These 150 Mr. Grant marched to Kintore and left them there and March 1st went himself to attend His Royall Highness to Aberdeen; and remained there till the 9th that he was ordered to Inverury, where his men then were, and from thence to proceed slowly to Strathspey, so as to serve as an advanced Guard to the Troops in their march to Strathbogg, and in that March before he reached Castle Forbes[579] had the Disagreeable news of a Ridiculous and Scandalous Treaty of Neutrality (as it was called) that five Gentlemen of his name had signed to the Rebells which he transmitted to Aberdeen to be communicated to his Royall Highness. As this was done in his Absence and was in his opinion the greatest affront that could have been done him, none living can look upon it with Greater Indignation than he does, notwithstanding of what all these gentlemen say to alleviate it, which is, That finding their country threatened to be Burnt, and no appearance of Immediate Relief, They consulted together on the properest measure to Divert their Ruin, and it was agreed on as the most prudent measure to endeavour to gain Time by treating with the Rebells untill the Army would come up, and for that end to send three of them as Deputys for the Rest, that when these three came to Inverness they were forthwith made prisoners and keept there upon their paroles, and the Rebells insisted that other two gentlemen should likewise come before concluding any Treaty. That by these means they got the matter Delayed for some Days, and when at last a written paper was presented to them to sign promising upon their Honours that neither they nor their Dependents should bear arms against them, They all absolutely refused to sign it, until they were Threatened to be thrown into Dungeons, and Lord George Murray with a party of Two Thousand men and some Cannon ordered to Strathspey to burn and Destroy the Country and then they signed it, believing that in the Strictest Honour, they could not be Bound to perform a promise Extorted from them in such circumstances. That it was Twelve days after their first confinement before this parole was signed and some time Before the dukes passing Spey.[580] Three of the five were allowed to return home, and how soon Mr. Grant got home to Castle Grant, which was before the Battle of Culloden, These three joined him and were very active in bringing together the men.
This is a plain and genuine narrative of Mr. Grants conduct from the beginning of the late wicked Rebellion until he went to Aberdeen. The part he acted afterwards is already sufficiently known to His Royall Highness the Duke, and Mr. Grant wants not any other Justification, whereas the former part being acted in a corner of the Highlands could not be so generally Known.
The naked Facts are stated without any observations upon them, which will naturally enough arise to any Person into whose hands this may come. And no Facts are stated but such as are either sufficiently proved by the writings in the Appendix or can be proved beyond Contradiction and no part of another persons conduct mentioned except in so far as it was necessarly Connected with his.
And it is hoped it does appear that nothing was ommitted on Mr. Grants part that he could Devise for supporting the Government or Distressing the Rebells. He did not indeed know what were Lord Loudouns or Lord Presidents Instructions or powers, nor was it fit that he should know them; But by that means perhaps it was that sometimes he undertook Expeditions and projected scemes that these Gentlemen possibly, yea probably, for good Reasons Judged not to be expedient or seasonable, but however that may be an argument of his want of skill, or of his too great forwardness, but surely it can be none of his want of Zeal to his Most Gracious Sovereign and our present Happy Constitution.
THE CASE OF THE REV. JOHN GRANT, MINISTER OF URQUHART; AND OF ALEXANDER GRANT OF SHEUGLY IN URQUHART, AND JAMES GRANT, HIS SON
INFORMATION for Mr. JOHN GRANT, Minister of the Gospel at Urquhart
We hear that Mr. John Grant is charged wth reading and explaining to his Congregation and Parishioners in Irish the Pretenders Manifesto from the Pulpit and in other places. This is as false as the Charge is Malicious. I thank God for it I was never reckoned a Bedlamite or a madman, and truly if this Charge were well founded I think that all the Punishment that the Law can conflict [sic] is but to little. How soon ever I had certain information that the Pretenders son was landed I wrote a letter to Lochaber to Mr. John Stewart for intelligence as it was reported the Rebel Army was to besiege Fortaugustus[581] and Inverness. This I did in presence of the Laird of Grants Baillie. I gave a Copy of the return to my letter to the Baillie that he might let the Governor of Inverness and the Laird of Grant see it. The Baillie told me that the Governor own’d that piece of Intelligence to be of vast consequence to the North and that the Laird of Grant was likewise informed of it—the letter inform’d that they were to march directly south.
In Novr when the M‘Donalds and Frasers came to the country in order to raise the men I preach’d publickly agst it and exhorted my congregation to live peaceably.
This rais’d the Wrath of most of my Parishioners who were in the Rebellion agst me insomuch that I was daily insulted even by the meanest of the Parish particularly towards the close of Decr last I was after sermon attacted by above 20 men and threatned to be drowned in a Loch near by for my praying for his Majesty King George. I and some other gentlemen went to a woman in Distress. Immediately there came into the House 2 fellows with drawn durks to kill me and were it not for some Gentlemen then present I wou’d have suffered for the stroak that was leveld at me cutt an Iron Crook. I was the object of the M‘Donald’s hatred because of my attachment to the present happy Establishment, in so much that in Feby last when the M‘Donalds to the number of 400 or 500 men came to the Country my house was attacked by 8 or 9 of them; they first rapp’d at the doors and windows and then they were to set fire to the house were it not that the Gentlemen with whom they lodged and whose house was close by mine hindered it for fear of his own house.
My wife spoke to them next day they swore that they wou’d knock me down with butts of their Guns because they’d scorn to give me a better death. My wife was so frighten’d that she sicken’d abhorted and was verie like to have lost her life being confined for 6 weeks to her Bed. I was then obliged to give up preaching. After I was for 2 Sabbaths without preaching my Parishioners cry’d out agst me for their wanting of sermon, then I ventured to preach and prayed for his Majesty King George. But the second Sunday I preached I was mobb’d in the Churchyard and had my Cloaths torn. A fellow who was for some time my officer and whom I turn’d off for his having gone to the North after the Rebels proclaimed publickly in the Churchyard that I should no more pray for King George and that I should have no stipend pay’d me this year, which last hold but to true for I did not receive 40s. of the last years stipends as yet. I was then a 2d time obliged to give up preaching as I had not the Protection of the Law. The Sunday immediately before the Battle of Culloden I was attacted by 4 of the Rebels and very rudely dealt by for my Praying for King George and for having given up preaching they swore that if I would not preach next Sunday and pray for the Pretenders son whom they call’d Prince Charles, They or some of their Corps would attend and shoot me thro’ the head. But blessed be God their power was soon broken and I then preach’d and pray’d wthout distraction or fear. Towards the beginning of May when Mr. Grant of Grant had with his men left the country of Urquhart and gone to Inverness with the People of Glenmoriston and Urquhart who had surrendered Mr. John Grant was surpris’d to hear of Alexr Grant of Sheugly and his son’s confinement at Inverness. Mr. Grant of Grant wrote to his Bailie to acquaint me to repair to Inverness without loss of time as he had particular business with me in relation to the surrenderers in the Parish of Urquhart. Accordingly I went to Inverness without delay and waited of Mr. Grant, was by him keept for 6 or 7 days living still in the Town on my own Charges without any other business but giving the Characters of the Men who had surrendered in Urquhart. Mr. Grant likewise challeng’d me for asserting Alexr Grant of Sheugly and his son as peaceable subjects and told me that he would put me on my marrow bones for that sometime. After I answer’d Mr. Grant that I attested nothing but what I was conscious was truth; this Conference happen’d in Mr. Grant of Grant’s room on the 9th of May. Sunday thereafter, being the 11th of May, Mr. Grant of Grant sent a Gentleman of his name to my Quarters desiring that I shou’d repair to his Room immediately. I was not within in the meantime but how soon I got notice of it I immediately went to Grants Lodgings where I was made prisoner. I was surprised at this as I suffered in my Person and Means for my attachment to the Government. But upon Reflection my surprise soon evanish’d. I have been minister at Urquhart for near 6 years without legal Gleib, Manse or any of those advantages which the Law allows. I several times apply’d to Mr. Grant of Grant as Patron and principal Heritor in the Parish for redress either by giving me a piece of Land which my Predecessors allways had in farm by the Lairds of Grant or then by consenting to my having Legal Gleib and Manse as the Law directs I was put off with fair promises but no performance. I could not live with any comfort as I was situated, Mr. Grant having settled a Brother-in-Law of his Bailie’s in the Kitching wch my Predecessors had and all the other houses of the Town excepting one brocken house. This neighbour I got was Bankrupt and his wife a notorious scold. Last year I wrote to Mr. Grant to grant me my conveniences for my own money otherwise to excuse me to ask for them in a legal manner. When Mr. Grant received this letter he rampaged, burnt my Letter, and swore revenge agst me; besides there is near two years stipends due me out of Mr. Grant’s Estate in Urquhart wch wth some mony he has of my Fathers per Bond and to wch I am expressly provided in the Bond makes a pretty good sum and as Mr. Grant likes money very well this is a verie easie Method of paying his debt and being revenged of me at the same time. As the above are all matters of fact I know no other reason for my suffering and confinement to the present Royal Family or that I might be of use to the Government in something which might be very disagreeable both to Mr. Grant and his Bailie.