Historical and genealogical account of the Clan Maclean

HISTORICAL NOTICES. 121
ultimately threatened the total extinction of his
powerful family.
An era in British history was now approaching
when unsullied honour was to be tested by the
fidelity and disinterested loyalty of the sovereign's
professed friends ; and it will be shown, during
the fearful struggle which was now about to com-
mence between royalty and a detestable de-
mocracy, whether self interest or strict adherence
to honour and untainted loyalty were the prin-
ciples by which the chief of Maclean was guided.
In the year 1641 the king visited Edinburgh
for the settlement of some Scottish affairs, much
about the period that his disputes with his
English parliament were agitating the kingdoms.
On this occasion none appeared more forward to
offer obsequious court to the king than the cun-
ning calculating Gillespie Gruamach ; all his
professions of attachment and his seemingly sin-
cere declarations of fealty were received by the
unsuspecting monarch with good will, who, ere
he returned to England, created the traitor Mar-
quess of Argyle. It may only accord with the
general character of this base subject, but at the
very time his sovereign was thus heaping addi-
tional honours upon him he was actually making
the most traiterous proposals to the western chiefs
to seduce them from their allegiance ; and Sir
Lachlan Maclean was of the first upon whom his
infamous attempts were practised. The views of