history of the mackenzies-第56节

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kely　to　have　been　of　service　in　the　field　is　　on　the　occasion　when；　in　1605；　he　sent　〃six　score〃　men　to　support　him　　against　Glengarry；　and　these；　it　has　been　seen；　had　fled　before　they　saw　the　　enemy。　So　much　for　the　favour　and　friendship　of　the　House　of　Sutherland　and　its　results　before　and　after　1477。

Lord　Colin　became　involved　in　legal　questions　with　the　Earl　of　　Argyll　about　the　superiority　of　Moidart　and　Arisaig；　and　thus　spent　most　of　the　great　fortune　accumulated　for　him　by　his　uncle　the　Tutor；　but　he　　was　ultimately　successful　against　Argyll。　　He　was　frequently　at　the　Court　of　James　VI。；　with　whom　he　was　a　great　favourite；　and　in　1623　he　was　　raised　to　the　peerage　by　the　title　of　Earl　of　Seaforth；　and　Viscount　　Fortrose。　　From　his　influence　at　Court　he　was　of　great　service　to　his　　followers　and　friends；　while　he　exerted　himself　powerfully　and　steadily　　against　those　who　became　his　enemies　from　jealousy　of　his　good　fortune　　and　high　position。

He　imposed　high　entries　and　rents　upon　his　Kintail　and　West　Coast　tenants；　which　they　considered　a　most　〃grievous　imposition。〃　　In　Lord　　Kenneth's　time　and　that　of　his　predecessors；　the　people　had　their　lands　at　　very　low　rates。　　After　the　wars　with　Glengarry　the　inhabitants　of　the　West　　Coast　properties　devoted　themselves　more　steadily　to　the　improvement　of　　their　stock　and　lands；　and　accumulated　considerable　means。　　The　Tutor；　　discovering　this；　took　advantage　of　their　prosperity　and　imposed　a　heavy　　entry　or　grassum　on　their　tacks　payable　every　five　years。　　〃I　shall　give　you　　one　instance　thereof。　　The　tack　of　land　called　Muchd　in　Letterfearn；　as　I　was　told　by　Farquhar　Mac　Ian　Oig；　who　paid　the　first　entry　out　of　it　to　the　　Tutor；　paid　of　yearly　duty　before　but　40　merks　Scots；　a　cow　and　some　　meal；　which　cow　and　meal　was　usually　converted　to　20　merks　　but　the　　Tutor　imposed　1000　merks　of　entry　upon　it　for　a　five　years'　tack。　　This　　made　the　rent　very　little　for　four　years　of　the　tack；　but　very　great　and　　considerable　for　the　first　year。　The　same　method　proportionately　was　　taken　with　the　rest　of　the　lands；　and　continued　so　during　the　Tutor's　and　Colin's　time；　but　Earl　George；　being　involved　in　great　troubles；　contracted　　so　much　debt　that　he　could　not　pay　his　annual　rents　yearly　and　support　his　own　state；　but　was　forced　to　delay　his　annual　rents　to　the　year　of　their　　entry；　and　he　divided　the　entry　upon　the　five　years　with　the　people's　　consent　and　approbation；　so　that　the　said　land　of　Muchd　fell　to　pay　280　　merks　yearly　and　no　entry。〃　　From　this　account；　taken　from　the　　contemporary　Ardintoul　Manuscript；　it　appears　that　the　system　of　charging　rent　on　the　tenant's　own　improvements　is　an　injustice　of　considerable　　antiquity。

Colin　〃lived　most　of　his　time　at　Chanonry　in　great　state　and　very　magnificently。　　He　annually　imported　his　wines　from　the　Continent；　and　　kept　a　store　for　his　wines；　beers；　and　other　liquors；　from　which　he　　replenished　his　fleet　on　his　voyages　round　the　West　Coast　and　the　Lewis；　　when　he　made　a　circular　voyage　every　year　or　at　least　every　two　years　　round　his　own　estates。　　I　have　heard　John　Beggrie；　who　then　served　Earl　　Colin；　give　an　account　of　his　voyages　after　the　bere　seed　was　sown　at　　Allan　（where　his　father　and　grandfather　had　a　great　mains；　which　was　　called　Mackenzie's　girnel　or　granary）；　took　a　Journey　to　the　Highlands；　　taking　with　him　not　only　his　domestic　servants　but　several　young　　gentlemen　of　his　kin；　and　stayed　several　days　at　Killin；　whither　he　called　　all　his　people　of　Strathconan；　Strathbran；　Strathgarve；　and　Brae　Ross；　and　　did　keep　courts　upon　them　and　saw　all　things　rectified。　　From　thence　he　　went　to　Inverewe；　where　all　his　Lochbroom　tenants　and　others　waited　　upon　him；　and　got　all　their　complaints　heard　and　rectified。　It　is　scarcely　　credible　what　allowance　was　made　for　his　table　of　Scotch　and　French　　wines　during　these　trips　amongst　his　people。　From　Inverewe　he　sailed　to　　the　Lewis；　with　what　might　be　called　a　small　navy；　having　as　many　boats；　　if　not　more　loaded　with　liquors；　especially　wines　and　English　beer；　as　he　had　under　men。　He　remained　in　the　Lewis　for　several　days；　until　he　　settled　all　the　controversies　arising　among　the　people　in　his　absence；　and　setting　his　land。　　From　thence　he　went　to　Sleat　in　the　Isle　of　Skye；　to　Sir　　Donald　Macdonald；　who　was　married　to　his　sister　Janet；　and　from　that　he　　was　invited　to　Harris；　to　Macleod's　house；　who　was　married　to　his　sister　　Sybilla。　　While　he　tarried　in　these　places　the　lairds；　the　gentlemen　of　the　　Isles；　and　the　inhabitants　came　to　pay　their　respects　to　him；　including　　Maclean；　Clanranald；　Raasay；　Mackinnon；　and　other　great　chiefs。　　They　　then　convoyed　him　to　Islandonain。　　I　have　heard　my　grandfather；　Mr　　Farquhar　MacRa　（then　Constable　of　the　Castle）；　say　that　the　Earl　never　　came　to　his　house　with　less　than　300　and　sometimes　500　men。　　The　　Constable　was　bound　to　furnish　them　victuals　for　the　first　two　meals；　till　my　Lord's　officers　were　acquainted　to　bring　in　his　own　customs。　There　　they　consumed　the　remains　of　the　wine　and　other　liquors。　　When　all　these　　lairds　and　gentlemen　took　their　leave　of　him；　he　called　the　principal　men　of　Kintail；　Lochalsh；　and　Lochcarron　together；　who　accompanied　him　to　　his　forest　of　Monar；　where　they　had　a　great　and　most　solemn　hunting　day；　　and　from　Monar　he　would　return　to　Chanonry　about　the　latter　end　of　　July。〃　＇Ardintoul　MS。＇

He　built　the　Castle　of　Brahan；　which　he　thought　of　erecting　where　the　old　castle　of　Dingwall　stood；　or　on　the　hill　to　the　west　of　Dingwall；　either　of　which　would　have　been　very　suitable　situations；　but　the　Tutor　　who　had　in　view　to　erect　a　castle　where　he　afterwards　erected　Castle　Leod；　　induced　the　Lord　High　Chancellor；　Seaforth's　father…in…law；　to　prevail　　upon　him　to　build　his　castle　upon　his　own　ancient　inheritance；　which　he　　subsequently　did；　and　which　was　then　one　of　the　most　stately　houses　in　　Scotland。　　He　also　added　greatly　to　the　Castle　of　Chanonry；　and　〃as　be　was　　diligent　in　secular　affairs；　so　be　and　his　lady　were　very　pious　and　　religious。〃　They　went　yearly　to　take　the　Sacraments　from　the　Rev。　　Thomas　Campbell；　minister　of　Carmichael；　a　good　and　religious　man；　and　staid　eight　days　with　him；　nor　did　their　religion　consist　in　form　and　　outward　show。　　They　proved　its　reality　by　their　good　works。　He　had　　usually　more　than　one　chaplain　in　his　house。　　He　provided　the　kirks　of　the　　Lewis　without　being　obliged　to　do　so；　as　also　the　five　kirks　of　Kintail；　　Lochalsh；　Lochcarron；　Lochbroom；　and　Gairloch；　all　of　which　he　was　　patron；　with　valuable　books　from　London；　the　works　of　the　latest　and　best　authors；　〃whereof　many　are　yet　extant〃　　He　also　laid　the　foundation　for　a　church　in　Strathconan　and　Strathbran；　of　which　the　walls　are　〃yet　to　be　　seen　in　Main　in　Strathconan；　the　walls　being　built　above　the　height　of　a　　man　above　the　foundation；　and　he　had　a　mind　to　endow　it　had　he　lived　longer。〃　　He　mortified　4000　merks　for　the　Grammar　School　of　Chanonry；　　and　had　several　works　of　piety　in　his　view　to　perform　if　his　death　had　not　　prevented　it。　　The　last　time　he　went　to　Court　some　malicious　person；　　envying　his　greatness　and　favour；　laboured　to　give　the　King　a　bad　　impression　of　him；　as　if　he　were　not　thoroughly　loyal；　but　the　King　　himself　was　the　first　who　told　him　what　was　said　about　him；　which　did　not　a　little　surprise　and　trouble　the　Earl；　but　it　made　no　impression　on　the　　King；　who　was　conscious　and　sufficiently　convinced　of　his　loyalty　and　　fidelity。　　After　his　return　from　Court　his　only　son；　Lord　Alexander；　died　of　　smallpox　at　Chanonry；　on　the　3d　of　June；　1629；　to　the　great　grief　of　all　who　knew　him；　but　especially　his　father　and　mother。　　His　demise　hastened　　her　death　at　Edinburgh；　on　the　20th　February；　1631。　　She　was　buried　with　　her　father　at　Fife　on　the　4th　of　March；　after　which　the　Earl　contracted　a　lingering　sickness；　which；　for　some　time　before　his　death；　confined　him　to　　his　chamber；　during　which　〃he　behaved　most　Christianly；　putting　his　　house　in　order；　giving　donations　to　his　servants；　etc。〃　　He　died　at　　Chanonry　on　the　15th　of　April；　1633；　in　the　36th　year　of　his　age；　and　was　buried　there　with　his　father　on　the　18th　of　May　following；　much　lamented　　and　regretted　by　all　who　knew　him。　　The　King　sent　a　gentleman　all　the　way　to　Chanonry　to　testify　his　respect　and　concern　for　him；　and　to　attend　his　funeral；　which　took　place；　on　the　date　already　stated；　with　great　pomp　　and　solemnity。　　〃Before　his　death　he　called　his　successor；　George　of　　Kildene；　to　his　bedside；　and　charged　him　with　the　protection　of　his　family；　　but　above　all　to　be　kind　to　his　men　and　followers；　for　that　he　valued　　himself　while　he　lived　upon　their　account　more　than　upon　his　great　estate　and　fortune。〃　＇Ardintoul；　Letterfearn；　and　other　Family　MSS。＇　　On　the　　occasion　of　his　last　visit　to　London　the　King　complimented　him　on　being　　the　best　archer　in　Britain。

Colin　married；　first；　Lady　Margaret　Seton；　daughter　of　Alexander；　Earl　of　Dunfermline；　Lord　High　Chancellor　of　Scotland；　with　issue

I。　　Alexander　Lord　Kintail；　who　died　young。

II。　　Anna；　who　married　Alexander；　second　Lord　Lindsay；　who　was　created　Earl　of　Balcarres　by　Charles　II。　in　1651。　　By　him　Lady　Anna　had　　two　sons；　Charles　and　Colin。　　Charles　succeeded　his　father；　and　died　　u