ENGLAND AND THE ISLES. 141 



spirit was subservient to their loyalty to the pseudo-Lord 

 of the Isles. As for Donald Dubh himself, he had nothing- 

 for which to thank Scotland save the walls of a prison, and 

 his bitterness against her is at least intelligible. That 

 the clans permitted themselves to be made the instruments 

 of his revenge may be deplored, but it was neither the first 

 nor the last time in their history that they suffered in the 

 cause of loyalty, mistaken though it may have been. But 

 this much may be said for the Hebrideans : they took 

 service with England openly, while many of their Lowland 

 countrymen worked for her secretly, while professing to 

 be patriotic Scotsmen. 



From the records of the Privy Council of England, we 

 find that Donald Dubh received, in May 1545, a sum of 

 250 from the English King, and that in the following 

 month, in consequence of the reports of Lennox as to the 

 good services of Donald in the " avauncement of his 

 Grace's affayres in those parties " (the Hebrides), he was 

 granted by Henry a further sum of 1,000 ducats, with a 

 yearly pension of 2,000 ducats. On 28th July, a commis- 

 sion was granted by Donald Dubh, with the advice and 

 consent of his barons and Council of the Isles, to two com- 

 missioners to treat with the English King under the direction 

 of the Earl of Lennox. The Council consisted of seventeen 

 members (not one of whom could sign his name), the repre- 

 sentatives of the Long Island being Ruari Macleod of 

 Lewis, Alastair Macleod of Harris, John Moidartach of 

 Clan-Ranald, Archibald Macdonald, Captain of the Clan 

 Huistein, and Gilliganan (or Gilleonan) Macneill of Barra. 

 The remarkable document constituting this commission 

 sets forth, inter alia, that the Lord of the Isles disclaimed 

 all allegiance to Scotland, of which realm he described 

 himself and his ancestors as " auld enemies," and that he 

 entered willingly into the service of England, binding him- 

 self to assist the Earl of Lennox with 8,000 men. It is 

 perhaps unfortunate for the reputation of Donald Dubh 

 that this offer followed, instead of preceding, the payment 

 of English gold and the gift of a comfortable pension. It 



M 



