FN 218 Johnson’s Tour to the Hebrides.

FN 219 Proclamation of the Privy Council of Scotland, Feb. q. 1589.  I give this reference on the authority of Sir Walter Scott.  See the preface to the Legend of Montrose.

FN 220 Johnson’s Tour to the Hebrides.

FN 221 Lockhart’s Memoirs.

FN 222 “What under heaven was the Master’s byass in this matter?  I can imagine none.”  Impartial Account, 1695.  “Nor can any man of candour and ingenuity imagine that the Earl of Stair, who had neither estate, friendship nor enmity in that country, nor so much as knowledge of these persons, and who was never noted for cruelty in his temper, should have thirsted after the blood of these wretches.”  Complete History of Europe, 1707.

FN 223 Dalrymple, in his Memoirs, relates this story, without referring to any authority.  His authority probably was family tradition.  That reports were current in 1692 of horrible crimes committed by the Macdonalds of Glencoe, is certain from the Burnet Ms. Marl. 6584.  “They had indeed been guilty of many black murthers,” were Burnet’s words, written in 1693.  He afterwards softened down this expression.

FN 224 That the plan originally framed by the Master of Stair was such as I have represented it, is clear from parts of his letters which are quoted in the Report of 1695; and from his letters to Breadalbane of October 27., December 2., and December 3. 1691.  Of these letters to Breadalbane the last two are in Dalrymple’s Appendix.  The first is in the Appendix to the first volume of Mr. Burtons valuable History of Scotland.  “It appeared,” says Burnet (ii. 157.), “that a black design was laid, not only to cut off the men of Glencoe, but a great many more clans, reckoned to be in all above six thousand persons.”

FN 225 This letter is in the Report of 1695.

FN 226 London Gazette, January 14and 18. 1691.

FN 227 “I could have wished the Macdonalds had not divided; and I am sorry that Keppoch and Mackian of Glenco are safe.”—­Letter of the Master of Stair to Levingstone, Jan. 9. 1691/2 quoted in the Report of 1695.

FN 228 Letter of the Master of Stair to Levingstone, Jan. 11 1692, quoted in the Report of 1695.

FN 229 Burnet, in 1693, wrote thus about William:—­“He suffers matters to run till there is a great heap of papers; and then he signs them as much too fast as he was before too slow in despatching them.”  Burnet Ms. Harl. 6584.  There is no sign either of procrastination or of undue haste in William’s correspondence with Heinsius.  The truth is, that the King understood Continental politics thoroughly, and gave his whole mind to them.  To English business he attended less, and to Scotch business least of all.

FN 230 Impartial Account, 1695.

FN 231 See his letters quoted in the Report of 1695, and in the
Memoirs of the Massacre of Glencoe.

FN 232 Report of 1695.