two hundred Firelocks which he had ordered at a convenient time to advance and fire briskly at that part of the Enemy that stood to secure the other pass on purpose to amuse them as if the whole Army was on that side coming to charge them the project was so well laid and so carefully executed that our Horse and Dragoons were upon them Pellmell before they perceived them so that being possest with a pannick fear they could make little or no resistance but turn'd their backs and fled in all the confusion imaginable However our Horse and Dragoons pursu'd them so effectually that they left above four hundred of them dead upon the spot and had totally destroyed them and put an end to their Rebellion if a thick Fog had not put an end to their pursuit General Buchan and Colonel Cannon their two famous Leaders were so heavily alarm'd that the first was glad to fly without so much as Sword Coat or Hat and the other without more complement took his leave in his Shirt nor had the Earl of Dumferling been better Accommodated but that by some accidental business he had removed and was called away to some other quarter the day before after our Armies return from the pursuit Colonel Levingstone received information that the Highlanders General Buchan had detach'd a small party with several Officers of experience under the Command of a Kinsman of his own and had given them Orders to possess themselves of an old Castle called Lethindey our Commander thought fit to have it reduced and forthwith Leading on his men he presently Beleaguered the same At the first appearance the Garrison seem'd enclined to a vigorous opposition but our Commander perceiving the ground proper presently lodg'd a Mine under the Wall which the Enemy understanding they presently beat a parley and surrender'd themselves at discretion to the Kings mercy 'T is hardly credible that in all this Action we had not one man of all our Army kill'd and not above four or five wounded and that but slightly neither we had about half a score Horses killed and this was all the dammage we sustained in an action so important we got all the Enemies Bag and Baggage their Provision and great part of it was in Claret Meal c. We took also the Standard which was to have been set up for the late King James a great many of the Prisoners were men of note amongst them the chief of them were these Captain Allen Maclean Captain John Maclean Lieutenant John Maclean Capt. Lieut. Cullo Lieut. Halliburton Lieut. Middleton Lieut. Shewell Lieut. Christian Lieut. Drummond Ensign Ray Ensign Dunbarr Ensign Macnaughton Capt. Hutcheons Lieut. Beard Capt. James Buchan Capt. Brown Lieut. Searcher Lieut. Braudy Lieut. Aughmouty Ensign Rose Some of these were taken in the fight others in the Castle of Lethindey they were all sent up by strong Guards to Edinburgh and plac'd in the Tollbooth and the Canigate This Defeat as it is by the best judgments believ'd has totally overthrown all the measures of the Rebels for this ensuing Campaign and indeed considering they were the choicest of their men and that they are in a rank despair of any seasonable supplies from Ireland It was thought this misfortune would put them on a necessity of complying with the Government and of living peaceably hereafter The greatest incouragement they had received of late was from the access of the Earl of Seaforth to them who had lately come from Ireland and made towards the North but neither his Interest on one hand to raise either men or money nor his personal ability on the other was of such significancy as to encourage them to any great perseverance The Highlanders of Scotland are a sort of wretches that have no other consideration of honour friendship obedience or Government then as by any alteration of affairs or revolution in the Government they can improve to themselves an opportunity of Robbing and plundering their bordering Neighbours If ther be any smack of religion amongst them 't is generally the Roman Catholick perswasion on which account any disaffected person that retired among them was something likely to work to an inclination of assisting the late King James however it seems the Earl of Seaforth did not meet with that encouragement and acceptance from them as he expected for after many Harangues and consultations he held with them upon his confident assurance that the late King was preparing nay had already ship'd for their assistance of men money provisions and ammunition together with the Duke of Berwick his son and other brave Officers after he had I say thought to decoy them with all these sweetning words and fine Stories one of the Ring-leaders among the Highlanders that had a little more sense than the rest boldly ask'd the Earl what was become of King William's Army and Fleet in the mean time these preparations were making and sending to them to which the Earl as foolishly as confidently reply'd that King William's Fleet were all block'd up in their Harbours by the French an imposition so gross that the Highlanders ridicul'd and disdain'd the impertinence and resented the abuse The Earl of Seaforth hereupon finding matters go very coldly for King James soon saw his errour and repented his undertaking and being willing to make the best of a bad market made what intercession he could by his friends to be received into the favour of the Government but as yet the Council or Parliament have determined nothing concerning him And now the Parliament were very earnestly applying themselves to the settling of the Church Government They had already passed an Act in a preceding Session of this Parliament for the abolishing of Prelacy and all Superiority of Church Officers above Presbyters this they did in pursuance of the claim of right at their Majesties first accession to the Crown of Scotland they now proceeded to an Act for the restoring those Presbyterians who since the first of January one thousand six hundred and sixty one had been thrust from their Churches the substance of the Act was this That whereas many Ministers of the Presbyterian perswasion since the year aforesaid had been for not conforming to Episcopacy or Prelacy and for not complying with the corruptions of the times either deprived of their Church and the benefits there hence accruing or banished their Native Countrey for the same Therefore their Majesties with advice and consent of the Estates of Parliament assembled ordain and appoint that all those Presbyterian Ministers aforesaid or as many of them as are yet surviving shall forthwith have free access to their several respective Churches that they may presently hereupon in their said Churches exercise their several spiritual functions and Offices in their said Parishes not needing any new call thereto and that they should enjoy and receive the whole for the year one thousand six hundred and eighty nine and shall forthwith enter into their several Churches where they be vacant
into the Highlands to prevent the daily Incursions of the Rebels who lived onely upon the spoil of their Neighbors Nor was the Major General less Vigilant to follow the Rebels watching all opportunities to get at them and dislodge them out of their Fastnesses either by Surprize or open Force But as it was found out afterwards Dundee had still Intelligence out of the Kings Army of all the Motions and Designs of the Major General by which means Dundee being continually forewarn'd fled from one Hill to another and from one Wood to another to the great vexation and disappointment of the pursuers But this Conspiracy was about the middle of June luckily disclosed by the surprize of a Footman who carried several Letters which discover'd the whole Conspiracy and all the Conspirators were soon after apprehended who appear'd to be all Officers and Souldiers of the Scotch Regiment of Dragoons among whom the most considerable were Lieutenant Colonel Levingston Captain Lieutenant Creictown Lieutenant Murray and several others of which there were some confest that the bottom of the design was to have betrayed the Army to Dundee and to have seized upon the Major General in his Tent or at least to have gone over to Dundee upon the first engagement that should have happened between Him and the Rebels For which being Tryed by a Council of War they all threw themselves upon the Kings Mercy Much about the same time four or five hundred Irish commanded by Colonel Cannon Colonel Vanchap Colonel Buchon and others Landed in the Isle of Mull to joyn Dundee This re-inforcement was sent by the late King under a Convoy of three French Men of War two of Thirty five Guns apiece and one of twenty three and were met by two Scotch Frigats commanded by Captain Hamilton and Captain Brown who fought the Three French Men till they had neither powder nor Shot left and that the two Captains and most of their Men were killed or disabled so that they both fell into the Enemies hands though Captain Browns Ship was soon after re-taken by Captain Rook. But notwithstanding this supply Major General Mackay being resolved to go and find out the Enemy directed his March as far as Lochaber through the County of Athol as well in hopes to joyn a body of Fifteen Hundred Athol Men which as he was made believe would appear for him so soon as he came into that Country as also to take in the Castle of Blair where one Stuart of Belloghen had planted some Athol Men for Dundee To this purpose upon Saturday the 17th of July he marched about sixteen Miles and got through a narrow pass where three or four men could hardly go abreast But by that time Intelligence was brought him that Dundee was near at hand and ready to engage him about two Miles from Blair Castle Upon which he drew up his Men in Battalia to the number of between three and four thousand foot two Troops of Horse and two of Dragoons On the other side Dundee came on with about six Thousand Foot and a Hundred Horse The fight began between four and five in the Afternoon and lasted till very near Night Both sides fought with great Courage and Resolution for some time till some of the Major Generals Regiments being overpowred by the Enemy and giving way put some part of his forces into Disorder so that he was forced to draw off and retire toward Sterling where he arrived on Monday Night with a Body of Fifteen Hundred Men in very good Order Many Men were slain on both sides but more of the Enemy and that which most of all augmented their Loss was the Death of the Lord of Dundee who was slain with a shot which he received in his left Eye Many people believed that there was Treachery in this Business more especially from the Athol Men of whom not above sixty came to the Major General of fifteen Hundred which he expected and of those few that came to his Assistance some that were sent to bring Intelligence of the Enemies Motions instead of doing their Duty went and gave the Rebels Advice of all the Major General 's Demarches Nevertheless in some measure to retaliate this Misfortune soon after the Major General having received Intelligence that a selected Party of the Rebels to the number of five or six hundred Horse Foot and Dragoons had a design to fall upon St. Johnston's to surprize the Stores and Provisions that lay there for the supply of His Majesties Forces marched out from Sterling with a Party of Horse and Dragoons and happening to meet with the Rebels gave them a total Rout kill'd and took the greatest number of them and among the rest Captain Hacket who commanded the Party Dundee being dead the Earl of Dumferlin and Colonel Cannon contended for the chief Command and sent into Ireland for the late King to determine the Contest by whom it was decided for Colonel Cannon Not so well done as some thought to prefer a stranger before a Native so considerable for his Title especially considering how natural it is for the Scots to adhere to the Grandees of their own Country However Cannon hoping to supply that defect by gaining Reputation to his Honour resolved to signalize himself by some great Exploit To which purpose understanding that Lieutenant Colonel Cleeland lay at Donkel with the Earl of Anguss's Regiment consisting of Eight Hundred Men came down from the Hills upon him with all his force that made up the Number of between three and four Thousand Men besides the Addition of the Country Cleeland observing the great Disproportion between the Number of his own Party and the Rebels took his Ground the most advantagiously that the place would give leave planting his men behind Dikes and Ditches which he caused to be cast up as also within the Walls of the Marquess of Athol's House and Garden and in the Church and Steeple of the Town The Highlanders came on in swarms firing onely once and then running in with their Swords and Targets but Cleelands men received them so warmly and plyed them so fast with their small Shot as they prest on in Throngs and Crowds that few of the Defendants Bullets flew in vain In the heat of this Action Cleeland himself was wounded in the head and dy'd immediately The Major of the Regiment was desparately wounded nevertheless the Souldiers were so far from being dismayed at the fall of their two chiefest Officers that they fought with so much the greater Courage and behaved themselves with that effectual Resolution that after a hot dispute of three Hours the Rebels found themselves constrain'd to fly back to their Hills leaving a great number of Carcases behind them insomuch that when some of the Officers of the Rebels would have had them returned and given the Victors the other Assault they would not hear of it crying out they would not fight against Men both Desperate and Mad. The common report was
the result of their Counsels were not happy to themselves and of national advantage he feared the present opportunity of doing well if neglected would prove a heavy charge against them in the day of their accounts After the Parliament immediately fell on business and the first matters of moment that they insisted on were the two Acts that were read and pass'd in the preceding Session of Parliament but were not touch'd viz. The Act about the Kings Supremacy the second was the Act to repeal and annul the Rescissory Act which abolished Presbytery which Rescissory Act was made presently after King Charles the Seconds Restauration and the question being put after some small debate Whether they should be presently Touch'd or Voted afresh It was carryed they should be presently touch'd which were done accordingly About this time happened an odd adventure at Elgen about 30 miles from Inverness the business thus 4 or 5 Gentlemen being in Company drinking making merry among other discourses they hapned to fall upon the times and some of them being persons not very well affected to the present Government in the heat of their Cups did not stick to express themselves according to their inclinations one was in great expectation of the late King James's speedy return Another very much doubted one believ'd it feazible another declar'd he thought it impossible for the late King to recover or make a Conquest of Scotland again at which expression one Thomas Tullock was so much enraged that upbraiding their diffidence with a great many reproaches he took a Pistol he had in his hand and wish'd that that Pistol might be his death if he the late King James did not return again and be Master of all his own and before he could speak a word more the Pistol went off and discharging it self into his breast shot himself clean thorough the heart which when related with all its circumstances gave cause of astonishment not only to his own Company but to all that heard it The Parliament had had several warm debates of the freedom that belong'd to every of the Estates in Electing their several Members for their Committees and after much time on several days spent therein it was urged that the better to proceed in chusing of the said Committees it was necessary that the Act concerning the repealing the former Committee of Parliament commonly called the Articles should be first sent for and considered in which Act it was agreed that the Officers of State might sit make Overtures and Proposals and debate in the Committee but not to Vote now the House looking on this as a grievance had heretofore in the last Parliment Voted and annulled the said Act and agreed that in lieu thereof the Bench of Noblemen might chuse the Officers of State to be Members of the Committee notwithstanding their being Ministers of State which being a while argu'd was at length carried by the Vote of the house and approv'd of and immediately had the Royal assent After which the Three Estates proceeded to the choice of their several Committees the Estate of Lords as customarily withdrawing into the inner Session house by themselves The Estate of Barons continued in the Parliament house and the Estate of Burroughs retired to the Commissaries Bench in the lower end of the Parliament house Where after a considerable time they chose their several Committees as follow Committee for Election and Freedom of Speech Noblemen The Marquess of Dowglass Earl of Eglingtown Lord Forrester Lord Belhaven Lord Rollo Barons The Laird of Blackbarrony Laird of Cragivar Sir George Munro Sir Andrew Agnew Laird of Dun Burroughs Sir John Hall Sir Robert Mellvill Mr. William Erskine Mr. John Ross Mr. George Gourdon Committee for the Supply Noblemen Duke Hamilton Earl of Argyle Earl of Cassils Earl of Forfar Earl of Tarras Earl of Kintore Barons Sir John Maitland Laird of Anstruthero Laird of Knocks Sir Thomas Burnet Laird of Craigens Laird of Carrick Burroughs Mr. James Fletcher Mr. Alexander Gourdon Mr. James Lawder Mr. John Cuthbert Mr. James Mardock Sir Patrick Murray Committee for settling the Church Government Noblemen The Earl of Crawford Earl of Southerland Viscount of Arbathnet Viscount of Stairs Lord Cardross Laird of Carmichel Barons Sir John Maxwell Sir Patrick Hume Laird of Brody Sir Archibald Cockburn Sir John Munro of Fowlis Mr. Adam Gourdon of Dallfolly Burroughs Sir Thomas Stewart Mr. William Higgins Mr. James Smith Mr. John Anderson Mr. James Kennet Mr. Patrick Mardock Committee for Reducing of Forfaultures and restoring of Fines Noblemen The Earl of Morton The Earl of Lothian The Earl of Leven Viscount of Kenmuire Lord of Bluntire Lord Torpichen Barons Sir Robert Sinclare Laird of Garthland Laird of Grange Dumbar Laird of Culloden Forbes Laird of Pitliver Laird of Rusco Burroughs Mr. James Smallet Laird of Lewchold Mr. John Murray Mr. Robert Cleeland Mr. John Boswell Sir William Hamilton Thus the Committees being settled and return'd to their several places the high Commissioner according to his priviledge appointed them to meet the next day and so to adjourn from time to time in the intervals of Parliament The Rebels in the mean time though they were narrowly watched by their Majesties Forces had yet made a shift to muster up fifteen hundred choice and select men and were come down and and encamped at the Foot of the Hills near Straithspey in the County of Murray commanded in chief by General Buchan and Colonel Canon and during their stay there had sent orders wherein they resolv'd to burn and destroy all that would not come out joyn with them and assist them of which Sir Thomas Levingstone having timely notice without more deliberation took along with him eight hundred Foot six Troops of Dragoons and two Troops of Horse and with all convenient speed marched towards them and encamped that night near Brody where he was forc'd to attend two whole days the coming of his Baggage Horses On the 30th of April he receiv'd a very good account of the Rebels Camp numbers and posture and resolving to take them napping if possible he immediately Decamps and Marching all that night he made a shift before the break of day to reach Ballagh Castle from whence he could easily discern the Enemies Camp by their Fires and having receiv'd a very good account of the nature of the ground and the danger of the Waters which run along the North side of the Enemies Camp and perceiving a resolution in his Souldiers to engage suitable to his own inclinations he thought fit to let them rest for half an hour and refresh themselves then enquiring about the Fords for there were two whereof one lay within two Musket shot of the Rebels Camp and guarded by a strong party of the Enemy the other was near a mile up the River and left unregarded and secure by the Enemy To this he forthwith marches his Army and in all imaginable silence passes without the least opposition having before left