Series 1 > Loyall dissuasive

xxxvni
THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE
responsible for all of his name, with the exception of Mac-
phersons holding land under Mackintosh. Whether it was
that Duncan failed to take in the situation, as from his youth
might well have been the case, and did not recognise the
amount of alienation from their chief which had taken place
in the clan, from whatever cause, the decree of the Privy
Council in his favour failed for some time to increase harmony
among the leading Macpherson families and himself. They
raised an* action against the right of Cluny to exact from
them letters of security for good behaviour, and claimed Mack¬
intosh as their chief. The following decision of the Privy
Council states the case, and presents the Macphersons in a
very contemptible light. They were afterwards heartily
ashamed of themselves, and Sir JSneas does not spare his own
family in his condemnation of their conduct in the past. The
Solemn Decreet and Sentence and their consequences, he deals
with in two sections, ix. and x., of the Dissuasive. The revolt
of the Macphersons, and the decision against them is found in
a paper in the Cluny Charter Chest, purporting to be an
extract from the Privy Council Records. Its references to the
Skene Library and the Privy Council Records have been
verified by reference to the ‘ Compend of the Privy Council
Record,’ formerly at Skene House, now the property and in
the library of John Scott, Esq., C.B., Halkshill, Ayrshire,
who has very kindly collated this copy with his ms., and made
necessary corrections.
Page 3955, Privy Council Record.
‘Apud Edr 21 November 1672.
Sederunt.
Privy Council.
rMarshall.
\ Linlithgow.
Chanceller.
Gen11 Dalziell.
Pres. Session.
Register.
Annandale.1
Yester.
Sinclair.
i.1 Justice Clerk.
Niddry.
Annandale is a mistake for Tweeddale.