ese, according
to Wodrow, were let go after being disarmed; but Hamilton himself tells
a very different tale. His orders had been strict that there should be
no quarter that day; but on his return from the pursuit he found that
his orders had been disobeyed. Five prisoners had been dismissed, and
were already out of his reach: two others were waiting while their
captors debated on their fate. Then Hamilton, furious that any of
"Babel's brats" should be let go, slew one of these with his own hand,
to stay any such unreasonable spirit of mercy, "lest the Lord would not
honour us to do much more for him."[28]

That night the Covenanting captains stayed at Lord Loudon's house,
where, though the master had deemed it prudent to keep out of the way,
they were hospitably entertained by her ladyship. The next morning they
continued their march to Glasgow.

Claverhouse was ready for them. The town was too open a place to be
properly barricaded, but he had caused some sort of breastwork to be
raised near the market-cross as cover for his men, and patrols had been
out since daybreak to watch Hamilton's movements. That worthy was
reported to be dividing his men into two bodies, one of which presently
marched on the town by the Gallowgate bridge, while the other took a
much longer route by the High Church and College. It was thus possible
to deal with the first before the latter could come to its assistance.
This was very effectually done. About ten in the morning the attack was
made by way of the bridge, led by Hamilton in person.[29] But the
welcome which met them from the barricades was too warm for the
Covenanters. They broke and fled at the first fire, Claverhouse and Ross
at the head of their men chasing them out of the town. Meanwhile, their
comrades, descending the hill on the other side, saw what was going on,
and, having no mind for a similar welcome, turned about and made off by
the way they had come. The two parties joined and halted for a while at
the place they had occupied on the previous night; but when they heard
Claverhouse's trumpets sounding again to horse they fell back to
Hamilton Park, where it was not thought prudent to follow them.

FOOTNOTES:

[24] Claverhouse to Linlithgow, June 1st, 1679. This is the famous
despatch which Scott says was spelled like a chambermaid's. The original
is now among the Stow Manuscripts in the British Museum.

[25] Cannon's "Historical Records of the British Army" (Second
Dr