Sir John Cochrane, one of those who were with Argyle, had, by some
espial of his own, a correspondence with divers of the Covenanters in
the shire of Ayr; and he was so heartened by their representations of
the spirit among them, that he urged, and overcame the Earl, to let him
make a trial on that coast before waiting till the Highlanders were
roused. Accordingly, with the three ships and the men they had brought
from Holland, he went toward Largs, famed in old time for a great battle
fought there; but, on arriving opposite to the shore, he found it
guarded by the powers and forces of the government, in so much, that he
was fain to direct his course farther up the river; and weighing anchor
sailed for Greenock.
It happened at this juncture, after conferring with several of weight
among the Cameronians, that I went to Greenock for the purpose of taking
shipping for any place where I was likely to find Argyle, in order to
represent to him, that, unless there was a clear account of what he and
others with him proposed to do, he could expect no cooperation from the
societies; and I reached the town just as the three ships were coming in
sight.
I had not well alighted from my horse at Dugal M'Vicar the smith's
public,--the best house it is in the town, and slated. It stands beside
an oak-tree on the open shore, below the Mansion-house-brae, above the
place where the mariners boil their tar-pots. As I was saying, I had not
well alighted there, when a squadron of certain time-serving and
prelatic-inclined inheritors of the shire of Renfrew, under the command
of Houston of that Ilk, came galloping to the town as if they would have
devoured Argyle, host, and ships and all; and they rode straight to the
minister's glebe, where, behind the kirk-yard dyke, they set themselves
in battle array with drawn swords, the vessels having in the meanwhile
come to anchor fornent the kirk.
Like the men of the town I went to be an onlooker, at a distance, of
what might ensue; and a sore heart it was to me, to see and to hear that
the Greenock folk stood so much in dread of their superior, Sir John
Shaw, that they durst not, for fear of his black-hole, venture to say
that day whether they were papists, prelates, or presbyterians, he
himself not being in the way to direct them.
Shortly after the ships had cast anchor, Major Fullarton, with a party
of some ten or twelve men, landed at the burn-foot, near the kirk, and
having shown a signal for parley, Houston and his men went to him, and
began to chafe and chide him for invading the country.
"We are no invaders," said the Major, "we have come to our native land
to preserve the protestant religion; and I am grieved that such brave
gentlemen, as ye appear to be, should be seen in the cause of a papist
tyrant and usurper."
"Ye lee," cried Houston, and fired his pistol at the Major, the like did
his men; but they were so well and quickly answered in the same
language, that they soon were obligated to flee like drift to the brow
of a hill, called Kilblain-brae, where they again showed face.
Those on board the ships seeing what was thus doing on the land, pointed
their great guns to the airt where the cavaliers had rallied, and fired
them with such effect, that the stoure and stones brattled about the
lugs of the heritors, which so terrified them all that they scampered
off; and, it is said, some drew not bridle till they were in Paisley
with whole skins, though at some cost of leather.
When these tyrant tools were thus discomfited, Sir John Cochrane came on
shore, and tried in vain to prevail on the inhabitants to join in
defence of religion and liberty. So he sent for the baron-bailie, who
was the ruling power of the town in the absence of their great Sir John,
and ordered him to provide forthwith two hundred bolls of meal for the
ships. But the bailie, a shrewd and gausie man, made so many
difficulties in the gathering of the meal, to waste time till help would
come, that the knight was glad to content himself with little more than
a fifth part of his demand.
Meanwhile I had made my errand known to Sir John Cochrane, and when he
went off with the meal-sacks to the ships I went with him, and we sailed
the same night to the castle of Allengreg, where Argyle himself then
was.
Whatever doubts and fears I had of the success of the expedition, were
all wofully confirmed, when I saw how things were about that unfortunate
nobleman. The controversies in our councils at the Pentland raid were
more than renewed among those who were around Argyle; and it was plain
to me that the sense of ruin was upon his spirit; for, after I had told
him the purport of my mission, he said to me in a mournful manner,--
"I can discern no party in this country that desire to be relieved;
there are some hidden ones, no doubt, but only my poor friends here in
Argyle seem willing to be free. God hath so ordered it, and it must be
for the best. I submit myself to His will."
I felt the truth of what he said, that the tyranny had indeed bred
distrust among us, and that the patience of men was so worn out that
very many were inclined to submit from mere weariness of spirit;--but I
added, to hearten him, if one of my condition may say so proud a thing
of so great a person, That were the distinct ends of his intents made
more clearly manifest, maybe the dispersed hearts of the Covenanters
would yet be knit together. "Some think, my Lord, ye're for the Duke of
Monmouth to be king, but that will ne'er do,--the rightful heirs canna
be set aside. James Stuart may be, and should be put down; but,
according to the customs registered, as I hae read in the ancient
chronicles of this realm, when our nation in olden times cut off a king
for his misdeeds, the next lawful heir was aye raised to the throne."
To this the Earl made no answer, but continued some time thoughtful, and
then said,--
"It rests not all with me,--those who are with me, as you may well note,
take over much upon them, and will not be controlled. They are like the
waves, raised and driven wheresoever any blast of rumour wiseth them to
go. I gave a letter of trust to one of their emissaries, and, like the
raven, he has never returned. If, however, I could get to Inverary, I
doubt not yet that something might be done; for I should then be in the
midst of some that would reverence Argyle."
But why need I dwell on these melancholious incidents? Next day the Earl
resolved to make the attempt to reach Inverary, and I went with him; but
after the castle of Arkinglass, in the way thither, had been taken, he
was obligated, by the appearance of two English frigates which had been
sent in pursuit of the expedition, to return to Allengreg; for the main
stores and ammunition brought from Holland were lodged in that castle;
the ships also were lying there; all which, in a manner, were at stake,
and no garrison adequate to defend the same from so great a power.
On returning to Allengreg, Argyle saw it would be a golden achievement
if, in that juncture, he could master the frigates; so he ordered his
force, which amounted to about a thousand men, to man the ships and four
prizes which he had, together with about thirty cowan boats belonging to
his vassals, and to attack the frigates. But in this also he was
disappointed, for those who were with him, and wedded to the purpose of
going to the Lowlands, mutinied against the scheme, as too hazardous,
and obliged him to give up the attempt, and to leave the castle with a
weak and incapable garrison.
Accordingly, reluctant, but yielding to these blind counsels, after
quitting Allengreg, we marched for the Lowlands, and at the head of the
Gareloch, where we halted, the garrison which had been left at Allengreg
joined us with the disastrous intelligence that, finding themselves
unable to withstand the frigates, they had abandoned all.
I was near to Argyle when the news of this was brought to him, and I
observed that he said nothing; but his cheek faded, and he hastily wrung
his hands.
Having crossed the river Leven a short way above Dumbarton, without
suffering any material molestation, we halted for the night; but as we
were setting our watches a party of the government force appeared, so
that, instead of getting any rest after our heavy march, we were
obligated to think of again moving.
The Earl would fain have fought with that force, his numbers being
superior, but he was again overruled; so that all we could do was,
during the night, leaving our camp-fires burning for a delusion, to make
what haste we could toward Glasgow.
In this the uncountenanced fortunes of the expedition were again seen.
Our guides in the dark misled us; so that, instead of being taken to
Glasgow, we were, after grievous traversing in the moors, landed on the
banks of the Clyde near Kilpatrick, where the whole force broke up, Sir
John Cochrane, being fey for the West Country, persuading many to go
with him over the water, in order to make for the shire of Ayr.
The Earl, seeing himself thus deserted, and but few besides those of his
own kin left with him, rode about a mile on towards Glasgow, with the
intent of taking some rest in the house of one who had been his servant;
but on reaching the door it was shut in his face and barred, and
admission peremptorily refused. He said nothing, but turned round to us
with a smile of such resigned sadness that it brought tears into every
eye.
Seeing that his fate was come to such extremity, I proposed to exchange
clothes with him, that he might the better escape, and to conduct him to
the West Country, where, if any chance were yet left, it was to be found
there, as Sir John Cochrane had represented. Whereupon he sent his
kinsmen to make the best of their way back to the Highlands, to try what
could be done among his clan; and, having accepted a portion of my
apparel, he went to the ferry-boat with Major Fullarton, and we crossed
the water together.
On landing at the Renfrew side the Earl went forward alone, a little
before the Major and me; but on reaching the ford at Inchinnan he was
stopped by two soldiers, who laid hands upon him, one on each side, and
in the grappling one of them, the Earl fell to the ground. In a moment,
however, his Lordship started up, and got rid of them by presenting his
pistols. But five others at the same instant came in sight, and fired
and ran in at him, and knocked him down with their swords. "Alas!
unfortunate Argyle," I heard him cry as he fell; and the soldiers were
so astonished at having so rudely treated so great a man, that they
stood still with awe and dropped their swords, and some of them shed
tears of sorrow for his fate.
Seeing what had thus happened, Major Fullarton and I fled and hid
ourselves behind a hedge, for we saw another party of troopers coming
towards the spot,--we heard afterwards that it was Sir John Shaw of
Greenock, with some of the Renfrewshire heritors, by whom the Earl was
conducted a prisoner to Glasgow. But of the dismal indignities, and the
degradations to which he was subjected, and of his doleful martyrdom,
the courteous reader may well spare me the sad recital, as they are
recorded in all true British histories, and he will accept for the same
those sweet but mournful lines which Argyle indited in the dungeon:--
Thou, passenger, that shalt have so much time
To view my grave, and ask what was my crime;
No stain of error, no black vice's brand,
Was that which chased me from my native land.
Love to my country--twice sentenced to die--
Constrain'd my hands forgotten arms to try.
More by friends' fraud my fall proceeded hath
Than foes, though now they thrice decreed my death.
On my attempt though Providence did frown,
His oppress'd people God at length shall own;
Another hand, by more successful speed,
Shall raise the remnant, bruise the serpent's head.
Though my head fall, that is no tragic story,
Since, going hence, I enter endless glory.