history of the mackenzies-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ere　quit　of　their　trouble。〃

The　young　Lord　of　the　Isles　was　at　the　same　time　that　Mackenzie　　went　to　Perth　sent　to　Edinburgh；　from　which　he　soon　afterwards　escaped　to　the　North；　at　the　instigation　of　his　mother；　the　Countess；　raised　his　　vassals；　and；　joined　by　all　the　outlaws　and　vagabonds　in　the　country；　　　numbering　a　formidable　body　of　about　ten　thousand；　he　laid　waste　the　　country；　plundered　and　devastated　the　crown　lands；　against　which　his　　vengeance　was　specially　directed；　razed　the　Royal　burgh　of　Inverness　to　　the　ground；　pillaged　and　burned　the　houses；　and　perpetrated　every　　description　of　cruelty。　He　then　besieged　the　Castle；　but　without　success；　after　which　he　retired　precipitately　towards　Lochaber；　where　he　was　met　　by　the　Royal　forces；　commanded　by　the　King　in　person。　　The　Lord　of　the　　Isles　prepared　for　battle；　but　he　had　the　mortification　to　notice　the　desertion　of　Clan　Chattan　and　Clan　Cameron；　who　had　previously　joined　　him；　and　of　seeing　them　going　over　in　a　body　to　the　Royal　standard。　　The　　King　immediately　attacked　the　island　chief　and　completely　routed　his　　forces；　while　their　leader　sought　safety　in　flight。　　He　was　vigorously　　pursued；　and　finding　escape　or　concealment　equally　impossible；　and　being　　reduced　to　the　utmost　distress；　hunted　from　place　to　place　by　his　vigilant　　pursuers；　the　haughty　chief　resolved　to　throw　himself　entirely　on　the　　mercy　of　His　Majesty；　and　finding　his　way　to　Edinburgh　in　the　most　secret　manner；　and　on　the　occasion　of　a　solemn　festival　on　Easter　Sunday；　in　　1429；　at　Holyrood；　he　suddenly　appeared　in　his　shirt　and　drawers　before　　the　King　and　Queen；　surrounded　by　all　the　nobles　of　the　Court；　while　they　were　engaged　in　their　devotions　before　the　High　Altar；　and　implored；　on　　his　knees；　with　a　naked　sword　held　by　the　point　in　his　hand；　the　　forgiveness　of　his　sovereign。　　With　bonnet　in　hand；　his　legs　and　arms　quite　　bare；　his　body　covered　only　with　a　plaid；　and　in　token　of　absolute　　submission；　he　offered　his　sword　to　the　King。　　His　appearance；　　strengthened　by　the　solicitations　of　the　affected　Queen　and　all　the　nobles；　　　made　such　an　impression　on　His　Majesty　that　he　submitted　to　the　　promptings　of　his　heart　against　the　wiser　and　more　prudent　dictates　of　his　　judgment。　　He　accepted　　the　sword　offered　him；　and　spared　the　life　of　his　captive；　but　immediately　committed　him　to　Tantallon　Castle；　under　the　　charge　of　William　Douglas；　Earl　of　Angus。　　The　spirit　of　Alexander's　followers；　however；　could　not　brook　this　mortal　offence；　and　the　whole　　strength　of　the　clan　was　promptly　mustered　under　his　cousin　Donald　　Balloch；　who　led　them　to　Lochaber；　where　they　met　the　King's　forces　　under　the　Earls　of　Mar　and　Caithness；　killed　the　latter；　gained　a　complete　　victory　over　the　Royal　army；　and　returned　to　the　Isles　in　triumph；　with　an　　immense　quantity　of　spoil。

James　soon　after　proceeded　north　in　person　as　far　as　Dunstaffnage；　Donald　Balloch　fled　to　Ireland；　and；　after　several　encounters　with　the　　rebels；　the　King　obtained　the　submission　of　the　　majority　of　the　　chiefs　　who　were　engaged　in　the　rebellion；　while　others　were　promptly　　apprehended　and　executed　to　the　number　of　about　three　hundred。　　The　　King　thereupon　released　the　Lord　of　the　Isles　from　Tantallon　Castle；　and　　granted　him　a　free　pardon　for　all　his　rebellious　acts；　confirmed　him　in　all　　his　titles　and　possessions；　and　further　conferred　upon　him；　in　addition；　the　　Lordship　of　Lochaber；　which　had　previously；　on　its　forfeiture；　been　　granted　to　the　Earl　of　Mar。　　After　his　first　escape　from　Edinburgh；　the　Lord　of　the　Isles　again　in　　1429　raised　the　standard　of　revolt。　　He　for　the　second　time　burnt　the　town　　of　Inverness；　while　Mackenzie　was　〃attending　to　his　duties　at　Court。〃

Kintail　was　recalled　by　his　followers；　who　armed　for　the　King；　and　led　by　their　young　chief　on　his　return　home；　they　materially　aided　in　the　　overthrow　of　Alexander　of　the　Isles　at　the　same　time　securing　peace　and　　good　government　in　their　own　district；　and　among　most　of　the　surrounding　　tribes。　　Alexander　is　also　found　actively　supporting　the　King；　and　with　the　　Royal　army；　during　the　turbulent　rule　of　John；　successor　to　Alexander；　　Lord　of　the　Isles；　who　afterwards；　in　1447；　died　at　peace　with　his　　sovereign。

James　I。　died　in　1460；　and　was　succeeded　by　James　II。　When；　in　1462；　the　Earl　of　Douglas；　the　Lord　of　the　Isles；　and　Donald　Balloch　of　　Isla　entered　into　a　treaty　with　the　King　of　England　for　the　subjugation　of　　Scotland；　on　condition；　in　the　event　of　success；　that　the　whole　of　Scotland；　　north　of　the　Firth　of　Forth；　should　be　divided　between　them；　Alexander　　Mackenzie　stood　firm　in　the　interest　of　the　ruling　monarch；　and　with　such　success　that　nothing　came　of　this　extraordinary　compact。　　We　soon　after　　find　him　rewarded　by　a　charter　in　　his　favour；　dated　7th　January　1463；　　confirming　him　in　his　lands　of　Kintail；　with　a　further　grant　of　the　〃5　merk　lands　of　Killin；　the　lands　of　Garve；　and　the　2　merk　lands　of　Coryvulzie；　　with　the　three　merk　lands　of　Kinlochluichart；　and　2　merk　lands　of　Ach…na…Clerich；　the　2　merk　lands　of　Garbat；　the　merk　lands　of　Delintan；　and　the　4　　merk　lands　of　Tarvie；　all　lying　within　the　shire　and　Earldom　of　Ross；　to　be　　holden　of　the　said　John　and　his　successors；　Earls　of　Ross。〃　　This　is　the　first　　Crown　charter　in　favour　of　the　Mackenzie　chief　of　which　any　authentic　　record　exists。

Alexander　continued　to　use　　his　great　influence　at　Court；　as　well　as　　with　John　Lord　of　the　Isles；　for　the　purpose　of　bringing　about　a　　reconciliation　between　his　Majesty　and　his　powerful　subject　during　the　　unnatural　rebellion　of　Angus　Og　against　his　father。　The　King；　however；　　proved　inexorable；　and　refused　to　treat　with　the　Earl　on　any　condition　　other　than　the　absolute　and　unconditional　surrender　of　the　earldom　of　　Ross　to　the　Crown；　of　which；　however；　he　would　be　allowed　to　hold　all　his　other　possessions　in　future。　These　conditions　the　island　chief　haughtily　refused；　again　flew　to　arms；　and　in　1476　invaded　Moray；　but　finding　that　　he　could　offer　no　effectual　resistance　to　the　powerful　forces　sent　against　　him　by　the　King；　he；　by　the　seasonable　grants　of　the　lands　of　Knapdale　and　　Kintyre；　secured　the　influence　of　Colin；　first　Earl　of　Argyll；　in　his　favour；　　and　with　the　additional　assistance　of　Kintail；　procured　remission　of　his　　past　offences　on　the　conditions　previously　offered　to　him　and　resigning　for　　ever；　in　1476；　the　Earldom　of　Ross　to　the　King；　he　〃was　infeft　of　new〃　in　the　Lordship　of　the　Isles　and　the　other　possessions　which　he　had　not　been　called　upon　to　renounce。　　The　Earldom　was　in　the　same　year；　in　the　9th　　Parliament　of　James　III。；　irrevocably　annexed　to　the　Crown；　where　the　title　and　the　honours　still　remain；　held　by　the　Prince　of　Wales。

The　great　services　rendered　by　the　Baron　of　Kintail　to　the　reigning　family；　especially　during　these　negotiations；　and　generally　throughout　his　　long　rule　at　Ellandonnan；　were　recognised　by　a　charter　from　the　Crown；　　dated　Edinburgh；　November　1476；　of　some　of　the　lands　renounced　by　the　　Earl　of　Ross；　viz。；　Strathconan；　Strathbraan；　and　Strathgarve；　and　after　this　　the　Barons　of　Kintail　held　all　their　lands　quite　independently　of　any　　superior　but　the　Crown。　　During　the　long　continued　disputes　between　the　Earl　of　Ross　and　　Kintail　no　one　was　more　zealous　in　the　cause　of　the　island　chief　than　　Allan　Macdonald　of　Moydart；　who；　during　Mackenzie's　absence；　made　　several　raids　into　Kintail；　ravaged　the　country；　and　carried　away　large　numbers　of　cattle。　　After　the　forfeiture　of　the　Earldom　of　Ross；　Allan's　　youngest　brother；　supported　by　a　faction　of　the　tenantry；　rebelled　against　　his　elder　brother；　and　possessed　himself　for　a　time　of　the　Moydart　estates。

The　Lord　of　the　Isles　was　unwilling　to　appear　so　soon　in　these　broils；　or　perhaps　he　favoured　the　pretentions　of　the　younger　brother；　and　refused　to　　give　any　assistance　to　Allan；　who；　however；　hit　upon　a　device　as　bold　as　it　　ultimately　proved　successful。　　　He　started　for　Kinellan；　〃being　ane　ile　in　　ane　loch；〃　where　Mackenzie　at　the　time　resided；　and　presented　himself　　personally　before　his　old　enemy；　who　was　naturally　surprised　beyond　　measure　to　receive　such　a　visit　from　one　to　whom　he　had　never　been　　reconciled。　　Allan；　however；　related　how　he　had　been　oppressed　by　his　　brother　and　his　nearest　friends　and　how　he　had　been　refused　aid　from　　those　to　whom　he　had　a　natural　right　to　look　for　it。　　In　these　desperate　circumstances　he　resolved　to　apply　to　his　greatest　enemy；　who；　he　argued；　　might　for　any　assistance　he　could　give　gain　in　return　as　faithful　a　friend　as　　he　bad　previously　been　his　〃diligent　adversary。〃　Alexander；　on　hearing　　the　story；　was　moved　to　pity　by　the　manner　in　which　Allan　had　been　　oppressed　by　his　own　relatives；　promised　him　the　required　support；　　proceeded　in　person　with　a　sufficient　force　to　repossess　him；　and　finally　accomplished　his　purpose。　　The　other　Macdonalds；　who　had　　been　　　dispossessed　　thereupon　　represented　to　the　King　that　Alexander　　Mackenzie　had　invaded　their　territory　as　a　〃disturber　of　the　peace；　and　ane　　oppressor；〃　the　result　being　that　he　was　cited　before　His　Majesty　at　　Edinburgh；　〃but　here　was　occasion　given　to　Allan　to　requite　Alexander's　　generosity；　　for　Alexander　　having　raised　armies　to　assist　him；