be regulated by law, and never ceased crying out against his
administration. They fixed up libels in different places, full of dark
insinuations, by which it was understood that his destruction was
meditating[29]. Some astrologers told him that he would not live beyond
such a day; by which it appeared they were not ignorant of the designs
formed against him. All this had no effect upon his resolution; his
common reply was, That "he knew well enough he must die one time or
other, and that he could not part with his life more nobly, than by
procuring the public tranquillity of his native country." He caused
summon a convention of estates to meet at Glasgow for the redress of
some grievances, which that part of the country particularly laboured
under.

But while he was thus engaged, he received intelligence that the queen
had escaped from Lochlevin castle, and was come to Hamiltoun, where
those of her faction were assembling with the utmost haste, whereupon a
hot dispute arose in council, whether the regent, and his attendants
should repair to the young king at Stirling, or stay and observe the
motions of the queen and her party; but in the very time of these
deliberations, a hundred chosen men arrived in town from Lothian, and
many more from the adjacent country were approaching: This made them
resolve to stay where they were, and refresh themselves for one day,
after which they determined to march out and face the enemy. But the
queen's army, being 6500 strong, resolved to make their way by Glasgow
to lodge the queen in Dumbarton castle, and afterwards either to fight
the regent, or protract the war at pleasure.

The regent being let into this design of the enemy, drew his army out
the town, to observe which way they intended to pass; he had not above
4000 men; they discovered the queen's army passing along the south-side
of the river Clyde. Moray commanded the foot to pass the bridge, and the
horse to ford the river, and marched out to a small village, called
Langside, upon the river Cart. They took possession of a rising ground
before the enemy could well discover their intention, and drew up in the
order of battle. The earls of Morton, Semple, Hume and Patrick Lindsay
on the right, and the earls of Marr, Glencairn, Monteith with the
citizens of Glasgow, were on the left, and the musqueteers were placed
in the valley below. The queen's army approaching, a very brisk but
short engagement ensued; the earl of Argyle, who