of the mist into the mist.

CHAPTER XX

A triumphant Stewart went back to Holyrood, an exultant army, calling
itself, now with some good show of bearing it through, the "royal"
army, carried into Edinburgh its confident step and sanguine hue.
Victory was with the old line, the magnificent attempt! The erstwhile
doubting throng began, stage by stage, to mount toward enthusiasm. It
was the quicker done that Charles Edward, or his wisest advisers, put
forth a series of judicious civic and public measures. And, now that
Cope had fled, King George had in Scotland no regular troops. Every
day there came open accessions to the Prince's strength. The old
Stewarts up again became a magnet, drawing more and more the filings.
The Prince had presently between five and six thousand troops. The
north was his, Edinburgh, the Jacobites scattered through the
Lowlands. The moderate Whig and Presbyterian might begin to think of
compounding, of finding virtues in necessity. The irreconcilables felt
great alarm and saw coming upon them a helplessness.

But the Stewarts, with French approval behind, aimed at the recovery
of England no less than Scotland. Windsor might well overdazzle
Holyrood. This interest had received many and strong protestations of
support from a wide swathe of English nobility and gentry. Lift the
victorious army over the border, set it and the young Prince bodily
upon English ground, would not great family after great family rouse
its tenants, arm them, join the Prince? So at least it seemed to the
flushed Stewart hope. King George was home from Hanover, British
troops being brought back from the Continent. Best to fan high the
fire of the rising while it might with most ease be fanned--best to
march as soon as might be into England!

On the 1st of November they marched, three detachments by three roads,
and the meeting-place Carlisle. All went most merrily well. On the
10th of November began the siege of Carlisle. The Prince had cannon
now, some taken at Prestonpans, some arrived, no great time before,
from France, first fruits of French support. The English General Wade
was at Newcastle with a larger army than that of the Jacobites. But
the siege of Carlisle was not lifted by Wade. After three days city
and castle surrendered. Charles Edward and his army entered England.

From Carlisle they marched to Penrith--to Kendal, Lancaster, Preston,
Manchester--clear, well-conducted marches, the army held well to