Letter from a Friend at Clifton, written in 1745, relating to a skirmish with the Rebels near Penrith.

Clifton, 29th of 11th mo. 1745.

Esteemed friend, Richd. Partridge, -

By this know thine I received, and shall hereby give thee hints of the affair here, as it was from the beginning to the end; I being both eye and ear-witness to the truth thereof. But in the first place I cannot easily omit acknowledging the great favour and protecting hand of power to us manifested in so great a danger, as thou by the following account may understand.

First, as to the rebels: when they came south we did not suffer much, but they seemed to have great assurance that they would proclaim their king in London on the 24th of last month, and crown him on New Year's Day, and then they would send Geordey, as they called him, over to Hanover, and would tread down his turnip-field dikes, highly dis-esteeming the Duke, calling him Geordey's lad and Geordey's Wolly, with many more opprobrious speeches. But on their return north they were cruelly barbarous and inhuman when here; for their leaders gave them liberty to plunder for four hours, and then to burn Lowther, Clifton, Bridge, and Penrith, and some say for six miles around; but, thanks to the Most High, whose power is above the power of man, often preventing the wicked from prosecuting their wicked designs, it certainly was the Lord's doing in bringing forward the noble Duke and his men in the very hour of great distress; as for my part, I must ever love and esteem him as a man of worth.

Now I shall give thee to understand the beginning and the end of the engagement:-

First the rebel Hussars, being gone part way to Penrith, came riding back by my door in haste, between one and two in the afternoon; then in an hour came back again, driving up the rear of their army with whips to my door, and then others took their place, and they wheeled off, and set themselves to ambush against my barn side, being so enclosed with cross houses that our King's men could not see them until close to them, we not knowiing their designs, but I firmly believing them to be evil, and so went into my house, yet could not long be easy there, and ventured forth again, and looking about me I espied the commanders of the King's men appearing on the hill, about 400 yards south of my house, for whom my very heart was in pain; for believing that a great number might be cut off before they were aware, so our care was to give the King's men notice, for which my son ventured his life, and gave them notice about 300 yards before they came to a place where in the meantime a second ambush was laid, about 100 yards nearer