the very staple of his army. The Ogilvies were only a force sufficient for his body-guard. His Irish infantry were not more than from five to seven hundred strong, and the recent levies were a mob of clowns, and degenerate Prickers, who scarcely knew how to manage their horses. The weather too conspired against him, for the face of the country for miles around was enveloped in a dense fog, and, moreover, the inhabitants of those southern districts were too much under the influence of the Covenant to busy themselves in bringing intelligence to the King's Lieutenant. To the captains of his horse, the latter intrusted the duty of placing sentinels, and sending forth the scouts. His infantry he established and entrenched on the left bank of the Ettrick, on the plain of Philiphaugh, sheltered or supported by the Harehead-wood, which he fondly deemed a protection from a sudden infall of cavalry. Montrose himself, with the best of his own cavalry, took up his quarters in the village on the other side of the river, and there, in council with his friends, Napier, Airly, and Crawford, he was occupied during most of the night, framing despatches to the King, which were to be sent by break of day in charge of a trusty messenger he had just procured. As the night wore on, uncertain rumours were brought to him, of the approach of an enemy, which he transmitted from time to time to the officers of his guard. As often the reply came back, that all was well. * As day dawned, * Bishop Guthrie records that it was about midnight, before the morning of the surprise, that Traquair " privately called away his son, the Lord Linton and his troop, without giving any notice thereof to Montrose." This, among other circumstances, brought upon Traquair the imputation of having been in secret correspondence with David Leslie. That nobleman most probably had discovered the fact, of which uncertain rumours were brought to Montrose during the night, that the lat the scouts were again sent out, who returned declaring that they had scoured the country far and wide, examined every road and by-path, and they "rashly wished damnation to themselves, if an enemy were within ten miles." Shrouded like a thunder-bolt in the surrounding gloom, David Leslie lay quartered that night within four miles of Selkirk, and, ere the dawn could pierce the fog that so greatly favoured him, was within half a mile of Philiphaugh before his approach was known. When this intelligence reached Montrose, he flung himself on the first horse he could find, and, with his attendant guard of nobles and gentlemen, instantly galloped across the river to the scene of action, where the confusion in every quarter of his leaguer indicated the fatal effect of his temporary absence. Not an officer was in his place, scarcely a Pricker mounted, when the clang of Leslie's trumpets broke through the gloom, and the right wing of the Royalists was at the same moment sustaining the overwhelming mass of his iron brigades, in full career. There, too, fought Montrose's chivalry, about a hundred and twenty noblemen and knights. Twice were the rebels repulsed with slaughter. But Montrose never had a chance. Two thousand of Leslie's horse, by an easy detour across the river, came upon the rear of the little band, already sustaining the ter was about to be devoured by an army of horse, against which he had not the slightest chance. Traquair, timid and temporizing, may, in the agitation of the moment, and thinking more at the time of his son's and his own personal safety, than of the honour of either, have hastily withdrawn Lord Linton from the danger. No better case, that I discover on examining the authorities, can be made out for Traquair in this matter; nor, according to the illustrations of his character already afforded, have I been able to adopt the extreme view, of his deliberate treachery, taken by Dr Wishart. shock of double that number in front, and the struggle of the Royalists was now for life. Montrose's infantry, after quarter asked and given, threw down their arms, and became defenceless prisoners. Montrose himself, and about thirty cavaliers, for a while engaged in desperate and personal conflict with the enemy, who surrounded him in such dense masses that he gave up the hope of escape, and fought as one who meant to die rather than yield, and to sell his life as dearly as possible. But the friends around him, especially the Marquis of Douglas and Sir John Dalziel, implored him to make an effort for his liberty, and to live for better fortune. At last, while the enemy were distracted by their desire to plunder the baggage, Montrose and his friends cut their way in a desperate charge, and went off followed by a party of the rebel horse. This pursuit only served to dignify the flight of the hero of his country and age. Captain Bruce, and two cornets, each bearing a standard, led the party ambitious of his capture. But, like him who caught the Tartar of old, they could neither bring back the prize nor return themselves. Montrose faced them in a charge which cost some of the pursuers their lives, and routed the rest, with the exception of Captain Bruce, and the two standard bearers, whom our hero chained even to the wheels of his flying chariot.* * Dr Wishart's account of Montrose's bravery is confirmed by Rushworth, who says,-" Montrose fought very bravely, and rallied his horse, and charged the pursuers once or twice, and by that bravery lost more men than otherwise he would have done."-Bishop Burnet, however, (in a passage which his son had suppressed,) says,-" In his defeat, Montrose took too much care of himself, for he was never willing to expose himself too much,"-a most impudent falsehood. Mr Brodie can neither forego the authority of Rushworth, nor the malice of Burnet, so "Montrose," he says, "repeatedly rallied his horse in he adopts both. Thus set the star of Montrose's fortune,-not of his heroism, which was yet to take a brighter though a bloodier farewell. It cannot be said that he ever lost a battle. But that character, which even his factious enemies had long before given him in their pasquils,— "invictus armis," was now breathed on by defeat,the bloom of his victories was gone, and the last hope for the monarchy of England, and for the honour of Scotland, expired at Philiphaugh. A frame of adamant-a soul of fire No dangers fright him, and no labours tire ;- the flight, but his efforts only augmented his loss. His only resource was disgraceful flight to the mountains." Burnet asserts that Montrose, on the night before the surprise, had written a letter to the King, which was never sent, and which contained the quotation from Samuel. This probably is an inaccurate reference to what Montrose wrote, and sent to the King, after Inverlochy. See p. 395. The spirit of that quotation has been misunderstood. Clearly it referred to Montrose's long impression that Hamilton and Argyle were actuated by views of their own aggrandizement in Scotland. Dr Cook alludes to the letter as a vaunting letter of Montrose," from which it may be inferred that the Reverend author never saw the letter itself. Of the two covenanting commanders at Philiphaugh, Leslie was rewarded with 50,000 merks and a chain of gold, Middleton with 25,000 merks. It was in reserve for them both to be raised to the peerage by Charles II. Sir John Dalziel almost forced Montrose off the field, and it is curious to observe that Sir John's brother, the Earl of Carnwath, was he who seized the King's bridle at the battle of Naseby, and led him off, saying," will you go upon your death!" CHAPTER XVII. A SCENE OF THE COVENANTING REIGN OF TERROR. FROM the sad chapter of Montrose's defeat, we must turn to the revolting one of the consequent fate of his followers and friends. Those who cut their way along with him were the Marquis of Douglas, Lord Napier, (though he declared himself to be "ould, and not fit for fighting,") the Lords Erskine and Fleming, Sir John Dalziel, and a few others of minor distinction. They went up the Yarrow, and across the Minch-moor, overtaking in their progress a body of their own cavalry who had quitted the field sooner. Sixteen miles from the scene of his disaster Montrose first drew bridle, at the house of Traquair, where he asked to see the Earl and his son; but, adds Wishart," they were both denied to be at home, though some gentlemen of honour and credit affirmed they were both in the house." At break of day the fugitives crossed the Clyde at a ford, to which they were conducted by Sir John Dalziel, and there, to the great joy of all, the Earls of Crawford and Airly joined them. These noblemen had escaped by a different road, and were accompanied by two hundred cavalry. Montrose now felt himself sufficiently protected, and, with a spirit little affected by his defeat, instantly took measures to recruit his army. Douglas and Airly he commissioned to go into Angus, and Lord Erskine into Mar, to levy their respective friends and vassals. Sir John Dalziel was sent to Lord Carnegy |