J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border > Volume 2

16 MINSTRELSY OF
liereditary royal line of Scotland. Many, also, had fail-
ed in obtaining the private objects of ambition, or selfisli
policy, which had induced them to rise up against the
crown. Amongst these late penitents, the well-known
Marquis of Monti-ose was distinguished as the first who
endea\oured to recede from the paths of rude lebellion.
Moved by the enthusiasm of patriotism, or perhaps of re-
ligion, but yet more by ambition, the sin of noble minds,
Montrose had engaged, eagerly and deeply, upon the
side of the Covenanters. He had been active in pressing
the town of Aberdeen to take the covenant, and his suc-
cess against the Gordons, at the bridge of Dee, left that
royal bvu'gh no other means of safety from pillage. At
the head of his own battalion, he waded through the
Tweed, in l640, and totally routed the vanguard of the
king's cavalry. But, in l643, moved with resentment
against the Covenanters, who preferred, to his prompt
and ardent character, the caution of the wily and poli-
tic Eai-1 of Argyle, or seeing, perhaps, that the final
views of that party were inconsistent with the interests
of monarchy and of the constitution, Montrose es-
poused the falling cause of royalty, and raised the
Highland clans, whom he united to a small body of
Irish, commanded by Alexander Macdonald, still re-
nowned in the nor-th, under the title of Colkitto. With
these tumultuary and uncertain forces, he rushed forth,
like a torrent from the mountains, and commenced a
rapid and brilliant career of victory. At Tippermoor,
where he first met the Covenanters, their defeat was so