sir thomas burnett of lees was one of their commissioners for the district north of the grampians. he and other commissioners paid a preliminary visit to aberdeen in early july 1638 where they were told politely but firmly by the town's magistrates and other leading citizens that they had no legal authority to exact the subscriptions demanded. the deputation returned in force on the 20th of that month headed by the earl of montrose, then an earnest covenanter, with several notable covenanting preachers with them. the latter were promptly refused the pulpits of the city churches. the university promptly denounced the covenant as unlawful, and three of the leading preachers, henderson, dickson, and cant, made a temporary retreat to the safety of sir thomas's muchalls castle.