and strength with which he wielded his weapon, that one blow was quite sufficient to bring down any ordinary man. Upon the principle of " Exceptio firmat regulam," it may even be recorded, that there is one instance known by Highland tradition, of his favouring an enemy with a second stroke, and that was at this very battle, in the case of a peculiarly strong Macgregor, who had happened to espouse the Argyle interest. If one stroke, however, failed in this particular case, tradition has been careful to observe, that the second proved far more than sufficient. Another anecdote has been preserved by Highland tradition regarding the famous Alaster MacCol, one less pleasing in its nature than that which has just been related, but which is nevertheless valuable, as strongly characteristic of the man, and of the sort of society to which he belonged. MacCol had been originally induced to command the Marquis of Antrim's men in Scotland, mainly by a desire of avenging by their means certain injuries which his family and himself had sustained at the hands of the Campbells. The feeling of hostility which he bore to that tribe, had been rather increased than diminished since his arrival in Scotland; for, to mark their indignation at his conduct under Montrose, a party of them had seized his nurse, at her house in the Western Islands, and, with peculiar brutality, cut off one of her breasts, telling her that such was no more than she deserved, for having suckled so infamous a traitor. By their means, moreover, his father, Col Keitoch, and two junior brothers, were at this very moment on their way to Edinburgh from the Hebrides, to be delivered up to the mercy of the Scottish Estates. It seems to have been under the influence of an intense feeling of revenge, consequent upon these atrocities, that he charged with such inconsiderate enthusiasm, and fought with such deadly effect, on the day of Inverlochy; and it will be seen from a deed which he committed after the heat of battle was passed, and which remains to be recorded, that this dreadful passion was not stilled in his bosom by all the carnage he had that day achieved and witnessed. Soon after the close of the fight, a party of men who had pursued the chase for a considerable distance, brought up before their major-general a prisoner of no less distinction than Campbell of Auchinbreck, the experienced old soldier whom Argyle had called over from Ireland to take a part in the war, and to whom he had that day committed the command of his men, when he himself retired on board the galley. The unfortunate gentleman, on being brought into the presence of MacCol, thought proper to address him in a soothing strain, and mentioned in particular the degree of relationship in which they stood in regard to each other, hoping, it would appear, by leading the conversation into that channel, always so agreeable to a Highlander, to divert his captor's thoughts from any recollection of their former differences, and, as a matter of course, to procure the better treatment from him in his present unhappy circumstances. MacCol, who at once saw his drift, and resolved not to be carried away by it, replied to Auchinbreck's genealogical references, that, if they had time, he doubted not they might find a great deal to say that subject, and to some purpose too. "In the meantime," he added, " as I know you to be a gentleman, both by family and professionTigharm Claird or proprietor of Auchinbreck in upon Scotland, and of Dunlir in Ireland-I mean to confer a compliment upon you." Auchinbreck uttered a profusion of acknowledgments, and eagerly inquired in what that compliment was to consist. "Co dhiù s fàr lat d chroche no n chur dhiot?" thundered out MacCol: "Which of the two will you prefer to be hanged, or to have your head cut off?"-" Alas!" answered the unfortun ate Campbell, “Dá dhiù, gun añ noen:" "Two bads, without one choice;" —a saying which has continued ever since proverbial in the Highlands. The words were scarcely uttered when Alaster MacCol, with one sweep of his huge sword, sheared off the whole of his prisoner's head above the ears, and Auchinbreck lay a lifeless corpse upon the ground. It is invariably added by tradition, that Auchinbreck had, by his previous conduct towards MacCol, justified this violent and dreadful act of revenge, so far as such an act may be esteemed capable of justification. In conclusion it may be stated, that there were killed at the battle of Inverlochy, besides their commander Auchinbreck, and fifteen hundred private men, no fewer than sixteen gentlemen and officers of note, including Campbell of Lochnell, his eldest son, and his brother Colin; MacDougal of Rara, with his eldest son, the provost of the collegiate church of Kilmun; the Laird of Glensaddel; and Major Menzies, brother to the Laird of Achattens Parbreck. There were, moreover, taken prisoners, besides many private soldiers, the Laird of Innerea, the Laird of Parbreck, the Young Laird (or heir-apparent) of Glensaddel, the Laird of Silvercraig, the Laird of Lamont, the goodman of Pynmoir, the Captain of Dunstaffnage, his son: Lieutenant-Colonel Cockburn; Captains Stewart, Murray, and Stirling; Robert Cleland, or Clydson, and one Dougal, a preacher.18 In opposition to this immense loss on the part of the enemy, Montrose had only to reckon three private men killed, and one gentleman wounded. The last was the Honourable Sir Thomas Ogilvie, son of the Earl of Airly, who, having received a shot in his thigh, died a few days after, as they were marching through Badenoch, to the great grief of his commander. VOL. II. CHAPTER II. THE RETREAT OF DUNDEE. Therefore I pray you stay not to discourse, SHAKSPEARE. THE battle of Inverlochy, as already stated, struck a dreadful panic into the Estates assembled at Edinburgh. It is supposed to have contributed great assistance to the stone, in killing their president the Earl of Lauderdale; and Baillie himself acknowledges, that, had Montrose immediately after come down into the Lowlands, he would have found no opposition in the Lennox, in Clydesdale, or in Ayrshire, yea even to the gates of Edinburgh. God," he adds, with a feeling of infinite thankfulness," in mercy to us, put other thoughts in his head. He incontinent marched northward." 66 It would have perhaps been Montrose's best policy to have seized this occasion for descending upon the capital, and endeavouring to break up the rebel government; because, although his army was at present very small, the terrible character which its repeated victories, and especially the last, had acquired for it, would have probably compensated in a great measure the want of numerical force, and even perhaps disposed his opponents to yield to him before his real strength was ascertained. He, |