ters in the western shires were called out upon the head of
their own parish militia, to oppose Montrose's insurrection, he was
called out by Mr. William Guthrie (or, as some say, taken by him from
the plough), and, under the character of a captain, behaved with much
gallantry about that time among the covenanters, particularly upon their
defeat by Montrose at Kilsyth, which fell out in the following manner:

Montrose, having upon July 2d obtained a victory over the covenanters,
advanced over the Forth, and upon the 14th encamped at Kilsyth near
Stirling, and upon the 15th encountered the covenanters army, commanded
by lieutenant-general Bailey. At the first on-set, some of Montrose's
highlanders, going too far up the hill, were invironed by the
covenanters, and like to have been worsted; but the old lord Airly being
sent from Montrose with fresh supplies of men, the covenanters were
obliged to give way, and were, by the enemy, turned over unto a standing
marsh or bog, where there was no probability either of fighting or
escaping. In this hurry, one of the captain's acquaintance, when
sinking, cried out to him, for God's sake to help; but when he got time
to look that way, he could not see him, for he was gone through the
surface of the marsh, and could never be found afterwards. Upon this
disaster, the swiftest of the covenanters horse got to Stirling; the
foot were mostly killed on the spot and in the chace, which, according
to some historians[203], continued for the space of fourteen miles,
whereby the greater part of the covenanters army was either drowned, or
by these cruel savages cut off and killed.

In this extremity, the captain, as soon as he could get free of the bog,
with sword in hand made the best of his way through the enemy, till he
got safe to the two colonels Hacket and Strahan, who all three rode off
together: but had not gone far till they were encountered by about
fifteen of the enemy, all of whom they killed, except two who escaped.
When they had gone a little farther, they were again attacked by about
thirteen more, and of these they killed ten, so that only three of them
could make their escape from them. But, upon the approach of about
eleven Highlanders more, one of the colonels said (in a familiar
dialect), Johny, if thou do not somewhat now, we are all dead men. To
whom the captain answered, Fear not; for we will do what we can, before
we either yield, or flee before them. They killed nine of