nor could they have joined them afterwards. But all this failing by some
cross accidents, Lord Argyle returned with that part of his army to
Scotland, and the Earl of Mar could not then, with the men he then had,
advance further than Dumblane, and for want of provisions there, was
soon after obliged to return to Perth."

"But immediately after that we had got provisions, and that the clans
and Lord Seaforth had joined us, we marched again towards the enemy; and
notwithstanding the many difficulties the Earl of Mar had upon that
occasion with some of our own people, he gave the enemy battle: and, as
you saw in our printed account of it, had not our left wing given way,
which was occasioned by mistake of orders and scarcity of experienced
officers, that being composed of as good men, and marched as cheerfully
up to the field of battle as the other, our victory had been complete.
And as it was, the enemy, who was advanced on this side the river, was
forced to retire back to Sterling."[104]

Such is the Earl of Mar's comment upon the battle of Sherriff Muir, of
which the friends of Government gave a very different representation.

The Earl had, it is evident, no disposition to risk a general engagement
before the Chevalier arrived in Scotland. He had sent two gentlemen to
the Prince to learn his determination, and had resolved to remain at
Perth until their return. During his continuance in that city he
employed himself not only in throwing up entrenchments round the town,
but in publishing addresses to the people, to keep up the spirits of the
Jacobites. Since the Earl was never scrupulous as to the means of which
he availed himself, we may not venture to reject the declaration of an
historian of no good will to the cause, that he ordered "false news" to
be printed and circulated; and published that which he hoped would
happen, as having already taken place. "The detachment," he related,
"had passed the Forth, had been joined by the army in the South, were
masters of Newcastle, and carried all before them; and their friends in
and about London had taken arms in such numbers, that King George had
made a shift to retire." These falsehoods were printed by Freebairn,
formerly the King's printer at Edinburgh, whom the Earl had established
at Perth, and provided with the implements brought by the army from
Aberdeen.[105]

In the beginning of November, the Earl of Seaforth arrived at Perth, and
the Mac Invans, the Maccraws, th