little port near what is called the East Neuk, or point of Fife.

In Fife he had many political friends. The gentlemen of this district, remarkable in the preceding age for their Whiggery, were now almost all Jacobites: the son, for instance, of Hackston of Rathillet, who was executed for the murder of Archbishop Sharpe, was so violent a friend to the Stuarts as to appear in the insurrection about to ensue. Mar was met at Crail by Sir Alexander Erskine, Lord Lyon, and by other friends, with whom he proceeded to the house of John Bethune of Balfour, a good Jacobite, known by the name of "the Honest Laird," and who was married to a daughter of General Hamilton. During his stay in Fife, some gentlemen complained to him that the government was about to deprive them of their arms; on which he advised them to gather in a body, and make open show of resistance; so lightly did he venture in this affair, and so far was he from the caution and prudence which such an enterprise required. From Fife he proceeded to Dupplin, in Perthshire, the seat of his brother-inlaw the Earl of Kinnoul, where he stayed on Wednesday the 17th of August. Next day, he passed the Tay, about two miles below Perth, with a train of forty horse. On Saturday, the 20th of August, he got safe to "the Braes, they are called, of Aberdeenshire, and took up his abode in his own seat of Kildrummy; having dispersed, by the way, letters to all the principal Jacobite chiefs, inviting them to a grand huntingmatch which he was to hold on the 27th.

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It had for some time past been customary for the Jacobite leaders to hold great festivals, to which

they invited all their friends, under the pretence of an ordinary entertainment, though in reality to hold solemn council on the aspect of their affairs, and to sound the affections of the common people, who were always sure to flock to such meetings in great numbers. An assemblage of this kind had been held in the preceding year at Lochmaben, under the pretext of a horse-race; on which occasion, the gentlemen present became so bold, or so drunk, as to proclaim the Chevalier openly at the Cross. Another such meeting had recently been held on the Carse of Gowrie, by Sir David Threipland of Fingask. As a hunting-match was a common affair in the Highlands, the Earl of Mar judged it most advisable to call such a meeting. It was the fitter for his purpose, that the people were always expected to appear armed at huntingmatches, and because it was customary, when the sport was over, to invite the chief persons to a feast.

That Mar had concerted all his schemes before coming to Scotland, was evident from a certain circumstance. His friends at Edinburgh were apprised of it so early as the 6th of August, two days before he landed. On Tuesday the 7th, the Honourable John Dalyell, a half-pay officer, who had resigned his commission with the expectation of joining his Lordship, set out to give the alarm to his brother the Earl of Carnwath, who then resided at Elliock; and information was thence communicated to the Viscount of Kenmure and other Galloway Jacobites; all of whom, having first arranged their affairs, repaired to Lothian, giving out, as they went, that they were going to hunt in the

North. They could not have made this profession without knowing the Earl of Mar's intentions.

The hunting-match took place according to appointment. It was attended by the Marquis of Huntly, eldest son of the Duke of Gordon; the Marquis of Tullibardine, eldest son of the Duke of Athole; the Earls of Nithisdale, Marischal, Traquair, Errol, Southesk, Carnwath, Seaforth, Linlithgow; the Viscounts of Kilsyth, Kenmure, Kingston, and Stormont; the Lords Rollo, Duffus, Drummond, Strathallan, Ogilvie; besides twentysix gentlemen, among whom were Generals Hamilton and Gordon, Campbell of Glendaruel (representing the aged Earl of Breadalbane), the Chief of Glengarry (acting for some of the Highland clans), and the Lairds of Auchterhouse and Auldblair.

The whole being at length gathered together at Aboyne, the Earl of Mar addressed them in a set speech, which he seems to have carefully prepared. In the first place, he expressed, in the most emphatic terms, his sorrow for having taken so conspicuous a part in the business of the Union. His eyes, he said, were now opened, and he was resolved to do all that lay in his power to restore Scotland to the condition in which it had been before that accursed treaty. He was urged the more powerfully to this, by the additional mischief which had recently been brought upon the country by the Elector of Hanover. That prince, since the commencement of his usurpation a twelvemonth ago, had plainly shown, by his giving up the government to an infamous cabal, and by all his proceedings, that he designed to de

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prive the nation of its liberties. He had resolv ed, for his own part, to arm all his tenants and friends, and devote himself to the protection of his country. He did not require, however, to do any thing rashly. There were thousands of individuals throughout Scotland and England, determined, as he could show by their letters, to give him their support, or to act in concert with him. He was also assured of assistance from France, where his sovereign, in whose cause he was to act, had already received large supplies, and promises of more, all of which should be sent, as soon as convenient ports for their landing should be pointed out. That sovereign had himself promised, by letters under his own hand, to come over, and trust his person to the fidelity and valour of the Scottish nation, so soon as a commencement should fairly be given to the undertaking. He had, in the mean time, been pleased to appoint him (the Earl of Mar) Lieutenant-General and Commander-in-chief of all his forces in Scotland; and had supplied him with money sufficient to subsist not only his own vassals, but also those of other gentlemen who might join him, so that no individual in the country would be required to contribute any thing else to this enterprise than his personal assistance and good will. Every thing considered, he could not entertain a doubt that all who heard him would immediately enter into an undertaking, which promised at once the restoration of their natural sovereign to his rights, and of their country to its lost honour and prosperity.

He then showed them the instructions which he had received from the Chevalier to raise the friends of the cause at this time. According to one au

thority,' he displayed at the same time a forged commission of generalship, which he said he had received from the same individual. It was determined that all should immediately return to their estates, and raise their men, some to join the Earl of Mar in his proposed descent upon the Lowlands, and others to co-operate at more distant parts of the country. The Marquis of Huntly promised to bring out the whole of his father's immense following or vassalage, provided that he should be allowed his own time. All present took an oath to be faithful to each other, and to the Earl of Mar as the King's Lieutenant, in the enterprise about The Earl gave each of them, before his departure, a parcel of the Chevalier's manifestoes, which they undertook to distribute. For some time afterwards, these documents were frequently found, in the morning, on the streets of towns throughout Scotland, having been dropt there by the Jacobites during the night.

to ensue.

One of the steps taken by the Government to prevent insurrection, had at this juncture a particularly fatal effect. The act enabling the King to summon a certain number of suspected persons to Edinburgh, there to give security for their good behaviour, was passed on the 30th of August, and was immediately put in force by the Scottish Lord Advocate. I have at this moment before me the summons sent by this official to the Earl of Carnwath, warning him to appear in terms of the act, under the penalty of single or liferent escheat, besides one year's imprisonment, and a fine of five hundred pounds. The persons so summoned were as follow: The Earls of Seaforth, Winton, Carnwath, Southesk, Nithisdale, Linlithgow, Mar, Kin