THE

Historical Register,

Containing an

Impartial RELATION

OF ALL:

TRANSACTIONS, Foreign and Domeftick.

VOLUME II.

For the Year 1717.

Publifh'd at the Expence of the Sun Fire-Office.

LONDON,

Printed and fold by H. MEERE in Black Fryers,

1718.

Price bound 5 s. ftitch'd 4%

N. B. This Title is defign'd for

fuch Perfons as think fit to bind the Four laft Regifters in one Volume: And for the fame Reafon a Table is alfo added at the End of the Eighth Register, of the principal Matters contain'd in them.

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GREAT BRITAIN.

though the four Regifters that were publish'd for the Year 1716, exceeded confiderably the Number of Sheers which the Company of the Sun FireOffice had promis'd to their Subfcribers, we were nevertheless cónftrain'd, for Want of Room, to omit severel material domeftick Occurrences, of which, in regard to the Time wherein they happen'd, we ought to have taken Notice; particularly the Proceedings against the Rebels (excepting those who were impeach'd by Parliament, of whom we have fpoken in the fecond and third Regifters) that furrender'd themselves at Preston; wherefore we think fit to go a little back in point of Time, and begin this Regifter with a Relation of

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The Tryals of the Preston-Prisoners.

HE firft of thofe Gentlemen who felt the fad Effects of that unhappy Enterprize, were the Lord Charles Murray, one of the younger Sons of the Duke of Athol, Major Nairne, and Captain Lockart, both of the late Regiment of the Lord Mark Kerr, Captain Shaftoe of Co

lonel Franks's late Regiment, and Ensign Erskine of Prefton's Regiment, who were try'd for Desertion by a CourtMartial that fate at Prefton on the 28th of November 1715, found guilty, and fentenc'd to be fhot to Death: The Lord Charles Murray was repriev'd during Pleasure; but the other four were executed, according to their Sentence, on the fecond of December. They all dy'd very undauntedly in the Communion of the Church of England, and faid their chief Design in engaging themselves in the Enterprize for which they fuffer'd, was to preferve that Church which they believ'd to be in Danger. There was likewife try'd a fixth Officer, viz. Enfign Dalziel of Orkney's Regiment, who making it appear that he had thrown up his Commiflion fome Time before he had engag'd in the Rebellion, was acquitted as to the Crime of Desertion, of which alone the Court-Martial could take Cogni

zance.

On the 11th of January, Mr. Baron Bury, Mr. Juftice Eyre, and Mr. Baron Mountague, who, by a fpecial Commiffion of Oyer and Terminer, were appointed to try the Prisoners that were taken at Prefton, and not fent to London, open'd their Commiffion at Leverpool, where Bills of Indictment for High Treafon being found against 161 of the Rebels, of which Number about 40 were Scots, the Tryals begun on the 20th of January, and lafted 'till the 8th of February; during which Time 65 were found guilty, five confefs'd themselves guilty, all of whom receiv'd Sentence of Death, and only five were acquitted, viz. William Walmefley of Shaley near Prefton, Henry Rowbotham, Edmund Sykes, Feniow Ferguson, and Donald Robertfon. Ferguson made it appear that he was forc'd into the Rebellion, and brought into England under a Guard; and likewife that he was offer'd a Lieutenant's Commiflion, which he refus'd; upon which the Jury acquitted him, as they did the four others upon fome Variation in the Evidence which the Witneffes for the King gave against them. Of those who receiv'd Sentence of Death, 22 only were executed, viz. Mr. Richard Shuttleworth of Preston, Mr. William Butler of Morscough, Roger Moncaster of Garfang, an Attorney, Thomas Cowpe near Prefton, Yeoman, and William Ackwright of Prefton, Labourer, who were executed on the 28th of January at Prefton; Richard Chorley, Efq; Mr. James Drummond, William Black, Donald MacDonald, Rorie Kennedy, John Ord, and John Rowbotham, who were executed likewife at Prefton on the 9th of February: James Blundell, James Burne, James Finch, William Whalley,

and

and John Mac-Gillivray, who fuffer'd at Wigan on the roth of February; and Thomas Syddall, William Harris, Stephen Seagre, Jofeph Porter, and John Finch, who were put, to Death on the 11th of February at Manchefter. They all of them dy'd very refolutely, rather justifying the Crime for which they fuffer'd, than acknowledging the Guilt of it, except Moncafter the Attorney, who fhew'd great Signs of Repentance, and made the following Speech at his Execution.

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Dear Friends,

Am brought hither to be a miferable and difmal Spectacle to you all. The Crime I am accus'd of, condemn'd, and brought hither to be executed for, bears no meaner or less infamous a Title, than Rebellion: A Crime prohibited both by the Laws of God and Man. And tho' I be the Perfon, (not the only Perfon to fuffer for it) yet I declare, that from my Heart I do deteft and abhor the very Principles of Rebellion, and look upon the Promoters and Abetters thereof, to be Men without any, or at leaft any good Principles, and Enemies in the highest Degree to their lawful Sovereign King George, and Country. I fhall not trouble you any farther with this, but acquaint you, that upon a ferious Recollection of my by past, and, God knows, too long continu'd Tranfgreffions and Offences, both against God and Man, and a strict View and Enquiry (to the utmost of my Power) into my wicked Course of Life, thofe very Sins that I have wretchedly committed, have brought the deferv'd Vengeance of God upon me, tho' they felter and cloak themselves under the bafe Title of my Crime. I heartily, and with the ucmoft Sincerity, repent of my Sins, of what Nature foever; and I hope, thro' Faith, and the Merits and Interceflion of my bleffed Saviour and Redeemer, to obtain Remiflion thereof. I die in perfect Charity with all Men, and freely from my Heart forgive all, particularly every one concern'd in my Execution, defiring Forgiveness of all Perfons here prefent, or elsewhere, whom I have any way offended.

I was educated in the Proteftant Religion of the eftablish'd Church of England, have continu'd fo all my Life, and die in the fame, and am forry that I fhould blemish that Church, by my late Proceedings, for which I now die; and beg Patience to hear me repeat the Articles of my Chriftian Faith. [Here he repeated the Apoftles Creed.]

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