THE ISLES AND WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 379 



abstained from joining Dundee, while Seaforth, of course, 

 was fighting in Ireland at the time ; so it may be doubted 

 if there were either Lewismen or Harrismen at Killie- 

 crankie, though the Uists and Barra were represented. 



In a letter dated 3<Dth November, 1689, addressed by 

 James to Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat, the King inti- 

 mated his intention of sending Seaforth to Scotland to 

 head his clan ; the Duke of Berwick, the natural son of 

 James, to follow him as soon as the season permitted the 

 shipment of horses from Ireland. In this letter, the King 

 expressed himself as " afflicted " at the news of the death 

 of Dundee ; but hoped that the work so "happily begun" 

 by that general would be carried on, since " no less than the 

 preservation of the hereditary succession of our Crown is at 

 stake." Above all things, James urged union among his 

 partisans, and in wishing success to their joint efforts, pro- 

 mised that he would reward them " out of such forfeitures 

 as shall come to us by the unnatural rebellion of the rest of 

 our subjects there."* It may be questioned whether, even 

 as a matter of policy, Charles II. or James II. helped their 

 cause much by appealing to the cupidity of their sup- 

 porters. By taking such low ground, they eliminated the 

 higher considerations which influenced the most chivalrous 

 of their friends in drawing the sword for them. An appeal 

 to the generosity of the Highlanders would have proved a 

 more powerful incentive to the best of the chiefs. While 

 winnowing the chaff from the wheat the mere fortune- 

 hunters from the men of principle such an appeal would 

 have ensured the enthusiasm of a staunch, if reduced band 

 of adherents, whose support was not to be measured by 

 material rewards. This system of drawing bills on futurity 

 was not flattering to the motives of the Highlanders. In 

 the case of Charles II., few of the bills had been met at 

 maturity ; and it says much for the credulity, or, as we 

 prefer to put it, the innate loyalty of the chiefs, that after 

 their past experience, they continued faithful to the family 



* Cat. of State Papers (1689-90), p. 338. 



