Some thought that, if he had been earlier in his place, he might have been able to render important service to the House of Stuart, [300] Even now the stimulants which he applied to his torpid and feeble party produced some faint symptoms of returning animation.

Means were found of communicating with Gordon; and he was earnestly solicited to fire on the city.

The Jacobites hoped that, as soon as the cannon balls had beaten down a few chimneys, the Estates would adjourn to Glasgow.

Time would thus be gained; and the royalists might be able to execute their old project of meeting in a separate convention.

Gordon however positively refused to take on himself so grave a responsibility on no better warrant than the request of a small cabal, [301] By this time the Estates had a guard on which they could rely more firmly than on the undisciplined and turbulent Covenanters of the West.
A squadron of English men of war from the Thames had arrived in the Frith of Forth.