ground But Baily turning aside some three miles to the left hand Montrose holds on his intended march to Alford where hee staid that night the enemy lying about four miles off The next day after Montrose commands his men very early in the morning to stand to their armes and make ready to battell and placed them on a hill that stands over Alford And as he with a Troop of Horse was observing the motion and order of the enemy and viewing the fords of the Done a river which runs by Alford it was told him that the enemy Horse and Foot were making unto a ford which lay a mile from Alford to the intent that they might cut off the Reare of their flying enemy for so those excellent Diviners prophesied to their owne destruction Montrose leaving that troop of Horse not farre from the Ford together with some select and understanding men who should give him perfect intelligence of all things hee returneth alone to order the battell And above all things he possesses himselfe of Alford hill where hee might receive the charge of the enemy if they fell on desperately Behinde him was a moorish place full of ditches and pits which would prevent Horse falling upon his Reare before him was a steep hill which kept his men from the enemies view so that they could hardly perceive the formost rankes Hee had scarce given order for the right managing of all things when those Horse whom hee had left at the Ford returned with a full cariere and bring word that the enemy had passed the River And now it was no more safe for either of them to retreat without the apparent ruine of their party It is reported that Baily like a skilfull and wary Commaunder was sore against his will drawne unto this battell nor had engaged had he not beene necessitated unto it by the rashnesse of the Lord Baâ—carise a Colonell of Horse who precipitated himselfe and the Horse under his command into that danger whether Baily would or no as that hee could not be brought off without the hazard of the whole Army Montrose gave the command of his right wing on which side the enemies Horse were most strong unto the Lord Gordon and appointed Nathaniel Gordon an old Commander to his assistance The command of the left wing was given to the Earle of Aboine to whom also was joyned Sir William Rollock And of the maine battell to two valiant men Glengar and Drumond of Ball the younger unto whom hee added George Graham master of the Camp an expert souldier also The Reserve which was altogether hid behinde the hill was commanded by his nephew Napier And for a while Montrose kept himself upon the height and the enemy in the valley being fortified with pits and ditches for it was neither safe for the later to charge up the hill nor for the former to fall upon them that were surrounded with marshes and pooles The numbers of the Foot were in a manner even either side had about two thousand but Baily was much stronger in Horse for he had six hundred and Montrose but two hundred and fifty Only Montrose had this advantage that the enemy were for the most part hirelings raised from dunghills but those that served the King Gentlemen who fought for a good Cause and Honour gratis and not for gaine and such as esteem'd it more becoming to die then to be overcome Besides Montrose knew that the greatest part of the old souldiers were gone with Lindsey and the new ones would be so frighted with the shouts of the Armies and the noise of Trumpets that they would scarce stand the first charge Therefore in confidence of so just a cause and so valiant assertors of it he first drew downe his men and immediately the Lord Gordon giving a smart charge upon them was courageously receiv'd by the enemy who trusted to the multitude of their Horse and now being clos'd and come to handy blowes no one could advance a foot but over his vanquished enemy nor retreat by reason of the pressing on of those in the Rear The first that made way for themselves and their men by a great slaughter of their enemies were the two Gordons the Lord and the Colonell and Colonell Nathaniel called out unto those expert Firelocks who now lin'd the Horse as they were wont Come on my fellouw sonldiers throw downe your now uselesse guns draw your swords and sheat them in the Rebells Horse or hamstring them They instantly tooke the word of command and at the same time Montrose drawes up Napier with his Reserve which lay out of sight on the other side of the hill at whose sudden and unexpected coming the enemy afrighted betook himself to his heels Aboine with the left wing kept off nor did hee attempt the enemy but by light skirmishes in small parties who when they saw their own men on their left wing routed and put to flight made their retreat with little losse Their Foot being deserted by their Horse after they had desperately stood out a while and refused quarter were almost all cut off The fall of the Lord Gordon was no little advantage to the escape of their Horse who after the battell was won rushing fiercely into the thickest of them received a shot through his body by the conquered and flying enemy and fell down dead Whom also Aboine did not hotly pursue being much troubled with the losse of his brother In this battell Montrose did not lose so much as one common souldier and of Gentlemen one Culchol and one Milton whose names and families I should most willingly have inserted had I been so happy as to have knowledge of them because they died gallantly in the bed of Honour fighting for their King their Liberty and the Laws Nor are some Pedees as well Scotch as Irish to be forgotten boyes scarce fourteen years of age a piece who throwing down their masters luggage mounting upon their nags sumpter-horse did not onely make a faire appearance of a body of Horse but as if they had bin Corrivalls in valour with their masters beyond what might be expected from their years strength fell in among the thickest of their enemies Of whom some but very few were slain nor did they sell their lives for nothing and by that they gave an ample testimony of their towardnesse and of so manly a spirit in children as might prescribe to riper years But the losse of the Lord Gordon had so deep an impression upon all mens affections that they had the face rather of a defeated then victorious army The first scene of their sorrovv vvas acted in a dull silence in the next the floud-gates vvere broke open and the army vvas full of sighes and sobs and vvailing and lamentation and then vvith bedevved cheeks assoon as their grief could get a tongue they blam'd Heaven and Earth and Fortune and every thing for depriving the King the Kingdome the Age themselves and their posterity
an able man from a weake a valiant man from a coward If ye would assaile these timorous and brawnelesse shrimps with handy blowes they will never beâ— able to stand you Goe to therefore fall about them with your Swords and butt-end of your Muskets beat them downe drive them backe and make them pay what is justly due for their treason and rebellion It was not sooner said then they fall to worke breake in upon the Enemy defeate them rout them Their Horse who expected Foot to come and line them seeing them all run away ran faster then they whom the conquerours were not able to follow much lesse to overtake so they scap't scot-free but the Foot paid for all few of which escaped the Victors hands For having no other place to fly unto but into the City Montrose's meÌ„ came in thronging amongst them through the gates and posternes and laid them on heaps all over the streets They fought foure houres upon such equall termes that it was an even lay whether had the oddes At this Battell Montrose had some great Guns but they were unserviceable because all advantages of ground were possessed by the enemy but the enemies Guns made no small havock of his men Among others there was an Irishman that had his legge shot off with a Cannon bullet onely it hung by a little skin he seeing his fellow-souldiers something sad at his mischance with a loud and cheerfull voyce cryes out Come on my Camerades this is but the fortune of Warre and neither you nor I have reason to be sorry for it Doe you stand to it as becomes you and as for me I am sure my Lord Marquesse seeing I can no longer serve on foot will mount me on horsebacke So dravving out his knife being nothing altered nor troubled he cut asunder the skin with his owne hand and gave his legge to one of his fellow-souldiers to bury And truly when he was well againe and made a Trooper he often did very faithfull and gallant service This battell was fought at Aberdene on the twelfth day of September 1644. Then Montrose calling his souldiers back to their Colours entered the City and allowed them two dayes rest CHAP. VII IN the meane time newes is brought that Argyle was hard by with much greater forces then those they dealt with last the Earle of Lothion accoÌ„panying him with fifteen hundred Horse Therefore Montrose removes from Aâ—erdene to Kintor a Village ten miles off that he might make an easier accesse unto him for the Gordons the friends and dependants of the Marquesse of Huntley and others that were supposed much to favour the Kings cause From thence he sends Sir William Rollocke to Oxford to acquaint his Majesty with the good successe he had hitherto obtained and to desire supplies out of England or some place else That he had fought twice indeed very prosperously but it could not be expected that seeing he was so beset on all sides with great and numerous Armies he should be able to hold out alwayes without timely reliefe Still nothing troubled Montrose more then that none of the Gordons of whom he conceived great hopes came in unto him And there wanted not some of them who testified their great affection to the service but that Huntley the Chief of the Family being a backe-Friend to Montrose had with held them all either by his owne example or private directions and that himselfe being forced to sculk in the utmost border of the Kingdom envied that honour to another of which he had missed himselfe and had forbidden even with threats all those with vvhom he had any power to have any thing to doe vvith Montrose or to assist him either vvith their power or counsell Which when he understood he resolved to withdraw his Forces into the Mountains Fastnesses vvhere he knew the enemies Horse wherein their great strength consisted could doe them little service and of their Foot if they were never so many relying upon the Iustice of his cause and the valour of his Souldiers he made but little reckoning Therefore he hid his Ordnance in a bogge and quitted all his troublesome and heavy carriages And coming to the side of the River of Spey not farre from an old Castle called Rothmurke he incamped there with an Army if one respected the number but very smal but it was an expert cheerfulâ— one now also some thing acquainted with victory On the other side of the Spey he findes the men oâ— Cathnes and Suderland and Rosse and Murray and others to the number of five thousand up in Armes to hinder his passage over the swiftest River in all Scotland till such time as Argyle who marched after him was upon his backe Being oppressed and as it were besieged with so many enemies on every side that at least he might save himselfe from their Horse he turned into Badenoth a rocky and mountainous Countrey and scarce passable for Horse There for certaine dayes he was very sicke which occasioned so immoderate joy to the Covenanters that they doubted not to give out he was quite dead and to ordaine a day of publique Thankesgiving to Almighty God for that great deliverance Nor were their Levites you may be sure backward in that employment in their Pulpits for as if they had been of counsell at the Decree and stood by at the execution they assured the people that it was as true as Gospell that the Lord of Hostes had slaine Montrose with his owne hands But this joy did not last them long for he recovered in a short space and as if he had been risen from the dead he frighted his Enemies much more then he had done before For assoon as his disease would give him leave he returned into Athole and sent away Mac-donell with a party unto the Highlanders to invite them to take up Armes with him and if they would not be invited to force them He himselfe goes into Angus hoping it might happen that he should either force Argyle with his tyred Horse unto his Winter quarters or at least leave him farre enough behinde him For Argyle had pursued him so slowly and at such distance that it was appareâ—t he thought of nothing lesse then of giving him Battell Therefore going through Angus getting over the Grainsbaine which going along with a perpetual ridge from East to West divideth Scotland into two equall parts he returned into the North of the Kingdome And now that he had left Argyle so farre behinde him that he might safely take some time to recruit he went to Strathbogy that he might meet with the Gordons perswade them to engage with him But he lost his labour for they were forestalled by Huntley and after his example plaid least in sight For such as were generous daring spirits though they were loath to provoke the indignation of their Chief yet they could not but be ashamed that at a time when there might be so much use of them
Expresses And Montrose being now over born with the Kings absolute Commands takes up his resolution to march to the side of Tweed But the day before he went the souldiers being drawn up to a Rendezvouz before that Mac-donell and the Highlanders were gone Sir Robert Spotswood making an humble obeysance under the Kings Standard delivered his Majesties Commission under the Greaâ— Seal unto Montrose which he again gave unto Archiâ—bald Primrose Clerk of the Supreme Counsell to be read aloud That being ended in a short but stately Oration he commended the Valour and Loyalty of the Souldiers and the great affection he bore them And for Mac-donell he not only extoll'd his gallantry in the head of the Army but by virtue of that authority that he had received from the King gave him the honour of Knighthood For not only Montrose but all the Kings friends were confident of the integrity of the man whose good opinion he deceiv'd not only to the undoing of the Kings Cause but the utter ruine of himself and his friends Montrose following his intended journey came the second night to Caâ—der Castle at which time the Earl of Aboine whether the Lord Governour would or no carried away with him not only his own men but all the rest of the Northern Forces whom he had iâ—veighled to desert the service Nor would he be perswaded either by reason or the intreaty of his friends who heartly detested that shamefull act to stay but so much as one week and then he might depart not only with the Generals license but with honour and the good esteem of honest men Seeing it would be no better Montrose passing by Edinburgh led his small Army through Lothainshire in Strathgale joyned with Douglasse and the other Commanders whose Forces being much diminished were daily mouldring more more In that coast Trequair himself came unto him more chearfull and merry then he used to be who pretended himself to be a most faithfull servant not only to his Majesty but also to Montrose and the next day sent him his son the Lord Linton with a gallant party of Horse as if they were to be under his command that by so likely a pledge he might make Montrose more secure and so more easily ruine him For this was not the first time that Trequaire plaid the Covenanters Scout-master that ungratefullest piece of mankind intending to betray unto theÌ„ Montrose in him the King himself Now when he was not above twelve miles from the Lord Hume and Roxborough and they sent not so much as a Messenger to him nor offered him the smallest courtesie Montrose being much troubled at it resolved to march into their Territories and to bring them in either by faire means or foule But they prevented him by a singular device They sent unto David Lesley whom they well knew by that time was come to Berwicke with all the Scotch Horse and many English Voluntiers for they were privy to all their counsells and entreated him to send a party and carry them away in the condition of prisoners which he did the day before Montrose came thither For by this means that crafty old fox Roxborough who had Hume under his girdle conceiv'd that they might both ingratiate theÌ„selves with the Covenanters as freely committing themselves into their protection yet keep in the Kings favour whiles they made as if they fell into Lesley's hands sore against their wills And this being Lesley's first noble exploit he passed over Tweed marched into the East-side of Lothian Montrose assoon as he perceived the King and himself betrai'd by these men and saw no hopes of that party of Horse which was come from the King and that the too powerfull enemy would block up his passage into the North and Highlands resolved to march with those few men he had into Niddisdale and Annandale and the Countrey of Ayre that he might there raise what Horse he could for although hee had no certain intelligence concerning the strength of the enemy yet hee conjectured that it consisted especially in Horse CHAP. XVI MOntrose arising from Kelsow marched to Iedburgh and so to Selkirk where he quartered his Horse in a Village and his Foot in a wood close by For he was resolved to make sure of all advantages of ground lest hee should be forced to fight with an enemy of vvhose strength he knevv nothing upon uneven termes Then he commands the Captains of Horse to set out good store of faithfull and active Scouts and to place Horse-guards in convenient places on every side and look vvell to their vvatch All vvhich he in person as he used to do could not see done at present because that night he was dispatching letters to the King to send away a trusty messenger that he had light upon before break of day therefore he was earnest with them to have the more care lest the enemy who were very strong in Horse should surprise them unawares And the Commanders promising all care and diligence he was so taken up with writing of Letters that hee slept not all that night And sending ever and anon to the Captains of Guards men that were skilfull Souldiers and so known to be in forraign Countries such uncertain noises as were brought unto him of the enemies approach they being deceiv'd either by the negligence of their Scouts or their own misfortune very confidently sent him back word there was no enemy in those parts nor in the Country thereabouts At the break of day some of the best Horse and most acquainted with the Country were sent out again to Scout they also brought word they had been ten miles about and diligently examined all by-wayes and rashly wisht damnation to themselves if they could finde an enemy in armes within ten miles But afterward it appeared when it was too late that the enemy with all their Forces were then scarce four miles from Selkirk and had lien there all that night in their arms Lesley that day that Montrose departed from Iedburgh mustered his men upon Gladesmore a plain in Lothianshire were holding a Counsell of War with the chief of the Covenanters the refult was that he should march to Edinburgh so to the Forth that hee might hinder Montrose's retreat into the North and force him to fight whether he would or no before he joyned with his Highlanders But Lesley contrary to that resolution gives order on a sudden to his whole Forces to wheel to the left hand and to march away apace every one wondering that knew not the mistery of the businesse what should be the meaning of that change of his resolution and his intention in that sudden expedition for they marched streight to Strathgale But the matter was as they afterward gathered from the enemies themselves hee had received letters by which he had perfect notice that Montrose being attended only with five hundred Foot and those Irish and a very weak party of new-rais'd Horse might very
Aberdene he was taken prisoner by the Enemy was condemned unto death which he had not escaped except for fear of death he had harkened nto Argâ—yle who most unworthily set a price upoâ— Montroses head and promised great rewards honours and preferments to whomsoever should bring it in and had taken upon himself to commit that treason which he abhorred with all his soule By which shift having his life liberty giveÌ„ him he returned straight to Montrose and discovered all unto him beseeching him to be more carefull of himself for not he onely vvho heartily detested so high a villany but many more had been offered great matters most of whom would use their best endeavours to dispatch him The next was Alexander Ogleby of whom we also spake before eldest son to Sir Iohn Ogleby of Innercarit descended of an ancient family and much renowned in the Scottish Chronicles He was but yet a youth scarce twenty but valiant above his age and of a present and daring spirit Nor can I hear or so much as conjecture what they had to lay to his charge but that new and unheard of Treason to wit his bounded duty and loyalty to his King But there vvas no help for 't but Argâ—yle must needs sacrifice that hopeful youth if it had been for nothing but his names sake for he bare an implacable fewd to the Oglebyes The third vvas Sir Philip Nesbit of an ancient family also and Chief of it next his Father who had done honourable service in the Kings Army in England and had the command of a Regiment there Nor can I discover any reason they had to put him to death neither besides that which is used when they have nothing else to say that mad charge of the new high Treason except it was that their guilty consciences suggested unto them that that courageous and viglant man might take occasion sometime hereafter to be even with theÌ„ for the horrid injuries they had done his Father his Family However these men suffer'd a noble death with patience and constancy as became honest men and good Christians And unto these there are two brave Irish Gentlemen that deserve to be joyned Colonell O-Cahen Colonel Laghlin odious unto the Rebels only for this impardonable crime that they had had many experiments of their courage and gallantry These Irish Gentlemen were murthered indeed at Edinburgh but many more were doom'd to the like executioÌ„ at Glascow had not MoÌ„troses unexpected approach within a few miles of the City had so much influence that it repriev'd them till another time The Lord Governour was very much perplexed with the newes of these mens death it was a question whether he was more vex't at the cruelâ—y of the Rebells or the negligeÌ„ce if not treachety of his friends For besides Huntley whose Forces he had so long in vaine expected to come with his son Aboine Mac-donell also himself of whoÌ„ he entertained an exceeding good opinion being ofteÌ„ sent unto invited also by the nearnesse of the place although the time appointed by himself was already past gone made no appearance of his approach Six weeks had now passed since Aboine had engaged himself for the Northern Forces the winter then which our age never saw sharper was already deeply entred Besides the aids that the King had sent under the commaÌ„d of the Lord Digâ—y were defeated al which might easily have been salv'd and the Kingdome reduced againe if those great Professors of loyalty had not plaid loose in that good Cause Therefore at last on the 20. of November Montrose departing from Levin and passing over the Mountains of Taich now covered with deep snow through woods and bogges whose names I do not at this time well remember crossing also through Strath-Erne over the Tay returned into Athole There he met Captain Ogleby and Captain Nesbit whom he had formerly sent with the Kings instructions unto Huntley And they bring word the man was obstinate and inflexible who would beleeve nothing that they said when they unfolded unto him the Kings Commands answered scornfully That he understood all the Kings businesse better then they or the Gouvernour himself and neither he nor any of his Children should have any thing to doe with him Moreover he sharply threatningly reproved his friends clients who had willingly assisted Montrose and dealt worse with them then with Rebells Neverthelesse the Lord Governour thought best to take no notice of any of these things but bear with them whiles he treats with the Athole men for the setling of the Militia of that Countrey he sends again unto Huntley by Sir Iohn Dalyell as a more fit mediator of friendship Who was To informe him of the danger the King and Kingdome was in and so of the present misery that hung over his all faithfull Subjects heads and to make it appear unto him that it was no ones but his and his sons fault both that they had not brought in the supplies into Scotland which the King had sent and that the prisoners who were gallant and faithfull men had been so cruelly butchered and that yet there were many more remaining that had near relations to Huntley himself some also of the prime Nobility whom the Rebels would cut of after the same fashion unlesse they were now at last relieved And lastly to pray and beseech him that at least he would grant the Kings Governor the favour of a friendly conference promising he would give him abundant satisfaction Huntley although he answered Dalyel in all things according to his wonted peevishnesse yet he was most of all averse to a Conference as fearing seeing he should have nothing to answer to his arguments and reasons the presence the confidence and the wisdome of so excellent a man But Montrose assoon as things were setled in Athole that he might leave nothing unattempted that might possibly bring him to better thoughts resolved dissembling all injuries and obliging him by all good offices to surprise him and be friends with him whether he would or no and to treat with him concerning all things that concern'd his Majesties service Therefore in the moneth of December he forced his way very hardly through rivers and brooks that were frozen indeed but not so hard as to bear mens waight over the tops of hills and craggy rocks in a deep snow and passing through Angus and over Gransbaine drew his Forces into the North and almost before he was discover'd marched with a few men into Strathbogy where Huntley then liv'd But he being struck with his unexpected approach upon the first newes he heard of him lest he should be forced to a Conference against his will immediately fled to Bogie a Castle of his situated upon the mouth of the Spey as if he intended to ferry over the river and to wage war against the Rebelles in Murray And now it comes into my minde briefly to enquire what night be
Colonell Gordon was a man worthy of everlasting memory Sir Robert Spotswood one rais'd by the favour of King Iames King Charles unto great honours as his singular vertues did merit King Iames made him a Knight a privy Counsellor King Charles advanced him to be Lord President of the Session and now but of late Principall Secretary of Scotland This excellent man although his very Enemies had nothing to lay to his charge through all his life they found guilty of high Treason which is yet the more to be lamented because he never bore armes against them for his eminency lay in the way of peace not knowing what belong'd to drawing of a Sword This was therefore the onely charge that they laid against him That by the Kings command he brought his letters PateÌ„ts unto Montrose whereby he was made Vice-roy of the Kingdome and General of the army Neverthelesse he proved at large that he had done nothing in that but according to the custom of their Ancestors the Lawes of the land And truly he seemed in his most elegant Defence to have given satisfaction to all men except his judges whom the Rebells had pick't out from amongst his most malicious enemies that sought his death so that questioÌ„lesse they would never have pronounc'd that dolefull sentence if they had but the least tincture of Iustice or honesty But to speak the truth a more powerfull envy then his Innocency was able to struggle with undid the good man For the Earl of Lanerick having been heretofore Principal Secretary of the Kingdome of Scotland by his revolt unto the Rebells forced the most gracious and bountifull King to the whole family of the Hamiltons to take that Office froÌ„ so unthankfull a man bestow it on another nor was there any one found more worthy theÌ„ Spotswood to be advanced to so high an honour And hence happened that great weight of envy revenge to be thrown upon him which seeing he was not able to bear out he was forced to fall under And now Spotswood being about to die abating nothing of his wonted constancy and gravity according to the custome of the Country made a Speech unto the people But that Sacrilegious thief Blair who stood by him upon the Scaffold against his wil fearing the eloquence and undauntednesse of so gallant a man lest the mysteries of Rebellion should be discovered by one of his gravity and authority unto the people who use most attentively to hear and tenaciously to remember the words of dying men procured the Provost of the City who had been once a servant to Spotswoods Father to stop his mouth Which insolent and more then ordinary discourtesie he took no notice of but letting his Speech unto the people alone he wholly bestowed himself in devotions and prayers to Almighty God Being interrupted againe that very importunately by that busie and troublesom fellow Blair and asked Whether he would not have him and the people to pray for the salvation of his soule He made answer That he desired the Prayers of the people but for his impious Prayers which were abominable unto God he desir'd not to trouble him And added moreover That of all the plagues with which the offended Majesty of God had scourged that Nation this was much the greatest greater then the Sword or Fire or Pestilence that for the sins of the people God had sent a lying Spirit into the mouth of the Prophets With which free undeniable saying Blaire finding himself galled grew so extremely in passion that he could not hold from scurrilous contumelious language against his father who had beeÌ„ long dead against himself who was now a dying aproving himself a fine Preacher of Christian patience Longanimity the while But all these things Spotswood having his minde fixed upon higher matters passed by with silence and unmoved At last being undaunted shewing no alteration neither in his voyce nor countenance when he laid down his neck to the fatal stroke these were his last words Mercifull Iesu gather my soule unto thy Saints and Martyrs who have run before me in this race And certainly seeing Martyrdome may be undergone not only for the CoÌ„fession of our Faith but for any vertue by which holy men make their Faith manifest there is no doubt but he hath received that Crown And this was the end a dolefull end indeed in regard of us but a joyfull and honourable one in him of a man admirable for his knowledge of things Divine and Humane for his skill in the Tongues Hebrew Chaldee Syriack Arabick besides the Western Languages for his knowledge in History Law Politiques the Honour and Ornament of his Country and our Age for the integrity of his life for his Fdelity for his Iustice for his Constancy a man of an even temper and ever agreeing with himself whose Youth had no need to be ashamed of his Child-hood nor his riper years of his Youth a severe observer of the oldâ— fashion'd pieâ—y with all his soule yet one that was no vain iâ—perstitious Profesâ—our of it before others a man easie to be made a friend very hard to be mad an Enemy and who being now dead was exceedingly lamented eveÌ„ by many Covenanters His breathâ—esse body Hugh Scrimiger once his fathers seâ—vant took care to bring foâ—th as the times would permit with a private funerall Nor was he long able to bear so great a sorrow losse for after a few dayes spying that bloudy Scaffold not yet removed out of the place immediately he fell into a svvoon and being carried home by his servants and neighbours died at his very door Lastly they give unto Spotswood another companion in death Andrew Gutherey son unto the most deserving Bishop of Murray and hated the more by the Rebeâ—s for that A youth as well valiant in battell as constant in suffering and contemning death He also vvas threatned rail'd at by the same Blaire but answered That no greater honour could have be done him then to be put to an honest death in the behalfe of so good a King and so just a Cause which those that were present should see he embraced without fear and perhaps another generation would not report without praise For his sins he humbly begged mercy aâ—d forgivenesse at the hands of his most gracious LordGod but for that for which he stood there condemned he was not much troubled After this manner died with constancy and courage a man who if Almighty God had so thought fit had beeÌ„ worthy of a longer life And that now they might put the last Scene to a Tragedy of which most part was acted after two dayes breathing they brought forth William Murray brother to the Earl of Tullibardin a young Gentlemen to the same place And truly every man much admired that his brother being in great favour esteem amongst the Covenanters had not interceded for the life and safety of his own onely
brother Some imputed it to his floth others to his covetounesse as gaping after his brothers estate others to his stupid superstitious zeale to the Cause but even all the very Covenanters themselves condemned his silence in such a case as dishonourable and mis-becoming a Noble spirit But the Youth himself being not above nineteen years old purchased unto himself everlasting renovvn with posterity for so honest and honourable an end Amongst those few-things which he spake to the people those that heard him told me these words which he spake with a higher voyce then the rest Account O my Countrimen that a new and high addition of honour is this day atcheived to the house of Tullibardin and the whole Nation of the Murrays that a young man descended of that ancient stock willingly and chearfully delivered up his innocent soule as unto men in the very flower of his youth for his King the Father of his Country and the most munificent Patron of our Family Nor let my most honoured mother my dear sisters my kindred or any of my friends be sorry for the shortnesse of my life which is abundantly recompenced with the honourablenesse of my death Pray for my soule and God be with you CHAP. XX. THe death of his friends troubled Montrose exceedingly as it had reason but yet it was not able to break or shake his firm and setled resolution Nor did his noble and more then ordinarily elevated spirit ever give greater evidences of it self then now For there were many who being enraged with the unworthy murder of their friends egg'd him on being already sufficiently discontended to a present revenge And whiles they too much favoured their grief although it wast just and seem'd to desire nothing but was fit to wit to render them like for like they wearied out the Generall with their many and troublesome and unseasonable complaints For they must needs be angry that their companions their friends their kindred noble and gallant Gentlemen vvel deserving of their King their Country and the Generall himself should be murther'd contrary to their faith promised them the custome of vvar the Law of the Land of Nations and of Nature and all unreveng'd and on the other side such Rebells as had been taken by him to be kept rather as in their friends houses then in prisons to rejoyce to triumph tolaugh at their sorrow And therefore they humbly desired such prisoners might be tryed as Malefactors nor would the Enemy be otherwise frighted from their unheard of cruelty nor the minds of his own men otherwise satisfied and raised up Whom he entertained with a courteous Speech commended them for the love they bare their frieÌ„ds told theÌ„ That the bloud of those honourable and innocent Subjects ought to be reveng'd endeed but such a way as became honest and valiant men not by basenesse and mischief as the Rebells doe but by true valour in a Soldier-like way It concerned them so to tame as not to imitate the wickednesse of their Enemies Nor if they considered matters well was it conscience that those that were prisoners with them and so could not be accessary unto the murther of their frinds should suffer for those sins of which they were innocent The faith that they had passed uuto them was a most sacred things and to be kept inviolate even by Enemies VVhy should they make themselves guilty of that which they so much abhorred in their Enemies The time would come when they must give a severe account of it 〈◊〉 the â—ost righteâ—us God and to his Vice-gerent the King In the meane time saith he let them set a price upon our heads let them hire Assassines let them send in their instruments amongst us to murther us let them make promises and breake them yet they shall never effect that we shall contend with them in an emulation which shall be worse or any otherwise then upon honourable and virtuous termes Now Huntley who intended nothing lesse theÌ„ what he promised Montrose before his face having passed over the Spey and entred into Murray trifled away his time and wasted his strength without either honour or profit a good way off Innernesse For giving his minde too much to prey and spoile after he had wasted the Country he heard a flying report that the inhabitants had hid their Gold and Silver and the best of their stuffe in certaine 〈◊〉 and obscure Castles Which willes he assaults in vaine and could neither by commands nor intreaties be taken off from his resolution the Enemy sending in provision on that side which he had undertaken to block up relived Innernesse vvith all things that they wanted Which if he had hindered as he undertook unto Montrose the garrison vvould have been shortly forced to yeeld And Montrose having now received intelligence that Major Generall Middelton was come with six hundred Horse and eight hundred Foot as far as Aberdene and was like to lay waste Huntleys and the Gordons Country sent Colonell William Stuart unto Huntley to entreat him to return again unto the siege of Innernesse according to his engagement Or if he did not aprove so well of that because the Enemy was advanced so near his Territories he should perswade him to joyne his Forces with his and to march immediately towards the Enemy whom he doubted not with an easie hazard to overthrow To which he answered scornfully that he vvould look to his ovvn businesse himself nor did he need the help and assistance of Montrose to drive the Enemy out of his borders At last after ten weeks spent in the siege of a small inconsiderable Castle and the losse of all the forvvardest of his men he was forced vvith dishonour to raise the siege when he vvas never the nearer And in contempt not so much of Montrose as of the Kings Majesty he retreated to the Spey without the consent or Knowledge of the Vice-roy giving thereby a very bad example to all men vvho began to come in thick and three-fold with great eargernesse unto the Kings party Amongst whom the chiefest for vvealth povver and multitudes of followers dependants were the Earl of Seaford the Lord Rose and from the furthest Ilands Sir Iames Mac-donell Chief of a most povverful and ancient family in the Highlands Macklen also Glenger the Captain of the Mac-Renalds many more who were some of them already in Montroses Army with their Forces others had sent for theirs And by this means before the end of March Montrose might have falleÌ„ down into the Low-lands with a farre greater Army then ever the Scots produc'd in the memory of man But the unexpected revolt of so great a personage did not lesse encourage the Rebells to persevere in their course then scandalize and discourage honest and loyall hearts Whence it happened that those whose men were already come up to the Army began to draw off steal away privately and others to make excuses for their delay All