|
|
Feas of Clestrain \ James I \ James II \ James III \ James IV \ James V \ James VI \ Jacobite CauseThe LumisdensJames Fea was a personal friend of William Lumisden, a lawyer
in Edinburgh, and his family. They were ardent Jacobites. Lumisden's
daughter, Isabella married another Orcadian, Robert Strange. His son, Andrew
Lumisden, was one of forty three Jacobites named in the Act of Attainder
in May 1746.
After the failure of the rebellion of 1745, William Lumisden and Isabella
moved from their lodgings near the Tron Church to less expensive and conspicuous
quarters up "the first turn-pike within the head of the Flesh-market Closs,
Cannongate". Andrew, under heavy disguise, reached Edinburgh around August
1746. He stayed with a friend and then in the closet of his father's
place. He then went south, stayed with friends in Newgate and left
for France before the end of the year.
James Fea spent a great deal of time in both Edinburgh and London on
the endless litigation which followed his capture of the pirate, John Gow,
in 1725 on this and the Pundlar Process. It was probably Fea's Jacobite
sympathies which commended him in the eyes of Isabella Lumisden.
Certainly, surviving letters from her suggest that they were warm friends.
As Hugh Marwick suggests in his paper on "The Feas of Clestrain" (1932),
"her sentiments towards Fea enable us to regard him as a more attractive
personality than we otherwise could have guessed."
| Dear Sir,
Your kind favourite of the 29th June was a most welcome
cordial to all here - I cannot tell you how happy the thoughts of seeing
you here has made me - I shall not trouble you with my notions at
present about the futurity since I flatter myself with the hope of having
you here when I'll assure you I shall do all my endeavours to entertain
you with the strange and wonderful account of what's happened since you
and I parted which to lovers would seem an age....
This morning in obedience to you Epistle Papa and I went
to Leith and got your trunk and everything I suppose was right for which
Papa gave Mr. Gray a receipt. There was a tartan night-gown, a fine
night-gown, 2 caps, a full suit of Cloaths, also a black vest, a white
vest, a pair of breeches, 8 shirts, 8 pairs of stockens, 4 handkerchiefs,
7 stocks, 2 wigs, a sword, 6 sable skins and a piece of another - all of
which I promise will be taken good care of. Mr Dinnison (who goes
away in a day or two) as you was asking the Webs but without your orders
was determined to keep them.
I shall presently make one of the pieces in Shirts for
you and take care of your other piece till I hear from or see you.
Tis very pretty cloath it may serve either a General or an Admiral but
I know none of these at present deserves it better than my good friend....
Isabella Lumisden to James Fea
From The Feas of Clestrain (1932), Hugh Marwick
Contained in Proceedings of the Orkney Antiquarian Society
Vol. xi, pages 31-42 |
Isabella Lumisden continues:
| I must tell you in case you come to this place e're I
write again to you. We have mov'd lodging from the Tron Church to
the First turn-pick within the head of Flesh-market Closs, Cannonage where
we will expect to see you upon your araivel. Mama and I offer our
joint compliments to you and where else you think them dew. I am with great
sincerity
My Dear Sir,
Your most affectionate Friend,
and obliged humble Servant
ISABELLA LUMISDEN
Cannongate jully 9
1746
P.S. To give you a short account of the Spark you enquair
about hs is going as fast as possible to the D___l whom only he calls Master
and truly he never deserv'd better I'm afraid.
The letter is addressed to James Fea, Esq., of Clestran,
Orkney
Isabella Lumisden to James Fea
From The Feas of Clestrain (1932), Hugh Marwick
Contained in Proceedings of the Orkney Antiquarian Society
Vol. xi, pages 31-42 |
It is a letter from William Lumisden to John Fea, the brother
of James Fea, which gives details of James Fea's death in London in 1756.
|
