Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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predecefibr was! you know, continued
he, a great deal of the late undermining
fchemes, but notwithftanding all the con¬
fidence I have placed in you, you luckily
know not half that I know: and let me ad-
vife, that for the future, even Angus be
cautious how he fpeaks and afcs •, it would
be with reludtance I fhould alfo punifh him :
fo faying, he left me to chew the cud upon
what I had heard; and I confefs, that for
my own fafety, and that I might have any
power at all left me to be ufeful, I there¬
after difiembled a conformity to his ways
of proceeding, howfoever abfurd; refolving
to wait until an opportunity ftiouid prefent
itfelf, when I might openly aft more con¬
fidently with my ov/n fentiments.
‘ The firft trial he made, whether or no
I was fincere in the approbation of his ar¬
bitrary fehemes, was to require my figna-
ture to an aft of forfeiture againft the noble
Thane of Argyle, who had hitherto baffled
every inquiry for difcovering his haunts:
he knew there was the drifted: amity be¬
tween the Thane and me, and he therefore
expefted, that I would for certain remon-
drate againd a proceeding fo affefting to
myfelf •, but I was prepared for him; and
after fubfcribing to the forfeiture with the
utmod Teeming readinefs, I informed him,
of what, however, he had intelligence of
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