in favour of the succession of the house of Hanover to the crown of Great Britain, so now he was affected with peculiar joy, to hear that the settlement of that crown had, in its due time, actually taken effect, by the proclaiming of king George; the rather because it visibly tended to the promoting the protestant religion, and the true interest and welfare of the British nation; and that, in case of need, he was ready to employ all the power which God had put into his hands, in assisting to maintain that succession against all who might offer to dispute it." His minister in Holland also, in the name of the king his master, invited his Britannic majesty to lodge in the old court at the Hague, which had fallen to the king of Prussia by the death of king William. This invitation the king of Great Britain politely accepted, and the palace was instantly fitted up for his majesty's reception. His majesty king George's preparations for leaving his paternal dominions, which, owing to the immense concourse of deputations that crowded his court, occupied the month of August, being finished, on the last day of that month, he set out from the palace of Herrenhausen, followed by the prince, the inhabitants of the country expressing the deepest sorrow for the departure of a sovereign under whose mild government they had enjoyed so great a degree of happiness. His majesty and the prince arrived the same day at Doepenau, where they lodged for the night, and next day proceeded to Ippenburg. On the second of September they came to Twickel, a seat belonging to count de Wassenaer d' Opdam, who entertained them for the night, and the next day they proceeded to Voorst, where they were elegantly entertained and lodged by the earl of Albemarle, who, at that time, had his residence there. On the fourth, the deputies of the states general received and complimented his majesty on their frontier, and that same day he advanced to Utrecht. Here his majesty and the prince. were complimented by the deputies of the states of the province, after which, they went aboard a yacht of the states, and the same night reached Woerden, where they were received by the earl of Albemarle, and the other deputies of the states of the province of Holland, under discharges of cannon, a gun being fired for every year of his majesty's life. On the fifth, his majesty, in lord Albemarle's coach, followed by six others, and attended by a detachment of horse guards, proceeded to Leyden, where the same number of guns were discharged as at Woerden, and, about five in the evening, arrived at the Hague, amidst the acclamations of a vast concourse of people.* His majesty's reception at the Hague, was of the most flattering description. He was complimented by all the deputies, followed wherever he went by an immense concourse of people, who expressed in his presence such rapturous joy as if he had been their natural sovereign. He was attended by the national guards, and had "a company of grenadiers, in goodly apparel, and richly embroidered caps, assigned him to wait around his table, so long as he remained in the country." Here he had the satisfaction of learning that his accession to the British throne had had the effect of quickening the progress of all the treaties pending in Europe, the treaty of peace between the emperor and France having been signed at Baden upon the twenty-fifth of August, and the treaties of peace and commerce between the states general and the king of Spain, much about the same time, ratified by that monarch without any restrictions. Here also he was waited upon with congratulatory addresses by all the foreign ambassadors, to whom he gave private audiences; and here he had a letter from his secretary of state for Scotland, the earl of Marr, soliciting his particular notice, and promising the most dutiful obedience, and faithful service in whatever his majesty might be pleased to employ him.† Rae's History of the Rebellion, pp. 79-85. The following is a copy of Marr's letter to his majesty, and of an address of one hundred and two chief heritors and heads of clans in the Highlands of Scotland to George I. upon his accession, sent to the earl of Marr to be presented, but which, by court intrigue, he was prevented from delivering, copied from the original, in the museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland : "Sir, "Having the happiness to be your majesty's subject, and also the honour of being one of your servants, as one of your secretaries of state, I beg leave by this to kiss your majesty's hand, and congratulate your majesty's On the fourteenth of September, his majesty's baggage was sent down the Maese to the Briel, and on the sixteenth, the king and prince, having taken leave of the states' deputies, who, with a great number of nobility and gentry, waited upon them to the sea side, embarked at Orange Polder, about one o'clock in the afternoon, his majesty aboard the Peregrine, and the prince on board the William and Mary yacht, and, happy accession to the throne, which I would have done myself the honour of doing sooner, had I not hoped to have the pleasure of doing it ere now. “I am afraid I may have had the misfortune of being misrepresented to your majesty, and my reason of thinking so is, because I was, I believe, the only one of the late queen's servants, whom your ministers here did not visit; . which I mentioned to Mr. Harley and the earl of Clarendon, when they went from hence to wait on your majesty; and your ministers carrying so to me, was the occasion of my receiving such orders, as deprived me of the honour and satisfaction of waiting on them and being known to them. I suppose I had been misrepresented to them by some here, upon account of party, or to ingratiate themselves by aspersing others, as our parties here too often occasion; but I hope your majesty will be so just, as not to give credit to such misrepresentations. "The part I acted in bringing about and making of the Union, when the succession to the crown was settled for Scotland on your majesty's family, where I had the honour to serve as secretary of state for that kingdom, doth, I hope, put my sincerity and faithfulness to your majesty out of dispute. "My family had the honour, for a great tract of years, to be faithful servants to the crown, and have had the care of the king's children (when king of Scotland) intrusted to them. A predecessor of mine was honoured with the care of your majesty's grandmother when young; and she was pleased afterwards to express some concern for our family in letters, which I still have, under ber own hand. "I had the honour to serve her late majesty, in one capacity or other, ever since her accession to the crown. I was happy in a good mistress, and she was pleased to have some confidence in me, and regard for my service; and since your majesty's happy accession to the crown, I hope you will find that I have not been wanting in my duty, in being instrumental in keeping things quiet and peaceable in the country to which I belong and have some interest in. "Your majesty shall ever find me as faithful and dutiful a subject and servant, as ever any of my family have been to the crown, or as I have been to my late mistress the queen. And I beg your majesty may be so good not to believe any misrepresentations of me, which nothing but party hatred, and my zeal for the interest of the crown doth occasion; and I hope I may presume to lay claim to your royal favour and protection. "As your accession to the crown hath been quiet and peaceable, may your majesty's reign be long and prosperous; and that your people may soon have having joined the squadron of Dutch and British men of war that waited for them, under the command of admiral Berkely, at the mouth of the Maese, sailed for England with a fair wind. Next day, about nine in the evening, they arrived safe at the Hope, near Gravesend, where they anchored till next morning, when, there being a thick fog, the yachts did not go up the river till the afternoon. The magistrates of Gravesend the happiness and satisfaction of your presence among them, is the earnest and fervent wishes of him who is with the humblest duty and respect, Sir, Your majesty's most faithful, Most dutiful, and most obedient Whitehall, August 30th, O. S. 1714. Subject and servant, MAR." The following is the address of the Highland chieftains above mentioned : "May it please your majesty, "We of the chief heritors and others in the Highlands of Scotland under subscribing, beg leave to express the joy of our hearts at your majesty's happy accession to the crown of Great Britain. Your majesty has the blood of our ancient monarchs in your veins, and in your family; may that royal race ever continue to reign over us. Your majesty's princely virtues, and the hope we have in your royal family of an uninterrupted succession of kings to sway the British sceptre, must extinguish these divisions and contests, which in former times too much prevailed, and unite all who have the happiness to live under your majesty, into a firm obedience and loyalty to your majesty's person, family, and government; and as our predecessors have for many ages had the honour to distinguish themselves by their loyalty, so we do most humbly assure your majesty, that we will reckon it our honour stedfastly to adhere to you, and with our lives and fortunes to support your crown and dignity against all opposers. "Pardon us, great Sir, to implore your royal protection against any who labour to misrepresent us, and who rather use their endeavours to create misunderstandings, than to engage the hearts of your subjects to that loyalty and cheerful affectionate obedience which we owe, and are ready to testify towards your majesty. Under so excellent a king, we are persuaded, that we, and all your other peaceable faithful subjects, shall enjoy their just rights and liberties, and that our enemies shall not be able to hurt us with your majesty, for whose royal favour we presume humbly to hope, as our forefathers were honoured with that of your majesty's ancestors. Our mountains, though undervalued by some, are nevertheless acknowledged to have, in all times, been fruitful in producing hardy and gallant men, and such we hope shall never be embraced the opportunity of waiting upon his majesty, with a loyal address, congratulating him on his accession to the throne, and his safe arrival in Britain; they were graciously received, and had the honour of kissing hands on the occasion. About noon the yachts weighed anchor and sailed up the river. After sailing some miles above Gravesend, the king and the prince went into a barge, which landed them at wanting amongst us, who shall be ready to undergo all dangers in defence of your majesty's, and your royal posterity's, only rightful title to the crown of Great Britain. Our behaviour shall always witness for us, that, with unalterable firmness and zeal, we are, May it please your majesty, Alex. M'Donell of Glengarie Farq. M'Gilleray of Dunmaglass D. Mackdonald Rod. Chisholm of Comer Your majesty's most loyal, Alex. M'Donell of Easter Cullachy Jo. M'Donell of Oberchalder Most obedient, and most dutiful Tavish McTavish Pellelyne Lachlan M'Kinnon of Breckinsh Alexander Fraser of Glenuakie Jo. M'Lennon of that Ilk Do. M'Leed of Contalich, tutor of M Donald McLeod of Talasker Alex. M Donald of Cleonag Ae. M'Donell of Tulloch Jo. Fraser of Kinbrely John Fraser of Drumond Alexander M'Kenzie of Fraserdale W. MacDonell of Keappoch Ronald McDonald of Coronsie |