France and Canada, as well as the grand bulwark of her fisheries. And it was considered by the English colonies as the Dunkirk of America; as it afforded protection to a swarm of French frigates and privateers, that ruined their trade, and pillaged them with impunity.

Influenced by these considerations, the British ministry were induced to listen to the proposals of the people of NewEngland, who offered to undertake the reduction of Louisburg. Commodore Warren, then stationed at Antigua, was accordingly ordered to proceed to the northward, with a stout squadron, in order to protect the transports, and cooperate with the New-England militia; which, to the number of six thousand, were embarked, under the conduct of Mr. Pepperel, a trader of Piscataqua, and landed without opposition within four miles of the place. The besiegers, though inexperienced, were brave: the officers of the marines directed their operations; and commodore Warren, though foiled in every attempt to enter the harbour, was able effectually to cut off all supplies. Seeing no prospect of relief, and threatened with a general assault, the governor, doubtful of the fidelity of his garrison, agreed to surrender the town; and the whole island of Cape-Breton, or (as the French pompously called it) Isle Royale, immediately submitted to the victors'.

APRIL 30.

This conquest, the importance of which was much magnified, contributed greatly to confirm the zeal of the friends to the protestant succession in Scotland; and if vigorous measures had been taken by government, the rebellion might have been crushed in its birth. But George II. being then at Hanover, the regency, appointed during his absence, slighted every information relative to the enterprise of the young pretender, until all North-Britain was threatened with subjection. They could not believe he would have the hardiness to land without a powerful foreign force; so that

7. Id. ibid. Douglas's Summary vol. ii. Smollet, vol. xi.

Charles'

Charles's very weakness, under the veil of his temerity, may be said to have advanced his progress. Descending from the mountains with the rapidity of a torrent, at the head of his hardy and intrepid Highlanders, he took possession of Dunkeld, Perth, and Dundee; every where proclaiming his father, the chevalier de St. George, king of Great-Britain, and seizing the public money for his use. At Perth he re

viewed his forces, and found them to amount to about three thousand men. Here he was joined by the viscount Strathallan, lord Nairm, lord George Murray, brother to the duke of Athol, by the young and sanguine duke of Perth3, and several other persons of distinction. And the marquis of Tullibardine having taken possession of the estate of Athol, which his younger brother inherited, as well as the title, in consequence of his attainder, was able to bring some accession of strength to the cause which he had espoused.

Emboldened by these promising appearances, the young pretender proceeded to Dumblane; and having crossed the Perth, in the neighbourhood of Stirling, advanced towards Edinburgh, after making a feint of marching to Glasgow. Meanwhile sir John Cope, commander in chief of the king's forces in Scotland, afraid to face the rebels, marched northward as far as Inverness, under pretence of forming a junction with some loyal clans; leaving, by that movement, the capital and the whole low-country at the mercy of the enemy.

The inhabitants of Edinburgh seemed at first determined on a bold resistance; but on the nearer approach of the re

8. The head of this nobleman's family, which was strongly attached to the house of Stuart, having accompanied James II. into France, was there created a duke. He himself had been educated in that kingdom; and succeeding unexpectedly to the family estate, he had lately come over to GreatBritain. On his arrival, he flew with ardor into all the gaieties of the age, and adapted himself to every mode of pleasure, which he pursued with the appearance of giddy dissipation, while forming the plan of an extensive rebellion. He was the soul of the jacobite party.

bels,

bels, their resolution began to fail. They were apprehensive of a general pillage, and even of a massacre; if the place should be carried by assault, against which its ruinous and extensive walls were but a slender security The magistrates, therefore, entered into a treaty with the pretender for the surrender of the town. But before the terms were finally settled, a body of Highlanders being treacherously admitted at one of the gates in the night, took possession of the city guard-house; and opening the other gates to their associates, made themselves masters of that ancient capital by morning. The castle, however, still held out. And thither had been carried, on the approach of the rebels, the treasure of the two Scottish banks, and the most valuable effects of the inhabitants.

In order to avoid the fire from the castle, which being seated on a rock to the westward of the town, commands the whole neighbourhood, Charles made a circuit to the east, and took up his residence in the palace of Holyroodhouse, the kingly dwelling of his ancestors. Here he kept a kind of court: and being attended by a number of noblemen and gentlemen, who acted as officers of state, he issued an order, with all the formality of lawful authority, for solemnly proclaiming his father at the cross of Edinburgh. The ceremony was performed accordingly; and, at the same time, three manifestos were read by the pursuivants. In the first manifesto, the old pretender asserted his right to the crown of Scotland, declaimed against the union, lamented the hardships to which the Scots had been exposed in consequence of it, and complained bitterly of the injuries his faithful Highlanders had suffered from the established government. He promised to call a free parliament, to abolish the malt-duty, and all other grievous impositions and taxes that had been laid on them since the union; to restore the Scottish nation to its ancient liberty and independency; to protect, secure, and maintain all his protestant subjects in the free exercise of their religion, and in the full enjoyment of

their rights, privileges and immunities. By the second manifesto, he constituted his son Charles sole regent of his dominions, and particularly of the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland, during his absence. The third manifesto was in the name of the young pretender; and Charles, after enforcing all that had been said in his father's first declaration, commanded obedience to himself as prince-regent9.

In the meantime general Cope, being joined by some well-affected Highlanders, had embarked his troops at Aberdeen and landed at Dunbar, where he was reinforced with two regiments of dragoons, that had retired from the neighbourhood of Edinburgh on the approach of the enemy. Confident of success, he began his march toward the capital, with a well-appointed army; but understanding that the rebels were advancing to give him battle, he pitched his camp near Prestonpans, having the village of Tranert in his front and the sea in his rear. His troops, consisting of between four and five thousand men, lay all night on their arms: and early next morning SEPT. 16. the young pretender advanced in hostile array, at the head of about three thousand undisciplined and half-armed Highlanders, whose furious gestures and rapid movements, seen dimly through the retiring darkness, excited unusual emotions of terror in the hearts of the English soldiers. These emotions were not allowed to subside. Charles himself, standing in the first line, gave the word of command; and drawing his sword, threw away the scabbard'. The Highlanders rushed on to the attack like so many sturdy savages, regardless of the fire of the artillery. The king's troops were thrown into disorder, and totally routed. The dragoons instantly left the field, and could never after be rallied. Five hundred of the foot were killed, and fifteen hundred made prisoners. Among the former was the gallant colonel Gardiner, who fell

9. Contin. of Rapin, vol. ix. and the periodical publications of the times. 10. Id ibid.

covered

covered with many wounds. Never, in a word, was any victory more complete; the military chest, cannon, colours, camp-equipage and baggage of the royal army, fell into the hands of the rebels.

Had the pretender marched into England immediately after this victory, before the British troops were recalled from Flanders, or any foreign succours could be procured, he would probably have accomplished the great object of his enterprize. But instead of taking advantage of the consternation occasioned by the defeat of the king's forces in Scotland, he returned to the palace of Holyrood-house, to enjoy the vain parade of royalty. Edinburgh proved the Capua of Charles. There, intoxicated with the flatteries of needy expectants, and seduced by the blandishments of the jacobite ladies, longing for his princely benediction, he wantonly wasted his time till the critical moment was past; while his hungry followers blunted the edge of their ferocity in social indulgences, or broke the nerve of their courage in fruitless efforts to reduce the castle, and get possession of the public treasure. Meantime he was joined by the earl of Kilmarnock, and by the lords Balmerino, Pitsligo, Elcho, and Ogilvie. And it was at last resolved to march into England.

In consequence of that resolution, Charles published a new manifesto, said to be composed by himself, in which he promised, in his father's name, all manner of security to the protestant religion and the established church, and declared that he would pass any law the parliament should judge necessary for that purpose. "That the public debt "has been contracted under an unlawful government, no"body," says he, "can disown, any more than that it is "now a most heavy load upon the nution: yet, in regard it "is due to those very subjects, whom our royal father "promises to protect, cherish, and defend, he is resolved "to take the advice of of his parliament concerning it; in "which he thinks he acts the part of a just prince, who "makes the good of his people the sole rule of his actions. Furthermore,