A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc

126
TRANENT MUIR.
[The suppression of the rebellion in 1T15 did not extinguish
the hopes of the friends of the Stuart family in the
Highlands, that some favourable opportunity might oc-
cur, when their efforts to restore it to the throne might
be crowned with success. The landing of Charles, son
of the Chevalier de St George, at Boradale in Lochabar,
in July 1745, gave new life to these hopes. Although
he arrived with only seven officers and a small sum of
money, although the chance of his succeeding was almost
hopeless, yet such was the fidelity of the Highland
chiefs, that, as they had promised to support him, they
immediately began ta assemble their vassals, so that by
'^vthe 26th of August two thousand men had flocked to
his standard. He now took the field, and in traversing
the mountainous district of Inverness-shire passed Sir
John Cope, who had marched from Stirling on the 19th
of August with the royai army consisting of fourteen
hundred men. Afraid to hazard a battle in a country
well known to his adversary, Sir John continued his
march to Inverness, in which he was not molested by
Charles, who did not fail to improve this rash enterprise
to his own advantage. He fell down rapidly on Perth,
from whence he proceeded to Edinburgh, of which
be took quiet possession on the 17th of September.
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