The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-01-10
xoRx1se STAR AND CATHOLIC MESSENGER.
NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY. JANUARY 10. 1869.
Lie and Death Of James, Earl Of Derwntwater
BY LADY HERBERr.

1ou@hter If CHARLES the Second, then married
to Edward, second Earl of Derwentwater, gave
birth to son and heir, who received ut MS bap-
tism the name Of James. Only one year Pre-.
viously the exiled king, James the Second, and
his queen, then living at ST. German, had been
also gIaddcned by the birth of child, the I'M
fortunate prince afterwards 80 well known un-
der the name of the "Pretender," and whose
sorrows and adventures have been the themes OF
30 many tales and ballads to this day. The
terrible Penal Laws were still in force in Eng
land. Even 80 late as 1870 100, and l7O3 fresh
statutes were enacted forbiddiDg the education
of Catholic children in their fathers faith, and
condemning all who had aided or Allotted in the
performance of Divine worship, according to the
rites of the Roman Catholic Church, to heavy
fines or perpetual imprisonment. This being
the state of things, the Earl and Countess OF
Derwentwater, anxious above all for the reli-
gious education of their boy, relinquished the
1uxuries and pleasures of their beautiful coun-
try home, and established themselves at st.
German during the necessary period OF his ed
ucatiOnal training. The little boy became the
intimate and playmate of the young prince, and
a friendship was thus formed in youth which
decided his future course, and brought his val
uable life to premature close.
Lady Fowls was at that time goyerness to the
little prince, a miniature of whom is still pre-
served at the old Jacobin Hotel ut st. German,
as a beautiful child of seven or eight years old,
with regular features, and fair, flowing curls.
His lessons were shared by the heir OF the Der
wentwaters; and between the two children
boyish devotion sprung up, which no subse-
quent trial or suffering could efface In this
atmosphere of loyalty, to one whom he consid-
cred as his rightful sovereign, james Radcliffe
was nurtured from his birth. Circumstances
strengthened the influence on his chivalrous
nature, and misfortune transformed what had
been merely an heI editary sentiment into pas
sionate devotion.
In 1901 the exiled king died !; his last days
having been embittered by the failure of an ex-
petition undertaken ON his behalf by Louis the
Fourteenth. But his death bed was signalized
by "a scene as touching as it was beautiful.
Calling his boy. to his bedside, he addressed him
as follows:
"I am now leaving this world, which has
been to mc'a sea Of storms and tempests, it be-
ing God Almighty's will to win me from it by
many and great Affections. Serve Hin, my
crown of England in competition with your
eternal salvation. There is no slavery like sin;
there is no liberty like His service. Ii His holy
Providence shall think tit to seat you on the
throne of your royal ancestors, govern your peo-
pie with cienlency and justice. Remember,
kings are not made for themselves but for the
good of their peOple.-Set before their eyes, in
your own actions, II pattern of all manner of
yirtues.' Consider them as your children; You
yourself the child of VOWS and prayers be-
have yourself accordingly. Honor your moth
er, that your days may be long; and be always
n kind brother to your dear sister that you may
reap the blessings of unity and concord"
The Revolution of 1855 respected the princi-
Be Of the hereditary deyolution Of the Crowynn
1t was by the death of Queen Anne, the last sur
viving Protestant child Of King James without
issue, that by the act of settlement, the crown
was assumed by George the First as the lneal
descendant and next Protestant heir of King
james the First. In this particular, therefore,
the Revolution was less Revolutionary" than
might have been expected; and subsequent
events, which, by distinguishing the direct male
line OF the Stuart succession, seemed to satisfy
this course, enable the most ardent Jacobite
now living to be Il loyal subject to our Queen
as sovereign de jure well rs dc facto. bill for
the attainder of the Stuart exile was passed in
Parliament, and obtained the royal assent in
March, l7O2 and thus civil war virtually began
Whether these disastrous political circum-
stances delayed the return of the young Lord
Derwentwater to his native land is not certain.
His father died i'll 1905, but it was not till five
years later that he went back to England, and
established himself in his beautiful old North
cumberland home. He was then twenty one
years of age. His appearance was singularly
handsome and prepossessing. Patten, II con-
temporary, writes of him The sweetness OF
: his temper and disposition, in which quality he
had few equals, had 80 secured TO him the atfec-
tions of all his tenants neghbors and depend
ents, that multitudes would have lived and died
for him. He was man formed by nature to
be generally beloved, and he had benefcence
30 universal, that he only seemed to live for
Others"
The following two years seem to have been
spent by him entirely at Dilston, devoting him
self to the Improvement Of his property aud the
care of the estate, personally visiting the poor
and sick, and relieving their wants, and doing
every kind office and neghborly act in his pow
to those around him.
On the 10th of July, 1712, he married Ann, the
daughter of Sir John Webb, of Dorsetshire. She
had been educated at the Ursuline Convent il
Paris, and it was at st. Germain that their boy
and girl friendship ripened into love which
grew stronger hour by hour, until the cruel sew
erance which left her % widow. E~~'
For the first two years they resided at Hath
erhope in Gloucestershire, place belonging t.
Lady Derwentwaters family, and spent part o
the time in London but in 1714 they finally
took up their residence at Dilston, the scene o.
the few happy days which were to be granted
to them. 1t was fine old castle, situated OF
height ut the foot of which flowed a rapit
river, called the Devils Water, which ran int
the Tyne.
1t was on the 10th of August, 1715, that TIN
exiled prince proclaimed in Scotland "a
King, under the title of James the Third Lore
Mar and other Scotch nobiemen had concerted
measures for general rising north of TIN
Tweed, while messages We're sent throughou
Northumberland and Cumberland, to invite tn