Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 63, No. 390, April, 1848Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 63, No. 390, April, 1848
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
The mention of the red coat was probably suggested by a report that the
Archbishop had been seen in uniform. And the “hussars” were a troop of
young gentlemen, whom General Oglethorpe had embodied at York.
The prelate was somewhat of a humorist; and he thus writes on his
military reputation:—“I find I must go into regimentals, in my own
defence, in a double sense; for an engraver has already given me a
Saracen’s head, surrounded with a chevalier in chains, and all the
instruments of war, and the hydra of rebellion at my feet. And I see
another copperplate promised, where I am to be exhibited in the same
martial attitude, with all my clergy with me. By my troth, as I judge
from applications made to me every day, I believe I could raise a
regiment of my own order. And I had a serious offer the other day from a
Welch curate, from the bottom of Merionethshire, who is six feet and a
half high, that, hearing that I had put on scarlet, he was ready to
attend me at an hour’s warning, if the Bishop of Bangor did not call
upon him for the same service.”
The disregard of all preparation had left the whole English border
defenceless. Hull and Carlisle were the only towns which had any means
of resistance. York had walls, but they were in a state of decay, and
had not a single piece of artillery. Thus the invaders were enabled to
pursue any road which they pleased. But their entrance into England
should have taught them that their enterprise had become hopeless. The
country people every where fled before them—the roads were filled with
the carriages and waggons of the gentry hurrying to places of safety. No
gentleman of rank joined them. One army was on their rear, and the main
army, under the Duke of Cumberland, was between them and London.
In the metropolis, the spirit of the people, always slow, until the
danger is visible, now awoke. The lawyers, in a procession of two
hundred and fifty carriages, carried up an address to the King, assuring
him of their loyalty. The trained bands were summoned. Troops were sent
to the coast to watch the French, if they should attempt invasion;
alarm-posts and signals were appointed in case of tumults in London, and
the capital was at length in safety against a much superior force to
that of the Chevalier. But in December the gratifying news came, that on
the 5th the invaders had retired from Derby, and were rapidly returning
to the North.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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