e Third, and taken his seat in Parliament; he
became, however, an opponent to the Union, and, from the period of that
measure, his course was a decided system of calm and steady adherence to
Jacobite principles. He engaged in the rebellion of 1715, yet by the
forbearance of Government was permitted to retain his title and estate.
He now again embarked in the same adventurous cause, leaving the study
of moral philosophy, on which he had written several essays, and the
security of a private career, for the sake of conscience. No hope of
gain, no inducement of ambition, lured this adherent of Charles Edward
to the standard of the Stuarts. Aged, and so infirm that he was
compelled by his bodily weakness to accept the generous proposal of
Charles Edward to travel on all the marches in the Prince's carriage,
whilst the Chevalier walked at the head of his army, Lord Pitsligo again
came forward at what he conceived to be the dictates of duty. His
example drew many others into the undertaking. Of course, his subsequent
history closed in the usual melancholy manner: his life was, it is true,
spared; but his estates were forfeited, and his title extinguished. He
died at Auchiries, in Aberdeenshire.

David, Lord Elcho, who held also a place in the council, and who was
colonel of the first troop of Horseguards, was the son of James, fourth
Earl of Wemyss, and of Janet the daughter of Colonel Francis Charteris
of Amisfield, whose immense property was afterwards vested in the Wemyss
family. Lord Elcho was at this time only twenty-four years of age, and
therefore his appointment to the colonelcy of the horse was a signal
compliment to his abilities. Of his personal character much may be
gleaned from his unpublished narrative, written in a dry, caustic, and
uninspiring style; and penned by one who seems to have desired to do
justice, but whose personal dislike to the young Chevalier over-masters
his inclination to the cause. Notwithstanding a plain disapproval of
many measures, and a marked conviction of the wilfulness of his young
leader, Lord Elcho was true to the cause which he had adopted. His
account of the manner in which the council of the Regent, as he was
styled, was conducted, is so characteristic, not only of those to whom
he refers, but of his own mind, that I shall give it in the unvarnished
phraseology in which he composed it.[240]

"The Prince in his council used always first to declare what he was for,
and then he asked