d he had left
his companion on the road to make for Lord Strathmore's house at Glamis.
For a week of unwonted quiet, the last he was to know on earth, Dundee
rested at Dudhope. Then his enemies found him. On the morning of the
26th Hamilton's messengers appeared before his gates, summoning him to
lay down his arms and return to his duty at the Convention, on pain of
being proclaimed traitor and outlaw. Dundee replied by a letter which,
as it has been styled both disrespectful and disingenuous, it is worth
while to print in full.

"Dudhope, March 27th, 1689.

"May it please your Grace:--The coming of an herald and
trumpeter to summon a man to lay down arms that is living in
peace at home, seems to me a very extraordinary thing, and,
I suppose, will do so to all that hear of it. While I
attended the Convention at Edinburgh I complained often of
many people being in arms without authority, which was
notoriously known to be true; even the wild hill-men; and no
summons to lay down arms under the pain of treason being
given them, I thought it unsafe for me to remain longer
among them. And because a few of my friends did me the
favour to convey me out of the reach of these murderers, and
that my Lord Livingstone and several other officers took
occasion to come away at the same time, this must be called
being in arms. We did not exceed the number allowed by the
Meeting of Estates. My Lord Livingstone and I might have had
each of us ten; and four or five officers that were in
company might have had a certain number allowed them; which
being, it will be found we exceeded not. I am sure it is far
short of the number my Lord Lorn was seen to march with. And
though I had gone away with some more than ordinary, who can
blame me when designs of murdering me was made appear?
Besides, it is known to everybody that, before we came
within sixteen miles of this, my Lord Livingstone went off
to his brother, my Lord Strathmore's, house; and most of the
officers and several of the company went to their respective
homes or relations. And, if any of them did me the favour to
come along with me, must that be called being in arms? Sure,
when your Grace represents this to the Meeting of the
States, they will discharge such a groundless pursuit, and
think my appearance before them unnecessary