e wide plain of Tippermuir, near Perth. The
covenanting force was nearly double that of the royalists, but many of
the troops were citizens of Perth, who thought more of their own skins
than of the cause for which they were fighting. When Montrose's fierce
charge had broken their ranks, they all turned and fled, and many of
them are said to have 'bursted with running' before they got safely
within the city gates.

In Perth Montrose fitted out his army with stores, arms, and clothes,
and released some of the prisoners on their promising not to serve
against him, while others enlisted under the royal banner. Before he set
out for Aberdeen he was joined by his two eldest sons and their tutor,
master Forrett; and in Forfarshire he found lord Airlie and his sons
awaiting him, with the welcome addition of fifty horse, which formed his
entire cavalry. These, and one thousand five hundred foot, were all the
army he had when he crossed the Dee fifteen miles from Aberdeen, and the
covenanters mustered a thousand more.

Two miles from the town the two armies met. As was his custom, Montrose
sent an envoy summoning the enemy to surrender, and with the envoy went
a little drummer-boy, who was wantonly shot down by a covenanter. When
Montrose heard of this deed of deliberate cruelty his face grew dark,
but he began to dispose his men to the best advantage. Both sides fought
well, and for a moment victory seemed uncertain; then Montrose brought
up reinforcements and decided the day by one of his rapid charges.

He had already bidden the magistrates of Aberdeen to bring out the women
and children to a place of safety as he would not answer for their
lives, but, as he had twice preserved the city from pillage, it is
probable they looked on his words as a mere idle threat, and left them
where they were. After the battle the sack began; houses were burned and
robbed, and many fell victims, though the dead, including those who had
fallen in battle, did not exceed a hundred and eighteen. But his friends
lamented that this time also he had not restrained his soldiers, and a
price of 20,000 l. was set on his head by the enraged covenanters.

* * * * *

Never was Montrose's power of moving his men swiftly from one place to
another more greatly needed than now. The Gordons were all in arms
against him; Argyll was advancing from the south with a strong force,
and Montrose had been obliged to send a large body o