Series 1 > Jacobite attempt of 1719

APPENDIX
207
the particulars of it, I will now give you them and with much
the better will that I have reason to hope that the King our
Master has long e’er now got to his intended post, and that
the Duke of Perth and I have got out of our confinement.
The King finding that it was no longer fitt for him to be in
Italie, resolved to leave it, but some adress was necessary to
make his passage out of it practicable and safe. He deter-
mind to go by sea and w* only a very few of his servants who
attend his person. He was pleased to order that the Duke of
Perth and I should go togither by another rout and endeavour
to join him at a place appointed. His Majesty toke the advice
of those who he thought fittest to advise with as to the way he
was to go, and also as to the rout for the Duke of Perth and I,
both wch were followed accordingly. The rout we went was
once thought of for his Majesty, but happie it was that he chose
the other, as you’ll see by what happend to us. After the
Kings choseing to go the other way it was thought that our
going off about the same time he did in chairs by the way of
fflorance and so to Bologna, as if intending to meet the Princess
(the reason wch was given out for the kings leaveing of Rome)
was the way to blind the publick and prevent for some time
the discovery of his real designe, so that his Majesty sett out
from Rome towards the cost the 8th of ff'eb. very airly and im-
barkt and sailed that evening in a shipe that was reddy pre¬
paired for him. The Duke of Perth and I about two hours
after his Majesty sett out in three chairs w* our servants on
purpose to make it appear as if the King had been in the com¬
pany and the bite toke as you’ll see. We continued our journie
to Bologna without endeavouring to make great heast, as was
concerted, in case his Majesty had not got saild so soon as he
intended. When this rout was proposed for our going to
Genoa I mentioned a passport, wch was likly we might find
occasion for, and I hopt might be got in other names than our
own without giving any light into our business, but it was
thought it wou’d be dangerous to endeavour getting it for fear
of giveing suspicion, and that there was no occasion for it,
every body comeing hither from ffrance dayly and returning
thither throw the Milanese without any passport.
A Courier past us on the road twice, who we suspected had