ABSTRACT
When James returned to France in March 1716, after the failure of the 1715 rising, recriminations followed. Bolingbroke was dismissed, and the French blamed for not supporting the rising: ‘That enterprise, for want of being timely succoured failed’, wrote William Dicconson to Captain David George on 2 March 1716. 1 But James was still optimistic of being restored to the English throne, and immediately started plotting again. However, to start planning another invasion with so many English Jacobite supporters still in prison awaiting their trials seems from the 21st-century point of view extremely insensitive. But James and his supporters were driven not only by the desire to restore the House of Stuart, but also by their belief that James was the king of England by divine right, and that God was on their side. Their desires and beliefs were fed by news from England of discontent with the Whig government leading to riots in the towns, and near mutiny in the fleet. Correspondents told the court in exile that the majority of the people would flock to James should he arrive in England. 2
