Rob Roy — Complete Read online

  No. II.--LETTERSFROM AND TO THE DUKE OF MONTROSERESPECTING ROB ROY'S ARREST OF MR. GRAHAME OF KILLEARN.

  _The Duke of Montrose to--_*

  * It does not appear to whom this letter was addressed. Certainly, fromits style and tenor, It was designed for some person high in rank andoffice--perhaps the King's Advocate for the time.

  "Glasgow, the 21st November, 1716.

  "My Lord,--I was surprised last night with the account of a veryremarkable instance of the insolence of that very notorious rogue RobRoy, whom your lordship has often heard named. The honour of hisMajesty's Government being concerned in it, I thought it my duty toacquaint your lordship of the particulars by an express.

  "Mr. Grahame of Killearn (whom I have had occasion to mention frequentlyto you, for the good service he did last winter during the rebellion)having the charge of my Highland estate, went to Monteath, which is apart of it, on Monday last, to bring in my rents, it being usual for himto be there for two or three nights together at this time of the year, ina country house, for the conveniency of meeting the tenants, upon thataccount. The same night, about 9 of the clock, Rob Roy, with a party ofthose ruffians whom he has still kept about him since the late rebellion,surrounded the house where Mr. Grahame was with some of my tenants doinghis business, ordered his men to present their guns in att the windows ofthe room where he was sitting, while he himself at the same time withothers entered at the door, with cocked pistols, and made Mr. Grahameprisoner, carrying him away to the hills with the money he had got, hisbooks and papers, and my tenants' bonds for their fines, amounting toabove a thousand pounds sterling, whereof the one-half had been paid lastyear, and the other was to have been paid now; and att the same time hadthe insolence to cause him to write a letter to me (the copy of which isenclosed) offering me terms of a treaty.

  "That your Lordship may have the better view of this matter, it will benecessary that I should inform you, that this fellow has now, of a longtime, put himself at the head of the Clan M'Gregor, a race of people whoin all ages have distinguished themselves beyond others, by robberies,depredations, and murders, and have been the constant harbourers andentertainers of vagabonds and loose people. From the time of theRevolution he has taken every opportunity to appear against theGovernment, acting rather as a robber than doing any real service tothose whom he pretended to appear for, and has really done more mischiefto the countrie than all the other Highlanders have done.

  "Some three or four years before the last rebellion broke out, beingoverburdened with debts, he quitted his ordinary residence, and removedsome twelve or sixteen miles farther into the Highlands, putting himselfunder the protection of the Earl of Bredalbin. When my Lord Cadogan wasin the Highlands, he ordered his house att this place to be burnt, whichyour Lordship sees he now places to my account.

  "This obliges him to return to the same countrie he went from, being amost rugged inaccessible place, where he took up his residence anewamongst his own friends and relations; but well judging that it waspossible to surprise him, he, with about forty-five of his followers,went to Inverary, and made a sham surrender of their arms to Coll.Campbell of Finab, Commander of one of the Independent Companies, andreturned home with his men, each of them having the Coll.'s protection.This happened in the beginning of summer last; yet not long after heappeared with his men twice in arms, in opposition to the King's troops:and one of those times attackt them, rescued a prisoner from them, andall this while sent abroad his party through the countrie, plundering thecountrie people, and amongst the rest some of my tenants.

  "Being informed of these disorders after I came to Scotland, I applied toLieut.-Genll. Carpenter, who ordered three parties from Glasgow,Stirling, and Finlarig, to march in the night by different routes, inorder to surprise him and his men in their houses, which would have itseffect certainly, if the great rains that happened to fall that verienight had not retarded the march of the troops, so as some of the partiescame too late to the stations that they were ordered for. All that couldbe done upon the occasion was to burn a countrie house, where Rob Roythen resided, after some of his clan had, from the rocks, fired upon theking's troops, by which a grenadier was killed.

  "Mr. Grahame of Killearn, being my deputy-sheriff in that countrie, wentalong with the party that marched from Stirling; and doubtless will nowmeet with the worse treatment from that barbarous people on that account.Besides, that he is my relation, and that they know how active he hasbeen in the service of the Government--all which, your Lordship maybelieve, puts me under very great concern for the gentleman, while, atthe same time, I can foresee no manner of way how to relieve him, otherthan to leave him to chance and his own management.

  "I had my thoughts before of proposing to Government the building of somebarracks as the only expedient for suppressing these rebels, and securingthe peace of the countrie; and in that view I spoke to Genll. Carpenter,who has now a scheme of it in his hands; and I am persuaded that will bethe true method for restraining them effectually; but, in the meantime,it will be necessary to lodge some of the troops in those places, uponwhich I intend to write to the Generall.

  "I am sensible I have troubled your Lordship with a very long letter,which I should be ashamed of, were I myself singly concerned; but wherethe honour of the King's Government is touched, I need make no apologie,and I shall only beg leave to add, that I am, with great respect, andtruth,

  "My Lord,"yr. Lords most humble and obedient servant,"MONTROSE"