2

HISTORY OP ENGLAKD.

CHAP.

XVIII.

J(iU2.

Breadal-bane em-ployed tcnegotiatewith therebelclans.

Meanwhile it had been determined at Kensington, in spiteof the opposition of the Master of Stair, to try the plan whichTarbet had recommended two years before, and which, if ithad been tried when he recommended it, would probably haveprevented much bloodshed and confusion. It was resolved thattwelve or fifteen thousand pounds should be laid out in quietingthe Highlands. This was a mass of treasure which to an inha-bitant of Appin or Lochaber seemed almost fabulous, and whichindeed bore a greater proportion to the income of Keppoch orGlengarry than fifteen hundred thousand pounds bore to theincome of Lord Bedford or Lord Devonshire. The sum wasample: but the King was not fortunate in the choice of anagent. *

John Earl of Breadalbane, the head of a younger branch ofthe great House of Campbell, ranked high among the pettyprinces of the mountains. He could bring seventeen hundredclaymores into the field; and, ten years before the Bevolution,he had actually marched into the Lowlands with this greatforce for the purpose of supporting the prelatical tyranny.** Inthose days he had affected zeal for monarchy and episcopacy:but in truth he cared for no government and no religion. Heseems to have united two different sets of vices, the growth oftwo different regions, and of two different stages in the progressof society. In his castle among the hills he had learned thebarbarian pride and ferocity of a Highland chief. In the Coun-cil Chamber at Edinburgh he had contracted the deep taint oftreachery and corruption. After the Revolution he had, liketoo many of his fellow nobles, joined and betrayed every partyin turn, had sworn fealty to William and Mary, and had plottedagainst them. To trace all the turns and doublings of hiscourse, during the year 1G89 and the earlier part of 1690, would

* Burnet, ii. 88.; Master of Stair to Breadalbane, Dec. 2. 1691.** Burnet, i. 418.