Seaforth；　Grant　of　Grant；　and　other　Morayshire　gentlemen；　to　return　home　　in　order　to　defend　their　estates；　but　before　permitting　them　to　depart　he　made　them　swear　allegiance　to　the　King　and　promise　that　they　should　　never　again　under　any　circumstances　take　up　arms　against　his　Majesty　or　any　of　his　loyal　subjects；　and　to　rejoin　him　with　all　their　available　forces　　as　soon　as　they　were　able　to　do　so。　　Seaforth；　however；　with　unaccountable　　want　of　decision；　disregarded　his　oath；　again　joined　the　Covenanters；　and　excused　himself　in　a　letter　to　the　Committee　of　Estates；　saying　that　he　had　　joined　the　Royalists　through　fear　of　Montrose；　at　the　same　time　avowing　　that　he　would　abide　by　〃the　good　cause　to　his　death〃a　promise　not　much　to　be　trusted。
  He　is　soon　again　in　the　field；　this　time　against　Montrose。　　Wishart　says　that　〃the　Earl　of　Seaforth；　a　very　powerful　man　in　those　parts　（and　　one　of　whom　he　entertained　a　better　opinion）　with　the　garrison　of　Inver…ness；　which　were　old　soldiers；　and　the　whole　strength　of　Moray；　Ross；　　Sutherland；　and　Caithness；　and　the　sept　of　the　Frasers；　were　ready　to　meet　　him　with　a　desperate　army　of　5000　horse　and　　foot。〃　　Montrose　had　only　　1500the　Macdonalds　of　Glengarry　and　the　Highlanders　of　Athol　having　　　previously　gone　home；　against　　the　earnest　solicitude　of　Montrose　that　　they　should　complete　the　campaign；　according　to　their　usual　custom；　to　　deposit　the　booty　obtained　in　their　repeated　victories　under　their　great　chief；　but　on　the　plea　of　repairing　their　houses　and　other　property　which　had　been　so　much　injured　by　their　enemies　in　their　absence。　The　great　　commander；　however；　although　he　knew　many　of　the　garrison　to　be　old　　soldiers；　decided　to　attack　the　superior　numbers　against　him；　correctly　　surmising　that　a　great　many　of　his　opponents　were　newly　raised　recruits　　〃from　among　husband…men；　cowherds；　tavern…boys　and　kitchen…boys；〃　and　　would　be　raw　and　unserviceable。　　Fortunately　for　Seaforth　and　his　forces；　matters　turned　out　otherwise。　　The　gallant　Marquis；　on　his　way　to　　Inverness；　was　informed　of　Argyll's　descent　on　Lochaber；　and；　instantly　　changing　his　route；　he　fell　down　upon　him　at　Inverlochy　so　unexpectedly；　　that　when　Argyll；　by　an　ignominious　flight　in　one　of　his　boats；　made　　himself　secure；　he　had　the　well…merited　reward　of　personal　cowardice　and　　pusillanimity　of　witnessing　fifteen　hundred　of　his　devoted　adherents　cut　　down；　among　whom　were　a　great　　number　of　the　leading　gentlemen　of　the　　clan；　who　deserved　to　fight　under　a　better　and　less　cowardly　commander。
  Among　　those　who　fell　were　Campbell　of　Auchinbreck；　Campbell　of　　Lochnell；　his　eldest　son；　and　his　brother　Colin；　Macdougall　of　Rara；　and　　his　eldest　son；　Major　Menzies；　brother　to　the　Chief　of　Achattens　Parbreck；　　and　the　Provost　of　the　Church　of　Kilmuir。　The　power　of　the　Campbells　　was　thus　broken；　and　so　probably　would　that　of　Seaforth　had　Montrose　　attacked　him　first。
  After　this　brilliant　victory　at　Inverlochy；　on　the　2d　February；　1645；　　Montrose　returned　to　Moray；　by　Badenoch；　where　on　his　march　to　Elgin；　　he　was　met　by　Thomas　Mackenzie　of　Piuscardine　and　others；　sent　by　　Seaforth　and　the　Covenanters　as　commissioners　to　treat　with　him。　　They　　received　an　indignant　answer。　　The　Marquis　declined　any　negotiation；　but　　offered　to　accept　the　services　of　such　as　would　join　and　obey　him　as　the　　King's　Lieutenant…General。　　The　Earl　of　Seaforth　was　then　sent　by　the　　Committee　of　Ross　and　Sutherland；　in　person；　and　meeting　the　Marquis　　between　Elgin　and　Forres；　he　was　arrested　and　for　several　days　detained　　prisoner。　　He　was　subsequently　released；　but　all　the　authorities　plead　　ignorance　of　the　terms。
  When　the　Royalists　marched　south；　the　Laird　of　Lawers；　who　was　then　Governor　of　the　Castle　of　Inverness；　cited　all　those　who　had　communications　with　Montrose　in　Moray；　and　compelled　them　to　give　bonds　for　their　appearance；　to　answer　for　their　conduct；　before　Parliament；　　if　required　to　do　so。　　Among　them　were　Thomas　Mackenzie　of　Pluscardine；　and；　after　the　affair　at　Fettercairn；　and　the　retreat　of　Montrose　　from　Dundee；　the　Earls　of　Seaforth　and　Sutherland；　with　the　whole　of　the　　Clan　Fraser；　and　most　of　the　men　of　Caithness　and　Moray；　are　found　　assembled　at　Inverness；　where　General　Hurry；　who　had　retreated　before　　Montrose；　joined　them　with　a　force　of　Gordons1000　foot　and　200　horse　　the　whole　amounting　to　about　3500　of　the　former　and　400　of　the　latter；　　which　included　Sutherlands；　Mackenzies；　Frasers；　Roses；　and　Brodies；　　while　the　followers　of　Montrose　consisted　of　Gordons；　Macdonalds；　　Macphersons；　Mackintoshes；　and　Irish；　to　the　number　of　about　3000　foot　　and　300　horse。　＇Shaw's　MS。　History。＇　　Montrose　halted　at　the　village　of　　Auldearn；　and　General　Hurry　finding　such　a　large　force　waiting　for　him　at　Inverness；　decided　to　retrace　his　steps　the　next　morning；　and　give　battle　to　the　Marquis　at　that　village。
  The　author　of　the　Ardintoul　MS。　tells　how　Seaforth　came　to　take　part　in　the　battle　of　Auldearn；　and　gives　the　following　interesting　account　　of　his　reasons　and　of　the　engagement：〃General　Hurry　sent　for　Seaforth　　to　Inverness；　and　during　a　long　conference　informed　him　that　although　he　　was　serving　　the　States　himself　he　privately　favoured　the　King's　cause。
  He　　advised　Seaforth　to　dismiss　his　men　and　make　a　pretence　that　he　had　only　　sent　for　them　to　give　them　new　leases　of　their　lands；　and　in　case　it　was　　necessary　to　make　an　appearance　to　fight　Montrose；　he　could　bring；　when　　commanded　to　do　so；　two　or　three　companies　from　Chanonry　and　　Ardmeanach；　which　the　Marquis　would　accept。　　It　was；　however；　late　　before　they　parted；　and　Lady　Seaforth；　who　was　waiting　for　her　lord　at　　Kessock；　prepared　a　sumptuous　supper　for　her　husband　and　his　friends。
  The　Earl　and　his　guests　kept　up　the　festivities　so　long　and　so　well　that　he　　‘forgot　or　delayed　to　advertise　his　men　to　dismiss　till　to…morrow；'　and　　going　to　bed　very　late；　before　he　could　stir　in　the　morning　all　the　lairds　　and　gentlemen　of　Moray　came　to　him；　most　earnestly　entreating　him　by　all　　the　laws　of　friendship　and　good　neighbourhood；　and　for　the　kindness　they　　had　for　him　while　he　lived　among　them；　and　which　they　manifested　to　his　　brother　yet　living　amongst　them；　that　his　lordship　would　not　see　them　　ruined　and　destroyed　by　Montrose　and　the　Irish；　when　he　might　easily　prevent　it　without　the　least　loss　to　himself　or　his　men；　assuring　him　that　if　　he　should　join　General　Hurry　with　what　forces　he　had　then　under　his　　command；　Montrose　would　go　away　with　his　Irish　and　decline　to　fight　　them。　　Seaforth；　believing　his　visitors；　and　thinking；　as　they　said；　that　Montrose　with　so　small　a　number　would　not　venture　to　fight；　his　　opponents　being　twice　the　number；　and　many　of　them　trained　soldiers。　　　Hurry　told　him　that　he　was　to　march　immediately　against　Montrose　and　　being　of　an　easy　and　compassionate　nature；　Seaforth　yielded　to　their　　request；　and　sent　immediately　in　all　haste　for　his　Highlanders；　crossed　the　　ferry　of　Kessock；　and　marched　straight　with　the　rest　of　his　forces　to　　Auldearn；　where　Montrose　had　his　camp；　but　the　Moray　men　found　　themselves　mistaken　in　thinking　the　Marquis　would　make　off；　for　he　was　　not　only　resolved　but　glad　of　the　opportunity　to　fight　them　before　Baillie；　　whom　he　knew　was　on　his　march　north　with　considerable　forces；　could　　join　General　Hurry；　and　so　drawing　up　his　men　with　great　advantage　of　　ground　he　placed　Alexander　Macdonald；　with　the　Irish；　on　the　right　wing　　beneath　the　village　of　Auldearn；　and　Lord　Gordon　with　the　horse　on　the　　left。　　On　the　south　side　of　Auldearn；　he　himself　（Montrose）　biding　in　town；　　and　making　a　show　of　a　main　battle　with　a　few　men；　which　Hurry　　understanding　and　making　it　his　business　that　Montrose　should　carry　the　　victory；　and　that　Seaforth　would　come　off　without　great　loss；　he　set　his　　men；　who　were　more　than　double　the　number　of　their　adversaries；　to　　Montrose's　advantage；　for　he　placed　Sutherland；　Lovat's　men；　and　some　　others；　with　the　horse　under　Drummond's　command；　on　the　right　wing；　　opposite　to　my　Lord　Gordon；　and　Loudon　and　Laurie's　Regiments；　with　　some　others　on　the　left　wing；　opposite　Alexander　Macdonald　and　the　Irish；　and　placed　Seaforth's　men　for　the　most　in　the　midst；　opposite　Montrose；　where　he　knew　they　could　not　get　hurt　till　the　wings　were　engaged。　Seaforth's　men　were　commanded　to　retire　and　make　off　before　they　had　　occasion　or　command　to　fight；　but　the　men　hovering；　and　not　understanding　the　mystery；　were　commanded　again　to　make　off　and　follow　Drummond　with　the　horse；　who　gave　only　one　charge　to　the　enemy　　and　then　fled；　which　they　did　by　leaving　both　the　wings　and　some　of　their　own　men　to　the　brunt　of　the　enemy；　because　they　stood　at　a　distance　from　　them；　the　right　wing　being　sore　put　to　by　my　Lord　Gordon；　and　seeing　　Drummond　with　the　horse　and　their　neighbours　fly；　they　began　to　follow。
  Sutherland　and　Lovat　suffered　great　loss；　while　on　the　left　wing；　Loudon's　　Regiment　and　Lawrie　with　his　Regiment　were　both　totally　cut　off　betwixt　　the　Irish　and　the　Gordons；　who　came　to　assist　them　after　Sutherland's　and　Lovat's　men　were　defeated。　　Seaforth's　men　got　no　hurt　in　the　pursuit；　nor　　did　they　lose　many　men　in　the　fight；　the　most　considerable　being　John　　Mackenzie　of　Kernsary；　cousin…german　t