history of the mackenzies-第27部分

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ge　ever　took　place　between　Kenneth　a　Bhlair　and　John's　mother；　Agnes　of　Lovat　that　their　union　was　not　recognised　by　　the　Church　until　1491；　if　then；　the　same　year　in　which　Kenneth　died　it　can　　easily　be　understood　why　Hector　should　conscientiously　do　what　he　　probably　held　to　be　his　duty…oppose　John　of　Killin　in　the　interest　of　those　　whom　he　considered　the　legitimate　successors　of　Kenneth　a　Bhlair　and　his　　unfortunate　son；　Kenneth　Og；　to　whom　only；　so　far　as　we　can　discover；　　Hector　Roy　was　appointed　Tutor；　for　when　his　brother；　Kenneth　a　Bhlair；　　died；　there　was　every　appearance　that　Hector's　ward；　Kenneth　Og；　would　　succeed　when　he　came　of　age。　　The　succession　of　John　of　Killin　was　at　　most　only　a　remote　possibility　when　his　father　died；　and　therefore　no　　Tutor　to　him　would　have　been　appointed。

In　terms　of　an　Act　passed　in　1496；　anent　the　education　of　young　gentlemen　of　note；　John；　when　young；　was　sent　by　Hector　Roy　to　Edinburgh　to　complete　his　education　at　Court。　　He　thus；　in　early　life；　　acquired　a　knowledge　of　legal　principles　and　practice　of　great　service　and　　value　to　him　in　after　life；　not　only　in　the　management　of　his　own　affairs；　　but　in　aiding　his　friends　and　countrymen　in　their　peculiar　difficulties　by　　his　counsel　and　guidance；　and　thus　he　secured　such　universal　esteem　and　　confidence　as　seldom　fell　to　the　lot　of　a　Highland　chief　in　that　rude　and　unruly　age。　　The　standard　of　education　necessary　at　Court　in　those　days　　must　have　been　very　different　from　that　required　in　ours；　for　we　find　that；　with　all　his　opportunities；　John　of　Killin　could　not　write　his　own　name。

To　a　bond　in　favour　of　the　Earl　of　Huntly　he　subscribes；　〃Jhone　M'Kenzie　　of　Kyntaill；　with　my　hand　on　the　pen　led　by　Master　William　Gordone；　　Notar。〃　Referring　to　the　power　of　the　House　of　Kintail　at　this　period；　and　　to　the　rapid　advance　made　by　the　family　under　Alexander　and　his　　successors；　we　quote　the　following　from　a　modern　MS。　history　of　the　　family　by　the　late　Captain　John　Matheson　of　Bennetsfield：〃We　must　　observe　here　the　rapid　advance　which　the　family　of　Kintail　made　on　every　　side。　　The　turbulent　Macdonalds；　crushed　by　the　affair　of　Park；　Munro；　　sustained　by　his　own　clan；　and　the　neighbouring　vassals　of　Ross　humbled　　at　their　own　door；　when　a　century　had　not　yet　passed　since　the　name　of　　Mackenzie　had　become　familiar　to　their　ears；　and　it　is　gratifying　to　trace　　all　this　to　the　wise　policy　of　the　first　James　and　his　successors。　　The　judicious　education　of　Alastair　Ionraic；　and　consequent　cultivation　of　　those　　habits　which；　by　identifying　the　people　with　the　monarch　through　　the　laws；　render　a　nation　securely'　great；　is　equally　discernible　in　John　of　　Killin　and　his　posterity。　　The　successors　of　the　Earls　of　Ross　were　　turbulent　and　tenacious　of　their　rights；　but　they　were　irreclaimable。

The　　youthful　Lord　of　the　Isles；　at　the　instigation　of　his　haughty　mother；　　deserted　the　Court　of　James　I。；　while　young　Kintail　remained；　sedulously　　improving　himself　at　school　in　Perth；　till　he　was　called　to　display　his　　gratitude　to　his　Royal　master　in　counteracting　the　evil　arising　from　the　　opposite　conduct　　of　Macdonald。　　　Thus；　by　one　happy　circumstance；　the　　attention　of　the　King　was　called　to　a　chieftain　who　gave　such　early　　promise　of　steady　attachment；　and　his　future　favour　was　secured。　　The　　family　of　Kintail　was　repeatedly　recognised　in　the　calendar　of　the　Scottish　　Court；　while　that　of　the　once　proud　Macdonalds　frowned　in　　disappointment　　and　barbarous　independence　amidst　their　native　wilds；　　while　their　territories；　extending　beyond　the　bounds　of　good　government　　and　　protection；　presented　　gradually　　such　defenceless　gaps　as　became　　inviting　and　easily　penetrable　by　the　intelligence　of　Mackenzie；　and　　Alastair　Ionraic　acquired　a　great　portion　of　his　estates　by　this　legitimate　advantage；　afterwards　secured　by　the　intractable　arrogance　of　Macdonald　　of　Lochalsh　and　the　valour　and　military　capacity　of　Coinneach　a　Bhlair。〃　In　1513　John　of　Killin　is　found　among　those　Highland　chiefs　　summoned　to　rendezvous　with　the　Royal　army　at　Barrow　Moor　　preparatory　to　the　fatal　advance　of　James　IV。　into　England；　when　the　　Mackenzies；　forming　with　　the　Macleans；　joined　that　miserably…arranged　　and　ill…fated　expedition　which　terminated　so　fatally　to　Scotland　on　the　　disastrous　field　of　Flodden；　where　the　killed　included　the　King；　with　the　flower　of　his　nobility；　gentry；　and　even　clergy。　　There　was　scarcely　a　　Scottish　family　of　distinction　that　did　not　lose　at　least　one；　and　some　of　　them　lost　all　the　male　members　who　were　capable　of　bearing　arms。　　The　　body　of　the　King　was　found；　much　disfigured　with　wounds；　in　the　thickest　　of　the　slain。　　Abercromby；　on　the　authority　of　Crawford；　includes；　in　a　list　　of　those　killed　at　Flodden；　〃Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　ancestor　to　the　　noble　family　of　Seaforth。〃　　This　is　an　undoubted　error　for　it　will　be　seen　　that　John；　not　Kenneth　was　chief　at　the　time　of　Flodden。　　It　was　he　who　　joined　the　Royal　army；　accompanied　by　his　brave　and　gallant　uncle；　　Hector　Roy　of　Gairloch　　and　it　is　established　beyond　dispute　that　though　　almost　all　their　followers　fell；　both　John　and　Hector　survived　and　returned　　home。　　They；　however；　narrowly　escaped　the　charge　of　Sir　Edward　Stanley　　in　rear　of　the　Highlanders　during　the　disorderly　pursuit　of　Sir　Edward　Howard；　who　had　given　way　to　the　furious　and　gallant　onset　of　the　mountaineers。

John　was　made　prisoner；　but　afterwards　escaped　in　a　very　　remarkable　manner。　　When　his　captors　were　carrying　him　and　others　of　his　followers　to　the　south；　they　were　overtaken　by　a　violent　storm　which　　obliged　them　to　seek　shelter　in　a　retired　house　occupied　by　the　widow　of　a　　shipmaster。　　After　taking　up　their　quarters；　and；　as　they　thought；　providing　　for　the　safe　custody　of　the　prisoners；　the　woman　noticed　that　the　captives　　were　Highlanders；　and；　in　reference　to　the　boisterous　weather　raging　　outside；　she；　as　if　unconsciously；　exclaimed；　〃The　Lord　help　those　who　are　　to…night　travelling　on　Leathad　Leacachan。〃　　The　prisoners　were　naturally　astonished　to　hear　an　allusion；　in　such　a　place；　to　a　mountain　so　familiar　to　　them　in　the　North　Highlands；　and　they　soon　obtained　an　opportunity；　　which　their　hostess　appeared　most　anxious　to　afford　them；　of　questioning　　her　regarding　her　acquaintance　with　so　distant　a　place；　when　she　told　them　　that　during　a　sea　voyage　she　took　with　her　husband；　she　had　been　taken　so　ill　aboard　ship　that　it　was　found　necessary　to　send　her　ashore　on　the　north　　west　coast　of　Scotland；　where；　travelling　with　only　a　maid　and　a　single　　guide；　they　were　caught　in　a　severe　storm；　and　she　was　suddenly　taken　in　　labour。　　In　this　distressing　and　trying　position　a　Highlander　passing　by　　took　compassion　upon　her；　and　　seeing　her　case　so　desperate；　with　no　　resources　at　hand；　he；　with　remarkable　presence　of　mind；　killed　one　of　his　　horses；　ripped　open　his　stomach；　and　taking　out　the　bowels；　placed　　her　　and　the　newly…born　infant　in　their　place；　as　the　only　effectual　shelter　from　　the　storm。　　By　this　means　he　secured　sufficient　time　to　procure　female　　assistance；　and　ultimately　saved　the　woman　and　her　child。　　But　the　most　remarkable　part　of　the　story　remains　to　be　told。　　The　　same　person　to　whom　she　owed　her　preservation　was　at　that　moment　one　　of　the　captives　under　her　roof。　　　He　was　one　of　Kintail's　followers　on　the　　fatal　field　of　Flodden。　　She；　informed　of　his　presence　and　of　the　plight　he　　was　in；　managed　to　procure　a　private　interview　with　him；　when　he　amply　　proved　to　her；　by　more　detailed　reference　to　the　incidents　of　their　meeting　　on　Leathad　Leacachan；　that　he　was　the　man〃Uisdean　Mor　Mac　‘Ille　　Phadruig〃and　in　gratitude；　she；　at　the　serious　risk　of　her　own　personal　　safety；　successfully　planned　the　escape　of　Hugh's　master　and　his　whole　　party。　　The　story　is　given　on　uninterrupted　tradition　in　the　country　of　the　　Mackenzies；　and　a　full　and　independent　version　in　the　vernacular　of　the　　hero's　humane　conduct　on　Leathad　Leacachan　will　be　found　in　the　Celtic　　Magazine；　vol。　ii。；　pp。　468…9；　to　which　the　Gaelic　reader　is　referred。

Gregory；　p。　112；　says：〃Tradition　has　preserved　a　curious　　anecdote　connected　with　the　Mackenzies；　whose　young　chief；　John　of　　Kintail；　was　taken　prisoner　at　Flodden。　　It　will　be　recollected　that　Kenneth　Og　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　while　on　his　way　to　the　Highlands；　after　making　　his　escape　from　Edinburgh　Castle；　was　killed　in　the　Torwood　by　the　Laird　　of　Buchanan。　　The　foster…brother　of　Kenneth　Og　was　a　man　of　the　district　　of　Kenlochewe；　named　Donald　Dubh　MacGillecrist　vic　Gillereoch；　who　　with　the　rest　of　the　clan　was　at　Flodden　with　his　chief。　　In　the　retreat　of　the　　Scottish　army　this　Donald　Dubh　heard　some　one　near　him　exclaiming；　　‘Alas；　Laird！　thou　hast　fallen。'　On　enquiry；　he　was　told　it　was　the　Laird　of　　Buchanan；　who　had　sunk　from　his　wounds　or　exhaustion。　　The　faithful　　Highlander；　eager　to　revenge　the　death　of　his　chief　and　foster…brother；　　drew　his　sword；　and；　saying；　‘If　he　has　not　fallen　he　shall　fall；'　made　　straight　to　Buchanan；　whom　he　killed　on　the　spot。〃

As　to　the　safe　return　of　John　of　Kintail　and　Hector　Roy　to　their　Highland　home；　after　this　calamitous　event；　there　is　now　no　question　whatever；　for　we　find　John　among　others；　afterwards　appointed；　by　Act　of　　Council；　a　Lieutenant　or　Guardian　of　Wester　Ross；　＇Gregory；　p。　115。　Acts　　of　Lords　of　Council；　xxvi。；　fo。　25。＇　to　protect　it　from　Sir　Donald　Gallda　Macdonald　of　Lochalsh；　when　he　proclaimed　himself　Lord　of　the　Isles。　　In　　1515；　Mackenzie；　without　legal　warrant；　seized　the　Royal　Castle　of　　Dingwall；　but　professed　his　readiness　to　give　it　up　to　any　one　appointed　by　　the　Regent；　John；　Duke　of　Albany。　＇Acts　of　Lords　of　Council；　xxvii。；　fo。　　60。＇　　In　1532　he　is　included　in　a　commission　by　James　V。　for　suppressing　　a　disorderly　tribe　of　Mackintoshes。　　He　secured　　the　esteem　of　this　monarch　so　much　that　he　appointed　him　a　member　of　his　Privy　Council。

To　put　the　question　of　John's　return　beyond　question；　and　to　show　how　the　family　rose　rapidly　in　influence　and　power　during　his　rule；　we　　shall　quote　the　Origines　Parochiales　Scotia；　from　which　it　will　also　be　　seen　that　Kenneth；　John's　heir；　received　considerable　grants　for　himself　　during　his　father's　lifetime：〃In　1509　King　James　IV。　granted　to　John