WILLIAM AKD MAKYo

269

BaloaiTas went repeatedly to Saint James’s, had several chap.audiences of William, professed deep respect for his Highness, ——and owned that King James had committed great errors, butwould not promise to concur in a vote of deposition. Williamgave no sign of displeasure, but said at parting: “Take care,

my Lord, that you keep within the law; for, if you break it,you must expect to be left to it.” *

Dundee seems to have been less ingenuous. He employedthe mediation of Burnet, opened a negotiation with SaintJames’s, declared himself willing to acquiesce in the new orderof things, obtained from William a promise of protection, andpromised in return to live peaceably. Such credit was given tohis professions that he was suffered to travel down to Scotlandunder the escort of a troop of cavalry. Without such an escortthe man of blood, whose name was never mentioned but witha shudder at the hearth of any Presbyterian family, would, atthat conjuncture, have had but a perilous journey throughBerwickshire and the Lothians. **

February was drawing to a close whenDundee andBalcarrasreached Edinburgh. They had some hope that they might beat the head of a majority in the Convention. They thereforeexerted themselves vigorously to consolidate and animate theirparty. They assured the rigid royalists, who had a scruple 4about sitting in an assembly convoked by an usurper, that therightful King particularly wished no friend of hereditary mon-archy to be absent. More than one waverer was kept steadyby being assured in confident terms that a speedy restorationwas inevitable. Gordon had determined to surrender the castle,and had begun to remove his furniture: but Dundee and Bal-carras prevailed on him to hold out some time longer. Theyinformed him that they had received from Saint Germains full

* Memoirs of the Lindsays.

** Burnet, ii. 22.; Memoirs of the Lind3ays.

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