Jacobite uprising in Cornwall of 1715

The Jacobite uprising in Cornwall of 1715 was the last uprising against The Crown to take place in the county of Cornwall.

Background information to the event

On August 1st 1714, Queen Anne had died and George, Elector of Hanover, the son of the Electress Sophia, granddaughter of James I (1566–1625) was proclaimed King under the Act of Settlement of 1701. Naturally the legitimate heir James, son of James II of England, protested against this and those who believed in his rights took stronger steps than protestations, though they took a good year to get under way.

"For more background see "The 'Fifteen" Jacobite rising"

Events in Cornwall

The key characters of the Jacobite uprising in Cornwall were James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde and Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, they were leaders of the High Tories. Part of their scheme was to capture Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth, with these important places in the hands of the Jacobites, it was hoped that other smaller towns would join the cause. Ormond had implicit confidence in Colonel Maclean, who had been sent to Devon and Cornwall to visit prominent members of the Tory party, and others likely to support the Pretenders cause. It turned out that Maclean was probably a spy who supplied the Ministry with name of Jacobite adherents, and measures were taken to prevent their committing mischief or folly.

On September 22, John Anstis, MP for Launceston was arrested for plotting an uprising and later on October 6th Sir Richard Vyvian of Trelowarren MP for Cornwall and the most influential Jacobite in the West, was taken and sent to London in the custody of a messenger.]

Some time later Paynter and his fellow rebels were sent to Newgate to be tried for high treason. Paynter claimed to be a judge in Cornwall so was tried at Launceston. Here Henry Darr died in the prison. Eventually Paynter was acquitted by a packed Jacobite jury. Following the release of the rebels, friends appeared with white cockades in their hats, as a token of joy they were welcomed with 'bonfire and ball' all the way to Lands End .] ]

External links

* [http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/intro/introduction4.htm Jacobitism in Devon]

Further reading

* "The Main Stream of Jacobitism" (1954) By George Hilton Jones.
* "Jacobitism and the English People, 1688–1788" Paul Kleber Monod
* "Jacobitism in Cornwall" by James Whetter, "Old Cornwall" (pages 464-466) Vol. XI (Autumn 1995).
* " [http://www.google.co.uk/books?id=-7IOAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA20&dq=ST+COLOMB&as_brr=1 The British Chronologist] ": Comprehending Every Material Occurrence (1775)- (Page 20)
* [http://www.google.co.uk/books?id=0OI1AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA425&dq=ST+COLOMBE&as_brr=1 "The Continuation of Mr. Rapin's History of England"] : By Nicholas Tindal, Paul de Rapin-Thoyras- (1763), (Page 425)
* [http://www.google.co.uk/books?id=A00DAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA274&vq=cornwall&dq=1715#PPA274,M1 "History of the Transactions in Scotland in the Years 1715-16 and 1745-46"] By George Charles (1816)
* "When fortune frowns". A fictional account based on historical facts of the Jacobite rising in Cornwall by Katherine Lee (later, Mrs Henry Jenner). Published in London by Horace Cox, 1895.

References

ee also

:The following give a background to Cornish involvement in other rebellions.
* Cornish Rebellion of 1497
* Prayer Book Rebellion of (1549)
* Monmouth Rebellion of (1685)
* Bloody Assizes of (1685)
* The Glorious Revolution of 1688,
* Sir Jonathan Trelawny, 3rd Baronet (1650 – 1721), one of the Seven Bishops tried under James II and the hero of the Cornish ballad, The Song of the Western Men,