history of the mackenzies-第38部分

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　of　　Mackenzie's　kinsmen。　　He　got　the　ear　of　his　Majesty　and　would　have　been　　successful　had　not　John　Dubh　Mac　Choinnich　Mhic　Mhurchaidh　　meanwhile　taken　the　law　into　his　own　hands　by　burning；　in　revenge；　all　　Tulloch's　cornyards　and　barns　at　Lemlair；　thus　giving　Bayne　an　　opportunity　of　presenting　another　and　counter　claim　but　the　matter　was　　ultimately　arranged　by　the　King　and　Council　obliging　Kintail　and　Tulloch　　mutually　to　subscribe　a　contract　of　agreement　and　peaceful　behaviour　　towards　each　other。

Under　date　of　18th　February；　1395…96；　there　is　an　entry　in　the　Privy　Council　Records　that　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　〃being　elected　and　　chosen　to　be　one　of　the　ordinary　members〃　of　the　Council；　and　being　　personally　preset；　makes　faith　and　gives　oath　in　the　usual　manner。　　In　a　　complaint　against　him；　on　the　5th　of　August；　1596；　by　Habbakuk　Bisset；　　he　is　assoilzied　in　all　time　coming　by　a　decree　of　their　Lordships　in　his　favour。

Upon　the　death　of　Old　Roderick　of　the　Lewis；　Torquil　Dubh　　succeeded　him；　excluding　Torquil　Cononach　from　the　succession　on　the　　plea　of　his　being　a　bastard。　　The　latter；　however；　held　Coigeach　and　his　other　possessions　on　the　mainland；　with　a　full　recognition　by　the　Government　of　his　rights　to　the　lands　of　his　forefathers　in　the　Lewis。

His　　two　sons　having　been　killed；　and　his　eldest　daughter；　Margaret；　having　　married　Roderick　Mackenzie　of　Coigeach；　progenitor　of　the　Cromarty　　family；　better　known　as　the　Tutor　of　Kintail；　Torquil　Cononach　threw　　himself　into　the　hands　of　Kintail　for　aid　against　the　bastards。　　By　Roderick　　Mackenzie's　marriage　with　Torquil　Cononach's　eldest　daughter；　he　　became　heir　of　line　to　the　ancient　family　of　Macleod；　an　honour　which　　still　remains　to　his　descendants；　the　Cromarty　family。　　Torquil　Dubh　　secured　considerable　support　by　marriage　with　a　daughter　of　Tormod；　XI。；　　and　sister　of　William　Macleod；　XII。　of　Harris　and　Dunvegan；　and；　thus　　strengthened；　made　a　descent　on　Coigeach　and　Lochbroom；　desolating　the　　whole　district；　aiming　at　permanent　occupation。　　Kintail；　following　the　example　of　his　predecessorsalways　prudent；　and　careful　to　keep　within　　the　laws　of　the　realmin　1596　laid　the　following　complaint　before　King　　James　VI。：

Please　your　Majesty；Torquil　Dow　of　the　Lews；　not　contenting　himself　with　the　avowit　misknowledging　of　your　Hieness　authority　wherebe　he　has　violat　the　promises　and　compromit　made　before　your　Majesty；　now　lately　the　25th　day　of　December　last；　has　ta'n　upon　him　　being　accompanied　w　7　or　800　men；　not　only　of　his　own　by　ylands　neist　　adjacent；　to　prosecute　with　fire　and　sword　by　all　kind　of　gud　order；　the　　hail　bounds　of　the　Strath　Coigach　pertaining　to　M'Leod　his　eldest　brother；　　likewise　my　Strath　of　Lochbroom；　quhilks　Straths；　to　your　Majesty's　great　dishonour；　but　any　fear　of　God　ourselves；　hurt　and　skaith　that　he　hath　　wasted　w　fire　and　sword；　in　such　barbarous　and　cruel　manner；　that　neither　man；　wife；　bairn；　horse；　cattle；　corns；　nor　bigging　has　been　spared；　but　all　barbarously　slain；　burnt；　and　destroyit；　quhilk　barbarity　and　cruelty；　seeing　　he　was　not　able　to　perform　it　but　by　the　assistance　and　furderance　of　his　neighbouring　Ylesmen；　therefore　beseeches　your　Majesty　by　advice　of　　Council　to　find　some　sure　remeid　wherebe　sick　cruel　tyrannie　may　be　　resisted　in　the　beginning。　　Otherway　nothing　to　be　expectit　for　but　dailly　　increasing　of　his　malicious　forces　to　our　utter　ruin；　quha　possesses　your　Majesty's　obedience；　the　consideration　quharof　and　inconveniences　quhilk　　may　thereon　ensue。　　I　remit　to　your　Highness　guid　consideration　of　whom　　taking　my　leif　with　maist　humble　commendations　of　service；　I　commit　　your　Majesty　to　the　holy　protection　of　God　eternal。　　At　the　Canonry　of　Ross；　the　3d　day；　Jany。　1596…97。　　Your　Majesty's　most　humble　and　obt。　　subject。　　

KENNETH　　MACKENZIE　of　Kintail。

The　complaint　came　before　the　Privy　Council；　at　Holyrood；　on　the　11th　of　　February；　following；　and　Torquil　Dubh；　failing　to　appear；　was　denounced　　a　rebel。　　Kenneth　thereupon　obtained　a　commission　of　fire　and　sword　　against　him；　as　also　the　forfeiture　of　the　Lewis；　upon　which　Torquil　　Cononach　made　over　his　rights　to　Mackenzie；　on　the　plea　that　he　was　the　　next　male　heir；　but　reserving　the　lands　of　Coigeach　to　his　own　son…in…law。

The　Mackenzies　did　all　they　could　to　obtain　the　estste　for　Torquil　Cononach；　the　legitimate　heir；　but　mainly　through　his　own　want　of　activity　　and　indolent　disposition；　they　failed　with　their　united　efforts　to　secure　undisturbed　possession　for　him。　　They　succeeded；　however；　in　destroying　　the　family　of　Macleod　of　the　Lewis；　and　most　of　the　Siol…Torquil；　and　　ultimately　became　complete　masters　of　the　island。　　The　Brieve　by　　stratagem　captured　Torquil　Dubh；　with　some　of　his　friends；　and　delivering　them　up　to　Torquil　Cononach；　they　were；　by　his　orders；　beheaded　in　July；　　1597。　　〃It　fell　out　that　the　Breve　（that　is　to　say；　the　judge）　in　the　Lewis；　　who　was　chief　of　the　Clan　Illevorie　（Morrison）；；　being　sailing　from　the　Isle　of　Lewis　to　Ronay　in　a　great　galley；　met　with　a　Dutch　ship　loaded　　with　wine；　which　he　took；　and　advising　with　his　friends；　who　were　all　with　　him　there；　what　he　would　do　with　the　ship　lest　Torqull　Du　should　take　her　from　him；　they　resolved　to　return　to　Stornoway　and　call　for　Torqull　Du　to　receive　the　wine；　and　if　he　came　to　the　ship；　to　sail　away　with　him　where　Torqull　Cononach　was；　and　then　they　might　be　sure　of　the　ship　and　the　　wine　to　be　their　own；　and　besides；　he　would　grant　them　tacks　in　the　best　　parts　in　the　Lewis；　which　accordingly　they　did；　and　called　for　Torqull　to　come　and　receive　the　wine。　　Torqull　Du　noways　mistrusting　them　that　　were　formerly　so　obedient；　entered　the　ship　with　seven　others　in　company；　where　he　was　welcomed；　and　he　commended　them　as　good　fellows　that　　brought　him　such　a　prize。　　They　invited　him　to　the　quay　to　take　his　　pleasure　of　the　feast　of　their　wine。　　He　goes；　but　instead　of　wine　they　　brought　cords　to　tie　him；　telling　him　he　had　better　render　himself　and　his　　wrongously　possessed　estate　to　his　eldest　brother；　that　they　resolved　to　put　　him　in　his　mercy；　which　he　was　forced　to　yield　to。　　So　they　presently　sail　　for　Coigeach；　and　delivered　him　to　his　brother；　who　he　had　no　sooner　got　　but　he　made　him　short　by　the　head　in　the　month　of　July；　1597。　Immediately　he　was　beheaded　there　arose　a　great　earthquake；　which　astonished　the　actors　and　all　the　inhabitants　about　them　as　a　sign　of　God's　　judgment。〃　＇Ancient　MS。＇

In　1598　some　gentlemen　in　Fife；　afterwards　known　as　the　〃Fife　Adventurers；〃　obtained　a　grant　of　the　Lewis　with　the　professed　object　of　　civilising　the　inhabitants。　　It　is　not　intended　here　to　detail　their　　proceedings　or　to　describe　at　much　length　the　squabbles　and　constant　　disorders；　murders；　and　robberies　which　took　place　while　they　held　　possession　of　the　Island。　　The　speculation　proved　ruinous　to　the　　Adventurers；　who　in　the　end　lost　their　estates；　and　were　obliged　to　leave　the　islanders　to　their　fate。　A　brief　summary　of　it　will　suffice；　and　those　　who　desire　more　information　on　the　subject　will　find　a　full　account　of　it　in　　the　History　of　the　Macleods。　＇By　the　same　author。　　A。　&　W。　Mackenzie；　Inverness；　1889。＇

On　the　15th　of　June；　1599；　Sir　William　Stewart　of　Houston；　Sir　　James　Spence　of　Wormistoun；　and　Thomas　Cunningham　appeared　　personally　before　the　Privy　Council　〃to　take　a　day　for　the　pursuit　of　　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　upon　such　crimes　as　criminally　they　had　to　　lay　to　his　charge　for　themselves　and　in　the　name　of　the　gentlemen…ventuaries　of　their　society；〃　and　the　26th　of　September　was　fixed　for　the　purpose。

On　the　14th　of　September　Kenneth　enters　into　a　bond　for　a　　thousand　merks　that　John　Dunbar；　Fiar　of　Avoch；　and　James　Dunbar　of　　Little　Suddie；　four　sons　of　John　of　Avoch；　and　several　others；　in　five　hundred　merks　each；　that　they　will　not　harm　Roderick　Dingwall　of　Kildin；　　Duncan　Bayne；　apparent　heir　of　Tulloch；　Alexander　Bayne　of　Loggie；　and　　other　sons　and　grandsons　of　Bayne　of　Tulloch。

Sir　James　Stewart　of　Newton　enters　into　a　bond；　on　the　6th　of　October；　for　six　hundred　merks　that　Kenneth　will　not　harm　James　Crambie；　a　burgess　of　Perth；　signed　at　Dunkeld　in　presence　of　Murdo　Mackenzie；　apparent　heir　of　Redcastle；　John　Mackenzie；　minister　of　Dingwall；　and　Alexander　Mackenzie；　writer。

On　the　16th　of　April；　1600；　Tormod　Macleod　complains　that　　Kenneth　had　apprehended　him　and　detained　him　as　a　prisoner　without　just　cause；　and　failing　to　appear　the　King　and　Council；　understanding　that　　Tormod　〃is　a　chief　and　special　man　of　that　clan　（Macleod）；　and　that　　therefore　it　is　necessary　that　order　be　taken　for　his　dutiful　obedience　and　　good　behaviour；〃　order　Kenneth　to　present　him　before　the　Council　on　a　　day　to　be　afterwards　fixed。

Kenneth；　on　the　11th　of　December；　brings　under　the　notice　of　the　Council　a　case　which　places　the　unlawful　practices　of　the　times　in　a　strong　　light。　　He　says　that　upon　the　16th　of　October　preceding；　while　Duncan　　MacGillechallum　in　Kintail；　his　man；　was　bringing　twenty…four　cows　to　　the　fair　of　Glammis；　three　men；　whose　names　he　gives；　violently　robbed　　him　of　the　cattle。　　Upon　the　1st　of　November；　1599；　the　same　persons　had　　reft　Duncan　MacGillechriosd　in　Kintail；　his　tenant；　at　the　fair　of　Elycht；　of　　twenty…six　cows　and　four　hundred　merks　of　silver；　and　robbed　Murdo　Mac　　Ian　Mhic　Mhurchaidh；　also　his　tenant　in　Kintail；　of　twenty…six　cows　at　the　same　market。　　On　the　30th　of　October；　1600；　he　sent　his　servants；　John　　and　Dougall　MacVanish；　in　Lochalsh；　to　the　fair　of　Elycht　with　a　hundred　　and　fifty…four　cows　and　oxen　to　be　sold；　〃for　outred　and　certane　the　said　complenaris　adois　in　thir　pairtis；〃　and　his　servants　being　at　the　foot　of　Drummuir　with　his　said　cattle；　two　of　the　three　who　robbed　his　men　at　　Glammis；　with　Patrick　Boll　in　Glenshee；　and　Alexander　Galld　Macgregor；　　took　from　them　the　whole　of　the　cattle　and　〃hes　sparpellit　and　disponit〃　　upon　the　same　at　their　pleasure。　　This　violence　and　rief　at　free　markets　and　　fairs；　he　says；　is　not　only　hurtful　to　him；　but　it　〃discourages　all　peaceable　　and　good　subjects　to　direct　or　send　any　goods　to　the　market　and　fairs　of　　the　incountry。〃　　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kilchrist　appeared　for　Kintail；　and　the　defenders；　in　absence；　were　denounced　rebels。

He　is　o