1 ' ■ h ' "■ 'iff . PUBLICATIONS OF THE SCOTTISH HISTORY SOCIETY VOLUME XLI THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE July 1902 . ><r THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE AND OTHER PAPERS CONCERNING THE AFFAIRS OF CLAN CHATTAN : BY SIR iENEAS MACPHERSON, Knight OF IN VERES HIE 1691-1705 Edited with Notes and Introduction from the Originals at Cluny Castle, by the REV. ALEXANDER D. MURDOCH EDINBURGH Printed at the University Press by T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society 1902 'i (!'iA CONTENTS INTRODUCTION, ix Postscript, ........ c Note? on the Manuscripts, ci THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE or the Resolute Advyse of a Faithfull Kinsman, in a Memoriall to the Laird of Cluny in Badenoch, together with other Pieces and an account of his Life, by Sir iEneas McPherson of Invereshie, Knight. 1701, 1 A Short Abstract of the Life and Death of Sir Aeneas M'Pherson of Invereshy, Knight. Written by himself a little before his Death [sic], . 3 The Loyall Dissuasive, etc., 17 Remarks upon the Manuscript by Sir John Mackleane, 98 A Supplement to the former Dissuasive B way of Answer to some Ingenious remarks, made upon it, by a person of Quality of great Sence, and Learning. Wherein some of its passages are made more plain and set in their true Light, by Sir Aineas M'Pherson of Invereshie, Knight, Author of the Dissuasive. 1704, . 109 The Patron turned Persecutor or a short Narrative off Sr Aineas M'Pherson his services to his Gr. the D. off G. and of the said Duke his kind and oblidgeing vi THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE Returns Wherein also; some of His Gr’s pro- ceedings against the Lairde off Cluny, and his whole Clann and Family are breefly Related and proved to be unjust. In a letter to a person of quality by Sr /Eneas M'Pherson, Knight. 1703, 125 The Vindication off Sir iEneas Macpherson wherein his fidelity to his friend is asserted and maintained, and his Loyalty to the King Justified and proved against the Cavvills of some evile and malicious accusors in a letter to a Freind, 177 The Address and Remonstrance of Sir Jineas M'Pherson prisoner in Edinr. tolbooth agt. the torture to the Commission and Council of Scotland. [1691], . 199 Memorial to the Kino [James vn.], ..... 207 Vanitie Exposed [Farquharson Genealogy], . 217 INDEX, 243 ILLUSTRATIONS Andrew Macpherson of Cluny, l66l, from the picture at Cluny, ........ frontispiece Facsimile of a letter to Andrew Macpherson of Cluny from Lauchlan Mackintosh of Torcastle, 1665, . at page xxxv INTRODUCTION These writings and their author, though little known to history, have held a prominent place in clan controversy and Highland interest. In the literary wars of Macpherson and Mackintosh, Sir iEneas has long been a name for the former to rally round, and for the latter to respect. Whether omne ignotum pro magnifico may have had a share in the eminent estimation of his writings may be a question, but now that the manuscripts have yielded up their mystery to print, and the custody of the Charter Chest has been relaxed, by the kindness of the owners of the various documents, the Society and the reading public may themselves judge of the powers of Sir iEneas as champion of Cluny Macpherson, and estimate the merits of his works. Whatever may be deemed the success of Sir riCneas in con- troversy, there is no question as to the value of his writings for the vivid light they throw on many characters, many situations, and much of the undercurrent and the smaller diplomacies of the Orange Revolution period. A clever lawyer, trained and expert both as a solicitor and a barrister, a place- hunter in the very atmosphere of solicitation, and frankly going about it; a kinsman, loyal to the backbone, personally acquainted with the great, the little, and the people between ; revelling in finesse and intrigue, yet perfectly true to his principles, his party, and his people; well-read, and to a fault dexterous in applying his knowledge; thoroughly acquainted with traditions, genealogies, men and manners in the High- lands, Sir iEneas Macpherson is one whose converse cannot THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE fail to supply much which our Society seeks to glean in the field of Scottish History. There is little that I know of in the writers of his own time, or of that which follows it, having reference to our author. The Laird of Brodie mentions him as Angus Macpherson in his Diary. His name occurs in some surviving deeds, and the Thane of Cawdor has references to him. His action as sherifF-depute of Aberdeen is recorded in the Books of the Court. If, as I am convinced, he is the Williamson of Sir James Montgomery’s plot in 1689, Burnet in the History of his own Time gives some details as to his capture at Dover. Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie in his Baronage has, however, a handsome reference to Sir ^Eneas. Speaking of the family of Cluny, he says, ‘There is a curious ms. from the Bards and Senachies, who were faithful repeaters of the transactions of their chieftains and forefathers, which may be as much depended on as any other traditional history. This collection was put into order by the ingenious Sir yEneas Macpherson, Advocate, in the reign of Charles n., is looked upon as a most authentic account of this great clan, and is still preserved in the family.’ Again : ‘ Sir .Eneas, a man of great parts and learning, and highly esteemed by Charles n. and James vn. He collected the materials for the history of the clan Macpherson, what is thought a valuable ms., is much esteemed and is still preserved in the family. He was made Sheriff of Aberdeen in charter under the Great Seal by Charles 11., 1684.’ Our author was, we know, a contributor to Jeremy Collier’s Great Dictionary, etc., supplying information on the clan Macpherson and other Highland matters. He has himself left some notes of his career, and one of the papers here printed, the ‘ Patron turned Persecutor,’ and other documents, supply details varied and picturesque. The dates are not to be relied on, and as the account of his death, no less than that of his life, is said to have been written by INTRODUCTION xi himself, we may assume that neither portion is quite authentic. It may perhaps be well to give here a more trustworthy- account of Sir /Eneas with corrected chronology. /Eneas or Angus Macpherson was born in 1644, the second son of William, eldest son of Angus of Invereshie. It was about the time Macdonald was leading his Irishmen through Badenoch to join Montrose, then hiding in Atholl. Young Ewen of Cluny had raised some of his father’s clan to aid Macdonald, and William, younger of Invereshie, joined him, and with his men formed part of the victorious army at Tippermuir. He (William) got his death wound at Auldearn, 9th May 1645, though he did not die on the field. .Eneas’s mother was a daughter of one of the best-known men in the north, Sir Robert Farquharson of Wardess, Monaltrie, and Invercauld, a prosperous merchant, landowner, politician, and antiquary of Aberdeen during the ‘ Trubles.’ That William Macpherson was more than a fighting man is witnessed by a ‘ Deed for laying aside enmity between M‘Gregors and Buchanans,’ which is ‘ farthered by the advice, counsel and consent ’ among others of William of Invereshie.1 William’s death left his widow to struggle for the support of three sons and a daughter. The third son, William Dow, was pro- bably posthumous. There were, besides, at Invereshie, the laird himself, Angus, who in 1648 was excused on account of age from appearing personally before the Synod of Moray to answer for his family’s share in the wars of Montrose. The family of Angus was numerous, as he had been twice married. Five sons and three daughters appear on the family tree. Under these circumstances the widow was no doubt thankful for the assistance of her father in undertaking the education of Eneas. The lands and forests on the Feshie and the Tromie did not then yield the goodly rents of modern days, and people clung much more closely to paternal acres, so that there were 1 History of Clan Gregor, by Amelia Georgiana Murray MacGregor of MacGregor, vol. ii. p. ioi : Edinburgh, 1901. xii THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE many to keep and little to give them. Our author was sent by Sir Robert to ‘ academies.’ I have not found that the Grammar School of Aberdeen was one of these, but in 1659 he appears as an alumnus of Marischal College. He must have taken his degree, for he is styled Mr., but I do not find his name on the lists. Much later—in 1681-2—there is an entry in the Marischal College Book,1 ‘ Received for the Seal, etc., Mr. Angus Macpherson, £5. 6. 8.’ Young Andrew Macpherson of Cluny, his future chief, was also at Marischal College at the same time, admitted a Bajend or Bajan in 1656, graduating July 1660. Young Cluny had for a class-fellow all through his time his cousin Duncan Forbes of Culloden, father of the President. Robert Forbes presided at the graduation of Cluny. ^Eneas gives an interesting account of a dinner-party in the house of the regent, John Forbes, when Sir Robert, young Cluny, and himself were present. One is inclined to think that our author has given the name John to the much more famous Robert Forbes, as the name of John Forbes does not appear among the regents of Marischal College, but that of Robert does.