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long marked the fubfequent intercourfe between the Colquhouns and Mac Gregors, of whom many are refpected and favoured by the family of Lufs. Whether indeed the Scottish parliament, which profcribed the Mac Gregors was, in the words of your correfpondent, "a Pack of Knaves,” or not; I think a parliament, which not long afterwards could countenance or even connive at the acceptance of a bribe by its army, for delivering into the hands of his enemies their fovereign, who had taken refuge amongst them, highly merits that appeliation. Be that as it may, the affertion of your correfpondent, relative to the fubfequent profcription of that people, on account, as he fays, of fresh depredations in the beginning of the reign of William III. is a fiction.-This act of king William was made to preferve to two or three great families their hereditable jurifdictions, which were afterwards wifely abolished for the comfort and ease of the fubjects, as well as the fafety of the ftate. -There had been a previous law to compel all chieftains to give fecurity against the depredations of their followers. This act of William III. extended that obligation, on them, to the "confervation of the peace," without the imputation of any new fault, which would have been blazoned, with exaggerations, in the act, if there had been ground for it; and without even the title of the act mentioning any clan whatever, a claufe was flipped into it reviving the act of the parliament of Charles I. against the Mac Gregors "notwithstanding the fame had been refcinded by Charles II." There was not, perhaps, a member in the parliament of king Wilfiam, who had been in that of 1631-not a fyllable was mentioned in the reviving act, of the fevere nature of the act revived: hence it is probable that the latitude of that obfolete act, which had paffed fixty years before, was unknown to the generality of the members; and that the operation it might have, was only underfood by the individuals through whofe interefted influence it was introduced. This is, at leaft, the most respectful and liberal mode of thinking, regarding that parliament. I am aware, however, it may be faid, with plaufibility, that a parliament, which allowed the perpetrators of the maffacre of the Mac Donalds to efcape punishment, would feel little compunction in conniving at the renewal of the unmerited fufferings of the Mac Gregors for unmerited they certainly were, unless indeed it was their crime that Charles II. had done that loyal people the juftice to

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record his teftimony of their "affection” for the royal caufe--and unless it was ftill a greater crime that they had not been fo verfatile and interested in their attachments, as to prefer a Dutch prince to their natural fovereign.

Profeffor Rofs's account of the battle of Glenfroon is in perfect accord with the traditions ftill current in the Highlands, and will remain to every unprejudiced mind a complete and fatisfactory vindication of the Mac Gregors, and a monumental proof of the injuftice done to them. It was brought forward through the refearches of one of feveral of the best anti. quaries of the time, who gave generous and fpontaneous aid in collecting documents of the history of that people, whofe defcent, as well as that of the Grants, and feveral other tribes, from the Alpinian dynafty, is as well known and believed as that the royal Stuarts have left a numerous and flourishing progeny.-But, fays your correfpondent with an attempt at irony, and an intentional error in chronology, "What was king William to profeffor Rofs?" as if he hoped that his ufing the name of a king would controvert facts and annihilate truth.-The fpirit of his query, no doubt, is, that king William had been gifted with a fight more penetrating than any the Highlanders pretend to, for they only forefee events that are to come; but your friend implies (and who can therefore difbelieve?) that king William knew what had happened in Glenfroon half a century before he was born, and near a whole century before he took the trouble to come from Holland to eafe his father-in-law of the cares of government, much better than did profeffor Rofs, although the tranfaction happened almost before his eyes.

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The mal-treatment of the Mac Gregors is fully and generally impressed throughout the Highlands-but as they were certainly more hardy and brave than politic, I fhall fuppofe that they had been extremely to blame yet I cannot reconcile to common fenfe any end of juftice that could refult from the abolition of the name of any people. On the contrary, to a perfon of my limited difcernment, it is obvious that irregularities, and breaches of the peace, would be more easily detected while they preferved their real, than after they should be concealed under various borrowed names. If therefore it is evident that this tended to impede inftead of promoting public juftice, and the discovery of crimes; to what other caufe is the measure to be afcribed? To a plain and true one--that by this mode of promifcuous profcription,

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instead of leaving the law of the land to operate against any guilty individuals, a whole people were incapacitated from complaining in any court of being maimed or oppreffed, or of fuing for the recovery of any part of the property violently taken from them.-Perhaps fome of the advifers and inftruments of the elevation of William, needed prescription to fanc tify acquifitions-Nor was this fort of precaution ufelefs-for we have feen within thefe few years two eftates of other families recovered by the reprefentatives of the right owners, though the poffeffion of one of them had been loft as far back as the days of the ufurper Oliver.-But fuppofing, again, the untruth that the genera tion of Mac Gregors, which exifted 200 years ago, had been, in every inftance, the aggreffors; let me afk what fort of man he must be who would wish to wound the feelings of the numerous generation of the prefent day? Does your correfpondent diflike every thing allied to refpectability of conduct, and is he vexed that the Mac Gregors vie with the most loyal of their fellow-fubjects in fupporting the conftitution, and in veneration for a beneficent and beloved fovereign? or feeks he to rekindle the animofities of families? If he does; however amiable the intention, he will fail in the attempt the defcendents of foes or rivals of old have long fince liberally and wifely configned to eternal oblivion and mutual amnesty the reciprocal injuries of past ages, no part of which could attach to themselves; - and they muft regard, with equal execration, the character of an incendiary.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A LOVER OF JUSTICE.

September 20, 1799.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

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mand fuch intereft, or feeure fuch attention, as what has been written concerning the ancient cities already mentioned; but it appears to me, that antiquaries, gazetteers, and geographers, have not yet done juftice to the theme which I have chofen. Walker writes, that Bolton is noted for its medicinal waters; but, excepting one found in a field, hence called the Spa-field, to the weft of the town, of which the fame fell as rapidly as it rofe, there are none which are not common to all coal countries, in which waters iron is diffolved, or from which it is precipitated, and which are therefore denominated chalybeates, more or lefs powerful according to the quantity in folution. They are difcovered by the ruft-coloured fediment which they leave in their feveral channels.

It is only in the prefent century, and in the memory of man, that Bolton has rifen to fuch confequence; that, in population, if not in fize, it is become the third town in Lancashire, inferior in thefe refpects only to Manchester and Li. verpool.` Perhaps it is a confideration by no means favourable to the native pride of Englishmen, that the original artists in our feveral trades, like the fruits of our gardens, came from foreign countries. The curious workmanship in painting and fculpture, which appears in many English cathedrals, was, it is recorded, moftly executed by Italians. Flemings, it is well known, were brought over into this country, in the reign of Edward the Third, to teach the inhabitants the art of manufacturing the wool of their own fleep, which they before fold to the fame ingenious people in the raw ftate. In the days of Elizabeth, Proteftants from the Low Countries, who were cruelly perfecuted on account of their religion, by that merci. lefs bigot Philip the Second of Spain, were, with great policy, as well as justice and humanity, offered an afylum in England. In the reign of Lewis the XIVth, French protestant refugees were fettled as filk-weavers in Spital-fields. In like manner, there is fome reafon to believe that Flemings were fome of the first weavers of cotton in this part of the country: at least I have been informed by a very confider

able manufacturer in this town, now up

wards of 46 years of age, defcended from ancestors who, without doubt, from the reign of Elizabeth, have been engaged in the cotton trade, that he just remembers feeing, at his grandfather's in a neighbour ing townfhip, feveral wooden fhoes, properly fo called, which were conjectured to have belonged to fome of thefe ingenious

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Indeed, from the map of 1650 annexed to Stockdale's account of the country round Manchefter, that place appears then to have confifted only of three or four long ftreets, terminating in the market place, or in fome buildings crowded round the church. But, as Manchester became rich and populous by means of the induftry of its natives, and its ready communication with London and other places, fo its merchants were induced to purchase cotton goods, particularly fuftians, from the manufacturers at or near Bolton.

For this purpofe they originally travelled hither, and, as the roads were not then good enough for the paffage of carts and waggons, they fent off their purchafes by pack-horses. Now the manufacturers fend their goods for fale to Manchester, and at least on Tuesdays, almoft from every quarter round, throng the public roads and canals to that town, which is now the principal mart of the trade. Still, most of the new patterns and machines have been invented at or near Bolton. The celebrated Arkwright, the founder of the art of fpinning by water, was origi. nally a barber in this place, and rather in indigent circumftances, till, in concert with fome others, he planned the mecha'nifin, for which he obtained a patent, and by means of which amaffed a very opulent fortune. The improvements made in his machinery, fo as to effect as much or more by the hand than was before effected by water, were contrived, in the year 1780, by a weaver, named Samuel Crompton, then living in a romantic and beautiful fituation at a place called the Hall in the Wood, to the north of Bolton. Hence they were at first known by the name of the Hall in the Wood-wheels; and have fince been denominated Mules, as being a medium between the firft invented fpinningmachines, called Jennies, turned only with the hand, and thofe of Arkwright worked by the aid of water, the advantages of which they unite. The inventor received from the fubfcription of individuals 100l. for making his invention public; the fum of zool. he fays was promifed him, which promife was never fulfilled. When the fimpleft carding and fpinning machines were firft brought into use, they excited an

alarm, left they who had wrought only with the hand fhould be unemployed. Hence, in 1779, the working people in this neighbourhood rofe in great numbers, pulled down feveral factories, and deftroyed the machinery in them; but they were at length perfuaded, particularly by the exer tions of the late Dorning Rafbotham, Efq. a worthy magiftrate, and by an excellent pamphlet written by Dr. Barnes, now in Manchester, that the evils, which they fancied they forefaw, would end in their good; that rioting would not remedy them; and that in confequence of these inventions the trade would be fo much extended, that there was reason to fear rather a deficiency of hands, than a want of work: fo it has proved. Encouraged by high wages, ingenious workmen from every part of the country round have flocked to this place. Native of Scotland and Ireland have migrated hither in fuch numbers, that they now compofe a very confiderable proportion of the inhabitants. Not 80 years ago, a perfon, now deceased, poffeffed of great talents and reputation, was almoft literally acquainted with every one in the town; fo that he frequently went round with the muficians called the Waits every Monday morning in the winter, and was able, by his recollective memory, to hail by name nearly every one in every houfe.

In 1773 the houfes in Great Bolton were 946, the inhabitants 4568; the houfes in Little Bolton were 232, the inhabitants 771. Thus the total number of houfes was 1178, of inhabitants 5339.

In the year 1789, from an account taken of the number of inhabitants in this town and neighbourhood, it appeared, that they amounted to upwards of 11,000. Notwithstanding the war, it seems, from the enumeration made in 1797, in confequence of the bill for enrollment in cafe of invafion, that they had increased at least more than 5000. Great Bolton alone was found to contain 2040 houses, and 11,260 inhabitants. The greateft increase of population has been in Little Bolton; but as there has not been any official account taken, it can only be generally conjectured, that its inhabitants may amount to more than 4000.

From the enumeration in 1797, which was completed only in Great Bolton, it was difcovered, that as the back streets in the town were about fix times more populous than the front, fo ftrangers and paffengers must have very inadequate ideas of the fize of Bolton, and more particularly of the number of its refidents. From the

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natural unwillingness of unthinking perfons to give an account of their families and lodgers, from the peculiar unwillingnefs manifefted, when every one, who was able, was expected to be called into actual fervice for the repulfion of invaders, it may be concluded, that the population of this town and neighbourhood was not eftimated to the utmoft; especially as 'fince that time many houfes have been built round the town, particularly upon Bolton Moor, as it has been called: an account of the fale of which, and of its confequences, will perhaps be more interefting than may previously be imagined.

Jult before the breaking out of hoftilities with the French nation, there had been obtained an act of Parliament for its fale, to which every inhabitant or perfon interefted had before figned affent. After an equivalent had been given to five lords of the manor for their feveral claims, the reft was divided into lots, each of which lots was put up to auction; when the whole was fo well fold, that, though it be only about 250 acres, it was fold for 26321. per annum, befides rol. depofit money, which was to be paid down immediately for every statute acre. This fum, after paying for the neceffary roads, has been appropriated to the improvement of the town, and is to come in aid of the poorrates in Great Bolton. Already are the principal streets in Great Bolton flagged on each fide, as they and all the others are lighted in the winter. The chief streets unite in the market-place. Two, which form a line from the church on the east to the weft end of the town, may be a mile; and the other street, which joins them at right-angles from the fouth, about half a mile in length. The width of the ftreefs in the centre of the town, which become rather narrower as they recede, is about 20 yards, and many projections are now taken down, fo that the narroweft parts are not less than 12 yards acrofs. Though the purchasers at firft efteemed their lots to be bad fpeculations, yet, as more than 200 houfes have been built upon the moor, the greater part of the remainder of which, is inclofed and cultivated, they have thus taken the best method in their power to make their fpeculations anfwer. The war perhaps was the main caufe why they did not fucceed; yet poffibly the spirit of induftry may fill enable the owners to turn their apparent and prefent loffes into real and eventful profit.

Whether it is owing to the flourishing ftate of the manufacturing trade at Bolton, or to a lefs abundance of water than in

fome other places, not fo many, or at least not fo large, fpinning-factories have been built at or near this place, as in the neighbourhood of Manchester and Stockport. There are, however, enough of these, which, whatever profit they may bring to their owners, or with whatever employ ment they may furnish the working people, are generally, even with the beft poffible. regulations, found to be very injurious to the health and morals of the community.

In this neighbourhood are many extenfive grounds devoted to the purpose of bleaching. Not only is it natural to fuppofe, that this trade would be carried on to the greatest advantage where the mot and fineft goods are manufactured, but near the fources of ftreams, where the water is the pureft.

The improvements, in chemistry have made almost a total alteration in the art of whitening. Formerly pieces required many months for their bleaching: they may now be completed in a few days. No changes of weather now retard the work, which may be executed almost entirely within doors.

By the aid of ingenious machinery, the goods are got up with the greatest nicety and cleannefs, as in a laundry upon a large fcale. Bleached, calendered and glazed, they are thus prepared for the market, and are fent to Manchefter for fale, to the warehoufes of their owners, in the carts belonging to the bleachers.

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Though in the neighbourhood of Bolton there may not have been found many relics of antiquity, yet the canal between this town and Manchester will perhaps eventually fecure it more renown. cut from Bolton to within a mile from the market-place at Manchester, and on the highest level has a branch extending to Bury. As it is almoft uniformly parallel to the Irwell and its tributary ftreams, which run through valleys abounding with picturefque beauties; fo the towing path forms a kind of terrace walk, whence the delightful scenery of nature is viewed to very confiderable advantage. On this canal there are 12 locks, and 3 aquedu& bridges; one more than 10, another 16, a third 20 yards above the bed of the river. Paffengers avoid fix of the locks, which are at the fame place, by afcending or defcending the hill to embark on board another boat. Carriage-boats pafs through all the locks. Since the cal on the higher levels is cut along the fide of a hill, there feems reafon to apprehend, left the banks, which in fome places overhang the river upwards of 10 or 12 yards, may give

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way; unless by inviting vegetation by being planted with gorze, furze, or willows, they become in length of time better fecured. This remark refembles a prediction. When it had not been written many days, on the 17th of Auguft, 1799, in confequence of a rapid food, the banks gave way in two places, and all navigation on this level was fufpended for a week: but even then paffengers had to walk a mile from Bolo beyond the place, where the very bed of canal for more than 100 yards, confifting partly of gravel, was wathed into the ftream beneath. Yet from the public accounts it appears, that by this violent and rapid flood ftill more mischief has been done to other canals, particularly to the Ashton, and the Duke of Bridg

water's.

In very dry feafons the canal has already laboured under fuch a deficiency of water, that occafionally either paffengers have been obliged to walk three miles along its banks by all the locks, or it has not been poffible for boats to fail on the higher levels. But thefe inconveniences have not occurred fince a larger fupply of water has been obtained from the river at Bury. Yet, in frotty weather, in confequence of its elevation, the line of the canal is fo much exposed to the influence of cold, that a few fevere nights will put a stop to the failing of the pallage-boat or packet. On account of the conftant communication between Bolton and Manchester, the diftance between which is not even by water more than 12 miles, this boat, along with the coal-boats, which can fail from Clifton to Manchefter, and from Bolton to Bury, without paffing through a lock, promifes to contribute moft towards the remunera.

tion of the proprietors. During the Manchefter race-week, the fum collected for fares has amounted nearly to rool. More money is now wanted to complete the canal. At first it was propofed to make it communicate by locks with the navigation along the Irwell to Liverpool; but now it is alfo intended to apply to Parliament for a bill to enable the proprietors to build an aqueduct over that river, and thus to connect it with the Duke of Bridgwater's canal.

About two miles to the north west of Bolton there is an ancient hall called Smithels, which might claim the attention of the curious. It appears formerly to have been furrounded by a wall and moat, Its remains, which, in a quadrangular form, furround a large court, are compofed of houses for farmers and poor people, of a chapel, and a large wainscotted room.

It has been rumoured, that Sir Andrew Barton, the Scotch pirate, chofe this place for his retreat. It is certain, that Sir Roger or Matthew Barton refided here in the reign of Queen Mary, fince, in the Martyrology written by Fox, it is recorded, that George Marth was examined here before him. The arms, confifting of a tun, with a bar across, in punning allufion to the name, are found in one of the rooms, with the letters A and B in cyphers. Mr. Byrom, of Manchetter, purchased the place from the Fauconberg family.

The pannels in the wainscotted room prefent more than 50 heads, male and female, with their arms underneath; confifting principally of a ftag's head for the former, and the leaf and fruit of the oak for the latter.

When George Marth, a celebrated martyr, who was burned at Chester, was examined at this place, he prefied his foot to the ground, and prayed to God to render perfecution the means of fpreading the truth. The fimple believe, that the impreffion of his foot remains to this day upon a flag in the paffage to the wainscotted room; and that when it was once re. moved, the fpirits of the world unknown difturbed the manfion, till it was flored to its place. Such is the tale of fuperftition: the fuppofed impreffion is only a vein in the stone.

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In the civil wars in the reign of Charles the Firft, Bolton was fortified and defended by the Parliamentarians, particu. larly by thofe repulfed from Latham-house by the Countess of Derby; but it was befieged and taken by the forces of Prince Rupert and the Earl of Derby.

The latter was the first man who entered the town. As it was thus taken by ftorm, bloody carnage enfued; and many of the flain are faid to have been buried in the corner of a field in the township of Little Bolton, about half a mile from the town, which corner is feparated from the neighbouring grounds, and has never been ploughed in the memory of man. When the royal party were every where defeated, the Earl of Derby retired to the Ifle of Man, his paternal inheritance; whence returning to fecond the defigns of Charles the Second and the Scots, he was met and difcomfited by a fuperior body of forces in the neighbourhood of Wigan. He, however, efcaped, and was engaged in the battle of Worcester; but in his fublequent flight he was captured, and afterwards beheaded in the market-place at Bolton To this day, it is faid, none of the Derby family will frequent the mott

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