16

HISTOEY OF ENGLAND.

CFUP.

XVIII.

1692 .

the most eminent man among them, had not only declared thathe would live and die a true subject to King William, but hadannounced his intention of visiting England, in the hope ofbeing permitted to kiss His Majesty’s hand. In London it wasannounced exultingly that every clan, without exception, hadsubmitted in time; and the announcement was generallythought most satisfactory.* But the Master of Stair wasbitterly disappointed. The Highlands were then to continueto be what they had been, the shame and curse of Scotland.A golden opportunity of subjecting them to the law had beensuffered to escape, and might never return. If only the Mac-donalds would have stood out, nay, if an example could buthave been made of the two worst Macdonalds, Keppoch andGlencoe, it would have been something. But it seemed thateven Keppoch and Glencoe, marauders who in any wellgoverned country would have been hanged thirty years before,were safe.** While the Master was brooding over thoughts likethese, Argyle brought him some comfort. The report thatMac Ian had taken the oaths within the prescribed time waserroneous. The Secretary was consoled. One clan, then, wasat the mercy of the government, and that clan the most lawlessof all. One great act of justice, nay of charity, might be per-formed. One terrible and memorable example might begiven.***

Yet there was a difficulty. Mac Ian had taken the oaths.He had taken them, indeed, too late to be entitled to plead theletter of the royal promise: but the fact that he had taken themwas one which evidently ought not to have been concealed from

* London Gazette, January 14. and 18. 169-J•

** “I could have wished the Macdonalds had not divided; and I amsorry that Keppoch and Maclcian of Glenco are safe.” Letter of theMaster of Stair to Levingstone, Jan. 9. 169 quoted in the Report of 1695.

* *** Letter of the Master of Stair to Levingstone, Jan. 11. 169$, quoted inthe Report of 1695.