Matheson Collection > Macleods of Dunvegan from the time of Leod to the end of the seventeenth century

i64 THE MACLEODS OF DUNVEGAN
ment who had carefully weighed the shortcomings of
the King's Government during the years he had ruled
the kingdom. The siege of Blair Castle and the advance
of MacKay probably threw out Dundee's plans, and he
found it impossible to pay his proposed visit to Dunvegan,
so he wrote the following letter :
For the Laird of MacLeod
MoY, Jim. lo, i6Sg.
Sir, — Glengarry gave me an account of the substance of a
letter he received from you ; I shall only tell you that, if you
hasten not to land your men, I am of opinion you will have
little occasion to do the King great service ; for, if he land in
the West of Scotland, you will come too late, as I believe you
will think yourself by the news I have to tell you. The Prince
of Orange has written to the Scottish Council not to fatigue
his troops any more by following us in the hills, but to draw
them together in a body to the West ; and, accordingly,
several of the forces that were in Perthshire and Angus are
drawn to Edinburgh, and some of Mackay's regiments are
marched that way from him. . . . Some of the French fleet
has been seen amongst the islands, and hath taken the
Glasgow frigates. The King, being thus master of sea and
land, hath nothing to do but bring over his army, which many
people fancy is landed already in the West. He will have
little to oppose him there, and will probably march towards
England, so that we who are in the greatest readiness, will
have (enough) ado to join him. I have received by Mr. Hay
a commission of Lieutenant-General, which miscarried by
Breidy. I have also received a double of a letter, miscarried
by Breidy to me, and a new letter, dated the i8th of May ;
both of which are so kind that I am ashamed to tell. He
counts for great services, while I am conscious to myself that
I have hardly done my duty. He promises not only to me,
but to all that will join, such marks of favour, as after ages
shall see what honour and advantage there is in being loyal.
He says, in express terms, that his favours shall vie with our
loyalty. He hath, by the same letters, given full power of