of
entirely suppressing every appearance of discontent; but in a short time
the neighbouring country began to feel bad effects from his disgrace.
Donald Bean Lean, and others of his class, whose depredations had
hitherto been confined to other districts, appeared from thenceforward to
have made a settlement on this devoted border; and their ravages were
carried on with little opposition, as the Lowland gentry were chiefly
Jacobites, and disarmed. This forced many of the inhabitants into
contracts of black-mail with Fergus Mac-Ivor, which not only established
him their protector, and gave him great weight in all their
consultations, but, moreover, supplied funds for the waste of his feudal
hospitality, which the discontinuance of his pay might have otherwise
essentially diminished.

In following this course of conduct, Fergus had a further object than
merely being the great man of his neighbourhood, and ruling despotically
over a small clan. From his infancy upward he had devoted himself to the
cause of the exiled family, and had persuaded himself, not only that
their restoration to the crown of Britain would be speedy, but that those
who assisted them would be raised to honour and rank. It was with this
view that he laboured to reconcile the Highlanders among themselves, and
augmented his own force to the utmost, to be prepared for the first
favourable opportunity of rising. With this purpose also he conciliated
the favour of such Lowland gentlemen in the vicinity as were friends to
the good cause; and for the same reason, having incautiously quarrelled
with Mr. Bradwardine, who, notwithstanding his peculiarities, was much
respected in the country, he took advantage of the foray of Donald Bean
Lean to solder up the dispute in the manner we have mentioned. Some,
indeed, surmised that he caused the enterprise to be suggested to Donald,
on purpose to pave the way to a reconciliation, which, supposing that to
be the case, cost the Laird of Bradwardine two good milch cows. This zeal
in their behalf the House of Stuart repaid with a considerable share of
their confidence, an occasional supply of louis-d'or, abundance of fair
words, and a parchment, with a huge waxen seal appended, purporting to be
an earl's patent, granted by no less a person than James the Third King
of England, and Eighth King of Scotland, to his right feal, trusty, and
well-beloved Fergus Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich, in the county of Perth, and
kingdom of Sco