\"ThaneofMenteith,\"hesaid,\"youhavewellspoken;noristhereoneofusinwhosebosomthesamesentimentsdonotburnlikefire。Butitisnotstrengthalonethatwinsthefight;itistheheadofthecommander,aswellasthearmofthesoldier,thatbringsvictory。Iaskofyouwhoistoraiseandsustainthebannerunderwhichweareinvitedtoriseandmusterourselves？Willitbeexpectedthatweshouldriskourchildren,andtheflowerofourkinsmen,ereweknowtowhoseguidancetheyaretobeintrusted？Thiswereleadingthosetoslaughter,whom,bythelawsofGodandman,itisourdutytoprotect。Whereistheroyalcommission,underwhichtheliegesaretobeconvocatedinarms？Simpleandrudeaswemaybedeemed,weknowsomethingoftheestablishedrulesofwar,aswellasofthelawsofourcountry;norwillwearmourselvesagainstthegeneralpeaceofScotland,unlessbytheexpresscommandsoftheKing,andunderaleaderfittocommandsuchmenasarehereassembled。\"
\"Wherewouldyoufindsuchaleader,\"saidanotherChief,startingup,\"savingtherepresentativeoftheLordoftheIsles,entitledbybirthandhereditarydescenttoleadforththearrayofeveryclanoftheHighlands;andwhereisthatdignitylodged,saveinthehouseofVichAlisterMore？\"
\"Iacknowledge,\"saidanotherChief,eagerlyinterruptingthespeaker,\"thetruthinwhathasbeenfirstsaid,butnottheinference。IfVichAlisterMoredesirestobeheldrepresentativeoftheLordoftheIsles,lethimfirstshowhisbloodisredderthanmine。\"
\"Thatissoontried,\"saidVichAlisterMore,layinghishanduponthebaskethiltofhisclaymore。LordMenteiththrewhimselfbetweenthem,entreatingandimploringeachtorememberthattheinterestsofScotland,thelibertyoftheircountry,andthecauseoftheirKing,oughttobesuperiorintheireyestoanypersonaldisputesrespectingdescent,rank,andprecedence。
SeveraloftheHighlandChiefs,whohadnodesiretoadmittheclaimsofeitherchieftain,interferedtothesamepurpose,andnonewithmoreemphasisthanthecelebratedEvanDhu。