Yet Hamilton had been one of James' Privy Councillors,
and had not declared for William till the Dutch guards were at
Whitehall. His son Arran and his brother Dumbarton were both on the
other side: Arran had accompanied James to Rochester, and Dumbarton had
refused to hold his commission under the Prince of Orange. Athole had
more than once coquetted with the Whigs, and his present Jacobitism was
shrewdly suspected to be due to the coolness with which his advances had
been received: his son Lord Murray, who had married a daughter of
Hamilton, had declared for William. These great noblemen had indeed the
satisfaction of feeling that, however the die might fall, their titles
and estates were at least secured. But the wisdom of their family
arrangements did not increase their reputation with their parties. The
Duke of Gordon held the castle of Edinburgh for James; and, though the
Duke was a weak creature, his position was strong. The bulk of the
common people were undoubtedly Whigs: the bishops, and the clergy
generally, were, if not exactly Jacobites, undoubtedly Tories.
There were religious troubles of course to swell the political ones.
When the news of James's flight reached Edinburgh, Perth had been
imprudently induced to disband the militia, and the Covenanters had been
quick to take advantage of the imprudence.
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