history of the mackenzies-第60节

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the　Macleod　point　of　view；　by　which　Seaforth　　obtained　possession　of　the　lands　of　Assynt。　　This　document　or　　〃Information〃　came　into　the　possession　of　Simon　Lord　Lovat；　with　whose　　papers　it　found　its　way　to　the　Rev。　Donald　Fraser；　minister　of　Killearnan；　　and　is　now　the　property　of　that　gentleman's　grandson；　the　Rev。　Hector　　Fraser；　Halkirk。　It　was　read　by　Mr　William　Mackay；　solicitor；　Inverness；　　before　the　Gaelic　Society　there　on　the　19th　of　March；　1890；　and　is　　published　at　length　in　their　Transactions　for　that　year；　vol。　XVI。　pp。　　197…207。　According　to　the　writer　of　this　paper；　Neil　Macleod　was　in　possession　of　Assynt　from　1650　to　1672；　when　in　the　latter　year　〃he　was　　violently　dispossessed　by　Seaforth；〃　and　was　from　1672　to　1692；　when　be　　obtained　a　〃Decree　of　Spulzie〃　against　Seaforth；　endeavouring　to　recover　　his　right；　but　without　avail。　　He　says　that　from　the　time　Seaforth　got　a　　right；　〃such　as　it　was；〃　to　the　Island　of　Lewis　for　a　payment　of　ten　　thousand　merks；　〃and　afterwards；　in　lieu　of　that；　for　a　mile　of　the　wood　of　　Letterew；〃　he　and　his　family　had　it　in　view　to　make　themselves　masters　of　the　estate　of　Macleod　of　Assynt；　who；　he　erroneously　states；　〃was　lineal　　heir　to　the　estates　of　Lewis。〃　　In　order　to　give　effect　to　this　intention　Seaforth　purchased　several　old　claims；　〃some　of　them　very　unjust；〃　against　Assynt；　which　were　made　over　to　Thomas　Mackenzie　of　Plus…cardine；　Seaforth's　brother。　　In　1637　the　two　Mackenzies；　in　virtue　of　　these　claims　and　the　titles　founded　upon　them；　gave　a　wadset　of　the　lands　of　Assynt　to　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Scatwell　in　security　for　forty　thousand　merks。　　In　1640　〃the　Legal　of　those　claims　and　apprisings　being　expired；　　Seaforth　did；　with　his　friends　and　clan；　to　the　number　of　1000　men；　invade　　Assynt；　and　did　there　commit　great　outrages。　　He　being　for　this　pursued　at　　law；　was　decerned　in　40；000　pounds　Scots　of　damages；〃　which　paid　a　　great　part　of　his　claim　upon　the　estate；　and　it　is　maintained　that　the　remainder　was　afterwards　paid　by　the　means；　which　are　set　forth　in　the　　same　document；　along　with　somewhat　intricate　statements；　which　would　　occupy　too　much　space　here。　　The　〃Information〃　proceeds　with　the　　following　interesting　details；　which　we　give；　with　very　slight　alteration；　in　　his　own　words。

He　says　that　in　1646　Seaforth　having　joined　Montrose　at　Inverness；　where　were　likewise　100　men　of　Assynt　under　his　Superior's　（Seaforth）　command；　and　Neil　of　Assynt　himself；　then　a　minor；　being　a　friend；　in　　Seaforth's　house　at　　Brahan；　Seaforth　ordered　his　men　in　the　Highlands　to　fall　upon　Assynt's　estate；　where　they　made　fearful　havoc；　carried　away；　as　　Neil　represents；　3000　cows；　2000　horses；　7000　sheep　and　goats；　and　burnt　　the　habitations　of　180　families。　When　complaint　was　made　of　this　in　the　　South；　Seaforth　was　bought　off　by　the　interest　of　General　Middleton；　and　　by　virtue　of　a　capitulation　which　he　had　with　Seaforth　when　in　the　North。

In　the　year　1654　Seaforth　led　a　body　of　his　own　men；　with　a　part　of　　the　broken　army　under　the　command　of　Middleton；　to　Assynt　and　made　　great　depredations；　destroyed　a　very　great　quantity　of　wine　and　brandy；　　which　the　Laird　of　Assynt　had　bought；　besides　other　commodities；　in　all　to　　the　value　of　50；000　merks；　out　of　a　ship　then　on　that　coast；　carrying　off　2400　cows；　1500　horses；　about　6000　sheep　and　goats；　besides　burning　and　　destroying　many　families。　Assynt　was　not　liable　in　law　to　any　such　usage　from　them；　having　receipts　from　Seaforth　and　Lord　Reay　for　his　　proportion　of　the　levy　appointed　at　that　time　for　the　King's　service。

When　　Middleton　came　to　that　country　he　declared　that　he　had　given　no　warrant　　for　what　Seaforth　had　done；　and　that　in　presence　of　Lord　Macdonald　and　　Sir　George　Munro；　etc。　　When　Assynt　pursued　Seaforth　before　the　English　　judges　of　the　time；　Seaforth　defeated　his　process　by　proving　that　Neil　had　　been　in　arms　against　the　English；　and　did　then　allege　no　cause　for　the　　injuries　done　by　him　to　Assynt；　except　a　private　quarrel。　　But　when　　Macleod　afterwards；　at　the　Restoration；　pursued　Seaforth；　he　alleged　in　　defence　that　he　had　acted　by　a　warrant　from　Middleton；　who　was　then　　commissioner　for　the　Parliament。　　But　Neil　says；　if　there　was　any　such　　warrant　it　was　certainly　given　after　the　injuries　had　been　done　to　him。　However；　things　stood　then　in　such　a　way　that　Neil　was　not　likely　to　　procure　any　justice。

There　was　another　claim　which　seems　to　have　brought　matters　to　a　crisis。　　Macleod　had　become　a　party　to　a　bond　of　caution　granted　by　Ross　　of　Little　Tarrel　in　the　sum　of　？50　sterling；　for　which；　in　1656；　an　　apprising　was　laid　upon　the　estate　of　Assynt；　at　the　instance　of　Sinclair　of　　Mey；　in　Caithness；　who　subsequently　assigned　his　claim　to　Sir　George　　Mackenzie　of　Tarbat　and　John　Mackenzie；　second　son　of　Kenneth　Mor；　　third　Earl　of　Seaforth；　afterwards　known　as　the　Hon。　John　Mackenzie　of　　Assynt。　　The　matter　was　contested　for　a　time；　but　〃in　the　year　1668　or　　1669　or　1670；　the　legal　apprising　being　expired；　decree　of　mails　and　duties　　was　obtained　upon　the　claim　against　the　estate　of　Assynt　and　ejection　　against　himself。　　Upon　pursuing　this　ejection　in　1671；　several　illegal　steps　　were　alleged　against　Assynt；　particularly　holding　out　the　Castle　of　Ard…Bhreac　against　the　King；　and　his　otherwise　violently　opposing　the　　ejection；　whereupon　Neil　of　Assynt；　who　it　seems　had　been　negligent　in　　defending　himself　against　the　foresaid　accusations；　was　denounced　rebel；　　and　a　commission　of　fire　and　sword　was　obtained　in　July；　1672；　against　　him　and　his　people；〃　granted　to　Lord　Strathnaver；　Lord　Lovat；　Munro　of　　Fowlis；　and　others；　who　at　once　invaded　his　territories　with　a　force　of　　2300　men　〃and　committed　the　most　horrid　barbarities；〃　until　all　the　country　of　Assynt　was　destroyed。

After　this　raid　Neil；　〃under　the　benefit　of　a　protection；〃　went　to　consult　Seaforth；　who　gave　him　a　certificate　of　having　obeyed　the　King's　　laws；　and　fifteen　days　to　consider　a　proposition　which　his　lordship　made　　to　him　to　dispose　of　his　estates　to　himself　on　certain　conditions；　and　so　settle　the　dispute　between　them　for　ever。　　But　Macleod；　considering　that　it　　was　not　safe　for　him　to　return　to　his　own　country；　resolved　to　proceed　to　Edinburgh　by　sea；　and　to　carry　his　charter　chest　along　with　him。

〃Seaforth　　being　apprehensive；　it　seems；　of　the　　con…sequences　of　Assynt's　going　to　　Edinburgh；　immediately　entered　into　correspondence　and　concert　about　　the　matter　with　the　Laird　of　Mey；　in　Caithness。　The　consequence　was：　　Assynt　being　driven　by　unfavourable　winds　to　the　Orkneys　the　Laird　of　　Mey；　with　a　body　of　men；　seized　him　there；　to　be　sure　under　the　notion　of　an　outlaw；　and；　by　commission　from　Seaforth；　stripped　him　to　his　shirt；　　robbed　him　of　everything；　particularly　of　his　charter　chest；　and　of　all　the　　writs　and　evidents　belonging　to　his　family　and　estates；　carried　them　to　the　castle　of　Mey；　where　he　was　kept　prisoner　in　a　vault。　　From　thence　he　was　carried　prisoner；　under　a　strong　guard；　to　Tam；　and　at　last　to　Brahan；　　Seaforth's　house。　　In　Brahan　（to　which　place　the　charter　chest　was　brought；　　as　was　afterwards　proved　in　the　Process　of　Spoilzie）　Neil　was　many　　months　detained　prisoner　in　a　vault；　in　most　miserable　circumstances；　still　　threatened　with　worse　usage　if　he　would　not　agree　to　subscribe　a　blank　　paper；　probably　designed　for　a　disposition　of　his　estates；　which　was；　it　　seems；　the　great　thing　designed　to　be　procured　from　him　by　all　this　bad　　usage。　　At　last　Neil　was　brought　south　to　Edinburgh；　where　he　arrived　　after　being　in　thirteen　or　fourteen　prisons；　and　in　the　end　he　obtained　the　　remission　formerly　mentioned；〃　for　the　offence　of　defending　the　Castle　of　Assynt；　and　all　the　other　crimes　that　were　alleged　against　him。

His　apologist　makes　out　a　strong　case　for　him；　if　half　his　　allegations　are　true。　　In　any　case　it　is　but　fair　to　state　them。　　Neil　was　in　prison；　according　to　the　〃Information；〃　when　the　ejection　proceedings　were　carried　out　against　him。　　He　was　ignorant　of　the　legal　steps　taken　　against　him　until　it　was　too　late；　and；　in　consequence　of　his　great　distance　　from　Edinburgh；　he　was　unable　to　correspond　with　his　legal　advisers　there　in　time　for　his　defence。　　His　messengers；　carrying　his　correspondence；　　were　more　than　once　seized；　on　their　way　south；　and　imprisoned　at　　Chanonry。　　When　in　the　south；　the　contributions　of　his　friends　towards　his　　support　and　the　expenses　of　his　defence　were　intercepted；　and　his　people　　at　home　were　put　to　great　hardships　by　their　new　master；　the　Hon。　John　　Mackenzie；　〃for　any　inclination　to　succour　him　in　his　distress。〃　　　〃By　all　these　means；　the　unfortunate　gentleman　was　reduced　to　great　poverty　and　　misery；　and　was　disabled　　from　procuring　the　interest　or　affording　the　　expense　needful　in　order　to　obtain　justice　against　such　potent　adversaries。〃

And　〃it　was　easy　for　them　（the　Mackenzies）；　being　now　possessed　of　his　　estate；　to　get　in　old　unjust　patched　claims　from　such　as　had　them；　and　　being　possessed　of　his　charter　chest　and　the　retired　vouchers　of　debts　　therein　contained；　by　all　these　means；　to　make　additional　titles　to　the　　estate　of　Assynt；　while　he；　poor　gentleman；　besides　his　other　misfortunes；　　was　deprived　of　his　writs　and　of　all　his　evidences　needful　to