history of the mackenzies-第35节

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ls；　and；　joined　by　a　detachment　of　the　Mackintoshes；　＇In　the　year　1573；　Lachlan　More；　Laird　of　Mackintosh；　favouring　Kintail；　his　brother…in　law；　required　all　the　people　of　Strathnairn　　to　join　him　against　the　Munros。　　Colin；　Lord　of　Lorn　had　at　the　time　the　　adminstration　of　that　lordship　as　the　jointure　lands　of　his　wife；　the　　Countesa　Dowager　of　Murray；　and　he　wrote　to　Hugh　Rose　of　Kilravock：〃My　Baillie　off　Strathnarne；　for　as　much　as　it　is　reported　to　me　that　　Mackintosh　has　charged　all　my　tenants　west　of　the　water　of　Naim　to　pass　　forward　with　him　to　Ross　to　enter　into　this　troublous　action　with　　Mackenzie　against　the　Laird　of　Fowlis；　and　because　I　will　not　that　any　of　mine　enter　presently　this　matter　whose　service　appertains　to　me；　　wherefore　I　will　desire　you　to　make　my　will　known　to　my　tenants　at　　Strathnarne　within　your　Bailliary；　that　none　of　them　take　upon　hand　to　rise　　at　this　present　with　Mackintosh　to　pass　to　Ross；　or　at　any　time　hereafter　without　my　special　command　and　goodwill　obtained　under　such　pains；〃　etc。　　（Dated）　Darnoway；　28th　of　June；　1573。Kilravock　Writs；　p。263。＇　　garrisoned　the　steeple　of　the　Cathedral　Church；　and　laid　siege　to　Irvine's　　Tower　and　the　Palace。　　The　Munros　held　out　for　three　years；　but　one　day　　the　garrison　becoming　short　of　provisions；　they　attempted　a　sortie　to　the　Ness　of　Fortrose；　where　there　was　at　the　time　a　salmon　stell；　the　contents　　of　which　they　attempted　to　secure。　　They　were　commanded　　by　John　　　Munro；　grandson　of　George；　fourth　laird　of　Fowlis；　who　was　killed　at　the　　battle　of　〃Bealach…nam…Brog。〃　　They；　were　immediately　discovered；　and　quickly　followed　by　the　Mackenzies；　under　lain　Dubh　Mac　Ruairidh　Mhic　　Alastair；　who　fell　upon　the　starving　Munros；　and；　after　a　desperate　　struggle；　killed　twenty…six　of　their　number；　among　whom　was　their　　commander；　while　the　victors　only　sustained　a　loss　of　two　men　killed　and　　three　or　four　wounded。　　The　remaining　defenders　of　the　castle　　immediately　capitulated；　and　it　was　taken　possession　of　by　the　　Mackenzies。　　Subsequently　it　was　confirmed　to　the　Baron　of　Kintail　by　　King　James　VI。　＇Sir　Robert　Gordon；　p。　154；　and　MS。　Histories　of　the　　Family。＇　　Roderick　Mor　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle　seems　to　have　been　the　　leading　spirit　in　this　affair。　　The　following　document；　dated　at　Holyrood　House；　the　12th　of　September　1573；　referring　to　the　matter　will　prove　　interesting

Anent　our　Sovereign　Lord's　letters　raised　at　the　instance　of　Master　　George　Munro；　making　mention：that　whereas　he　is　lawfully　provided　to　　the　Chancellory　of　Ross　by　his　Highness's　presentation；　admission　to　the　　Kirk；　and　the　Lords'　decree　thereupon；　and　has　obtained　letters　in　all　the　　four　forms　thereupon　and　therewith　has　caused　charge　the　tenants　and　　intromitters　with　the　teind　sheaves　thereof；　to　make　him　and　his　factors　　payment；　and　in　the　meantime　Rory　Mackenzie；　brother　to　Colin　　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　having　continual　residence　in　the　steeple　of　the　　Chanonry　of　Ross；　which　he　caused　to　be　built　not　only　to　oppress　the　　country　with　masterful　theft；　sorning；　and　daily　oppression；　but　also　for　suppressing　of　the　word　of　God　which　was　always　preached　in　the　said　　Kirk　preceding　his　entry　thereto；　which　is　now　become　a　filthy　stye　and　　den　of　thieves；　has　masterfully　and　violently　with　a　great　force　of　oppression；　come　to　the　tenants　indebted　in　payment　of　the　said　Mr　George's　benefice　aforesaid　and　has　masterfully　reft　them　of　all　and　whole　　the　fruits　thereof；　and　so　he　having　no　other　refuge　for　obtaining　of　the　said　benefice；　was　compelled　to　denounce　the　said　whole　tenants　rebels　　and　put　them　to　the　horn；　as　the　said　letters　and　execution　thereof　more　　fully　purports；　and　further　is　compelled　for　fear　of　the　said　Mr　George's　life　to　remain　from　his　vocation　whereunto　God　has　called　him。　　And　　anent　the　charge　given　to　the　said　Rory　Mackenzie　to　desist　and　cease　　from　all　intromitting；　uptaking；　molesting　or　troubling　of　the　said　Mr　　George's　tenants　of　his　benefice　above…written　for　any　fruits　or　duties　　thereof；　otherwise　than　is　ordered　by　law；　or　else　to　have　compeared　　before　my　Lord　Regent's　grace　and　Lords　of　Secret　Council　at　a　certain　day　bypast；　and　show　a　reasonable　cause　why　the　same　should　not　be　done；　under　the　pain　of　rebellion　and　putting　him　to　the　horn；　with　certification　to　him；　and　he　failing；　letters　would　be　directed　simpliciter　to　　put　him　to　the　horn；　like　as　is　at　more　length　contained　in　the　said　letters；　　execution　and　endorsement　thereof。　Which　being　called；　the　said　Master　　George　compeared　personally；　and　the　said　Rory　Mackenzie　oftimes　　called　and　not　compearing；　my　Lord　Regent's　grace；　with　advise　of　the　　Lords　of　Secret　Council；　ordained　letters　to　be　directed　to　officers　of　arms；　　Sheriffs　in　that　part；　to　denounce　the　said　Rory　Mackenzie　our　Sovereign　　Lord's　rebel　and　put　him　to　the　horn　and　to　escheat　and　bring　in　all　his　moveable　goods　to　his　Highness's　use　for　his　contempt。　＇Records　of　the　　Privy　Council。＇

In　December　of　the　same　year　Colin　has　to　provide　cautioners；　for　things　laid　to　his　charge；　to　the　amount　of　ten　thousand　pounds；　that　he　　shall　remain　within　four　miles　of　Edinburgh；　and　eastward　as　far　as　the　　town　of　Dunbar；　and　that　he　shall　appear　before　the　Council　on　a　notice　of　　forty…eight　hours。　　On　the　6th　of　February　following　other　cautioners　bind　　themselves　to　enter　him　in　Edinburgh　on　the　20th　of　May；　1574；　　remaining　there　until　relieved；　under　a　penalty　of　ten　thousand　pounds。　　　He　is　entered　to　keep　ward　in　Edinburgh　on　the　1st　March；　1575；　and　is　　bound　to　appear　before　the　Council　when　required　under　a　similar　penalty。　　　　On　the　10th　of　April　following　he　signs　a　bond　that　Alexander　Ross　shall　　appear　before　the　Lords　when　required　to　do　so。　　On　the　25th　of　May；　　1575；　at　Chanonry；　Robert　Munro　of　Fowlis　and　Walter　Urquhart；　Sheriff　of　Cromarty；　bind　　themselves　their　　heirs；　and　successors；　under　a　penalty　　of　five　thousand　pounds；　that　they　shall　on　a　month's　notice　enter　and　　present　Roderick　Mor　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle　before　the　King　and　the　　Privy　Council　and　that　he　shall　remain　while　lawful　entry　be　taken　of　him；　　and　that　he　shall　keep　good　rule　in　his　country　in　the　meantime。　　On　the　　same　day　Colin；　his　brother；　〃of　his　own　free　motive　will〃　binds　himself　　and　his　heirs　to　relieve　and　keep　these　gentlemen　scaithless　of　the　amount　　of　this　obligation。　　He　is　one　of　several　Highland　chiefs　charged　by　the　　Regent　and　the　Privy　Council　on　the　19th　of　February；　1577…78；　to　defend　　Donald　Mac　Angus　of　Glengarry　from　an　expected　invasion　of　his　　territories　by　sea　and　land。　＇Register　of　the　Privy　Council。＇

The　disturbed　state　of　the　country　was　such；　in　1573；　that　the　Earl　　of　Sutherland　petitioned　to　be　served　heir　to　his　estates；　at　Aberdeen；　as　he　　could　not　get　a　jury　together　to　sit　at　　Inverness；　〃in　consequence　of　the　　barons；　such　as　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　Hugh　Lord　Lovat；　Lachlan　　Mackintosh　of　Dunachton；　and　Robert　Munro　of　Fowlis；　being　at　deadly　　feud　among　themselves。〃　＇Antiquarian　Notes；　p。　79＇

In　1580　a　desperate　quarrel　broke　out　between　the　Mackenzies　and　Macdonalds　of　Glengarry。　　The　Chief　of　Glengarry　inherited　part　of　Lochalsh；　Lochcarron；　and　Lochbroom；　from　his　grandmother；　Margaret；　one　of　the　sisters　and　co…heiresses　of　Sir　Donald　Macdonald　of　Lochalsh；　　and　grand…daughter　of　Celestine　of　the　Isles。　Kenneth；　during　his　father's　　life；　had　acquired　the　other　part　by　purchase　from　Dingwall　of　Kildun；　son　　of　the　other　co…heiress　of　Sir　Donald；　on　the　24th　November；　1554；　and　　Queen　Mary　confirmed　the　grant　by　Royal　charter。　　Many　causes　leading　　to　disputes　and　feuds　can　easily　be　imagined　with　such　men　in　close　　proximity。　　Glengarry　and　his　followers　〃sorned〃　on　Mackenzie's　tenants；　　not　only　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　his　own　property　of　Lochcarron；　but　also　during　their　raids　from　Glengarry；　on　the　outskirts　of　Kintail；　and　thus　　Mackenzie's　dependants　were　continually　harrassed　by　Glengarry's　　cruelty　and　ill…usage。　　His　own　tenants　in　Lochalsh　and　Lochcarron　fared　　little　better；　particularly　the　Mathesons　in　the　former；　and　the　Clann　Ian　　Uidhir　in　the　latter；　who　were　the　original　possessors　of　Glengarry's　lands　　in　that　district。　　These　tribes；　finding　themselves　in　such　abject　slavery；　　though　they　regularly　paid　their　rents　and　other　dues；　and　seeing　how　　kindly　Mackenzie　used　the　neighbouring　tenantry；　envied　their　more　comfortable　state　and　〃abhorred　Glengarry's　rascality；　who　would　lie　in　　their　houses　（yea；　force　their　women　and　daughters）　so　long　as　there　was　　any　good　to　be　given；　which　made　them　keep　better　amity　and　　correspondence　with　Mackenzie　and　his　tenants　than　with　their　own　　master　and　his　　followers。　　This　may　partly　teach　how　superiors　ought　　always　to　govern　and　oversee　their　tenantry　and　followers；　especially　in　　the　Highlands；　who　were　ordinarily　made　up　of　several　clans；　and　will　not　readily　underlie　such　slavery　as　the　Incountry　Commons　will　do。〃

The　　first　serious　outbreak　between　the　Glengarry　Macdonalds　and　the　Mackenzies　originated　thus：　　One　Duncan　Mac　Ian　Uidhir　Mhic　Dhonnachaidh；　known　as　〃a　very　honest　gentleman；〃　who；　in　his　early　days；　lived　under　Glengarry；　and　was　a　very　good　deerstalker　and　an　　excellent　shot；　often　resorted　to