Series 1 > Loyall dissuasive

THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE
69
sions and are full of their expectations, that you may be
prevailed upon to Renounce your Right.
Sect. XI
The M‘Intoshes nothing doubtfull, but you may be persuaded
to give up your Right. The absurditie and insolence of
their proposals on that head exposed and Ridiculed.
That you are to make up a new friendship with MTntosh,
and to own him as ChiefF upon his assuming the name of
Cathone in conjunction with his own, was told me lately by
one of the chief projectors, not as ane emptie wish or a
remote conjecture but as a thing so far concluded alreadie,
that it stuck only at Invercauld, who, as my author said, was
turned very insolent of late.
That he debated with the young Laird of MTntosh, with
whom as he was pleased to say it did not become him to con¬
tend, and that in this grand affair, which according to him
concerns the honour of the Clanchattone so much, he would
not submit to the general measures, except forsooth, you gave
him your precedency.
He acknowledged, he said, that you had Quality and
Antiquity of your side, but Invercauld had gott a deall
of wealth which had swelled him so much in his own conceit,
that it was to be feared he would not yeild it, but hoped, he
said, that you would be better-natured and shew some more
concern for the general good. Adding, that he left it to me
in case of ane extremity, to think of some expedient might
please both partys, if it was but such another as M‘Donnell
fell upon in the controversie betwixt M‘Lean and the ChiefF
of the Clanchatton.
Here indeed I stopt my friend, and told him that it was to
no purpose for him or any else to talk to me of that affair.
What Cluny does of himself, said I, I am not bound to answer
for, nor can it touch my honour, but assure yourself, said I,
that if Invercauld was Master of all Deeside, from the Upper
Bridge to the Town of Fittie,1 except he have something else
to say, with my consent Clunie shall never give him precedencie
1 A village at the mouth of the Dee, now part of Aberdeen.