and sworn to until the 18th of June,* and although the declarations of the noblemen and gentlemen, whom that evidence touched, afforded the strongest reason to believe that it was just as little trustworthy, as, in any disinterested and legal view of the matter, it was consequential to the country, they were all sent, on the 11th of June, in a public and ignominious manner, to the Castle of Edinburgh as state prisoners, and branded with the name of " the Plotters."+ After the thieves had bound the true men, Argyle and his faction breathed more freely, and the bloody interlude occurred, whose illustration will require a separate chapter. * Of that date an amended edition " being drawn off the former depositions, was appointed to be shown to the deponer, and he have liberty to collate the same, and advise thereupon, which was done accordingly, and the deponer appearing in presence of the Committee, was solemnly sworn thereupon, who affirmed the same to be true, as he would answer to God."- Orig. MS. "At + History casts no light upon this important chapter of Montrose's life. How faulty is Bishop Burnet's record of it may now be seen. this time there was a gentleman seized at Broxmouth, with letters to my Lord Montrose, which discovered a new correspondence of his with the Court for my Lord Traquair's preservation; and with this the story of the bond, signed the former year at Cumbernauld, broke out; upon which he and some of his friends were committed close prisoners to the Castle of Edinburgh, and called Plotters. * * * Things in Scotland took presently a settlement, and those who were called Plotters and Banders, after examination, and a delivering up of their bond, which was burnt by the hand of the common hangman, were set at liberty, after some time of further restraint."-Hist. of the Hamiltons, pp. 184, 186. CHAPTER XVI. HOW DICTATOR CAMPBELL ADMINISTERED INJUSTICE, AND DID NOT TEMPER IT WITH MERCY. WHEN Montrose and his friends were sent to the Castle, both they and the community at large were kept in total ignorance of the details of the evidence that had been obtained against them. The "private practising" of the covenanting faction had also deprived Montrose's contemporary biographer of the means of exposing, in detail, proceedings of which we have already disclosed enough to prove that Dr Wishart was, nevertheless, perfectly well founded in the following general observations which occur in the opening chapter of his celebrated History: "They (the Covenanters) seriously consult how they should take Montrose out of the way, whose heroic spirit, being fixed on high and honourable, however difficult achievements, they could not endure. To make their way, therefore, into so villainous an act, by the assistance of some courtiers* whom with gifts and promises they had corrupted, they understood that the King had written letters to Montrose, and that they were quilted in the saddle of the bearer, one Stewart belonging to the Earl of Traquair. The bearer This is very likely. Hamilton's creature, that worthless intriguer William Murray, of the Bed-chamber, was the nephew of that same Rev. Robert Murray with whose deposition this fracas commenced. was scarce entered the borders of Scotland when they apprehended him, rip his saddle, and find the letters. There was nothing at all written in them which did not become the best of Kings to command, the best of subjects to obey. Nevertheless, these most exact craftmasters in the arts of lying and slandering, set about horrible and tragical reports, by their apt ministers, that at last all the King's plots with Montrose, for the overthrow of Religion, and the ruin of the Kingdom, were found out and discovered. Nor yet durst they afford him a public trial, but, on a sudden, when he suspected nothing, thrust him, with Napier Lord of Merchiston, and Stirling of Keir, Knight, two both of his near kindred and intimate familiars, into the Castle of Edinburgh. But Lord Nugent, as if more enlightened upon this dark passage of Montrose's life, tells us that "Montrose had incited one Stewart to accuse Argyle, Hamilton, and Rothes, of a treasonable intent to depose Charles. On the proceedings, Stewart, ill-qualified_to be the agent of so bold an intriguer as Montrose, confessed his crime. Nothing then remained for Montrose but to denounce Stewart as having been suborned by Argyle to forge his confession, and thus, embroiling the charge, he left his wretched accomplice in the dilemma of a capital accusation of leasing-making against one at least of the noblemen, and to be consequently put to an ignominious death."+ "* Wherever the noble author may have obtained this history of the matter, we venture to say, and proceed to prove, that not a syllable of it is consistent with what actually occurred. * Translation (printed in the year 1648) of Wishart's Latin History, C. i. + Memorials of Hampden, Vol. ii. p. 95. Bishop Guthrie narrates, that after John Stewart was committed to prison, " my Lord Balmerino and my Lord Durie being sent from the Committee to the Castle to examine him, they did try another way with him, and dealt with him that he would rather take a tache upon himself than let Argyle lie under such a blunder;" and he adds that "both being profound men they knew well what arguments to use for that effect;" and, accordingly persuaded Stewart to write a letter to the Earl of Argyle, "wherein he cleared him of those speeches, and acknowledged that himself had forged them out of malice against his Lordship." This contemporary chronicler, rejected by covenanting authors, is, though not always accurate in his details, nevertheless substantially confirmed, in what we have quoted, by the manuscripts we now bring to light. The following is from the original letter written by John Stewart to Argyle, with the deliverance upon it by the President of the Committee of Estates. 66 For the Right Honourable and Noble Lord, the 66 Right Honourable and Noble Lord, "In respect it hath pleased your Lordship to admit of my former, I have therefore taken boldness by these to beg that favour from your Lordship to admit me to your Lordship's presence, before I be further heard in public, hoping to give your Lordship satisfaction, promising to conceal nothing that I know to your Lordship's prejudice and harm, or of the public's. Considering your Lordship's generous disposition, I will hope for no less than that you will requite evil with good, which will contribute more for your Lordship's honour and credit, nor (than) my wreck will do for your Lordship's wealth, or my shame for your praise. Expecting a favourable answer from your Lordship's goodness, rests-Your Lordship's most undeserved 66 Jo. Stewart." 5 June 1641. Produced in presence of the Committee to the Earl of Argyle, who will not read it, but gave it to me to be read in public. After reading whereof, the Earl of Argyle refused to speak with him apart or alone, but was content the Committee should appoint some to be present before whom he was content to hear Mr John. The Committee appoint the Lord Balmerino, Sir Thomas Hope, and Edward Edgar, to be present with the Earl of Argyle to speak with Mr John." "Sr A. Gibsone, I. P. D." It appears from the above, that a previous letter of recantation had been received by Argyle, and thus far the statement of Bishop Guthrie is confirmed. That the deputation appointed to wait upon the prisoner did so on the following evening, and that, notwithstanding all this preliminary negotiation, the terms of Stewart's confession could not be satisfactorily arranged upon that occasion, also appears to be proved by another original manuscript, of which the contents are as follows. “Mr John Stewart's Petition and Confession presented to the Committee of Estates, produced 7th June 1641. 66 My Lords, and others of the Committee of Estates. |