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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96730	Montrose redivivus, or The portraicture of James late Marquess of Montrose, Earl of Kincardin, &c. 1. In his actions, in the years 1644. 1645. and 1646. for Charles the First. 2. In his passions, in the years 1649. 1650. for Charles the Second K. of Scots.	Wishart, George, 1599-1671.; Pontius, Paulus, 1603-1658, engraver.	1652 (1652)	Wing W3124; Thomason E1309_1; ESTC R204080	129,846	209

judgement than this upon it which occasions all the mischiefs that afflict this poor Land such as was sent upon Achab God hath put a lying Spirit in the mouths of the most part of your Prophets who in stead of the doctrine of salvation labour to draw their Hearers into the condemnation of Corah God Almighty look upon this miserable Church and Kingdome and relieve you of that intolleroble servitude you lie under which as I doe heartily wish for on your behalf so let me have the assistance of your Prayers that God would be pleased to pardon all my sins in Jesus Christ and gather my soul with Saints and Martyrs that are gone to their rest before So I bid the word and you Farewell And this was the end a dolefull end indeed in regard of us but a joyfull and honourable one in him of a man admirable for his knowledge of things Divine and humane for his skill in the tongues Hebrew Chaldee Syriack Arabick besides the Western Languages for his knowledge in History Law and Politiques the Honour and ornament of his Country and our Age for the integrity of his life for his Fidelity for his Iustice for his Constancy a man of an even temper and ever agreeing with himself whose Youth had no need to be ashamed of his Childhood nor his tiper years of his Youth a severe observer of the old-fashion'd piety with all his soul and yet one that was no vain and superstitious Professour of it before others a man easie to be made a friend and very hard to be made an enemy and who being now dead was exceedingly lamented even by many Covenanters His breathlesse body Hugh Scrimiger once his fathers servant took care to bring forth as the times would permit with a private funerall Nor was he long able to bear so great a sorrow and losse for after a few dayes espying that bloudy Scaffold not yet removed out of the place immediately he fell into a swoon and being carried home by his servants and neighbours died at his very dore Lastly they give unto Spotswood another companion in death Andrew Gutherey son unto the most deserving Bishop of Murray and hated the more by the Rebells for that A youth as well valiant in battell as constant in suffering and contemning death He also was threatned and rail'd at by the same Blaire but answered That no greater honour could have been done him than to be put to an honest death in the behalf of so good a King and so just a Cause which those that were present should see he embraced without fear and perhaps another generation would not report without praise For his sins he humbly begged mercy and forgivenesse at the hands of his most gracious Lord God but for that which he stood there condemned he was not much troubled After this manner died with constancy and courage a man who if Almighty God had so thought sit had been worthy of a longer life And that now they might put the last Scene to a Tragedy of which most part was acted after two dayes breathing they brought forth William Murray brother to the Earl of Tullibardin a young Gentleman to the same place And truly every man much admired that his brother being in great favour and esteem amongst the Covenanters had not interceded for the life and safety of his own onely brother Some imputed it to his sloth others to his covetousnesse as gaping after his brothers estate others to his stupid and superstitious zeal to the Cause but even all the very Covenanters themselves condemned his silence in such a case as dishonourable and mis-becomming a Noble spirit But the Youth himself being not above nineteen years old purchased unto himself everlasting renown with posterity for so honest and honourable an end Amongst those few things which he spake to the people those that heard him told me these words which he spake with a higher voyce than the rest Account O my Country-men that a new and high addition of honour is this day atchieved to the house of Tullibardin and the whole Nation of the Murrays that a young man descended of that ancient stock willingly and chearfully delivered up his innocent soul as unto men in the very flower of his youth for his King the Father of his Country and the most munificent Patron of our Family Nor let my most honoured mother my dear sisters my kindred or any of my friends be sorry for the shortnesse of my life which is abundantly recompenced with the honour ablenesse of my death Pray for my soul and God be with you Chap. XX. THe death of his friends troubled Montrose exceedingly as it had reason but yet it was not able to break or shake his firm and setled resolution Not did his noble and more than ordinarily elevated spirit ever give greater evidences of it self than now For there were many who being emaged with the unworthy murder of their friends egg'd him on being already sufficiently discontented to a present revenge And whiles they too much favoured their grief although it was just and seem'd to desire nothing but what was fit to wit to render them like for like they wearied out the Generall with their many and troubleblesome and unseasonable complaints For they must needs be angry that their companions their friends their kindred noble and gallant Gentlemen well deserving of their King their Country and the Generall himself should be murther'd contrary to their faith promised them the custome of Wa●●e the Law of the Land of Nations and of Nature and all unreveng'd and on the other fide such Rebells as had been taken by him to be kept rather as in their friends houses than in prisons to rejoyce to triumph to laugh at their sorrow And therefore they humbly desired such prisoners might be tryed as Malefactors nor would the enemy be otherwise frighted from their unheard of cruelty nor the minds of his own men otherwise satisfied and raised up Whom he entertained with a courteous Speech commended them for the love they bare their friends and told them That the bloud of those honourable and innocent Subjects ought to be reveng'd indeed by such a way as became honest and valiant men not by basenesse and mischief as the Rebells doe but by true valour in a souldier-like way It concerned them so to tame as not to imitate the wickednesse of their enemies Nor if they considered matters well was it couscience that those that were prisoners with them and so could not be accessary unto the murther of their friends should suffer for those sins of which they were innocent The faith that they had passed unto them was a most sacred thing and to be kept inviolate even by enemies Why should they make themselves guilty of that which they so much abhorred in their enemies The time would come when they must give a severe account of it unto the most righteous God and to his Vice-gerent the King In the

and themselves ignorant of the way they became a prey to the Country people Whom they forgeting all the benefits and protection they had but newly received from Montrose to do the Covenanters a favour delivered up unto their cruell enemies to be made by them acceptable sacrifices unto Baal-Berith the God of the Covenant For all that the rebell conquerours missed of the Kings Standards The one of them which was carried before the Foot was preserved by an Irish souldier a stout man and of a present spirit when others were almost beside themselves who when he saw that the enemy had got the day stript it off the staffe and wrapped it about his body and being otherwise naked made his way with his drawn sword through the thickest of the enemie and brought it to Montrose at night Whom he received into his life-guard and gave it him to cary intoken of his valour loyalty And the other of them William Hie brother to the Earle of Kinoule a hopefull young Gentleman who succeeded his uncle by the mothers side Douglasse son to the Earle of Morton who having received many and grievous wounds at the battell of Alford was render'd unable for that burden stript from of the staff too and carried it away with him and conveighing himself into the borders of England skulked there a while till the coast was a little clearer about Tweed and then through by-waies and night-journies for the most part being accompanied and conducted by his faithfull friend Robert Toures a stout man and a good souldier who had bin a Captian in France a good while ago returned into the North and presented that same Royall Standard unto the Generall And now at last Montrose when he saw his men totally routed and put to flight which he never saw before thought of nothing more for a good space than to die honourably and not unrevenged therefore rallying about thirty Horse whom he had gatherred up in that confusion he resolved by fair and honourable death to prevent his falling alive into the enemies hands And seeing he was not able to break through the enemies Troops who stood thick round about him he gall'd them on the Front and Reare and Flanks and of such as were so hardy as to adventure out of their Ranks many he slew others he beat back But when all that he could do would not doe his busines as God would have it this consideration posessed his resolute and noble spirit That the loss of that day was but small and easily regayned because b● an inconsiderable part of his Forces were there That the Highlanders were the very Nerves and Sinewes of the Kingdom and all the North was sound and untouchte That many of the prime Nobility and men of power many Knights too and cheifs of their Septs had entered into an● Association with him who if he should miscarry would be suddenly ruin'd or corrupted and by that means the Kings party in Scotland utterly subdned Therefore he thought himself bound never to despair of a good Cause and the rather lest the King his Master should apprehend the loss of him to be greater than the loss of the battell And while these thoughts were in his head by good ha● came in the Marquesse Douglas and Sir John Dalyell with some other friends not many but faithfull and gallant men who with teares in their eyes out of the abundance of their assections beseech intreat implore him for the honour of his former atchievements for his friends sakes for his Ancestors for his sweet wife and childrens sakes nay for his KINGS his Countries and the Churches Peace and Safties sake that hee would look to the preservation of his Person considering that all their Hopes depended on him alone under God and that their lives were so bound up with his that they must all live or dye together At last Montrose overcome with their intreaties charging thorough the enemy who were by this time more taken up with ransacking the Carriages than following the chase made his escape of those that were so hardy as to pursue him some he slew others among whom was one Bruce a Captain of Horse and two Corners with their Standards he carried away prisoners Whom he entertained curteously and after a few daies dismist them upon their Pa●ole that they should exchange as many Officers of his of the like quality which Parole they did not over-punctually perform Montrose was gotten scarce three miles from Selkirk when he having overtaken a great number of his own men that went that way he made a pretty considerable party so that being now secured from being fallen upon by the Country people he marcht away by leisure And as he went by the Earl of Trequaires Castle by whose dishonesty he did not yet know that he had bin betrayed he sent one before him to call forth him and his son that he might speak with them but his servants bring word that they are both from home Notwithstanding there are Gentlemen of credit that testify they were both within nor did that gallant Courtier only bid the Rebells joy of their victory but was not ashamed to tell abroad not without profuse and ill becoming laughter that Montrose and the Kings Forces in Scotland were at last totally routed his own daughter the Countesse of Queensborough as far as modestly the might blaming him for it Montrose after he had made a hault a while neer a town called Peblis untill the Souldiers had refresht themselves and were fit to march many flocking to them from every side at Sun-set they all stoutly entered the town and by break of day next morning by the conduct of Sir John Dalyel especially passed over Cluid at a Ford. Where the Earls of Crawford and Airley having escaped an other way met with him making nothing of the loss of Battell as soon as they saw him out of danger Nor was he less joyfull at the safty of his friends than that he had sav'd and pickt up by the way almost two hundred Horse But although he was already secure enough from the pursuit of the enemy nevertheles he resolved to make what hast he could into Athole that taking his rise there he might draw what forces he could raise of the Highlanders and other friends into the North. Therefore passing first over the Forth and then the Erne having marched thorough the Sherifdom of Perth by the foot of the Mountains he came thither As he was on his way he had sent before him Douglasse and Airley with a party of Horse into Angus and the Lord Areskin into Marre that they might speedily raise their friends and dependants in those parts and had also sent Sir John Dalyel unto the Lord Carnegy with whom he had lately contracted affinity with Commissions to that purpose Moreover he sent letters to Mac-donell to require him according to his promise to retuurn with the Highlanders by the day appointed But above all he solicited Aboine both by

MONTROSE REDIVIVUS OR THE Portraicture of James late Marquess of Montrose Earl of Kincardin c. 1. In his Actions in the years 1644. 1645. and 1646. for Charles the First 2. In his Passions in the years 1649. 1650. for Charles the Second K. of Scots LONDON Printed for Jo. Ridley at the Castle in Fleet-street neer Ram-alley 1652. Jaques Marquis de Montrose Counte de Kingcairne Seigneir de Graeme Baron du Mount dieue etc A Paris P Pontius sculpsit To the Reader THere are a few things courteous Reader of which I would not have them ignorant who shall chance to peruse this short Historie whereof some concern the Lord Marquesse of Montrose whose Actions in his Country for two years space are here published and others have relation to the Author of this work And first of all I desire thee to take notice that Montrose is the Chief of that antient and famous Family of the Grahams and is called in old Scotish Graham more the great Graham He derives his Pedegree from that famous Graham in the Histories of Scotland who was son-in-law to Fergus the second King of the Scots and was the first that with the assistance of his father-in-law cast down that Trench which Severus had made and set out for the utmost limit of the Roman Empire between the Scotish Frith and the River of Cluid at such a place where Great Britain was narrowest and by that means cut the power of the Romans shorter Whence it happens that some evident remains of that Trench retain his name amongst the Inhabitants to this day who call it Gremesdike The same Graham from whom this noble Family took its rise surviving his father-in-law Forgus and being a man as able for Civill as Military employment was made Protector unto his Nephew and Regent of the Kingdome and after he had fetched back the Doctors of the Christian Faith who had been vanished by the late wars and setled as well the Church as State with excellent Laws freely resigned the Government into the hands of his Nephew when he came to age He flourished in the time of the Emperours Arcadius and Honorius about the year of our Lord CCCC From whom hath descended in a fair and straight line a long and noble row of Posterity who imitating the vertue of their Ancestors have been famous in the succeeding generations Amongst whom that valiant Graham was eminent who with the help of Dumbarre so seasonably rescued his Country from the Danes who were then Masters of England and had frequently but with little successe invaded Scotland with mighty Armies And in after-times that noble John Graham came nothing behind his Ancestors in vertue and honour who after the death of Alexander the Third in that vacation of the Kingdome while Bruce and Bailiol disputed their titles was with that renowned Vice-roy William Walley a stout maintainer of his Countries Liberty against the unjust oppression and tyranny of Edward King of England and after many heroicall exploits fighting valiantly for his Nation dyed in the bed of Honour His Tomb is yet to be seen in a Chappell which hath the name of Folkirk from the aforesaid Gremesdike by which it stands Adjoyning unto which the Marquesse of Montrose hath large and plentifull possessions descended by inheritance unto him from that first Graham But lest I should seem to derive the Nobility of so illustrious a worthies extraxion only out of the rubbish of dusty and obscure Antiquity I must not omit that his Grandfather the Earl of Montrose was advanced unto places of the greatest honour in that Kingdome and discharged them most happily For being Lord Chancellour of Scotland at such time as King James the Sixth of blessed memory came to the Crown of England he was created by him Vice-roy of Scotland and enjoyed that highest Honour which a Subject is capable of with the love and good affection both of King and People to the day of his death And his Father was a man of singular indowments both of body and mind and so known to be both in Forraign Countries and at home who after he had performed many most honourable Embassages for King James was called to be Lord President of the Session by King Charles and being snatched away from his Countrey and all good men by an untimely death was extremely lamented and missed And what we may think or hope of the grandchild I leave unto thee to judge by what he hath done already seeing he is yet now a year and a half after his employment in his Country scarce entred upon the 36. year of year of his age One thing more I must adde for thy sake good Reader three Periods already have been very dangerous and almost fatall to the Kingdome of Scotland the first by the oppression of the Romans whose yoke our Ancestors cast off by the Conduct of that first Graham descended of the noble British Family of the Fulgentii The second by the Danes therepulse of whom is owing especially to the the prowesse of the second Graham aforesaid And the third by the English and Normans whom the third Graham twice expelled out of Scotland and gave them many and great defeats So that as it was of old spoken of the Scipioes in Africk it seems the name of Graham is something fatall to their enemies and lucky to their country at a dead lift and that it was not without the speciall providence of God Almighty that in these worst times One stood up who did his best endeavours to maintain the Kings just Rights and Authority the Peace Safety and Liberty of the Subjects and the Honour and antient splendour of his House And this is all I thought good at this time to premise concerning the Lord Marquesse of Montrose And for the Author of the Book take it briefly thus Hee professeth himself to have been but little conversant in these sort of studies and expecteth neither credit or commendation for the strength of his wit which he acknowledgeth to be little or none nor reward or profit for his Pains which two things are the chiefest incentives to most to Wet their pen but that he undertook the businesse meerly out of a desire to propagate the truth to other Nations and to posterity For hee saw by late and lamentable experience in such a Cause as this that prosperous Villany can find more Advocates than down-cast Truth and goodnesse For when the same Confederates in both Kingdomes had by their own arts that is by lying and slandering ruined the Church to fill their bags with its Revenues so sacrilegiously purloyned and enrich their posterity with plentifull Anathema's and accursed things there wanted no store of men that extolled them for it to the skies as men deserving highly from their Country from the Church it self and from all man-kind and reviled with all sort of reproaches and contumelies the most religious servants of God holy Martyrs and Confessors for withstanding them And therefore he

Instructions from the King hoping by that meanes that being quickened with his Majesties authority the aproach of aid they would make more haste with their forces in the vain expectation whereof he had trifl'd away too much time in Sirath-Erne About this time the Lord Napier of Marchiston departed this life in Athole a man of most innocent life and happy parts a truly Noble Gentleman Chief of an antient family one who equalld his father grandfather Napiers Philosophers and Mathematicians famous through all the world in other things but far exceeded them in his dexterity in civill busines a man as faithfull unto as highly esteem'd by K. James and K. Charls somtime he was L. Treasurer and was deservedly advanced into the rank of higher Nobility and since these times had exprest so much loialty and love to the King that he was a large partaker of the rewards which Rebells bestow upon vertu often imprisonment sequestration and plunder This man Montrose when he was a boy look'd upon as more tender father when he was a youth as a most sage admonitor when he was a man as a most faithfull friend and now that he died was no otherwise affected with his death than as if it had b●n his fathers Whose most elaborate discourses of the right of Kings and of the Orginall of the turmoiles in great Britain ●heartily wish may somtime come to light Chap. XVIII MOntrose when he had waited for Aboine with his Forces out of the North now three weeks either on his march or in Srath-Erne and perceived that the rebells began to grow more outragious towards the prisoners being impatient of further delay crosseth over the Forth and came into Leven and he encamped upon the land of Sir Jhon Buchanan the Ringleader of the Covenanters in those parts expecting by that meanes lying so near Glascow he might fright the Rebells who then kept a Convention of Estates there from the murther of the Prisoners To which end facing the City every day with his Horse he wasted the enemies Country without any resistance although at that time for the guard of the Estates and City they had three thousand Horse in their quarters and he not full three hundred and twelve hundred Foot Notwithstanding before his coming down into Leven the Covenanters assoon as they understood that Huntley and Montrose agreed not and that Aboine and his men had deserted him in upper Marre as a prologue to the ensuing Tragedy had beheaded three stout and gallant Gentlemen The first was Sir William Rollock one of whom we have had often occasion to make honourable mention a valiant and expert man deare unto Montrose from a child and faithfull unto him to his last breath The chief of his crimes was that he would not pollute his hands with a most abhominable murther For being sent from Montrose with an express to the King after the battle of Aberdene he was taken prisoner by the enemy and was condemned unto death which he had not escaped except for feare of death he had harkened unto Argyle who most unworthily set a price upon Montroses head and promised great rewards honours and preferments to whomsoever should bring it in and had taken upon him to commit that treason which he abhorred with all his soul By which shift having his life and liberty given him he returned straight to Montrose and discovered all unto him beseeching him to be more carefull of himself for not he only who heartily detested so high a villany but many more had bin offered great matters most of whom would use their best endeavours to dispatch him The next was Alexander Ogleby of whom we also spake bfore eldest son to Sir John Ogleby of Innercharit descended of an ancient family and much renowned in the Scotish Chronicles He was but yet a youth scarce twenty but valiant above his age and of a present and daring spirit Nor can I hear or so much as conjecture what they had to lay to his charge but that new and unheard-of Treason to wit his bounden duty and loyalty to his King But there was no help for 't but Argyle must needs sacrifice that hopfull youth it had bin for nothing but his names-sake for he bare an implacable fewd to the Oglebyes The third was if Sir Philip Nesbit of an ancient family also and Chief of it next his father who had done honourable service in the Kings Army in England and had the command of a Regiment there Nor can I discover any reason they had to put him to death neither besides that which is used when they have nothing else to say that mad charge of the new high Treason except it was that their guilty consciences suggested unto them that that courageous and vigilant man might take occasion sometime here-after to be even with them for the horrid injuries they had done his father and his family However these men suffer'd a noble death with patience constancy as became honest men good Christians And unto these there are two brave Irish Gentlemen that deserve to be joyned Collonel O-Chaen and Collonel Laghlin odious unto the Rebels only for this impardonable crime that they had had many experiments of their courage and gallantry These Irish Gentlemen were murthered indeed at Edinburgh but many more were doom'd to the like execution at Glascow had not Montrose's unexpected approach within a few miles of the City had so much influence that it repriev'd them till another time The Lord Governour was very much perplexed with the news of these mens death and it was a question whether he was more vex'd at the cruelty of the Rebells or the negligence if not treachery of his friends For besides Huntley whose Forces he had so long in vain expected to come with his son Aboine Mac-donell also himself of whom he entertained an exceeding good opinion being often sent unto and invited also by the neernesse of the place although the time appointed by himself was already past and gone made no appearance of his approach Six weeks had now passed since Aboine had ingaged himself for the Northern Forces and the Winter than which our age never saw sharper was already deeply entred Besides the aids that the King had sent under the Command of the Lord Digby were defeated all which might easily have been salv'd and the Kingdome reduced again if those great Professors of loyalty had not plaid fast and loose in that good Cause Therefore at last on the 20. of November Montrose departing from Levin and passing over the Mountains of Taich now covered with deep snow through woods and loghes whose names I doe not at this time well remember crossing also through Strath-Erne and over the Tay returned into Athole There he met Captain Ogleby and Captain Nesbit whom he had formerly sent with the Kings Instructions unto Huntley And they bring word the man was obstinate and inflexible who would believe nothing that they said and when they

past them with much ado came not much before them to Innernesse insomuch as they seem'd to be but the Van of the enemie and Middletons whole Army followed within Cannot-shot But as the providence of God would have it Montrose had notice of their approach another way and having drawn off his Forces a little way from the Town had got them all into a Body And when he perceiv'd the enemy to be much too strong for him in Horse avoiding the plain he retreated with his men beyond the Nesse The enemy falling upon the Rear and being handsomly repuls'd kept themselves also close The losse on both sides was very little and almost equall Montrose passed by Bawly into Rosse whither the enemy pursued him that taking him in the champain ground which was disadvantageous to him they might compell him to fight whether he would or no. But besides that the enemy was much stronger than he the Country people being faithlesse and rotten and Seafords new raised men running away by companies from their Colours moved him with all the speed he could to save himself from the enemies Horse Therefore passing by Logh-Nesse and through Strath-Glasse and Harrage he advanced unto the bank of the Spey Montrose was resolved to proceed against Huntley as a publick enemy unlesse he repented but would try all fair means first to see whether it was possible to bring him into a better mind To which end taking with him only one Troop of Horse for his life-guard in all speed he rid twenty miles unto him to his Castle at Bogy And as he was on his way he sent one before to give him notice of his approach and to tell him that he came thither alone and without his Forces to no other end than to kisse his hand and to be advised by him concerning such things as concerned the Kings service and he was the more earnest to speak with him because he had newly received Letters from the King from Oxford which he would let him see But Huntley being affrighted with the first news of Montrose's approach was so averse from the presence of so gallant a man that in a trice he leapt on horse-back and with one man along with him ran away any way he car'd not whither nor vouch safed the Kings Vice-roy the favour of a conference or entertainment Which assoon as Montrose understood he returned back those twenty miles the same day being the 27 of May and was as carefull as he could possibly to conceal this frowardnesse and unrulinesse of Huntleys lest it should be a bad president But all would not do for the Gordons themselves and others of Huntleys friends being most of them very honest men and complete Gentlemen told all with a great deal of indignation and detestation of Huntley that by that means they might acquit themselves from the aspersion of so unworthy an act Nor can one easily say how great influence that mans example had upon other Northern men The Earl of Scaford who had been but lately and with much adoe reconciled to the Kings side was conceived to begin to falter and some say that being still unsetled he had then underhand dealings for the making of his peace with the Covenanters which truly I can hardly believe And Alexander Mac-donell himself pretending I know not what although he had had often and serious invitations made nothing but sleevelesse excuses and put-offs from day to day Which carriage of his gave occasion of strange reports of him as if he although he was a bitter enemy to Argyle yet had great correspondence with and relations unto the Hamiltons and therefore slaid at home and looked only upon the preservation of the Mac-donells not medling with publique affairs Which when Montrose considered he resolved without further delay to make his progresse over all the North-country and Highlands with a considerable party to list souldiers to encourage the well-disposed to reduce those that were refractory by the severity of the Lawes and condign punishment and to deal with them as men use to doe with sick children make them to take physick whether they will or no. And he wanted not fitting instruments to promote this design who had earnestly laboured with him to take that course While these things passed at Innernesse Huntley lest he should be thought never to have done any thing by his own conduct without the assistance of Montrose besieged and took in Aberdene which Middleton kept with five hundred men but with more losse to Huntley himself than to the enemy For besides the losse of many valiant souldiers he gave his Highlander leave to pillage the City But what fault those poor innocent Aberdene-men had made either against the King or Huntley let them judge who know that almost all of them were eminent and observed for their loyaltie But for the enemy whom he took in Arms who were both many and of very good account amongst their own party he dismist them freely without any conditions and look'd fawningly upon them rather like a Petitioner than a Conquerour Nor when he had many Collonels Knights and others of qualitie who by chance were found in Aberdene in his hands did he so much as think of exchanging any one of his own friends for them many of whom were prisoners either in Scotland or England But this was his humour being alwayes more ready to doe good for his enemies than his friends Chap. XXI MOntrose being busie about his design on the last of May there came unto him a Herald with Commands from the King who by I know not what misfortune had cast himself upon the Scotch Covenanters Army at Newcastle whereby he was required forthwith to lay down his arms and disband and to depart into France and there to wait his Majesties further pleasure He being astonished with this unexpected message bitterly bewailed the sad condition of the King that had forced him to cast himself upon the mercy of his deadly enemies And doubted not but that that command which was given him for disbanding was extorted from him by the craft or force or threats of the Rebells into whose hands he had fallen But what should he do in that case If he obeyed he must give over the estates of his friends to plunder and their lives to death and if he stood in arms against the Kings command he should be guilty of that crime he undertook to scourge in others Rebellion And especially he was afraid lest the Rebels should put his actions upon the Kings account and use him the worse for them seeing they had him in their power of which the King had given him a fair hint in his Letter Therefore Montrose resolved to call together all the Noblemen and Chiefs of Septs and Knights and others of quality that were of his side that a matter of that consequence which concern'd them all might be discust by generall consent To which end after he had received so many injuries from him he