Chapter 21
Edinburgh - Wednesday October 2, 1745
A few days later, after participating in further attempts to raise money for the prince from the lowland burghs of western Scotland, Glengyle and his regiment returned to Edinburgh. Together, Glengyle and Rob marched along the crown of the causeway. Behind them was their tail of some twenty well-armed Gregarach. The wind gusted fitfully through the closes, presenting ever different smells and removing them as quickly. Dogs scavenged in the heaps of waste piled in the gutters. Street urchins followed them, none too closely for not all of the broadswords were in their scabbards. The braver rascals would occasionally sally with a stone, or rotten cabbage and then run, screaming, down the nearest close.
"Calum!” Rob called, yet again, summoning his faithful servant back from yet another fruitless attempt at vengeance.
They encountered a gentleman walking down the crown of the road, be-wigged and accoutred in fine velvet, the white cockade jauntily attached to his hat. "My dear sir,” the man called out. “You surely must be the great chief of the Clan Gregor. I have heard tell of your brave exploits.”
Glengyle and Rob stopped. Their fighting tail spread out across the street, less concerned about where they put their feet.
"Sir,” Glengyle greeted the man. "I believe that I have not had the pleasure.”
"James Hamilton, sir. I am a poet by profession. I am at your service.”
"Tell me,” Glengyle responded. "I am most confused by this warren. I seek the house of David Murray where I have a tryst arranged.”
"Our noble city could not be more straightforward in its layout.” Hamilton began to explain. “Let me show you from this vantage over here. You shall be more clear thereafter. When you stand at a small distance and take a view of it from the East, you have really but a confused idea of the city because the situation being in length from East to West; the breadth but ill proportioned to its length, you view under the greatest disadvantage possible. Whereas if you turn a little to the right hand towards Leith and so come to the city from the North, you would see a very handsome prospect of the whole city. And from the South you have yet a better view of one part, because the city is encased on that side with new streets, which on the North side cannot be due to the Nor’ Loch. The particular situation then of the whole city is thus. At the extremity of the East end of the City stands the Palace or Court called Haly-Rood House."
"We are encamped in the park o't,” Rob interrupted.
"Yes, quite so,” Mr Hamilton responded, continuing his description.
"You must fetch a little sweep to the right hand to leave the Palace on the left, and come at the entrance, which is called the Water Port, and which you come at thro' a short suburb, then bearing to the left again, South, you come to the gate of the Palace which faces the great street."
Now Glengyle interrupted. "Aye man, we found our way around the Palace where the Prince keeps his court, and thereafter onto this great street, bursting as it is with all manner of humanity and much dirt besides. Where do we find the close wherein Mr Murray resides?"
"Tush, sir, I will tell thee soon enough. Understand this is a great city and you will benefit from an introduction to its structure. I shall continue, now, from this point where we stand. We are facing to the West. The street goes on in almost a straight line and for near a mile and a half in length. Some say a full two measured miles through the whole City to the Castle, including the going up the castle in the inside. This is, perhaps the largest, longest, and finest street for buildings and the number of inhabitants not in Britain only, but in the world."
Mr Hamilton paused, proudly, holding his coat facings, looking up the noble prospect of the Canongait towards the High Street.
Rob spoke. "But the filth and stink, man. This ordure is a trivial matter by the door of a Highland cot-house wi' the breath of God to dissipate the nuisance, but here, a man could drown in that.” He motioned at the great piles of filth on which dogs and pigs were happily rooting about.
"Well, yes,” Mr Hamilton agreed. The city has its disadvantages and since the Prince's army arrived and the authorities fled, the police have not been so diligent in their work of cleansing the redd from the causeway."
[ ‘Police’ functions in an 18th century Scottish burgh included street cleansing or ‘redding the causeway’]
"Pray, sir,” Rob asked. "where do the police take the filth, or redd as you call it? That is, if they take it anywhere?"
"It grows the finest cabbages and feeds the fattest pigs you have ever seen!” the Poet answered. "To continue with my account. From the very Palace door, behind us there, which stands flat and level with the lowest of the plain country, the street begins to ascend. Though it ascends very gradually at first, and is nowhere steep, yet 'tis easy to understand that continuing the ascent for so long a way, the farther part must necessarily be very high. So it is, for the Castle, which stands at the West extremity, as the Palace does the East, makes on three sides a frightful and impassable precipice, that only excepted which joins it to the city."
Rob, who had already inspected the precipice above which the castle stood, in the vain hope of rescuing his elder brother, nodded in agreement. General Guest, secure behind the ramparts, had no intention of surrendering until compelled to do so.
"Together with this continued Ascent, which, I think, it is easy to form an idea of in the mind. The edge or top of the ascent is so narrow that the street and the row of houses on each side of it, take up the whole breadth. No matter which way soever you turn either to the right or to the left, you go down hill immediately. The descent is so steep, as is very troublesome to those who walk in these side lanes which they call wynds, especially if their lungs are not very good. So that, in a word, the city stands upon the narrow ridge of a long ascending mountain.”
As Mr Hamilton explained this and pointed out several buildings of interest, they had been ascending the Street. Glengyle asked their loquacious guide again, where it was that Mr Murray of Cougal resided.
"Quite so," Hamilton responded, giving them a concise answer this time. "Do you see that tenement yonder, eight stories with the scarlet sign at the street? There is a close just beyond it, take the stair to the fourth floor. There you will find your tryst. I bid you good day sirs, and long life to King James."
Glengyle and his son made their way towards the indicated building. They could see the lowering bulk of the castle up ahead. As they looked, a puff of smoke appeared from the rampart. They waited. A crash of breaking glass and tumbling masonry could be heard somewhere to their right. A flock of scavenging birds flew into the air but soon settled down again. Glengyle and Rob made their way up the narrow spiral staircase. Most of their men remained below, with others of Glencarnaig's, guarding all sides of the tenement block.
In Mr. Murray's parlour there sat a group of men around the table. Some were clad in the muted reds and greens of Clan Gregor. Glencarnaig himself was wearing trews. Balhaldie was soberly dressed in lowland fashion. Only his cap with its white cockade and sprig of pine denoted his politics and affiliation. John Murray of Broughton, the Prince’s secretary, was also present.
"Gentlemen,” Glengyle said, taking his seat at the table. Rob stood behind him. Opposite sat Glencarnaig, flanked by his brothers, Evan and Duncan. Behind stood Duncan MacPharrie. On Glengyle’s right was Ranald, second son to Rob Roy in place of James Mòr, who was convalescing from his wound at Gladsmuir. Other gentlemen of the clan stood about the room.
Rob turned to Ranald. "How keeps James Mòr?"
"In a foul temper, his leg near broke. The surgeon set it and assured him it would heel, but he is itching to be back in action. He is to be taken to the Coire Arklet next week.” Ranald broke off as Glengyle thumped the table.
"Gentlemen," he began, "we have a question to settle. Who is to command our clan? I allow that you are a brave man, Glencarnaig, but I am the senior here and I have upheld our honour since before you drew breath. I have m
ore followers also, some I have not yet brought out."
Glencarnaig responded. "Those that started out, but found other business on the way here?"
Standing, Balhaldie interrupted. "I have His Majesties Commission as Colonel of the Clan regiment. I shall read it out."
"Where is your regiment, Balhaldie? You have none save your ostler and serving maid follow you." Glengyle said.
"Glengyle! You, with your uncle and Glencarnaig’s father elected my father to be chief of the Clan when Archibald of Kilmanan died. I, as heir to my father, am now chief. I say that this commission is valid and you should honour it."
Glencarnaig interrupted. "Glengyle, I am the chief representative of our race as all here will allow, the colonelcy belongs to me by right."
Glengyle retorted. "Where were yours when we elected Balhaldie here to be chief?"
"That was a device, which Rob Roy tricked my father into. That cannot stand. Do you wish Balhaldie chief?"
Balhaldie still stood. "Sir, you offend my honour." He tailed off, as Glengyle and Glencarnaig both put their hands to their swords. Balhaldie was a schemer and plotter, but he was no fighting man, he would not stand against these. He sat. "As you wish it," he said, “but I would propose my nephew, John of Balnacuick in my stead as colonel.”
Glengyle struck the table with his fist. He stood up, sending his chair crashing backwards. He raised his voice. "I am Clan Gregor, the colonelcy is mine.” He clutched at the hilt of his broadsword. Ranald and Rob took his arms, gently restraining him. The room was silent. The leaders glared at each other.
Glencarnaig was the first to control his temper. “What say you we draw lots for the colonelcy, the other to be lieutenant colonel. Other officers are to be shared between our families.
Balhaldie interjected once more. “I say that as I am chief, Balnacuick has to be included in the drawing of lots.”
Mr. Secretary Murray spoke for the first time. "Gentlemen, please, let us all be sensible of the Prince’s need for your aid. The Prince desires that Glencarnaig, as the younger man, should accompany him into England with his regiment. He has a great appreciation of you support, sir,” indicating Glengyle, "and has desired me to acquaint you that he should be most happy to gazette you as colonel and to be his governor of the fortress of Doune, so gallantly captured by your son."
Rob felt his face redden. Murray continued. "We have prisoners of importance to be warded and Doune is ideally situated to watch the English at Stirling and also to guard the Fords of Frew. The Prince is confident that you and your men will not be caught asleep with doxies, instead of at your duties. Also the Prince intends to appoint a governor for the town of Crieff to guard the passes to the North and muster our reinforcements. I see no obstacle to John of Balnacuick being appointed the governor of Crieff."
There was great amusement at this. The council and provost of Crieff would not be at all happy with a MacGregor placed in command over them.
Glengyle was well aware of the difficulty in retaining his recruits. Rànald had told him that Glencarnaig had had fewer problems with his. It could be of advantage to remain closer to home, allowing Glencarnaig to go with the army. However, there was one last argument.
“I maintain the right of my family to be the Chief of the clan and if I agree to this proposal, I insist on being full colonel. My Grandfather Donald glas served as colonel of the Clan regiment in support of King James VII at Killiecrankie in 1689. Glencarnaig and Balnacuick can be lieutenant-colonels.”
Glencarnaig responded, after whispering to Major Evan, “I shall concede that to you, though I do not concede your right to be Chief after the present affairs are settled. And though you are Colonel and I Lieutenant-Colonel, we shall each keep our respective followers as separate commands unless we mutually agree to merge as the needs of the Prince’s cause should require.”
Glengyle, aware that he had achieved at least some of his objectives, agreed. "Let it be so. I go to Doune"
Rob expected a further contribution from Balhaldie, but he seemed to be content that he had at least obtained a lieutenant-colonelcy and post as governor for his nephew.
Outside there was a great crash, followed by the squawking of gulls in alarm. General Guest's gunners had brought down a chimney on the house opposite. A thunder of gunfire sounded in reply from the lighter Jacobite battery.
“Gentlemen,” Mr. Secretary Murray of Broughton announced. “I have commissions to hand for the junior officers. Have you nominations to put forward? Evan has already been gazetted as Major and ADC to the Prince. He is not to be included in your regimental officers.”
After further debate among themselves, it was finally agreed that the captains should be Glencarnaig’s brother Duncan, Rob Roy’s sons - James Mòr, Rànald and Robin Og. Calum of Cornour would now serve with the Clan Gregor regiment rather than in the Duke of Perth’s. Duncan Macpharrie was to be the standard bearer for the clan. The Ensign would be Mungo Campbell of Crieff and the Piper James MacGregor of Crieff. Junior officers were Duncan of Roro and Rob.
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