once belonged to this Country) that I can hear of that's alongst with him. His view, I need not tell you, was, to raise all the Highlands to assist him, &c. Sir Alex. Macdonald and I, not only gave no sort of Countenance to these people, but we used all the interest we had with our Neighbours to follow the same prudent method; and I am persuaded we have done it with that success, that not one man of any consequence benorth the Grampians will give any sort of assistance to this mad rebellious attempt. How far you think we acted properly, I shall long to know; but this is certain, we did it as our duty and for the best; for in the present situation of Affairs in Europe, I should have been sorry to see any thing like disaffection to the Government appear, tho' ever so trivial; or that there was occasion to march a single Company to quell it, which now I hope and dare say there is not. As it can be of no use to the Public to know whence you have this information, it is, I fancy, needless to mention either of us; but this we leave in your own breast, as you are a much better judge of what is or is not proper to be done. I've wrote to none. other; and as our friendship and confidence in you is without reserve, so we doubt not of your supplying our defects properly. Sir Alex. is here, and has seen this scrawl. Dunvegan, 3d Augt 1745. S The La President, &c. I ever am, most faithfully, Yours, NORMAND MAC LEOD. P.S. Last night I had the pleasure of yours of the 25th. A thousand thanks for your advice; but I'm in good health by the very means you mention, moderate exercise, and regularity, without starving. Young Clanranold has been here with us, and has given us all possible assurances of his prudence, &c. My Lord, No. CCXLVII. The Lord President to the Marquis of Tweedale. HAVING been acquainted by the Lord Advocate and Sir John Cope with the Advices the Government has received from Abroad, concerning the Pretender's Eldest Son, who is said to have gone on board in some of the ports of France bound for Scotland, in order to attempt an Insurrection there; I have resolved to make my Journey to the North Country earlier this Season than usual; as my presence there may be of more Service to the public than it can be of here, should the Report, which I look upon as highly improbable, have any foundation in Truth. I consider the Report as improbable, because I am confident that Young Man cannot with Reason expect to be joined by any considerable Force in the Highlands. Some loose lawless Men, of desperate Fortunes, may indeed resort to him; but I am persuaded that none of the Highland Gentlemen who have ought to lose will, after the Experience with which the Year 1715 furnish'd them, think proper to risque their Fortunes on an attempt which to them must appear desperate; especially as so many considerable Familys amongst themselves have lately uttered their sentiments; unless the undertaking is supported by an Arm'd Power from Abroad, or seconded by an Invasion on some other part of his Majestie's Dominions. But as it is of consequence to France to create Confusion in Britain at any Expence, it behoves every Dutiful Subject to be attentive to such Reports, however improbable, and to leave nothing undone that night be fit to be done, in Case they should, contrary to Expectation, prove true: It is upon this principle, that I undertake the Journey, on on which I propose to set out tomorrow Morning; well knowing that my Years, the State of my Health, and many other Circumstances, will not permit me to be of the same Use that I was of 30 Years ago; but hopeful, at the same time, That by employing my Credit, small as it is, with the people of that Country, I may in some degree encourage the King's Faithful Subjects to persist in their Duty, and discourage the Doubtful from pursuing such dangerous measures as, being left to themselves, they might be in Hazard of falling into. Besides that, by being so near the Highlands, I may gain such Intelligence as, on the supposeall that the Report is altogether groundless, may dissipate the apprehensions that have been entertained of it, sooner than otherways would happen. I have now done with what I intended when I sat down to write; which was, to acquaint your Lop with my purpose of travelling Northwards, to the End that, if you had any Commands for me, you might know whither to address them. But as my hand is in, Your Lop will pardon me if I fling out a few hints which my former Experience suggests may deserve the Consideration of the Government, if there is any thing real in the Rumours that are spread. First, tho' the Government has many more friends in the Highlands than it had in 1715, yet I do not know that there is at present any Lawful Authority that can call them forth to Action, even should occasion require it. In 1715, Lieutennancies were established in all the Counties. If any such thing now subsists, it is more than I know. 2ndly, In that unlucky Year, the King's Friends, tho' few, in the Highlands, were armed; whereas at present they are not; tho' the loose Banditti of that Country are; and there can be no doubt that, if any Enemy from abroad land, plenty of Arms will be brought alongst. What, from these Considerations, I submit is, whether it might not be proper to lodge a sufficient Number of Arms in the Forts in the Highlands; with Directions to whom, & by whom, they may be delivered out. And, 3d, Want of Money in the Year 1715 was a great obstruction to the progress of those who Arm'd on the Side of the Government; and that Difficulty was got the better of by the Zeal of private Gentlemen, who out of their own Pockets advanced large Sums for the Public Service; but as due care was not then taken even to repay, far less to reward, the Gentlemen who made those advances, it is highly probable, that at present men will not be so ready to put their hands in their Pockets; and thereby occasions of doing essential Services may be lost. What I therefore submit is, whether it may not be fit at this Juncture to lodge with some proper person, or persons, Money or Credit sufficient to answer such Occasions, and to be accounted for. If in presuming to offer these hints I have gone beyond my Line, I know you will impute it to it's true Cause, which is Zeal for his Majesty's Service; and that therefore you will forgive, Edin', 8th Aug', 1745. My Lord, Your Lordship's most Obed' and most humble Serv1, No. CCXLVIII. Louis de Bouillone & the Prince de Campo Florida to the Young Pretender. My Master, THE Sincerity of the wishes which I have formed for your R. H. could never be equalled, but by the mortal Chagrin of not being able to follow you, to offer you all my Blood. The Attachment, & yet more the Respect I have for your person, &, if I dare name it, the tender & faithful friendship with which I am penetrated for you, engages engages to this. In effect, D' P., who would not feel all that I feel at the aspect of an Enterprize so worthy of Admiration, & of the august blood from which you are sprung. On the Receipt of the charming letter with which you honoured me, I flew to the King, and on my knees, w' Tears in my eyes, conjured him to sustain the Designs he knew to be so lawful. I painted to him the perils to which you was exposed. In fine, I said every thing that you might expect from the Sentiments that attacks [attaches] my Life to your Royal Highness. Judge then the Joy that the answer he made procured me, in assuring me that he had taken to heart, as much as it was possible for me, the project that you had formed; and that I might assure your R. H. that every thing you could possibly have occasion for was ready. I insisted w' the Min' to send the Troops immediately; but they answered, that it was absolutely necessary to have the News of your Arrival, before any thing should be made to part from here; and that your R. H. had but to ask what should be convenient and useful for your Designs, & they should be ready. Not knowing how to acquaint your R. H. with what they had done, I wrote it to M' Obrain. I dare flatter myself, that you will not leave me long in this mortal inquietude, of the Ignorance of your Arrival; & that your R. H. will again permit me to assure you, that you may at your pleasure dispose of all my Estate and blood; & in whatsoever Service you design to employ me, you shall find fidelity & vivacity to serve You w' all my power, and the most profound Respect; w' which I shall have the honour to be while I live, WHEN I received the Orders of my Court on the Subject of your R. H., I did not leave a moment to go and wait with this Court. His most Č. Majesty did not C. hesitate to promise a prompt succour of Men, Money, and Arms; and ordered, that they should prepare the one and the other. I immediately dispatched a Courier to the King my Master; and I can assure your Highness that his Cath. Majesty has conformed himself to the Dispositions of the most C. King and his Navy; and that he shall furnish a Succour altogether equal to that of this Court. There are Determinations fix'd, on which Your R. H. may count. But this is not all; the most C. King added, that when he learned the Dispositions of your people were fortified by your presence, & that they had taken your Resolution, he would augment these first succours, by making some more Troops to pass to whatsomever place should be thought convenient to sustain them; & I have reason to believe, that the Brigade of Ireland is named for this Destination. The King my Master shall furnish the same number of Troops. I have the honour to inform your R. H. of this Disposition with a Satisfaction of heart so very lively, that nothing can add to it, but the Wishes I have for the happy success of so just an Enterprize. I pray your R. H. to receive this assurance, & also of the most profound Respect with which I have the Honour to be, My Master, Your R. H. most H. & most Obedient Servant, P.S. We attend here, with the utmost impatience, the News of your R. H. Debarkment. No. CCL. My Lord, No. CCL. Sir Alexander Macdonald to the Lord President. PROBABLY you'll have heard, before this reaches you, that some of our neighbours of the main land have been mad enough to arm and join the Young Adventurer mentioned in Mac Leod's letter to you. Your Lordship will find our Conduct with regard to this unhappy scrape such as you'd wish, and such as the friendship you have always shewed us will prompt to direct. Young Clanranold is deluded, notwithstanding his assurances to us lately; and, what is more astonishing, Lochiel's prudence has quite forsaken him. You know too much of Glengarry not to know that he'll easily be led to be of the Party; but, as far as I can learn, he has not yet been with them. Mr Mac Lean of Coll is here with his daughter, lately married to Tallisker; and he assures us of his own Wisdom; and, as he has mostly the direction of that Clan, promises as much as in him lies to prevent their being led astray. You may believe, my Lord, our spirits are in a good deal of agitation, and that we are much at a loss how to behave in so extraordinary an occurrence. That we will have no connection with these madmen is certain, but are bewildered in every other respect till we hear from you. Whenever these rash men meet with a check, 'tis more than probable they'll endeavour to retire to their islands: how we ought to behave in that event we expect to know from your Lordship. Their force, even in that case, must be very inconsiderable, to be repelled with Batons; and we have no other arms in any quantity. I pledge Mac Leod in writing for him and myself. I come now to tell you, what you surely know, that I am most faithfully, Tallisker, 11th Aug 1745.S My Lord, The Lord President. No. CCLI. Sir John Cope to the Officers of Lord Loudoun's Regiment, in Scotland. By the honble S' Jn° Cope, Kn' of the Bath, Lieu' Gen' and Comm' in Chief of all His Majesty's Forces in North Britain, &c. FROM the great distance I am at, & from the present Emergency of Affairs, thinking it for his Majties Service that some troops should be under the direction of some Person of great weight and influence in the Country, and considering the great service done to the Government in the Year 1715 by the present Lord President, wherein his Lodp show'd his military Abilities, and has at all times distinguished himself by a Zealous attachment to the present Government: I have therefore thought proper to put that part of the Earl of Loudoun's highland Regim' in the North of Scotland under his Command; whose direction you are to receive and follow. Given at Edin' this 14th day of August 1745. To all Officers belonging to the Earl of Loudoun's Regim' in the North of Scotland. JN° COPE. No. CCLII. My Dear Lord, No. CCLII. Mr Normand Mac Leod to the Lord President. I GOT yours here, which is 18 miles from my House in the Road to Glenelg, where I go armless and alone to prevent any Mischief there from their close neighbourhood with Knodart; I mean, any of my people's being tempted with plenty of Money to go a volunteering. As to their being pillaged, it's what I take for granted. My dear Lord, I have all along wrote without reserve, which Sir Alex" last letter (which you ought to have got the same day as yours was wrote) will evince; and all I have to add is, that what we wrote is true, and no more. He had but one Ship, a Privateer of 18 Guns, with about 1,600 bad Guns, and as many worse swords; about 25 Officers, mostly Irish, or of Irish Parents; and there is but one of them that ever was so high a rank as Lieu Colonel. I hear of no more that has as yet joined them. He sets up his standard Monday; and as I am pretty sure of information from thence you shall know it. The Place, Glenfinnon, which is the outlet from Moydart and Arisack to Lochaber. Except the D. of Ph get at them, I really do not see where they will find another man; for I know from Lovat his forwardness to serve the Government; and as to the McIntoshs, McPhersons, &c. &c. sure they are all quiet at least, if not well affected. In my weak opinion, it would be a very wrong step to draw many of the troops to Scotland, as there can be little Danger here; and that they give out there is a strong landing to come, either from Cadiz or Ferrol, to the south west of England, with 30,000 stand of arms to the discontented there, who are ready to take them. This may be only meant to put spirit in his adherents here; but if it is true, it's worth Notice, which the insurrection here hardly is yet. Sir Alex' Macdonald and I can easily raise from 1,500 to 2,000 men for the King's Service if they are wanted; and I am sure we are willing; but then some of our ships would require to land that number of arms here; else 1,800 Staves, with about 200 Guns and Swords, would make but a foolish Figure. The Privateer is sailed away to the Northward; and it's true, she took 3 meal barks and ransomed them, and sent some of her Crew with the Ships where the young Chevalier was; they took as much of the Meal as they thought proper, and paid for it and dismissed them. I can think of nothing else just now; the place & paper agree. You will soon hear from me. I am, with the outmost friendship and attachment, Sconsar, Aug 17, 1745. My dearest Lord, ever yours, NORMAND MAC LEOD. There is surely no Scotsman of any note come over with him, but the Duke's brother, who is turned an old woman, if I can credit what I hear of my Cousin. No. CCLIII. My Lord, The Marquis of Tweedale to the Lord President. Whitehall, 17th August 1745. I HAD the favor of your Letter of the 8th Curr1. Your resolution of going North earlier this Season than usual, meets with the Approbation of His Majesty's Servants here; and with mine in particular, as I am sensible that your presence there may in many |