fword, to aft at difcretion among an unhappy people; feventeen
gentlemen of the name were inftantly executed. On the fpot is
erefted a column, with an infcription, commemorating, with a
moderation that does honor to the writer, thejuftice of the caufe
in which his relation fell.
In 1715, Archibald, Duke of Argyle, then Earl of Bay, col-
lefted a few troops in this place, in order to prevent the rebels
from becoming m a t t e r s of fo important a p a f s , through which
they might have led their forces to Glafgow, and from thence
into the north of England. General Gordon approached within a
fmall diftance, reconnoitred it, and aftually cut fafcines to make
the attackj but was deterred from it by the determined appearance
of the garrifon. . . .
The figure of the magnificent bridge over the Aray is given in
the frontifpiece. That fine ftrufture, built at the expence of government,
was deftroyed by the violent autumnal flood of this
year.-
The portraits in the eaftle are few; of them two only merit
notice. The firfir is a head of the Marquifs of Argyle, hi3
hair Ihort, his drefs black, with a plain white turn-over. A dif-
tinguiihed perfon during' the reign of Charles I, and the confe-
quent ufurpation. A man, as his own father fly led him, of craft
and fubtilty. In his heart no friend to the royal caufe, temporizing
according to the compleftion of the times; yielding an
hearty but fecret concurrence with the difaffefted powers, and extending
a feigned and timid aid to the ihackled royalty of Charles
II, when he entrufted. himfelf to, his northern fubjefts, in 16,50.
At all times providing pleas of merit with both parties, apparently
rently fincere with the ufurpers only : with them he took an
aftive part * during their plenitude of power, yet at firCt claimed
only proteftion, freedom, and payment of his debts due from
the Englijh Parliament -fu His interefi: feems to have been conftanrly
in view: while Charles was in his- hands he received from that
penetrating prince a promiifory note for great honors and great
emoluments J. He is charged with encouraging his people in
various a f t s of m u r d e r and- c r u e l t y § ; bur, the provocations he
had received, by the horrible ravages of Montrofe, may perhaps
extenuate retaliation on fuch of his neighbors, who, for any
thing that appears, partook of the excefies. He is charged alfo
with pofiefiing himfelf of the eftates- of thofe who were put to
death by his authority: a charge not repelled in his fine defence
on his tryal. His generality in declining to take an open part in
the profecution of his arch enemy, Montr.ofe., would have done
him great honor, had he not meanly placed himfelf in a .window,
to fee the fallen hero pafs in a cart to receive judgment ||. On
the reftoration he fell a viftim to his Manes. It was- intended
that he ihould- undergo the fame ignominious death, which was
afterwards changed to that of beheading. I could,, fays he, die
Uke a Roman, but I choofe rather to die like a C h ristia n . He fell
with heroifm: in his lait moments with truth exculpating himfelf
from having any concern in the murther of his royal mailer;
calming his confcience with the opinion, that his criminal compliances
were but the epidemic dileafe and fault of the times.
* Wbitelock, 563, 567. t T h e fame, 529. \ B r . Biogr. II. 1150.
• 1 State Tryals, V . 376. 377. || Carte IV . 529.
His