James's famous scheme of Universal Toleration was soon found
to be what every sensible man had foreseen--a scheme of toleration for
his own religion and of persecution for all others.
But the history of the next three years, with its wretched tale of
violence and folly, of oppressions that broke the hearts of the loyal,
and concessions that only moved the scorn of the mutinous, may be read
elsewhere. The last appearance of Claverhouse on the scene is at the
Council in February, 1686, where he supports Perth in his motion to
bring the indiscreet minister to book, till he appears again in his
proper character as a soldier commanding the cavalry of the Scottish
contingent on its march south to join the army of England. We know,
however, that in that same year, 1686, he was promoted to be
Major-General, and in March, 1688, was made Provost of Dundee. We must
now pass to the memorable autumn of the latter year.
In September, 1688, a despatch in James's own hand was sent down to the
Council at Edinburgh announcing the imminent invasion of England by the
Prince of Orange. Perth, still Chancellor and a Papist, was told to do
nothing without consulting Balcarres and Tarbat. Their advice was
unquestionably the best that could have been given for James and the
worst for England; for, had it been followed, instead of the short
Highland campaign of the following year, that began at Killiecrankie and
ended at Dunkeld, there would in all probability have been civil war
throughout the kingdom.
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