140 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



latter fell, but he himself tumbled in after him. It was in 

 vain that the Regent tried to win over Donald Dubh and his 

 followers to his anti-English policy ; the only chief of note 

 to side with him was James Macdonald of Dunyveg, and, 

 as subsequent events proved, his adherence was at best 

 half-hearted, if nothing worse. 



Meanwhile, Donald Dubh and his followers, acting in 

 conjunction with the Earl of Lennox, commenced opera- 

 tions against Argyll and Huntly, securing by this means 

 the friendship and support of Henry VIII., until finally, 

 they listened to his representations, and consented to 

 transfer their allegiance to the English Crown. It must 

 be acknowledged that so far at least as their leader is 

 concerned, English gold was a determining factor in 

 this decision. But before condemning the Islesmen for 

 their traitorous conduct, it may be permissible to examine 

 their attitude from their own standpoint. The claims of 

 Scotland as their native land had always lain lightly 

 on their shoulders; so lightly, in fact, as to be scarcely 

 felt. They regarded the Lowlanders as an alien race, 

 permanent fusion with whom was distasteful to their 

 instincts. From every point of view but their own, they 

 owed loyalty and faithful service to the country of which 

 the Hebrides had, for nearly three centuries, formed an 

 integral part. But above their duty to Scotland, they 

 placed their hereditary attachment to the Lords of the 

 Isles, who had in the past exercised unquestioned supremacy 

 over them, a supremacy which they acknowledged in a 

 way that the Crown had never been able to secure by 

 favours, or enforce by punishment. How far they were 

 influenced by the motives attributed to them by Elder 

 the hope of reward from a master who showered favours 

 on his rebellious Celtic subjects cannot be known. That 

 they expected generous treatment at the hands of the 

 English King is not unlikely, but there is nothing to show 

 that they embarked upon the enterprise for the sake of 

 what they could get out of it. They were financed by 

 England, it is true, but it is obvious that the mercenary 



