History of the Bean Family opposite Page 2, contd from opposite page 1.

For three years he was a prisoner of state, and he seems to have principally exercised his restless craftiness in hatching fresh treason and plotting new adventures. To please King Louis and the Stuarts, he declared himself a replacement to the Romish Faith, actually taking Holy Orders and enrolling himself a member of the Jesuit Society. This step secured his release, and for a time he did duty as Cure of St. Omer. But in 1715 when the East of ? raised the standard of rebellion in the north, he returned to Scotland, where says Sir Walter Scott "his appearnace was like one of those pretentious sea monsters whose gambols announce the storm". He sent his son, the Master of Lovat, at the head of 700 or 800 Frasers, to fight for the Stuarts while he himself remained at this Castle of Downie, writing letters to the English Government, inveighing against the conduct of his son who was only obeying his own commanders! But the old traitor was caught at last and carried off to the Tower. "Were I not so old and infirm", he said, "? have difficulty in keeping me here." Someone replied that the Tower had kept much younger prisoners. "True", said he, "but they were inexperienced, and have not so many goals as I have". He was impeached and tried by his Peers in the Westminster Hall in March 1747. On his way back to the Tower after condemnation, an old woman thrust her head through the window of his coach, ...