A RESIDENCE IS CHOSEN FOR THE PRINCE.
At an early hour on the following morning, a carriage drawn by four
strong horses, and attended by a mounted guard, entered the town.
It contained four persons, all of a certain importance. Chief among
them was Lord Pitsligo, than whom no one in the Highland army was more
beloved and respected. The venerable Scottish nobleman was in full
military costume, and would have ridden at the head of his regiment,
had not his infirm state of health prevented him.
The next person whom we shall mention was Mr. John Murray of
Broughton, a gentleman of great ability, who acted as the prince's
secretary and treasurer, and managed all his royal highness's affairs
extremely well. Mr. Murray had a sharp intelligent countenance, and
wore a suit of brown velvet with a tie-wig.
Opposite to him sat the prince's tutor and adviser, Sir Thomas
Sheridan, one of the numerous Irish gentlemen who had attached
themselves to the cause of the Stuarts. Sir Thomas, who was a strict
Roman Catholic, exercised almost as much influence over the prince as
Father Petre once did over the prince's grandsire, James the Second.
Next to Sir Thomas sat a very brilliant personage, wearing a rich suit
of sky-blue cloth trimmed with silver, laced ruffles, a laced cravat,
and a three-cornered hat, likewise laced with silver. This was the
Marquis d'Eguilles, an envoy from Louis the Fifteenth, who had brought
over a large sum of money and nearly three thousand stand of arms from
his royal master. The marquis had the refined and graceful manner of a
French courtier of the period, and carried a diamond snuff-box, which
was always at the service of his companions.
As the persons we have described crossed the bridge, they looked with
some interest at the town they were just entering, and bowed in return
for the shouts of the crowd, who had rushed out to greet them.
Seeing such a large and handsome equipage attended by an escort, the
townspeople naturally supposed it must be the prince himself, and when
they found out their mistake, they did not shout quite so loudly.
The carriage drove to the market-place, where Lord Pitsligo and the
others descended at the Bull's Head. A substantial repast had been
prepared for them by order of Sir John MacDonald, to which they at
once sat down.
Before breakfast was over, Colonel Townley arrived, and at once joined
the party. Several Jacobites likewise repaired to the inn and
volunteered their services to Mr. Secretary Murray, who received them
very affably, and introduced them to Lord Pitsligo.
Amongst the new-comers were Dr. Deacon and Dr. Byrom. Mr. Murray's
first business was to find a suitable residence for the prince during
his stay in the town, and after consulting the two gentlemen we have
named, he went out attended by Colonel Townley, the Marquis
d'Eguilles, Sir Thomas Sheridan, and Dr. Byrom, to inspect the
principal mansions in the place. Half a dozen soldiers went with them
to keep back the crowd.
They first proceeded to Deansgate, where they examined a large house
belonging to Mr. Touchet, one of the chief merchants of the place; but
this was deemed unsuitable, being partly used as a warehouse, and was
therefore assigned to Lord Elcho.
Mr. Floyd's house, near St. Ann's Square, was next visited; a handsome
mansion, ornamented with pilasters, having a Belvidere on the summit,
and approached by a noble flight of steps, but it did not entirely
satisfy Mr. Murray, so he allotted it to Lord Pitsligo and Lord George
Murray.
The next mansion inspected was Mr. Croxton's, in King Street, a large
building converted at a later period into the town-hall. Here quarters
were found for Lord Balmerino, Lord Kilmarnock, and Lord Strathallan.
Mr. Marriott's house, in Brown-street, was assigned to the Earl of
Kelly and Lord Ogilvy; Mr. Gartside's mansion was appropriated to the
Duke of Perth; and a fine house in Market Street Lane, occupied by Mr.
Marsden, was allotted to the Marquis of Tullibardine and Lord Nairne.
Good quarters having thus been provided for all the principal
personages in the Highland army, there remained only the prince; and
at length Mr. Dickenson's house, in Market Street Lane, was fixed upon
as affording fitting head-quarters for his royal highness.
The mansion, one of the best in the town, was built of red brick, in
the formal taste of the period. Still, it was large and commodious,
and contained some handsome apartments. Standing back from the street,
it had a paved court in front surrounded by iron railings, and a lofty
flight of steps led to the doorway.
A glance at the internal arrangements decided Mr. Murray in his
choice, and he gave orders that the house should be immediately
prepared for the prince.
Some of the houses selected for the Jacobite leaders, we believe, are
still in existence, but Mr. Dickenson's mansion has been pulled down.
After its occupation by the prince at the memorable period in
question, it was always known as "The Palace."
Perfectly satisfied with the arrangements he had made, Mr. Murray left
his companions behind, and took his way down Market Street Lane, then
a narrow, but extremely picturesque thoroughfare, and abounding in
ancient habitations.