history of the mackenzies-第102章

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ccessors；　to　his　nephew；　John　of　Kuhn；　so　　much　of　his　patrimonial　possessions。　　According　to　the　Gairloch　　MS。　already　quoted　Hector　gave　him　his　own　half　of　Kintail；　as　well　as　Kinellan；　Fairburn；　Wester　Brahan；　and　〃other　possessions　in　the　Low　Country　besides。〃　　John　thought　these　donations　far　too　exorbitant；　and　he　　〃sought　to　retrench　them　by　recovering　in　part　what　with　so　much　　profusion　his　father　had　given　away；　and　for　that；　a　feud　having　ensued　　betwixt　him　and　his　Chief；　he　was　surprised　in　his　house　by　night；　　according　to　the　barbarous　manner　of　the　times；　and　sent　prisoner　to　Iland　　Downan；　and　there　taken　away　by　poison　in　A。D。　l550。　　His　brother　Dugal；　　who　sided　with　him；　and　John　（Beg）；　his　natural　brother；　were　both　slain　　in　the　same　quarrel。〃　＇Gairloch　MS。　　Another　MS。　says　that　his　other　　brother；　John　Tuach；　was　assassinated　the　same　night。＇

A　bond；　dated　1544；　has　been　preserved；　to　which　John　Glassich's　name；　along　with　others；　is　adhibited；　undertaking　to　keep　the　peace；　and　promising　obedience　to　Kenneth；　younger　of　Kintail　（Kenneth　na　Cuirc）；　　as　the　Queen's　Lieutenant。　＇Spalding　Club　Miscellany；　vol。　iv。　p。213。＇

John's　obedience　does　not　appear；　however；　to　have　been　very　complete。

Kintail　having；　according　to　another　authority；　received　information　of　　John　Glassich's　intention　to　recover　if　possible　part　of　the　property　given　　away　by　his　father；　sent　for　him　to　Brahan；　where　he　went；　accompanied　　by　a　single　attendant；　John　Gearr。　　The　chief　charged　him　with　these　　designs　against　him；　and　John's　denials　proving　unsatisfactory；　Kintail　　caused　him　to　be　apprehended。　John　Gearr；　seeing　this；　and　feeling　that　　his　master　had　been　treacherously　dealt　with；　drew　his　two　handed　sword　　and　made　a　fierce　onslaught　on　the　chief　who　sat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　but　smartly　bowed　his　head　under　it；　or　it　would　have　been　cloven　asunder。　　John　Gearr　was　instantly　seized　by　Mackenzie's　guards；　who　　threatened　to　tear　him　to　pieces；　but　the　chief；　admiring　his　fidelity；　　charged　them　not　to　touch　him。　　John　Gearr；　on　being　questioned　why　he　　had　struck　at　Mackenzie　and　took　no　notice　of　those　who　apprehended　his　　master；　boldly　replied　that　he　〃saw　no　one　else　present　whose　life　was　a　　worthy　exchange　for　that　of　his　own　chief。〃　　John's　sword　made　a　deep　　gash　in　the　table；　and　the　mark；　which　was　deep　enough　to　admit　of　a　hand　being　placed　edgeways　in　it；　remained　until　Colin；　first　Earl　of　Seaforth；　　caused　the　piece　to　be　cut　off；　saying　that　〃he　loved　no　such　remembrance　of　the　quarrels　of　his　relations。〃

John　Glassich；　it　would　appear；　was　not　unduly　circumspect　at　home；　or　a　very　dutiful　and　loyal　subject　to　his　King。　　In　1547　his　estate　　was　forfeited　for　refusing　to　join　the　Royal　Standard；　and　the　escheat　　thereof　granted　to　the　Earl　of　Sutherland；　as　will　be　seen　by　the　following　　letter　in　favour　of　that　nobleman：

〃A　letter　made　to　John；　Earl　of　Sutherland；　his　heirs；　assigns；　one　　or　more；　the　gift　of　all　goods　moveable　and　unmoveable；　debts；　tacks；　　steadings；　corns；　and　obligations；　sums　of　money；　gold；　silver；　coined　and　　uncoined；　and　other　goods　whatsoever　which　pertained　to　John　Hectorsson　of　Gairloch；　and　now　pertaining　to　our　Sovereign　Lady　by　reason　of　　escheat　through　the　said　John's　remaining　and　biding　at　home　from　the　　‘oist'　and　army　devised　to　convene　at　Peebles；　the　10th　day　of　July　instant；　　for　recovering　of　the　house　of　Langholm　furth　of　our　enemies'　hands　of　　England；　in　contrary　to　the　tenour　of　the　letters　and　proclamations　made　thereupon；　incurred　therethrough　the　pains　contained　thereuntil；　or　any　　otherwise　shall　happen　to　pertain　to　us　our　Sovereign　by　reason　foresaid　　with　power；　etc。　　At　Saint　Andrews　the　23rd　day　of　July；　the　year　of　God；　1547　years。〃　＇Reg。　Sec。　Sig。；　xxi。　fol。　316。＇

There　is　no　trace　of　the　reversal　of　this　forfeiture。　　It　does　not；　　however；　appear　to　have　affected　the　succession。　　Indeed　it　is　not　likely　that　it　even　affected　the　actual　possession；　for　it　was　not　easy　even　for　the　　Earl　of　Sutherland；　though　supported　by　the　Royal　authority　to　wield　any　　real　power　in　such　an　out…of…the…way　region　in　those　days　as　John　　Glassich's　possessions　in　the　west。　It　has　been　already　stated　that；　in　　1551；　the　Queen　granted　to　John　Mackenzie；　IX。　of　Kintail；　and　his　heir；　　Kenneth　na　Cuirc；　a　remission　for　the　violent　taking　of　John　Glassich；　　Dougal；　and　John　Tuach；　his　brothers；　and　for　keeping　them　in　prison；　thus　usurping　〃therethrough　our　Sovereign　Lady's　authority。〃　　None　of　them　is　　spoken　of　in　this　remission　as　being　then　deceased；　though　tradition　and　　the　family　MS。　history　have　it　that　John　Glassich　was　poisoned　or　starved　to　death　at　Ellandonnan　Castle　in　1550。　＇One　of　the　family　MSS。　says　that　by　his　marriage　〃he　got　the　lands　of　Kinkell；　Kilbokie；　Badinearb；　　Pitlundie；　Davochcairn；　Davochpollo；　and　Foynish；　with　others　in　the　Low　　Country；　for　which　the　family　has　been　in　the　use　to　quarter　the　arm　of　　Fraser　with　their　own。　This　John；　becoming　considerably　rich　and　　powerful　by　those　different　acquisitions；　became　too　odious　to　and　envied　by　John；　Laird　of　Mackenzie；　and　his　son　Kenneth　then　married　to　　Stewart；　Earl　of　Atholes　daughter；　that　they　set　upon　him；　having　　previously　invited　him　to　a　Christmas　dinner；　having　got　no　other　pretence　than　a　fit　of　jealousy　on　account　of　the　said　Earl's　daughter；　bound　him　　with　ropes　and　carried　him　a　prisoner　to　Islandownan；　where　his　death　was　occasioned　by　poison　administered　to　him　in　a　mess　of　milk　soup　by　one　　MacCalman；　a　clergyman　and　Deputy…Constable　of　the　Fort。〃＇　　It　is；　　however；　probable　that　Kintail　considered　it　wise　to　conceal　John's　death　until　the　remission　had　been　already　secured。　　Only　six　weeks　after　the　　date　of　the　〃respitt〃　John　Glassich　is　referred　to　in　the　Privy　Council　　Records；　under　date　of　25th　July；　1551；　as　the　〃omquhile　（or　late）　John　　McCanze　of　Gairlocht；〃　his　lands　having　then　been　given　in　ward　to　the　　Earl　of　Athole；　〃Ay　and　till　the　lawful　entry　of　the　righteous　heir　or　heirs　　thereto；　being　of　lawful　age。〃　＇Reg。　Sec。　Con。；　vol。　xxiv。；　fol。　84。＇

Although　Hector　obtained　a　　charter　of　the　lands　of　Gairloch　in　1494；　the　Macleods　continued　for　a　　time　to　hold　possession　of　a　　considerable　part　of　it。　　According　　to　the　traditions　of　the　district　they　　had　all　to　the　east　and　south…east　of　　the　Crasg；　a　hill　situated　on　the　　west　side　of　the　churchyard　of　　Gairloch；　between　the　present　Free　　and　Established　Churches。　　At　the　　east　end　of　the　Big　Sand；　on　a　high　　and　easily　defended　rock；　stood　the　　last　stronghold　occupied　by　the　　Macleods　in　Gairlochto　this　day　　known　as　the　〃Dun〃　or　Fort。　　The　　foundation　is　still　easily　traced。　　It　　must　have　been　a　place　of　consider…able　importance；　for　it　is　over　200　　feet　in　circumference。　Various　　localities　are　still　pointed　out　in　　Gairloch　where　desperate　　skirmishes　were　fought　between　　the　Macleods　and　the　Mackenzies。　　　Several　of　these　spots；　where　the　　slain　were　buried；　look　quite　green　　to　this　day。　The　〃Fraoch　Eilean；〃　　opposite　Leac…na…Saighid；　where　a　　naval　engagement　was　fought；　is　a　　veritable　cemetery　of　Macleods；　　ample　evidence　of　which　is　yet　to　　be　seen。　　Of　this　engagement；　and　　of　those　at　Glasleoid；　Lochan…an…Fheidh；　Leac…na…Saighid；　Kirkton；　and　many　others；　thrilling　accounts　　are　still　recited　by　a　few　old　men　in　　the　district；　especially　of　the　　prowess　of　Domh'ull　Odhar　Mac　　Ian　Leith；　and　the　other　Kintail　　heroes　who　were　mainly　　instrumental　in　establishing　the　　Mackenzies　of　Gairloch　permanently　and　in　undisputed　　possession　of　their　beautiful　and　romantic　inheritance。

John　Glassich　married　Janet　Agnes；　daughter　of　James　Fraser　of　Phoineas；　brother　of　Hugh；　sixth　Lord　Lovat　（with　whom　he　got　the　Barony　of　Inchlag；　etc。）；　with　issue

1。　　Hector；　his　heir　and　successor。

2。　　Alexander；　who　succeeded　his　brother　Hector。

3。　　John；　who　succeeded　Alexander。

4。　　A　daughter；　who　married　John　Mackenzie；　II。　of　Loggie；　with　issue；

John　Glassich's　widow　married；　secondly；　Thomas　Chisholm；　XV。　　of　Chisholm；　without　issue　male。

He　had　also　two　natural　sons　before　his　marriage；　Alexander　Roy　and　Hector　Caol。

Alexander　Roy　had　a　son　　John；　who　lived　at　Coirre　Mhic　　Cr