'ACT FOR THE KING'S MOST GRACIOUS GENERAL AND FREE PARDON'

The Act of Grace 1747

The most important of the special Acts dealing with the '45 was the Act 20 Geo. II., cap. 52, which is often shortly, and somewhat humorously, styled 'The Act of Grace.'

“The King, having already showed his Royal Inclination to Mercy by many particular instances of grace to such as had rendered themselves obnoxious to the Law and subject to the highest penalties ... has resolved to grant his General and free Pardon in a large and bountiful manner, not doubting but that ... it will raise a due sense of gratitude in all who have been artfully misled into treasonable practices against his person and government. . . . Therefore he desires it to be enacted by this Parliament that all his subjects ... be acquitted, pardoned, etc. of all manner of treasons, felonies, seditious words, seditions, etc., all riots, offences, contempts etc. committed before 15th June 1747 . . . with the exception of those excepted.”

The Act then excluded from its beneficial provisions the following classes 

a. All persons in the Service of the "Pretender" on 15th June 1747.

b. All persons who had served the King of Spain since 19th December 1739.

c. All persons in the service of the French Crown since 29th April 1744.

d. All persons who were concerned in the Rising itself or in conspiring or assisting it.

e. All persons, who, in connexion with the Rising, have been beyond the Seas between 20th July 1745 and 15th June 1747.

f. All persons of the name and clan of Macgregor.

g. All persons attainted of high treasons before 15th June 1747.

h. Finally 85 named individuals.

(Ref:- Scottish History Society, Prisoners of the 45, Vol. I Pages 55-56)