tion of the Scots be obtained. The King privately made
great offers to the Scottish nation, to induce them to dt.-
clare in his favour, or at least remain neuter in the strug-
gle. He called upon them to remember that he had
gratified all their wishes, without exception, and reminded
them that the late peace between England and Scotland
provided, that neither country should declare war against
the other without due provocation, and the consent ol
Parliament. But the Scottish Convention of Estates
were sensible, that if they should assist the King to con-
PARLIAMENT WITH THE SCOTS. Ill
quer the English Parliament, for imitating their example
of insurrection, it would be naturally followed by their
undergoing punishment themselves for the example which
they had set. They feared for the Presbyterian system,
some of them, no doubt, feared for themselves, and
all turned a deaf ear to the King's proposals.
On the other hand, a deputation from Parliament press-
ed upon the Scottish Convention another clause in the
treaty of peace made in 1641, namely, that the Parlia-
ment of either country should send aid to each other to
repel invasion or suppress internal disturbances. In com-
pliance with thesie articles, the English Commissioners
desired the assistance of a body of Scottish auxiliaries.
The country being at this time filled with disbanded offi-
cers and soldiers who were eager for employment, the
opportunity arid the invitation were extremely tempting
to them, for they remembered the free-quarters and gooc
pay which they had enjoyed while in England. Never-
theless, the leading members of the Convention of Estates
were aware, that to embrace the party of the Parliament
of England, and despatch to their assistance a large body
of auxiliary forces, selected, as they must be, from their
best levies, would- necessarily expose their authority in
Scotland to considerable danger ; for the King's friends
who had joined in the bond with Montrose, were men of
power and influence, and having the will, only waited for
the opportunity, to act in his behalf ; .and might raise,
perhaps a formidable insurrection in Scotland itself, when
relieved from the superiority of force which at present
was so great on the side of the Convention. But the
English Commissioners held out a bait which the Con-
vention found it impossible to resist.
From the success which the ruling party had experi-
enced in establishing the Church of Scotland on a Pres-
byterian model, and from the great influence which the
clergy of that persuasion had acquired in the councils oi
the nation by the late course of events, they were induced
to form the ambitious desire of totally destroying the
hierarchy of the Church of England, and of introducing
l2 SCOTTISH AHMY
into that kingdom a form of church government on the
Presbyterian model. To accomplish this favourite object,
the leading Presbyterians in Scotland were willing to run
every risk, and to make every exertion.
The Commissioners of England were most ready to
join with this idea of destroying Prelacy ; but they knew
that the English Parliament party were greatly divided
among themselves on the subject of substituting the Pres-
byterian system in its place. The whole body of Secta-
rians, or Independents, were totally opposed to the intro-
duction of any national church government whatever, and
were averse to that of Presbytery in particular, the Scottish
clergy having in their opinion, shown themselves disposed
to be as absolute as the bishops had been while in power.
But, with a crafty policy, the Commissioners conducted
the negotiation in such a manner as to give the Scottish
Convention reason to believe, that they would accomplish
their favourite desire of seeing the system which they so
much admired, acknowledged and adopted in England,
while, in fact, they bound their constituents, the English
Parliament, to nothing specific on the subject.
The Commissioners proposed to join with the Scottish
nation in a new edition of the Covenant", which had before
proved such a happy bond of union among the Scots
themselves. In this new bond of religious association,
which was called the Solemn League and Covenant, it was
provided, that the church government of Scotland should
be supported and maintained on its present footing ; but
with regard to England, the agreement was expressed
with studied ambiguity the religious system of England,
it was provided, should be reformed " according to the
word of God, and the example of the best reformed
churches." The Scots, usually more cautious in their
transactions, never allowed themselves to doubt for a mo-
ment, that the rule and example to be adopted under this
clause must necessarily be that of Presbytery, and under
his conviction, both the nobles and the clergy hastened
with raptures, and even with tears of joy, to subscribe the
proposed League. But several of the English Commis-
E1VTKRS ENGLAND. 113
sioners enjoyed in secret the reserved newer of interpret-
ing the clause otherwise and cf explaining tlie phrase in
a "eose applicable to their own ideas of emancipation from
church government of every kind.
The Solemn League and Covenant was sworn to in
Scotland with general acclamation, and was received and
adopted by the English Parliament with the same applause,
all discussion of the dubious article being cautiously
avoided. The Scots proceeded, with eager haste, to send
to the assistance of the Parliament of England a well-
disciplined arrny of upwards of twenty thousand men,
under the command of Alexander Lesley, Earl of Leven.
An officer of character, named Baillie, was Leven's Lieu-
tenant, and David Lesley, a man of greater military talents
than either, was his Major-General. Their presence
contributed greatly to a decisive victory which the Par-
liament forces gained at Marston Moor ; and indeed, as
was to be expected from their numbers and discipline,
quickly served to give that party the preponderance in
the field.
But while the Scottish auxiliaries were actively serving
the common cause of the Parliament in England, the
courageous and romantic enterprise of the Earl of Mon-
trose broke out in a train of success, which threatened to
throw Scotland itself into the hands of the King and his
friends. This nobleman's bold genius, when the royalist
party in Scotland seemed totally crushed and dispersed,
devised the means of assembling them together, and of
menacing the Convention of Estates with the destruction of
their power at home, even at the moment when they hoped
to establish the Presbyterian Church in both kingdoms,
by the success of the army which they had despatched
into England.
After obtaining his liberation from imprisonment, Mon-
trose had repaired to England, and sugges'ed to the King
a plan of operations to be executed by a body of Irish,
to be despatched by the Earl of Antrim from the counfy
of Ulster, and landed in the West Highlands. \V h these
887
114
STATE OF PARTIES
ne proposed to unite a force collected from the Highland
clans, who were disinclined to the Presbyterian govern-
ment, great enemies to the Earl of Argyle, and attached
to the Royal cause, because they regarded the King as a
chieftain whose clan was in rebellion against him, and
who, therefore, deserved the support of every faithful
mountaineer. The promise of pay, to which they had
never been accustomed, and the certainty of booty, would,
as Montrose judiciously calculated, readily bring many
chieftains and clans to the Royal standard. The power-
ful family of the Gordons, in Aberdeenshire, who, be-
sides enjoying almost princely authority over the numerous
gentlemen of their family, had extensive influence among
the mountain tribes in their neighbourhood, or, in the
Scottish phrase, could command a great Highland follow-
ing, might also be reckoned upon with certainty ; as they
had been repeatedly in arms for the King, had not been
put down without a stout resistance, and were still warmly
disposed towards the Royal cause. The support of many
of the nobility and gentry in the north, might also be re-
garded as probable, should Montrose be able to collect a
considerable force. The Episcopal establishment, so
odious to the lords and barons of the southern and western
parts of Scotland, was popular in the north. The northern
barons were displeased with the extreme strictness of the
Presbyterian clergy, and dissatisfied with the power they
had often assumed of interfering with the domestic ar-
rangement of families, under pretext of maintaining moral
discipline. Finally, there were in all parts of Scotland
active and daring men disappointed of obtaining employ-
ment or preferment under the existing government, and
therefore willing to join in any enterprise, however
desperate, which promised a change.
All this was known to the Convention of Estates; but
they had not fully estimated the magnitude of the danger.
Montrose's personal talents were, to a certain extent, ad-
mitted ; but ordinary men were incapable of estimating
such a character as his ; and he was generally esteemed
A vain, though able young man, whose remarkable ambi
IN SCOTLAND. 1 15
tion was capable of urging him into undertakings which
were impracticable. The great power of the Earl of
ArgyJe was relied upon as a sufficient safeguard against
any attempt on the West Highlands, and his numerous,
brave, and powerful clan had long kept all the tribes oi
that country in a species of awe, if not subjection.
But the character of the Highlanders was estimated
according to a sort of calculation, which time had ren-
dered very erroneous. In the former days of Scotland,
when the Lowlands were inhabited by men as brave, and
much better armed and disciplined than the mountaineers,
the latter had indeed often shown themselves alert as light
troops, unwearied in predatory excursions; but had been
generally, from their tumultuary charge, liable to defeat,
either from a steady body of spearmen, who received their
onset with lowered lances, or from an attack of the feudal
chivalry of the Lowlands, completely armed and well
mounted. At Harlaw, Corrichie, Glenlivat, and on many
other occasions, the irregular forces of the Highlands had
been defeated by an inferior number of their Lowland
opponents.
These recollections might lead the governors of Scot-
land, during the civil war, to hold a Highland army in low
estimation. But it was without considering that half a
century of uninterrupted peace had rendered the Low-
landers much more unwarlike, while the Highlander, who
always went armed, was familiar with the use of weapons
which he constantly wore, and far superior in that partic-
ular, as well as in the alacrity and love of fight, to the
Lowland peasant, called from the peaceful occupations oi
the farm, and only prepared, by a few days' drilling, to
encounter the unwonted dangers of a field of battle. The
burghers, who made a formidable part of the array of the
Scottish army in former times, were now still more un-
warlike than the peasant, being not only without skill in
arms and familiarity with danger, but also the personal
habits of exercise which the rustic might have preserved.
This great and essential difference between the High-
lander and Lowlander of modern days, could scarcely be
I IH BODY OF IRISH SENT TO TUB
estimated in the middle of the seventeenth c'/itury, the
causes by which it was brought about being recent, and
attracting little attention.
Montrose's first plan was to collect a body of Royalist
horse on the frontiers of England, to burst at once into
the centre of Scotland at their head, and force his way to
Stirling, where a body of cavaliers had promised to as-
semble and join him. The expedition was disconcerted
by a sort of mutiny among the English horse who had
joined him ; in consequence of which, Montrose disband-
ed his handful of followers, and exhorted them to make
their way to the King, or to join the nearest body of men
in arms for the Royal cause, while he himself adopted a
new and more desperate plan. He took with him only
two friends, and disguised himself as the groom of one of
them, whom he followed, ill mounted and worse dressed,
and leading a spare horse. They called themselves gen-
tlemen belonging to Leven's army ; for, of course, if
Montrose had been discovered by the Covenanting party,
a rigorous captivity was the least he might expect. At
one time he seemed on the point of being detected ; a
straggling soldier passed his two companions, and coming
up to the Earl of Montrose, saluted him respectfully by
his name and title. Montrose tried to persuade him that
he was mistaken; but the man persisted, though with the
utmost respect and humility of deportment. " Do I not
know my noble Lord of Montrose ?" he said ; " But go
your way, and God be with you." The circumstance
alarmed Montrose and his companions ; but the poor fel-
low was faithful, and never betrayed his old leader.
In this disguise he reached the verge of the Highlands,
and lay concealed in the house of his relation, Graham of
Inchbraco, and afterwards, for still greater safety, in an
obscure hut on the Highland frontier, while he despatch-
ed spies in every direction, to bring him intelligence of
the state of the Royalist party. Bad news came from all
quarters. The Marquis of Huntly had taken arms hastily
and imprudently, and had been defeated and compelled
to fly ; while Gordon of Haddow, one of the most active
ASSISTANCE OF MONTKOSE. 117
and gallant of the name, became prisoner to the Cove-
nanters, and, to strike terror into the rest of the clan, was
publicly executed by order of the Scottish Parliament.
Montrose's spirit was not to be broken even by this
disappointment ; and, while anxiously waiting further in-
tell'gence, an indistinct rumour reached him that a body
of foldiers from Ireland had landed in the West High-
lands, and were wandering in the mountains, followed and
watered by Argyle with a strong party of his clan.
Shortly after, he learned, by a messenger despatched on
purpose, that this was the body of auxiliaries sent to him
from Ulster by the Earl of Antrim. Their commander
was Alaster of MacDonald, a Scoto-Irishman, I believe,
of the Antrim family. He was called Col Kittoch, or
Colkitto, from his being left-handed ; a very brave and
daring man, but vain and opinionative, and not understand-
ing anything of regular warfare. Montrose sent orders
to him to march with all speed into the district of Athole,
and despatched emissaries to raise the gentlemen of that
country in arms, as they were generally well affected to
the King's cause. He himself set out to join this little
band, attired in an ordinary Highland garb, and accom-
panied only by Inchbraco as his guide. The Irish were
surprised and disappointed to see their expected General
appear so poorly dressed and attended ; nor had Montrose
greater reason to congratulate himself on the appearance
of his army. The force which was assembled did not
exceed fifteen hundred Irish, instead of the thousands
promised*, and these were but indifferently armed and ap-
pointed, while only a few Highlanders from Badenoch
were yet come to the appointed rendezvous.
These active mountain warriors, however, had, a day
or two before, been at blows with the Covenanters. Mac-
pherson of Cluny, chief of hi? name, had sent out a party
of men to look out for Montrose, who was looked for
every minute. They beheld the approach of a detached
body of horse, which they concluded was the escort of
their expected General. But when they approached
nearer, the MacPhersons found it to be several troops of
US BATTLE OF TUTEKMl'IR.
the Covenanters' cavalry, commanded by Colonel Hernes
and quartered in Glencairn, for the sake of bridling the
Highlanders. While the troops were coming on in for-
midable superiority of numbers, MacPherson of Invere-
shie, who was drawing up his Highlanders for action,
observed one of them in the act of stooping j and as he
lifted his stick to strike him for such conduct in the face
of the enemy, the Highlander arose, and showed him the
countenance of Macpherson of Dalifour, one of the boldes
men of the clan. Highly surprised, Invereshie demanded
how he, of all men, could think of stooping before an
enemy. " I was only fastening a spur on the heel of my
brogue," said Dalifour, with perfect composure. " A
spur ! and for what purpose, at such a time and place as
this ?" asked Invereshie. " I intend to have a good horse
before the day is over," answered the clansman, with the
same coolness. Dalifour kept his word ; for the Lowland
horse being worsted in the first onset, he got possession of
a charger, on which he followed the pursuit, and brought
in two prisoners.
The report of this skirmish gave a good specimen to
Montrose of the mettle of the mountaineers, while the
subsequent appearance of the Athole-men, eight hundred
strong, and the enthusiastic shouts with which they receiv-
ed their General, soon gave confidence to the light-hearted
Irishmen. He instantly commenced his march upon
Strathern,'and crossed the Tay. He had scarce done so,
when he discovered on the hill of Buchanty a body of
about four hundred men, who, he had the satisfaction to
learn by his scouts, were commanded by two of his own
particular friends, Lord Kilpont and Sir John Drummond.
They had taken arms, on hearing that a body of Irish
were traversing the country ; and learning that they
were there under Montrose's command, for the King's
service, they immediately placed themselves and their
followers under his orders.
Montrose received these succours in good time, for
while Argyle pursued him with a large body of his ad-
herents, who had followed the track of the Irish, Lord
SURRENDER OF PERTH. 119
Klcho. the Earl of Tullibardin, and Lonl Druminond ;
had collected an army of Lowlanders to protect the city
of Perth, and to fight Montrose, in case he should descend
from the hills. Montrose was aware, that such an enter-
prise as he had undertaken could only he supported by
an excess of activity and decision. He therefore advanc-
ed upon the Lowland forces of Elcho, whom he found,
on 1st September, 1644, drawn up in good order in a
large plain called Tippermuir, within three miles of Perth.
They were nearly double Montrose's army in number, and
much encouraged by numerous ministers, who exhorted
them to fight valiantly, and promised them certain victory.
They had cannon also, and cavalry, whereas Montrose
had no artillery, and only three horses in his army. Aftej
a skirmish with the Covenanters' cavalry, in which they
were beaten off, Montrose charged with the Highlanders,
under a heavy fire from his Irish musketeers. They burst
into the ranks of the enemy with irresistible fury, and
compelled them to fly. Once broken, the superiority ol
numbers became useless, as the means of supporting a
main body by reserves was not then known or practised.
The Covenanters fled in the utmost terror and confusion,
but the light-footed Highlanders did great execution in
the pursuit. Many honest burghers, distressed by the
extraordinary speed which they were compelled to exert,
broke their wind, and died in consequence. Montrose
sustained little or no loss.
The town of Perth surrendered, and for this act a long
string of reasons were given, which are. rather amusingly
stated in a letter from the ministers of that town ; but
we have only space to mention a few of them. First, it
is alleged, that out of Elcho's defeated army, only about
twelve of the Fifeshire men offered themselves to the
magistrates in defence of the town, and most of them
were pot-valiant from liquor. Secondly, the citizens had
concealed themselves in cellars and vaults, where they
lay panting in vain endeavours to recover the breath
which they had wasted in their retreat, scarcely finding
words enough to te'l the Provost, " that their hearts
1^ SURRENDER OF I'EKTII.
were away, and that they would fight DO more tnough
they should he killed." Thirdly, the letter states, that
if the citizens had had the inclination to stand out, they
had no means, most of them having flung away their
weapons in their flight. Fourthly, the enemy were, it is
said, drawn up like so many hellhounds before the gates
of the town, their hands deeply dyed in the blood recent-
ly shed, and demanding, with hideous cries, to be led to
further slaughter. The Magistrates perhaps deserve no
olame, if they capitulated in such circumstances, to avoid
the horrors of a storm. But their conduct shows, at the
same time, how much the people of the Lowlands had
degenerated in point of military courage.
Perth consequently opened its gates to the victor. But
Argyle, whose northern army had been augmented by a
considerable body of cavalry, was now approaching with
a force, against which Montrose could not pretend to de-
fend an open town. He abandoned Perth, therefore,
and marched into Angus-shire, hoping he might find ad-
herents in that county. Accordingly, he was there joined
by the old Earl of Airlie and two of his sons, who never
forsook him in success or disaster.
This accession of strength was counterbalanced by a
shocking event. There was a Highland gentleman in
Montrose's camp, named James Stewart of Ardvoirlich, .
whose birth had been attended with some peculiar cir-
cumstances, which, though they lead me from my pres-
ent subject, 1 cannot refrain from noticing. While his
mother was pregnant, there rame to the house of Ard-
voirlich a band of outlaws, called Children of the Mist,
MacGregors, some say, others call them MacDonalds ot
Ardnamurchan. They demanded food, and the lady
caused bread and cheese to be placed on the table, and
went into the kitchen to order a better meal to be made
ready, such being the unvarying process of Highland
hospitality. When the poor lady returned, she saw upon
the table, with its mouth stuffed full of food, the bloody
head of her brother, Drummond of Drummondernoch,
whom the outlaws had met and murdered in the wood.
Mfm/tfR OF LORD KII.PONT. 121
The poor woman shrieked, ran wildly into the forest,
where, notwithstanding strict search, she could not be
found for many weeks. At length she was secured, but
in a state of insanity, which doubtless was partly com-
municated to the infant of whom she was shortly after
delivered. The lad, however, grew up. He was an
uncertain and dangerous character, but distinguished for
his muscular strength, which was so great, that he could,
in grasping the hand of another person, force the blood
from under the nails. This man was much favoured by
the Lord Kilpont, whose accession to the King's party
we lately mentioned ; indeed, he was admitted to share
that young nobleman's tent and bed. It appears that
Ardvoirlich had disapproved of the step which his friend
had taken in joining Montrose, and that he had solicited
the young lord to join him in deserting from the Royal
army, and, it is even said, in murdering the General.
Lord Kilpont rejected these proposals with disdain, when,
either offended at his expressions, or fearful of his ex-
posing his treacherous purpose, Ardvoirlich stabbed Kil-
pont mortally with his dagger. He then killed the sentinel,
and escaped to the camp of Argyle, where he received
preferment. Montrose was awaked by the tumult which
this melancholy event excited in the camp, and rushing
into the crowd of soldiers, had the mortification to see
the bleeding corpse of his noble friend, thus basely and
treacherously murdered. The death of this young no-
bleman was a great loss to the Royal cause.
Montrose, so much inferior in numbers to his enemies,
could not well form any fixed plan of operations. He
resolved to make up for this, by moving with the most
extraordinary celerity from one part of the country to
another, so as to strike severe blows where they were
least expected, and take the chance of awakening the
drooping spirit of the Royalists. He therefore marched
suddenly to Aberdeen, to endeavour to arouse the Gor-
dons to arms, and defeat any body of Covenanters which
ight overawe the King's friends in that country His
6 VOL. i. 2d SER.
122 MAUCH ON ABERDEEN.
nnny was now, however, greatly reduced in numbers,
for the Highlanders, who had no idea of scrvin-i for a
whole campaign, had gone home to then own districts, to
lodge their booty in safety, and get in their harvest. It
was, on all occasions, the greatest inconvenience attend-
ing a Highland army, that after a battle, whether they