Series 1 > Loyall dissuasive

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THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE
—the first Earls successor—have from time to time (in their
several turns), showed to our name chiefly on that account *
(as they have always owned themselves) is more than a bare
presumption of the truth of what we say. Fourthly If we had
nothing else to urge but what is deduceable from Kinrarae’s
own acknowledgement in the above mentioned conference
twixt him and me at Inverness,’twere enough to prove our
point, where he expressly gave for a Reason why M‘Lean con¬
tended with M‘Intosh at Harlaw, that the better part of his
friends had joined the Enemie, as he was pleased to call the
King’s armie.
Let us now consider who those friends could be. Sure not
the MTntoshes, for it is not to be imagined that they would or
could leave their natural and undoubted Chieff. Nor the
Farquharsons, because Finla the first of that name was scarce
born a hundred years thereafter, and for the other petty
Tribes, If there was any of them then in being their strength
and number was so inconsiderable that their absence could
hardly give that advantage to M‘Lean. Who could these
friends be then, that had joined the King’s armie ? None but
the M‘Phersons, who were then and many ane age before.
Blessed be God for it, as they are now, the stock and bodie of
the Clanchattan. Then lastly.
What occasion have we to insist upon presumptions, when
that very Debate as it was managed by M‘Lean, is a manifest
confutation of their Calumnious charge, and by a neccessary
consequence a positive proofe for us. MTntosh pleads to have
the vann in M'Donnel’s army at the Battle of Harlaw, conform
to ane old decision pronounced by the great M‘Donnell on a
like occasion against the Laird of M‘Lean in favour of the
* See Maclean MS.
J.ord Mar’s side at Harlaw, is very weak. The earl who commanded at Harlaw
was Alexander Stewart, who had married Isabel, the Countess of Mar. He
died without children in 1435, and thereafter, till 1567, there was no permanent
settlement as to the earldom. It was conferred on one person after another
until 1567, when John, Lord Erskine, descended from those who knew not
Alexander, came into his rights. A wonderful friendship it must have been to
survive such changes. That there was friendship between Sir /Eneas and John,
eleventh earl, when he was working up his party for the rising, which eventually
ciwne off in 1715, is very probable.