history of the mackenzies-第32部分

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e　compeared　　before　my　Lord　Regent's　grace　and　Lords　of　Secret　Council　at　a　certain　day　bypast；　and　show　a　reasonable　cause　why　the　same　should　not　be　done；　under　the　pain　of　rebellion　and　putting　him　to　the　horn；　with　certification　to　him；　and　he　failing；　letters　would　be　directed　simpliciter　to　　put　him　to　the　horn；　like　as　is　at　more　length　contained　in　the　said　letters；　　execution　and　endorsement　thereof。　Which　being　called；　the　said　Master　　George　compeared　personally；　and　the　said　Rory　Mackenzie　oftimes　　called　and　not　compearing；　my　Lord　Regent's　grace；　with　advise　of　the　　Lords　of　Secret　Council；　ordained　letters　to　be　directed　to　officers　of　arms；　　Sheriffs　in　that　part；　to　denounce　the　said　Rory　Mackenzie　our　Sovereign　　Lord's　rebel　and　put　him　to　the　horn　and　to　escheat　and　bring　in　all　his　moveable　goods　to　his　Highness's　use　for　his　contempt。　＇Records　of　the　　Privy　Council。＇

In　December　of　the　same　year　Colin　has　to　provide　cautioners；　for　things　laid　to　his　charge；　to　the　amount　of　ten　thousand　pounds；　that　he　　shall　remain　within　four　miles　of　Edinburgh；　and　eastward　as　far　as　the　　town　of　Dunbar；　and　that　he　shall　appear　before　the　Council　on　a　notice　of　　forty…eight　hours。　　On　the　6th　of　February　following　other　cautioners　bind　　themselves　to　enter　him　in　Edinburgh　on　the　20th　of　May；　1574；　　remaining　there　until　relieved；　under　a　penalty　of　ten　thousand　pounds。　　　He　is　entered　to　keep　ward　in　Edinburgh　on　the　1st　March；　1575；　and　is　　bound　to　appear　before　the　Council　when　required　under　a　similar　penalty。　　　　On　the　10th　of　April　following　he　signs　a　bond　that　Alexander　Ross　shall　　appear　before　the　Lords　when　required　to　do　so。　　On　the　25th　of　May；　　1575；　at　Chanonry；　Robert　Munro　of　Fowlis　and　Walter　Urquhart；　Sheriff　of　Cromarty；　bind　　themselves　their　　heirs；　and　successors；　under　a　penalty　　of　five　thousand　pounds；　that　they　shall　on　a　month's　notice　enter　and　　present　Roderick　Mor　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle　before　the　King　and　the　　Privy　Council　and　that　he　shall　remain　while　lawful　entry　be　taken　of　him；　　and　that　he　shall　keep　good　rule　in　his　country　in　the　meantime。　　On　the　　same　day　Colin；　his　brother；　〃of　his　own　free　motive　will〃　binds　himself　　and　his　heirs　to　relieve　and　keep　these　gentlemen　scaithless　of　the　amount　　of　this　obligation。　　He　is　one　of　several　Highland　chiefs　charged　by　the　　Regent　and　the　Privy　Council　on　the　19th　of　February；　1577…78；　to　defend　　Donald　Mac　Angus　of　Glengarry　from　an　expected　invasion　of　his　　territories　by　sea　and　land。　＇Register　of　the　Privy　Council。＇

The　disturbed　state　of　the　country　was　such；　in　1573；　that　the　Earl　　of　Sutherland　petitioned　to　be　served　heir　to　his　estates；　at　Aberdeen；　as　he　　could　not　get　a　jury　together　to　sit　at　　Inverness；　〃in　consequence　of　the　　barons；　such　as　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　Hugh　Lord　Lovat；　Lachlan　　Mackintosh　of　Dunachton；　and　Robert　Munro　of　Fowlis；　being　at　deadly　　feud　among　themselves。〃　＇Antiquarian　Notes；　p。　79＇

In　1580　a　desperate　quarrel　broke　out　between　the　Mackenzies　and　Macdonalds　of　Glengarry。　　The　Chief　of　Glengarry　inherited　part　of　Lochalsh；　Lochcarron；　and　Lochbroom；　from　his　grandmother；　Margaret；　one　of　the　sisters　and　co…heiresses　of　Sir　Donald　Macdonald　of　Lochalsh；　　and　grand…daughter　of　Celestine　of　the　Isles。　Kenneth；　during　his　father's　　life；　had　acquired　the　other　part　by　purchase　from　Dingwall　of　Kildun；　son　　of　the　other　co…heiress　of　Sir　Donald；　on　the　24th　November；　1554；　and　　Queen　Mary　confirmed　the　grant　by　Royal　charter。　　Many　causes　leading　　to　disputes　and　feuds　can　easily　be　imagined　with　such　men　in　close　　proximity。　　Glengarry　and　his　followers　〃sorned〃　on　Mackenzie's　tenants；　　not　only　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　his　own　property　of　Lochcarron；　but　also　during　their　raids　from　Glengarry；　on　the　outskirts　of　Kintail；　and　thus　　Mackenzie's　dependants　were　continually　harrassed　by　Glengarry's　　cruelty　and　ill…usage。　　His　own　tenants　in　Lochalsh　and　Lochcarron　fared　　little　better；　particularly　the　Mathesons　in　the　former；　and　the　Clann　Ian　　Uidhir　in　the　latter；　who　were　the　original　possessors　of　Glengarry's　lands　　in　that　district。　　These　tribes；　finding　themselves　in　such　abject　slavery；　　though　they　regularly　paid　their　rents　and　other　dues；　and　seeing　how　　kindly　Mackenzie　used　the　neighbouring　tenantry；　envied　their　more　comfortable　state　and　〃abhorred　Glengarry's　rascality；　who　would　lie　in　　their　houses　（yea；　force　their　women　and　daughters）　so　long　as　there　was　　any　good　to　be　given；　which　made　them　keep　better　amity　and　　correspondence　with　Mackenzie　and　his　tenants　than　with　their　own　　master　and　his　　followers。　　This　may　partly　teach　how　superiors　ought　　always　to　govern　and　oversee　their　tenantry　and　followers；　especially　in　　the　Highlands；　who　were　ordinarily　made　up　of　several　clans；　and　will　not　readily　underlie　such　slavery　as　the　Incountry　Commons　will　do。〃

The　　first　serious　outbreak　between　the　Glengarry　Macdonalds　and　the　Mackenzies　originated　thus：　　One　Duncan　Mac　Ian　Uidhir　Mhic　Dhonnachaidh；　known　as　〃a　very　honest　gentleman；〃　who；　in　his　early　days；　lived　under　Glengarry；　and　was　a　very　good　deerstalker　and　an　　excellent　shot；　often　resorted　to　the　forest　of　Glasletter；　then　the　property　　of　Mackenzie　of　Gairloch；　where　he　killed　many　of　the　deer。　　Some　time　　afterwards；　Duncan　was；　in　consequence　of　certain　troubles　in　his　own　　country；　obliged　to　leave；　and　he；　with　all　his　family　and　goods；　took　up　his　quarters　in　Glen　Affrick；　close　to　the　forest。　　Soon　after；　he　went；　　accompanied　by　a　friend；　to　the　nearest　hill；　and　began　his　favourite　　pursuit　of　deerstalking。　Mackenzie's　forester　perceiving　the　stranger；　and　　knowing　him　as　an　old　poacher；　cautiously　walked　up；　came　upon　him　　unawares；　and　demanded　that　he　should　at　once　surrender　himself　and　his　　arms。　Duncan；　finding　that　Gairloch's　forester　was　only　accompanied　by　one　gillie；　〃thought　it　an　irrecoverable　affront　that　he　and　his　man　should　　so　yield；　and　refused　to　do　so　on　any　terms；　whereupon　the　forester　being　ill…set；　and　remembering　former　abuses　in　their　passages；〃　he　and　his　　companion　killed　the　poachers；　and　buried　them　in　the　hill。　　Fionnla　Dubh　Mac　Dhomh'uill　Mhoir　and　Donald　Mac　Ian　Leith；　the　latter　a　native　of　　Gairloch；　were　suspected　of　the　crime；　but　it　was　never　proved　against　　them；　though　they　were　both　several　times　put　on　their　trial　by　the　barons　　of　Kintail　and　Gairloch。

About　two　years　after　the　murder　was　committed；　Duncan's　bones　were　discovered　by　one　of　his　friends；　who　had　continued　all　the　time　　diligently　to　search　for　him。　　The　Macdonalds　always　suspected　foul　play；　and　this　having　now　been　placed　beyond　question　by　the　discovery　of　the　　bodies　of　the　victims；　a　party　of　them　started；　determined　to　revenge　the　death　of　their　clansman；　and；　arriving　at　Inchlochell；　Glenstrathfarrar；　then　　the　property　of　Rory　Mor　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle；　they　found　Duncan　　Mac　Ian　Mhic　Dhomh'uill　Mhoir；　a　brother　of　the　suspected　Finlay　Dubh；　　without　any　fear　of　approaching　danger；　busily　engaged　ploughing　his　　patch　of　land；　and　they　at　once　attacked　and　killed　him。　　The　renowned　　Rory　Mor；　hearing　of　the　murder　of　his　tenant；　at　once　despatched　a　　messenger　to　Glengarry　demanding　redress　and　the　punishment　of　the　　assassins；　but　Glengarry　refused。　　Rory　was；　however；　determined　to　have　satisfaction；　and　he　resolved；　against　the　counsel　of　his　friends；　to　have　　retribution　for　this　and　previous　injuries　at　once　and　as　best　he　could。

Having　thus　decided；　he　at　once　sent　for　his　friend；　Dugall　Mackenzie　of　　Applecross；　to　consult　him　as　to　the　best　mode　of　procedure　to　ensure　　success。

Glengarry　lived　at　the　time　in　the　Castle　of　Strone；　Lochcarron；　and；　after　consultation；　the　two　Mackenzies　resolved　to　use　every　means　　in　their　power　to　capture　him；　or　some　of　his　nearest　relatives。　　For　this　　purpose　Dugall　suggested　a　plan　by　which　he　thought　he　would　induce　the　　unsuspecting　Glengarry　to　meet　him　on　a　certain　day　at　Kishorn。　　Rory　　Mor；　to　avoid　any　suspicion；　was　to　start　at　once　for　Lochbroom；　under　　cloak　of　attending　to　his　interests　there；　and　if　Macdonald　agreed　to　meet　　Dugall　at　Kishorn；　he　would　immediately　send　notice　of　the　day　to　Rory。　　　No　sooner　had　Dugall　arrived　at　home　than；　to　carry　out　this　plan；　he　　dispatched　a　messenger　to　Glengarry　informing　him　that　he　had　matters　of　　great　importance　to　communicate　to　him；　and　that　he　wished；　for　that　purpose；　to　meet　him　on　any　day　which　he　might　deem　suitable。

Day　and　place　were　soon　appointed；　and　Dugall　at　once　sent　a　　messenger；　as　arranged；　with　full　particulars　of　the　proposed　meeting　to　　Rory　Mor；　who　instantly　gathered　his　friends；　the　Clann　Allan；　and　　marched　them　to　Lochcarron。　　On　his　arrival；　he　had　a　meeting　with　　Donald　Mac　Ian　Mhic　Ian　Uidhir；　and　Angus　Mac　Eachainn；　both　of　the　　Clann　Ian　Uidhir；　and　closely　allied　to　Glengarry　by　blood　and　marriage；　　and　living　on　his　lands。　　〃Yet　notwithstanding　this　alliance；　they；　fearing　　his；　and　his　rascality's　further　oppression；　were　content　to　join　Rory　in　the　　plot。〃　　The　appointed　day　having　arrived；　Glengarry　and　his　lady　（a　　daughter　of　the　Captain　of　Clan　Ranald；　he　having。　previously　sent　away　　his　lawfull　wife；　a　daughter　of　the　laird　of　Grant）　came　by　sea　to　Kishorn。

He　and　Dugall　Mackenzie　having　conferred　together　for　some　time　discussing　matters　of　importance　to　each　as　neighbours；　Glengarry　took　　his　leave；　but　while　being　convoyed　to　his　boat；　Dugall　suggested　the　　impropriety　of　his　going　home　by　sea　in　such　a　clumsy　boat；　when　he　had　　only　a　distance　of　two　miles　to　walk；　and　if　he　did　not　suspect　his　own　　inability　to　make　the　lady　comfortable　for　the　night；　he　would　be　glad　to　provide　for　her　and　see　her　home　safely　next　morning。　　Macdonald　　declined　the　proffered　hospitality　to　his　lady。　　He　sent　her　home　by　the　　boat；　accompanied　by　four　of　his　followers；　and　told　Dugall　that　he　would　not　endanger　the　boat　by　overloading；　but　that　he　and　the　remainder　of　his　　gentlemen　and　followers　would　go　home　on　foot。

Rory　Mor　had　meanwhile　placed　his　men　in　ambush　in　a　place　still　called　Glaic　nan　Gillean。　　Glengarry　and　his　train；　on　their　way　to　Strone　　Castle；　came　upon　them　without　the　slightest　suspicion；　when　they　were　　suddenly　surroun