f James II. They both took
part in the battle which was fought at Sheriffmuir, on the 13th
November, between the Jacobite forces, led by the Earl of Mar, and the
Government forces under the command of the Duke of Argyle. It was an
indecisive battle, both sides claiming the victory. The Jacobites,
retreating through Strathearn, burned many of the villages, inflicting
great hardships on the peaceful inhabitants by rendering them houseless
during the rigour of winter. The attempt to restore the Chevalier St.
George soon collapsed, but it does not seem to have been followed by
the thrilling scenes, the hairbreadth escapes, and the rigorous
treatment which marked the close of the subsequent rebellion.

James Oliphant died in 1732, and was succeeded by his eldest son
Laurence, who is styled the "Jacobite Laird, _par excellence_." He had
been in hiding for some time after the "Rising" of 1715. He, however,
soon returned home, freed from all Suspicion of disloyalty. He
married, in 1719, a daughter of the second Lord Nairne, "who was as
staunch a Jacobite as himself." At Gask House there is a wooden cup,
with a silver rim near the top and another near the bottom. The upper
one has the inscription--"_Spumantem calicem paternum in regis legitimi
hoeredetarii salutem redditumque felicem loete haurimus_"; and a free
translation of this inscription is on the lower one--"Our grandsires'
flowing cup we drink, and sing God save; restore our true-born lawful
King. Amen. L.O.G. June 10th, 1740." This discloses the strong
Jacobite tendency which he cherished, and the ardent longing which he
felt for the happy return of his hereditary King. He had not long to
wait till another opportunity occurred of making a second attempt to
accomplish the object so dear to him. In 1745, Prince Charles landed
in the Western Isles, when the Highland Clans rallied to his standard
with many others favourable to his cause. The laird and his son--both
Laurence--joined Prince Charles at Perth, and incurred the risk of loss
of life and property. Gask was greatly annoyed that he could not
induce his tenants to enlist in the cause of the Prince, and he had
recourse to a very extreme measure to enforce compliance with his
wishes. In connection with this we have a very interesting statement
in "The Jacobite Lairds of Gask," being a quotation from Dr. Chambers'
_History of the Rebellion_. Perhaps no one experienced so much
difficulty in his levies