Montrose wearing the McNaughton Tartan on his way to the gallows in 1650

The painting is called "Montrose", and can be seen at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. It was painted by James Drummond. The painting shows Montrose being led through the royal mile after his capture in 1650. The detail is supurb. You can clearly see the MacNaughton plaid underneath the rope used to tie him to the cart. There is also captured clansmen standing beside the cart one of whom also has the MacNaughton plaid around him. The clan Graham recently commissioned a red Graham of Montrose tartan based on the MacNaughton tartan in honour of what happened. Montrose was given the MacNaughton plaid as he was brought through Fife because he was cold. He knew he was going to the gallows in Edinburgh. The ride would take several days. A MacNaughton gave him his old ragged tartan to warm him and walked beside him.

Chief Malcolm MacNauchtan's wife was Elizabeth Murray of Ochtertyre. Her grandmother was a daughter of Nicholas Graham of Inchbrakie. Kindred was important in the Highlands.

In 1638 the Marquisse of Argyll was foremost in persuading the Highland clans to sign the National Covenant and met with considerable opposition from the Catholic clans, the Lamonts and others. Argyll of course used the conflicts to steal their lands. The MacNauchtan clans were Catholic at this time although chief Malcolm MacNauchtan was a registered member of the Presbytery in 1643, as he would have to be to be so thickly involved with Argyll's campaigns. In 1640 Montrose responded to the Covenant with "the Cumbernauld Bond" in an effort to put a stop to Argyll, whereupon Argyll warred upon the Murrays of Athole who were related to Montrose. Naturally Chief Malcolm's son Alexander would have been at home with his mother in those early years and would have witnessed her worry for her Murray kindred.  Alexander's father, Chief Malcolm McNaughton, was a captain in Argyll's army of Covenators. And young Alexander also served among them, having as his captain James Campbell of Arkinglas who was the infamous leader of the Covenantors who waved the white flag to the Lamonts, luring them to open their doors for a truce, and used the opportunity to massacre them, an event which will live in infamy. Our Alexander McNaughton probably rode among them and surely could not have been very proud of it. We say this because we know that not many years afterwards he became a royalist and played a part in bringing Campbell of Argyll to the chopping block for his crimes. Knowing this, we may wonder if it was young Alexander McNaughton who rode with the army that captured Montrose, and perhaps it was Alexander who gave his McNaughton tartan to him to warm him.

All through his campaigns Montrose had urged his soldiers to respect the common people and even the soldiers they captured. This was  quite the opposite of the barbary of the Covenantors and especially of Cromwell's soldiers. Montrose told his men that whatever they did reflected upon their King, and to remember that these people who were their enemies today were surely kindred in the greater sense. His military strategies were brilliant. But foremost he was a man of honor.

It is interesting to note that a great crowd awaited Montrose' entrance to Edinburgh. They had been paid money in advance to throw excrement and rocks at Montrose as he passed through the streets. But there was such a profound look upon his face that the crowds could not do anything but gape at him in wonder and even love.. Nothing was thrown. He passed through them unafflicted. The crowd was utterly silent, captured by the power of his great heart.