Dalrymple's words are, "Dundee refused without ceremony," which may mean
anything. It is, I think, not improbable that William employed Burnet to
sound Dundee, and that the good bishop, among whose qualities tact was
not pre-eminent, managing the matter clumsily, met with an unceremonious
refusal for his pains. The point, however, is of no importance. It is
clear enough that William, would have been glad to see both men in his
service, and that they both declined to enter it. As Macaulay has called
Dundee's conduct disingenuous, apparently on Burnet's authority, it may
be well to give the bishop's own words. "He [Dundee] had employed me to
carry messages from him to the King, to know what security he might
expect if he should go and live in Scotland without owning his
government. The King said, if he would live peaceably, and at home, he
would protect him: to this he answered, that, unless he was forced to
it, he would live quietly." "History of My Own Time," iii. 29.
Macaulay's paraphrase is as follows. "Dundee seems to have been less
ingenuous. He employed the mediation of Burnet, opened a negotiation
with Saint James's, declared himself willing to acquiesce in the new
order of things, obtained from William a promise of protection, and
promised in return to live peaceably. Such credit was given to his
professions, that he was suffered to travel down to Scotland under the
escort of a troop of cavalry.
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