In order to carry forward the plan of our story in a consistent and
intelligible manner, it becomes necessary for us, here, to briefly
explain some important particulars relating to the history of the Earl
of Derwentwater and his companions, previous to their landing upon the
remote Island of Trinidad, as related in the course of our first
chapter.

The intelligent reader of history, will undoubtedly recollect, that the
year 1715, (two years before the time chosen for the commencement of our
romance,) was rendered famous by the important insurrection which then
took place throughout England and Scotland, in favor of the Chevalier de
St. George, or James the Third, a proud and haughty scion of the Roman
Catholic house of Stuart. This singular and renowned rebellion, although
premature in its beginning, and short in its duration, caused during its
continuence, the Hanoverian incumbent of the English sceptre to tremble
for the permanence of his seat on the throne, and though he at first
pretended to despise both it and its authors, he was finally compelled
to use vigorous and extraordinary means to bring it to a summary and
fatal conclusion. Through the instrumentality of foreign troops, and the
numerous cabels which sprang up in the rebel camp, King George was soon
enabled to quell this Jacobitical insurrection, which otherwise might
have proved formidable enough to have overturned the Protestant dynasty
of the British realm, and established in its place the despotic
hierarchy of the Church of Rome. So well aware was the reigning monarch
and his ministers of the truth of the above important fact, that they
deemed it imperatively incumbent upon them, in order to deal a death
blow to all future attempts of the same nature, to punish all the
noblemen and other leading characters connected with it, in the most
severe and exemplary manner. Acting upon the above principle, the Privy
Council caused immediately to be arrested, about thirty of the Scotch