And now that he had left Argyle so far behind him that he might safely take some time to recruit he went to Strathbogy that he might meet with the Gordons and 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 and 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 they did nothing Besides the Lord Gordon Huntley's eldest Son a man of singular worth and accomplishment was detained by Argyle his Uncle by the Mothers side the Earl of Alboin the second Son was inclosed within the siege of Carlisle and Lewis another Son was of the enemies side so that there was no one of Huntley's family under whose authority they should take up Armes Notwithstanding Montrose quartered there a great while in which time almost every other night marching seven or eight or ten miles with a party of light Foot for Horse he had few or none he used to give alarms to the enemy beat up their quarters put them to flight and frequently to bring home horse and men prisoners And because he alwayes brought his men safe off it was strange to see how cheerfull and daring his souldiers were so that though their number was not great there was nothing that he would lead them on unto that seemed great to them At last when he despaired of any good to be done with the Gordons at the end of October he removed from Strathbogy and came to Faivy Castle and possest it There he was like to have been utterly undone by the bad and false intelligence his Scouts in whom he put great confidence brought unto him concerning the enemy for those whom they perswaded him were scarce got over Grainsbain were on a sudden encamped within two miles of him Argyle and Lothian had there two thousand five hundred Foot and twelve hundred Horse Montrose now when Mac-donald was absent with a party had fifteen hundred Foot and about fifty Horse If he should have descended into the Plain with so small strength it had been madnesse and to keep a Castle and no strong one neither he thought dishonourable and derogatory to the credit of his late victories Therefore he bethought himself of another course he drawes his men up unto a higher hill which over-look'd the Castle The soil of the hill was rough and there were hedges also and ditches cast up there by the Husbandmen for the fences of their fields which were almost as usefull as Brest-works But before he had appointed every one his ground to draw up in those few of Huntley's dependents which accompanied Montrose from Strathbogy in the sight of all people fairly betook them to their heels And on the other side the enemy driving fiercely up the hill made themselves masters of no small part of it which if they had been able to maintain with the same vigour that they had obtained it Montrose had been a lost man whose Souldiers discouraged both by the timorous flight of some of their own and the multitude of their enemies forces were well near ready to turn their backs them Montrose presently put life and courage into by his own example and presence by putting them in mind of their former atchievements and their own sense of their wonted prowesse Moreover he thus bespake a young Irish Gentleman one Collonel O Kyan Go thy way O Kyan with such men as thou hast at hand and drive me those fellows out of yonder ditches that we may no more be troubled with them The gallantry of O Kyan Montrose had often seen and commended nor did that truly valiant man deceive the Generals opinion of him for he quickly firretted the enemy out of the ditches though they much out-numbred his men and were seconded with a party of Horse And not only so but gained some baggs of powder which the enemy had left behind them for haste a very seasonable prey of which they had great need Nor doth a notable example of the forwardnesse of the Souldiers seem to me unworthy in this place to be remembred for one of them looking upon the baggs of powder What saith he have they given us no bullets Marry but wee must fetch bullets too from those sparing distributors of Ammunition As if it had been altogether the enemies duty to provide them necessaries for the Warr. In the mean time his Horse which were but fifty being disposed in a place of danger he timely secured them by lining them with musketiers For Lothian charged them with five whole troops who before they had crossed over half a field that lay between them being scared with our shot wheel'd about and returned to the place from whence they came Montrose's men being encouraged with these two successes could hardly be kept off from falling on with a shout upon the whole body of the enemy whom Montrose refrains rather with a kind of commendation of them as was meet than reproof only bids every one know his own duty and wait his commands Towards night Argyle having done nothing to any purpose retreats two miles off and slept not that night But the next day when he was told that Montrose's souldiers had great scarcity of powder and bullet drawing his men into the same ground again he made as though he would have charged up the Hill and beaten Montrose out of his hold But when his heart failed him in that enterprise besides some skirmishes between small parties while the main bodies kept their ground there was nothing done that day neither All this while Montrose sends for all dishes and flaggons and chamber-pots and what other pewter vessels could be had and caused them to be melted into bullet yet when that was done the souldiers had not enough With which great inconvenience the souldiers were so little troubled that one as often as he made a shot which he presumed never missed he would say merrily to his Comerades As sure as can be I have broken one Traytors face with a chamber-pot Nor wil any one wonder if Montrose's men were oft in want of powder and other necessaries for War when he considers they had no other way to supply themselves with them but out of their enemies stock And now the second day being almost spent Argyle withdraws his men over the river the way that they came three Scotch miles which make one Dutch mile off The time was thus spent at Faivy for several dayes Argyle carrying nothing away with that great Army but disgrace among his friends and contempt among his enemies for it was wholly imputed to his cowardise that there he had not made an absolute conquest At last Montrose lest by marching away in the day time he might have some of his Rear cut off by the enemies Horse takes the advantage of the night to
honour and therefore if charging couragiously they should break in amongst the thickest of the enemy no one could say but that they fell gallantly Montrose concurred with neither of these for he could never be brought to forsake so good men as he had in the extremest danger and preferred an honourable death among his souldiers before dishonourable safety But for all that for men that were so much out-numbred by them to run desperately upon the enemy and as it were to dash out their own brains against the stones was the very last refuge and not hastily to be made use of therefore as we ought not to tempt Almighty God by our own wretchlesnesse and negligence so neither ought any valiant man or good Christian despair of his assistance in a just cause Lastly he exhorts every one to do his own part and referre the successe to God and other things to his own care and industry Immediately he sends out four hundred Foot before him and commands them that as much as they possibly could without breaking their ranks they should make all speed Then he appoints two hundred of the activest men he had to follow them and he with his Horse brings up the Rear The Horse trooped on in so open order that if occasion were they might have room enough to receive light musquetiers He believed the enemies Foot were not able to overtake them and if their Horse only should charge them which they would hardly adventure to do he conceived it was no matter of extreme difficulty to make their part good against them besides the Sun was ready to set and the darknesse of the night would be commodious for their retreat The enemy understanding the number of them that went away first by some prisoners they had taken and after that by their own view assoon as they saw they were disposed rather for a journey than a battell divide their Forces into two parts and so pursue them Wherein their intention was not only to fall upon the Rear and the Flank at once but also to secure against them all passages up to the Highlands And their Commanders the more to encourage their Souldiers to a hot pursute proposed twenty thousand Crowns to any one that could bring in Montrose's head And now the Van of the enemies Horse began to cloze up unto the retreaters whereupon those good musquetiers that lined Montrose's Horse welcomed one and another and another of the forwardest of them with bullets in their sides with whose mischance the rest becoming more wary abated of the eagernesse of their pursute And Montrose's souldiers when they saw they had been too hard for the enemies Foot at a march and had got before them taking heart and courage they skirmished stoutly with their Horse untill the night parted the quarrell And to rid themselves some way of the enemy took their way East-ward many miles by the sea-coast However that was not their way but to go Northward toward Grainsbain and so to deliver themselves from their mischievous Horse But Baily had laid the greatest part of his Army between them and Grainsbain that there might be no place for them to retreat unto Therefore at the dead of the night when they were not far from Aberbroth Montrose commands his men to make a stand a while And long they stood not before he considering with himself that all wayes and passages straight into the Mountains might be laid by the enemies Horse and he was not mistaken commands them to face about and march South-west And by this art though with intolerable pains he beguiled the Pursuers whom that same night he passed by and then turning Northward by the next morning at Sunrising passed over South-Eske at a place not far from Careston Castle and from thence sent to Breichin to fetch those men which he had there with the Carriages But that had not needed for they upon the report of this expedition had provided for themselves better more timely and had taken the Mountains VVhiles he staid at Careston the Scouts brought him word on a sudden that the enemies Horse were in sight and their Foot being refresht with victualls and sleep march'd after them apace Montrose himself being now within three miles of the Mountains was not much afraid of them but his souldiers who had not slept for three dayes and two nights but had all that while been either on their march or in fight were overcome with so dead sleep that they could hardly be raised without pricks and wounds The enemy being at last entertained with a light skirmish suffered Montrose to possesse himself of the bottome of the Mountains and having done nothing to the purpose retreated from their vain pursute So he and his men came to Gleneske And this was that so much talk'd-of Expedition of Dundee infamous indeed for the mistake of the Scouts but as renowned as any for the valour constancy and undaunted resolution of the General and even admirable for the hardinesse of the Souldier in encountering all extremities with patience for threescore miles together they had been often in fight alwayes upon their march without either meat or sleep or the least refreshment Which whether forein Nations or after times will believe I cannot tell but I am sure I deliver nothing but what is most certain of mine own knowledge And truly amongst expert Souldiers and those of eminent note both in England Germany and France I have not seldome heard this Expedition of his preferred before Montrose's greatest victories CHAP. X. ANd now being safe beyond expectation Montrose bids the souldiers take their rest whiles he determines thus of the whole affair of the War He sends the Lord Gordon together with those that had continued loyal and dutifull after the revolt of his brother Lewis into their own Country both that they might recall those whom his Brother had seduced away and recruit themselves by levying new forces Which he cheerfully and couragiously performed and though he spared none yet he was most severe with those that had been authors or accessaries to his Brothers defection and he was the more active in that businesse that he might acquit himself of any suspition Nor indeed did Montrose himself or any other more detest that villany of Lewis Gordon than that noble Lord his Brother As for Montrose he with a small party for he kept but five hundred Foot and fifty Horse with him marches through Angus into Perthshire that he might distract the enemy till such time as he had made up his Army with recrutes from every side Neither was he out in his aim for the Covenanters had sent Hurrey the Lieutenant General of the Horse with a Command into the North of a party of six hundred old Foot and two hundred Horse that he might strengthen their own-side and suppresse the Lord Gordon And Baily himself staid with an Army at Perth as in the very heart of the Kingdom ready to wait upon all
motions Montrose was twelve miles off at a village called Kreif where Baily understood he quartered securely with a very small party who being diligent upon all occasions set out from Beth at the beginning of the night with all his Army that by a speedy march he might at break of day fall unexpected into Montrose's quarters But he found Montrose carefull enough of his businesse and his Foot ready in arms either to march or fight but he with his Horse came up towards the enemy to discover their number and strength And when he found them to be two thousand Foot and five hundred Horse he commanded his men to march speedily away and following the course of the river Erne to make good the fords thereof he with the few Horse that he had was their Rear-guard lest they should have been troden in pieces by the enemies Cavalry And truly he so valiantly repulsed the fierce assault of the enemy that by killing some and routing others he forced them to retreat till at last his Foot after six miles march had made themselves Masters of the passes of Erne So the enemy retreated with the losse of their labour and Montrose that same night being the eighteenth of April quartered at Logh-Erne and came the next day to Balwider where the Earl of Alboine met him who with some few more had escaped out of Carlisle and hearing tydings of Montrose's good successe had at last returned into his Country Leaving Balwidir they advanced to Logh-Catrinet where they receive intelligence that Hurrey had raised great forces in the North and was ready to engage with the Lord Gordon and therefore there was danger that he being an active Souldier and a good Commander should be able to over-master that gallant young Gentleman Therefore Montrose thought it necessary to oppose Hurrey assoon as was possible as well to secure so dear a friend from imminent danger as to be nibbling at the enemies Forces as he found them asunder and to cut off that power by peece-meal which he well knew if it were all in a body would be above his match Therefore by long and continued journeys passing by Balwidir and a Lake of four and twenty miles long out of which the river of Tay breaks forth through Athole and Angus and over Grainsbain through a vale called Glenmuck he came to the midst of Marre There he joyned with the Lord Gordon who had now a thousand Foot and two Hundred Horse and marching straight to the Spey laboured to find out and engage with the enemy Nor was he above six miles off when Hurrey thought he had not yet got over Grainsbain â—for with unwearied labour and incredible speed he had over-run the very report of himself Hurrey lest a battell should be forced upon him whether he would or no before he had received an addition of numerous Auxiliaries in all haste passeth over the Spey And because he had appointed the Rendezvouz of all his freinds at Innernesse hyeth to Elgin nor did Montrose pursue him lazily to Elgin Thence with all speed he passeth to Forresse nor did Montrose make lesse haste to follow and overtake him too at Forresse and sat so close on his skirts for fourteen miles together that notwithstanding he had the advantage of the night he had much adoe to reach Innernesse The next day Montrose incamped at a village called Alderne and Hurrey according to his hopes found the Earls of Seaforth and Suherland the whole sept of the Frasers and most of Murray and Cathnesse and the neighbouring parts to have assembled themselves to Innernesse well appointed To these Hurrey ads som old souldiers of the Garrison of that Town and so draws up against Montrose He now commanded three thousand and five hundred Foot four hundred Horse but Montrose who had no more but fifteen hundred Foot and two hundred Horse had a great mind to retire But not only Hurrey pressed so vehemently upon him that it was scarce possible for him to retreat But Baily also with a Southern Army much stronger than Hurrey's especially in Horse was now got already a great way on that side Gransbaine and marched in great haste towards the Spey What should Montrose doe in this condition He must of necessity either give Hurrey battell or undergoe a far greater hazard of being hemm'd in between two Armies Therfore he resolves to try the fortune of War without delay to commit the successe unto God and chusing the best advantage of ground he could find there to expect the assault of the enemy There was a litle Town that stood upon the height which shadowed the neighbouring valley and some little hills that were higher than the Town behind it that hindered the discovery of any one till they were just upon him In this valley he drawes up his Forces out of the view of the enemy Before the Town he places a few but expert and choice Foot with his Ordnance who were sheltered with such ditches as they found there The right wing he commits to Alexander Mac-donald with four hundred Foot and lodged them in places fortified to their hand with banks and ditches with shrubs also and great stones and commands him to preserve himself entire that he might be a reserve upon all occasions and not to depart from his station which had so good a naturall fence that they might lie there safe enough not only from the enemies Horse but Foot also And with the same good advice he committed to his charge that notable Standard of the Kings which only he was wont to carry before him expecting that the enemy upon the sight of that would order the best of their Forces against that wing which by reason of the disadvantage of the place would be rendred wholly unusefull unto them till such time as he on the flank should take his best advantage against them And to that end drawing the rest of his Forces to the other side he commends the Horse to the Lord Gordon and takes charge of the Foot himself Those few that stood before the Town under the shelter and convert of the banks and ditches seemed as if they were his main battel whereas indeed he had none And for Reserves in that scarcity of men they were not to be thought of The enemy as Montrose most wisely fore-saw assoon as they saw the Kings Standard ordered the most part of their Horse and old Souldiers wherein their chief strength consisted against that And by this time the Van of the enemy began to dispute it with those before the Town and on the right flank and still as their Souldiers were spent drew up fresh men which Montrose because his number was but few could not so easily doe therefore he resolved with all his men that he had on the left flank to make a violent assault upon the enemy at once And whiles he was thinking so to do there comes unto him one whom he knew to be trusty and discreet and
beating up quarters in the night did so much weaken their power and courage that they that were so haughtily daring but a while ago as well Commanders as Souldiers hastily and disorderly betook themselves by night to Innernesse when none pursued them Montrose was not much displeased that he was so rid of his enemy especially for this reason the Earl of Lindsey the prime ringleader of the Covenanters next unto Argyle and his rivall too as being brother-in-law to Duke Hamilton used to give out that Argyle wanted either care or courage and howsoever it came to passe was still unfortunate And therefore he took upon himself the command of that Army which was newly raised as if he would assay to manage the businesse with better conduct And now he had passed over with his forces into Angus intending to be a Reserve unto Baily and if any thing should happen othewise than well at the worst he was ready to hinder Montrose's passage over Forth For they were alwayes very jealous lest Montrose should remove the sent of Warr to this side the Forth and nearer Edinburgh Therefore he resolved with all speed to quell Lindsey who lay yet in Angus at a Castle called Newtill both because the General was no souldier and the souldiers raw and unacquainted with the hardship of Warr. In pursute of which design departing from Badenoth he marcheth through the plains of Marre over Gransbain and came by long and painfull journies unto the coast of the river of Airley intending to surprise the enemy on a sudden which was easie to be done for he had made such haste that the news of his approach was not so swift as himself And now Lindsey was not above seven miles from him and all things were ready for an assault when upon what occasion it is uncertain almost all the Northern men privatly ran away from their colours and going back the way that they came return into their Country The Lord Gordon was in the Camp and there was none there that detested that villany with greater indignation than he in so much that Montrose had much adoe to with-hold him from putting such of the fugitives to death as had any dependence upon him Some stick not to say that these men were inveigled away by the private directions of his father the Marquesse of Huntley to the Earl of Aboine who by reason of his sicknesse was absent For it vext Huntley a haughty and envious man to hear of the successe of Montrose nor could he endure that inward friendship which was between his eldest son and him However it was Montrose being cast down with this unexpected misfortune was forced to put off that Expedition against Lindsey and to suffer patiently so great and easie a victory to be taken out of his hands Therfore taking up new resolutions he followeth after Collonel Nathaniel Gordon a valiant man and a trusty and welbeloved in his Country whom he had sent before And by this time Baily and Hurrey had returned from Innernesse and quartered in lower Marre by the side of Dee And Montrose came by the coasts of Eske and the plains of Marre into the heart of that Country commonly called Cromarre And whiles he passed through those plains aforesaid he dispatched Mac-donald with a party into the furthest part of the Highlands to conduct such Forces as were there raised with all speed unto the Army Afterward he sent away the Lord Gordon himself to hasten and promote that levy of men which Nathaniel Gordon was listing by all the power and interests he had in those parts Which he most diligently performed and amongst others brought his Brother the Earl of Aboine back with him Whilest these things passed in Cromarre Lindsey joynes his Forces with Baily in lower Marre with whom Montrose finding himself unable to deal the most part of his Forces being gone along with the Lord Gordon and Mac-donald he stept aside to the ruinated Castle of Kargarf lest the enemy should overlay him on the champain grounds with their multitudes both of Horse and Foot but when he was close unto the Mountains he feared them not From hence Aboine falling sick again betook himself to Strathbogy and upon pretence of a guard carried along with him a considerable number of Horse whom his Brother the Lord Gordon had much adoe afterward to draw back to their colours In the mean time Lindsey took a thousand old Souldiers from Baily and gave him as many raw and new rais'd men for them and as if he intended to doe some famous exploit returning through Merne into Angus with all the pains he took he did only this he ranged with his Army up and down Athole and after he had robbed and spoiled all the Country he set it on fire In this imitating Argyle who was the first that in this age introduced that cruel and dreadful president of destroying houses and corn 〈◊〉 being better at fire than sword when they came into empty fields and towns unmann'd Baily at that time went to Bogy to besiege the fairest castle that belonged to the Marquesse of Huntley and indeed of all the North and in case he failed to take it in to waste and fire all the Country of the Gordons there-abouts Montrose although Mac-donald was absent with a great party thought it necessary to relieve Huntley and his friends whom he laboured to assure unto himself by all good offices and hied thither Where having notice that Baily's souldiers though not all yet a great part were new rais'd men for he had parted with so many old souldiers to Lindsey desired nothing more than without delay to fight him and marcheth straight towards him He had not gone above three miles before he discovered the enemies Scouts He therefore sent before some of his readiest men that knew the wayes to view the strength the rendezvouz and the order of the enemy They immediately bring word that the Foot stood on the top of a hill some two miles off and the Horse had possessed themselves of a narrow and troublesome passe which lay almost in the middle between the two Armies and were come on this side it Against them Montrose sent such Horse as he had in a readinesse with some nimble Firelocks whom they first entertained with light skirmishes afarre off and after retreated behind the passe which they had strongly mann'd with Musquetiers Montrose sends for the Foot that if it were possible they might dislodge the enemy from thence but it could not be done for they were parted by the fall of the night which both sides passed over waking and in their arms The next day Montrose sends a Trumpet to offer a set battell but Baily answers he would not receive order to fight from an enemy He therefore seeing he could not drive the enemy from those passes without manifest losse and danger that he might draw him out thence in some time marcheth off to Pitlurge and from thence to a Castle of
that he could by no means either make his way unto them or draw them out into plainer ground Having therefore made them several fruitlesse offers of battell he resolved to march into the heart of the Country and came to Kinrosse as well to hinder the rising of that Country as to train the enemy at last out of their fastness to come in unto the aid of their distressed friends They not so much as daring to fall upon his Rear turn'd another way and keeping close to the bank first of the Erne afterwards of the Tay made speed towards the East-side of the Country As Montrose passed along he sent Collonel Nathaniel Gordon and Sir William Rollock before him with a small party These sending the rest of their party up and down to scout kept only ten men in their company on a sudden they happened upon two hundred of the enemy who were raising men in those parts and being not able to retreat they twelve encountred the two hundred put them to flight kill'd some and took other some prisoners Montrose that night came to Kinrosse not doubtting but they of Fife who were exceedingly out of love with the King most firm to the Covenanters and wholly given to the new superstition were generally up in armes Therefore thinking it not safe rashly to engage with so great a multitude of Horse and Foot he determin'd to passe over the Forth and that upon this ground that he having wearied out the Fife-men whom he believ'd would not be easily perswaded to follow the Army further than their own borders with long marches might vanquish them without a blow For he accounted that most of them being born or brought up in shops or ships or taverns and not acquainted with the hardship of Souldiers would presently give out and be weary Besides such of the Nobility as were in rebellion after they saw with sorrow that the seat of the War was drawn so near them as the Forth were raising men with more eagerness than ever before upon the Borders and in the West of whom the chief were the Earls of Lanerick Cassils and Eglington Whose levies Montrose laboured either to hinder or draw themselves to his side before they came up to Baily and the Fife-men therefore he marched from Kinrosse towards Sterling and lay that night some three miles from the City The next day sending the Foot before he followed softly after with the Horse because he suspected that the enemy pursued him in the Rear Nor was he deceived in that suspition for some Espyals whom he left behind him brought word that Baily was hard by with the greatest Army that ever he had And immediately the enemies Scouts came within view one of whom having been too forward was brought prisoner to Montrose by some of his Horse He being examined told them free and confidently that he believed Baily and his party were resolved to march all that night to engage him to fight as soon as was possible before they dismist the Fife-men who being already tir'd he hardly believ'd would be drawn over the Forth accounting their work at an end as soon as the enemy was gone out of their own Country Therefore Montrose that he might get speedily over the Forth bids his men march apace and going on the other side of Sterling a good Town and one of the Kings strongest Castles in which the enemy had now a great Garrison that same night passed over the river at a Ford about four miles above the Town And at break of day next morning made a halt a while about six miles from Sterling where he had intelligence that the enemy the night before had not come over the Forth but quartered three miles from Sterling on the other side of the river Therefore Montrose holding on his intended journey encamped himself in that fatal place the Field of Kilsythe He bids the Souldiers to refresh themselves but however to be in a readinesse either to fight or march as occasion should serve The enemy the mean while by an easier and shorter cut got over the Forth at Sterling-bridge and encamped at night some three miles from Kilsythe In the interim the Earl of Lanerick Duke Hamilton's brother had rais'd a thousand Foot and five hundred Horse of the friends and clients of the Hamiltons in Cluidsdale and the places adjacent and was not at present above twelve miles from Kilsythe And the Earls of Cassils Eglington and Glencarne with others of the Covenanting Nobility were engaging the West unto the same impious Militia who were so much the readier to take up armes by how much they had lesse felt the miseries of Warre Which things being well considered Montrose thought it best to fight with those Forces which Baily had at present For although they were more numerous than his own yet the danger was like to be greater of his side if he should be put to engage with them when Lanericks and other parties were come up But moreover he was either obliged to take this course or do nothing and return back into the Highlands with the blemish of that Honour which by so many victories he had atchiev'd The enemy on the other side being arrogant and confiding in the multitude of their men believ'd that Montrose had but made a running march the dayes before and had passed the Forth more out of fear than design so that they counted it nothing to assault him in that ground and entrenchment which he had chosen to his best advantage And above all their proud hopes were most carefull of this to block up all wayes of his escape and to prevent his return into the Mountains But there are some that say Baily himself thought it not best to give him battel but was over-sway'd by the authority and votes of the Earl of Lindsey especially and some other of the Nobility that were present in the Army which forc'd him much against stomack to draw up his men and order the battel as be could However it was early in the morning they led their men straight upon Montrose which when he saw he told the standers by that that was happened which he most desired for now he could supply his want of men by the advantage of the ground and therefore he made haste to possesse himself of the fastnesses before them Moreover he commands all his men as well Horse as Foot to throw off their doublets and to affront the enemy all in white being naked unto the waste all but their shirts which when they had chearfully performed they stood there provided and ready to fight resolved certainly either to conquer or die In the field where they intended to fight there were some Cottages and Country-gardens where Montrose had conveniently lodg'd some few men and the first design of the enemy was to dislodge them But it took not for making a fierce assault and being as stoutly receiv'd as soon as they were observ'd to cool something of their
and Trequaire and confide in their advice and endeavours of whose fidelity and industry no question was to be made Moreover that he should make haste towards the Tweed where he should meet a party of Horse which the King would instantly dispatch out of England to be commanded by him with whom he might safely give battel to David Lesley if as was suspected he marched that way with the Covenanters Horse All this the respective bearers unanimously delivered and his most excellent Majesty being over-credulous signified by his 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-donald and the Highlanders were gone Sir Robert spotswood making an humble obeysance under the Kings Standard delivered his Majesties Commission under the Great Seal unto Montrose which he again gave unto Archibald Primrose Clerk of the Supreme Councill 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-donald he not only extoll'd his gallantry in the head of the Army but by vertue 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 friend Montrose following his intended journey came the second night to Calder 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 inveighled to desert the service Nor would he be perswaded either by reason or the intreaty of his friends who heartily detested that shameful act to stay but so much as one week and then he might depart not only with the Generals licence 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 Lothianshire and in Strathgale joyned with Douglasse and the other Commanders whose Forces being much diminished were dayly mouldring more and more In that coast Traquaire himself came unto him more chearful and merry than he used to be who pretended himself to be a most faithful 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 Traquaire plaid the Covenanters Scout-Master that ungratefullest piece of mankind intending to betray unto them Montrose and in him the King himself Now when he was not above twelve miles from the Lords Hume and Roxburgh 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 fair means or foul But they prevented him by a singular device They sent unto David Lesley whom they well knew by that time was come to Berwick with all the Scotch Horse and many English Voluntiers for they were privy to all their counsels and intreated 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 Roxburgh who had Hume under his girdle conceiv'd that they might both ingratiate themselves with the Covenanters as freely committing themselves into their Protection and 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 and marched into the East-side of Lothian Montrose assoon as he perceived the King and himself betray'd by these men and saw no hopes of that party of Horse which was come from the King and that the too powerful enemy would block up his passage into the North and Highlands resolved to march with those few men he had into Niddisdale and Anandale and the Countrey of Ayre that he might there raise what Horse he could For although he had no certain intelligence concerning the strength of the enemy yet he conjectured that it consisted especially in Horse CHAP. XVI MOntrose arising from Kelsoe marched to Jedburgh 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 he should be forced to fight with an enemy of whose strength he knew nothing upon uneven terms Then he commands the Captains of Horse to set out good store of faithful and active Scouts and to place Horse-guards in convenient places on every side and look well to their watch All which he in person as he used to do could not see done at present because that night he was dispatching letters to the King and to send away a trusty messenger that he had light upon before break of day therefore he was earrest 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 he slept not all that night And sending ever and anon to the Captains of Guards men that were skilful Souldiers and so known to be in Forein 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 accquainted with the Country were sent out again to Scout they also brought word they had been ten miles about and diligently examined all by-ways and rashly wisht damnation to themselvs if they could find an enemy in arms 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 lain there all that night in their arms Lesley that day that Montrose departed from Jedburgh mustered his men upon Gladesmore a plain in Lothianshire where holding a councill of War with the chief of the Covenanters the result was that he should march to Edinburgh and so to the Forth that he 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 mystery of the businesse what should be the meaning of that change of his resolution and his intention in that sudden expedition for they marched straight to Strathgale But the matter was as they afterward gathered from the enemies themselvs he 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 easily be surprised on the borders of Tweed if Lesley would make use of that opportunity was offered him to do his businesse Therefore Lesley upon this intelligence made haste thither and as I said lodg'd within four miles of Selkirk That Traquaire sent those letters unto Lesley although it was the generall report I cannot certainly affirm but it cannot be denied that that same night he sent his Commands to his son the Lord Linton that he should immediately withdraw himself from the Royal party which with much joâ—lity he did This was like themselves being the ungratefullest of all men deserting their King of whom none had better deserved and staining their posterity And truly that morning being very misty gave no small advantage to the treachery of the enemy whom at last Montrose's frighted Scouts discovered to march towards him in a full body at such time as they were not above half a mile off Montrose mounting the first Horse he could light on gallops into the field appointed for the Rendezvouz that morning where he finds a great deal of noise but no order The Cavalry being little acquainted with their duty and lying already disperst in their quarters where they dream'd more of bairing their horses than maintaining their lives and honours upon the first alarm which they received from the enemies Trumpet ran disorderly up and down they knew not whither but never came in the fight Yet there were a few and those were for the most part Noble men or Knights who made all speed thither and gallantly undertook to make good the right wing and they were not above six scored â—n all Nor did the Foot who were about five hundred make a good appearance for many of them looking about their private businesses among the Carriages by that unseasonable care of saving lost themselves and all they had And which spoiled the matter which was bad enough before most of the Commanders were absent and never came in the field Besides the enemy comming on speedily left them no time for deliberation The enemy therefore who were six thousand whereof most were Horse out of England furiously charging Montrose's right wing were twice gallantly received and repulsed with no small losse Nor could they make that noble Troop give any ground or break thorow it untill at last laying along those few foot that withstood them they broke in upon the left flank where ther was no horse By this two thousand Horse whom the enemy had sent over to the other side of the river were gotten on the Rear of those noble Gentlemen who lest being hemm'd in on every side and gall'd with the enemies shot at distance they should fall for nothing and unreveng'd withdrew themselves every one the best way he could But the Foot who could have little security by flight fighting a good while stoutly and resolutely at last upon quarter ask'd and given for their lives threw down their arms and yeelded themselvs prisoners Every one of whom being naked and unarm'd without any regard to quarter given Lesley caused to be most unhumanely butcher'd The stain of which perfidious cruelty by which he hath so filthily blurr'd his honour if eany he got in forein service he shall never be abl to wipe away As for those that escaped out of the battell the enemy pursued them no further being busie in plundring the Carriages where they made a lamentable slaughter of Women Pedees and Cook-boys no pitty was shown to sex nor age they went to the pot all together The number of the slain is not easie to be given almost no Horse and very few Foot besides those that yeelded themselvs and had quarter fell in that battell which may appear by this that they were no more then five hundred in all and before the next day two hundred and fifty of them came safe to Montrose all of them with their swords by their sides so that there could not be as many more missing and very few were taken prisoners and not until their horses being tired and themselvs ignorant of the way they became a prey to the country people Whom they forgetting all the benefits and protection they had but newly received from Montrose to do the Covenanters a favour delivered up unto their cruell enemies to be made by them acceptable sacrifices to Baal-Berith the god of the Covenant For all that the Rebell conquerours missed of the Kings Standards The one of them which was carried before the Foot was preserved by an Irish souldier a stout man and of a present spirit when others were almost beside themselves who when he saw that the enemy had got the day stript it off the staff and wrapped it about his body and being oherwise naked made his way with his drawn sword through the thickest of the enemy and brought it to Montrose at night Whom he received into his Lifeguard and gave it him to carry in token of his valour and loyalty And the other of them William Hie brother to the Earl of Kinoule a hopefull young Gentleman who succeeded his Uncle by the mothers side Douglasse Son to the Earl of Morton who having receiv'd many and grievous wounds at the battell of Alford was rendred unable for that burden stript from off the staff too and carried it away with him And conveighing himself into the borders of England skulked there a while till the coast was a little clearer about Tweed and then through by-ways and night-journeys for the most part being accompanied and conducted by his faithfull friend Robert Toures a stout man and a good souldier who had been a Captain in France a good while agoe returned in the North and presented that same Royal Standard unto the General And now at last Montrose when he saw his men totally routed and put to flight which he never saw before thought of nothing more for a good space than to die honourably and not unrevenged therefore rallying about thirty Horse whom he had gathered up in that confusion he resolved by fair and honourable death to prevent his falling alive into the enemies hands And seeing he was not able to break thorow the enemies Troops who stood thick round about him he gall'd them on the Front and Rear and Flanks and of such as were so hardy as to adventure out of their ranks many he slew others he beat back But when all that he could do would not do his businesse as God would have it this
him by his presence to make more haste into the South For his design was as soon as he had joyned his forces with Areskins and Airleys and sent for Mac-donald and other Highlanders and taken up the Athole-men by the way to march in a great body straight over the Forth and so both to meet the Kings Horse and to fright the enemy upon their apprehension of an imminent danger to themselves from putting the prisoners to death For he conceived they dnrst not be so bold as to execute their malice upon men of Nobility and Eminency as long as they had an enemy in the Field and the victory was uncertain And truly they being doubtfull and solicitous what might be the successe of so great warlike preparations as they knew were in providing did deferre the execution of the prisoners Montrose upon his journey found the Lord Areskin very sick but his clients whose fidelity and valour he had sundry experiences of even in the absence of their Lord all in a readinesse if Aboine did but doe his part for they depended much upon his example and authority And now the Marquesse of Huntley after he had playd least in sight for a year and some months it is hard to say whether awaken'd with the news of so many victories obtained by Montrose and the reducing of the Kingdome or by the deceitfull influence of some bad starr was returned home An unfortunate man and unadvised who howsoever he would seeme most affectionate unto the Kings Cause and perhaps was so yet he endeavoured by a close and dishonourable envy rather to extenuate Montrose's glory than out-vie it Which seeing it was not for his credit openly to professe even before his own men who were sufficient witnesses of Montrose's admirable vertues lest by that he should discover some symptomes of a heart alienated from the King yet he gave out that for the time to come he would take upon himself the conduct of the Warr against the Rebells therefore he commanded his Tenants and advised his friends and neighbours scarce without threats to fight under no command but his own And then they replyed What shall we then answer to the Commands of the Marquesse of Montrose whom the King hath declared General Governour of the Kingdome and General of the Army He made answer That he himself would not be wanting to the Kings service but however it concerned much both his and their honour that the King and all his men should know what assistance they had given him which could not otherwise be done than by serving in a body by themselves Moreover he fell to magnifie his own power and to undervalue Montrose's to extoll unto the skies the noble Acts of his Ancestors men indeed worthy of all honour to tell them That the Gordons power had been formidable to their neighbours for many ages by-gone and was so yet That it was most unjust that the atchievements gotten with their blood and prowesse should be accounted upon another mans meaning Montrose's score but for the future he would take a course that neither the King should be defrauded of the service of the Gordons nor the Gordons of their deserved honour favour and reward All these things the simpler sort took to be spoken upon all the grounds of equity and honour in the world but as many as were understanding men and knew better the disposition of the person saw through those expressions a mind too rancorous and altogether indispos'd towards Montrose and that his aim was to fetch off as many as he could from him not only to the utter ruine of the King and Kingdom but even to his own destruction which God knows the sad event made too manifest Nor were there wanting amongst them desperate men and of good fore-sight who condemned this counsell of his as unwise unseasonable and pernicious even to himself For they considered with themselvs that he never had any design that did not miscarry either by bad play or bad luck That businesses were better carried by Montrose and it was ill to make a faction upon the poor pretence of his carrying away the honour of it For if Huntley joyned his Forces and communicated his counsels unto Montrose he should not be only able to defend himself but subdue his enemies and gain unto himself the everlasting honour of being one of the Kings Champions but if he should make a breach in that manner it would prove not only dishonourable but destructive unto him That Montrose it could not be denyed had got many and eminent victories with the assistance of the Huntleys but they had done nothing of note without him Therefore they earnestly desired him constantly to adhere unto the Kings Lieutenant which as it would be both acceptable and advantageous to the King so it would be well taken with good men and honourable to himself Nor did some of them fear to professe openly that they would yeeld their duty and service to Montrose if Huntley should stand out in his humour and they were as good as their words But he refusing the advice of his friends resolved what ever came on 't to run counter to Montrose nor did Montrose ever propose any thing though never so just or honourable or advantageous which he would not crosse or reject And if at any time Montrose condescended to his opinion which he did often and of purpose he would presently turn his mind seeming to comply with him sometimes before his face but alwayes averse unto him behind his back and indeed scarce well agreeing with his own self For all this Aboine being at that time solicited by many expresses from Montrose and the importunity of his own friends that he might be some way as good as his word met him with a considerable party at Dâ—â—minore a Castle of the Lord Forbeses He brought with him fifteen hundred Foot and three hundred Horse all cheerfulI and ready to undergo any hazard under the command of Montrose And truly assoon as ever they met Aboine freely protested he would carry those men that he had whithersoever the Lord Governour should lead him but there were many more behind which for his scantnesse of time he had not got together which his brother Lewis would bring him Montrose extolling highly his fidelity and pains turned back again almost the same way he came that taking up the Lord Areskins and the Marre Forces by the way and climbing over Grainsbaine he might fall down into Athole and Angus not doubting within a fortnight to be able to passe over the Forth with a great Army The first dayes journey Aboine and his men marched with a good will but the next night his brother Lewis whom Montrose had placed under the command of the Earl of Crawford conveighed himself homewards with a strong party of Horse making as if he meant to encounter some Troops of the enemy and carryed along with him as many souldiers as he could get upon pretence of a guard
down into Athole The people of Athole were engaged unto Montrose by many obligations men whom he valued most of all the Highlanders both for their Loyalty Piety Constancy and singular Valour and truly they made good his opinion of them to the very end of the War The Irish with a very few Highlanders who were almost all of Badenoth receiving Montrose's commands marched straight into Athole He who was not above twenty miles from them comes to them immediately and ere ever they looked for him on foot in the habit of a Mountainer without any man along with him save the abovesaid Patrick Graham his guide and companion And indeed the Irish would hardly be perswaded that that was Montrose but when they saw him so salured and only not adored like some great Deity by the men of Athole and others that knew him well they were over ver joyed for his comming to them was in exceeding good time they being then in extream danger to be cut off For Argyle was in their rear with a strong and well ordered Army the champain Country were ready in Arms before them expecting if they should make down into the Plain to trample them to dirt with their horses hoofs the vessels that brought them over were burnt by Argyle that they might have no way to retreat nor would the Arthole men or any other that favoured the King venture any hazard with them because they were strangers and came not by the Kings open and known Authority nor had they any Commander of ancient Nobility a thing by the Highlanders much set by who would not fight under the command of Alexander Mac-donald a man of no account with them lastly their number was inconsiderable being not above a eleven hundred though ten thousand had been promised The next day the Arthole men to the number of eight hundred put themselves in arms and offered their service most cheerfully to Montrose who having got this handfull of men and earnestly commending his most righteous Cause to the protection of Almighty God now desired nothing more than to be among the thickest of the enemy Impatient therefore of further delay that very day he marches through the Plains of Athole towards Ern as well to make way for his friends and assistants easier accesse unto him if any should rise upon the news as that he might fall upon and amaze the Rebels unlook'd for before they should be able to joyn together who lay at distance Therefore passing by Weem a castle of the Menizies seeing they handled a Trumpetter whom he sent friendly unto them unworthily and fell hotly upon the rear of his Army he wastes their fields and causes all their houses and corn to be fired this was at the very first onset of the War to strike terrour into the enemy The same night he passed over Tay the greatest river in Scotland with part of his Forces the rest follow him very early the next day When they were ready to march on he gave Patrick Graham of whom I shall have often to speak and never without honour at their earnest request the Command of the Athole men and sent him with the nimblest of them he could pick out amongst them to scout before He brings word he saw some Souldiers drawn up on the top of an hill at Buckinch towards them Montrose makes straight These proved to be commanded by the Lord Kilpont son to the Earl of Taith a man of antient Nobility and descended of the Grahams and Sir Iohn Drummond Son to the Earl of Perth a kinsman also of Montrose who were both of them summoned by the Covenanters to joyn against the Irish as the Common enemy and had with them five hundred Foot and no more nor had they heard any certainty at all of Montrose's being in those parts He resolveth with all speed to surprise them and either to win them to his side or to crush them to pieces But they as soon as they heard that Montrose was General of those Forces send unto him some of their chiefest friends to understand from him what he intended to doe He tells them he had the Kings Authority for what he did and was resolved to assert that Authority to the utmost of his power against a most horrid Rebellion conjuring them by all the obligations that were between them that they would not think much to doe their best endeavours for the best of Kings VVhich as it was much becomming their high birth and would be very acceptable service to the King so it would be beneficial unto them for the present and much to their honour with posterity and stranger if they of all others should be the first that put to their helping hands to hold up a tottering Crown They most readily without any delay came in unto him for both of them though underhand favoured the King exceedingly From them Montrose understood that the Covenanters were thick in arms at a Rendevouz at Perth the second City to Edinburgh and there waited for their enemies falling down from Athole He knowing also that Argyle with his Army was upon his back lest he should be hemm'd in on both sides determins to goe forward to Perth that there he might either force the enemy to fight or reduce the Town to the Kings obedience Marching therefore three miles from Buckinch and allowing the Souldiers but a short time of refreshment at the break of day he draws out his men Nor was he above three miles more from the City when the enemy was in view in a large and open Plain called Tippermore providing to fight They were commanded by the Lord Elchoe one that was taken for no great souldier there were with him the Earl of Tullibardin and the Lord Drummond but this latter as was conceived against his will for he and his fathers whole family favoured the King in their hearts Knights he had with him good store among whom Sir James Scot who heretofore had done good service under the State of Venice was the most noted souldier They had six thousand Foot and seven hundred Horse and in confidence of their numbers they had even devoured their enemies before they saw them It was on Sunday the first of September and it was given in charge to their Ministers that in set speeches they should encourage the people to fight not forgetting to mind them of their most holy Covenant forsooth And to give them their due they plyed their lungs stoutly in the performance of that work they most freely promised them in the name of Almighty God an easie and unbloudy victory my there was one Frederick Carmichael one very much cryed up for learning and holinesse by the silly people who was not afraid to deliver this passage in his Sermon If ever God spake word of truth out of my mouth I promise you in his name assured victory this day Gods service being thus finely performed as they thought they put their men in Battalia Elchoe himself commanded
was loath to engage those few gallant men again whose Horses were spent already in two sharp services with the enemy who was reinforced with fresh Foot Therefore observing the enemies Horse not yet rallied since their new rout and standing at a sufficient distance from their Foot he rode about among his own Foot who had been sore galled already with the enemies Ordnance and bespeaks them to this effect We do no good my fellow souldiers while we dispute the matter at thus much distance except we cloze up with them how shall we know an able man from a weak a valiant man from a coward If ye would assail these timorous and brawnelesse shrimps with handy-blows they will never be able to stand you Goe to therefore fall about them with your swords and but-ends of your muskets beat them down drive them back and make them pay what is justly due for their treason and rebellion It was no sooner said than they fall to work break in upon the enemy defeat them rout them Their Horse who expected Foot to come and line them seeing them all run away ran faster than they whom the Conquerours were not able to follow much lesse to overtake so they scap'd 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 men came in thronging amongst them through the gates and posterns and laid them on heaps all over the streets They fought four hours upon such equal terms that it was an even lay whether had the odds 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 legg shot off with a Cannon bullet only 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 Comrades this is but the fortune of Warr and neither you nor I have reason to be sorry for it Do 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 horse-back So drawing out his knife being nothing altered nor troubled he cut asunder the skin with his own hand and gave his legg to one of his fellow souldiers to bury And truly when he was well again and made a Trooper he often did very faithfull and gallant service This battell was fought at Aberdeen on the twelfth day of September 1644. Then Montrose calling his souldiers back to their Colours entred the City and allowed them two dayes rest CHAP. VII IN the mean time news was brought that Argyle was hard by with much greater forces than those they dealt with last the Earle of Lothian accompanying him with fifteen hundred Horse Therefore Montrose removes from Aberdeen to Kintor a Village ten miles off that he might make an easier accesse unto him for the Gordons the friends and dependents of the Marquesse of Huntley and others that were supposed much to favour the Kings cause From thence he sends Sir William Rollock 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 relief Still nothing troubled Montrose more than 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 back-friend to Montrose had with-held them all either by his own example or private directions and that himself being forced ro sculk in the utmost border of the Kingdome envied that honour to another of which he had missed himself and had forbidden even with threats all those with whom he had any power to have any thing to do with Montrose or to assist him either with their power or counsell Which when he understood he resolved to withdraw his Forces into the Mountains and Fastnesses where he knew the enemies horse wherein their great strength consisted could do them little service and of their Foot if they were never so many relying upon the justice of his cause and the valour of his souldiers he made but little reckoning Therefore he hid his Ordnance in a bogg and quitted all his troublesome and heavy carriages And comming to the side of the river Spey not farr from an old castle called Rothmurk he incamped there with an Army if one respect the number but very small but it was an expert and cheerfull one and now also something accquainted with victory On the other side of the Spey he finds the men of Cathnes and Suderland and Rosse and Murray and others to the number of five thousand up in arms to hinder his passage over the swiftest River in all Scotland till such time as Argyle who marched after him was upon his back Being oppressed and as it were besieged with so many enemies on every side that at least he might save himself from their Horse the turned into Badenoth a rocky and mountainous Countrey and scarce passable for Horse There for certain dayes he was very sick which occasioned so immoderate joy to the Covenanters that they doubted not to give out he was quite dead and to ordain 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 Gospel that the Lord of Hostes had slain Montrose with his own 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 than he had done before For assoon as his disease would give him leave he returned into Athole and sent away Mac-donald with a party unto the Highlanders to invite them to take up arms with him and if they would not be invited to force them He himself 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 far enough behind him For Argyle had pursued him slowly and at such distance that it was apparent he thought of nothing lesse than of giving him battail Therefore going through Angus and getting over the Grainsbain which going along with a continued ridge from East to West divideth Scotland into two equal parts he returned into the North of the Kingdome
return to Strathbogy where he intended to make some stay both because the cragginesse of the Countrey was a good security to his Souldiers against the incursions of the enemies Horse and because it was near those places from whence he dayly expected Mac-donald with what Highlanders he could raise The next day the enemy pursues him with an intention to force him to fight with them in the open field and truly assoon as they came in sight of them drawing up their men they made ready to battel as if they would have fallen on with all their power But a forlorn hope of Highlanders was sent before by Argyle to engage Montrose in a light skirmish who were manfully entertained and repulsed Then Montrose having possessed himself of the highest ground Argyle alters his resolution and thinks upon that which was more safe and lesse honourable He desires a Cessation proposes that engagements may be given on both sides for a Conference and Treaty yet at the same time he did not only tempt the Souldiers to forsake Montrose by promising them indempnity and rewards to boot but which is a shame to say even of an enemy set a great price upon Montrose's head to be paid unto any assassine or murtherer that should bring it in Of which when Montrose was well assured who well knew the disposition of the man to be more bent to over-reach and betray than to fight with his enemy he thought nothing concerned him more than with all speed to bring off those small Forces he had as far as he could both from Argyle's Horse and knavery Therefore calling a councill of War he declares his opinion they all approve his wisdome and promise to continue their fidelity and their best endeavours to serve him Therefore he resolveth upon a long march the next night as far as Badenoth and that the Souldiers might be lighter for so great a journey he sent the Carriages before with a guard and bid the Souldiers make themselves ready against the next day as if they were to fight And now the Carriages were on the way when on a suddain news came that Forbes of Craigevar a prisoner to whom upon the engagement of his Honour for his true imprisonment Montrose had given the liberty of the Camp and that Sibbalds who besides Rollock was only of his counsell and company when he came out of England and some others had made an escape and run away to the enemy He was troubled at the perfidiousnesse of the men and justly suspected that they to ingratiate themselves with the enemy would betray his counsels Therefore he straight called back the Convoy with the Carriages and seemed as if he had wholly altered his resolutions But indeed he altered them not but thought it fit to delay them for a time that the intelligence which the enemy received from his fugitives might appear unto them idle and uncertain But after four dayes he sent the Carriages away again before him and making fires through all the Camp he placed all the Horse he had within view of the enemy as if they kept their guard there till such time as the Foot were marched far enough from danger and then brought the Horse also safe off and all by break of day came to Balveny And now being safe from having their quarters beaten up by the enemies Horse and they no further pursuing it being also the very deep of winter he allowed a few dayes unto the refreshment of his Souldiers And at this time especially Argyle began to appear in his own colours and his subtilties were manifested For most of the Noblemen Gentlemen and prime Souldiers that were with Montrose who setting aside Irish men and Highlanders had more Commanders than private Souldiers in his army deserted him and fell off to Argyle Some of them pretended sicknesse others disability to make such long marches in winter time over mountains uninhabited unpassable full of nothing but stones and bryars for the most part deep in snow and never travelled over by any man alive And therefore sore against their wills as they said and being compelled to depart by an extream necessity they desired his Passe which he denyed to none that ask'd but yet look'd upon them rather with a kind of indignation and scorn than approbation or compassion Nor can one easily say how much the example of such men weakened his Forces and how much it disheartened many that intended to have listed themselves under his Command But the old Lord Ogilby the Earl of Airley a man of threescore years old and not very healthy neither together with two of his Sons most worthy of such a Father Sir Thomas and Sir David could never be perswaded even in the extremest hazard of their lives to depart from him CHAP. VIII MOntrose returning from Balveny to Badenoth net a very faithful intelligencer who gave him notice that Argyle with his Foot for his Horse were gone to their winter-quarters lay at Dunkeldon and that from thence he used all his industry to perswade the Athole men to revolt He although he was assured of their loyalty neverthelesse with incredible haste goes down into Athole For in one night he marched with his Forces four and twenty miles through wayes untrodden untilled full of snow waste and never inhabited by mortal man to the intent he might fall upon Argyle whiles he had not his Horse about him But he being frighted with the report of his coming when Montrose was yet sixteen miles off bid his men shift for themselves and he himself fled as fast as he could into Perth wherein the Covenanters had a strong garrison Mac-donald was by this time returned and brought along with him the Chief of the Mac-renalds with his men to the number of five hundred and Montrose himself added to that number Patrick Graham with some choice men of Athole Being recruited with these he marcheth to the lake out of which the river of Tay breaks forth to passe from thence through Bredalbin into the Country of Argyle for he thought an enemy could never be so happily overthrown as in his own Countrey And truly he had many strong reasons for that resolution In the first place Argyle ' s power and authority amongst the Highlanders rendered him formidable to his Peers and Neighbours and so conduced much both to raise and foment the whole Rebellion For assoon as any one adventured to oppose the Covenanters or dispute their Command presently Argyle gathering a tumultuous army of five or six thousand Highlanders who for all that served him against their wills crush'd him in pieces and therefore he had all the reason in the world to bring down the power of so seditious and covetous and cruell a man Moreover those Highlanders who did not only favour the Kings cause but hated Argyle heartily as having had a sufficient experience of his Tyranny durst not appear as they would till he was first subdued And lastly the Low-lands of the
Kingdome were maintained by the Covenanters with strong Garrisons and great bodies of Horse so that except he had a mind utterly to undoe his friends he had no other place to winter his Souldiers in but that And being pressed with these reasons with long and foul journeys and incredible speed he commeth into Argyle The Earl at that time was listing souldiers in his Country and had appointed the day and place for a Rendezvouz He lived securely in the castle of Inncrare supposing no enemie to be within a hundred miles of him For he could never before be brought to beleeve that an Army could get into Argyle on foot in the midst of summer and many times heretofore he has been heard to bragge that he had rather lose a hundred thousand Crowns than any mortal man should know the way by which an Army could enter into his Country When he therefore suspected nothing lesse the trembling Cow-herds came down from the hills and told him the enemy was within two miles He not knowing what to do and almost besides himself for fear at last commits himself to a fisher-boat and flies away leaving his friends and servants and the whole Countrey to their fortunes and the mercy of an enemy It is a rough and mountainous countrey barren of corn for little or none is sown there but very commodious for pasture the chief riches of the inhabitants consisting in cattell Montrose divides his Army into three Brigades and sends them about the countrey one Brigade was commanded by the chief of the Mac-renalds another by Mac-donald and the third by himself They range about all the country and lay it waste as many as they find in arms going to the Rendezvouz appointed by their Lord they slay and spare no man that was fit for War nor do they give over till they had driven all serviceable men out of that Territory or at least into holes known to none but themselves Then they fire the villages and Cottes and lay them levell with the ground in that retaliating Arygle with the same measure he had meted unto others who was the first in all the Kingdome that prosecuted his Country-men with fire and sword Lastly they drive their cattell Nor did they deal more gently with others who lived in Lorn and the neighbour parts that acknowledged Argyle's power These things lasted from the 13. of December 1644. to the 28. or 29. of January following And indeed he used never more to acknowledge the singular providence and fatherly mercy of Almighty God than in bringing him and his men safe out of those places for if but two hundred Souldiers had handsomly kept those Passes they might easily either have cut off or at least driven back all his Forces Beside if the Cow-herds had but driven away their cattell which they might easily have done in those barren places he must have starved for hunger Or thirdly if it had been a sharp and stormy winter and it seldome chances to be otherwise there they had either been drowned in snow-drifts or starv'd and benumb'd with cold But merciful God took away both courage from the enemy and its ordinary temper from the air and supplyed their want of bread with great abundance of flesh At length departing out of Argyle and passing through Lorn Glencow and Logh-Aber he came to Logh-Nesse And now he expected that all the Highlanders being either frighted with the example of Argyle or freed from the fear of him should be ready to assist the Kings most righteous cause and vindicate it with their arms against the Rebells But now lest Montrose's heroical spirit should ever want matter to work upon he is advertised that the Earl of Seaforth a very powerfull man in those parts and one of whom he had entertained a better opinion with the Garrison of Innernesse which were old souldiers and the whole strength of Murray Rosse Sutherland Cathnes and the sept of the Frasers were ready to meet him with a desperate army of five thousand Horse and Foot Montrose had only fifteen hundred for those of Clanrenald and most of the Athole-men suspecting no such need of them and being laden with the spoils of Argyle had got leave to go home on condition they should return when they were sent for But for all that Montrose was not afraid to give battell to that disorderly Army for although he knew those of the Garrison to be old souldiers yet he accounted of the rest of the multitude which were newly raised out of Husbandmen Cow-herds Pedees Tavern-boyes and Kitchin-boyes to be altogether raw and unserviceable And now while he thought of nothing but fighting these a trusty Messenger overtakes him and informs him that Argyle having gathered forces out of the lower parts of the Kingdom and joyned unto them such Highlanders as yet adhered unto him had come down into Logh-Aber with three thousand Foot and staid at an old Castle called Innerlogh upon the bank of Logh-Aber Montrose who well understood the crafty and cowardly disposition of Argyle by that had a good guesse at his designe which was to follow after him at a good distance that he might be first engaged with those Northern-men and then to make his own advantage of the event of that battell but by no means to fight himself if he could help it Therefore Montrose considered that it would be a matter of greater concernment and of lesse danger to let men see that Argyle was not invincible even in the Highlands where he was adored by the simple people like some great-little god and as for the Northern Army he conceived that upon the report of a Victory obtained against Argyle it would moulder away and easily be brought into order Montrose was thirty miles absent from Innerlogh neither would he go the high way thither though he placed guards in it lest the enemy should have any intelligence of his moving but streight over Logh-Aber hills in untroden paths and only known to Cowherds and Hunts-men for in those mountains there are great herds of Deer by a way that never man led an Army before and killing their Scouts was upon the back of the enemy ere he was aware They being but little affrighted with so unexpected an accident run to their arms and immediatly prepare themselves for battell When Montrose perceived them to be in a posture so quickly he stood still a little while till his Rear being tired with so hard a march could come up unto his Front It was night but the Moon shone so cleerly that it was almost as light as day all night they stood to their arms and making frequent sallies and skirmishes one with another neither gave the other leave to rest or retreat All others earnestly expected day only Argyle being more advised than the rest conveyed himself away at dead of the night and this second time taking boat saved himself from the perill of battell as if he intended to be Umpire between the two Armies
and being himself out of gun-shot stand spectatour of other mens valour and well too At the break of day Montrose ordered his men as he intended to fight and the enemy were as forward to doe the like For they did not yet think that Montrose was there as some prisoners afterwards confessed but some Collonel or Captain of his with a party only of his forces When the Sun was up on the second of February which is Candelmass day a trumpet sounding struck no small terrour into the enemy For besides that attumpet shewed they had Horse with them and therefore was a sound with which those parts were little acquainted it discovered also that Montrose himself was there Neverthelesse the prime of the Campbells that 's the sirname of Argyle's family being gallant men and stout and deserving to fight under a better Chieftain in a better cause cheerfully begin the battell But their souldiers that were in the Front having only once discharged their muskets and Montrose's men pressing on fiercely to come to the dint of sword began to run Whom they raising a great shout so eagerly pursued that as it were at one assault they routed them all and had the killing of them with a most horrible slaughter for nine miles together Of the enemy were slain fifteen hundred among whom were very many Gentlemen of the Campbells who were chief men of the family and of good account in their country who fighting but too valiantly for their Chieftain had deaths answerable to their names and fell in Campobelli in the Field of War I cannot say the bed of Honour Their fortune Montrose extremely lamented and saved as many of them as he was able taking them into his protection whiles Argyle himself being gotten into a boat and rowed a little way off the shore securely look'd on whiles his kindred and souldiers were knockt on the head Some Colonels and Captains that Argyle had brought thither out of the Low-lands fled into the Castle whom when the Castle was surrendred and quarter was given unto them Montrose used curteously and after he had done them several good offices of humanity and charity freely let them depart In this fight Montrose had many wounded but none slain saving three private souldiers but the joy of this great victory was much abated by the wounds of that truly honourable Sir Thomas Ogilby Son to the Earl of Airley of which after a few days he dyed He was one of Montrose's dearest friends one who had done very good service for the King in England under the Command of his Father-in-law the Lord Ruthien Earl of Forth and Branceforde a man known all the world over for his noble archievements Nor was he lesse a scholar than a souldier being a new ornament to the family of the Ogilbies whose honourable deaths-wounds for his King and Country had no small influence upon that days victory Montrose being very much afflicted with the losse of him causeth his body to be carried into Athole where he was interred with as sumptuous a funeral as that place and those times could afford But the power of the Campbells in the Highlands which for these many ages past hath been formidable to their neighbours was by this overthrow clearly broken to pieces and by it also a way opened unto Montrose to doe his businesse the more easily thence forward For the Highlanders being warlike men and let loose from the hated tyranny of Argyle now began to offer themselves willingly unto the Kings service CHAP. IX THe souldier who was almost spent with this sore travell having refreshed himself for a few dayes Montrose measuring over again Logh-Aber hills returneth to Logh-Nesse And from thence viewing by the way the coasts of Harrick Arne and Narne came to the river of Spey Here he is told that there was no small party of the enemy at Elgin which is the chief town of Murray a Country beyond the Spey Montrose hies towards these either to draw them to his side or to suppresse them but the very report of his advancing blew away that cloud for they in great amazement shifted for themselves every one whither he could Montrose neverthelesse goes on his march and takes in Elgin by surrender on the fourteenth day of February At which time the Lord Gordon eldest Sonne to the Marquesse of Huntley a man who can never be sufficiently commended for his excellent endowments came off openly to the Kings side from his Uncle by whom he had been detained against his will and with not many but very choise friends and clients voluntarily did his duty and offered his service to Montrose as the Kings Deputy and Vicegerent Montrose first welcomed him with all civility and gave him many thanks afterwards when he came to understand him more inwardly joyned him unto himself in the entirest bonds of friendship and affection Now because the inhabitants of Murray were extremely addicted to the Covenanters they hid themselves in their lurking places nor were any supplies to be expected from men so maliciously disposed Therfore he drew his Forces to this side the Spey to raise the Countries of Bamph and Abordeen by the presence example and authority of the Lord Gordon So having got together what forces he could in those places with two thousand Foot and two hundred Horse passing the river of Dee he came into Marne and encamped not farre from Fethercarne At Breichin some seven miles from thence Sir John Hurrey a stout man and an active and famous also in forein parts for Military exploits being General of the Horse for the Covenanters had the Command over the whole Forces there He came out with six hundred Horse to discover the strength of Montrose he conceived Montrose had but very few Foot and no Horse and if he should but descend into the plain he made account to make short work with him and howsoever it should happen he made no question but to secure himself Montrose to draw him on hid the rest of his men in a bottome and made shew only of his two hundred Horse but lined them as he used with his nimblest Musquetiers Which Horse when Hurrey saw and observed they were so few he drew up his men and charged But when he perceived too late the Foot that ran close after Montrose's Horse he sounded a retreat and Hurrey himself turning his men before him behaved himself stoutly in the rear When they turned their backs Montrose's souldiers drive on let fly and lay about them untill being got over the river of Eske the enemy scarce safe under the protection of Night betook themselves to shelter nor did they think themselves secure till after a race of four and twenty miles long they came to Dundee Then they that had pursued them so far returned to Fethercarne and thence the next day to Breichin Here Montrose understood that Baily a Commander of great account had been fetched out of England to be General of the enemies Forces that Hurrey
with his Horse was joyned unto him and that they had in their Army many old souldiers brought back out of England and Ireland so that now the Covenanters going about their businesse in so great sadnesse Montrose must expect not only other kind of souldiers but also most expert Commanders to deal with Therefore lest he should chance to be hemm'd in with their Horse in which their chief strength lay he chuseth his most convenient way by the foot of Grainsbaine towards the river of Tay intending also if it were possible to get over the Forth where he believed the King could not want assistance Which designe of his was not unknown to the enemy therefore they send these Commanders against him with a powerfull Army who no sooner came in sight than Montrose offered them battell But they intended nothing lesse than to try it out with him that way nor would adventure so much as but to fall upon the rear of Montrose as he marched off So he went to the Castle of Innerwharity and the next day to a village called Eliot And here again leaving the mountains behind him he descends into the plain and by a Trumpet sends a challenge unto Baily to fight Between their two Armies ran the river I le which neither could safely passe over without the others consent Montrose therefore desires Baily to give him leave safely to come over to that side which motion if Baily should not like of he offered him a safe and free passage on condition that he would engage his honour to fight without further delay Baily answered he would look to his own businesse himself and would not have other men teach him when to fight Thus the two armies fac'd one another many days neither the enemy endeavouring to passe their Forces over the river against Montrose nor he hoping to make good his passe unto them by reason of his scarcity of Horse Marching therefore to Dunkel he thought to passe the Tay at which time by a sudden and unexpected mischief he was almost utterly ruined It was thus Lewis Gordon Son to Marquesse Huntley who had born arms against Montrose in the battell of Aberdeen by the mediation of his noble Brother the Lord Gordon had been received into favour He either by true or counterfeit letters from the old fox in the hole his father tempted and carried away with him almost all the Gordons without the knowledge of his Brother and basely deserted Montrose and him when they were ready to be engaged with the enemy And truly it is hard to say to whether of both he bore lesse good will Montrose being sore afflicted with this unexpected revolt although he was of necessity to return into the North to gather new Forces yet made as if neverthelesse he went straight towards the Forth and his scouts came all with full cry that all the enemy were got over the Tay that by taking the fords of the Forth they might hinder his passage He lest he should seem all this while to have done nothing thought it well worth his labour if by the way he could take in Dundee a most seditious town for that being the securest haunt and receptacle of the Rebels in those parts and a place that had contributed as much as any other towards the Rebellion was kept by no other garrison but of the Townsmen He therfore commanded the weakest and worst armed men to goe along by the bottom of the hills and to meet him at Breichin and he taking with him what Horse he had which were but one hundred and fifty in all and six hundred nimble musquetiers departing from Dunkel about twelve of the clock in the night made so great haste that he came to Dundee by ten of the clock in the morning on the fourth day of April He summons the Townsmen to deliver the Town to the King which was the only way to preserve their own lives and its safety if they would not they must expect fire and sword They began to make delayes and first to give no answer at all afterward to commit the Trumpet to prison Which affront provoked Montrose so highly that hee stormed the Town in three places at once The Townsmen stood out a while and mantained their works but they had as good have done nothing for the Irish and Highlanders would take no repulse but with a resolute assault some beat them out of their sconces and possessing themselves of their Ordnance turned it against the Town others beat open the gates and possesse themselves of the Church and Market-place and others set the Town on fire in several places And indeed had not the common souldiers by an unseasonable avarice and intemperance addicted themselves to pillage that rich Town had been immediately all on fire But as it happened it was better both for the conquerours and the conquered that it was not for all the intelligence that the Scouts had brought in concerning the enemies comming over the Tay was absolutely false it may be they saw a few Troops and many they did not see passe over it which they beleeved to have been the whole body of the enemy and by that means were like to have undone both themselves and the whole party Montrose stood upon the top of a hill close unto Dundee looking upon this onslaught when his almost breathlesse Scouts brought him news that Baily and Hurrey with three thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse were scarce a mile off He immediately calls his men out of the Town which he had much to doe to perswade them for the souldiers counting themselves secure of the victory and thinking they had done a good dayes work already and besides being a little heated in drink and much taken with so rich a booty could hardly be brought to leave the Town they had so newly taken And truly before they could be beaten off from the spoil the enemy was come within musket-shot of them And now as it uses to happen in great dangers Montrose's counsell of War were of different opinions some perswaded that Montrose should shift for himself with the Horse he had because they conceived it not possible that he should be able to bring off the Foot who had been wearied with a march of above twenty miles in the morning after that were spent in a hot fight at noon and now were over-loaden either with drink or prey especially seeing he was to march twenty or perhaps thirty miles from Dundee before they could rest in safety That this was the fortune of War and to be patiently under-gone especially since he had given oft-times far greater overthrows to the enemy than this could be to him That there was no doubt but that as long as he was safe his Forces might be easily recruited and on the other side if he miscarried the case was desperate and they were utterly undone Others cryed out that all was lost already and there was nothing left them but to die with
whispers him in the ear that Mac-donald with his men on the right flank were put to flight He being a man of a quick spirit thought it was best to fore-stall the Souldiers lest their hearts should fail them upon bad news and cryes aloud to the Lord Gordon My Lord what do we do Mac-donald upon the right hand having routed and discomfited the enemy is upon the execution shall we stand by as idle spectatours whiles he carries away the honour of the day And with that he commands them to charge Hurrey's Horse had no mind long to endure the shock of the Gordons but wheeling about and beginning to run left their flanks which they were to maintain open to their enemies Their Foot although thus deserted by their Horse being both more in number and better armed than Montrose's men stood out very stoutly as long as his men kept aloof but assoon as he came to fall upon them hand to hand he drove them to throw away their arms and to seek though to little purpose to save themselves by their heels But Montrose himself not forgetting what was signified unto him by so faithfull a messenger drew off with a few of his readiest men unto the right flank where he found things in a far other condition than they were left For Mac-donald being a valiant man but better at his hands then head being over-hasty in battel and bold even to rashnesse disdaining to shelter himself behind hedges and shrubs whiles the enemy vapoured and provoked him with ill language contrary to orders upon his own head advanceth towards the enemy out of that most defensible fastnesse and station wherein he was placed And he did it to his cost for the enemy over-powring him both in Horse and Foot and having many old souldiers amongst them routed and repulsed his men And certainly if he had not timely drawn them off into a close hard by they had every one of them together with the Kings Standard been lost But he made a mends for that rash mistake in his admirable courage in bringing off his men for he was the last man that came off and covering his body with a great target which he carried in his left hand defended himself against the thickest of his enemies Those that came closest up unto him were Pike-men who with many a blow had struck their spear-heads into his target which he cut off by three or foure at once with his sword which he managed with his right hand And those that made him any opposition in the close seeing Montrose come in to his aid and their own men on the other side put to flight such as were Horse spurr'd away and the Foot most of which were old Souldiers out of Ireland fighting desperately were almost all of them slain upon the ground The Conquerors pursued them that fled for some miles so that there were slain about three thousand Foot of the enemy amongst whom their old souldiers fought most stoutly but almost all their Horse escaped by a more timely than honourable flight Nor had Hurrey himself with some of their best men which went last off the field escaped the hands of the pursuers had not the Earl of Aboine by I know not what want of heed displayed some Ensignes and Standards that had been taken from the enemy and himself not following the chase but turning towards his owne party seemed to have been the enemy and to threaten a new battell With which mistake they were so long deluded untill the enemies Horse though much disordered had shifted themselves away into such by-paths as they knew or could light upon only a few of them came with Hurrey before next morning to Innernesse Of such of the enemy as were slain the most notable were Cambell Laver a Collonel of old Souldiers Sir Iohn and Sir Gideon Murray Knights and other stout men and perhaps not unworthy to be lamented had they not stained their otherwise commendable valour with the horrid crime of Rebellion nor in that did they so much follow their own judgements as the humour of the times or the ambition or a varice of their Chiefs Montrose of those that served with him on the left flank missed only one man and him a private Souldier and on that side where Mac-donald commanded there were missing fourteen private Souldiers also But he had many more wounded the curing and securing of whom was especially provided for by Montrose Afterwards entertaining the prisoners with sweetnesse and courtesie he promised all such as repented of their errour liberty or employment and was as good as his word and such as were obstinate in their rebellion he disposed of into several prisons In this battel at Alderne the valour of young Napier did very much discover it self who being the Son of the Lord Napier of Marchiston and Montrose's nephew by his sister had but a little before without the knowledge of his Father or Wife stoln away from Edinburgh to his Uncle and did at this time give an excellent assay of his valour and laid down most firm principles of a most noble disposition Whereupon the chief of the Covenanters took his Father a man almost threescore and ten years old and as good a man as ever Scotland bred in this age and his wife the daughter of the Earl of Marre Sir Sterling Keer his brother-in-law an excellent man also chief of his family and one that had suffered very much for his Loyalty together with his two sisters the one Sir Sterlings most vertuous Lady the other a virgin and cast them all into the dungeon from whence afterward they were to be delivered by Napier himself with the assistance of his Uncle This battell was fought at Alderne on the 4. of May 1645. CHAP. XI MOntrose allowing a few dayes of refreshment to his Souldiers marched to Elgin which is the chief Town of the Province where for the sake of those that were wounded he made some longer stay because they had there the accommodation of good Chirurgeons and medicines which are some times scarce to be had in the field Afterward passing over the Spey he came to Keith from thence to Frendrackt and so to Strathbogy Here Baily meets him unto whom Hurrey with those that remained of his broken Troops at Alderne was joyned and provokes him to battell Montrose kept back his men who were spent with great travail and were far fewer both in Horse and Foot though very eager to fight till such time as he had raised new forces and recruited them Therefore thinking it enough to maintain the ground which he had chosen as commodiously as he could for himself untill night passeth to Balveny whither also the enemy follovveth him but he passing by Strath-Done and Sprath-Spey went up to Badenoth The enemy getting to the other side of the water provokes him again to fight but in vain for he was very wary of giving them a set battell but neverthelesse by frequent skirmishes and especially
the Lord Forbeses called Druminore where he staid two dayes And at last he understands the enemy had quitted the passes and was marching toward Strathbogy so he at break of day sets forth towards a village called Alford But Baily when he had gotten certain notice that Mac-donald with a considerable part of those Forces was absent in the Highlands he voluntarily pursues Montrose conceiving him to be stealing away and about noon began to face him Montrose determines to wait for the enemy who as seemed to him came towards him upon the higher ground but Baily turning aside some three miles to the left hand Montrose holds on his intended march to Alford where he 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 arms 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 Rear of their flying enemy for so those excellent Diviners prophesied to their own 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 he returneth alone to order the battel And above all things he possesses himself of Alford hill where he might receive the charge of the enemy if they fell on desperately Behind him was a moorish place full of ditches and pits which would prevent Horse falling upon his Rear befote him was a steep hill which kept his men from the enemies view so that they could hardly perceive the formost ranks He had scarce given order for the right managing of all things when those Horse whom he had left at the Ford returned with a full cariere and bring word that the enemy had passed the River And novv it vvas no more safe for either of them to retreat vvithout the apparent ruine of their party It is reported that Baily like a skilful and vvary Commander vvas sore against his will drawn unto this battel nor had engaged had he not been necessitated unto it by the rashnesse of the Lord Balcarise a Collonel of Horse who precipitated himself and the Horse under his command into that danger whether Baily would or no as that he 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 Earl of Aboine to whom also was joyned Sir William Rollock And of the main battel to two valiant men Glengar and Drumond of Ball the younger unto whom he added George Graham Master of the Camp an expert Souldier also The Reserve which was altogether hid behind 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 latter 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 dunghils but those that served the King Gentlemen who fought for a good Cause and Honour gratis and not for gain and such as esteem'd it more becoming to die than 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 down 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-blows 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 Collonel and Collonel Nathaniel called out unto those expert Firelocks who now lin'd the Horse as they were wont Come on my fellow souldiers throw down your now useless guns draw your swords and sheath them in the Rebels Horse or hamstring them They instantly took 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 affrighted betook himself to his heels Aboine with the left wing kept off nor did he 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 There Foot being deserted by their Horse after they had desperately stood out a while and reâ—used 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 battel was won rushing fiercely into the thickest of them received a shot thorow 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 battel Montrose did not lose so much as one common Souldier and of Gentlemen one Culchol and one Melton 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 yeares of age apiece who throwing down their Masters luggage and mounting upon their Nags and Sumpter-horses did not only make a fair appearance of a body of Horse but as if they had been Corrivals in valour with their Masters beyond what might be expected from their years and 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 than victorious Army The first scene of their sorrow was acted in a dull silence in the next the floud-gates were broke open and the Army was full of sighes and sobs and wailing and lamentation and then with bedewed cheeks as soon 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 of such a man Thus forgetting their victory and the spoil they fixt their eyes upon the lifeless body kissed his face and hands commended the singular beauty of the Corps compared the Nobility of his descent and the plentifulnesse of his fortune with the hopefulnesse of his parts and counted that an unfortunate victory that had stood them in so much And truly it was like to have happened that their excessive sorrow for the losse of this noble Gentleman had conquer'd the Conquerors had they not comforted themselves with the presence and safety of Montrose Nor could he himself refrain himself from bewailing with salt tears the sad and bitter fate of his most dear and only friend but lamented much that the honour of his Nation the ornament of the Scotish Nobility the ablest assertor of the Royal Authority in the North and so intimate a friend unto himself should be thus cut off in the flower of his age In the mean time hoping that reason and time between them would asswage that grief he commands Physicians to embalm his noble Corps which afterwards being removed to Aberdeen he saw brought forth with a sumptuous and Souldier-like Fâ—â—eral and interr'd in the Monument of his Ancestors in the Cathedral Church This battel was fought at Alford on the 2. of July 1645. CHAP. XII MOntrose that same afternoon that he had got this victory at Alford marching to Clunie Castle allowed only two or three hours to his Souldiers for their refreshment And going from thence to the bank of the river Dee sent away the Earl of Aboine who succeeded his deceased Brother into Buchanshire and the places adjacent for recruits for many of them who were at the fight being Highlanders and not farre from their own habitations had dropt home with their pillage And because Mac-donald was not yet returned he kept his quarters at Cragston expecting both him and Aboine But when he perceived those Auxiliaries were dispatched unto him with lesse speed than he hoped and finding his expectation deluded impatient of so long and disadvantageous delay after he had got over the Dee and Gransbaine fell down into Merne and lay at Fordón Chapel once famous for the See and Sepulchre of St. Palladius Thence he sends to the Earle of Aboine who was now come to Aberdeen to hasten unto him into Merne with such Forces as he heard he had raised Alboine came indeed but brought no great store of Forces along with him therefore he sends him back into the North to raise as many men as he could possibly and bring them with all speed unto the Camp He himself going through Angus met his Cosen Patrick Graham with his Athole-men ready to live and die under his command and Mac-donald with a great power of Highlanders with him was Macklen the chief of his sept a valiant man and singularly loyal who brought some seven hundred choice Foot of his Friends and Clients Also the chief of the Mac-renolds a great man in the Highlands and one that entirely lov'd the King who had above five hundred men at his heels The Mac-gregors also and the Macknabâ— men inferiour to none in valour and hardness after the fashion of the Countrey followed their Commanders and Chiefs of their Families whose certain number I cannot easily assigne And Glengar a man never sufficiently to be commended for his valour and loyalty to the King and serviceableness and affection to Montrose seeing he in person almost from the Expedition into Argyle had never departed from him by his Uncles others whom he imployed brought in about five hundred more Besides out of the plains of Marre came a great number of the Fercharsons gallant men and of approved valour And some too out of Badenoth not many indeed but stout and able men of their hands Montrose being reinforced with such an Army resolves to make way into the heart of the Kingdome as well to spoil the enemies levying of men in Fifeshire and the Country on this side the Forth as also to break up the Parliament which the Covenanters had not without solemnity and ostentation summoned at Saint Johns-town Nor did any thing hinder him but want of Horse of which alwaies he had such scarcity that it was never oâ— very seldome safe for him to fall down into the plain Countrey But because he dayly expected Aboine and Airley to come unto him with a considerable party of Horse he passed over the Tay at Dunkel and lying near Amunde struck no small terrour into the enemy who held Saint Johns-town and from thence approaching nearer unto them he encamped in Methfyn Forest The enemies Foot all but the Garrison Souldiers in the Town lay on the South of the River Erne The Horse which were designed for the guard of the Town and Parliament as soon as they discovered Montrose's Scouts bring in a hot alarm that he was there and come already close to the gates and no question but he meant presently to scale the walls and make an assault upon the Town therefore they were earnest with the Nobility and the whole Parliament to secure themselves by a speedy flight when all this while Montrose had scarce a hundred Horse and they were four hundred But he the next day the more to encrease theiâ— terrour drew near unto the Town with those Horse he had and about the same number of ready Fire-locks whom he mounted upon pack-horses and set out his men in their view so much to his advantage that they appeared a considerable body of Horse And because the enemy kept themselves within the gates forthwith turning towards Duplin he diligently view'd this side of the River Erne and all that coast as if he had Horse enough to keep all that Countrey in subjection And truly thus much he got by it that the enemy took him to be exceeding strong as well in Horse as Foot Therefore they draw together as many Forces from all sides as they could make whom they intended to fight with Montrose if he should offer to passe over the Forth But he finding it not safe for himself neither to descend into the Champain Countrey they both kept their stations for many dayes the enemy expecting Auxiliaries out of Fife and the Country on this side of the Forth and out of the West and Montrose looking for the like out of the North And waiting impatiently for Aboine who was too slow with his men he
first heat those that mann'd the places beat them off drave them away and slew them without resistance The Highlanders being animated with this happy success those that were next those places not expecting the word of Command ran rashly up the hill which lay open to the whole strength of the enemy Montrose although he was something troubled at the unseasonable boldnesse of his men yet thought it not good to leave them engaged nor was it easie to say whether the quickness of his relief or the cowardliness of the enemy conduc'd more to their safety Montrose had in all four thousand four hundred Foot and five hundred Horse a thousand of his Foot or more had now by their own fault so engaged themselves with the enemy that they could not come off for the enemy encounter'd them with six thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse But the enemies Rear came up but slowly and while the Van made a stand expecting their advance Montrose had opportunity to bring timely aid to his engaged men But at last they send out three troops of Horse and after them two thousand Foot against those rash and almost lost men of Montrose Which when Montrose saw after others had too dishonourably shifted off that service he thus bespeaks the Earle of Airley You see my noble Loid how yonder men of ours by their unadvisedness have brought themselves into a most desperate hazard and will presently be trampled to dirt by the enemies Horse except we relieve them with all speed Now all mens eyes and hearts are fixt upon your Lordship they think you only worthy so great an honour as to repell the enemy and bring off our fellow Souldiers Besides it seemes most proper for you that the errour which hath been committed by the fool hardinesse of youth may be corrected by your Lordships grave and discreet valour And he undertook the service as dangerous as it was with all his heart and being guarded with a troop of Horse in which rode John Ogilby of Baldeby who had formerly been a Collonel in Swethland a stout man and a skilfull souldier led them on straight upon the enemy And they giving the charge upon the Ogilbies disputed it sharply with them for a while but at last being no longer able to withstand their courage fac'd about whom the Ogilbies pursued so hotly that they made them fall foul upon their own Foot and charging them furiously thorow and thorow routed them and trode them under foot By this gallant example of Airley and the Ogilbies Montrose's Souldiers being enraged more and more could no longer be kept back from raising a great shout as if they had already got the day and falling on upon the enemy Nor would the Rebels Horse long abide their charge but deserting their Foot fell a running as â—ast as ever they could Nor did their Foot after they were so deserted stand it out long but throwing down their arms sought to save their lives by flight Which proved unserviceable for the victorious pursuers had the killing of them for fourteen miles So that of all the enemies Foot that were present at that battell it is thought there did not an hundred come off Nor did their Horse escape very well of whom some were killed some taken the rest disperst Their Ordnance their Arms their Spoils came clearly to the Conquerours who lost only six of their side whereof three were Ogilbies valiant Gentlemen who fighting like themselvs sealed the victory with their own bloud The rebellious sort of the Nobility of whom many were in the fight some of them by their timous running and swiftness of their Horses got to the Town and strong Castle of Sterling others escaping to the Scotish Fyrth shipt themselvs in some vessels that lay at anchor near the shoar amongst whom Argyle having now this third time been fortunate to a boat escaped into a ship and thought himself scarce safe enough so till weighing anchor he got into the main Or prisoners the chief were Sir William Murray of Blebo James Arnot brother to the Lord Burghley one Collonel Diee and Collonel Wallace besides many more whom Montrose after quarter given used courteously and upon the engagement of their Honours set at liberry And this is that famous victory of Kilsythe obtained on the 15 day of September 1645. in which it is beleev'd no fewer then six thousand Rebells were slain CHAP. XIV THere was a great alteration all the Kingdome over after this battell at Kilsythe those of the Rebell-Nobility were all of them sore affrighted some of them fled to Baywick some to Carlisle some to Newcastle others into Ireland And such as before only privately wisht well unto the King now did no longer fear to shew themselves to expresse their loyalty to pray openly for his prosperity and to offer their service But those that before had sided with the Covenanters began to ask forgivenesse to plead they were constrain'd to take up Arms by the violence and tyranny of the Rebells to submit their persons and estates to the Conquerour humbly to beseech his protection and to implore his wonted clemency And Cities and Countries that were furthest off began to dispatch their Commissioners to professe in their names their Allegiance to their King their duty and service to his Vicegerent and freely to offer him Men Arms Provision and other necessaries of War The Nobility of the Realm and the Chiefs of Septs came in thick unto the Lord Governour welcomed him tendred their service unto him extoll'd his high and honourable atchievements and thank'd him for them All whom he pardoned for what was past receiv'd them with liberty and indempnity into his protection and encouraged them to be of good chear Nor did he lay any greater burden upon them than to change that covetous and cruell slavery which they were manacled with by the Rebells for the sweet and gentle government and protection of a most gracious Prince and by laying aside all former grudges and fewds hereafter more religiously to observe their duty and loyalty to the good King and thence forward never more to have to doe with the counsells of seditious men who by endeavouring to satisfie their own â—usts had engaged King and Subject one against the other and upon the matter ruin'd both For his part he never had any other intention than to restore their Religion their King their Liberty his Peers and Countrymen by Arms when no other means was left out of the tyranny of Rebells unto their antient peace happinesse and glory Which if he should effect he would give Almighty God the authour of all good things everlasting praise but if he failed however he should by these his honest endeavours acquit himself before God and Gods Vicegerent his Majesty before all good men and his posterity his honour and his conscience At this time the whole Kingdome sounded nothing but Montrose's praise Men of all sorts every where extolling the ingenuity of his disposition in
Crawford returning brought word that Lewis was gone home but would be back again next day for so he had made him believe though he intended nothing lesse than to come back a Youth liable to censure for more feats than that But when upon the third day they came to Alford it was observed that Aboines men were slow to stand to their colours that they loytered in their march that their ranks were thin and disordered and that they ran away by whole companies almost every night and at last their Commander Aboine himself was not ashamed to desire to be excused and to have leave to depart When all men wondered and desired to know what might be the reason of that sudden alteration of his resolution he pleaded his fathers Commands which he was oblig'din no case to disobey and that his father had not sent him such directions without just occasion for the enemies Forces lay in lower Marre and would be presently upon their backs if they were deprived of the protection of their own men and that it was unexcusable folly for him to carry his men another way when his own Country was in so much danger Montrose reply'd That it was most certain that only a few Troops of Horse kept within Aberdeen that they had no Foot at all and those few Horse nor durst nor could doe the Country any harm and there was no doubt but upon the first alarm of his approach their Commanders would send for those also to secure the Low-lands Besides that it would be much more to the Marquesse of Huntleys advantage if the seat of Warr were removed into the enemies Country than be kept up in his own and upon that score there was more need to make haste into the South that they might save the North from the burden of the Armies He added moreover That he daily expected aids out of England which could by no means joyn with them except they met them on the South-side the Forth And at last with much resentment he represented unto him the condition of the prisoners who were many of them Huntley's own kindred allies or friends who would all be unhumanly murthered except they timely prevented it To all this when Aboine had nothing to answer he desired his father might be acquainted with the whole matter and 't was granted Such were made choice of to treat with Huntley as were conceived to be highest in his favour to wit Donald Lord Rese in whose Country he had sojourned and Alexander Irwin the younger of Drumme who had but the other day married Huntleys daughter and both of them were also much obliged to Montrose for their newly recovered liberties Rese being ashamed of receiving the repulse had not the confidence to return and Irwin a Noble young Gentleman and a stout who stuck to Montrose to the last brought no answer but his father-in-laws ambiguous Letters of which no hold could be taken Being desired to deliver what he conceived his father-in-laws resolution was he professed ingenuously he knew not what to make of him he could get no certain answer but doubted he was obstinate in his fond conceit Ahoine first declaring how sore against his will it was to part from Montrose urged how necessary it was for him to please his dear Father who was sickly too and therefore more earnestly desired the Lord Governor to dispence with him for a few dayes till he could pacifie his Father and made an absolute promise that within a fortnight he would follow him with much stronger Forces And when he had often and freely engaged his honour to do as he said he extorted with much ado a Furlogh from Montrose sore against his Stomach to be absent for the time aforesaid Aboine being returned home Montrose marched over the plains of Marre and Scharschioch and came down into Athole and thence having a little increased his Army into the Sherifdom of Perth where receiving an express out of the North he is put into new hopes Aboine having sent him word he would be with him with his men before the day appointed At the same time came unto him by several wayes Captain Thomas Ogilby of Pourie the younger and Captain Robert Nesbit both of them sent unto him from His Majesty with Commands that if he could possibly he should make all speed towards the Borders to meet the Lord George Digby Son to the Earl of Bristol who was sent unto him with a party of Horse The same Bearers Montrose dispatcheth to Huntley and Aboine to communicate unto them those Instructions from the King hoping by that means being quickned with His Majesties authority and the approach of aid they would make more haste with their Forces in the vain expectation of whom he had trifled away too much time in Strath-Erne About this time the Lord Napier of Marchiston departed this life in Athole a man of a most innocent life and happy parts a truly Noble Gentleman and Chief of an Antient Family one who equalled his Father and Grandfather Napiers Philosophers and Mathematicians famous through all the world in other things but far exceeded them in his dexterity in civil business a man as faithful unto as highly esteemed by King James and King Charles sometime he was Lord Treasurer and was deservedly advanced into the rank of the higher Nobility and since these times had expressed so much loyalty and love to the King that he was a large partaker of the rewards which Rebels bestow upon Vertue often Imprisonment Sequestration and Plunder This man Montrose when he was a Boy look'd upon as a more tender Father when he was a youth as a most Sage Admonitor when he was Man as a most faithful Friend and now that he died was no otherwise affected with his death than as if it had been his Fathers Whose most elaborate Discourses Of the Right of Kings and Of the original of the turmoils of Great Britain I heartily wish may some time come to light CHAP. XVIII MOntrose when he had waited for Aboine with his forces out of the North now three weeks either on his march or in Strath-Erne and perceived that the Rebels began to grow more out rageous towards the prisoners being impatient of further delay crosseth over the Forth and came into Leven and he encamped upon the land of Sir John Buchanan the Ring-leader of the Covenanters in those parts expecting that by that means lying so near Glascow he might fright the Rebels who then kept a Convention of Estates there from the murther of the prisoners To which end facing the City every day with his horse he wasted the enemies Country without any resistance although at that time for the guard of the Estates and City they had three thousand Horse in their quarters and he not full three hundred and twelve hundred foot Notwithstanding before his coming down into Leven the Covenanters as soon as they understood that Huntley and Montrose agreed not and that Aboine and his
say how great influence that mans example had upon other Northern men The Earl of Seaforth who had been but lately and with much adoe reconciled to the Kings side was conceived to begin to falter and some say that being still unsetled he had then underhand dealings for the making of his peace with the Covenanters which truly I can hardly believe And Alexander Mac-donald himself pretending I know not what although he had had often and serious invitations made nothing but sleevelesse excuses and put-offs from day to day Which carriage of his gave occasion of strange reports of him as if he although he was a bitter enemy to Argyle yet had great correspondence with and relations unto the Hamiltons and therefore staid at home and looked only upon the preservation of the Mac-donalds not medling with publique affairs Which when Montrose considered he resolved without further delay to make his progresse over all the North-country and Highlands with a considerable party to list souldiers to encourage the well-disposed to reduce those that were refractory by the severity of the Laws and condign punishment and to deal with them as men use to do with sick children make them take physick whether they will or no. And he wanted not fiting instruments to promote this desigh who had earnestly laboured with him to take that course While these things passed at Innernesse Huntley lest he should be thought never to have done any thing by his own conduct without the assistance of Montrose besieged and took in Aberdeen which Middleton kept with five hundred men but with more losse to Huntley himself than to the enemy For besides the losse of many valiant souldiers he gave his Highlanders leave to pillage the City But what fault those poor innocent Aberdeen-men had made either against the King or Huntley let them judge who know that almost all of them were eminent and observed for their loyalty But for the enemy whom he took in Armes who were both many and of very good account amongst their own party hee dismist them freely without any conditions and look'd fawningly upon them rather like a Petitioner than a Conquerour Nor when he had many Collonels Knights and others of quality who by chance were found in Aberdeen in his hands did he so much as think of exchanging any one of his own friends for them many of whom were prisoners either in Scotland or England But this was his humour being alwayes more ready to doe good for his enemies than his friends CHAP. XXI MOntrose being busie about his design on the last of May there came unto him a Herald with Commands from the King who by I know not what misfortune had cast himself upon the Scotch Covenanters Army at Newcastle wherby he was required forthwith to lay down his arms and disband and to depart into France and there to wait his Majesties further pleasure He being astonished with this unexpected message bitterly bewailed the sad condition of the King that had forced him to cast himself upon the mercy of his most deadly enemies And doubted not but that that command which was given him for disbanding was extorted from him by the craft or force or threats of the Rebels into whose hands he had fallen But what should he do in that case If he obeyed he must give over the estates of his friends to plunder and their lives to death and if he stood in arms against the Kings command he should be guilty of that crime he undertook to scourge in others Rebellion And especially he was afraid lest the Rebells should put his actions upon the Kings account and use him the worse for them seeing they had him in their power of which the King had given him a fair hint in his Letter Therefore Montrose resolved to call together all the Noblemen and Chiefs of Septs and Knights and others of quality that were of his side that a matter of that consequence which concern'd them all might be discust by general consent To which end after he had received so many injuries from him he dispatcheth Sir John Hurrey Sir John Innes being men of greatest account in his Army and as he conceived most in Huntleys favour unto him to desire him to be present at that so serious Consultation and deferr'd unto him the appointment of the time and place And to tell him moreover that Montrose was willing to come to his Castle if he thought fit Huntley answer'd That the King had sent him Letters also to the same effect which he was resolved to obey that the Kings commands were of that nature as not to admit of second thoughts and after them nothing was left for consultation When they replyed that that likely was Montroses opinion too and that he was as ready as any other to give obedience to the Kings Commands if they were not forced however it concern'd them all to provide in time for the safety of them and theirs And that the credit and authority of what they resolved upon would be greater even in the opinion of the enemies themselvs if they made a joynt and unanimous resolution He made no other answer than that he had resolved for himself and would have nothing to do with any body else Montrose therefore sends his answer to the King by Letters wherin he was very inquisitive of the condition he was in amongst the Covenanters and whether he conceiv'd himself safe in their hands and also whether his service could be beneficial unto him any further And if he was fully determin'd to have that Army disbanded which fought for him whiles the enemy in both Kingdomes were in a military posture and crow'd over them more and more what course should be taken for the security of the lives and fortunes of his most gallant and faithfull Subjects who had spent their blood and all that was dear unto them for his sake For it was a lamentable case if so excellnet men should be left to the mercy of them that had none not only to be undone but to be murthered To this he received no open answer besides some Articles which the messenger brought which were signed by the Rebells with which Montrose was to be content But he in great anger rejected those conditions which the enemy had made being so unconscionable as they were and not vouchsafing so much as to treat with the enemy sent back the bearer to the King professing that as he had not taken arms up but by the King Commission so he would have no condition prescribed him to lay them down by any mortal man but the Kings himself Therefore he humbly besought the King if he thought it fit that he should disband his Army that he would not think much to make and signe the conditions himself to which though they prov'd perhaps very harsh he promised absolutely to submit but he scorn'd the commands of any one else whosoever they were The messenger returning at last brought with him
lives have I preserved and as I came in upon his Majesties Warrant So upon his Letters did I lay aside all interest and retreated And for my comming in at this time it was by his Majesties command in order to the accelerating of the Treaty betwixt him and you His Majestie knowing that when ever he had ended with you I was ready to retire upon his call I may justly say that never subject acted upon more Honourable grounds nor by a more lawful power than I did in this service and therefore I desire you to lay aside prejudice and consider me as a Christian in relation to the justice of the quarrel as a Subject in relation to my Royal Masters commands and as your Neighbour in relation to the many of your lives I have preserved in battel and be not too rash but let me be judged by the Laws of God the Laws of Nature and Nations and the Laws of this Land if you do otherwise I do hear appeal from you to the Righteous judge of the world who one day must be both your judge and mine and who alwayes gives Righteous judgement This he delivered with such Gravity and without Passion as was much admired even of his enemies After which the Chancellour commanded the Sentence to be read which he heard with a setled and an unmoved countenance and desiring to be further heard was presently stopt by the Chancellour who commanded he should be presently removed back again to prison where being no sooner come but the Ministers assault him afresh aggravating the terrour of the Sentence thereby to affright him He acknowledged himself much beholding to the Parliament for the Honour they put upon him saying He took it for a greater honour to have his head stand upon the Prison Gate for this quarrel than to have his picture in the Kings Bed-chamber And lest his Loyaltie should be forgotten they had highly honoured him in designing lasting monuments to four of the chiefest Cities to bear up his memorial to all posterity Wishing he had had flesh enough to have sent a piece to every City in Christendome to witnesse his loyalty to his King and Country His Friends were not suffered to come near him but a guard was alwayes in the Chamber with him insomuch as he had neither time nor place for his private devotions but in their hearing The next day being the 21. Cloathed in a Scarlet cloak richly laced with Gold lace he was brought to the Scaffold He came along the Streets with so great state and there appeared in his countenance so much Beauty Majesty and Gravity as amazed the beholders and many even of his Enemies did acknowledge him to be the gallantest subject in the World but because all his Friends and well-willers were debar'd from comming near him there was a boy designed for that purpose on the Scaffold who took his last Speech Which was to this effect I am sorry if this manner of my End be scandalous to any good Christian Doth it not often happen to the righteous according to the wayes of the wicked and to the wicked according to the wayes of the righteous doth not sometime a just man perish in his righteousness and a wicked man prosper in his malice They who know me should not disesteem me for this many greater than I have been dealt with in this kind yet I must not say but that all Gods Judgements are Just For my private sins I acknowledge this to be just with God I submit my self to him but in regard of man I may say they are but instruments God forgive them I forgive them they have oppressed the poor and violently perverted Judgement and Justice but he that is higher than they will reward them What I did in this Kingdome was in obedience to the most just Commands of my Soveraign for his defence in the day of his distresse against those that rose up against him I acknowledge nothing but fear God and Honour the King according to the commandements of God and the Law of Nature and Nations and I have not sinned against man but against God and with him there is Mercy which is the ground of my drawing neer unto him It is objected against me by many even good People That I am under the Censure of the Church This is not my fault since it is only for doing my Duty by obeying my Prince's most just Commands for Religion His Sacred Person and Authority Yet I am sorry they did Excommunicate me in that which is according to Gods Laws without wronging my Conscience or Allegeance I desire to be relaxed if they will not do it I appeal to God who is the righteous Judge of the world and who must and will I hope be my Judge and Sviour It is spoken of me that I should blame the King God forbid For the late King he lived a Saint and dyed a Martyr I pray God I may so end as He did If ever I should wish my Soul in another mans stead it should be in his For his Majesty now living never people I believe might be more happy in a King His Commands to me were most just in nothing that he promiseth will he fail He deals justly with all men I pray God he be so dealt withall that he be not betrayed under trust as His Father was I desire not to be mistaken as if my carriage at this time in Relation to your waies were stubborn I do but follow the light of my own Conscience which is seconded by the working of the good Spirit of God that is within me I thank him I go to Heavens Throne with joy If He enable me against the fear of Death and furnish me with courage and considence to imbrace it even in its most ugly shape Let God be glorified in my end though it were in my damnation Yet I say not this out of any fear or distrust but out of my duty to God and Love to his people I have no more to say but that I desire your Charity and Prayers I shall pray for you all I leave my Soul to God my Service to my Prince my Good will to my Friends and my Naâ—â—e and Charity to you all And thus briefly I have exonerated my Conscience Being desired to pray apart He said I have already powred out my Soul before the Lord who knows my heart and into whose hands I have commended my Spirit and he hath been graciously pleased to return to me a full assurance of peace in Jesus Christ my Redeemer and therefore if you will not joyn with me in prayer my reiterating again will be both Scandalous to you and me So closing his eyes and holding up his hands he stood a good space at his inward devotions being perceived to be inwardly moved all the while When he had done he call'd for the Executioner and gave him mony Then having brought unto him hanging in a cord his Declaration and History he hanged
them about his neck saying Thongh it hath pleased His Sacred Majesty that now is to make him one of the Knights of the most Honourable Order of the Garter yet he did not think himself more Honoured by the Garter than by that cord with the Books which he would embrace about his neck with as much joy and content as ever he did the Garter or a chain of gold and therefore desired them to be tied unto him as they pleased When this was done and his ams tyed he asked the Officers If they had any more Dishonour as they conceived it to put upon him he was ready to accept it And so with an undaunted Courage and Gravitie suffered according to the Sentence past upon him THe death of the noble Marquesse was not bewailed as a private losse but rather as a publique calamitie The greatest Princes in Europe expressed no small sorrow for his unhappy end And indeed we have not had in this latter Age a man of more eminent parts either of body or of mind He was a man not very tall nor much exceeding a middle stature but of exceeding strong composition of body and incredible force with excellent proportion and feature Dark brown hayr'd sanguine complexion a swift and peircing gray eye with a high nose somewhat like the antient signe of the Persian Kings Magnamity He was of a most resolute and undaunted spirit which began to appear in him to the wonder and expectation of all men even in his childhood Whom would it not have startled to attempt as he did at his first entry into Scotland a journey wherein he could not almost escape discovery all passes being so laid for him but even when he was known and almost made publike he proceeded in his intention He was a man of a very Princely courage and excellent addresses which made him for the most part be us'd by all Princes with extraordinary familiarity A compleat Horseman and had a singular grace in riding Nor is it lesse wonderful how in so great scarcity of all things when warre in that Country is but tedious with the greatest plenty it can afford he could patiently endure so much distresse Nor is it lesse to be wondred at how he could win so much upon those Irish who had no tie to him either of Country Language or Religion as he did More especially when they wanted not all manner of temptation that either their own miseries and intollerable duty could suggest or the wit and sagacity of the enemy could invent to make them leave him and abandon the service Besides the many examples shown upon them and their continual want of Pay either of which accidents in an Army is ground enough and has been many times the occasion of mutiny and desertion Nor had he only an excellent and mature judgement for providing and forecasting of businesse but a prompt and ready spirit likewise in matters of present danger and sudden calamity and these things which might have confused another another mans understanding as such sudden chances often doe were a whetting to his wit There are many stratagems in several Histories related which in the heat of action have been put in practice for the regaining of a day already lost or in danger to be so As that of Jugurtha a politick and valiant Prince who in the heat of a battel betwixt him and Marius the Roman Consul rode up and down in the head of the Army showing his bloody sword and affirming that he had slain Marius with his own hand which word did so encourage the Numidians and amaze the Romans that had not Marius in time appeared that day had been in hazard It is likewise reported of one of the Roman Captains that he flung his Standard amongst the middle of the enemie that his own Souldiers by pressing forward to rescue it might break and disorder the enemy Likewise of another that took the bridles off the horse-heads that every man might be a like valiant and charge as we say without fear or wit But beyond all these in my opinion was that device of the Marquesses who at Alderne being in a great straight one wing of his Army being routed and the other in a very staggering condition he did so incense that which was yet whole with the feigned success of the other that they valiantly charged the enemy and put the businesse again into an even ballance And very like was it to that device of Tullus Hostilius who being deserted by Metius King of the Albans told his souldiers he had don 't of purpose to try them and by that means turned their fear into indignation He was exceeding constant and loving to those that did adhere to him and to those he knew very affable though his carriage which indeed was not ordinary did make him seem proud Nor can his enemies lay any greater fault to his charge than his insatiable desire of honour which he did pursue with as handsome and heroick actions as ever any did and such as had neither admixtion of avarice or self-ends though he was therewith by some most unworthily branded For these and the like vertues of which he was the rich possessour he was lamented all Christendom over by all sorts of men since his death too by those who had the greatest hand in 't though their successe at that time did animate their cruelty Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futureae Et servare modum rebus sublata secundis The Speech of Collonel William Sybbald intended by him to have been spoken on the Scaffold at the time of his Execution at Edinborough Jan. 7. 1650. but hearing that Liberty would not be given him to speak so freely he gave a Copie of it to a special friend GEntlemen I am brought this day to this place to pay a debt to Nature before it be due and by the malice and cruelty of my mercylesse enemies I am sentenced to dye as a Traytor to my Country for endeavouring to do service for my King on whose happinesse and wel-fare does depend the wel-fare of these Kingdoms and to whom I am bound both by the Law of God and man to perform all faithful and loyal service And as the cause for which I suffer proclames my loyalty so their Sentence does declare to all the world their disloyalty and their intentions against the King Their self-guiltinesse makes cowardly spirits cruel and such was their proceedings against me as that I could not obtain an Advocate to plead for me nor any man skilful in the Laws either to advise with me or to write my Defence though they knew me to be ignorant of the Laws Thus is my innocencie and integrity betrayed partly by their malice and my own ignorance The truth is they did profer to do me any courtesie or favour if I would make an ingenuous confession that is accuse some Noblemen and Gentlemen of keeping correspondency with his Majesty or with the Marquesse of Montrose