Blair Collection > Place names in Strathbogie, with notes historical, antiquarian and descriptive

226 Place Names in Strathbogie.
Three years were not sufficient to efface the
bitter recollection of these events; and the sub-
scription of the Covenant in 1643, must have sat
h'ghtly on the consciences of the men who, in
April, 1644, responded to the Marquis' call to
arms, when a second time he took and occupied
Aberdeen. Then followed in September of the
same year the raid of Argyll and his High-
landers, when the Rawes were burned, and the
lands of Strathbogie and the Enzie were laid waste.
Next year Lord Gordon raised 500 foot and 160
horse among his father's vassals, joined Montrose
— now a Royalist — took part in the battle of
Auldearn in May, 1645, and the battle of Alford
(2nd July), in which he himself fell. During
this year (1645) the Presbytery had only one
meeting at Botarie from January to August, ' be
reason of continowall troubles, armies going
among us every week almost.' Unfortunately
these armed bands occasionally remained for a
time in the district, and the clerk records that
there was no meeting, ' because of two or three
hundreth Highlanders who were sorning and
plundering within the boundis of the presbyterie
under pretext of guarding the Earleof Airlie who
was at Huntlie for the tyme.'
In 1645, the Marquis made a final effort to
turn the tide in favour of the Royalist cause, but
although he captured Aberdeen by storm, and
held it for some time, he could accomplish