Plan of the Tories to cut off the Protestant Succession. THE OTHER IS TO THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE: *Cousin, "AN accident which has happened in my lord Paget's family, having hindered him to set forward so soon as he thought to "have done, I cannot defer any longer letting you know my thoughts, with respect to the design you have of coming into "my kingdoms. As the opening of this matter ought to have "been first me, so I expected you would not have given ear to "it without knowing my thoughts about it: however, what I "owe to my own dignity, the friendship I have for you and the "electoral house to which you belong, joined to the true desire "I have that it may succeed to my kingdoms, oblige me to tell you, that nothing can be more dangerous to the tranquillity of "my dominions, and the right of succession in your line, and "consequently more disagreeable to me, than such a proceeding at this juncture. St. James's, May 19th, 1714. "I am with a great deal of friendship, "Your affectionate Cousin." At the same time the earl of Oxford, to cover his traiterous designs against the said succession, sent the following letter to the duke of Cambridge, wherein he dissembled the lowest submission, profound veneration and respect to this royal duke and the Protestant succession, when, at the same time, he was labouring to undermine it. E 66 66 Plan of the Tories to cut off the Protestant Succession. I "THO' I expect Mr Harley every moment in return from your "Court, and thereby shall have another opportunity of doing my"self the honour to present your Royal Highness with my most "humble duty, and the assurance of my utmost service : yet cannot slip this occasion of the Queen's messenger attending "your Royal Highness with her Majesty's letter, to lay myself at your feet. I have no enemy that knows me, who is not just "enough to allow me to be inviolably attached to your succes "sion, nothing coming into competition with that; because I "know I please the Queen when I am zealous for the service of your serene house. I hope therefore I shall find credit with your Royal Highness, when I humbly lay my sincere opinion before "you. The Queen is most heartily for your succession: if there "be any thing which may render it more secure, which is con"sistent with her majesty's safety, it will be accomplished. It "is not the eager desire of some, nor what flows from the advice "of others, whose discontents perhaps animated their zeal, can "balance the security you have in the Queen's friendship, and "the dutiful affection of all her faithful subjects; for, as I am "sure your Royal Highness's great wisdom would not chuse to "rule by a party, so you will not let their narrow measures be "the standard of your government. I doubt not but the acci"dent that happened about the Writ, may be improved to en"crease the most perfect friendship between the Queen and your "most serene family. I still study to do every thing to demon"strate the profound veneration and respect wherewith I am, "May it please your Royal Highness, "Your Royal Highness's most dutiful, "most humble and most obedient Servant, OXFORD. Plan of the Tories to cut off the Protestant Succession. But, to return to a narration of things in due order, Upon the 1st of May 1714, the privy council of Ireland rejected the mayor and sheriffs of Dublin chose by the Aldermen, the gentlemen so chosen being enemies to Popery; and the worthy recorder and a great many other persons of distinction, who voted for these true Protestants, had fallen a sacrifice to the impious mobs, if one Captain Hales, noted for his zeal to his country, had not seasonably come in with some guards to their re lief, for which noble action that officer was ordered to be discarded. And the Commons of Ireland, in their zeal for the Hanover succession and the Protestant interest having offered a reward to any who should apprehend and bring in the Chevalier, dead or alive, in case he should land in the kingdom of Ireland, were mightily reproached by the Jacobites. And these worthy patriots observing the danger that was coming on the nation by the male-administration of those times, addressed the queen for removing Sir Constantine Phipps from being chancellor ; but this favour was denied them: and for that address, and other such generous actions in favour of the Protestant religion and Hanoverian succession that Parliament was dissolved. Upon the 14th of May, an hundred and fifty men, listed for the Chevalier, were all in a body in that kingdom, ready to sail for France; and in a Plan of the Tories to cut off the Protestant Succession. few weeks after, others were listed in and about London, by two Irish officers. In a word, the Papists in Ireland had been so much countenanced since the change of the former ministry, that by this time they appeared every where in great numbers, were daily providing themselves with arms, and talking of a speedy revolution to their advantage. A few days after this, the general assembly of the church of Scotland sent up an address to her majesty, wherein they set forth the extraordinary growth of Popery, there, and the bold and insolent carriage of Popish bishops, Priests and Jesuits; and their going publicly to mass, and confirming great numbers of people (especially in the north) as in Popish countries; but I have heard of no redress. But on the other hand, the address of the Jacobite highlanders in Argyle-shire, and that of the Jacobite épiscopal clergy in the diocess of Aberdeen, presented to her majesty some weeks before, (April 10th 1714) were graciously received, and Dumcan Campbell of Lochinell, who presented the former, had the honour of knighthood conferred upon him by her majesty and leave was given by the Parliament to Mr Lockhart of Carnwath, Mr Jas. Murray and other Jacobite members, to bring in a bill for enquiring into all gifts of the bishop's rents in Scotland, made since the Revolution, that the same might be uplifted for the use of the foresaid Plan of the Tories to cut off the Protestant Succession. clergy; as appears from the votes. And the Papists and other Jacobites in the south, had also frequent meetings, and sometimes publicly espoused the Chevalier's interest, as the following remarkable instance will make evident. Upon Saturday the 29th of May, there was a great confluence of gentlemen and country people at Lochmaben, on the occasion of a horse-race there; two plates, which were the prizes, had peculiar devices: the one had a Woman with ballances in her hand, the emblem of Justice, and over: the head was Justitia and at a little distance, Suum Cuique. The other had several men with their heads downwards, in a tumbling posture; and one eminent person erected above the rest with that cripture, Ezek. 21. 27. I will Overturn, Overturn, Overturn it, and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him. After the race, the Popish and Jacobite gentry, such as Francis Maxwel of Tinwall, John Maxwel his brother, Robert Johnston of Wamphrey, Robert Carruthers of Rammerscales, the master of Burleigh, (who was. afterwards under sentence of death for murder, and a little before he was to have been executed, from the tolbooth of Edinburgh made his escape) with -several others, went to the cross, where in a very, solemn manner, before hundreds, with drums beating and colours displayed, they did, upon their knees, drink their King's health. The year before, |