Origins of the 'Forty-five

by Unknown

Murray to Prince Charles

Sir,—It gives me the most Concern I should have been so long in this Country without having it in my power to acquaint your Royal Highness with what has passed since I left France, except in the short Letter I was necessitate to write from London under Cover to Mr. Lumly or Maxwell.[203] I dont now remember whilst being then able to find no other conveyance and since my Arrival here, there has been no Occasion till the present tho’ I have laid myself out to find one, as I might not so distinctly as I incline, acquaint your Royal Highness of every thing by way of letter. I have taken the Liberty to write in form of a journal with opinions of the several Persons I have had occasion to talk to.

I sett out from Senlis[204] on Wednesday morning and on Thursday night came to Brussels. From thence I went next day to Termonde, where I mett with 636, 616, 1614, 12, 30, 1392,[205] who I spoke to as ordered by Mr. Burnet.[206] He seemed a little Timerous at first, but nevertheless promised to do all in his power with his Brother Officers, and to write Mr. Fisher[206] under the name of Burnet subscribing himself Cuming. On the Saturday I went to 425, 1876, 1614,[207] in Company with Mr. 434, 1054, 1730,[208] to whom I spoke all night and found him so frank as to give me his word of honour that he would come over immediately upon my writing to him that he would use his Interest with the 1495 of his 598, 1614,[209] and go to Charleroy and talk with Some of Coaliers[210] and promised likewise to Send me over a list of the recruiting officers for this year, with a mark to those that might be spoke to. From that came to Rotterdam on Saturday where he informed me that there was nothing easier than to gett Arms of all kinds by applying to any Jew att Amsterdam who would oblige himself upon a penalty to give any number att whatever port in Holland we desired, and that as this was done dayly, it would create no Suspicion. There mett with 1389, 1051, C13,[211] to whom I repeated what had passed from the time I left him, and delivered him two letters from Mr. Burnet[206] with which he seemed exceedingly well pleased. I had many conversations with him on these Subjects, and upon the whole he was, and still is of Opinion that the English will not be brought to enter upon any Scheme without a foreign force, and that Mr. Burnet’s[212] coming to Scotland without their concurrence must be of the worse consequence, as from that quarter alone their did not appear the least probability of Success; for which reason, if the french do not putt in Execution the following Spring what they proposed the passed, he proposes as the dernier Resort to make an offer to the King of the Crown of Scotland upon the footing of the Antient Allience with France; but of this I shall say nothing, leaving to him to explain it himself, and as to raising a Sum of money is of Opinion it will be very difficult, if at all possible. On the friday Se-en night,[213] after leaving Senlis I arrived att London and nixt morning went to wait of Mr. Moore[214] but missed him, however in the evening I gott him at home but found him quite a different man from what I had left him, very reserved and did not offer to show me any letter he had received during my Absence tho’ Martin[215] informed me he had given him one the post before. I then talked to him a little different of the frenches intentions, at least for this Winter season, to which he answered he looked upon the King of France as a man of honour, and that to be sure he would not give Mr. Fisher[212] such promises if he did not seriously intend to serve him. I endeavoured to show him from the then Situation of the french officers that it was unreasonable to expect it, but all to no purpose. Then I told him that Mr. Fisher desired Letters so and so adressed should Morris,[216] this he said was not in his power for he did not know the person in the City forwarded them, but promised to speak with Martin, who was acquainted with, and usually carried his Letters, who was acquainted with him. I nixt spoke to him of raising a Sum of money to purchase Arms as likewise a few thousand pounds for Mr. Burnets[217] Own Use who was much pinched by the small allowance he had from Mr. Adams.[218] He told me that was what he could say nothing off, but that he knew their had been a Sum remitted to him last Spring by the way of Amsterdam. I then asked him to suppose the case that the french would do nothing, whether he imagined Saville[219] would join heartily with Sanderson[220] to bring about 407. Smith;[221] to which he answered as before, about the money that he knew nothing about it and so would not give his Opinion. Upon which I enjoined him upon Mr. Burnets[217] Name to mention that to none but whom Mr. Bright[222] and he should agree upon his Coming to Town, and desired to know how soon he thought that should be, which he still answered as before. From all which I could plainly see he had gott his Lesson from the other side. What made this the more obvious to me, in talking of raising money to purchase Arms, I told him it would be absolutely necessary, for tho’ in Diepe[223] we had men and them very willing to fight, yet we had no money, and Arms for not above 7000 if so many; A number far inferior to what I had before told him would appear. Upon which he immediately indeavoured to catch me by saying he hoped I had got no bad news from Doit[224] to Occasion my Diminishing the number of Loyalists which obliged me to explain the matter by telling him that in 1829, 1274, 1381, 1721,[225] a Gentleman [whose] following consisted perhaps of 800 had not arms for above one half and so of the rest, by which means they all in general when spoke to, declared they were not Armed. This, he no doubt did with Intent to find me out in a Contradiction which he could not have failed to represent to his friends on the other side by the first post, who would have made their own use of it with Mr. Burnet.[226] Two days after, I went again to wait of him and enquire if he had settled that Correspondence as Mr. Fisher[226] desired, when he told me with great indifference that he had never spoke of it, and that the packets were to be stoped going any Longer from Dover to Calais, so that their must be a new conveyance settled, but how that was to be done he did not know. I then left him, and wrote the Short Letter I before mentioned to Mr. Burnet.[226] Then sett out for Doit, and on tuesday the 2d of October met with 1443, 1721, 530, 1489, 699, 1051, 1798,[227] a young Gentleman of a very large fortune, who I acquainted in general with my having seen Mr. Fisher[226] and what he proposed, upon which he very frankly offered to raise a sum of Money provided the others who I told off were to be applyed he would agree to it and that he would stay some time longer than he proposed, having intended to go to London, and is now in this place but of Opinion that nothing can be done without either a foreign force or the concurrence of Sidley.[228] Upon tuesday the ninth of October, I sent an Express to Mr. Bright,[229] then at the Earl of Nidsdales, and upon thursday morning he came to my house where I acquainted him with everything I had done from my Arrival at London. He seemed very much concerned that so many years and so much money had been spent to no purpose, but as he was obliged to return early nixt morning would not give his Opinion of the present footing things were on till his return home. Upon the 16th, I went with an intention to see Sir 1293, 43C, 1055, 1744, 1045, 1948, 1679, 1778,[230] and inform him fully of Mr. Burnets[226] resolutions, but found he was in fife, and his family uncertain of his Return, so proceeded to Edinburgh from whence I wrote the 18th of October to Mr. Fergus,[231] begging he would meet me at Mr. Brights[229] house about the 26th, and one inclosed to Mr. Dan,[232] desiring him to come immediately. I soon received a letter informing me that Mr. Dan was come, and desired to see me, but as at this time my wife was taken very ill, I sent a servant that same night to town desiring the favour of a visit from him in the Country, which he declined, thinking it would look too suspicious as I was so lately come home and he only two days in Town, so rather choose to delay it for som little time. I likewise received a letter from Mr. Fergus,[233] telling me he could not for some weeks see me. I was now become very uneasy to think I had been for above a moneth in the Country without being able to do any thing, when luckily, about the of the moneth Mr. Bright[234] called on me in his very home and promised to be in town 3 or 4 days after, which determined me to go nixt day, and that night I mett with Mr. Bright (who had been called by express) and Mr. Dan, when I read them a journal of what had passed from my leaving Diepe the 7th of July, and acquainted them with Mr. Burnets[235] Resolutions in case the french failed him. They were both well pleased with the proposal of Sidly and Sanderson[236] acting in conjuncion, but Equally against Mr. Fisher’s[235] relying upon Sanderson alone. I nixt day gave Mr. Dan the Letter designed for Nicolson,[237] which he delivered to him, and made an apointment to meet with me the same night which he accordingly did; but as he had drunk a little too much we differred having any positive answer from him. I told Mr. Dan there was a necessity for the other Letters being delivered immediately and that I depended upon him to do it. Found, as he was then about getting his Charter from the Duke of Argyle, and had given that for the reason of his coming up, it was impossible for him to Return without giving Suspicion. I for the second time had the misfortune to miss Sir 1293, 43C, 1055, 1744, 1045, 948, 1679, 1778,[238] being gone to his house in the West, nor have I yett been able to see him, as I have almost ever since been obliged to Stay in this place. I left town munday 12 and returned thursday the 15th, where Mr. Dan came to me before dinner and told me that young Kinny[239] desired to speak with me, so I agreed to meet him that Evening Att 4 o’Clock, where he informed me that Lord Semple[240] and Mr. Drummond had refused to do Business any longer, that they had sent John Drummond[241] to him att Dunkirk to acquaint him that I had made Mr. Burnet[242] believe they were not trusted by his friends, and that they had then a prospect on the Tapis but had given it up, and told him that I had at the same time perswaded Mr. Fisher[243] to come ovir with the intent to make himself 1357[244] and leave his father att Harfleur,[245] which I take God to Witness I never since mentioned to him as indeed it is one of the things in the world most against my principles upon which alone I have always acted in Mr. Ellis’s[246] affairs. Kinnys opinion of them, together with what I told him, easily convinced him of the folly of their Story.

Some few days after this Mr. Fergus[247] came to town and stayed for near two weeks, he has procured the small Vessel by which this comes, and will order it to and again so often as Occasion shall offer. I had several conversations with him on the present State of affairs, but shall confine them all to his Answer, we shall he Subjoin with that of the rest, having gott them to putt their several Opinions in writing. I shall there putt down Mr. Fergus, Mr. Bright[248] and Mr. Dans[249] opinion with regard to some of the Articles I was charged with in the memorandum. Which notwithstanding they were (save Fergus) against Mr. Burnets[243] coming over, at any rate to Doit,[250] I nevertheless insisted upon it to show that I had not neglected any particular of my orders, and first as to Mr. Brights[248] going to London he proposes being there before the end of January, 2ndly The letters wrote to the several persons for money should be delivered with an Apology, that they could be wrote to in no other stile in case they had miscarried, 3rdly, The place Mr. Burnet[243] was to meet should be some small distance from Aberdeen, upon that part of the Coast lying towards Dundee, and that we should here be acquainted by one sent over a moneth before, of the day he determined to sail, providing the weather favoured him, and the moment he landed to send an express to Mr. Fergus,[249] and one to Mr. Dan[247] with instructions what day they were to ...

[Hiatus in MSS.]

4ly as to providing of Swords it is what they dayly do, but the number to be had so small as not to be regarded. 5tly The making of Hilts and Targets impossible to be done without a Discovery and that a few days only is required to make the Targets so that they can be provided without trouble. 6thly, As to a ship for Arms, Mr. Fergus engaged to provide it.

MEMORIAL CONCERNING THE HIGHLANDS WRITTEN BY ALEXANDER MACBEAN, A.M. MINISTER OF INVERNESS

Inverness, 10 Octr. 1746.

The Islands of Orkney and Shetland I know little about.[251]

The Shire of Caithness is inhabited chiefly by StClairs and Dunbars. The Earl of Caithness is Chief of the StClairs who are by far more numerous than the other. I know not the precise number of men they can raise but I have heard that at the Battle of [252]fought by them against the late Earl of Breadalbin, I think in the reign of King William, they had about 1500 men Horse and Foot. But several gentlemen of that name living in the Orknies would on such ocasion with their men join their friends on the Continent. Mr. James Gilchrist, Minister at Thurso,[253] happened to be walking with a gentleman in Summer 1744 who found a letter on the road which when opened was found to be writ in Cypher by a gentleman of the name of StClair to a correspondent at Edinburgh mentioning that Shuch and Shuch would be ready at a Call each with his number of men plainly exprest; all the names were in Cypher nor could I learn the precise number. Mr. Gilchrist could not prevail with the gentleman to let him have the keeping of the letter, however this discovery was useful as it put the Lords Sutherland and Reay on their guard. ’Twas talked here in time of the Rebellion that the StClairs would have joined the Pretender but that they durst not pass through Lord Sutherland’s country[254] as his men were in arms joined by the McKays, some of the ministers of Caithness can inform you particularly about this and about Sir James Stewart of Burrows[255] who lives in the Orknies.