history of the mackenzies-第14节

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n　ultimately　succeeded　to　the　　lands　of　Lochbroom　and　　Coigeach　granted　to　Macaulay's　predecessor　by　　Alexander　II。　　Mackenzie　was　now　engaged　principally　in　preserving　and　　improving　his　possessions；　until　the　return　of　David　II。　from　England；　　1357…8；　when　Murdoch　laid　before　the　King　a　complaint　against　the　Earl　　of　Ross　for　the　murder　of　his　father；　and　claimed　redress　but　the　only　　satisfaction　he　ever　obtained　was　a　confirmation　of　his　rights　previously　granted　by　the　King　to　〃Murdo　filius　Kennethi　de　Kintaill；　etc。；〃　dated　〃Edinburg　1362；　et　Regni　Domini　Regis　VI。；　Testibus　Waltero　Senescollo　et　allis。〃　＇MS。　History　of　the　Mackenzies。＇

Of　Murdoch　Dubh's　reign；　the　Laird　of　Applecross　says：〃During　this　turbulent　age；　securities　and　writs；　as　well　as　laws；　were　little　　regarded；　each　man's　protection　lay　in　his　own　strength。〃　Kintail　　regularly　attended　the　first　Parliament　of　Robert　II。；　until　it　was　decreed　by　　that　King　and　his　Privy　Council　that　the　services　of　the　〃lesser　barons〃　　should　not　be　required　in　future　Parliaments　or　General　Councils。　　He　then　　returned　home；　and　spent　most　of　his　time　in　hunting　and　wild　sports；　of　　which　he　was　devotedly　fond；　living　peaceably　and　undisturbed　during　the　remainder　of　his　days。　　This　Baron　of　Kintail　took　no　share　in　the　recent　rebellion　under　　the　Lord　of　the　Isles；　who；　backed　by　most　of　the　other　West　Highland　　chiefs；　attempted　to　throw　off　his　independence　and　have　himself　　proclaimed　King　of　the　Isles。　　The　feeble　and　effeminate　Government　of　　David　II。；　and　the　evil　results　consequent　thereon　throughout　the　country；　　encouraged　the　island　lord　in　this　desperate　enterprise；　but；　as　Tytler　says；　　the　King　on　this　occasion；　with　an　unwonted　energy　of　character；　　commanded　the　attendance　of　the　Steward；　with　the　prelates　and　barons　　of　the　realm；　and　surrounded　by　this　formidable　body　of　vassals　and　retainers；　proceeded　against　the　rebels　in　person。〃　　The　expedition　proved　　completely　successful；　and　John　of　the　Isles；　with　a　numerous　train　of　　chieftains　who　joined　him　in　the　rebellion；　met　the　King　at　Inverness；　and　　submitted　to　his　authority。　　He　there　engaged　in　the　most　solemn　manner；　　for　himself　and　for　his　vassals；　that　they　should　yield　themselves　faithful　　and　obedient　subjects　to　David　their　liege　lord；　and　not　only　give　due　and　　prompt　obedience　to　the　ministers　of　the　　King　in　suit　and　service；　as　well　　as　in　the　payment　of　taxes　and　public　burdens；　but　that　they　would　coerce　and　put　down　all　others；　and　compel　all　who　dared　to　rise　against　the　　King's　authority　to　make　due　submission；　or　pursue　them　from　their　　respective　territories。〃　　For　the　fulfilment　of　these　obligations；　the　Lord　of　　the　Isles　not　only　gave　his　most　solemn　oath　before　the　King　and　his　　nobles；　on　condition　of　forfeiting　his　whole　possessions　in　case　of　failure；　　but　offered　his　father…in…law；　the　High　Steward；　in　security　and　delivered　　his　son　Donald；　his　grandson　Angus；　and　his　natural　son；　also　named　　Donald；　as　hostages　for　the　strict　performance　of　the　articles　of　the　treaty；　　which　was　duly　signed；　attested　and　dated；　the　15th　November；　1369。　＇For　a　full　copy　of　this　instrument；　see　　Invernessiana；　pp。　69…70。＇　Fordun　says　that　in　order　to　crush　the　Highlanders；　and　the　more　easily；　as　the　King　thought；　to　secure　obedience　to　the　laws；　he　used　　artifice　by　dividing　the　chiefs　and　promising　high　rewards　to　those　who　　would　capture　or　kill　their　brother　lords；　and；　that　writer　continues　〃this　　diabolical　plan；　by　implanting　the　seeds　of　disunion　amongst　the　chiefs；　　succeeded；　and　　they　gradually　destroyed　one　another。〃

Before　his　marriage　Murdoch　had　three　illegitimate　sons。　　One　of　them　was　called　Hector　or　Eachainn　Biorach。　　He　acquired　the　lands　of　　Drumnamarg　by　marrying　Helen；　daughter　of　Loban　or　Logan　of　Drum…namarg；　who；　according　to　the　Earl　of　Cromarty；　〃was　one　of　the　Earl　of　　Ross's　feuars。　　This　superior　having　an　innate　enmity　with　Kenneth's　race；　　was　the　cause　that　this　Hector　had　no　peaceable　possession　of　　Drumnamarg；　but　turning　outlaw；　retired　to　Eddirachillis；　where　he　left　a　son　called　Henry；　of　whom　are　descended　a　race　yet　possessing　there；　　called　Sliochd　Ionraic；　or　Henry's　race。〃　　The　second　bastard　was　named　　Dugald　Deargshuileach；　〃from　his　red　eyes。〃　　From　him　descended　John　　Mackenzie；　Commissary…Depute　of　Ross；　afterwards　in　Cromarty；　Rev。　　Roderick　Mackenzie；　minister　of　Croy；　John　Mackenzie；　a　writer　in　　　Edinburgh；　and　　several　others　of　the　name。　　The　third　bastard　　was　named　Alexander；　and　from　him　descended　Clann　Mhurchaidh　Mhoir　in　　Ledgowan；　and　many　of　the　common　people　who　resided　in　the　Braes　of　　Ross。

Murdoch　had　another　son　Murdoch　Riach；　after　his　wife's　death；　by　a　daughter　of　the　Laird　of　Assynt；　also　illegitimate；　although　the　Laird　　of　Applecross　says　that　he　was　〃by　another　wife。〃　　This　Murdoch　retired　　to　Edderachillis　and　married　a　Sutherland　woman　there；　〃where；　setting　　up　an　independent　establishment；　he　became　formidable　in　checking　the　　Earl　of　Ross　in　his　excursions　against　his　clan；　till　he　was　killed　by　a　　Caithness　man　named　Budge　of　Toftingall。　　His　descendants　are　still　　styled　Clann　Mhuirich；　and　among　them　we　trace　Daniel　Mackenzie；　who　　arrived　at　the　rank　　of　Colonel　in　the　service　of　the　Statholder；　who　had　a　　son　Barnard；　who　was　Major　in　Seaforth's　regiment；　and　killed　at　the　　battle　of　Auldearn。　　He　too　left　a　son；　Barnard；　who　taught　Greek　and　　Latin　for　four　years　at　Fortrose；　was　next　ordained　by　the　Bishop　of　Ross　and　presented　to　the　Episcopal　Church　of　Cromarty；　where；　after　a　variety　of　fortunes；　he　died；　and　was　buried　in　the　Cathedral　Church　of　Fortrose。　　　　Alexander；　eldest　son　of　this　last　（Barnard）；　studied　medicine　under　　Boerhave；　and　retired　to　practice　at　Fortrose。　He　married　Ann；　daughter　of　　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Belmaduthy；　purchased　the　lands　of　Kinnock；　　and　left　a　son；　Barnard；　and　two　daughters；　Catherine　and　Ann。〃　　＇Bennetsfield　MS。　of　the　Mackenzies。＇

This　was　the　turbulent　and　insecure　state　of　affairs　throughout　the　Kingdom　when　the　chief　of　Mackenzie　was　　peaceably　　and　　quietly　enjoying　　himself　in　　his　Highland　home。　　He　died　in　1375。　　＇Murdo　became　a　great　favourite　latterly　with　all　those　with　whom　he　came　in　　contact。　　〃He　fell　in　company　with　the　Earl　of　Sutherland；　who　became　his　very　good　friend　afterwards；　as　that　he　still　resorted　his　court。　In　end　　（being　comely　of　person　and　one　active　young　man）　the　Earl's　lady　（who　　was　King　Robert　the　Bruce's　young　daughter）　fell　in　conceit　of　him；　and　　both　forgetting　the　Earl's　kindness；　by　her　persuasion；　he　got　her　with　　child；　who　she　caused　name　Dougall；〃　and　the　earl　suspecting　nothing　　amiss　〃caused　bred　him　at　schools　with　the　rest　of　his　children　but　　Dougall　being　as　ill…given　as　gotten；　he　still　injured　the　rest；　and　when　the　　earl　would　challenge　or　offer　to　beat　him；　the　Ladie　still　said；　‘Dear　heart；　　let　him　alone；　it　is　hard　to　tell　Dougall's　father；'　which　the　good　earle　always　took　in　good　part。　　In　end；　he　comeing　to　years　of　discretion；　she　to'd　her　husband　that　Mackenzie　was　his　father；　and　shortly　thereafter；　by　　way　of　merriment；　to'd　the　King　how　his　lady　cheated　him。　The　King；　　finding　him　to　be　his　own　cousine　and　of　parts　of　learning；　with　all　to　　pleasure　the　earle　and　his　lady；　he　made　Dougall　prior　of　Beauly。〃Ancient　MS。＇

By　his　wife　Isabel；　only　child　of　Macaulay　of　Loch。　broom；　　Murdoch　Dubh　had　a　son　and　successor；

V。　　MURDOCH　　MACKENZIE；

Known　as　〃Murchadh　na　Drochaid；〃　or　Murdoch　of　the　Bridge。　　The　author　of　the　Ardintoul　MS。　say's　that　〃he　was　called　Murdo　na　Droit　by　　reason　of　some　bad　treatment　his　lady　met　with　at　the　Bridge　of　Scatwell；　which　happened　on　this　occasion。　　He　having　lived　for　many　years　with　　his　lady　and　getting　no'　children；　and　so　fearing　that　the　direct　line　of　his　　family　might　fail　in　his　person；　was　a　little　concerned　and　troubled　thereat；　　which　being　understood　by　some　sycophants　and　flatterers　that　were　about　　him　and　would　fain　curry　his　favour；　they　thought　that　they　could　not　　ingratiate　themselves　more　on　him　than　putting　his　lady　out　of　the　way；　whereby　he　might　marry　another；　and　they　waited　an　opportunity　to　put　　their　design　in　execution　（some　say　not　without　his　connivance）；　and　so　on　　a　certain　evening　or　late　at　night　as　she　was　going　to　Achilty；　where　her　laird　lived；　these　wicked　flatterers　did　presumptuously　and　barbarously　　cast　her　over　the　Bridge　of　Scatwell；　and　then　their　conscience　accusing　　them　for　that　horrid　act　they　made　off　with　themselves。　　But　the　wonderful　　providence　of　God　carried　the　innocent　lady　（who　was　then　with　child）　　nowithstanding　the　impetuousness　of　the　river；　safe　to　the　shore；　and　　enabled　her　in　the　night…time　to　travel　the　length　of　Achilty；　where　her　husband　did　impatiently　wait　her　coming；　that　being　the　night　she　promised　to　be　home；　and　entertained　her　very　kindly；　being　greatly　offended　at　the　maltreatment　she　met　with。　　The　child　she　had　then　in　the　womb　was　afterwards　called　Alexander；　and　some　　say　agnamed　Inrick　　　because　by　a　miracle　or　Providence　he　escaped　that　danger　and　afterwards　　became　heir　to　his　father　and　inherited　his　estate。〃　The　author　of　the　　Applecross　MS。　says　that　this　Baron　was　called