the King; and, at his return, both he, Angus and Erroll were again restored to their former honours and dignities, at a parliament held in Edinburgh, in November 1597; and further, his Majesty honoured the earl of Huntlie with the honour of Marquis, the year 1599. All quarrels betwixt him and the earls of Argyle and Murray were taken away, by the marriage of Argyle his eldest daughter to George lord Gordon, Huntlie his eldest son, and by the marriage of lady Anne Gordon, Huntlie's daughter, to James earl of Murray, son to him that was slain at Dunibrissill.

The Troubles betwixt the Forbeses and the Gordons in the years 1571 and 1572.

THE two families of Gordon and Forbes were of great power and authority in their country, both of them valiant, wise and wealthy; both harbouring deadly feud, long rooted between them. The Gordons then lived with great concord and unity among themselves; and, by attollerance of their Kings, had, for many years, governed the people adjoining unto them, whereby they became wealthy and of great power, and purchased strength among themselves, together with the attendance and following of other men towards them. When, on the contrary, the Forbeses were at wars one with another, daily impaired their own strengths, with their own slaughters, and, in end, wrought their own harm by pressing to strive against the Gordons. These two surnames did live together at this time, rather in secret emulation than open envy; because they

had (in way of reconciliation) by marriage intermingled their families together; but their hid and long rooted rancour did now burst forth, not only by following contrary factions during these civil wars betwixt the King's party and the Queen's, but chiefly because that John master of Forbes (eldest son to the lord Forbes) had repudiate and put away his wife, Margaret Gordon, daughter to George earl of Huntlie, which he did by the instigation of his uncle Black Arthur Forbes, who mortally hated the Gordons. This Arthur was a man of great courage, ambitious, and ready to undertake any thing whatsoever for the advancement and reconciliation of his family. The Forbeses, from the first time of thir civil discords in Scotland, did follow the King's party; the Gordons did always remain constantly faithful to the Queen, even unto the end.

The Forbeses, by persuasion of Black Arthur Forbes, had appointed both day and place of meeting, where they should assemble together, not only for their own general reconciliation among themselves, but also to interprise something against the Gordons and the rest of the Queen's favourers in these parts; whereof Adam Gordon of Auchindowne having secret intelligence (his brother the earl of Huntlie being then at Edinburgh) he assembled a certain number of his kindred and followers, to cross the proceedings of the Forbeses, who were all conveened at Tilliangus above Druminour, in the beginning of the year of God 1572. The Forbeses perceiving the Gordons coming up towards them, against the hill where

they then were, they did intrench themselves within their camp, which they had strongly fortified, dividing their army in two several companies, whereof Black Arthur Forbes commanded that which lay next unto the Gordons. Adam Gordon (far inferior in number to his enemies) presently, without any stay, fiercely invaded the first company, his brother, Mr. Robert Gordon, set upon the other: so, breaking their trenches, they ran desperately upon the spears of their enemies. After a sharp and cruel conflict, couragiously foughten a long time on either side, Black Arthur Forbes, with divers others, gentlemen of his sirname and family, were slain; the rest were all overthrown, put to fight, and chased even to the gates of Druminour, the lord Forbes his chief dwelling place; few of the Gordons were killed, but only John Gordon of Buckie, father to John Gordon of Buckie now living.

The Forbeses attempted nothing afterward in revenge of this overthrow, untill the time that John master of Forbes (Black Arthur his nephew and chief of that family) hardly escaping from his enemies, hastened to court, where the earl of Mar, then regent, had his residence, hoping by him to be relieved. The regent gave him five companies of footmen and some horsemen, with letters to such of the adjoining nobility as favoured and followed that party, desiring them to associate and join themselves unto the Forbeses. These then being confederate and assembled together with certain other families of their affinity and neighbours, so advanced the spirit of this John master of Forbes,

that he now thought himself sufficiently furnished against the forces of his adversaries, and so presently went to Aberdeen, to expel Adam Gordon from thence, the year of God 1572, who knowing the preparation of the Forbeses, and understanding the approach of the enemies so near at hand, assembled such of his friends and followers as he could soonest find at that time, and led them out of the town. He sent a company of musketeers, under the conduct of captain Thomas Care, to a convenient place where the Forbeses must of necessity pass, there to lye in ambush, and not to stir till the battle did join; then he sent certain of the Sutherland bowmen (who had retired themselves out of their country during the earl of Sutherland's minority) and desired them to draw a great compass about, and so, to set upon the back of the Forbeses footmen and musketeers; he himself, and his brother Mr. Robert Gordon, with the residue of his company, stayed the coming of the Forbeses at a place called Craibstane, not far from the ports of the new town of Aberdeen. The Forbeses, being in sight of Aberdeen, began to consult among themselves what was best to be done; some were of opinion that the fittest and safest course was to go to Old Aberdeen, and there seat themselves, and from thence to molest the New Town, and compel Adam Gordon to depart from New Aberdeen, by the aid and assistance of these experienced footmen which were sent from the regent: but the master of Forbes and his kinsmen would not hearken. thereto, desiring present battle, which was then concluded; and so

the Forbeses advanced with great courage against the Gordons, who received them with the like resolution. At the very first rencounter, Auchin downe his musketeers, who lay in ambush, killed a number of the Forbeses; then both the armies joined with great violence. After a cruel conflict, with incredible obstinacy on either side, the laird of Pitsligo (Forbes) his two brethren, with divers other gentlemen of the surname of Forbes, were there slain; captain Chisholme with the footmen (sent by the regent to their support) were put to flight by the Sutherland bowmen, who pursued them eagerly with great slaughter. Among the rest capt. Chisholme was slain, with three other captains, which the rest of the Forbeses perceiving, they fled apace; many of the principals were taken, with their chief and general John master of Forbes, whose father was then very aged, lying sick at Druminour, expecting the sorrowful news of this overthrow. Adam Gordon used this victory very moderately, and suffered no man to be killed after the fury of the fight was past. When all was ended he returned to the church of Aberdeen, and there gave thanks unto God for his happy success. Alexander Forbes of Strath-gar-neck, (author of all thir troubles betwixt these two families, and the chief stirrer up of Arthur Forbes against the Gordons) was taken at this battle, and as they were going to behead him, Auchindowne caused stay his execution. He intertained the master of Forbes, and the rest of the prisoners, with great kindness and courtesy; he carried the master of