For a week of unwonted quiet, the last he was to know on earth, Dundee
rested at Dudhope. Then his enemies found him. On the morning of the
26th Hamilton's messengers appeared before his gates, summoning him to
lay down his arms and return to his duty at the Convention, on pain of
being proclaimed traitor and outlaw. Dundee replied by a letter which,
as it has been styled both disrespectful and disingenuous, it is worth
while to print in full.
"Dudhope, March 27th, 1689.
"May it please your Grace:--The coming of an herald and
trumpeter to summon a man to lay down arms that is living in
peace at home, seems to me a very extraordinary thing, and,
I suppose, will do so to all that hear of it. While I
attended the Convention at Edinburgh I complained often of
many people being in arms without authority, which was
notoriously known to be true; even the wild hill-men; and no
summons to lay down arms under the pain of treason being
given them, I thought it unsafe for me to remain longer
among them. And because a few of my friends did me the
favour to convey me out of the reach of these murderers, and
that my Lord Livingstone and several other officers took
occasion to come away at the same time, this must be called
being in arms.
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