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

AKREST OP THE MARQUIS OF IIUNTI.V 319
thoiiglit It now full time to treat witli such a formidable foe, for his
personal safotj'. He, tlieretbre, despatched Robert Gordon of Stralocli
and Doctor Gordon, an Aberdeen physician, to Montrose's cam]i, to
request an interview. Tlic marquis proposed to meet him on a
moor near Blackhall, about two miles from the camp, witli eleven
attendants each, with no arms but a single sword at their side. Aftei
consulting with Fiekl Marshall Leslie, and the other officers, Mon-
trose agreed to meet the marquis, on Timrsday the fourth of April,
at the place mentioned. The parties accordingly met. Among the
eleven who attended the marquis were his son James, Lord Aboyne,
and the Lord Oliphant. The Lords Elcho and Cowper were of the
party who attended Montrose. After the usual salutation, they both
alighted, and entered into conversation, but, coming to no understanding,
the}' adjourned the conference till the following morning, when the mar-
quis signed a «Titing substantially the same as the covenant, and obliged
himself to make his friends, tenants, and servants to subscribe the cove-
nant.' The marquis, after this arrangement, went to Strathbogie, and
Montrose returned with his army to Aberdeen, the following day.
Tlie marquis had not been many days at Stratlibogie, when he received
a notice from Montrose to repair to Aberdeen with his two sons, the
Lord Gordon and Viscount Aboyne. The reason for such a step does
not sufficiently appear ; but it seems higldy probable that Montrose had
been actuated by a distrust of the sincerity of the marquis' promises, and
that as he was meditating a journey to the south, he might consider it a
wise and prudent course to secure the person of the marquis, and tliug
prevent a rising in the north.
Some writers have attributed, and not without reason, tlie arrest of
the marquis to tlie intrigues of the Frasers and the Forbeses, who bore a
mortal antipathy to the house of Huntly, and who were desirous to see
the " Cock of the North," as the powerful head of that house was popularly
called, humbled. But, be these conjectures as they may, on the morning
after the marquis' arrival at Aberdeen, viz. on the eleventh of April, a
council of the principal officers of Montrose's army was held, at which
it was determined to arrest the marquis and Lord Gordon, his eldest son.
and carry them to Edinburgh. It was not, however, judged adviseable to
act upon this resolution immediately, and to do away with any appear-
ance of treachery, Montrose and his friends invited the marquis and liis
two sons to supper the following evening. During the entertainment,
the most friendly civilities were passed on both sides, and, after the
party had become somewhat merry, Montrose and his friends hinted to
the marquis the expediency, in the present posture of affairs, of resigning
his commission of lieutenancy, and returning the same to the king.
They also proposed that he should write a letter to the king along with
the resignation of his commission, in favour of the covenanters, as good
• (juthrie's Hreninirs, p. *). I.ond. 1702. Spalding, vol. i. p. 113.
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