"There is the devil to pay in the south—all is lost! Craigdarroch, a trooper of the Guards, hath brought intelligence that our army, like the English (God's murrain on the false knaves!) hath en masse joined the invader—that James has fled, and William reached London. Meet us at the Laigh Council Chamber without delay.
"Yr assured friend,
"PERTH, Cancellarius."
Overwhelmed with consternation, Clermistonlee stood for a moment like a statue; then, crushing his hat upon his head, he stuck a pair of pistols in his belt, snatched his cloak and sword, and tossing the note to Mersington, to read and follow as he chose, rushed away in silence with his usual impetuosity.
Mersington, who had regarded his actions with a stare of tipsy wonder, took up the note, and contrived to decypher its contents. As he did so, his features underwent a rapid change; fear, wrath, and cunning by turns contracted his hard visage, and completely sobered him. At last, a sinister leer of deep meaning twinkled in his bleared eyes; he quietly burned the note, brushed his large hat with his sleeve, adjusted it on his head, and assuming his gold-headed cane, departed for the Board of the Privy Council.
From that hour his Lordship was a true-blue Presbyterian.
CHAPTER XVI.
TRUST AND MISTRUST.
March! march! why the deil do ye no march?
Stand to your arms, my lads, fight in good order;
Front about, ye musketteers, all
When ye come to the English border.
LESLY'S MARCH.
As before related, the Scottish army advanced into England in three columns.
It was by the express desire of James VII., and contrary to the wish of the Council, that these forces left Scotland, where William had many adherents, especially in the western shires. There the old spirit of disaffection was subdued, but far from being extinguished. The Privy Councillors had proposed to retain their troops, and in lieu thereof to send to their frontiers a corps of militia and Highlanders, thirteen thousand strong; but James was urgent for the regulars immediately joining him at Hounslow, and they marched accordingly.