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When
the news reached Oxford, Charles was busy organising a parliament of
his own, in opposition to that other sitting in London fifty-two
miles away. His hurt was great. He actually wept. And when,
presently, Montrose and Rupert got back from Towcester, Edward Hyde
in person came to the former's quarters to conduct him to the King.

'I
believe that His Majesty will grant your wishes now,' he said. 'He
has just heard that all the North-East is falling to the Scots
arms.'

'If
I had been in Scotland these weeks past, instead of here, sir,
Leslie might well not have marched.'

'I
know it. But... you will be more likely to gain your ends with the
King, my lord, if you refrain from mention of it!'

At
Christ Church, the King had only his nephew Maurice with him when
Hyde brought the Graham in. The younger men exchanged glances.
Charles was looking drawn, unhappy, pouches under his fine
eyes.

"You
have heard the tidings from the North, my lord?' he asked wearily.

'I
have, Sire, to my sorrow. If scarcely to my surprise. I grieve for
your royal cause. But I believe that it is not yet too late to
better it.'

'Ha
- you say so? You still believe that you can win Scotland for me?
Even now?'

'Even
now, Sire. Although it will be the more difficult.'

'What
do you need from me, to that end, my lord?'

'First
of all, Your Majesty's faith and trust. If I am to imbue others with
the spirit to rise and fight for you, I must convince them that Your
Majesty is wholly behind me. Proof of such trust I do require.'

"You
shall have it, sir. I shall appoint you my Governor and
Commander-in-Chief in Scotland. Give you commission as my
Captain-General and viceroy. And create you Marquis of Montrose.
Will that serve to advertise my royal trust, my friend?' It was not
often that Charles Stewart came out with decision at this rate.

'Hmm.'
Montrose cleared his throat. 'I am deeply sensible of these high
honours, appointments, Sire,' he said. 'They are altogether too
much, I think. As well as undeserved. And not what I intended...'

‘
No?
Then what, my lord? What more can I do for you?'

‘
Not
for
me,
Sire.
It is for the folk in Scotland that I require this proof, not for
myself. That they may accept that I have now your entire confidence.
And that, hm, others have not! For me to be Marquis of Montrose
would be to my much honour. But would it convince my countrymen, who
have seen other marquises created? Even dukes!'

Hyde
coughed, and Charles looked almost shocked. Prince Maurice's smile
was probably little help.

'I
regret your attitude, my lord.' That was said with royalest dignity.

Then
I crave Your Majesty's forbearance. I acknowledge that I may be too
frank. But the occasion warrants plain speaking, does it not?'

The
noble head inclined, but only just. 'What is it you seek, then?'

'What
would convince the Scots people that Your Majesty no longer trusted
those who have ill-advised you for so long. Your dismissal of
Hamilton and his brother.'

'That
is in train, my lord. The Duke of Hamilton and the Earl of Lanark
shamefully deceived me. They have been summoned from Scotland. They
will learn of my royal displeasure.'

'If
they come!' Maurice murmured.

That
is a step well taken, Sire. It will please many in Scotland, and
ease my path.'

'What
else do you require of me?'

'Nothing,
Sire - but your blessing."

'That
you have in full measure. But you have more. As Governor as well as
Captain-General, you will have my
authority.
To
act in my royal name. To levy and requisition as you need. To
appoint to office, and demote. To bring to trial, to judge, to
execute if need be. A grave responsibility for so young a man. But
you will require all such powers, I think.'

'No,
Sire. Humbly and with respect - no.' Montrose shook his head. 'Such
powers and state I do not desire. More, I conceive it to be harmful
to your cause. See you, Sire - Scotland is a proud country. And
as you say, I am a young man. Offence must not be given to any who
have the power to fight for you. We are a people of clans and great
families, jealous each of our name and standing. I am one of the
earls of Scotland, the
old
earls
- that is sufficient. Your Grace alone is
Ard
Righ,
the
High King. None must fail to flock to your royal standard because
I
seem
to set myself too high.

As
many would, Sire, were I to be your viceroy. I know my own people. I
will not even be Captain-General. Not at this time. Lieutenant only.
Under some other. With Your Majesty's permission.'

"You
are a strange man, my lord of Montrose. But it appears that you well
know your own mind. And I accept that you know your strange
countrymen - and mine. But .. . if you are to be only Lieutenant,
who is to be Captain? Who, in Scotland, would you have me make
Captain-General, master over Montrose?'

James
Graham found a smile. 'None that I may think of, Sire. Since it must
needs be a soldier. Rather it should be someone here, I think, in
England. Close to your royal person. But someone whom the Scots will
accept. Not - not an Englishman !' He paused. 'Prince Rupert you
have made Master of the Horse and Duke of Cumberland. Might not Your
Majesty make His Highness Prince Maurice Captain-General for
Scotland ?'

The
King looked from one to the other, and then to Hyde. ‘I cannot
spare my nephew to Scotland, my lord. Not in this pass. Once the
campaigning season starts, there is too much for him, for us all, to
do here.'

‘
I
did not think that you could, Sire. I will gladly send reports to my
Captain-General - at Oxford!'

Maurice
emitted his throaty chuckle, unoffended. 'He desires only my shadow,
Sire - not my substance,' he said. 'And I shall be able to rule all
the Scots at your Court here -who have until now ignored me!'

'These
I intend to take back to Scotland!' Montrose countered.

Charles,
who was not a man of humour, looked slighdy disapproving of
this levity in his presence. But he glanced at Hyde, who nodded.
'Very well, my lord. It shall be so. Lieutcnant-General you shall
be, under Captain-General the Prince Maurice of Bohemia. Yet in
Scotland you will have the complete command. Over all who fight for
me. Including my lord of Antrim's Irish. It is agreed.'

'Mm.
Sire - Lord Antrim's Irish . . . ? Is this wise? Lord Digby spoke of
it, before - and I saw point to his fears. To loose a large number
of Catholic Irish on Protestant Scotland might but ill serve your
cause. They might make my task the harder.'

Charles
frowned. None of his commanders wanted the Catholic Irish, even Lord
Herbert, himself a Catholic. 'My lord - I will forgo the use of
thousands of loyal troops because of unsuitable religious prejudice.
We are all Christians, I would remind you! Lord Antrim's levies
can best be used in Scotland. It will give you a core of experienced
fighters. You cannot go to Scotland alone, single-handed, to conquer
a country. You will delay your return until the Irish force is ready
to join you there.'

'With
respect, Your Majesty, I would prefer to find my way secretly back
to Scotland, and forthwith. Once in my own place, I swear I should
not be long in raising an army to fight for you - and to force
Argyll and Leslie to look anxiously behind them. Without calling in
the Irish . . .'

'No,
my lord. That is not how it will best be done. This, from the first,
must be seen to be the King's answer to rebellion. Not a
further rebellion taking place behind the invading Scots army. I
have spoken of it to certain of my commanders and advisers, and on
this we are agreed. You must invade Scotland in my name - not foster
a rising within Scotland on your own. The difference is important. I
will send you to my lord of Newcastle, at York, and request that he
supply you with a body of horse to serve as kernel of your new army.
Also arms and ammunition - these are expected from Denmark any day.
I will give you a commission to raise certain levies in Cumberland
and Westmorland. With these, you can make entry to Scotland, in
force. In the west, since the Scots army it seems controls the east.
Carlisle, perhaps. When my lord of Antrim's force is ready to meet
you, from Ireland. Thus you will come to Scotland as my
Lieutenant-General indeed - not as a private nobleman seeking to
stir up petty insurrection behind the Scots government. You
understand?'

Montrose
sought to keep his voice level. 'This will take valuable time, Sire.
And for me to lead Englishmen and Irishmen into Scotland will not
endear me to many Scots. I had rather rouse themselves to put their
house in order.'

'My
house,
my lord of Montrose, I'd remind you ! If you go as my representative
to my Scottish realm, you will do so as I decide.'

The
Graham bowed. 'As Your Majesty commands ...'

20

I
t
was, in fact, fourteen weeks later, on the 13th of
April,
that Montrose left English soil and crossed the River Esk into
Scotland as royal Lieutenant. And, despite the delay, and the King's
desire that he should do so at the head of an impressive force, he
forded the river with only a few hundred ill-assorted men, many of
them already disgruntled. The Earl of Newcastle, commander in the
North of England, already short of men, with only
8000
at
grips with Leslie's
2
1,000
on
the Durham border, was in no mood, or case, to obey his monarch's
command and detach precious cavalry for the Scots venture. And the
royalists of Cumberland and Westmorland, seeing the way that things
were going, with Leslie winning over a wide front, were much more
concerned to stay at home and protect their own hearthstones
from the barbarian invaders than to volunteer for a hazardous
wild-goose chase into Scotland. As for Antrim's
10,000
Irish,
there was still neither hint nor hair of them, although the
MacDonnell had promised to deliver them in force before the end of
April. Not desiring the complications that such a Catholic host
might produce in the Presbyterian Lowlands, Montrose had managed to
persuade the King that these should land only in Argyll and the West
Highlands, where Catholicism was still the prevalent religion,
there to menace the Campbells in their own country.