Historical and authentic account of the ancient and noble family of Keith, Earls Marichal of Scotland

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respective rights of the prince and people are
not defined with sufficient precision; which is
a source of perpetual contention among them.
One of the most delicate questions, for instance
is, whether or not the subjects have a right to
intermeddle in settling the succession to the
throne ? There have been a world of things
said and wrote on this subject, without bring-
ing the question to any determination ; and
one may venture to say, that all the troubles,
to which England hath been exposed tor a
century past, have flowed from this source.
We might even go further back, and ascribe
the tragical death of Charles 1. to the same
eause. The influence of it was also continued
down to the conspiracy in Scotland m favours
of the Pretender, and the commotions which
distracted the kingdom in 1715.
The two brothers, the Keiths, seduced,
no doubt, by some national prejud.ces, or
hurried awav by connections and family views,
joined the party of Stuart. In doing this,
they on 'v took the same course with many
other peei*s who also espoused that cause, as
soon as the E;ul of Marr had dispersed a
manifesto, inviting them to support it. The
niaieeontents assembled an army of 20,000
men, and, with great rapidity, made them-
selves masters of l*erth, Dundee, Aberdeen
and Inverness l'heir camp was at the hrst
of these towns; and the King's army, com-
manded by the Duke oi Aigyl, had encamped
hard by Stirling, in order to cut oil the