, the
Port of Alemouth, and, at a little distance, the mouth of the river
Coquet, with its island and ruined monastery. To the north, a richly
cultivated country extends as far as Alnwick; to the south lies a plain,
interspersed with villages and woods; the shore, to which it inclines,
is indented with many ports and creeks; the smoke rising from many
scattered hamlets, and the spires of churches enliven the smiling
prospect.

In this secure station the rebels remained for two days; and here Mr.
Forster assumed the rank of General of the Forces in the North, a title
which had been bestowed on him by the Earl of Mar. On the day after his
arrival at Warkworth, Mr. Forster sent Mr. Buxton, who was chaplain to
the troops to desire Mr. Ton, the parish clergyman, to pray for the
Chevalier as King; and, in the Litany, for Mary, the Queen Mother, and
to omit the petition for King George, the Prince and Princess of Wales,
&c. Mr. Ton declining to make this alteration, Mr. Buxton took
possession of the reading-desk, and performed the service, whilst the
deposed clergyman took flight, and, hastening to Newcastle, gave notice
there of what had occurred. This was the first place where the Chevalier
was prayed for in England; and Mr. Buxton's sermon, observes our
historian, "gave mighty encouragement to his hearers, being full of
exhortations, flourishing arguments, and cunning insinuations to be
hearty in the cause." These incentives were aided by a "comely
personage," and considerable eloquence and erudition.

On the following day, after proclaiming James King of England with all
due formality and with the sound of trumpet, Mr. Forster attending the
ceremony in disguise, the troops marched to Morpeth, their numbers
increasing as they went. At Felton Bridge, they were joined by seventy
horse, composed of gentlemen from the borders; and by the time they
reached Morpeth, their number had augmented to three hundred: these were
all horse-soldiers: Mr. Forster refused the foot as auxiliaries,
otherwise the increase would have been considerable. The reason assigned
for this rejection was the impossibility of supplying the men with arms;
but the fairest assurances were given to the friends of the cause that
arms and ammunition would soon be procured, and regiments listed
forthwith.

The spirits of the Jacobite army were now high; their hopes were raised
by the daily increase of their party. Newcastle was their next object,
and thither