notwithstanding their long and remarkably good services, have been treated, since the peace, with neglect and contempt, and particularly in Holland; and it's not now the officer's long service, merit, and blood they have lost, but money and favour, by which they can obtain justice in their preferments; so that it's evident, the safety of his Majesty's person, and the independency of his kingdoms, call loudly for immediate relief and defence.

"The consideration of these unhappy circumstances, with the due regard we have to common justice, the peace and quiet of us and our posterity, and our duty to his Majesty, and his commands, are the powerful motives which have engaged us in our present undertaking, which we are firmly and heartily resolved to push to the utmost, and stand by one another to the last extremity, as the only solid and effectual means of putting an end to so dreadful a prospect as by our present situation we have before our eyes. With faithful hearts, true to our rightful king, our country, and our neighbours, we earnestly beseech and expect (as his Majesty commands) the assistance of all our true fellow-subjects to second our attempt; declaring hereby our sincere intentions that we will promote and concur in all lawful means, for settling a lasting peace to these lands, under the auspicious government of our native-born rightful sovereign, the direction of our own domestic councils, and the protection of our native forces and troops. That we will in the same manner concur, and endeavour to have our laws, liberties and properties, secured by the parliaments of both kingdoms, that by the wisdom of such parliaments, we

will endeavour to have such laws enacted as shall give absolute security to us, and future ages, for the Protestant religion, against all efforts of arbitrary power, Popery, and all its other enemies.

"Nor have we any reason to be distrustful of the goodness of God, the truth and purity of our holy religion, or the known excellence of his Majesty's judgment, as not to hope that, in due time, good example, and conversation with our learned divines, will remove those prejudices which we know his education in a Popish country has not riveted in his own discerning mind; and we are sure, as justice is a virtue in all religions and professions, so, the doing of it to him will not lessen his good opinion of ours. That as the King is willing to give his royal indemnity for all that is past, so he will cheerfully concur in passing general acts of oblivion, that our fellow-subjects, who have been misled, may have a fair opportunity of living with us, in the same friendly manner that we design to live with them. That we will use our endeavours for redressing the bad usage of our troops abroad, and bringing the troops at home on the same footing and establishment of pay as those of England. That we will sincerely and heartily go into such measures as shall maintain effectually and establish a right, firm, and lasting union betwixt his Majesty's ancient kingdom of Scotland, and our good neighbours and fellow-subjects of the kingdom of England.

"The peace of these nations being thus settled, and we freed from foreign dangers, we will use our endeavours to have the army reduced to the usual number of guards and garrisons; and will concur in such laws and methods, as shall relieve

us of the heavy taxes and debts now lying upon us, and at the same time will support the public credit in all its parts. And we hereby faithfully promise and engage, that every officer who joins with us in our king and country's cause, shall not only enjoy the same post he now does, but shall be advanced and preferred according to his rank and station, and the number of men he brings off with him to us and each foot-soldier so joining us shall have twenty shillings sterling, and each trooper or dragoon who brings his horse and accoutrements along with him, twelve pounds sterling gratuity money, besides their pay. And, in general, we shall concur with all our fellow-subjects in such measures as shall make us flourish at home and be formidable abroad under our rightful sovereign, and the peaceable harmony of our ancient fundamental constitution, undisturbed by a pretender's interests and councils from abroad, or a restless faction at home. In so honourable, so good, and just a cause, we do not doubt of the assistance, direction, and blessing of Almighty God, who has so often succoured the royal family of Stuarts, and our country from sinking under oppression."

CHAPTER III.

MAR'S DESCENT UPON THE LOWLANDS, AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE INSURRECTION

IN ENGLAND.

Buckingham, backed with the hardy Welshmen,
Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

Richard III.

WHILE the Earl of Mar was still lingering on the hills of Aberdeenshire, his friends at Edinburgh were defeated in a scheme, the success of which would have been of infinite importance to their cause. About eighty persons, chiefly Highlanders, and at the head of whom was Lord Drummond, a Catholic, had formed a plan for surprising the Castle of Edinburgh. Having gained over four soldiers in the garrison by dint of liberal promises, this party resolved, on the 9th of September, at nine o'clock at night, to scale the rock on which the Castle is built, at a place on the north side, near the Sally Port, where it is less precipitous and lofty than elsewhere. They had formed lad

ders of a peculiar construction, calculated to admit of four men at once, and which, being pulled up by one of the corrupted soldiers, were to be fastened to a strong stake within the wall. To have won Edinburgh Castle at the present juncture, would have been next thing to reducing the whole kingdom under the power of the Chevalier. In this fortress lay nearly all the stores upon which the government could calculate for arming their friends against the insurgents. It also contained an immense sum of money-upwards of a hundred thousand pounds, which had been sent down to Scotland at the time of the Union, as an equivalent or compensation for the distress which a full participation of the English taxes was expected to bring upon the eclat of poorer country. The very the thing would have been as good to the Earl of Mar as a victory won in a stricken field. He had concerted that, when the conspirators got possession, they should fire three cannon; which, being heard in Fife, should be a signal to some men there stationed, to light beacons on the tops of the hills; which beacons, being continued northward from hill to hill, should apprise him with telegraphic despatch; so that he could immediately follow up the triumph by pushing forward to Edinburgh, and completing the subjugation of Scotland.

This scheme, in every respect so well contrived, and calculated to be of such service to the cause of the insurgents, is said to have been marred by a circumstance almost as trivial as that which disarranged the conspiracy of Catiline. One of the principal Jacobites concerned, a Mr Arthur, had communicated the whole secret to his brother Dr