After this, however, fearing that
depredations might be committed upon his followers by a garrison
of two regiments then stationed at Inverness, and the other
Covenanters of that district, he permitted 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.
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