麵

fatigue of such extraordinary marches, he jing the rear himself with his horse. He
at this period fell sick and died. James his sustained some loss in an attack, but that
second, and now his only, son, was pursuing night was in great measure protected by the
his studies at Montrose; a young bairn darkness and his own celerity. All next
about fourteen years,' says Spalding, 'learn-day the pursuit was continued. Next
ing at the schools attended by his pedagogue evening, Baillie and Urrey having divided
in quiet manner.' Now, however, a party their forces so as to cut off his retreat, he,
of Covenanting cavalry, in a spirit of mean suddenly altering his line of march at mid-
revenge, seized both pedagogue and bairn, night, by a masterly manœuvre slipped be-
and carried them off prisoners to Edinburgh, tween them, and secured himself in the
where the boy's kinsmen Napier and Keir hills. It is said, no doubt with much ex-
were still confined.
aggeration, that his men had marched sixty
The Committee of Estates at Edinburgh, miles without either refreshment or rest.*
growing more and more alarmed at the Yet still, with every allowance for pane-
present success and the future aspirations of gyric, we see no reason for distrusting Dr.
the Great Marquis, felt the necessity of Wishart's assurance :— -'I have often heard
immediate succour to their general, Baillie. those who were esteemed the most ex-
They sent to his aid a large force of cavalry perienced officers, not in Britain only, but
under Sir John Urrey, a true Captain in France and Germany, prefer this march.
Dalgetty, who had first joined the Parlia- of Montrose to his most celebrated victories.'
ment's army, then gone over to Prince Of the two generals thus baffled, Baillie
Rupert, and been knighted by King Charles; now turned his arms to the district of Athol,
and then after some time rejoined the Cov- which he laid waste with fire and sword,
enanters; nor was this, as we shall see according to the cruel but too common prac-
hereafter, the last of his transformations. tice of that age. Urrey marched north-
Against such odds Montrose could not pre-wards, was joined by the garrison of Inver-
tend to maintain the open country, espe- ness and the Earls of Sutherland and
cially as Lord Lewis Gordon, whether from Seaforth, and then, without awaiting
his own fickle temper or moved by secret Baillie's co-operation, he sought out Mon-
instructions from his father, had now again trose. On the 9th of May they came to
forsaken the Royal Standard; and though battle at the village of Aulderne, near
Lord Gordon loyally adhered to it, Lewis Nairn. The Marquis had about three
had been followed by very many gentlemen thousand men, but Sir John Urrey at least a
and retainers of the name. Montrose there- thousand more, and Montrose had accord-
fore sent back a large proportion of his ingly been careful to secure the advantage
force to the mountains; but before joining of the ground. On either side of Aulderne,
them with the remainder (less than one which stands upon a height, he had sta-
thousand men), resolved to strike a blow at tioned his army in two wings, having
Dundee, a town which from the very com- neither centre nor reserve, but artfully dis-
mencement of the troubles had been most guising the defect by showing a few men
zealous and warm against the Royal cause. from behind the houses and inclosures. On
At ten o'clock in the morning of the 4th of the left stood Montrose with the Gordons
April he appeared before the gates. The and the principal force; on the right Col-
place, refusing a summons to surrender, was kitto with the Irish, and a few of the High-
stormed in three quarters at once: it was landers. But this last being much the
reduced before evening; and the troops strongest quarter, as fortified by dykes and
were already dispersed in quest of plunder, fences, Montrose had there placed the
and Montrose, it is said, preparing to fire Royal Standard usually carried before him-
the town, when he suddenly received news self, hoping that the sight of it would draw
that Baillie and Urrey, having combined the main attack of the enemy upon that
their forces sooner than he had expected, impregnable point. Upon the whole, his
were close at hand with four thousand men. dispositions that day have been compared to
The moment was full of peril. Some those of Epaminondas at the battle of
persons round the Marquis advised him in- Leuctra.† Whether they were quite so
stantly to make his own escape, and leave classical may be questioned; that they were
his troops to their fate. But throughout most able and skilful seems clear.
his life danger and difficulty were never
sources of fear, but rather incentives to
Montrose. He drew together his men
(some of them already drunk) from their
plunder, and began his retreat at sunset in
the presence of a far superior force, cover-led.

As the Marquis had foreseen, Sir John
Urrey directed his principal attack against

*Hume, History of England, ch. 58. In this he
follows Wishart too implicitly.

Laing, History of Scotland, vol. iii., p. 307,
1804.

the point where he saw the Royal Standard gallant Lord Gordon, mortally wounded in waving; but every onset was repulsed with the thickest of the fight. loss by the Irish musketeers and Highland Thus in six well-disputed conflicts against bowmen of Colkitto. Unfortunately, how-superior armies, and before the close of a ever, Çolkitto heard some of the enemy, on single year-at Tippermuir-at the Bridge renewing their charge, taunt him with of Dee-at the Castle of Fyvie-at Invercowardice for remaining under shelter of lochy-at Aulderne-and at Alford-had the sheepfolds. His Irish blood caught fire; the Royal cause and the genius of Montrose he forgot his instructions; and he sallied prevailed. Over all the Highlands was now forth into the open ground, where his troops his ascendency acknowledged. The Lymwere almost immediately thrown into dis- phads, that Campbell ensign, sank down, order. Just then, as Montrose was prepar- while high above them waved, bright with ing to join battle with the other wing, an recent victory, the banner of the three officer hastened up and whispered in his Escallop Shells on a Chief Sable,-the ear that Colkitto was entirely defeated. armorial shield of the Grahams. How many Even a hero might have been forgiven a a loyal heart in England may then have moment's faltering; but that moment's thrilled with the hope of such chivalrous faltering might have lost the day. Mon- aid! trose, never losing his presence of mind, immediately turned round to Lord Gordon with a cheerful countenance. 'What are we about?' he called out. 'Here is Macdonald carrying all before him on the left, and if we do not make haste he will leave us nothing to do! Charge!' And at his voice, the Gordon chivalry, afraid-it was the only fear they could know-of being forestalled in the conflict, poured But, alas at this very period, within a headlong down the hill, and fiercely charged few days of the time when Alford field was the enemy. The new levies of Urrey fled fought-the fatal battle of Naseby dealt a at once; but his veteran foot stood firm, last and decisive blow on Charles's cause in and were nearly all cut to pieces, for in England!

There's Derby and Cavendish, dread of their foes,
There's Erin's high Ormond and Scotland's
Montrose ;

*

Then tell these bold traitors of proud London

town,

That the spears of the North have encircled the
Crown!

For

these fierce conflicts quarter was seldom Far from being disheartened by these asked and seldom given. Thus successful tidings, or satisfied with his mountain doon the right, Montrose was enabled to turn minion, Montrose undertook without delay to his left wing, where Colkitto had been to invade and reduce the Lowlands. driven back to his inclosures, and was hard this purpose it became requisite to have a pressed by the enemy. There, too, the more complete gathering of the clans; nor Covenanters being routed on Montrose's did they shrink from joining a leader already approach, the victory of the Royalists was so far successful in a most unequal contest, decided and complete. and recommended by such a train of vic

In this engagement the bravery of the tories. For the first time Montrose saw Master of Napier, a youth of twenty, son of himself at the head of six thousand men. the Lord of that name, and of Montrose's With these he marched to the Forth. On sister, was most conspicuous. He had re- his way through Kinross-shire, his men discently escaped from his confinement at mantled and burnt Castle Campbell, a noble Edinburgh, full of ardour, thus early grati- antique edifice belonging to the Marquis of fied, to partake in the exploits of Montrose. Argyle, the ruins of which remain in lonely At the time of the battle of Aulderne, grandeur to this day. It is said that MonGeneral Baillie had been marching to the trose was urged to this havoc by the Ogilvies, succour of Urrey. He was now joined by in retaliation for their 'bonnie house of that officer with the shattered remnant of Airlie.' Yet we greatly doubt whether his the beaten army, but wisely determined to own animosity against Argyle needed any avoid what he found Montrose desire-the such incentive.

hazard of another battle. It needed some On the other side the Covenanting chiefs time and stratagem on the part of the Great had convened a Parliament, not at EdinMarquis to bring him to action; at last, on burgh, but first at Stirling, and then at Perth, the 2d of July, they engaged at Alford upon on account of a pestilence which was wastthe river Don. The result was another ing the Lothians. They showed the utmost brilliant victory to the Royalists, which, determination to resist the further progress however, was embittered by the fall of the of Montrose, ordered a levy of men through

• VOL. LXXIX.

2

out the kingdom, and brought together their crowning victory of Montrose-made him whole remaining force for one decisive blow. for the time master of all Scotland. His Notwithstanding their loss in the recent troops or his partisans spread over the low battles, they could still, by leaving no re-country like a torrent, and only the castled serve, muster an army of about seven thou- crags'-as Edinburgh, Stirling, and Dumsand men. The command was, as before, barton-seemed to lift themselves above the entrusted to General Baillie, but not, as be- general inundation. Argyle and the other fore, with full power, Argyle and other leaders of the Covenant fled for safety to noblemen being appointed a Committee to Berwick. Montrose himself entered Glasobserve and control his movements. Bail-gow in triumph, while young Napier, pushlie, as a skilful officer, wished to avoid any ing forwards to Linlithgow and Edinburgh, immediate action with the Royalists. If had the delight of freeing from captivity his we beat them to the hills,' said he, 'that father, his wife, his sisters, and his uncle, will be little advantage to us-and to lose Stirling of Keir. But Lord Graham, the the day will be to lose the kingdom.' But only surviving son of Montrose, having been he found his more sagacious counsels over- removed for greater security to Edinburgh ruled by his more eager colleagues. It was Castle, still remained a prisoner in the hands on the morning of the 15th of August that of his enemies. Montrose came in sight of their array at The clemency and moderation of MonKilsyth, a village adjoining the old Roman trose in this his hour of triumph may dewall; he having previously forded the Forth serve unqualified praise. He was no longer, about six miles above Stirling, and Paillie as in Argyleshire, the chieftain thirsting for having passed by Stirling bridge. From the vengeance on a rival; he was no longer, as forward movements of the enemy, Montrose at Aberdeen, the general obliged to connive perceived at once that they were willing to at pillage in his soldiers because unable to engage. The very thing I wanted!" he give them pay. No perquisitions were exclaimed. He bid his men strip to their made, no punishments inflicted, no acts of shirts, either as a sign of their resolution to license allowed. So anxious was Montrose fight to the death, or merely because, as to prevent the smallest outrage from his others say, he wished to disencumber them troops, that on the second day after his own of all weight; they having to charge up hill entry into Glasgow he sent them out of the at the hottest season of the year. The bat-city, and quartered them, under strict discitle began by an attack of Baillie's vanguard pline, at Bothwell and the neighbouring vilon one of the advanced posts of Montrose; lages. Many of the King's friends, who it was repulsed, upon which a thousand of had hitherto only looked on and wished him the Highlanders in uncontrollable ardour well, now came forward with professions of rushed forward without waiting for orders. their constant loyalty and excuses for their Montrose, though displeased at their rash-past inaction. Nor did there fail to creep ness, saw the necessity of supporting them, forth that numerous class of the attendand sent forward the Earl of Airlie and a ants upon Fortune-all drawn out by succhosen division to their aid. But the con- cess, as other reptiles by the sunshine. flict speedily spreading, soon resolved itself Up to this time the communications of into a general rush by the Royalists up hill Montrose with his Royal Master had been against their wavering antagonists. The but few and far-between-by precarious savage war-yell of the Highlanders, and messengers and most strange disguises. One their still more savage aspect this day-as of these messengers, James Small, had dashing forward, nearly naked-might have reached him in the garb of a common begstruck dismay into more practised soldiers gar; another, Thomas Sydserf, son of the than any the Covenant could muster. They Bishop of Galloway, as a peddler of Presbygave way in confusion, and with little or no terian tracts! The latter is referred to as quarter from the Royalists, since, by the follows in the Covent Garden Drollery,' most moderate computation, not less than printed in 1672:four thousand were slain. Some of the fugitives sought shelter in Stirling Castle; others scattered through the Lowlands. Argyle, who is not mentioned as present in the fight, escaped to the Firth of Forth, where seizing a small vessel, he again betook himself to his favourite element-at least Now, however, a high officer of state, whenever there was no chance of a naval Sir Robert Spottiswoode, son of the late engagement-the water. Primate and.himself Secretary for Scotland, The battle of Kilsyth-that last and was enabled to reach Montrose. He was

Once like a pedlar they have heard thee brag
How thou didst cheat their sight and save thy craig
When to the Great Montrose, under pretence
[neck],
Of godly books thou brought'st intelligence.'

the bearer of a new commission from Char- to join the Marquis in person through the les, dated at Hereford (June 25th, 1645), northern counties, but that project failing, and appointing the Marquis Captain-General he next entrusted Lord Digby with 1500 for Scotland, with extended powers. All horse to push onward, and attempt to meet possible solemnity was given to this new Montrose upon the Border. commission at a grand review at Bothwell : To the Border accordingly Montrose unit was first publicly handed to Montrose by dertook to march. But the further he Sir Robert Spottiswoode, and then read moved from the Highlands the less was he aloud to the troops by Archibald Primrose, supported by the Highlanders. Besides a lawyer of great eminence, at that time their usual unwillingness to be drawn far Clerk of the Council, but afterwards Sir beyond the shadow of their native mounArchibald and Lord Register, the ancestor tains, they had now a special plea for leave of the present Earl of Roseberry. Mon-of absence; it was harvest time, and every trose next addressed his soldiers in a short man eager to get in his own little crop of oats. but earnest speech; and lastly, in virtue of Thus then no sooner had the Marquis anCharles's new powers, he before them all nounced his march to the southward than conferred the honour of knighthood on Col- many of the Macdonalds under Sir Allaster, kitto-henceforth Sir Allaster Macdonald. and of the Gordons under Lord Aboyne, A further use of his new powers was the asked permission to go home-all faithfully summoning of a Scottish Parliament to meet promising, however, to rejoin the Standard at Glasgow. as soon as possible. But on the other hand

It is remarkable that even at such a crisis Montrose had reason to expect powerful Montrose should have found leisure to think reinforcements on the Border. There the of future publications in behalf of the Royal great House of Buccleuch indeed was adcause. On the 28th of August we find him verse, and had contributed a regiment to writing as follows to Drummond of Haw- Lord Leven's army; but the Marquis of thornden :

Douglas and the Earl of Roxburgh, Home, Traquair, Annandale, and Hartfell, professBeing informed, that you have written some ed their loyal zeal and promised their active pieces vindicating monarchy from all aspersions, aid. It was found, nevertheless, that these and another named Irene, these are to desire you noblemen had not so much zeal or so much to repair to our leaguer, bringing with you or sending such papers, that we may give order for Power, or the Royal cause not so much putting them to the press, to the contentment of popularity, as had been expected. The cry all his majesty's good subjects. might be again in those districts, not for King or Peer, but as after Flodden

'MONTROSE.'

It had been the anxious wish of Montrose to be joined by the King in Scotland, how

ever much his Majesty's arrival must have To say nothing of the enmity between the lessehed his own importance and renown.

same old ballad denotes :

Up wi' the souters of Selkirk !
For they are baith trusty and leal;
Then up wi' the men of the Forest,
And down wi' the Merse to the De'il.'

His report of the battle of Inverlochy thus neighbouring Border counties, which the concludes: Only give me leave, after I have reduced this country to your Majesty's obedience, and conquered from Dan to Beersheba, to say to your Majesty then as David's general did to his master, "Come thou thyself, lest this country be called by my name."(Feb. 3, 1645.) But ever since Thus, from one cause or the other, Monthe fatal day of Naseby the object had trose could only obtain for recruits a few plainly become, not the sharing of Scottish troops of irregular horse-whom Bishop victory, but rather the retrieving of English Guthry quaintly designates as the truthless defeat; and to this object Montrose most trained bands!"

:

earnestly, and with his whole heart, applied The state of Montrose's affairs at this himself. He wrote word to the King that juncture is well shown in a private letter, were he only supported by a small body of which on the 10th of September Sir Robert cavalry (in which force he was chiefly defi- Spottiswoode addressed to Lord Digby from cient), he might hope to march to his Ma- Kelso. jesty's rescue with 20,000 men. Charles had now but little force of any kind at his disposal; however, he was unwilling to cast away, perhaps, the last chance for the preservation of his Crown. He first designed

Tweedside, and dispersed all the King's enemies We are now arrived, ad columnas Herculis, to within this kingdom to several places, some to Ireland, most to Berwick.... You little imagine the difficulties my Lord Marquis hath here to

hazard) I have seen much of it. He was forced

wrestle with. The overcoming of the enemy is my's approach. Early next morning Leslie the least of them--he hath more to do with his took advantage of a thick mist which preseeming friends. Since I came to him (which was vailed; forming his troops in two divisions, but within these ten days, after much toil and he silently drew close to Philiphaugh; then to dismiss his Highlanders for a season, who furiously charged both flanks of the Royalists at once. It might almost be said that affairs. When they were gone Aboyne took a his attack was felt sooner than perceived. caprice, and had away with him the greatest At the first tidings Montrose sprang to horse, strength he had of horse. Notwithstanding gathered his small squadron, and darted

would needs return home to look to their own

whereof he resolved to follow his work.
Besides he was invited hereunto by the Earls of
Roxburgh and Home, who, when he was within a
dozen miles of them, have rendered their houses
and themselves to David Leslie, and are carried in
as prisoners to Berwick. Traquair has been with
him, and he promised more nor [than] he hath
yet performed. All these were great dishearten-
ings to any other but to him, whom nothing of

this kind can amaze.'

It will be observed from this letter that the Royalists were already informed of the approach of David Leslie. That able and active officer had been summoned in haste on Montrose's conquest of the Lowlands,

across the Ettrick to the rescue of his infantry. It is admitted by an historian, far from partial to his fame, that in this extremity whatever the abilities of the general or the personal valour of the soldier could accomplish was performed by Montrose."* With troops not only far outnumbered, but wholly surprised, he maintained for some time a most unequal conflict; and it was not until self left with only Lords Napier and Doughe saw his army slain or scattered, and himlas, and about thirty mounted followers, that he could be prevailed upon to attempt and then crossed over the moors to the vale escape. He fled up the vale of the Yarrow, and had hurried back to the Tweed with the flower of the Scottish army in Englandof the Tweed, reaching at sunset the ancient 4000 tried veterans, principally horse. Far burgh of Peebles. Next day he was reinferior as was now Montrose's army, the joined by about two hundred of the fugitive Marquis was not unwilling nor unprepared horse, including the Earls of Crauford and to accept a battle, had Leslie advanced Airlie; and with these scanty remnants of his host Montrose cut back his way to the straight against him with that view. But Highlands. the Covenanting general seemed to prefer a different course; he marched from Berwick corded in the traditionary songs of SelkirkThe fatal day of Philiphaugh is still reto the Lothians, and appeared to have for shire. A ballad of more popularity than his aim to interpose between Montrose and the Highlands, and cut off the Royalists' re- under cover of the darkness crept close to poetical merit truly describes how Leslie treat. Montrose therefore did not imagine the Royalist rank: that any peril from that quarter could be close at hand.

'A cloud o' mist them weel conceal'd
As close as e'er might be.

When they came to the Shaw burn
Said he: Sae weel we frame,
I think it is convenient
That we should sing a psalm!" ›

On the 12th of September, accordingly, the Marquis marched from Kelso, and encamped his infantry that evening on a level plain named Philiphaugh, on the left bank of the Ettrick, while he crossed that river with his officers and horsemen to take up quarters in the little town of Selkirk. For But we must not dissemble the fact, which the greater part of that night he was occuwe learn from a note to the Minstrelsy of pied with his friends, Lords Napier, Airlie, the Scottish Border,' that another reading of and Crauford, in framing despatches and re- the last line, equally current among the ports to the King, which were to be sent off peasantry, considerably modifies the merit at break of day. But meanwhile General of General Leslie's suggestion ;

I think it is convenient
That we should take a dram!

Leslie, after reaching the Lothians, had stopped short at Gladsmuir, and then most unexpectedly turning to the southward, descended the valley of the Gala to Melrose. There, at less than five miles' distance from In this rout both the Royal Standards the Royalist army, he passed the night of were preserved in a remarkable manner. the 12th; and it has been justly alleged as William Hay, brother to the Earl of Kina proof how little the Royalist cause found noul, carried the first; he escaped from the favour in this district, that thus within reach field, and lay for some time concealed upon of half an hour's gallop, no tidings whatever the Borders, after which he travelled in disshould have reached Montrose of his ene

Laing's History, vol. iii., p. 314, ed. 1804.