conies, waved white handkerchiefs in honour of the day. One lady, of distinguished beauty, Mrs. Murray of Broughton, sat on horseback beside the Cross, raising a drawn sword in one hand, and with the other distributing the white ribbons that denoted attachment to the House of Stuart. The old days of Scottish chivalry appeared to have returned.

At nearly the same hour of the same memorable 17th of September, Charles, till then at the head of his advancing troops, set forth to take possession of the palace of his ancestors. To avoid the fire of the Castle, he made a considerable circuit to the south; he entered the King's Park by a breach which had been made in the wall*, and approached Holyrood House by the Duke's Walk, so termed because it had been the favourite resort of his grandfather, as Duke of York, during his residence in Scotland. His march had begun on foot, but the enthusiastic crowd which pressed around him, eager to kiss his hand, or even to touch his clothes, nearly threw him down: he therefore mounted his charger, having on his right the Duke of Perth, on his left Lord Elcho, who had joined him the night before. His noble mien and his graceful horsemanship could not fail to strike even the most indifferent spectators; and they were scarcely less pleased at his national dress - a tartan coat, a blue bonnet with a white cockade, and a star of the order of St. Andrew. With fonder partiality, the Jacobites compared his features to those of his ancestor Robert Bruce, or sought some other resemblance in that picture-gallery at Holyrood, which, according to their boast, contains so many undoubted originals of Kings who lived so many centuries before the invention of painting. On this occasion, indeed, the joy of the Jacobites knew no bound; and their feelings, long dissembled or pent in, from compliance with the times, now burst forth in exuberant and overflowing transports. The air resounded with their rapturous acclamations; and as Charles rode onwards, his boots were dimmed with their kisses and tears.†

As Charles came in front of Holyrood House, the gar

*Lockhart Papers, vol. ii. P. 446.

† Chambers's History, vol. i. p. 136.

PUBLIC ENTRY OF CHARLES.

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rison of the Castle, informed of his progress, and eager if possible to arrest it, fired a cannon ball with such direction as to make it descend upon the palace. It did, however, but little injury, striking obliquely a part of James the Fifth's Tower, and falling into the court yard, followed by a quantity of rubbish. The Prince, undismayed at this accident, was about to enter the porch, when a gentleman stepped from the crowd, drew his sword, and raising it aloft marshalled the way up stairs. This was James Hepburn of Keith, who had taken an active part in the rebellion of 1715, and had ever since continued devoted to the Stuart cause. His main motive was abhorrence of the Act of Union; while even his political enemies, admiring him as "a model of ancient simplicity, manliness, "and honour," lamented that he should sacrifice himself to a visionary idea of Scottish independence.*

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In the evening the long-deserted chambers of the palace were enlivened with a splendid ball, and, as on the eve of another great battle bright the lamps shone o'er fair "women and brave men," and "a thousand hearts beat happily."-Charles showed that neither the fatigue of the previous march, nor the anxiety of the coming conflict, could impair his natural vivacity and powers of pleasing; and the ladies were loud in his praises, many of the younger, perhaps, thinking that the cause of so handsome a Prince and so graceful a dancer could not possibly be wrong.

Next morning was devoted to more serious cares. The Standard had lately been joined by several persons of distinction, the Earl of Kellie, Lord Balmerino, Sir Stuart Threipland, Sir David Murray, Lockhart the younger of Carnwath, (his grandfather, James's correspondent, had died in 1732,) and several other Lowland gentlemen. From the magazine of Edinburgh Charles obtained about a thousand muskets, which served to arm many of his Highlanders, still leaving, however, several unprovided. He also laid upon the city a requisition for tents, targets,

*Home's History, p. 101.

I need scarcely quote-for who does not know and admire ?. the beautiful stanzas on the Duchess of Richmond's ball at Brussels in 1815.

Childe Harold, canto iii.

shoes, and canteens. Few of the burghers showed any inclination to enlist in his service; but on the next day after his entry, Lord Nairn, who had been left in the north to gather reinforcements, came up with five hundred men, consisting of the clan MacLauchlan, with their chief, and other Highlanders from Athol. All these forces-the new and the old-were passed in review at the camp before the Prince, and he announced his resolution to lead them forward against Sir John Cope, and give him battle a courageous measure, to which he obtained the consent of all the officers.

The leisure left to Charles for repose or preparation at Edinburgh was only one entire day, the 18th: on the night of Thursday, the 19th, he came to the village of Duddingstone, and the troops lay upon their arms. Calling a council of war, the Prince proposed to march next morning, and meet the enemy half-way; this being agreed to, he next asked the chiefs how they thought their men would behave. The chiefs desired Keppoch to answer for them, since he had served in the French army, and was well acquainted with the difference between Highlanders and regular troops. Keppoch said, that as the country had been long at peace, few or none of the private men had ever seen a battle, and it was not very easy to say how they would behave; but he would venture to assure His Royal Highness that the gentlemen would be in the midst of the enemy, and that the private men, as they loved the cause and loved their chiefs, would certainly follow them. Charles then declared that he would lead them on himself, and charge in the first ranks. But here a general outcry ensued; the chiefs exclaimed that they were ruined and undone, for if any accident befel His Royal Highness, a defeat or a victory must be the same to them; and on Charles's persisting, they said they would then return home, and make the best terms they could for themselves. The Prince was therefore compelled to yield, declaring, however, that at least he would lead the second line.

Early on the morning of the 20th, the Highlanders began their march in a single narrow column, and with joyous anticipations of victory. As Charles put himself at their head, he drew his sword, and said to them, "Gen

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tlemen, I have flung away the scabbard," which was answered by loud cheers. Their cavalry scarcely amounted to fifty, being only some gentlemen and their retainers on horseback; but their numbers altogether were about 2500.* They had but a single piece of artillery-an iron gun, which was fired as the signal of march, but was useless for any other military purpose. Charles had expressed a wish to leave this encumbrance behind him; but to his surprise the Highland chiefs interposed, pleading the prejudices of their followers in favour of the "Musket's Mother," as they termed any cannon; and accordingly it followed the march, drawn by a long string of Highland ponies. The DUNNIE WASSAILS, and the best men in each clan, were excellently armed; but even after the supply from Edinburgh, several of the inferior followers could only boast a single weapon —a sword, a dirk, a pistol, or even a scythe-blade set straight upon the handle. Besides the Royal Standard, each clan displayed its banner inscribed with its gathering words, such as those of Clanranald, DHANDEON CO HERIGHA (Gainsay who dares), of Mac Gregor, "E'en do and spare not," or of Athol, “Forth Fortune, and fill the Fetters." In this guise did the men march on, interrupted only by some straggling shots from the Castle, and soon disappearing beyond its reach.

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I must now advert to Sir John Cope's proceedings. That general was landing his army at Dunbar on the same day that his enemy's entered Edinburgh: his disembarkation, however, was not completed till the 18th. He had been reinforced at Inverness by 200 of Lord Loudon's men, and was joined at Dunbar by the runaway dragoons, in number 600, so that his whole force was upwards of 2200 men. A very few gentlemen from the Lowlands also came to him as volunteers, but brought no accession of force; the principal of them, the Earl of Home, being attended only by two servants. Even so late as 1633, the Earl of Home of that day had come to greet Charles the First at the head of 600 well-mounted men, his relations and retainers. The change was, no

*See the answers of Mr. Patullo, Muster-master General to the Rebel Army, and Mr. Home's note in his Appendix, p. 331. See also a long and valuable note (by the editor) to Johnstone's Memoirs, p. 29. octavo ed

E

doubt, mainly owing to the decline of feudal power;

but

it also, in some degree, denotes the state of popular feeling in Scotland, and the difference between raising men for or against the House of Stuart.

The King's troops at Dunbar became likewise the refuge of the Judges and other Crown Officers who had fled from Edinburgh before its capture, but who expected to be soon and triumphantly restored. One of the volunteers Mr. Home, afterwards the author of Douglas had remained a little longer in the capital to observe the force and appearance of the rebel army, and now brought Cope an accurate report of it. Sir John's own forces, besides being very nearly equal to the enemy's, were well equipped and in high spirits, the infantry seeming eager to augment, and the dragoons to retrieve, their reputation. He had six pieces of artillery a most effective arm against Highlanders; and not only the country people, who flocked from all quarters to gaze on the array, but many of the Royal officers, were convinced that there would be no battle, but only a pursuit, as soon as their strength was seen and understood by their opponents.*

Beginning his march on the 19th, Sir John Cope encamped that night near Haddington, and resumed his advance next morning. He expected that the Highlanders if indeed they awaited his approach - would be met along the common highway; but, on the contrary, after passing the bridge of Musselburgh, they had turned inland to their right, to obtain the advantage of the rising ground; and they occupied the brow of Carberry Hill, the spot marked in former years by the surrender of the unhappy Mary. The English General, hoping to obtain early intelligence of their movements, had sent forward two of the Edinburgh volunteers; who, however, proved as incompetent for this as for every other military duty.†

* Home's History, p. 107. He adds, "It is doubtful whether the "people who talked in this manner really thought so; but such was "the tone of the army, and whoever did not hold the same language was looked upon as a lukewarm friend."

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See a minute account of their adventures, Quarterly Review, No. lxxi. p. 177. It seems that these two doughty warriors could not resist the temptation of some excellent oysters and sherry at a well-remembered public house, and were both taken prisoners by a young lad, an attorney's clerk.