||: A warrant [royal order] from the Young Pretender [Charles Edward Stuart] given at Inverness to Mr James Carnegy Arbuthnot to raise an army, 25 February 1746 (SP 54/26/123F).

Transcript:

“Charles Prince of Wales & Regent of Scotland, England France and Ireland and the Dominions there unto belongingTo James Carnegy Arbuthnot of Findowrie Esq

These are impowering you to raise in arms for our Service all the men you possibly can whom you are to bring with all dispatch to our Army where we shall happen to be for the time. 

And they shall receive all manner of Encouragment from us. And if any refuse to rise with you, you are hereby impowered to use all manner of military Execution against them with power also to you to name proper officers to the [lands?] men when raised. 

Given At Inverness the twenty fifth day of February 1746,

By his Highness’s CommandJ. Murray”

Source: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/jacobite-1745/young-pretenders-call-fight/

“Extract from a letter from the Young Pretender, Charles Edward Stuart explaining the principles he will abide by after his restoration. He promises in particular to keep the Church of England as the established church and will not overtax his people, 25 May 1741 (SP 36/59/2/257D).”

“ My Return, no doubt, would be much more agreeable both to our Subjects and to ourselves, were it brought about without any Foreign Assistance. But should it happen that any Foreign Power contributed to place me on the Throne, it must be visible to all thinking men, that I can neither hope to keep it, nor enjoy Peace and Happiness upon it but by gaining the Love and Affections of my Subjects. I am far from approving the mistakes of former Reigns. I see, I feel the Effects of them, and should be void of all Reflection did I not propose to avoid them with the utmost Care. And therefore I do not entertain the least thoughts of assuming the Government on the footing my Family left it. I absolutely disdain [reject] any Pretensions to a dispensing Power. I am sensible that the Ruins and Oppressions with which our Country is distressed, may make the generality of the People desirous of a Change at any rate. But for my Part, as natural and Just as it is for me to desire, that I and my Family should be restored to our Just Rights, I am far (at my age especially) from desireing [desiring] that should happen but upon Honourable and Solid Foundations, cemented with a mutual Confidence between King and Parliament, by what the Welfares of both may be effectually secured.

It is manifest [clear] that not only Justice, but the Interest of the Nation require my Return because I never can have a Separate Interest from that of my Country, nor any hope of Peace and Tranquillity for myself, or My Family, but by cultivating the Affections of my People, and by having in View their Honour and Happiness. I am persuaded there are many Persons of great Talents and Merit who would be of this Opinion, if my true Sentiments were known to them, altho’ they are not at this time look’d upon as Welwishers [well-wishers] to my Cause, neither can I wonder they should have prejudices against it,. They have been bred up in them from their youth, and constantly confirmed in them by all the Artifices [lies] imaginable: But I hope the time is not very far distant in which they will see things in their true lights, and if they lay aside all unjust Prejudices against me, and lay as much to Heart as I do the Happiness and Prosperity of our own Country; I make no doubt, but we shall soon be intirely [entirely] satisfied with one another.

It is fit any Friend should know that I have by me a Draught [draft] of Declaration, which there has never been as yet an occasion to publish. This Declaration was written in Consequence of the sentiments and Reflections expressed in this Letter. It contains a General Indemnity [compensation] without Exceptions, for all that has passed against me and my Family. A Solemn Engagement to maintain the Church of England as by Law Established in all her Rights and Priviledges [Privileges], Possessions and immunities whatsoever. And as I am utterly averse [against] to all animosities and Persecutions on account of Religion it also contains a Promise to grant and allow a Toleration to all Protestant Dissenters. I also express in it an utter Aversion to the suspending the Habeas Corpus Act [imprisonment without trial], as well as the loading my Subjects with unnecessary Taxes, or the raising of any in a manner burthensome to them; and especially to the introducing a Foreign excises [import duties], and all other such Methods as may hitherto been devised, and pursued to acquire Arbitrary Power, at the Expense of the Liberty and Property of the Subjects. And besides there is a general Article of my readiness to settle all that may relate to the Welfare and Happiness of the Nation both in Civil and Ecclesiastical [church] matters, by the sincere advice and concurrence of a Free Parliament. In Time were I known, and were Justice done to my Sentiments it would I am convinced make many alter their present way of thinking, and induce them to concur [agree] heartily in Measures for my Return, as the only effectual means to Restore Peace and Happiness to our Country. I thank God I am without Resentment against any Body; I shall never Retain any memory of Past Mistakes. I shall never make any other Distinction among my Subjects [have favourites], but Such as true Merit and Faithful Services may authorize and require. I have ever the greatest abhorrence [hatred] of all dissimulation [deception], and will certainly never promise during my Exile but what I shall perform after my Restoration.”

An extract from a letter from Charles Edward Stuart to his father James Stuart dated 20 September 1745 at Perth (SP 54/26/32).

“Sir, since my landing everything has succeeded to meet my wishes, it has pleased God to prosper me hitherto even beyond my expectation, I have got together about 3000 (and am promised more), brave and determined men who are resolved to die or conquer with me. The enemy marched a body of regular troops to attack me but when they came near they changed their mind by taking a different route and making forced marches they have escaped into the north to the great disappointment of my highlanders: but I am not at all sorry for it, I shall have the greater glory by beating them when they are more numerous and supported by their dragoons.

I have occasion to reflect every day upon your majesty’s last words to me, viz [namely] that I would find power if it was not accompanied with justice and clemency, one uneasy thing to myself and grievous to those under me. ‘Tis [It is] owing to the observance of this rule and my conforming myself to the customs of those people that I have got their hearts to a degree not to be easily conceived by those who do not see it. One who observes the discipline I have established would take my little army to be a body of picked veterans; and to see the love and harmony that reigns amongst us, he would be apt to look upon it as a large well-ordered family in which everyone loves another better than himself.

I keep my health better in these wild mountains than I used to do, in the campanie felice [happy company], and sleep sounder lying on the ground than I used to do in the palaces at Rome. There is one thing and but one, in which I have had any difference with my faithful highlanders, it was about setting a price upon my kinsman’s head, which knowing your majesty’s generous humanity I am sure will shock you are much as it did me, when I was shown the proclamation setting a price on my head. I smiled and treated it with the distain it deserved, upon which they flew out into a most violent rage and insisted on my doing the same by him as this flowed solely from the poor men’s love and concern for me I did not know how to be angry with them for it, but tried to bring them to temper by representing to them that it was a mean and barbarous practice among princes that must dishonour them in the eyes of all men of honour, that I could not see how my cousin having set me the example would justify me in imitating that which I blame so much in him. But nothing I could say would satisfy them, some went even so far as to say, shall we go and venture our lives for a man who seems so indifferent about preserving his own? Thus I have been drawn in to do a thing for which I can damn myself. Your majesty knows that in my nature I am neither cruel or revengeful and God who knows my heart knows that if the very prince who has forced me to this (for it is he that has forced me) was in my power, the greatest pleasure I could feel would be treating him as the brave, black Prince treated his prisoner, the king of France, to make him ashamed of having shown himself so inhumane an enemy to a man for attempting a thing which he himself if he has any [sincerity] would despise for not attempting. 

I beg your majesty would be under no uneasiness about me, he is safe that’s in God’s keeping: if I die it shall be as I have lived, with honour.…I find it a great loss the brave Lord Marischal is not with me, his character is very high in this country, as it must be wherever he is known, I’d rather see him than 1000 French, who if they should come only as friends to assist your majesty in the recovery of your just right, the weak people would believe they came as invaders. 

There is one man of this country, who I would wish to have my friend, and that is the duke of Argyll who I find is in high credit among them on account of his great ability and good qualities and had many dependants by his large fortune: but I am told I can hardly flatter myself with the hopes of it, the hard usage which his family received from ours sunk deep in his mind. 

What have those princes to answer for who by their cruelty have raised enemies not only to themselves but their innocent children, I must not close this letter without doing justice to your majesty’s Protestant subjects, who I find are fully as zealous in your cause as the Roman Catholics, which is what honest Dr Wagstaff has often told me I would find when I can to try them. I design to march from hence tomorrow and I hope my next shall be from Edinburgh. [Charles Edward Stuart].”