The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

INTRODUCTION TO ROB ROY. 21
the Macpherson, "the question with Rob would not be, which was to be
last, but which was to be foremost." Incensed at this sarcasm, MacGregor
drew his sword, and they would have fought upon the spot if their friends
on both sides had not interfered. But the moment of attack was completely lost. Rob did not, however, neglect his own private interest on the
occasion. In the confusion of an undecided field of battle, he enriched
his followers by plundering the baggage and the dead on both sides.
The fine old satirical ballad on the battle of Sheriff-muir does not forget
to stigmatize our hero's conduct on this memorable occasion:Rob Roy lie stood watch
On a hill for to catch
The booty, for aught that I saw, man;
For he ne'er advanced
From the place where he stanced,
Till nae mair was to do there at a', man.
Notwithstanding the sort of neutrality which Rob'Roy had continued to
observe during the progress of the Rebellion, he did not escape some of its
penalties. He was included in the act of attainder, and the house in Breadalbane, which was his place of retreat, was burned by General Lord Cadogan,
when, after the conclusion of the insurrection, he marched through the
Highlands to disarm and punish the offending clans. But upon going to
Inverary with about forty or fifty of his followers, Rob obtained favour, by
an apparent surrender of their arms to Colonel Patrick Campbell of Finhah,
who furnished them and their leader with protections under his hand. Being
thus in a great measure secured from the resentment of Government, Rob
Roy established his residence at Craig-Royston, near Loch Lomond, in the
midst of his own kinsmen, and lost no time in resuming his private quarrel
with the Duke of Montrose. For this purpose, he soon got on foot as many
men, and well armed too, as he had yet commanded. He never stirred
without a body-guard of ten or twelve picked followers, and without much
effort could increase them to fifty or sixty.
The Duke was not wanting in efforts to destroy this troublesome adversary. His Grace applied to General Carpenter, commanding the forces in
Scotland, and by his orders three parties of soldiers were directed from the
three different points of Glasgow, Sterling, and Finlarig near Killin. Mr.
Graham of Killearn, the Duke of Montrose's relation and factor, Sheriffdepute also of Dumbartonshire, accompanied the troops, that they might
act under the civil authority, and have the assistance of a trusty guide well
acquainted with the hills. It was the object of these several columns to
arrive about the same time in the neighbourhood of Rob Roy's residence,
and surprise him and his followers. But heavy rains, the difficulties of the
country, and the good intelligence which the Outlaw was always supplied
with, disappointed their well-concerted combination. The troops, finding
the birds were flown, avenged themselves by destroying the nest. They
*burned Rob Roy's house, —though not with impunity; for the MacGregors,
concealed among the thickets and cliffs, fired on them, and killed a grenadier.
Rob Roy avenged himself for the loss which he sustained on this occasion by an act of singular audacity. About the middle of November, 1716,
John Graham of Killearn, already mentioned as factor of the Montrose
family, went to a place called Chapel Errock, where the tenants of the Duke
were summoned to appear with their termly rents. They appeared accordingly, and the factor had received ready money to the amount of about
~300, when Rob Roy entered the room at the head of an armed party. The
steward endeavoured to protect the Duke's property by throwing the books
of accounts and money into a garret, trusting they might escape notice.
]But the experienced freebooter was not to be baffled where such a prize was
at stake. He recovered the books and cash, placed himself calmly in the
receipt of custom, examined the accounts, pocketed the money, and gave
receipts on the Duke's part, saying he would hold reckoning with the Duke