roops to march at once for England to join the army under Feversham.
This foolish order was Melfort's doing, urged by his secretary, Stewart
of Goodtrees, who, after having been concerned in all the most notorious
plots of the last twenty years, and actually condemned to death for his
share in Argyle's rebellion, had now blossomed into an Under-Secretary
of State. Remonstrance was useless. "The order," wrote Balcarres, "was
positive and short--advised by Mr. James Stewart at a supper, and wrote
upon the back of a plate, and an express immediately despatched
therewith."

And so "with a sorrowful heart," he goes on to remind the exiled King,
"they began their march--three thousand effective young men--vigorous,
well-disciplined and clothed, and, to a man, hearty in your cause, and
willing, out of principle as well as duty, to hazard their lives for the
support of the Government as then established both in Church and
State."[73] The loyalty of some of these fine fellows was, however,
destined soon to suffer a change in the disturbing atmosphere of
England.

The full strength of the Scottish contingent was three thousand seven
hundred and sixty-three men. Douglas was in command, with Claverhouse
under him at the head of the cavalry, which mustered eight hundred and
forty-one sabres, including his own regiment, Livingstone's troop of
Life Guards, and Dunmore's dragoons, a regiment which, as the Scots
Greys, has since earned a reputation second to none in the British Army.
The infantry was made up of Douglas's own regiment of Foot Guards, now
the Scots Guards: Buchan's regiment, now the Twenty-first of the Line,
or, to give them their latest title, the Royal Scots Fusiliers; and
Wauchope's regiment:--two thousand nine hundred and twenty-two men in
all.[74] They left Scotland in the beginning of October, the foot
marching by way of Chester, the horse by way of York, on London. Early
in November they reached the capital, where they lay for a few days:
Claverhouse, with his own regiment and the Horse Guards, being quartered
in Westminster, the dragoons in Southwark, and Douglas, with his Foot
Guards, in Holborn. On the tenth of the month they marched for
Salisbury, where the King's army was now gathered. During the march
Claverhouse received the last and most signal proof of favour James was
to give him. On November 12th he had been created Viscount of Dundee.

In the royal camp all was confusion and doubt. William was at Axmi