the affection of his female friends, many of whom had incited their husbands to lake arms on his behalf, under an idea that he had turned protestant It would also hare created some difficulty on the approaching coronation, had not circumstances before the day arrived rendered his funeral a more likely occurrence.
On the 16th, he assembled a grand council of all the insurgent chiefs, where he delivered a most melancholy speech, every sentiment of which seems to have been the offspring of weakness and fear, and every word of it to have been steeped in tears; yet it was put into the hands of Freebairn, and illustriously circulated among the rebels, though it could have no effect but to damp their spirits. It was indeed pretty evident, that this grand council had no other purpose, but to cover for a little the determination that had been formed, to abandon the enterprise as speedily as was consistent with the safety of those who had been the prime agents in the whole affair. They well knew that they were in no condition to stand an attack from the royal army, now provided with a powerful artillery and strengthened by numerous reinforcements; but it was proper to conceal this knowledge from the troops, lest they might have been so dispirited as to have been incapable of taking the necessary steps for securing a retreat, or perhaps provoked, as was like to have been the case at Preston, to take summary vengeance on their leaders, who had by so many misrepresentations and so many blunders, brought them into a situation of so much danger. There was nothing of course to be seen among them but bustling activity, and nothing heard but the dreadful note of preparation. Every where there was planting of guns, throwing up breast works, and digging trenches, and in short, every thing to induce the belief that they intended to make the most desperate resistance to the king's troops. To confirm this view of the matter still further, an order was issued on the 17th, the day after the council, for burning the whole country between Perth and the king's troops, and otherwise destroying every thing that could be of any use to an enemy. This order was the last that James issued in Scotland, and it was in a few days executed to the very letter.
Hearing that Argyle and Cadogan were on the march to attack him, the Chevalier once more called a council to deliberate whether they should await his coming or save themselves by a timely retreat? Nothing appears to have been more terrible to the Chevalier than a battle in his present circumstances; but the principal part of the officers, especially the highlanders, who thought they had had far too little fighting, were unanimous for instant warfare and would not be restrained. Marr, seeing no prospect of an agreement, adjourned the council till next morning, and shortly after selected a few of the most influential among them, upon whom he urged the necessity of a retreat, and procured their consent, giving out at the same time that they only waited a more favourable opportunity to engage and cut off Argyle, which they stated they should have at Aberdeen, where they would be strengthened by auxiliaries from abroad. Matters being thus accommodated, James, by a strong feeling of danger awakened from his dream of empire, hastened from his palace of Scoon to Perth, where he supped with provost Hay, and after attempting to sleep for a few hours, early next morning, with his army, abandoned Perth, marching over the Tay upon the ice. He left Perth in company with Marr and his principal adherents, dissolved in tears, and saying, " that instead of bringing him to a crown they had brought him to his grave."
Having abandoned their artillery, which they threw into the Tay, with all their waggons and heavy baggage, the insurgents marched with great celerity, and were soon two days a head of the royal army, taking the road by Dundee, Aberbrothock, and Montrose, for Aberdeen. At Montrose they had a vessel
