If they would lay down their arms and
surrender at discretion, he promised to do all he could to gain them not
only present pardon but tolerance in the future. Meanwhile, he said,
they had best return to their camp, report his message, and bring him
back an answer within half an hour's time. They returned, only to find
confusion worse confounded, and their own lives even in some danger from
the furious Hamilton.
The half-hour passed, and no further sign of submission was made.
Monmouth bid the advance be sounded, and the Foot Guards, commanded by
young Livingstone, Linlithgow's eldest son, moved down to the bridge.
Just at that spot the Clyde is deep and narrow, running swiftly between
steep banks fringed on the western side with bushes of alder and hazel.
The bridge itself was only twelve feet wide, and guarded in the centre
with a gate-house. The post was a strong one for defence, and had there
been any military skill, or even unity of purpose, among the defendants,
Monmouth would have had to buy his passage dear. Hackston of Rathillet
had thrown himself with a small body of determined men into the
gate-house, while Burley, with a few who could hold their muskets
straight, took up his post among the alder-bushes. The rest stood idly
by while their comrades fought. For about an hour Hackston held the gate
till his powder was spent.
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