The Lyon in Mourning, Vol. 1: or a collection of speeches, letters, journals, etc. relative to the affairs of Prince Charles Edward StuartForbes, Robert
History
The Lyon in Mourning, Vol. 1: or a collection of speeches, letters, journals, etc. relative to the affairs of Prince Charles Edward Stuart
Forbes, Robert
Charles Edward, Prince, grandson of James II, King of England, 1720-1788; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Sources
Upon this I told him it was not enough to inform me that the Prince
and his small retinue were in this or the other place such a day,
and that they did breakfast, dine, or sup here or there, which I
acknowledge to be the foundation of the Journal. But then there were
many other things that ought to be carefully [Sidenote: _fol._ 269.]
remarked and taken notice of, otherwise the Journal would turn out
to be only a very dull, insipid thing. I therefore earnestly begged
he would be at pains to recollect himself as much as possible, and
inform me exactly what particular dangers and distresses they met
with, how the Prince bore up under them, what passed in conversation
among them, and more especially that he would endeavour to call
to mind the sayings of the Prince upon any subject, etc. Then a
particular day was fixed (Thursday, August 20th) for meeting together
in the same house at nine o'clock in the morning, in order to write
the Journal from Donald's own mouth.
[Sidenote: 20 Aug.]
Betwixt 9 and 10 of the said day, I was sent for and found with
Donald, Deacon William Clerk, taylor, and one Mr. Finlayson,
mathematical instrument-maker, and late engineer in the Prince's
army. I had no sooner entred the room than Donald asked me if I had
been as good as my word,--if I had brought along with me O'Neil's
Journal? for that, he said, the deel a word would he gie me till
he should hear O'Neil's Journal, which he was afraid was far from
being right. And this he said he had reason to think from what he
had heard about it already in conversation. I then read O'Neil's
Journal [Sidenote: _fol._ 270.] to him, in which he found fault with
several things, particularly as to the staving of the boat to pieces,
which he said was not fact. 'For,' said he, 'if the boat had staved
to pieces, where O'Neil mentions, the world could not have saved
one life that was on board. We would certainly have all perished in
the sea; that place is so very rocky and dangerous. Besides, I have
reason to think that the boat is still to the fore, and that I may
get her into my custody when I go home, if I please to seek after
her.' He likewise quarrell'd O'Neil's asserting that he went with
him (Donald) to Stornway, which he said was not fact, but that he
(O'Neil) remained with the Prince, while he himself was employed
about the message upon which he was dispatched to Stornway, where he
was well known. He also blamed O'Neil for not taking any notice of
the Prince's being under a necessity to disguise himself in women's
cloaths, which consisted with O'Neil's knowledge, and served as much
as anything to represent the great danger the Prince was in of being
discovered and seized; and for taking (as Donald said) too much of
the praise to himself. Here Donald had a remarkable expression which
I cannot fail to set down in his own words, and they are these: 'What
a deel [Sidenote: _fol._ 271.] could O'Neil do for the preservation
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