Historical memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor

18 HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
took place in the braes of Lochaber, where Macgregor
had gone to chastise Locheil ; but he, being joined by
his allies the Macdonalds, presented a formidable array.
Macgregor, however, with the assistance of the Macpher-
sons of the same country, attacked his enemies, and totally
routed them.
But, wilfully forgetting their adherence to his interest
in the contest of Glenlivit, in which many of their bravest
friends had perished ; and when the tranquillity of the
nothern shires no longer required the aid of the Mac-
gregors in his cause, the inveterate enmity of James
towards them seemed to return, with all the pusillanimous
ingratitude of which his character bore such indubitable
proofs. By a letter from him to the laird of Macintosh,
still extant, he thus expresses himself : — " Right traist
Freynd, we greet you heartilie well. Having hard be
report of the laite pruife given be you, of your willing
disposition to our service, in prosequiteing of that wicked
race of M'Gregor, we haif thought meit hereby to signify
unto you, that we accompt the same as maist acceptable
pleasure and service done unto us, and will not omitt to
regaird the same as it deserves ; and because we ar to
give you out of our aein mouth sum furder directioun
thair anent, — it is our will, that upon the sight hereof
ye repair thither in all haist, and at yr arriving we sail
impairt or full mynd, and heir wt all we haif thought ex •
pedient, that ye, befoir yor arriving hither, sail caus
execut to the death Duncane M'Can Cairn," (a chieftain
of the Macdonalds, and a relation of the Macgregors,}
" latelie tane be you in yar last expedition agains the
clan Gregor, and caus his heid to be transDortit hither,
to the effect the same may be affixt in sum public place,
to the terror of other malefactors, and so commit you to