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
I heartily forgive all who had any hand in the scandalous surrender
of Carlisle; for as it was the opinion of every one of [Sidenote:
_fol._ 52.] the garrison who had been in foreign service that the
place was tenable many days, and as the Elector's troops then lying
before the town were in a bad condition, it is highly probable that
a gallant defence (which I strenuously insisted upon) would have
procured us such terms as to have prevented the fate to which we are
now consign'd. I also forgive the pretended Duke of Cumberland for
his dishonourable and unsoldierly proceeding in putting us to death
in violation of the laws of nations after a written capitulation
to the contrary, and after the garrison, upon the faith of that
capitulation, had surrendred the place and faithfully performed all
the conditions required of them.
I pray God to forgive and turn the hearts of the bishops and
their clergy who, prostituting the duty of their holy profession,
have departed from their function as messengers of peace, and
scandalously employed themselves in their pulpits to abuse the
[Sidenote: _fol._ 53.] best Prince engaged in the most righteous
cause in the world, and against their own consciences and opinions,
represented him and his army in a disadvantageous and false light,
in order to get the mob on their side and spirit up an unthinking
people to a blood-thirsty, cruel and unchristian disposition. I
could heartily wish these men would prefer suffering to sinning, and
consider how contrary it is to the character of a truly Christian
pastor to receive instructions about what doctrine to preach from the
baneful Court of an impious Usurper. The credulous, deluded mob, who
have been thus set on by their teachers, I also pray God to forgive
for the barbarous insults I received from them when in chains.
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!
As I have before given thanks to Almighty God for the example of my
honest father, so I beseech him that the same [Sidenote: _fol._ 54.]
Christian, suffering spirit may ever be in all my dear children;
praying that they may have the grace to tread the same dangerous
steps which have led me to this place, and may also have the courage
and constancy to endure to the end and despise human power when it
stands oppos'd to duty.
I pray God of his great mercy and goodness that he would be pleased
to pour down the choicest of his blessings upon the sacred head of
his Majesty, King James the Third, and his royal sons, the Prince
of Wales, and the Duke of York; and (although England be not in a
disposition to deserve so great a blessing, yet for the sake of
justice and the love which Nature and duty prompt me to bear my
native country) to restore them soon to their lawful, natural and
undoubted rights, and in the meanwhile to inspire them with Christian
patience and firmness of heart to bear their undeserved misfortunes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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