He devised a plan whereby 5,000 Spanish troops under the exiled Duke of Ormonde would land in South-West England, march on London and restore James Stuart.

A Royal Navy squadron took up station outside Cadiz, watching the Spanish fleet; as the delays continued, Ormonde wrote a series of increasingly pessimistic letters to Alberoni, telling him the plan was no longer viable.

[9] In any case, it was only part of a far more ambitious plan to reshape Europe; this included partitioning the Ottoman empire, and replacing the duc d'Orléans, then Regent of France, with Philip V of Spain.

[10] Cape Passaro demonstrated the Royal Navy's power in far less favourable circumstances, making it unlikely the Spanish fleet would even reach England, let alone be allowed to disembark large numbers of troops.

As the French demonstrated on numerous occasions, a threatened invasion was as useful in occupying the Royal Navy and far less risky, which would explain Alberoni's apparent lack of concern at the delays.

They landed at Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis, where they were joined by a group of exiles from France; these included the Earl of Seaforth, James Keith, the Marquess of Tullibardine, Lord George Murray and Cameron of Lochiel.

Britain later complained about the French allowing them free passage; one suggestion is they did so hoping to reduce expensive pensions granted by Louis XIV to Jacobite exiles.

Here they learned of Ormonde's failure; as commander of Jacobite land forces, Tullibardine recommended retreat, which Keith prevented by ordering the frigates back to Spain.

Since they were unaware the Spanish frigates had already left, this was a substantial force which included the 50-gun fourth-rates HMS Assistance, Worcester, Dartmouth and Enterprise plus the 24-gun sloop, Flamborough.

[15] While Assistance and Dartmouth patrolled the waters around Skye, Worcester, Enterprise and Flamborough anchored off Eilean Donan on the north side of Loch Duich early in the morning of Sunday 10 May.

[19] The battle lasted until 9:00 pm; several accounts claim the heather caught fire, and smoke combined with failing light enabled the bulk of the Scots to disappear into the night.

[21] In a letter of 16 June 1719 to the Earl of Mar, Tullibardine provides a description of the battle, and states 'it bid fair to ruin the King's Interest and faithful subjects in these parts.

[23] The government followed Carpenter's recommendation, and largely left the Highland levies alone, but Seaforth's tenants continued paying rents to him even in exile.

[32] After 1719, toleration changed to persecution, and many conformed as a result; Non-Juring Episcopalianism became a mark of Jacobite commitment and often associated with powerful local leaders, since their congregations required political protection for survival.