Series 1 > Grameid: an heroic poem descriptive of the campaign of Viscount Dundee in 1689, and other pieces

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PANURGI PHILOCABALLI [261-268
Jam signis campo volitantibus ibat aperto.
Fit fragor, ingenti concussa est pondere tellus
Castra relinquentum cursu, fremituque sequentum
Intremuit tellus, glomerantur in aethere nubes
Pulveris, et densa tegitur caligine campus.
Dundius elusum jam pone reliquerat hostem,
Atque e conspectu exierat, montesque tenebat,
Et subito aereum praetervolat Auchinadunum,
went forth from the deserted camp into the open plain. There
was a crash; the earth shook under the mighty weight of those
leaving the camp in their course, and reeled at the shout of those
who followed; clouds of dust were thrown into the air, and the plain
was covered with a misty gloom. Dundee had now left the
eluded enemy behind, and had passed from his sight. He kept to
the mountains, and quickly passes the lofty castle of Auchindoune.1
1 Auchindoune Castle. Dundee took his way up the Fiddich, past this castle.
The ruins of it still stand, crowning a high green mound. Gordon, in his
History of Scots Affairs, speaks of it as standing seven miles from Strathbogie
Castle, near Balveny, and ‘ built as is affirmed by Cochrain, who was minion
to king James the Third.’ A Sir Adam Gordon possessed it in 1581, and a Sir
Patrick Gordon of Auchindoune was killed at the battle of Glen Livet. It was
bought by that remarkable man George, 1st Marquis of Huntly, the first of the
family who bought lands. In November and December 1643, he was busy at
the Bog of Gight, making preparation for the marriage of his daughter Lady
Mary, with Alexander Irvine, the young laird of Drum, ‘ and in the meintyme
was furneshing the place of Auchindoun with all necessares.’ On March 14th of
the following year, the young bridegroom with his brother Robert, and some of
the Gordons, about 100 strong carried off from Aberdeen as prisoners, Patrick
Leslie the provost, Alexander Jaffray late provost, John Jaffray Dean of Guild,
and Mr. Robert Farquhar; and after taking them to the Bog carried them to
Auchindoune. There they had to pay for their own maintenance, and to keep
also the Captain of the castle with sixteen men, besides cooks, etc. On their
remonstrating they were told that the Marquis had to pay for his keep in Edin¬
burgh Castle, when he was a prisoner there. The castle was frequently the
shelter of the Gordons in times of trouble, and their chief valuables were always
conveyed there in1 such times. Argyll took possession of it, and quartered an
Irish regiment in it. General Cannon had his headquarters there for a short
time. In an account of the parish of Murthlac, 1730, it is called the decayed
castle of Auchindoune, and it is said to stand on a rising ground a mile
southward from the church. In 1742 an account by James Ferguson says,
‘ An old castle called Auchindown, now ruinous, lies three miles south from the
church.’ There must have been some movement in the castle, the church, or the
miles during these twelve years, if both tales are true. The burning of the castle is
commemorated in a ballad bearing its name. Dundee and his Highlanders
passed it on the morning of Thursday the 7th, if I am right in my dates.