Page:The Ancestor Number 1.djvu/27

 THE ANCESTOR 9 chaplain to the Bishop of Durham, informs his brother, Mr. James Harris,^ ^ that affairs go very ill in Scotland, where the rebels have attacked and defeated the King's troops under Sir John Cope.' This defeat is explained in a later paragraph of the same letter, for ' it is reported that two regiments of dragoons Sir John Cope had with him behaved shamefully, were put into confusion upon the enemy coming up, broke their ranks and made off as fast as they could.' Lord Shaftesbury again writing tells us that ^ — Mr. Pitt moved for an Address, in very respectful terms, to advise the King to recall the troops (which, by the way, all are horse, and consequently the fittest to be employed in quelling rebellions and repelling descents) all from Flanders at this perilous conjuncture, to protect us from immediate danger. Tory on either side speaking.' The reader is already aware that the Harrises were almost bigoted partisans of the House of Brunswick, and he will there- fore not feel surprised to come across in their letters the fol- lowing epithets applied to the followers of the younger Stuart :^ — It is really a shame upon our whole nation that such a vile crew of unheard-of wretches should of a sudden enter the kingdom and penetrate into the very heart of it and retire back to their mountains again and there bid us defiance. I doubt there has been some mismanagement on our side. Such are the invectives which come from the pen of the parson of the Harris family, who was then residing in town with his episcopal chief, the Bishop of Durham, at that pre- late's house in Grosvenor Square, and whence are dated most of his letters at this stirring period, showing a wise discretion on the part of his right reverend lordship to remain on in London, away from all the dangers which were threatening his northern diocese ; and these views seem to have been thoroughly shared by his chaplain, ' the Rev. William,' who was also rector of Egglescliffe, or Excliffe, in that see ; for corresponding with his sister-in-law in February, 1746, he relates how perfectly he agreed with her,* that there are many circumstances at present extremely dissuasive with regard to my journey into the north, and yet now the Duke's arrival there has given a most happy turn to our affairs, and we have pretty good reason to think our- selves nearly secure as to our Scotch neighbours. I believe I shall at last struggle through the hardships of bad roads and bad weather in order to make my little flock a visit, this being the only opportunity I can expect this great while for the purpose. ^ Letters of the first Earl of Malmeshury (Bentley). ^ Y^l^^ 3 4
 * This,' he states, however, * was eluded ' and he adds with some irony — * not a