history of the mackenzies-第53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！


Marquis　obtained　a　commission　from　the　King　　to　suppress　these　violent　proceedings；　in　virtue　of　which　he　called　out　all　　his　Majesty's　loyal　vassals　to　join　him。　　Kintail　and　the　Tutor　demurred；　and　submitted　the　great　difficulties　and　trials　they　had　experienced　in　　reducing　the　Lewis　to　good　and　peaceable　government　as　their　excuse；　and　　they　were　exempted　from　joining　Huntly's　forces　by　a　special　commission　　from　the　King。　　Closely　connected　as　it　is　with　the　final　possession　of　the　　island　by　the　House　of　Kintail；　it　is　here　given

〃James　Rex；James；　by　the　grace　of　God；　King　of　Great　Britain；　France；　and　Ireland；　defender　of　the　faith；　to　all　and　sundry　our　lieges；　and　　subjects　whom　it　effeirs　to　whose　knowledge　this　our　letters　shall　come　　greeting。　　For　as　much　as　we　have　taken　great　pains　and　travails；　and　　bestown　great　charge　and　expense　for　reducing　the　Isles　of　our　kingdom　to　our　obedience：　　And　the　same　Isles　being　now　settled　in　a　reasonable　way　　of　quietness；　and　the　chieftains　thereof　having　come　in　and　rendered　their　　obedience　to　us　　there　rests　none　of　the　Isles　rebellious；　but　only　the　　Lewis；　which　being　inhabitated　by　a　number　of　godless　and　lawless　　people；　trained　up　from　their　youth　in　all　kinds　of　ungodliness：　　They　can　hardly　be　reclaimed　from　their　impurities　and　barbarities；　and　induced　to　embrace　a　quiet　and　peaceable　form　of　living　　so　that　we　have　been　　constrained　from　time　to　time　to　employ　our　cousin；　the　Lord　Kintail；　who　rests　with　God；　and　since　his　decease　the　Tutor　of　Kintail　his　brother；　and　　other　friends　of　that　House　in　our　service　against　the　rebels　of　the　Lewis；　　with　ample　commission　and　authority　to　suppress　their　insolence　and　to　　reduce　that　island　to　our　obedience；　which　service　has　been　prosecuted　　and　followed　these　divers　years　by　the　power；　friendship　and　proper　　services　of　the　House　of　Kintail；　without　any　kind　of　trouble　and　charge　or　　expense　to　us；　or　any　support　or　relief　from　their　neighbours　and　in　the　　prosecution　of　that　service；　they　have　had　such　good　and　happy　success；　as　　divers　of　the　rebels　have　been　apprehended　and　executed　by　justice：　　But　　seeing　our　said　service　is　not　yet　fully　accomplished；　nor　the　Isle　of　the　　Lewis　settled　in　a　solid　and　perfect　obedience；　we　have　of　late　renewed　　our　former　commission　to　our　cousin　Colin；　now　Lord　of　Kintail；　and　to　　his　Tutor　and　some　other　friends　of　his　house；　and　they　are　to　employ　their　　whole　power；　and　service　in　the　execution　of　the　said　commission；　which　being　a　service　importing　highly　our　honour；　and　being　so　necessary　and　　expedient　for　the　peace　and　quiet　of　the　whole　islands；　and　for　the　good　of　　our　subjects；　haunting　the　trade　of　fishing　in　the　isles；　the　same　ought　not　　to　be　interrupted　upon　any　other　intervening　occasion；　and　our　　commissioners　and　their　friends　ought　not　to　be　distracted　therefrom　for　　giving　of　their　concurrence　in　our　services：　　Therefore；　we；　with　advice　of　　the　Lords　of　our　Privy　Council；　have　given　and　granted　our　licence　to　our　said　cousin　Colin。　Lord　of　Kintail；　and　to　his　friends；　men；　tenants　and　servants；　to　remain　and　bide　at　home　from　all　osts；　raids；　wars；　assemblings；　and　gatherings　to　be　made　by　George；　Marquis　of　Huntly；　the　　Earl　of　Enzie；　his　son；　or　any　other　our　Lieutenants；　Justices；　or　　Commissioners；　by　sea　or　land　either　for　the　pursuit　of　Allan　Cameron　of　　Lochiel　and　his　rebellious　complices；　or　for　any　other　cause　or　occasion　　whatsoever；　during　or　within　the　time　of　our　commission　foresaid　granted　　against　the　Lewis；　without　pain　or　danger　to　be　incurred　by　our　said　cousin　　the　Lord　of　Kintail　and　his　friends　in　their　persons；　lands　or　goods；　　notwithstanding　whatsoever　our　proclamation　made　or　to　be　made　in　the　　contrary　whatever；　and　all　pains　contained　in　it；　we　dispense　by　these　presents；　discharging　hereby　our　Justices；　Justice　Clerk；　and　all　our　Judges　　and　Ministers　of　law；　of　all　calling；　accusing；　or　any　way　proceeding　　against　them；　for　the　cause　aforesaid；　and　of　their　officers　in　that　part。

Given　under　our　signet　at　Edinburgh；　the　14th　day　of　September；　1614；　　and　of　our　reign　the　12th；　and　48　years。　Read；　passed；　and　allowed　in　　Council。　　Alexander；　Chancellor。　　Hamilton；　Glasgow；　Lothian；　Binning。〃

Having　procured　this　commission；　the　Mackenzies　were　in　a　　position　to　devote　their　undivided　attention　to　the　Lewis　and　their　other　affairs　at　home；　and　from　this　date　that　island　principality　remained　in　the　　continuous　possession　of　the　family　of　Kintail　and　Seaforth；　until　in　1844；　　it　was　sold　to　the　late　Sir　James　Matheson。　　The　people　ever　after　adhered　　most　loyally　to　the　illustrious　house　to　whom　they　owed　peace　and　　prosperity　such　as　was　never　before　experienced　in　the　history　of　the　　island。

The　　commission　proved　otherwise　of　incalculable　benefit　to　　Kintail；　for　it　not　only　placed　him　in　a　position　to　pacify　and　establish　good　order　in　the　Lewis　with　greater　ease；　but　at　the　same　time　provided　　his　Lordship　with　undisturbed　security　in　his　extensive　possessions　on　the　　mainland　at　a　time　when　the　most　violent　disorders　prevailed　over　every　　other　district　of　the　West　Highlands　and　Isles。

On　the　2nd　of　February；　1615；　a　commission　is　signetted　in　favour　of　Sir　Roderick；　Mr　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Strathgarve；　Mr　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Kinnock；　and　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Coul；　to　receive　Malcolm　Caogach　Mac　Jan　Mhic…an…t…Sagairt；　Callum　Dubh　Mac　　Allaster；　Donald　Mac　Angus　Mac　Gillechallum；　Gillecallum　Mac　Ian　　Riabhaich；　and　James　Mac　Ian　Duibh；　from　the　Magistrates　of　Edinburgh；　　to　carry　them　north；　and　to　keep　them　in　ward　until　everything　is　ready　for　　trying　them　for　murder；　mutilation；　theft；　reset；　and　other　crimes。

At　a　meeting　of　the　Council　held　at　Edinburgh　on　the　9th　of　February；　1615；　Neil　Macleod's　two　sons；　Norman　and　Roderick；　are　set　　at　liberty　on　condition　that　they　transport　themselves　out　of　the　King's　　dominions　and　never　return。　　They　appeared　personally　〃and　acted　and　　obliged　them　that　within　the　space　of　forty　days　after　their　relief　furth　of　　their　ward；　where　they　remain　within　the　Tolbooth　of　Edinburgh；　they　　shall　depart　and　pass　furth　of　his　Majesty's　dominions　and　never　return　　again　within　the　same　during　their　lifetimes；　under　the　pain　of　death；　and　　in　the　meantime；　till　their　passing　furth　of　his　Majesty's　dominions；　that　　they　shall　not　go　benorth　the　water　of　Tay；　under　the　said　pain；　to　be　executed　upon　them　without　favour　if　they　fail　in　the　premises。　And　they　gave　their　great　oath　to　perform　the　conditions　of　this　present　act；　and　　further；　the　said　Norman　declared　that　he　would　renounce；　like　as　by　the　　tenour　of　this　present　act　he　does　renounce；　his　Majesty's　remission　and　　pardon　granted　unto　him；　and　all　favour　and　benefit　that　he　could　acclaim　by　the　said　remission；　in　case　he　failed　in　the　premises。　　In　respect　　whereof　the　said　Lords　ordained　the　said　Norman　and　Rory　to　be　put　to　　liberty　and　fredom　furth　of　the　Tolbooth〃；　and　a　warrant　was　issued　to　the　Provost　and　　Bailies　of　Edinburgh　to　give　effect　to　their　Lordships'　decision。　　The　Tutor　appeared　personally；　and　in　name　of　Lord　Kintail　　consented　to　the　liberation　of　the　prisoners。　　He　at　the　same　time　protested　　that　neither　he　nor　his　chief　should　be　held　any　longer　responsible　for　the　　expenses　of　maintaining　Norman；　now　that　lie　was　at　liberty；　and　he　was　　accordingly　relieved　from　further　charge　on　that　account。

On　the　26th　of　April　following　the　Tutor　receives　a　commission　for　the　pursuit　and　apprehension　of　Coll　MacGillespic　Macdonald；　Malcolm　Mac　Rory　Macleod；　and　other　fugitives；　described　as　〃the　Islay　　rebels；〃　who　had　fled　from　justice；　should　they　land　in　the　Lewis　or　in　any　　other　of　the　territories　belonging　to　Lord　Mackenzie　of　Kintail。　　In　order　　that　he　may　the　better　attend　to　this　duty；　along　with　several　other　heads　of　　clans　named　in　the　same　commission　for　their　respective　districts；　and　as　〃it　is　necessary　that　the　commissioners　foresaid　remain　at　home　and　on　nowise　come　to　this　burgh　（Edinburgh）　to　pursue　or　defend　in　any　actions　　or　causes　concerning　them；〃　their　Lordships　continued　all　actions　against　them　until　the　1st　of　November　next；　ordaining　the　said　actions　〃to　rest　　and　sleep〃　till　that　date。

On　the　same　day；　a　second　dispensation　under　the　signet　is　　addressed　to　the　Sheriff　of　Inverness　and　his　deputes　in　favour　of　Lord　Colin；　requesting　that　despite　his　minority　he　be　served　heir　to　his　father；　　the　late　Kenneth；　Lord　Mackenzie　of　Kintail。　　On　the　25th　of　June　　following　he　is　ordered　to　provide　twenty…five　men　as　part　of　an　　expedition　for　the　pursuit　of　Sir　James　Macdonald　and　Coll　　MacGillespick。　　In　June；　1616；　he　is　appointed　a　Commissioner　of　the　　Peace　for　the　Sheriffdom　of　Elgin　and　Forres。

On　the　outbreak　of　a　new　rebellion　in　the　Lewis　another　　commission；　dated　the　28th　of　August；　1616；　to　last　for　twelve　months；　　was　issued　by　the　Privy　Council；　in　favour　of　the　Tutor　and　other　leading　men　of　the　clan；　couched　in　the　following　terms：

Forasmuch　as　the　King's　Majesty　having　taken　great　pains　and　troubles　and　bestowed　great　charges　and　expenses　for　reducing　of　the　　Islands　of　this　Kingdom　and　continent　next　adjacent　to　his　Majesty's　　obedience；　and　for　establishing　of