history of the mackenzies-第50部分

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l。　Realising　the　danger　of　　his　position；　Macleod　prevailed　upon　Neil　and　his　son　Donald　to　　accompany　him　to　Edinburgh；　and　to　seek　forgiveness　from　the　King；　and　　under　pretence　of　this　he　delivered　them　both　up　on　arriving　in　the　city；　where　Neil；　in　April；　1613；　was　at　once　executed　and　his　son　afterwards　　banished　out　of　the　kingdom。　　This　treacherous　conduct　on　the　part　of　　Macleod　of　Harris　cannot　be　excused；　but　it　was　a　fair　return　for　a　similar　　act　of　treachery　of　which　Neil　had　been　guilty　against　another　some　little　time　before。

When　on　Berrissay；　he　met　with　the　captain　of　a　pirate；　with　whom　he　entered　into　a　mutual　bond　by　which　they　were　to　help　each　other；　both　being　outlaws。　　The　captain　agreed　to　defend　the　rock　from　the　seaward　　side　while　Neil　made　his　incursions　on　shore。　They　promised　faithfully　to　　live　and　die　together；　and　to　make　the　agreement　more　secure；　it　was　　arranged　that　the　stranger　should　marry　Neil's　aunt；　a　daughter　of　Torquil　　Blair。　　The　day　fixed　for　the　marriage　having　arrived；　and　Neil　and　his　　adherents　having　discovered　that　the　captain　had　several　articles　of　value　　aboard　his　vessel；　he；　when　the　master　of　the　pirate　was　naturally　off　his　　guard；　treacherously　seized　the　ship；　and　sent　the　captain　and　crew　　prisoners　to　Edinburgh；　expecting　that　in　this　way　he　might　secure　pardon　for　himself　in　addition　to　possession　of　all　the　stores　on　board。　　By　order　　of　the　Council　the　sailors　were　all　hanged　at　Leith。　　Much　of　the　silver　and　　gold　taken　from　the　vessel　Neil　carried　to　Harris；　where　probably　it　helped　　to　tempt　Macleod；　as　it　previously　tempted　himself　to　break　faith　with　　Neil。　The　official　account　of　these　incidents　has　been　already　given　at　　pages　194…95。

Sir　Robert　Gordon　writing　about　this　period　but　referring　to　1477；　says〃From　the　ruins　of　the　family　of　Clandonald；　and　some　of　the　neighbouring　Highlanders；　and　also　by　their　own　virtue；　the　surname　of　the　Clankenzie；　from　small　beginnings；　began　to　flourish　in　these　bounds；　and　by　the　friendship　and　favour　of　the　house　of　Sutherland；　chiefly　of　　Earl　John；　fifth　of　that　name；　Earl　of　Sutherland　（whose　Chamberlains　　they　were；　in　receiving　the　rents　of　the　Earldom　of　Ross　to　his　use）　their　　estate　afterwards　came　to　great　height；　yea　above　divers　of　their　more　　ancient　neighbours。　　The　chief　and　head　of　the　family　at　this　day　is　Colin　　Mackenzie；　Lord　of　Kintail；　now　created　Earl　of　Seaforth。〃　＇Gordon's　　Earldom　of　Sutherland；　p。　77。＇　　If　the　family　was　so　powerful　in　1477；　　what　must　its　position　have　been　under　Lord　Colin？　　The　Earl　of　Cromarty　　says　that　〃This　Colin　was　a　noble　person　of　virtuous　endowments；　beloved　of　all　good　men；　especially　his　Prince。　　He　acquired　and　settled　the　right　of　　the　superiority　of　Moidart　and　Arisaig；　the　Captain　of　Clandonald's　lands；　　which　his　father；　Lord　Kenneth；　formerly　claimed　right　to　but　lived　not　to　　accomplish　it。　　Thus；　all　the　Highlands　and　Islands　from　Ardnamurchan　to　　Strathnaver　were　either　Mackenzie's　property；　or　under　his　vassalage；　　some　few　excepted；　and　all　about　him　were　tied　to　his　family　by　very　strict　　bonds　of　friendship　or　vassalage；　which；　as　it　did　beget　respect　from　many　it　be　got　envy　in　others；　especially　his　equals。〃

It　is　difficult　to　discover　any　substantial　aid　which　the　Mackenzies　ever　received　from　the　Earls　of　Sutherland　of　the　kind　stated　by　Sir　Robert　　Gordon。　　We　have　carefully　perused　the　whole　of　the　work　from　which　the　　above　quotation　is　made；　and　are　unable　to　discover　a　single　instance　prior　　to　1477；　where　the　Sutherlands　were　of　any　service　whatever　to　the　family　of　Kintail；　and　the　assumption　is　only　another　instance　of　that　quality　of　　partiality　to　his　own　family；〃　so　characteristic　of　Sir　Robert；　and　for　which　even　the　publishers　of　his　work　deemed　it　necessary　to　apologise　in　the　　Advertisement　prefaced　to　his　History　of　the　Earldom　of　Sutherland。

They　〃regret　the　hostile　feelings　which　he　expresses　concerning　others　　who　were　equally　entitled　to　complain　of　aggression　on　the　part　of　those　　whom　he　defends；〃　but　〃strict　fidelity　to　the　letter　of　the　manuscript〃　　would　not　allow　them　to　omit　〃the　instances　in　which　this　disposition　　appears。〃　　After　Mackenzie's　signal　victory　over　the　Macdonalds　at　Blar…na…Pairc；　and　Hector　Roy's　prowess　at　Drumchait；　the　Earl　of　Sutherland　　began　to　think　that　the　family　of　Mackenzie；　rapidly　growing　in　power　and　influence；　might　be　of　some　service　in　the　prosecution　of　his　own　plans　　and　in　extending　his　power；　and　he　accordingly　entered　into　the　bond　of　　manrent　with　him　already　noticed。　　It　has　been　seen　that；　for　a　long　time　after；　the　advantages　of　this　arrangement　were　entirely　on　the　side　of　the　　Sutherlands；　as　at　the　battle　of　Brora　and　other　places　previously　　mentioned。　　The　appointment　of　Kintail　as　Deputy…Chamberlain　of　the　　Earldom　of　Ross　was　due　to　and　in　acknowledgment　of　these　signal　and　　repeated　services；　and　the　obligations　and　advantages　of　the　office　were　　found　to　be　reciprocal。　　The　first　and　only　instance　in　which　the　Earl's　　connection　with　Mackenzie　is　likely　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