MONTROSE REDIVIVUS OR THE Portraicture of James late Marquess of Montrose Earl of Kincardin c. 1. In his Actions in the years 1644. 1645. and 1646. for Charles the First 2. In his Passions in the years 1649. 1650. for Charles the Second K. of Scots LONDON Printed for Jo. Ridley at the Castle in Fleet-street neer Ram-alley 1652. Jaques Marquis de Montrose Counte de Kingcairne Seigneir de Graeme Baron du Mount dieue etc A Paris P Pontius sculpsit To the Reader THere are a few things courteous Reader of which I would not have them ignorant who shall chance to peruse this short Historie whereof some concern the Lord Marquesse of Montrose whose Actions in his Country for two years space are here published and others have relation to the Author of this work And first of all I desire thee to take notice that Montrose is the Chief of that antient and famous Family of the Grahams and is called in old Scotish Graham more the great Graham He derives his Pedegree from that famous Graham in the Histories of Scotland who was son-in-law to Fergus the second King of the Scots and was the first that with the assistance of his father-in-law cast down that Trench which Severus had made and set out for the utmost limit of the Roman Empire between the Scotish Frith and the River of Cluid at such a place where Great Britain was narrowest and by that means cut the power of the Romans shorter Whence it happens that some evident remains of that Trench retain his name amongst the Inhabitants to this day who call it Gremesdike The same Graham from whom this noble Family took its rise surviving his father-in-law Forgus and being a man as able for Civill as Military employment was made Protector unto his Nephew and Regent of the Kingdome and after he had fetched back the Doctors of the Christian Faith who had been vanished by the late wars and setled as well the Church as State with excellent Laws freely resigned the Government into the hands of his Nephew when he came to age He flourished in the time of the Emperours Arcadius and Honorius about the year of our Lord CCCC From whom hath descended in a fair and straight line a long and noble row of Posterity who imitating the vertue of their Ancestors have been famous in the succeeding generations Amongst whom that valiant Graham was eminent who with the help of Dumbarre so seasonably rescued his Country from the Danes who were then Masters of England and had frequently but with little successe invaded Scotland with mighty Armies And in after-times that noble John Graham came nothing behind his Ancestors in vertue and honour who after the death of Alexander the Third in that vacation of the Kingdome while Bruce and Bailiol disputed their titles was with that renowned Vice-roy William Walley a stout maintainer of his Countries Liberty against the unjust oppression and tyranny of Edward King of England and after many heroicall exploits fighting valiantly for his Nation dyed in the bed of Honour His Tomb is yet to be seen in a Chappell which hath the name of Folkirk from the aforesaid Gremesdike by which it stands Adjoyning unto which the Marquesse of Montrose hath large and plentifull possessions descended by inheritance unto him from that first Graham But lest I should seem to derive the Nobility of so illustrious a worthies extraxion only out of the rubbish of dusty and obscure Antiquity I must not omit that his Grandfather the Earl of Montrose was advanced unto places of the greatest honour in that Kingdome and discharged them most happily For being Lord Chancellour of Scotland at such time as King James the Sixth of blessed memory came to the Crown of England he was created by him Vice-roy of Scotland and enjoyed that highest Honour which a Subject is capable of with the love and good affection both of King and People to the day of his death And his Father was a man of singular indowments both of body and mind and so known to be both in Forraign Countries and at home who after he had performed many most honourable Embassages for King James was called to be Lord President of the Session by King Charles and being snatched away from his Countrey and all good men by an untimely death was extremely lamented and missed And what we may think or hope of the grandchild I leave unto thee to judge by what he hath done already seeing he is yet now a year and a half after his employment in his Country scarce entred upon the 36. year of year of his age One thing more I must adde for thy sake good Reader three Periods already have been very dangerous and almost fatall to the Kingdome of Scotland the first by the oppression of the Romans whose yoke our Ancestors cast off by the Conduct of that first Graham descended of the noble British Family of the Fulgentii The second by the Danes therepulse of whom is owing especially to the the prowesse of the second Graham aforesaid And the third by the English and Normans whom the third Graham twice expelled out of Scotland and gave them many and great defeats So that as it was of old spoken of the Scipioes in Africk it seems the name of Graham is something fatall to their enemies and lucky to their country at a dead lift and that it was not without the speciall providence of God Almighty that in these worst times One stood up who did his best endeavours to maintain the Kings just Rights and Authority the Peace Safety and Liberty of the Subjects and the Honour and antient splendour of his House And this is all I thought good at this time to premise concerning the Lord Marquesse of Montrose And for the Author of the Book take it briefly thus Hee professeth himself to have been but little conversant in these sort of studies and expecteth neither credit or commendation for the strength of his wit which he acknowledgeth to be little or none nor reward or profit for his Pains which two things are the chiefest incentives to most to Wet their pen but that he undertook the businesse meerly out of a desire to propagate the truth to other Nations and to posterity For hee saw by late and lamentable experience in such a Cause as this that prosperous Villany can find more Advocates than down-cast Truth and goodnesse For when the same Confederates in both Kingdomes had by their own arts that is by lying and slandering ruined the Church to fill their bags with its Revenues so sacrilegiously purloyned and enrich their posterity with plentifull Anathema's and accursed things there wanted no store of men that extolled them for it to the skies as men deserving highly from their Country from the Church it self and from all man-kind and reviled with all sort of reproaches and contumelies the most religious servants of God holy Martyrs and Confessors for withstanding them And therefore he
which also they have recorded among their publique Acts neverthelesse they provide thmselves for a march into England Now that they might the better secure their affairs at home they labour tooth and nail to draw Montrose of whom almost only they were afraid again to their side They offer him of their own accord the office of Lieutenant-Generall in the Army and what ever else he could desire and they bestow He seeing a mighty storm hovering over the Kings head that he might give him an account of it whereby it might be timely prevented undertakes a journey into England taking the Lord Ogleby into his counsell and company At Newcastle he receives news that the Queen being newly returned out of Holland was landed at Birdlington in York-shire thither he makes haste and relates unto the Queen all things in order She having had a rough passage and being not well recovered from the distempers at Sea told him she would advise further with him about that businesse after they came to York Thither being come the Queen of her own accord calls for Montrose he opens the whole story over again and makes it appear that there was no lesse danger from the Scotch than from the English Covenanters if they were not timely suppressed And being asked his opinion what was best to be done answered To resist force with force told her the King wanted not Subjects in Scotland faithfull men and stout nor did they want hearts or wealth or power to oppose against the covenanters if they durst enterprise any thing against the King all that they wanted was the Kings Commission without which they durst doe nothing with which any thing and all the danger that was was in delay That the Covenanters when they had once got their Army one foot would be able to grind any one to pieces that should offer to stir therefore the beginnings of so great an evill were to be withstood and the Cockatrice bruised in the egge that physick being too late that comes when the disease hath over-run the whole body Wholsome counsell it was and seasonable which doubtlesse the most prudent Queen had approved of But while things were going on in so good a posture all things were quash'd by the comming of the Duke Hamilton out of Scotland upon pretence of kissing the Queens hand and gratulating her happy return but in very deed that he might overthrow Montrose his counsells for he had posted thither with the knowledge and consent of the Covenanters Nor did hee himself dissemble that there was some danger from the Scotish Covenanters but he laboured to extenuate it and condemned the counsell of Montrose as rash unadvised and unseasonable That stout and warlike Nation was not to be reduced with force and arms but with gentlenesse and courtesies Warre especially Civill War should be the last remedy and used many times to be repented of even by the Conquerours The fortune of Warre was uncertain if the King should get the best it would be but a sorry triumph he could enjoy over his own Subjects but if he had the worst on 't he must expect what his soul good man abhorred to speak All means were to be tryed to preserve peace with that Nation nor were things yet come to that passe that the King should despair of amity and reconciliation with them Hee would bee ready to take the whole businesse upon himselfe if the King pleased to commit it to his pains and trust and to authorise him sufficiently thereunto Montrose replyed nothing would come of that but the delay of time untill the Traitors having raised an Army should prevent the King of any means to deliver himself and his party from their tyranny The sad event proved all this to be too true but in this debate Montrose was fain to suffer himself to be overborn being not so great a Courtier as the other nor were those vertues which the world now admires discovered then unto the Queen Hamilton returning into Scotland seemed to be as Active for the King aâ— was possible The Covenanters mean-while by their own authority contrary to the known Lawes of the Kingdome summon a Parliament at Edinburgh which all understanding men that wished well unto the King foresaw would be of very dangerous consequence to his affairs and therefore abhorred it so much that they intended not to honour it with their presence But Hamilton interposing the name and authority of the King invited them by his Letters that they would not fail to be all there and that they should not doubt but they would be able to out-vote the Covenanters if at this time they were not wanting to the Kings cause And if it should happen otherwise hee would be ready with his friends to protest against the Covenanters and immediatly to leave them Abundance of the Nobility incited by the name of the King and those hopes were present at that Parliament only Montrose and a few of his adherents staid away And with Montrose too the Duke had dealt by his friends that as he loved and honoured the King he would joyn himself unto them But he who bad reason to suspect all motions that came that way answered that he was ready to grapple with any difficulty especially under his command who had so great as honour as to be the Kings supream Commissioner only on this condition that the Duke should engage his honour that if they could not bring up that Parliament to righteous things he would endeavour to enforce them by the dint of the sword He answered he would protest he would not fight Which passage considered Montrose to preserve his integrity expecting the issue betook himself to his own home In that Parliament the Covenanters out-voted the Loyall party by seventy voyces or thereabouts trampled upon the Royall authority arrogated unto themselves the power of calling of Parliaments pressing Souldiers sending Embassadours and other things hitherto unattempted without the Kings knowledge or consent And to make up the measure of their presumption and treason ordain that a powerfull Army shall be raised against the King and in the aid of their confederates of England To which purpose they tax the people with new Subsidies and Levies much heavier then if all the Impositions which upon never so much necessity for two thousand years space by one hundred and nine Kings have been charged upon them were put together Montrose therefore who saw the King was like to be ruined by his own authority and saâ—â— too that he was too weak to oppose hmself both against the strength of the Covenanters and the Kings abused Commission in a melancholy mood made as if he took no notice of any thing And the Covenanters supposing that he had received some distaste from the King by reason of the affront he received at York and Hamilton's over-powring him they set upon him yet again privately and by friends to see if by intreaty or interest they could draw him to their side
offering him authority and wealth even the greatest Honour Civill and Military Which offers he did not seem much to slight that by that means he might have an easier way to dive into their counsels The Covenanters that this growing friendship might be the better cemented and sanctified God blesse us send unto him that great Apostle of their Covenant Alexander Henderson who should give him full satisfaction in all his scruples Montrose heartily desired to speak with that fellow out of whom he doubted not to pump all the secrets of the Covenanters and lest a private meeting with such a man should give a scandall to the Kings friends he took the Lords Napier and Ogleby and Sir Sterling Keere to be witnesses of the discourse and on the bank of the river Forth not far from Sterling they met Montrose made as though he accounted himself very happy and much honoured in the visit of so worthy a man upon whose faith honesty and judgement he so much relyed Told him That to give the ill opinion of his enemies leave to breath it self after some late mistakes he was content to stay at home that he knew nothing of what was done in Parliament that he was almost at losse how to behave himself in that ticklish Condition the Common wealth stood and therefore beseeched him for old acquaintance sake to let him freely know what they intended Henderson taking it for granted by these expressions that he was wheeling about towards the Covenanters that he might the more oblige the Marquesse unto him answered him flatly and without more adoe That it was resolved to send as strong an Army as they could raise in aid of their brethren of England against the Kings forces that the Covenanters of both Kingdomes had unanimously agreed upon this either to dye or bring the King to their lure that nothing could fall out more happily than that he should renew his friendship with his Peers of the Nobility and the rest of the Kingdome that so doing he would give great content to all men besides the honour and profit that would redound to himself that by his example others if others there were that idolized the empty shadow of the Kings name would joyn themselves unto the Covenanters and for his own part he would give most bearty thanks unto his Lord God that he had vouchsafed to make use of him as the Minister and ever Mediatour of so great a work and at last entreated him to speak out his mind and commit all such things to his care and industrie as he should desire from the Parliament either in relation to his honour or profit assuring him he should be satisfied to his hearts desire Montrose having gotten out the knowledge of those things which he eagerly sought for now bethought himself how he should keep Henderson and his party in suspence awhile that they should not yet get within him For what answer could he give them If he should professe himself to be against their courses that would do the King no good and might bring a great deal of danger upon himself and on the other side to put them in greater hopes of him by promising those things he never meant to perform he scorned as being a stain unto his honour Therefore he takes this course there was present at that conference with Henderson one Sir James Rollock Chief of a very antient and flourishing Family his former wife had been Montrose his Sister after whose death he married the Sister of the Marquesse of Argyle the ring-leader of the Covenanters in Scotland thus being allied unto them both he seemed to be a very fit mediatour of friendship between them Montrose asks him whether those things which had passed between them proceeded from the direction of the Parliament or out of their own good wills He answered he conceived that Master Henderson had received Commission from the Parliament to that purpose but Henderson said no but he made no question but the Parliament would make good any thing that he promised Montrose told them he could resolve upon nothing except he had the Publique faith to build upon especially the messengers disagreeing between themselves Whereupon as the fashion is on such occasions one of them layes the blame upon the other when both of them ought rather to have condemned their own carelesness and negligence The conference being thus ended Montrose having obtained his ends and they being no wiser than they came thither every one went his own way Chap. III. MOntrose being returned from this Conference related all things as they had passed unto some select friends whom he could safely trust and withall entreated them that for the greater confirmation of the businesse they would all goe along with him to the King that his Majesty receiving a full account of all things might lend hâ—s ear to sound counsell and yet if it was possible provide a remedy against so threatning evills Most of them were of opinion That the King and his authority were utterly ruined and irrecoverable that it was a thing pussing the power of man to reduce that Kingdome to obedience that for their parts they had acquitted themselves before God and the world and their own consciences that hitherto with the disgrace of their persons the losse of their estates and the hazard of their lives they had continued in their allegiance hereafter they would be only lookers on and petitioners unto Almighty God for better times Montrose who câ—uld by no means be removed from so honest a resolution communicating his counsell to the Lord Ogleby whom of all men he especially loyed â—oes straight to Oxford The King was absent thence being gone to the siege of Glocester he imparts unto the Queen what designes the Scotish Covenanters had against his Majesty but he had as good have said nothing for she had determined not to believe a word by reason of the far greater confidence she reposed in Hamilton and his brother Montrose seeing no good was to be done with the Qeen goes to Glocester and declares all things to the King himself How there was a powerâ—ull Army to be raised in Scâ—tland and a day appointed on which it should be brought into England how their Counsels were manifestly known unto him and how to fetch him over to their side they had offered him very honourable commands in the Army but that he heartily detesting so horrid an employment had fled to his Majesty that he having notice thereof if he were not able to provide so timely and powerfull a remedy as could be wished at least might cast some blocks and rubs in their way untill such time as he had setled his affairs in England that the enemies of either Kingdome might be easily dealt withall by themselves but if they came once to joyn their forces they would be hardly supprest that there were very many in Scotland who would sacrifice themselves and all that they had for their dearest King whose good will
that Kingdome and therefore their service for the present might well be spâ—â—ed besides they complained that their houses and corn in and with which their parents wives and children were to be sustained that winter were fired by the enemy and no provision made for them so that they humbly desired to be excused for a few weeks in which they might take care to secure their families from hunger and cold Also they solemnly and voluntarily engaged their words that they would return many more than they went and much refreshed within forty dayes These Montrose seeing he could not hold them as being Voluntiers and fighting without pay that he might the more engage them thought fit to dismisse them not only with Licences but Commissions And giving publick commendations to the souldiers and thankes in his Majestics name to the Commanders exhorting them to follow their businesse closely and vigorously he appoints Alexander Mac-donell their Countryman and Kinsman who was but too ambitious of that employment to be their companion and guide who should bring them back to the Camp by the day appointed Who in a set speech gave thanks in all their names to the Lord Governour for his so noble favour and as if he had been their Bail or surety with a solemn oath undertook for their sudden return yet he never saw Montrose after Not was he contented to carry away with him the whole Forces of the Highlanders who were more than three thousand stout men but he privily drew away sixscore of the best 〈…〉 ish as if forsooth he had pick't them out for his Life-guard About this very time many messengers came severall ways to Bothwell from the King at Oxford Amongst whom one was Andrew Sandiland a Scotch-man but bred in England and entred into holy Orders there a very upright man faithfull to the King and much respected by Montrose who continued constantly with him unto the end of the War Another was Sir Robert Spotswood once the most deserving President of the highest Court in Scotland and now his Majestâ—es Secretary for that Kingdome who passed from Oxford through Wales into Anglesey and thence getting a passage into Loghaber came into Athole and was conducted by the men of Athole unto Montrose Almost all the Agents that came brought this Instruction amongst the rest That it was his Majesties pleasure that he should joyn unto himself the Earls of Roxburough and Trequair and confide in their advice and endeavours of whose sidelity and industry no question was to be made Moreover that hee 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 battell to David Lesly 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-donell and the Highlanders were gone Sir Robert Spotswood making an humble obeysance under the Kings Standard delivered his Majesties Commission under the Great Seale unto Montrose which he again gave unto Archibald Primrose Clerk of the Supreme Councell to be read aloud That being ended in a short but stately Oration he commended the Valour and Loyalty of the Souldiers and the great affection he bore them And for Mac-donell he not only extoll'd his gallantry in the head of the Army but by 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 shamefull act to stay but so much as one week and then he might depart not only with the Generalls license but with honour and the good esteem of honest men Seeing it would be no better Montrose passing by Edinburgh led his small Army through Lothainshire and in Strathgale joyned with Douglasse and the other Commanders whose Forces being much diminished were daily mouldring more and more In that coast Trequaire himself came unto him more chearfull and merry than he used to be who pretended himself to be a most faithfull servant not only to his Majesty but also to Montrose and the next day sent him his Son the Lord Linton with a gallant party of Horse as if they were to be under his command that by so likely a pledge he might make Montrose more secure and so more easily ruine him For this was not the first time that Trequaire plaid the Covenanters Scout-Master that ungratefullest piece of mankind intending to betray unto them Montrose and in him the King himself Now when he was not above twelve miles from the Lords Hume and Roxborough and they sent not so much as a Messenger to him nor offered him the smallest courtesie Montrose being much troubled at it resolved to march into their Territories and to bring them in either by fair means or soul But they prevented him by a singular device They sent unto David Lesley whom they well knew by that time was come to Berwicke with all the Scotch Horse and many English Voluntiers for they were privy to all their counsells and entreated him to send a party and carry them away in the condition of prisoners which he did the day before Montrose came thither For by this means that crasty old fox Roxborough 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 Lestey's hands sore against their wills And this being Lesley's first noble exploit he passed over Tweed and marched into the Eastside 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 powerfull enemy would block up his passage into the North and Highlands resolved to march with those few men he had into Niddisdale and Annandale and the Countrey of Ayre that he might there raise what Horse he could For although he had no certain intelligence concerning the strength of the enemy yet he conjectured that it
would â—e of no use unto his Majesty after the Covenanters had raised their Army but destractive unto themselves that the baughty spirits of the enemie were to be sneap't in time and their strength broken before it grew too big lest the beginnings being neglected repentance should prove the only opposition that could be made afterward These things and to this effect did Montrose continually presse unto the Kâ—ng but in vain for â—e had not only the strong and deepâ—y rooted confidence his Majesty had of the Hamiltons to struggle with but â—he devices of a set of desperate Courtiers beside who daily buzzed in the Kings ears Montrose's youth his rashnesse his ambition the envy and hatâ—ed he bâ—re unto the Hamiltons and what not and on the oâ—her siâ—â— the Hamiltons fidelity their honesty their discretion their power Thus Montrose nothing prevâ—â—ls and the King returns to his Winter quarters at Oâ—ford And although his Majesty saw very well reports coâ—ming thick and thâ—eefold of the Scotish Army that all was true that Montrose had told him yet the most religious King determined upon no termes to give any occasion of quarrell to the Scots till fiâ—st they entred England resolving that he for â—is part would perfectly observe the articles of Pacification he had made with them which if they should violate he doubted not but they should highly answer it both to God and him While these things were discussed at Oxford the Covenanters in Scotland bring their businesse about according to their desires no one opposing them They raise as big an Army as they can which consisted of eighteen thousand Foot and two thousand Horse and at last when they had marched unto the very borders the Hamiltons were not ashamed to give the King notice by Letters of the approach of that formidable Army making this their excuse that according to their engagement they had prevented an invasion the Summer before but now that Winter was come on they were able to keep them out no longer but they would come in immediatly with a powerfull Army The King when he saw himself thus grosly abused sends for Montrose shews him the Hamiltons Letters and at last when it was even too late asks his advice what was best to be done Montrose tells him that his Majesty might now see that what he had before given him notice of had neither proceeded from ambition nor malice nor any self-endâ— but from his bounden duty and allegeance that for above a twelve-moneth he had been continually pressiâ—g both their Majesties to prevent this that he accounted himself very unhappy that all that while so faithfull a servant could not be credited by so good a Master that the case seemed now desperate but if the King had a mind he might trust them again who by pretence of his authority had bound some of his friends hands that they could not assist him and drawn in others who intended nothing lesse under colour of Loyalty to fight against him and given up unto the Rebells now that they had got an Army all that they had without striking a stroke The King complaining that he was most abominably betrayed by them with whom he had entrusted his Crown his honour his Secrets his Life earnestly demanded his advice He repeating again the lamentablenesse of the condition in which things now stood nevertheless offered that if his Majesty so thought good he would either lose his life which if he did he would be sure it should seem rather sold then lost or else which he did not despair of he would reduce his Country-men and bring the Rebells there into subjection The King being no little pleased with the confidence undauntednesse and gallantrie of the man that he might more advisedly contrive his design desired him to take two or three dayes to consider of it and so dismist him Montrose returning at the time appointed shews his Majesty how desperate an adventure he was undertaking that all Scotland was under the Covenanters command that they had Garrisoned all places of strength that they were plentifully provided both of men and mony and arms and ammunition and victuall and all things necessary for a War that the English Rebells were joyned with them in a most strict Covenant to defend one another against all the world But for his own part he had nothing to set up with neither men nor arms or pay yet he would not distrust Gods assistance in a righteous cause and if the King would lay his Commands upon him he would undertake to doe his best The King should be in no worse câ—se than he was He himself would take what malice envy or danger should fall upon himself so that his Majesty were graciously pleased to condescend to a few reasonable requests And first that the businesse might go on more successefully it seemed to him very necessary that the King should send some Souldiers out of Ireland into the West of Scotland Next that he should give order to the Marquesse of Newcastle who was the Generall of the Kings forces towards Scotland that he should assist Montrose with a party of Horse to enter the South of Scotland by which means he might convey himself into the heart of the Kingdome Then that he should dâ—al with the King of Denmark for some troops of Germane horse And lastly that his Majesty should take some course to procure and transport some arms out of some forreign country into Scotland nothing needed more but humane industry the success was Gods part and to 〈…〉 e referred to his providence The King commending his counsel and giving him thanks that he appâ—ehended some life in the businesse encourageth him to â—iâ— himselâ— cheerfully for so great a work and wished hâ—m to leave the care of those things he had requested unto him And truly for the matter of aid out of Ireland the King sends for the Earl of Antrim and acquaâ—nts him with Montrose's design This Antrim is of Scotish extraction descended of the noble and antient Family of the Mac-Donalds a man of great â—stâ—te and power in Ireland and allyed to the prime Nobility of England by matching with the Dutchesse of Buckingham He being driven out of his own country lived at Oxford and cheerfully undertook the negotiation with the â—â—â—sh upon himself and engaged himself also voluntarily unto Montrose that he would be in Argyle a part of Scotland bordering upon Ireland with ten thousand men by the first of April 1644. thâ—s passed in December 1643. And as for forreign aids and arms the King sent Sir John Cockeram his Embassadour about it with his Commission and Instructions And directions unto the Marquesse of Newcastle were carried by some of Montrose's own company Who receiving the Kings Letters and Commission to be Governour of Scotland and Generall of the Army there made himself ready for his journey In the interim news comes on a sudden that Duke Hamilton with his brother the Earl of Lannerick were posting up
to Oxford They that they might make their accesse easier to the king who had hitherto given eare unto their counsells and to continue or recover the good opinion the King had of them gave out all the way as they came especially unto Governours of Shires and Towns and Commanders of the Army that they were banished their Country that they had been plundered of their estates by the Covenanters for their loyaltie to the King and that for safety of their lives with which they had hardly escaped they fled to Oxford But Montrose and those of his mind saw plainly that these were but tales of their own making of purpose to wipe off the suspition of this new guilt and that by this means they in confidence of that esteem they had lately with the King and of a strong faction they drove at Court doubted not but they should stand as fair in his opinion as ever if they were but once admitted into the Kings presence and that the only businesse they had thither was by defeating Montrose again clearly to extinguish that little spark of Loyalty that was not yet quite out in Scotland And Montrose delivered himself freely that for his part he would never stand by to be witnesse of so great â—n oversight and therefore humbly besought the King that he would give him leave to seek his fortune in some forreign Country if these men that had deceived him so oâ—t should be received agaiâ— into favour not that he desired any severity should be used against them only he wished the King might have a care that they should do him no more harm The King was drawn with much adoe that they should be forbidden the Court yet for all that he suffered the Earl of Lanerick to live in the City But he by whose instigations I cannot tell betakes himself from Oxford to London to the Parliament of England and not long after to the Scotch Army which had now entered England and never since hath failed to do them the best service he could The escape of his brother so much moved the King that he saw it high time to secure the Duke himself There were severall Scots in the Kings court and Army who were suspected and perhaps not without reason to favour the Covenanters too much and to give intelligence unto them of the Kings counsels Montrose that he might put these to the touch took this course He got a Protestation to be drawn up by the Kings authority unto which all Scots who would have the reputation of honest men were to set their hands Wherein they professed themselves heartily to detest the courses of the Covenanters condemned especially the bringing in of an Army into England against the King and the Lawes of the Land as an act of high treason promised and vowed to acquit themselves of that scandall and to the utmost of their power with the hazard of their lives and fortunes to oppose those that were guilty of that crime This Protestation all men of honour and honesty readily took but there were two in whom the King trusted most of all Scotch-men next to the Hamiltons to wit the Earl of Trequaire and Master William Murray of the Bed-chamber who were difficultly brought into it at last with much reluctancy and fear of being discovered traitours yet even they engaged themselves by a solemn Oath at a certain day to be aiding and assisting Montrose in Scotland which Oath of theirs afterward they most unworthily violated This being done and Montrose on his journey from Oxford toward Scotland those that were the Hamiltons creatures and other false-hearted Courtiers began to blast the Honour of Montrose to call him a vain and ambitious man who had attempted an impossible thingâ— to extoll above measure the power of the Covenanters and that they might deterre every one from engaging himself in so noble an exploit gave out every where most maliciously that no good was ever to be expected from Montrose He being little troubled with the calumnies of unworthy men came forward to York and so to Durham where he sees that the Kings Instructions be sent to the Marquesse of Newcastle and the next day they met and conferred Newcastle discours'd of nothing but the distresses and necessities of his Army how the Rebell Scots breaking in in the midst of Winter had spoiled his Recruits and that now in farre greater numbers than he they quartered within five miles of him that he could not possibly spare any horse without a manifest hazard to the whole Army Montrose urged on the other side that nothing could doe Newcastle more service than to let him have a party of Horse in which he was very strong with him into Scotland that so he might either divert or at least divide the enemy and by kindling a fire in their own houses fetch them home again to defend themselves Newcastle courteously replyed that assoon as he had wound himself out of that present danger hee would not be wanting in any service to Montrose which promise there is no doubt but a person of so much Honour and Loyalty would most surely have performed had he continued any while in the Command of those parts In the mean time all that he could do for the present was to afford him about one hundred Horse but lean ones and ill accoâ—tred which was not the Generalls fault but some mens private spleen with two brasse Field-pieces Moreover he sent his Orders unto the Kings Officers and Commanders in Cumberland and Westmerland that they should give Montrose all the succour and assistance they could make for his journey into Scotland Montrose going towards Carlisle was accordingly met by the Cumberland and Westmerland men consisting of eight hundred Foâ—t and three troops of Horse who according to the Marquesse of Newcastle's Command were to wait upon him into Scotland Montrose himself brought with him two hundred Horse most of them Noblemen and Gentlemen and such as had been Captains either in Germany France or England With which small forces not over-trusty neither he entered Scotland on the 13. of Aprill for he made the more hast lest he should have been absent at the time appointed by the Earl of Antrim Chap. IV. MOntrose having entred Scotland had come to the river of Anan when upon a mutiny among the English occasioned by Richard Grahams Souldiers almost all of them flie their Colours and in all hast run back to England Notwithstanding he with his own men came to Dunâ—rise and took the Town into protection upon surrender and there he staid awhile that he might be ready to entertain Antrim and his Irish but the day appointed being already pass'd there came not so much as a Messenger from them nor the least report of them into Scotland And the Covenanters gathering themselves together on every side there was no staying there any longer for Montrose without being surprised therefore he returns safe to Carlisle with hâ—s men And seeing he could
indeed not so proper for our intention in this brief narration which is to satisfie the curiosity of all in the manner of his last entrie his defeat death and buriall if it may be so call'd Things for ought I know as yet set down in no certain relation Wee shall therefore setting aside his forreign endeavours bring him upon that same stage where his Tragedie had both its beginning and ending Only that you may have a more lively representation of his personall vertues we shall give you to understand in what high estimation the Marquesse was with forreign Princes as well as with those of England and Scotland and point at these honours which did seem to court his magnanimitie beyond the Seas In France with the generall consent of the Princes of the blood and the rest of the Nobilitie he was design'd Captain Generall of all the strangers in that kingdome A trust which those know that are acquainted with the warres of France of very high consequence for in them consists the whole strength of the kingdome But this advancement of the Marquesses was by Cardinall Mazarini crossed or delayd who was alwayes a professed enemie to Scots in that kingdome From thence he took his journey to Holland where the Prince then was in pursuit of his former intentions but here he met with as great crosses and impediments as he had done in the bowels of his own Country Duke Hamilton who was his irreconcilable enemie was now his competitor and being then at the Hague labour'd by all means possible to undermine or prevent the Marquesses designs With him were the Earl of Lautherdale and the Earl of Calender men both of eminent parts whom the Duke by severall engagements had made firm to his purposes They were both very earnest for a Commission The Duke having interest in the Prince by blood could not think that any in that trust could justly be preferrd before him alleging likewise that he might be more able to perform any design in that kingdome his kindred and allies and those of his Name being very powerfull and in the very heart of the kingdome Whereas Montroses souldiers whom he trusted most and employed in his former action were either kill'd or dispersed And those whom he had left so terrified and squeezed in their estates that they were utterly unable to help him On the other part the Marquesses fidelitie pleaded much for him his notable achievements his poor and slender beginnings which made him so much the more capable for that undertaking it being requisite the Prince should employ such an instrument as the case then stood being destitute of all means to help him The Prince who knew how needfull it was to reconcile two such eminent Persons who being joyn'd might draw the greatest part of that kingdome after them fayling of which either of them was sure to oppose the other that should be employ'd made it it his main drift to unite them Severall meetings were appointed to this purpose but all in vain neither could any industrie prevail to make an agreement so inveterate was their malice each to other so jealous were they one of anothers proceedings This variance made a long demur in that expedition which was farre sooner intended The causes of which were partly set down in the beginning of the Historie and partly hatched by the Duke himself who looking as he was a man very ambitious of honour upon all the Marquesses actions with a squint eye fretted much that there was any within the same kingdome who so farre surpass'd him in gallantrie and esteem nor could he brook that any one should possesse the Kings ear so much as he and for these reasons he employd his utmost endeavours in defeating all Montrose's enterprises But his Brothers known disservices and bad successe together with his own neglect or ill managing of businesse at Strivling bridge much retarded and obscured his claym to the Kings favour in the particular he sought for And to speak impartially the Marquesses worth and experience was such that it did easily sway the ballance in any indifferent mans judgement even though the other two had been thrown in to make up the weight The Marquesse having against his will spent a great deal of time in these disputes departed at last from Holland and travell'd up into Germanie and so to Austria The Emperour who in his late warres against the Swede hath been very unsuccessfull hearing of his arrivall invited him to his Court and amongst many other honours conferr'd upon him freely proferr'd him the Command of ten thousand men which should be a standing Army constantly to be recruited With free power to engage at his own discretion without receiving orders from any but the Emperour himself Which charge the marquesse being willing to accept and about to receive yet rather that he might if it were possible advance that cause which he had in hand than for any desire of honour he was prevented by that happy peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and the Swedes which all who love the Common good of Christendome wish to be lasting and perpetuall Being from thence very honourably dismiss'd he addresses himself to the Dukes of Brandeburg and Holsteyn from the last of which he receiv'd those ships which were kept a great while at Amsterdam to no purpose being three or four very fair Vessels and well mann'd Which Prince would have willingly contributed more to that service but that he perceiv'd that which he had before given to be so misemployed wherein both he and the Marquesse were grossly abus'd as in the ensuing relation shall appear Great were the promises which had been made to the Marquesse by many other Princes but they proved very slack in the performance so that the assistance which was so generally expected proved nothing else but a meer formalitie and complement But the season of the year being now fit for Action he resolves with what speed he can to call together those which he could get and to that purpose removes to Hamburgh from whence he might have a convenient passage to the Northern Isles of Scotland But ere we further proceed it will not be imperrinent to our purpose to take a slender view of that kingdom whither this expedition was intended and of the condition wherein it then was Scotland was then in a reasonable posture of quiet for the old grudges by taking away the heads of factions whereof some had suffer'd after Philip Haugh and others were detain'd Prisoners in England were rak'd up for a while And a certain number of Horse and Foot modell'd into an Armie was muster'd and dispos'd of in severall places of the kingdome to prevent any forreign invasion or any homebred insurrection which might happen These were commanded by David Lesley Collonel Mountgomerie Col. Straughan c. being in all fifteen hundred Horse and three thousand Foot commanded by Lieut. Generall Holborn This handfull did at that time over-awe and keep under the discontented