the more conspicuous, and with the braver aspect to the beholders. Through these the king was to pass; whether being come the general alighting from his horse (which was presently taken by two of his footmen) hee prostrated himselfe and service before the king, upon his knees, his majestie awhile privatelie talking to him, and at his rising gave him his hand to kiss, and commanded his horse to be given to him, whereon remounted, he ridd with the king through the armie.

'

In the first place stood Highlanders, commonly called Redshanks, with their plaids cast over their shoulders, having every one his bow and arrows, with a broad slycing sword by his syde; these are so good markesmen that they will kill a deere in his speed; it being the cheepest part of their living, selling the skins by great quantities, and living on the flesh. Next were musketeers, interlaid with pikes, and here and there intermixt with those dangerous short gunners, invented by that their famous engineer Sandy Hamilton, and were for the sudden execution of horse, in case they should asaile; then again bowes, muskets, and pikes for a good distance in both sides. In the midway, the artillery was placed by tiers, consisting of about 60 pieces of ordnance, the cannoniers standing in readiness with fired linstocks in their hands. The horsemen were here placed on both sides, which served as wings or flanks to the whole army, and so forward in the same order, but disposed into so goodly a presence and posture, and with such suitable equipage and militarie accommodations, that they appeared ready to give or take battle, or forthwith to have gone upon some notable designe. And as the king passed along, they gave such true fyre, as it is believed, since the invention of gunnes, never better was seen or heard: they discharged wondrous swift, but with as good a method and order as your skillfulest ringers observe

with bels, not suffering the noise of the one to drowne the other. The king received such contentment, that whereas his dinner was appointed and provided at the maiors of Newcastle, hee yet went and honored Generall Lesly with his presence at dinner, who hath not only gained a good report with his majestie to be a brave soldier, but also a singular esteem to be a most expert and able commander and generall, by such of our English officers as were then with his majestie.

'The manner of the Scots departure, and marching out of Newcastle.-The Scots when they marched out of Newcastle, their artillerie being mounted upon their carriages, advanced first forth with the cannoniers and other officers thereto belonging, and some troops of horse; then most of the regiments of foot; 'after them their provision baggage and carriage; then followed the rest of the foot; and all the rest taking their leaves in a most brotherly and friendly manner. Being gone some four miles from the town, their general having directed them to march forwards, he returned to Newcastle, accompanied with some few of his officers, causing the toll-bell to be rung up and downe the towne, proclaiming that if any of the towne were not yet satisfied for any thing due to them from any of his officers or soldiers, let them bring in their tickets, and he would pay them, which he did accordingly, to the great content of the townsmen, and much applause of the general and the whole armie. And after a solemne taking of his levve, he followed the armie, going all the way along with them in the reere, as they marched, and not any thing taken from any man in all the iourney, to their singular commendation, and gayning the good esteem of all that passed by.'

THE BATTLE OF TIPPERMUIR.*

The extraordinary battle, or rather route, of Tippermuir, near Perth, took place on the 19th of May, 1644, the Marquis of Montrose being General for the King and the Lord Elcho for the Covenant. Montrose's army consisted of 2000 foot and 500 horse, partly Irish and partly Highlanders, while the force under Elcho amounted to 5000 cavalry and infantry. The covenanters were disgracefully defeated in a single charge, 300 slain chiefly in the pursuit, and many taken prisoners;—' Quorum alii praestito sacramento militari, victoris arma sequuti sunt: sed mala fide, plerique enim omnes defecere. Reliquos data, solemni modo, fide, nunquam in posterum contrà regem ejusve duces militaturos libertati restituit.'t In the conflict Montrose had only two of his men wounded.

Spalding in his naïve manner, gives the following account of the Marquis's motions previous to the battle of Tippermuir and of the affair itself. It may be remarked, that he errs respecting the death of Lord Kilpont, who was not assassinated during the battle, but in a subsequent tumult of the Highlanders and Irish:

'Ye heard before of M'Donald's taking service with Montrose, his landing and progress with the Irishes, and what order the estates took in setting forth proclamations. As M'Donald marched in through Badenoch, M'Donald of Keppach and his forces came willingly unto him, with divers others; the tutor of Struan,

* An original letter from the Minutes of Perth, respecting the surrender of that town to Montrose's army, in 1644.

Rev. Montisros. Cap. V.

and his friends and followers, at his coming to Athol, came unto him; and here likewise James Marquis of Montrose trysted with this M'Donald and his Irishes. He came secretly from England accompanied only with Crowner Hay and Crowner Sibbald, as was said; and clad in coat and trews, upon his foot he came to Athol, where divers gentlemen of that country met. him, especially the Stuarts of Athol, and offered their service to him. The Lord Kilpont came there with some friends. This mighty Marquis of Montrose, clad now with the king's commission and authority, calling now to mind the manifold injuries and oppressions done to him by the estates, especially by Argyle, since the beginning of this covenant, and resolving to revenge the king's quarrel and his own both against the king's rebels and his mortal enemies, to the utmost of his power (which indeed he did after a miraculous manner in several battles as ye shall hear, to the great fear and terror of all Scotland) he marches from Athol above St. Johnston. The general committee of estates at Edinburgh, hearing of the Irish progress, hastily raises out of the shires of Fife, Perth, and Angus, an army of 6000 foot and 800 horse, with expert officers and commanders, and ammunition, powder, ball, and four field. pieces, to go upon the Irishes. They were well in order both horse and foot; they march forward and upon Thursday the first of September both parties meet upon a muir four miles bewest St. Johnston, called Tibbermuir; but the Lieutenant foresaid, Montrose, routed and defeated their haill forces with great slaughter, killed 1300, some say 1500, of their men, and took 800 prisoners, whom they made to serve in their wars. They got plenty of arms, powder, ball, their canon, and some horse, bag, and baggage, with little loss for themselves. Lieutenant Montrose atchieved the victory with few men, not exceeding 3000 foot, with few or no horsemen at all, and with loss of some but

not many men, and with none of note except the Lord Kilpont, who was by one of his own men suddenly and unhappily slain, to the Lieutenant's grief. After this conflict, he upon the morn, being Monday the 2nd of September, takes in the burgh of St. Johnston, with little debate and small blood. They plunder the town for goods, monies, arms, ammunition, and such of their men as they thought meet to serve in the wars, with all the horse they could get, whereof this lieutenant was scarce, as I have said.

The defeat of the covenanters by Montrose, was so complete and terrific, that, after a lapse of eighty years, the remembrance of it could still appal the courage of the presbyterian party. Upon the breaking out of the insurrection in the year 1715, the Earl of Rothes, sheriff and lord lieutenant of the county of Fife, issued an order for all the fencible men in the countie, to meet him at a place called Cashmoor;' the gentlemen took no notice of his orders, nor did the commons, except those whom the ministers forced to go to the place of rendez-vous to the number of fifteen hundred men, being all that their utmost diligence would perform; but those of that count!e having been taught by experience that it is not good meddling with edge tools, especially in the hands of Highlandmen, were very averse from taking arms. No sooner they reflected on the place of rendez-vous, Cashmoor, than Toppermuir was called to mind; a place not far from thence where Montrose had routed them, when under the command of my great grand uncle, the Earl of Wemyss, then generall of God's armie; in a word, the unlucky choice of a place called Moor, appeared ominous; and that with the flying report of the Highlandmen having made themselves master of Perth, made them throw down their arms and run, notwithstanding the trouble