CHAPTER XI.

THE CONSPIRATOR.

The "Pretender" and the Jacobites-His Claim to the ThroneBolingbroke his Secretary of State-Movement in 1715— Bolingbroke dismissed-Bishop Atterbury receives Secret Communications-Execution of Clergymen-James Murray an Agent of the Pretender-Atterbury writes to JamesThe Stuart Papers-Reply of James-His significant Allusion to a Cardinal's Hat-Opinions respecting AtterburyDesire of the Pretender to stand well with English Protestants-The Bishop collects Funds for him-Marriage of James-Atterbury to Lord Mar, on the Pretender's Affairs -Mystification-Quarrels of King George and the Prince of Wales-Atterbury writes to Lord Mar, referring to an intended Jacobite Enterprise, and the Cardinal's Hat.

IN June, 1713, "James III." having retired to Lorraine, the two Houses of Parliament agreed on an address to the Queen to demand his expulsion. In the opening of the session of 1714, Her Majesty had tried by assurances to remove the fears that had been artfully excited by the Whigs respecting the succession. In the House of Peers Lord Wharton, on the 5th of April, carried a resolution that the Protestant succession was not endangered by the existing Government; the Commons, on the 18th, expressed the same opinion. The Jacobites were extremely active; and much attention was drawn to two publications in favour of James-one being Edward

Lloyd's "Memoirs of the Chevalier de St. George," the other Bedford's "Hereditary Rights," &c. The authors were prosecuted.

On hearing of Queen Anne's death, James hurried to Versailles, but Louis XIV. refusing to see him, he returned to Lorraine.

As the son of Charles I., after his father's death, assumed the title of Charles II., there seemed to the Jacobites no sufficient reason why the son of James II., at his death, should hesitate about following that precedent. The Parliament and a majority of the nation were not more against one assumption than the other moreover, they had sanctioned the succession of the daughters of the monarch they had dethroned; the son had committed no crime, and the injustice of his exclusion for his father's faults was impressively insisted upon. Every credible historian has rejected the doubts thrown upon the birth of the child of Mary of Modena; and though he may have been a "pretender" to the Crown of England, it is but fair to acknowledge that, according to all received ideas of right and justice on the subject, he possessed legitimate claims that sanctioned the exertions of his supporters.

It is not conclusive to assert that the legislature had settled otherwise. The Houses of Parliament had sanctioned the usurpation of Bolingbroke, the various changes in the lines of York and Lancaster, the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, as well as the monarchy of Charles the Second. What they had done at one time they had reversed at another. The Elector of Hanover was the choice of the

strongest political party in the State; the entire body of Roman Catholics, as well as the Tory or High Church party in Church and State, were secretly the acknowledged subjects of James III. The partizans of the exile who had died remained faithful to the survivor; those abroad keeping up, as well as they were able, the semblance of a Court as well as a Cabinet; those at home, in constant peril and self-denial, contributing to his support, and combining for his restoration.

Where the recognition of the royal title was sought to be avoided that of the "Chevalier de St. George was adopted. The principal European Courts treated him with respect or neglect in accordance with their relations with the existing Government in England; but by more than one he appears to have received such encouragement as afforded him hopes of a powerful demonstration in his favour.

Under these circumstances the Prince grew up to manhood, and then the chief object of his friends was a desirable matrimonial alliance. His choice. was a source of great anxiety to his adherents, but particularly to English Protestants, whose confidence he had long been endeavouring to gain. His principal object in marrying was to gain material support in advancing his pretensions; but the royal families on the Continent with whom he desired to be connected, did not reciprocate the feeling. They required him to be in a position that might render him an acceptable suitor, and it was to gain this that he stirred up his zealous partisans to make a demonstration.

To what extent Queen Anne's principal Ministers favoured legitimacy we have no means of judging; how thoroughly they destroyed what chance it had of success is well known.

The rivalry of Bolingbroke and Oxford had reached its climax, when the latter, on the 8th of June, 1714, presented a memorial to the Queen, complaining of the vexatious proceedings of his colleague: the result of which was that Oxford was suddenly dismissed from office on the 27th of the following month, and on the 30th the Earl of Shrewsbury was appointed his successor. Two days later the Queen, who had been for some days in a dangerous condition, breathed her last. The Privy Council were promptly made acquainted with certain documents by which George, the Elector of Hanover-his mother, the Electress, had died on the 8th of June-had appointed a Regency of Lords Justices. Lord Oxford was one of the number, but Lord Bolingbroke was excluded, and at the end of August was dismissed from all his posts. He shortly afterwards quitted the kingdom to escape imprisonment, and entered the service of James, as Secretary of State. A reward of £100,000 was offered for the apprehension of "the Pretender should he land in England; to which he replied by forwarding to the principal Minister of George I. a declaration of his right to the kingdom. This document appears to have exasperated the new Government into taking severe measures against "Papists, Nonjurors, and disaffected persons," as well as clergymen who introduced politics into their sermons. Nevertheless, a feeling in favour of the exiled prince

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THE MOVEMENT OF 1715.

became evident, and it was soon manifest that it was shared by persons high in authority.

The Earl of Strafford's papers were seized in January, 1715, in which month a reward of £1,000 was offered for the discovery of the author of a pamphlet entitled "English Advice to the Freeholders of England." New displays of Jacobite zeal were attempted to be suppressed by increasing severities. Impeachments were levelled against the leading Tories. The Duke of Ormonde also quitted the kingdom, but Lords Oxford, Powis, and Scarsdale were committed to the Tower. The Earl of Mar left London for the North, and shortly afterwards raised a rebellion in Scotland. Lords Lansdowne and Duplin were arrested, as well as several distinguished members of the House of Commons. The country was now in a ferment; James III. openly proclaimed; and armed forces appeared in his name in Scotland, as well as in the North and West of England. They were a miscellaneous body, consisting of Roman Catholics, of Nonjurors, and High Churchmen, and their leaders evinced no military talent. The English army in favour of James, was easily overpowered by General Carpenter. Lord Mar had for a time better success against the Duke of Argyll. James arrived in Scotland on the 25th of December, and took up his residence at Scone. Here he made arrangements for a Court and Cabinet, and announced his coronation; but reinforcements having joined Argyll, the Chevalier, Lord Mar, and several of the confederates escaped in a vessel that sailed from Montrose, and returned to