history of the mackenzies-第46节

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　utter　dissevering　from　　the　　Scottish　crown；　something　must　be　done；　and　many　were　the　projects　　suggested。　　At　one　time　the　King　resolved　to　proceed　to　the　disturbed　　districts　in　person；　and　fix　his　headquarters　in　Kentire；　at　another；　a　deputy　　was　to　be　sent；　armed　with　regal　powers；　and　twice　the　Duke　of　Lennox　　was　nominated　to　this　arduous　office。　　The　old　plan；　too；　might　have　been　repeated；　of　granting　a　Royal　Commission　to　one　or　other　of　the　northern　　Reguli；　who　were　ever　prepared；　under　the　plea　of　loyalty；　to　strengthen　　their　own　hands；　and　exterminate　their　brethren；　but　this；　as　had　been　often　felt　before；　was　to　abandon　the　country　to　utter　devastation；　and　a　more　pacific　and　singular　policy　was　now　adopted。　　One　association　of　　Lowland　barons；　chiefly　from　Fife；　took　a　lease　from　the　Crown　of　the　Isle　　of　Lewis；　for　which　they　agreed；　after　seven　years'　possession；　to　give　the　　King　an　annual　rent　of　one　hundred　and　forty　chalders　of　victual；　and　　came　under　an　obligation　to　conquer　their　farm　at　their　own　charges。

Another　company　of　noble…men　and　gentlemen　in　Lothian　offered；　under　a　　similar　agreement；　to　subdue　Skye。　　And　this　kind　of　feudal　joint…stock　　company　actually　commenced　their　operations　with　a　force　of　six　hundred　　soldiers；　and　a　motley　multitude　of　farmers；　ploughmen；　artificers；　and　　pedlars。　　But　the　Celtic　population　and　their　haughty　chiefs　could　not　　consent　to　be　handed　over；　in　this　wholesale　fashion；　to　the　tender　mercies　　and　agricultural　lectures　of　a　set　of　Saxon　adventurers。　　The　Lowland　　barons　arrived；　only　to　be　attacked　with　the　utmost　fury；　and　to　have　the　leases　of　their　farms；　in　the　old　Douglas　phrase；　written　on　their　own　skins　　with　steel　pens　and　bloody　ink。　　For　a　time；　however；　they　continued　the　　struggle　and　having　entered　into　alliance　with　some　of　the　native　chiefs；　fought　the　Celts　with　their　own　weapons；　and　more　than　their　own　　ferocity。　　Instead　of　agricultural　and　pastoral　produce；　importations　of　　wool；　or　samples　of　grain；　from　the　infant　colony；　there　was　sent　to　the　　Scottish　Court　a　ghastly　cargo　of　twelve　human　heads　in　sacks；　and　it　was　hoped　that；　after　such　an　example　of　severity；　matters　might　succeed　　better。　　But　the　settlers　were　deceived。　　After　a　feeble　and　protracted　　struggle　for　a　few　years；　sickness　and　famine；　perils　by　land　and　perils　by　　water；　incessant　war；　and　frequent　assassinations；　destroyed　the　colony；　and　the　three　great　western　chiefs；　Macdonald　of　Sleat；　Macleod　of　Harris；　　and　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　enjoyed　the　delight　of　seeing　the　principal　　gentlemen　adventurers　made　captive　by　Tormod　Macleod；　who；　after　　extorting　from　them　a　renunciation　of　their　titles；　and　an　oath　never　to　　return　to　the　Lewis；　dismissed　them　to　carry　to　the　Scottish　Court　the　　melancholy　reflection　that　a　Celtic　population；　and　the　islands　on　which　it　　was　scattered；　were　not　yet　the　materials　or　the　field　for　the　further　　operations　of　the　economists　of　Fife　and　Mid…Lothian。〃

In　1610　his　Lordship　returned　to　the　Lewis　with　700　men；　and　finally　brought　the　whole　island　to　submission；　with　the　exception　of　Neil　　Macleod　and　a　few　of　his　followers；　who　retired　to　the　rock　of　Berissay；　　and　took　possession　of　it。　　At　this　period　religion　must　have　been　at　a　very　　low　ebbalmost　extinct　among　the　inhabitants；　and；　to　revive　Christianity　　among　them；　his　Lordship　selected　and　took　along　with　him　the　Rev。　　Farquhar　Macrae；　a　native　of　Kintail　and　minister　of　Gairloch；　＇He　　brought　with　him　Mr　Farquhar　Macrae；　who　was　then　a　young　man　and　　minister　of　Gairloch　and　appointed　by　the　Bishop　of　Ross　（Lesley）　to　stay　with　Sir　George　Hay　and　the　Englishmen　that　were　with　him　in　Letterewe；　　being　a　peaceful　and　eloquent　preacher。Ardintoul　MS。＇　who　had　been　recommended　to　the　latter　charge　by　the　bishop　of　Ross。　　Mr　Macrae　found　quite　enough　to　do　on　his　arrival　in　the　island；　but　he　appears　to　　have　been　very　successful　among　the　uncivilised　natives；　for　he　reports　　having　gained　many　over　to　Christianity；　baptised　a　large　number　in　the　　fortieth　year　of　their　age；　and；　to　legitimise　their　children；　marrying　many　　others　to　those　women　with　whom　they　had　been　for　years　cohabiting。　　　Leaving　the　reverend　gentleman　in　the　prosecution　of　his　mission；　his　　Lordship　returned　home；　having　established　good　order　in　the　island；　and　　promising　to　return　again　the　following　year；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　　the　people。

Some　time　before　this　Alexander　MacGorrie　and　Ranald　MacRory；　sons　of　Glengarry's　uncles　murdered　in　1580　in　Lochcarron；　having　arrived　at　maturity；　and　being　brave　and　intrepid　fellows；　determined　to　　revenge　upon　Mackenzie　the　death　of　their　parents。　　With　this　object　they　went　to　Appelcross；　where　lived　one　of　the　murderers；　John　Og；　son　of　　Angus；　MacEachainn；　surrounded　his　house；　and　set　lire　to　it；　burning　to　　death　himself　and　his　whole　family。　　Kintail　sought　redress　from　　Glengarry；　who；　while　he　did　not　absolutely　refuse；　did　not　grant　it　or　　punish　the　wrong…doers；　and　encouraged　by　Glengarry's　eldest　son；　Angus；　　who　had　now　attained　his　majority；　the　cousins；　taking　advantage　of　the　　absence　of　Mackenzie；　who　had　gone　on　a　visit　to　France；　continued　their　　depredations　and　insolence　wherever　they　found　opportunity。　　Besides；　　they　made　a　complaint　against　him　to　the　Privy　Council；　whereupon　he　　was　charged　at　the　pier　of　Leith　to　appear　before　the　Council　on　an　appointed　day　under　pain　of　forfeiture。　　In　this　emergency；　Mr　John　　Mackenzie；　minister　of　Dingwall；　went　privately　to　France　in　search　of　his　　chief；　whom　he　found　and　brought　back　in　the　most　secret　manner　to　　Edinburgh；　fortunately　in　time　to　present　himself　next　day　after　his　arrival　　before　the　Council；　in　terms　of　the　summons　at　Glengarry's　instance；　and；　after　consulting　his　legal　adviser　and　other　friends；　he　appeared　quite　　unexpectedly　before　their　Lordships。

Meantime；　while　the　gentlemen　were　on　their　way　from　France；　Alexander　MacGorrie　and　Alexander　MacRory　killed　in　his　bed　Donald　Mackenneth　Mhic　Alastair；　a　gentleman　of　the　family　of　Davochmaluag；　who　lived　at　Kishorn。　　The　shirt；　covered　with　his　blood；　had　been　sent　to　　Edinburgh　to　await　the　arrival　of　Mackenzie；　who　the　same　day　presented　　it　before　the　Privy　Council；　as　evidence　of　the　foul　crime　committed　by　his　　accusers。　　Glengarry　was　unable　to　prove　anything　material　against　Kintail　　or　his　followers。　　On　the　contrary；　the　Rev。　John　Mackenzie；　of　Dingwall；　charged　Glengarry　with　being　instrumental　in　the　murder　of　John　Og　and　　his　family　at　Applecross；　as　also　in　that　of　Donald　Mackenzie　of　　Davochmaluag；　and　undertook　not　only　to　prove　this；　but　also　that　he　was　　a　sorner；　an　oppressor　of　his　own　and　of　his　neighbours'　tenants；　an　idolater；　who　had　a　man　in　Lochbroom　making　images；　in　testimony　of　　which　he　carried　south　the　image　of　St。　Coan；　which　Glengarry　worshipped；　called　in　Edinburgh　Glengarry's　god；　and　which　was；　by　　public　order；　burnt　at　the　Town　Cross　that　Glengarry　was　a　man　who　lived　　in　constant　adultery　with　the　Captain　of　Clan　Ranald's　daughter；　after　he　had　put　away　Grant　of　Grant's　daughter；　his　lawful　wife；　whereupon　　Glengarry　was　summoned　there　and　then　to　appear　next　day　before　the　　Council；　and　to　lodge　defences　to　this　unexpected　charge。　　He　naturally　　became　alarmed；　and　fearing　the　worst；　fled　from　the　city　during　the　night；　　〃took　to　his　heels；〃　and　gave　up　further　legal　proceedings　against　　Mackenzie。　　Being　afterwards　repeatedly　summoned；　and　failing　to　put　in　　an　appearance；　most　of　the　charges　were　found　proven　against　him；　and　in　　1602；　＇Records　of　Privy　Council；　9th　September；　1602；　Sir　Robert　　Gordon's　Earldom　of　Sutherland；　p。　248；　Letterfearn；　Ardintoul；　and　other　MS。　Histories　of　the　Mackenzies。＇　he　was　declared　outlaw　and　rebel；　a　　commission　of　fire　and　sword　was　granted　to　Mackenzie　against　him　and　　all　his　followers；　with　a　decree　of　ransom　for　the　loss　of　those　who　were　burnt　and　plundered　by　him；　and　for　Kintail's　charges　and　expenses；　　making　altogether　a　very　large　sum。　　But　while　these　legal　matters　were　　being　arranged；　Angus　Macdonald；　younger　of　Glengarry；　who　was　of　a　　restless；　daring　disposition；　went　along　with　some　of　his　followers　under　silence　of　night　to　Kintail；　burnt　the　township　of　Cro；　killed　and　burnt　　several　men；　women；　and　children；　and　carried　away　a　large　spoil　of　　cattle。

Mackenzie；　hearing　of　this　sudden　raid；　became　much　concerned　about　the　loss　of　his　Kintail　tenants；　and　decided　to　requite　the　quarrel　by　　at　once　executing　his　commission　against　the　Macdonalds　of　Glengarry；　　and　immediately　set　out　in　pursuit；　leaving　a　sufficient　number　of　men　at　home　to　secure　the　safety　of　his　property。　　He　took　along　with　him　a　force　　of　seventeen　hundred　men；　at　the　same　time　taking　three　hundred　cows　　from　his　farm　of　Strathbraan　to　maintain　his　followers。　　Ross　of　　Balnagowan　sent　a　party　of　a　hundred　and　eighty　men；　under　command　of　　Alexander　Ross　of　Invercharron；　to　aid　his　neighbour　of　Kintail；　while　　John　Gordon　of　Embo　commanded　a　hundred　and　twenty　men　sent　to　his　　aid　by　the　Earl　of　Sutherland；　in　virtue　of　the　long　standing　bond　of　　manrent　which　existed　between　the　two　families；　but　Sir　John　〃retired　at　　Monar；　growing　faint…hearted　befor