history of the mackenzies-第79部分

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　Hilton；　　Kenneth　a　Bhlair's　eldest　brother；　predeceased　him；　and　that　consequently　Hector　Roy　succeeded；　as　a　matter　of　course　to　the　legal　guardianship　of　　his　nephew；　Kenneth　Og；　VIII。　of　Kintail；　he　being　the　eldest　surviving　brother　of　the　late　Chief；　who　died　in　1491。　　But　this　has　not　been　sufficiently　established；　although　it　is　quite　true　that　Duncan's　name　does　　not　appear　after　his　brother's　death　in　1491；　in　any　of　the　manuscript　　histories　of　the　clan；　or　in　any　known　official　document。　　The　author　of　the　　Ardintoul　MS。　states　distinctly　that　Duncan　was　dead；　and　that　Hector；　　John　of　Kuhn's　younger　uncle；　〃meddled　with　the　estate。〃　　The　Earl　of　　Cromarty　says　that　〃Hector　Roy；　being　a　man　of　courage　and　prudence；　　was　left　Tutor　by　his　brother　to　Sir　Kenneth；　his　own　brother…uterine；　　Duncan　being　of　better　hands　than　head。　　This　Hector；　hearing　of　Sir　　Kenneth's　death；　and　finding　himself　in　possession　of　an　estate；　to　which　those　only　now　had　title　whose　birthright　was　debateable；　namely；　the　　children　begot　by　Kenneth　the　third；　on　the　Lord　Lovat's　daughter；　with　　whom　he　did　at　first　so　irregularly　and　unlawfully　cohabit。〃　　The　objection　　of　illegitimacy　could　not　apply　to　Duncan；　or　to　his　son　Allan；　and　it　is　difficult　to　understand　on　what　ground　hector　attempted　to　obtain　personal　　possession　of　the　estates；　unless　it　be　true；　as　confirmed　to　some　extent　hereafter；　that　he　was　himself　joint…heir　of　Kintail；　for　it　is　undoubted　that　　Allan；　Duncan's　eldest　son；　who　was　entitled　to　succeed　before　Hector；　　was　then　alive。　　There　is　no　official　evidence　that　Hector　Roy　was　at　any　time　appointed　Tutor　to　John　of　Kuhn　until　an　arrangement　was　made　　between　themselves；　in　terms　of　which　Hector　was　to　act　as　such；　and　to　　keep　the　estates　in　his　own　bands　until　his　nephew　came　of　age。

There　is　no　doubt　that　Hector　was　in　possession　of　extensive　　estates　of　his　own　at　this　period。　　When　the　Lords　of　the　Association；　a　factious　party　of　the　nobility；　took　up　arms　against　James　III。；　Alexander　　of　Kintail　despatched　his　sons；　Kenneth　and　Hector；　with　a　retinue　of　500；　　to　join　the　Royal　standard；　but　Kenneth；　hearing　of　the　death　of　his　father　　on　his　arrival　at　Perth；　returned　home　at　the　request　of　the　Earl　of　Huntly；　　and　the　clan　was　led　by　Hector　Roy　to　the　battle　of　Sauchieburn；　near　　Stirling　but　after　the　defeat　of　the　Royal　forces；　and　the　death　there　in　1488　of　the　King　himself；　Hector；　who　narrowly　escaped；　returned　to　　Ross…shire　and　took　the　stronghold　of　Redcastle；　then　held　for　the　rebels　by　Rose　of　Kilravock；　and　placed　a　garrison　in　it。　　He　then　joined　the　Earl　　of　Huntly　and　the　clans　in　the　north　who　were　rising　to　avenge　the　death　of　　His　Majesty　but　meanwhile　orders　came　from　the　youthful　King　James　　IV。；　who　had　been　at　the　head　of　the　conspirators；　ordering　the　Northern　　chiefs　to　lay　down　their　arms；　and　to　submit　to　the　powers　that　be。

Thereupon　Hector；　yielding　to　necessity；　submitted　with　the　rest；　and　he　　was　〃not　only　received　with　favour；　but　to　reward　his　previous　fidelity　and　　also　to　engage　him　for　the　future　　the　young　King；　who　at　last　saw　his　　error；　and　wanted　to　reconcile　to　him　those　who　had　been　the　friends　of　　his　father；　made　him　a　present　of　the　Barony　of　Gairloch　in　the　western　　circuit　of　Ross…shire　by　knight…service　after　the　manner　of　that　age。　　He　likewise　gave　him　Brahan　in　the　Low　Country；　now　a　seat　of　the　family　of　　Seaforth；　the　lands　of　Moy　in　that　neighbourhood；　Glassletter　（of　Kintail）；　a　Royal　forest　which　was　made　a　part　of　the　Barony　of　Gairloch。　　In　the　　pleasant　valley　of　Strathpeffer；　Castle　Leod；　part　of　Hector's　paternal　　estate；　afterwards　a　seat　of　the　Earl　of　Cromarty；　Achterneed　near　　adjacent；　also　Kinellan；　were　likewise　his；　and　so　was　the　Barony　of　Allan；　　now　Allangrange；　a　few　miles　southwards。　In　the　Chops　of　the　Highlands　　he　had　Fairburn　the　Wester；　and　both　the　Scatwells；　the　great　and　the　　lesser。　　Westward　in　the　height　of　that　country　he　had　Kenlochewe；　a　　district　adjoining　Gairloch　on　the　east；　and　southward　on　the　same　track　　he　had　the　half　of　Kintail；　of　which　he　was　left　joint…heir　with　his　brother　　Kenneth；　chief　of　the　family。〃　＇Manuscript　history　of　the　Gairloch　family。　Another　MS。　says　that　Hector's　possessions　in　Kintail　were　〃bounded　by　　the　rivers　Kilillan　and　Cro。〃＇

The　original　Gairloch　charters　are　lost；　but　a　〃protocol〃　from　John　de　Vaux；　or　Vass；　Sheriff　of　Inverness；　whose　jurisdiction　at　that　time　　extended　to　Ross　and　the　other　Northern　counties；　is　conclusive　as　to　their　　having　existed。　This　document；　its　orthography　modernised；　is　in　the　　following　terms：

To　all　and　sundry　to　whom　it　effeirs　to　whose　knowledge　these　present　letters　shall　come；　John　de　Vaux；　burgess　of　Dingwall　and　Sheriff　in　this　part；　sends　greeting　in　God　everlasting；　to　you　universally　I　make　it　　known　that　by　the　commands　of　our　Sovereign　Lords　Letters　and　　〃precess〃　under　his　white　wax　directed　to　me　as　Sheriff　in　that　part；　and　grants　me　to　have　given　to　Hector　MacKennich　heritable　state　and　　possession　of　all　and　sundry　the　lands　of　Gairloch；　with　their　pertinents；　　after　the　form　and　tenour　of　our　Sovereign　Lord's　charter　made　to　the　　foresaid　Hector　thereupon；　the　which　lands　with　their　pertinents　extends　　yearly　to　twelve　merks　of　old　extent；　lying　between　the　waters　called　Inverewe　and　Torridon　within　the　Sheriffdom　of　Inverness；　and　I　grant　me　　to　have　given　to　the　foresaid　Hector　heritable　state　and　possession　of　all　　and　sundry　the　foresaid　lands　with　their　pertinents；　saving　other　men's　　rights　as　use　and　custom　is；　and　charge　in　our　Sovereign　Lord's　name；　and　mine　as　Sheriff；　that　no　man　vex；　unquiet；　or　trouble　the　said　Hector　nor　his　heirs　in　the　peaceable　brooking　and　enjoyment　of　the　lands　foresaid　　under　all　pain　and　charges　that　after　may　follow：　　In　witness　of　the　which　I　have　appended　to　these　my　letters　of　sasine　my　seal　at　〃Allydyll〃　（？　　Talladale）　in　Gairloch；　the　10th　day　of　the　month　of　December；　the　year　of　　God；　1494；　before　these　witnessesSir　Dougall　Ruryson；　Vicar　of　　Urquhart；　Murchy　Beg　Mac　Murchy；　John　Thomasson；　Kenneth　Mac…anleyson；　Donald　Mac…anleyson；　Dugald　Ruryson；　and　Duncan　Lachlanson　servant。　with　others　divers。

The　next　authentic　document　in　Hector's　favour　is　a　precept　by　the　King　to　the　Chamberlain　of　Ross　commanding　that　functionary　to　obey　a　　former　precept　granted　to　Hector　of　the　mails；　etc。；　of　Brahan　and　Moy；　in　　the　following　terms：

Chamberlain　of　Ross　we　greet　you　wellForasmuch　as　we　　directed　our　special　letters　of　before；　making　mention　that　we　have　given　to　our　lovite　Hector　Roy　Mackenzie　the　mails　and　profits　of　our　lands　of　　Brahan　and　Moy；　with　arriage；　carriage；　and　other　pertinents　thereof；　lying　　within　our　lordship　of　Ross　for　his　good　and　thankful　service　done　and　to　be　done　to　us；　enduring　our　will；　and　that　it　was　our　will　that　he　should　brook　and　enjoy　the　said　lands　with　all　the　profits　thereof　enduring　our　　will；　and　so　the　tenants　now　inhabitants　thereof　brook　their　tacks　and　not　　remove　therefrom；　the　which　letters；　as；　we　are　surely　informed；　you　　disobeyed　in　great　contemption　and　littling　of　our　authority　Royal；　　　Herefor　we　charge　you　now　as　of　before　that　ye　suffer　the　said　Hector　to　brook　and　enjoy　the　same　lands　and　take　up　and　have　all　mails；　fermes；　　profits；　arriage；　carriage；　and　due　service　of　the　said　lands；　and　that　the　　tenants　and　inhahitants　thereof　to　answer　and　obey　to　him　and　to　none　　others　till；　we　give　command　by　our　special　letters　in　the　contrary；　and　this　　on　no　wise　you　leave　undone；　as　you　will　incur　our　indignation　and　　displeasure。　　These　our　letters　seen　and　understood；　deliver　them　again　to　　the　bearer　to　be　kept　and　shown　by　the　said　Hector　upon　account　of　your　　warrant　before　our　Comptroller　and　auditors　of　our　Exchequer　at　your　　next　accounting；　and　after　the　form　of　our　said　letters　past　of　before　given　　under　our　Signet；　at　Edinburgh；　the　5th　day　of　March；　1508；　and　of　our　　reign　the　twentieth　year。

JAMES　　R。

It　will　be　seen　from　these　documents　that　Hector　had　at　this　time　large　possessions　of　his　own；　and　the　dispute　between　him　and　his　nephew；　John　of　Killin；　already　fully　described；　　probably　arose　in　respect　　of　Hector's　rights　to　the　half　of　Kintail；　which　his　father　is　said　to　have　left　　him　jointly　with　his　eldest　brother；　Kenneth；　VII。　of　Kintail。　　Hector　kept　　possession　of　Ellandonnan　Castle　until　compelled　by　an　order　from　the　　Privy　Council　to　give　it　up　in　1511　to　John　of　Killin；　and　it　appears　from　　the　records　of　the　Privy　Council　that　from　1501　to　1508　Hector　continued　　to　collect　the　rents　of　Kintail　without　giving　any　account　of　them；　that　he　　again　in　1509　accounted　for　them　for　twelve　months；　and　for　the　two　　succeeding　years　for　the　second　time　retained　them；　while　he　seems　to　　have　had　undisturbed　possession　of　the　stronghold　of　Ellandonnan　　throughout。　　No　record　can　be　found　of　his　answer　to　the　summons　　commanding　him　to　appear　before　the　Privy　Council；　if　he　ever　did　put　in　　an　appearance；　but　in　all　probability　he　merely　kept　his　hold　of　that　Castle　　in　order　to　compel　his　nephew　to　come　to　terms　with　him　regarding　his　　joint　rights　to　Kintail；　without　any　intention　of　ultimately　keeping　him　out　　of　possession。　This　view　is　strengthened　by　the　fact　that　John　obtained　a　　charter　under　the　Great　Seal　granting　him　Kintail　anew　on　the　25th　of　February；　1508…9　＇Reg。　of　the　Great　Seal；　vol。　xv；　fol。　89。＇the　same　year　　in　which　Hector　received　a　grant　of　Brahan　and　Moyprobably　following　　on　an　arrangement　of　their　respective　rights　in　those　districts　also　from　the　　fact　that　Hector　does　not　appear　to　have　fallen　into　any　disfavour　with　the　　Crown　on　account　of　his　conduct　towards　John　of　Kintail；　for　only　two　　years　after　Kuhn　raised　the　action　against　Hector　before　the　Privy　Council；　　the　latter　receives　a　new　charter；　dated　the　8th　April；　1513；　＇The　original　　charter　is　in　the　Gairloch　Charter　Chest。＇　under　the　Great　Seal；　of　　Gairloch；　Glasletter；　and　Coirre…nan…Cuilean　〃in　feu　and　heritage　for　　ever；〃　and　he　and　his　nephew　appear　ever　after　to　have　lived　on　the　most　friendly　terms。

Gairloch；　originally　the　possession　of　the　Earls　of　Ross；　and　confirmed　to　them　by　Robert　Bruce　in　1306　and　1329　was　subse