Copy 1, Volume 1

A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans / by James Browne ... ; illustrated by a series of portraits and other illustrative engravings.

  • James Browne
Date:
1836-1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans / by James Browne ... ; illustrated by a series of portraits and other illustrative engravings. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    541/552 (page 441)
    MONTROSE RECEIVES A LETTER FRCM THE KING. 44] Captain Lockhart, son of Sir James Lockhart of Lee, and three other captains of foot, besides a considerable number of privates ; but Huntly lost only about twenty men in whole.* As Huntly’s force was considerably reduced by the return of the Highlanders, who had accompanied him, to their own houses, with the booty which they had collected in Aberdeen, and, as he was apprehen- sive of the immediate return of Middleton from the north, Huntly re- mained but a short time in Aberdeen. Marching up the north bank of the Dee, he encamped in Cromar; but the sudden appearance of Mid- dleton, who, on hearing of Huntly’s advance on Aberdeen, had retraced his steps and re-crossed the Spey, made him retire into Mar, where he was followed by Middleton, who, in some slight skirmishes, cut off some of his men; but Middleton discontinued the pursuit and returned to Aberdeen, which he found had suffered severely from Huntly’s visit. After an ineffectual attempt by Montrose to obtain an interview with Huntly at the bog of Gicht, whither he had gone after Middleton’s re- tnrn to Aberdeen, Montrose resolved to make a tour through the High- Jands, in the hope that he would be able, by his personal presence, and by promising suitable rewards, to induce the clans to rise in defence ot their sovereign ; but with the determination, in case of refusal, to en- force obedience to his commands. This resolution was not taken by Montrose, without the concurrence of some of his best friends, who pro- mised to aid him by every means in their power, in carrying it into ef- fect. In pursuance of his design, Montrose was just about setting out on his proposed journey, when, cn the last day of May, a messenger - arrived with a letter} from the king, requesting him to disband his forces, and to retire, himself, to France, where he would receive “ further directions.” After the disastrous battle of Naseby, which was fought on the fourteenth day of June, sixteen hundred and forty-four, between the English royalists and the parliamentary forces, the campaign in England, on the part of the king, “ presented little more than the last and feeble struggles of an expiring party.” { The king had been enabled, in consequence of the recall of the horse, which had reached Notting- ham, on their way to Hereford, under General David Leslie, after the battle of Kilsyth, to drive the parliamentary infantry back from the siege of Hereford; but the surrender of Bristol to the forces of the par- liament, on the tenth of September, and the ‘defeat of the royalists at » Gordon’s Continuation, p. 533. + Mowrrosr,—I am in such a condition as is much fitter for relation than writing, wherefore I refer you to this trusty bearer, Robin Ker, for the reasons and manner of my coming to this army; as also what my treatment hath been since I came, and my resolutions upon my whole business. This shall, therefore, only give you positive com= mands, and tell you real truths, leaving the why of all to this bearer. You must dis- band your forces, and go into France, where you shall receive my further directions, This, at first, may justly startle you, but I assure you, that, if for the present, I should offer to do more for you, I could not do so much, and that you shall always find me your most assured, constant, real, and faithful friend, Newcastle, May 19, 1646. CHARLES R. t Lingard, vol. vi. p. 530, 4to. )