Manuscripts and Special Collections
Ne C 1785 : Copy of letter from Charles Stuart 'the Young Pretender', Perth [Scotland,] to James Stuart 'the Old Pretender'; 10 Sep. 1745
know's that in my Nature I am Neither Cruell nor Revengefull, & God who know
my heart knows that If the Very Prince who has forc'd me to this (for it is he that
has forced me) was in my Power the greatest Pleasure I could feel would be treating
him as the Black Prince treated his Prisoner the King of France, to make him
Asham'd of haveing shewn himself so Inhumane an Enemy to a man for Attempting
a thing whom he himself (If he has any Spirit) would despise for not Attempting. I
beg your Majesty would be under no uneasiness about me, he is Safe thats in
Gods keeping. If I die it Shall be as I have liv'd with Honour, & the Pleasure I
take in thinking I have a Brother in all Respects more Worthy than my Self
to Support your Just Cause, & Rescue my Injur'd Country from the Oppression
under which it Groans (If it will Suffer it Self to be Rescue'd) makes Life more
Indifferent to me, as I know & Admire that fortitute with which your Majesty
has supported your Misfortunes & the generous disdain with which you have
constantly rejected all Offers of Foreign Assistance by terms which you thought
Dishonourable to your Self & Injurious to your Country. If our Cold but
Interested Friends should at this take Advantage of the Tender Affection
with which they know you Love me I hope you will Reject them with the
same Magnanimity you have hitherto shewn & leave me to shift for my
self as Edward ye 3d left his brave son when he was in Danger of being Oppressed
by Numbers in the Field. No S[i]r, let it never be said that to save your
son you Injur'd your Country, when your Enemy brings in Foreigners,
and you Reject all Foreign Assistance on Dishonourable terms: your
Deluded Subjects of England must see who is the true father of the
Child. For my own Part I Declare once for all that while I Breath
I will never Consent to Alienate one foot of land, that belongs to the
Crown of England or set my hand to any treaty inconsistant with it's
Independancy & Sovereignity. If the English would have my Life let
them take it If they can but no Unkindness on their Part Shall Ever
force me to a thing that may Justifie them in takeing it, I may be
Over Come by my Enemys, but I won't Dishonour my Self. If I die
it Shall be with my Sword in my Hand, Fighting for the Liberty
