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

RAID OF TURRIFF.
317
marquis to join the covenanters, by doing wliicli he said lie would not
only confer honour on himself, but much good on his native country :
that in any private question in which Huntly was personally interested
he would assist, but that in the present aH'air he would not aid him. The
earl thereupon joined the earl of Seafortli, the Master of Berridale, the
Lord Lovat, the Lord Ileay, the laii-d of Balnagown, the Rosses, the
Monroes, the laird of Grant, Maekinlosh, the laird of Innes, the sheriff
of Moray, the baron of Kilravok, the laird of Altire, the tutor of
Duffus and the other covenanters on the north of the river Spey.
The marquis of Huntly assenjbled his forces first at Turritf, and after-
wards at Kintore, whence he marched upon Aberdeen, which he took
possession of in name of the king. The mai'quis being informed shortly
after his arrival in Aberdeen, that a meeting of covenanters, who re-
sided within his district, was to be held at Turriff on the fourteenth day
of February, he resolved to disperse them. He therefore wrote let-
ters to his chief dependents, requiring them to meet him at Turriff
the same day, and bring with them their usual arms. One of these
letters fell into the hands of the earl of iSIontrose, who determined at
all hazards to protect the meeting of his friends, the covenanters. In
uursuance of this resolution, he collected, with great alacrity, some of
his best friends in Angus, and with his own and their dependents, to the
number of about eight hundred men, he crossed the range of hills called
the Grangebean, and took possession of Turriff on the morning of the
fourteenth of February. When Huntlj''s party arrived during the course
of the day, they were surprised at seeing the little churchyard of the
village filled with armed men; and they were still more surprised to ob-
serve them levelling their hagbuts at them across the walls of the cliuroh-
yard. Not knowing how to act in the absence of the marquis, they
retired to a place called the Broad Ford of Towie, about two miles
south from the village, when they were soon joined by Huntly and his suite.
After some consultation, the marquis, after parading his men in order of
Cattle along the north-west side of the village, in sight of Montrose,
dispersed his party, which amounted to two thousand men, without of-
fering to attack Montrose, on the pretence that his commission of lieu-
tenancy only authorised him to act on the defensive. This act of pusil-
lanimity weakened the confidence of his friends.*
Montrose had, about this time, received a commission from the Tables,
as the boards of representatives, chosen respectively by the nobility,
county gentrj', clergy, and inhabitants of the burghs, were called, to
raise a body of troops for the service of the covenanters, and he now
proceeded to embody them with extraordinary promptitude. Within
one month, he collected a force of about three thousand horse and foot,
from the counties of Fife, Forfar, and Perth, and put them into a com-
plete state of military discipline. Being joineil by the forces under
S^)HK!ing, vol. 1. p. 94.