"I will do whatever you desire," she rejoined.
"I hope you will induce Mrs. Butler and Monica to stay with you, andthat I shall find them at Rawcliffe on my return. I would notanticipate disaster--but 'tis desirable to be prepared for the worst.Should ill success attend our enterprise, and I should be compelled toseek safety in flight, I might find a hiding-place in Rawcliffe Hall."
"No doubt," she rejoined. "You could easily be concealed there--evenshould strict search be made. All necessary preparations shall betaken. Whenever you arrive at Rawcliffe you will find all ready foryou. I will go there to-morrow, and I trust Mrs. Butler and Monicawill be able to follow immediately. Will you not see them?"
"Not now," he replied. "Bid them farewell for me. If I stay longer, myresolution might give way. Remember what I have said to you. In anyevent you are mistress of Rawcliffe. Adieu!"
Pressing her again to his breast, he rushed out of the room.
CHAPTER III.
A RETREAT RESOLVED UPON.
Mounting his horse, which he had left at the gate of Mrs. Butler'sresidence, and followed by Holden, Atherton rode towards thebridge--being obliged to pass through the town in order to gain theStockport road.
The place was still in a state of great confusion--none of the cavalryhaving as yet departed; but he contrived to make his way through thecrowded thoroughfares, and was soon in the open country.
At Didsbury he overtook the Manchester Regiment and had a longconversation with Colonel Townley, who explained to him that he meantto pass the night at Wilmslow.
Atherton then pursued his journey, crossed the Mersey at Cheadle, andcame up with the prince and the advanced guard about four miles fromMacclesfield. He was then sent on to make preparations for his royalhighness, and executed his task very satisfactorily.
On the following day, while the prince, with the infantry, continuedhis march to Leek, Lord George Gordon, with his regiment of horse,proceeded to Congleton, and Captain Legh received orders from hisroyal highness to accompany him.
At Congleton information being obtained that the Duke of Cumberlandwas posted at Newcastle-under-Lyne, with ten thousand men, Lord Georgewent thither to reconnoitre, and found that the duke, on hearing ofthe onward march of the insurgent forces, had retired with his army onLichfield.
With marvellous despatch Atherton rode across the country and broughtthe intelligence to Charles, who had arrived at Leek.
No change, however, was made in the prince's plans. He did not desirean engagement with the duke, but rather to elude him.
Accordingly, he pressed on, and on the fourth day after leavingManchester, arrived with his entire forces at Derby.
Charles was still full of confidence, and as he was now a day's marchnearer London than the enemy, he persuaded himself that he should beable to reach the capital without hazarding a battle. Though he hadbeen coldly received at all places since he left Manchester, and hadnot obtained any more recruits, he was not discouraged.
He fixed his head-quarters at a large mansion in Full Street, whichhas since been demolished.
On the morning after his arrival at Derby, he rode round the town,attended only by Colonel Ker and Captain Legh, and was very coldlyreceived by the inhabitants--no cheers attending his progress throughthe streets, and many of the houses being shut up.
Much dispirited by this unfavourable reception, he returned to hishead-quarters, where a council of war was held, which was attended byall the leaders of his army.
The general aspect of the assemblage was gloomy, and far fromcalculated to raise his spirits. Sir Thomas Sheridan alone seemed toretain his former confidence.
Graciously saluting them all, Charles said:
"I have summoned you, my lords and gentlemen, simply to inform youthat after halting for another day in Derby to refresh my troops, Ishall proceed with all possible despatch, and without another halt, ifI can avoid it--to London--there to give battle to the usurper. Fromthe feeling evinced towards me, I doubt not I shall obtain manyrecruits during the hurried march, and perhaps some importantreinforcements--but be this as it may, I shall persevere in mydesign."
He then looked round, but as he encountered only gloomy looks, and allcontinued silent, he exclaimed sharply:
"How is this? Do you hesitate to follow me further?"
"Since your royal highness puts the question to us," replied LordGeorge Gordon, gravely, "I am bound to answer it distinctly. We thinkwe have already done enough to prove our devotion. Feeling certain wehave no chance whatever of success, we decline to throw away ourlives. We have now reached the very heart of England, and our marchhas been unopposed, but we have obtained none of the largereinforcements promised us, and only a single regiment at Manchester.Scarcely any person of distinction has joined us--and very few havesent us funds. Since we left Manchester we have been everywhere coldlyreceived--and here, at Derby, we are regarded with unmistakableaversion. The populace are only held in check by our numbers. Furthersouth, the disposition would probably be still more unfavourable, andretreat would be out of the question. If your royal highness can showus letters from any persons of distinction promising aid, or canassure us that a descent upon the English shores will be made fromFrance, we are willing to go on. If not, we must consult our ownsafety."
"What do I hear?" cried the prince, who had listened in the utmostconsternation. "Would you abandon me--now that we have advanced sofar--now that victory is assured?"
"Our position is critical," replied Lord George. "If we advancefurther, our retreat will be cut off by Marshal Wade, who is close inour rear, and by the Duke of Cumberland, who has an army doubling ourown in number, only a few leagues from us. If we hazard a battle, andobtain a victory, the losses we should necessarily sustain would soweaken our forces, that without reinforcements, we could not hope tovanquish the large army which we know is encamped at Finchley tosecure the capital. Retreat is, therefore, unavoidable."
"Is this the unanimous opinion?" demanded Charles, looking anxiouslyround at the assemblage.
With the exception of Mr. Murray, the secretary, Sir Thomas Sheridan,and the Marquis d'Eguilles, every voice answered:
"It is."
"Then leave me," cried the prince, fiercely and scornfully. "Leave meto my fate. I will go on alone."
"If your royal highness will view the matter calmly, you will perceivethat we are not wanting in fidelity and attachment to your person inmaking this proposition," said Lord Kilmarnock. "The cause here ishopeless. Let us return to Scotland, where we shall findreinforcements and obtain aid and supplies from France."
"No; I will not return to Scotland ingloriously," cried Charles.
"Listen to me, prince," said the Duke of Perth. "There is everyinducement to return to Scotland, where a large force awaits you. Ihave just received intelligence that my brother, Lord John Drummond,has landed at Montrose with his regiment newly raised in France. Withthe Highlanders whom we left behind, this will make a largeforce--probably three thousand men."
"And no doubt there will be large additions," said Sir ThomasSheridan. "By this time the Irish Brigade must have embarked fromFrance, with the promised French regiments."
"There is nothing for it but a retreat to Scotland," said LordPitsligo. "It would be madness to face an army of thirty thousandmen."
"You are a traitor like the rest, Pitsligo," cried the prince,fiercely.
The old Scottish noble flushed deeply, and with difficulty masteredhis indignation.
"I never thought to hear that opprobrious term applied to me by one ofyour royal house, prince," he said. "But since you have stigmatisedall these loyal gentlemen in the same manner, I must bear the reproachas best I can."
"Forgive me, my dear old friend," cried Charles, seizing his hand, andpressing it warmly. "I meant not what I said. No one could possessstauncher friends than I do--no one could appreciate their devotionmore profoundly than myself. But my heart is crushed by this bitterand unexpected disappointment. It has come upon me like a clap ofthun
der--at the very moment when I anticipated success. Since it mustbe so, we will retreat, though it will half kill me to give the word.Leave me now, I pray of you. I will strive to reconcile myself to thealternative."
Thus enjoined, they all quitted the chamber, and Charles was leftalone.
Flinging himself into a chair he remained for some time with his faceburied in his hands.
When he raised his eyes, he saw Atherton standing beside him.
"I knew not you were here," said the prince.
"I came to learn your royal highness's commands," replied the other."Something, I fear, has greatly disturbed you."
"Disturbed me! ay!" cried Charles. "I am forced to retreat."
"By the enemy?" exclaimed Atherton.
"By my generals," replied Charles. "We shall advance no further. Youmay prepare to return to Manchester."
CHAPTER IV.
HOW THE MANCHESTER REGIMENT WAS WELCOMED ON ITS RETURN.
Charles could not shake off the bitter disappointment he experiencedat this sudden and unlooked-for extinction of his hopes. He had madeup his mind to march on London, and he thought his Highland army wouldfollow him. But he now discovered his mistake.
He did not go forth again during the day, but shut himself up in hisroom, and left Lord George Gordon and the Duke of Perth to make allarrangements necessary for the retreat.
They decided to pass through Manchester on the way to Carlisle. Themen were kept in profound ignorance of the change of plan, but whenthey discovered that they were retreating their rage anddisappointment found vent in the wildest lamentations. "Had they beenbeaten," says the Chevalier de Johnstone, "their grief could not havebeen greater." It was almost feared they would mutiny.
On the Manchester Regiment the retreat had a most dispiriting effect.Officers and men had joined on the understanding that they were tomarch to London, and they were deeply mortified when they found theywere to retreat to Scotland.
The men looked sullen and downcast, and so many desertions took placethat the ranks were perceptibly thinned. It was certain that two orthree of the officers only waited a favourable opportunity to escape.
On the third day the Manchester Regiment, which formed part of theadvanced guard, arrived at Macclesfield. Next morning, at an earlyhour, they proceeded to Manchester. Alarming reports had been spreadthat the Duke of Cumberland was in hot pursuit with his whole army;but the rumour turned out to be false.
If the officers and men composing the insurgent army expected areception like that they had previously experienced in Manchester,they were greatly mistaken. No sooner was the town cleared of theinvading army, than the Whigs and Presbyterians resumed theirinfluence, and the fickle mob changed with them.
Tumultuous crowds now went about the town shouting "Down with thePretender! Down with the Jacobites!" Nor did the authoritiesinterfere, but let them have their own way.
In consequence of this license great mischief was done. The mobthreatened to pull down Dr. Deacon's house in Fennel-street, broke hiswindows, and might have proceeded to frightful extremities if they hadlaid hands upon him.
Two days afterwards a rumour was designedly spread by thePresbyterians that Marshal Wade had arrived at Rochdale with his army,and would shortly enter Manchester; and this had the effect intendedof exciting the mob to further violence. The rumour, however, had nofoundation, and the tumult began to subside.
Meantime, the magistrates and many of the important personages who hadquitted the town, began to return, thinking the danger was past, andsomething like order was restored.
The position, however, of the Jacobites was by no means secure, sincedisturbances might at any time occur, and they were afforded verylittle protection.
After the lapse of a week, during which reliable intelligence had beenreceived that the Highland army had arrived at Derby withoutencountering any opposition, and even staunch Whigs had began to thinkthat the intrepid young prince would actually succeed in reachingLondon, news came that the rebels were retreating without a battle,and were then at Leek on their way back.
At first this news, which appeared improbable, was received withincredulity, but it was speedily confirmed by other messengers.
A consultation was then held by the boroughreeve, constables, andother magistrates, as to the possibility of offering any resistance;but as the militia had been disbanded, and it was doubtful whetherMarshal Wade would come to their assistance, the idea was given up.
But after some discussion Dr. Mainwaring and Justice Bradshaw sent thebellman round to give notice that, as the rebels might be speedilyexpected, all the loyal inhabitants were enjoined to rise and armthemselves with guns, swords, halberts, pickaxes, shovels, or anyother weapons, to resist the rebels, and prevent them from enteringthe town until the arrival of the king's forces.
In consequence of this notice several thousand persons, armed in themanner suggested, assembled in the open fields beyond Market StreetLane, where they were harangued by Dr. Mainwaring, who urged them tospoil the roads by breaking them up, and throwing trees across them,and promised to send the country folk to their aid.
Having uttered this he left the defence of the town to theinhabitants, and rode off; but he fulfilled his promise, and sent anumber of country folk armed with scythes and sickles, but these roughfellows caused such a tumult that another notice had to be given bythe bellman commanding the mob to lay down their arms and disperse,and the country folk to return to their domiciles.
These contradictory orders produced considerable dissatisfaction, andwere not obeyed.
One party more valiant than the rest marched to Cheadle ford, underthe leadership of Mr. Hilton, with the intention of destroying thetemporary bridge contrived by the insurgents, but before they couldaccomplish their task, they were disturbed and ignominiously put toflight by Colonel Townley and the Manchester Regiment.
On arriving at Manchester, Colonel Townley and his men were welcomedby a shower of stones and other missiles from the mob assembled at thetop of Market Street Lane. Upon this the colonel called out that ifanother stone was thrown, and the mob did not quietly disperse, hewould fire upon them.
Alarmed by the menacing looks of the soldiers, who were greatlyincensed by this treatment on the part of their fellow-townsmen, themob took to their heels.
During a subsequent disturbance Ensign Syddall was taken prisoner, butwas rescued by his comrades.
CHAPTER V.
A FRESH SUBSIDY DEMANDED.
On the arrival of the prince with the main body of the army,comparative tranquillity was restored. But it was evident that thefeeling of the inhabitants was totally changed. There were no joyfuldemonstrations--no bonfires--no illuminations.
Charles returned to his former residence at the top of Market StreetLane; the Duke of Perth, Lord Tullibardine, Lord George Murray, LordPitsligo, and the other Scottish nobles and chiefs repaired to thehouses they had previously occupied; and the men billeted themselvesin their old quarters. But so unfriendly were the inhabitants to theManchester Regiment that it was with difficulty that the officers andmen could find quarters.
As night drew on, and a tendency to riot was again manifested, thebellman was sent round to warn the inhabitants that not more than twopersons would be allowed to walk together in the streets after dark,unless guarded by the prince's troops, and that any attempt at tumultor disturbance would be severely punished.
In addition to this, pickets of men patrolled the streets throughoutthe night, so that the town was kept tolerably quiet.
On the same evening about eight o'clock a meeting of the principalinhabitants took place at the Bull's Head--a warrant having been sentto the magistrates by the prince's secretary, Mr. Murray, commandingthem, on pain of military execution, to raise a subsidy of fivethousand pounds from the town by four o'clock on the following day.
"What is to be done?" demanded Mr. Walley. "I fear it will beimpossible to raise the large sum required by the appointed time--andif we fail we are to be held responsible w
ith our lives. You must helpus, gentlemen."
And he looked round at the assemblage, but no offer was made.
"Surely you won't allow us to be shot?" cried Mr. Fowden.
"This is a mere threat," said old Mr. James Bayley, an eminentmerchant of the town. "The prince cannot be in earnest."
"You are mistaken, Mr. Bayley," rejoined Mr. Fowden. "It is no idlethreat. The prince is so highly offended by the reception given himthat he has laid this heavy tax upon the town--and he will have itpaid."
"The contributions must be levied by force," observed Mr. Walley. "Weshall never get the money in any other way."
"Such a course will render you extremely unpopular," observed Mr.Bayley.
"Better be unpopular than be shot, Mr. Bayley," rejoined Mr. Fowden."Try to place yourselves in our position, gentlemen. Will you help usto pay the money in case we should be driven to extremity?"
But no answer was made to the appeal, and the magistrates were indespair.
At this moment the door opened, and Colonel Townley, attended byCaptain Dawson, Captain Deacon, and Ensign Syddall, entered the room.
The magistrates rose in consternation, wondering what was the meaningof the visit.
"Pardon my intrusion, gentlemen," said the colonel, saluting them."But I think I can help you out of a difficulty. I am aware that fivethousand pounds must be raised from the town by to-morrow afternoon.Feeling certain you will never be able to accomplish this taskunassisted, I beg to offer you my aid. You shall have a party of men,under the command of these officers, to go round with you, and helpyou to make the collection."
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