Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2Scott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
'But what gave the people the highest idea of him was the negative
he gave to a thing that very nearly concerned his interest, and
upon which the success of his enterprise perhaps depended. It was
proposed to send one of the prisoners to London to demand of that
court a cartel for the exchange of prisoners taken, and to be
taken, during this war, and to intimate that a refusal would be
looked upon as a resolution on their part to give no quarter. It
was visible a cartel would be of great advantage to the Prince's
affairs; his friends would be more ready to declare for him if
they had nothing to fear but the chance of war in the field; and
if the court of London refused to settle a cartel, the Prince was
authorised to treat his prisoners in the same manner the Elector
of Hanover was determined to treat such of the Prince's friends as
might fall into his hands; it was urged that a few examples would
compel the court of London to comply. It was to be presumed that
the officers of the English army would make a point of it. They
had never engaged in the service but upon such terms as are in use
among all civilised nations, and it could be no stain upon their
honour to lay down their commissions if these terms were not
observed, and that owing to the obstinacy of their own Prince.
Though this scheme was plausible, and represented as very
important, the Prince could never be brought into it, it was below
him, he said, to make empty threats, and he would never put such
as those into execution; he would never in cold blood take away
lives which he had saved in heat of action at the peril of his
own. These were not the only proofs of good nature the Prince gave
about this time. Every day produced something new of this kind.
These things softened the rigour of a military government which
was only imputed to the necessity of his affairs, and which he
endeavoured to make as gentle and easy as possible.'
It has been said that the Prince sometimes exacted more state and
ceremonial than seemed to suit his condition; but, on the other
hand, some strictness of etiquette was altogether indispensable
where he must otherwise have been exposed to general intrusion. He
could also endure, with a good grace, the retorts which his
affectation of ceremony sometimes exposed him to. It is said, for
example, that Grant of Glenmoriston having made a hasty march to
join Charles, at the head of his clan, rushed into the Prince's
presence at Holyrood with unceremonious haste, without having
attended to the duties of the toilet. The Prince received him
kindly, but not without a hint that a previous interview with the
barber might not have been wholly unnecessary. 'It is not
beardless boys,' answered the displeased Chief, 'who are to do
your Royal Highness's turn.' The Chevalier took the rebuke in good
part.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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