ke it whose sense of
humour overcame his sense of honour. Many refused, including a number of
the conformist ministers. Argyll took the Test "as far as it is
consistent with itself and with the Protestant religion."

Argyll, the son of the executed Marquis, had recovered his lands, and
acquired the title of Earl mainly through the help of Lauderdale. During
the religious troubles from 1660 onwards he had taken no great part, but
had sided with the Government, and approved of the torture of preachers.
But what ruined him now (though the facts have been little noticed) was
his disregard of the claims of his creditors, and his obtaining the lands
of the Macleans in Mull and Morven, in discharge of an enormous debt of
the Maclean chief to the Marquis, executed in 1661. The Macleans had
vainly attempted to prove that the debt was vastly inflated by familiar
processes, and had resisted in arms the invasion of the Campbells. They
had friends in Seaforth, the Mackenzies, and in the Earl of Errol and
other nobles.

These men, especially Mackenzie of Tarbet, an astute intriguer, seized
their chance when Argyll took the Test "with a qualification," and
though, at first, he satisfied and was reconciled to the Duke of York,
they won over the Duke, accused Argyll to the king, brought him before a
jury, and had him condemned of treason and incarcerated. The object may
have been to intimidate him, and destroy his almost royal power in the
west and the islands. In any case, after a trial for treason, in which
one vote settled his doom, he escaped in disguise as a footman (perhaps
by collusion, as was suspected), fled to England, conspired there with
Scottish exiles and a Covenanting refugee, Mr Veitch, and, as Charles
would not allow him to be searched for, he easily escaped to Holland.
(For details, see my book, 'Sir George Mackenzie.')

It was, in fact, clan hatred that dragged down Argyll. His condemnation
was an infamous perversion of justice, but as Charles would not allow him
to be captured in London, it is most improbable that he would have
permitted the unjust capital sentence to be carried out. The escape was
probably collusive, and the sole result of these intricate iniquities was
to create for the Government an enemy who would have been dangerous if he
had been trusted by the extreme Presbyterians. In England no less than
in Scotland the supreme and odious injustice of Argyll's trial excited
general indignation.