had reached the Council, orders were at once sent for the forces to
withdraw from the latter place and join Linlithgow at Stirling. After
Bothwell Bridge had been won he was sent again into the West on the
weary work that we have already seen him employed on. But during the
intervening time his independent command had ceased. At the same time
there is no reason to suppose that he was in any disgrace for the defeat
at Drumclog. He had committed the fault, not uncommon, as military
history teaches, with more experienced leaders than Claverhouse, of
holding his foe too cheaply: he had committed this fault, and he had
paid the penalty. There is some vague story of a sealed commission not
to be opened till in the presence of the enemy, and when opened on the
slope of Drumclog containing strict orders to give battle wherever and
whenever the chance might serve. But the story rests on too slight
authority to count for much. His own temperament would have made him
fight without any sealed orders; and, indeed, he had not long before
written to Linlithgow that he was determined to do so on the first
occasion, and had warned his men to that effect. The wisdom of his
resolve is clear. Disgusted with their work, discontented with the
hardness of their fare and the infrequency of their pay, in perpetual
danger of their lives from unseen enemies, his soldiers were getting out
of hand. Claverhouse was the sternest of disciplinarians; but the
discipline of those days was a very different thing from our
interpretation of the word. It was more a recognition by the soldier of
the superior strength and possibilities of his officer, than trained
obedience to an inevitable law. When they once had satisfied themselves
that their captain was unable to bring the enemy to book, was unable
even to provide them with proper rations and pay, no love for the flag
would have kept them together for another hour. It was essential for
Claverhouse to show them that he and they were more than a match for
their foes whenever and in whatever form the opportunity came.