POLITICAL HISTORY 



declared himself willing to do all in his power to encourage his countrymen 

 ' to distinguish themselves upon this extraordinary occasion that it may 

 appear to the world that the county of Nottingham still have that regard for 

 their religion and liberty which was so remarkable in their ancestors.' He 

 had spoken to the duke of Marlborough concerning half-pay officers to 

 instruct the militia, but they could only be removed from their present 

 stations if the town would bear their travelling expenses. 1 In November he 

 wrote his satisfaction to hear of ' the good appearance their horse militia 

 made at the review, which was beyond expectation.' The arms they needed 

 should be sent as soon as possible, except bayonets and swords ; they should 

 have been sent sooner but for ' the great scarcity of arms and the great call 

 there is for them.' 2 However, 'on receiving the glorious news of the entire 

 defeat of the northern rebels' at Preston on 1 1 November, and at Sheriffmuir 

 two days later, the musters were delayed for some days in hope that the peers' 

 horses would then be ready and the others more complete in their mounting 

 and arms. At Mansfield many honest men had entered into ' a particular 

 association for a troop of horse.' At Southwell many of the ' good men 

 thereabouts ' were drawn into the association, but some were seized on 

 suspicion of being disaffected. The volunteer companies at Nottingham 

 and Worksop had received their commissions and would soon muster, and 

 the deputy-lieutenants were hopeful of bringing ' the same good design . . . 

 to some perfection ' before they left Newark. 3 But in spite of the loyalty 

 of the county to the Hanoverian house a spirit of Jacobitism lingered in 

 Nottingham. Thus Mr. Alderman Hawksley, who was mayor of Notting- 

 ham in 1715, ' gave an entertainment to a party of his political friends, when 

 probably from a state of inebriety ... he went down on his bare knees 

 before the company, and from a large silver tankard . . . drank " Success 

 to the House of Stuart." He was accordingly committed by a brother 

 magistrate, and while in prison was visited by vast numbers of his brother 

 Jacobites, more especially those of the higher classes in society, for many 

 miles round.'* Again in 1745, when the Young Pretender reached Derby, 

 Nottinghamshire shared in the general panic, but there seem to be few or no 

 details as to preparations made in the county for defence or as to any move- 

 ment in favour of the Jacobite cause. 



The reorganization of the militia in 1757, and the attempt to raise it 

 by ballot, met with much opposition in Nottinghamshire. 6 At Mansfield, 

 on 5 September, a mob of about 500 persons broke into the room where the 

 ballot was to be taken, took all the papers by force, and after carrying them 



1 Add. MS. 33,060, fol. 42 ; and Hist. AfSS. Com. Rep. xi, pt. vii, 126. 



'Add. MS. 33,060, fol. 54. A bill for 'Tropheys' for the county gives the full complement of arms 

 and equipment for the militia : ' 2 Blew damask standards imbroidered with His Grace the Duke of Newcastle's 

 coat of arms in silver fringe, 13; 1 8 Halberts I is. per piece, <) l8/. ; 2 Standards staffes with Belts and 

 Springs, $; 2 Tassells, 3; 2 Red Leather cases lined, 12s.; for a box to pack them in, $s. ; 6 colors and 

 makeing, 10 ; 6 color staffs with gilt heads, 2 8/. ; 6 pr. of blew color tassclls and strings, 3 6s.; for 

 painting of 6 colors, 12 ; 12 Drummes, 12 ; painting 12 Drummes, 9 ; 5 cases to pack them in, 

 l 3/. lod.; for Bayes to line case for colors, 4/.; carriage to the carryer, 2s. 6d.; 50 carabines at 2$s. per 

 piece, ^62 los. ; 50 carabine Belts at 6s. per piece, 15 ; 50 Buckets and Straps, 3 I?'-; for 3 chests for 

 the carabines, i 4*.; 44 long muskets at 22/., ^48 8/.; loo muskets at 22/., 110; 106 muskets at l8/., 

 95 8/.; 250 Bionets at 2s. 6J., 31 j/.; 210 Swords at 5/., $z ios.; 10 large chests at us., $ los.; 

 for 3 boxes for Swords and Bionets, l 2s.' (Ibid. fol. 77). Mr. Round points out that these figures imply 

 a regiment of six companies each with a ' colour,' three sergeants armed with halberts, and two drummers. 



* Add. MS. 33,060, fol. 61. 4 Sutton, op. cit. p. 15. 



'The number demanded from the county was 480. Gent. Mag. 1757, p. 301. 



359 



