CHAPTER III.

The extraordinary epoch of 1745 is more intimately associated with the history of this town, than with that of any other portion of the northern counties of England. The leading inhabitants, the Clergy of the Collegiate Church, Dr. Deacon and his followers, were all warm in the cause of the exiled Stuarts, and were led on most actively by Colonel Townley, a name well-known in Lancashire, Dr. Byrom, who was regarded as the “ Mastertool of the faction," Mr. Dickenson, and others. The Clergy were not merely associated with the Pretender's cause by political partialities, but it was even alleged against them, upon the authority of documents which were unanswerable, if genuine, that their religious feelings were of the same tendency with his, and that they had actually entered into a correspondence with the Church of Rome with a view to their re-admission into her bosom. Pretender was at that time taken under the protection of the French King, who made a tool of him for the furtherance of his policy, having for its object the invasion of these kingdoms. A Colonel's commission was forwarded to Townley, who was living in Wales, and who thereupon visited Manchester to communicate with the disaffected, at a public-house contiguous to Jackson's Ferry, near Didsbury. At this place, according to the good old English fashion, business was transacted over a good dinner, one ceremonial of which was the drinking of the King's health over a bowl of water. The enthusiasm evinced at these meetings was supposed to pervade the whole town, and

The

glowing promises of general support were forwarded to head-quarters.

At length Prince Charles set his foot on the Scottish shores, and was joined by friends and partizans; success dawned upon his arms at Preston Pans; (Nov.) and the way being open to him, he adopted the bold determination of penetrating into England. Colonel Townley guided his forces; and, whilst joy possessed the hearts of his select adherents, consternation seized the loyal part of the community. The bridges at Warrington, Barton, and indeed along the whole line of march, were ordered to be destroyed: in Manchester, those who looked askance upon the Jacobite cause hurried off with their effects, whilst the more courageous made such preparations for defence as circumstances admitted. The Government in London was by this time alive to the alarming character of the inroad, and was attempting to check it, but hitherto no force beyond the local troops which each district furnished could be brought against the invaders, who in the meanwhile were advancing apace. A ludicrous story is told of the manner in which this town was first occupied by the Jacobites; but, fortunately for the valour of the citizens, it is one in which truth has been sacrificed to effect. It is related that a force composed of one corporal and his man seized, vi et armis, and took military possession of the town. The Prince distorted the feigned occurrence so far as to say that it served to shew the enthusiastic courage of the army, and the terror with which the English were seized. It would seem, however, that the hero of this story, an adventurer named Dickson, who was privileged to beat up the country for recruits, having met with faint success in Preston, obtained permission to move forward to Manchester, which he did, accompanied by his mistress and one drummer. Entering boldly, the latter began pouring forth his martial strains, whilst Dickson pro

claimed the glories of the service in which he sought to embark the Mancunians; and as it was presumed that the Pretender's forces were near at hand, no opposition was for some time offered to him. At length, finding that the main body was some hours' march off, the inhabitants resolved upon "taking him prisoner, dead or alive." A fight ensued, the issue of which was that the Jacobites having come out to defend the recruiting corporal the assailants were repulsed, and during the rest of the day the sergeant and the drummer paraded the streets in triumph. Dickson obtained about one hundred and eighty recruits, who were remarkable by their white cockades. On the evening of the 28th., the main body being at Leigh and Wigan, the van-guard entered Manchester, followed, about ten in the morning, by the main body. This force marched into St. Ann's Square at the time the last obsequies were being paid over the grave of the rector, Joseph Hoole. Some of the officers joined decorously in the service, after which quarters were sought for the Prince, who had not yet arrived; and the residence of Mr. Dickinson, in Market-street Lane, since known as the Palace Inn, was selected for him. The publicans were ordered to muster for the purpose of attending the soldiers, and threats of military execution were held out to induce the excise and other government officers to bring in such public money as they might have in their hands. The Chevalier arrived about two in the afternoon, with a body guard of Highlanders: he wore a light plaid, blue sash, a blue bonnet adorned with a white rose, and a grey wig, the disfiguring appendage of those days. In his rear were sixteen pieces of ordnance, many waggons and loaded horses. The Prince was not an entire stranger in Manchester. In the previous summer he had made a

* Other accounts state that only sixty Mancunians joined the ranks of the Pretender, although a douceur of five guineas was offered.

secret visit to Sir Oswald Mosley, of Ancoats, ancestor of the present Sir Oswald. This historical fact has been too little noticed. Prince Charles Edward passed several weeks at Ancoats Hall in privacy. He frequented the only news-room in town, where London newpapers were delivered three days in the week, and appeared always very anxious for the arrival of the post upon those occasions. The daughter of the person who kept this news-room was in the habit of attending upon the company there, and she had frequent opportunities of observing him. His personal accomplishments and polite address particularly attracted her attention, and one day when she had brought him, at his request, a basin of water and a towel to wash himself with, he rewarded her in a much more munificent manner than a common guest could have done. An indelible impression of his countenance and figure was thus left upon her memory; and when she saw him subsequently at the head of his troops, she immediately recognised him as the same person who had so frequently attended the news-room in the former year. Her father, who had been in the secret, enjoined strict silence from her upon this topic, but so soon as the rebellion was over, and personal danger to her father was no longer to be apprehended, she communicated the circumstance to a member of her acquaintance. Sir Oswald Mosley was not himself at Ancoats during the concealment of the Pretender there: he remained at his seat in Staffordshire during the Rebellion of 1745; but from the hospitality which had been previously shewn to him, and the encouragement offered many influential men in Manchester and the vicinity, the Pretender had expected more powerful support than he received when he arrived in town. He did not hesitate, indeed, to express his great disappointment to all those around him. His supplies began to fail him at Manchester; and, with the advice of his Scotch associates, he

levied a considerable sum upon the inhabitants, for the payment of which he compelled Mr. Jas. Bayley (father of the present Sir Oswald Mosley's grandmother) and several of the wealthiest of the Whig party, to become sureties; but as the whole amount could not be raised so promptly as they required, the Scotch forces took Mr. Bayley, as a hostage, to Derby, and did not liberate him, even upon their return from thence, until the rest of the money had been raised, a part of which Mr. Bayley was obliged to provide out of his own private fortune. The Prince's ill-clad men were grotesquely armed with swords, pistols, a few guns, and other less martial weapons. In short, they must have resembled the torn and tattered crew from whose company through Coventry Falstaff was so resolute to be free. These beggarly characters enshrined themselves under waiving banners, on which were inscribed the pompous and hollow words—“ Liberty and Property"

"Church and King." The Prince marched through Salford, and was met by Mr. Clayton, a clergyman, who, falling on his knees, prayed for the divine blessing upon the chevalier. Prince Charles took up his abode at the "Palace" in Market-street Lane, whither Jacobites of both sexes flocked to welcome him. Although the presence of female associates in Manchester is not particularly named, it is stated that the young adventurer was accompanied from Scotland by partizans of both sexes. A lady of Preston, giving an account to a friend of the Prince's entry into that town, informs her that he had with him "four ladies who seem to be of some distinction-Lady Ogilvy, Mrs. Murray, Jenny Cameron, and another whose name I could not learn, but they say she is the mistress of one M'Sheridan, a Popish Priest. The two first were in a chariot by themselves; the other two in a coach and six, with the young Pretender and M'Sheridan, who, it seems, is called the Archbishop of Canterbury.

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