Friction increased which led to a notion,
Union repeal became a Lord's motion,1
All Scottish Lords combined Whig and Tory,
Voted in favour though they were sorry,
As lose they did though just by a smidgen.
Anne had now died so off flew the pigeon2
With good news for George, son of Sophia,3
If you recall was mentioned up higher4
King Georgie (the one) aged now fifty-four,5
Hanover's "in" left the Jacobites sore
Meet Bobbing John, eleventh Earl of Mar,6
Steadfast proponent of Union so far,
Minister of State 'til George (one) arrived,
But sacked from his job he therefore connived,
In a moment of pique with rebel Lords,
Glenlyon, Lochiel and their feudal "swords",7
At bonnie Braemar a gath'ring they held,8
The Standard was raised---Stuart plaudits were yelled.
At tactics of war old Mar was quite poor,
"Red John of the battles" at Sheriffmuir,9
With less numbers drew and much better led;10
Too late, Jamie Stuart reached Peterhead,11
Dallying Erskine the wrong tactics chose---,
Jamie and he fled to France from Montrose12
Supporters were left to carry the can,13
Free pardons for all except just one clan,14
MacGregors; Campbells always had hated15
Support for the "Cause" had not abated
With half of the clans---while others made roads,
Opened the Highlands to all the known modes16
Of transport required for futurist trade,
Of tourism---all thanks to General Wade17
Some friendly Whig clans Wade managed to meld,
The government's cause they always upheld,18
Their tunics were red, their tartan near black.
Meantime James Stuart from France got the sack,19
Hightailed it to Rome with Charlie his son,
And Jacobite hopes seemed over and done,
Meet Alberoni, Spain's first minister,20
Upset with the Brits for their naval flair,
Who backed the Italians, sinking Spain's fleet,21
Al' sought his revenge, some rebels he'd meet,
So Jacobite hopes awakened again,
Gathered at Cadiz were five thousand men,
Invasion of England, one of the plans,
The other to muster some Scottish clans.22
Storms scuppered the first, the second failed too,
Few clansmen came out James' Cause to pursue.
At Eilean Donan their base was knocked out,
Fiasco followed by Invershiel rout.
No longer welcome in his Spanish home,23
Pretender James Stuart went back to Rome,
As only the Pope thought James still a king;
One roll of the dice would change everything.
Lou (fifteen) of France was hatching a plot,
With Britain, a war looked likely as not.
At Dunkirk his fleet was being amassed,
Jamie in Rome got the invite at last,
Charlie was sent as his Regent-to-be,
The French got real scared by thundering sea,
And violent storms confounded their plan---
Undaunted young Charlie wasn't the man,
To give up like that and go back to Rome,
Risking it all for a new British home.
He landed at Moidart---MacDonald land,24
Seven men only in his tiny band,
Clan chiefs were averse to back Charlie's plan,
Til Cameron clansmen all to a man
Followed the lead of their chieftain, Lochiel,
Joined Bonnie Charlie---a hardcore of steel.
The Standard was raised and lots more "came out",25
At Perth he proclaimed his dad with a shout,
To be the real King and not George (the two)26
And thrashed Johnny Cope without much ado;27
In Ed'nburgh he lodged at Holyrood House,
Then marched down to England hoping to rouse
Support for his cause, slightly ambitious,
Like most Scots' views, they thought it seditious.
Back to the Highlands from Derby they tramped,
And near Inverness the clansmen encamped,
Exhausted, half starved, in no shape to fight,
'Gainst forces greater in numbers and might,
Severely were crushed by Hanover's force28
His army ko'd, Chuck mounted his horse,
Took off for the hills and tales of romance,
With Flora to Skye the myth to enhance29
The truth, more prosaic---royal or no,
Lice, dysent'ry, midges all had a go,
And to his wits end Charlie was driv'n,
Flora's aid only reluctantly giv'n,
(Fought had her dad on the Hanover side);30
Charlie's romantic tales do still abide.
Arrived back in France, then was deported31
To drunken ways in Rome he resorted32
Rebels no longer would dare to oppose
Hanover's rule---the demise of White Rose.
Savage brutality was meted out
To folk in the Highlands, all round about,
By William Augustus, son of George (two),33
Known as the "Butcher" and aptly named too.
Jacobite prisoners died by the rope,34
Others were banished and given no hope,35
Sev'n hundred whose fate now nothing is known.
Tartan proscribed only not that alone,
Weapons were banned as were the bagpipes,36
Lands confiscated of attainted types.
Notes
1 House of Lords, 1713.
2 1714.
3 George I, (r.1714-1727).
4 James VI's Granddaughter.
5 The first Hanovarian king.
6 John Erskine, (1675-1732). Nicknamed "Bobbing" because he kept changing sides.
7 1715 Jacobite rebellion.
8 6 September, 1715.
9 John Campbell, Duke of Argyll.
10 Battle of Sheriffmuir, November 1515.
11 The Old Pretender.
12 4 February 1716
13 Only two were executed.
14 Act of Grace, 1717.
15 Argyll was chief of the Campbell clan.
16 1725-29
17 And Duncan Forbes of Culloden.
18 The Black Watch, 1729.
19 Expelled by the Peace of Utrecht.
20 Cardinal Guilio Alberoni, son of an Italian gardener, first minister of Philip V of Spain.
21 Britain was obliged to support Italy in its fight with Spain by the terms of the Peace of Utrecht.
22 The 1719 rising.
23 By December 1719 Cardinal Alberoni James's sponsor had fallen from power and was in exile in Italy.
24 25 July, 1745.
25 At Glenfinnan, 19 August.
26 George II, (r.1727-1760).
27 Sir John Cope, routed at the battle of Prestonpans. d.1760.
28 Battle of Culloden, 16 April, 1746.
29 Flora MacDonald, (1722-1790).
30 More Scots had fought for the Government than on the Jacobite side.
31 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748.
32 He died in 1788.
33 Duke of Cumberland, (1721-1765).
34 120 in all.
35 1150 were transported.
36 Disarming Act.
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