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LYON IN
MOURNING :: Relative to Prince Charles Edward Stuart by Rev.
Robert Forbes, A.M. 1746...After Culloden.....
The first person is Robert Forbes
John Goodwillie and Alexander Stewart were with me in the
Citadel of Leith, the former of whom had served in Secretary
Murray's office as one of the clerks and the latter had served
in the Princes houshold as one of his footmen...I told them
that in conversing with James gib I had asked him about the
truth of the Prince having a horse shot under him on the field
of Culloden and that Gib had assured me he himself was near
the Prince all the time of the action, in the rear and that it
was not true..Meantime, I remarked I had not committed to
writing Gibs assertion, suspecting that he might be mistaked,
especiall as Mr. John Cameron and Captain O'Neill had affirmed
in their journals that the Prince had his horse shot..Mr.
Doodwill assured that he was on the Princes right, 5 or
6 paces and that Alexander Stewart was 5 or 6 paces to the
left..The assurance was the horse was not shot..It was a grey
gelding which had been a gift from Dunbar of Thunderton...Moreover,
Alexander Stewart had aided the Prince from the field of
battle and parted with the Prince at the Water of Nairn, about
two miles from the battle and the prince was still riding the
gray gelding.
Robert
Forbes:
Wednesday, January 25th, 1749, I happened to meet with
Alexander Stewart and after some conversation about his
imprisonment, banishment to America, I desire to know if he
would draw out in his own handwriting an exact account of all
the hardships he had undergone. He frankly agreed to
the proposal and accordingly deliver the the said accounting
to me on Monday, January 30th, 1749, a copy of which is as
follows---
MEMORIAL....As told by Alexander Stewart to Robert Forbes:
Ane account of the misfortins that hapned to me after the
murder of Culloden, the 16th of Aprile.
After his royal hignes came over the Water of Nair, after the
battle, escorted by a partie of the Fitz James' horse, his
highness went to the right of the highway that leads to
ruthven of Badenoch..I having the cantains behinde me, I asked
his higness if he would be pleased to take a refreshment of
anythin, as had not eate no drunk anything that day..His
higness reply to me was: 'Stewart, no meat no drink'
bdesired me to go on the hiway to Ruthven of Badenoch and the
Fitze James hors would escorte us, which I went, but with a
sorifull hart to parte with my royal Prince and master, and
arrived at ruthven about on o'clok the next morning and stayed
there till about two oclok in the afternoon, that his Grace,
the Duke of Perth and Lord John Drummond came upe to us...So
they consulted that everie man should doe for himself and God
for us alll, which accordingle we al
dispersed and everie on took his own way and I went southward
till I came to Mr. Rattray of Chaighall on saturday the 19th
about six oclock at night and I stayed there for five or six
days, till reid, a justie of the peace came there to dine and
begged Mr. Rattray that he would not give quarters or
entertainment to any of those men called rebells for which mr.
Rattray came and told me after dinner that is was not safe to
stay any longer at his house..So I went away to Sir James
Kinloch with his two brothers at mr. Rattrays and there I
staye one night til a countrie woman came and thd invited me
to came and stay at her home where she said I would be safe.
(Alexander Stewart told me out of his own mouth that at the
time he dilevered to Mr Rattray of Craighall in trust a silver
flask belonging to the prince and containing abour a chopin,
upon the condition that Craighall should deliver the flask to
Alexander Stewart when it should please God that he would call
for it..The flask had acup that slipped on the bottom of it
and he said that to the besto of hisknowledge the prince
brought the flask along with him from France..I saw the cup
and flas at last..robert forbes. A.M.
On the
eveining of the 29th, I came back to mr Rattrays of
Hannegoolen in Perthshire. And about two in the morning
sir James Kinloch and his two brothers and Mr Rattray and his
brother in law and three servants of us were all taken by a
pairtie of the Huee of Hangaris hussares and commanded by a
cornel Pollander from that were taken away to couper of Angus
where we dined in on Clerks , a vinter, their where I served
the table at time of dinner and the cornel asked for a drink
or bread in French, I an gave it to him directley..For so
doing he took to be a Frenchman because I served him so
readily for which he asked Sir James what I was or I was a
Frenchmean..Sir James told wihout asking me that I was a
servant to Mrs. Murray and he told Sir James to tell me in
English to call for any sort of liquor and doe not want as
long as we were in his custody for which I made his bill
amount to one pound, five shilligs sterling. After
dinnere there were horses preparte for the geltlemen and a
cart for us three servants and was carried away to perth and
taken to the Prince of Hess quarters and examined by him and
the duke of Atholl and the Earl of Crawfoord and several other
gentleman I did not know but one Cornel Stewart who came up to
me and asked what was my name..I told my name was Stewart..So,
says he, my lad, you don't think proper to deny your name for
athats done..I have done nothing as yet sir, says I,
dishounourable but served my master for which I have no reason
to deny my name..
JACOBITES
IN PERTH PRISON
On the ninth of August we were taken to Falkland and from that
to Cannongate in Edinburg on the tenth and rested there till
the twelth. But I have omitted our examenations wile at
Perth, which is this. After our being confin'd we was
taken one by one and examened to see if any of the nintie that
was in prison knew the Earle of Cromerty, of which their was
non found but one, David Toshack, a butcher in Perth, who was
made turnkey over the Hazarde Sloop's men who was taken by the
Prince men and Miller put the fellow in prison for that, and
he hapned to say before Miller that he saw Lord Cromarty in
the street called the Watergate mustring his clan in order to
go to Fife to gather up the sess and leve money, for which
Miller told him that he behoove to go to London to be and
evidence against the Earle of Cromerty for which the fellow
seemed very fond of for some time, because they promised to
give him a birth in a stage coach to London. But the fellow
being poor and loved a dram verie weel in the morning, there
was three or four of us keept a dram for taking in the
morning, and before this hapned we never used to tak on to
ourselves, but we gave this fellow Toshack a dram..But after
we found out that he was to go for London ane evidence, we
dropt our corresponddence with him, which the fellow took
notis of and asked what was the reason of it for wich we told
him that we was verie sorie to see on his birth degrad his
fathers family so much as to go and satisfie Miller to go to
London. But for all this coxing I really was informed
that he and his family was come of the greatest blackgaird in
all Perth, and we told him that instead of a coach he would be
shure of a coal cart at which the fellow repented of what he
had done..So we told him if he hade repented we woululd use
him as formerly and so told if he would deny all that he had
said to Miller befor the Justice Clerk that he would give him
a pass and send him hom again.
So the day
of David's departure from Perth to Edinburgh was fixt, and as
we said, it hapned that a coal cart and two horses in it came
to atend Mr. toshack instead of a coach for wwhich reason the
fellow fell weeping and told us he shoud deny to the Justice
Clerke what he said to Miller when he went to Edinburgh, which
he did and got his pass from the Justic Clerke, and came
directly hom again and Miller told im he should mind him for
what he hade done in denying befor the Justice clerk what he
said to him. But all this time their had been several
ladiys of quality and others soliciting the Prince of Hess,
Brigadeer Mordaunt and the foresaid Miller to send me into
Edinburgh that I might be examened bu the Justice Clerk and he
was to drop me in order that might get off....
So last of all Mr. David Bruce commonly called Judge Advocate
came to Perth and we was all called one by one and examened by
him..When I hapned to be call out there, there was bout
twentie or thirty before me, Bruce asked me if I knew him..No
I told him I did not know him..Says he, I am verie much
surprised at that for he had verie often ben about provest
Collhouns where I had been serving at the same time Bruce and
Miller told me certenly I behoove to on of the most stupeed
servants that ever they know to follow a gentleman or lady..I
told them I could not help those things..Then asked me if I
knew any of these men that was standing their?? I said I had
the misfortune to know them too well since thaey and me hade
been in prison together but never befor. Weel says
Bruce, you will not know one another heir, but I shall cause
cairrie you to Carlisle and caus the one of you hang the
other..I told him I would defy him or any one to doe so for if
I was to be hanged I should hang no man but myself.
DRAWING
LOTS FOR TRANSPORTATION.
We all
marched from Perth on the ninth of Agust following, tyed with
rops two and two and came to Falkland that night and stayed
all night..On the tneth, we went to the Cannongat goal and
stayed thier till the twelth and during our stay in the
Cannongate, I hapned to fall bad with several others of us for
which Mr. John Douglas and Old Cunningham both surgeions,
wer appointed by the Justic Clerk to see who was fit for
travel...So a cart was got for two of us and to Carlisle we
must go..So the twelth, we marched to Lintoun that night
and on the thirteenth to the Kirk of the Beild and on the
fourteenth to Moffatt and on the fifteenth to Lockerbe and on
the sixteenth to Gratne Green, and on the seventeenth being
sunday, about ten a clock, to Carlisle and about twelve all
the prisoners from Stirling came upe and about two oclock in
the afternoon a rascall of the name of Gray, soliceriter Humes
man from Edinburgh with his hatfull of tickets and Miller and
Soliciter and Gray presented the hat to me to draw lots.
I asked
Gray what I was going to doe with that and he told me it was
to draw for out lives which accordingly I did and and got
number fourteen...So among the twentie that stood upe from
Stirling there was one Huchison, one of the Princes groomes,
wha had drawen and was safe for transportation but a little
boy belonging to the town of Carlise cam in by and touched Web
on the arm and told him that Huchison was one of the Princes
groomes for he knew him verie weel for he used to get a ride
from him when he was watring his horses, for which, upon that
same words Web went with his own hand and puld back Huchison
from ot among the rest after they wer all dispersed through
out the castle yard and said to him that he was one of the
Pretenders grooms and he was put in irons and was given
a tryall before the judges, which accordingly was done.
So ther was no less than two sentances past on that one lad.
and betuixt five and six aclock at night Web, Miller and Gray
and Henderson came all out to the yard where we was sitting on
the grass and with a verie large paper like a charter and read
so much of it to us as he they thout proper and told us that
it was to petition their king for mercy to us and that it was
to go off that night for London and as soon as it came back we
might go home or els transportation which would be the wors of
it and then we put down our names at the foot of it and those
that could not, Miller did it for them and told me thait I
might be verie glad to doe it for such mercy that was but to
hang only one of twentie and let nineteen go for tansportation
pointing to me in particular with his fingar and tolde me if
that Popish spairk had carried the day he would have hanged
nineteen of them and let the twentieth go free.
One day in particular, Miller, and one Campbell, who was
interpreter from the Justice Clerke at Edinburg to the judges
for the Highlandmen, and they brought a list of the prisoners
names that was in the Castle and read them over to us, one by
one, to see if we knew any of them and it would and it would
be a great service done the government aides the releasement
of our selves, but they found none. And then they asked me if
I knew my Lord Traquere or Sir John Douglas of
Killhead..This Campbell asked me: How doe ye doe,
Sanders?"" I begged his pardon, he he had the
advantage of me...O, says he, "don't you mind since you
hade me prisoner at Bannockburn?" I told him I
could not say that I ever had the honour to take a prisoner in
my life. I ame not saying you, says he, but your men..I
told him I never had the honour of to have any men.."Not
your men, says he, but your Prince men..And don't you mind
that you brought me some verie good beef staks, halfa
thripenne loaf and a quart of good beer?" That ma be Sir.
say I , "but I doe not minde of it, if it was so"
For you mind, says he, you had
on scarlet cloths that day and was veerie kind to me."
And this was the reward that I got of the gentleman for my
entertaining him, for which Miller said to me that it would be
mean to afront him, Miller , for giving upe my name as
Mrs. Murray of Broughtons servant, for if he had known the
truth before, I had gone to the Castle and gotten my fate of
the gallows with the rest. This was the friendship that
Miller was to do me after all his fine promises. He asked me
if I knew Sir John Douglas of Killhead or if I saw him either
with the Prince or in his army or speaking to any of them. He
would be shure to take me off even supose I was on ship board.
So I told him I did not value him for he had done me evil for
good already and for the future I expected non from him, so
that I would take my fate with the rest of my bretherin and
then he paide his two drams and went his way. So we
continued to Carlisle from the seventeenth of August till the
24th of April 1747, then we went to Pennerith, and on the 25th
to Kendall and lay there till the 27th, that we went to
Lncaster and the 28th to Preston and on the 29th to Orrom Kirk
and the 30th and the last day of April, 1747 to Liverpool and
went directily aboard all of us Carlisle prisoners....
THE
VIRGINIA PLANTATIONS
The names of the two ships was the Gilder and Johnstoun, both
belonging to Gilder, a member of parliment for Liverpool and
there was eighty eight of us in the ship call the Gillder,
Richard Holms captain and Robert Horner, supercargor, a
Yorkshire byt. When we went aboard we were all stript and
searched that we hade no armes about us or any instrument for
taking off our irons and thene we put on our clothes again and
then we was desired to go aft to the steirrg until we got on
the Hanoverian pleat on our leags and went to see the
apartment were we was to ly. And the ship lay till the
14th of May before we sailed from the Bay of Liverpool and in
going past the Isle of Man ther was eight sail of ships
altogether bound for sea and their came off from the island a
poillot boat with several cask of brandy to see if we would
need any befor we went to sea. So they came aboard of
us and we bought two of them and the Captain asked at the
master of the boat if there was any privatiers lying out and
he said there was two lying in the mouth of the Channel.
So our captain spoke all the the rest of the ships with a
trumpet and they consulted what to do but all returned in
again save two that went on.. and we lay in the Bay of
Liverpool till the fifteenth of May and from that they went
till they came to Bellfast Loch in the north of Irland and
there we cast ancor on the same evening of the fifteenth,
being Fryday..And on Saterday afternoon there came in a verie
large Dutchman in to the loch and ancored verie nigh to us and
our Captain spoke him with the trumpet and asked him if he had
seen any privatiers in his way and he said he had met with two
in latutid 58 and had waited so long for us prisoners that
they hade spent all their provision and they had taken all the
Dutchman's provisions from him which brought him to ane
ancor. And on the Sunday afternnon there came in and any
other Dutchman and our Captain asked him if they we gon and he
said they wer so. On Munday about twelve o'clock, we
wieed our ancors and sait sail and away for sea and all the
four ships for four days kept together till a most violent
storm sperarat us and we meet again the whole voyage and so we
proceeded on our journey till we came in sight of Cape Charles
and Cape Henre which are the two remarkable places on right
and left as we entered the river between Virginia and
Maryland.. Cape Charles is on the right and Cape Henre on the
left and we was not one leag withing the capes when Don
Pedro appeared in purshout of us, but coul not come within the
Capes after us. So this was our misfortune for if we had but
two hours more at sea we had been all his own. So being got
within the river, our supercargor and the Doctor went to take
their res and our Captain came and set down on the trap that
came down between dakes and discouse us and asked us what we
was to doe now when we wasnear our journey's end. So we
told him we was to depend on Gods providence and him for which
he said he would make all the interest for us that in his
power lay...
When we came upe against St. Maries, the Captain went ashore
it being the
place where the Custom Hous was, that he might enter us all
their and in
two or three hours time he came aboard again and caused the
carpenter to go
and take off all our irons, which acordingly was done.
I was the first that got them on and my comrad, (James
Strachan, this gentleman was educated at the College in
Aberdeen and was engaged to be tutor to a gentleman's children
in Maryland in which family Strachan was used exceedingly well
with kindess and respect..)) so we were the last to get them
off. And that night being sunday the 19th of July 1747,
we came to an anchor at the port called Wecomica where we was
to be put ashore and as soon as the ship came to an ancor, we
was all ordered below dake for Robert Horner, the supergargor,
wanted to speak a word to us which accordingly went all doun
between dakes and Horner came doun and made a verie fine
speach concerning the goodness of the countrie we were going
to and if we wouuld atest for seven years, the men that by us,
if we pleased them well would probably give us doun two years
of our time, and a gun, a pick and a mattock and a sort of
clothhs and then we was free to go thoruo any place of the
iland we pleased..So I told him it was quite useless to direct
all his discourse to me for I was to answer for non but
myself, for what he should doe was to gand and bring doun the
list of all names that he hade and reade them over and them
that was will to answer yes and them that was not willing to
answer no. Which accordingly he did and they all asked
me what I would doe. I told them they might doe as hey
pleased but for me I would sing none for no man that wever was
born they they should hang me over the yard arme. Then
says they, we will not sign non neither. So I told them,
Gentlemen, sand by that then. so they said they would which
they all did..By this time Horner came back with the list of
all our names and began to read them..and they unanimosly
called out, No-no..I thank you, Stewart, says Horner if you
would not doe yourself you need not hindred others to have
done..Then he showed us two letters he said was from their
King to the Duke of Newcastle and the other from Duke of
Newcastle to Mr. Gilder, the merchant wh had the
transportation ofs and if we would not sign those letters
impowered him to go to the Governor of Maryland and Virginne..
Wednesday,
the twentie second of july, Horner returned back and all the
buckskins in the countrie with him and Cornel Lee, a monstrous
big fellow in order to bully us to sign and this Lee said to
us he would make us sign. and we told him God Almighty had
made us once and he neither could nor should make us agin for
which he said no mor. So as I told you before,Captain
Holms acquanted all the gentlemen of three or four counties of
the province of Maryland to attend on board the day of the
sale which hapned on the 22nd of July 1747 after the ship came
to an ancor at Wecomica in St. Mary's Conty Maryland which all
the following gentlemen did atend: Jestinian Wharton, Mr
Edward Digs, Mr John and Joseph Lancasters and Mr. Thomson all
of St Marys countie and Mr. William Digs commissioned by a
great many more gentlemen out of Prince Georges countie
Maryland, who bought all 88 that was aboarde our shipe except
three or four that went with two of the common buckskins, them
that are born in the countrie, for so they are called..Doctor
Stewart and his brother, William, both living in Annopolis and
both brothers to David Steward of Ballachalun in Montieth,
Scotland who were all my loyal masters friends and paid the
nine pound shilings sterling money that was my price when sold
to Mr. Benedict Callvert in Ananopolis who is a verie pretie
fellow and one who hade my being set at libertied at heart as
much as any man in the province.
Going
Home....
And now being at my own libertie, I came down the countrie
from Annopolis and got the len of a horse from Mr. Callvert,
26 miles down to Mr. Ignasious Digs in Prince George county
and a servant fro Mr. Digs, 17 miles down to Mr. Henre Neils
and from Mr. Neils two horses and servant. 10 miles down to
Portobaco to one Mr. Collen Mitchell who keeps a great ins
their and who used me verie sivale and never would take
anything from me neither in passin nor repassing and their I
meet with my good freind, Mr. John Mushet and his brother,
Doctor Mushet wher I stayed when I had the ague and wanted for
nothing that house and shopes could afoord me..These two
Mushes are sister sons of old Lendricks in Stirlingshire
Scotland..And from that I went twenty miles down to widow
Neils and her son in law, Mr. Edward Digs who was one of the
gentlemen that assisted in purchasing my freedom and I stayed
theire till Mr. Mushet found out an honest man, a captain of a
ship called the Peggie of Dumfries bound for Dumfreece and one
David Blair who was lying at Matticks in Virgine , only seven
miles of Potomock River to cross and 11 of January 1748, I
took my livee of all my friends and went aboard on the 19th of
the month, it was the 28th before we set sail down
the river towards the Capes with an easterly wind to put in to
Hampton Road and their we ropt anchors and lay for 12 days..On
the 13th of February 1748, we got clear of the Capes and put
to sea and in 27 days we saw the Irish land, and yet because
of contrary winds we sailed back and for in St George Channel
till 24th of March and was obliged to put in to Campbell toun
in Argyleshire being more merchants that was coming for
Scotland and because it was a verie long way to travel by land
to Edinburgh and asked the favour of the Captain if he could
heear of any fishing boats going to Air or Irven or Saltcots
which accordingly he found one Mr. Knight goin for Saltcots on
the Monday morning at four in the morning. And then I asked
him what my passage wa to be and told me he would make a
present of that till he would see me in France and then we
shall speak about it.. To which Knight agreed to for say
Blair, Mr Knight I give my word for it supose he has been
transported , it was for no bad action fro for loaltie to his
king and his countrie. So says Knight, was it for that then
Captin says he..If it was for that I would give him or any of
his master's men their passage ten times over. On Monday
the 28th of March 1748, we parted our ways and I came to
Livestoun and stayed overnight and came to Coltbride and took
a bottle of ale to myself. I was oblidged to make a turn
towards Breads hills till night about nine oclock at night the
firs of Aprile I came safe in to Edinburh from my long and
tedius journey. While I was among strangeers in Edinburg I had
the honour and good fortune once more to see my royal Princes
good and faithful friends and mind: Jestinian Wharton,
Edward Digs, John and Joseph Lancaster, Mr. Thomson,
Ignashious Digs William Digs Doctor Stewart, William Stewart,
John Mushet, Doctor Mushet,
and collin Mitchell in Portobacco who were all concerned in my
releasement.
Sir..To
the best of my knowledge in the morning of the 14th of
February 1746 as I can remeber his royal higness being in the
house of Lochmoy belonging to the Lair of M'Intosh.....
When Stewart had done with his own history I desire him to
recollect himself and to note down exactly all he could
remember of the design of surprising the Prince and of making
him prisoner at Macintosh's house cause I knew that Stewart
was in Mackintosh house that night....
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