124 
A MASTER-GUNNER OF ENGLAND. 
prisoner. This man, one Weemes [sic], a Scotchman, had been as 
much obliged by the King as a man of his condition could be, and in 
a manner very unpopular, for he was made Master-Gunner of England, 
with a pension of £300 per annum for his life (which was looked upon 
as some disrespect to the English nation), and having never done the 
King the least service, he took the first opportunity to disserve him; and 
having been engaged against him, from the beginning of the Rebellion, 
he was now preferred by them, for his eminent disloyalty, to be General 
of the Ordnance in the army of Sir William Waller, who was very 
much advised by him in all matters of importance.” 1 2 
The following extracts from letters sent by several of the most 
eminent Parliamentary generals, to the “ Committee of Both King¬ 
doms,” auent the imprisonment of Colonel James Wemyss clearly 
prove how highly his services were thought of by the writers in question. 
Lieut.-General the Earl of Essex writes on 15 July, 1644: “If you 
would take it into your care to have Colonel Wemyss speedily ex¬ 
changed it would be a great advantage to Sir William Waller's army, 
otherwise his train of artillery may be in some disorder; besides I am 
informed that when brought to the King, he told him (Wemyss) as 
yet he had not disposed of his place which makes me believe that no art 
will be left untried to win him over to the enemy, and though I hope 
his honour will preserve him, yet a man of his abilities is not to be 
lost.” 3 On 2 October, 1644, we find Sir John Meldrum busying him¬ 
self to secure the release of Colonel Wemyss. “ I proposed,” wrote 
Meldrum, “to Sir Thomas Tillisley [Tyldesley 3 ] who hath been Major- 
General, and Colonel of foot, that it he would procure Colonel Wemes 
his liberty I would use my best endeavours to set him (Sir Thomas) 
free.” This plan fell through as Tyldesley was thought too important 
a captive to be exchanged even for Wemyss and, on October 8 following, 
Sir William Waller and Sir Arthur Hazelrigg wrote “humbly desiring 
that Major-General Porter may not be exchanged for any other but 
Colonel Weyms.” It is uncertain when Wemyss obtained his release 
but, on 12 June, 1645, we find a Colonel James Wemyss' signature 
attached to a Memorial for arrears of pay due to him and 130 Scotch 
officers then in England. 4 And in December 1846, we also find an 
order for £50 made at the Committee of the Navy “ upon petition of 
James Wemyss, Master-Gunner of England, who having faithfully 
served the Parliament ever since the commencement of these troubles, 
when the other officers deserted their trust, and proved all the ordnance 
and gunpowder for the navy and fitted the ships with them, particularly 
this last summer when 100 pieces were prepared for the three new 
frigates.” 5 The same sum was voted him by the Navy Commissioners 
1 Clarendon’s Hist, of the Rebellion (edit. Oxford, 1706), Vol. IV., p. 499. 
2 S.P. Rom. —16 July, 1644. 
3 On 5 July, 1643, this officer forced the bridge of Burton-upon-Trent, when conducting Queen 
Henrietta Maria from Bridlington to Oxford, by a desperate cavalry charge. It was on this 
occasion that Lieut.-Colonel John Dalton (the writer’s ancestor), who was with the Queen’s escort, 
received a mortal wound from the effects of which he died on 24 July, 1614. 
4 Historical MSS. Commission.—Report on the Duke of Portland’s MSS. Vol. I., p. 227. 
5 S.P. Dorn. —1 December, 1646. 
