ir
conferences, and from the metropolis intelligence was secretly conveyed
in various directions: measures were concerted; the parties who were to
engage were furnished with means to act, and brought together; letters
were carried by private hands to various confederates, and debates and
correspondence were carried on some months before the Rebellion actually
broke out.

The plot was managed with care and address. The common conveyance of
letters was dangerous, and the office of delivering them was undertaken
by gentlemen of Jacobite principles, who rode from place to place as
travellers, pretending merely that they were viewing the country, and
making inquiries to gratify curiosity: these travellers were all Irish
and Papists.

Another class of agents, consisting of Mr. Clifton, a brother of Sir
Gervase Clifton, and of Mr. Beaumont, both gentlemen of Nottinghamshire,
and attended by Mr. Buxton, a clergyman of Derbyshire, rode like
gentlemen, with servants, but were armed with swords and pistols. These
emissaries also continued moving from place to place, and kept up a
constant intercourse between the disaffected parties, until all things
were ready for action.

Under these circumstances, Government took a decided step, which, as it
turned out, brought the whole concerted plot into action sooner than the
confederates had originally intended. Means were taken for the
apprehension of several suspected Jacobites. Towards the end of
September, Lord Derwentwater, among others, received notice that there
was a warrant issued by the Secretary of State to apprehend him, and
that messengers were actually arrived at Durham in order to seize his
person.[186]

On receiving this information, Lord Derwentwater, who had at that time
taken no ostensible part in the consultations of the Jacobites, and who,
as it was thought by many who knew him intimately, was undecided whether
to join the insurgents or not, adopted the line of conduct most suitable
to innocence. He repaired to the house of a neighbouring justice of the
peace, whose name has not been given at length and boldly placed himself
in his hands. He demanded what were the grounds of his accusation.
Unhappily the magistrate's loyalty was not unimpeachable. Had this
gentleman been zealously affected to the Government, or had he been a
true friend to Lord Derwentwater, he would either have persuaded that
nobleman to surrender to the messengers of Government, or he would have