Lot 359
JACOBITE RISING OF 1745
'LIST OF VOLUNTEERS', 1745
Scottish Works of Art & Whisky
Auction: 17 August 2022 at 11:00 BST
Description
Manuscript list of volunteers (p.2-10), preceded by statement 'As a Petition has been presented a few days ago to the Right Hon.ble, the Lord Provost & Magistrates of Edinburgh Subscrib'd by a Considerable number of Citizens of known affection To His Majesty King George the Second, Craving amongst other things to be allowed to appear in arms as Volunteers under proper Officers in defence of the Good Town against any attempt that may be made upon it by the Rebellious Army now assembled under the son of a Popish pretender. Which Petition has been by the Honourable Magistrates laid before his Majesty's Advocate and Sollicitor Who have given their opinion in writing that it is lawfull and that those Citizens and Inhabitants who do enter themselves Volunteers for the said pruposes Will incurr no penalty of Law, and the Lord Provost having acquiesced in the same when the opinion of the Crown Lawyers, Therefore we subscribing hereby Declare that we are ready and willing to Serve as volunteers and do by their presents inlist ourselves as such in the same manner as set forth in the said Petition and do concurr with our FellowCitizens in the haill purposes therein contain'd, tho not here expressly and particularly mentioned Done at Edinburgh this ninth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty Five', 10 pages, folio, (31 x 19cms.), rectos only, the list of names commencing with John Drummond, late provost of Edinburgh, and including numerous named Writers, merchants, jewellers, Students of Divinity, goldsmiths, booksellers, preachers, doctors, advocates, surgeons, Sheriff Clerks, Students of Medicine and Physics, printers, weavers, dyers, clerk to the Post Office, physicians, Excise officers, chandlers, book-binders, shoe makers, candle makers, brewers, wig makers, glove makers, teachers, limners, pewterers, watch makers, constables, masters of the High School, French and Italian master, wrights, upholsterers &c.
Footnote
Note: An interesting compilation of the leading anti-Jacobites in Edinburgh at the beginning of the 1745 Rising. On 4th September, two days before this list appears to have been drawn up, the Jacobite army took Perth. On 16th September Edinburgh was taken by the Jacobites without a fight, although Edinburgh Castle remained in government hands, indicating the resolve of those on the list was not the strongest although Drummond himself again joined the army, and was present at the battle of Prestonpans. During his life he was six times elected Lord Provost of the city.