The Jacobite Connection (ctd) political apostasy meant there tary service. MacLeod then prowould be no mercy. vided a valuable liaison between Jacobite-Prussian-Swedish miliAlso tried with Kilmarnock was tary planning, while rising to a George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of prominent position within SweCromarty, Scottish Grand Master dish Masonry. in 1737-38, who similarly pleaded guilty: “I was unhappily se- The third prisoner was Arthur duced from that loyalty [to Elphinstone, who inherited the George II], in an unguarded mo- title of 6th Lord Balmerino on 5 ment, by the arts of desperate January 1746. After his arrest in and designing men,” but no 1716, he escaped to France, sooner did I awake from that where he became close to Mar, delusion, “than I felt a remorse who expressed his full trust in for my departure from my duty; him. He resided in France until but it was then too late.” This 1734, when his dying father was disingenuous, for Cromarty gained a pardon for him, without had engaged to support Charles his own knowledge. After receivEdward in 1740. Cumberland ing permission and financial was determined to destroy him, support from James III, he rebecause of his role in pursuing turned to Scotland, where he General Loudoun after the hu- maintained a low profile and miliating “Route of Moy.” But the periodically visited France. Anpregnant Lady Cromarty’s pas- dre Kervella affirms that Balmesionate appeals to the Prince rino was “a Freemason of high and Princess of Wales won a re- rank,” and some French historiprieve for her husband, who was ans claim that he served as a kept in prison for two years and Grand Master and initiated Mathen ordered to never leave the sons at Avignon in 1736. As notsouth of England. His son, the ed earlier, the term Grand Maseighteen year-old John Macken- ter was still sometimes used in zie, Lord MacLeod, who also France and Britain to address fought against Loudoun, pleaded the Master of a lodge, a usage his youth and duty to his father, that probably pre-dates the and he too was imprisoned for Grand Lodge of England. two years. After his release, MacLeod traveled to Berlin, where In 1745 Kilmarnock’s son Field Marshall James Keith Charles Boyd served in Balmeriwrote Chancellor Tessin, to rec- no’s regiment in Scotland. After ommend him to Swedish mili- Culloden, Balmerino helped
Cross Keys April 2021
Prince Charles escape and then told his Masonic brother Elcho that if the prince’s troops did not reassemble he would give himself up. He knew that he would lose his head, but he was too old to hide out, and he “could meet death with firmness,” which “would gain reputation thereby.” In prison he calmly requested that his friends drink him “ain degrae ta haiven,” which a later Masonic commentator interpreted as a reference to taking his “last degree” as a Master Mason. Unlike Kilmarnock and Cromarty, Balmerino did not plead guilty and defiantly defended his role in the rebellion as a just and honorable cause. He was so disturbed by the allegation that Kilmarnock and Prince Charles had ordered “no quarter” be given to government troops that he interrogated Kilmarnock and continued to reject the charge as “an invention” by the government “to justify their own murder, or murderous scheme.” He was probably correct, for no copy of the letter which supposedly contained the order has been found, and William Lowe notes that “doubts exist about the authenticity of the order that came into Cumberland’s hands.” By Marsha Schuchard
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