+Source.+--_Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland, from the
Dissolution of the Last Parliament of Charles II. until the
Sea-Battle off La Hogue_, vol. i., p. 215, by Sir John Dalrymple,
Bart. (London and Edinburgh: 1771.)
Of those who had offered their services to William for the settlement of
Scotland, three were eminent above the rest: the Duke of Hamilton, the
Marquis of Athole, and Lord Stair. The Duke of Hamilton had disapproved
of the measures of the late reign, but without publicly opposing them.
He had observed the same cautious conduct with regard to the parties of
his countrymen. He took advantage of his rank to attend none of those
public cabals in which all party-measures had been conducted in
Scotland, from the time of the tables of the covenant; and, by that
singularity, appeared to be of no party, at the same time when he was
dealing in private with all parties. Son of the illustrious house of
Douglas, married to the heiress of the house of Hamilton, related to the
royal family, and to most of the crowned heads of Europe, in succession
in right of his wife to the crown of Scotland, at a time when the
ancient families of Scotland were of importance in the scale of
government, because they were of importance in their own country, his
pre-eminence was seen by William, and perhaps feared. He had been
entrusted with none of the secrets of the revolution from the ambiguity
of his conduct. Yet he took a violent side against King James upon his
first retreat, but made apologies to that Prince's friends, so soon as
he heard of his return. William, therefore, affected to show him the
highest honours, cajolling him by those arts which the Duke was in use
to employ upon others. From hence, and from the vanity of pre-eminence,
he had consented to preside in the Assembly at London, which offered the
Prince the administration of government. And hence, William gave him all
the influence of the court, to be president of that convention which was
to make the offer of government itself.
The Marquis of Athole was a subject of great consequence, because his
estate and power lay in the heart of the highlands. He had concurred in
all the measures of the two royal brothers, and had been loaded with
favours and honours by both. Yet, upon news of James's retreat, he flew,
from restlessness of temper more than from principle, to London, while
Scotland was yet in disquiet; resolved, amid contending Princes, to make
the best terms for himself. He almost alone, of all those who went to
London to offer their service to the Prince of Orange, returned home
discontented; because his views had been too sanguine, and because he
was ashamed of what he had done. His repentance he made offer of to the
friends of James in Scotland, which was received, and thanked in public,
but in secret distrusted.
Lord Stair had none of the external advantages of the other two. Yet,
from great reach of thought, and through knowledge of men and parties
gained from experience, he came to be a considerable figure in party....
Upon the restoration he attached himself to the Duke of Lauderdale. The
furies of that minister he often moderated, and often opposed, openly
when he could, secretly when he could not; yet still preserved his
friendship. After enduring many years the loss of his rank and his
country, from the injustice of the Duke of York, he, at the age of
seventy, assumed again his long-neglected sword and cuirass, and came
over with the Prince of Orange, who was so fond of him that he carried
him in his own ship. The influence of Lord Stair in party was increased
by that of his son Sir John Dalrymple, a man distinguished above all by
the beauty of his person, and the power of his eloquence. To the wisdom
and experience of the father, to the parts and show of the son, rather
than to the power of the Duke of Hamilton, William, certain that the two
former could never hope to be pardoned by James, resolved to leave the
management of Scotland in the end; but, in the meantime, to make
advantage of the Duke's offers of service for the settlement of that
country.
Of all those nobles whom James, when Duke of York, had honoured with his
friendship, and when King, graced with his favours, a few only continued
openly in his interest. Of these the chief were the Duke of Gordon, a
Roman Catholic, to whom James had entrusted the castle of Edinburgh, a
man weak, and wavering in courage, but bound by shame and religion; Lord
Balcarres attached by affection, gratitude, and that delicacy of
sentiment which the love of letters commonly inspires; and Lord Dundee,
who had for ever before his eyes ideas of glory, the duty of a soldier,
and the example of the great Montrose, from whose family he was
descended. James had entrusted the care of his civil concerns in
Scotland to Balcarres, and of his military ones to Dundee. William asked
both to enter into his service. Dundee refused without ceremony.
Balcarres confessed the trust which had been put in him, and asked the
King, if, after that, he could enter into the service of another?
William generously answered, "I cannot say that you can." But added,
"Take care that you fall not within the law; for otherwise I shall be
forced against my will to let the law overtake you." The other nobles of
the late King's party waited for events, in hopes and in fears from the
old government and the new, intriguing with both, and depended upon by
neither.