Courts, and that the Jacobite belief in English schemes to kidnap or
murder him was not a mere mythical delusion. Only an opportunity was
wanted. He had spared the Duke of Cumberland's life, even after the
horrors of Culloden. But Hanbury Williams knows a Pole who will
waylay him; Hyndford wants to carry him off to Siberia. It was not
once only, on the other hand, but twice at least, that Charles
protected the Butcher, Cumberland. In 1746 he saved his enemy from
Lochgarry's open attempt. In 1747 (May 4), a certain Father Myles
Macdonnell wrote from St. Germain to James in Rome. He dwells on the
jealousies among the Jacobites, and particularly denounces Kelly,
then a trusted intimate of Charles. Kelly, he says, is a drunkard,
and worse! It was probably he who raised 'a scruple' against a
scheme relating to 'Cumberland's hateful person.' 'Honest
warrantable people from London' came to Paris and offered 'without
either fee or reward' to do the business. What was the 'business,'
what measures were to be taken against 'Cumberland's hateful person'?
Father Myles Macdonnell, writing to James, a Catholic priest to a
Catholic King, does not speak of ASSASSINATION. He talks of 'the
scruple raised against securing Cumberland's person.' 'I suspect
Parson Kelly of making a scruple of an action the most meritorious
that could possibly be committed,' writes Father Myles. {62a} The
talk of kidnapping, in such cases as those of Cumberland and Prince
Charles--men of spirit and armed--is a mere blind. Murder is meant!
Father Myles's letter proves that (unknown to James in Rome) there
was a London conspiracy to kill the Butcher, but Prince Charles again
rejected the proposal. He was less ungenerous than Hyndford and
Hanbury Williams. The amusing thing is that the English Government
knew, quite as well as Father Macdonnell or James, all about the
conspiracy to slay the Duke of Cumberland. Here is the information,
which reached Mann through Rome. {62b}