THE ESCAPE OF LORD NITHSDALE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 140, 15 June 1932, Page 16

THE ESCAPE OF LORD NITHSDALE.

(By Marjorie Morton, 36, Slicnvood Av., Grey Lynn ; aged 17.) One of the cleverest and most famous "escapes" of history was that of Lord Nithsdalc, who had been deeply concerned in the first Jacobite rebellion of 1715. His wife uselessly beseeched the King of England for the life of her husband, which was to be forfeited as an example to others who might be considering rebellions similar to the disastrous '15.

She was admitted to see her husband on the last day which, according to his sentence, he had to live. However, before this she had devised a clever means for his escape, risky, certainly, but weren't fill escapes risky, and clever undoubtedly? But hers were the brains of a clever woman.

With her went two women attendants, one of whom was wearing two suits of female clothing. The other attendant gave the carl her clothes, and dressed herself in those which hud been brought by the first attendant.

Muffled in a riding-hood and cloak, the carl, in the character of a lady's maid with a handkerchief held to her eyes, as one overwhelmed with deep emotion, passed the sentinels and safely escaped. Meanwhile, the two ladies-in-waiting had also passed the sentinels and reached the waiting cab. The guards were in this way confused, and so could not remember how many people passed them.

After accompanying her husband in the disguise of her maid to the door of his prison, Lad}' Nithsdale returned into the room and pretended to be keeping up a conversation with him. Allowing him time to make sure of his escape, she then made her own exit from the Tower of London.

From London, Lord Nithsdalc hastened to France, where his wife later joined him. Ladv Nithsdale died in Rome in 1744.