CHAP. XV. The intrigues of Roxburgh, Hume, and Traquair.—The Highlanders desert and return home.-Montrose appointed captain general and lieutenant-governor of the kingdom.-Receives the king's orders to march southward, and to join Traquair and Roxburgh, who deceive him. MONTROSE now turned his views towards the south borders. To pave the way for that purpose, he invited the Earls of Hume, Roxburgh, and Traquair to join him, and co-operate in promoting the royal cause. This he wished the more earnestly, as they were men of very great power in that country. He had, besides, great reason to expect their compliance, as they had professed all along to be zealous friends to the king, and lay under very great obligations to him; for his majesty had raised them from private gentlemen to the first rank of nobility; and had, besides, given them the lieutenancies of the most opulent counties, whereby they amassed considerable riches, even to the envy of their neighbours, and the raising no small prejudice against the king on that account. They had sent a message to Montrose, by some of their principal friends, to assure him, that they were ready to run all risks under his command and direction, for the service of his majesty, to whom they professed the highest obligations; and would immediately raise what forces they could, and join his army, if he would only march into that country with ever so small a party; since by that means their friends and dependents, and the other people of these shires, would be encouraged by his authority and presence to join him the more cheerfully; and, on the other hand, such as refused might either be compelled to rise, or would at least be easily kept in order. On this account, they earnestly intreated him to comply with their desire, and he should find nothing but the utmost fidelity and readiness in them for the service. These were fair promises, and apparently sincere; but they were observed with the same faith and exactness usual with most of the king's favourites, who had tasted most liberally of his bounty. However, the Earl of Lanark, brother to the Duke of Hamilton, fell not under this imputation; he acted openly and above board. Montrose earnestly solicited him, by some of his own friends, to return to his fidelity and duty; yet, notwithstanding he had reason to expect not only a pardon for what was past, but likewise his brother's enlargement, he answered in plain terms, that he was resolved to have no correspondence with that side of the question, and would not therefore encourage them with vain hopes. And happy had it been for his majesty, if all those in whom that good king reposed the most exuberant trust, had, from the beginning of these troubles, spoke out their minds with the same candour and ingenuity. About the same time, Montrose dispatched the Marquis of Douglas and the Lord Ogilvy into Annandale and Nithsdale, in order, with the assistance of the Earls of Annandale and Hartfield, to raise what horses they could in these counties, and to march directly with such troops as they levied into the estates of Traquair, Roxburgh, and Hume, and thereby oblige them, without farther excuse, to take part in the war. For Montrose, who had now a thorough knowledge of the inclinations and practices of most of the courtiers, and, besides, had often had the experience of the inconstancy and double-dealing of these noblemen, particularly of Traquair, suspected, and not without good ground, that the pretended causes of their delay were entirely affected. Douglas, Hartfield, and Annandale, executed their commission very well, and had soon levied a body of men, which was pretty considerable as to their number; but they consisted mostly of ploughmen and shepherds, and were quite unacquainted with military discipline, though at first they expressed great forwardness, yet they soon lost their courage, and could hardly be kept together; wherefore Douglas entreated Montrose to hasten and meet them at the Tweed with his veteran troops, expecting, that, by his presence and authority, and the example and company of his experienced soldiers, they might be brought, either willingly or by force, to stand to their duty. In the mean time, in obedience to their orders, they came the length of Strathgala, on purpose to afford an opportunity, and their assistance, if requisite, to Roxburgh and Traquair to raise their men. But this these noblemen had never intended; their views were of a different nature; they had resolved to betray the king's cause, and, as they envied the glory Montrose had acquired by supporting it, to ensnare him into his enemies' hands by fraud, seeing they had no hopes of effecting it by force. And as they were in concert with the covenanters, and knew all their motions, they had certain information, that David Lesly and the whole horse under his command, were on their march to England, and would soon be at hand. This, they thought, would afford a good opportunity for perpetrating their treacherous purposes. For this end they sent frequent messengers, not only to Douglas and his party, but even to Montrose himself, to represent to them, in the strongest terms, that they were ready to expose their own persons to the greatest dangers; but that they could not prevail on their friends and dependents to take arms, and that Montrose's own presence was absolutely necessary to animate and encourage them; and to obtain the greater credit to what they said, they imprecated the heaviest curses upon themselves if they should not sacredly perform what they had promised. These solicitations, however, were of no effect with Montrose, and he continued still at Bothwell; for he concluded, if they were really sincere and honest in their professions, that Douglas and his party, who were still in their neighbourhood, were abundantly sufficient either to encourage and animate their friends, or to compel them to rise in arms. Montrose had now continued for some considerable time in his quarters at Bothwell, when many of the Highlanders, being loaded with spoil, deserted privately, and soon after returned to their own country their officers and leaders also openly demanded liberty to go home for a short time. They pretended that, as the covenanters had at that time no army within the kingdom, there was the less occasion for their presence; and as their corns had been all destroyed, and their houses burnt by the enemy, there was an absolute necessity for their going home, though but for a few weeks, in order to repair their habitations, and lay up some winter provisions for their wives and families therefore they earnestly begged a short furlough; and, as an inducement to obtain it, they solemnly promised to return in less than forty days, in greater strength and numbers. Montrose, perceiving that they were fully resolved to leave him, and that it was not in his power to detain them, as they were all volunteers, and served with 11 |