He was, as his predecessors had been, the head, not only of a tribe, but of a party.

The sentence which had deprived him of his estate and of his honours was treated by the majority of the Convention as a nullity.

The doors of the Parliament House were thrown open to him: he was selected from the whole body of Scottish nobles to administer the oath of office to the new Sovereigns; and he was authorised to raise an army on his domains for the service of the Crown.
He would now, doubtless, be as powerful as the most powerful of his ancestors.

Backed by the strength of the Government, he would demand all the long and heavy arrears of rent and tribute which were due to him from his neighbours, and would exact revenge for all the injuries and insults which his family had suffered.

There was terror and agitation in the castles of twenty petty kings.