Arnprior lived at the house of Lenny, near Callender, in
Monteith, and Stewart of Glenbucky came from Balquhidder with
his men. Arnprior went to see them in Strathyre. There happened
some dispute between them about the Majorship of the Perth
regiment to which Glenbucky belonged. Arnprior brought Glenbucky
home with him to Lenny that night. On the morning of next day he
was found dead in his bed with a pistol in his hand.[53]
[53] This paragraph seems to have been inserted here later. It is not
in the handwriting of Mr. Forbes.
THE SPEECH of the Right Honourable ARTHUR, LORD BALMERINO, faithfully
transcribed from his lordships own handwrit.
[Sidenote: 1746 18 Aug.]
[Sidenote: _fol._ 108.] I was brought up in true loyal
Anti-Revolution principles, and I hope the world is convinced that
they stick to me.
I must acknowledge I did a very inconsiderate thing, for which I am
heartily sorry, in accepting of a company of foot from the Princess
Anne, who I knew had no more right to the crown than her predecessor
the Prince of Orange, whom I always look upon as a vile, unnatural
usurper.
To make amends for what I had done I join'd the King when he was in
Scotland, and when all was over I made my escape and liv'd abroad
till the year 1734.
In the beginning of that year I got a letter from my father which
very much surprized me. It was to let me know that he had got the
promise of a remission for me. I did not know what to do. I was
then, I think, in the Canton of Bern and had no body to advise with.
But next morning I wrote a letter to the King, who was then at
Rome, to acquaint his Majesty that this was done without my asking
or knowledge, and that I [Sidenote: _fol._ 109.] would not accept
of without his Majesty's consent. I had in answer to mine a letter
written with the King's own hand allowing me to go home, and he told
me his banker would give me money for my travelling charges when I
came to Paris, which accordingly I got.
When his royal highness came to Edinburgh, as it was my bounden and
indispensible duty, I join'd him, though I might easily have excused
myself from taking arms on account of my age. But I never could have
had peace of conscience if I had stayed at home when that brave
Prince was exposing himself to all manner of dangers and fatigue both
night and day.
I am at a loss when I come to speak of the Prince; I am not a fit
hand to draw his character. I shall leave that to others. But I must
beg leave to tell you the incomparable sweetness of his nature,
his affability, his compassion, his justice, his temperance, his
patience, and his courage are virtues, seldom all to be found in
one person. In short, he wants no qualifications requisite to make a
great man.
Pardon me, if I say, wherever I had the command I never suffered any
disorders to be committed, as will appear by the Duke of Bucleugh's
servants at East Park, by the Earl of [Sidenote: _fol._ 110.]
Findlater's minister, Mr. Lato, and my Lord's servants at Cullen,
by Mr. Rose, minister at Nairn, who was pleased to favour me with a
visit when I was an prisoner in Inverness, by Mr. Stewart, principal
servant to the Lord President at the house of Culloden, and by
several other people. All this gives me great pleasure now that I am
looking on the block on which I am ready to lay down my head. And
tho' it had not been my own natural inclination to protect every body
as far as lay in my power it would have been my interest so to do.
For his royal highness abhorred all those who were capable of doing
injustice to any of the King, his father's subjects, whatever opinion
they were of.
I have heard since I came to this place that there has been a most
wicked report spread and mentioned in several of the Newspapers,
that his royal highness, the Prince, before the battle of Culloden,
had given out in orders that no quarters should be given to the
enemy. This is such an unchristian thing and so unlike that gallant
Prince that nobody that knows him will believe it. It is very strange
if there had been any such orders that neither [Sidenote: _fol._
111.] the Earl of Kilmarnock, who was Colonel of the regiment of
Foot-guards, nor I, who was Colonel of the 2d troop of Life-guards,
should never have heard any thing of it, especially since we were
both at the head-quarters the morning before the battle. I am
convinced that it is a malicious report industriously spread to
excuse themselves for the murders they were guilty of in calm blood
after the battle.
Ever since my confinement in the Tower, when Major White and Mr.
Fowler did me the honour of a visit, their behaviour was always so
kind and obliging to me that I cannot find words to express it. But
I am sorry I cannot say the same thing of General Williamson. He has
treated me barbarously, but not quite so ill as he did the Bishop of
Rochester. I forgive him and all my enemies. Had it not been for Mr.
Gordon's advice I should have prayed for him as David does, Psalm
109.
I hope you will have the charity to believe I die in peace with all
men, for yesterday I received the Holy Eucharist from the hands of a
clergyman of the Church of England, in whose Communion I die as in
union with the Episcopal Church of Scotland.