The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1773.] OUTIUIKAK OK TUF. lUOMi'LLldX OF 1715. 399
to tlie then cstal>lis]iecl Ciuvernineiit. But, IVoin wluitcvcr cause the
feeliiiu' arose, it would aiinear thai tlie Govenuneul of Kiiii'- Georo-e
the Second liad little eonildenee in the loyalty even of those Highland
clans who lin'' openly declared fui' the House of Brunswi^'k, and this
feelii'.;;; seems v.xove or less to have influeirjod the militarv -.luthoritii s in
their dealings \\ith the chief of th..- Grants. That d(jiibtfui j)olicy greatly
hindered irnitcd action. The par" played by Sir Ludovick Grant and his
clan at this tune forms an imjiortant episode in his career, and a- d"Lailed
account of his i)roceedings is necessary to show the eminently loyal conduct
of the chief and his clan. Two contemporary narratives, wliich will be
frequently quoted, as well as much original correspondence, happily exist
for an ample history of the llebellion of 17-15, in so far as it involved the
family of Grant.
The first official intimation which was received by the chief of the
Clan Grant of tlie landing of the young Pretender was contained in a letter
from Robert Craigie of Glendoick, lord advocate of Scotland, to Ludovick
Grant, dated 5th August 1745.^ The writer refers to a report current at
Paris that the Pretender's son was to embark at Nantz on the 15th July,
and desires ]\Ir. Grant to furnish him with intelliirence of the feelino- in
his neighbourliood, to be forwarded to London, " where," he adds, " at
present they have no very good opinion of the aiVections of this country."
The young Pretender, however, had sailed from Nantz a fortnight l)efore
the time assigned, and ^\as actually in Scotland when the Lord Advocate
wrote, but as this was unknown to the Government, Mr. Grant was not
called upon to aid the Government in any way other than by furnishing
information of the Pretender's movements, or of repoi'ts arising therefrom.
Soon after the receipt of this letter came the news of the Pretender's
arrival in Scotland, with conflicting rumours as to the number of his
adherents. Mr. Grant and liis father, Sir James, who had been at
Grangehill, in ]\Ioray, thereupon came to Castle Grant, sinnmoned their
friends, and intimated their resolve to support in every way the Govern-
ment of King George. Thej' also communicated what intellio-ence thev
had of the Pretender's movements.
' Vol. ii. of this work, \i. 14 4.