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.Thus, in the context of the Oxford Tories, we can reasonably assume thatHamilton simply did not know them well enough to be sure if they wereready for a humorous  Fair Meeting.His cautious letter to Alexander Hay9780230_222571_14_cha12.pdf 10/21/09 2:30 PM Page 246246 Loyalty and Identityin Leiden is suggestive that he wanted more evidence in relation to theirpossible reaction if introduced to the Order.Given that high-rankingJacobites were present at such gatherings and engaged in humorous acti-vities that suggested they took the cause less than seriously, such cautionwas undoubtedly well founded.While we can only speculate on the meaning of the Toboso motto,we are on firmer ground when it comes to the issue of the distribution ofthe membership.The Hay-Gordon letters, coupled with those of EzekielHamilton, inform us of Toboso Knights based in a variety of locations.While we know that Admiral Gordon was made a member in 1732, theremust already have been a membership in Russia in addition to Gordon andHenry Stirling, because when Hay sent greetings from George Keith tothem with their rings he also added that:[George Keith] with Sir William Livingston the Grand Master whomI should have given the first place join in their hearty service to all ourBrother Knights with you.20We can certainly guess at who these  Brother Knights in Russia might begiven the number of known Jacobite exiles in the country, but we can onlyname some for sure.However, there is also some confusion here asLivingston was not the Grand Master of the Order in 1732.The answer tothis conundrum might lie in a simple error of punctuation, as the additionof a comma after  Livingstone would make the letter effectively read Sir William Livingstone and the Grand Master.This speculation appears tobe borne out by further correspondence from Hay in which the name ofthe actual Grand Master is revealed.In a letter confirming the acceptanceof Captain Robert Little of the Russian navy into the Order, Sir ThomasGordon and Sir Henry Stirling are again mentioned as members, along withthe English Jacobite refugee, Admiral Sir Thomas Saunders.The letter wassigned by Don Ezekiel del Toboso.21 From a letter dated 22 April 1734, welearn that this was one of several pseudonyms for Reverend EzekielHamilton, a secretary to the Duke of Ormonde, and self-proclaimed GrandMaster of the Order from 1726.22 As late as 1737 we still find George Keithreferring to Hamilton as  Great Master , clearly placing him in a position ofsuperior authority within the Order.23 Indeed, in no correspondence otherthan the  Livingstone letter is his place as the senior Tobosan challenged,adding credence to the conclusion that a missing comma may have sent ussearching in the wrong direction for the Toboso hierarchy.24That said, we know who the ruling cabal of the Order were.Among theother signatories to the April 1734 letter were Don G[eorge] Keith, 9th EarlMarischal of Scotland; Don Juan [John] Stewart; Don Gullielmo [William]Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale; Don Gulielmo [William] Hay, and DonMarcos Carse, thus giving us a strong indication of core membership of the9780230_222571_14_cha12.pdf 10/21/09 2:30 PM Page 247Steve Murdoch 247organisation in Rome in the mid-1730s.25 This also included, as Protectorsof the Order, the two young Stuart princes, Charles and Henry Stuart.Whatrole the Protectors of the Order actually played is unclear, but it seems thatthey are not mentioned again in this capacity after 1732.Thereafter, oneperson mentioned as a Protectress of Toboso was Lady Elizabeth Caryll (néeHarrington), with whom Don Ezekiel conducted a correspondence overthe 1734 1736 period.26 We know the Order had concurrent Protectors,not least because of the two princes, but also due to a letter from one  D.G.to Ezekiel Hamilton in which the enigmatic author sent his regards toEl Maestro, observing the fact that:Sir Patrick and I have very lately had the honour of paying our respectsto the sister Protectresses of the Ancient and honourable order, and werereceived very graciously [& ] I have many services to send you from theCompanions of the most Ancient and honourable order.27This letter clearly places two female Protectresses and other members inEngland, the author specifically being in London.Subsequently  El Maestrowrote to Patrick Briscow noting a nest of Tobosans in Surry Street who wereto receive Toboso necklaces, while others in England should receive rings ofthe Order.28 Hamilton also contacted Captain John Urquhart in Rotterdamjust before the latter embarked for London in 1736.Urquhart wasinstructed by Hamilton to call in at the Rainbow Coffee House in the cityto meet with  Mr Walter Price, Mr Child, Mr Drapier, Mr Waikburn andsome more of our brethren who frequent that house.29  Our brethren issuggestive of a Toboso connection, but it might also just mean fellowJacobites  we simply cannot be sure.However, a known Toboso member,Dr.Hawely, took up residence in the Rainbow Coffee House when hemoved to London in 1738, giving weight to the notion that it was a Tobosomeeting place and that London had an active membership.30Another hub of Toboso activity was the town of Spa in Wallonia (AustrianNetherlands).Ezekiel Hamilton noted that there had been a chapter meet-ing of Toboso in Spa in 1737.31 He had also mentioned previous visitsto the town and having met one Mr.Berkeley there in 1736, albeit hedid not inform his recipient, the Duke of Ormonde, of any specific con-nection with the Order.32 Indeed, the correspondence between Hamiltonand Ormonde is devoid of any mention of the Order, specific or implied.33Nonetheless, from Hamilton s letters we know that other Jacobites inSpa included Mr.Alexander Hay (with whom Hamilton lodged), SirRedmond Everard, Mr.Dicconson, two women, possibly sisters whowere both known as Miss Digby and another young lady known asMiss Fanny, whose virtues Ezekiel extolled.Both Alexander Hay andRedmond Everard were certainly in Toboso, while it was probable theothers were too.349780230_222571_14_cha12.pdf 10/21/09 2:30 PM Page 248248 Loyalty and IdentityDefinitive identification of Jacobites as members of the Order is quiteproblematic.Sometimes the fact that an individual is in Toboso comesfrom a simple one-off reference in a letter between members.For example,in one between the Keith brothers from 1731, George Keith suddenlyaddresses his brother as Senor Don Diego, which left the editor of the HMC9th Report confused and able only to insert that this must be  a playful namegiven by the older brother to the younger.35 However, once establishedthat this is a letter between Tobosans, we find their correspondence revealsothers in the society [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]