THE ISLES AND THE COMMONWEALTH. 351 



to the hills, a summons to surrender. In the meantime, 

 Sir James Macdonald had been sent for to assist Gobbet 

 in treating with the Macleods. Macdonald arrived next 

 day, and succeeded in inducing them to come in. Terms 

 were arranged, Macleod and his kinsmen binding them- 

 selves not to act against the Commonwealth on pain of 

 the forfeiture of their estates ; while Macdonald agreed to 

 become sponsor for the laird's appearance before Lilburn 

 to give security. We have seen that Macdonald had 

 asked Lilburn for protection against possible molestation 

 by the English. This was granted by a letter from the 

 Commander-in-Chief, in which he forbade the soldiers to 

 seize the stock, or to offer any violence to the persons 

 or property, of Macdonald's tenantry in North Uist, " they 

 doing nothing prejudiciall to the Commonwealth of 

 England, and giving obedience to the present Governe- 

 ment." Sir James secured a similar protection for Clan- 

 ranald, of whose sympathies Lilburn was evidently in 

 doubt, and who was granted the order only as a mark 

 of favour to Macdonald. The latter, as a further stimulus 

 to his friendship for the Commonwealth, was allowed 

 an extension of two or three months further time in which 

 to find security, in common with the rest of the chiefs.* 



The Outer Hebrides and Skye being thus virtually 

 annexed to the Commonwealth, Cobbet sailed to Mull 

 to complete his mission, arriving there on 3rd September. 

 After the dispersal of his army, Glencairn went to Mull, 

 where a safe asylum awaited him with the Macleans, but 

 he seems to have left the island before the arrival of 

 Cobbet, who, with the assistance of Argyll, quickly re- 

 duced the Macleans to submission. 



Lilburn was meanwhile corresponding with Cromwell 

 concerning affairs in Lewis, which, says Lilburn, " seems 

 to be a considerable place." Cobbet had sent the Com- 

 mander-in-Chief an account of the island, which Lilburn 

 had transmitted to head-quarters. The Protector gave 



Merc. Pol. (Vol. XLV., p. 3032). 



BBS 



