in 1688, when James fled from England, the Earl of
Perth, endeavouring to follow him, was thrown into prison, first at
Kirkaldy, and afterwards at Stirling, until the privy council, upon his
giving security for five thousand pounds, permitted him to follow his
royal master. From James, the Earl received the title of Duke, which his
successors adopted, and which was given to them by the Jacobite party,
of which we find repeated instances in the letters of Lord Mar. His son,
Lord Drummond, succeeded to all the inconveniences which attend the
partisans of the unfortunate. Returning from France, in 1695, he was
obliged to give security for his good conduct, in a large sum. In
consequence of the assassination plot, the vigilance of Government was
increased, and, in 1696, he was committed to Edinburgh Castle. During
the reign of William, a system of exaction was carried on with respect
to this family.

"In a word," says the author of Lochiell's Memoirs, himself a Drummond,
speaking of James Lord Drummond, "that noble lord was miserably harassed
all this reign. He represented a family which had always been a blessing
to the country where it resided; and he himself was possessed of so many
amiable qualities, that he was too generally beloved not to be suspected
by such zealous ministers. He was humble, magnificent, and generous; and
had a certain elevation and greatness of soul that gave an air of
dignity and grandeur to all his words and actions. He had a person
well-turned, graceful and genteel, and was besides the most polite and
best bred lord of his age. His affability, humanity, and goodness gained
upon all with whom he conversed; and as he had many friends, so it was
not known that he had any personal enemies. He had too much sincerity
and honour for the times. The crafty and designing are always apt to
cover their vices under the mask of the most noble and sublime virtues;
and it is natural enough for great souls to believe that every person of
figure truly is what he ought to be, and that a person of true honour
thinks it even criminal to suspect that any he is conversing with is
capable of debasing[212] the dignity of his nature so low as to be
guilty of such vile and ignoble practices. None could be freer of these,
or indeed of all other vices, than the noble person I speak of. The
fixed and unalterable principles of justice and integrity, which always
made the rules of his conduct, were transmitted to him with his b