Series 2 > Origins of the 'Forty-five

ORIGINS OF THE ’FORTY-FIVE
XXV
Edward even as a visitor. The Venetian minister in
London was ordered to quit England on twenty-four
hours’ notice, because his Government had shown civilities
to the Prince on a visit to Venice. The British Govern¬
ment was too vigilant to hoodwink, too strong to offend.
Peace reigned throughout Europe : Jacobite activity was The Cause
dormant both in England and in Scotland : the royal lan£uislies-
exiles were isolated at Rome, and it seemed as if all hope
of a Stuart Restoration had been abandoned.
The first to inspire the Jacobite Court with new life The Mission
and hope, and set in motion the events which led up to bucket'
the great adventure of ’Forty-five was John Gordon of
Glenbucket. This remarkable man was no county mag¬
nate nor of any particular family. At this time he
possessed no landed property; he was merely the tenant
of a farm in Glenlivet, which he held from the Duke of
Gordon. His designation ‘ of Glenbucket ’ was derived from
a small property in the Don valley which had been pur¬
chased by his grandfather, and which he inherited from
his father. He was not a Highlander, having been born
in the Aberdeenshire lowland district of Strathbogie, but
he had so thoroughly conformed himself to Highland
spirit and manners that he had won the affection and
confidence of the Highlanders of Banffshire and Strath¬
spey. Glenbucket was at this time about sixty-tyrt5 fprws
years old. In his younger days he had been factor or
chamberlain to the Duke of Gordon, a position which
conferred on him considerable influence and power, par¬
ticularly over the Duke’s Highland vassals. In the ’Fifteen
he had commanded a regiment of the Gordon retainers,
and behaved with gallantry and discretion through¬
out the campaign.1 About the year 1724 he had ceased
1 His commission as colonel is dated October 22nd, 1715.—Ruvigny, Jacobite
Peerage, p. 244.
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