taking　advantage　of　this　excitement；　issued　a　manifesto　to　the　chief　　nobility；　especially　to　the　Dukes　of　Shrewsbury；　Marlborough；　and　Argyll；　who　at　once　handed　them　to　the　Secretaries　of　State。
  The　King　dissolved　Parliament　in　January；　1715；　and　issued　an　extraordinary　proclamation　calling　together　a　new　one。　　The　Whigs　were　　successful　both　in　England　and　Scotland；　but　particularly　in　the　latter；　　where　a　majority　of　the　peers；　and　forty　out　of　the　forty…five　members　　then　returned　to　the　Commons；　were　in　favour　of　his　Majesty's　　Government。　　The　principal　Parliamentary　struggle　was　in　the　county　of　　Inverness　between　Mackenzie　of　Prestonhall；　strongly　supported　by　　Glengarry　and　the　other　Jacobite　chiefs；　and　Forbes　of　Culloden；　brother　　of　the　celebrated　President；　who　carried　the　election　through　the　influence　　of　Brigadier…General　Grant　and　the　friends　of　Lord　Lovat。
  The　Earl　of　Mar；　who　had　rendered　himself　extremely　unpopular　among　the　Jacobite　chiefs；　afterwards　rewarded　some　of　his　former　favourites　by　advocating　the　repeal　of　the　Union。　　He　was　again　made　Secretary　of　State　for　Scotland　in　1713；　but　was　unceremoniously　dismissed　from　office　by　George　I。；　and　he　vowed　revenge。　　He　afterwards　　found　his　way　to　Fife；　and　subsequently　to　the　Braes　of　Mar。　　On　the　19th　of　August；　1715；　he　despatched　letters　to　the　principal　Jacobites；　among　　whom　was　Lord　Seaforth；　inviting　them　to　attend　a　grand　hunting　match　at　　Braemar　on　the　27th　of　the　same　month。　　This　was　a　ruse　meant　to　cover　　his　intention　to　raise　the　standard　of　rebellion　and　that　the　Jacobites　were　　let　into　the　secret　is　evident　from　the　fact　that　as　early　as　the　6th　of　August　those　of　them　in　Edinburgh　and　its　neighbourhood　were　aware　of　his　intentions　to　come　to　Scotland。　　Under　pretence　of　attending　this　grand　　match；　a　considerable　number　of　noblemen　and　gentlemen　arrived　at　　Aboyne　at　the　appointed　time。　　　Among　them　were　the　Marquis　of　Huntly；　　eldest　son　of　the　Duke　of　Gordon　the　Marquis　of　Tullibardine；　eldest　son　　of　the　Duke　of　Athole；　the　Earls　of　Nithsdale；　Marischal；　Traquair；　Errol；　　Southesk；　Carnwarth；　Seaforth；　and　Linlithgow；　the　Viscounts　Kilsyth；　　Kenmure；　Kingston；　and　Stormont　Lords　Rollo；　Duffus；　Drummond；　　Strathallan；　Ogilvie；　and　Nairne；　and　about　twenty…six　other　gentlemen　of　influence　in　the　Highlands；　among　whom　were　Generals　Hamilton　and　　Gordon；　Glengarry；　Campbell　of　Glendaruel；　and　the　lairds　of　　Aucterhouse　and　Auldbar。　＇Rae；　p　189；　Annals　of　King　George；　pp。　15…16。＇　　Mar　delivered　a　stirring　address；　in　which　he　expressed　regret　for　his　　past　conduct　in　favouring　the　Union；　and；　now　that　his　eyes　were　opened；　　promising　to　do　all　in　his　power　to　retrieve　the　past　and　help　to　make　his　countrymen　again　a　free　people。　　He　produced　a　commission　from　James　　appointing　him　Lieutenant…General　and　Commander　of　all　the　Jacobite　　forces　in　Scotland；　and　at　the　same　time　informed　the　meeting　that　he　was　supplied　with　money；　and　that　an　arrangement　had　been　made　by　which　he　　would　be　able　to　pay　regularly　any　forces　that　might　be　raised；　so　that　no　　gentleman　who　with　his　followers　should　join　his　standard　would　be　put　to　any　expense；　and　that　the　country　would　be　entirely　relieved　of　the　cost　of　　conducting　the　war；　after　which　the　meeting　unanimously　resolved　to　take　　up　arms　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　the　Chevalier　on　the　Scottish　throne。　　They　then　took　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　Mar　as　the　representative　of　　James　VIII。　and　to　each　other；　and　separated；　each　going　home　after　　promising　to　raise　his　vassals　and　to　be　in　readiness　to　join　the　Earl　　whenever　summoned　to　do　so。　　They　had　scarcely　arrived　at　their　　respective　destinations　when　they　were　called　upon　to　meet　him　at　　Aboyne　on　the　3d　of　September　following；　where；　with　only　sixty　　followers；　Mar　proclaimed　the　Chevalier　at　Castletown　in　Braemar；　after　　which　he　proceeded　to　Kirkmichael；　and　on　the　6th　of　September；　raised　　his　standard　in　presence　of　a　force　of　2000；　mostly　consisting　of　cavalry。
  When　in　course　of　erection；　the　ball　on　the　top　of　the　flag…staff　fell　off。
  This　was　regarded　by　the　Highlanders　as　a　bad　omen；　and　it　cast　a　gloom　　over　the　proceedings　of　the　day。
  Meanwhile　Colonel　Sir　Hector　Munro；　who　bad　served　as　Captain　　in　the　Earl　of　Orkney's　Regiment　with　reputation　in　the　wars　of　Queen　Anne；　raised　his　followers；　who；　along　with　a　body　of　Rosses；　numbered　　about　600　men。　　With　these；　in　November；　1715；　he　encamped　at　Alness　　and　on　the　6th　of　October　following　he　was　joined　by　the　Earl　of　　Sutherland；　accompanied　by　his　son；　Lord　Strathnaver；　and　by　Lord　Reay；　　with　an　additional　force　of　600；　in　the　interest　of　the　Whig　Government；　　and　to　cover　their　own　districts　and　check　the　movements　of　the　Western　　clans　in　effecting　a　junction　with　the　Earl　of　Mar；　whom　Earl　William　and　Sir　Donald　Macdonald　had　publicly　espoused；　as　already　stated；　at　the　　pretended　hunting　match　in　Braemar。　　The　meeting　at　Alness　was　　instrumental　in　keeping　Seaforth　in　the　North。　　If　the　Earl　and　his　mother's　　clans　had　advanced　a　month　earlier　the　Duke　of　Argyll　would　not　have　dared　to　advance　against　Mar's　united　forces；　who　might　have　pushed　an　　army　across　the　Forth　sufficient　to　have　paralyzed　any　exertion　that　might　　have　been　made　to　preserve　a　shadow　of　the　Government。　It　may　be　said　　that　if　Dundee　had　lived　to　hold　the　commission　of　Mar；　such　a　junction　　would　not　have　been　necessary；　which　amounts　to　no　more　than　saying　　that　the　life　of　Dundee　would　have　been　tantamount　to　a　restoration　of　the　　Stuarts　Mar　was　not　trained　in　camp；　nor　did　he　possess　the　military　　genius　of　Dundee。　　Had　Montrose　a　moiety　of　his　force　things　would　have　　been　otherwise。　Mar；　trusting　to　Seaforth's　reinforcement；　was　inactive；　and　Seaforth　was　for　a　time　kept　in　by　the　collocation　of　Sutherland's　　levies；　till　he　was　joined　by　700　Macdonalds　and　detachments　from　other　clans；　amounting；　with　his　own　followers；　to　3000　men；　with　which　he　　promptly　attacked　the　Earl　of　Sutherland；　who　fled　with　his　mixed　army　　precipitately　to　Bonar…Bridge；　where　they　dispersed。　A　party　of　Grants　on　　their　way　to　join　them；　on　being　informed　of　Sutherland's　retreat；　thought　　it　prudent　to　retrace　their　steps。　Seaforth；　thus　relieved；　levied　　considerable　fines　on　Munro's　territories；　which　were　fully　retaliated　　for　　during　his　absence　with　the　Jacobite　army；　to　join　which　he　now　set　out；　　and　Sir　John　Mackenzie　of　Coul；　whom　he　had　ordered　to　occupy　　Inverness；　was；　after　a　gallant　resistance；　forced　by　Lord　Lovat；　at　the　head　　of　a　mixed　body　of　Frasers　and　Grants；　to　retire　with　his　garrison　to　Ross…shire。　　〃Whether　he　followed　his　chief　to　Perth　does　not　appear；　but　on　　Seaforth's　arrival　that　Mar　seems　for　the　first　time　to　have　resolved　on　the　　passage　of　the　Firtha　movement　which　led　to　the　Battle　of　Sheriffmuiris　evident　and　conclusive　as　to　the　different　features　given　to　the　whole　campaign　by　the　Whig　camp　at　Alness；　however　creditable　to　the　noble　　Earl　and　his　mother's　confederates。　　But　it　is　not　our　present　province　to　enter　on　a　military　review　of　the　conduct　of　either　army　preceding　this　　consequential　conflict；　or　to　decide　to　which　party　the　victory；　claimed　by　　both　parties；　properly　belonged　　suffice　it　to　say　that　above　3000　of　　Seaforth's　men　formed　a　considerable　part　of　the　second　line；　and　seem　　from　the　general　account　on　that　subject　to　have　done　their　duty。〃　　＇Bennetsfield　MS。＇　　A　great　many　of　Seaforth's　followers　were　slain；　　among　whom　were　four　Highlanders　who　appear　to　have　signally　　distinguished　themselves。　They　were　John　Mackenzie　of　Hilton；　who　　commanded　a　company　of　the　Mackenzies；　John　Mackenzie　of　　Applecross；　John　Mac　Rae　of　Conchra；　and　John　Murchison　of　Achtertyre。
  Their　prowess　on　the　field　had　been　commemorated　by　one　of　their　　followers；　John　MacRae；　who　escaped　and　returned　home；　in　an　excellent　　Gaelie　poem；　known　as　〃Latha　Blar　an　t…Siorra；〃　the　〃　Day　of　　Sheriffmuir。〃　　The　fate　of　these　renowned　warriors　was　keenly　regretted　　by　their　Highland　countrymen；　and　they　are　still　remembered　and　distinguished　amongst　them　as　〃Ceithear　Ianan　na　h…Alba；〃　or　The　four　Johns　　of　Scotland。
  During　the　preceding　troubles　Ellandonnan　Castle　got　into　the　　hands　of　the　King's　troops；　but　shortly　before　Sheriffmuir　it　was　again　secured　by　the　following　clever　stratagem：A　neighbouring　tenant　applied　to　the　Governor　for　some　of　the　garrison　to　cut　his　corn；　as　he　　feared　from　the　appearance　of　the　sky　and　the　croaking　of　ravens　that　a　　heavy　storm　was　impending；　and　that　nothing　but　a　sudden　separation　of　　his　crop　from　the　ground　could　save　his　family　from　starvation。　　The　　Governor　readily　yielded　to　his　solicitations；　and　sent　the　garrison　of　　Government　soldiers　then　in　the　castle　to　his　aid；　who；　on　their　return；　　discovered　the　ruse　too　late　for　the　Kintail　men　were　by　this　time　reaping　　the　spoils；　and　had　possession　of　the　castle。　　〃The　oldest　inhabitant　of　the　　parish　remembers　to　have　seen　the　Kintail　men　under　arms；　dancing　on　the　　leaden　roof；　just　as　they　were　setting　out　for　the　Battle　of　Sheriffmuir；　where　this　resolute　band　was　cut　to　pieces。〃　＇Old　Statistical　Account　of　　Kintail；　1792。＇
  Inverness　continued　meanwhile　in　possession　of　the　Mack