A Scots earl in Covenanting times: being life and times of Archibald, 9th earl of Argyll (1629-1685)

Front matter

SOLD BY

Thomas Baker, 72 Newman Slrct-t, London W.Kno.

A SCOTS EARL IN COVENANTING TIMES

Chapter I

Introduction — Birth of Archibald Campbell, afterwards 9th Earl of Argyll — " Fostered " at Glenurquhay — Enters the University of Glasgow 1-17

CHAPTER n

Lord Lome's foreign travels — Marriage — Becomes Colonel of the Royal Guards — Battle of Dunbar — Lord Lorne returns to Inveraray — Father and son take different sides in politics .... 18-39

Chapter III

Royalist rising in the Highlands — Lord Lorne joins in it — His father's remonstrances with him — The Royalists invade Kintyre — Quarrel between Lord Lorne and Lord Kenmore 40-53

Chapter IV

Correspondence with Captain Hill — Royalist leaders dissatisfied with Glencairn — Middleton supersedes him — Monck suppresses the rising — Lord Lorne surrenders to the English Government. . . 54-74

Chapter V

Lord Lorne suspected of intriguing against the Government — Impr soned in Edinburgh Castle — Meets with a serious accident — Liberated on parole — The Restoration — Trial and Execution of the Marquess of Argyll — Ecclesiastical Parties in Scotland . . . 75-93

XVI

PAGES

Chapter VI

Sharp's action in the re-introduction of Episcopacy into Scotland — Meeting of Scotch Parliament — Rescissory Act — Deliberations concerning Church-government — Episcopacy decided upon — Bishops appointed 94-II4

CHAPTER VH

Intrigues to ruin Lord Lorne — He is supported by Lauderdale — He is accused of Leasing-making and condemned to death — He is imprisoned again in Edinburgh Castle — Severity towards Presbyterian recusants — The Billetting Act — Downfall of Middleton — Lord Lorne released and the Earldom restored to him — The search for the Spanish Treasure Ii5-i35

Chapter VIII

" The Bishops' Drag-net " — Misgovernment of Scotland — Risk of insurrection— Emeiite in Galloway — Insurgents march to Edinburgh — Defeated at Rullion Green — Argyll's energetic support of the Government — Humiliation of Sharp — Glimpses into Argyll's family life — Death of the Countess of Argyll 136-157

Chapter IX

Attempt to assassinate Sharp— ist Act of Indulgence — Protest against it by Episcopalians — Meeting of Scotch Parliament — Lauderdale Royal Commissioner — His strangely mixed character — Supremacy of the King in ecclesiastical affairs asserted — Proposal for Union with England — Argyll's second marriage — Displeasure of Lauderdale at it. 158-176

Chapter X

A " clanking Act" against conventicles — Leighton's endeavours after a compromise — Widespread misery and dissatisfaction in Scotland — Another Session of Parliament — 2nd Act of Indulgence — Strong political opposition to Lauderdale — Increase of conventicles in Scotland — Petition of women to the Privy Council — Members of Argyll's family sympathize with recusants — Conflict between the Government and the Advocates — Proposals for a National Synod. 177-196 xvii

PAGES

Chapter XI

Argyll's difficulties with McLeans of Mull — Failure of attack on Lauderdale— " Letters of Intercommuning " — Sir George Mackenzie becomes Lord Advocate — Sir James Dalrymple and Argyll, spokesmen of the Presbyterian Party — Increased activity of extreme party — Imposition of a Bond on landowners — The " Highland Host " brought into the West of Scotland . . 197-216

Chapter XII

"Bonds of law-borrows" — Appeal from Scotch nation to Charles II — Meeting of Convention of Estates — Lauderdale supported by the King — The Popish Plot — Recrudescence of rebellion in Scotland — Assassination of Sharp — Claverhouse employed against insurgents— Demonstration at Rutherglen — Battle of Drumclog — Argyll summoned to support the Government — Monmouth sent down into Scotland — Battle of Bothwell Bridge . . . 217-239

Chapter XIII

The 3rd Act of Indulgence — Duke of York sent to Scotland — He declines to take the Oath of Allegiance — He courts popularity in Scotland — The Sanquhar Declaration — Execution of Cargill — Lauderdale resigns office — Duke of York visits Argyll at Stirling — Meeting of Scotch Parliament — Argyll's position threatened — The Test Act — Argyll and Dalrymple dismissed from the Court of Session — Argyll takes the Oath with an explanation — Imprisoned— Accused of Treason 240-267

Chapter XIV

Trial of the Earl of Argyll — His condemnation — Escape from Edinburgh Castle — Popular indignation at the Trial and Sentence — Argyll's journey South by Torwoodlee and Newcastle . . 268-287

Chapter XV

Adventures of the Earl on his journey from Newcastle to London — The Smith family at Battersea — Death of Lauderdale — Main incidents of his career — The position of politics in England — Shaftesbury— Viscount Granard — Argyll takes refuge in Holland . 288-305

XVIU

Chapter XVI

Sir James Dalrymple retires to Holland — Argyll's petition to Charles H — The Carolina Project — Conspiracy against the English Government— Rye-House Plot — Major Holmes apprehended — William Spence and the letters in cipher — Impoverishment of the Earl and Countess of Argyll — The condition of matters in Scotland — Claverhouse's activity 306-326

Chapter XVII

Argyll prepares for invading Scotland — Inveraray occupied by his enemies — Death of Charles II — Monmouth urged to co-operate with Argyll — Negotiations with Scotch and English exiles — Omens and portents — Council of War formed to support and control Argyll — Mr. Veitch sent to the north of England — Prominent members of the invading forces 327-342

Chapter XVIII

Departure of the invading ships from Holland — William of Orange's assistance in the project — Preparations for the defence of Scotland — The disaster at Orkney — Landing in Islay — Arrest of Countess of Argyll and other members of the family — Arrival of the Expedition at Campbeltown — The Declaration published and also a personal statement by Argyll 343-365

Chapter XIX

Relations between Argyll and his colleagues — Tidings from the Lowlands — Journey to Tarbert — Great controversy as to where the seat of war should be — The invaders take possession of Bute — A reverse in Cowall — An attempt at Greenock — Occupation of the Castle of Ellan-Gheirrig — Spence and Blackader brought to Edinburgh — Operations on land in Glendaruel . . . 366-383

Chapter XX

Resolution to march to the Lowlands — Garrison left in the Castle — The Castle abandoned — Divided counsels — Journey by the Gareloch and Kilmaronock — Meeting with Royal forces — Rebels desert in large numbers — Flight by night to Kilpatrick — Argyll arrested at Inchinnan — Brought into Edinburgh — Fate of other insurgent leaders — Argyll threatened with torture but not tortured. , 384-408

XIX

PAGES

Chapter XXI

Manner of death decided upon — The Earl's serenity and gentleness— His last messages and greetings — The circumstances of his execution— His speeches and death — His character — Later history of the Countess and of other members of the Earl's family — Closing remarks 409-430

Appendices :—

I. An account-book of Archibald, 9th. Earl of Argyll . . 431-432 n, A letter written by the Earl asking support in his rebellion. 433-438

ERRATA

P. 20, line 22, for misgovernment " read " government. " P. 21, line 6, for " Parliamentary " read " Frondeur. " P. 38, line 34, for " adhered " read " pretended to adhere. " P. 339, line 25, for " in Dumfriesshire " read " near Dumfries.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Frontispiece : Portrait of Archibald, 9th Earl of Argyll, from original

in possession of Lord Balcarres, by an unknown artist. To face title-page.

Second portrait of Archibald, 9th Earl of Argyll, from an engraving by

David Loggan (1635-1700), in the British Museum . To face p. 131

Portrait of the Duke of Lauderdale by Caspar Netscher (1639-1684), from original in possession of the Earl of Ancaster in Drummond Castle To face p. 164

Portrait of Sir James Dalrymple, ist Viscount Stair, about 1690, by Sir John de Medina {1659-17 10), from original in possession of the Earl of Stair at Oxenfoord Castle To face p. 205

Portrait of John Graham of Claverhouse, probably by a -Dutch artist,

before 1677 : " The Leven Portrait. "... To face p. 225

Portrait of the Duke of Monmouth by Mrs. Mary Beale (1632-1697), from original in possession of the Duke of Bedford in Woburn Abbey To face p. 234

Portrait of ist Earl of Shaftesbury from miniature by Samuel Cooper (1609-1672), in possession of the Earl of Shaftesbury at Wimborne St. Giles To face p. 299

Third portrait of Archibald, 9th Earl of Argyll, from a miniature by Thomas Flatman (1637-1688), in the Royal Collection, Windsor Castle To face p. 312

Map to illustrate Argyll's expedition in 1685 ... To face p. 352

Playing cards illustrating incidents in the invasion of Scotland in 1685, from a unique set in the British Museum :

Argyll's landing in Islay To face p. 354

Capture of Argyll from a contemporary Dutch engraving. To face p. 395 Colonel Ayloff and others brought prisoners to Glasgow. \ ^^^^ Colonel Ayloff desperately wounded. . . . J ^ ^*

Rumbold taken prisoner.

Rumbold executed. .

j. To face p. 400

Letter written by Argyll to his son John on the day of execution, from

original in possession of the Duke of Argyll. . . To face p. 414

Medal in commemoration of the defeat of Argyll and Monmouth, designed by Robert Arondeaux, from a specimen in possession of the Duke of Argyll To fage p. 426

Chapter I

Introduction, — Birth of Archibald Campbell, afterwards 9th Earl of Argyll. — " Fostered " at Glenurquhay. — Enters the University of Glasgow.

In a former volume, entitled The Great Marquess^ we have given an account of the leading events in the history of Scotland from the beginning of the reign of Charles I down to the Restoration. It so happened that the entrance of the Marquess of Argyll on public life coincided with the accession of that monarch to the throne, and that from that time onward he was a prominent figure in the national life until his execution in 1 66 1. It was, therefore, comparatively easy to weave together a biography of him and a narrative of the events that took place during the momentous period of British history in which he flourished. The main purpose of the present volume is to give some account of the more important occurrences in Scotland from the Restoration to the Revolution, and to complete the story of the Covenant — a story that was left but half told at the close of the career of the Marquess of Argyll. For the sake of continuity we have resolved to group events about the life of the 9th Earl of Argyll, though we candidly admit that it is less suitable for our purpose than was that of his father in the case of the earlier period. For, though he was a man of an interesting personality and romantic history, he did not play so conspicuous a part in public life as the Marquess had done, and during a

A considerable portion of his career he was somewhat out of sympathy with the political and religious causes which were dear to the majority of his fellow-countrymen. Yet as he was more or less involved in public affairs in Scotland from the death of Charles I down to the beginning of the reign of James II, and was a man of worth, it seems to us that no more suitable or attractive central figure for our history could be chosen. The only other possible competitor is Lauderdale. He, however, labours under two serious disqualifications for our purpose. The first is that his death in 1682 would leave us several years shorter of the goal which we have above indicated than does that of Argyll, and the second is that his personal character was in many respects so corrupt and repulsive as to deprive his history of much of the interest which might otherwise have been aroused by his astonishing ability and force of will. To a dispassionate student of human nature, or to a theologian in search of illustrations of spiritual degeneration and depravity, Lauderdale's biography might be of rare interest and value ; but probably the ordinary reader would turn with aversion from a book which announced itself as a record of his career. Perhaps on the whole this is a condition of things which the moralist would not wish to be different.

In one matter we desire our readers to extend to us a certain measure of liberty, and, if necessary, of condonation. In the title of this volume, as in that of its predecessor, we have used the phrase " Life & Times ". The Marquess of Argyll was so closely associated with the public affairs of his time that in our history of them he was but seldom, and never for long, off the stage. If it should happen that in the ensuing pages his son should for any length of time be absent from the scene, we hope that the latitude claimed in the title will be taken into account in the way of excuse.

Archibald, afterwards 9th Earl of Argyll, was born at Newbattle Abbey, Dalkeith, on Thursday, Feb. 26th, 1629. He was the eldest son of the 8th Earl, then

BIRTH AT DALKEITH still Lord Lorne, and of his wife, Margaret Douglas, second daughter of William, 9th Earl of Morton. Shortly before the birth of this her first child, Lady Lorne had been seriously ill, and the doctors who attended her gave it as their opinion that her life could not be preserved without sacrificing that of the infant. But to this suggestion she would by no means consent, and in the end it so happened that the lives of both the mother and child were preserved. ^ The only notice of the birth, which is known to us, is contained in a letter written by Lord Lorne to his father-in-law to announce the advent of a son and heir. A tone of exultation, as was natural, pervades the little document in question. ^ The father and mother were young ; for, though they had been married for two years and a half, they were only twenty-two and eighteen years of age respectively. Little did they anticipate the stormy and chequered careers which lay before father and son, which were both to be closed by a bloody death.

Before the pubHcation of the above letter those who had written notices of the 9th Earl of Argyll either made no allusion to the date of his birth or gave a conjectural date. In every case he is represented as having been older than he actually was — the conjecture being sometimes no less than nine years wide of the mark. It is very curious that a similar and as serious a blunder should have been made with regard to his father's age. It is quite inexplicable to us that such errors should have occurred in the case of men so prominent as they were in public life, though of course the original mistake as to the father's age prepared the way for that as to his son's, when calculations were based upon the former's supposed age and the probable date of his marriage.

A word of explanation is needed as to how the subject of our biography came to be born at Newbattle Abbey, the seat of the Lothian family. Annabella Campbell, an elder sister of Lord Lorne, had been married to the 2nd

^ Wodrow, Analcda, vol. II, p. 135. 2 The Great Marquess, p. 361.

Earl of Lothian in 1611 and was now a widow with a family of two daughters. At her residence in Dalkeith Lord Lorne was a frequent visitor. A dark and mysterious tragedy had occurred in that house some five years before the birth of the child whose fortunes we are to follow. One Saturday morning in the end of March, 1624, the Earl of Lothian was found dead in bed with his throat cut ; and the author of the crime, if the death were not a case of suicide, was never discovered. Rumours unfavourable to the Countess sprang up and were widely credited. A young fellow named William Douglas, an irregular connexion of her mother's family, had been resident in the house for some time, and in the scandalous gossip of the day his name had been somewhat unpleasantly associated with hers. It was now insinuated that he had done the deed and that she had been an accomplice. But nothing to confirm this transpired, and in course of time the rumours, whether well or ill founded, died away. A year later than the period in which we are interested her eldest daughter married a kinsman of her own, who was created 3rd Earl of Lothian ; and shortly after this marriage the Dowager-Countess with her younger daughter retired to the Continent, where she died in 1652. All that is known of the fate of William Douglas is that he went to Holland where shortly after he was killed at the siege of some city. ^

The family of the 8th Earl of Argyll consisted of two sons and four daughters. The second son, Neil, was but a year or so younger than Archibald and was born some time in 1630. In the course of the four following years two girls, Anne and Jane, were born. The former of these is known to history in connexion with an abortive scheme of a marriage alliance with Charles II, at a time when it was thought advisable for him to conciliate the Presbyterian party. She died before the Restoration. Her sister Jane afterwards married the 4th Earl and ist

^ Scot, Staggering State, p. 91 {1872) ; Masson, Life of Drummond, p. 297 : Correspondence of the Earls of Ancrum & Lothian, p. C.

FOSTERED AT GLENURQUHAY 5

Marquess of Lothian, outlived her brothers and sisters, and died well on in the reign of Queen Anne. Two other daughters belong to a time after 1634 — Mary who married the Earl of Breadalbane, upon whose name the Massacre of Glencoe has left so serious a stain, and Isabella, who was born on the day of Montrose's execution, (Tuesday, May 21st, 1650) and died young. ^

As an infant Archibald Campbell had poor health and suffered so much pain that his father often said that the tidings of his death would almost be a relief, ^ but he soon grew robust, and in later times he was able to undergo many hardships in war and travel. When he was still of a very tender age, being only between four and five years old, he was " fostered " or brought up away from home by one of his father's kinsmen. The custom in question was prevalent in Argyll and Breadalbane and in other parts of the Highlands and extended to all classes. The original object of it was to procure friends and allies in case of need — a consideration of great importance in days when the protection afforded by the laws was but slight and intermittent. There is something very engaging in the idea which lay at the root of this custom, that in a bond of friendship there is something more enduring than could be secured by treaties written with a pen and liable to be affected by the changing moods and circumstances of the contracting parties. ^ Various members of the House of Campbell would have been glad to " foster " the eldest son of their chief — for such Lord Lorne had virtually been from the time that his father had abjured his religion and forsaken his country. But the person to whom Lord Lorne committed the weighty charge of his son's upbringing was Sir CoHn Campbell, 8th Laird of Glenurquhay. He was a man of fifty-six years of age, and had but two years before succeeded to the title and property. His wife, Juliana, was

^ Wodrow, Analecta, vol. II, p. 139.

3 Black-book ofTaymouth, p. XVIII.

a dauQ;hter of Hugh, Lord Loudon, and so belonged to another branch of the House of Campbell. They had no children of their own, and therefore, no doubt the " foster " son whom they now received would be doubly welcome.

Sir Colin Campbell was a man of considerable culture, being versed in Latin, French and Italian literature, and he lived in a more luxurious style than one would have expected to find in the case of a Highland countrygentleman in the early part of the i~th Century. Thus we read of his providing Arras hangings, silk beds, and other costly furniture, and of his importing damask napery from West Flanders, for his house at Balloch. His chronicler was more impressed than modern readers are likely to be by the fact that he o^ave /'i,cco Scots (;/[8 3-6-8 Sterling) to " ane Germane painter, and entertained him in his house for eight months, in order that he might furnish him with three dozen or so portraits — the " counterfeit presentments " of Kings and Queens and of Lairds of Glenurquhay. His patronage of Georo^e Jamesone, " the Scottish ^^andyke was on a less colossal scale, but yielded more valuable results, for some of the best pictures of that s^raceful artist owed their origin to it. ^

In the charter-room of Taymouth Castle, which was erected on the site of the house or castle of Balloch, ' Sir Colin Campbell's principal residence, are preserved some curious and interesting documents relating to the " fosterino; " of Archibald Campbell or Archie " as his father called him. They consist of letters between the parties concerned, and of accounts of the boy's expenses which were carefully kept according to the fashion of " the antique world. ' '

The first iourney which Archibald Campbell made to

^ Biack-bcck c f Tti-r/Kyu:}:, pp. 75. 77.

- A small piece of wall on the right hand side of the front door of Ta>Tnouth Castle is all that exists of Balloch Castle. The old well remains though covered over with soil.

' Black-hjjk :'T.v.--::ctk. p. XXII.

LIFE AT GLENURQUHAY the house which for some years was to be his home was from StirHng, where one of his father's residences was situated. In the letter in which Sir CoHn agreed to receive him he stipulated that some " discreet woman " and a tutor acquainted with both Gaelic and EngHsh should accompany the boy and have charge of him in his new home. A woman named Margaret Neill was the person who in the matter of discretion and of other desirable qualities was thought suitable for waiting upon the child ; while a Mr. John Maclean was appointed to be his tutor or paedagogue. At a little later time a lad named Duncan Campbell, one of his own clan, probably, was assigned to him as his page.

There can be no doubt that in the house of his kinsman, Archibald Campbell enjoyed all the happiness that life could give a boy. His guardians were sensible and good-natured and watched over him with affectionate care. It is not probable that lessons were very burdensome to him, though it is recorded that some trouble had to be taken to keep him up to the mark in the use of the Gaelic language ; while we may be sure he would find an endless source of delight in all that was to be seen and done in Sir Colin's various castles and country-seats from time to time during the changing seasons of the year. As was natural in the circumstances, he soon learned, somewhat to his parents' amusement, to speak of his " home " as being in Perthshire rather than at Inveraray, and to long to be back in it on occasions when he visited Argyllshire. In the earliest letter of his which has been preserved he writes with childish eagerness to Sir Colin Campbell, whom he addresses as " my loving foster-father and respected freind the Lard of Glenvrqhey, " and entreats him to send horses " in all the heast and diligence " he can to bring him and his tutor back from Inveraray. He concludes by saying : " I wil seie you my shelf shortlie, if ye doe your deutie, not duting but ye wil doe the same [and] comiting you to God's protection for euer. " ^

1 Black-book ofTaymouth, p. XX.

The incidents of his childhood which have been recorded are very few in number. His tutor, John Maclean, turned out rather unsatisfactorily and misbehaved himself in some way so seriously as to necessitate dismissal. In one of the letters to which we have referred as our source of information about this part of the history. Sir Colin Campbell himself writes to Lord Lorne to recommend Maclean's services being dispensed with and a more trustworthy person being employed in his place as tutor \ In the account of the boy's expenses we read of visits paid by him to Perth, Stirling, Rosneath and Edinburgh before he was nine years of age. It is somewhat amusing to notice that it is recorded in the case of each visit that a sum of money was " given to the bairne to play him withall. " A less satisfactory notice is that of the visit of a Dr. Kincaid from Edinburgh to see him at Balloch when he was sick. Those who are curious in such matters may be interested to learn that the physician received a fee of Scots (/^2 Sterling), and ;^48 Scots (;^4 Sterling) for the expenses of himself and of his man in making the journey ^.

One of the visits which Archibald paid to Stirling was to see his " guidsire ", i. e. his grandfather, William, 9th Earl of Morton, his mother's father. This nobleman, who was cousin and father-in-law of the 8th Earl of Argyll and had been almost his foster-father, was one of the foremost public men in Scotland. In the struggles of the reign of Charles I he took the Royalist side, and his relations with his kinsman and former ward were marked by that bitterness which so often intensifies the hostility of those who have been friends in youth. Archibald never saw his other grandfather, the 7th Earl of Argyll. The only mention made of him in the correspondence to which we have referred above is in a letter from the 8th Earl to Sir Colin Campbell announcing his father's death and asking his friend to arrange for the boy's

^ Black-book of Taymouth, p. XXI 2 Ibid, pp. XXII, XXIII.

POLITICAL TROUBLES being provided with mourning clothes. ^ The old Earl of Argyll had had a chequered life, in the course of which he had suffered many things both from the machinations of enemies and the importunity of creditors. He had been for some years in exile and had on returning to England experienced all the irritations and inconveniences which in that age attended upon those who abandoned Protestantism for Roman Catholicism. But for some years past he had lived in great retirement in London. ^ The date of his death may be approximately guessed from the above notice with regard to his grandson's mourning-clothes, but to the best of our knowledge no more definite notice of it is recorded. From this point, therefore, we shall use the title Lord Lorne as designating the subject of our biography ; and our readers will understand for the present that the Earl of Argyll of whom we may make mention is the 8th Earl, created in 1 64 1 the Marquess of Argyll, who played so prominent a part in the history of Scotland during the second half of Charles I's reign and the period of the Commonwealth.

It was in the early boyhood of Lord Lorne that the discontent in Scotland which the misgovernment of Charles I had occasioned broke out into open rebellion against his authority. There is no need for us to recount here the particulars of that strife, especially after the full narrative of the events of the period in question which we have given in telling the story of the life of the 8th Earl of Argyll. Suffice it to say, that political and religious grievances were so galling that the patience of the people of Scotland became exhausted, and that all classes from the highest to the humblest united to insist upon their being redressed. We need do no more than mention the outcome of this agitation in the drawing up of the National Covenant in 1637, abolition of

Episcopacy at a meeting of the General Assembly in

^ Black-book of Taymouth, p. XXI.

2 For particulars with regard to the 7th Earl of Argyll we may refer our readers to the notices of him given in The Great Marquess.

IC

Glasgow at the close of 1638. The criticism to which in the 19th Century a certain school of writers subiected the Covenantino; movement reminds one of the satirist's line about coxcombs vanquishing Berkeley by a grin. ^ A few scornful words and grimaces were supposed sufficient to confute those who saw in that movement a heroic resistance to the tyranny of Kins; and Priest, and one of the powerful influences which have moulded and strengthened the Scotch national character. Truth, however, does not reveal herself to such shallow and ungenerous scrutiny. We have no desire to defend all that was done in the name of the Covenant. An admission that its course was marked by some faults and shortcomings is involved in the fact that its supporters were human. That an admixture of evil should have defaced the cause which so many regarded as that of righteousness, and should in the end have disappointed the glowing hopes associated with it and have seemed to nulHfy the sacritices made for it, is one of those illustrations of mortal destiny which should touch mortal hearts.

The temper in which the nation prepared to enter on the struo;o;le is admirably reflected in the minutes of procedure of the nobles and gentry of Perthshire and Argyllshire in 1638. These persons, in accordance with instructions from " The Tables " in Edinburgh, a central committee that was virtually the Government of Scotland at the time, drew up lists of ail men in the various parishes within the above shires who were capable of bearing arms, and made out full inventories of the weapons in their possession. Those who were unprovided with arms received an admonition somewhat like that once given to the Apostles to buy them with all speed. Those who had had any experience of war abroad and were now at home were required to put themselves in communication with the local " Commissioners *' in order that their ser\^ces might be employed for the defence of " the guid cause ; " while at the same time elaborate