history of the mackenzies-第16节

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ing　clans；　and　by　their　industry；　blood；　and　　courage；　have　been　instrumental　in　raising　that　family。〃　　The　writer　adds　that　he　does　not　know　Macrae's　christian　name；　but　that　he　married　〃a　　daughter　or　grand…daughter　of　MacBeolan；　who　possessed　a　large　part　of　　Kintail　before　Mackenzie's　predecessors　got　a　right　of　it　from　Alexander　　III。〃　　This　　marriage；　and　their　common　ancestry　from　a　native　Celtic　　source；　and　not　from　〃the　same　race　of　people　in　Ireland〃　seems　a　much　　more　probable　explanation　of　the　early　and　continued　friendship　which　　existed　between　the　two　families　than　that　suggested　by　the　rev。　author　of　　〃The　Genealogy　of　the　Macraes；〃　above　quoted。

But　the　curious　circumstance　to　which　he　directs　attention　　regarding　the　first　five　Mackenzie　chiefs　is　quite　true。　　It　is　borne　out　by　every　genealogy　of　the　House　of　Kintail　which　we　have　ever　seen。　There　　is　not　a　trace　of　any　legitimate　male　descendant　from　the　first　of　the　name　　down　to　Alexander；　the　sixth　baron；　except　the　immediately　succeeding　　chief；　so　that　their　vassals　and　followers　in　the　field　and　elsewhere　must；　　for　nearly　two　hundred　years；　have　been　men　of　different　septs　and　tribes　and　names；　except　the　progeny　of　their　own　illegitimate　sons；　such　as　　〃Sliochd　Mhurcbaidh　Riabhaich〃　and　others　of　similar　base　origin。　　Murdoch　married　Finguala　or　Florence；　daughter　of　Malcolm　　Macleod；　III。　of　Harris　and　Dunvegan；　by　his　wife；　Martha；　daughter　of　　Donald　Stewart；　Earl　of　Mar；　nephew　of　King　Robert　the　Bruce。　　By　this　　marriage　the　Royal　blood　of　the　Bruce　was　introduced　for　the　first　time　　into　the　family　of　Kintail；　as　also　that　of　the　ancient　Kings　of　Man。

Tormod　Macleod；　II。　of　Harris；　who　was　grandson　of　Olave　the　Black；　last　　Norwegian　King　of　Man；　and　who；　as　we　have　seen；　had　married　Christina；　daughter　of　Ferquhard　O'Beolan；　Earl　of　Ross；　married　Finguala　Mac　Crotan；　the　daughter　of　an　ancient　and　powerful　Irish　chief。　　　By　this　　lady　Malcolm　Macleod；　III。　of　Harris　and　Dunvegan；　had　issue；　among　　others；　Finguala；　who　now　became　the　wife　of　Murdoch　Mackenzie　and　　mother　of　Alexander　Ionraic；　who　carried　on　the　succession　of　the　ancient　line　of　Kintail。

Murdoch　died　in　1416　when　he　was　succeeded　by　his　only　son；

VI。　　ALEXANDER　　MACKENZIE；

Alastair　Ionraic；　or　Alexander　the　Upright；　so　called　〃for　his　righteousness。〃　　He　was　among　the　Western　barons　summoned　in　1427；　to　　meet　King　James　I。　at　Inverness；　who；　on　his　return　from　a　long　captivity　in　England；　in　1424；　determined　to　put　down　the　rebellion　and　oppression　　which　was　then　and　for　some　time　previously　so　rampant　in　the　Highlands。

To　judge　by　the　poceedings　of　a　Parliament　held　at　Perth　on　the　30th　　September　1426；　James　exhibited　a　foresight　and　appreciation　of　the　　conduct　of　the　lairds　in　those　days；　and　passed　laws　which　might　with　　good　effect；　and　with　equal　propriety；　be　applied　to　the　state　of　affairs　in　　our　own　time。　　In　that　Parliament　an　Act　was　passed　which；　among　other　　things；　ordained　that；　north　of　the　Grampians；　the　fruit　of　those　lands　　should　be　expended　in　the　country　where　those　lands　lie。　　The　Act　is　as　　follows：〃It　is　ordanit　be　the　King　ande　the　Parliament　that　everilk　lorde　　hafande　landis　bezonde　the　mownthe　（the　Grampians）　in　the　quhilk　landis　　in　auld　　tymes　there　　was　　castellis；　　fortalyces　　and　　manerplaicis；　big；　　reparell　and　reforme　their　castellis　and　maneris；　and　duell　in　thame；　be　　thameself；　or　be　ane　of　thare　frendis　for　the　gracious　gournall　of　thar　　landis；　be　gude　polising　and　to　expende　ye　fruyt　of　thar　landis　in　the　　countree　where　thar　landis　lyis。〃　＇Invernessiana；　p。102。＇

James　was　determined　to　bring　the　Highlanders　to　submission；　and　Fordun　relates　a　characteristic　anecdote　in　which　the　King　pointedly　declared　his　resolution。　When　the　excesses　in　the　Highlands　were　first　　reported　to　him　by　one　of　his　nobles；　on　entering　Scotland；　he　thus　　expressed　himself　：〃　Let　God　but　grant　me　life；　and　there　shall　not　be　a　　spot　in　my　dominions　where　the　key　shall　riot　keep　the　castle；　and　the　　furze　bush　the　cow；　though　I　myself　should　lead　the　life　of　a　dog　to　　accomplish　it〃；　and　it　was　in　this　frame　of　mind　that　he　visited　Inverness　　in　1427；　determined　to　establish　good　government　and　order　in　the　North；　　then　in　such　a　state　of　insubordination　that　neither　life　nor　　property　was　　secure。　　The　principal　chiefs；　on　his　order　or　invitation　met　him；　from　　what　motives　it　is　impossible　to　determinewhether　hoping　for　a　reconciliation　by　prompt　compliance　with　the　Royal　will；　or　from　a　dread；　in　case　of　refusal；　to　suffer　the　fate　of　the　Southern　barons　who　had　　already　fallen　victims　to　his　severity。　　The　order　was　in　any　case　obeyed；　　and　all　the　leading　chiefs　repaired　to　meet　him　at　the　Castle　of　Inverness。

As　they　entered　the　ball；　however；　where　the　Parliament　was　at　the　time　　sitting；　they　were；　one　by　one；　by　order　of　the　King；　arrested；　ironed；　and　　imprisoned　in　different　apartments；　and　debarred　from　having　any　　communications　with　each　other；　or　with　their　followers。

Fordun　says　that　James　displayed　marks　of　great　joy　as　these　turbulent　and　haughty　spirits；　caught　in　the　toils　which　he　had　prepared　for　　them；　came　voluntarily　within　reach　of　his　regal　power；　and　that　be　　〃caused　to　be　arrested　Alexander　of　the　Isles；　and　his　mother；　Countess　of　　Ross；　daughter　and　heiress　of　Sir　Walter　Lesley；　as　well　as　the　more　　notable　men　of　the　north；　each　of　whom　he　wisely　invited　singly　to　the　　Castle；　and　caused　to　be　put　in　strict　confinement　apart。　　There　he　also　　arrested　Angus　Duff　（Angus　Dubh　Mackay）　with　his　four　sons；　the　leader　　of　4000　men　from　Strathnarven　（Strathnaver。）　　Kenneth　More；　with　his　　son…in…law；　leader　of　two　thousand　men；　＇All　writers　on　the　Clan　　Mackenzie　have　hitherto　claimed　this　Kenneth　More　as　their　Chief；　and　　argued　from　the　above　that　Mackenzie　had　a　following　of　two　thousand　fighting　men　in　1427。　　It　will　be　seen　that　Alexander　was　Chief　at　this　　time；　but　Kenneth　More　may　have　been　intended　for　MacKenneth　More；　　or　the　Great　Mackenzie。　　He　certainly　could　have　had　no　such　following　of　his　own　name。＇　John　Ross；　William　Lesley；　Angus　de　Moravia；　and　　Macmaken；　leaders　of　two　thousand　men；　and　also　other　lawless　caterans　　and　great　captains　in　proportion；　to　the　number　of　about　fifty　Alexander　　Makgorrie　（MacGodfrey）　of　Garmoran；　and　John　Macarthur　（of　the　family　　of　Campbell）；　a　great　chief　among　his　own　clan；　and　the　leader　of　a　　thousand　and　more；　were　convicted；　and　being　adjudged　to　death　were　　beheaded。　　Then　James　Cambel　was　hanged；　being　accused　and　convicted　　of　the　slaughter　of　John　of　the　Isles　（John　Mor；　first　of　the　Macdonalds　of　　Isla。）　The　rest　were　sent　here　and　there　to　the　different　castles　of　the　noblemen　throughout　the　kingdom；　and　were　afterwards　condemned　to　different　kinds　of　death；　and　some　were　set　at　liberty。〃　　Among　the　latter　　was　Alexander　of　Kintail。　　The　King　sent　him；　then　a　mere　youth；　to　the　　High　School　at　Perth；　at　that　time　the　principal　literary　seminary　in　the　kingdom；　while　the　city　itself　was　frequently　the　seat　of　the　Court。

During　Kintail's　absence　it　appears　that　his　three　bastard　uncles　ravaged　the　district　of　Kinlochewe；　for　we　find　them　insulting　and　troubling　〃Mackenzie's　tenants　in　　Kenlochewe　and　Kintail　　　Macaulay；　who　was　still　Constable　in　Ellandonnan；　not　thinking　it　proper　to　leave　his　　post；　proposed　Finlay　Dubh　Mac　Gillechriost　as　the　fittest　person　to　be　　sent　to　St。　Johnston；　now　Perth；　and　by　general　consent　he　accordingly　　went　to　inform　his　young　master；　who　was　then　there　with　the　rest　of　the　　King's　ward　children　at　school；　of　his　lordship's　tenants　being　imposed　on　　as　above；　which；　with　Finlay's　remonstrance　on　the　subject；　prevailed　on　　Alexander；　his　young　master；　to　come　home；　and　being　backed　with　all　the　assistance　Finlay　could　command；　soon　brought　his　three　bastard　uncles　to　condign　punishment。〃　＇Genealogical　Account　of　the　Macraes。＇

The　writer　of　the　Ardintoul　MS。　says　that　Finlay　〃prevailed　on　him　to　go　home　without　letting　the　master　of　the　school　know　of　it。　Trysting　with　him　at　a　certaiu　place　and　set　hour　they　set　off；　and；　lest　any　should　　surprise　them；　they　declined　the　common　road　and　went　to　Macdougall　of　　Lorn；　he　being　acquainted　with　him　at　St。　Johnston。　　Macdougall　　entertained　him　kindly；　and　kept　him　with　him　for　several　days。　　He　at　that　　time　made　his　acquaintance　with　Macdougall's　daughter；　whom　　afterwards　he　married；　and　from　thence　came　to　his　own　Kintail；　and　　having　his　authority　and　right　backed　with　the　power　of　the　people；　he　　calls　his　bastard　uncles　before　him；　and　removes　their　quarters　from　　Kenlochewe；　and　gave　them　possessions　in　Glenelchaig　in　Kintail　　prescribing　measures　and　rule　for　them　how　to　behave；　assuring　them；　　though　he　pardoned　them　at　that　time；　they　should　forfeit　favours　and　be　　severely　punished　if　they　transgressed　for　the　future；　but　after　this；　going　　to　the　county　of　Ross　to　their　old　dwelling　at　Kenlochewe；　they　turned　to　practice　their　old　tricks　and　broke　loose；　so　that　he　was　forced　to　correct　　their　insolency　and　make　them　shorter　by　the　heads；　and　thus　the　people　　were　quit　of　their　trouble。〃

The　young　Lord　of　the　Isles　was　at　the　same　time　that　Mackenzie　　went