to the castle of Island Donan. He succeeded
to the family estates on his father's death,
10 Sept. 1654, but after escaping to the continent remained in exile till the Restoration,
occupying much of his leisure in the study of law.
At the Restoration Middleton, Mackenzie's old commander, had the management of Scottish affairs, and Mackenzie was his chief confidant and tool. His relative, Sir George Mackenzie [q. v.], describes him as at this time 'a passionate cavalier' (Memoirs, p. ,27); but a keen ambition influenced his political conduct as much as passion or prejudice. On 14 Feb. 1661 he was nominated a lord of session with the judicial title of Lord Tarbat, and was elected the same year a member of the estates for the county of Ross. He is credited by Sir George Mackenzie with being the chief originator of the act passed in 1661 rescinding all statutes passed in the parliament of 1640 and subsequently; but the chief aim of the act being to prepare for the establishment of episcopacy, it was not improbably suggested to Tarbat by Archbishop Sharp. In their policy on behalf of episcopacy, Middleton and Tarbat found themselves at this time opposed by Lauderdale, the minister for Scottish affairs. They resolved therefore to compass his ruin, the design being that Tarbat, who 'was then much considered at court, as one of the most extraordinary men that Scotland had produced' (Buknbt, Own Time, ed. 1838, p. 97), should succeed to Lauderdale's place as secretary of state. With this view they in 1662 devised the famous 'act of billeting,' the credit of which probably belongs to Tarbat. The proposal was by a secret vote of the estates to declare certain persons incapable of holding any office of public trust; but when the result of the vote-— which dis- qualified Lauderdale among others — was sent up to the king he ' threw the act of billeting into his cabinet, declaring that he would not follow their advice nor would he disclose their secret' (Mackenzie, Memoirs, p. 77). Further inquiry, instigated by Lauderdale, led to the discovery that Middleton had been misleading both the king and the parliament, and he was dismissed from office, while Tarbat, for his connection with the intrigue, was on 16 Feb. 1664 deprived of his seat on the bench. He remained in disgrace till 1678, when, through the offices of Sharp with the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale, he was on 16 Oct. appointed lord justice general of Scotland. On the following day he received a pension of 200l. from Charles H, and on Nov. was admitted a privy councillor of Scotland. The day after his admission he presented a letter from the king, to be recorded in the books of sederunt, intimating the king's Eardon for his connection with the act of billeting. On 1 Oct. 1681 he was appointed lord clerk register, and on 11 Nov. following was again admitted one of the ordinary lords of session.
On the fall of Lauderdale in 1682 Tarbat succeeded to the position of chief minister of the king in Scotland, and retained this position till the revolution. Shortly after the accession of James II he was on 15 Feb. 1685 created Viscount of Tarbat and Lord Macleod and Castlehaven in the peerage of Scotland to him and heirs male of his body.
At the revolution Tarbat, so soon as he discerned that the cause of James was lost, resolved if possible to secure his own safety and his continuance in power. By advising in council the disbanding of the militia he greatly facilitated the peaceful establishment of the new government. In the 'Leven and Melville Papers' (p. 14) there is printed, under date 25 April 1689, an exoneration and discharge to him of his office of register, securing him — on account of his faithful service both in putting 'in order and method' the various documents under his charge and recovering many that were missing — 'from all danger in his person or estate, notwithstanding of any acts, writings, councils, speeches, or any crimes committed by him,' It would appear, however, that he was not finally exonerated until after 17 Jan. 1690 (ib. p. 373). In 1689 he sent a memorial to the government, proposing a joint recognition of presbytery and episcopacy (ib. p. 125). After feilHecrankie he was employed by the government to treat with the highland clans (Warrant of 25 March 1690, ib. p. 423). He thoroughly understood highland politics, and his prudent counsel was of considerable advantage in bringing about a settlement (see Macaulay, History, 1883, ii. 44). If, says Macaulay, his plan (of distributing a few thousands sterling among the highland chiefs) had been tried when he recommended it, instead of two years later, 'it would probably have prevented much bloodshed and confusion' (ib. p. 881). On 5 March 1692 he was restored to the office of clerk register, but resigned it towards the close of 1695. According to Secretary Johnstone, he had been caught 'grossly malversizing in his office of clerk both in public and in private business' (Carstares State Papers, p. 172).
On the accession of Queen Anne, Tarbat was on 21 Nov. 1702 appointed one of the secretaries of state, and on 1 Jan. 1703 was created Earl of Cromarty. Subsequently he was chosen a representative peer of Scotland.
