hing a stroke,
which perhaps would have proved mortal, Mr. Stuart threw up his sword
and awarded the blow."

From Preston Pans Charles Edward rode to Pinkie House, a seat of the
Marquis of Tweedale. In the elation of victory, a consideration which
can alone excuse the disregard of the sufferings of others which the
foregoing narrative states, the Prince is said to have left the bulk of
the wounded upon the field until the next day, when they were brought in
carts to the infirmary of Edinburgh. The neighbourhood was afterwards
scattered over with the wounded who recovered, and who begged throughout
the country, where they met with kindness and humanity from all, except
from the Adventurers, as they were called. Such is the testimony of one
who has not failed to bear witness to acts of humanity where they really
existed; and it would be unfair to suppress the statements of
contemporaries on either side of the question. At the same time, this
account is wholly at variance with the deep sorrow afterwards betrayed
by Charles when he spoke of the sufferings of the Scottish people on his
account; nor is it consistent with the sensibility and humanity evinced,
as the same historian avows, by the Duke of Perth.[239]

Upon the return of Prince Charles to Edinburgh, in order to carry on
affairs with every appearance of royalty, he appointed a council, who
met every day at Holyrood House at ten o'clock for the despatch of
business. The members of this council were the two Lieutenants-general,
the Duke of Perth, and Lord George Murray, who had been appointed in
conjunction with the former; Secretary Murray; Sullivan,
Quarter-master-general; Lord Pitsligo, Lord Elcho, Sir Thomas Sheridan,
and all the Highland chiefs.

The fine characteristics, and powerful mind of Lord George Murray, and
the prominent part which he took in the insurrection, demand a long and
separate account. Among the rest of this ill-starred council, the
principal members in point of rank, if not of influence, were Alexander,
Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, who, after the battle of Preston, joined the
Prince's standard with a troop of a hundred horse. The character of this
nobleman gave his example a great influence among all who knew him, and
who respected the ardent piety, bordering upon fanaticism, which
characterized his religious sentiments, and the heartfelt earnestness
of his political opinions. Early in life this venerable man had sworn
allegiance to William th