history of the mackenzies-第37节

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ible　to　his　sister；　Mackintosh　of　Mackintosh's　wife；　and　　to　treat　her　as　a　gentlewoman　ought　to　be　treated　when　he　came　to　Moy；　　and　that　he　（Colin）　would　consider　it　as　an　act　of　personal　courtesy　to　himself。　　The　messenger　delivered　his　message；　to　which　Huntly　replied；　　that　if　it　were　his　good　fortune；　as　he　doubted　not　it　would　be；　to　　apprehend　her　husband　and　her；　〃she　would　be　the　worst　used　lady　in　the　　North；　that　she　was　an　ill　instrument　against　his　cause；　and　therefore　he　would　cut　her　tail　above　her　houghs。〃　〃Well；　then；〃　answered　Kinnock；　　〃he　（Kintail）　bade　me　tell　your　Lordship　if　that　were　your　answer；　that　　perhaps　he　or　his　would　be　there　to　have　a　better　care　of　her。〃　　〃I　do　not　　value　his　being　there　more　than　herself〃　Huntly　replied；　〃and　tell　him　so　much　from　me。〃　　The　messenger　departed；　when　some　of　Huntly's　　principal　officers　who　heard　the　conversation　remonstrated　with　his　　Lordship　for　sending　the　Mackenzie　chief　so　uncivil　an　answer；　as　he　　might　have　cause　to　regret　it　if　that　gentleman　took　it　amiss。　　Kinnock　on　　his　arrival　at　Brahan；　told　his　master　what　had　occurred；　and　delivered　　Huntly's　rude　message。　　Colin；　who　was　at　the　time　in　delicate　health；　sent　　for　his　brother；　Rory　Mor　of　Redcastle；　and　sent　him　next　day　across　the　　ferry　of　Ardersier　with　a　force　of　four　hundred　warriors。　　These　he　　marched　straight　through　the　hills；　and　just　as　Huntly；　on　his　way　from　　Inverness；　was　coming　in　sight；　on　the　west　of　Moy；　Rory　and　his　　followers　were　marching　along　the　face　of　the　hill　on　the　east　side　of　the　　Island；　when　his　Lordship；　perceiving　such　a　large　force；　asked　his　officers　who　they　could　be。　　One　of　them；　present　during　the　interview　with　Mackenzie's　messenger　on　the　previous　day；　answered；　〃Yonder　is　the　effect　of　your　answer　to　Mackenzie。〃　　〃　I　wonder；〃　replied　Huntly；　〃how　　he　could　have　so　many　men　ready　almost　in　an　instant。〃　　The　officer　　replied；　〃Their　leader　is　so　active　and　fortunate　that　his　men　will　flock　to　　him　from　all　parts　on　a　moment's　notice　when　he　has　any　ado。　　And　before　　you　gain　Mackintosh　or　his　lady　you　will　lose　more　than　he　is　worth；　since　　now；　as　it　seems；　her　friends　take　part　in　the　quarrel；〃　whereupon　the　Earl　　retired　with　his　forces　to　Inverness；　〃so　that　it　seemed　fitter　to　Huntly　to　　agree　their　differs　friendly　than　prosecute　the　laws　further　against　Mackintosh。〃

There　is　a　complaint　to　the　Privy　Council　by　Christian　　Scrymgeour；　relict　of　the　late　Alexander；　Bishop　of　Ross；　dated　24th　　January；　1578…9；　in　which　it　is　stated　that　Colin　not　only　stopped　and　debarred　her　late　spouse　from　having　fuel　and　〃elding〃　to　his　dwelling　　house　in　the　Chanonry　of　Ross；　where　he　made　his　residence　last　summer；　　but　stopped　him　also　from　victuals　to　his　house；　using　such　unhuman　and　　cruel　dealings　against　him　that　he　fell　sick　and　never　recovered　〃till　he　departed　this　life。〃　　During　the　illness　of　the　bishop　in　December　preceding；　Colin　and　others　〃of　his　special　sending〃　enclosed　the　house　of　the　　Chanonry　and　debarred　the　complainer　and　her　husband　of　meat　and　drink　　and　all　other　relief　of　company　or　comfort　of　neighbours　and　friends；　and　how　soon　he　had　intelligence　of　the　bishop's　approaching　his　death　he　laid　　ambushes　of　armed　men　within　the　town　of　Chanonry　and　in　the　neighbourhood　and　apprehended　several　of　the　bishop's　and　dean's　servants；　whom　he　carried　〃immediately　to　the　said　Colin's　house　of　the　　Redcastle；〃　and　there　detained　them　for　twenty…four　hours。　Further；　on　the　　22nd　of　September　preceding；　the　bishop　being　at　the　extreme　point　of　　death；　Colin　with　an　armed　following　in　great　numbers；　came　to　the　castle　and　house　of　the　Chanonry　and　by　force　and　violence　entered　therein　and　　put　the　said　Christian　Scrymgeour；　the　bishop's　wife；　and　his　servants；　　children；　and　household　out　of　the　same；　intromitted　with　their　goods　and　gear　and　constrained　them　to　leave　the　country　by　sea；　not　suffering　them　to　get　meat；　drink。　or　lodging；　in　the　town；　nor　letting　them　take　away　with　them　of　their　own　gear　as　much　as　a　plaid　or　blanket　to　protect　the　　children　from　cold　in　the　boat；　〃committing　thair　throw　such　cruel　and　　barbarous　oppression　upon　them　as　the　like　has　not　been　heard　of　in　any　　realm　or　country　subject　to　justice　or　the　authority　of　a　Sovereign　　Prince。〃

Colin　did　not　appear　to　answer　this　complaint；　and　he　and　his　chief　abettors　were　denounced　rebels；　put　to　the　horn　and　escheated。　On　the　same　day；　there　is　a　complaint　by　Henry　Lord　Methven；　in　which　it　is　stated　that　although　his　Lordship　〃has　by　gift　of　His　Highness　　to　him；　his　heirs　and　assignees；　the　gift　of　all　and　whole　the　temporality　of　　the　Bishopric　of　Ross；　and　of　the　castle；　house；　and　place　of　the　Chanonry　　of　Ross；　now　vacant　in　our　Sovereign　Lord's　hands　by　the　decease　of　the　　late　Alexander；　last　Bishop　of　Ross；　of　all　years　and　terms　to　come；　aye　　and　till　the　lawful　provision　of　a　lawful　bishop　and　pastor　to　the　said　　bishopric；〃　and　although　it　is　〃specially　provided　by　Act　of　Parliament　　that　whatsoever　person　or　persons　takes　any　bishop's　places；　castles；　or　strengths；　or　enters　by　their　own　authority　to　hold　them　without　his　　Highness'　command；　letters　or　charges；　shall　incur　the　crimes　of　treason　　and　lesemajesty；〃　yet；　〃Colin　　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　in　proud　and　high　　contempt　of　his　Majesty's　said　loveable　law　and　Act　of　Parliament；　and　of　his　Highness　now　having　the　administration　of　the　Government　of　the　　realm　in　his　own　person；　lately；　upon　the　22nd　day　of　September　last　　bypast；　in　the　very　hour　of　the　death　of　the　said　late　Alexander；　Bishop　of　　Ross；　or　shortly　thereafter　beset　and　enclosed　the　said　castle；　house；　and　　place　of　the　Chanonry　of　Ross；　took　the　same　by　force　and　as　yet　detains　　and　holds　the　same　as　a　house　of　war　and　will　not　render　and　deliver　the　　same　to　the　said　Lord　Methven。'　　Mackenzie　was　duly　charged　to　give　up　possession　of　the　castle　and　place　or　take　the　consequences。　　Lord　Methven　appeared　personally；　but　Colin　did　not；　where…upon　their　Lordships　ordained　letters　to　be　directed　to　him　charging　him　to　give　them　　up。　〃with　the　whole　munition　and　ordnance　therein〃　to　Henry　Lord　　Methven　or　to　any　other　having　power　to　receive　them；　within　twenty…four　　hours　of　the　charge　under　the　pain　of　treason。

The　following　complaint　by　Donald　Mac　Angus　of　Glengarry　laid　　before　the　Privy　Council　at　Dalkeith　on　10th　of　August；　1582；　is　that　gentleman's　version　of　his　apprehension　by　Roderick　Mor　Mackenzie　of　　Redcastle　and　Dugall　Mackenzie　of　Kishorn；　as　described　from　family　　MSS。　at　pp。　156…59。　　Glengarry's　complaint　proceeds

After　the　great　slaughters；　herschips；　and　skaiths；　committed　upon　him；　his　kin；　friends；　and　servants　upon　the　last　day　of　February　the　year　of　　God　1581　years；　estimate　worth　six　score　thousand　pounds　money　of　this　　realm　or　thereby；　and　on　the　first；　second；　third；　fourth；　fifth　and　sixth　days　　of　March　last　bypast　thereafter　by　Rory　Mackenzie；　brother…german　to　　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　Dugald　Mackenzie；　his　brother　and　the　　remainder　of　their　colleagues　and　company；　to　the　number　of　two　hundred　　persons；　armed　with　two…handed　swords；　bows；　darlochis；　hagbutts；　　pistols；　prohibited　to　be　worn　or　used；　and　other　offensive　weapons　who　　also　upon　the　sixteenth　day　of　April　last　bypast　or　thereby；　came　upon　the　said　complainant　he　being　within　his　own　〃rowmes〃　and　country　of　Lochcarron　having　mind　of　no　evil　or　injury　to　have　been　done　to　him　nor　　none　of　his；　but　thinking　to　have　lived　under　God's　peace　and　our　　Sovereign　Lord；　and　then　not　only　took　himself　captive；　kept　and　detained　him　prisoner　in　coves；　craigs；　woods；　and　other　desert　places　at　their　　pleasure　wherethrough　none　of　his　kin　nor　friends　had　access　to　him　for　　the　space　of　fourteen　days　or　thereby；　but　also　in　the　meantime　took　and　　apprehended　the　late　Rory　MacAlister；　father's　brother　to　the　said　　complainant；　and　three　of　their　sons　and　other　of　his　friends　and　servants　　to　the　number　of　33　persons　or　thereby；　bound　their　hands　with　their　own　shirts；　and　cruelly　and　unmercifully；　under　promise　of　safety　of　their　lives；　　caused　murder　and　slay　them　with　dirks；　appointing　that　they　should　not　　be　buried　as　Christian　men；　but　cast　forth　and　eaten　by　dogs　and　swine。〃

Further；　〃at　the　end　of　the　said　complainant's　captivity　and　detention　in　the　manner　aforesaid；　being　delivered　by　the　foresaid　person；　his　takers　　and　detainers；　to　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　both　he　and　they；　being　　armed　in　warlike　manner　as　said　is；　upon　the　24th　day　of　the　said　month　of　　April；　came　to　the　said　complainant's　town　and　lands　of　Strome；　where　　they　also　carried　him　　captive　with　　them　and　theirs；　by　hostility　and　way　　of　deed；　spoiled　and　reft　the　whole　goods；　gear；　and　plenishing　therein　and　besieged　his　house　and　Castle　of　Strome；　threatening　his　friends　and　　servants　therein　that　if　they　rendered　not　the　same　to　them　they　would　　hang　the　said　complainant　in　their　sight　compelling　him　and　his　said　　friends　therefor　and　for　safety　of　his　life　to　yield　to　the　said　persons'　tyrranous　desires　and　appetites；　and　render　to　them　the　said　castle；　which　　they　not　only　wrongfully　detained　and　withheld　from　him；　but　also　　through　occasion　thereof　still　insists　in　thei