r
boats--"None but my brave English could do this!" was one trait of a
character neither devoid of sensibility, nor destitute of certain
emotions which appear incompatible with the royal patron of Judge
Jeffries, and with the enemy of Monmouth.

During his residence, when Duke of York, at Holyrood, accompanied by
Anne Hyde, when Duchess of York, James became extremely popular in
Edinburgh; in the Highlands his hold of the affections of the chieftains
had a deeper origin. The oppressor of the English had endeavoured to
become the emancipator of the chieftains. The rigour of the feudal
system, which was carried to its utmost extent in the Highlands,
although softened by the patriarchal character of the chiefs, was
revolting to the chieftains or landholders under the yoke of some feudal
nobleman or chief; and they became ambitious of becoming direct holders
from the Crown. It was a scheme of James the Second to abolish this
system of infeudation, by buying up the superiorities,--a plan, the
completion of which was attempted by William the Third, but defeated by
the avarice and dishonesty of those who managed the transaction. The
chieftains, however, never forgot the obligation which they owed to
James:[3] they refused all offers of emolument or promotion from his
successor; and they adhered to the exiled King with a loyalty which was
never shaken, and which broke forth conspicuously in the Insurrection of
1715. "The Highlanders," says Dalrymple, "carried in their bosoms the
high point of honour without its follies."

Without entering into the various reasons which strengthened this
sentiment of gratitude and allegiance; without commenting upon the
partly patriarchal nature of the clan system, and the firm compact which
was cemented between every member of that family by a common
relationship of blood; it is sufficient to remark, that to a people so
retired, in many parts insulated, in all, apart from daily intelligence,
far away from communication with any whose free disquisitions might
possibly stake their opinions, it was not surprising that the loyalty to
James should continue unalloyed during two successive reigns. It burned,
indeed, with a steady though covered flame. The Insurrection of 1715,
which seems, in the pages of history, to break forth unexpectedly, was
long in being organized. From Anne's first Session of Parliament until
the completion of the Union, Scotland was in a state of ferment, and
violent party d