A meeting of the Jacobites was held. It was decided to call a fresh
Convention at Stirling. Mar, who held the castle there, professed
himself staunch, and Athole promised to have a force of his Highlanders
in readiness. This was on Saturday, March 16th: it was determined to
leave Edinburgh on the following Monday.
When Monday came Athole proposed to wait another day. As his
co-operation was of the greatest importance, his proposal was accepted.
But Dundee would wait no longer. In vain Balcarres told him that his
haste would ruin all their plans. He answered that he would take no
action without the agreement of the rest, but in Edinburgh he would stay
no longer. He had made an appointment for that day with some friends
outside the walls, and he could not break it. His troopers had been in
readiness since an early hour, and Dundee returning to his lodgings gave
signal to mount. The streets were thronged with scowling faces, but they
shrank to right and left as those stern riders came clattering down the
Canongate. A friend called from the crowd to know whither they went.
Dundee raised his hat from his head and answered: "Wherever the spirit
of Montrose shall direct me." When clear of the walls he led his men to
the left up the Leith Wynd and along the bank of the North Loch, the
ground now occupied by the busy and handsome thoroughfare known as
Prince's Street.
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