He now determined upon a journey to Falkirk, in search of his Captain; but this being attended with difficulty, he applied to a Knaresborough man who lived at Edinburgh and was of the rebel party, telling him that he wished to be a musician to Prince Charles, as he found it was all over with the English. The man informed him that they had a spy, an Irishman, going to the Prince; on which Metcalf set forward with him, and he promised to recommend him on their arrival at Falkirk; but on coming up to the English out-sentries, they were stopped:—Metcalf inquired for the Captain, and informed him of the real cause of his journey: by him he was kindly advised to lay aside his project, and told that he would lose his life; but still persisting, he proceeded with the spy, and arrived at Linlithgow, where they stayed all night. They met with several women who had been upon plunder, and were then on their return to Edinburgh; and the spy instructed them how to avoid the English sentries. Metcalf was very careful to examine the cloathes they had got, thinking that by chance he might meet with some of his Captain’s, ignorant as he was of his fate. One of the women sent a token by Metcalf to her husband, who was Lord George Murray’s cook: this woman’s guide was a horse-dealer, who soon became acquainted with Metcalf, having frequented the fairs in Yorkshire; and at this time by some means had got introduced to the heads of both armies, and obtained a protection from each to press horses occasionally.—This man’s fate was remarkable; for going into Stirling, where the King’s army lay, he found that orders were given to let no strangers pass without an examination, which he underwent, and said that he had a protection from General Huske: being ordered to produce it, he had the misfortune to take that out of his pocket which he had got from the Pretender; and when informed of his mistake, instantly produced the other—but too late; for he was tied up by the neck to a lamp-iron, without giving him time to put off his boots.