=56. Reduction of the Highlands.=--Still the chiefs did not take the oaths to William, and were clearly only waiting for the appearance of a new leader to break out again. To win them over to the Government a large sum of money was put into the hands of _John Campbell, Earl of Breadalbane_. He was accused of cheating both the clans and the King by keeping a part of this sum himself, and he never gave any clear account of what he had done with it. At the same time a proclamation was put forth which offered pardon to all the rebels who should take the oaths to _William and Mary_ before or on December 31, 1691. All who did not take advantage of this offer were after that day to be dealt with as enemies and traitors, and warlike preparations were made for carrying out the threat. =57. Massacre of Glencoe.=--By the day named the clans had all come in, except _MacIan_, chief of a tribe of _MacDonalds_, who lived in _Glencoe_, a wild mountain valley in the northwestern corner of _Argyleshire_. On the last day, December 31, _MacIan_ and his principal clansmen went to _Fort William_ to take the oaths, but found that there was no one there who had authority to administer them. There was no magistrate nearer than _Inverary_, and, as the ground was deeply covered with snow, it was some days before MacIan got there. But the sheriff, in consideration of his goodwill and of the delay that he had met with, administered the oaths, (January 6,) and sent an account of the whole affair to the Privy Council at Edinburgh. Unfortunately for Glencoe, _Breadalbane_ was his bitter personal enemy, and along with _Sir John Dalrymple_, the _Master of Stair_, he determined on his destruction. An order for the extirpation of the whole tribe was drawn up and presented to _William_, who signed it, and it was carried out with cold-blooded treachery. A party of soldiers, under the command of _Campbell of Glenlyon_, appeared in the Glen. They gave out that they came as friends, and as such they were kindly welcomed, and shared the hospitality of the MacDonalds for a fortnight. Without any warning they turned on their hosts, and before dawn of a winter's morning slew nearly all the dwellers in the valley, old and young together, February 13, 1691. They then burnt the houses, and drove off the cattle, so that nothing was left for the few wretched beings who had escaped death but to perish miserably of cold and hunger. Whether William knew the whole state of the case or not when he signed the warrant is not certain, but he did not punish those who had dared to commit this wholesale murder in his name. And though four years after, when a stir was made about it, he did grant a commission to the _Privy Council_ to inquire into the matter, he did not bring to judgment the _Master of Stair_, who was very clearly pointed out as the guilty person.