CHAP. V. -loIIN MF/IVAI.F, !!<>AI> MAKKK. -17 



Knaresborough : it was about the beginning of October, 

 <>nlv a fortnight after the battle of Prestonpans, and, 

 sending for Jack to his inn, Mr. Thornton told him of 

 the state of affairs that the French were coming to join 

 the Scotch rebels and that if the country were allowed 

 to fall into their hands, no man's wife, daughter, nor 

 sister would be safe. Jack's loyalty was at once kindled. 

 If no one else would join Mr. Thornton, he would ! 

 Thus enlisted perhaps carried away by his love of 

 daring adventure not less than by his feeling of patriotic 

 duty Metcalf immediately proceeded to enlist others, 

 and in two days a hundred and forty men were obtained, 

 from whom Mr. Thornton drafted sixty-four, the intended 

 number of his company. The men were immediately 

 drilled and brought into a state of as much efficiency as 

 was practicable in the time ; and when they marched off 

 to join General Wade's army at Boroughbridge, the 

 ( 'aptain said to them on setting out, " My lads! you are 

 going to form part of a ring-fence to the finest estate in 

 the world ! " Blind Jack played a march at the head of 

 the company, dressed in blue and buff, and in a gold- 

 laced hat. The Captain said he would willingly give a 

 hundred guineas for only one eye to put in Jack's head 

 he was such a useful, spirited, handy fellow. 



On arriving at Newcastle, Captain Thornton's company 

 was united to Pulteney's regiment, one of the weakest. 

 The army lay fora week in tents on the Moor. Winter 

 had set in, and the snow lay thick on the ground; but 

 intelligence arriving that Prince Charles, with his High- 

 landers, was proceeding southwards by way of Carlisle, 

 General Wade gave orders for the immediate advance of 

 the army on Hexham, in the hope of intercepting them 

 !>y that route. They set out on their march amidst hail 

 and snow, and in addition to the obstruction caused by 

 the weather, they had to overcome the difficulties occa- 

 sioned by the badness of the roads. The men were oftei i 

 three or four hours in marching a mile, the pioneers 



