Clan Gillean

Sir John. 225
into prison. He hastened back to London, but
found that the King had gone over to the contin-
ent. He followed the King with the intention of
joining him. When he landed on the continent
he heard that King William had lost the battle of
Steinkirk, which was fought on August 3d, 1692.
He was also led to believe that there would be a
counter-revolution in Britain in a very short time,
and that King James would be restored. In his
blind attachment to the Stewarts, he joined the
exiled James at St. Germains instead of joining
King William. This foolish step ruined his pros-
pects. Had he followed King William he might
possibly have recovered a part of his estate from
the grasp of Argyll.
King William died on March 8th, 1702, and
was succeeded by Anne, second daughter of King
James. Shortly after her accession to the throne
an indemnity was granted to all who had followed
her father to France. Sir John Maclean returned
to London about the beginning of 1704.
In September, 1703, Lord Lovat informed the
Duke of Queensberry that the Duke of Atholl,
the Duke of Hamilton, the Earl of Cromarty and
others were engaged in a plot to dethrone Queen
Anne and place her brother James, son and heir
of James II., upon the throne. Sir John Mac-
lean was immediately arrested on suspicion of
being concerned in the plot referred to ; but as
there was no proof against him he was set at lib-
erty in a short time. The probability is that there
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