Preston Fight Part 34

Drums were beaten loudly as the unfortunate captives were taken through the streets, exposed to the insults and derision of the populace, and in some cases seriously injured by the numerous missiles hurled at them.

Incessant cries resounded on all sides of "No Popish Pretender!" "Down with the rebels!" "Long live King George!" But not a single voice shouted "Long live King James!"

The composure and dignity of the Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter, combined with his remarkable good looks, could not fail to produce a favourable impression upon the spectators; but quite a sensation was caused by Brigadier Mackintosh, whose gigantic figure and stern looks completely bore out all the descriptions that had been given of him.

The old warrior had been allowed to walk, so that his muscular frame could be fully seen, and though his arms were pinioned, his aspect was so terrible that none dared insult him.

II.

The Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter is imprisoned in the Devereux Tower

THE rebel lords were confined in different prison lodgings in the Tower, but were not treated with any sort of rigour, being allowed by the Lieutenant to visit each other, when accompanied by a guard.

The Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter had a large chamber on the upper story of the Devereux Tower, with a cell connected with it, wherein he slept, and he pa.s.sed his time wholly in reading and devotional exercises.

Thus his mind, greatly troubled at first, became gradually tranquillised.

The earl had been imprisoned for nearly a fortnight when the countess, to whom he had written, praying her to come to him, arrived in London.

She was accompanied by Dorothy Forster, who hoped to be useful to her brother, and was likewise attended by Father Norman and Newbiggin.

Without difficulty Lady Derwent.w.a.ter obtained an order to visit her consort in the Tower, and was furthermore permitted to bring Father Norman with her.

It was a very sad meeting, but the frame of mind attained by the earl enabled him to support it, and to offer the countess consolation.

Though scarcely indulging a hope, Lord Derwent.w.a.ter was not unwilling that every effort should be made to obtain a pardon for him, for he could not deny, when gazing at the countess, that life was still dear to him.

Father Norman, however, who feared the worst, urged him to wean his heart as much as possible from earth, and fix it upon heaven.

This the earl earnestly strove to do, and he was greatly a.s.sisted by the good priest. His life had always been devout, and now he felt the inexpressible comfort derived from religious observances.

Meanwhile, the countess was using all her efforts to procure her husband a pardon, but she was deterred from applying in the highest quarter, being informed that the king was greatly incensed against the rebel lords, and would not listen to her.

Immediately after the meeting of Parliament, General Forster was expelled from the House of Commons, and the English and Scottish n.o.blemen concerned in the rebellion were impeached of high treason.

All pleaded guilty, except the Earl of Wintoun, who pet.i.tioned for a delay. They were next conveyed by water from the Tower to Westminster Hall, and being brought into the court, presided over by Lord Chancellor Cowper, as Lord High Steward, received sentence of death.

On this occasion the n.o.ble prisoners conducted themselves with great firmness and dignity. Nor did the crowd insult them as they were taken back to the barge.

Many spectators indeed regarded them with sympathy, but did not dare to make any demonstration in their favour.

The Countess of Derwent.w.a.ter no longer hesitated. Accompanied by the d.u.c.h.esses of Cleveland and Bolton, and several other ladies of the highest rank, she was introduced by the Dukes of Richmond and St. Albans into the king's bedchamber, and flinging herself at his majesty's feet, addressed him in French, imploring his clemency for her husband.

The king raised her immediately, and said in an inflexible voice: "What has the Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter done to merit clemency on my part? He has been guilty of a most heinous treason. He has set up a Popish Pretender. He has raised my subjects in rebellion-has made war against me-and now that he is vanquished, he sues humbly for mercy. I cannot-will not pardon him. I look upon him as the guiltiest of the rebel lords."

"Oh! say not so, my liege!" supplicated the countess. "His nature is loyal and generous."

"He has not proved loyal to me," cried the king. "He is a traitor-a vile traitor-and I will not pardon him. No more, madame! You plead in vain. I pity you-but I cannot help you. The Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter must die."

As she still continued to clasp his hand, and bathe it with her tears, the king signed to the Duke of Richmond, who raised her and took her away.

This was not the only effort made by the unhappy countess.

She subsequently went to the lobby of the House of Peers, accompanied by the Countess of Nithsdale, Lady Nairn, and many other ladies of distinction, but their pet.i.tion was refused.

The Countess of Derwent.w.a.ter was filled with despair when she had to communicate this sad news to the earl, but he bore it firmly.

"I am sorry you knelt to the usurper," he said.

"I am the guiltiest of all the insurgent lords in his eyes, because I am most attached to King James, and because King James is most attached to me. You have promised too much for me, sweetheart. I have never sworn allegiance to the Hanoverian usurper, and never will. I might engage not to conspire against him, but I refuse to serve him."

"What is to be done?" cried the countess, despairingly.

"Nothing," replied the earl. "I forbid you to make any further appeal to the tyrant. My death is resolved on."

"I cannot think otherwise, daughter," observed Father Norman, who was present.

"Perhaps your escape may be accomplished?" cried the countess eagerly.

"That is wholly different," said the earl. "If you can aid in my deliverance, I shall rejoice. But I fear the attempt will not be successful."

"Wherefore not?" said the countess.

"Because I believe that my destiny is otherwise," rejoined the earl.

"Yield not to such fancies, my son," said Father Norman. "Nor let any scruple hinder you from freeing yourself, if you can, from the tyrant's power. Break his bonds I counsel you, and escape from captivity and death. You may still be able to serve King James, and the great services you have rendered him, and the sacrifices you have made for him, may be rewarded."

"Whatever is done, must be done quickly," said the earl. "The time approaches when escape will no longer be possible-unless," he added, with a strange smile, "I could walk, like Saint Denis, with my head off."

Though the earl never quitted the Devereux Tower except for the scaffold, two remarkable escapes occurred from adjoining fortifications, to which we shall refer.

III.

The Earl of Nithsdale's Escape

HAVING vainly solicited a pardon for her husband, the Countess of Nithsdale, a woman of great courage, as well as of great personal attractions, resolved to make an attempt to liberate him.

Before putting her project in execution she found a place of refuge, where the earl might remain safely concealed till he could embark for France.

This done, on the last day it was thought he had to live, she drove to the Tower gate in a hackney-coach, and dismissed the vehicle.

She was accompanied by two female attendants, and seemed so utterly prostrated by grief, that she needed their a.s.sistance.

Her attendants wore hoods and cloaks, but not in such a manner as to appear like a disguise.

The earl was confined in a distant fortification situated in the north-west angle of the inner ward, and it seemed certain that the countess would never have got there without support.

A sentinel was stationed at the entrance of the prison-lodging, but as the party were preceded by a jailer they pa.s.sed without question.

When the ma.s.sive door of his prison-chamber was unlocked, Lord Nithsdale came forth from a small inner room, or cell, and perceiving his wife uttered a cry, and clasped her to his breast.

Shortly afterwards, the jailer who was stationed outside, was summoned by one of the female attendants. She told him her services were no longer required, and after a very slight scrutiny he suffered her to depart.

But this active confidante had stayed long enough to divest herself of an additional dress with which she was provided.

This dress was meant as a disguise for the earl, while it was intended that her fellow-servant should personate the afflicted countess.

The exchanges of attire were quickly made.

The earl, whose slight figure and small stature suited the part he had to play, was transformed into a lady's maid; and the representative of the countess was duly prepared for the part she had to enact.

All was now ready, but it was deemed prudent to wait nearly an hour, and it will be guessed what anxiety was felt in the interval.

At length, the jailer was called.

On unlocking the door, he beheld the earl as he thought, in an att.i.tude of despair, leaning on the table, with his face covered by his hands.

The unhappy countess was overwhelmed by grief, and had to be led forth by her attendant, who was m.u.f.fled up in her hood to hide her own tears.

The jailer's stony heart was touched by so much grief. He let them out without a word, fastened the door, and following them down the circular stone steps, offered in a kindly tone to conduct them to the gate.

The countess murmured her thanks, and the man marched on before them, and saved them from any interference, receiving a piece of gold for his pains, when he left them at the Bulwark Gate.

"Tell your lady," he said to the attendant, who gave him the gratuity, "that I will do all I can for his lords.h.i.+p to-morrow."

He would have called a coach, but they took a boat, and crossed to the other side of the river.

The first person to enter the prison-chamber after the earl's flight was the Lieutenant of the Tower.

He was filled with consternation on perceiving that its sole occupant was a very handsome woman.

"The Countess of Nithsdale here!" he exclaimed. "The earl then has escaped?"

"Solely by my connivance," she replied. "No one here has been concerned in the flight."

"That remains to be ascertained," rejoined the Lieutenant. "But your ladys.h.i.+p's life will be responsible for that of your husband."

"My husband is safe, and that is enough for me!" cried the countess, joyfully.

"But he may be recaptured," said the Lieutenant.

"I have no uneasiness on that score," she rejoined. "My precautions have been too well taken."

"Well, I must detain your ladys.h.i.+p," said the Lieutenant. "And I know not what course may be pursued; but I will frankly own that I hope you may be able to rejoin your lord."

This good wish was eventually fulfilled.

IV.

The Earl of Wintoun's Escape

ANOTHER important escape must be recounted.

In this case the n.o.ble fugitive was indebted entirely to his own exertions for deliverance.

The youth of the Earl of Wintoun was pa.s.sed in a manner that might have given him extraordinary notoriety in our own time; but though he ran away to France, and disappeared for some years, his claim to the t.i.tle was never disputed.

Incredible as it may seem, during this period of his career, he hired himself to a blacksmith, and served as a mere bellows-blower for some years.

At the same time he acquired considerable mechanical skill, which was subsequently improved, when he abandoned the hammer and the forge, and his talent now stood him in good stead.

He was imprisoned in the upper part of the Hall Tower, formerly, as its name imported, connected with the old palace, and the windows of his rooms looked into the inner and outer wards.