LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 



poor Charley Stuart, who was declared a pretender ! On my grand- 

 father's release, he found that his horses had been sent to Wakefield, 

 there to be kept at his own expense. But the magistrates very 

 graciously allowed him to purchase a horse for his own riding, pro- 

 vided the price of it was under five pounds.* 



" My own father paid double taxes for some years after he came 

 to the estate.t 



" Times are better for us now : but I, individually, am not much 

 better for the change ; for I will never take Sir Robert Peel's oath. 

 In framing that abominable oath, I don't believe that Sir Robert 

 cared one fig's end whether the soul of a Catholic went up, after 

 death, to the King of Brightness, or descended to the King of Brim- 

 stone : his only aim seems to have been to secure to the Church by 

 law established the full possession of the loaves and fishes. But, as 

 I have a vehement inclination to make a grab at those loaves and 

 fishes, in order to distribute a large proportion of them to the poor 

 of Great Britain, who have an undoubted claim to it, I do not intend 

 to have my hands tied behind me : hence my positive refusal to 

 swallow Sir Robert Peel's \ oath. Still, take it or refuse it, the new 

 dynasty may always make sure of my loyalty, even if any of our old 

 line of kings were still in existence ; for 



' The illustrious house of Hanover, 



And Protestant succession, 

 To these I have allegiance sworn, 

 While they can keep possession.' 



" When I was not quite eight years old, I had managed to climb 

 upon the roof of an out-house, and had got to a starling's nest under 

 one of the slates. Had my foot slipped, I should have been in as 



* An act passed in the reign of William III. prohibited a Roman Catholic 

 from keeping a horse worth more than five pounds. The object was to deprive 

 the Roman Catholics of chargers which could be used for military purposes in the 

 event of a rising. [ED.] 



t Roman Catholics were compelled by Act of Parliament to pay double land- 

 tax. [ED.] 



t " ' I do hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure any intention to sub- 

 vert the present Church Establishment within this realm,' &c. (See Sir Robert 

 Teel's oath.)'' 



