CHAPTER XVI.

HUNTLEY'S INSURRECTION; EXPLOITS OF THE MARQUIS OF MONTROSE IN THE NORTH, UNTIL HIS FINAL DEFEAT.

WHILE the Scottish army was thus pro- | body of horse, with which he might himself gressing in England, the king was yielding enter Scotland from the south; that the himself up more and more to the violent king should obtain a body of German horse counsels of the marquis of Montrose. We have seen how Montrose's proposal, after the arrival of the queen in 1643, to surprise the covenanters and put their leaders to death, had been overruled through the more moderate counsels of the duke of Hamilton. Both noblemen returned to Scotland, to assist in managing the convention of estates, but failing in this, and subsequently prosecuted for refusing to sign the covenant, they had returned with other noblemen of the king's party to court. On their arrival at Oxford, the king, who seems in his mortification at the ill-success of his affairs in Scotland to have attributed it to his hesitation in accepting the advice of Montrose, was persuaded that the contrary advice rose from secret disaffection to his cause, and placed Hamilton and Lanark under arrest. The latter made his escape and fled to London. Hamilton was accused of treason, and, after being refused a trial, he was imprisoned first in the castle of Pendennis, and subsequently in that of St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, whence he was released by the parliamentary forces, when that fortress surrendered to them in 1646.

to be sent into the north of Scotland by the king of Denmark; and that means should be immediately taken for supplying with arms such of the Scots at home as might be willing to use them in his cause This occurred in the December of 1643; and the earl of Antrim, being at that time at Oxford, undertook without hesitation the raising of forces in Ireland, and promised to be in Argyle with ten thousand men before the 1st of April following. The king also sent instructions to his ambassador in Denmark in accordance with Montrose's suggestion, and sent the required order to the marquis of Newcastle, who, however, was in no condition to spare any of his own forces. Montrose at the same time received the king's commission as governor of Scotland and general of the forces there, and he proceeded on his mission, attended by about two hundred horse, most of them officers who had served abroad. On his way, he had a conference with the marquis of Newcastle, who was then watching the Scots in the bishopric, and Montrose's most urgent solicitations could only procure him a body of two hundred horse, with two small fieldMontrose again proposed to the king his pieces. Newcastle, however, gave him plan of insurrection and massacre, which orders to all the king's officers and comnow met with no further opposition, and manders in Cumberland and Westmoreland appears to have been only delayed by the to afford him all the assistance they could, urgency of other business, or by difficulties and from them he obtained eight hundred which arose in the way of carrying it into foot and three troops of horse With these execution; until, when the Scottish army forces he crossed the border and took poshad entered England, the king became more session of Dumfries; but he soon found that anxious to effect some sudden and violent his position there was untenable, and heardiversion in Scotland, and consulted with ing nothing of the troops from Ireland, and Montrose for that purpose. The marquis knowing that the earl of Callander with the represented that the difficulties in the way new levies was preparing to attack him, he of this undertaking were greater than be- abandoned Dumfries, and made his retreat fore; that he had neither men, arms, nor to Carlisle. He now engaged himself with pay in Scotland, to commence anything of the king's forces in Northumberland and importance, yet, if his majesty would lay Durham, and took and plundered the town his commands upon him, he was ready to do of Morpeth, whence he was summoned to his best. He then proposed that a force join the army of prince Rupert, who was from Ireland should be landed in the west advancing to the relief of York, but he of Scotland; that the marquis of Newcastle arrived only the day after the battle of should be ordered to furnish him with a Marston-Moor. Montrose, finding the king's

cause hopeless in Yorkshire, now became money, ilk soldier estimate to ten dollars, urgent with prince Rupert to give him a and in furnishing and all to a hundred portion of his troops for the purpose of in-marks; which stood to Aberdeen for their vading Scotland, but without success.

Geicht, and other adherents of the marquis | some guns from a ship of war in the roads. of Huntley, in all about sixty horse, invaded Towards the middle of April he received he town, galloped about the streets in certain intelligence that the marquis of bravado, and finished by plundering the Argyle was marching against him with a house of Alexander Joffray, one of the bail- considerable army, and he became still more lies, of his gold rings and chains, and carrying anxious to put the town in a posture of deoff provost Leslie, with Farquhar, Alexander fence. Having been informed that there Joffray, and his brother John, dean of guild, were some brass cartows, or small cannons, prisoners to Strathbogie. A few days after lying at Montrose, he determined to seize this outrage, which was known popularly as upon these and bring them to Aberdeen. Haddow's raid, Huntley himself, at the head Accordingly, on Saturday, the 20th of April, of a strong body of horse and foot, entered he sent the younger laird of Drum and major Aberdeen in martial order with sound of Nathaniel Gordon, with about three hundred trumpet, and proceeded to seize all the arms men, horse and foot, to effect this object. in the town, and held his council there as About two o'clock in the morning they governor for the king. Immediately after-entered Montrose with sound of trumpet, wards, he issued a proclamation, stating but they at first met with a more resolute that he had been obliged to take up arms resistance than they expected, for the townsfor his own defence, in support of the royal men, timely warned of this intended visit, authority, and in opposition to the recent had given the alarm by ringing the common acts of the convention of estates. In a bell and lighting a beacon on the top of their second proclamation, the marquis avowed steeple, and they were in arms to receive and justified as his own act the seizure and them. The Huntleians, however, after a imprisonment of the provost and the three short skirmish, succeeded in clearing the municipal officers, alleging that they were streets, and took possession of the guns. "too well known to have been scandalous A ship belonging to Montrose happened to fomenters of a dangerous distraction amongst be lying dry in the harbour, in which the us, by countenancing and assisting some provost and others of the town had taken men, unhappily diverted in their neglect of refuge with their more valuable effects. the duties they owe both to conscience, The young laird of Drum wished to convey loyalty, and nature; and by menacing others the two cannons from Montrose to Aberdeen under their jurisdiction from rendering those by sea, and the possessor of the ship seems lawful civilities which ought to be expected to have amused him with a negotiation for from them; and all for making us obnoxious terms of conveyance until the tide had come to the rigours of other men to whose ends in. No sooner, however, was the ship afloat, they concur; which, if they should be effec- than, drawing in as near as possible to the tuated, could not but ruin us, and leave shore, it saluted the laird's company so perhaps no great safety to themselves." vigorously with ordnance and musketry, The earl Marshall immediately prepared to that they were obliged to make a quick recollect the forces of the districts around for treat from the beach, leaving the two canthe purpose of suppressing this insurrection nons behind them. The laird of Drum, proin its beginning, and having called together voked at his failure, let loose his highlanders the committees of Angus and Mearns, he upon the town of Montrose, who, not slow sent a mandate to the marquis to dismiss his or backward wherever plunder was in view, followers. Huntley, trusting to the promises broke open the merchants' booths, and of the king and Montrose, and to the assur- cleared them of all the rich merchandise, ances, as he said, of several nobles who were cloths, silks, velvets, and other costly ware, to have joined him in the rising, assumed a jewellery, gold and silver work, and arms. high tone, and instead of obeying the man- They broke up a pipe of Spanish wine, and date, returned an insolent message to the caroused heartily, after which, having twice committee, ordering them to disperse and set the town on fire, though with only not disturb the peace of the country. For partial effect, they marched back in the some days Huntley remained in Aberdeen, utmost disorder to Aberdeen. A number hoping in vain for assistance, and undisturbed of the highlanders having in their eagerness by his enemies, although he was aware that for plunder remained behind their comthey were preparing to advance against him. panions, were captured by the townsmer He was not even able to fortify the town, and sent in chains to Edinburgh. for he had failed in an attempt to obtain

Huntley now began to lose all hopes of

This

declaration spread discouragement among Huntley's friends, but they had gone too far to retreat easily, and after some consultation, it was agreed that, since they were not' able to give battle, the marquis should still keep his friends together, and that they should hang upon the enemy's wings, impede his movement, live upon the goods of the covenanters, and when hard pressed retreat into the fastnesses of Strathbogie, Auchendoun, or the Bog, and thus gain time and

come from the king for their relief." As the southland army was approaching fast, it was resolved that they should meet at Strathbogie with all the forces they could collect. Dissension, however, had already crept into Huntley's camp, and immediately after this counsel of war he was deserted by some of his party. This made him still more undecided in his councils, and when his friends could not prevail upon him even to take steps for carrying out the resolution of his council of war, they exclaimed in disgust, "We have shown ourselves foolishly, and shall leave the field shamefully; we thought never better of it!" The marquis and his friends separated in anger, and leaving them in Aberdeen, he retired to Auchendoun at the beginning of May, to take measures for his own safety, while his friends shifted for themselves. The provost and magistrates of Aberdeen were liberated, and sent home.

success in his rising, and became every day stances, and if he saw any chance of success, more irresolute. He was still at Aberdeen, he would hold out to the last man. but instead of receiving any accession of force, the small number of followers he had were continually diminished by desertion. His friends in the south had not fulfilled their promise of supporting him, and no assistance arrived from the king, while he was well informed that the covenanters were assembling round him under Argyle in numbers which he could not resist; and even his own son, the lord Gordon, who had taken a different side in the political question from his father, was raising forces" bide better fortune if any help should to oppose him. Huntley's friends, alarmed at their desperate situation, began now to murmur at his want of activity, and urged that he should at once march with all the force he could collect into the Mearns and Angus, and attempt something against the covenanters there before they had completed their preparations against him. There was a council of war in Aberdeen on the 29th of April, at which this plan was discussed, and the marquis alleged that, if he left Aberdeen and went to the Mearns, he was sure that the Forbeses, the Frasers, and other covenanters, would occupy the town immediately, and follow at his heels into the Mearns, where he would be hemmed in by his enemies. He said further, that he had sufficient reason for delay in the promises of assistance he had received. In the first place, his confidential servant, John Gordon, popularly known as John of Berwick, had returned from court with a promise from the king to send him a commission for raising of arms. The same secret agent had assured him that the king would have an army in Scotland to support his movement about the end of March. He said also, that he had hopes that the lord Forbes, with his own vassals of that name, and divers other lords and earls south and north, would have risen when he rose, and that he had lain still waiting for their rising. Lastly, he had reckoned upon a more general sympathy in the population of the country, who were groaning under the heavy exactions of the government of the covenanters. 66 Upon these reasons," he said, "he had too rashly engaged himself and his friends, which he perceived now had clearly failed him, and he knew well that he and his friends were not Able to give battle to the invincible army coming against him." It was sore against his will, he added, to yield to these circum

The royalists had hardly left the town when, on the 2nd of May, the army of the covenanters entered it, amounting to nearly six thousand men, well armed and well officered, and commanded by the marquis of Argyle. They proceeded immediately to make severe reprisals on Huntley's friends and adherents. Drum, the castle of the Irvines, was seized and plundered, and delivered to the keeping of a captain and fifty musketeers. Next, on the 6th of May, the army of the covenanters invested the strong castle of Kellie, in which the laird of Haddow, one of the most resolute of Huntley's adherents, had taken refuge with some of his friends. The laird himself wished to hold out to the last, but he soon found that he could place no dependence on his men, some of whom deserted on the first opportunity that offered, and after some fruitless negotiation, he was obliged to surrender at discretion on the 8th of May. He was sent

Huntley's principal adherents were either taken, or fled the country. Irvine the younger, of Drum, his son-in-law, in an attempt to make his escape by sea, was driven into Caithness, where he took refuge with a kinsman who, tempted by the reward which was set upon his head, delivered him to the covenanters. The chiefs who were taken were carried to Edinburgh, where the

wards met, and they were proceeded against on the charge of high treason. The laird of Haddow, with his retainer John Logie, were first brought to trial. Haddow was accused of entering Aberdeen in a hostile manner, and carrying away prisoners the provost and magistrates; of being in arms with the marquis of Huntley against the government; of the slaughter of James Stalker at Turreff; and of killing two of the covenanters' men when they laid siege to Kellie. He boldly avowed all these acts except the killing of Stalker, and justified them as having been done in support of the king's cause. Both Haddow and his man were convicted, and condemned to death, the sentence being fully confirmed by the parliament. On the 19th of June, a scaffold was raised in Edinburgh, on which the laird and his man were both beheaded.

prisoner to Edinburgh. The same day that Kellie was surrendered, the army of the covenanters removed to Geicht, which was surrendered next day. On Sunday, the 12th of May, the marquis of Huntley and his adherents were publicly denounced from the pulpits of Aberdeen as traitors and enemies to the state, and sentence of excommunication pronounced against them. The marquis soon found that he was not safe parliament and general assembly soon afterat Auchendoun, and he removed secretly thence to the Bog of Geicht (now Castle Gordon), accompanied by James Gordon of Letterfury, John Gordon the younger of Auchinunzie, and the John Gordon who was known as John of Berwick. At the Bog of Geicht, as the least accessible of his houses, Huntley had deposited his treasure, and he now took thence some trunks filled with gold and silver and costly apparel, which he entrusted to James Gordon and John of Berwick, who were to find a boat to carry them and the marquis over by sea to Cousie. But these two worthies, although the marquis was their kinsman and chief, were not proof against temptation, for when they reached the shore, finding a vessel bound for Caithness, they embarked and carried the treasures with them thither, leaving the marquis behind to the chance of falling into the hands of his enemies. Huntley, meanwhile, in company with John Gordon of Auchinunzie, had crossed the Spey, and sought refuge with another of his name and kin, Alexander Gordon of Salter-hill, with whom, on hearing of the flight of his faithless dependents, he deposited a sum of a thousand dollars, which he had kept with him because he could find no conveyance for sending them, and hurried after the fugitives. Alexander Gordon, however, proved no more trustworthy than the others, for he delivered up Huntley's money to his son, who was with the covenanters. By means of another of his name, Huntley obtained a passage for himself and John Gordon of Auchinunzie in a ship bound from Cousie to Caithness, where, on landing, this powerful northern nobleman was obliged to seek shelter in a common alehouse He was moved thence to the house of Gordon of Syddra, and next day he rode to Caithness, where he met with James Gordon of Letterfury unexpectedly, and recovered his trunks. With these he took ship again, and went by sea to Strathnaver, where he remained till the October of the following year.

Thus ended this inauspicious insurrection.

It was at this moment that the marquis of Montrose was entering upon an expedition which for a time was productive of disastrous consequences to the northern districts. When Montrose found all his hopes of obtaining an army for the invasion of Scotland from the south destroyed by the defeat of the royalists at Marston-Moor, he conceived the desperate but romantic project of presenting himself almost alone among the highlanders in the north. Having placed the few troops he had under the command of lord Ogilby, to whom alone he entrusted his secret intentions, he set out with them with the avowed purpose of carrying them to the king. After two days' march towards the south, Montrose quitted them secretly, leaving with them his horses, servants, and carriages, that his own absence might be the less observed. Returning with equal secrecy to Carlisle, he took two persons only as his companions, sir William Rollock and a man named Sibbald, and he himself passed in disguise as Sibbald's groom. Thus they passed the Scottish border unobserved, Montrose riding on a lean hack, and leading another in his hand. After travelling four days in this manner, they reached the house