ith the characters of either men. It
is very possible that the young soldier, like another young man of those
days, may have grown "tired with knocking at preferment's door;" but, in
truth, a reason to account for their parting is very easily found. With
the campaign of 1677 all fighting on the Continent was stayed for a
time. Claverhouse's profession was fighting. After the peace of Nimeguen
in 1678 Scotland was the only European country then offering a chance of
employment to a soldier of fortune. In 1677, accordingly, he resigned
his commission in the Dutch service and crossed over into England,
taking with him a reputation for courage and ability that at once
recommended him to the King and Duke of York for a man likely to be
useful in such affairs as they had then on hand. Indeed, the character
that it is clear he brought back with him from Holland is alone
sufficient to disprove the story of the quarrel in the courtyard at
Loo.[6]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Fountainhall's "Historical Notices:" Napier's "Memorials of Dundee,"
i. 183. The decision in question is dated July 24th, 1687, and certainly
appears to prove that Claverhouse did not attain his majority till 1664,
which would fix his birth in the year above given.

[2] The "Memoirs of the Life of Sir Ewan Cameron of Lochiel" were
printed for the Abbotsford Club in 1842. They are believed to have been
written between 1730 and 1740 by John Drummond of Bahaldy, a grandson,
or great-grandson, of Lochiel. Several copies of the manuscript are in
existence, of which the best is said by the editor to be the one then in
the possession of Mr. Crawfurd of Cartsburn. It is written in a clear
hand upon small quarto paper, and bound in two volumes. On the fly-leaf
of the first volume is written "Aug. 7. 1732, Jo. Drummond." See also
Burnet's "History of My Own Time," ii. 553; Dalrymple's "Memoirs of
Great Britain and Ireland," i. 344; Burton's "History of Scotland," vii.
360; Napier's "Memorials of Viscount Dundee," i. 16-32, and 178-9.
Burnet married Lady Margaret Kennedy, daughter of the Earl of Cassilis
and aunt of Lady Dundee. In point of style and arrangement, of taste and
temper--in everything, in short, which helps to make literature,
Napier's book is perhaps as bad as it is possible for a book to be. But
his industry is unimpeachable; and, through the kindness of the late
Duke of Buccleuch, he was able to publish no less than thirty-seven
letters written in Claverhouse's o