Protestants. Both reports were equally false, but they were generally
believed, and added to the panic and dismay.

In fact, however, both parties were waiting. The Protestants dared not
commence hostilities until assured that William was firmly seated on the
English throne, and ready to come to their assistance. The Catholics were
equally desirous to maintain the peace, until assured that no hope
remained save the sword.

A month after John Whitefoot had left, Walter received a letter from him:

Dear Friend Walter:

You will have heard, no doubt, of the troubles that have arisen here. My
father sent me here to learn a trade, but at present, all men's minds are
so agitated that there is no talk save of arms and of fighting. My
kinsman is as bad as the others. He spends the day going hither and
thither among the townsfolk, and has been made an officer in one of the
six companies which have been raised here, and pays no further heed to
business. The town is mightily divided: the younger and more zealous
spirits are all for fighting, while almost all the older and wealthier
citizens are opposed to this.

"This is how the trouble began. The Earl of Tyrconnell sent, as you know,
three thousand soldiers to help King James, at the first news of the
landing of the prince, and to do so he withdrew the regiment which was in
garrison in this town. On the 7th of this month of December, the people
here heard that the regiment of the Earl of Antrim was approaching the
town to take the place of those troops. When the news arrived, there was
a sort of panic in the town, and the news was spread that this regiment