JAMES THE SECOND.

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that they would not go off. He was struck to the ground with CI ^ P 'a broadsword, and secured. i 685 .

He owned himself to be the Earl of Argyle, probably inthe hope that his great name would excite the awe and pity ofthose who had seized him. And indeed they were muchmoved. For they were plain Scotchmen of humble rank,and, though in arms for the crown, probably cherished apreference for the Calvinistic church government and worship,and had been accustomed to reverence their captive as thehead of an illustrious house and as a champion of the Pro-testant religion. But, though they were evidently touched,and though some of them even wept, they were not disposedto relinquish a large reward and to incur the vengeance ofan implacable government. They therefore conveyed theirprisoner to Renfrew. The maD who bore the chief part inthe arrest was named Riddell. On this account the wholerace of Riddells was, during more than a century, held inabhorrence by the great tribe of Campbell. Within livingmemory, when a Riddell visited a fair in Argyleshire, hefound it necessary to assume a false name.

And now commenced the brightest part of Argyle’s career.

His enterprise had hitherto brought on him nothing butreproach and derision. His great error was that he did notresolutely refuse to accept the name without the power of ageneral. Ha;d he remained quietly at his retreat in Friesland,ho would in a few years have been recalled with honour to hiscountry, and would have been conspicuous among the orna-ments and the props of constitutional monarchy. Had heconducted his expedition according to his own views, andcarried with him no followers but as such as were preparedimplicitly to obey all his orders, he might possibly haveeffected something great. For what he wanted as a captainseems to have been, not courage, nor activity, nor skill, butsimply authority. He should have known that of all wants thisMacaulay, History. H. Q