Earls of Aboyne

Suddenly shipped at Crookit-haven in the Enzie
"with sum few persones and to His Majestie goes
he" (i. 181). His movements are traced in a
letter (Sloane MSS., British Museum, 650, f. 95),
dated Newcastle, May 10, 1639:— "On Tuesday
night hither came to Court one Mr Seton, a
young Scottish gentleman in the habit of a fidler,
to avoid discovery, with letters in his fiddle for
the young Lord Aboyne, second son of the Mar-
quis of Huntly, who with his eldest son are still
straight prisoners in Edinburgh Castle. The
next morning came the young Lord himself by
sea, leaving lest Seton should miscarry. Aboyno
affirms that he had 3000 men in arms and 300
horse in those arms that the King sent his father.
Against these the Covenanters came with twice
so many and summoned Aboyne's army U> yield,
which, he refusing, they said they would kill
his father and elder brother. Then said he —
'Am I Marquis Huntly?' They returned answers
that because his army was led by a rash young
man they would give him twenty days to consider
it. In the meantime Aboyne leaving his army
with one Johnston is come hither."
He returned to Aberdeen in a collier on
June 2, capturing a ship laden with guns cap-
tured by Montrose from Aberdeen (i. 200). Twelve
of these he sent to the Admiral, who left them
at Burntisland (i. 201). As Lord Aboyne lay in
the bay ''diverse ladeis and gentihvomen" went
out to see his ship (i. 203). He landed on June 6,
and caused the town's officer to read at the Cross
a proclamation from the King commanding the
people not to obey the Covenanters, and em-
powering Aboyne to act as lieutenant of the north
in his father's place (i. 204). He finally took
possession of the town. On June 14 he had a
skirmish with Marischal (i. 208), and on June 18,
he fought a skirmish at the Bridge of Dee. This
fight was renewed on June 19, and he fled to
Aberdeen (i. 210, 211), which he left on board a
ship for Berwick on June 21. Aboyne remained
away for two and a half years, but "cam from
England home to Edinburgh" on January 28,
1642 (ii. 101), and on February 14 reached Strath-
bogie (ii. 102). On July 27, he accompanied Lord
Huntly to the latter's house in Old Aberdeen,
and on November 22 we find him in Skipper
Anderson's house, having come to town about hi?
share ("5000 mcrks yearly with the burding")