18

HISTORY OF ENGLAOT).

CnAP.

XIII.

1689 .

falsest, the most fickle, the most pusillanimous, of mankind.

■ Already, in the short space of six months, he had been severaltimes a Jacobite, and several times a Williamite. Both Jacob-ites and Williamites regarded him with contempt and distrust,which respect for his immense power prevented them from fullyexpressing. After repeatedly vowing fidelity to both parties,and repeatedly betraying both, he began to think that heshould best provide for his safety by abdicating the functionsboth of a peer and of a chieftain, by absenting himself bothfrom the Parliament House at Edinburgh and from his castle inthe mountains, and by quitting the country to which he wasbound by every tie of duty and honour at the very crisis of herfate. While all Scotland was waiting with impatience andanxiety to see in which army his numerous retainers would bearrayed, he stole away to England, settled himself at Bath,and pretended to drink the waters.* His principality, leftwithout a head, was divided against itself. The general leaningof the Athol men was towards King James. For they had beenemployed by him, only four years before, as the ministers of hisvengeance against the House of Argyle. They had garrisonedInverary: they had ravaged Lorn: they had demolished houses,cut down fruit trees, burned fishing boats, broken millstones,hanged Campbells, and were therefore not likely to be pleasedby the prospect of Mac Callum More’s restoration. One wordfrom the Marquess would have sent two thousand claymores tothe Jacobite side. But that word he would not speak; and theconsequence was, that the conduct of his followers was asirresolute and inconsistent as his own.

While they were waiting for some indication of his washes,they were called to arms at once by two leaders, either of whom

* “Athol,” says Dundee contemptuously, “is gone to England, whodid not know what to do." — Dundee to Mclfort, June 27. 1689. SeoAthol’s letters to Melville of the 21st of May and the 8th of June, in theLeven and Melville Papers.