WILLIAM AND MALT.

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be wearisome.* That course became somewhat less tortuous chap.when the battle of the Boyne had cowed the spirit of the Jaco- x | x ‘" ~bites. It now seemed probable that the Earl would be a loyalsubject of their Majesties, till some great disaster should befallthem. Nobody who knew him could trust him: but few Scottishstatesmen could then be trusted; and yet Scottish statesmenmust be employed. His positioh and connections marked himout as a man who might, if he would, do much towards thework of quieting the Highlands; and his interest seemed to be aguarantee for his zeal. He had, as he declared with every ap-pearance of truth, strong personal reasons for wishing to seetranquillity restored. His domains ivere so situated that, whilethe civil war lasted, his vassals could not tend their herds or sowtheir oats in peace. His lands were daily ravaged: his cattlewere daily driven away: one of his houses had been burneddown. It was probable, therefore, that he would do his bestto put an end to hostilities.**

He was accordingly commissioned to treat with the Jacobitechiefs, and was entrusted with the money which was to be dis-tributed among them. He invited them to a conference at hisresidence in Glenorchy. They came: but the treaty went onvery sloivly. Every head of a tribe asked for a larger share ofthe English gold than was to be obtained. Breadalbane wassuspected of intending to cheat both the clans and the King.

The dispute between the rebels and the government was com-plicated with another dispute still more embarrassing. TheCamerons and Macdonalds w'ere really at war, not with William,but with Mac Callum More; and no arrangement to which MacCallum More W'as not a party could really produce tranquillity.

* Crawford to Melville, July 28. 1689; The Master of Stair to Melville,

Aug. 16. 16S9; Cardross to Melville, Sept. 9. 1680-; Balcarras’s Memoirs;Amiandale’s Confession, Aug. 14. 1690.

** Breadalbane to Melville, Sept. 17 v 1690.

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