A Legend of Montrose | Page 5

to the Covenanters, and was employed and promoted
by them. He obtained a pardon for the slaughter of Lord Kilpont,
confirmed by Parliament in 1634, and was made Major of Argyle's
regiment in 1648. Such are the facts of the tale here given as a Legend
of Montrose's wars. The reader will find they are considerably altered
in the fictitious narrative.
The author has endeavoured to enliven the tragedy of the tale by the
introduction of a personage proper to the time and country. In this he
has been held by excellent judges to have been in some degree
successful. The contempt of commerce entertained by young men
having some pretence to gentility, the poverty of the country of
Scotland, the national disposition to wandering and to adventure, all
conduced to lead the Scots abroad into the military service of countries
which were at war with each other. They were distinguished on the
Continent by their bravery; but in adopting the trade of mercenary
soldiers, they necessarily injured their national character. The tincture
of learning, which most of them possessed, degenerated into pedantry;
their good breeding became mere ceremonial; their fear of dishonour
no longer kept them aloof from that which was really unworthy, but
was made to depend on certain punctilious observances totally apart
from that which was in itself deserving of praise. A cavalier of honour,
in search of his fortune, might, for example, change his service as he
would his shirt, fight, like the doughty Captain Dalgetty, in one cause
after another, without regard to the justice of the quarrel, and might
plunder the peasantry subjected to him by the fate of war with the most
unrelenting rapacity; but he must beware how he sustained the slightest
reproach, even from a clergyman, if it had regard to neglect on the
score of duty. The following occurrence will prove the truth of what I
mean:--
"Here I must not forget the memory of one preacher, Master William
Forbesse, a preacher for souldiers, yea, and a captaine in neede to leade
souldiers on a good occasion, being full of courage, with discretion and
good conduct, beyond some captaines I have knowne, that were not so
capable as he. At this time he not onely prayed for us, but went on with

us, to remarke, as I thinke, men's carriage; and having found a sergeant
neglecting his dutie and his honour at such a time (whose name I will
not expresse), having chidden him, did promise to reveale him unto me,
as he did after their service. The sergeant being called before me, and
accused, did deny his accusation, alleaging, if he were no pasteur that
had alleaged it, he would not lie under the injury, The preacher offered
to fight with him, [in proof] that it was truth he had spoken of him;
whereupon I cashiered the sergeant, and gave his place to a worthier,
called Mungo Gray, a gentleman of good worth, and of much courage.
The sergeant being cashiered, never called Master William to account,
for which he was evill thought of; so that he retired home, and quit the
warres."
The above quotation is taken from a work which the author repeatedly
consulted while composing the following sheets, and which is in great
measure written in the humour of Captain Dugald Dalgetty. It bears the
following formidable title:--"MONRO his Expedition with the worthy
Scots Regiment, called MacKeye's Regiment, levied in August 1626,
by Sir Donald MacKeye Lord Rees Colonel, for his Majestie's service
of Denmark, and reduced after the battle of Nerling, in September 1634,
at Wormes, in the Palz: Discharged in several duties and observations
of service, first, under the magnanimous King of Denmark, during his
wars against the Empire; afterwards under the invincible King of
Sweden, during his Majestie's lifetime; and since under the Director-
General, the Rex-Chancellor Oxensterne, and his Generals: collected
and gathered together, at spare hours, by Colonel Robert Monro, as
First Lieutenant under the said Regiment, to the noble and worthy
Captain Thomas MacKenzie of Kildon, brother to the noble Lord, the
Lord Earl of Seaforth, for the use of all noble Cavaliers favouring the
laudable profession of arms. To which is annexed, the Abridgement of
Exercise, and divers Practical Observations for the Younger Officer, his
consideration. Ending with the Soldier's Meditations on going on
Service."--London, 1637.
Another worthy of the same school, and nearly the same views of the
military character, is Sir James Turner, a soldier of fortune, who rose to
considerable rank in the reign of Charles II., had a command in
Galloway and Dumfries-shire, for the suppression of conventicles, and
was made prisoner by the insurgent Covenanters in that rising which

was followed by the battle of Pentland. Sir James is a person even of
superior pretensions to