Montrosehadnowasplendidcareerinhisview,providedhecouldobtaintheconsentofhisgallant,butdesultorytroops,andtheirindependentchieftains。TheLowlandslayopenbeforehimwithoutanarmyadequatetocheckhiscareer;forArgyle\'sfollowershadlefttheCovenanters\'hostwhentheirmasterthrewuphiscommission,andmanyothertroops,tiredofthewar,hadtakenthesameopportunitytodisbandthemselves。BydescendingStrath—Tay,therefore,oneofthemostconvenientpassesfromtheHighlands,MontrosehadonlytopresenthimselfintheLowlands,inordertorousetheslumberingspiritofchivalryandofloyaltywhichanimatedthegentlementothenorthoftheForth。
Thepossessionofthesedistricts,withorwithoutavictory,wouldgivehimthecommandofawealthyandfertilepartofthekingdom,andwouldenablehim,byregularpay,toplacehisarmyonapermanentfooting,topenetrateasfarasthecapital,perhapsfromthencetotheBorder,wherehedeemeditpossibletocommunicatewiththeyetunsubduedforcesofKingCharles。
Suchwastheplanofoperationsbywhichthetruestglorywastobeacquired,andthemostimportantsuccessinsuredfortheroyalcause。AccordinglyitdidnotescapetheambitiousanddaringspiritofhimwhoseserviceshadalreadyacquiredhimthetitleoftheGreatMarquis。Butothermotivesactuatedmanyofhisfollowers,andperhapswerenotwithouttheirsecretandunacknowledgedinfluenceuponhisownfeelings。
TheWesternChiefsinMontrose\'sarmy,almosttoaman,regardedtheMarquisofArgyleasthemostdirectandproperobjectofhostilities。Almostallofthemhadfelthispower;almostall,inwithdrawingtheirfenciblemenfromtheirownglens,lefttheirfamiliesandpropertyexposedtohisvengeance;all,withoutexception,weredesirousofdiminishinghissovereignty;
andmostofthemlaysonearhisterritories,thattheymightreasonablyhopetobegratifiedbyashareofhisspoil。TotheseChiefsthepossessionofInveraryanditscastlewasaneventinfinitelymoreimportantanddesirablethanthecaptureofEdinburgh。Thelattereventcouldonlyaffordtheirclansmenalittletransitorypayorplunder;theformerinsuredtotheChiefsthemselvesindemnityforthepast,andsecurityforthefuture。Besidesthesepersonalreasons,theleaders,whofavouredthisopinion,plausiblyurged,thatthough,athisfirstdescentintotheLowlands,Montrosemightbesuperiortotheenemy,yeteveryday\'smarchhemadefromthehillsmustdiminishhisownforces,andexposehimtotheaccumulatedsuperiorityofanyarmywhichtheCovenanterscouldcollectfromtheLowlandleviesandgarrisons。Ontheotherhand,bycrushingArgyleeffectually,hewouldnotonlypermithispresentwesternfriendstobringoutthatproportionoftheirforceswhichtheymustotherwiseleaveathomeforprotectionoftheirfamilies;butfarther,hewoulddrawtohisstandardseveraltribesalreadyfriendlytohiscause,butwhowerepreventedfromjoininghimbyfearofM\'CallumMore。