Forest of Rossendale. 125 



At their command the warhke peasants rise, 

 And loud huzzas re-echo'd thro' the skies ; 

 Some arm'd with clubs, like Hercules of old, 

 Others with guns, all resolutely bold 

 Had instruments of death, one mind, one heart 

 Gave life to all, and quick'ned ev'ry part. 

 By beat of drums, and ensigns wav'd on high, 

 They march'd, but when the rebel host drew nigh, 

 Th' adjacent towns, oh, shame! refus'd their aid. 

 And left these warlike souls to fiends betray'd ,■ 

 What cou'd they do, abandoned by their friends, 

 A match unequal to these rebel bands'^ 

 With sad regret, breathing revengful ire, 

 Prudence taught them reluctant to retire ; 

 So now these rovers straight their flight pursued. 

 And eager pace their quick retreat renew'd." 



And SO on. 



As bearing on this subject, and partly elucidating and comtirm- 

 ing the statements in rhe poem, the following interesting and 

 quaint particulars, relating to the young Pretender's rising in 1745, 

 and the march of the rebels, are from a diary kept by Richard 

 Kay, of Baldingstone, near Bury, the residence of his father, who 

 was a staunch Nonconformist, and who appears from the diary to 

 have kept open house for all Nonconformist ministers in this and 

 the surrounding neigbourhood. 



The contents of the diary from which the extracts are taken 

 were contributed by Sir Thoinas Baker, late Mayor of Manchester, 

 to the " Palatine Note Book," vol. iv. pp. 19, et seq. 



" December 8th, 1745. This day — this Sabbath Day— in the 

 morning, as we were going to Bury Chappel, we met Coz. Dr. 

 Kay and his brother Coz. John Kay, from Manchester, who told 

 us they were fleeing out of the way of the rebells, who had marched 

 to Darby, near our army, and retreated; Manchester, with the 

 assistance of the country people, are intending to make a stand 

 against them. Cousins would have me to go to Rossendale with 

 them, about four miles hence, to raise the people there. I took a 

 ride with them. In the afternoon we heard Mr. Welch preach at 



