THE LAST JACOBITE RISING.

HE European War which led to the Rising.-After the fall of Walpole, the dangers against which that statesman had SO carefully guarded began to threaten both the country and the throne. The conflict with Spain proved the beginning of a great European war, which, in its turn, was the prelude to a dangerous Jacobite rising. In the first of these, England aided Austria against the united forces of France, Spain, and Prussia. These three powers sought to overturn the Decree1 by which the Emperor Charles VI. of Germany had bequeathed his hereditary dominions to his daughter, Maria Theresa.

PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD.

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England steadily supported Austria, and sent an army to the continent. The two chief battles in which the English were concerned were Dettingen and Fontenoy. In the first of these George commanded in person, and his bravery did much to secure the victory for the English. This was the last battle in which an English king appeared on the field, and never had the part of personal leader been better sustained. At Fontenoy, Marshal Saxe defeated the Duke of Cumberland, but the battle brought no advantage to the victors. The war was closed by the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, by which the rights of Maria Theresa were admitted.

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In this war, England once more began to show that naval superiority which had rendered her so renowned under the Commonwealth. The two great victories of Cape Finisterre and Belleisle, in both of which the French fleet was totally defeated, pointed onwards to the still greater triumphs of the following reign.

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The enemies of this country naturally sought to weaken the strength of her arms abroad by exciting a rebellion at home; and thus, as Walpole had predicted, the entrance of England into a European war was the cause of a great rising in favour of the exiled Stuarts.

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"The Young Chevalier.'s-On the 25th July, 1745, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, grandson of James II., and often called the Young Pretender,' landed on the coast of the West Highlands with seven companions, and began a movement which shook the Hanoverian dynasty. The Young Chevalier came like a hero of romance to "claim," as he said, "the crown of his ancestors, or perish in the attempt."

The Highland chiefs urged him to defer his project, but he was not to be persuaded. By passionate entreaties and bitter complainings, he moved the hearts and roused the pride of the chieftains; and in less than a month, the Stuart standard was solemnly hoisted at Glenfinnan.10 The Jacobites had already gained their first success in a slight skirmish.11 Charles saw his attempt fairly started, and with a rapidly increasing army he crossed the Firth of Forth and captured Edinburgh. There was hardly a show of resistance; the populace crowded round his horse, and many wept for joy. Holyrood,12 so long deserted, became again a royal palace; and the gallant bearing and youthful enthusiasm of Charles were made all the more striking by the faded splendour that surrounded him.

A distinguished historian has thus described this prince: "View him in his later years, and we behold the ruins of intemperance-his understanding debased, and his temper soured. But not such was the Charles Stuart of 1745. Not such was the gallant Prince full of youth, of hope, of courage, who, landing with seven men in the wilds of Moidart, could rally a kingdom

round his banner, and scatter his foes before him at Preston and Falkirk. Not such was the gay and courtly host of Holyrood. Not such was he, whose endurance of fatigue and eagerness for battle shone pre-eminent, even amongst Highland chiefs; while fairer critics 13 proclaimed him the most winning in conversation, the most graceful in the dance!" 14

A Career of Victory.-The royal forces in Scotland were at this time under the command of a plain, dull man, Sir John Cope-a general quite unable to encounter such foes as the Highlanders. It never entered the head of Sir John that the Prince would dare to march southward; and, accordingly, he sought to cut off all chance of retreat northwards by marching towards InverWhen he found out his mistake, he was forced to sail southwards, and landed at Dunbar on the very day

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that Charles entered Edinburgh.15 He thus held the eastern road to England, and a battle was inevitable.

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The two armies met a few miles from Edinburgh, near Prestonpans, one of those fishing villages that dot the edge of the Firth of Forth. Cope had taken up a strong position--having a morass in front, his cavalry on each flank, and the sea behind him. On the other side

of the marsh lay the Highland army, with its back to the hills. During the night a path across the morass was discovered by the eager Highlanders, and they passed over in the faint light of a misty morning. Cope soon discovered their new position, and made preparations to receive them. He had not long to wait. The order to charge was given, the pipers repeated the signal, and the slogan 17 of the clans pealed forth as the Highlanders rushed on the foe. The dragoons did not wait for their charge, but fled at once; some of the artillerymen were cut down at their guns, others saved their lives by flight; the infantry alone made some attempt at resistance, but their line. was broken through in several places, and they too fled. In five minutes the battle was over; and when Sir John appeared two days afterwards in Berwick with a