1685.

SECT. X.

Of the acts of parliament against the earl
of Argyle, the execution of Rumbold and
Mr Thomas Archer, and the forfeitures
and great trouble others were brought to
for this unsuccessful attempt.

when they were frighted with an invasion, yet there appears a virulence in them, which even this will not vindicate. June

HERE I am to bring in what farther hath
come to my hand, as to the earl of Argyle's
fruitless attempt for the religion and liberty
of his country; and it is but a hint I shall
give of the parliament's procedure against
him, after his being taken, and the fellow-
sufferers with him. Indeed it was much,
considering the manner of the managers
after Pentland and Bothwell, that none
were executed after the earl, but worthy
Mr Archer. Whether this proceeded from
the small numbers that were taken, or from
the change of measures and intentions hint-
ed at before, I do not determine. The po-
pish king, having rid himself of the earl
here, and Monmouth in England, and there
being few or none who resorted to them,
perhaps designed to show some lenity, that
people might be the better disposed to fa-
vour the taking off the penal statutes.

11th, they pass their first act, which they term, "address against the arch traitor Archibald Campbell, sometimes earl of Argyle.” Many observes might be made upon this address. The character the parliamentgive their popish king 'for extraordinary prudence, courage, and conduct,' is not easily to be reconciled with the mad steps taken in a protestant country, during his reign. His courage and conduct may be guessed at, from the known accounts of his management after the prince of Orange's arrival. The parliament are pleased to bestow the epithets of 'hereditary and arch traitor' upon the earl. I know not if their successors, the high-fliers, would so far debase their sacred phrase of 'hereditary right,' as to apply it to those they reckon traitors, though greater paradoxes have been advanced, than to say 'hereditary right,'as maintained by them, is hereditary and continued tyranny.' The family of Argyle may glory in, and boast of a successive, and, if they like the word, 'an hereditary' appearance for religion and liberty; but for treason, they have been all along free of it. They insist upon king Charles II. his restoring the earl after his father's forfeiture, as an aggravation of the present attempt for his country, and his raising the family of Argyle to a greater lustre than ever.' Providence hath done so indeed now after their The parliament made two acts with re- pretended treason, but how king Charles lation to my lord Argyle, their 36th and did it, I am to seek. And as the earl was 40th acts, which are both printed, and I all along loyal beyond exception to that shall not swell the notes with them. Allow-prince, and this necessary and lawful attempt ances no doubt must be made at a juncture was delayed till the accession of a bigotted papist to the throne, so this is a very ill argument ad hominem, under this reign; duke of York, who for the earl's hearty resince every body then knew it was the

I begin with the procedure against the earl, by the parliament sitting when he made his attempt, and shall subjoin somewhat about the severities used upon the shire of Argyle, and then come forward to the executions and forfeitures upon this

account.

in his historical work, pp. 190, &c.
in has been admirably abridged by Mr Fox,
Youching for every sentiment expressed by the
Without
he has certainly done ample justice

historian,

may be bad

ruin, and resolved upon his death at his first trial, though I am sure it was no personal

to the character of the unfortunate nobleman. gard to the protestant interest, and appear. With regard to one or two particulars in the ing for it in parliament, had meditated his curacy may be reasonably entertained, recourse narrative, respecting which doubts of their acwork (section v.) Since the publication of Sir pique for this, that moved the earl to make P. Hume's Narrative by Mr Rose, there can be this essay, but his regard to Christ, and his at distinguished man is misapplied; and that country. The earl's supporting the fanati

To doubt that the censure passed by Mr Fox on

% with

the

ca

all his excellent qualities, did not cal party under the last reign, does not appear, unless they mean protestants by

pacity or

the prudence requisite

enterprise.-Ed.

1685.

with his own hand, we have, and, upon oath, he declared that he had neither directly nor indirectly left any other speech or paper upon this occasion. Your lordships will be pleased to remember to send down the remission to the two late lairds of Cesnock, which was sent up some time ago, marked with my lord advocate's hand. These things we desire your lordships to represent to his most sacred majesty, whose royal commands shall be obeyed by the council, in whose name this is signified to your lordships by,

"My lords,

"Your lordships' most humble servant,
"PERTH, Cancel. I. P. D."

ac

"Postcript.-Receive the inclosed from general-lieutenant Drummond, giving an count of the arms and ammunition belonging to the late earl of Argyle, and the rebels, and acquaint us with his majesty's commands anent the disposal thereof."

discharging any more lives to be taken, till farther orders from them; which, it is said, were unwillingly obeyed. Great were the severities exercised in besieging Sir Duncan Campbell's house; and Dugall M'Tavish of Duardary was executed in sight of the garrison there; and many more had gone the same way, notwithstanding of the council's orders, under pretext of taking that strength, had not these in the house, having notice of the earl's being taken, surrendered it upon very honourable terms: notwithstanding of which, about three days after, contrary to the articles, the marquis thought fit first to plunder the house, and then to burn it. Then he harassed and plundered the whole country, for thirty miles about Inverary, which belonged to the earl and his friends; and the spoil carried away to the marquis's lands is This letter needs no reflections. "July beyond computation. All this did not 9th, the council have a return from the satisfy, but parties were afterwards sent to secretary, signifying theirs came by the pull down houses, break mill-stones, and flying packet,and the king is resolved to have burn the woods. In this last their spite the detachment of the standing forces posted was remarkable, the upper part of the near Carlisle; that Cesnock's remission is timber was cut down and disposed of, and to come next post, with his majesty's fire set to the under part, and the very pleasure about the arms and ammunition." roots burned: this was done both to barren After the parliament's procedure with and fruit-trees. Great barbarities were exthe earl, when alive, we need not be sur-ercised towards the poor women who came prised at the horrid barbarities committed to look after their husbands' goods, and the upon his lands, had it not been done by some of his nearest, though unnatural, relations. I have heard much of the extraordinary cruelties exercised in Argyleshire, after the earl's taking; but being favoured with no particular accounts from thence, I can only give some general hints, contained in the forementioned printed letter. "As soon as Athole and Breadalbin heard of the earl's being taken, they exercised great severity upon the friends and tenants of the earl. Four or five gentlemen of the name of Campbell, after they had gotten protection and quarter at their surrender, were sent to

whole shire of Argyle was dreadfully depopulated. And when providence was pleased to send a relief to the starving people, by a remarkable take of herring, especially about Lochgoil's head, and the poor people were making some shift to support themselves, the marquis of Athole's men came down upon them, and broke their boats, and burnt their nets. The government was so sensible of those extremities, that in a short time the marquis lost his lieutenancy of this shire, and it was given to lieutenant-general Drummond."

To end this general account; notwithstanding the earl's cause was most just, yet he, his family, and friends were ruined as much as lay in the managers' power. His estate was given to strangers, his He would children brought to extreme necessity, his creditors defrauded of their just debts, and his friends and vassals were

Athole by a very near relation of the earl's
with letters pressing earnestly their being
punished as rebels. The marquis, with all
care and diligence, caused put them to
death with eighteen more.
have gone on in this work, had not the
privy council, upon representations made

to them of his barbarity, sent an express,

oppressed and

harassed continually. Yea, to that height

1685.

*Proclamation against traitors and fugitives, June 24th, 1685.

James, by the grace of God, king of great Britain, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith; macers of our

to

of madness did some bigots run, that an | note. The reader will perceive in act was a framing, to be presented to the it the bitter and envenomed spirit of parliament, for the utter abolishing of the the penner of it, against the noble patriots, name of Campbell. So high did the tide who had embarked in the design of run at this time against this noble and excellent family, that the earl's brother, that excellent person lord Neil Campbell, could have no liberty to live at his own house; but, as we have heard, was confined at Edinburgh; and when the act of privy council, or messengers at arms, our sheriffs parliament obliged all protestant heritors in that part, conjunctly and severally specially constitute, greeting: forasmuch as Archibald to take the test, and my lord could not Campbell late earl of Argyle, (that arch and obtemper, he was forced to go in the haz- hereditary traitor) having, with some other his accomplices and associates, both of this and other ard of his life to America, and leave his nations, combined together to disturb our govlady and family behind him. We have ernment, and the peace and tranquillity of this heard of Sir Colin Campbell of Ardkin- themselves the vile and sacrilegious murderers of our ancient kingdom, and having associated to glass before. He was apprehended in his James late archbishop of St Andrews, and even own house, and kept prisoner, I think, who was to have imbrued his hands in the that bloody miscreant Rumbold the maltster, since the close of the last year, and cited sacred blood of our dearest brother, and to have in, and tried before the parliament for been the principal actor of that hellish tragedy, designed at the Rye in England; they, pursualleged transmitting of money for the earl's ant to their traitorous and wicked plots and use when abroad, entertaining Mr Thomas designs, having landed in some of our western Forrester and some other ministers in his and highland islands, and there pillaged and harassed our people for a considerable space house. After the most exact inquiry, bygone; and now, after all their desperate ennothing of moment was evidently proven give our forces that good success over these our deavours, it having pleased almighty God to against him; however his trouble continued enemies, as to defeat and totally rout them, a good while, because in principle he was many of whose chief ringleaders are now taken, and particularly the said arch traitor Archibald against prelacy, and did not swear the Campbell, Rumbold the maltster, John Aylief, test. Thus far have I abridged the above- called colonel Aylief, (which last, out of the mentioned letter. In short, the oppres-deavoured to kill himself after he was taken, by terror of his atrocious guilt and despair, ensions of almost all the gentlemen and her- giving himself a wound in the belly with a itors of the name of Campbell, through the knife, in the prison of our burgh at Glasgow) and many others: and whereas there are sevkingdom, were great, and many more than eral of that hellish crew not yet taken, who may I can run through; a few will come in skulk and lurk in this our realm, with these of from the justiciary registers ere I end this their party, and be sheltered by disaffected persons; and we, being resolved to prosecute and section. Generally speaking, they were pursue those execrable rebels and traitors, until heartily averse from prelacy and popery; punishment, do hereby, with advice of our they be apprehended and brought to condign and consequently the managers in church privy council, require and command all our and state resolved to be at them, and good and loving subjects, and particularly all our sheriffs and other magistrates, and the great numbers were forfeited. We have officers of our standing forces and militia, to use heard of the earl of Loudon, and Cesnock their utmost endeavours for apprehending the elder and younger, and we shall meet with said rebels and traitors, and bringing them to justice; and for that effect, to convocate our Auchinbreck, Barbreck, Ellengreg, Otter, lieges, and use all other warlike force against and others. them. And for their encouragement, we hereby not only indemnify and fully pardon them of any blood, slaughter, mutilation, fire-raising, or such like inconveniences, which may fall out in this our service; but we do hereby promise and assure any person or persons, who shall apprehend the persons underwritten, dead or alive, or discover them so as they may be apprehended, the rewards following, viz. for John Cochran, sometime called Sir John Cochran of Ochiltree, Patrick Hume, sometime called Sir Patrick Hume of Polwart, forfeited traitors, Archibald Campbell, son to the lord Neil Campbell, Charles and John Campbells sons to the said arch traitor

I shall now give what I meet with in the council-registers, relative to those concerned in the earl's attempt, leaving what is there relating to such as were before the justiciary, to be brought in afterwards.

June 24th, the council issue a proclamation for apprehending several traitors and fugitives,' which I have annexed in a

And any who shall not give intelligence of them, or assistance against them, are declared art and part of their treason, and accessory thereunto. Notwithstanding of this severe clause, they were sheltered and harboured by many: particularly, that eminent religious lady, Eleonore Dunbar aunt to the present earl of Eglinton, did inquire diligently after the gentlemen lurking in the country, and getting notice of Sir Patrick Hume of Polwart, and the laird of Kaitloch, she invited them to Kilwinning where she lived, and main

recovering the religion and liberty | epithet, I am persuaded, he glories in, grand1685. of Scotland. To blacken the earl's child to Sir James Stuart sometime provost expedition, they publish to the world of Edinburgh; though they designed it as colonel Aylieff's design to make himself a reflection on that worthy person's memoaway; which as it does not at all affect ry. And they put a thousand merks on this attempt, so it might be the effect of every minister who was with Argyle; and their own severities; and I find the fact then go on to make it treason to harbour, very much questioned by persons of good reset, correspond with, or comfort any of sense, who lived at that time: however, those persons. personal failures of persons engaged in a good cause, do not affect the cause itself; and it is a proof, people are reduced to their last shifts when those things are in sisted upon by a government. After this preamble, rewards are offered to such who shall apprehend John Cochran of Ochiltree, Patrick Hume of Polwart, Archibald Campbell son to lord Neil Campbell, Charles and John Campbells sons to the late earl of Argyle, Pringle of Torwoodlee, Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck, eighteen hundred merks for each. A small sum, when com-tained them for several weeks in an empty pared with that set on Mr John Welsh, the murderers of the archbishop, and others, long ago, and for Sir William Denholm of West-shiels, Balfour, and Fleming, murderers of the archbishop, William Clellan and David Stuart younger of Cultness, a thousand merks. The last is described by an

for

house there, till they were safely conveyed to Holland. The countess of Loudon did employ a trusty servant, and sent money and other things to gentlemen lurking in the country. There was also a singularly pious woman in Irvine, Jean Rollock, who harboured David (since doctor) Dickson

Archibald Campbell, Pringle of Tor- at their highest peril. And that this our pleawoodlee, Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck, sure may be known to all our lieges, our will is, and each of them, the sum of eighteen hundred and we charge you strictly and command, that merks Scots money; Denholm of West- incontinent, these our letters seen, ye pass to the shiels, and Balfour, and Fleming, market-cross of Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Stirmurderers and assassins of the said late arch-ling, Lanark, Ayr, Renfrew, Rutherglen, bishop of St Andrews, William Cleaveland, Glasgow, Irvine, Dumbarton, Wigton, Kirkcalled captain Cleaveland, and Stuart cudbright, Dumfries, Inverary, and all the other younger of Cultness, grandchild to Sir James market-crosses of the head burghs of the shires Stuart sometime provost of Edinburgh, and each of this kingdom, and there, by open proclamation, of them, one thousand merks money foresaid; in our royal name and authority, make publicaWisheart master of one of the ships tion of our pleasure in the premises. And we who came alongst with the said arch traitor further hereby recommend to the right reverend Archibald Campbell, five hundred merks, and our archbishops and bishops, that they cause this for every fanatical preacher who was with the our royal proclamation be read from the pulpits, said rebels, one thousand merks money foresaid. by the ministers of the several parishes in their And we further declare, that if any of our sub- dioceses, respective, upon the first Lord's day jects shall be so desperately wicked, as to harbour, after the same shall be delivered to them; rereset, entertain, intercommune, converse, corres- quiring hereby all our sheriffs, to cause publish pond with, or comfort any of the said persons, and deliver this our proclamation in manner any manner of way, or shall not give intelligence above said, immediately after the same comes to of them, or shall not give their assistance against their hands, as they will answer the contrary at them, that they shall be holden, repute, treated, their highest peril. and demeaned as art and part of, and accessory to the said horrid crime of treason and rebellion against us, and our royal government, with the utmost severity of law. And generally, we hereby prohibit and discharge all our subjects, from harbouring, resetting, lodging, or entertain. ing any persons whatsoever, unless they have a pass from these authorised by our former proclamations to grant the same, as they will answer

Given under our signet, at Edinburgh, the
twenty-fourth day of June, one thousand
six hundred and eighty five, and of our reign
the first year.

Per actum dominorum secreti concilä.
Col. MACKENZIE, Cl. Secr. Concilii.

God save the king.