Jacobites as a fit place for the chevalier to land with his foreign auxiliaries, Galloway was an object of particular attention with both parties, and major James Aikman was despatched from Edinburgh, about the end of July, to oversee the preparations there going on, and to advise with the inhabitants upon the measures that might be found necessary upon the approach of an enemy. Major Aikman accordingly reviewed the fencible men in the upper ward of Nithsdale, on Marjory Muir, in the beginning of August, and afterwards held a meeting with the principal inhabitants of the district at Closeburn. He was accompanied by Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, Gordon of Earlston, Mr. James Nimmo from Edinburgh, Mr. John Pollock, minister of Glencairn, &c. &c., when it was unanimously agreed:-"First, that each parish be modelled into companies, and proper officers chosen to that effect. Secondly, That each parish exercise twice or thrice in the week. Thirdly, That upon the first advice of the pretender's landing, each parish should meet by themselves, in some convenient place appointed for that effect, there to concert what is proper to be done, either with their horse or foot; and it was earnestly desired, that they should bring their best arms and ammunition along with them to that place. Fourthly, That upon the first notice of the pretender's arrival at Lochryan, Kirkcudbright upon the borders, or in the Frith of Leith, in case he should land there, Sanquhar should be the place of rendezvous for the western shires. Fifthly, that upon the enemy's landing in any of these places, all the horses and cattle should be driven from the coasts into the country, and that a body of horsemen wait on, to hinder their plundering the country and seizing of horses, if possible. Sixthly, That there be a party of light horse or foot in each parish, to join with such in neighbouring parishes, to hinder the Jacobites in the country from joining with the French, to interrupt their communications, and to harass their parties; and in order to this, that all roads leading to the enemy should be stopped, and persons travelling towards them in arms secured. Seventhly, That all boats upon the western coast be secured, to prevent the Jacobites from going to the French fleet upon their first appearance, their carrying provisions to them, or assisting them in their landing. And

Lastly, That our friends in every particular district, fall upon ways and means to make the above said particulars effectual." Kelso, and the neighbouring country, exhibited the same spirit of loyalty and affection to the government, and encouraged by their minister, Mr. Ramsay, Sir William Bennet of Grubbet, and Sir John Pringle of Stitchel, the inhabitants subscribed an association, "Binding and obliging themselves, by the blessing of God, to assist and stand by one another, in defence of their lawful sovereign king George, the succession of the crown, happily established by law, and the protestant religion, in opposition to a popish pretender, and all his abettors;" and were formed into regular companies, trained and armed for their own and their country's defence. The same spirit, indeed, pervaded the whole country except where the clergy were episcopal, and the principal heritors Jacobites, and even where this was manifestly the case, the people in general seemed to have nothing so much at heart as the security of their religion and liberties from the dangers with which they were now so evidently threatened.

Many individuals in different places of the nation also, whom it would be tedious to particularize, eminently distinguished themselves on this occasion, but none more than the earl of Glasgow, who, living in the vicinity of the Highlands, and aware of the clans being, for the most part, in the interest of the chevalier, as well as of the paucity of regular troops in the kingdom, made offer to his majesty, to raise, and maintain at his own proper charge, one thousand men, for which he had the thanks of his majesty, with an assurance, that for an offer so generous, and so seasonable, he would not fail to be rewarded with marks of especial favour.+

While these preparations were going thus rapidly forward at home, the chevalier and his friends were equally busy abroad; and they flattered themselves with being able to make an attempt in a short time that would be irresistible. In France, Germany, Switzerland, and among the states of Italy, vast sums were collected for his service, under the immediate

• Rae's History of the Rebellion, p. 185. Douglas' Peerage, by Wood, vol. i. p. 629.

influence of the see of Rome, among the devotees to which, the design must have been regarded as peculiarly holy, being calculated at once to revive, in some degree, the long eclipsed splendour of the pontiff, preserve a royal dynasty from final degradation and disgrace, and to be the salvation of three kingdoms. Some estimate may be made of the sums collected, by the complaints of the agents of the chevalier at St. Germains, upon the failure of the design, "that the partisans of the cause in Scotland had spent twelve millions upon the business, and had accomplished nothing but the ruin of their friends."*

Of the money thus collected, an hundred thousand pounds sterling was said to have been transmitted to the earl of Marr, with letters and instructions, under the chevalier's own hand, and a commission appointing him lieutenant-general, and commander-in-chief of all his forces, as he called them, in Scotland, which induced that nobleman to throw off the mask of loyalty to king George, which he had, ever since that monarch's accession to the throne, worn rather ostentatiously, but which had failed to produce those honourable marks of distinction which his lordship so ardently desired. His offers of service and duty he had the mortification to find neglected, and the address from the Jacobite chiefs, which was intended to set him high in his majesty's favour, he dared not to present, being told that his majesty had certain information that it was prepared at St. Germains. His majesty, indeed, was too well informed, and had too deep a feeling upon the subject of the plots carried on in the last years of queen Anne, to look with complacency upon the earl of Marr; and the course of inquiry which the parliament was so eagerly pursuing, was calculated to awaken fear in every bosom that was in any degree tainted with guilt; besides, the suspension of the habeas corpus, and the vigorous measures which the government was adopting, probably gave him ground to apprehend immediate imprisonment, which would have blasted for ever those high hopes which he had all along too fondly cherished.

• Annals of George I., vol. vi. p. 118.

+ Douglas' Peerage of Scotland, by Wood, vol. ii. p. 218.

To avoid a danger so imminent, and a catastrophe in his estimation so fatal, his lordship plunged at once into the vortex of rebellion, by which he brought a great calamity upon his bleeding country, and involved himself and his family in ruin.

After having been at court in the morning, August the eighth, he embarked aboard a collier at Gravesend, in company with a general Hamilton and a major Hay, and two servants, all in disguise, and on the second or third day after, landed at Newcastle, where they hired a vessel belonging to one Spence, which set them ashore at Ely in Fife. Here they were joined by Alexander Areskine, lord lyon king at arms, and other of their friends, with whom they proceeded on their way to Kinnoul on the seventeenth. On the eighteenth they crossed the Tay a little below Perth, with about fifty horse. Next day letters were written to all the Jacobites in that country, inviting them to meet the earl of Marr without delay at Braemar, Aberdeenshire, where he arrived about the twentieth of August.

Though the flight of the earl of Marr was thus precipitate, there is every reason to suppose it was not unpremeditated. His friends in Scotland must have been apprized of it beforehand, for early in August captain John Dalzell, a half-pay officer, who, in view of this rebellion, had previously thrown up his commission to the earl of Orkney, was sent to give the alarm to his brother, the earl of Carnwath, then at Elliock. From Elliock despatches were sent express to the earl of Nithsdale, viscount Kenmure, and others of their friends in the south. The earl of Nithsdale came the same day to consult with them, and, after some time spent in preparing others to embark with them in their unhappy project, they repaired secretly to their stations, and it was given out that they were gone to a hunting in the north.*

We have already seen that hunting and horse racing were frequently used as pretences for assembling the Jacobites in great numbers, and the same expedient was again, on this

* Rae's History of the Rebellion, p. 188. Douglas' Peerage of Scotland, by Wood, vol. i. p. 218.