A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Nithsdale, (Winifred, Countess of)
NITHSDALE (WINIFRED, COUNTESS OF),
Who was the instrument of the earl's escape from the Tower in 1716, which was effected solely by her uncommon exertions and fortitude, by which she also preserved the family estate for her son.
On hearing that he was committed, and of his great anxiety to see her, she came to London, at a time when the snow was so deep that the stage could not set out and the roads were so extremely bad that the post itself was stopt.
On her arrival, she tried to make all the interest she could with those in place; but no hopes were given her. The earl was particularly obnoxious. A Roman catholic, upon the frontiers of Scotland, who headed a very considerable party, and whose family had always signalized itself by its attachment to the house of Stuart; it was not likely he should meet with mercy, and she determined if possible to effect his escape, communicating her intentions to a female friend only, whose fortitude and good sense seems equal to her own. In order to concert measures, she solicited to see him; but it was denied her, except she would consent to remain a prisoner with him. This she did not do; but, by bribing the guards, she contrived to see him, till the day on which the prisoners were condemned, when their friends were allowed for the last week to see and take their leave.
While she was assiduous in getting her noble friends to present petitions on his behalf to the king, she planned his escape; but, fearful of endangering her (for a wife who assists her husband's escape, in the case of high treason, is amenable to the laws) he was unwilling, and hesitated for a while; but her confidence in providence perhaps communicated itself to him, for he at length consented. And she delivered him from confinement the night before execution, by making him pass for a lady she had brought with her, whose size and figure were nearly answerable to his, and who hardly knew what she was doing when she consented to it; as, fearful of her repenting the part she had to act, the countess kept her constantly talking and engaged from the time of her proposing it till its completion. She did not, however, leave her in his cell; but by unequalled ingenuity and presence of mind managed the whole business, so that no one was implicated or suspected but herself. He was concealed in a mean lodging till Saturday night (his liberation took place only on the Thursday, 29d Feb.) when he was conducted to the Venetian ambassador's, in great secrecy, his excellency even not knowing any thing of the matter; but one of his servants concealed him in his own room till Wednesday, on which day the ambassador's coach and six was to go down to Dover to meet his brother. Lord Nithsdale put on livery, and went down in the retinue, without the least suspicion, to Dover, where Mr. Mitchel, the ambassador's servant, who h^d concealed him, hired a small vessel, and immediately set sail for Calais. The passage was short and prosperous. She was concluded to have gone off with her lord, but remained concealed in town till assured of her husband's safe arrival on the continent. She then, through her friends, solicited leave to go in safety about her business, alledging that a bare suspicion of her being instrumental to her husband's preservation ought not to be grounds of punishment. But they were resolved to secure her; after several debates, however, she was given to understand, that if she remained concealed, no farther search should be made after her; but if she appeared either in England or Scotland, she should be secured "But," says she, emphatically, "this was not sufficient for me, unless I could submit to expose my son to beggary. My lord had sent for me up to town in such haste that I had no time to settle any thing before I left Scotland. I had in my hands all the family papers: I dared trust them to nobody. My house might have been searched without warning, consequently they were far from being secure there. In this distress, I had the precaution to bury them under ground; and nobody but the gardener and myself knew where they were. I did the same with other things of value. The event proved I had acted prudently; for after my departure they searched the house, and God knows what might have transpired from these papers."
Through a road where she was well known, in fear of being arrested, she travelled, thinking, as she had hazarded her life once for her husband, she could do no less for her son. She managed every thing with her accustomed prudence, got undiscovered to Traquair, where she gave out that she was going, by order of government, to her own house. She went to her own house, took up her papers at night, and sent them off to Traquair; and hearing that the magistrates of Dumfries had said they were determined to see her leave from government the next day, she appeared to wonder they had not come before; but got every thing in readiness, and the next morning before daybreak set off for London on horseback, putting up at the small inns as before, and arrived there safe.
On her arrival, the report was still fresh of her journey to Scotland in defiance of prohibition. The king was extremely incensed at the news, and issued orders for having her arrested; saying, that she did whatever she pleased in despite of his desires: and had given him more anxiety and trouble than any woman in Europe. She kept herself therefore concealed till they had left off searching; and, about a fortnight after, made her escape without any accident to her husband.