Sutherland and the Reay country

2 26 SUTHERLAND AND THE REAY COUNTRY.
John Hepburn, when he resigned his commission in the-
Swedish service,* entered that of France, and it was under him
(to many of them their old leader) that these troops were to-
serve. A new regiment was organised and named after its
commander, le Regiment d' Hebron — Hepburn's Regiment.
It represented in its ranks many corps ; the remnant of
Hepburn's own old regiment, the one remaining company of
Mackay's Highlanders, all the other Scottish regiments of
Gustavus, and the Scottish Archer Guards of the French Kings.
Probably it was the latter circumstance that led the King of
France to order that it should take precedence of all other
regiments in his service. Hepburn was killed at the battle of
Saverne in 1636, and the regiment then became known as
le Regiment de Douglas, from the name of its new colonel.
It bore this designation till 1678, when it was incorporated in
the British army as Dumbarton's Regiment, after its next
colonel. In 1684 it was designated the Royal Regiment, and
is now known as the Royal Scots. It is probably the
oldest regiment in Europe, and takes precedence of all
other regiments of the line in the British army. As the " one
remaining company" of Mackay's regiment formed a part of le
Regiment d' Hebron, when it was made up in 1635, I ckum
that our regiment is now represented by the Royal Scots, f
From first to last Lord Reay sent over to " the German
wars" upwards of 10,000 men, and as Munro expressed it,
* He had quarrelled with the King- on some relig-ious question.
t This regiment has had the following- titles : —
Le Regiment d' Hebron, ... ... ... ... 1633 — 1636.
Le Regiment de Douglas, ... ... ... ... 1636 — 1678.
Dumbarton's Regiment, ... ... ... ... ... 1678 — 1684,