1st Duke of Gordon

37
God be thanked, tilings go very well; and I make
no doubt that you and those who are going against
Argile will have good suocesse. I have not tyme
to say more.
J. R
The Duke equipped himself with "a strong
posse of cavalry and gentlemen on horseback in
Euzie ami StraMibogie, in addition to his High-
land fallowings in Strathaven and Glenlivet."
His cavalry standard, which had a white silk
groi'iid with the Gordon arms, is still preserved
at Gordon Castle. He commanded Lord Strath-
naver "to mar oh tovards the head of Argyllshyr,
whether I begin to march to-maro morning." He
afterwards wrote to Strathnavex that the ignor-
ance and unsettled accounts of "gydds [guides]
forses mee to ohang my methods verry offten."
On May 25, he wrote to the Laird of Grant ("Chiefs
of Grant," ii., 90): —
Much honored Cussing, — I had just now thes
incloses for you: that from [Lord] Tarbot vas
ope nd by mistack. Your f rinds and myn att
Edenboro proinniis rar things for ue now, especi-
ally iff vee doe veell. I have anewrd for yow as
for my selff. Argyll has seed Dunstaffnag, but
himself is retyrd; his sonns, John and Charlls,
continow ther, and the Marquis off Atholl is
marching tovards them with severall thousands,
and Locheoire men amoingst the rest, himselff
att ther hed. I have a command for beeing vith
the forses at Loohnes: befor then you shall hear
frequently from mee.
Another letter was sent to Grant on June 3,
1685 ("Chiefs of Grant," ii., 25): —
Honored Cussing,— Notwithstanding off former
orders, yow vill now bee plesd nott to 6tur from
Strathspy until! I advertis yow. Kepp your men
in reddiines to march on twelve hours' advertis-
menfc iff possible. Ai-gyll has lefft Kingtyr, and
has re tyred to the Isll of Butt I hopp
all vill goe verry veell in every thing yow and
your frinds ar cenoarnd.
On June 5, James wrote from Whitehall to tha
Earl of Dumbarton, as Cmmander-in-Chdef in
Scotland : —
Having thought fit for our service that the
Marquis de Roucherolles should goe in this ex-
pedition along with the Duke of Gordon, and that
he should pass by our camp under your command,
to discourse with you about what is fit to be done
on that side, to the end you and he may the better
correspond when he hail have joined the Duke
Y? 1 ?* 011 ' wee < ' oe re( l' u i re iwu to give him all
needful safe conduct and assistance thither, and