Museum, the literary pilot of many years' historical research.

LONDON,
_October 27, 1845._

INTRODUCTION.

The history of the Jacobites properly begins with the brave and
conscientious men who followed James the Second to France, or fought and
bled for him in the United Kingdom. Of the few nobles whom that Monarch
had distinguished by his friendship when Duke of York, or graced with
his favours when King, three only in Scotland remained attached openly
to his interests: these were the Duke of Gordon, the Lord Balcarras, and
Claverhouse of Dundee, who may be regarded as the parents of the
Jacobite party in Scotland. "The other nobles of the late King's party,"
remarks a great historian,[1] "waited for events, in hopes and in fears,
from the Old Government and the New, intriguing with both, and depended
upon by neither."

Upon the death of Dundee, a troop of officers who had fought under the
standard of that great General, and who had imbibed his lofty opinions
and learned to imitate his dauntless valour, capitulated, and were
suffered to leave the country and retire to France. Their number
amounted to a hundred and fifty: they were all of honourable birth, and
glorying in their political principles. At first these exiles were
pensioned by the French Government, but, upon the close of the civil
war, those pensions ceased. Finding themselves a burden upon King James,
they formed themselves into a body-guard, which was afterwards
incorporated with the French army. It may fairly be presumed that this
remnant of Dundee's army, four of whom only returned to Scotland, were
instrumental during their abode in France in maintaining a communication
between the Court of St. Germains and their disheartened countrymen who
had remained in their Highland homes. Abroad, they supported their
military character as soldiers who had fought under Dundee: they were
always the foremost in the battle and the last to retreat, and were
distinguished by a superiority in order and discipline, no less than by
their energy and courage.

There can be no doubt but that the majority of the great landholders in
England, as well as the Highland chiefs, continued, through the reign of
William and Mary, disposed to high Tory views; and that had not the
popular cry of the Church being in danger aided the designs of the
Whigs, the Highflyers, or rigid Tories, would not have remained in
quiescence during that critical period, which re