Plaidy, Jean - Royal Sisters - The Story of the Daughters of James II

“You see how they treat you! Who would believe that you are the heiress to this crown when you are treated like a serving wench!”

“Sarah, we are not going to be parted.”

“Until you dismiss me, I would never go,” was Sarah’s rejoinder.

“Then what can I do?”

“You can write to her and tell her that you resent her unkindness and have no intention of parting with Lady Marlborough.”

“What will they do then?”

“What can they do? It is for you to choose those you wish to have about you.”

So once more under Sarah’s dictation Anne wrote to her sister, and when the letter reached her Mary sent orders that Lady Marlborough was to leave the Cockpit.

“There is only one thing to do,” said Sarah; “I must leave the Cockpit, so if you do not want us to be parted you must come with me.”

“Where can we go?”

“My dear Mrs. Morley forgets she is the heiress to the throne. There will be some who are ready to lend her a lodging, I’ll swear. What of Sion House? That would be comfortable. I am sure the Duchess of Somerset would not deny you shelter there if you asked it. Shall I arrange for a letter to be taken to her while we prepare to leave.”

“Oh, dear Mrs. Freeman, you think of everything!”

“Then write immediately. Someone must take care of Mrs. Morley. Remember her condition, and she is never well during these times. A miscarriage could be brought on. I am sure the people will realize how harsh your sister and her Dutchman are to turn you out of doors at such a time.”

So Anne wrote the letter while Barbara Fitzharding immediately went to her sister to tell her that Anne was proposing to move to Sion House with Sarah.

When William heard this he sent to the Duke of Somerset asking him to refuse the request of the Princess Anne.

As one of the foremost noblemen of England, Somerset was furious to be dictated to. What did this Dutchman think he was doing? He must realize that England was not Holland. They wanted no uncouth foreigners here. A request had been made to his wife by a kinswoman who happened to be heiress to the throne, and Somerset implied that he had received the Kings request too late, and his wife had already offered Sion House to the Princess Anne.

Anne, with Sarah and George, left for Sion House, and William’s retort was to rob them of all the honors which they had enjoyed; these included their guards, so when they left, they rode in their carriage unaccompanied.

The people watched them: the Princess Anne, large with child; her faithful woman beside her and her husband, holding her hand, assuring her of his affection during all their troubles.

What was the Dutch monster doing to their Princess? asked the people. She was no favorite of his because she was English and the King had no favor to bestow on the English. Was not Marlborough in disgrace for pointing this out?

Anne smiled wanly and waved her hand in acknowledgment of the cheers.

“Poor long-suffering lady!” said the watchers.

A few days later when she rode out in her carriage, with Sarah beside her, her coach was held up near Brentford by two masked men.

Anne was terrified. Such a thing had never happened to her before. Sarah demanded: “What does this mean?”

“It means, lady, you hand over your valuables and keeps your life … or if you don’t, you loses both. The choice is yours.”

“Do you realize this lady is the Princess Anne and I am Lady Marlborough.”

“Thanks for the information, lady. You should have some very nice valuables.”

Anne was lying back against the upholstery, her plump cheeks quivering. The coachman dared do nothing. Trembling she removed her jewelry and put it into the grimy outstretched hand; she dared not look at the eyes glinting behind the mask.

To her chagrin, Sarah was forced to do the same.

Then satisfied, the highwaymen allowed them to go on their way.

The Princess Anne held up in her coach and robbed of her jewels—some said to be priceless!

What next? Had she not been robbed of her guards, of course, she would not have been robbed of her jewels. This was no way to treat a royal Princess. It was Dutch William’s doing. He had taken away her protectors and she, poor lady, not far off her accouchement, was in peril of being robbed—perhaps murdered—on the highways.

The lampoons began again. The popularity of the Princess had never been so high, that of the King never so low.

Rebellion all about him, thought William. How ready the people were to take sides against him! They were cheering Anne, that fat, stupid creature who hadn’t a mind of her own, and obeyed the odious Churchill woman in everything.

He was continually wondering what news was coming from Ireland and Scotland. Three crowns! he thought. How much better had there been but one. Ireland and Scotland—they were not worth the trouble.

In the last weeks he had heard that MacIan of Glencoe had refused for some time to take the oath to live peacefully under the Government. William had believed that if he promised pardon to all who had been in rebellion, provided they took the oath before the end of the last year, he would succeed in quelling rebellion. The majority, tired of conflict, had taken the oath.

William did not know that MacIan, head of the McDonald clan, had waited until the last day of December and then had gone to Fort William to take the oath, only to find there was no magistrate there. This had meant that he must travel to Inverary, through the Highlands in difficult weather, and thus he had not taken the oath until the sixth day of January.

The Campbells decided that this would be a good way of destroying the rival clan, and keeping from William the fact that MacIan had belatedly taken the oath, assured him that if he ordered that justice should be done, they would see that it was.

William, weary of troublemakers, believing that he had to show a strong hand, decided to make an example and gave the required order.

As for the McDonalds of Glencoe, if they can well be distinguished from the rest of the Highlanders, it will be proper for, the vindication of public justice to extirpate that set of thieves. W.R.

Captain Campbell rejoiced to receive orders which were to fall upon the rebels, the McDonalds of Glencoe, and put all under seventy years of age to the sword.

Taking his band of soldiers to the glen, he was welcomed by the McDonalds, given hospitality, as was the custom of the district, and invited to stay as long as he wished.

There was revelry for a day or two; then the order was given; the passes were closed so that none might escape, and men, women, and children were slaughtered in what came to be known as the Massacre of Glencoe.

The news of what had happened was hurried south.

Innocent men and women murdered by the orders of the Dutch Monster! MacIan had sworn the oath—but because he was a few days late doing it his entire clan was destroyed.

“This is a deed which will be remembered long after Dutch William lies in his tomb,” growled the people.