POLITICAL HISTORY 



the subversion of his most gracious government. The sheriff was 

 induced to raise the posse comitatus, which was posted on Penrith Fell 

 a day or two before the arrival of the rebels. On the last day of October 

 a small body of troops reached Longtown. Avoiding Carlisle they 

 advanced by Brampton, where James VIII. was duly proclaimed. It 

 was calculated that the invaders numbered a thousand or twelve hundred 

 foot and six hundred horse. Robert Patten, vicar of Allendale and 

 formerly curate of Penrith, who was with the Northumberland con- 

 tingent, states that as the rebels drew near Penrith they had notice that 

 the sheriff had got together the posse of the county to the number of 

 14,000 men commanded by Lord Lonsdale and the Bishop of Carlisle, 

 for the purpose of opposing their march into England. But they gave 

 the rebel army no occasion to try whether they would stand or no ; for, 

 as soon as a party of scouts had reported on the advance, the rustic 

 soldiery broke up their camp in the utmost confusion, shifting every 

 one for himself as best they could, as is generally the case with an armed 

 but undisciplined multitude. 1 To Patten was assigned the task of cutting 

 off the retreat of the bishop, but Forster afterwards countermanded the 

 order. Having proclaimed King James and stayed the night at Penrith, 

 the insurgents set out next day for Appleby. No damage was done to 

 the town, and no one received hurt but one man, who was shot through 

 the arm.' 



The conduct of the local levies at Penrith has been a fruitful 

 subject of controversy, and various reasons have been alleged for its 

 ineffectiveness. The most unlikely of all is that which ascribes it to 

 secret sympathy with the objects of the insurrection. 8 It is better to 

 listen to the testimony of those who were on the field and most capable 

 of forming a correct judgment. Lord Lonsdale and Bishop Nicolson 

 appear to lay the blame on the want of arms. The former told Lord 

 Carlisle on the eve of the invasion that the militia was almost throughout 

 ill-armed, and that orders had been issued to the men before the muster 

 to put the arms they had in the best condition possible, and to throw 

 away their pikes and get firelocks in their place. 4 With shame and 

 humiliation the bishop informed his friend, Ralph Thoresby, that the 

 county had been * in a great pother on the dry visit that was lately made 

 us by the united rebels of Scotland and Northumberland. The posse 

 of our county was drawn up against them, and our men were at least 

 four to one : but having no arms, they modestly gave way, and I was 

 an eyewitness of the enemy's vanguards marching peaceably into 

 Penrith.' They had been told that General Carpenter was on the heels 

 of the rebels and would assuredly be up with them before they reached 

 Cumberland : * and that we should have nothing more to do than to 

 pick up some of the shattered fragments into which he would chop 



Patten, History of the Late Rebellion (ed. 1717), pp. 82-3. * Ibid, pp 84-5. 



' G. G. Mounsey, Carlisle in 1745, pp. 97-100. Most of the local writers, jealous of the reputation 

 of their countrymen for bravery in battle, have adopted Mr. Mounsey's views. 

 Hist. MSS. Com. Ref. (Lord Carlisle's MSS.), xv. App. vi. 18. 



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