11. MAJOR-GENERAL MACKAY TO THE DUKE OF HAMILTON.

May it please your Grace,

Elgin, 27th of June, 1689. The raison I ftay'd fo long in north is apparant, by what hath occurred fince my coming hither; firft, if your Grace confider what fmall number of forces were in Scotland when I came north, confifting in the mater of 1200 foot I brought from England, Levingston's regiment of dragoons the mater of 180, proven fince to be ill compofed as to the moft parte of officers, and fcarcely as many of the Lord Colcefter's regiment of hors, in all about 1560 standing forces, which was the occafion I came fo flenderly accompanyed. Your Grace knowes that I was refolved to stay but a fortnights away, having no other thought at that tyme, then to put the Lord Dundie from forming a party in the Duke of Gordon's countreys; to which end, and that ther might be fure wayes lay'd for rendering his retrait difficult to him, I order'd the Laird of Grant to departe presently for his countrey, to fend men down Spey to hinder the faid Lord's paffage over to morrow, when my approach fhould allarme him; I gave the fame orders to my Lord Mar for the paffages of his countrey, as alfo to the Marques of Athole for his; Grant ftay'd too long at Edinborg after my departure from thence; Mar was taken with fieckneffe, but what Athole's excufe may be (after his folemn proteftations to me of his refolution to venture perfon and all for the Proteftant religion, and the mantenance of the government under King William and Queen Mary) I know not, notwithstanding wee saw that no countrey in Scotland favour'd the rebells more than his Lordfhips did, not only by giving free paffage to the Lord Dundie, and treating him and thofe of his party kindly, but also by feizing my pofts and leters, and fending them to the ennemy to take his measures thereby. When then your Grace and the Councel fhall feriously confider (as I faid before) the small number of fenfible forces as then in

the kingdom, that benorth Tay (excepting a very feu familys which wold be forced to dryve with the ftreame) all was in a generall difaffection to the present government, and that I found presently a confiderable beginning of a party formed in arms beyond my expectation, you may easily judge of the reft, if they had not met with present oppofition, and if that fnowball had rolled fourth and ingroffed (as doubtless it wold ad on very quickly) the levies which now are prety well advanced, had been fruitleffe in many parts of the kingdom; so much for the first Highland interprife; at the fecond tyme their party was beter formed, and prefumed upon my small number, the intelligence they had with my own people, and Ramfay's unsaisonable contremarch, which cannot, neverthelesse, be much blamed in him, finding my orders and directions to him intercepted, and knowing that whole countrey of Athole to be ill-affected and ready to joyn with the ennemy. Of the rest of that affaire I gave your Grace and the Pryvy Councell account already, so that I conclude that the peace which the kingdom doth enjoy as yet, and which, with God's aflistance, we are able now to maintaine beter then at that tyme, may vnder God (whofe work and direction it was) be attributed to the number of 450 regullar forces which I caryed north, whereof almoft the half esteemed favourers of the ennemy more then of us, by the corruption of their officers, fo that we may fee by what fmall means God fomtymes overturns great defeyns; for I cannot perfuade myself otherwayes than that this plot was forged at Edinburg, in the brains of men of greater intereft and influence upon the Highlanders than the Lord Dundie, which, if it be, I with God may detect fo great a villanie, that by the punishment of a feu, the peace and happyneffe of Britaine, in the enjoyment of their religion and libertys, may be established, and if otherways, their innocencie may appear fo that they may not reft under fufpition, nor we fin in fufpecting them if innocent. I had then after my return from Baidenoch to Inderneffe refolved to make fom halt in the north, notwithstanding I had certain intelligence that Dundie had not above forty hors, and the mater of 3 or 400 foot with him, both that I might have fuller affurances of the names of Mac

kenzie, Fraser and Macphersons, and knowing that the combyned Highlanders for the moft parte lay fo contiguous, that they could quickly gather vpon feu dayes advertisment; the forsaid names came to no final ingadgement with me, whereon I can lay any ftreffe according to my judgement, the most parte of their following confifting in Highlanders, whereof the heads of familys no more then Seaforth's brother came not neare mee, and though Redcastel, Coul, Tulloch, and others came, they fell not upon final methods, but protested a great deale of affection for the cause, so far as their intereft (which is fmall in following, and of no good men for arms) can goe; the name of Fraser met, but in my oppinion are not to be much trusted, except their Lord were more throw stick, for when they had wryten two or three lynes of a generall anfwer to his leter, when I wold have it alter'd according to the coppie I fend your Grace here inclosed, they refused it; my Lord Lovet directed his leter to three perfons, whereof one was actually with all the men he could make with Dundie the last tyme he was down the countrey, and the other two have neither confiderable intereft, following nor willingness, fo that though they promised to fournish three hundred men vpon a call, I know not what state can be made vpon them; and the Macphersons who ftented their country to furnish two hundred men to the ennemy against me, have given me no affurances. Notwithstanding, (being vncertain of maters in Ireland, and at fea, and judging fo well by the Lord Secretary's leter as your Graces, that ther was fom apprehenfions of invafion in the weft of Scotland, or at least that men were not so punctually informed of maters there as need were,) I refolved to leave Colonel Levingstoun and Colonel Leslie with their regiments, and the detachments of Levin and Haftings, in the north, which make a 1000 men in all, and to goe fouth with the eight hondert foot detached out of our three regiments, and Berckleys dragoons. Befydes the 1000 men at Inverneffe, I left a garifon at Braan and Cultayleud of a 100 men each, of my Lord Reays and Balnagowen's men, vnder a Captain and Lieutenant each honder, the Captain 4fh. a day, and the Lieutenant 2fh. and 6 pence for each fouldier fo long

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till they be discharged, for which I promised to obtain precept from your Grace, which I pray your Grace may be fent upon Baillie Duff for two months, that they fhall be in pay the 8 July nixt. Ther was of my Lord Reay's men about 400 when the Highlanders came down laft; of my Lord Strathnavers' men, with the fix companies of his regiment, ods of 600, (whereof 398 belonging to his regiment,) and of Balnagowen's men 300, all those supply men were fent away at my return, (excepting fuch as belonged to my Lord Strathnavers' regiment,) and had only fom meal allowed them vpon the publique account, but the 200 of Mackay and Balnagowen were with mee in the hills, and ftill fince I came north.

Now, being cum the length of this town, where I was to take the detachment of the 3 regiments, and the dragowns of Berckley, which I sent a fortnight agoe to Strathboggy in my way, I had this morning the inclofed letters from Colonel Levingston, the Lord Strathnaver and Balnagowen, which I find not ftrenge, having allwayes fufpected, that upon my motion fouthward they would draw together again; now I find myfelf obliged to expect the certaintie of this fomwhere hereabouts, to the end I may not loose the fruit of all my former labour, (though, I thanck God for it, wee are now better provided for their interprises then when I came north,) for certainly, notwithstanding of the obliging measures I take with all men, I find as much raifon to doubt of men as ever before, if they found the occafion favorable. I have wryten feverall tyms, fo well to to your Grace as to the officers commanding the forces in my absenc, that my opinion was, that more forces fhould be fent to Argyles fhire, which wold divert the combined Highlanders from falling fo troublesom to the north; for here they expect the most formidable party, as certainly they have the greatest number of favourers in these norther fhires, who doe not believe there are fo many forces on foot in Scotland, fince nothing appears against the rebels but the small party I had with me before the junction of Ramfay and the two English regements: Nor yet doth it appeare but small, fince nothing els makes head against them. It is therefore my opinion, to your Grace and the Privy Council, (to which his Ma

jeftie refers himself much as to the direction of matters in this kingdom) that a body of eighteen hundert foot, and a hundert and fiftie hors, or a hundert at least, (comprehending the forces which might be fent there already, whereof I am uncertain) be commanded to the forefaid fhire, not counting Argyle's own regement, which will be of no greater ufe then I find my Lord Strathnavers and Grants here in their own countreys, unarmed and undisciplined, which body will keep thofe Highlanders at home; and if they should venture a march to the north, fhall fall in and deftroy their countreys. It will moreover be a bridle to Athole's and Braidalbin's countreys, and well pofted to march quickly, and help to op. pofe a landing in any place in Scotland where wee may have greatest apprehenfion, and the ennemy greatest appearance of effectuating it. A confiderable body in the north cannot fo quickly joyn for fuch an oppofition, but that in Argyles fhire can in feu dayes march to any place in the west, The forefaid body ought to be of the new levies, of the best armed, and most advanced in difcipline. I believe my Lord Angufe's regement wold doe well there; for I find, by experience, that neither the English nor Scots ftrenger troopes can fubfift upon meal and other victuals, which can be furnished for fuch occafions, as the men of the country, and fuch as are newly levied. There must be a provifor fent with them who fhall have care to get the meal fournished without fail, fee it distributed and shortned of their pay; as alfo to distribut flefh three or four days a-week, according to the fame method. Ther ought alfo order to be fent to Baillie Duf at Inderneffe, colectour of the accyfe, as well as of the revenues of the crown lands in Roffe, to have meal in magafin at Inderneffe, and to deput a man along with the forces, to anfwer to the government for the dif tribution thereof to the forces, and that it be duely fhortned of their pay, to the end the troupes be regullarly provided, whereby the fervice may be advanced, and the government be at no loffe theireby. And that thofe provifors, with their deputs, may doe the fervice diligently and cheerfully, they ought to have fom allowance for their pains; feu men now a dayes being fo difintrefted as to doe their duty upon a principle of conscience,