L SIEGE OF THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. M.DC.LXXXIX. / PRINTED AT EDINBURGH M.DCCC.XXVIII. ^ PRESENTED TO THE BANNATYNE CLUB, BY ROBERT BELL. THE BANNATYNE CLUB. JULY M.DCCC.XXVIII. SIR WALTER SCOTT, Baronet. [PRESIDENT.] THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF ABERDEEN. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM ADAM, LORD CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF THE JURY COURT. SIR WILLIAM ARBUTHNOT, BARONET. 5 JAMES BALLANTYNE, ESQ. SIR WILLIAM MACLEOD BANNATYNE. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE VISCOUNT BELHAVEN. GEOUGE JOSEPH BELL, ESQ. ROBERT BELL, ESQ. 10 WILLIAM BELL, ESQ. JOHN BOKTHWICK, ESQ. WILLIAM BLAIR, ESQ. GEORGE BRODIE, ESQ. BRUDENELL J. BRUCE, ESQ. IS HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH AND QUEENSBERRY. THE BANKATYNE CLUB. JOHN CALEY, ESQ. JAMES CAMPBELL, ESQ. THE HONOURABLE JOHN CLERK, LORD ELDIN. WILLIAJI CLERK, ESQ. 20 HENRY COCKBURN, ESQ. DAVID CONSTABLE, ESQ. ANDREW COVENTRY, ESQ. JAMES T. GIBSON CRAIG, ESQ. WILLIAM GIBSON CRAIG, ESQ. 25 THE HONOURABLE GEORGE CRANSTODN, LORD COREHOUSE. ROBERT DUNDAS, ESQ. HENRY ELLIS, ESQ. ROBERT FERGUSON, ESQ. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR RONALD C. FERGUSON. 30 THE COUNT DE FLAHAULT. JOHN FULLERTON, ESQ. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD GLENORCHY. WILLIAM GOTT, ESQ. SIR JAMES R. G. GRAHAM, BARONET. 35 ROBERT GRAHAM, ESQ. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD GRAY. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF HADDINGTON. HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF HAMILTON AND BRANDON. E. W. A. DRUMMOND HAY, ESQ. 40 JAMES M. HOG, ESQ. THE BANNATYNE CLUB. JOHN HOPE, ESQ. DAVID IRVING, LL.D. JAMES IVORY, ESQ. THE REVEREND JOHN JAMIESON, D. D. 45 ROBERT JAMESON, ESQ. SIR HENRy JARDINE. FRANCIS JEFFREY, ESQ. JAMES KEAY, ESQ. JOHN G. KINNEAR, ESQ. 50 THOMAS KINNEAR, ESQ. LTREASURER.] THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF KINNOULL. DAVID LAING, ESQ. I 'ECRETARY.l THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE. THE REVEREND JOHN LEE, D. D. 55 THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN. COLIN MACKENZIE, ESQ. THE HONOURABLE J. H. MACKENZIE, LORD MACKENZIE. JAMES MACKENZIE, ESQ. JAMES MAIDMENT, ESQ. 60 THOMAS MAITLAND, ESQ. GILBERT LAIXG MEASON, ESQ. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE VISCOUNT MELVILLE. WILLIAM HENRY MILLER, ESQ. THE RIGHT HONODRABLE THE EARL OF MINTO. 65 SIR JAMES W. MONCREIFF, BARONET. THE BANNATYNE CLUB. JOHN ARCHIBALD IMURRAY, ESQ. WILLIAM MURRAY, ESQ. MACVEY NAPIER, ESQ. FRANCIS PALGRAVE, ESQ. 70 HENRY PETRIE, ESQ. ROBERT PITCAIRN, ESQ. JOHN RICHARDSON, ESQ. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF ROSSLYN. ANDREW RUTHERFURD, ESQ. 75 THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR SAMUEL SHEPHERD, LORD CHIEF BARON OF SCOTLAND. ANDREW SKENE, ESQ. JAMES SKENE, ESQ. GEORGE SJIYTHE, ESQ. JOHN SPOTTISWOODE, ESQ. 80 THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUESS OF STAFFORD. MAJOR-GENERAL STRATON. SIR JOHN ARCHIBALD STEWART, BARONET. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES FRANCIS STUART. ALEXANDER THOMSON, ESQ. 85 THOMAS THOMSON, ESQ. [VlCfi-PttESIDENT.] W. C. TREVELYAN, ESQ. PATRICK ERASER TYTLER, ESQ. The account of the Siege of the Castle of Edinbui'gh, now pre- sented to the Members of the Bannatyne Club, has been printed from a MS. formerly the property of Robert Mylne, writer in Edinburgh, and now preserved in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates. It contains, under the quaint title of the Pourtra'it of True Loyalty, a genealogical account of the family of Gordon to the time of George, first Duke of that name, and concludes with a Diary of the Siege of the Castle, tlien under his command. A si- milar narrative, apparently derived from the same soiu-ce, was print- ed by Grose in his Antiquities of Scotland ; but the history in the " Pourtrait of True Loyalty" is considerably more minute in its de- tails ; and as its acciu'aey seemed to be sufficiently established by the documents in the Appendix, it appeared not to be inconsistent with the objects for which the Club was established, to take this opportunity of preserving the fullest account which probably now remains of an event, not altogether devoid of interest, though not l)erhaps of much historical importance. The narrative affords sufficient internal evidence, that it was written by a jierson who was in the Castle at the time of the events which it records. It is not known who the author was. VI He does not himself say any thing which can lead to a satisfactory conjectui-e on the subject ; but in the History of the Family of Gor- don, published by Mr Wm. Gordon, of Old Aberdeen, in the begin- ning of the last century, it is stated that he was supposed to have been a INIearns gentleman, of the name of Biirnet, and a Priest of the Romish Church ; and in that history, as also in another short accoimt of the family, published in London about the same time, reference is freqiiently made to the work imder the name of the Burnet MS. There is some reason, however, to doubt the accu- racy of Mr Gordon's information ; for the dedication of the history to the Eai'l of Himtly, which is printed in the Appendix, is sub- scribed with the initials W. R., and the author himself says there was not one Popish Priest in the Castle dm'ing the siege. But even this is not conclusive against the supposition of his having been a Priest, or that his name was Burnet. He mentions by name and surname a large projiortion of the Garrison, and other persons who were in the Castle, and no clear notice occurs of any one who could have borne the initials W. R. It was a general custom with Roman Catholic clergymen to change their names on entering into orders, and it might not have been convenient for any of them to acknowledge having been in the Castle at that tune, as many of the Gai'rison and other friends of the cause, including the Duke of Gordon himself, were apprehended in the following month, on ac- count of alleged designs against the government. There are pas- sages in the work, from which it might be infeiTcd that the author Avas an Episcopalian ; but, at all events, it is plain that he was not vu a Preshyterian, against which class of the reformed religion he ap- pears, from many passages in the " Pourtrait," to have entertained great antipathy. The whole of the narrative, as given by the author, is now print- ed ; and as the account by Grose contains certain passages which are omitted in the " Poiu'trait," it has been thought proper to insert these in the text between brackets ; wliile a few paragraphs, which could not be introduced in that manner without injiuy to the conti- nuity of the narrative, are added in foot-notes. It is believed that no ground plan of the Castle exists nearer to the time of the Siege, than those of Gordon in 1647, and Edgar in ITiS, both of them at periods too remote to convey any accurate idea of the state or appearance of the works and buildings dm-ing the siege. The frontispiece and vignette are taken from the accu- rate and nearly contemporaneous jiublication of Slezer. The Appendix consists of a miscellaneous collection of documents, which support the general correctness and fidelity of the narrative. The extracts from the news-letter, containing the account by the be- siegers of some particulars which occurred during the month of May, and the author's evident access to public documents, with the fair use which he has made of them, as evinced by the passages taken from the minutes of the Convention of Estates, are, in so far, proofs of this fact. The letter from the Duke of Gordon and Captain Dunbar is curious, as coming from the party who had the charge of defending the Castle. The excerpts from the account of the Affairs of Scot- land by Lord BalcaiTas, supply a few particulars, which appear to be Vlll of some value, from showing the spirit in which the Duke of Gor- don's exertions were received and considered by the friends of the abdicated family. The short passage from Gordon's History, with the two letters from King James II., also taken from the same work, are given on account of the evidence they afford, that the " ene- mies," who are frequently alluded to in the " Pourtrait," must have used undue means to intercept or obstruct his Grace's communica- tions, as he certainly had frequent opportunities of corresponding with his friends during the time of the Siege. R. B. 27 Ik June 1S2S. SIEGE OF THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. James, the seventh of that name in Scotland, and second in Eng- land, succeided to his royall brother, is no sooner seated on the throne of Great Brittaine, then he lets the world sie to its amaz- ment, a rare proofe of the candour and ingenuitie of his soule, by publickly professing, what he inteiiourly beleived ; to witt, the Ro- man Catholick Religion ; against which he knew, by veiy late ex- perience of the attempted Bill of exclusion, the farr greater part of his subjects were most violently bent ; and that the very shadowes and apprehensions of its prevailing in his dominions, had, ever since it was abolished by Acts of Parliament, rendered the reignes of his 2 SIEGE OF THE royal predicessoi'S unquiet, and molested with seditious plots and re- bellions. Yet so deeply engraven on his soule were the impressions of the lyfe to come, and so clear the conviction of that religion to be the only true one, and, consequently, the undoubted way to fu- ture happiness, that he thought it required not long deliberation whither he should hazard to losse earth for heaven, and temporall kingdomes for one that is eternaU ; a resolution, even then admired by the greatest amongst Christians, and which, in after ages, will be, in the esteem of all those who look beyond tyme as he did, more glorious to him than the conquest of as many more kingdomes as those he so generously resolved to hazard when put in competition with the kingdom of heaven. Very shortly after he had declaired his sentiments as to I'eligion, he is invaded by forces from Holland, both in England and Scot- land, conducted by the Duke of Monmouth, his nephew naturall into the former, and by the Earle of Argyle (whom his brother had restored to the Earledom and fortunes of that family, after all the treasons of his father, and his suffering death on a scaffold for the same,) into the latter, both expecting a generall revolt in the king- domes they invade. But being frustrate of their expectation, their rebellious, unnatural, and ingrate attempt, was easily and in short tyme crushed. Argyle, not finding the Scots to ryse with him see cordially and so numerously as he had hoped they would, wes forced to linger in that corner of the country where he landed, on the west of Scotland called Couwell, betwixt Lochfyne and Lochloung ; and in the meantyme, the king's modelled forces, conducted by the Earle CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 3 of Diinibartan, are ordered to march against him : Another party of soldiers, under the command of the Marquis of Athole, is appointed to retard his progress untill the Earle of Dunabartan should draw nearer ; and untill the Duke of Gordon (appointed Liuetennant of the North by a speciall commission daittedat Wliitehall the 10th of June 1685), conducting the northern forces, should come to block him up on the other syde; in whose fidelitie the King declaired (to one who told it to me) to have a very particular confidence. Nor could any person doubt of his eagerness in this expedition, considering he wes a yoimg nobleman who had, without any obliga- tion off duty, given sufficient proofTe of his courage in forraigne countryes, and would be glad now to make it appear for the service of his own Prince at this tyme when it required it ; and his allead- gance obliged him to it, and his predicessors had always done : and that the streame of his families glory might not be interi'upted in his person. And, moreover, that in so just and honourable ane occasion, he coiild have the more liberty to I'esent the unjust oppression of his family by the Earle of Argyle, who had soe many years possessed its revenues, as the reward of his own and his fathei-'s treacliery and rebellion agaiast King Charles the First and Second, whilst he, his mother and sisters had scarce decent food and rayment allowed them. These things, I say, being considered, non coiUd rationallie doubt of his forwardness in the execution of the orders given him in the expedition against Argyle. Argyle himselfe seemed to be sufficiently convinced of it, since finding the Duke of Gordon was drawen near to him, he thought it 4 SIEGE OF THE not expedient to wait his comeing, and encounter ana adversary so animated with resentments of his Prince's and his own particular injuries ; but rather to march away and try his fortime against the regular forces, conducted by Dumbartan ; the sight of whom did so quell the courage of his rebellious crew, that they took the darkness of the night to cloak their retreat, leaving himselfe to fall into the hands of a covmtry cloime, by whom he wes made prisoner and brought to the Earl of Dumbartan; from him sent to Edinbui'gh, where he suffered the punishment of liis perfdiousness, by having his head severed from his body on a publick scaffold ; as Monmouth had his cut of in England after his party was defeat, in as miracu- lous maner, with the same facility as that of the Earle of Argyle. After this, it was most reasonable that the King should put some of his own profession in publick emplojTnents of the state and army, that, as ther principles led them to be faithfull to him, so these offi- ces might enable them to be more usefull and serviceable to him : Yet in this he used great moderation, employing but very few, not to give occasion of murmiire and sedition to the Protestants, who lookt upon Roman Catholics in publick emplojTnent as usurpers, becaus excluded from them by the standing lawes, made, at and after the change of religion, that the nimaber of competitors for thos offices by that exclusion reduced to a lesser nimiber, the greater might be ther own shaire of them : which very probably was no less, if not more, the motive for making thes lawes, and the so pertina- cious repugnance to have them repealled, as the caire and zeale of the Protestant religion. CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 5 Amongst thes few who were put in publick offices in Scotland, the Diike of Gordon was one, to whom the King entrusts the Castle of Edinburgh, the strongest fortress, and of greatest importance in the kingdome, where were keeped theRegalias or badges of the Sove- raignitie, the public registers or records of the nation, and the magazine of armes and ammunition for warr ; ane employment of more honour than profit, and by which one of his quality could, in occassions of warr, better testifye their courage and loyalty, than augment their revenues or better their fortune in tyme of peace : And, at the same tpne, his Majestic made the same Duke of Gor- don one of his Privy Counsellors, and one of the Lords of the Treasury. Much about that tyme, ther being others of the nobility compe- ting for more important and more lucrative offices of the state, and each competitor endeavouring to make a party at court to assist him to obtaine his pretension, the Duke of Gordon is solicited by thes who thought they could, with better ground, crave and lay clame to his assistance. But he, regairding more the publick good of the country, and the peace and prosperity of the King's affairs, declyned to joyne with those who claimed his assistance upon pri- vate reasons, against the other competitor, of whose capacity and good intentions to serve the King he had sufficiently knowledge of; and particularly, that he would not let himselfe be reduced to fol- low such methods as the others did, which afterwards notably pre- judged the King's affairs. This, so rationall, conduct of the Duke of Gordon in this compe- 6 SIEGE OF THE tition, did so disoblidge the other competitors that jjretended right to his assistance, that they, coming to be preferred by the King to those offices, ceassed not, while they continued in them to oppose the Duke's concerns in all occasions where any matter that regairded him came in their way ; and more particularly in these of some of the lands of Lochaber, wherof the King had given him the gifts, and they made them be retrenched. But this was not of so great importance, if they had not lyke- wise endeavovired to blast his honoiir, by misrepresenting him to his Prince, not as having any disloyall thoughts or inclinations tending to his Majestie's prejudice, but as not being endued with those qualifications required to render him such signall ser\aces as that family had always rendered to his royall ancestors. En\'y, detractions, and back bytings are the ordinary guests that frequent coiu*ts ; and jirinces, as they cannot in prudence shut their eares against all ill rejjorts of ther subjects' inclinations and designes, least they might come to be surprysed with some treache- rous contryvances, so they neid more than ane ordinary prudence to discerne those insinuations that are made to them out of private animosities, jealousies, and interests, from those which proceid pm'ely from the informer's care of the safety of ther person and authority, and the peace and prosperity of ther kingdomes. Ther is non amongst thos kings of whom histories give particular accompt, who, with better groimd, can be judged to have been indued with this extraordinary prudence of discerning true and disinterest- ed informations from slanders and cahunnies, then Da^^id, King of CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. t Israeli, a prince so eminently furnished with all vertues, so much commended for the clearness of his judgement, the sharpness of his witt, the straightness of his justice, and a declared enemy to detrac- tors (iletra/icntem secreto jwoximo suo hinc persequehar, psal. 101, V. 5. ;) yet the sacred history bears, that he was imposed on in this point, and gave credit to a servant calumniating his master : He beleived Siba slandering Mephiboseth, the son of his faitlxfull and dearest friend Jonathan, and laying no less guilt to his charge then the affecting of the crown of Israeli, who had never a disloyall thought ; and all he grounds his accusation upon, is his master's not accompanying the King in his flight from Absalom, who had revolted the kingdom against him : And, in the meantime, this treacherous servant has rendered his master incapable to wait on the King in that occassion, by taking away his asse, which should have carryed him ; not being able to go a foot as the King did, by reason he M'as lame : And for reward of this his pei-fidie to his master, and making his prince beleive a lye, he gets all the goods and pos- sessions that belonged to Mephiboseth gifted to him to be possessed as his own : And even after IVIephiboseth had discovered his kna- very and justifyed himselfe, instead of being punished, the King, by a new sentence, only takes back the halfe of the goods for the be- hoofe of Mephiboseth, and confirms the other halfe to Siba : which sentence, I find, interpreters sti-ive not to excuse, because it seemes too palpably unjust. Tliis example lets us sie that the most just and most prudent of kings may be imposed wpon, and faile in discerning Avhither the in- 8 SIEGE OF THE sinuations made to them of ther subjects fidelity and capacity to doe them service, or prejudice, proceids from the care of the publick good, or from private interest, or animosity of those who makes them. How farr the King gave credit to those misrepresentations made to him of the Duke of Gordon, I cannot determine it ; but certane it is, they made some impression upon him, which the Duke found when he went from Scotland to com-t, in March 1688, by his being less noticed by the King, and not admitted so frequently to discourse in private with his Majestie as he used to be formerly ; which was so much the more painfull and troublesome to him as that he could not oflfer to justify himselfe, as not being accused for doeing or de- signeing to doe any iU, but for not doeing the good services he had not yet the opportunity to doe. "Wlierefore, he was necessitate to bear the coldness of his prince with patience, and remaine constant in liis fidelity to him (as a subject truly loyall is bound to doe,) con- tent with the testimony of his own conscience. But those who had given so disadvantagious a character of him, judged ther credit concerned to endeavoiu* to make it prove a true one, least they might be lookt upon as backbyters if it should prove false ; and haveing represented him as less capable to doe the King service, to take away as much as they could from him, the meanes and opportunities to do it, as Siba did his master's asse, that he might not attend the King in his flight, becaus he had designed to accuse him for his absence as treasonable. To this purpose ane order is prociu'ed from court, to lodge the artillary company in the Castle, where the magazine of armes and CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 9 ammunition of the kingdome were keept ; and to dislodge the subal- terne officers of the garison, to give the best accommodation to those of the artillery, who were many of them strangers and Hollanders. And the master of the artillary, Lieutennant-Generall Douglas (no friend to the Duke of Gordon, and whose loyalty was even upon good grounds suspected by many to be such as it jiroved shortly afterwards) appointed to have frie access to the magazine, (beiiig conmiander in chiefe of the standing forces,) at any horn- he pleased to demand it, by day or night. The Duke having turned out of office one Forbess, the master gimiier of the garison, as a person whose fidelity he doubted of, and whose treacherj^ afterwards shew the dovibt was not groimd- less ; and having put a Frenchman, a Roman Catholick, in his place, a particular order comes doim from com-t, to turne out the Catho- lick and repou the Protestant, and to dislodge Ensigne Wincester, another Roman Catholick, (afterwards killed in the King's service at the Water of Boynd, in Ireland,) to give Forbess the better ac- commodation. Before the Diike's time, the custome being introduced into the Castle, to let the soldiers touch no money of ther pay till the month's end, and in the meantyme to have as much bread, ale, brandy, wyne, as they neided, furnished to them by the lieutennant govern- oui', who keept cellares and servants for that purpose, and at the month's end to give them of their pay what remained over the pryce of the bread or drink they had called for ; or, if they exceided far, calling for more than ther month's allowance amounted to, it was B 10 SIEGE OF THE rebated oflf the fost end of the following month's pay. This acco- nomy the soldiers repyned much at, but being a custome, they were forced to be content with it. IMajor ^Miyte, the liuetennant go- vernour, happening to die, the Duke, to oblidge the soldiers, bracke off that custome, and gives the halfe of ther pay weikly to manage at ther own pleasure, reserving the other halfe to defi'ay the expences of the bread and drink they might call for from the cellar. How soon another liuetennant governom- is named to sueceid, ane order is sent from court recalling that method the Duke had taken, and re-establishing the former acconomy, which did let them sie how litle the methods he used to winne his soldiers hearts, and to oblidge them to stand by him in tyme of neid, were approved at court, and how myndfuU his enemies were to endeavour to verifie the character they had given of him. But this was not all. ^Miether it was upon the emitting of the order concerning the lodging of the artillary company in the Castle, that the Duke did remonstrate he could not be accomptable for its seciu'ity, while the master of the artillery could command patent gates at his pleasure, and his company lodged within it ; or whether it was to make the world suspect the Duke's loyalty, or if there wer any worse designe at the bottome of it, I shall not judge, but a new order comes from court, while the Duke was yet present at it, to remove most of the armes and ammimition from the magazine in the Castle of Edinburgh, and transport the same by water to the Castle of Stirling ; which being siurendered at the very beginning of the Revolution, in the month of December 1688, the armes and ammu- CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. H nition so transported, were employed against the King, both in Scot- land and Ireland, and against the Castle of Edinburgh itselfe. The Duke nieitting thus dayly at court with new effects of his enemies spyte, and finding all endeavours used to recover the good esteem of his Prince, wherof ther malicious insinuations had robbed him, to have no success, he offers to resigne his charge of the Castle of Edinburgh, and begs lea\'e to retire beyond seas, since he was thought so little capable to do his Majestie any noticeable service at home. In the meantyme the Prince of Orange, having made great pre- parations in Holland, of horse, foot, provisions for warr, and ships to transport them, — about the beginning of October, the report is spread that his intention was to land in Brittain, and his designe was to reforme the disorders of the government, and redress the grievances of the people on pretext of religion ; they were noe more restrained, but had full liberty allowed them by the govermuent to frequent meittings for ther devotions throughout the whole king- dome. Thes things being so obvious to every one's consideration, rendered the Prince of Orange's designe against Brittain incredible. However, the Duke of Gordon, having so small satisfaction at court, and the Earle of Melfort, secretary of state for Scotland, telling him exjjressly the King would not permitt him to goe beyond seas, thought fitt to retm-n to Scotland and attend his charge, wher- of the offer of resignation was neather accepted of, nor did he judge it suteable and consistent with his duty and loyalty to his prince, notwithstanding of his coldness towards him, to be wilfull in giving 12 SIEGE OF THE over his charge of the castle, and retiring abroad in a tyme when his Majestie might have most use for his faithfull servants. He retnrnes, therefoire, to Scotland in the moneth of October ; and though such a formidable tempest threatened both king and king- doms, yet this did not hinder his enemies to be myndful to find out new occasions of testifying their ill will against him. For, that his ad\yce and vote myght not be needed in the affairs of the treasiuy, of which the king had formerly made him one of the number com- missionatted to manage them, ane order comes from coiu*t, impower- ing the Lord Chancellour, together with any two he should think fitt to call to his assistance, to determine all matters regairding the treasury, and to dispose of the publick money as they three shoidd find expedient for the Government. After a person being apprehended as suspected, and a most un- necessary question being askt him by the Chancellour, and he either too timorous, or too scrupulous to answer the same, he is ordered to be sent prisoner to the Castle, without sufficient reason for restraint. The Duke of Gordon is ordered to shut him up. He, considering the man seazed to be but of mean rank, and the Castle prisons being only for persons of quality that are found to be delinquents against the state, and this man being neather such delinquent, nor of qua- lity, makes some demurre to admitt of him, aUeadging, as was true, that he had his commission independent from the Couusall, and con- sequently, was not boimd to obey their and the Chaucellom-s orders only, as to prisoners, unless they were presented to him by way of request, as they were wont to be to the governom-s of that Castle CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. IS who had preceided him ; and immediately desires they should cause conduct him thither, and delyver him to any of the officers that should be present within the Castle ; which was instantly done. And within few houres therafter, ther comes ane order againe from the Chaucellour to set him at liberty, for fear the Presbyterians should raise a tumult in the city, the person seazed being a zealot of that sect, lately come from Holland, and his name Charles Gordon. ^Vitliin a foiuluight after this comes ane order fi'om coiu't, enjoyn- ing all the governours of forts and castles in the kingdom to obey thenceforth the orders of the Privy Council, or of a Committie of the Councill, or the Chancellour's own order, as to prisoners, not- withstanding of ther commissions from the king independent of them. About the tyme this order is sent from court, the Prince of Orange is set to seas in prosecution of his designe, which now was no more doubted of to be against Brittaiu and Ireland. And, the 5th of No- vember, he lands at Torbay in Devonshire, in England, with ane army of about 1300 horse and foot, being long before assured of the generall revolt of both kingdomes, how soon he should api)ear with a small army on British ground ; which happened accordingly, the whole ua\y and chiefe leaders of King James his army forsaiking him most ungratefully and treachearously, to their eternall infamy. And those officers and soldiers of the English, Scots, and Irisli, who found themselves surprysed with this unexpected treachery, were in very sad circumstances amidst so many enemies. The King finding himselfe thus abbandoned by his na\y and ar- 14 SIEGE OF THE mies, and knowing what barbarous dealling his royall father, of happy menioiy, had mett with from his rebellious subjects, thought prudence oblidged him to send away the Queen and Prince of Wales, a chyld not full six months old, and afterwards to mak his own escape, iu the maner known to every one. Upon the King's retiring, and the Prince of Orange his approach to London, England lookt lyke the sea in a mighty tempest, wher the waves, raised to a prodigious height and agitation, tlireatned present wrack to all that floated on them. Or it seemed the whole nation was become madd. The rable, in rage and tiunult, in city and country, rush fiu-iously on all persons they thought favoured Popery or loyalty, ransacking ther houses, pillaging ther goods, destrojnng and burning what they could not carry away : A tem- pest in the state, so black and dismal lyke, that it frightned all the governours of strengths and castles in England to shrink from and abandon ther charges, and submitt to whatever kind of government was next to succeid. [Upon the King's first retirement from AMiitehall, the English affairs seemed to be in a state of depraved nature ; for not only mo- narchy, but all law and order appeared to be dead ; and the rabble became executors in trust for his Highness the Prince of Orange. However, under this auspicious government, the nobility at that time in and about London, with the mayor and aldermen thereof, being convened, had the Tower of London (the magazine of England), with the crown and other relics of royalty, delivered into their hands, upon the first summons ; and all the other forts in England, that had CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 15 not before declared for the Prince of Orange, ingloriously submitted without a blow : so that, when he came to St James's, his consulta- tions might be rather how to keep than take garrisons : and then peaceably ended the turbulent reign of the English Gentlemen Rab- bility, as they were pleased to term themselves. As for this kingdome, not only the rabble, but many persons of quality and interest, exactly followed the English example ; and there wanted little to complete the parallel, when the siege com- menced, but the sun-ender of Edinburgh Castle ; for the Viscount of Dundee had not then got together any body of forces for his Majesty's service.] The Duke of Gordon, notwithstanding the harsh usage he had met with from court, and the disadvantageous impressions his ene- mies had made of him upon his Prince's minde, would let the world sie he inherited from his ancestors a glory which no malicious mis- representation could rob him of ; that is, a loyalty which no dis- oblidgments from his Prince or country could extinguish, and ther- foir he resolves to signalize his fidelity, in so generall a revolt and deficiency of his subjects. Upon this resolution, he advyses the Chancellour and Councill to have the Castle provyded with necessaries for the entertainment of the garison, consisting of 120 persons ; and three months provisions is ordered for that efiect (besydes 200 bolls of meall and 100 bolls of malt in the Castle before). But this order was so litle exactly obeyed, that ther was not a 5th part of the bisket, and not the 20th part of the beer appoynted, brought into the Castle. 16 SffiGE OF THE As to ammimitions, ther was no more left after the transporta- tion of tlie magazine to Stirling, except so much as was judged ne- cessaiy for defence of the Castle three months ; ther were but 17 bombs left ; and besides many of the arraes were embazelled by a private hand. It being justly feared that Scotland would follow the example of England, and trace its footsteps in the overturning of the govern- ment, beginning with the timiults of the rabble, the Duke of Gor- don, accompanyed with Coll. Winram, the King's liuetennant imder him in the Castle, went to the Lord Chancelloiu*, (to whom the King had entnisted the chiefe caire of the government of the kingdom,) deliberate with him upon the measiu-es were to be taken in the present circumstances of aflfaires ; and at the same tjTne instruc- tions were given to Captaine Wallace how to carry in caise he sould be attacqued by the rable, viz. That it was most fitt he should place his men in the chappell windows, and in the windows of Duke Hamilton's apairtment, on each hand of the pallace gate, for barring them the entry into the same. This Captaine Wallace, a man of in- flexible loyalty and courage, conmianded a company of foot of the regular forces that was left behind foolishly to guard the King's pal- lace, after all the rest were called up to England, upon the certane notice had of the Prince of Orange his designe upon Brittaine and Ireland. Upon Simday the 9th December, the Duke being infonned there was a tiunult and uproare in the city, retired into the castle that he might not be surprj^sed, from thence he sent to advertize the Chan- CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 17 celloiir of the tiimult, and that the town guards made no opposition to the seditious. But the provost had, sooner than was useuall, caused lock the citie gates, and put the keyes out of the way, so that the rable could not get out that night to attack the King's pallace, and the Roman Catholics, who lodged, for the most part, in the suburbs called the Cannongate. Upon Mundaye, 10th December, the Duke of Gordon went doun from the castle to the pallace at the east end of the same suburbs where the Chancellour lodged, and advysed him to retire with him to the castle ; but the Chancellour told him lie had resolved to retire to his own dwelling in the country, fourty myles distant, finding he was not able to support the charge of the administration of affairs, in such a violent commotion of the subjects. But before he parted, he signed ane order to pay to the Duke 2000 crownes, to be em- ployed as he should think fitt for the King's service ; yet the recea- vers of the King's I'ents refused to pay the said soume, pretending they had no money at present in their hands. The same day, some houres after the Chancelloiu' was parted from Edinburgh, towards the evening, a multitude of young i)eople as- sembling upon the feild without the city ; that they might meit with no hinderance at the gates as the night preceiding, came with- out the walls, entred the Cannongate, marcht from that to the King's l)allace, and set upon the guard at the King's pallace, commanded by Captaine ^Vallace, who had not followed the advyce given him the day before in posting his men in the windows within, but placed them on the piazza without the gate. The rable comeing forward, c 18 SIEGE OF THE he gives orders to fire, and throw some hand grenades amongst them ; which was done with so good success, that some of them being killed, and others woimded, they retired againe to the city with no less dilligence than they came doun : And this, very probably, had put ane end to the timiults of the rable, had not a quonmi of the Privy Coimcil, being at the tyme in Blah-'s hous, the chiefe inn of the city, immediately sent ane order in write to Captaine Graharae, com- mander of the company which keept guard in the city, to goe doun with his company and with the trained bands of the town, and beate off Captaine Wallace from guarding the pallace, that the rable might get their zeale against Popery contented, by destrojing the orna- ments of the tuo chapells the King had set up there at a great ex- pence ; which order was put in execution by Grahame and the trained bands, whose munber Wallace, though he behaved as gal- lantly as a man could doe, could not long withstand, they being up- wards of seven himdreth against his fyfty, besides many himdi-eths of the rable. In the meane tjTne of this, the Duke of Gordon sends one to the Provost of the toun, with a letter, desyreing to know the occasion of this tiunult, and exorting him to repress it ; offering his assistance to tills effect if he thought it neidfull. The Provost returned answer that ther was indeed a timiult, but that he was hopefull to quiet it without the assistance of the castle. At the same tyme he sent one to tell Captaine Wallace, that if he could not hold out against the multitude, he myght retire to the castle, and that he would send thence a detachment of his garrison CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 19 to receave and conduct him on the way. But it was not possible for this messenger to come near Wallace, who being so surrounded with a multitude of enemies, was overpowered and forced to flie. After which, very shortly, he was ajiprehended and shut up in pri- son, where he continues to this day, for lia\'ing done his duty in seiking to defend his master's hous and goods, which the rable and toun guard and trained bands enter, pillage, breake doun all the or- naments of the chapells of the Chancellor's lodging, not spareing the King's own gardrobb, robbing, and biu-ning, and breaking, to the value of ten thowsand crounes and upwards ; off all which tumult and insolence, the Duke of Gordon sent a particular accompt to the King. The day following, being informed the rable were pillaging the Roman Catholics' houses, after they spoiled the chappells and pal- lace, he writes to the President of the Councill, (to whom joyntly with the Council belonged the care of the govei'nment in the Chan- cellor's absence), asking the Councill's advyce, what was incimibent to be done by him in so troublesome a conjuncture. To which the President returned answer, that he had no more to doe ])ut to keep himselfe upon the defensive part within the castle. The same night thereafter, the Duke discovered, that most part of his garrison, being influenced with the humour of the tymes, were designeing a revolt, the secureing of his person, and the keeping of the castle for the government that was to be establisht ; wherefor, he calls the Roman Catholick officers to consult upon measui-es to frustrate this designe. Coll. Winram undertook to watch all tliat 20 SIEGE OF THE night, and to give notice if any thing shoiilcl happen that lookt ill. He made a part of the souldiers goe to bed in due tyme, and thought all was calme. Bot about midnight, one comes to advertise the Duke that a part of the garrison were come in tumult to the guard hall, and were dragging out of ther beds those who had lyen doun to rest. Thither he goes in all haist ; and speaking with awthority to them, he calms their mutiny, makes them goe to bed in his pre- sence, both in the guard hall and in the hall near it, and made them put out all the lights. The day thereafter he assembled the whole gaiTison, of which the soldiers were most part Protestants ; and having understood that what inclined them to revolt, was ther apprehension that he would oblidge them by oath to maintaine the Catholick Religion, he as- sured them he had no such intention, and that he required no other oath of them than to maintaine the religion establisht by the lawes, and to be obedient to the King and their superior officers. The most part of the garrison renewed this oath, and those who refused it were disbanded and turned out of the castle. Some gave it for a month only, imtill ther should come orders from the King, from whom the governour had receaved none since the landing of the Prince of Orange in England. The Duke having, as is said before, resolved to hold out the castle to the last, and not doubting what came to pass, that many of his garrison would desert, he had ordered Francis Gardin of Midstrath (a gentleman of merit who gave sufficient proofs thereof diu-ing the siege), to leavy fo;irty-five men of his own dependents in the north. CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 21 to serve for a reciiiit. But their arryvall at Leith made so great a noise, and filled the people's heads with such apprehensions of his bringing doun the Highlanders and Papists upon them, that he, being desireous to remove all jealousies that might arise amongst them, or from his conduct, commanded them to be sent home again. Some dayes after the garrison had taken the oath, a catholick centinell gives a stroke with a bagonet to his comrad, being over- taken with drink, and his comrad lying a bed ; which accident al- larumed the Protestant soldiers, saying, they would not hazard to ly doun to sleep least their throats should be cutt before they awak- ened. The governour made incontinently secure the delinquent, to be severely inmished. Bot the protestant begged pardon for him, and he was casheered. A person of quality who was intending to goe to London, came to the castle to give notice to the Duke, that it was proposed in Councill, to smmnone him to render the castle as being a Roman Catholick ; wherfoire, he writes againe to the King, by one who was to accompany this person of quality to London, and gives him ane accoinjjt of the state of affaires, begging to know his Majestie's will concerning his depoi'tment in this juncture. About the 20th of December, the Councill sent one to tell the Duke they were to depute some of their number to speak with him. And the same day the President and thrie Councellors came to the castle, and told the Duke that the Councill desired he would delyver the castle into their hands. To whom he returned answer, that he was boimd to obey the King only, and justified the same by the 22 SIEGE OF THE reading of his commission ; that he was not ambitious of keeping it for any other end than to doe his IMajestie's service ; and that he thought himselfe oblidged in conscience and honoiu- to be faithful! to the trust reposed in him by the King, and knew no other way to exonerate him of it, but the commands of his IVIajestie, by whose commission he acted, and who in justice might require a strict ac- compt of his procedm*e : Therefore, desired they would first give him tyme to i-eceave his IMajestie's commands, to whom he had written for that effect, and should doe accordingly ; that as yit, he lookt upon himselfe as a friend, and though he were ane enemy, this wes the least they could doe. Very few dayes after, a clerk of the Councill comes with ane order signed by the severall Councellors, by which the Councill or- dered the Governovu- to delyver the castle to them ; alleadging, they had made no step as yet, contrary to their obedience due to the King, in acknowledging the Prince of Orange. The Governour having, as yet, receaved no commands from his Majestic, and stryv- ing to put of tyme in hopes of them ; and, moreover, suspecting their intentions, by their authorizing Captaine Gx-ahame and the trained bands to force Captaine A\'allace from defending the King's pallace, that the rable might ransack it as they did ; and by their having ordered to intercept the Chancellor, as he was goeing beyond seas, and shutting him up in prison (where he remaines as yet), he tells them nixt, that he hoped, they would, for his justification, signe what they required of him, which, after a litle deliberation, they did, and sent it to him. He, seing this, told them ther was yet CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 23 something wanting ; which was, that they should warrant! him for so doing at his master's hands. This they refused, or coiild not doe, but still persisted in what they required. Then he desyi-ed to know by what authority, or to what end, they required the castle. If I)y the King's, he desired to sie it. If they had a mynde to complement the Prince of Orange, he could doe that as weil as they. \\''hile this is in agitation betwixt the Councill and the Duke, se- verall jiersons who called themselves the King's friends, and even some Catholicks, advysed him to yeild ; yea, tliere were some who insinuated to him, that he might permit the garrison to mutiny, to the end it might seem he was forced to yeild, according as it had happened in England to severall Catholick officers ; bot he rejected both those advyces with equal dislyke, as being full of weakness and voyd of sincerity. After this, ther was a report raised, as if in the Duke's garrison ther were a company of Highlanders, papists, that were to fyre the city with bombs, and beat it doun with cannons ; which report was raised of ])urpose to incence the people, and make them concurre more vigorously to force him to yeild the castle ; which how soon he is informed of, he sends immediately for the provost and chiefe baillzies, and told them he heard ther were such reports raised, but assured them ther wes no such thing in reality ; that they might re- member he had alwayes bein a friend to the toun, and should be such still ; so long as they behaved themselves kyndly, they should find nothing but civility from him. Upon which wyne was called for, and they di'unk heartily, owneing the Duke's favours, and that 24 SIEGE OF THE they no M^ayes doubted the continuance of them. Nixt he sent for the toun officers of the trained bands, and did in lyke manner ; so that when they were called for by some of the Councellors to have represented to them, and be made sensible of the danger they were in by a popish Governour in the castle, they declared they feared no such danger, and were as weell content with him as with any other. Heire it may be I'emai'ked, that notwithstanding all this clamoiu" about popery, ther was not the tenth man of that persuasion in the gan'ison ; whereas a great many of those the Prince of Orange brought along with him, were publickly known for such ; that Prince being not so bigot as piiident, since he trusted those he had ' Dec. 11. But by this time the noise of plots was spread abroad witli such art and application (for ends best known to the promoters), that it bred an universal phrenzie in the heads of the inconstant and unruly mob. They could discern nothing tnily ; but implicitly beliered, and readily acted, as tliey were taught ; and thus (amongst other absurdities), when their teachers had represented to them a prodigious number of Irish incendiaries and cut-throats, actually burning and butchering without distinc- tion of age or sex, and brought them the length of Dumfries, it was an easy matter for them to assign our Governor and ganison a part in the plot, namely, the burning the city of Edinburgh : And though a very short time cleaily discovered the imposture of the Irish project, yet they endeavoured with great diligence to keep up the repute of their impudent forgeries, concerning his Grace and the garrison, though without great success ; for many of the representatives of the good town declared to the Privy Coim- cU their satisfaction in both, and would not sign any address against him. And here it is very remaikable, that, notwithstanding the clamour against popery, there was not at any time above the tenth man of that persuasion among our soldiers, nor one popish priest, during the siege ; whereas thousands of those that the Prince of Orange brought over, out of a wonderful care of the protestant interest, would not have been questioned by a Spanish inquisition. ■ CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 25 found faithful! to him, and M'ho had given him no ground to distmst them formerly. And he knew and experienced that ther principles or persuasion did not lead them to swear voluntarly fidelity to him, and then betray or desert him on pretext of religion. After all this, news comeing from London that the Prince of Orange was absolute master of that kingdom ; after the King had made his escape in the begining of January 1689, the Didce dis- patcht ane express to Loudon, with letters to the Dutches of Gor- don, and others his friends, to know whether his Majestie had left any orders for him, not having receaved any from him since he re- turned from court to Edinburgh. To which he received answer, that the King had left no orders at all concerning him ; only that they heard the King had said at his pairting from London to seve- ralls of those who were in employments, that^ they might look to ther own safety. This oblidged the Duke to ^vrite againe to his Majestie, entreating to have his pleasure made known to him con- cerning himselfe ; and he was informed this letter came to the King's hands. There happened nothing considerable in the castle for some weeks, xuitill some of the Scots who were at London, about twenty noble- men, and severall knights and gentlemen, to the number off about a hundred persons in all, many of whom had bein in King Cliarles' and King James' tyme forfeited for rebellion, many of them per- sons of no fortunes, but ther sword or ther pen, who by the lawes of the countiy could not have bein admitted to give ther vote for the election of a commissioner to Parliament in a shyre or county ; — these, D 26 SIEGE OF THE I say, taking upon them to represent the whole nation, meet togither and form ane addresse to the Prince of Orange, offering to him the government of Scotland, and supplicating him to conveen the estates thereof as he had done those in England ; which he accepted of, and emitted forthwith a proclamation in generall, ordaining all Catho- licks to quite ther charges, and surrender ther commission to the next subalteme protestant officer under them. This so puft up John Auchmutie, Liuetennant of the company that was in the castle, that he refused to obey any fui'der the Duke's and the Liuetennant-Go- vernour's orders ; yea, he was councelled to surpryse both, and se- cure ther persons. But the Duke did so prudentlie manage the humours of his soldiers, that this Liuetennant retiu-ned to his duty. After this proclamation of the Prince of Orange, the Governour was exposed to new dangers of being betx'ayed by a part of his gar- rison, and he had neid of all his courage and prudence to keep them in obedience. Severalls of the King's friends renewed ther advyces to him, perswading him to render the castle, which they judged he could not keep against the whole isle of Brittaine ; and certanely none but a person of more than ordinary loyalty could have resolved to doe it, having so many within the garrison of whom he had greater fear to be betrayed, then hope to be assisted from without ; none in the two kingdomes appearing publickly to stand for the King. And besides having his garrison so ill provj^ded with neces- saries for its entertainment and defence. But above all, it seming that the King had generall thoughts of bussiness in Scotland ; but he sends out a part of the furnitm-e of his house, (at London then,) CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 27 as lykewise the Lieueterinant-Governour sent out a part of his fur- niture. This gave occasion to a runioiu* that he was to render the castle ; and dui'eing its being the amusement of the toun, he went out of the castle to sie his friends, after he had been two whole months shut up into it, as weil to keep his gan-ison from revolting within, as to keep himselfe from being surprysed and secm*ed in the toune without. Some days after this, he heares ther was one come from the King with his Majesties commands, whereat he was much rejoyced, not ha^^ug had the. honour of any orders from his Majestie since the Ijeffinniuff of the troubles. Tliis man told the Governour, that he had sein the King part from Paris for Brest, and that his Majestie had commanded him to show his Grace the Duke of Gordon it was his pleasure he should leave the Castle in seciu-ity, in the hands of the lieuetennant governour. Coll. Winram, and retire himselfe to the north of Scotland, and there wait for new orders from his Majestie. The Governour answers the man who brought this message by word of mouth only, (whose name was Braddy,) that not having the good fortune to know him, he desired to sie something in write, which might authorize his message, and i-ender it credible to him. To which Braddy replyed, that he was indeed to have brought a letter, but that the Secretaiy of State was in such haist to follow his Ma- jestie to Brest, that the letter was lost. In which reply he was in- genuous, for the letter was indeed sent, but by another person, who told to me since, that at London, on his way to Scotland, he was forced to bunie the letter for fear of being discovered. But how- 28 SIEGE OF THE ever it was, certane it is that diu'ing the sex months the Duke of Gordon keept the Castle, after the Revohition, he receaved neather from the King, nor from any in his name, any order. The Duke did not judge it prudent to give credit to a verball order, in a matter of such importance, brought by a person unknowen to him, considering besids he could not leave the Castle in security in the hands of the lieuetennant governor Winram ; not for any distrust of him, whom he and all the nation knew to be a person of unstained loyalty, of undaunted courage, and who had been for many years shut up in severall prisons, at severaU tymes, for his fidelity to his Prince ; but because he knew the garrison had a great aversion against him, being, they judged him to have procured from Court the order by which the Governour was inliibited to give them weekly any of ther ])ay in hand, in detriement of the sutlery, (which order the lieuetennant governour protested he had no hand in pro- cureing it,) and they had given severall evidences of ther dislike of his govermnent. Moreover, the Governour was very sensible of the ill offices his enemies had done him with his Majestie, and of the disadvantage- ous character they had given of him ; wherefore, he might weel think they would not faile to improve all those malicious misrepresenta- tions, if he should have left the charge of the Castle to the lieueten- nant governoiu", without ane order in write from his Majestie, or from his Secretary of State. Some days befoir the first session of the Convention of Estates in Scotland, the Governour discovers a new conspiracy forming in his CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 29 garrison, whicli oblidged him to require a new oath of his soldiers : And forseeing severalls of them woukl refuse it, he appoynted Henry Gordon to engadge other soldiers for supplying tlier places, espe- cially those who had laid down armes since the Revolution, in and about the toun, and to choyce out amongst them, those for whose fidelity he could be answerable. Then conveineing the garison, and conceilling what he knew of ther bad intentions, he commended much ther fidelity, notwith- staudeing the ill example both nations had given them. Nixt he teUs them he was certanely informed, ther were designes and en- deavours useing to seduce them. A\'herfore, that he might be with- out fear, he desired that all his soldiers would renew the oath they had already given, by laying ther hand on the Evangell, which was presented to them by Master Forrester, ther Protestant minister, who gave prooffes of his loyalty dm'eing the whole siege. Many of the soldiers refused to renew this oath ; and amongst others, a ser- jaiit, the master canonier, two under canoniers, asked tyme to deli- berate on the matter. The chirurgeon, who was gone out of the Castle, returned no more. The Governor made disarme those who refused to give the oath, and caused delyver ther armes to the new soldiers which Henry Gordon had engadged, turning those out of the Castle who refused the oath, having payed them all ther arriers, and made seure the master cannonier, untill he sould render accompt of the money he had receaved in the Duke's absence for service of the cannons. The Governour haveing foirsein the straits he would be in by cash- 30 SIEGE OF THE eering the disloyall cannoniers, had some dayes before called in to the Castle, one Robert Dimibar, formerly a captaine of a ship, expert in artillery, very loyall, and who generously abandoned his wyfe and childi-en to the fury of the rable, and proved most steadable after- wards in the defence of the Castle. The Convention being assembled, the first thing resolved on was, that the Governour should be ordered in ther name to render up the Castle, and that he, with the officers of his profession, should with- draw themselves. Two members of the Convention came to inti- mate to him this order, bearing that he was to give his answear im- mediatly, and to obey the order within twenty-four hours. He ask- ed time to give his answear, and thes deputed members returned without granting him tj'me. The same day, the Earle of Dumfermleing (who had the Gover- noui''s sister to wyfe) came and told him that he foresaw the King's enemies would be masters in the Convention ; and that he was re- solved to leave it and retire himselfe. And after some measures concerted betwixt them for his Majesties service, he retm'ned home to the North, where he ordinarily resided. The Governour liaving given him a writing, wherby he entreated all his friends, and com- manded all his vassalls, to joyne and obey liis brother-in-law, in all occasions he should judge proper for the King's service, and keep- ing the country imder his obedience. He lykewise gave him ane order to Master Innes, his Master of Horses, to deliver to the Earle of Dumfermling all the horses he should have neid of ; which order Mr Innes obeyed, and followed the Earle, in company with CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 31 the Earle of Dundie, togithei* with about thirtie other gentlemen of the Duke of Gordon's vassals. After this, the Duke had notice, by severall billets sent him, that the Convention was resolved to set a pryce upon his head, if he re- fused to obey them ; and the nixt day tuo Earles came deputed from it to the Castle, to know the Governour's last answer concer- ning the delyvery of it. He thought it best for his Majesties service to enter upon terms of agriement with them, and drew up some articles to be presented to them ; and amongst others, a generall indemnity for himselfe and his friends, both Papists and Protestants, with liberty to goe where they jileased, without being called in question for what was past ; and that all those who would go beyond seas should have pasports. The deputies carryed thes articles to the Convention, and shortly returned to the Castle to know who were the friends the Governour spoke of in his articles ; who told he should name them when the Convention had signed ther consent to his proposalls. After severall messages betwixt the Convention and the Castle, the Duke named all the clans of the Highlands, without specifying who were his friends or foes. This proposal did so offend one of the deputies, that he became very angry ; and being returned to the Convention, would scarcely give accompt of his negociation to the president and others of the assembly.^ * March 14. This day the Convention of Estates met, and the Earls of Lotliian and Tweeddale came to the garrison, and required tlie Duke to deliver up the castle, upon an act of the Convention, to exoner his Grace, and other Papists there, as to all bygones. 32 SIEGE OF THE Those very clans thereafter obtained more than the Duke desyred for them, though they had done a great daile of prejudyce to the kingdom in their marches and coiintermarches, which shews how little the Convention understood their bussiness, and yet they durst forfeit their King. The Duke desired the message might be put in writing, and time allowed to ad- vise ; which being denied, his Grace sent the following answer to tlie Convention: March 15. 1 am willing to comply with the commission I received by tlie Earls of Lothian and Tweeddale, as to my removal from the Castle of Edinburgh : though I cannot do it as a Papist, that being dangerous, and I not convicted ; for I hope being in employment without taking the test (contrary to an Act of Parliament), is no conviction of Popery. I received, not long ago, a letter from the then Prince of Orange, desiring that I would leave the Castle of Edinburgh ; which I promised to do, but expected certain reasonable time to be first granted to myself and gaixison. hope I have not merited so ill of my country, as that I may not be trusted with the castle, until a return come to tliis letter, which I expect every hour. But if that can- not be granted, barely on my promising not to molest or hai'm any person, especially those of this illustrious assembly, I proffer hostages, or bail to the value of L.20,000 Sterling, for my peaceable deportment : Otherwise I expect, before my removal, I. A general indemnity for myself and friends, both Protestant and Papist, as also absolute security for our lives and fortunes in time coming ; with assurance that the same shall be ratified in the next ensuing Parliament. II. A security for all Protestants of the garrison, who incline to stay in it, to continue in their employments ; and for those who shall go out with me, either Protestants or Papists, to go beyond seas, or remain within the kingdom, as our occasion shall lead us. III. That the garrison be completely paid off all bygone arrears, and have liberty to dispose of their goods witliin the castle as they please. To which the Duke had this return : The meeting of the Estates having considered llie paper given in, and subscribed by the Duke of Gordon, in answer to their order do declare, — It is not the mind of this meeting, that the Duke, his ofliciatmg as governor of the castle, or of any other employment, or his quitting of his command at this time, shall import any acknow- ledgement or conviction against liim, or those under him, of his" or their being Papists. CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 33 Incontinently after, the Viscount of Dundie, did, by Cockburne younger of Lanton, a gentleman of quality and merit, advertize the Duke, that the Convention were instantly to give him a solemne and formall sumonds, by the heraulds with ther coats of armes : And the same hour came tuo heraulds, tuo pursevants, and tuo trum- peters sounding ther trumpets, and approaching to the walls, read with a loud voyce the simionds, by which the Governour is ordain- ed, with all other Papists in the garrison, to remove themselves It is also resolved, that the meeting of the Estates will not allow the Duke his keeping the government of the castle, either upon promise, bail, or hostages, for his peaceable deportment, until he get a return of the letter written by him to the then Prince of Orange. It is likewise resolved, that the indemnity offered by the meeting of Estates, shall only extend to those belonging to the garrison, and their servants, either Protestants or Papists ; and the persons who are to have the benefit of the said indemnity shall be expressly named, if the Duke desire it ; and that the indemnity to be granted by this meeting shall contain a clause, that it shall be ratified in the next Parliament. As to the last article of the paper, that those of the garrison who please to retire with the Duke, shall have liberty either to go out of the kingdom or stay in it, as they tliiiik fit ; and shall have liberty to dispose of their goods, and have safe conduct granted to them for that effect, the same being desired before the dissolution of the meeting of the Estates ; but that they may not take out with them any arms, ammu- nition, or store, but what they shall instruct properly to belong to them. And, Lastly, it is agreed, that the officei's and soldiers of the garrison shall have payment of their bygone arrears ; but refuse to give them assurance of their being continued in employment. It had been moved, and agreed to in the Convention, that the Duke should have safe conduct to come there in person, but he went not ; and refused to give up the castle upon the terms offered ; however, he sent a letter to the Viscount of Dundee to be communicated to the Convention, in which he condescended to resign his command to tlie Earl of Airly, his father-in-law, but the overture was rejected, E 34 SIEGE OF THE thence immediatly, upon paine of treason. At the same tyme was read a proclamation, discharging the subjects to con vers with or assist the Duke, or any under his command, that should remaine in the garison after that proclamation, whether Papists or Protestants ; and jiromising a reward of sex months' pay, with ane indemnitie, to the Protestants in gax'rison, on condition they sould seaze the Duke and Papists persons, and delyver them up with the Castle into the hands of the Convention. The Duke spoke to the heraulds, and bid them tell the Convention from him, that he keept the Castle by commission from ther common master, and that he was resolved to defend it to the last extreamitie. In end, he gave some guinies to the lieraulds to di'ink the King's good health, and all honest men's in the Convention, which they promised to doe ; and he ad\ysed them, in drollery, not to proclame men traittors to the State with the King's coats on ther backs ; or at least they might turne them. After the heraulds were gone, the Duke called the garrison togi- ther, and caused the Ensigne publickly read the summonds to them, and then told them, they saw the danger they were to nm ; that for his own part, he would not be threatned fi'om his duty to God and his Prince, and wes resolved to keep the Castle for his Majestie's service ; that those who were not willing to hazard themselves with him might goe where they pleased, and have ther full arrears payed them, which he did. Wherupon WiU Cahoune and Andrew Ford, gunniers, went away, having refused to obey in general! all ther superiour officers, though they were content to swear obedience to the Duke's commands ; which was not accepted of, because of the CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 35 bad example it might give. And the day following, John Auch- mouty liiietennant of the company, Arthur Forbess master gimnier, John Scot cliirurgeon, John Crichton and Thomas Hume Serjeants, Alexander Kelman and John Cahoune corporalls, Oliver St Clair sutler, tuo drummers, and betwixt sixty and seavinty private cen- tinells, left the gan-ison, notwithstanding ther oath few dayes be- foir. They being gone, the Governour caused shut all the gates of the Castle, and disposed all things for defence. The same day a gentleman out of Ireland came to the Castle, pretending to bring a letter from his Majestic, and assurances from the Duke of Tyi'econnell to the Governom*, that if he could keep the Castle six weeks, he should have ane army of 20,000 men at his command, ^^lien the Governour saw the letter, he found it was not directed to himselfe, bot to the Chancellour, and in his absence to the Archbishop, and in his absence to another ; whereupon he made scrouple to open it. Bot one less scroupulous standing by, opened and read it, but saw no orders at all in it concerning the Castle. The gentleman who brought it was asked, if his Majestie was in Ireland when he came from thence, and he answered he was not. TTien the Governoiu* sent him ^vith the letter to the Earle of Balcarras and the Viscount of Dundie. Dureingthes transactions, John Gordon of Edintore was frequent- ly employed to advertize friends of the circumstances of the garrison, and what necessaries were wanting, and especially Sir James Grant of Davey, advocat, whose predecessors had still followed the familly of Huntly in the King's service, during the civill warr in King 36 SIEGE OF THE Charles the ftrst tyme, and shared with the same in sufferings on that accompt. Thir two gentlemen made it ther work to supply the Castle from tyme to tyme with those things they were adver- tised it stood most in need of ; and though they did all was in ther power, yet any provisions came into the Castle during the siege were very inconsiderable. Francis Gairdin of Midstrath, John Innes, Henry Gordon, Andi-ew Ross, gentlemen, with some others, came into the Castle to remaine for its defence. And Sir James Grant, finding ane English lawyer, and afterwards Captain WiUiam M'ln- tosh of Borlum, goeing for Ireland, he gave instructions to each of them, representing exactly the condition of the Castle, and reasons why it could not be maintained longer than the beginning of June. The garrison at that tyme consisted of the Grovemour, the liue- tennant govemoiu*, the ensigne, foiu' Serjeants, of whom one was sick, and about six score centinells, but without cannoniers and enginier, or chirurgeon, or drogues, or carpenter, or money. The garrison was formerly divyded into three squadrons, viz. The Go- vernour's, the liuetennant's, and the ensigne's ; but now the Duke cast them into two divisions, — one was commanded by the ensigne, and the other by IMr Gardin [of Midstrath, under his Grace]. The principle posts were the high guard house, the low guard, and sally port. One entire squade mounted each night, consisting of the captaine of the guard, tuo Serjeants, tuo corporalls, and about 40 centinells, besides the gentlemen voluntiers. Ther wer 8 centinell posts in the day tyme, and 17 by night. March 16. The Duke sent a line to the Earle of Twedale, entreat- CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 37 ing him to call at the gan*ison, hopeing what he had to communi- cate to him should not be disagrieable ; but he came not. The 17th day of March, one of the garrison deserted. The 18tli, the Convention made place guards about the Castle, to hinder the entry of any provisions, and to intercept any person that should come forth of it with any message. The same day the Go- vernour sent out his horses with his coachman, who was appre- hended and imprisoned. The Governour went and visited the magazine of the Castle, and found only 8 score barrells of powder, in very ill order, and many of them not full ; the generall or master of the artillery having re- moved all the rest, as is said above, and many of his company ta- king service under the enemies, (for himselfe did shortlie after- wards,) made known to them the small quantity of ammunition left in the Castle, with which it could no longer hold out. This day the Cameronians, to the number of about 7000, lately come to Edinburgh to take the guarding of the Convention, tlrew up in the publick great streets of the city. Thes Cameronians (so called from one Cameron, a preacher, or famous ringleader among them) are the worst kynd of Presbyterians, who confyne the church to a few of the western shyres of the kingdome of Scotland ; dis- claime all Kings (save King Jesus) who will not worship God after ther way ; thirUc it ther duty to murder all who are out of the state of grace, that is, not of ther communion ; in a word, who take away the second table of the Decalogue, upon pretence of keeping the first ; and who are only for sacrifice, but for no mercy at all. 38 SIEGE OF THE The same day Donald IM'Donald, and tuo gentlemen of the name of Grant, came into the Castle, and brought a letter to the Gover- nour, shewing ther were severall conspiracies forming against him, and that the King had wrote a letter to the Convention, which was read, hot no regaird had to it. The day following, the Governoiu-, with a telescoi)e, perceaved some horsemen appearing on the noi'th side of the toun, and draw- ing towards the castle. It was the Viscount of Dundie, who, seing the convention had resolved to renunce all alledgiance to their lawfull soveraigne, and laid asyde all kind of respect for him ; he abandoned ther assemblie, and comeing to the foot of the rock, the Governour spoke to him from the top of the waU, and then went out and discoursed with him. Hee told what had passed in the convention at the receaving of the King's letter, and the small im- pression it made upon the members of that assembly. The Gover- nom- askit a sight of the letter ; but Dimdie had no copy, and the Governoiu" never saw it. Then Dundie parted from the Governour and retm-ued to his own pairty of about thirty or fovu-ty horse, and went away with them towards his own dwelling beside Dundie. After that tyme, the Governour never receaved any letters from him. [March 19. The Duke having procured safe conduct for oiu" en- sign, sent him out this day with the following instructions : I. You are to advise with Sir James Grant and IVIr Thomas Gor- don, my ordinary counsellor at law, and any other lawyer they shall think fit to call, how the officers and others in garrison can be se- ciu'ed in law, as to their hves and fortunes CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 39 II. It being altogether dangerous for me and my garrison to re- move out of the castle, whilst the town is so crowded with vast numbers of strangers, who have already taken possession of posts formerly guarded by the town of Edinburgh, I desire the posts may be returned to the town, and the strangers removed. III. Since so much aversion was expressed against some of the Highland clans being comprehended within the mmiber of my friends, I am content to restrict it to twenty Protestants and twenty Papists, who are, or have been, in public emi)lojnnent ; and this, besides those within the garrison. IV. Since he was absolutely refused, that such Protestants as might incline to stay in the Castle, should be secured in their em- ployments, I desire that such of them as are still here, shall have six months pay, besides what shall be due to them, for defraying their charges to any place, off or within the kingdom, whither their occasions shall lead them. V. That after the place is given up, the Lieutenant-Governor may have the use of his lodgings for eight or ten days, for clearing accounts with the garrison ; and that my servants and others may have a competent time for dispatching affairs within the Castle. VI. That the officers and othei's may have liberty for themselves and servants to carry their swords within the town, and make use of horses and ordinary travelling arms in the country ; and so long as I shall stay within the kingdom, that they may have their abode in any place of it, according to their interest and conveni- ence. •10 SIEGE OF THE VII. That my officers and soldiers may have the disposal of the stores, or a competent gi-atuity on that head. VIII. That I may have a pass to wait on his Majesty any time within three months, to give him reason for putting this place into the Estates hands, and to return safely. IX. That I have a guard of forty horse, of my own chusing, to attend me home ; and that I may keep them together while I am in the kingdom : the like being granted to my grandfather at the pacification of 1645 or 1646. This, with the first and last articles of my former propositions, wliich were granted. The Ensign re- turned with this answer : March 19. The meeting of the Estates ha\'ing considered the in- structions given in and subscribed by the Duke of Gordon to Ensign Wincester, annent the surrender of the Castle of Edinbiu-gh, they do agi'ee to the following articles. I. That the Duke's officiating in the government of the Castle of Edinburgh, or in any other employment, or his quitting of his com- mand at this time, shall not import any acknowledgement or con- viction against him, or any person under his command, of their being papists ; but that the Duke, and those persons that are at present in the garrison with him, and their servants, as well Papists as Protestants, shall have a full indemnity from the Estates for any thing done by them at any time against the laws of the kingdom ; and that the same indemnity shall contain the names of ilk ane of the said persons, if they desire the same ; and a clause, that it shall be ratified in the next Parliament. CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 4] II. The Estates do allow that Mr Wincester do consult Sir James Grant and Mr Thomas Gordon, or any other lawyers they shall please to call, annent the security to be given to the Duke and his officers, soldiers, and others within the garrison, as to their lives and fortimes ; the same being always done in presence of one of the members of the meeting. III. That the Duke and those of the garrison that shall please to retire with him, shall have fuU liberty to go out of the kingdom, or to stay in it : and to dispose of their goods, which they shall instniet to belong to themselves, not being arms or ammunition, as they shall think fit ; and they shall have safe conduct for that effect, the same being desired before the dissolution of the meeting of the Estates. IV. That all the officers and soldiers of the garrison shall have punctual payment of their bygone arrears ; and the Lieutenant-Go- vernor shall have a secure place with a guard appointed for him to stay in the town for eight days after the siu-render, for clearing ac- counts with the garrison ; and that the Duke's servants, not exceed- ing three at a time, shall be allowed the liberty to go up to the castle and retiu'n as they please, for the said space of eight days, for car- rying away their goods and dispatching their affairs in the Castle. V. That the Duke, and those who are presently with him in the garrison, shall be allowed, during their abode in the town of f^din- burgli, to carry their swords, and to keep their horses and ordinary arms, as any of the rest of the lieges are allowed to do by law. VI. That the Duke shall have the guard of forty horsemen, to be F 42 SIEGE OF THE named and commanded as the Estates shall be pleased to order ; who shall be maintained upon the public charge, and shall have orders to carry the Duke home to the place of his ordinary residence in the country, and immediately to return ; the Duke finding caution, that the said guard shall not be any way hindered or molested in their return. VII. The estates do agree to give a gratification to the officers and soldiers in the garrison, according to the condition they shall find the stores in, at the time of surrendering the Castle. The Cameronians had now blocked up the Castle, and begun a small entrenchment in widow Livingston's yard, westward, very near the Castle ; and taken up for posts the Weigh-house, the West Port, and St Cuthbert's Chiu-ch. This night another of our men deserted. March 21. The Ensign (having safe conduct) was this day again sent to manage the treaty with the Convention ; and brought back an account, that they agreed that the forty horse attend his Grace for fourteen days, to go home, and the Didie to name them, including his servants ; but that they disperse within twenty-four hours after his homegoing. That they meet him on the other side of the Burnt Island Ferry, whether the Estates would conduct him. That they shall not join the Lord Dundee, &c. and the Duke to find surety for that effect. That, at the surrender of the Castle, the avenues thereof be guarded with the town guards, together with such of the Earl of Levin's Regiment as he shall appoint. That Gordons of Auchintoule and Glasturin be indemnified for acting in public employments ; CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 43 and five priests, now in prison, to be named by the Duke, to have passes, they finding caution to remove out of the kingdom within twenty days. That the commissionate officers carry their ordinary fire-arms, beside their swords ; and the soldiers to be paid for their fii'e-arms by the Estates, &c.] Sometyme after this, the Governour desyreing speach of some without. Captain Lawder, who commanded the blockade, was sent to him to know what his pleasure was. By him, he sent a lyne to the magistrates of the toun, intimating his desire to continow a good understanding with them ; and that the Captaine sould show the convention, he desired a safe conduct to be granted for MrWincester, Ensigne of the Castle, a young gentleman of wit and courage, which being granted, he sent him to propose some articles of treaty with the Convention ; and with him he writes a letter to the President Duke Hamiltoun, in these tei'mes : — May it please your Grace, The singular prooftes your Grace and the States have bein pleased to give me of yoiu* kindness, would highten (if possible) the concerne I have alwayes had for the good of my country and coiuitrymen Permit me, then, [most humbly,] to lay before your Grace and the States, the imminent danger to which this poor kingdom is exposed, to become very soon the theatre of the most bloody and irreconceall- able warre that hes bein in Europe this age, if not prevented by ex- traordinary prudence. Permitt me likewise to represent, that of all the ancient nobilitie and gentry of which this illustrious assembly is com- posed, perhaps ther is not one whose selfe or predicessors hes not re- 44 SIEGE OF THE ceaved reiterated marks of his Majestie's or ancestours bounties and clemency. Should we then, for the misfortunes of a four years reigne, forget the benefites we have receaved from one hundreth and ten Kings and Queins. For my oun pairt, it's known to severalls of the Estates, and particularly to your Grace, the severe usage I have had thes three years from the court, yet, I wold lay doun my lyfe to pro- cure a good imderstanding between his Majestic and his subjects, as I most sincerely and affectionatly offer my endeavours for procure- ing it. And if the Estates sail think fit I shall wait on his Majestie, who is now in Ireland. I hope, as all Scotland will most dutifully assert the just prerogatives of the crowne, the King will be pleased to setle the property, religion, and liberties of the subject on such sui-e foundations, that they shall never be shaken by the avarice and ambition of evill ministers. May it please your Grace, I thought myselfe bound in conscience to represent to you and the Estates what this paper containes ; and it is with much respect that I am yom* Grace's most obedient and most humble servant. The Duke desired this letter might be recorded by the Conven- tion, but it was refused ; and not finding any rationall correspond- ence from them to his proposalls, he breaks of all farder negotiation with them, and makes bonfires in the Castle for the King's arry\'eall in Ireland, dischargeing all the cannons thryce, in token of rejoyceing on that accompt. [About this time the Cameronians had broken ground a little southward of their other trench. We beat a parley ; and a cessation for sometime was agreed to. CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 45 which gave an opportunity to our men to cast up a work at the sally port, to secure them from the enemies' small shot, to which they had been greatly exposed.] The 25th March, the Cameronians were releived by General Major Mackayes men, sent from England, being three regiments, twelve companyes in each regiment. The Cameronians had the thanks of the Estates, and a publick act passed acknowledging their good service. With Mackay came cannons, provisions, armes, and ammunition, and he caused furnish store of packs of wooll, to make his ai)proaches in order to the siege of the Castle. He had formerly served in the King's army, and had a pension of his Majestic before the Prince of Orange's coming to England ; but some months before, he declared to the King that he could serve him no longer, wherupon his pension was stopped ; yet thes of his clan or trybe had given good proofTe of ther loyalty during the troubles of the Covenant. He had bein formerly the Duke of Gordon's friend, and therefoir the Duke wi'ote to him, shortly after his arryveall, proposeing a conference with him, to try if he could induce him to returne to his Prince's alledgeance. To which Mackay answered, that he could not accept of that con- ference without tuo privy co\mcellours were present at it. The Governour replyed, he would discoiu'se with him alone only, and that he might judge his party did not confide in him, since they would have him accompanyed with tuo witnesses. [John Gordon having been sent out of the gaiTison to bring in a surgeon and carpenter (for as yet we had neither) one Tliomas, an 46 SIEGE OF THE Euglish surgeon, did undertake ; but approaching the Castle, in order to be received at the sally port, his courage failed him, and so he returned back to the town.] The penult of March, the Governour being advertised that the enemies were casting up ground on the west side of the Castle, came with officers in the night tyme upon the rampart that lookt that way ; and by the light of some squibs tlurowne perceaved ther ap- proach e : ^^'herfore he made place the cannon in battery, and dis- charge upon the works to destroy them, which had good effect. He continued fireing upon them the nights following, which retarded ther laboui- ; but this continuall fire did consume much of his ammu- nition. The Castle was so ill furnished of things necessaiy, that the Governour was oblidged to send out seaven men under Mr Gardin's command to make some provisions ; upon which a partj^ of the be- siegers deserted their posts in the trenches, and Mr Gardin returned safe with his men, bringing with them some loads of straw, wherof ther was need, to charge the cannon ; wherfore the besiegers would thenceforth perniitt no kind of proA'isions to pass near the Castle into the city. [A parley was beat to send in some packs of cards, but denied. They now began to play upon us with bombs they had brought from Stirling Castle, but we received no great damage by them.] Upon the 3d of Apryll some of the besiegers were perceaved to be lodged about the old towre of Cottis on the west ; and severall great guus were fired upon them, which beat doun ane old wall, and did execution. About this tyme, John Gordon brought in n CASTLE OF EDINBimCII. 47 brewar, and tuo Irish gentlemen, and lykewise on John M'Pher- on, son to Kylyhuntlie, one of the Diike's vassalls in Badenoch, a very smart, ingenuous, and darring young man, who rendered good and faithful service in this siege. [As we perceived them coming, we fired warmly upon the besiegers' guards at the west port, and freed them from that post. Sir George Lockliart, Lord President of the Session, having been barbarously assassinated on Easter Sunday, by one Cheesly of Dairy, a parley was this day beat by the besiegers, for a cessation during his interment in the Greyfriar's church, and readily granted.] 6th of Apryll. The besiegers had now, with the losse of men, finished a battery at the Castle of CoUops, ane old ruined tower south of the garison, and planted thereon two cannon, 18 pounders ; but in a few hours they were both dismounted. Captaine Dumbarr fired tuo of the seaventein bombs upon the besiegers' battery, but without success. [This day we had an account that John Gordon (who had been sent out with letters) was made prisoner, but that he had dropt the letters he had in custody, and so they fell not into the enemy's hands. His Grace caused cut a part of the bridge at the entry to the gar- rison.] 11th day. On Mr Scott went in publickly to the garrison in this maner ; he brought the besiegers' advanced centinell along the Castle- hill with him upon pretence of speaking to a gentleman in garison about important bussiness, and to returne immediatly. ^\^len tliey 48 SIEGE OF THE were come near the Castle gate, Mr Scott called for the Ensigne, and before they tuo had exchanged many words, he bid the centinell fairweell, and was receaved in at the gate. The centinell was invi- ted to follow him because of his danger in returning, but the poor fellow, being drunk, went to his post, where he was immediatly seazed, and hang'd tuo dayes after. [A carpenter having undertaken to serve in the garison this day, we perceived him coming with five Irishmen, and put ourselves in a posture to secure them, in case any of the besiegers appeared ; but the carpenter, treacherously or timorously, went back, and delivered himself prisoner, discovering those who had engaged him : upon which some were secured and others fled.] The same day the garrison heard a great noise in the toun, mixt with the sound of trimipets, and thought the heralds were coming with a new summonds to the Govern our to render the Castle ; but afterwards it was found to be on the accompt of the proclamation of the Prince of Orange, in quality of Jung of Scotland. Some persons, who have no good will to the Governom-, took occasion to blame him for not fyreing upon the toun, att the tyme of this proclamation, but it is easy with reason to refute this objec- tion, though envy and malice will still be barking : Imo. Neatlier the Governour, nor officers of the Castle, knew cer- tainely before, what was the ground of this solemnity. 2do. The place of the toun, at the cross, where the proclamation was made, was out of sight of the Castle, and covered from it by the Tolbooth, or coimnon prison ; and a great many other buildings CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 49 stand in a right lyne betwixt tlie Castle and the Cross, so that the cannon bullets could not touch any person about the cross. 3tio. The Governoiu''s duty being to defend the Castle the King- had entrusted to him, he could not judge it prudent to consume to no purpose the powder, wherof he had so small quantity. 4to. Although he had known what wes the occassion of the so- lemnity, he might have judged he could not be blamed in following the example of Generall Ruthven, who had formerly defended the Castle of Edinburgh, dureing the Rebellion against Chai'les the First, and was made Earle of Forth and Brentford for his good and faith- full service. He sustained the siege a whole year against the toune, and yet did not fyre upon the buildings, nor upon the Parliament House, dureing the siege ; and his conduct in this was approved severall years afterwards by the Duke of Lawderdale, then High Commissioner for the King in Scotland. 5to. His fyreing on the toun could not hinder the proclamation, much less the occassion of it, and it might have done prejudice to those who were no less soriy at it than he was ; for the rable had threatned from the beginning of ther commotion, that if the Popish Duke, should fire on the city, dui'ing ther insolencies against Papists, they should leave non of that profession alyve in and about the toun ; which was a very easy matter for them to execute : And the pillaging of ther goods and houses, and insolencies, upon the per- sons of those that had misfortune to fall in ther way, gave too much ground to beleeve they would have made good their threatnings upon such a provocation. G 50 SIEGE OF THE Soe that those who blame the Duke of Gordon for not fyreing on the toun at this occassion, would be puzled to assigne any rationall motive that might have oblidged him so to do, or exeemed him from the censures of prudent men if he had done it : All they could alledge would be, that he should have showen his just indignation and hor- rour at the Convention's procedure in prejudice of his Soveraigne ; but could that demonstration of his displeasure have brought any advantage to his prince's cause or affaires ; or could any judicious person have thought it of such weight, as to be put in the ballance with the prejudice and trouble, many of the Bang's weil-wishers would have sustained ; and might not the Convention justly have flouted at him with the poet's words, vana sine viribus ira. [The passage by the sally port, that we had formerly made use of for sending out and receiving intelligence, being now closely blocked up by the besiegers, we shut up the entry, and filled it with earth ; and we had by this time discovered a new passage, more safe, from the gate of the Castle over the north loch. "WTien any person was to come in to us (of which we generally got exact infor- mation, sometime before, by a sign in a window of the city from Mrs Ann Smith, grandchild to Dr. Atkins, late Lord Bishop of Galloway), or went out, we sent a party of six men, commanded by a gentleman, to conduct them over the loch ; and when got in safe to the garrison, we gave the signal to Mrs Smith, by firing a mus- ket off the half-moon,] About the 20th of Apryll, Mr Smith, the Duke's chinu-geon at Gordon Castle, being sent for by his Grace, came into the Castle of CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 51 Edinburgh to the great comfort of the garrisone, being a man Weill skilled in surgery, in artillery, and both very loyall and courageous.' The 29th, Hemy Gordon having beiu sent out for intelligence, re- turned after two dayes with Liuetennant James Hay, John Macky, and one Launders ane Irishman ; having by reason of the darknes of the night, lost other thi'ie of their company, who had designed to serve in the garrison. The besiegers drained the Loch on the north side of the Castle and toun, to divert the springs from the wells in the Castle ; but their designe took no effect. The 9th of May, the Castle fired some great gims upon a hous near the enemies battery, having discovered soldiers in it ; and, ar- tillery we were informed killed severalls in it. The enemies began to cast up a battery noi-thward of the garrison, at the Multrasie-hill. [This was the day they had appointed for a public thanksgiving ; but we could perceive no great demonstrations of joy amongst them by bells or bonfires.] The 11th of May, William Urquhart came into the garison and went out againe for some necessaries, and returned after four dayes with John Falconer, bringing with them, by Sir James Grant his moyen, a rope for mounting the cannon, which came very season- ably, for they had been necessitate to make use of the well rope ; so ill was the garrison provydit of things necessary for its defence. ■' Some (lays after, John Gordon obtained bis liberty, there being no proof against him, and returned to the garrison witli tliree Irisliinen and Mr Smith (the Duke's sur- geon), to the great comfort of all therein ; for though providence liad hitherto protect- ed our men from wounds, tliey did not fancy themselves invulnerable ; and many of them had sickened by this time. 52 SIEGE OF THE They informed that the beseigers' great bombs were anyved from England, and that ther shells weighed above a himder weight. That Sir James Grant above mentioned, was made close prisoner, for corresponding with the castle. The said W". Urquhart was killed with Ensigne AVincester afterwards, at the water of Boyn in Ire- land, in their Prince's service. ^Miile the enemies carryed on ther works and ther approaches, the Governour beat doun the parapets, which were but tuo foot high, that he might pnt his batteries in security against the ene- mies cannon. And having no cannoniers, he choysed twelve of the most vigorous of the soldiers to be employed in the service of the cannon, imder the direction of Captaine Dumbar, who knew most of artillery of any in the Castle. All the artillery the Castle had, was a peice of 42 poimd ball, one of 36 poimd, four of 24 poimd, one of 18, and tuo of 12 ; all these of brass, and besides them, severall of iron, of 24, of 16, of 12 pound balls, but not much worth. Ther were lykewise some litle feeld peices, and a morter peice of 14 inches of calibre, and 15 bombs. The Castle was not in a condition to make a sally, by reason of the small number of soldiers, a part of whom had no inclination for the service, and would have laid hold on that occasion to desert ; and [those] that were faithfid happening to be killed, the Governour would have been left to the discretion of mutiniers, who, finding themselves the stronger party, would have imdoubtedly betrayed him. About this tyme the Governour receaved letters from the Earle of CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 58 Diinifermling, who was in the north with the Viscoimt of Dimdie, showeing they had about 100"' gentlemen on horse with them ; and that at St Johnstone, they had surprysed, and seazed the Lairds of Blair and Pollock, witli some otlier officers of the enemies, while they were making their levies ; and had got also some litle money in hands of the collector of the publick impositiones ; and were, with the prissoners and the horses they took, retiu'ned againe to the monn- taines, where they had neid of some orders from the Governoiir ; who gave a returne to the Earle of Dmnfennline's letters, and satis- fied all his desires, to the end they might be in a condition to send releefe to the Castle before the first of June, judgeing he could hold out no longer without he got suecoiu"S. He gave the same adver- tisement to the rest of his friends who adhered to the King's interest, and all this with ad\'yce and concurrance of the Lieutennent Gover- uour. The 17th of May the Governour caused sound the wells, and found the high well only 10 foot deej), and the other wells were dry. [May 18. This night IVIr Maci)herson and one of the Duke's footmen wei-e sent out. 'We now kept no men at the high guard house, which had been hitherto our main guai'd ; for all were posted at the sally port and low guard.] On Sunday 19th, the enemy haveing got their new artillery planted, about 10 a'doack at night they began to fyre upon the Castle with their great bombs, from a battery they had raised from the west corner of the toun wall. They had planted tuo morter peices, and threw the bombs in pairs ; but all of them went over the 54 SIEGE OF THE Castle, or fell short of it at the West Port, not without dammage to the houses of the toun ; or splite upon the top of the wall of the Castle, where ther was a centinell, who brought some fragments of it to his coini-ades. [I cannot say whose work the besiegers were about, but they never failed to ply it hard on the Lord's day : upon which one of our Highlanders observed, that, though he was apt to forget the days of the week, yet he well knew Sunday, by some mischief or other, begvm or hotly carried on by oui* reform- ers.] Upon ther fireing, the Castle gave them several! great guns point- ed to ther bomb battery, but without success, the morter peices standing very low, and not requyreiug ports, wherupon the garri- son thought best to spaire ther powder on that occassion. The Governour ordered all in the garrison to remove ther lodg- ings to the vaults, and took himselfe to one lykewise ; and about the same tyme he became sickly, and continued so for some days : Notwithstanding wherof, the same night, when the besiegers began to play with their bombs, he went with Captaine Diunbar and others to the sally port, where he discoursed over the wall with one of the enemies centineUs, but could learne Utle from him. [However, som of our men would daily divert themselves in drolling the be- siegers ; and there were amongst them those that seemed to favour the King's interest, and would often begin discourses to that pur- pose, in Irish, with some of the Highlanders, but frequently were interrupted by their commanders.] 20th May. About one a'clock in the morning, when they had CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 55 ceased from fireing ther bombs, ther fell much snow, which, not- withstanding the season of the year, did ly a great part of the day tuo foot high. The soldiers gathered the snow, and put it into vesh- ells, which served them for water, the very unwholsome, for fear the wells would faile. [Thus nature seemed to suffer at this unna- tural bombarding of his Majesty's fort with his own bombs, and by his natiu-al subjects too. This day they fired no bombs by reason of the storm. This night Mr Macpherson and the Duke's servant returned.] 21st May. About 10 a'clock at night the besiegers fell to work againe with ther bombs, and continued till after 12 a'clock, having fii-ed about 16. One of them ruined the stair of the church ; another falling on the rock at the back of the lower guard hous, tumbled doun whole on the soldiers upon duty, and one Duncan Grant thinking the danger past, went near to look to it. It broke beside him, but he sustained no more prejudice by it save a litle of his hearing for 24 houres. After this the soldiers became better acqiiainted with the bombs, and could judge by ther elevation wherabouts they would fall : Some of them did break in the aire, others were smothered in the earth, wherewith the parapets were only backt, six of which they digged for and found whole. The Governour appointed a centinell on the Hauke hill, to give notice so soon as he saw the mortar peice fyred, and before the bomb was at its elevation, the word, viz. a bomb, would be thorough the garison, one takeing it instantly from another, so that every one might be on his guard before it fell. 56 SIEGE OF THE 22d May. Some of the besiegers from the Castle hill, the West Port, and other advanced posts, as also from the windows in the toun, fired upon the soldiers in the garrison, which provocked them to fyi-e at the besiegers, when they perceaved them in the streets ; killing a centinell at the Castle hill, and casually wounding some persons not concerned. The Duke had alwise given strict orders not to fyi-e towards any part of the toun, but only at the batteries, trenches, and guards, without the toun, wherby the Castle was block up ; and at such as were perceaved going to or comeing from the said batteries, guards, or trenches. Yet contraiy to his know- ledge, these his orders were sometymes transgressed, especially meetting with provocatione of fyi-eing from the streets and win- dows of the town. By this tyme ther was much timber work in the Castle brocken by the bombs, and many of the soldiers being halfe naked, it fell out veiy seasonably, to be fire[wood.] The Governour had caused gather the splinters of the bombs to returne upon the besiegers in caice of ane assault. 23 May. A gunner's wife falling in laboiu', the Govemoiu" caused beat a parley to send in a midvpyfe, which was refused ; [but the gentlemen authorised to treat, proposed to send the woman out, to be taken care of. But this being so nearly related to the known jest of one, who finding himself too near a warm fire, proposed to re- move the chimney, we did not suspect them to be in earnest. How- ever, the poor woman was safely brought to bed.] The Governour having observed a work cast up the mght befoir CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 57 on the street about the weigh hous, proposed a parley to speak about the reraovall of it. The besiegers pretend it was done by the touns- men to secui'e them from shott. His Grace demonstrated, that any defence ther could not save the toun, though it were sex story high, and declaired he knew not of any fireing that way ; and pro- mised, that upon removeing ther work, ther should be no ground of complaint thenceforth upon that head ; otherwayes, not knowing the designe in it, he would be oblidged, in defence of the gai'rison, to fire at any work were cast up' within the reach of his cannon; so that by ther fault the toim might suffer against his inclination. But the besiegers wei'e so little concerned for the toun, that they would not condescend to demolish it, nor permitt the toune major to speake with the Duke, though he was seen comeing up the Castle hill for that purpose. After they had gone and returned severall tymes, and nothing concluded on, ther were people perceaved throwing it doun, and ther was no fuilher trouble about it. Whilst the Duke and ther officers were treating about this at the Castle gate, the besiegers fyred thrie bombs towards the low guard at the same gate ; wherupon a gentleman in garx'ison said to some without, I judge we qre in greater danger by your faith (broken by fyreing imder parley) than by youi* works, (alluding to the work cast up, then under debate.) Att this parley, they told the Duke they had ane engineer could throw 100th bombs at once upon the garrison. Wherimto he replyed. He should be very glad it were put in practice, for at that rate he should be soon rid of them. This night they fyred about 20 bombs, some falling within the H 58 SIEGE OF THE court, and one within the great magazine ; two upon a brasse gun, which only broke her wheile. [About eleven this night a soldier's wife in garrison was sent out.] 24th May. The besiegers began fii'st to fire their bombs in the day time, when they were the more dangerous, because not so easily perceaved as in the night. About 8 a'clock at night, a bomb split in the low halfe moon, amongst the soldiers, rankt in order to be releeved, but without any hurt. [This night the soldier's wife returned.] 25th day. They had now got the elevation of the Castle exact- ly, and severall bombs were throwne into the place, which defaced most of the upper roumes, as also the chiu-ch, magazine, &c., and severall small armes were broken. [This afternoon we discovered a fleet of Dutch doggers making up the Frith, and concluded they were chased by the French fleet, but it proved a mistake. About eleven at night Henry Gordon was sent out.] Sunday 26th day. The besiegers ha\'ing finished their new bat- tery northwards of the Castle, began early this morning to fire with three cannon (two of them 24-pounders) upon the pallace and gun- ports of the high halfe moon. They beat down the balcony of the top of the wall : Most of the balls split in pieces ; nor were they spa- ring of ther bombes on the Lord's day, especially in tyme of divyne service, as much bent to doe ill, as the Scribes and Pharisees were to hinder the doeing good on the Sabbath. But the chiu-ch in the garrison being ruin'd by the bombes, the soldiers heard sermon in CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 59 a vault, [under the room which was the powder magazine before the siege.] 27th day. They fjTed briskly both from the north and south batteries with ther cannon, but threw no bombes ; and the garrison burned very litle powder in exchange, designed to save some bar- rells for the solemnity of the 29th. About this tyme the Governour had communicated to him the contents of a letter, from a persone worthy of credit, from Ireland, which deprived him of all hopes of succours from thence ; att which he was so much the more siu-prysed that the French fleet had beat that of England at Bantry Bay ; which victory made the King's friends in Scotland hope for a speedy supply. 28th day. Tuo bombs fell thorow the leads, and split in the store-house, where thrie or foui* soldiers were receaving ther al- lowance off drink, but did no other damage, save the losse of the ale, which oblidged the garrison to di'ink water for some dayes, till more ale was brewed. The same afternoon, a bomb haveing fallen into the roume where the publick records were keipt, occassioned the beatting of a parley in the garrison. And the Duke sent a let- ter to the Lord Ross, giveing him ane accompt of the accident that had happened, threatning losse to the kingdome in generall, and de- syred to speak with his lordship about the matter. The Lord Ross would not come, but a Captaine was sent from Duke Hamilton, to whom the Governour proposed the removeing of the records to an- otlier roume, at the sight of some commissionated by the Estates. He told the Captaine lykewise, that he was to put out the royall 60 SIEGE OF THE flag, but hoped no body would be sui-piysed at it, being only on accompt of the solemnity enjoyned that day, by a standing Act of Parliament, for the restoration of the royaU lyue after Cromwell's usui'pation. Inmiediatly after the captaine wes gone for the 2d tyme about the matter of the records, the enemy fyred tuo cannons from the north batterie. The Duke a litle befoii' had caused draw out the ball from most of the great gims, and had fired them with powder only for the solemnity. But upon the unexpected breaking of the parley, the balls were put in again and discharged at the besie- gers batteries : So the publick records of the nation lay stiU where they were, att the ^vilfuU hazard of the besiegers bombes, notwith- standing all ther pretensions for the publick good. [This night Henry Gordon returned, and brought an accoimt, that one of the besiegers mortar-pieces had split ; and that the great leaders in the Reformation, upon appearance of the Dutch doggers, got together horses, attendants, arms, &c., and made vast prepara- tions, as if they had been to fly to, or for the King's host.] 29th May. The garrison observed the solemnity of the day with bonfjTes and some fyre works ; when the besiegers threw bombes, the Castle retiuTied them squibs, and chearfully drank .a health to the King, Quein, and Prince of Walles, in a mortifyeing liquor. The besiegers with their bombes aymed cheifely at the bonfires of the Castle, which seemed to them a publick upbraiding of their dis- loyalty. But at other occassions they aymed at the paUace, which gave occassion to the Govemour to say, they medled too litle with CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 61 the walls, if they resolved to take the Castle by assault, and too much with the lodgings, if they intended to get and keep it long upon capitulation. [Lieutenant Hay, being under some indisposition, had leave to go out this night ; and the soldiers wife, (who had been sent out a few days before, and returned) was to have gone after him upon some message from the Duke ; but she deferred her journey on pre- tence she was afraid of the bombs, of which they fired many this night. May 30. This night the soldiers wife was again ordered out, but would not stir, pretending the night was too clear.] May 31. About one a'clock in the morning, some of thes on the low guard heard the besiegers at work on the south syde of the Castlehill, and shortly after they could perceave groimd broken at a small distance from the low halfe moon : Upon which it was resolved to send out a party of fom'tein men to beat the enemy from it. But a debate happening betwixt the gentlemen of the tuo squades, each pretending a right to be of the party, the Governour discharged the intended sally. This night, Mr Ross went out, and with him Ochterloiuiie's wife (who was [ordei'ed] out tuo severall nights before, but both tymes deferred to goe, upon frivolous excuse). And at the same tyme one Joannet Cunniughame went upon some message from the Ensigne ; and as the soldiers were bussied in seing them over the North Loch, one Robison a serjeant, a Papist, and Irishman borne, who had bein Serjeant in the King's sei'vice, had refused to serve under the Prince 62 SIEGE OF THE of Orange, and begged through all England to be quite of that ser- vice, and had come into the Castle on hazard of his lyfe ; one Pater- son, a corporall ; one Ochterlouny, the woman's husband that was sent out, and tuo centinells, deserted. She had got 12 or 14. crounes to bring in drogues for the use of the garrison, who now perceaved she had bein accessory to the treachery, and that her delayes from one night to another, on frivolous pretences, were only to watch ane opportunity till the deserters sould have the low guard ; (for the soul- diers changed posts every tyme they mounted,) and, consequently, all advantages of ane escape : For the corporall had altered the mus- ter roll of centineUs, to get the knaves packt together for ther game, and they could easily get over the wall wher ther post was, [and Robison had the custody of the key of the wicket of the outer gate, and actually carried it with him.] This desertion did much discoui'age the garrison ; for, besides the discovering of the secreit passages, correspondence, and weaknesses, it proved a great stmnbling block to those who understood litle, or had but a superficial! conceme in the cause or Govemoiir. ^Mier- fore, immediatly after the desertion, one Rimcyman, the Gover- nour's footman, was dispatcht to the toun, to give aU correspondents notice, that they might abscond, and had orders to retume by the North Loch passage, against tuo or thrie nixt afternoon. The 1. June, about four in the afternoon, he was perceaved re- turning that way with his sword drawen ; and the garison having planted some gi-eat gimes towards the besiegers guards, did with them and small shot fix'e so warmely, that they thought it most fit CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 63 to let the footman retiu-ne safe into the Castle. He gave acconipt that he had bein arreistecl the night before be the besiegers' guards, and before he could get liberty, centinells were planted at the lodg- ings of Mistress Ann Smith, (grand chyld to the late Dr Atkins Bi- shop of Galloway), who corresponded with the garrison by signes, from a window looking towards it from the city ; that Mr Hay was seazed in his chamber, in the meane tyme he was there to advertise him of the danger ; l)ot the footman passed for Mr Hay's servant, and escaped under that pretext ; that the Governour's letters, and others from the garrison, were in the enemyes hands, bot most of them were written obsciu-ely, and had fained or no subscriptions. The footman returning safe to the Castle in sight of the enemies, [and they fancying he had some extraordinary message in charge,] did so picque them, that they fired incessently from four to 8 a'clock ; and in that space did tlu-ow upwards of foiu-ty bombs into the gar- rison. The gentlemen of the garrison had delayed ther dinner, ex- pecting the footman's retm-ne ; and after his arryveall, the cloath being laid in a closet one pair of stairs up in the pallace, (where most of them had dyetted hitherto,) it was by meer accident removed to a vault ; and before dinner was weell begim, a bomb burst in the closet, and tore to peices every thing therin. Another biurst in the kitchen among the servants, without hurting any. One split on the top of the pallace, and broke the firelock in a centinell's hand, but himselfe suffered noe dammage ; and another, falling through the leads into the roumes of the pallace, broke a door ; and John Stew- art of Bogs, a very stout and honest gentleman of the Dulast tuo a'clock in the morning, and one of the gunners of the Castle was killed by a musquet shott thorow a gun-port. 13th day. Tlie gamson fii'ed warmly at the besiegers' men posted behind the wool! packs on the Castle-hill, till about sex a'clock, that they relented to menadge ther powder, having spent last night and the morneing 12 or 13 barrells of powder ; at which rate in sex dayes they would not have had one barrell remaining. One of the Governoux-'s cooks was shot thorow the body, but yet 76 SIEGE OF THE not mortally wounded. The Governoiir, though indisposed, omitted not to Aasit the posts with all solicitude, and to observe what the enemies had done ; and found ther lodgments advanced on the Castle- hill. Coll. Winram said to him, It were fitt to write a line to desire the enemies to renew the treaty. He answered, the nixt session of the Convention was to be expected, and that he would not beginne againe to treat tiU John Grant, who had been the occassion of the internii)tion, should be gone out of the Castle, least he should be oblidged to delyver him up. A short tyme after, the Governour is advertised that he was gone, and CoUonell Winram renewes the in- stance of wi-iting, and offers to carry the letter. The Governour writes to ]Major-Generall Lanier ; and CoUonell Winram gives the letter to Captaine Moody, who commanded the besiegers' guards, and desired to speak with the Governour. He, after some difficulty, condescends, and the Captaine brings with him the Lord Colches- ter, at which the Governour was surprysed, finding them employ a stranger, wher they had so many countreymen. To them he gave the articles, which were drawn up the day be- foi'e, with consent of all the officers, in the following termes. The Duke of Gordon hath so much respect for all the Princes of King James the Sexth's line, as not to make conditions with any of them for his own particular interest : so he renders himselfe en- tirely on King William's discretion. Imo. That CoUonell Winram, Lieutennant-Governour of the Castle, shall submitt himselfe to King AVilliam's pleasure, his lyfe being secured ; and all the rest of the garison shall have ther ly ves, CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 77 libertyes, and fortunes secured ; and lykewise passports shall be granted to those who will take oaths not to bear armes against the present government. 2do. The garrison shall be allowed to march out with ther swords and bagage belonging properly to themselves. 3tio. That all the gentlemen, voluntiers, servants, and others within the garrison, shall have the same capitulation with the rest of the garrison. 4to. That all raaner of persons shall have the benefite of the first article, who have keept correspondence with the Castle, and who have not been in armes ; and being at present in Edinburgh, or in the same county, shall be indemnifyed, and have the benefite of this capitulation. 5to. That sick soldiers shall have liberty to dispose of themselves as they shall thinke best, they behaveing themselves as becometh. 6to. That all officers, gentlemen, servants, and others, shall have the same benefite which other lieges have, they living peaceably. 7to. A considerable post within the Castle shall be iminediatly, after security is granted to the garrison for the above written ar- ticles, put in possession of the forces imder Major-General Lanier. That the garrison should march out with drmns beating, and dis- played banners, which is ane ordinary article in capitulation, the Duke thought not fit to require it ; that being only used in comitries where the soldiers of the capitulating garrison may marcli with a guard of tlier enemies to another garrison of ther own Prince ; whicli could not hold in this caice. And, besides, it had happened in former 78 SIEGE OF THE tyines at the surrendering of this Castle, that the garrison therof marching doiin the streits in that maner, the rable insulted over them, and this occasions slaughter and effusion of blood, which was to be e\-ited. He professed a particular respect for King James the Sext of Scotland and First of England, because of the particular affection that King had for his family. For although the Kings before and after him had still lookt upon it as the most faithfull and steadable friend to the Crovm, yet the affection King James had towards it was more than ordinaiy, and most endearing. For finding the re- fonners of religion too imperial! and impertinent pedagogues for a King, he made use of the Marquis of Huntly to keep them within some boimds, whose power and following could help much to coim- terpoise theirs ; and whose zeale for the royall interest would spare nether lyfe nor fortune to obey his commands, which were intimate to him by private letters, written with the King's own hand in a most oblidging straine. About thrie a'clock in the afternoon, the Lord Colchester returnes to the Castle gate, where the Duke and the Lieutennant-Governor receaved him. He rendered to the Govemour the articles he had receaved from him in the morning, and at the same tyme delyvered to him other articles drawen up by Major-Generall Lanier, which were very disadvantageous, and by which he would have the Go- vernour and Lieuetennant-Governour to remaine prissoners of warr. Colchester went away after he had given these new articles to the Governour ; and within a short tyme therafter returned, and brought CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 79 word, that all the voliinteers and soldiers of the garrison should not losse a penny, and might retire themselves to any place of the king- dome they pleased ; that the Lieuetennant-Governoiir soiild have lyfe and fortune safe ; and as to the Governoui*, since he would make no conditions for himselfe, he sould remaine prissoner of warr at the discretion of the Pi'ince of Orange. The garrison had difficulty to part with the Castle upon any terms, much like onewho losses a suite at law by the sentence of the supreame judicatory : Although the evidences and groimds of the sentence con- vince all unconcerned persons of the justice therof, yet he cannot hinder himselfe from regrateing the losse of what he wes desireous and hopeful! to retaine ; so, these stout and loyall gentlemen and soldiers found the surrender of ther Castle very unpleasant to ther spirits, and ther frettings and regrates gave occassion to some of the Duke of Goi'don's enemies, to blame him for the surrender of it ; and not knowing why he would not make any conditions for him- selfe, to suspect his loyalty. But all impartial and equitable per- sons will easily justify him, if they consider, that although he and his garrison might have for a short tyme keept in their lyves with water instead of drink, and coarse oatmeale for bread, and old salt herrings for all kynd of kitchin ; and even therof they had no quan- tity to last long ; yet not having powder for 8 dayes of so hott ser- vice as the last day, wherin they spent betwixt 12 and 13 barrels ; and not having men sufficient to fui'nish all the posts, nor sure of the fidelity of a great part of thes they had ; when that jjowder should have bein spent, which the enemies nearer approaches 80 SIEGE OF THE and constant fireing would have made be very soon, they might have remained incapable to hinder the besiegers from comeing over ther walls, and ther persons and lyves had been at the dis- poseall of ther mercy. Common pinidence, therfoire, not allowing the Governour to let matters come to this extremity, he thought fitt to accept of the con- ditions brought by the Lord Colchester, and so all acts of hostility ceassed. These articles being signed by both parties, the Privy Couneill ratifyes them by ane authentick act in thes termes — His Majestie's High Commissioner, and the Lords of his Ma- jestie's Privy Counsall, having seen and considered the articles of agriement and capitulation betwixt the Duke of Gordon, Governour of the Castle of Edinbm'gh, and Sir John Lanier, Major-Generall of his Majestie's forces, agried and condescended to anent the surrender of the said Castle ; his Majestie's High Commissioner and the saids Lords of his Majestie's Privy Couneill do hei'eby ratify and approve of the said capitulation, in the haill heads and articles therof ; and declares that they will interpose with his Majestie to be favoiu-able, and shew that kyndness to the said Duke of Gordon as to indemnify, and secure him for his lyfe and fortune, and the fortune of his Liuetennant-Governom-, which they have entirely submitted to his Majestie by the said capitulation ; and will also himibly intreat his Majestie to allow the saids articles and capitulation to be ratifyed in this present Parliament. This act was signed by Duke Hamilton and the Earle of Crawfurd. CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 81 The garrison having now a frie cominunication with the besie- gers' forces, these acknowledged to have sustained a considerable loss the night preceiding, and that many of ther men had deserted upon that accompt. About 10 a'clock at niglit, Major Somervell marched with 200"* men into the Castle, and had all the posts therin delyvered to him, except the high guard hall, and great court, which those of the gar- rison keept. Afterwards, the Governour haveing drawen them up in the court, he told them that he must oun they had served him faith- fully, and he knew not wherin he had been unkynd to them ; but, if he had wronged an}', he desired them to speak, and they should have rei)aration ; and entreated them not to make any distiu-bance with the other soldiers now come into the garrison, for they were too few k) conquer, and too many to be made a sacrifice. He gave each of the centinells some money to bear their charges liome. This night Captaine Dumbar, Mr Scot, and some others who had more particularly incurred the displeasure of the rable, went privatlie to the toun. 14 June. Three full months after the siege began, the garrison marched out, but not in a body, that they might be the less noticed ; yet some of them were very ill treated by the rable ; and Major- General Lanier took possession of the gates of the Castle, which the Duke of Gordon had keept, in obedience to his lawful Soveraigne, after all Gi'eat Brittaine had renunced it, save a few that appeared for him with the Viscount of Dundie. There were left in garrison 59 barrells of powder, but ther were L 82 SIEGE OF THE only fyve of them entire, and all the powder together would not have exceided foiirty full barrells, whereof a great part was useles, being spoilled with water ; sex bolls of malt, which would have scarce given drink for sex dayes ; one barrell of salt beife entu'e ; about tuo stone weight of cheise, tuo stone weight of butter, with meale, some bisket, and salt herrings, which being very bad, had alreadie wronged much the soldiers' health, so that in four or fyve dayes tyme they would have been reduced to live upon meale and water.^ It has been objected to the Governour, that he should have given lesser portions to the soldiers from the beginning of the siege, to have made his provisions last the longer ; to which its answered, 1. That he could not keep his garrison in its obedience to the King, but by the hope he gave them of his Majestie's speedy retiuTie to Scotland, which could not be made agrie with that sparing oeco- nomy of ^•ictualls, whereby they would have judged his retui'ne was not to be lookt for so soon. * Here the narrative printed by Grose mentions that " the surrender at this time was loudly talked of, to the Duke's disadvantage. But it were very hard measure (it is added) to condemn his Grace ;" and then, after adverting to the reasons assigned at pages 69 71, it concludes with assigning this further motive, " That by reason of that un- happy accident of Grant's coming in to ns in time of treaty, they had declared, they thought not themselves obliged at any time thereafter to keep faith with us ; and we had but too just grounds to believe them. And this last (upon the strictest observa- tion) appeared to the Relater the main argument of our sudden sturender, after his Grace had resolved to undergo the last extremity. " Now this being jointly considered, with our want of provisions of all sorts for ten days' defence, which was well enough known to our enemies, and the other circum- stances before represented, the whole is left to the censure of the tmbiassed world.'' CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 83 2. The Governour and other faithful! servants of the King ex- pected lykewise this returne, and that liis Majestic would not make long stay iu Ireland. 3. The Governour not having a farthing of the PCing's money, and very litle of his own, which he had spent upon his garrison, and upon otlier urgent occassions, it hade been very dangerous to have diminislied the soldiers portions while they got no pay, and while he was oblidged to give them frequently money to drink for their encouragement, and to strengthen them against the continuall toyle and labour they endured. To those may be added, that in soe generall a defection of sub- jects from their duty to tlieir Prince, as was in Brittaine at that tyme, it could hardly be expected that comon soldiers would have so much honour, or so vigorous a loyalty, as for the repute of them to suffer to be so long pinched in their bodyes, exposed to constant duty and fatigue, with so small prospect of releefe or recompence for their sufferings. After the surrender of the Castle, there happening some passionat words betwixt the Lieuetennant-Governour CoUonell Winram, and some of Lanier's officers, he was not permitted to goe out, but de- tained prissoner in the Castle. Sir John Lanier and the Lord Col- chester conducted the Governour to Duke Hamilton, President of the Convention, who keept him to dinner, and told him that he might come out of the Castle, upon condition he would give his parole not to goe out of Edinburgh without permission, which the Duke con- sented to and gave him. At night he was had back to the Castle, 84 SIEGE OF THE and upon the morning thereafter he went to the toun to lodge, and fell sick. About the beginning of July, the President of the Convention susjjecting the Duke of Gordon had some thoughts of making his escape, made place ane officer in his chamber all night, and centi- nells at the door and windows. And upon the morrow therafter sent him prissoner to the Castle, where he had the liberty to be at- tended by his own servants, and idsited by his fi-iends. But this li- berty wes taken from him, upon the news of the Convention's forces being defeat in Athole by the Viscount of Dundie, who wes killed at that occassion. The Duke of Gordon proposed to Major-General Mackay to be exchanged with prissoners made in that encoimter ; but it was refused him. Sometime after, a part of the prisoners were set at liberty upon surety, and others remained still in prison, amongst whom were the Duke of Gordon, the Earle of Dumnore, the son to the Marquis of Athole, the Viscoimt of Oxford, the CoUonells "Wim'am and Wil- son; thes were detained still prisoners, but a little more liberty. Shortly after this the Duke wrote to his friends at London, en- treating them to know of King William how he intended to dispose of him his prisoner of waiT ; and they answered, that he would very shortly declaire his will concerning him. And accordingly, after some tyine, he sent order to the Councill of Scotland to set the Duke of Gt)rdon at liberty on his word of honoiu*. The Duke hearing of this order, entreated that it might not be presented to the Coimcill till he should have tyme to write once to London, to obtaine from King CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 85 William ane order to release him upon caution, as they had done to other prisoners. But this favour wes refused him, and so he wes oblidged to come out ujwn his word of honour, or remaine still pris- soner in the Castle. WTierefore, upon the 24.th of Januarii I69O, he was conducted to the Councill, where the President having intimate to him King ^Villiam's order, told him that he would accept of his word of honour, (without oblidgeing him to give any thing in write,) bearing promise to act nothing against the government, nor against King AVilliam, untill he should present himselfe personallie before him. Tlie Duke thanked the President, and told him that a person of honoiu" would never promise any thing which he would not give in write, and that for himselfe, he loved rather to give in write what he promised, then to give word, because its not so easy to add to or diminish from the one as the other. To which the President having given no reply, the Duke promised to doe nothing against the present govern- ment, nor against King William, till he shoiild present himselfe to him, which satisfyed the Coimcill, and he returned in liberty to the Castle, where he set doun in writting what he had promised to the Coimcill, and shew it to severalls of his friends, and to some of the prisoners in the Castle, who might bear witness of it afterwards. He remained some dayes therafter in toun, though pressed dayly to goe to London to present himselfe to King ^Villiam. Wherefore, towards the beginning of February, he began his voyage thither, haveing before written to his friends in the coun- trey at home, to whom his surrender of the Castle upon no condi- 86 SIEGE OF THE tions for himselfe, and the bad constructions his enemies had put, upon what accompt they at a distance could not know ; to whom, I say, all thes had bred no litle anxiety concerning him, he writes that they might be assured, that one who acted upon those principles he conducted himselfe by, would not let himselfe be tempted to change or to faile in his loyalty. Being come to London, he wes necessitate to put himselfe in the phisitian's hands, because of the indisposition he had contracted during the siege of the Castle, which had not left him since, but was augmented by the fatigue of the joiu-ney. Being recovered, he was conducted and presented, without a sword, to Pviug William, as being his prissoner, and as such, kissed his hand, not as liis subject, never having acknowledged him in qua- lity of his soveraigne, though the civilities he had mett with former- ly from this Prince while he wes in his travels, oblidged him to show him all respect which was not contrary to his duty to his master. Upon the day following, the Duke appeared with his sword, because he was dissengadged from his word of honour, having done nothing till that day against the present government or King "\^'illiam. Thencefox'th he designed to get over into France, of piu-pose to goe from thence to Ireland, where his lawfull soveraigne was for the tjTne, and to give him new prooffes of his fidelity and zeale for his service. ^Miilst he is waiting and tryeing for ane opportunity in execution of this designe, which piiidence oblidged him to conceale under the greatest secrecy, least the court should suspect him to have any thoughts of the lyke project, he goes, as the custome is, and attends sometymes at court ; he waits, perhaps twyce or thiyce, on the CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. 87 Prince of Orange his ryseing from bed in the morning. The Scots ministers about court being earnest to have the Prince his determi- nation concerning him, knowing he would be solicited to side with his Highness ; which if he should refuse, measui'es would be taken to keep him from acting any thing against him. This attendance of his on the Prince, (which his present circum- stances, and the civilities he had many years before met with from him, oblidged him to, according to the rule of comon prudence and gratitude,) joyned Avith the surrender of the Castle upon no condi- tions for himselfe, but with ane entire submission to the Prince's discretion, and the bad construction his enemies had put upon it, as if he designed to make his court to his Highness, by complement- ing him with the Castle, gave occasion to his enemies at home and abroad, to proclaime him to all as a person not only disloyall, but who was not ashamed to ai)pear so to the world ; so unrelenting was their revenge and malice against him, and so much were they galled with so singular evidence of his duty to his master, to whom they had represented him as unfitt to doe him any service. APPENDIX. M I. TITLE AND DEDICATION OF THE MANUSCRIPT CONTAINING THE FOREGOING ACCOUNT OF THE SIEGE OF THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. THE POURTKAIT OF TRUE LOYALTY EXPOSED, IN THE FAMILY OF GORDON; U'lTHOrT INTERRrPTION TO THIS PRESENT VEAK. 1691: WITH A RELATION OF THE SIEGE OF THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH ; IN THE VEAR 1689. Justum et teiuicem propositi virum. Nan civium ardor pravajiibentium, Non vulhis mxtdiitis h/rarmi Menu qiuUU solidu. Ilor. 0' hands. That which pressed them most to it, there was two pretending to have the government of it, the Earl of Lothian and the Earl of Leven ; likewise it being the first of any consideration in Britain holding out, the Prince of Orange was very desirous to have it reduced. The Eail of Tweedale and the Earl of Lothian were sent up to capitulate with the Duke of Gordon, who promised them he would comply with their desire, and give it up next day at ten a'clock. So soon as the Viscount of Dundee and I heard them give this answer to the Convention, we were mightily allarmed, and sent up one immediately to remember his Grace of his engagement to us, and to lay before him the ruin of your affairs, if once they got the Castle into their hands. As irreso- lution was the cause of his promise to them, so what arguments were used to him on our side, meeting with his desire to serve you, brought him about again. His greatest obstacle then was how to come fairly off : The Earl of Tweedale, with his flattery and insinuating way, had got him to go too great a length ; for that it was advised that nest day, when they came to demand the Castle, he should tell he would willingly give it up ; but he could not see how he could be safe himself from the rabble of the town, and those that were brought into it. But to free them from all fear he should give the Convention any disturbance, to offer them bail for twenty thousand pound to live peaceably in it ; but, though he was very well satisfied with this advice, yet that night he grew again irresolute, and sent to tell us, that except we came immediately to him, he would not keep his word. This was impossible to do, for they having placed the town companies of Edinburgh upon the Castle Hill, suffered none they suspected to go up ; yet one ventured to him to know what he had to say to us. He sent us word that, notwith- standing of all was past, he would deliver it up, except we both gave it under our hands, that it was of absolute necessity for your affairs that he should not delyver it up, which we both did that night ; and next morning the Viscount of Dundee got into the Castle, and confirmed liim absolutely in his resolution of keeping it out, by telling him the APPENDIX. 101 resolutions were taken by your friends of leaving Edinburgh and setting up at Ster« l-ing ; so tlie next day, when they expected to have the Castle at the Lour appointed, be refused again, and hostilities went on. VII. EXTRACTS FROM PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION OF ESTATES, 14th AND 15TH MARCH 1689. Edinr. 14 March 1689. The meeting of the Estates of this kingdome, considering tliat the Duke of Gordoun and some others of the Popish religion under him, intrusted with the keeping of the Castle of Edinburgh, are not qualified by the law of this Kingdome, they grant war- rand to the Earles of Loutliian and Tweeddale, to repair immediately to the Castle of Edinburgh, and to require him and others of liis persuasion ther, in name of the Estates of this Kingdonu" to remove out of the said Castle, within twenty-four hours after this intimatione, and to leave the charge therof to the nixt commanding oflScer, being a Protestant. And he and they doeing the same, the Estates give assurance that he and they are, and shall be, exonered and secured as to any thing they have acted in that or any other statione, coutrair to law as being Papists. The Earles of Lothian and Tweeddale haveing made report that they had intimate to the Duke of Gordoune the forsaid wan-and of the Estates, it was ordered that he should give liis answer in tvrite to-nionow against ten a'elock. Edinr. 13 March 1689. Tlie Earles of Loutliian and Tweeddale did produce a paper signed by the Duke of Gordone, in answer to the order granted yesterday by the meeting of tlie Estates, wiierof the tenor foUowes : — I am willing to com])ly witli the commission I received by the Earles of Lothian and Tweeddale, as to my removeall from the Castle of Edinburgh, though I cannot doc so as a Papist, that being dangerous, and I not a convict ; for 1 hope being in im- ployment without taking tlie Test, contrair to ane act of Pailiament, is no conviction of Poperie. 102 APPENDIX. I received a letter not long agoe from the then Prince of Orange, desyring that I wonid leave the Castle, which I promised to doe, hut expected certain rcasonahle things to be first granted to myself and garrison. I hope I have not merited so ill of my country, as that I may not be trusted vyilh the Castle, untill a return come to this letter, which I expect every hour, but if that cannot be granted, barely on my promise, not to molest or harme any persone, espe- cially those of this illustrious assembly, I proffer hostages or bail to the value of twenty thousand pound sterling for my peaceable deportment. Otherwise I expect befor my removeall, (1°) A general indemnity for myself and my friends, both Protestant and Papist, as alwayes absolute securitie for our lives and for- tunes in tyme comeing, with assurance that the same shall be ratified in the nixt en- sueing Parliament. (2") A securitie for all Protestants in the garrisone, who incline to stay in it to continovv in ther imployments, and for my selfe, and those who shall goe out with me, either Protestants or Papists, to goe beyond seas, or remaine within the Kingdome, as our occasions shall lead us. (3") That the gaixisone be compleitlie payed of all bygone arrears, and have liberty to dispose of ther goods within the Castle as they please. Gordon. The meeting of the Estates haveing considered the paper given in and subscryved by the Duke of Gordoune, in answer to ther order doe declair. It is not the mind of this meeting that the Duke his officiateing as Govemour of the Castle, or in any other imployment, or bis quiting his command at this tyme shall import any acknowledge- ment or conviction against him, or those under his command of his or ther being Pa- pists. It is also resolved, that the meeting of the Estates will not allow of the Duke his keeping the Government of the Castle, either upon promise, baile, or hostages for his peaceable desportment, until he get a returae of the letter, written by him to the then Prince of Orange. It is likewayes resolved, that the indemnity offered by the meeting of the Estates shall only extend to these belonging to the garrison, and ther servants, either Protes- tants or Papists, and that the persones who ai'e to have the benefite of the said indem- nitie shall be expressly named, if the Duke desyre it, and that the indemnity to be granted by this meeting shall contame a clause, that it shall be ratified in tlie next Par- APPENDIX. 103 liament. As to the last article of the paper, it is agreed that these of the foresaid gar- rison who please to retire with the forsaid Duke, shall have libertie either to goe out of the Kingdome, or to stay in it as they think fitt, and shall have libertie to dispose of ther goods, and have safe conduct gi-anted to them for that efTect, the same being desired befor dissolutione of this meeting of the Estates, but that they may not take out with them any armes, amnnition, or store, but what they shall instruct to belong pro- perly to them. And lastly. It is agreed, that the officers and souldiers of the garisone shall have payment of ther by gone an'ears, but refuises to give them assurance of ther being continowed in iniployinent. Which resolves of the Estates being signed by the Lord President, were delyvered to the saids two Earles to be intimate to the Duke of Gordon, and warrand was given to them, to ofler him safe conduct to come doune to the Parliament house, or some house near the same, for facilitating the treaty with liiin incaice he acquiesce to tlie re- solutiones of the meeting. The Earles of Louthian and Tweeddale having reported that the Duke of Gordon refuised to obey the order sent liini, and to acquiesce to tlie resolutiones of the Estates, upon the paper given in by him they granted the order following. The meeting of the Estates of this Kingdome doe hereby give order and command to two Heralds with ther coates of armes displayed, and two Pursevants with two Trumpeters to repair to the Castle of Edinburgh, and after sound of trumpet to require the Duke of Gordoun, and any officers and souldiers under him of the popish religion to remove immediately out of the Castle of Edinburgh, and to leave the charge therof to the nixt commanding officer, being a Protestant, under the paine of treason. And incaice of his refuiseall, they require the Protestant officers and souldiers in the Cas- tle to endeavour to secure the garrison, and grants assurance to them in that caice of six raoneths pay as a reward for ther service, and incaice they cannot secure the garrisone, that they remove tlicmselves out of the Castle, under the foresaid paine of treason. The Estates did lykwayes eniitt the Proclamation following. Forasmuch as the Estates of this Kingdome have, by the heraulds, pursevants, and trumpets, in the ordinary forme, required George Duke of Gordone and other Papists within the Castle of Edinburgh, to remove out of the said Castle, which he and they do now possess against law: They have therfor found it necessar, iikas they have direct- ed these presents to the Lyon and his brethren heralds and pursevants, &c., to pass to the mercat cross of Edinburgh, and ther in the ordinary way, after sound of trumpets. 104 APPENDIX. to discbarge and prohibite all the subjects of this Kingdome, to conrerse with, aB- bette, or assist the said Duke, or any remaining with him within the said Castle, at any tyme after the proclamation herof, under the pain of treasone, and ordaines the heralds and pursevants to make publication hereof accordingly, for the which these presents shall be their warrand. The meeting of the Estates doe give order, and warrand to the magistrates of Edin- burgh, to sett guards to the avenues leading to the Castle of Edinburgh, and posteme gates tlierof, that no persones may go into the said Castle. VIII. ORDER OF THE COXVENTIOX ON LORD DUNDIES INTERCOM- MUNIXG WITH THE DUKE OF GORDON. 18 March 1689. Information being given of the Lord Bundles being at the head of a pairtie of sLxtie horse, and of his intercommuneing with the Duke of Gordonne over the Castle wall, the following order was given. The meeting of the Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland doe order and warrand the Earle of Levine to cause beat dmms, and call together all pereones, who will assisst him and joyn with the train bands, to secnre that no men be put into the Castle of Edinburgh, and no persone be suffered to sallie out therof, and to dissipat any persones who may be together in armes, without warrand of the Estates, and to secure the peace of the toune. IX. EXTRACTS FROM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION OF ESTATES, 19th AND 20TH MARCH 1689. 19 March 1689. Ordered that upon the Duke of Gordoun's desire a safe guard be given to James Wincester, ensigne of the Castle Company, for speaking with Sir James Grant, and APPENDIX. 105 Mr Thomas Gordoun in the Session House this day, in presence of one of the mem- bers of the meeting. But to be safely sent back once this night, and ane warrand given to the Earle of Leven and Captain Lawder for tliat effect, and the warrand formerly given by tiie Lord President to Siierraorlie, Captain Lawder, and Captain Marshall, to speak with the Duke of Gordon was approven by the meeting. Mr Wincester being called, gave in the instructiones he had from the Duke of Gor- doun anent the surrender of the Castle of Edinburgh in writ, as followes : — 1. You are to advyse with Sir James Grant and Mr Thomas Gordon, my ordinary counsellors in law, and any other lawiers they shall think fit to call, how the officers, souldiers, and others within the garison, can be secured in law, as to their lives and fortunes. 2. It being altogether dangerous for me and my garisone to remove out of the Castle, wliilst the toun is so crouded, with such numbers of strangers, who have already taken possession of posts formerly guarded by the toune of Edinburgh, I desyre the saids posts may be returned to the toune, and these strangers removed out of it. 3. Since so much aversione was expressed against some of the Highland clanns being comprehended in the number of my friends, I'm satisfied to restrict it to the number of tuenty Protestants and tuenty Papists, who are or have bein in publick imploy- ment, either at my desire or procurement, without taking the test or other oaths, es- tablishcd by act of Parliament, and this besydes those within the garison. 4. Since it was absolutly refuised that such Protestants as might incline to stay in the Castle after my departure, should be secured in their imployments, I desire that such of them as are still here may have six monetlis pay, besydes what shall be due to them, for defraying tlieir charges to any place ofl' or within the kingdome, whither their occasiones may lead them. 5. That, after the place is given up, the Lieut.-Govemour may Iiave the use of his lotlgeings for eight or ten dayes for clearing accomits with the garison, and that my servants and others may have a competent tyme for dispatching their affairs within the Castle. 6. That the officers and others may have liberty for themselves and servants to carry ther swords within tounes, and to make use of horses and ordinary travelling armes in the countrey, and so long as they shall stay within the Kingdome, that they may have their abode in any place of it, according to their interest or conreniency. O 106 APPENDIX. 7. That my officers and souldiers may have the disposall of the stores, or a com- petent gratitude on that head. 8. That I may have a pass to waitt on his Majestie any tyme within these three moneths, to give him account of my reasones for putting this place in the States hands, and to return safely. Lastly, That I may have a guard of fourty horse, with officers conforme, of my oime choseing, to attend me north, and that I may keep them together whilst I am within- the Kingdome, the lyke being granted to my grandfather at tl>e paeificatione 1645 or 1646. This, with the first and last articles of my former propositiones, which were granted. Gordon. To which the Meeting of Estates returned answer as foUowes : ; 1. That the Duke's officiating in the government of the Castle of Edinburgh, or in any other iniployment, or his quitting of his command at this tyme, shall not import any acknowledgment or conviction against him, or any persone under his command, of their being Papists ; but the Duke, and these persones that are at present in the garison with him, and the servants, alsweill Papists as Protestants, shall have a full indemnity from the Estates for any thing done be them, or either of them, at any tyme against the lawes of the Kingdome ; and that the said indemnity shall containe the names of illv one of the saids persons, if they desyi-e the same, and a clause, that it shall be ratified in the nlxt Parliament. 2. The Estates doe allow, that Mr Wincester consult Sir James Grant and ^Mr Thomas Gordoun, or any other lawiers they shall please to call, anent the securetie to be given to the Duke, and his officers and souldiers, and others within the garrisone, as to their lives and fortunes, the same being ahvayes done in presence of one of the members of the meeting. 3. That the Duke, and these of the garisone who shall please to retire with him, shall have full libertie to goe out of the Kingdome, or to stay in it, and to dispose of their goods, which they shall instruct to belong to themselves, not being armes or amnnition, as they shall think fitt, and shall have safe conduct for that eflfect, the same being desired befor dissolutione of the meeting of the Estates. 4. That all the officers and souldiers of the garison shall have ponctuall payment APPENDIX. 107 of their bygone arrears ; and the Livetennant-govemor shall have a secure place, with a guard appointed for him, to stay in the toune for eight dayes after the surrender, for cleiring compts with the garisoiie. And that the Duke's servants, not exceeding three at a tynie, shall be allowed the liberty to goe into the Castle, and to return as oft as they please, for the said space of eight dayes, for carrying away their goods and dispatching their affairs in the castle. 5. That the Duke, and these who are presently with him in garisone, shall be allowed, dureing their abode in the toune of Edinburgh, to carry their swords, and to keep their horses and ordinary armes, as any of the rest of the leitlges are allowed to doe by law. G. That the Duke shall have the guard of fourty horsemen, to be named and com- manded as the Estates shall be pleased to order, wlio shall be maintained upon the publick charge, and shall have orders to convey the Duke home to the place of his ordinary residence in the conntrey, and immediatly to retume ; the Duke finding cau- tione, that the said guard shall not be any way hindered or molested in the retume. 7. The Estates agree to give a gratification to the officers and souldiers in the ga- risone, according to the condition they shall find the stores in at the tyme of surren- dering of the castle. 20th March, 1689. — A warrand given for a safe conduct to Ensign Wincester to come furth of the Castle of Edinburgh at 10 a clock to-morrow, and to rettime befor night in the termes of the former warrand. X. ANSWER OF THE ESTATES TO THE PROPOSAI,S OF THE DUKE OF GORDON. 21st March, 1689. The meeting of the Estates having considered tlie proposals made this day from the Duke of Gordon. As to the first proposall, anent the remitting the posts and ave- nues unto the tonne's guards, the Estates doe agree, that the posts and avenues be remitted to the tonne's guardes, and the Earl of Levine's regiment that day, wheron he shall come out of the Castle. 108 APPENDIX. To the second, anent his retinew, the Estates agree, that the Duke shall have what retinew he pleases, to attend him for fourteen dayes after he goes from this toune, not exceeding foiirtie in number, he finding baile, that he and his retinew shall demeane themselves peaceably in their journey homeward ; and that he shall dissmiss those who are not his servants, within tuenty-four houres after he comes to his oune house. As to the third, anent the indemnitie, the Estates doe agree, that Gor- don of Auchintoule, and Gordone of Clostirran, shall be indemnified as to ther acting in publict employment, being Papists. As also they declair, that they will grant passes to any Papists, being churchmen, that he shall condescend upon to remove out of the kingdome, they finding cautione that they shall remove within twenty dayes. The Estates doe allow the Duke of Gordon, and all the Papists in the garisone under his command, not prohibited by law, to live wher ther estates are, or their occa- siones necessarily call them, they behaveing themselves peaceably. The Estates doe agree, that those of the garisone may take their goods out of the castle, they doeing the same in the day tyme ; and that the garisone shall not be bur- dened with instructing what goods were tbers. But if other persones shall challenge any of the goods as belonging to them, and instruct the same, they must part with them. The Estates doe allow the Livetenant-governour and ane servant to remaine eight dayes in his lodgeings of the Castle, after surrendering it, for clearing his affairs. As to ther carieing out armes properly belonging to themselves, the Estates doe alow the commissionat Officers and Gentlemen to carrie out ther own ordinary fyre- armes ; but as to others in the garisone, the Estates will not allow it, bot will pay them for the fyre-armes properly belonging to them. And declairs, that the Duke may cany his oun wearing armes, as others of the leidges. Incaice the Duke of Gordoun acquiesce to thir articles, the Estates nominate and appoynt Sir James Montgomery of Skelmorly, Sir John Dalrymple, and Mr William Hamiltoune, to meet with Sir James Grant and Mr Thomas Gordoune, to see the articles extended, and the treaty to be at an end to-morrow bee ten a clock in the forenoon. Ordered, that upon the Duke of Gordoun's giving up the Castle to the Estates, the inter-communing against him and the garisone be taken away. APPENDIX. 109 XI. EXTRACTS FROM THE MINUTES OF CONVENTION. 22d ]Harch 1689. — The Lord President did intimate to the meeting, that the Duke of Gordoun had returned his answer, that he would not give up the castle upon the terms offered to liim by the meeting of Estates. 27th March, 1689. — It is ordered by the meeting of the Estates, that upon the Duke of Gordoune's beating of a parley, Major-General M'Ky give warrand to par- ley with him from tyrae to tyme, as he shall see cause, and to report to the meeting. XII. LORD BALCARRAS'S ACCOUNT OF THE DUKE OF GORDON HAVING REFUSED TO FIRE UPON THE TOWN, [APRIL 4, 1689-] I have given this account the more full, because it was insinuated, after my Lord Dundie went to the Highlands, that severall of your friends broke their ingagements to him, and did not go along, but was so far from being in any such ingagements, that they would have disobeyed you if they had gone ; for your positive commands were sent with George Hay, that if we saw there could be nothing done in the conventions, then we should quit it, and keep as quiet as we could till farther orders, and until you could send us assistance from Ireland ; but the design of going to Sterling made the one go for the other ; so when that was ruined by the faint-liearteduess of the Mar- quiss of AlhoUe and some others, all that knew your commands endeavoured to re- tire home and save themselves ; nor did even the Viscount of Dundie resolve to meddle until he had your orders, except he had been obliged to save himself from a party that came to apprehend him. Notwithstanding of the difficulties your friends had met with, some of them did not give over hopes of breaking the designs of the Conven- tion, and get another to meet in some safe place. That which gave rise to this was the coming down of tlie Duke of Queensberry and the Earl of Dunmore. The Duke, from the noise of the invasion, liad appeared sincerely in your interest, and 1 must do no APPENDIX. him justice to say, I never saw any man more concerned than he was for the steps his son had made in England after your Majesty was gone. He joyned in all the meet- ings we )iad for your service, and employed what interest he could to get commis- sioners for tlie shires he was concerned in chosen as we wished ; nor could anything be complained of him but his too long stay at London ; for if all your friends had ap- peared (as they promised) the first day of the Conyention, they had by far been the strongest ; and if Scotland had then declared for you, when you was almost master of Ireland, the Prince of Orange liad but passed his time ill in England, considering he had France to deal with on the other side. Tliis made us extremely concerned, since that we could do no more in that Convention, either to get another to counteract them, or to get them forced from Edinburgh, which would have made a great delay before the time they could have had another Convention established, and which they intended to have set up at Glasgow, if they had been forced from Edinburgh. The only way could be thought of by all your friends to get this done, was to engage the Duke of Gordon to fire upon the town, which certainly would have broke the Con- vention, for they always expected some design of forcing them from Edinburgh. In this resolution, no man seemed so forward as the Marquiss of AthoUe ; for it was of great concern to have him so ; for after the Earl of Mai- had entirely quitted us, and by that they had got Sterling in their hands, there was no man in the nation (consi- dering how well affected his Hygldanders were) could be so useful, if your friends had retu-ed northwards, as was intended, till they had received youi- orders from Ireland ; and that which made us depend on him (for all the escapes he had made) was the great influence the Earle of Dunmore had with him ; and he applied all his endea- vours to keep him to his duty, and acted in all your concerns with as mucli zeal and affection (till he was made prisoner) as any ever served you. The Countess of Erroll, who had kept intelligence with Duke Gordon, from the time the Castle was blocked up, undertook to let him know our advice, which ac- cordingly she did ; but he absolutely refused to do any thing but defend himself until he had your Majesty's orders ; so our whole designe was broke, for since there was no way found out to make them leave Edinburgh, all of us seeing that there was no more to be expected either from the Convention or from those that pretended to be our friends, left the town and returned home. APPENDIX. Ill XIII. ORDER OF ESTATES DENOUNCIXG THE DUKE OF GORDON AXD THE GARRISON OF THE CASTLE REBELS, MAY 15, 1689. The Committee of Estates, considering that tlie Duke of Gordoune, and the officers and souldiers wnder hira, of tlie Popish Religion, being charged by Heraulds and Piirse- vants, after sound of trumpet, to remove out of the Castle of Edinburgh, and to leave the charge thereof to the next corauianding officer, being a Protestant, wnder the paine of treasone, conforuie to a warrand granted be the Estates of tliis kingdome, of the ffyfteenth of March last, they have most contemptuously disobeyed the said charge. Therefor the Committee of Estates doe declaire tiie said Duke of Gordoune, and other persones aforesaid, rebells and fugitives, and grants order and warrand to Heraulds and Pursevants to passe to the Market Croce of Edinburgh, and other places needfull ; and there, after sound of trumpet, to denunce the said Duke of Gordoune, and other per- sones foresaid, rebells, and put them to the home, and ordaine ther goods to be escheate and inbrought to his Majesties nse, and alse that they prohibite and discharge all per- sones whatsoever to converse or correspond any wayes with the said Duke of Gor- doune, or those remaineing with him in tlie said Castle of Edinburgh, wnder the paine of treasone. XIV. EXTRACTS FROM A NEWS-LETTER PRINTED AT LONDON, JUNE 7, 1689, ENTITLED AN ACCOUNT FROM SCOTLAND AND LON- DONDERRY, OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST THE DUKE OF GORDON IN THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH. On Tuesday the 21st May, there were a great many bombs thrown from the south battery ; seven of which fell into the Castle ; one fell at the guard-liall ; another on the half-moon ; a third dismounted a cannon ; all the rest fell within the Castle : but as yet we cannot give any account what loss they had by them. All this was done be- twixt ten and twelve at night. 1 12 APPENDIX. The same night the Castle hath shot very many shots against the batteries, and they against them. Wednesday, 22. — The Castle, about three a'clock in the morning, put out two flaggs, and a little after that fired three canon ; two of which were towards the south bat- tery ; one of which broke through a house that is next to the batter)', and a centinel that was standing near to that house had only liis hands a little hurt by the broken glass that came from the windows. The other was shot toward the north-east bat- tery, which did no harm. The same day, in the forenoon, the Castle fired many small shot down to the Town, which only killed one woman, two men, two horses, and a dogg ; upon which the citi- zens were very much irritat, and in the night time they did make up a battery of woolpacks, dung, and many other things necessary for that use ; and it was from one side of the street to the other, above a man's sight, in one night's time ; which being seen by the Duke next morning, he caused two parleys to be beat ; at the second, the Lieutenant-Colonel Mackay and one of the Magistrates went to know his meaning ; which was, that they should remove that battery that was made in the street, and he would not shoot any more down upon the town. So they asked him, Why he shot yesterday ? He answered. That as lie had got no sleep this two nights before, he be- ing sleepy went to rest, and it was unknown, and without order of him, that any shot should have been sent down upon the town. Upon which the Magistrate and the Colonel took his word of honour, and so pulled down the battery. Yesterday there were several bombs thrown against the Castle, five of which went into the Castle ; one of them fell into the top of the big house, which sunk down through three storys ; another fell into their well. If it had not been for the greatness of the rains and snow, I could have given you a greater account, for there can be no canon placed near to the batteries, by reason of the sappiness of the gi'ound. Thursday, 23. — At 12 o'clock at night, the south battery went in agitation against the Castle, which was performed extraordinary well, to wit, the battery sent in seven bombs within the wall, five of which fell upon the principal house ; some of them are asserted to have fallen into the crowTi chamber, the fire being seen to come plaiidy out of the windows ; but what damage at that time was more done, we cannot give an exact account of. They continued playing yesternight till 12 a'clock, which mightily allarms the besieged ; and it is confidently reported, that there has one made his escape out of the Castle, who says, since the first night of their casting their bombs there are APPENDIX. US fifteen or sixteen killed ; and there are several of theii- houses demolished, that they were forced to retire to their vaults. Tliis day, about three a'clock in the morning, tlie bombs fell a playing again, and after they had done some damage, by breaking down their balcony, with the stance of the centry, they gave over ; and soon after that, the great guns that are upon the north battery fell a playing upon the Castle, and the Castle back upon them, which continued for the space of four hours ; no liurt being done all this time to the battery, but they disabled several of the guns in the castle. On Sunday, 26th, the batteries play'd upon the Castle the whole day, and hath done a great deal of damage by their battering of the walls, but more particularly by the bombs, there being a great many shot, and many of them fell into the principal house, and dismounted several of their guns ; but they fired little out of the Castle, which makes us believe that he hath spent most part of his ammunition. There are several of his men come out, and amongst them there are one Dumbar, a pretended gunner, and Mr Charles Foster, their minister, who did as much execution as any of them ; and their report is, that the most part of them left behind would be content to be out too, saving only some of the Duke's friends and servants, who waits upon him now, be being very ill, and in great sickness, for he is forced to ly in vaults, for the princi- pal bouse is sadly beat down on some parts with the bombs and the great canon on tlie north battery, which does fire both night and day upon him. Just now, since the writing of the last line, I was an eye-witness, within the bat- tery, where there was fourteen bombs cast in two hours time, four of which fell into tl)e principal house, and broke down the flag-staff; all the rest, excepting one that fell short, were all within the Castle. Tlie execution must needs be great. May 29. — The Duke of Gordon kept King Charles's birth-day, and put out his fiagg and fired many of his great guns, and made a great bonfire in the Castle, and they all seemed to be very merry and joyful, and they solemnized the whole day very heartily, with great acclamations and drinking of healths. Ditto. — There were one or two bonfires made in the streets here, where several disaffected persons gathered together, who had the impudence to drink the healtlis of King James, the Duke of Gordon, and the Viscount of Dundee, and wished them prosperity in all their actions ; upon which the Magistrates ordered the guards to dis- perse them ; but a great rabble getting together, they could not till a greater company come down, where were several of the rabble taken and put in prison, who continue P 114 APPENDIX. there as yet, and it is thought they will be severely punished ; but they are not yet called in to give their reassons why they did it. There is another new battery made on the north side of the Castle, which by all appearance will do more hurt than all the rest, it being the nighest, and as well forti- fied as any of them. May 30. — The batteries this night hath play'd very hard upon the Castle, and the Castle upon them. The loss of the persons that are in the battery is nothing, as none being killed ; but what is in the Castle we cannot give an account. XV. EXTRACT FROM WILLIAM GORDON'S HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF GORDON, vol. ii. p. 604. On the 7th of June, John Grant appeared at the place appointed, and gave the signal that there was no hopes of succour ; wherefore the Dnke, having never received a letter nor orders from the King ever since he went into the Castle, though he had written often to his jNIajesty ; and this I know, ex certa scientkt, to be true, that there came from the King when in Ireland, either five or six letters, and were safely deli- vered to a Lady of quality at Edinburgh, all of them superscribed by the King, and subscribed by Melfort. The Lady had many occasions to have sent to the Duke, yet she kept all of them up ; whether out of ill-will she bore to the Duke, or out of obedience to some secret orders she might have received from the secretary, I shall not deter- mine ; but one of them it must be, since she had so many opportunities of delivering them : Nay, they were concealed from him after he came out of the Castle, and he never heard a word of them to his dying hour, nor did ever his son, this present Duke of Gordon, hear of them until the year 1724, that I was in a person of quality's, and he told me of them, and that he yet had two of them by him ; and that the rest were lost or fallen by hand in the year 1725, when the papers of that noble family were in some disorder ; and these two letters yet extant did Mr William Fraser of Fraserfield and myself see delivered to this present Duke of Gordon, by that person of quality, in the Duke's garden at Gordon Castle, in the latter end of October 1724 ; and till that time, none of the family of Gordon ever heard of them. APPENDIX. 115 There were some, and still are, who blame the Duke of Gordon for staying in the Castle at that time, and not going to the north and raising his friends, vassals, and followers there, for the King's service : But tliese men must be of very scanty know- ledge, who think that he either in honour or safety could leave such an important place, committed to his trust, without tlie King's express orders for so doing : And the King, in the last of these letters, heartily thanks him for the resolute defence he had made of that Castle ; desires him to stay there, and appoint such deputy-lieutenants in the north as he should be answerable for ; renews his Commission of Lieutenancy ; and promises him relief in a short time. XIV. COPIES OF THE TWO LETTERS ABOVE-MENTIONED FROM KING JAMES THE SEVENTH TO THE DUKE OF GORDON WHEN IN EDINBURGH CASTLE, 1689. James R. Right trusty and right entirely beloved Cousin and Counsellor, We greet you well. Upon the informations we have had of your excellent deportment in our service. We sent you our royal thanks from St Germans some time ago ; but now since oxir arri- val into this our kingdom, we have been again informed of the continuance of your zeal for Us, and your despising the malicious threats of that illegal Convention, and their wicked and unjust attempts against you, that yet you are resolved to stand firm to our Royal interest ; which, as it is an action worthy of your Family, so eminent in their constant services to and sufferings for the Crown, so it is worthy of our Royal esteem and most hearty thanks at present : And whenever it shall please Almighty God to put us in a condition, bhall oblige us to make our rewards equal yovir services, of which you may rest most assured. We think it fit for our service, that our Castle of Edinburgh be kept from the power of the rebels as long as may be ; and we assure you, we shall not be very long of bringing sucii a force into that Kingdom, as shall quickly retrieve it ; but wc leave ab- solutely to you to stay there, or to go to the north to your interest, to put them in arms for our interest ; whicli that ye may the better do. We are resolved to send you 116 APPENDIX. our commission of Lieutenant, as you had it before, so soon as We have a safe con- veyance for it. In the meantime, it is our express will and pleasure, that the last com- mission of Lieutenancy you had be revived, to all intents and purposes, during our royal pleasure, with express orders to all whom it concerns, to obey you as our Lieutenant aforesaid. And you are hereby empowered, to act according to the tenor thereof, and powers therein contained, to suppress all who shall rise in arms against our authority, within the limits of your jurisdiction ; and to send such troops as you shall think fit for our service, to the assistance of others. We do nowise doubt, of your acting for us in this conjimcture, as becomes yourself ; and therefore We shall add no more to this, but to require you to send us your advice, what you think may be best for our service, in all the branches thereof. And so as- suring you of our royal favour, and declaring this to be a sufficient warrant for what ye shall do in our service, we bid you heartily farewell. Given at our Court at Dub- lin Castle, the 29th day of March, 1689, and the fifth year of our reign. By his Majesty's command, Melfort. Directed, To our right trusty and right entirely beloved Cousin and Cotinsellor, George Duke of Gordon. James R. Right trusty and right entirely beloved Cousin and Counsellor, We greet you well. Sometime ago we wrote a letter to you, a duplicate whereof is here inclosed ; but that we are informed fell into the hands of our enemies, together with the oflScer that car- ried it to you. We do still find more and more reason, to approve of your exemplary loyalty and service to us, shown in the defence of that our Castle, of which, whenever it shall please God to put it in our power, you shall reap the benefit due to your merit. And since we do not now think it fit, that you should leave our said Castle, (where your presence is so necessary for our service,) so long as you are in a condition to de- fend it, we do hereby empower you, to make choice of one or more persons, such as you shall think fit, to be your depnte-lieutenants, within the whole botmds of your last Commission of Lieutenancy, with power to them to act, as if you yourself were present. APPENDIX. 117 that thereby our service may sufier as little prejudice as possibly can in your absence. And for doing all that is above said, this shall be to you and all others a sufficient warrant and authority. So hoping that you shall have good success in all that is re- lating to our service, we bid you heartily farewell. Given at our Court at Dublin Castle, the 17th of May, 1689, and in the fifth year of our reign. By his Majesty's command, Melfort. Directed, To our right tnisty, and right entirely beloved Cousin and Counsellor, George Duke of Gordon. EDINBUEGH : PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMVANT, Paul's work, canongate. University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hllgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to tt>e library from wtilch It was borrowed. Series 9482 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY ■ 1 III III INI 1 1 11 III 1 1 II D 000 790 204 2