A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

OBPREDATIONS OF THE GORHONS. 309
nanged and quartered at the cross of Edinbur!rli. At the place of
pxecution he persisted in his innocence, although ho fully admitted
the conversation between him, Sir George Ogilvie, and George Baird.
A domestic servant of Frendraught named Tosh, who was suspected of
being a party concerned in the fire, was afterwards put to the torture,
for the pur])ose of extorting a confession of guilt from him ; but confessed
nothing. The marchioness, thereafter, insisted on bringing him
to trial before a jury ;
but Tosh's counsel resisted this, as being contrary
to the law, wliich did not admit of a person wholiad been tortured with-
out confessing any guilt, of being brought to trial. The objection be-
ing sustained. Tosh was instantly liberated from prison.
The condemnation and execution of Meldrum, in place of abating,
appear to have increased the odium of Fren draught's enemies. The
highlanders of his neighbourhood considering his property to be fair
game, made frequent incursions upon his lands, and carried off cattle
and goods, and the Gordons were equally annoying. In the year six-
teen hundred and tliirtj'-three, Adam Gordon in Stratlidoun and his
two sons headed a party from the Cabcroch, and wasted Frendraught's
lands, and carried off a considerable quantity of goods ; but Fren-
draught having pursued them, he recovered the property, and hav-
ing taken tliree of the party prisoners, hanged them at Frendraught
The marquis of Huntly, to show that he was not in any way implicated
in this proceeding, apprehended Adam Gordon, and imprisoned him at
Aucliendun; but, being watched very negligentlj', he escaped. About
the end of tlie following year, he again, at the head of a party of out-
laws, made another incursion upon Frendraught's lands ; but he was
again frustrated in anotlier attempt to carry off a number of cattle be-
longing to Frendraught's tenants, who, at the head of a party of his
tenants and servants, overtook them in Glenfeddigh, rescued and
brought back the cattle which they were driving away.
On another occasion, about six hundred highlanders, belonging to the
Clan-Gregor, Clan-Cameron, and other tribes, appeared near Fren-
draught, and openly declared that they had come to join Adam Gor-
don of Park, John Gordon of Invermarkie, and the other friends of the
late Gordon of Rothiemay, for the purpose of revenging his death.
When Frendraught heard of the irruption of this body, he immediately
collected about two hundred foot, and one hundred and forty horse-
men, and went in quest of these intruders ; but being scattered through
the country, they could make no resistance, and every man provided
for his own safety by flight.
To put an end to these annoyances, Frendraught got these marau-
ders declared outlaws, and the lords of the privy council wrote to the
marquis of Huntly, desiring him to repress the disorders of those of
his surname, and failing his doing so, that they would consider him the
author of them. The marquis returned an answer to this comnmnica-
tion, stating, that as the aggressors were neither his tenants nor scr