and only continuing to observe one another's motions.

At length Lord Aboyne, and Colonel Nathaniel Gordon, came to Dunkeld with their recruits from the north country; they brought only two hundred horse, and a hundred and twenty musketeers, mounted upon their carriage-horses in form of dragoons, but no foot at all: this was far below what was expected, but their valour and bravery, in some measure, supplied their want of numbers. Lord Airly and his son Sir David joined him also with a troop of eighty horse, who were mostly gentlemen of the name of Ogilvy; among whom was Alexander Ogilvy, son to Sir John Ogilvy of Innerquharity, a youth remarkable not only for his comely presence, and the dignity of his ancestors, but already loaded with military honours beyond what was to be expected from his years. Montrose, having got this reinforcement, resolved to march against the enemy directly, without loss of time. When he came to the river Almond, he received information, that several of their late auxiliaries had deserted them, and returned home: he therefore judged it necessary to see what condition they were in, and if his information was just; accordingly, having ordered his foot to take some rest, he rode out with his cavalry to reconnoitre: before sunset he came in full view of the enemy; who, being surprised at seeing him unexpectedly so near them, imme

diately retired behind their lines. Next morning early he rode out again to reconnoitre, and was informed that they had left their camp at Methven late the night before, in an apparent fright, and crossed the bridge of Ern in great disorder. Upon this news he lost no time, but instantly began his march; and, crossing at a stone bridge about six miles up the river, lay that night in Stratherne.

L

CHAP. XIII.

The Fife-men rise in arms and join the covenanters.-Montrose marches to Kinross; crosses the Forth, and encamps at Kilsyth; pursued by Baillie's army, who attack him and are entirely routed at Kilsyth.

THE shire of Fife is the richest and most populous, and the best planted with towns and villages of any in Scotland. The inhabitants are by no means martially inclined, being mostly merchants, shopkeepers, sailors, and farmers. They are, of all others, the most addicted to the new-fangled superstitions, to which they have been seduced both by the example and authority of the nobility and gentry among them, and by the seditious sermons of their preachers; and in consequence thereof, had very early, almost to a man, declared for the covenanters. The country itself is in form of a peninsula; and is bounded on the south by the Frith of Forth, on the north by the river Tay, which is capable to receive ships of burden a great way up, and on the east by the ocean: so that the only entry into it by land is from the west, which is but a narrow pass, and was at this time possessed by both armies.

The whole shire was on that account in an up

roar. Their worthy ministers were not idle, but thundered out their excommunications against all, of whatever age, rank, or condition, who would not take up arms. Some strengthened their anathemas by compelling the country people to rise numbers flocked unto them, and others absconded, according as they were wrought upon by superstition, confidence, or fear.

Montrose earnestly desired to come to a decisive battle, before they should be joined by this new levy from Fife: but they were so advantageously posted, from the natural situation of the ground, and the narrowness of the passes, that he could neither safely attack them, nor allure them out of their intrenchments.*

Having offered them battle once and again, he resolved to penetrate into the heart of the country; and came the length of Kinross, with a view to prevent the levies they were making there, and in hopes at the same time to draw them out of their fastnesses to the assistance of their distressed friends. The enemy allowed him to march off without the least disturbance; and immediately turning another way, they made what haste they could to the east part of Fife, keeping close by the sides of the rivers of Ern and Tay.

Montrose dispatched Colonel Nathaniel Gordon

They lay then at Kilgirston, hard by the bridge of Ern.

and Sir William Rollock with a small party of horse, as an advanced guard, to view the country. This party separated, and spread themselves abroad through Fife in order to receive the more exact intelligence; so that no more than ten men remained with the colonel and Sir William, when they unexpectedly fell in with a body of two hundred of the enemy, chiefly horse, who were recruiting in that quarter; and being too far advanced to attempt a retreat, with these twelve men they charged the whole two hundred, and put them to flight, having killed some and taken others pri

soners.

Montrose reached Kinross in the evening. As the shire of Fife was deeply intoxicated with the prevailing superstition, and, on that account, thoroughly attached to the covenanters, and disaffected to the royal cause, he made no doubt but they were now all in arms. And judging it would be highly imprudent to risk an engagement with such a multitude, both of horse and foot, as they would probably have, he resolved to cross the Forth. Two reasons induced him principally to this motion; he expected that the people from Fife would not easily be prevailed on to march beyond the limits of their own country; and at least that they would soon be wearied out by the fatigue of long marches, and would leave the army, by which means their strength would be considerably diminished; and, as they were educated and ac