_TOWNLY'S[269] GHOST, Etc._[270]
[269] Francis Townly, Esquire, of an honourable family in Lancashire,
was Colonel of the Manchester regiment, and one of the nine English
gentlemen that suffered first upon Kennington Common, July 30th,
1746. [See _Scots Magazine_ for July, pp. 326-330.]
[270] The verses are printed with some variations in 'Manchester
Collectanea, Chetham Society,' vol. lxviii. p. 235.
When Sol in shades of night was lost, [Sidenote: _fol._ 545.]
And all was fast asleep,
In glided murder'd Townly's ghost
And stood at William's feet.
Awake, infernal wretch, he cried,
And view this mangled shade,
That in thy perjur'd faith relied
And basely was betray'd.[271]
Embrew'd in bliss, embath'd in ease,
Tho' now thou seem'st to lie,
My injur'd form shall gall thy peace,
And make thee wish to die.
Fancy no more in pleasing dreams
Shall frisk before thy sight,
But horrid thoughts and dismal screams
Attend thee all the night.
[Sidenote: _fol._ 546.]
Think on the hellish acts thou 'st done,
The thousands thou 'st betray'd;
Nero himself would blush to own
The slaughter thou hast made.
Nor infants' cries, nor parents' tears
Could stay thy bloody hand,
Nor could the ravisht virgins' fears
Appease thy dire command.
But, ah! what pangs are set apart
In hell, thou 'lt quickly see,
Where ev'n the damn'd themselves will start
To view a friend like thee.
In haste, affrighted, Willie rose
And trembling stood and pale;
Then to his cruel sire he goes
And tells the dreadful tale.
Chear up, my dear, my darling son
(The bold Usurper said),
And ne'er repent what thou hast done,
Nor be at all afraid.
[Sidenote: _fol._ 547.]
If we in Scotland's throne can dwell
And reign securely here,[272]
Your uncle, Satan's king in hell
And he'll secure us there.
[271] Alluding to the capitulation at Carlisle.
[272] England.
Copy of several remarkable NARRATIVES taken from the mouth of
Dr. ARCHIBALD CAMERON'S lady,[273] by Dr. JOHN BURTON, when in
Edinburgh.
[273] See f. 374.
[Sidenote: 1746. July.]
The Prince in going into the hut where the thieves[274] were (being
forced to do it), having been eight and forty hours without any
sustenance, was discovered by one of them who knew him well.[275]
This trusty fellow, knowing the Prince's condition, [Sidenote: _fol._
548.] and at the same time, not daring to tell his companions who
their new guest was, had the presence of mind to call out, 'Ha,
Dougal MacCullony, I am glad to see thee.' By this the Prince found
that he was known to this man, and that the man behoved to be a
friend by the expression he had now used. The Prince took the hint
and humoured the joke so well that he owned the name given him, and
accordingly sat down and ate very heartily of some boyled beef and
pottage. The man who knew the Prince found (after talking privately
with the Prince) that it was necessary to inform his companions who
their new guest was. Upon knowing of this they rejoiced greatly and
made it their study how to serve him in the best manner they could,
two of them being always employed by turns to keep sentry or a good
look-out, and to bring in provisions, which they did in plenty. In
short they behaved with the utmost fidelity and respect to him while
amongst them.
[274] Meaning here I suppose the Glenmoriston men [see f. 172], for
these men (as I have often heard) were such infamous thieves and
noted lifters of cattle, in a word, such remarkable banditti by
profession, that the country people who knew them would not drink
with them. And yet they proved most faithful and trusty friends to
the Prince in his greatest dangers and distresses. These very men
(consider and wonder!) that could at any time risque both body and
soul for less than the value of a single shilling, were found proof
of _thirty thousand pounds sterling_, and generously despised the
tempting bait, whilst others (gentlemen by birth, improved by a
proper education) greedily sought after it. This is a most surprising
instance of fidelity and heroic virtue!--ROBERT FORBES, A.M.
[275] See f. 1451.
When the Prince and, I think, Cameron of Glenbean or Glenpain
[Sidenote: _fol._ 549.] were travelling together, one day the latter
after going about three miles,[276] missed his purse,[277] wherein
he had forty guineas and would needs go back for it. But the Prince
was not at all for his returning upon any account. However, Glenbean
was positive not to want the purse, and therefore he desired the
Prince to wait behind a hill near the place where they then were till
he should come to him again. The Prince was obliged to comply, and
Glenpean had not gone far before a party of soldiers appeared and
marched the very road they should have gone had not Glenbean left his
purse; by which means the Prince must inevitably have been taken.
The Prince lay snug and watched the road the soldiers went, waiting
Glenpane's return. Glenbean found his purse and returned with joy,
the Prince at that time having no money, which was the chief reason
that made Glenpean so positive on returning [Sidenote: _fol._ 550.]
to seek for the purse. The Prince told him what he had seen, on which
they took a different route, heartily thanking Providence for so
lucky and so seasonable an accident.
[276] See ff. 172, 620.
[277] See this point corrected afterwards, f. 820.
The Prince, not many days after his return from Sky to the continent,
sent one to Glenbean[278] (I think) desiring Glenbean to meet him
at such a place. But before the messenger and Glenbean came to him
he was obliged to remove from the place appointed upon seeing some
soldiers approaching towards it. Glenpane and the guide coming to
the place and not finding the Prince, parted and went different
roads in order (if possible) to find him out. After the Prince had
left the place appointed for the meeting, it became so very misty
or foggy that a person could not see a yard before him. During the
continuance of this fog Glenbean walking up a vale accidentally met
with the Prince, being so near as to rub upon one another before the
one could discern the other. The Prince in a bold manner asked the
other who he was, the Prince being ready for a defence provided it
had been an enemy. [Sidenote: _fol._ 551.] The answer being given,
the Prince said, You are the man I sent for, and I am such an one.
Soon after this, another guide being got (for they never heard any
more of the former guide, who parted from Glenbean when both of them
were endeavouring to find out the Prince), they set out for the place
whither the Prince was a-going; and the fog still remaining as thick
as before, the Prince happened to fall, and was going headlong down a
precipice of above twenty fathoms deep, when the guide most happily
catched hold of his foot. But the Prince's weight brought him down
also, and both of them must inevitably have had their brains knock'd
out had it not been for Glenbean's seizing fast hold of the guide who
still kept fast hold of the Prince though in so much danger himself.
By the help of Glenbean and some shrubs growing on the side of the
precipice they recovered themselves and were both preserved.
[278] See ff. 569, 608.
[Sidenote: _fol._ 552.]
As soon as the besiegers of Fortwilliam left the place, a party
of Caroline Scott's men from within the fort went to the house of
Cameron of Gleneavis and plundered it, and stript his lady of all
her cloaths, one petticoat only excepted, taking the very shirt off
her and looking upon it as a favour to allow her to untie her own
petticoats. They stript one of Dr. Cameron's daughters, a girl that
was staying with her aunt at Gleneavis. They stript Gleneavis's only
son, a boy about seven years of age, who having gold loops and gold
buttons on his cloaths, the soldiers were so greedy of them though
half worn that one of them took out his knife and cut them all off.
In his hurry cutting off the button upon the child's shoulder, he
cut with so great force that he wounded the side of the boy's neck.
The mother seeing the blood immediately swooned away, imagining the
villain had cut the boy's throat. But [Sidenote: _fol._ 553.] when
she came to herself she examined the wound and found it of no great
consequence.
This lady with her own and two of her brother's children was forced
to go and live in a cave of a rock, where she stayed six months,
making the best shift she could for provisions to herself and the
poor helpless children. Captain Scott sent her a message, pretending
that what was done was without his knowledge or consent, and that if
she would go to Fort William she should have such things as belonged
to her. She consulted her brother Lochiel, who advised her to go. She
went accordingly. The captain gave her her shoe-buckles, her buttons
for her shirt-sleeves, which in the hurry of taking the soldiers had
broke, and a cloak that had been taken from Dr. Cameron's little
daughter.
* * * * *
[_N.B._--Gleneavis was never out, and only during the siege of Fort
William, some of the besiegers took up their quarters at his house].
[Sidenote: _fol._ 554.]
Notwithstanding, Scott pretended he knew nothing of the soldiers'
actions, yet he never punished any one of them for what had been
done. He wrote to the Duke of Cumberland an account of what he or
his men had done, who sent for answer that he greatly approved of
what had been done. This letter from the Duke of Cumberland (amongst
many others) was taken when the post-boy was seized by some of the
Highlanders, and I believe it may be got.
The soldiers, or rather some of the independent companies, being
out upon the plundering affair, met with a poor old woman, who
instead of a cap had a piece of linen cloath about her head. One of
the soldiers rather than have no prey at all, took off the piece of
cloath; and one of the officers (a Campbell) seeing a head of gray
hairs likely to make a good wig, had it instantly cut off. Upon this
the poor woman begged to have her piece of linen cloth again to
prevent her catching [Sidenote: _fol._ 555.] cold, but in lieu of
that the officer gave her a kick in the breech and bad her begone for
an old bitch. She went to General Campbell to make her complaint; but
he said as the officer was not under his command he could not relieve
her, but that had it been any of his officers or men he would have
made them restore what was taken. In the present situation he said he
could not assist her. This the old woman told to Dr. Cameron's lady
verbatim.
After plundering every place and destroying all the meal, etc., and
driving away all the cattle, etc., they destroyed all ferry boats
or removed them, and would neither suffer the people to go out for
provisions nor suffer any provisions to be brought to them.
The Prince kept a regular journal.
The Duke of Cumberland gave orders in writing sealed up [Sidenote:
_fol._ 556.] and not to be opened till they should happen to catch
the Pretender, and if they should miss him, to return the orders
unopened.
A captain asked Kingsburgh at Fort Augustus about knowing the young
Pretender's head.[279] The person so killed cried out as he fell,
'You have murdered your Prince,' which so far deceived them that the
Duke of Cumberland went up directly for London in full persuasion the
thing was done.
[279] See f. 146.
The two gentlemen who came over with letters in cyphers to the French
ambassador sent to find out Lochiel.[280] A third was taken and
hanged immediately by the military, they pretending that he had once
been a spy in Flanders, but he was really an officer in the French
army. There were about forty volunteers on board the same ship with
the said gentlemen. They knew nothing of the battle of Culloden till
their arrival in Scotland. The Prince in disguise took a letter to
them (as [Sidenote: _fol._ 557.] from the Prince) desiring they
would deliver up their letters to the bearer, whom they might trust,
for the Prince was afraid they might be spies, and as he could talk
French well he chose rather to go himself under a borrowed name than
to send any person to them. When he came to them they delivered to
him all the letters, which, being in cyphers, he could not make
anything of. They were left by their own vessel, and so Lochiel took
care of them till the vessel came for the Prince. When again they saw
the Prince and knew him to be such they were greatly ashamed that
they had used him like a common man, in which shape he had formerly
appeared to them.[281]
[280] See ff. 173, 175, 628, 635.
[281] See ff. 173-176.
Colonel Warren went over to France on purpose to fetch a vessel for
carrying off the Prince and such as should be with him.
[Sidenote: _fol._ 558.]
The Prince and Lochiel were obliged to remove their quarters when
Monroe of Culcairn[282] was killed, because they apprehended there
would be a much narrower scrutiny upon that account.
[282] One day when I was conversing with John Cameron (in Edinburgh),
uncle of Mr. John Cameron, Presbyterian preacher and late chaplain
at Fort William, I asked him if he could inform me who the person
was that had shot Culcairn out of the wood. He answered he had good
reason to assure me that the father (an old man) of that Cameron whom
Captain Grant had basely murder'd near the same spot was the person,
and that his aim was against the said Captain Grant. But as he and
Culcairn were walking together the latter had the chance to receive
the bullet and to fall for his companion.--ROBERT FORBES, A.M.
As the military had destroyed all the provisions in the country,
the poor old women used to follow where they had seen the soldiers
marched in order to get the bowels and the green hides of the cattle
which had been killed. These they used to cut and to boil them upon a
fire. The soldiers finding this out used frequently to leave a party
concealed, who, when the poor women were regaling themselves about
the fire, as above, used to shoot them for diversion and for wagers,
etc.
[Sidenote: _fol._ 559.]
Captain Ferguson, having one of Lochiel's brothers as a prisoner,
would not allow him a bed to lie on, nor anything else but ropes and
cables. He fell ill and was so bad that in his then situation it was
thought he could not recover. Complaint was made to Lord Albemarle,
who sent a physician to see him and make his report of him. He
returned and said if Mr. Cameron was not brought ashore or was better
assisted he must die soon by neglect and ill-usage. Accordingly,
Lord Albemarle sent a party for him with an order to Ferguson to
deliver up Mr. Cameron. But Ferguson said he was his prisoner and
he would not deliver him up to any person without an express order
from the Duke of Newcastle, or the Lords of the [Sidenote: _fol._
560.] Admiralty. On this refusal Mr. Cameron's friends sent a bed
and bed cloaths with some other necessaries, with intent to put them
on board. But Ferguson swore if they offered to put them on board he
would sink them and their boat directly. The captain soon afterwards
sailed, and, when in the Thames, poor Mr. Cameron died.
* * * * *
_N.B._--The preceding Remarkable Narratives, etc., I transcribed from
Dr. Burton's own hand writ.