258 French Prisoners. 



occasionally visited Brownhill Tavern, near Thornhill, kept by 

 her aunt, Mrs Bacon, and knew both these ladies well. In 

 honour of Polly he composed the song entitled " Lovely 

 Polly Stewart," whose tender refrain has a sad significance 

 in view of Polly's unhappy after-life. 



" 0, lovely Polly Stewart ! 



0, charming Polly Stewart ! 

 There's ne'er a flower that blooms in May 

 That's half sae fan- as thou art." 



Polly had a strange career. She was married first to her 

 cousin, Ishmael Stewart, who left the country under a cloud 

 and was never heard of again. Next she married George 

 Welsh, Morton Mains, Thornhill, grand-uncle of Mrs Thomas 

 Carlyle. Unfortunately, a separation took place, and Polly 

 came to reside with her father in Dumfries. This was the 

 time when her heart opened to receive the attentions of a 

 captivating foreigner, who had unlimited time at his disposal. 

 He was handsome and engaging in manner, and must have 

 been infatuated with Polly, for he took her with him when 

 the prisoners returned to France. When Louis XVIIL dis- 

 banded his Swiss troops, the couple went to Switzerland. 

 After some years Fleitz died, and Polly took refuge with a 

 cousin in Florence. Her mind at last gave way, and she was 

 taken to an asylum, where she died in 1847 at the age of 

 72 years.* 



The following in reply to an enquiry by one of the Dum- 

 fries ministers anent the Frenchmen contracting marriages 

 with British subjects shows the position of the French 

 Government : — " I am directed by the commissioners for 

 Transport Service, etc., to inform you that by the laws of 

 France such marriages are null and void, and such con- 

 nections to be prevented as much as possible." A consider- 

 able number of irregular alliances took place in consequence 

 of this stricture. 



The Dumfries prisoners numbered about 100, and were 



* See Trans., 1883-6, v. 10, N.S. 95-8, Lovely Polly Stewart, 

 by James Barbour; also C. T. Ramage, Brumlanrig and the 

 Douglases, pp. 254-64. 



