Edward has been brought up in the family home by his uncle, Sir Everard Waverley, who maintains the family Tory and Jacobite sympathies, while Edward's Whig father works for the Hanoverian government in nearby London. Edward is given a commission in the Hanoverian army and posted to Dundee, then promptly takes leave to visit Baron Bradwardine, a Jacobite friend of his uncle, and meets the Baron's lovely daughter Rose.

Edward has been brought up in the family home by his uncle, Sir Everard Waverley, who maintains the family Tory and Jacobite sympathies, while Edward's Whig father works for the Hanoverian government in nearby London. Edward is given a commission in the Hanoverian army and posted to Dundee, then promptly takes leave to visit Baron Bradwardine, a Jacobite friend of his uncle, and meets the Baron's lovely daughter Rose.

But Edward has overstayed his leave and is accused of desertion and treason, and then arrested. The highlanders rescue him from his escort and take him to the Jacobite stronghold at Doune castle then on to Holyrood Palace where he meets Bonnie Prince Charlie himself. Encouraged by the beautiful Flora Mac-Ivor, Edward goes over to the Jacobite cause and takes part in the Battle of Prestonpans (September 1745).

Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh in 1771, educated there and called to the bar in 1792. Having developed an early interest in BOrder tales and ballads he spent much of his free time exploring the Border country, and in 1796 published his first work - a translation of Burger's 'Lenore' - anonymously. He began to publish wroks under his own name in 1802 while holiday well-respected offices such as Sheriff of Selkirkshire. Having refused the laureateship in 1813, and being eclipsed by Byron as a poet, Scott began to write novels - again anonymously to start with. He died in 1832. Andrew Hook is Bradley Professor of English literature at the University of Glasgow. He has also edited (with Judith Hook) Charlotte Bronte's Shirley for Penguin Classics.