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

DESEItTION OF THE HIGHLANDERS. 413
ately to the borders, where he would, it was said, be joined by the earls
of Roxburgho, Traqiiair and Homo, and the other royalist nobility ol
the Southern shires at the liead of their numerous vassals and tenants,
as well as by a body of horse wliicli his majesty would send from Eng-
land, and that with tliese united forces, he should watch the motions of
General David Leslie, wiio was advancing to the north witli a body of six
thousand cavalry. In fact, Leslie, who had acquired great celebrity by
his conduct in the battle of Long Marston Moor, had reached Berwiclc
in the beginning of September, having been called thither on his road to
Hereford by the covenanting nobility, who had taken refuge there after
the battle of Kilsyth.
Pursuant to raising his camp for the Tweed, Montrose reviewed his
army on the third of September, on which occasion Sir Robert Spottiswood
delivered to him the commission, appomting him his majesty's
lieutenant-governor for Scotland, and general of all his majesty's forces,
" in a respectful manner under the royal standard."* Montrose, on
receiving tliis and the other commission, delivered them to Archi-
bald Primrose, who Iiad acted as clerk to the committee of estates, and
had lately joined Montrose, to be proclaimed to the army. After these
commissions Iiad been read, Montrose addressed his army in a short
and feeling speech, in the course of which he took occasion to praise
their bravery and loyalty, and expressed great affection for them. In
conclusion, addressing Macdonald, his major-general, ho bestowed upon
him tlie tribute of his praise, and by virtue of the power with which lie
had been invested, conferred the honour of knighthood upon Macdonald,
in presence of the whole army. Little did Montrose imagine, that tlie man
whose services he was now so justly rewarding had resolved immediately
to abandon him, and, under the pretence of avenging some injuries
which his friends had sustained at the hands of Argyle four years be-
fore, to quit for ever the service of liis royal master.
Montrose's ranks had, before the review alluded to, been thinned by
private desertions among the Highlanders, who carried off with them
all the booty the}' had been able to collect ; but as soon as Montrose
announced his intention, in terms of the instructions he had received
from the king, to march south, the Highlanders in a body demanded
liberty to return home, for a short time, to repair their houses which had
been reduced to ruins by the enemy, and to provide a stock of provi-
sions for their wives and families during the ensuing winter. To induce
Montrose to comply the more readily with their request, they promised
10 return to his camp within forty days, and to bring some of their
friends along with them. As Montrose saw tiiat the Highlanders had
formed a determined resolution to depart, and that consequently any at-
tempt to retain them would be unavailing, he dissembled tlie displeasure
lie felt, and afler thanking tliem in the king's name for their services,