The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-02-24
A TRAGIC
BICENTENARY

The old Tower of London and the
| adjacent Tower Hill have been the
scene of many grim and grisly TRACE
dies, but few more pathetic than the
beheading of the young and hand
some James Radcliffe, Earl of Der
wentWater, just two centuries ago to-
day, Feb. "a, 1915. 1t was a double
execution, for William, Earl of Ken
mure, was also deeapitated on that
day.
The Earl of Derwentwater was only
6 when Me walked with a firm step to
the spot where the executioner. with
his axe, was awaiting him. He was
convicted of treason, having been one
of the leaders in the English rebellion
of 1715. The Earl came of an ancient
Catholic family of Northumberland,
and had royal blood in his veins, for
his grandfather had married a natural
daughter of King Charles II.
When Queen Anne died without is
sue in lila, the throne of England
passed to the House of Hanover in
the person of George L, a. fat and dis
so1ute Teuton who know scarcely a
word Of the English tongue and who
manifested on every occasion his con-
tempt for British institutions. The
young Earl, urged on by his pretty
young wife, decided to attempt the
restoration of the house of Stuart and
the overthrow of the German dynas-
for that purpose with several other
mobiles and gentlemen of the north
and west of England. The plot was
betrayed to the government OF George
T.. who Immediately suspended the
habeas corpus and issued warrants
against the suspected men.
The standard of rebellion had al
ready been raised in Scotland, and the
Earl of Derwentwater, at the instiga-
ton of his wife. commenced the
movement in England. He hoped to
have the aid of France, but in this
he was disappointed through the
death of Louis XIV. The rebels
marched on Newcastle, but they fail
ed in their plan to take the city by
surprise. Although the foreign
err was cordially disIiked by the mass
es of the English people, their hatred
of the founders of the Hanoverian dy-
nasty was not sufficiently bitter to
cause many of them =tos flock to the
rebel standard, -. Volunteers came in
slowly. and many of these could not
be armed.
Derwentwater and his men Joined
two parties from Scotland, which
brought their total forees~to 1000.
Several plans of action were suggest
ed. but the EngIishmen refused to go
into Scotland, nor would the high
Ianders enter England. Marching
along the border, the dissension soon
reached the point of an open rupture,
Lord -Derwentwater finally effected a
compromise, and the army marched
on Dumfries, but when the citizens
were found intrenched to oppose them
the rebels turned around and march
ed right back again. When it was
again proposed to march into Eng
land, many deserted, but Lord Der
wentwater and his companions per-
sisted in their course. Being inform
ed that Manchester had proclaimed
for King James, they advanced to-
ward that city, taking Lancaster and
Preston. These few victories were
followed by disaster, for the insurg
ents We're, surrounded A Lord Der
wentwater and the Scotehrnen were
for fighting to the last ditch. but the
English commander Foster and 9TH
ers Of his countrynen insisted upon
a surrender.
Many of the common men were
transported to America, but Lord
Derwentwater was tried. convicted of
treason, and sentenced to death. The
same sentence - was passed on Lord
Kenmure and Lord Nithisdale The
latter, by the strategem of his devot-
ed wife, escaped from the Tower. but
Derwentwater and Kenmure were be-
headed on Tower Hill. The young
Earl died brave1y. protecting to the
last his loyalty to James III, and his
detestation of the Hanoverian mon
arch