hand her diamond
solitaire, a voice whispered in his ear, "that Government officers were
in pursuit of him; and that he must decamp." Decamp he did, taking with
him, _perhaps_ by accident, the costly jewel. The young lady was in the
greatest trepidation, and her family were resolved to recover the
ornament. Many years after, on his return from France, Lovat, whose
character, in _no_ respect, rose above suspicion, was taxed with the
robbery, and refunded a sum which gave twenty pounds to each of a host
of granddaughters, then in their girlhood.

[387] In a letter from Mrs. Craufurd of Craufurdland to the author, this
fact is stated. It is mentioned as traditionary elsewhere, but is
attested by the family.

[388] H. Walpole, vol. ii. p. 167.

[389] H. Walpole's Letters to Mr. Montagu.

[390] Foster's Account, p. 31.

[391] Walpole.

[392] Ford's Account in State Trials, p. 18, 522.

[393] For the original of Lord Balmerino's real speech, which is highly
characteristic of its author, I am indebted to Charles Kirkpatrick
Sharpe, Esq.

"I was brought up in true, loyal, and anti-revolution principles and
I hope the world is convinced that they stuck to me. I must
acknowledge I did a very inconsiderate thing, for which I am
heartily sorry, in accepting a company of Foot from the Princess
Anne, who I know had no more right to the Crown than her predecessor
the Prince of Orange.... To make amends for what I had done I joined
the ... (Pretender) when he was in Scotland in 1715, and when all
was over I made my escape, and lived abroad till the year 1734.

"In the beginning of that year I got a letter from my father which
very much surprised me; it was to let me know he had a promise of a
remission for me. I did not know what to do; I was then, (I think,)
in the canton of Berne, and had nobody to advise with: but next
morning I wrote a letter to the ... (Pretender) who was then at
Rome, to acquaint the ... (Pretender) that this was come without my
asking or knowledge, and that I would not accept of it without his
consent. I had in answer to mine, a letter written with ... (The
Pretender's) own hand, allowing me to go home; and he told me his
banker would give me money for my travelling charges when I came to
Paris, which accordingly I got. When the ... (the Pretender's son)
came to Edinburgh I joined him, though I might easily have excused