Ossian Collection > History of the Highlands and of the Highland clans > Volume 1

310 HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDS.
vants, lie could in no shape be answerable for them, — that he had neither
countenanced nor incited them, and that he had no warrant to pursue
or prosecute them.
The refusal of the marquis to obej' the orders of the privy council,
emboldened the denounced partj' to renew their acts of spoliation and
robbery. They no longer confined their depredations to Frendraught
and his tenants, but extended them to the property of the ministers who
lived upon Frendraught's lands. In this course of life, they were joined
by some of the young men of the principal families of the Gordons in
Strathbogie, to the number of forty horsemen, and sixtj' foot, and to
encourage them in their designs against Frendraught, the lady of Rothie-
may gave them the castle of Rothiemay, which they fortified, and from
which they made daily sallies upon Frendraught's possessions ; burned
his corn, laid waste his lands, and killed some of his people. Fren-
draught opposed them for some time ; but being satisfied that such pro-
ceedings taking place almost under the very ej-es of the marquis of
Huntly, must necessarily be done with his concurrence, he went to
Edinburgh, and entered a complaint against the marquis to the privy
council. During Frendraught's absence, his tenants were expelled by
these Gordons from their possessions, without opposition.
When the king heard of these lawless proceedings, and of the refusal
of the marquis to interfere, he wrote to the lords of the pri\'y council to
adopt measures for suppressing them ; preparatory to which, they citeil
the marquis, in the beginning of the following j'ear, to appear before
them, to answer for these oppressions. He accordingly went to Edin-
burgh in the month of February, sixteen hundred and thirty-five, where
he was commanded to remain till the matter should be investigated. The
heads of the families, whose sons had joined the outlaws, also appeared,
and, after examination, Letterfourie, Park, Tilliangus, Terrisoule, In-
vermarkie, TuUoch, Ardlogy, and several other persons of the surname
of Gordon, were committed to prison, until their sons, who had engaged
in the combination against Frendraught, should be presented before the
council. The prisoners, who denied being accessary thereto, then petition-
ed to be set at liberty, a request which was complied with, on condition that
they should either produce the rebels, as the pillagers were called, or
make them leave the kingdom. The marquis, although nothing could
be proved against him, Mas obliged to find caution for all persons of
the surname of Gordon within his bounds, that thej' should keep the
peace, and that he should be answerable, in all time coming, for any
damage which should befiil the laird of Frendraught, or his lands, by
whatever violent means ; and also that he should present the rebels at
Edinburgh, that justice might be satisfied, or make them leave the
kingdom.
The marquis of Huntly, thereupon, returned to the north, and the
rebels hearing of the obligation he had come under, immediately dis-
perHed themselves. The greater part of them fled into Flanders, and