morning following. His lordfhip appeared much .out of humour, and looked •exaiperated : faid, in a day or two he fhould go into the country, for a week or ten days (this, I think, was Chriji^ mas Eve, and I was told after, that he went to keep his Cbriftmas with the adventurer). You have, however, I find, fays he,' fhewn all the letters I wrote you to lord Clare. Not I, my lord, faid I ; be aflured I never fhewed him any of your letters ; as the truth really was. He replied, I don't believe you. At this I trembled, I own, to be at him y but I thought it beft at that jundture to bear it. He then con- tinued. That he was well informed I had fhewn his letters and other papers, that had concerned him, to that noblfc- man. From which I concluded, that all this proceeded from his own fufpicions and fears, arid was his weak fcheme to difcover, whether 1 had done fo, or not. I neverthfelefs again affured him, I had never (hewn any man living any of his letters. He then was enraged that I did not write the letter he defired. I told him, I had been very bufy, and other wife engaged. Upon which he faid fo many ill-natured difobliging C »39 ] - diibbligiQg things, as forced me to tell him, that I^ould bear but little refpedt to any man, who departed from the principles of honour . and truth, and defired he would take care of what he faid to me. He then fwore he would havQ me fent to the Bafiile before twenty-four hours cxpincd. I told him, I defied him and all France \ for as I had never offended any one perfbn, or done the fmalleft thing to de^ ferve any man's difpleafure, fince I came into that kingdom, the Bajiile could not be made fdr me i and that be had befl take care he did not go there himfelf. It then occurred to me how well I had done to keep an entry of what had paiTed (for I well knew my man) in cafe he fhould proceed to ex* tremities with mCt An old gentlenian of fome diftin£tion coming in, I got up in anger to go away, and obfervcd lord Clancarty trerii- ' bling and pale. He defired this gentleman to go into an- other room, begging me to ftay, but I would not 5 then rufhing out abruptly, I pafied the gentleman. My lord fol- lowed me, prevailed on me to go into another room with him, told me I myft not mind his paflions, that he was very forry for what had then pafifed, that we fliould be better friends for the future than eyer we were, and made me pro- mife to come to breakfaft with him early next jnprping, be- fore he wept out pf town, ptherwife be would not le.t-me go» The fame pveping I wrote an excufij, that I could not wait .upon hini next day, and never wrote to him or faw him fince. . This quarrel was knpwa at cc^rt,. I was afterj- wards tcjd ; but the caufe thereof was never known or ia- .quired into. I have had the pleafure, however, to let hi? T 2 lordfhip [140 ] tordihip fee, hy wliat he muft fince have experienced, that his fears and apprehenfions ^were only groundlefs imagina* tions of his own uneafy mind ; that I had never either ex* pofed his letters, or repeated his difcourfe to his prejudice; and that I was above taking that vengeance or advantage of him, which I believed he would have taken of me, had he been at that time in tny place, and I in his place. His lordfhipi I am well informed, is now fecretly and fully advertifed, that this matter is going to the prefs, to be communicated to the public ; to the end that he may take fueh meafures for quitting the French dominions, as he may judge proper, in cafe he fhould apprehend any thing inju- rious from the publication. I fhall now pnx:eed to the for- ttikx fubjeft> ds you will find by my next. LETTER THE TWENTY-FIRST. I^Ot WITHSTANDING the extraordinary attempt made upon the king's perfon, as heretofore mentioned, which did not fail to alarm not only all Trance, but, I believe, all Eufope likewife, the war, and all things neccflary for profe- cuting it with efFeft, were more vigoroufly carried on from that time, aild fo continued to be, than they had been at any time before. TTie roads were every where covered with infinite numbers of horfes^ and carriages of every kind, drawing i '4' J dirawing to the ports and towns, at or near the^ fea coafts ; immenle quantities of timber^ and all other kinds of mate* terlals for building the flat-bottomed boats and preaums^ fome of which were to be, and adually were, bullet proof. Thefe veflels, which were of incredible ftrength, length, and bignefs, were planned for the grand defign of invaiion, and were to carry from four to five, fix, and feven hundred men each, drawing little water, heavy cannon at their heads and ftems, and fo contrived, as that the horfe and dragoons might march out on horfcback, a rank abreaft, into the ihal* lows, on coming on the coaft. In the conftrudion of which veflels, ieveral thoufands were employed ; and the expence amounted in the conclufion to many millions. French^tTOo^ were continually feen marching and counter- marching from all quarters of the kingdom ; fome towards the coafis, others for Germany ; where the aflembled armies of France in that countxy, during the war, were headed by the greateft and moft experienced generals of that nation, as well as other officers, of the moft diftinguiihed families and merit ; many of whom were with incredible expence and munificence continually repairing to the armies, or coming from thence on minifterial afifairs, relative t^ the operations ttf the campaigns. Amongft thofe great mep, who had the principal oom« mand in all the operations, battles, fieges, and engagements^ were the marihal duke Je Richlieu, marfhal iFttrie, marshal prince ^oubife (moft unlucky of all in his expeditions) OGMf* ibal duke de Br^Ho (an indefatigable officer of die higheft reputation. [ H2 ] Imputations and not lefs renowned for the cabinet than the camp) the prince,//? Condi ^ prince^ of the bloody and fon- in-hiw to prince Soubife (this young, but gallant prince, is mofl::promifirig in military fcience, and one in whom France places her moft flattering hopes in that refpedl) the marquis de ConflanSf the Mars of France^ who, they fay, will prove another. . marihal Saxe^ and who is only of the fame name with the vidorious admiral Hawke's Conjlans. Thefe, I (ay, with others of no lefs rank and merit, lead the French ar- mies to battle, and to Jlaughter. « * ^ zander fuch heroes, -fuch experienced captains, what Frenchman could doubt of conqueft and fuccefs i The events, however, proved the contrary ; and not only (hew the weak- nefs of human underftanding, in judging by appearances, but that the moft vigorous and beft concerted efforts of the moft wife and ftrong, are like duft before a ftdrm, with re- gard to the hidden decrees of the all-feeing eye of providence. Thofe great and mighty captains, puffed with the ho- nour, pomp, and glory of their country, and their own boafted knowledge, were yet however ignorant, that pro- pitious heaven, foreknowing their defigns, had created, and under her own careful hand raifed a Pkty a Brtinfwici, and a Graniy, fuperior in knowledge, fuperior in military ta- rlcAts, and fuperior in condudl apd fortune, to chaftife their Jjfeld and ra(h attempts, defeat their moft formidable pro* 5cdls or enterprizes, and to penetrate and baffle the moft ^udied politics of their beft and ableft minifters : all which i«?ere moft cflfe<a:ually done by the admjniftration of one great .iVv *. ; . .*: Britifh I H3 ] Britijh minifter, who then was, and at this day ftill (to my own knowledge) remains, the dread and terror of French minifters, and their councils. I am not, you know, writing a hiftory of the late war, to point out the glories of his la- bours : that work has been already accurately and faithfully done by a reverend author, and received with univerfal ap- probation I what I mention here being only particular cir- cumftances, which have fome ^relation thereunto : which' induces me to touch on them (en pajfant) thinking you will look upon them as ufeful and neceifary to be recited. The pretender's caufe began to regain new life. Ex^- preffes and cabinet couriers going* and coming to and from Vienna^ Spain^ Portugal, and other courts (where, it was privately whifpered amongft his friends, he had already been) gave fome people great reafon to believe, that fome projc<fl in reality was by the court of France fincerely determined in his favour. The French marine was at nurfe, and impro- ving with the utmoft induflry. The French men of war were not to run any hazards, if poffible, but to be prefer- ved with care for their grand deftination of a vifit to Eng-- /and; ' nor was a fhip of force to ftir out, unlefs on fome extraordinary occafioh (for in truth the rifk was great, and the precaution abfolutely neceffary) as few could efcape* the vigilance of England's minifter* The minifters of France were late and early inceffantly at work ih their feveral de- partments to bring their great and fecret projefts to perfec- tion'; and the war by land went on in its own train, but not much to their honour or fatisfadlion ; where I ftiall leave, it, to acqjAiaint • you, that on the 31ft of March^iy^S', on my. coming [ H4 1 coming home in the evening, I found a billet directed for me from one Bu&of, an infpe^or of the p<$lice, acquainting me, that he had ibmething particular to fay to me, and de«- firing the favour of mc to call on him ciarly next morning at his apartments, according to the dire£tion given in his billet. This billet gave Mr. Lewis and ,me iome furprife. We concluded it was to receive an order for ixs to leave /Pa- ris, as was often the cafe with other foreigners, in twenty- . four hours ; a time too (hort for us to prepare for our jour- ney. We had learned in the houfe where we livedo that this man, who dreiTes and makes an appearance like a man .of the firfl diftin£tion, was the perfon whofe office it was to execute the orders of the court, to oblige all ftrangers to leave Paris in time of war^ who had not a fpecial permif- iion for flaying from fooo^ one of the miniflers ; which con- firmed us in this opinion. Purfuant to this billet, I went before eight next morning, being the ifl oi Aprils to wait on this pretended gentleman, as I afterwards found him to be, who received me in his apartment, which was very handfome and elegantly fur- nifhed, in a rich filk night-gown, with as great an air of grandeur, as if he was himfelf prime minifter. He told me, he was very glad to fee me, and to find I had received the billet, which he had left for me the day before, at my^ lodgings. After fome few compliments (in which the meaneil of that nation without a grain of fincerity abound) he afk«d me, if I could keep a fecret ? I anfwered in the affirn^ative. He then told me, he really did not himfelf know what the fecret was ; but that he was perfuaded that it was of confe^ quence. I HS ] quence, and not to be divulged. I replied, I imagined in xnyfelfs that I was as capable of keeping any thing fecret> that was confided to me, as any man ; and that if fuch fe- cret fhould be difclofed, it would not be by me. He then faidy I think you are not drefled ; I fhould be glad if you would return home and drefs, fo as to call upon me between ten and eleven o'clock ; for I (hall take you to a peribn of great confequence»* who is defirous to (ee you, and to fpeak to you. Accordingly I went home to drefs ; and here I muft own my weaknefs and ignorance ; for I looked upon this man, and confidered him at that time^ as a perfon of weight and confequence in the ftate, whom I afterwards found to be no other or better than a miniflerial catchpole. At my return, I found my gentleman dreffed in a handfome fuit of fcarlet cloth, richly laced with a broad gold lace^ well powdered and frized, &c. We fet out diredtly^ and arrived at the h6tel of Mr. Bertinp then lieutenant-general of the police, whom I had never ieen or heard of before ; nor indeed had I ever been till then at that part of the town. It happened to be Bertin's levee day» and a great number of perfons attending on public and their own different affairs. Following my condudor, we pafTed through the firfl great parlour, which is large, and was very full of people ; fuch as merchants, officers, abbees, priefls, and people of middling rank : then entering another large chamber full of perfons of diflin£tion of both fexes, Bertin in a little time came out, 4refred in his magifterial wig and fhort robe or gown, from his ftudy or cabinet, a chamber joining this parlour, where ' I ftaid with my conductor ; and having given audience to Vol. I. U the [ 14« J the company! by receiving memorials^ petitionsj and letter; fiom fomc, and heanng the requefts and in niaking prQ« irifes to others, he foan difnvfied this company j and with- out going to thofc in th« fipft great room, thpough which we' entered, he came diceSly foWard to me, and faluted me.' My conductor had been before in his fludy with him^ tor let him know I was come : he then retired into the other parlour, and foon went away, leaving us together. » ■ Berlin ^ began with gf oat pqlitencfs fa la mode de BarisJ ta tell me> he believed I was chofen to be employed in an af- fair of confequencc, and aiked mi^, if I cpald be depended upon to keep the fecret I I told him* he alight be aflUred that I (hould never meatton it to any oae ; and. that if it wafi. not expofed ' or related by ibme. bgdy elfe, it would not be by me ; but that if, by fome. unforefeen event* th^ mutter^ whatever it might bei ihpuld come to b«s nude publiu;* o^ tranfpire, I fhouM be ibcry to- be refponiibk or bl^naevJ ilu fuch a caib. He theatc^d me> oo fuch t^ing would or aOuh^ happen ; he would take c^e ; that I bad nothing t^ fear oa that head, for that the oiatter would only be coqfimunica^ to me : and therefore defired me again to confider with my- felf, whether I had refqlutipn, and, coodu(S jQBOi^gli to kq^ep the fecret; or if nQt, i$ WQ«W be befc to fay fo> befpro: things went any further. Such difcQurfe, and fuch precautipn, raifed i^ ffie^ I own,, a great defire and curipftty. to k^novv what all this cou\d mean or tend to, and induced me to. renew my affurapces to hin^. of a punctual and inviolable fecrecy. He then added, he dii [ H7 1 did not doubt me : but, continues he, you are, I believe, to go into the country, where you may meet perfons you do not know : if you fhould let any thing tranfpire, you may be murdered by perfons * you little fufped, and whom I fhall never be able to find out ; fo that you will have no body to blame for your misfortune, but yourfelf and your own condud. But if I fhould condtK^l myfelf well, it would be of the greateft honour and advantage to me. I told him, as to my conduft, I would ever anfwer for it with my life; and therefore I had nothing to fear in that refpeft. He then defired I would meet him at Verjailles^ the Sunday morn- ing f6irowin|[, at count *S/. Florentine. Which I promifed to do : the particulars of wKich I fitall mention to you in my next. Letter the tW^NtY-SEGONb. E VERY Sunday morning throughout the year,^ unlefs fomething extraordinary happens to prevent it, the lieu- tenant general of the police (who is the hft of the clafs of miniftefs) is obliged to go to Verjnilles^i tacpnfer on public affairs, and receive the orders of the court from the other minifters i particukrly from M. St. Florentine wlio is firft mftiifter of fhat department. ^ . . ... U 2 Between * The author afccr^vards found that he meant the Jefults. [ h8 ] Between ten and eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, I ar-^ rived at this miniller's, purfuant to Bertiri^ direftion, mep.- tioned in my former letter ; and in half an hour after, he came in, and gave me a hod of kindncfs as he pafled me, to go into a room adjoining, where the minifter was dreffing. I was at this time in the anti or audience chamber, with the company, which was very brilliant, waiting to pay their compliments to the minifter at his levee ; amongft whom was an eminent cardinal, very fhort, but very fat. His figure, begging his Eminence's pardon, if the comparifon fiiould offend him (and your's for the digreffion, if it fhould difpleafe, which I hope it will not) refembled that of the ancient knight, 'Sir "John FaIJlqff\ as exadly as one guinea does another. The folding doors between the two . cham- bers were at length thrown open, et voila Monfeigneur qui entrey ftar and garter on, with Berttn at his heels. I £hall not at this time make any remark on the perfon of this great little man ; for I have fuch refpeft for men in power, that I am unwilling to fpeakj^ left truth ftiould offend, jthough it was to be their eulogy : and you know that dogs in office will bark to be obeyed. Salutes and compliments being paid, I obferved the minifter and Berttn to fix their eyes on me; and they feeming to move a 'little towards me, I ad- vanced with a rcfpeftful falute, which neither betrayed for- wardncfs or meanncfs. For, to tell you the truth, and free from every fpecies of vanity, I often dined and fuppcd* even ipent much of my time, with fome perfbns at home» (upe- rior in birth, rank, and fortune, to any man I faw there, the rank of cardinal excepted. And as to the antiquity of family, I could fay as much as any.^ They feemed a little af- feftcd ■r / ".=J I H9 ] fc&td and pleafcd with my manner ; and the minifter, at one piercing look, furveyed me from top to toe (for this was the firft time he had ever feen me) then, anfwering the mo- deft falute I had made him, he faid fomething I did not en- tirely underftand ; but, as I apprehended in part, was to bid me wait. The other turns a little afide ; who, by a flower manner of fpeaking, and more intelligible, told me I muft ftay, and that a gentleman would come and talk with me. I was pailionately expecting the fecret to be communicated to me at this time, and greatly mortified at the difappoint- mcnt, when I faw the minifter quit his apartment with the other^ leaving me there.. They went direftly to the king^ who was going to high mafs, and from thence to council* Before the minifter had (hewed himfelf at his^ levee, I had obfervcd, whilft Bertin was with him, a gentleman with, I think, the crofs of St. Louis at his breaft, go out and re- turn to them twice, as if with meffages. This perfon was firft valet de chambre to the minifter, as I was afterwards told. I remained about a quarter of an hour very uneafy^ fometimes walkings and fometimes fitting. At laft I faw this fame perfon coming in with another gentleman^ who came diredly to me» and faluting me with much complain fance» and an air of friendfhip and freedom^ told me the minifter had fent him to me, to talk with me : that we muft take a turn lA the gardens : and accordingly we went di^ reftly. This was one Mr, ^refneoilk^ as he foon told me> grand prevdt of PoitH; a very polite genteel man» and of a foft agreeable manner and behaviour in his converfation. I now expc^ed the fecret from this gentleman, whofe office^ I [ I50 ] I found, is of great profit and confequence. Walking in the gardens, he began by a/king me, how long I had beei^ at Paris ? how long I had learned French ? and was fur- prifed at my fpeaking it fo well, which I took for compli- ment, for I fpoke it but very badly at that time, I (hewed him a little paper book, which I had in my pocket, wherein I had wrote fome paiTages out of RoIIin^ Tifus Livius, and other authors ; and in which I had compofed, for my own ufe and amufement, a (hort little dictionary of fbme particu^ lar cbofen words. He was, or feemed, much pleafed with my performance ; and then told me, that he did liot come often to Verfailles ; that he lived in the country, where he would be gkd to fee me, and fhould foon leave Verfailles ; that he believed I fhould be fent into the country upon a fe* crct affair of confequence, in which rt would be neeefTary to zGt with great prudence and circumfpe^llon i and that, if I fhould talk of any thing that might be commonkated to me, it would be my rtim ; but that, if I aded weH, no harm could happen to me ; and that if any one perfbn was to mifbehave to me, he woold be always near mt to prevent ill ccnfequences, and to zffik mcy smd ch^flife or puniA them : that I fhould have nothing, ta fear ; and beKcved it might happen fo, that we might go out of to\^n together : then telling me he was obliged to dine at the chateau* (the king's paiace) he defired to meet me at ConMe St. Ftofentin's again about four o'clock, and fo weiit away« I was now alon^, ami again mutch mortifed' not tb: Aitd out what was tshis extraordinary fccret. At length* cpnclu- dingr.thut I fhouktfind it out dX, our next iftdcting, I con* foled fekd myftlf with the expectation, am! conti*-^^ for fome time walking, reflefting on the folly and ridicule of what I had juft before feen. Thus moraliamg, the ftrft idea that occurred to me was from Rochefier^ poems ; where, in his fetyr on man, he fays, • Was hf afptritjree to^ chufi wkafjfejh to wear^ Hed he a dog^ a wonk^f or a bear .• ^ Or oriy thmg hut that vain animal, Who is Jb proud of heing ratioTHU. Lord ! thinks I to myfelf, I love and refpedt good and wor- iSt^ men ; but to fie men poflefied of wealth and' temporali- tias moor than abimdaiidy fbfficieitt for all the comforts of 'this fife, pa]icing homage, and alaioft adoration, to another naiV p£f baps one of the- nusft worthlef& of ^e whole race, if ftiippied;of tbat borrowed powcsr andanthdMrity,. with whicb ht is by chance or intereft deckdd, is fiirely unbccocadnjg the; ftate of man/Ii I refle^ked, that fubordinatioa was necefiary amongft men^ iat thsir qnutoal happinefs^ and. for die fupport and prefer^ va!ti6n of .govenmient ; wddioiDt which, all order muft iink,t and be confounded :. and furely, thinks I,^ all this may be without cringing, flattery, deceit, and oppreffion. Men only excel n^en in proportion to the noble, virtuous, and generqus actions they exert ; and providence has placed them all upon fuch a level,* that in the other world, we are told, there is no refpedt to perfons, unlefs through what I men% tion*. As a confirmation of her impartiality, has ihe not,. faid" . "v C 152 1 iaid I, . placed them all under the fame fate of infirmities and death ? and when this laft has put an end to our career, are we not indifcriminately devoured by the worft infedts and verniin of the earth, without diflindtion ? Thefc and the like reflexions, whilft I walked alone in thefe beautiful gar- dens for about three hours, employed my thoughts. I would not go to dinner, for appetite I had none. I wondered how I was brought into this af&ir, and began to think, that there was no way of getting out of it now, unlefs by getting out of the frying-pan into the fire. 1 was ftill, however, in ex^ pedtation of fliortly knowing the fecret. Four o'clock had now ftruck, which brought me to the minifter's apartment. Jhzd not waited above a quarter of an hour, before Mr* ^refravtUe c^snt to me; who told me, that Mr. Bertin had ^romifed to meet us there about feven o'clock, and that in the interim we would go nip into the grand gallery to talk : which we did accordingly. On coming into the gallery, we foon fat down in one of die windows, and drew the curtains behind us ; fb that we fat as retired, as if in a private chamber. He began to talk of the beauty and magnificence of Ferfailles, the palace and gardens, and the like. He then renewedrthe other fubjedt, in therfame manner as I have beforeVrelated, and as was be* fore intimated hy himfelf and Bertin^ touching fecrecy, con- dudl, and precaution : but nothing . elfe trai^fpired ; which did not a little furprife mc. Between feven and eight, we went to the minifter's to Vi^^t Bertirit whejre we ftajd. above half an hour, waiting his [ '53 I his coming : but he not coming to his time, Mr. Treffavtlk carried me to his apartments, Bertin foon came in from fomc of the other minifters, and fat down to eat, faying, he had not cat a bit all day. He was not long at table j and as foon as he had finiflied, they both retired to another roorn^ where they talked a long time together in private. I was, jit length, conduced into this room, and Bertin began to fpeak, by telling me, I muft come to his houfe to fpeak to him in two or three days i that I was appointed to go into the country, upon an affair of the greateft fecrecy and im- portance; that I did not depend upon him, nor on any of the minifters ; but that the king bimfelf would take care of me : and fo encouraging me with the greateft promifes and affu- rances^ and repeating the advice he had before given me, touching my conduct and fafety, and defiring me to get bledj and take fome phyfic, as I was going into another air, I took leave, promifing to wait upon him as he defired. I then took a coach and four at the burreau des carrojfes^ and got to town about twelve at night. You cannot conceive what doubts and uneafinefs I had upon me, not to be able to find out the caufe of this myile- rious conduA. Reflecting as I went home ; I faw, or I thought I faw, a great deal of fuperduous ceremony, and a great deal of artifice, craft, fubtilty, and cunning, in the whole of this proceeding : and where there was fo much in the beginning, X did not doiibt but I (hould find more in th^ end. However, as I was now in for the plate, I could not, without mahifeft danger of ruin, get off: wherefore I refolved to diipenf& with- every thing, till I fhould know the bottom of Voul. X all. I '54 ] all, and come to the knowledge of this fiiofl: eKtfaordkaf^ bufine&j which I then fuppofed was to be rdla^d to nM in a day or two, at the interview aj^inted as abave by Bertin: the particulars of whkhj and their qH^Ab, you wiU fiod irf ray following letter. LETTER THE TWENTY-THIRD. IrN confequence of Ber tin's defire, that I ihoold come tor him in two or three d^s, I went accordingly, and found him at home. He defired me to ^flep to Duval, his firft fecretary, who was then in his office. This old man has been fifty years fecretary in this department, vifits the BaJUle generally once a-week, to inlpeft the prisoners, and girc erders about them, and who, under the appearance of meek* nefs, moderation, and humanity, is hardened in cruelty and oppreffion. The number of unhappy objeSs in the Bafiile and other royal prifons, who in fuch a feries of years have fallen, and daily fall, under his dire€tion, hate rendered inifery and diftrefs fo familiar to him, that compa(iion and pity never enter into his obdurate heart ; nor are the tor- ments, fufferings, and deaths of men, any more to him than fports and plays. Such are the (hocking efieAs of ha« bit, in fbme hardened wretches I. This was the firft time I had icen this oM Cerienr; who, cm being informed of my perfon^ appeal^ to lac &e quin-* ufleoce f H9 J tcflence of goodi-naturc and, coroplaifance. He told mc, he expelled MV. ^refraviHe in a little time : wlio foon after came m. Theyt ttilk«i' a Iktle tog6tlie^ and ~&eh Dumi filled up a printed p^r» which h«d blanks, and fent it down to be figjicd and' &ilcd by Bertim Which being returned^ he faid« Sir^' ]poa ace to; go out of « tdwa in a few da^rs withtfaisigen- tleman ; you muft not write to any perfon, or let any one know^ where you are going. It was an unnecefTary pre- caution, for t kn^w i« not myftlf; t^he other (kidi that I muft meet him. next evening at the Louvre ; and then Duval g^ve rae the paper above^m^ftiDiMd; which vt^M ii> thft Wbtdb following, 'defiling itte ta tidft' cafte of ft| add ciriFy it fid^ vrayel w«ih^ iae« M«^ Ir^^^a D. Jean Baptlfie' Bertin^ chevalier confeiUer dil wy en fcs confeiiles, miltte des requites ordinaites dan« fim hdteU. lieutenant general de police, prevot^ et vi^ comt^ de Paris^ conunilTaire du confeil en cette partie* Certifypns a tous 4u'il a;^artiendiia, quele-Siaur MaCfAlkfierx hiandw^ iw^ larepceibfitaticHit qu'il a faite au roy,> poaf fsff^ tenir lar penpii3^A. de^. |efter eivJPrtf)|k;^ fa m^eftfl ^ bien voulu If exqepter de lai loy^generale, qui ordonne aux fujets de la Grand- Bretagne de fortir de fos etats. Bn foy de qilM nour lui a^vpns delivr^ le prefent certificate figfie ^ notre maj^i, ct for iqelj} fait oppofe le> foeau et cachet de nos armesj^ gouj; forvif et valoir ce que do raifon fait,^ a Partly ea notre^ ifitel^ le (jtAvrJl^ ^75^^ BERtiN (LS.) r »56 J The above being tranjlated into Englifli, is as follows. ... > • < Henry Leona John Baptiji Bertin, one 6F the council of the king in his councils, mafter to receive common pctitlons^ at his houfe, lieutenant-general of the police, provofl: and vifcount of Paris^ commiflkry of the council in this- refped:. We certify to all whon) if may concern. That on the re- prefentation that Mr. MacJUlefter^ of Ireland^ has made ta the king, to obtain permiilion to Aay in France^ his majefty has been pleafed to except him out of the general: law, whicb requires the fubjed^ of Great Britain to leave his dominions^ In teflimony of which> we have delivered him this prefent certificate, to make ufe of as occafion (hall require. Given under our hand and feaj, at Paris ^ this 6th oi ApriU ^7S^^ BERT IN. (L.S.) w « • Next evening I met TrefraviJle^ according to appoint- ment % who told me, he had affairs that required him to go* intd the country before me, arid tha-t he believed he fhould meet me on the road ; but defiredf me to meet him again* next morning at Bertin^s : which I did. At which tinie he paid me 300 livrcs, and took a receipt, faying. Make ufe of this; you may be at expence on the road till we meet. This* fccretly vexed me, unable to penetrate any thing, or to dif- cover what was intended by all this, and to think I faw my- felf as far from finding out the fecrct as ever. On which f retirmcd home, and went no more near any of them,^ ex- peding they would fend for jncLin a day or twa But this not r «57 3 not coming to pafs^ I began to conclude fomething particu- lar had happened, and that the affair was dropt, or that thfey would not truft me with the fecrct. However, on a Sunday morning about twelve days after, before I rofe from bed, a per(bn came to my lodgings, and defired to (peak to me. It was then, I think, almoft feven. As I had been long awake, and ready to get up, I defired him to be brought in. He prayed me to rife, for he was fent by BuAot, to let me know I muft go out of town immediately ; and that horfes and every thing were ready, waiting my coming ; and that I muft order my cloaths, linen, &c. to be put up. I afked him where I was to go ; he told me, he could not tell ; that I need not afk any queftions ; that there was one waiting for me, who would tell me. I got out of bed and drefled, ordered coffee for breakfaft, whilft my cloaths were putting into the portmanteau, and fet out about nine o'clock. My fervant carried the portmanteau ; but he had not gone the length of the ftreet, when the perfon who accompanied me called a Savoyard, and gave it to him, and fent the other away, that, the place might not be known where we were going. Lewis, who had breakfafted with us, fhed fome tpars at my departure, little imagining, any more than my- felf, that I was innocently laying the foundation of his un- hjppy death. My cpndudtor brought me to a ftreet called La Ruf de Countrefcarp. At an ina in this ftreet, called the Burreau des Carrojfes four la Roc belle, I found a^horfe ready prepared for me, about fifteen gentlemen ready equipped for mounting on horfeback, and an orderly well-looking man, ivho was to be condudtor . or guide to the company, and to; whom orders,. I found, had been prevjoufly given about me/ I was [ 158 ] I was then told> I was tor go with this mar) and hie com- pany (this is what is called the mcffagem) io^IbxikeUtf where I fhquld meet Mr. TrefravHk (the baggage of the company, araongft which mine was placed* went by a qarriage and fix horfes). The faddle-horfes being drawn out into a large courts thofe gentlemen, who were all officers in the French army, except one or two, according to the vivacity peculiar to the nation, began on a fudden to crack theip whips on all fides, in fijch a manner as fucprifed me a« tho ridiculous pra<5ti.ce. You would Jjave thought they were fo many piflols firing ofF in your ears, and this is their cuflom on entering and leaving every town on the road. We immediately fet out» our guide (who mads a verjr good figured leading the van, apd the company, refembling^^ a little fquadron of light horfe, following in the roar. The. journey was pleafant, but nothing remarkable, unleii for the number of poor, with which we were furrounded in every town and city on the road, at our arrival and depar- ture. Our table, however, and entertainment, was very- good and elegant* But the cracking of whips continuiqg to torment me, lead me to refledt on the peril travellers would be in, was this ftupid cuftom in ufe in England^ wliere men, and the beafts they ride, would run great rifk of being at« tacked and bit by the dogs ob fuch alarming occafions. The Suniiay following I arrived at Rochilkf with an ofB-^ cer of the fame company^ about five in the evening (the re(b of the company did not giet ia till next day) and went to lodge at the beft auberge or ina ia towA, kaown by the fign of t «59 1 t>£La tiii duduc de Bvurgogne (the duke of Burgundy^ head). In a ftrange country, without friend or acquaintance, fpeak« ing the language imperfedly, the firft thing I did was ta inquire of the people of the houfe, if they knew one Mr. Trefravilk ? They told me, they did very well ; but that they believed he was not in town ; and that the beft way to know, was to (end to his houfe, or to marfhal SeneSere^s. This made mft a little eafy, for i did not know till then that his place of abode was in this town. I defired they would fend to his houfe, to know if he was in town ; which they did. Word being foon brought me, that there was no body at horiie to give an anfwer, I went to the marihal's, taking a man with me to condudt me. Arrived at the mar* Aal's, I afked the cehttnels, who ftood at the ftreet d6or» lor the perfon I wan^ted j but they knew him not. I tliea entered the hall. At the foot of a great flair-cafe, I met a footman, and inquiring of him, if the marfhal was at home, he anfwerefd in tlie affirmative. I thfcn afked, if the c^her perfon was with him ? He replied, he could not tell r that there was at that time a great deal of coovpany with the marfhal, who was himfelf engaged at p)ay $ but that, if I pleafed, I might go up. I afked, in what room I was to find him ? The great room facing the flairs, fays the fer- vant. Having afc?ended the flairs, I opened the folding doors, and walked in. I was furprifed to fee between twenty and thirty ladies and gentlemen in the room (which was f^acidus, and nobly furhiflied) moft of whom were cn- giaged at diflfer'ent tables at cards. It was that evening pub- lic card aifcmbly at the marfhal*s. The fervant, who had fpdke to* mfc, tb^^ me for an ofiicer by my drefe, which was [ i6o ] was blue and filver^ with a laced hat ; and fo did all )he company, I am fure, on entering the room ; though not for a French officer. The eyes of the whole aflembly were in- ilantly upon me, on my making them a refpeftful falute ; and for my own part, I believe, I looked not a little confufed and bewildered, to find myfelf fo fuddenly in fuch a company, where I only, at moft, expefted to have found two or three grave elderly gentlemen together. I had not advanced far into the room ; and as they perceived that I flared like wife, as if fenfible that I had made fome miftake, I thereby at- tra(5led their attention more and more. Befides, I was in boots, a whip in my hand, and my cloaths (having none then to cbange them, being in the portmanteau) dripping wet from a heavy rain, which had fuddenly fallen, before I came within three miles of the town, and ftill continued . without ceafing. The marfbaly who then commanded all the troops in that country, which formed a very confidcrable body, flop- ped frpm playing i and looking very ftedfaftly at me, whild two gentlemen, who, croffing the room, came to me, and aflccd me very politely, what were my commands ? . I told them, I was forry, and begged pardon for my miftake and intrufion ; that I wanted Mr. TrefravilUt and had been told I might have found him here. They told me, I had done notliing wrong % that the gentleman I wanted was not then there -, and knowing by my manner of fpeaking that I was not a Frenchman, afked me, what fervice I was in ? I re-, plied. None. They begged I would ftay a moment, and then went over to the mar(hal, to acquaint him with what I had 2 faid; C i6i ] faid ; when inftantly an elderly gentleman, who had been ftanding at the marfliars elbow, carrying his head from a fhot he had received in fomc engagement, as was the cuftom of ^dmir^l Bo/cawen in his lifetime, came to me, and with great politenefs, and an air of friend(hip and freedom, fa- luted me ; and told me, that Mr. Trefraville was not in town, but was expected in a day or two ; for that he was only at Rochfort, about a league off. He afked me where I lodged ; I told him the houfe. He feemed pleafed, and as if he knew of my coming beforehand. On my faluting the company at leaving the room, he accompanied me down part of the flairs, and would have continued to the bottom, if I had not with difficulty prevented him. Such was the com* plaifance and politenefs of this gentleman, who I foon after found Was commandant or governor of Rochelle i a rcfpec- table officer, diftinguifhed for his merit, and whofe name was Bonaventure, Rochelle is a pleafant plentiful fea^port, well fortified, ce- lebrated in hiftory, and particularly in the reign of Charles 1. The chevalier Bonaventure came to my lodgings in a day or two to fpeak to me. I happened to be abroad : upon which he left word for me to com^ to him. The next morning early, I drcffed handfomely, and went to wait on him i who, afking me if I had not a paffport, I fliewed him the paper ^gned by Bertin^ before recited. Hef read it, and faid, it was very well ; and dcfired that I would meet him at the great place (the parade) before the troops marched off. I was furprifed what this could mean. About ten I went there, and found Monfieur Bonaventure attended by a con- Vol. I. Y courfc [ i62 ] courfe of officers. There was a large body of troops under arms to pafs in review before him. He foon perceived me -, and making me a fign to come to him, he intimated to fome of the officers of the crowd, who formed a little circle round him, to make way for me. They foon opened to the right and left; on which I approached the commandant. He afked me, liow long fince I had left Paris ? how long I in- tended to flay in that country ? and if I had any paflport ? After telling him the day I left Paris ^ I told him I could not exa<5tly fay how long I fhould ftay at Rochelk^ but be- lieved it would not be very long ; and then delivered him the fame paper, which he had before read over. He took it, and looking over it in a flight manner, faid, Sir, this is very well. You may ftay here as long as you pleafe, for you are well recommended. Tlrcn returning me the paper, and fainting me, I retired from the crowd that furrounded us, bowing to him and all the officers, who were not in any re- fpedl wanting in their complaifancc. The defign of this, I foon difcoVered, waS to make me kn6Wn to the officers, as a perfon not to be molefted or affronted : and it had a \try good effedl : for, during the time I ftald, I was much ca- reffed by the officers and gentlemen of the town. The very next evening, as I was walking, I faw Mr. J'refraville coming into town, in his coach and fix, attended by fome horfe-guards. I went to him next morning, who received me with open arms, and embraced me. I then expciSed, as a certainty, to know the fecret, or at leaft the caufe of my being brought there : but not a word was men- tioned of it by him, and I thought it was not my bufinef^ tO: 1 r i63 ] to afk ; for I did not doubt, but that he would of himfelf communicate it to me in a few days ; the fequel qf which you will find in my next letter. LETTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH. pRIVATE lodgings being moft fuitable to my inclina- tions, I foon quitted the Duke of Burgundy s Head, and went to lodge at a houfe next door to the Peres dOratoire, a fpecies of religious, who in fome meafure referable the JefuitSi and had a large church and convent in the fame ftreet, where marfhal SeneSiere dwelt. My amufements at home were reading and muiic. My walks abroad were at the great place, where moft of the company aflem- bled in the evenings, or on the walis and fortifications of the town. I frequented the fortifications fo much, that I was at laft given to underftand, that my being feen there io frequently wa« not agreeable. This did not deter me from going there ; but I did not go fo often. I ufually went to the comedy, and was at times invited to dine and fup with the oflicers of the army, and |[entlemen of the town j fo that I paflcd my time agreeably. As often as I faw Mr. Trefravilkj he never intimated pr hinted any thing of bufi- ftcfs to. me 5 which wrecked my patience : and though I fent to him one day for money, which he paid me next morning, there was not, according to the old faying, ** one " word of the pudding." Y 2 In V [ i64 ] In the latter end of Afoy, Mr. Trefra'vitle one evening toW me, he •would be ghd to fee me next morning. I then concluded I fhould learn fomething extraordinary : and fo I did : for on going to him pretty early, inftead of entering on any thing particular, he told me he had received orders from court to fend me back to Paris, and then paid me 30a livres more, taking a receipt as formerly. A change fo fud- den, and fo contrary to my expectations, filled my mind with a thoufand different ideas. Full of various coi>je(ftures, I went diredlly and paid off my bills, took leave of my ac- quaintance, and in two days fet off with the coach, which contained an agreeable company of both fexes. Innumerable imaginations, whilfton my journey, crowded into my head. The more I thought and refledted, the more my perplexities increafed; unable to difcover from what motive this change of order fo fuddenly proceeded, without communicating any thing to me, or without my having committed fo much as the lead aft of indifcretion, to give it birth. I knew the minifters, who hid put themfelvcs to this extraordinary expence, did it not without fome view or defign. I knew . likewife that my own conduft was irreproachable. From whence I concluded^ that their fcheme, whatever it might be, was by fome unforefeen accident overturned, or as yet not brought to maturity 3 and that to one or other of thefe caufes I ought to afcribc the reafon of my being thus kept in ignorance and darknefs ; or if not to thefe, to fome other political reafons, far beyond my ikill or comprehen- fion. I had often heard, that the minifters of France, among many other weaknefTes in their infallible politics, had one ia s [ ^^5 ] in a fuperlative degree, which is that of often making a great fccret of that which is no fecretj and of expofing or beading of things which ought to be concealed, and with the greateft care kept fecret. In the firft of which, we fee an ufelefs wifdom ; as in the laft, a moft pernicious vanity. It was towards the middle of June when 1 arrived in Tarts. The next morning I wrote to Bertin^ to give him an ac- count of my arrival in good health, and went dircftly to Verfaillesj to give 5/. Florentin ocular demonftration thereof, and pay my refpefts to his ftar and blue ribbon. He faid not a word. to me; but on my faluting him, looked pleafed, and returned my compliment with a pleafant afpedt, which was food enough that day for any Frenchman about the court. I ftaid a few days at Verfatlles to divert myfelf, and then re- turned to Paris. Not doubting but fome notice would be taken of my journey, I went fcveral times to Berth's on audience days, to pay my compliments. He never once afked me about this journey, or took the leaft notice of what had pafTed between us at Verfailtesy or of the promiics and aflurances he there made me. I flattered myfelf, that, on one or other of thofe occafions, he would at leaft have made me a compliment of a bill for one or two hundred pounds, as a prcfent from the king, who was to takefuch care of me (according to Bertiri% affurances given nie at Verfatlles y before my departure) as fome little gratification for fuch a fatiguing journey, in that warm feafon of the year. But not the leaft appearance of any mark of acknowledgment -arifing, I foon concluded, that French minifterial generofity was as thtf cement oi French minifterial promifes; that the one diflbl- ycd [ i66 ] folved as faft as the others evaporated : and from that in- ftant I quickly determined to give a blow to the affairs of France^ v^rhenever I was able, or could get the arms or ma- terials in my hands ; of which I did not yet entirely defpair. I had heard fo much of French faith and French promifes, that I was refolved to fight them at their own weapons : and I well remembered an old maxim, that fallere faikntem non ejl frausy would be juft and ufeful to me, and what I ought to follow with fuch as I had to deal with. My friend laC'wis had fallen ill, and I had repented my journey, being difappointed in my expectation of difcovering fome extraor- dinary fccrets, that might be of confequence to my king and country. Still I did not lofe all expedation, but tibat, by friends and intercft, I might receive fome prefent from the king or his minifter, before I left Faris^ by getting this journey mentioned at court. I continued to live retired as ufual, divefted of every thought of ever hearing farther from the minifler : and as foon as my friend Lewis was recovered from his indifpofi-* tion, we took our walks in the public gardens together, without having any connexions with any perfon. But wa^* ing one evening in Luxemburg gardens, Buhof, before men- tioned, came to me, and begged of me to call upon him next day ; which I did. At this interview, after talking of indifferent things, he afked me, if I had ev£r heard of, or known at London a perfon, who went by the name of ifo- milton ? I told him, there were many of that name in Xm* don^ of whom I knew two or tfaice« He thai iaid, this perfon [ i67 ] perfon, he meant, was a prieft. To which I anfwered, I knew no fuch perfon, unlefs one, who had been chaplrdn to the Venetian ambaflador. Upon this Buhot went away, without faying any thing more on the fubjedl. About two months after this interview, Biihot meeting me again in Luxemburg gardens with fome company, where, I believe, he then came on purpofe to find me, he took me afide^ and told me, that he believed I muft go out of town in a day or two with him, by the minifter's order, for a few days, and begged I would call upon him next day. I began to think, that this might be another journey like that of Rockelle^ in io much that I was very unwilling in my own ,mind to go. Yet I feared the confequence, of being (hut up> if I abfolutely refufed the requeft, which, in my own thoughts, I looked upon as a command not to be difobeyed without danger. As I had negledted going in the morning,. he called at my lodgings, and left a line in writing, begging me to call upon him to go out of torwn, as before mentioned. Whilfl I was at dinner, I received .another billet from him,, in the following words. " Je voi»s pfic, Moftikiir, dc voub rendre ch^z moi aufG " tot qu€ vous fliurez dine pour I'affaire dont je vous ai parle ** ainfi que je vous Tai marque par le billet que j'ay laiflH *' chez vous. Comme vous ferez quelque jours abfent, il faut prendre un couple de cbefBties ct tin bonnet dc nuit.. Je fttis bien fincerement, Monfieur, votre ferviteiir^ 4( 41 44 Samedi, 18 Novembre, 1758.. Buhot.'"^ TranflatcA [ i68 ] Tranflated as follows: " I pray you. Sir, to comerto my houfe, . as foon as yoa *' have dined, about the affair I mentioned to you, and in " the note I left for you at your lodgings. As you will be '^ abfent fome days, it will be neccifary to take a couple of " (hirts and a night-cap, I am moft finc^rely, Sir, your ** fcrvant, " Saturday, November i8, 1758, Buhot." Dinner being over, I ordered fome fhirts, night-caps, &c. to be put up in a fmall trunk, and carried to Buhot's ; to which place I foon after followed : and whilft we were drinking coffee, which had been prepared againft I came, he ordered his footman to go for a coach. I afked him, where we were going ? He told me, not far, and that it would be only a little tour of pleafure. The coach beings come, and the trunk put therein, we fct off. I wondered not to ice fomething of the fame kind put into the coach for him. He had given private orders to the coachman where to go, who drove out at one fide of the fuburbs, where I had never been before, and which feemed to me not to be fo much frequented, by a great deal, as any of the other roads, and where I thought we were going to take pofl- -chaife. After driving about two fmall miles, we flopped at a mofl large noble building, which looked to me like an old (lately 4)alace (as I afterwards learned it had been) : the buildings in front, which feemed to me to run in one angle, in a kind of [ l^ ] of femicircle, were very grand^ clean^ and handfome. The court before the building was large and fpacious ; fo that feveral coaches might ftand or drive rounds without incum- bering each other. There was before the court, which was feparated from the great road, or rather avenue, a long range of iron palifades, and iron gates, fuch as are generally be- fore the moil fuperb country-houfes of the firft noblemen i and at the corner of this range in front was a handlbme lodge, in which a Swifs porter refided. Cafting my eyes about, as fbon as the coach ftopt, and not feeing any perfbn in the great court, nor at the doors or windows of any of thofe buildings, but every thing with an appearance of retirement and tranquillity, I inftantly con- cluded it to be a convent, or the palace of fome archbifhop, or other perfon of diftinguifhed rank in the church. Get- ting out of the coach, the Swifs came diredtly to us. Bu-- hotf to whom he was well known, ordered him to take in the little trunk, and then defired me to leave my fword with him till our return ; which the more confirmed me in my firft idea, of its being a kind of convent, monailery, or re- ligious houfe. Walking acrofs this large court, I afked Bu^ Jbot, what place this was ? He anfwered. This is Bicetre. I was not in the leaft the wifer for the information, as I had never heard of the place before, nor the word Bicetre men- tioned, to my knowledge, in all my life. Having flopped a little, to take a view of the buildings, I obferved a piazza or arcades under part of the buildings, and a large pair of handfome iron gates like the former, which opened into another large fpacious court. The horrors and horrid fitu- atipn, and confequences of which, you will find in my next. Vol. I. Z LET- [ 170 J LETTER THB TWENTY-FIFTH. A S K I N G Buiatf what place that was where the laft- mentioned iron gate^ flood? he told me there were difordcred people, who botfdcd and lodged in a houfe within the infide court of tbofe gates; that there wete many gentlemen of fortune in penfion there ; and that people might live there genteelly at what rate or price they pleaied, according to their fortunes aod eftates : and> continues he, you may go in there perhaps for a little time to talk with one of them on an aifairj, which I ihall mentioa tq yoo. If you (hottld ftay a few days» fo much the better ; for, it will be the making of your fortune. You are the only man in France to whom the bufioeis would be confided, and it is for the king himfelf that you are entrufied. We were at this time arrived to the foot of the great Aairs, which faced the great ooort under the piazzas ; and as he was condndiog me up thefe ftairs to an apartment. Take this paper, fays he, and put it in your pocket j but don't read it till we come down ftairs ; it will tell you what to fay to the peribn you are to ipeak to, in cafe you fhould go where he is. You muft not tell your name, but fay it is the fame you will hear me mention, if it ihouki happen that any perfon ihould afk to know it. We then entered into a large apartment, and a gentle- man immediately came to us, whoie aatne I afterwards J found I ^7» 1 (6m\A to be Hmntttt, aod tint he aiiid my cofidttdor Buhot were intimate friends. No fixmer vrere die ufoal compSi- ments of civility pafTed, than Buhot prefented him a paper, whsidii he took out of his podbet ; 4iAd as foon a8 the otSier had caft his eye over it, he fajns "to BtApt^ caftin^ at the fame time an (ohliqoe look on aate. This, Sir, I fuppofe, is the ^eolfemaii^ iwhofe Jiame is P^id^ Grandmik^ vmentionpd in this paper. To which Bubot nqplied in nh^ ^tffirmative, wlulft i xemained )filent. Mr. liMmtt^^ who is a flmii of fortune (at leaft bj iiis ^ffioe) and keeps liis eqwpcige, as does kfl/tfsl other idfficets erf this kmaS^ as i toirned foon after, rung his bell, at which % iuAy nan aane iq, draflbd like a country farmer ; to whom Honnette faid. Take this gentlemaa with you, and (hew him the place $ and defiring ftkc at the &me tune to go sdong with iiiin, I went accor^ 'difigly* not fu^fiang any tUci^ imt diat I &auld return in a little time to Bfuiot^ wJmm I had leit waiting wlt^ Hvmaitr la Idas apartment. Fsiffing akffig ifiie piazsas at the iron gates, the man tOG^ t>ut.of his pocket two iarge keys, ^inlocked the gates, and as Ibon as we were entered, he immediakjly locked the dd(M's. I then inftandy obferved grenadierB, as centinds under arms, and hayonets fcrewed at die top of their firelocks. I faw at ibme little diflanoe many foldiers waking about« as if before their gnard-room, and feveral men, who made a meagre nijferahle figure, who looked as if half ftarved. Thofe wretches were all in the uniform of the houfe, which is a coarfe hrown jacket, large brown breeches, half leg down like trowfers, coarfe ftockings of the fame colour, an high Z 2 cap [ 172 ] cap fugar-lqaf form of the fame coarfe cloth with the jac- kets and breeches, and wooden (hoes. I was inftantly ftruck with terror at the objeds, though I then had only a curfory view, as I paflcd along after my guide, who led me in at a large door of another building ; and going up large fpacious flone flairs, like church ftairs, where I obferved long galleries, I thought I fhould have dropped down dead, with a moft overcoming, uncommon, and extraordinary fmell, fuch as I had never perceived in all my life before, notwithftanding the houfe, ftairs, and gal- leries, appeared perfectly clean. Being on the firft floor, my good guide conduced me through his kitchen, near which he had a little room by way of office, and a bed-chamber decently furniihed. He begged I would take a chair and fit down ; which I did, whilfl he went in and out, two or three times, upon his own private affairs ; but which, I thought, was to bring fomebody to me. At length coming, as I apprehended, to flay, Pray, Sir, faid I to him, what place is this ? The hofpital and prifon of BicStre^ Sir, faid he. At which I was not a little ihocked. What is your office ? continues I. He replied, I am captain of the prifon (gaoler). You have a good many prifoners then, I prefume? faid I. Yes, Sir, in all about fix thoufand. We generally have from five to fix thoufand of both fexes in this prifon, faid he, and eighty men and officers conftantly under arms, befides the fervants and officers of the houfe, to take care of them ; and that neither officer nor foldier, nor any perfon whatfoever, could i ^73 ] go out without his permiffion, after they have once entered within the gates. You may judge, from this, of the extent of their buildings, to which large gardens are annexed ; and how my heart began to flutter, from an imagination that I was kidnapped, on hearing what he faid. But in the fud- den ftarts of rcfledtion, I had the confolation to think, I had neither faid or done any thing to give offence. I was now impatient to look at the paper given to me by Buhot^ which I had as yet found no opportunity to do in private In the fame breath, I was defirous to have farther difcourfe with the noble captain, and afked him, who thofe people were that I had feen, at coming in, drefled in fo particular a man- ner ? He told me, they were a few of the prifoners, who behaved well, who had been a long time confined, and were employed in doing fome few trifling offices in the houfe : that they were all dreflfed in the-fame manner : for, faid he, if the heft man in France was fent a prifoner here, we ftrip liim of cloaths, money, linen, even fhoe-buckles (which are returned to him when difcharged) to put on him the habit of the houfe : he is not permitted to have the ufe of a knife, or of any thing made of metal, not fo much as a needle or pin. I aflced him the reafon : he told me, the drefs was to difcover them, in cafe they {hould make their efcape, to facilitate their being retaken by their defcription : and that their being deprived of every thing compofed of metal, was to prevent their making away with thcmfelves. 1 afked him, how they did to cut their victuals? With wooden knives, faid he; and fhewed me fome of them made of a hard wood : but they feldom have occafion for any, being in no wife incumbered with meat, unlefs the unhappy [ '74 1 unhappy rich ; and what they have of that commoclity 18 fo well boiled or roafted, as to fall to pieces of itfelf, w}»n brought to table.. Uneafy to found him, I told hiaii i &ip« pofed I fhould be going in a Aiort time. He faid. Not ib foon. Sir ; you can't go without aa ordec • You iK to be here for fome time, but not to be vrfed lik« Dther prifbners : befides, there is a perfon^ I believe^ to be brought here to you in a day or two. I then found I ilood commiited pri«- foner, by the paper which Bulwf gave Mr« Ifynmett^ under the name of Philip Grandville. whidai was Bertin'% commit^- timus, and that this muft or would be produ^^e of ibme- ihing extraordinary. Ni^t approaching, the captain of thefe thoufands de^ iired to know if I would have any thing ordered far fupper, telling me there was a good table allowed and conftaatijr kept for the gentlemen officers of the boufe^ who all bave apartments in the handfome buildings ifi the firA court: that there were two cooks, and other under-fervants ; and that whatever I pleafed to order for dinner or fiipper^ «u> cording to my tafte or liking, would be got for me. I thanked him, and told him, I fliould eat no fupper : in truth, my appetite was fled, but my fears and appreben- fions remained i which fo alarmed me, that I did not know whether the event might not coft me my life, or my liberty for ever ; iteing fudh tricks, artifice, and deceit, in all thofe proceedings. When I inquired where I was to lie, he told me, in a very good room in the uppermoil floor, which had been lately occupied by a marquis or count, a perfon of great diftinftion, who had been there a long while, and who had but I ^75 } but a /hort time before obtained his liberty. He then told me, he would order a good fire in the room and wood, de- firing me to let him know when I wanted any thing. Going to the room, where I was to lie, conduced by this captain, I found a candle and a good fire burning, a table, two chairs, and a tolerable bed for fuch a place. An elderly man, an under-officer of the houfe, came in and put on a pair of (heets. On their going away, the captain locked me up with as. much care, as if I had bc<a prifw^r f<w fbme beinovis crime agaii>ft the ftate : which gave me new unea- finefs^ as I did not doubt but my room door wopld have been left to my own care. The precaution, however, was better for me, as I was afterwards informed : and the cap- taia> on locking the door^ told me» he fhould bring me in the monujog feme paper, pens^ ink, and wax, zs he had been ordered, Being now alone, I inftantly took out the paper, which Buifof had defireid me to put in my pockety in order to perufe it. This paper is all of his own hand-writing, though dictated or originally wrote by the minifter, and copied by him, as I believe^ and is in the Words following. r Injirudiions pour M. MacAllefter. ** La perfonne qui fera obferv^ parle fouvent des Jefuites, " et notament du pere F/euriau, de qui il dit avoir recu des ** bien faits : il faudra fcavoir adroitement oti il demeure, •* et dans quel convent 11 eft. €€ En [ 176 ] ^' En agiiTant avec circonfpeAion, fuivant que les cas Fex- ^' gigeront il faudra avoir la plus grande attention de ne point '^ oublier les noms pais et demeures des perfbnnes avec lef* " quelles il dira etrc en relation/' Thus tranflated : InJiruSiions for Mr. MacAUefter. The perfon to be obferved fpeaks often of the Jefuits, and particularly of father Fleuriau, who» he fays> has done him many good offices : it will be neceflary ingenu- '^ ouily to know where he lives^ and in what convent he is. i€ €€ 4€ In aAing with circumfpedtion, as the cafes fhall require, it will be proper to have the greatefl attention not to for- ^^ get the names, countries, and places of abode, of the per- ^^ fons with whom he fhall fay he has any connexion/' On reading over the above, and confidering it, I was^at a lofs what to think of the bufinefs; when recollecting all that had paiTed, from the ifl oi April before to that junc- ture, I imagined I was now upon the verge of having, by the examination of the perfon, who was to be brought to me, the fccret difclofed or communicated to me, which had been fo often and fo pathetically recommended to me to pre- ferve, for fear I fhould be murdered by perfons I little fuf- pedcd, and whom it would not be in the minifter's power to difcover. From whence I concluded, that the bufinefs I was now to enter upon was a branch of Damien's affair;, that the perfons fo dangerous were the Jejuits ; and that I fhould I apparently [ ^77 ] apparently run the fame rifk as the king had done, but not efcape fb well, in cafe the bufinefs (hould come to light. The courfe of which fubje^ I muft purfue in my next. LETTER THE TWENTY-SIXTH. ANOTHER confideration, which mod fenfibly touched me, was, that being now at the mercy of the mini- flers, and, by the mod deceitful fcheme, thus fhut up in one of the moil dreadful prifons, I believe, in all the world; into which I was artfully, but innocently, betrayed and de* luded ; where remorfe, humanity, or pity, have never (hewn their faces, nor juftice nor liberty been obtained, but thro* intefeft or money ; where no perfon, friend or acquaintance, knew I was decoyed : where no letter is received ) and from whence no letter is permitted to go, but through the hands of an officer of the houfe, who firft perufes it (for thus much with refped to letters I had learned from the honour- al>le captain, in my difcourie with him in his own apart* ment) confidering, I fay, the critical iituation I was in, I began to l)e apprehenfive, that when the fecret fhould be communicated to the minifters, which I ftippofed was to pafs by my hands, it might then fall out, that to prevent its tranfpiring, I might be kept myfelf in prifon, by thofe very minifters who fent me there, for the remainder of my life, the more efFedtually to fccure the concealment. Vol. I. A a • Diftradled ^ ^7 r i7« 1 Diftradtcd with thefe kind of rcfledionfi, I pjtffcd a tedi- ous night, without fleep. The guard or watchmen, who are very numerous, ceafed not from one quarter of an hour to another, and one after another, to knock at all thofe doors, throughout the prifon, in a regular manner, within which the moft wretched of mankind arc inclofed, fuccef- fively crying, in a hideous tone of voice. All is ivell: which, together with my other appreheniions, banifhed from my eyes every fymptom of repo& : for no fooncr had this dread- ful crying and knocking finiflied at one end of the prifon, and the feveral long galleries, which almoft furround the buildings, than it began at the other, and fo continued all the night* Impatient, when day*light appeared, for the captain's opening the door i he, about feven o'clock, with the hov^ rid Boife of keys, bolts, and bars, entered the room, wi£h- ing me a good morning, and aiking me if I flept well. I afl{.ed him, if any body ilept well within thofe melancholy dreadful waUs ? He replied^ As well as if in a ihip, where they were rocked as in a cradle. He then afked^ what I would order for dinner ? and having given directions about it, I aiked him,, where was the pexibn that was to be brought to me ? Hq faid» he did not know : which augmented my uneaiinefs and iurprife. He told me, if I had a mind to take a walk, there was a long room on the right hand at the flair-head, where I nug^t walk as long as I pleafedi and fo went away. Hto [ »79] He was not long gone^ when a pertbn knocked at my door. On his coming in^ I perceived he was an officer^ being drefled in his uniform. He told me, he was come to fe? me, by Mr. Hormette'z diredtion, and to make me both their compliments. I thankfully acknowledged his poUte-* neib. He then told me, he commanded the corps of troops on duty at this place, and aiked me, if I had a night-gown with me? I told him, I had not ^ Icht that I knew not where I was ccmiing^ nor upon what bufinefs : that I was told, it was only for a tour of plca&ire, and had brought only ft few ihirts, handkercbiels, and flight-caps. Me fmiled, and begged I would accept of one from him, to make ufe of whilft I ftaid. I made my excufe, but in vain ; for, inune*- diately after his departure, the night«^wn was knt to me. I tbeff went ta walk in the room mentioned by the cap- tain of thie prifon, eaUed in French^ Capkaine a la force. It was atottC a himdlred ywds long, proportionally broad, Ibmewhat like a great gallery, with bedfteads and matrafles for about two^ hundred and fifty or three hundred perlbns ; the bedfteads being turned up on eaeh fide againft the walls, thoie,. who had the misfortune to be obliged to lie there, being gone to prepare for mafs, or other bufinefs. The windows were alio open, thofe in the front looking into the court, and thofe on the oppofite fide into the gardbns; which rendered the room agreeable enough, fbr fuch a difmal ihock- ing place as it was, and much better than was to be ex- pected. There was alfb a large wood clofct at one end, which had been cleared out and properly prepared for me, in cafe I wanted ta go that way : thofe precautions being A a 2 taken. [ i8o ] taken, that I might not be known or feen, 'by any perfon whofe misfortune was to be there confined. - Taking a view from one of the windows of this room into the infide court, I obferved two large buildings, one of which wa^ diredtly oppofite to me, and the other at the angle of a high wall, towards the left band, which inclofes the buildings from a private road leading to Paris ; the back part of which houfe having no windows, made part of this wall. Meeting the man, who had brought the fheets for my bed, I topk hitn to the window, to inform me what buildings they were : he told me, the large white building, which was dircflly facing, was another ftrong prifon, be- longing to the houfe called Galbanon^ more dreadful again than the Bajlile ; becaufe few that were fent there were ever difcharged-or fet at liberty : for, they were generally executed privately, or fuiSFered to lariguifli out their lives miferably in their cells, or places of confinement : that the rooms were fo contrived, that only a fmall place, for a little bedftead, a little table, and one chair^ could be contained therein ; and about four or five feet of fpace for the prifoner to ftand or walk in to the window for air, which was ftrongly fe- cured with iron bars : that there were dungeons one or two and twenty feet under ground, where fome miferable ob- ]tdis were kept chained to the ground ; and that one man» who had furvived feveral years, in one of thofe dungeons, was grown over entirely with white hairs, refembling an old monfter : that his features could not be diftinguiihed, but by combing or putting back his white hairs : that when the other prifoners of the upper part of thefe prifons were to be I ihavedi [ i8i ] Aavcd, to prevent the vermin from preying upon* them, they were led out from thofe little rooms, and brought into a paflage by way of gallery ; where placed on a chair, a party of grenadiers or foldiers, with their arms loaded, and fcrewed bayonets pointed towards them, almofl: furrounded the chair, whilft (having by the man, whofe office it is to perform that operatioA. This is to intimidate or tefrify the unhappy mortal, left the infupportable* feverity: of his diftrefs flipuld animate him in defpair to attempt his deliverance by fome defperate aftion; Struck with the horror of his ' relation, I faid, I hoped there were not many there at that time. Alas ! Sir, fays he, it is very full at prefent. I replied. For God's fake, what fort of perfons are they, who languifti under fuch mif- fortune, and for what crimes are they fent there ? There are, fays he, marquiffes, 'counts, Jefuits and other clergy- men^ fome lawyers, and many gentlemen, amongft theni ; fbme brought from the provinces, fome from their houfes and families, who know not where they are : and yet they are maintained at their cxpencc, ^and their penfions for their maintenance regularly paid by the management of the mini- ftcrs ; and moft of them with irons on their legs or wriits.' There are many, continues he, fufFering there, for abafing the marchionefs de Pompadour^ or for writings againft her, or the minifters, or other ftate affairs^, perhaps of little con- fequence. He gave her a hearty ciirfe, concluding, it would be better for a man to be out of the world, than to be in fuch a prifon, where neither friepd, relation, or ac- quaintance^ can have admiflionr to come to fee or ipeak to a prifonerj .-<- '.- [ l82 ] prifoner, without a fpecial order from the miniftry ; adding* that men were here confined by their wives, who had in- terefl with the miniftersa or money to procure it, and fo vice verfd. I difmi0ed my intelligencer at this time, af* ilidted with the horrors of what I had feen and heard ; fay-^ ing to myfelf. Oh ! happy England! happy, happy jE»jj- land I happy its monarch ! happy its people ! where juftice, blended with clemency and mercy, abound \ where huma* nity is every where found amongft the brotherhood,, and whofe gentle falutary laws may well make tyrants and de- ipotic minifters afhamed, and raife, with a confcious blufh of guilt*, Great Britaki^ admiratipn. The remaining part of this day I fpent in ceflecStioQ, and reading a book or two lent me by thQ captain^ Ne^t moroing^ foon after breakfaft, the wfttaim a la force came to mici, and defired I wouM walk down# lor a gentleman wanted to (peak to m^ defiring at the iaoM tiflM I would put on the night-gown j, which X did. He brought me through the iron gates by th/s centiniels, whkh h^e ua* lockedj into the piaanas in the out-court j, where I found Bubot waiting for me. The €afkmn0^ retired^ thou^ there wa$ not a^ perfon to be k^n m db^ ccwrti oi bnildingr, where iilence and glooxpy oielaQchply ^emedi t» ^eig^. We wdiked a little while together! : be told saus not ta be uneafy, for I would ibon ice th^ peribn I waa to talk to^: that 1 muft examine him very; niirfowly ; write every thing down^ then feal my letters, aad ikcid.themhy the eaptain'sr owA handr to Mr% I&MMr//^ whQhftdoiders tct) fend ibfim» as J t 183 1 as foon as received, by a courier to the minifter ; which I promifed to do. Therl defiring me to take chocolate for breakfaft, and to fmoak tobacco, he gave money to fend for thofe articles by fome of the captain's emiffaries, and vs^ent avsray, whilft I returned to my ma/a par Jus, ^with ihy guar- dian, by the fame way I came. ' ■ I < About eight o'clock the fame evfertifig, fitting by the fire, and reading, the book in one hand, and candleftick in the otheri I fuddeftly heard a noife of people coming to the door, who inftantly knocked and entered. I was fome what fur- prifed at feeing a man, about fix feeft high, dreifed in the formidable habit of the houfe, and the high fugar-loaf cap, which augmented his heighth, with Wooden ftioes, enter the room fitft, ahd advance a little towai'ds me : but inftantly feeing the capttaine ala force zt his back, and another mad after hiih, my' fears diminifhed. There was a door in my room with ftrong bolts and locks, which opened into another large chamber. Whilft the others were opening the door, the tall xxian^ who was well made aad ftrongly proper tioned^ with a good, but refolute, or rather formidable countenance, and who I knew by his garb to be a prifoner, came a little toi;(4i'ds . met, and boldly a/ked> whdt cbuntFyman I was ? I thought it very impertinent, and looking upon him as fome Mgue going to be locked Up, I tdd hkd what I then thought; addklg^ it wad no bufinefs of hm what cottfitfyiftart I wa^i and tke& faid to the ctaptain> thtt I thfOO^ he w6uld n6t bf in|^ wij Ibcb peribn there, and ho^d feSfc wottld put hicti ksttit^ whore ehe. The captain replietf^ Mafc* yourfelf ea<}r, Sh*> ril do for Ikim by i^id hji and mk^ hi^ ^iet. The pri-^ foner [ i84 J foner breaks out, faying, D— n you, I value you not, nor do I fear your racks and torments : I delpife them all : how- ever, as the king allows good furgeons to the houfe, and a good table for them, I hope you will let fome of them come in the morning to drefs my wounds, for I am very much hurt, and very bad. He fhewed it by his movement and grimace. He was then drove and hurried into the room like a dog, where there was no fire-place, and without any light, locked up . to find his bed, which was a bad matrafs Qix a wr-etched old bedflead, with a coarfe old rug or cover- lid to throw over him ; and the other retired without faying a word more .to him or me. About half an hour after, this man, Vho J thought was finking under pain, dreadj and oppreflipn, began to fing Latin anthems with a loud clear, voice ; and the next oiorning, about fix o'clock, he began and continued the fame praftice, crying out at each verfc, E/i! Eli! Eli! Whofe. melancholy hiftory I fhall continue in.ipy next* I LETTER THE TWENTY-SEVENTH. TQET WEEN eight and nine o'clock next morning, the *"^ capitaine, a laforce, , followed by another mafi, carrying in his hand a little earthen pot, in which was a kind of (bup with fome bread, entered my room, and went to the prifoner, after unlocking his doon This unfortunate man made great complaints of the excruciating pains he felt from feveral f 185 ]• feveral bruifes, hurts, and wounds, which he faid he^had on different parts of his body, and which had been carefully drcffed every day before, at the place from whence he had been brought ; and which, he faid, would have foon been cured, in cafe he had been left where he was. Then afk- ing for the money which was in his breeches pocket, when undreifed laft night, to put on the habit of the houfe, after being brought in prifoner to the Bicetre^ he again begged they would fend for one of the furgeons. The captain told him, the money, which was only about eighteen livres, fhould be laid out for him in food and wine, as he pleafed to dire£fc, as his allowance otherwife would be only bread and water : and then fending the other man for one of the furgeons, I walked a little way into the room to look at him. He lay extended at full length on his :back upon his mofl wretched bed, and appeared ftrong and hearty, wifliing mc Ac bon jour. As I immediately returned into my room, the captain followed me, and told me, that the unhappy perfon, who had ipoke to me, was a clergyman of great learning ; that he had been confined, as a prifoner, a long time before in this fame prifbn, but had fome few days ago made his efcape; and that being retaken, and brought back, he was ordered to place him in that room, being the per (on who was to tc brought to* me. - He then told me, if he does not of himfelf defire the door between the two rooms to be left open, you may defire it for him, an<i I fhall comply. He calls himfelf Hamilton 9 but thit is not his right name/ fays he. Vol. I. B b 1 "•"i [ i86 ] I was greatly affcded with this relation ; for, until that moment, I did not know but he might have been a high-* wayman, or one charged with fome other heinous crime* I foon returned into the room, and on my going nearer the bed, he afked me, how I did ? I anfwered. Pretty Well 5 and defired he would give me leave in my turn to a/k him a queftipn. With all my htfart, replied he. Pray, faid I, are you a clergyman ? He replied. Yes, and a very unfor- tunate one, to be in this miferable place and fitdation. I told him, I was forry to fee it. Ah ! fays he, there is no help for thefe things ; we know not what is before u6. Can you fpeak Englijh ? continued he. I know by your pronun- ciation you are not a Frencbfhan. I told him, I could j(piak Englijh 9 and that I wasr born in Ireland^ and had lived long in London. I fpeak EngliJh^ faid he, you fee (for he tiot/ began to ipeak to me in ^ood EngUJh) as well as if I had been born- there, and I fpeak feveral other latngu.ages befideSy without reckoning Gr^ek md Heire^;. I foond he i^oke. EngU/h better than J^rencb. Let .me , beg one faralH' of.you^ faid he ; which is, to ^>eak to that dcg the ^gaolbr to kt rae go into your room, where I fee you have angeod fire^ to hav« my wounds dreifed, for I am almoft periihed here with cold (the weather then being extreme ihtirj>).: I proniifed ^t I would; and called to the gaoler immediately;,, who was wai&» ing all this time in my room for the ><^ming of the iitrgfeons^ and made the defired re^ueft : to whicfa» after fbme ^tt^ tended difficulties, he con^teted. Hamilton^ having with great pain got off the bed, came md (at down in my room by the fire. His looks were diMd- ful > C 187 1 ful to behold : the furgeons fbon came, and began to dreft his wounds ; his arm, fide, and other parts, were torn, bruifed, and wounded to fuch a degree, that the afTefted parts looked as if mangled and torn by dogs, or other vora- cious animd^s. He endured much in the dreffings, as hot liquors were applied : the anguifh of thofe pains in a little time, however, began to abate. The furgeons and gaoler being gone, I aiked him, how he came by the misfortune of being fo hurt and wounded ? He told me, it was no fe* cret : that he had been a long time a prifoner in that houfe, and that a perlbn called Pere Fleuriau and himfblf being con- fined prifbners together in the white houfe almoft oppofite^ which is inhabited by a widow callbd the gouvernante, and who has a very profitable office by being fb, and which houfe is almoft joining Galbanottf they had contrived, and entered upon a fcheme to make their efcape. I afked him, of what order wzs Fleuriau f AJefuit,fiudhe; a moft learned profound fcholar, a perfed): honeft man. wife, and judicious, and one of the moft confiderable and deferving men of the feciety of Je/iis; adding, that he had done him many friendOiips, and loved him as if he were his brother. Fleuriau and I, contir nued hct were a long time confolttiog how to make our cfcape^ and to get clear off. There were no windows to the houfe» a0 you may perceive, but what are in front towards the court, where the guards are day ajid night : no back-door, garden or yard, no back windows to the houfe, it being the wall, or part of it, that joins a bye road : all which ren- dered every fcheme impra^icable for our deliverance. At laft we obferved a few fteps or ftairs, which lead into a low fmall cock-loft, at the top of the houfe, wherein they might B b 2 throw [ i88 ] throw old fliocs, or fmall trifling ufelefs things. A large dog, faid he, could fcarcely find room to lie in it ; but there was a little blind window at the* top, to let in the light. When the gouvernante went into other apartmejits in the buildings, to give orders about the womens affairs, which fhe did three or four times a- week, though never to ftay long, one of us crept up to the cock-loft, firft to reconnoitre, whilfl the other employed himfelf.in talking on pious or other fubjefts to thofe that were in the houfe, if they offered to move or come in the way to interrupt, pretending the one abfent was reading, or at his devotion ; by which fcheme, I at 1 aft widened the hole, which, was the window'-light, fo as to be large enough for me. to creep through it. We then determined to make an effort to pafs that way, if poflible, or die in the attempt. The night in which we intended to put the project in e;icecution, Fleuriau feigned to b? iick^ which prevented us from bciiig locked up. ^ Whilft the people within doors were afleep, dreaming of nothing, we tore up Fleuriau's fheets, and tied them toge- ther, in fuch flips as we conceived would be long enough to reach near the ground, ancl . fattened one end of them to a timber in the cock-loft. 1 determined to go firft, and Fku^ riau was to follow, as foon as I got down fafe from the top of the houfe. In confequence of this refolution, about.three o'clock in the morning, before it was quite light,, I com- mitted myfelf to fate and the da — d rotten flaeets, to Aide doWrf by them ; but before I got half way from the top of the houfe, which is three ftories high, they tore or gave way 5 fo that I fell by the back of the houfe-wall to the grouad [ i89 ] ground fenfelefs, and in all appearance dead with my fall. It was more than an hour, I believe, faid he, before I re- covered, or rccolledted what had happened; it being fair day-light when my fenfes reaflumed their feeble fundlions : and it was the noife of fome .carriage, which, I thought, I had heard at a diftance, that iirft awakened me from the ftupidity and infenfibility, under which I groaned by this xnlsfortuoe ; my own weight having been fufficient to have killed me (we had not the habit of the houfe at this time, being clergymen under the gouvernante's orders). . After {oAt ftruggles to rife, danger giving ftrength and courage to my efforts, I raifed rayfelf, and crept along, hold- ing by the wall> till I got a good way, bait with fuffering the greateft pain that ever man endured, I think. At length having got fafc into Paris, before any purfuit was made after xne, or the eicape known, I crept to the Aote/ Dieu (a public hofpital) where I denumded the clergyman's room : to which I was conduced, and all imaginable care taken of me. I was neverthelefs foon difcovered and guarded there, not being in a condition to be moved till laft night i at which time I was brought here, ftripped below ftairs, on coming in, of all my cloaths, and then equipped in this frightful drefs as you now'iee. I fhould, faid he, have been much better pleafed, if I had. died by the fall, rather than to have lived and be brought back here : but we are not our own mafters i nor can we diipoie of ourfelves as we pleafe. I afked him, if he knew what became of Pere Pleuriau ? Ah ! faid he,' the poor man, the honefteft man living; ! No, Sir, I know no- N tiling about him fince the misfortune of my fall j it is im- I poiBbler [ 190 ] poffible I fhould : there is no hearing from any body, once within thefe curfed walls ; the villains here have hearts more hardened than their iron bars i they have neither friendfhip, humanity^ or common civility, but what is produced by money ; and when. that is gone, they are like cannibals, who live on human carnage. If poor Fleuriau be alive, to bo fure he is now at Galianon, which is as bad as to be in h«ll : but I rather fuppofe he has been executed, and fent into the other world, as they would not chufe to truft him longer in this, fince our late attempt. • After relating fome other particulars, as to his birdi, his having had for feveral years a beneficial parifh at Dixmude, near Oftendt and the' like, he complained of his pains* and was defirous to lie down for repofe. I perfuaded him, how- ever, to dine and drink a little wine ; which he didi and was very thankful Cor it, as it was, of great comfort' aad<re- lief to him:. After relating the above particulars, he retired to his bed, and, by the conftant attendance and care of the furgeons, in about ten days he was pretty well cured, I fup- pofe to fufier more; as cordials are given tothoieontha rack, to enable them to endure more pain. I now fat down, and wrote to the minifter a detail of wdiat had pafTed, accordi^ig tq the, preqife. orders, which had been given me for that purppfe, and could not help making one refledtion on the inilru£tions, givien me by Bidtot ; where he fays, it will be neceiTary tp know where FkuriaU' lives, and in what convent he is. Flenri^s faid I to myfelf, could not| it is plain, m^ his elcapej he. peftfunly remained, an4,care was, [ 191 ] was, no doubt, immediately taken of him ; confequently they know beft where he is, and where or how he has been difpofed of hy theit own order. Why this inquiry then by me, if he has been executed privately, without procefs or trial (wliich is murder) as Hamilton intirtiated to be his opi- nion, or feht to Galbanon^ which he thought worfe ? The' inquiry is totally ufelefs, unleis it be to cover thfe crime of injnftice, and deceive the world, in cafe any legal inquiry fhould hereafter be made about him* Again, I confidered, l^t Hamilton^ who had been feveral days at the bStel Dieu, ftlght ha^ been tlier^ exkliiinieid by fofme other perfon ; and tfiat «hc fwrafent inquiry touching Fleuriau by me, was a mi- nifleriid e^p^siimerit, to difcolret'.v^^hethir I wrote wiA can- dtfto'r ^sMliat hfe diouM cohfvfs, or *o find out what corrdpon- dtfhce or dider^nce there itfight be betweeh whafl mmiifdh had faid on fuch examination, if fnch ^i« li^d :beeii, aUd what he might fay on this. Another idea fuggefted to me, that the whole might be a ftate trick, to anfwer ibme poli- tical view or project: of the minifter, which my weak ca- pacity could not furmife, fufped, or penetrate ; and there- fore, in fuch a perplexed menacing fituation, which con- cerned my life and liberty, I had nothing more to do, than to write impartially what he thought fit to communicate, and tranfmit thofe matters to the minifter, without cere- mony or difguife, according to his order. Full of thofe refledtions and ideas, I fealed my letter^ and fent it to Mr, Honnette, to be by him directly forwarded to Ae minififdr j t^^hich he failed not to do, as foon as he re- ceived it. An extraft of which you will find in the follow- I ing [ 19^ ] ing (heetSy together with an extract of all the other letters^ which were day by day regularly wrote by me, and fcnt to the minifter^ by the fame channel as is above mentioned, Thefe extrad:s contain a detail of the fubftance or journal of the material part of Hamilton*s adventures, voyages, jour** nies, proceedings, and defigns i a lift of the fums advanced for his expences, and of the names, or pretended names, of many Jefuits then refiding at London, as they were related, and didtated from his own mouth, and at laft wrote, figned, and fealed by him, and with his confefiign under his own hand. I have likewife added an Englijb tranflation of them, for the better information of fuch perfons as may not undeirftgnd the French language. When you have read thofe extra^s, I (hall add a very few words more to you relative to thi^ ua« fortunate man, which will clofe his fubje^l:, .and. mike way for another not lefs intereiling. r EXTRAIT8 *^ c m ] ^■*— — ■ I ■ I I I I ■ .1 -^ ^ii_i--:- z - : 11 ■■■■ EXTRAITS des LETTRES Rentes k Monf. Berti/iy au fujct de Hamilton^ a Bicetre^ autrement Vlieghe. 21 NovemBre, 1758. MONSEIGNEUR^ J'AI rhonneur a vous ^crire, qui hier au foir mon voifin fut renferme dans la chambre que eft au dedans la mienne \ en entrant ja n'ai pas voulu lui parler. Au bout de quelques momens/ il me demanda de quel pais j'^tois. Je lui fis des reponfes qu*il a merits la deflus on le renferma une heure apr^s il commenca ^ chanter. Sur la fix heure ce matin, il commenca encore \ chanter le capitaine de la prifon ^tant mont^ m'a dit que mon voifia ^toit un prStere, alors ; je lui fis quelques politefifes, et nous commencions d'etre bons amis. II m'a compt^ qu'il ^toit ne a OJiendf qu'il avoit 51 ans, qu'il fut 61ev^ au College Major 4 Louvain ; ainfi qu'il etoit dans un college a OJiend, et k Bruges pendant fa jeuneffe. II me fit le recit de la maniere par laquelle il fe fauvoit par des draps, que lui ont ct^ fourni par le pere Fleuriau le plus honnete homme du monde, le malheur de fa chute : et qu'il avoit fait plufieurs voyages, et qu'il avoit une paroiflc a Dixmudef pris (TOJiend. Vol* L C c 22 No- ( 194 ] 22 NOVEMBRE, I758. Aujourdhui aiant caufe beaucoup avec Hamilton^ il me compta qu'il avoit forti de fa paroiiTe, et commence foa premier voyage pour Paris^ le 8 Avril 17471 dans Ion car- rofle^ deux beaux chevaux a lui, et ion cocher. II eut pour fon voyage 500 louis^ ainfi dcs lettres dc cre- dit pour des fomiAes confiderables^ une fur un banquler nomme T^urto^y (iemurant fur la place Vi^oire^ les autres fur des differentes perfonnes et endroits. II refta a Lille quelques jours^ et dans le mois de MdU etant arrived a Paris, il fe logca a rh6tel d'EJpagne^ apfes a Thdtel de la Grande BretKJgne, et depenfoit 18 livres par jour au moins : que pen-, datit fon fejour a Parif de trpis ou quatre mois il avoit fait connoiiTance avec ploiiclD'a perfonnes de diftindion ^ de Pa^ ris il voyagoit ^ Orleans^ a. Tours^ k Bourdeaux^ k MarfiilUs^ et a d'autres villes : ^tant de r^tour k Paris, il tomba ma- lade; i fon r^tothlifleinenc il e'en .aU& ml Pais Bui, OAk il viendit fon carrofic : de I^ il fe rendit a la Hcye^ o\x/i\ fe trcmva fouvent avec le fecretaire die Tanibafladeur de I'A^* ■ ■ -.^ qui fut alors 4 jUx la CAapeile ainli avoc le fecretaire de M. le D-*-^ de C , II falloit aifer ^ Amfiredam, ou un nomme Pe^ ter Imma lui fournit la ibmine de 80 guineas fiir des lettres de credit, ou billets dt^hange. De li il s'eoibarqua pour Hambourg, il y reAa cinque femaines, apres il s'efl: en aller daHS la SuSde^ de \k k Revel, ^ Petersbourg, ou il rcAa cinque jours ; il s'embarqoa potor Seville, il y refta une (kmsoBt ; de Iz, il s'en vas 4 Madrid, il y reAa huit jours ; la reine lui donna dc Targent deux fois. De Madrid il fe rendit a Lip- bon. [ «95 3 hn, oil il a dem.W[6 -tns mots. L« «ere Cariotu'f JefuUe Neap^lit^nef lui donna dix cf ofadoes. Le pece Jofiph Riter, Jefiiite uiUemagne, confcfieur de la reine, lui ^nna fix cru« fadoes : il uoyi^oit k bien d'aiitties viUes pour aller k j{a^99^ : il a fait a R^me un s'c^ur de ncuf mois^ «n I'aan^ isiille fept cent quaraate Jieuf, il pantit de Rome poor BruffeU. Ji a reile daos le P^ux Bos et dans la FlanJres jufiju' a Tannec mille iept c^vt cinquante. 23 NovEMBJtE^ '758. Le mois d'Avril mille iept iceat ciQi|uaAte fe tiiOuVia|>t |L Bruges, il y nencontra un no«am^ JPumpnt, Jefuite Fran^ fois venu d*Allemagne : lis ont figne un icpntrad on feioible ppur alkr en jingleterre. yixxnt ^attrap^ pur les J^ftiitfis dit- il^ qui font dejs diables pour iVictifice % .)Aoaab(btnt» je h» aime a T^ard de leur eipiit et de lleurs ruTos* St pacoeque ils nexne laiflbient jamais manqupr de Tju^gent: J'en ai eu pli&s qu'il m'^en afallut. Z)m^0;// continue t-il dans ce tern? la me ^oana 200 guineas. Aiant fiiit des prepacatifs pouf notre voyage, j'etois habUle -en n^pdan, tt Dumont pa- reillement. Dumont s^embarqua kOfiend, ex mors k Calais: peu de jours apres> c'eft 4 dire dans le mois de Mfifi mille fepC cent cinquante, nous nous trouvames a Londre. Je me fuis log^ a Tcnfe^ne de la 2V/^ du Grand Tur^ue, pr^is de SoJbo, ou je demeurois neuf mois : ^rj^s les premiers trOis mois, Dumont s*en lalla en AVemagne : a Ton depart de Londres, il alSicha fon nom fur la grand porte 4e la chapelle de Tambaf- iadeur de Uempreur, qu'D ^toit mort, de fatre prier le monde pour fon ame il etoit un bomme rtres faabille, plein d'eiprit,^ lavivacite^la vie et Tame de toiits ks Jefuites. Quelque- C c 2 fois [ 19<J 3 fois il amcnoit unc femelle en coropagnic, qu'il a fait pafl^ pour fa femme : plufieur Jcfuitcs y firent la mSme chofe : on fe fervit d'elles pour deguifer leurs affairs et rcndcvouze^ car il y cut alors a Londre plus de cinque cent Jefuites. II n'y a rein au monde> contina-t-il en riant : fi jolie, que de voir, et favoir les artificies de ces mefHeurs ; quand on a quelque chofe a faire avec eux. Quelquefois, ils paflent pour des negocians des merchands^ maitres d'hotels, auber- geifts, fermiers, et de chaque metier : ils afFedtent I'igno- ranee pour mafquer leur defleins. Je ne puis pas m'empe- cher de dire que j'ai beaucoup foufFert par r?.pport a eux, mais j'eus beaucoup de plaifir avec eux. Unjour, dit-il je prefentois un po6me au roi en entrant la grand chambre du parlementy mais il refufa de Taccepter : en fuite ja I'ai pre- fent^ au comte de H ■ G C , qui la mit en fa poche. J'^tois avec le d-: de C , Parch^e de , ct Ma. la — c ■ efle de 3^-*— — • Ella me donna de Tar- gent. J'ai public quelques livres imprim^ a Londre : il y en avoit de brule a la Source Royal. On donn^ promefle de recompenfe de me faire arrSter ; apres quoi, je me fuis em- barque a Dover J aiant d'abord recu environ cent louis pour mon voyage, du fecrctaire du provimciaL Fevrier mille fept cent cinquante et une, j'arrivois a Calais ^ ct dela a BruJfelleSf ou je fis ma court au nonce du papc, i? avoit avec lui un Jefuite d^guife,, et qui m'a fit dit-il beau- coup de politefTe, le nonce, commenca, la troiiieme fois que je f us chez lui de me reprocher mon voyage. Peu de jours apres, Tevequc de Bruges m'ordonna de faire penitence dans r^glife des Capucins ^ Ofiend pour quinze jours : on donna [ ^vr ] mt paroiiTe ^ un autre pr6tre; mais je n'ai jamais paiT^ quinze jours avec plus d'agr^mens, ni plus de plaifirs. Apris avoir quitt^ OJIend^ je demurai dans le Pais Bos, quelque* fois k Brujfelhs^ quclquefois i Bruges^ pr^s de quatre mois* Dans le mois de Juin ou yuilkt mille fept cent cinquante et une, je me fuis embarque a Ofiend^ habill^ en matelot Ecoffois : j'eus alors deux cent louis. Arrive i Landres^ je fus log^ a Whitecbapely ou j'achetois toutes ibrtes d'habits, des plus magnifiques^ avec une^ ^p^e» Apr^s y avoir reftc quelque femaines> je pris un appartement a Towerbill^ ou je demurai jufq'au mois de yuilletf pendant ce tems U je pajQbis mon terns avec les Jefuites» et leurs amis en toute forte d'a* grement avec une vari^te de plaifirs de toute e^ce. I • Habille en bleu» ep^e \, c6te, je fis un diicours publique- ment aux n^gocians et autres perfonnes^ k la Bource BjoyaU par rapport Si leur loix» et de les exhorter \ une religion miniver- feUe : on m'avertit de quitter le royaume* Un yuif^ qui de« meuroit alors avec Monf. le due de Mirefoix^ vint me confeiller de fortir du royaume. Je lui repondis que je ne me fouciois point de perfonne, meme des miniilres ; parceque je con* noiflbis bien les loix A' Angkterre^ et que je n'avois rein ^ craindre. Dans le mois de Juillet mille fept cent cinquante trois, je me fuis embarqu^ avec deux Jefuites^ nommes pere Le Grandy et pere Pinion (ou qui s'appellerent de la forte) nous arrivames au Havre de Grace. NouS y reftames environ trois femaines. Le Grand et moi nous primes dfes chevaux de pofte pour Roan. Pinion me dit qu'il vouloit ecrire a fa majefte [ 198 ] majeft^ a VerfaiUeSf a la reine, et a Monf. le dauphm. Nous fumes carcfTes partont par les Jefintes, qui nous fdfoient toujours compagnic ; m'etant arriv^ 4 Roan }c me fuis em- barqu^ fur un vaifieaux Hollandois pour Amfienbme^ a 24 NOVEMBRE, 1758. Je fis an iejour a Amfiiriame jmlq'au ^mois de Sepiatdnr mille fept cent cinquante trois : alors j'cnvi partis par le ca- nt! dams im fcbot ^ ^heture ^ delk a Bentham^ a Lmgn, ^ BtHm, iddaa Pattedam^ 'ou ^'eus Thonneor de parler deux ou trois {bis ^a!D rtd. Je pfaficws poor 'un negoclan Ita* lien, ec pendant k couirfe de tons-mes royages je ^alZois ibus dcs differ^ss dmrad^rs^ qodquefois gMs ii^ooiaii» quelquefois ^ntilhoimne <fai crut le malheiflr. de -perdre ibfi bien> quelquefois pretre, quelquefois merchand de pluiieures forts de inercha'ndizee f<!lon le cas. De PofzJafn je v'oyagbis par Taildgh tt d'atifffts villages II MunjfeTp ou je ixie fepofois julqii'au vingt heirf "^JtAiUt mitte fept ceiit cinquantfe quatre. 'JTen ai pifti alofs, et je voy- agois par T>uffetiorp, Cologn, Bonn, Treves, Mayifice, Prank- Jcrt, Hanno, et ^ Xuneniourg. Jy reftois quetque ^ttxnz et caufois fouvent ^vec le miriiftre du roi de Prujfe. Dela je voyagois a Nurembourg, alors je m'appellai Aaron Hamilton. Janvier mille fept cent ^cinquante cinque^ j'arrivai a Gan^ Jenbaufeny j'y rencontrois le margrave de Brandebourg An-- Jpack. J'ctois avec ce prince tout le jour trois fois a la co- medie : ^ mon depart il me donna deTargent. Apres j'dtois 9vec le margrave de Brandebourg Bareitb, qui m'a auifli donne I de [ 199 } it Fargent. Apr^ jc voyagois k Fimne: p^n .. e- J6ur dans ccttc vilk, j'Aois fouvcnt chez fes ambad: • sas du roi dc Pruffe^ ^Angteterre^ ct d'HolLmde. Ln fin, oil m'a amis en prifbn, et on fe faifit de tous mes papi; r Quoi qu'il en foit, yeus ma deliverance le fecond du n ds de jmila miUe iept CQnt cinquante cinqu^^ et on me cx>nduiiit par une garde hors des domaines Autrkbiennes. Septembre mille fept clnquante cinque, j'arrivai a jfenna, oft j'ai pa^ rhivefj et dans le mois d*Avril mille fept cent einquante fix, je me fuis trouv^ aupris le due de Weimar en S^oKf qui m'a aufli donn^ de I'argent '; et qu'apr^s Tavoir quitt^, je voyagai par bicn d'autres villes et villages jufqu'a U fin du mois d'Aout mille fept cent cinquante fix, que Ton me fit fortir de la ville de i$/r^d)i/r^, dans laqtielle j'avois reftc quelqiyes joyrs. Apr^s eet malheur inopin^, je voyagai par la Biergdgne, la Lorraine, PAffdce, et autres villes de forte, qu'^tant arriv^ i Paris fur le treize d'OStobre mille fept cent cinquante fix, Je me fuis loge dana la rue Saint Honoris en chambre gamie 5 d'ou je fis un voyage a Fon^- tainbleau le dix neuf d'Odcbre, ou j -etois fait prifonnier. 26 NOVEMBRE, 1758. Hamilton ^ecrivit une lifte de plufieurs noms empruntes, que les Jcfoites d Londre fe donnent pour mafquer leurs defifeins : la lifte des fommes qu'il i recu pour la dcpenle de fes voyages. II montre une envi? d'ecrire ^ Monf. St. Florentine et au pere fuperieur des Jefuites. II a dit qu'il n y appoint de Jefuite en Europe, qui ne fache fon fort : que tous cos meflieurs qwi fe trouvent en Angkterre font devoues au miniftre ; :A miniftrc } qu'il y en ^ parniis eux des Mmagnes, <fep F/Vw-' fois, des Flamands, des Hollandoisi' et d^f qu'il, Merita, au fupericur, il nicra peut etre de Ic connoHre. 27 NOVEMBRE, 1758.. Aujourdhui il envoya une lettre au fupericur dbnt la fui*-. vante eft copie^ mot a mot. ^ ..'.;.; ** Tres Reverend Perc, ** J'ai eu rhonneur de vous ccrire troia fois d^puis mon ** malheur d'etre icy, fans avoir aucune r^ponfc dc Totce '* Reverence. Je mande humblement la grace de vouloir ^ bien travailler a ma deliverance, et d'avoir la honti d'^crire ** au reverend pere Jofepb Dumontf ou il fe trouvc foit en Alkmagne^ Fologne^ on ailleursj de me faire tenir de Tar* gent, car je fuis dans un pauvre ^tat. J'efp^re que la com- pagnie de ^efus ii illuftre aura quelque attention fur mon cas. En attendant cette grace, je demeure avec un tris ** profond refpedt, " Tr^s Reverend Pere, " Votre tres humble^ et *^ Tres obeiffant ferviteur, *' Laurent Hamilton." On envoya cette lettre comme les autres au miniftre, dc 12 pages* Bertin a ]a direction de tout. 28 NovEMBRE, 1758. Dans la lettre ecrite au minifter, il parle beaucoup d'unc nommee Lucie VivenSf qui fe fervit quelquefois du nom d'Eliz. i€ €i t€ it [ aoi ] d'EIiz. Gray \ qu^clle ^toit une autre eipionne cnvoy^e par Ics Jefuitcs ^ ma rencontre ; cllc a bicn gagn^ par rapport \ tnoi dit*il; elle etoit belle comme Tamour^ tnais je ne la touchai pas $ elle etoit toujours a?ec Dumont i il en a ris beaucoup en diiant les diables de politiques : ^ la H^e elle etoit avcc le d de C-- et fon fecretaire. En li- fant la lifte^ il rit beaucoup au nom de gouverneur de Syra^ cufe^ Monf. Baltirfar : tout le Lundi, H eft Proteftant; Mardi^ Luthereinr Mecndi^ Prefbeterien i JUedt^ Juif; Vendrtdu Calvinifte; Semedif Tresabkur; qu*auffi tot ar<- rive d LondreSf il fe rendroit chez 1— H de lui counter fon cas. 30 NOVEMBRB, 1758. II dit qu*il avoit traville a Londris^ et en Allemagne^ . pour la religion univerfelle^ et a la caufe commune ; qu'il eut ^te avec Monf, KeitJb ^ Fierine^ que k Prance ^toit une notion, indigne d'etre iervie ; que la rfina 4toit bien a ^aisidre : le r^ une bSte ameo^ par una putain : nos JeAitf tfs coMuuata^ t«-il font comme une grande diaine biea 6xmii^i 6t dans chaque royaume de r Europe^ n dit bien de choles du vieux p< — • et de le jeune ; que le dernier eut rependu qu'il fut venu en France pour raiTafli- ner, par Tintelligence qu'il en avoit reed de Londres i et que Ton lui avoit refufe le facrement^ avant que de fe fauver^ par fon ordre : mais dit-il je me fous de lui et de toute fa fou tee race : que s'il eut fa liberte ion premier voyage ce feroit au primat du Pais Pas^ qui detefte les FrangoiSf apres ^ la princeffe 6—-—, apr^s au comte de JBT— -, d— C— — , &c. Vol. I. D d Qjie [ »02 3 Que le martire Damiens s'il cnt poufle fon couteau un pea plus loin, il auroit fait fon affaire, et que apres avoir manqt^ fon coup, s'il eut baifle fon chapeau, il auroit pu echapcr ; mais il fut trouble et qu'il ctoit b£te d'avoir tant d'argent comme 50 louis dans fa poche lorfqu'il ne devroit en avoir plus que dix ou doze franes : cependant comme on fcait tout a la cour moytnnant Tintelligence en Angleterre'}'^cnv^ ma confeffion avcc franchife peut etre le p me don- nera une pardon: fi non, j'aimerois mieux mourir que vivre icy en tout cas je m'en fous dc lui et jc meprife leurs tourmens. 2 Decembre, 1758. II ^crivit fa confeffion les larmes aux yeux il en ^crivit deux. II envoya une au miniftre Tautre au pretendant dans ^fquielles il racounte les noms its perfonnes ; dans cette af^ faire (comme il pretends). II fait un aveu du crime, et qu'il eut donn^ Tindulgence quit ent recue du pape pour lui et plufieurs autrcs au c— de H , qui la garde^ La * [ 203 ] » La. LJSTE des Noms Emphuntes ou Reels JESUITES k Londre. M. Jofeph Dumont, general de Charles Sixieme, empereur. M'. Ba/tazer, gouverneur de Syracufe pour le roi d'Efpagne, M. CJbantillon, fecretaire dc general Dumont. Son excellence le comte de Turin. M. Enfug, mar^chal de logis, joaillier rue Strand,' a Londre, M. Bennetf major du regiment Loflbrioflfc. MSPenech, Efpagniole, capitainc du mdmc regiment. M. Max, courier. .... M- Menu, venant d'Efpagne. M, Mf^dow, labaretier, ^ M. Cavenagb, pilot. M. 'kodfmont, avant courier, M. Gryjp^re, baron en Allemagne. M. Knuyds, fils d'un grand ^^Std'tin deft Etats G^ieraux dc l^- • HoUande. M. Beirnes, maitre de lahgues. 'M,. Lambert, eerivain.- « M. Baroon, marehand de vin. . M. Softmanu, banquier sL Londre, M. Hamilton, worthy bifliop, dignc cvfiquc. M. Peter/on, raedecin a Jena- en Saxc Weimar daiis Tuni- . .verfitej> - ' > M. SmetSj hiftorien-dc la m^me univcrfite. M. Groffiy gazettier de Chriftianerlang en Brandebourg, M. Horfemany pedegoge de diiESrence gentiflioments de Saxc ■ Gotha d J6na. . : D d 2 " M. [ 204 ] M. Caldfmitby medecin en Allemagne. M. Jof. Rsfer, margrave a Lifburop confeffcur i la rcine. M. Fredenrych^ mathematician a Copenhagen et a Leipfic. M. De Groote^ philofophe a la Haye. M. FaJJ^^ apothecaire 4 Jfeoa, maria fept fois* M. Gamba Court a^ ocuUfle ^ Nurembourg, M. Gordelletu grand Lutherien ^ Jena. M . jingman, redteur magnafique a Alfdorffl M. Toh'f, porticr a Augibourg. M. Ancbe^ pafteur ii Ratiibon. Fait a Bicitre^ 30 Novtmbre^ ^7S^^ LISTE des SOMMES pour des VOYAGES. Lottis^ En arrivant ^ Paris m ^ ■ ^ 550 O o RecO chca Tuften le baoqiakSf pJaoe Vidoire la 10 6 A Nantes - - - - 80 o o A Gand - -^ . • ^ ' %$ 6 o A Gandy M. Emore, 900 livres^ environ -« 37 tQ 6 A Amfterdam> de Peter Imma -9 -» 25 o 0 A Hambourg^ de M. Stargm ^ •» 16 5 O A Copenhagen, de M. Beiihoifn •« ^ 56 o o A Venifbt de M. Haudio • . ^ 9 S o A Maline, de M. Rombo et Matifin -> 900 En HoUandie, de la P Gx ■ ' - * 3 o o En Weftphalia •« * «* •* - 1.2 Q 0 A Gottenbourg • - - - 1500 ■^w 843 H (205 ] Louis. n 843 H 0 En Italic • - 20 0 0 En Portugal^ des crofades^ environ - 100 0 0 A G£ae8 • » 6 0 0 En Portugal encore - - 7 0 0 A Amflerdam - - 13 10 6 A Bruges^ de Dumont 84 ducats - • 42 0 0 A la Haye - ■ 200 0 0 A Londre - - 75 0 0 A Londre encore ^ •* • 54 0 0 A Oftend • - 437 0 0 Lettres d'echange • • 47 0 0 1^ fQcnic ** ^ « • 300 0 0 De as£me en Holkndoia « m. • 31 0 0 Merchandise - -^ m • 559 0 0 AQen^e m -. 18 0 0 En Aikmagne • - 89 0 0 A Londres encore * - * 49 0 0 2891 4 6 d fi fiSf 'qo'iloe dira ^aaais i perfiMuie oombicii. [ 206 ] A TRANSLATION of the faid Extracts of Letters to Mr. Bertifty with regard to the difcoveries of Hamilton, otherwife Phlins. at Bicetre. N. B. T6is man's name in Fkmi(h was Vlicghc* ' * 2ift November, 1758, ^ My Lord *, . \ ^ T H AVE the honour to write to you, that my neighbour was fhi»t up laft night in a room, which is within mine. On his qqtning in, I did not care to fpeak to faim. In a minute or two, iie afked nie what countiyman I .\U9.: )I made.him fuch anfwer as he deferved. He was them lacked up : an hour after, he began to fing. I ♦ c At; fix this morning, he began again to fing. The cap- tain of the prifbn (the gaoler) being conwrtfp; told me, that my neighbour was a clergyman. I then behaved with. more politenefs to him, and we began ta.be good firiend$. He told me, he was born at OJiend ; that he was fifty-one years of age ; that he had been educated at Louvain, at the Col- lege Major ; and that, during his younger years, he was alfo * Bertin was at this time lieutenant- general of the police* When he is addrefled in what concerns his office, it is commonly by the above titles when otherwife, fiipplc Mr. Birtin. \ [ 207 } alfo at a college at OJlcnd, and in another at Bruges. lie told me the manner by which, and how he hd made his efcape, viz. by (beets lent to him by father FlctiriaUy one of the .honefteft men living . the misfortune of his fall ; that he had made feveral journies, and that he formerly had a parifti at DixmuJe, near OJiend. 22d November, 1758. This day, having difcourfed a good deal with Hamilton^ he told me, that he had fet out from his parifli, and began his firft journey for Paris the eighth oi Aprils one thoufand fcvcn hundred and forty-feven, in his own coach^ two very £ne horfes, and bis own coachman. V * He had for his journey five hundred guineas, alfo bills of exchange and letters of credit for confiderable fums; one of which bills was on a perfon called Turton^ who lived at the place Fi£foire at Paris : his other bills were on different perfbns and places. He had Aaid fome few days at Lijle ; but being arrived at Paris in the month of May^ he went to lodge at the bStel d'EJpagne^ afterwards at the hotel de la Grande Bretagne, and fpent at leaft eighteen livres a-day. That, during the time he (laid at Paris, which was about three or four months, he got acquainted with feveral per-^ fons of diftindion. From Paris he went to Orleans, to Tours, to Bourdeaux, to Marfeilles, and to other towns j and that J being returned to Paris, he fell fick. As [ «o8 ] As foon as he recovered his health, he went to Flanders % from thence to the Hague, where he was often in company with the fecretary of the e — of E , who was then at Aix, and with the fecretary of the d — of C— — . From thence he was obliged to go to Amjlerdam, where a perlbn named Feter Imma advanced him the fum of eighty guineas on letters of credit or bills of exchange ; from dience he went to Hamburg, and ftaid there five weeks : afterwards he went to Sweden, from thence to Revel, from thence to Feter/burgb, where he ftaid five days. He embarked for Seville, where he (laid a week ; from thence he went to Madrid, where he ftaid eight days, and the queen gave him money at two difterent times: from Madrid he went to Lijbon, where he ftaid three months ; and father Carbom, a Neapolitan Jefuit, gave him ten crufadoes. Father JtH fepb Riter, a German Jefuit, confeflbr to the queen, gave him fix crufadoes. He travelled through feveral other towns in his way to Rome., He continued nine months at Rome i and in the year one thoufand feven hundred and forty-nin^ he fet out from Rome to go to Brujfels. He ftaid ift the how Countries and in Flanders till t}ie year one tboofand feven hundred and fifty. 23d November, 1758. In the month of April <me thoufand feven hundred and fifty, being at Bruges, he there met one Dumont, s, French Jefuit arrived from Gemuwf : they figned a con trad togcs- ther to go to England. I was taken in, faid be, by the Je^ Jiiits, who are devils for artifice : neverthelefs, I love them for their wit and their tricks, and becaufe they never did let f 209 I let me want money. I had more than I had occafion for, at this time, continues he, Dumont gave me two hundred guineas/ Having got every thing ready for our journey, I was drefled as a merchant, and Dumont likewife. Dumont embarked at Oftend, and I at Calais. A few days after,, that is to fay, in the month of May, we met at London. I lodged at i^t J'nrJ^ s Head, near Soho, where I lived nine months. Three months after our arrrval, Dumont went to Qermany. At his departure from London , he fixed up a writing at the chapel door of the emperor's ambafTador, iig- nifying he was dead^ and defiring the prayers of all good "Ckriftians for the repofc of his foul. He was a moft inge- nious man, full of wit and f|)rigbtlincfs, the life and ioul of 4:11 the o^er Jefuits. • : . ■ » Amfietiimes' be brought a female with him into company, whom he made pafs for hisrwlfe. Many of ^e Jefuits did the fames t^^ made % conveniehcS rf ihem to difguife their affairs, and to prevent thdr ^places of meeting frotti; being fufpe&ed. THere was at Aat time at London abovd five hundred Jefuits. • • » • » -m There is nothing in the woriWv contimxcd he; laifghing^ fb pleafant as to fee and know the artifices of thefe gentle- men» when one has any thing to do with them. Some- times they pais for merdh:antsy> tradefmen, (Rewards, publi- eans,. farmers,, and of ev'ery* kind of trade* They affeift • ignorance, to malk their defighs.. I cannot help faying, that I have fuffered a great deal by them, but I have had a great deal of pleafure with them. I preiented a poem one day to Vol. L. E c the [ 210 ] the k-— as he was going into p ■> >, but he rcfufed to accept of it. I afterwards prefented it to 1 JEf— — H E 9 who put it in his pocket. I was with the d • of C f a p of C , the c of y She gave me fome money. I publifhed fome books at London ; there were fome of them burned at the Roya/ Exchange. A reward was offered to take me up; upon which I embarked at Dover, having firft received about an hundred guineas for my journey from the provincial fecre- tary. February one thoufand fcvcn hundred and fifty-^one^ 1 arrived at Calais, and went to Brujfels, where I made my court to the pope's nuncio. He had a Jefuit in diiguife with him^ who behaved to me with great politenefs. The third time I was with the nuncio in his apartment, he began to reproach me, upon account of my voyage. A few days after, the bi0iop of Bruges ordered me to do penance in the church of the Capuchins at Oftend for fifteen days : he gave my parifh to another clergyman ; but in all my life I never paiTed fifteen days more agreeably, or with more pleafure. After leaving Oftend, I continued near four months in the Low Countries^ {oxxsi^umts at Bruges, and fom^times ziBruf- fels. In the month of ^une or ^tdy one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-one, I embarked at. Oftend, dreffed as a Scotch iailor. I had then two hundred guineas. Arriving at Lon^ don, I v^nt to lodge zxWhitechapel, and bought myfelf feveral rich fuits of cloaths and a fwprd. . After flaying there fome [ 211 ] fome weeks^ I took lodgings on Tower bill^ where I /laid till Jufy following ; during which tiine^ I aiTociated w}th tho Jefuits and their friends in every thing agreeable^ and par-? took of aU fort of pleafure^ « * Dreiied in blue^ a fword by my iide> I made a public dif- courfe to the merchants and many other perfons^ on the Royal Exchange f with refpedt to their laws, and to exhort them to univerfal religion. I Was advifed to quit the king- dom. A Jewi who lived with the duke de Mirepoix (the French ambaifador) came to me, and gave me advice to leave the kingdom^ I told. him, I^was not afraid of any body, even of .the minifters ; . for that I knew very well the laws of England, and that I had nothing to fear. In the month of Jufy one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-three, I embarked with two Jefuits, named father Le Grand and father Finkn (or who Qal|ed themfelves fo). We arrived at Havre de Grace : thei;e we , flaid three weeks or thereabouts. • Le Grand ^d I took poft-horfes for Rfibanf Pinion told me he woyld write tQ t}ie king, at VerfaiUes^ to the queen, and to the dauphii^. i We^ werie carefled by aU the Jefuits, with whom we werp always in company. At Rohan I embarked in a 'Dutch vefTel for Amfterdam. 24th November, 1758. , I f):aid at AmJUrdam till September, one thoufand feven huo^ dred and fifty-three. I then left it, and went hy the canal in a fcout to Diventer % from thence to Bentham, to Lingen, to Berlin, and from thence to Potzdam, :where I had the £ e 2 honour [ «I2 ] hondur to fpeak two or three times to the king of Prufia. I pafied fometimes for an ItaUan mercha(nt> foxnetimes for a wholefale merchant^ in thefe journies, under dii&rent cha-^ radters ; fometimes for a gentleman^ who had had the Dlif^ fortune to have loft his fubftance ; fometimes for a clergy- man, fometimes for a merchant of different kinds of mer* 6handiise> a^ thfc caft requi!%d« From Poti&dsm I went by Talk^h and 6ther towns to Munjkr^ where I refted until the twenty-ninth of Auguft one thdufand feven hundred c and iifty-^fbur : I tlien left it» aYid tk-avdled by Buffdd$rp^ Calogth Bonn^ ^rMesy Mayemif Francfoft^ Hofuru, to Lmenburgb. I Aadd there fome time^ and often converfedwith the minifterdf the kit%oi Pruffiaz from thence I travelled to Nuremiurgb, where I ctdled my««- felf ji^^n Hanihm. January one t^nfamA fe^ti hundred and f^ty-five, I ar-^ tlved 4t GanfenbMjen, whei^ I met the margrave of Br^n-^ 4eHiuPgb Anjpacjb. I was \^tk this prince every day, and ttvo br three times aft the comedy* At my departure he ^vt me fome mone)r. 1 4rBS afterwards wilh the marqtus ai Brmdm^m^Aeariit^i v!fk6' Mi gave me fome thonejr. I went after thw t& P^ka. During my ftay in this city, I was often at the P , E , and D — - ambaffadors : in fine, I was appfehehded, and confined in prifon, and all my ;]teptrtj ffeikid. HdW6tbr it bfe, i gtit my liberty the fecond * •of Jttfy omt flK)ti(knd ftrren hundred and fifty-fire, vaA was eon<yae4 by n gihird otift of tht Jitjirim dof&inions. StpttMocir [ ^' J 3 September one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, I arrived at Jenna^ where I pafifed the winter ; and in the month of April one thoufand fevm hundred and fifty-fix, I went to the duke of Weima/% in Sdxtmj^ who alio gave me mon^i and after qtiitting him^ I travelled throu^ many towns and viUages, till the latter end of Augufi one dioufand feven hundred and fifty-fix ; at which time I was turqed out of the town of Strajburgb^ in which I had ftaid fome days: after which, I travelled through ASface^ Lorraine^ Burgundy^ and o&er places. Being arrived at Paris the diirteenth of OSlober one thoufand feven hundred and fifty- fix, I took a ready fumifhed toom in St. Honora flreet; from thence I went, the nineteendi of O&ober^ to Foun^ tainbleau, where I was apprehended^ and made a prifonen 26tb NoveMBER, 1758* Hamilton wrote a lift of feveral borrowed names, which the Jefuits at LonJM give themfeltres to mafk their defigns ; a lift of the fums he received fbr the expences of his jour- nies. He fhewed a defire to write to the count St. Florentine and to the fuperior of the Jefuits. He faid, there is not a Jefuit in Europe but what' knows his lot ; that all thofe gen- tlemen, who are in England^ are devoted to the minifter ; that there are Germans^ French, Flemijh, and Dutch, amongft them ; and fhould he write to the fuperior, he perhaps would deny that he knows him. 27th November, lys^* This day he fent a letter to the fuperior^ of which the following is an exadt copy. Most [ 2H ] " Most Reverend Father, " I have had the honour to write to you three times fince ** I had the misfortune to be here, without receiving any *^ anfwer from your ReverejKe. I humbly requeft the fa- ** vour of you, to be fo good as to endeavour to get me my " liberty, and to have the goodnefs to write to the Reve- " rend Father Jofepb Dumont, wherever he is, whether in " Germany y Poland^ or elfewhere, to get him to fend me ** fome money, for I am in a very poor condition. > I hope " that the illuftrious company of Jefus will have fome atten* '' tion to my cafe. In expectation of this favour, I remain, " with the moft profound refpedt, " Moft Reverend Father, . ** Your, &c. " Lawrence Hamilton/* This letter was, fent to the minifter fSt. FhrentinJ like the others (one of i a pages). Bert in had the diredion of all. 28th November, lysS. In the letter wrote to the minifter, he ipeaks very much of one called Lucy Vivens^ who fometimes pafled by the name of Elizabeth Gray i that ftie was another fpy fent by the Je- fuits to meet him. She has got a great deal on my account, faid he : (he was as handfome as love itfelf, but I did not touch her : ftie was always with Dumont. He laughed heartily at it, on faying the deviliih politics. At the Hague (he was with the d of C * and his fecretary. In reading the lift, he kughed much at the name of the go- vernor of Syractifaf Mn Baltafer: every Monday he is a Proteftant > [ "5 3 Proteftantj ^uefday^ a Lutberani Wednejdayt a Prefbytc- rian ; Tburfday^ a Jew ; Friday^ a Cahini/i j Saturd(y^ a Quaker. That as foon as ever he arrived in London, he would go tp 1 — H 's to tdl him his cafe^ 30th November, 1758. He fays, he laboured at London, and in Germany, for an univerfal religion, and the common caufei that he had been with Mr. Keith at Vienna ; that France was a bad na- tion, and unworthy of being ferved ; that the queen was much to be pitied ; the k— was a fool, led by a w- ■ . Our Jefuits, faid he, are like a great chain yvell faftened, and extended through every kingdom in Europe. He faid many things of the old and young pi " ■ ; that the latter had given out, that he was come to' France to af- fafiinate him, by the intelligence he had deceived of it from London ; and that they had refufed him the facraxnent, by his orders, before he made his eicape ; but, faid he, I de« fpife him, and all his dirty race : that if he had his liberty, his firft journey fhould be to the primate of the Low Coun* tries, who hates the French i afterwards to the princefs G , afterwards to the e— — of H and d of C \ and others : that the martyr Damiens, if he had puihed his knife a little further, he would have done his bufinefs ; and that after having failed in the attempt, if he had but taken off his hat, he might have efcaped ; but that he was frightened, and was a fool to have fifty guineas in his pocket, when he ought not to have had more than ten or twelve livres. Notwithftanding, as every thing is known at [ fti6 } t at court, by the intelligence they have in England^ Y\\ wrrte my confeffion with freedom. Pcrfiaps the pretender will pardon me : if not, I would rather die than live here. Be it as it may, I am not afraid of him» and I defpife their tor-- ments* :2dD£CEMSIIU 17 S^^ He wrote his conftffion with the tears in his eyes. He wrote twx) of them. 4^1 December^ ^7$^* He fent one to the minif^cr, the other to the pretender ;; in which he fet forth the names of the perfons concerned in this affair (as he pretended). He acknowledged his crime ^ and that he bad given the indulgence^ which he had re* eeived from the pope for himfelf and feveral others^ to the earlofH-—— » who kept it. 4 LIST / f «7 1 A LIST of theBoARbWiit) o^ Rbal Nam^^ of the JBSl/ltS at Lmdm. Mr. "Jofepb DumnU gchehil t6 the femperOr C?hdr!6s Vl. Mr. BdJtdzer^ governor of Syfacufe for the Idhg b{ 3|>jlih. Mr. Cbantillidn, fbcretaiy to general Dusiiont. His excellency the count of Turin, Mr. Enfug^ marfhal of lodgihgSi a jewelldr ih C&e Strftti<!(| London. Mr. Bennet, major of &e rtgiititni 6i Loifoti6. Mr. Penedaf a Spaniard^ captain in tife lame regiment. . Mr. Max^ a courier. Mr. Menut come from Spain^ . , . Mr. Mead&w, a publican. Mr« CaveaagB, a pilot. Mr. Ra^pnt, a running footman. Mr. Gij/perf€i a* OeikmA baronw tAr. Knk^9 foQ of a grandfon to one of the Statc^^Oetirral iii Holland. Mr. Beimes, mafter of knguagesv Mr. LanAert^ »fcrivetteit . . Mr. BdrSonf z wine^mercfamt. Mr. Softmanu^ a banker at Lontfon; Mr. HOn&lton^ a^ worthy biihop« Mr. Peterfon^ phyfician of the uniVbrfil^ of Jena in Saw Mr. Smithy hiftorian of the (Sme-imiverfitjr^ Mr. Qroffe^ gazateer in Chriftianberlang in Brandenburgh. Mr. Horfeman^ fchoolmafter to feveral gentlqnen of Saxe ' Cotha at J^ia. y 01. 1. F f Mr. / [ ai8 3 Mr*. Califmitbf a .German (Jpftor. . Mr. Jofeph Ritery margrave .a^ Lifburn,^ queen's confeflbr. Mr. FredeHrycky imatJiematicWat CbptenKalgeri^nd Leipfic. Mr. De^GroQte^ a philofopher,at..the Hague.. ..... . . Mr, Fajhy, an apothecary at Jena, married (even timei^. Mr. Gamba Courtaj^^2^ 9p}^]^f^ at Jv uremboufg. . , yir. Gcrdolletu a great Lutheran, at Jena. » ,, .,. Mn Angman^ a niagnincent re<5lor at AlfdprfF.^ , I Mr. Toots y porter at Olburgh. Mr. Ancbe^ a:pa(lo|: at j^^atifbon. . ; ■ . . , . Signed. at J?/r^/r^, 'joth November 9 1758. ■ ' ■ ■ |i I U I , 1 ' ■ ' ' ■ * * LIST of the SUMS for TOURNIES. ' Guineas ♦'. On arriving at Paris - . - n •i. ^f. » -f . . 550 o. 0 Received from Mr. Turton, thrf .tanker) dace . 1 .; ' At Nantes - - - - . &o\o o At Ghent - *- - ; -< ""i • . - . 25 o o Ditto, Mr. Emore, 900 livres, about; . . i - , . . 37\»^^ . ^ At Amfterdamj from Peter Imnrit)'- ^.^ : , - . -35 ..\o p o At Hamburgh, from Mi'.StragbOf; •» .- * - -x . i6 >5 .70 At Copenhagen, from Mr. BeuliQCh/i-..: •:, 5Q »o o At Venice, fi-om Mr.Haudio:!^ i^ - ; ; . , t- ,y: 8 ^8 0 At Mecklin, from Meff. Rombo and Maftieii rrp ; .0. o At Holland, from the p-^r*— G-f*-rr-^— . fr 1 , ,3 o .« At WeftphaHa* ^J «: - n -•' ; - 12,0.0 • '. . .^. .. . ' :' . -- At ^■«Bi**aM«MH^**Vl^M * N. R. Hamilton^ as do moft 6f the Frincb^ count always in louisf which fignifies guineas. • « I I; ^k9 Ji « At Gottenbttriih ~ - - " -' -*-— "= In Italy - - . . InPortu^, crufadoes to the amount oJF about ^ At Genoa . « . . In Portugal again -.' ^ -^ AtAmfterdana ^' -' At Bridges^ jfrom Duriiont, ^4 ducats At the Hague At London • - J ^ ' - - At London agaiii - . • •' -' • '•' AtOftend^- . -• ■'■-.::.■" ~ :■ J '•(>^- Bars of lexaiirtgc' " •• i '^ •'- ' ; Ditto -. - • ^- - ' ' Ditto on Holland '^ - • :L' ■ . Mcnihandizc ^ - ' -- ' -f ' • ■ - • ' ' ' At Geneva « ''■'''-*.i'* * '^j^*- -' ^ >• -•'' ^ In Gef many " ^ - - At London again • » » » f # ; DtMont, JbyB hCf hsA qiucE' move; i)ut fhe is ib cun^ fting and artfttU that ll^Jiever-ivbuld tell :me how much. ' • r - After'he'hadflgned'atidrealiidhlscdAfeffioD^ and finliflied all his examination, he was:aik^/ if Mr. P/« • bj- Mr. Fox had any knowledge '*df; or ^coiieet^n in^4he; ijufinfefa? Tq( which he anfwered, h^ wdH'faK they hati not i and ffllaf he had never fcen either of therix. - Which anfwer I fent to the roiniftry :, but he faid, that tjie queen-dowager of Spain was m It. , "^ '. • r •. .•M:;i , Ff 2 LET- s I 3^^ } r, " ^ I . ■ ilij'il.lf.!{',UJM-X3A T MUST^ Sir^t in this place acquaint yoq^ t|^t ab^utt^ ^ l^^cr ^rtd of the firft week after, my being^. with J^imk^ t^rty Mr. Honnette czrqj^ tff^ ipy rpow l;^ ii^I^fif v^ », ijwirt yifit i^ wjii^ taking a letter out pf his j>ocket^ a^tceflfl^ -^ biiin fronv Bertin that mQrning, hjp read it to me^; ifrhicr^ ^ertin iijtjmatedj^ he did Qot altogether appngivft 9Jf WJf Wi* ^o(\.of exi^mining, and ejrprefling what a pity it ii[^ I d^ ^ot write the French better. On reading this, letter, I C9i|}(c} t^t %yoi<^ ijo^iling at the. bafene& of this French pplitical, Vi^ s^ld Ipw artifice.. I quicl^y faw by Hi?«ff ^4(^'s^ pflijn/^WMW^ tjjiat the cpptrar]^ of what £^/m wrote wa$ his c^ qf i|ijf)^ Ji igontfftte^ filing alfo at the fame time, on feeing \ pf^^pjvf^ ^e ifonv) of tho. letter, and the.meannefs.of B^i:^^'^ d$^fl4 vfhi^h I i^ftantly confidored as a preparativj9;$^c^g4N9£:4K promifes he had made me, in the king his matter's name^ aod as.a prabttnc6< to celvfib xhom^ andi fQiprepme fMi S^t^ the fraudukiit payment, kr, tokiws otamal fcarid^laiidxdUkDqiMU defigned, and afterwards by his fecretary attempted to im- po(<^ qpon.OEie^ il»& ffty§f(N%Mi ofi i»>} ^$»^^ i|v ^.~h«fi« j«d, Jwdx t ipppftfc,. WtJ|lfc^M«ECWti;i»e:iQ^ ^ijl^jlft: f^cfe piWn You have now perufed the foregoing extrads,^ by which you have the full account of the unfortunate Hafmlton*% journies. t ^^» J journies, cnterprizcs, &c. Whether thcfe accounts are true or falfe in the whole, or any and what part, I am not, 1 hope, in the leaft refponfible. I have faithfully given them to you as I received them from himfelf, and as they were communicated to the French miniftcrs by me, on the re- fped^ive days of their date, add with impatience received by them, after their ufing the political fchemes and arts before mentioned, in order to obtain them, without fpeaking of the expence they put the king to for that purpofe ; and as I communicated them to the En^HJh thinifters foon after my arrival at London^ three years before I had any thoughts of puhlifhihg them. I muft now acquaint you wkh a circumftance ndt before recited^ which is, that having aiked Hamtlion the reaibn of his t^king^ that name preferable to any other, when his real name was Vlte^e^ he told me, that it waa true that his ippther was. married to one Vliegbe^ a Flemings before he came into the world, and that he was born in that wedlock \ but that a gentleman, who had ierved as an officer in the Englijh army in Flanders, during the latter end of queen jdnne*% wars, and retired to Ofiend, whofe name was Ha^ mUtan^ and of honourable family,^ had contradtedan inti- macy with, and affeifliOn for his mother, and {he thte like for him y that (he never could endure Vliegbe ; that proving tvith chiTd, and being brought to bed (of which he was the unhappy offspring) the neighbours in general believed him to be, and always regarded him as the fruit of their corre- i^ondences from whence he took the name,, and always Iboked upon himfelf as* a real Hamiiton. He He faid^ that he fufpedted me to be one of the miniftiQri ^r under minifters (a title, I told him, to which I h,ad Jio pretenfion) come to examine him ; and that he was deter* mined to make no fcruple to declare every thing touching the caufe of his confinement ; for he was perfuaded and con- vinced, that every demarche he had made at London or elfe- where was known at court, and had been communicated to the young pretender by his friends in England. I know, fays he, I have no chance^ unlefs by making a full and candid confeflion, which I will fend to court. If he has any gene- rofity^r mercy in him, he will then of himfelf pardon me, and procure me my liberty, fince I have done hiip jio harm. I have committed no crime againft France ; yet I am her prifoner, though not her fubjed:, or fubjedt to her laws. I will 2j[k no mercy. By my confeffion, it may. induce him (he fooner to grant it, if he has any compaffion in him, as he will now know his enemies, if. he has not known them before. But if, contrary to my hopes, . he fhould have nei- ther pity nor compai3ioh for me, I aoi ready to die ; I would rather do fo than live here. I will fend two of thofe conf?f- ^ons to the miniflers, that they may fend him onp of them« Whilft he wrote his confeffion, he wept bitterly feyeral times, faymg, he was a loft man, if mercy was not ihewa him. In this confeflion, which confifted of a recapitula- tion of what is recite^ in th^ foregoing letters, he fet forth, that the naotive of making fuch confeflion was not.fpr ti;e hope of life, but from confcience and forrow; that he had befn drawn into the fcheme to ajfqffinate the young pretender by the promife of a confiderablefwm, and of being made ^ . ;. * biihop ; [ 223 ] bi(hop : to which he annexed a. lift of the names of all there/ whotn he knew, believed, oriufpt&td tofbe privy to the pro- jod:, <>^ -whiD' hfd any hand or part therein; adding, that if mefcy was {hewn him, it would be acceptable, as it would give him time to repent of a defign, the guilt of which he thereby acknowledged. When he had inclofed, fealed, and directed thofe papers for the minifter, he called the cdpitaine a la^force^ to whom he delivered them, defiring they might be fent to the minifter, as direded. The gaoler undertook the comniiflioh, though an utter ftranger to the contents; and carrying them diredtly to Mr. Honnettej they were ac* cordingly fent, and duly 'received by the miniftcrs. I « ColifelB^ns of this kind, how far they ftiould be regarded, I tnuft fubmit to the learned and judicious ta determine. Here we behold a man long fuifering underthe cruelties and oppreftions of the feverAft bondage, Ih'ut up under a dread- ful iniprifonment, endeavouring 'to break his own^^neck to obtain the liberty of going into the other world, fince he could not enjoy the freedom of this, but under calamities as infup- portable as inhuman : a man, who, by denying a charge, however unjuft, or at mdft.biit fbfpicibus, 'augmented his miferies, protracted his hopes of freedom, and his own in^ tolerable diftreftes^ from which his only refource was in death ; unable, by the perverfion of juftice in defpotic hands, and that hydra's; head of politics, . whidi fandtifies the moft unhallowed d&eds, to {)rocure a fair or legal trial, or even to obtain the fight or aftiftance of any friend oracquaintance : in fine, a man by choice preferring and feeking death before life, on fuch terms as nature can neither fupport nor fuftain, I who [ an J who is ready to fay^ to iign^ to do every things or any thing to difembarrafs himfelf of a life too burthenibme Id beir^ and who finds no eaie, content^ or fecurity, but in the pkaflng expedation of his own diilblution to be relieved from thoi^ fufFerings. Can we behold, I fay, this man making a true, a fair con^^ fefiion under fuch circumftances, where his partiality and in«» tereft fo manifeftly appear conne^edj^ that he thereby ex^edl to put an entire end to his miieries ? It is the purcht^ of ^| he defires, all he can hope, and sdl that ia deir to him in his tremendous fituation ; but it is to the learned to fnaka fheir decifion in regard to this point. I (hall only obferve, that many perfbns in Prance, when pot to the t0rCure# htvd on the rack confeiled thefnfelvea guil^ of .the crimes^ With whicll th^ have been unju^y chafg/ed| dsoofing to eflbbface deatk rather than continue in rai&ryi and that after execiition^ whvch imoiediacely followed fuch confeffioBtf fheir iiulo<^ cence has as fully, as pobliclyi id the open comtth of juftkiti moft.manifeftly appeared* . What pity it is* that this vdfortunafie man's fiicnds, na^* hours or countrymen, had not 6mit intdligence of Im mis- fortune : or that they are Hot inftrudted with his cruel ca^ ^at enquiry may yet be made after him, fince the attth«r« 6f hk miiery are ftill in bemg. His perfon and figuWf were boKI, ftrong, and engaging} he vns veiy lestfncd, Ka^ st ititmot^ beyond belief, or human imagination i he fpckt ibttraP hlh*- guages fluentty, GmaxaH which flowed a powerfuT docut^fl : and with all: tfacrfae fbexmi to^beof great vivacity and a^fitf, quick 'J- [ 2^5 ] ^ quick in hi8 conceptions^ with an undaunted courage and in<« trepidity. Matters being thus finifhed, and an order being arrived for my return, the captain came gnd acquainted me thei^ewith, to my no fmall fatisfadtion, as my fears for my own life and liberty no longer then remained. 1 went to bid the unfortu- nate man a lafting adieu, he burfl into tears at lafl, faying, I fear I (hall now be ftarved (humanity had obliged me to fup* ply his neceffities in the articles of viduals and wine whilft I continued) ; as you have been fo good to me hitherto, conti- nues he, I beg you to fpeak one word for me to the gaoler, not to fend me to Galbanon ; for I would rather be executed this night, if I am to die for this affair, than to be fent to that dreadful place. I fent directly for him, according to his de- fire, and requefted the gaoler not to fend him to Galbanon^ but to indulge him for a few days to remain where he then was, adding, I hoped he would have fbme news in his favour with- in that time ; but after all I could fay or requeft in that re* ipe<%, this mercilefs fellow gave me this anfwer, and this on- ly, d— — n thev villain, fays he, my orders are to carry him to Galbanon as foori as you go : if you had not ftaid fo long, he had been there before this time : and before you are out of the great court 111 carry him to Galbanon. I foon left this horrid place, conduced out of the firft |;ates by this fame kind of man-eater; fince which time I have never feen or heard more of him or his unfortunate prifoncr. I then called on Mr. Honnette to bid him farewcl, who faid to me, I know not what you have been about, but I can tell you, I would not have j[one through the danger you have done for ten VoL.L G g^ thoufand [ 226 J thouiand pounds ; I have not been m that place thefc tweji.- . ty years, but to fee ycu. x\t my return home my health was . very much indifpofed for fome time ; as foon, however, as It permitted, I went to wait on Berlin, and afterwards to Fer'^ failles. The good minifters, with their profound politics,, took no notice, nor Ipoke one word to mp.of all that, had pafled, or been communicated to. them by nae op this affair: I* could onlyjudge, by their looks, and behaviour, that my ppn^ dudl in the bniiaefs gave them no room to be difpleafed. Having now learned the whole fccrct of this important affair^* I could be no longer ignorant of the caufesof the political and' myfteriouacondudlof tjif minifters,in their fey eral proceeding^ with me, as before ipentioned, and of the ^2Xi%^T I fbou}d be;, expofed to^ in cafe the buiinefs, or any ps^rt of it (fo far.as I' kad been^ ernployed in it) fhould tranfpire through aoy indif*- eretion or . mifconda<a of minen. But a$, I,b^d^^p.af(prehen« flons of falling under fuch a misfortune 5 yettia)e Aiding on^. no notice taken,, or nioney offered in fatisfaftjon of my fwr- vices, my only dread was, tha,t thaminifters. might,. for their own fecret reafons, form fome falfe pretes^t,. and lay it on me,, to get rid of me and deftrpy n>e. I faw that t|ie. affair re- garded only the young pretender, and that his moft chriftiaa' niajefty had no part therein, unlefs by the connexion it might • have with the affair o£ Damieris: that the young pretender mufl have been behind the. curtain, a Aing with iS*/^ Flormtin' and Bertin in planning and directing the buiinefS!; I began to fee they were dancing in a net, believing, they could not . be fee/i^ I could not help thinking of this with pity^. €i|)^ecially when,! faw that Sf.Florentin was afraid to have his name nlentioned in the bufinefs ; an4 that Bertin and ^it* fecret^i:y r 227 ^ fccrehiry were alfo in dread, and tinder a |>ahic, whenever 1 tnehtidned or hinted at ariy thiibg about that affair, and aU Hvays declined fpeaking'of it. That whenever they wrote any thing about the Jefuits, or wherein the word Jefdit was ne- ceflary tb be mentioned, they never wrote it but by the Ini- tial teteer, and m'oftly preceded by the word pretended^ as m the following manner : ^' the pretended] • I found nei- ther catidour, honotfr or generofity in any refpeft amongft them> particularly frdnfi the niinift^r, from whom all thofe were due^ and who ought to have kept the promiifes inade by him to me, in his matter and fovereign's name, if he had any t^ regard for his honour, or for the facred name of ma- je%^aiid fo have prevented my fufpicions, murmuiit^s trA <x>mpkiDt8,which he could not but perceive, he had given me cauie to make. He ought to have known, that promifes of minifters^ made in the king their mailer's name, becom[e the king's ; and he ought to have remembered what that great monarch Henry IV. of France faid, viz. *' that if truth had £ed from off the face of the earth, it ought never^ielefrtebe €ver found in the mouth of a king/' Is not this a fad: uncon- troverted ? do not then kings fpeak by the mouths of their minifters^ who fhould be anfwerable for what they iay in that refpdft. And Ihall any of them be fo wicked as to proititute the royal name to promiie what he never did, or meant or in-* tcttAai 1»^^ifdrm? knot thiiB puttin|r a fal/fitbd i!l^6n ifa'e A)«ei«fgi,Jttd k deception ti|>oa Ihofeemploye^ HiftisTeryice Miibnadkt^ >99hkh is thereby fkitt^, abt^fed aM df(^^n!ba; ioftoii thoaght of kM CiancOrlt/s account of ^e pr^tShdfer, and'<;*uU tiot doubt^of liis knowledge, eiperi^nce aWd 'viH^ ^0^9 in the fit^tiMi he meiMioilttd concehHh|^ &iM; tyA G g 2 only [ 228 ] only allay I had to mitigate my difcontent and apprehenfions at the ill behaviour I began to meet witb» was^ that at times I was of opinion^ that letters might have been v^rote by the minifteror his order, to their friends, (pies, orcorreipon— dents, touching Hamilton s difcoveries and confeffion ; copies of vsrhich, I had good reafon to believe, v^ere fent abroad % and that further proceedings and eclairciiTements might fol- low : wherefore, till thefe matters were decided, it mig^t have been thought advifeable by them not to make me any gratification, but to continue me in a ftate of dependence for fome time longer : in which uncertainty however I was, no-- lens volensi obliged to remain, but which did not prevent m^ application for payment for thofe fervices, or performance of