ARLINGTON STREET, _April_ 25, 1746.
You have bid me for some time to send you good news--well! I think I
will. How good would you have it? must it be a total victory over the
rebels; with not only the Boy, that is here, killed, but the other, that
is not here, too; their whole army put to the sword, besides an infinite
number of prisoners; all the Jacobite estates in England confiscated,
and all those in Scotland--what would you have done with them?--or could
you be content with something much under this? how much will you abate?
will you compound for Lord John Drummond, taken by accident? or for
three Presbyterian parsons, who have very poor livings, stoutly refusing
to pay a large contribution to the rebels? Come, I will deal as well
with you as I can, and for once, but not to make a practice of it, will
let you have a victory! My friend, Lord Bury, arrived this morning from
the Duke, though the news was got here before him; for, with all our
victory, it was not thought safe to send him through the heart of
Scotland; so he was shipped at Inverness, within an hour after the Duke
entered the town, kept beating at sea five days, and then put on shore
at North Berwick, from whence he came post in less than three days to
London; but with a fever upon him, for which he had been twice blooded
but the day before the battle; but he is young, and high in spirits, and
I flatter myself will not suffer from this kindness of the Duke: the
King has immediately ordered him a thousand pound, and I hear will make
him his own aide-de-camp. My dear Mr. Chute, I beg your pardon; I have
forgot you have the gout, and consequently not the same patience to wait
for the battle, with which I, knowing the particulars, postpone it.
On the 16th, the Duke, by forced marches, came up with the rebels, a
little on this side Inverness--by the way, the battle is not christened
yet; I only know that neither Prestonpans nor Falkirk are to be
godfathers. The rebels, who fled from him after their victory, and durst
not attack him, when so much exposed to them at his passage of the Spey,
now stood him, they seven thousand, he ten. They broke through Barril's
regiment, and killed Lord Robert Kerr, a handsome young gentleman, who
was cut to pieces with above thirty wounds; but they were soon repulsed,
and fled; the whole engagement not lasting above a quarter of an hour.
The young Pretender escaped; Mr. Conway says, he hears, wounded: he
certainly was in the rear. They have lost above a thousand men in the
engagement and pursuit; and six hundred were already taken; among which
latter are their French ambassador and Earl Kilmarnock. The Duke of
Perth and Lord Ogilvie are said to be slain; Lord Elcho was in a
salivation, and not there. Except Lord Robert Kerr, we lost nobody of
note: Sir Robert Rich's eldest son has lost his hand, and about a
hundred and thirty private men fell. The defeat is reckoned total, and
the dispersion general; and all their artillery is taken. It is a brave
young Duke! The town is all blazing round me, as I write, with fireworks
and illuminations: I have some inclination to wrap up half a dozen
sky-rockets, to make you drink the Duke's health. Mr. Dodington, on the
first report, came out with a very pretty illumination; so pretty, that
I believe he had it by him, ready for _any_ occasion....
_TRIAL OF THE REBEL LORDS BALMERINO AND KILMARNOCK._