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106

CHAP. III.

Their March into England. Taking of Carlisle. Rout through England and retreat back.

Then, taking leave of Edinr, they
Unto Dalkeith all march'd away,
First of November camped there,
And then for England did prepare.
Short time they in that camp did stay,
Till south they went the nearest way.
At Kelso town they pass'd the Tweed,
And west the Border went with speed:
By Jedburgh and through Liddisdale,
They spread themselves o'er hill and vale:
And some by Moffat took their route;
Although it was some miles about.
In this order they march'd along,
Only about sev'n thousand strong.
Chief in command was duke of Perth,
And Lord George Murray of noble birth;
Lord Elcho son to the Earl of Wemyss,
Col'nel of the Life-guard it seems;
The Earl Kilmarnock, in this cause,
Commanded those they call'd Hussars;
Lord Pitsligo gen'ral of the horse,
With Lords Nairn and Ogilvie there was;
Bold Balmarino and brave Dundee,
MacDonald th'aid de' camp was he:
Sheridan too, and Sullivan,
By birth an Irish gentleman:
The squire of Broughton his secret keeper,
Who got the name of bosom-viper:
Besides the worthy brave Lochiel,
Other Chiefs I have not room to tell.
At the English border they did unite,
All in a body their troops complete,
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Near Canabie in Liddisdale
They enter'd Cumberland in hail.
Then did assault the fort Carlisle,
Which did hold out but little while.
Having friends within and round about,
Long to resist they seem'd unstout.
The town and castle both they got
Call'd England's Key, an useful spot.
At Carlisle he did leave a band
The town and fort for to command,
From thence to Penrith did proceed,
And then for Kendal march'd with speed:
To Lancaster they came indeed,
Which news put England in great dread;
To Proud-preston and Manchester
They still advanc'd withouten fear,
Being join'd by none of English train,
But five hundred Lancaster men,
Which to him was of small effect;
For hard marching made them to ake,
And miss'd their dinner many a day,
Made them, repenting, sigh and say
“Woe worth the Scots; for they can feed
“On drinking water and eating bread:
“Their irony soles do never tire
“On stony ground, dub or mire.
“Beef or pudding they never mind:
“Them Scots can live on snuffing wind,
“For me, my belly clings to my back,
“Since I have join'd this hellish pack.
“If in this state all soldiers be,
“The dev'l be soldi'r again for me.”
—To such hard frets thus driven were
Poor hungry Toms, of Lancashire:
For in all haste they marched up,
At Manchester they made a stop;
Here his faithful Clans perceiv'd and saw,
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That English vows were nought at a';
Some kind enough; but no way friendly:
Only through terror they acted meanly.
Said the Scots Chiefs, “We blinded be,
“That's come far from our own countrie.
“As friends, indeed, some English own us;
“But if once defeat, they'd set upon us.
“France and England, by perjurie,
“Will be our ruin, we clearly see:
“They've charm'd us out as working tools,
“Now use us as a band of fools,
“England to Whiggism is inclin'd,
“And with the Georgian house combin'd;
“They cry, Oppression, from high to low:
“Yet Redeeming-time they do not know.
“'Gainst Acts and Tax on ev'ry trade:
“They're all bewitch'd, and we're mislead:
“Here in a trap betwixt two fires,
“And what we'll do counsel requires.
“The Duke before and Wade behind,
“And where now shelter can we find?”
Then Charles, hearing all this, said,
With heart full sore he answer made,
“My Lords and Gentlemen (said he),
“Our case is bad, I plainly see;
“But all's not lost that's in a peril,
“Kind providence can ease the quarrel.
“Both French and English have betray'd us;
“But I trust a better hand will guide us:
“On Preston field, ye all well ken,
“We found the English there but men.
“I trust in field they're no more here,
“Though thrice our number should appear:
“Could we pass the Duke without a blow,
“And with all speed to London go,
“Our friends there would so well assist,
“That en'mies were of small request.
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“That stalward Duke's so fierce and keen,
“Were he defeat, 'twould end the scene,
“And give aspects another face,
“Which we can't do in such a case;
“For if here defeat, then all is lost;
“Battle avoid we surely must,
“I trust the French to come by sea;
“But where can their invasion be?
“If at sea indeed they have been check'd
“It damps our hope; but does not wreck't.
“Then let's push on and do our best;
“Kind providence make out the rest!”
Then proclaiming his father there,
As done in ev'ry town elsewhere,
In form, all market towns he past,
To Staffordshire he came at last:
Where the Duke's army lay 'fore him
Well prepar'd for to devour him.
He here to fight had no desire,
Took east the muirs for Derbyshire,
Directed his rout by th'town of Leek,
Left Cumberland to claw his cheek:
Kept south by east to Derby town,
In full career for London boun':
But there receiv'd intelligence,
His friends to rise had now no chance,
The Georgian party was so strong,
And mixt in each place them among,
No assembling could be together,
Nor word of French ships coming hither.
The south coast all was guarded round,
An English fleet cruis'd up and down;
And through each county in the south lands
Militia swarm'd, like locust-bands.
These tidings put him in great fear,
But for to flee, he knew not where.
They all in council did agree,
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Backward for Scotland then to flee.
This did the vulgar sore chagreen,
To plunder London that were keen.
When Cumberland perceived this,
He form'd a plan was not amiss,
To intercept 'em in Lancashire:
But how he miss'd you may admire.
Wade on the north, was marching to him.
The Duke behind, did still pursue him.
One Oglethorpe upon his right,
With a thousand hunters all in flight:
Yet he, still his way did keep,
Through Derby town and Ashburn peak:
Which towns indeed for rash proceeding,
Were badly paid for what was needing,
When they perceived their flight was back,
Quite contrary was their kind act,
For all the praise they got before,
They now were savages and more.
December the fourth, they turn'd about,
Out of England they took their rout,
At Derby town they staid two nights,
To get in superscription writes,
Form'd by an English party there,
Which made that town and country bare,
And furnish, at an easy price,
A vast of things for their supplies.
When to Manchester back they came,
Their usage there was much the same:
And for their using them that way,
Two thousand Sterling were made t'pay,
To save the plund'ring of the town;
Paid when the kingdom was his own.
So north they came to Wigan then,
Next day they did Proud Preston gain.
The Duke behind him but a day,
Ride as they will he kept his way.
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And could not gain a mile upon 'em,
Tho' stout hors'd, they did outrun 'em.
From Preston on the thirteenth day,
Early at morn he march'd away.
No sooner had they quit these towns,
Than Oglethorpe with Wade's dragoons
Enter'd just at the other end,
To give them chase they did intend;
But being fatigu'd, chose rest a while
In three days they march'd a hundred mile,
Through ice and hills cover'd with snow,
Across Yorkshire as they did go,
With full intent to intercept him
And at Proud Preston thought to kep him,
They had no footmen here, 'tis true,
But royal hunters not a few,
Who were so keen in battle rage,
On foot they offer'd to engage,
Being zealous youths of gentle fame,
Who, by fighting thought to gain a name.
And as they were to march again,
A false alarm gave them pain,
That French invaded had the south,
Which passed for a certain truth:
Such tidings from Duke William came,
Who actually believ'd the same,
And stopt his forces for a day,
Till Charles was got out of the way.
And Orders sent to Oglethorpe
To come to him with all his troop:
As soon as he the Duke had join'd,
The news prov'd such as Jacks had coin'd.
Then Oglethorpe he got command,
To go in chace of Charlie's band,
And, if possible, get before him,
While he behind would soon devour him.
But, on the fifteenth, I understand,
Charles reach'd Kendal in Westmoreland,
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Now thinking that the chace was over,
Slacked his march; but did discover
The English bloody flag behind,
And colours waving in the wind.
To range their rear they were not slow,
But the front, of this they did not know.
At the village Clifton, in Westmoreland,
They prudently pitch'd out a stand,
At a Quaker's house stood near the way,
Which rous'd his sp'rit 'bove Yea and Nay:
Behind the hedges, walls and lones,
Where unperceiv'd they stood as stones.
The eighteenth day of dark December,
In Forty Five, you'll this remember,
After the setting of the sun,
Just as Black night was coming on,
The King's dragoons and Kingston's horse
Came prancing up, at unawares.
A volley shot out thro' the hedge,
Full on their flank did them engage,
Which in confusion did them throw,
And through the hedge they could not go.
Brave gen'ral Bland commanded here
Who quickly caused his troops retire;
For had they more such volleys got,
Few had returned from the spot.
Young Honeywood was wounded sore,
The Duke, enrag'd, then highly swore
That he'd revenged be that night,
Or die before the morning light:
Yet counsell'd was for to desist;
For ambuscades were hard to trust,
So the pursuit he did delay,
Till near about the break of day:
Brave men and horse lay on the field,
Tho' both the sides did flee and yield:
Yet this check Charles' end did gain,
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For he that night wou'd been o'erta'en:
Lord Elcho and Murray form'd that plan,
And did the party here command,
Not without loss, I truly say;
On both sides dead and wounded lay.
Few Highlanders did come to blows,
Till thro' the hedge some horsemen goes,
And did engage with sword in hand;
But made nought of it with the Clan,
Who did come on in numbers thick,
And horse and men did hough and prick.
'Bout twenty five lay on the field,
And thirty wounded fled for bield,
With gen'ral Bland they rode away
Toward the Duke, who heard the fray
And came the battle to renew;
But in the dark it would not do.
Of Highlanders, as I heard say,
But fourteen on the field there lay.
George Hamilton of Stewart's reg'ment,
As prisoner he did consent,
After a stout resistance made,
And deeply wounded in the head,
Cut by an Austrian Hussar,
Who serv'd the Duke during this war.
Then from the field they fled in haste,
And to Penrith at midnight past,
Where the main body was come before,
Which spread the alarm more and more;
Dreading th'English did yet pursue,
Then all out of the town they flew.
Good for Penrith it happen'd so,
Or next morn had been a day of woe:
They vow'd in ashes it to lay
For what they'd done the other day,
To those who plunder'd Lowther-hall.
And Penrith guards did on them fall,
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Beat and broke them, and some slew,
And some they into prison threw:
The rest into Carlisle did run,
As from that fortress they had come,
The while that Charles was in the south,
Wanting something to taste their mouth,
A foraging they came about,
Only a small band in a scout,
And Penrith guards upon them fell
So Charles by chance of it heard tell:
Perth vow'd revenge, in dreadful ire,
A recompense with sword and fire;
But when such hurry on them came,
They minded nought but up and ran.
As one behind another did stand,
He cries, Furich tere be Cumberland.
Dark was the night and rough the way,
Carlisle they reach'd by break of day:
There's sixteen miles between these towns,
But the weak and weari'd, left in wounds,
Were all catched on the next day,
By their fierce foes coming that way,
About an hundred men or more,
And badly us'd you may be sure.
Being into loathsome jails confin'd
But poorly kept and badly din'd.
The Duke to Penrith came next day,
On the twentieth at Hasket lay,
Being then within twelve short mile
Of the strong fortress of Carlisle.
And hearing the Scots were safely there,
To follow hard he took no care:
Upon his rear thought fit to rest,
And counsel call'd to do what's best.
On the twenty-second they marched on
But finding that the Scots were gone,
All but a few who did pretend,
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The town and castle to defend.
Who there were left, I understan',
By sole advice of Sullivan,
(Of Irish birth although he be)
The cowardliest of the company.
Unlike was he to Blakeney's blood;
For Irishmen are soldiers good,
Will fight for what they take in hand,
Abroad or yet in native land.
This Sullivan he did pretend,
They would the English so suspend,
That they should come no further north
Till Scots had join'd their friends on Forth.
And Hamilton from Aberdeen
To guard the place appear'd so keen;
Had they stood on but for a day,
As open to the north it lay,
Which was Perth, Murray and Elcho's plan,
In it they need not lost a man,
They might at ev'ning issued out,
And ev'ry one been out of doubt:
Through boasted courage and hot zeal,
For a month, said, they would not fail,
Cannon, powder and wealth of balls,
Very strong gates and stately walls:
As in despair, they did pretend,
It to the last they would defend.
Lancashire reg'ment chus'd there to 'bide,
For to keep the fort were not afraid:
The English gate of iron and oak,
For fear with cannon it should be broke
They built it up with stones within,
And swore the de'il should not come in;
Unless that he got wings to fly,
And all by oaths would do or die.
This being done, Charles and his men
For Scotland marched back again,
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By the Langtown on Esk's side,
The water swoln, not by the tide,
But a mighty current from the hills
Made all to stop against their wills.
And then to fly they knew not where,
North, south and west, inclosed were.
And though Carlisle lay on their rear,
They knew not but the English were
Hard behind them on the pursuit,
By only going six miles about,
To a bridge lies near Brampton town,
And on the north side to come down,
Whereof they had great fear and dread;
Which put them to this desp'rate deed,
The fords they tried which were too strong,
Horse of more strength and legs more long
They would require at such a place,
And there to stay great danger was.
They chus'd a swamp above a ford,
And in they plung'd with one accord,
The horse went first and swim'd half thro',
Foot at their tails they forward drew,
Who hung together with arms a-cleek,
Tho' floods went over head and cheek:
And those who were of stature low,
Hard was their lot in wading so,
Their powder clothes and arms wet,
This was the bath these poor men gat.
Not one shot was preserved dry,
But these that did on horseback ly:
They in the water plung'd so fast,
That many lost their grips at last,
And tumbling, went off with the stream,
Down went their heads, up came their wame:
Though people stood on ev'ry shore,
Alas! their lives were now no more.
Both men and women were wash'd away,
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Into the firth of Sollaway.
And some at Bowness were cast out,
At Annan-foot and thereabout.
To Gretna, and Annan they march away,
Thence to Dumfries on the next day,
And charg'd a ransom off that town,
Or else to plunder they were boun':
Two thousand Sterling made them pay,
And carried hostages away
When cash failed them, to the North,
To join their friends upon the Forth.
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