Charles was reduced by Argyll to make to him the most slavish promises, including the payment of 40,000 pounds, the part of the price of Charles I.which Argyll had not yet touched.
On October 4 Charles made "the Start"; he fled to the Royalists of Angus,--Ogilvy and Airlie: he was caught, brought back, and preached at.
Then came fighting between the Royalists and the Estates.

Middleton, a good soldier, Atholl, and others, declared that they must and would fight for Scotland, though they were purged out by the preachers.

The Estates (November 4) gave them an indemnity.

On this point the Kirk split into twain: the wilder men, led by the Rev.James Guthrie, refused reconciliation (the Remonstrants); the less fanatical would consent to it, on terms (the Resolutioners).

The Committee of Estates dared to resist the Remonstrants: even the Commissioners of the General Assembly "cannot be against the raising of all fencible persons,"-- and at last adopted the attitude of all sensible persons.