ter than the homely phrases
of an eye-witness of the scene.

"On Sunday, to our surprise, about three in the afternoon," writes the
Highlander from his prison, "we saw a drum of the enemy beating a
chamade in the street. In an instant we were all called from our posts
to the Market-place: the horsemen were ordered to mount. This made us
believe the parley had been proposed by General Wills, and that we were
to break out and attack them sword in hand,--at least, break through
them at that end of the town; but we soon found it was proposed by Mr.
Forster, and that there was a cessation till nine next morning, and a
capitulation to be made. This was very choaking to us all, but there was
no helping of it; for no sooner had we left our posts, than they made
themselves master of them, and of our cannon."[204]

Whilst the chamade was beating, Colonel Cotton, sent by General Wills,
rode up the street, and alighted at the sign of the Mitre: the firing
meantime had not ceased from several of the houses: the common soldiers
were ignorant of the real state of the case, and believed that General
Wills had sent to offer honourable terms, not knowing that the offer of
a capitulation had proceeded from their own party.

Still there were obstacles to the capitulation raised by the Scottish
party, who were represented by Brigadier Mackintosh. "He could not," he
replied, when urged for his consent, "answer for the Scotch, for they
were people of desperate fortunes, and he had been a soldier himself,
and knew what it was to be a prisoner at discretion." When this demur
was stated to General Wills, "Go back to your people again," was his
answer to those who stated it: "I will attack the town, and I will not
spare a man of you." At the subsequent trial of the rebels General Wills
was able, with truth, to deny the charge of having given his unhappy
prisoners any hopes, to induce them to sign the capitulation. "All the
terms he offered them," such was his assertion, "was, that he would save
their lives from the soldiers till further orders, if they surrendered
at discretion: (the meaning of which was, that by the rules of war it
was in his power to cut them all to pieces, but he would give them their
lives till further orders;) and if they did not comply, he would renew
the attack, and not spare a man."[205]

No sooner had the news of the capitulation been bruited about the
streets, than it was received with a sorrow and indignation almost