On the approach of the highland army after the landing of the prince in 1745, Atholl fled southwards, and his elder brother, the Marquis of Tullibardine, took possession of the castle of Blair. Atholl, however, joined the army of the Duke of Cumberland in England, and, arriving with him in Edinburgh on 30 Jan. 1746, went northwards. On 9 Feb. he sent a summons to his vassals to attend at Dunkeld and Kirkmichael and join the king's troops (ib. p. 72). On 6 April 1763 Atholl resigned the office of privy seal on being appointed keeper of the great seal in room of Charles Douglas (1698-1778), duke of Queensberry and Dover. He was also at the same time made lord justice general. He died at Dunkeld on 8 Jan. 1764, in his seventy-fourth year.
By his first wife, Jean, widow of James Lannoy of Hammersmith, youngest daughter of Thomas Frederick, son and heir-apparent of Sir John Frederick, knight, alderman of London, he had a son and two daughters. The son died in infancy, and of the daughters, Jean married John, first earl of Crawford; and Charlotte, who survived her sister, and inherited on the death of her father in 1764 the barony of Strange and the sovereignty of the Isle of Man, married John Murray, third duke of Atholl [q. v.], eldest son of Lord George Murray [q. v.] By his second wife, Jane, daughter of John Drummond of Megginch, the second duke had no issue. This lady was the heroine of Dr. Austin's song 'For lack of gold she left me, oh!' She had jilted the doctor for the duke.
[Histories of the Rebellions in 1715 and 1745; Hist. MSS. Comm. 12th Rep. App. pt. viii.; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), i. 151-2.]
MURRAY, JAMES (1732–1782), author of 'Sermons to Asses,' was descended from a respectable family at Fans, near Earlstown, Berwickshire, where it is believed he was born in 1732. He studied at the university of Edinburgh, and his certificate from Dr. Hamilton, the professor of divinity, is dated 28 April 1760. Shortly afterwards he went to Mouson, near Belford, Northumberland, as private tutor to the family of William Weddell, esq., and in 1761 he became assistant to John Sayers, minister of the Bondgate meetinghouse at Alnwick. Disagreements arose, and he was dismissed, but a large proportion of the congregation formed themselves into a separate community, built a chapel in Bailiifgate Square, and ordained him their minister. He was not ordained to the pastoral charge by any presbytery, as he held that every congregation was at liberty to adopt such modes of government as seemed most conducive to their religious improvement. In early life he was presented with the freedom of Kelso, for some services he had rendered to that town.
In 1764 Murray removed to Newcastle-on-Tyne, where he had numerous friends, many of whom belonged to the Silver Street meeting-house. His followers chose him to be their pastor, and built the High Bridge Chapel. There Murray laboured with great zeal during the remainder of his life. He was extremely active in opposing Sir George Saville's bill for the removal of certain catholic disabilities, and published 'News from the Pope to the Devil,' 1781, and 'Popery not Christianity,' an evening lecture, besides attacking the catholics in several papers which appeared in the 'Protestant Packet.' He was also strongly opposed to the American war, and delivered many political lectures condemnatory of the administration of Lord North. He died at Newcastle on 28 Jan. 1782. He married Sarah Weddell of Mouson (she died 1798), and left several children.
Thomas Bewick, the engraver, says Murray was 'a most cheerful, facetious, sensible, pleasant man a most agreeable companion, full of anecdote and information; keen in his remarks, though he carefully refrained from hurting the feelings of any of the company.' His best known work was 'Sermons to Asses' (anon.), London, 1768, 8vo. This satirical work he dedicated to 'the very excellent and reverend Messrs. G. W., J. W., W. R., and M. M.,' observing that 'there are no persons in Britain so worthy of a dedication of a work of this kind as yourselves.' The initials referred to George Whitfield, John Wesley, William Romaine, and Martin Madan [q. v.] To a similar category belongs 'Sermons to Doctors in Divinity,' being the second volume of 'Sermons to Asses;' 'Sermons to Men, Women, and Children, by the author of "Sermons to Asses,"' Newcastle, 1768, 8vo; and 'New Sermons to Asses,' London, 1773, 8vo, reprinted as 'Seven New Sermons to Asses,' 1796.
Murray's other works are: 1. 'The History of Religion, particularly of the different Denominations of Christians. By an Impartial Hand.' 2nd edit. 4 vols, London, 1764, 8vo. 2. 'Select Discourses upon several important Subjects,' Newcastle, 1765, 8vo, 2nd edit. 1768. 3. 'An Essay on Redemption by Jesus Christ,' Newcastle, 1768, 8vo. 4. 'Rudiments ot the English Tongue, or the Principles of English Grammar,' 2nd edit. Newcastle, 1771, 12mo. 5. 'A History of the Churches in England and Scotland, from
