ttle doubt of its going right. I have since had two from an
indisposed friend of ours on your side the water, and with them one
of the twenty-second from Brigadier Mackintosh to him, where he
tells of his being joined by your Lordship and five hundred horse
with you,--Lords Withrington and Derwentwater, Mr. Forester, and
about six hundred English gentlemen. Your Lordship may be sure this
was very agreeable news to me, and now, with the blessing of God, if
we do not mismanage, I think our game can scarce fail. By Brigadier
Mackintosh's letter, it seems the English are all for your going to
England in a body to put into execution a certain design, and our
countrymen are for first having the Pass of Stirling opened, and our
armies joined. I apprehended there would be difference about this
before I saw that letter, as your Lordship would easily see by what
the lady carried. It is indeed a difficult point to know or advise
which of the two is the best for the King's affairs; and we on this
side Forth being so ignorant of your situation on the other side,
and also of the condition of England, that I could not take it upon
me to determine in it, or to give any positive orders what your
Lordship should do; but after stating the advantages of both, and
what might happen according as the enemy should act, I left it to be
advised and determined among yourselves on that side, who could not
but know a great deal more, as you should judge it best for the
King's interest in generall.

"I know our indisposed friend, for whose judgment I have a very
great regard, advised coming to Dalkeith, and we have a report from
Fife last night that you have done so.

"I long impatiently to know what resolution your Lordship and the
noblemen and gentlemen with you have come to. It is of great
consequence and deserves to be well weighed. If you are now come to
Dalkeith, I will adventure to tell my thoughts in it, which I was
not quite so clear in before when you were at a greater distance
from it. That place was a far way from the other, where I judge the
secret design was to be put in execution; and I am afraid before you
can get there they'll have so strengthened the place, and filled it
with troops, that the design would prove impracticable with the
small army you have,--and it might prove, too, (especially if