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WILLIAM AND MARY.

267

had fled from Whitehall, and that Feversham had ordered allthe royal army to disband. The Scottish regiments were thus -left, without pay or provisions, in the midst of a foreign andindeed a hostile nation. Dundee, it is said, wept with griefand rage. Soon, however, more cheering intelligence arrivedfrom various quarters. William wrote a few lines to say that,if the Scots would remain quiet, he would pledge his honourfor their safety; and, some hours later, it was known thatJames had returned to his capital. Dundee repaired instantlyto London.* There he met his friend Balcarras, who had justarrived from Edinburgh. Balcarras, a man distinguished byhis handsome person and by his accomplishments, had, in hisyouth, affected the character of a patriot, but had desertedthe popular cause, had accepted a seat in the Privy Council,had become a tool of Perth and Melfort, and had been one ofthe Commissioners who were appointed to execute the officeof Treasurer when Queensberry was disgraced for refusing tobetray the interests of the Protestant religion.**

Dundee and Balcarras went together to Whitehall, and hadthe honour of accompanying James in his last walk, up and downthe Mall. He told them that he intended to put his affairs inScotland under their management. “You, my Lord Balcarras,must undertake the civil business: and you, my Lord Dundee,shall have a commission from me to command the troops.” Thetwo noblemen vowed that they would prove themselves deservingof his confidence, and disclaimed all thought of making theirpeace with the Prince of Orange.***

On the following day James left Whitehall for ever; and thePrince of Orange arrived at Saint James’s. Both Dundee andBalcarras swelled the crowd which thronged to greet thedeliverer, and were not ungraciously received. Both were well

CIIAP.

XIII.

1689 .

* Creichton’s Memoirs.

*** Memoirs of the Lindsays.

** Mackay’s Memoirs.