On the 20th of September he was proclaimed at Edinburgh Regent of England, France, Scotland, and Ireland, for his father, King James III.

George II.

had left Hanover; the Duke of Cumberland, returning from Germany, took the command of the troops assembled to oppose the invader.

Their success in the battle of Preston-Pans against General Cope had emboldened the Scots; at the end of December, 1745, Prince Charles Edward and his army had advanced as far as Derby.
It was the fate of the Stuarts, whether heroes or dastards, to see their hopes blasted all at once, and to drag down in their fall their most zealous and devoted partisans.

The aid, so often promised by France and Spain, had dwindled down to the private expeditions of certain brave adventurers.