Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 08.djvu/372

 their signatures to a paper declaring that Breadalbane was guiltless of the massacre, with the promise that if they did so the earl would use all his influence to procure their pardon. In the course of their inquiries the commission discovered the existence of Breadalbane's ‘Private Articles’ of agreement with the highland chiefs, and in consequence he was on 10 Sept. committed to Edinburgh castle, but King William's privity being proved, he shortly afterwards received his liberty. He held himself aloof from the negotiations regarding the treaty of union in 1706–7, and did not even attend parliament. Notwithstanding the part that he had taken in obtaining the submission of the highlands, he gave secret encouragement to the French descent in regard to which Colonel Hooke was at this time sounding the highland chiefs. Hooke reported, ‘I am well satisfied with my negotiation, for though Lord Broadalbin would not sign any paper, I found him as hearty in the cause as can be wished. He promises to do everything that can be expected from a man of his weight, is truly zealous for the service of his majesty, as he will show as soon as he shall hear of his being landed’ (Secret History of Colonel Hooke's Negotiations (1760), p. 66). On the news of the intended rising in behalf of the Pretender in 1714, Breadalbane retired to one of his most inaccessible fortresses, from which his escape was prevented by stationing guards over the passes. On being charged to appear between 1 Sept. and 23 Jan. 1715 at Edinburgh or elsewhere, to find security for his conduct, he sent a pathetic certificate signed by a physician and the clergyman of Kenmore, dated Taymouth Castle 1 Sept. 1715, testifying that on account of the infirmities of old age he was unable to travel without danger to health and life. Next day he appeared at Mar's camp at Logierait. According to the Master of Sinclair, Lord Drummond, who was entrusted with the undertaking, had orders to communicate all to Breadalbane and take his advice (Memoirs, p. 260). Breadalbane was quite willing to give the best advice he could, provided he did not compromise himself, and at any rate had no objection to reap what pecuniary advantage might be offered him by the court of St. Germains. ‘His business,’ as the Master of Sinclair expressed it, ‘was to trick others, not to be trickt.’ He had engaged to raise twelve hundred men to join the clans, but although his memory was refreshed by sending him money to raise them, he only sent three hundred. Afterwards he paid a visit to the camp at Perth, seeking more money. ‘His extraordinary character and dress,’ says the Master of Sinclair, ‘made everybody run to see him, as if he had been a spectacle. Among others my curiosity led me. He was the meriest grave man I ever saw, and no sooner was told anybody's name, than he had some pleasant thing to say of him, mocked the whole, and had a way of laughing inwardly that was very perceptible’ (ib. p. 185). After the battle of Sheriffmuir ‘his three hundred men went home,’ and ‘his lordship too cunning not to see through the whole affair; we never could promise much on his friendship’ (ib. p. 260). The lukewarmness of his support of the Pretender and his early withdrawal of the small force delivered the government from the necessity of inquiring into his conduct. He died in 1716, in his eighty-first year. He married first on 17 Dec. 1657 Lady Mary Rich, third daughter of Henry, first earl of Holland. By this lady he had two sons: Duncan, styled Lord Ormelie, who survived his father, but was passed over in the succession, and John, in his father's lifetime styled Lord Glenurchy, who became second earl of Breadalbane. Of this nobleman, born 1662, died 1752, known by the nickname of ‘Old Rag,’ Sir Walter Scott, in a note to the Master of Sinclair's ‘Memoirs,’ p. 185, states that there were many anecdotes current of too indelicate a kind for publication. His son, John (1696–1782) [q. v.], became third earl. The second wife of John, first earl of Breadalbane, was Lady Mary Campbell, third daughter of Archibald, marquis of Argyll, dowager of George, sixth earl of Caithness, by whom he had a son, Honourable Colin Campbell of Ardmaddie. By a third wife he had a daughter, Lady Mary, married to Archibald Campbell of Langton.

[Crawford's Peerage of Scotland, 46–7; Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, i. 238–9; Papers illustrative of the Highlands of Scotland (Maitland Club, 1845); Sir John Dalrymple's Memoirs; Sinclair Memoirs (Abbotsford Club, 1858); Leven and Melville Papers (Bannatyne Club, 1843); Lockhart Papers, 1817; Macky's Memorials of Secret Services; Culloden Papers; Memoirs of Sir Ewen Cameron (Abbotsford Club, 1842); Gallienus Redivivus; or, Murder will out, 1692; The Massacre of Glenco: being a true narrative of the barbarous murder of the Glencomen in the Highlands of Scotland, by way of Military Execution, on 13 Feb. 1692: containing the Commission under the Great Seal of Scotland for making an Enquiry into the Horrid Murder, the Proceedings of the Parliament of Scotland upon it, the Report of the Commissioners upon the Enquiry laid before the King and Parliament, and the Address of the Parliament to King William for Justice on the Murderers: faithfully extracted from the Records of Parliament, 1703; An Impartial Account of