hat wound that the Duke died, an
address was presented to her Majesty by the Scottish Peers, begging that
she would write to all the kings and states in alliance with her, not to
shelter Macartney from justice.[53]

A deep and general grief was shown for the death of the Duke of
Hamilton. In Scotland mourning was worn, and the churches were hung with
black. It was in vain that the Duchess offered a reward of three hundred
pounds for the apprehension of Macartney; the murderer had fled beyond
seas.

The Cavaliers lost, in Hamilton, an ornament to their party, from the
strict honour and fidelity of his known character. But the crisis which
the unfortunate Duke had in vain endeavoured to avert was now at hand,
and the death of Queen Anne brought with it all those consequences which
a long series of cabals, during the later disturbed years of the Queen's
existence, had been gradually ripening into importance.

The Earl of Mar had openly espoused the High-church party in the case of
Sacheverel; and he had on that account, as well as from the doubt
generally entertained of his fidelity, little reason to expect from the
House of Hanover a continuance in office. No sooner had the Queen
expired, than those whom Lord Mar had long, in secret, been regarding
with interest, expressed openly their disappointment at the result of
the last reign.

"The accession of George the First," remarks Dr. Coxe, "was a new era in
the history of that Government which was established at the Revolution.
Under William and Anne the Stuart family can scarcely be considered as
absolutely excluded from the throne; for all parties, except the extreme
Whigs, looked forward to the possibility of the Stuarts returning to the
throne. But, in fact, the Revolution was not completed till the actual
establishment of the Brunswick line, which cut off all hopes of a return
without a new revolution."[54]

When the news of Queen Anne's dangerous condition reached the Chevalier
de St. George, he was at Luneville; but he repaired instantly to
Barleduc, where he held a council. As he entered the council-chamber, he
was heard to exclaim, "If that Princess dies, I am lost."[55] There was
no doubt that a correspondence with the exiled family had been carried
on with great alacrity, during the last few years of Queen Anne's reign,
with the cognizance of the Sovereign;[56] and that large sums were spent
by Mary of Modena, and by her son, in procuring intelligence of all