ARGYLL, ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, Mar quis of (1598-1661). A Scotch political char acter of the Seventeenth Century. In his six teenth year he saw service under his father, whom he succeeded, as eighth earl, in 1633. Al ready he had given proofs of that strength of re ligious principle which marked his whole life and of a perilous union of attachment to Charles I., and of faith in the principles against which the King made war. In the General Assembly at Glasgow, in November, 1638, he openly took the side of the Covenanters. and thenceforth became recognized as theft political head. In 1610 he commanded a military expedition through Bade noch, Athole, Mar, and Angus, for the purpose of enforcing subjection to the Scottish Parliament. The King, on his visit to Scotland in 1641, found it convenient to show peculiar favor to Argyll, and created him a marquis. On the out of hostilities, Argyll was still de sirous for negotiation. but was finally compelled to take the field. In April, 1644, he dispersed the Royalist forces under the Marquis of Bundy in Aberdeenshire. He was less successful in withstanding the genius of Montrose, who, on February 2, 1645, almost annihilated his army at Inverlochy. His estates had suffered se much in the preceding year from the ravages of the brilliant Cavalier that a sum of public money was voted for his support. In August, 1646, he went to London, with London and Dun fermline, to treat with the Parliament for a mitigation of the articles presented to the King. lie was at the same time the bearer of a secret commission from the King to treat with the Duke of Richmond and the Marquis of Hertford, on the propriety of a Scot tish demonstration in favor of Charles. on the defeat of the "engage
ment" plan, to which he had been decidedly op posed, the government of Scotland devolved on Argyll and the other Presbyterian leaders. In the Parliament of February, 1649, Charles II. was proclaimed king, and at Scone, on Janu ary 1, 1651, Argyll put the crown on his head. At this time, it was even said that the complaisant monarch intended to marry one of his daughters. As head of the committee of estates, Argyll took vigorous measures to oppose Cromwell's invasion of Scotland, and still ad hered to the King, after the subjugation of the country. After the battle of Worcester, lie re tired to Inverary, where he held out for a year against Cromwell's troops. Falling ill, he was taken prisoner by General Dean. Ile refused sub mission to the Protector, but made an engage ment to live peaceably, which he strictly kept. On the Restoration, he repaired to Whitehall, encouraged by a flattering letter from the King to his son. Impeached with the crime of having submitted to the usurper (to whom he had re fused allegiance), he was committed to the Tower, and on February 13. 1661, was brought before the Scottish Parliament on the charge of treason. Re defended himself with spirit, but in vain. On the 27th of Slay, he was executed at Edinburgh—having displayed throughout his whole trial, and on the scaffold, the dignity of a true nobleman, and the meekness of a Christian. Conflicting estimates of Arg,y1Ps, character have been written: cowardice in the field has been proved against him, and Scott places him in an unfavorable light in his Legend of Mont rose.