history of the mackenzies-第55节

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tates；　whence　a　full　peace　amongst　them；　　Macneill　of　Barra　excepted；　who　had　been　an　hereditary　outlaw。　　Him；　by　　commission；　Sir　Rory　reduced；　took　him　in　his　fort　of　Kisemull；　and　　carried　him　prisoner　to　Edinburgh；　where　he　procured　his　remission。　　The　King　gifted　his　estate　to　Sir　Rory；　who　restored　it　to　Macneill　for　a　sum　not　exceeding　his　expenses；　and　holding　it　of　himself　in　feu。　　This　Sir　　Rory；　as　he　was　beneficial　to　all　his　relations；　establishing　them　in　free　　and　secure　fortunes；　purchased　considerable　lands　to　himself　in　Ross　and　　Moray；　besides　the　patrimony　left　him　by　his　father；　the　lands　of　Coigeach　　and　others；　which；　in　lieu　of　the　Lewis；　were　given　him　by　his　brother。

His　　death　was　regretted　as　a　public　calamity；　which　was　in　September；　1626；　　in　the　48th　year　of　his　age。　　To　Sir　Rory　succeeded　Sir　John　Mackenzie　of　Tarbat；　and　to　him　Sir　George　Mackenzie；　of　whom　to　write　might　be　　more　honour　to　him　than　of　safety　to　the　writer　as　matters　now　stand。〃　　＇The　Applecross　Mackenzie　MS。＇

We　shall　now　draw　to　some　extent　on　the　family　manuscripts。　The　　narrative　in　this　form　will　add　considerable　interest　to　the　information　　already　given　under　this　head　from　official　sources。　Sir　Roderick　was　a　　most　determined　man；　and　extremely　fertile　in　such　schemes　as　might　　enable　him　to　gain　any　object　he　had　in　view。　　One　of　his　plans；　connected　　with　Mackenzie's　possession　of　the　Lewis；　in　its　barbarous　and　cruel　　details；　almost　equalled　the　Raid　of　Cillechriost。　　Neil　Macleod；　　accompanied　by　his　nephews；　Malcolm；　William；　and　Roderick；　the　three　　sons　of　Roderick　Og；　the　four　sons　of　Torquil　Blair；　and　thirty　of　their　　more　determined　and　desperate　followers；　retired；　when　Kintail　obtained　　possession　of　the　whole　of　the　Lewis；　to　the　impregnable　rock　of　　Berrissay；　at　the　back　of　the　island；　to　which　Neil；　as　a　precautionary　　measure；　had　been　for　years　previously　sending　food　and　other　necessaries　as　a　provision　for　future　necessity。　　Here　they　held　out　for　three　years；　where　they　were　a　source　of　great　annoyance　to　the　Tutor　and　his　　followers。　　On　a　little　rock　opposite　Berrissay；　Neil；　by　a　well…directed　shot　killed　one　of　the　Tutor's　followers　named　Donald　MacDhonnchaidh　　Mhic　Ian　Ghlais；　and　wounded　another　called　Tearlach　MacDhomh'uill　　Roy　Mhic　Fhionnlaidh　Ghlais。　　This　exasperated　their　leader　so　much　that；　all　other　means　having　failed　to　oust　Neil　from　his　impregnable　position；　the　Tutor　conceived　the　inhuman　scheme　of　gathering　together　all　the　　wives　and　children　of　the　men　who　were　on　Berrissay；　and　all　those　in　the　island　who　were　in　any　way　related　to　them　by　blood　or　marriage；　and；　　having　placed　them　on　a　rock　exposed　only　during　low　water；　so　near　　Berrissay　that　Neil　and　his　companions　could　see　and　hear　them；　Sir　　Roderick　and　his　men　avowed　that　they　would　leave　theminnocent；　　helpless　women　and　childrenon　the　rock　to　be　overwhelmed　and　　drowned　on　the　return　of　the　tide；　if　Neil　and　his　companions　did　not　at　　once　surrender　the　rock。　　Macleod　knew；　by　stern　experience；　that　even　to　the　carrying　out　such　a　fiendish　crime；　the　promise　of　the　Tutor；　once　　given；　was　as　good　as　his　bond。　　It　is　due　to　the　greater　humanity　of　Neil　　that　the　terrible　position　of　the　helpless　women　and　children　and　their　　companions　appalled　him　so　much　that　he　decided　immediately　upon　　yielding　up　the　rock　on　condition　that　he　and　his　followers　should　be　　allowed　to　leave　the　Lewis　with　their　lives。　　It　cannot　be　doubted　that　but　　for　Macleod's　more　merciful　conduct　the　ferocious　act　would　have　been　　committed　by　Sir　Roderick　and　his　followers；　and　we　have　to　thank　the　　less　barbarous　instincts　of　their　opponents　for　saving　the　clan　Mackenzie　from　the　commission　of　a　crime　which　would　have　secured　to　its　perpetrators　the　execration　of　posterity。

After　Neil　had　left　the　rock　he　proceeded　privately；　during　the　night；　to　his　cousin　Sir　Roderick　Mor　Macleod；　XIII。 of　Harris。　The　　Tutor　learning　this　caused　Macleod　to　be　charged；　under　pain　of　treason　　and　forfeiture；　to　deliver　him　up　to　the　Council。　Realising　the　danger　of　　his　position；　Macleod　prevailed　upon　Neil　and　his　son　Donald　to　　accompany　him　to　Edinburgh；　and　to　seek　forgiveness　from　the　King；　and　　under　pretence　of　this　he　delivered　them　both　up　on　arriving　in　the　city；　where　Neil；　in　April；　1613；　was　at　once　executed　and　his　son　afterwards　　banished　out　of　the　kingdom。　　This　treacherous　conduct　on　the　part　of　　Macleod　of　Harris　cannot　be　excused；　but　it　was　a　fair　return　for　a　similar　　act　of　treachery　of　which　Neil　had　been　guilty　against　another　some　little　time　before。

When　on　Berrissay；　he　met　with　the　captain　of　a　pirate；　with　whom　he　entered　into　a　mutual　bond　by　which　they　were　to　help　each　other；　both　being　outlaws。　　The　captain　agreed　to　defend　the　rock　from　the　seaward　　side　while　Neil　made　his　incursions　on　shore。　They　promised　faithfully　to　　live　and　die　together；　and　to　make　the　agreement　more　secure；　it　was　　arranged　that　the　stranger　should　marry　Neil's　aunt；　a　daughter　of　Torquil　　Blair。　　The　day　fixed　for　the　marriage　having　arrived；　and　Neil　and　his　　adherents　having　discovered　that　the　captain　had　several　articles　of　value　　aboard　his　vessel；　he；　when　the　master　of　the　pirate　was　naturally　off　his　　guard；　treacherously　seized　the　ship；　and　sent　the　captain　and　crew　　prisoners　to　Edinburgh；　expecting　that　in　this　way　he　might　secure　pardon　for　himself　in　addition　to　possession　of　all　the　stores　on　board。　　By　order　　of　the　Council　the　sailors　were　all　hanged　at　Leith。　　Much　of　the　silver　and　　gold　taken　from　the　vessel　Neil　carried　to　Harris；　where　probably　it　helped　　to　tempt　Macleod；　as　it　previously　tempted　himself　to　break　faith　with　　Neil。　The　official　account　of　these　incidents　has　been　already　given　at　　pages　194…95。

Sir　Robert　Gordon　writing　about　this　period　but　referring　to　1477；　says〃From　the　ruins　of　the　family　of　Clandonald；　and　some　of　the　neighbouring　Highlanders；　and　also　by　their　own　virtue；　the　surname　of　the　Clankenzie；　from　small　beginnings；　began　to　flourish　in　these　bounds；　and　by　the　friendship　and　favour　of　the　house　of　Sutherland；　chiefly　of　　Earl　John；　fifth　of　that　name；　Earl　of　Sutherland　（whose　Chamberlains　　they　were；　in　receiving　the　rents　of　the　Earldom　of　Ross　to　his　use）　their　　estate　afterwards　came　to　great　height；　yea　above　divers　of　their　more　　ancient　neighbours。　　The　chief　and　head　of　the　family　at　this　day　is　Colin　　Mackenzie；　Lord　of　Kintail；　now　created　Earl　of　Seaforth。〃　＇Gordon's　　Earldom　of　Sutherland；　p。　77。＇　　If　the　family　was　so　powerful　in　1477；　　what　must　its　position　have　been　under　Lord　Colin？　　The　Earl　of　Cromarty　　says　that　〃This　Colin　was　a　noble　person　of　virtuous　endowments；　beloved　of　all　good　men；　especially　his　Prince。　　He　acquired　and　settled　the　right　of　　the　superiority　of　Moidart　and　Arisaig；　the　Captain　of　Clandonald's　lands；　　which　his　father；　Lord　Kenneth；　formerly　claimed　right　to　but　lived　not　to　　accomplish　it。　　Thus；　all　the　Highlands　and　Islands　from　Ardnamurchan　to　　Strathnaver　were　either　Mackenzie's　property；　or　under　his　vassalage；　　some　few　excepted；　and　all　about　him　were　tied　to　his　family　by　very　strict　　bonds　of　friendship　or　vassalage；　which；　as　it　did　beget　respect　from　many　it　be　got　envy　in　others；　especially　his　equals。〃

It　is　difficult　to　discover　any　substantial　aid　which　the　Mackenzies　ever　received　from　the　Earls　of　Sutherland　of　the　kind　stated　by　Sir　Robert　　Gordon。　　We　have　carefully　perused　the　whole　of　the　work　from　which　the　　above　quotation　is　made；　and　are　unable　to　discover　a　single　instance　prior　　to　1477；　where　the　Sutherlands　were　of　any　service　whatever　to　the　family　of　Kintail；　and　the　assumption　is　only　another　instance　of　that　quality　of　　partiality　to　his　own　family；〃　so　characteristic　of　Sir　Robert；　and　for　which　even　the　publishers　of　his　work　deemed　it　necessary　to　apologise　in　the　　Advertisement　prefaced　to　his　History　of　the　Earldom　of　Sutherland。

They　〃regret　the　hostile　feelings　which　he　expresses　concerning　others　　who　were　equally　entitled　to　complain　of　aggression　on　the　part　of　those　　whom　he　defends；〃　but　〃strict　fidelity　to　the　letter　of　the　manuscript〃　　would　not　allow　them　to　omit　〃the　instances　in　which　this　disposition　　appears。〃　　After　Mackenzie's　signal　victory　over　the　Macdonalds　at　Blar…na…Pairc；　and　Hector　Roy's　prowess　at　Drumchait；　the　Earl　of　Sutherland　　began　to　think　that　the　family　of　Mackenzie；　rapidly　growing　in　power　and　influence；　might　be　of　some　service　in　the　prosecution　of　his　own　plans　　and　in　extending　his　power；　and　he　accordingly　entered　into　the　bond　of　　manrent　with　him　already　noticed。　　It　has　been　seen　that；　for　a　long　time　after；　the　advantages　of　this　arrangement　were　entirely　on　the　side　of　the　　Sutherlands；　as　at　the　battle　of　Brora　and　other　places　previously　　mentioned。　　The　appointment　of　Kintail　as　Deputy…Chamberlain　of　the　　Earldom　of　Ross　was　due　to　and　in　acknowledgment　of　these　signal　and　　repeated　services；　and　the　obligations　and　advantages　of　the　office　were　　found　to　be　reciprocal。　　The　first　and　only　instance　in　which　the　Earl's　　connection　with　Mackenzie　is　likely　to　have　been　of　service　in　the　field　is　　on　the　occasion　when；　in　1605；　he　sent　〃six　score〃　men