Transcribed from the 1897 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition byDavid Price,
PICKLE THE SPY
or
The Incognito of Prince Charles
BY
ANDREW LANG
‘I knew the Master: onmany secret steps of his career
I have an authentic memoir in my hand.’The Master ofBallantrae
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
LONDON, NEW YORK, AND BOMBAY
1897
All rights reserved
PREFACE
This woful History began in mystudy of the Pelham Papers in the Additional Manuscripts of theBritish Museum. These include the letters of Pickle the Spyand of James Mohr Macgregor. Transcripts of them were sent by me to Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson, for use in a novel,which he did not live to finish. The character of Pickle,indeed, like that of the Master of Ballantrae, is alluring towriters of historical romance. Resisting the temptation touse Pickle as the villain of fiction, I have tried to tell hisstory with fidelity. The secret, so long kept, of PrinceCharles’s incognito, is divulged no less by his owncorrespondence in the Stuart MSS. than by the letters ofPickle.
For Her Majesty’s gracious permission to read the StuartPapers in the library of Windsor Castle, and to engrave aminiature of Prince Charles in the Royal collection, I haverespectfully to express my sincerest gratitude.
To Mr. Holmes, Her Majesty’slibrarian, I owe much kind and valuable aid.
The Pickle Papers, and many despatches in the State Papers,were examined and copied for me by Miss E. A. Ibbs.
In studying the Stuart Papers, I owe much to the aid of MissViolet Simpson, who has also assistedme by verifying references from many sources.
It would not be easy to mention the numerous correspondentswho have helped me, but it were ungrateful to omit acknowledgmentof the kindness of Mr. Horatio f.Brown and of Mr. George T.Omond.
I have to thank Mr. Alexander PelhamTrotter for permission to cite the MS. Letter Book of theexiled Chevalier’s secretary, AndrewLumisden, in Mr. Trotter’s possession.
Miss Macpherson of Cluny kindlygave me a copy of a privately printed Memorial of her celebratedancestor, and, by Cluny’s kindpermission, I have been allowed to see some letters from hischarter chest. Apparently, the more important secret papershave perished in the years of turmoil and exile.
This opportunity may be taken for disclaiming any belief inthe imputations against Clunyconjecturally hazarded by ‘Newton,’ or Kennedy, in the following pages. TheChief’s destitution in France, after a long period ofsuffering in Scotland, refutes these suspicions, bred in anatmosphere of jealousy and distrust. Among the relics ofthe family are none of the objects which Charles, in 1766–1767, found itdifficult to obtain