457 CHAPTER LII. PRIMACY OF ARCHBISHOP ROSS. 1689.-Viscount Dundee-leaves Edinburgh-takes the field-joined by a few recruits from Ireland.-Killicrankie-the battle-death of lord Dundee.Letter from lord Melfort to lord Dundee.-Difference between William and the presbyterians-William's views-and sentiments.-The bishops deprived of their rents.-Proclamation.-sacrilege.-Clergy reduced to starvation-the arrears of tithe due to them stopped.-Some of the prelates go to London. —1690.—Meeting of parliament.-Distress of the clergy.-Dr. Monro-accused-his sentiments.-Acts of the presbyterians-their immoralityand some of its causes.-Diocesan fund for the clergy seized-a new fund commenced.—Meeting of parliament-king's letter-transactions-Assertory Act repealed-presbyterians petition-against patronage-act dispossessing the clergy-Confession of Faith ratified.-Presbyterian government established -repeal of acts-churches declared vacant.-Reflections.-The Directory.Assurance.-A petition from the clergy.-Anniversary of the 29th of May abolished. 1689. THE VISCOUNT OF DUNDEE was now the only prop of James's cause in Scotland. He was the celebrated James Graham of Claverhouse, a branch of the Montrose family, and was created Viscount Dundee, and lord Graham, of Claverhouse, in the county of Forfar, by king James VII., on the 12th of November, 1688, after the Revolution had begun. When the estates brought in the rabbling presbyterians, to protect, as they said, the convention, they assaulted all the members, including the bishops, who were opposed to the revolutionary proceedings of the times. In particular they shewed their hostility to lord Dundee, and even threatened to assassinate him, which, according to their principles, would have been a religious duty. When he heard of the design for his assassination, he complained to the convention and desired their protection. No notice was taken of his complaint, and he renewed his application, and offered to prove that such a design was on foot, declaring that without the assistance of their authority, he held it not safe to attend any longer. The only answer he received was, that "his non VOL. III. 3 N attendance would be no great loss1." He therefore retired from the convention, partly on account of the proceedings in it, and partly from the just apprehension of danger to his life. In retaliation, the convention proclaimed the viscount a rebel, traitor, and outlaw. This rash proceeding, accompanied with an attempt to arrest his lordship, precipitated his measures, before he had received the promised support of some troops from Ireland. Edinburgh Castle had been placed by king James under the command of the duke of Gordon. George, fourth marquis of Huntly, was created by Charles II. duke of Gordon, and by king James made governor of Edinburgh Castle, which he defended so long as it was practicable, and behaved with great humanity to the city, although it was in his power to have much distressed it. The convention ordered the Castle to be besieged, and after holding it out for three months in expectation of promised relief from Ireland, the duke was obliged to surrender it. LORD DUNDEE left Edinburgh on the 19th of March, at the head of a few horse; but halting them at a spot near the West Kirk, which is now the noble terrace called Princes Street, he clambered up the rock to the postern gate, and held a conference with the duke of Gordon, and exhorted him to defend the Castle to the last extremity, at the same time promising him relief. He retired to his own house of Duddop, near Dundee, whence he entered into correspondence with the chiefs of clans in the Highlands. About two thousand joined his standard, and he drove colonel Ramsay at the head of some cavalry before him; but general Mackay advancing with strong reinforcements, Dundee fell back to Lochaber. The Athole highlanders, who had been raised by the marquis's son, lord Murray, deserted their young chief, and declared for king James. About three hundred miserable recruits also joined Dundee from Ireland, instead of the numerous reinforcements that James and his minister had promised to send him. This was a sad disappointment to Dundee. He had pressed king James himself to come over to Scotland; but at the same time he advised him not to bring the earl of Melfort with him, who was most obnoxious, on account of his religious bigotry; and also recommended him to be contented with the exercise of his own religion without forcing it upon his subjects. His advice was disagreeable to king James, and was deeply resented by lord Melfort. All the assistance, therefore, that the viscount received was this wretched company of undis 1 Account of the present Persecution, p. 3. ciplined militia, a few stands of arms and some ammunition, Mackay was a good officer, and had served with reputation in Holland, and Burnet says, "he was the piousest man I ever knew in a military way." He cautiously followed Dundee's motions; and after much marching and counter-marching, both armies met in a small field, surrounded by hills on all sides, and with a very narrow passage on the north, where there is only room at present for the high road betwixt Perth and Inverness. This magnificent pass is called Killicranky, and is the grand entrance into the Highlands, not far from the junction of the Tummel with the Garry. It is formed by lofty mountains overhanging the latter river, which rushes violently through a dark, deep, and rocky channel, almost concealed by trees, and forms a scene of most magnificent grandeur1. At the time when general Mackay madly placed this pass in his rear, the road, if it could be called such, was one of much difficulty and danger for ordinary travellers, and threatened instant destruction to the least false step. To the northward of the pass there is a narrow haugh or low field, on which the battle that decided James's destiny was fought in July. Mackay's army was completely routed, and to make their escape had to make the best of their way through this defile. Two circumstances saved his army from annihilation; the first was, the devotion of the highlanders to plunder, and the want of artillery, but as it was, the slaughter was very great. The other circumstance was the death of the gallant Graham in the moment of victory. Dundee had elevated his arm to point his men to some orders for the pursuit, when he received a shot at the joint of his harness under the armpit, which is called "a random shot" in most of the accounts; but it has been very justly surmised to have been a pistol shot from a treacherous bystander, as from his position a shot from the enemy, and after all firing on both sides had ceased, and the flight began, could scarcely have taken effect and been mortal. The loss of the highlanders was so insignificant as not to have been named; but after the fall of their heroic commander, they fell into confusion; Mackay seeing this rallied his men, and dispersed his victors, who could never again be formed. LORD DUNDEE was interred in the churchyard of the parish of Moulin, in which the battle was fought, and there is a rude monument erected to his memory about the centre of the field where he was killed. It is usually pointed out by the guard or coachman of the stage-coach, which now runs on a splen 1 Personal observation. did Macadamised road that has been cut through the pass, and traverses the field of battle1. Some solitary tears have suffused the cheeks of some of the race of hereditary jacobites, which is not yet extinct, though perhaps their feelings are modified, when whirling past the stone that marks the last breathing-place of the "bonnie Dundee." He was the last hope of the house of Stuart, and the life of their cause. His death was considered so fatal to king James's interest, that most of the chieftains put up their swords and retired to their homes, except the earl of Dumfermline, who rashly ventured an action at Perth, but was completely routed, with the loss of four hundred men 2. THE NEXT day after the action at Killicrankie, a jacobite officer picked up a bundle of papers, near the spot where Dundee fell, which those that had stripped his body had cast away as valueless. He found they contained letters and commissions, and papers of considerable importance. There was a letter from Melfort to lord Dundee, which enclosed a declaration from king James, containing an offer of indemnity to all such as returned to their duty, and of toleration to all persua sions. "Now this declaration the first of these lords had advised and prepared purposely to bridle the rage of the last against the fanatics; and the latter, we are told, was calcu lated to sweeten that bitter pill to him; for it imported, that notwithstanding the seeming promises of indulgence and indemnity in the declaration, he had so worded them that king James might break through them when he pleased, and that his majesty did not think himself obliged to stand to them.' It is fit to point out to posterity that this passage is taken from the account of Scotch affairs which lord Balcarras himself thought fit to lay before that unfortunate prince; and that his lordship observes upon it, that it not only dissatisfied Dundee, but many of his majesty's friends, who thought a more ingenuous way of dealing would have been more agreeable to his honour and his interest; that it did no small prejudice to his affairs, and that it would have done more if it had not been carefully suppressed 3." ALTHOUGH the parliament had abolished the establishment of the episcopal church on the 5th of July, yet presbyterianism had not been established in its place. The ministers, 1 Personal Observation. 2 Life of James II.-Life of King William III., ii. 41-57.-Burnet's Own Times, iv. 3 Ralph's Hist. ii. 109; cited by editor of Burnet's Own Times, iv. 49. 66 however, had become impatient to get possession, but the settlement of their polity was postponed for a short time; and thus, says Dr. Cook, was Scotland for some time left without an establishment." A draught of an act was sent down by William himself, in which he shewed much good sense in modifying the high-flying sentiments of the presbyterians, and in reducing their claims to supremacy. They demanded for presbytery" to be the only government of Christ's church in this kingdom;" but William changed these words with his own hand, to "to be the government of the church in this kingdom established by law." Neither would he consent to the abolition of patronage. He sent down a draught of an act dated the 22d of July, which revived the act of James VI. 1592, “in the whole heads, points, and articles thereof; with this express Declaration, that the necessity of occasional assemblies be first represented to his majesty by humble supplication,"-" and in regard that much trouble hath ensued unto the estate, and many sad confusions and scandalous schisms have fallen out in the church, by churchmen meddling in matters of state. . . . do hereby discharge all ministers of the gospel within this kingdom to meddle with any state affairs, either in sermons or judicatories, publicly or privately, under pain, &c." And to prevent political discussions, "that their majesties shall always have one present in all the provincial and presbyterial assemblies, as well as their commissioner in the general assemblies." The draught then went on to appoint the first meetings of their synods and presbyteries. William desired that his draught might be passed into an act for the settlement of the kirk; but the constraint upon their desire to control the civil government at their pleasure, and for the erection of the old Commission, with all its assumed powers, was exceedingly unsatisfactory. The control of royal commissioners in all their three courts was intolerable; but it shewed William's sagacity in preventing that trouble to his own government which had been so fatal to the preceding. When this draught was read previous to its being proposed, it excited the utmost indignation, and was forthwith rejected with scorn and contempt. "The presbyterian minister, who was then in quality of a chaplain to the parliament, said that they would, rather than admit of such a mangled mongrel presbytery, beg back the bishops again; and that it was nonsense not to allow the clergy to impose other oaths as well as that of allegiance." But let the presbyterians swear allegiance to all the kings in christendom, it will only be in obedience to the omnipotence of presbytery; for they are |