and
punishment, flew to arms; Lewis Gordon, Ogilvie, Athol, and others,
under Middleton's command, putting out a number of fair pretexts for
their rising. This might have destroyed all; yet, by God's mercy,
all was quickly quieted. D. Leslie, with all his horse, marched
towards them; the king wrote earnestly to them to lay down. The
committee of estates sent a fair act of indemnity, and so without
more ado they went home."--Baillie's Letters, vol. ii. p. 356.

Middleton, like the Marquis of Montrose, had been at one time a
covenanter. After the Restoration, he was appointed to open the
Scottish parliament, as his Majesty's commissioner. But this did not
prevent him from taking part in the debate, when the Act Rescissory,
by which the presbyterian form of church polity was completely
destroyed, was under consideration. Mr. David Dickson, along with
some others, was delegated by the presbytery of Edinburgh to present
to the Earl of Middleton a petition upon this subject. Middleton
told Mr. Dickson "he was mistaken if he thought to terrify him with
papers,--he was no coward." Mr. Dickson dryly replied, "They knew
well he was no coward ever since the bridge of Dee." This was a
skirmish which took place on the 19th of June, 1638, in which
Middleton had displayed great zeal for the covenant, in opposition
to Charles I. He took no notice of Mr. Dickson's sarcastic
remark.--Kirkton's "History of the Church of Scotland," p.
118.--_Ed._]

331 [This was the "Acte of Pardon and Indemnitie, granted by the King
and Comittee of Estaites to the Northerne Rebells, 26 October, 1650,
and proclaimed at the mercat crosse of Perth, the 29th ditto, by
Rosse Heraulde, A.L." See Balfour's Annales, vol. iv. p. 132.--_Ed._]

332 [He refers to "The Northerne Band and Othe of Engagement sent by
Mideltone to L. Generall David Lesley, 26th of October, 1650."
Middleton and the other subscribers of the Bond promise and swear
that they "shall manteine the trew religione, as it is established
in Scotland; the covenant, league and covenant, the Kings Majesties
persone, prerogative, gratnes and authoritie; the previllidges of
parliament and freedome of the subjects."--Id. p. 129.--_Ed._]

333 [See the Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, ut supra.--_Ed._]