Ayrshire > Volume 2

THE BOYLES OF KELBURN 157
Mar, who had continued to express devotion to the
cause of George I., he attended the King's levee on
August 1, the day following he started in disguise for
the north to rai^e the clans, and on the 6th of
September the standard of rebellion was " up and
streaming rarely."
Lord Glasgow had lost no time in loyally preparing
against eventualities, and to provide against the expected
landing of the Duke of Berwick in the Clyde or in
Lochryan with 7000 Irish, he had called upon his upland
tenants to provide themselves with arms, and had
offered his services to the King ; and, on August 8, he
wrote to Montrose, who had succeeded Mar as Secretary
for Scotland, in these words : —
" There being an invasion speedily intended of
these Kingdoms, I thought it my duty to assure your
Grace that I will ever stand by and assist his Majest}?
with my lyfe and fortune in support and defence of
his undoubted Right and Title to the Crown against
the Pretender and all that adhere to his interest, and
in defiance of all his Majestie's open and secret enemies
both abroad and at home. My Lord Duke, I will
cheerfully and heartily serve the King's interest on
this exigent, and doe freely offer to maintain ffyve
hundred men on this emergent upon my own charges
and expense if it please bis Majesty to accept of it,
for I look upon all the abettors and assisters of the
Pretender and his interest not only to be enemies to
the King, but also heart enemies To our most holy
Religion, and all that's valuable and dear to us either
as men or Christians. . . . May it please your
Grace, our shyre of Air is not so well armed as we
could wish, but we have no officers to train and
command them ; they will be found very hearty in
the cause."
The generosity of this offer is the best proof of the
sincerity that dictated it ; for, if it had been accepted, it
meant a severe strain on the Earl's resources.