not
think the text quite bears out the commentary; and indeed elsewhere in
the chapter Macaulay seems inclined to allow more credit to these
professions. The "escort" under which Dundee was "suffered to travel"
consisted of his own troopers, who had followed him from Watford to
London, and stayed with him to the end.

CHAPTER IX.

All eyes were now turned to Scotland. England had practically accepted
William, and although the terms of acceptance were still in some
quarters kept open to question, there was no longer fear that the final
answer would have to be given by the sword. In Scotland the case was
different. Many of the great nobles and other dignitaries had indeed
professed themselves in favour of William, but political morality, a
custom nowhere in those days very rigidly observed, may be said to have
been honoured by Scottish statesmen almost wholly in the breach. No man
trusted his neighbour, and his neighbour was perfectly aware of the
fact. It was impossible to say what an hour might not bring forth; and
in this flux of things no man could guarantee that the Whigs of to-day
would not be the Jacobites of to-morrow. Hamilton was the recognised
leader of the Whigs, Athole of the Jacobites. Both were great and
powerful noblemen. The influence of Hamilton was supreme in the Western
Lowlands: only Mac Callum More could muster to his standard a larger
gathering than the lord of Blair, and the glory of Mac Callum More was
now in eclipse. Yet Hamilton had been one of James' Privy Councillors,
and had not declared for William till the Dutch guards were at
Whitehall. His son Arran and his brother Dumbarton were both on the
other side: Arran had accompanied James to Rochester, and Dumbarton had
refused to hold his commission under the Prince of Orange. Athole had
more than once coquetted with the Whigs, and his present Jacobitism was
shrewdly suspected to be due to the coolness with which his advances had
been received: his son Lord Murray, who had married a daughter of
Hamilton, had declared for William. These great noblemen had indeed the
satisfaction of feeling that, however the die might fall, their titles
and estates were at least secured. But the wisdom of their family
arrangements did not increase their reputation with their parties. The
Duke of Gordon held the castle of Edinburgh for James; and, though the
Duke was a weak creature, his position was strong. The bulk of the
common people were undoubtedly