ikemen, and the rest were
scythesmen or peasants with flails and hammers. A few bodies, such as
our own or those from Taunton, might fairly lay claim to be soldiers,
but the most of them were still labourers and craftsmen with weapons
in their hands. Yet, ill-armed and ill-drilled as they were, they were
still strong robust Englishmen, full of native courage and of religious
zeal. The light and fickle Monmouth began to take heart once more at the
sight of their sturdy bearing, and at the sound of their hearty cheers.
I heard him as I sat my horse beside his staff speak exultantly to those
around him, and ask whether these fine fellows could possibly be beaten
by mercenary half-hearted hirelings.

'What say you, Wade!' he cried. 'Are we never to see a smile on that sad
face of yours? Do you not see a woolsack in store for you as you look
upon these brave fellows?'

'God forbid that I should say a word to damp your Majesty's ardour,' the
lawyer answered; 'yet I cannot but remember that there was a time when
your Majesty, at the head of these same hirelings, did drive men as
brave as these in headlong rout from Bothwell Bridge.'

'True, true!' said the King, passing his hand over his forehead--a
favourite motion when he was worried and annoyed. 'They were bold men,
the western Covenanters, yet they could not stand against the rush of
our battalions. But they had had no training, whereas these can fight in
line and fire a platoon as well as one would wish to see.'

'If we hadna a gun nor a patronal among us,' said Ferguson, 'if we hadna
sae muckle as a sword, but just oor ain honds, yet would the Lard gie us
the victory, if it seemed good in His a' seeing een.'

'All battles are but chance work, your Majesty,' remarked Saxon, whose
sword-arm was bound round with his kerchief. 'Some lucky turn, some slip
or chance which none can foresee, is ever likely to turn the scale. I
have lost when I have looked to win, and I have won when I have looked
to lose. It is an uncertain game, and one never knows the finish till
the last card is played.'

'Not till the stakes are drawn,' said Buyse, in his deep guttural voice.
'There is many a leader that wins what you call the trick, and yet loses
the game.'

'The trick being the battle and the game the campaign,' quoth the King,
with a smile. 'Our German friend is a master of camp-fire metaphors. But
methinks our poor horses are in a sorry state. What would cousin William
over at Th