" [Lord Lovat's
Account of the taking of Inverness. "Patten's Rebellion."]
In February, 1716, hopeless of attaining his object, the unfortunate
son of James II. left Scotland, the land of his forefathers, never
to visit it again, and Earl William followed him to the common
resort of the exiled Jacobites of the time. On the 7th of the
following May an Act of attainder was passed against the Earl
and the other chiefs of the Jacobite party. Their estates were
forfeited, though practically in many cases, and especially in
that of Seaforth, it was found extremely difficult to carry the
forfeiture into effect. The Master of Sinclair is responsible for
the base and unfounded allegation that the Earl of Seaforth, the
Marquis of Huntly, and other Jacobites, were in treaty with the
Government to deliver up the Chevalier to the Duke of Argyll, that
they might procure better terms for themselves than they could
otherwise expect. This odious charge, which is not corroborated
by any other writer, must be looked upon as highly improbable."
[Fullarton's "Highland Clans," p 471.] If any proof of the
untruthfulness of this charge be required it will be found in the
fact that the Earl returned afterwards to the Island of Lewis,
and re-embodied his vassals there under an experienced officer,
Campbell of Ormundel, who had served with distinction in the
Russian army; and it was not until a large Government force was
sent over against him, which he found it impossible successfully
to oppose, that he recrossed to the mainland and escaped to France.
Pages:
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481