me), I would send aide-de-camps to desire such assistance as I
should judge the occasion would require; but that I really believed
there would be no great danger; for, as we were informed, the Duke of
Cumberland was at Stafford, and would in all appearance, that night or
next morning, be drawing near London to intercept us, so that if our
design were not mentioned till next morning that it should be put in
execution, we would be got to Ashbourn before he could have certain
information of our design to retreat."

The Prince, who was naturally bold and enterprising, and who had been
hitherto successful in every thing, was indignant at this. Since he had
set out from Edinburgh, he had never had a thought but of going on, and
fighting everything in his way to London. He had the highest idea of the
bravery of his own men, and a despicable opinion of his enemies, and
hitherto with good reason; and he was confirmed in these notions by some
of those that were nearest his person; these sycophants, more intent
upon securing his favour than promoting his interest, "were eternally
saying whatever they thought would please, and never hazarded a
disagreeable truth."[128]

A connected narrative of the proceedings in council has been given by
Lord Elcho; and, at the risk of some recapitulations, it is here
inserted, not having been previously published entire.

"The fifth, in the morning, Lord George Murray, and all the commanders
of battalions and squadrons, waited on the Prince, and Lord George told
him that it was the opinion of every body present that the Scots had now
done all that could be expected of them. That they had marched into the
heart of England, ready to join any party that would declare for him.
That none had done so, and that the counties through which the army had
passed had seemed much more enemies, than friends, to his cause. That
there were no French landed in England; and that if there was any party
in England for him, it was very odd that they had never so much as
either sent him money or intelligence, or the least advice what to do.
But if he could produce any letter from any person of distinction, in
which there was an invitation for the army to go to London, or to any
other part of England, that they were ready to go; but if nobody had
either invited them, or meddled in the least in their affairs, it was to
be supposed that there was either no party at all, or, if there was,
they did not choose to act with