Next to Lovats's Irresolution, &and the
general Distrust entertain’dentertained of him
on that Account, the Machinati-
ons of the ✝ Laird of Macleod,
that great Engine of Duncan’sX
Plots, were of unhappy Consequence.
For when the Commonality were
every whereeverywhere gathering, &and in small
Parties marching away to the
Place of Rendezvous, this Deceiv-
er disguis’ddisguised like a Friend, wrought
on their Leaders from time to time
to halt for him &and the Knight of
Mac-DonaldMacDonald, upon a Pretence that
the Mackenzies1 &and they, by marching
in one Body, would bring a Credit
to the young Man’s affairs which
would be lost by repairing to him
in divided Companies. And when
Men at last began to suspect him,
both by reason of his studied Delays,
&and of his frequent Consultations with
Duncan, he sent them a Letter in
Answer to a Remonstrance made to him 886 (886)
him on these Grounds, wherein he
makes Profession of his confirm’dconfirmed
Purpose of arming for his Country,
&and concludes with these words, For
my own Part, I am either at the
Height of my Ambition, or at the
Foot of a Gibbet: A Profession, it
must be own’downed, but too easily trust-
ed, &and so much the more that his
Fidelity had at first been vouch’dvouched
for, by a Messenger sent into these
Parts by the young Man in order
to quicken the Motion of his Friends.
For a Consultation being then held
at Castle Downy, the Traitor so
dissembled his Duty that he out-
witted them all, insomuch that
afterwards, when Men expressed a
Distrust of him, by reason of his
Contrivances to keep things back,
the Messenger (Barrisdale by name)
still gave Assurances as if his
Master had not a truer Friend u-
pon Earth. And as the Notoriety
of his Accession to the Call for
the young Man had gain’dgained him a
Credit with his Neighbours from the 887 (887)
the Beginning, so these Assurances
of the Messenger, together with his
own Protestations both by word &and
writ, serv’dserved as Arguments to en-
creaseincrease the Stock of it, till at
length certain Leaders submitted
Themselves to his Direction, &and
then their Eyes never open’dopened
till they saw him with his Men
at Inverness.

Macleod’s Men also serv’dserved him much
in this way after their Rout at
Inverury; for when he endeavour-
ed to rally them at Elgin, they
kept him in mind how he had al-
ready deceived them, by making them
believe they were to serve the young
Man when he first brought them out
of the Island; &and afterwards, how to
hold them together at Inverness he
had dissembled with them, as if he
always meant to let them follow
their own Inclinations; till at last
having led them to Inverury a just Dispersion 889 (889)
Dispersion (said they) had there be-
fallen them for his Perfidiousness
to the young Man. And yet (they
told him) wou’dwould he but still return to
his Duty, they would not so much as
look home, for Haste to go with him;
whereas if he continued obstinate,
they would leave him to a Man, which
they did accordingly.