history of the mackenzies-第17章

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Murdoch　was　one　of　the　sixteen　Highland　chiefs　who　accompanied　　the　Scots　under　James；　second　　Earl　of　Douglas；　in　his　famous　march　to　England　and　defeated　Sir　Henry　Percy；　the　renowned　Hotspur；　at　the　memorable　battle　of　Otterburn；　or　Chevy　Chase；　in　1388。

The　period　immediately　following　this　historical　raid　across　the　Border　was　more　than　usually　turbulent　even　for　those　days　in　the　Scottish　　Highlands；　but　Mackenzie　managed　to　escape　involving　himself　seriously　　with　either　party　to　the　many　quarrels　which　culminated　in　the　final　　struggle　for　the　earldom　of　Ross　between　the　Duke　of　Albany　and　Donald；　　Lord　of　the　Isles；　in　1411；　at　the　battle　of　Harlaw。

As　soon　as　the　news　of　the　disaster　to　the　Earl　of　Mar；　who　　commanded　at　Harlaw；　reached　the　ears　of　the　Duke　of　Albany；　at　the　　time　Regent　for　Scotland；　he　set　about　collecting　an　army　with　which；　in　the　following　autumn；　he　marched　in　person　to　the　north　determined　to　bring　the　Lord　of　the　Isles　to　obedience。　Having　taken　possession　of　the　　Castle　of　Dingwall；　he　appointed　a　governor　to　it；　and　from　thence　　proceeded　to　recover　the　whole　of　Ross。　　Donald　retreated　before　him；　　taking　up　　his　winter　quarters　in　the　Western　Islands。　Hostilities　were　　renewed　next　summer；　but　the　contest　was　not　long　or　doubtful；　　notwithstanding　some　little　advantages　obtained　by　the　Lord　of　the　Isles。　　　　He　was　compelled　for　a　time　to　give　up　his　claim　to　the　earldom　of　Ross；　　to　become　a　vassal　of　the　Scottish　Crown；　arid　to　deliver　hostages　for　his　　good　behaviour　in　the　future。

Murdoch　must　have　felt　secure　in　his　stronghold　of　Ellandonnan；　and　been　a　man　of　great　prudence；　sagacity；　and　force　of　character；　when；　in　spite　of　the　commands　of　his　nominal　superiorthe　　Lord　of　the　Islesto　support　him　in　these　unlawful　and　rebellious　proceedings　against　the　　King　and　threats　of　punishment　in　case　of　refusal；　he　resolutely　declined　to　join　him　in　his　desperate　and　treasonable　adventures。　　He　went　the　　length　of　saying　that　even　if　his　lordship's　claims　were　just　in　themselves；　　they　would　not　justify　a　rebellion　against　the　existing　Government；　and　he　　further　informed　him　that；　altogether　independently　of　that　　important　consideration；　he　felt　no　great　incentive　to　aid　in　the　cause　of　the　　representative　of　his　grandfather's　murderer。　Mackenzie　was　in　fact　one　of　　those　prudent　and　loyal　chiefs　who　kept　at　home　in　the　Highlands；　looking

after　his　own　affairs；　the　comfort　of　his　followers；　and　laying　a　solid　　foundation　for　the　future　prosperity　of　his　house；　〃which　was　so　　characteristic　of　them　that　they　always　esteemed　the　authority　of　the　　magistrate　as　an　inviolable　obligation。〃

Donald　of　the　Isles　never　forgave　Mackenzie　for　thus　refusing　to　assist　him　in　obtaining　the　Earldom　of　Ross；　and　he　determined　to　ruin　　him　if　he　could。　　On　this　subject　the　Earl　of　Cromartie　says　that　at　the　　battle　of　Harlaw　Donald　was　assisted　by　almost　〃all　the　northern　people；　　Mackenzie　excepted；　who　because　of　the　many　injuries　received　by　his　　predecessors　from　the　Earls　of　Ross；　and　chiefly　by　the　instigation　and　　concurrence　of　Donald's　predecessors；　he　withdrew　and　　refused　concurrence。　　Donald　resolved　to　ruin　him；　but　deferred　it　till　his　return；　　which　falling　out　more　unfortunately　than　he　expected；　did　not　allow　him　　power　nor　opportunity　to　use　the　vengeance　he　intended；　for　on　his　return　to　Ross　he　sent　Mackenzie　a　friend　with　fair　speeches　desiring　his　　friendship；　thinking　no　enemy　despicable　as　he　then　stood。〃　　Murdoch；　at　　Donald's　request；　proceeded　to　Dingwall；　where　the　Island　Lord　urged　　him　to　join　and　promise　him　to　support　his　interest。　　This　Mackenzie　firmly　refused；　〃partly　out　of　hatred　to　his　family　for　old　feuds；　partly　dissuaded　by　Donald's　declining　fortunes〃　at　that　particular　period　；　　whereupon　the　Lord　of　the　Isles　made　Murdoch　prisoner　in　an　　underground　chamber　in　the　Castle　of　Dingwall。　　　He　was　not　long　here；　　however；　when　he　found　an　opportunity　of　making　his　plight　known　to　　some　of　his　friends；　and　he　was　soon　after　released　in　exchange　for　some　　of　Donald's　immediate　relatives　who　had　been　purposely　captured　by　　Mackenzie's　devoted　vassals。

Here　it　may　be　appropriate　to　give　the　traditionary　account　of　the　origin　of　the　Macraes　and　how　they　first　found　their　way　to　Kintail　and　　other　places　in　the　West；　for　their　relationship　with　the　Mackenzies　has　　from　the　earliest　times　been　of　the　closest　and　most　loyal　character。　　　Indeed；　from　the　aid　they　invariably　afforded　them　they　have　been　aptly　　described　as　〃Mackenzie's　shirt　of　mail。〃　　According　to　the　Rev。　John　　Macrae；　minister　of　Dingwall；　who　died　in　1704；　and　wrote　the　only　　existing　trustworthy　history　and　genealogy　of　his　own　clan；　the　Macraes　　came　originally　from　Clunes；　in　the　Aird　of　Lovat；　recently　acquired　from　patriotic　family　reasons　by　Horatio　Macrae；　W。S。；　Edinburgh；　the　　representative　in　this　country　of　the　Macraes　of　Inverinate；　who　were　　admittedly　the　chiefs　of　that　brave　and　warlike　race。　　The　Rev。　John　　Macrae；　who　was　himself　a　member　of　the　Inverinate　family；　says　that　the　Macraes　left　the　Aird　under　the　following　circumstances：A　dispute　had　　arisen　in　the　hunting　field　between　Macrae　of　Clunes　and　a　bastard　son　of　Lovat；　when　a　son　of　Macrae　intervened　to　protect　his　father；　and　killed　　Fraser's　son　in　the　scuffle。　　The　victor　〃immediately　ran　oft；　and　calling　　himself　John　Carrach；　that　he　might　be　less　known；　settled　on　the　West　　Coast；　and　of　him　are　descended　the　branch　of　the　Macraes　called　Clann　　Ian　Charraich。　It　was　some　time　after　this　that　his　brethren　and　other　　relatives　began　seriously　to　consider　that　Lovat's　own　kindred　and　friends　became　too　numerous；　and　that　the　country　could　not　accommodate　them　　all；　which　was　a　motive　for　their　removing　to　other　places　according　as　　they　had　encouragement。　　One　of　the　brothers　went　to　Brae　Ross　and　lived　　at　Brahan；　where　there　is　a　piece　of　land　called　Knock　Vic　Ra；　and　the　　spring　well　which　affords　water　to　the　Castle　is　called　Tober　Vic　Ra。

His　　succession　spread　westward　to　Strathgarve；　Strathbraan；　and　Strathconan；　　where　several　of　them　live　at　this　time。　　John　Macrae；　who　was　a　merchant　in　Inverness；　and　some　of　his　brethren；　were　of　them；　and　some　others　in　　Ardmeanach。　　Other　two　of　MacRa's　sons；　elder　than　the　above；　went　off　　from　Clunes　several　　ways；　one　　is　said　　to　have　gone　to　Argyleshire　and　　another　to　Kintail。　　In　the　meantime　their　father　remained　at　Clunes　all　his　　days；　and　bad　four　Lords　Fraser　of　Lovat　fostered　in　his　house。　　He　that　　went　to　Argyle；　according　to　our　tradition；　married　the　heiress　of　Craignish；　and　on　that　account　took　the　surname　of　Campbell。　　The　other　　brother　who　went　to　Kintail；　earnestly　invited　and　encouraged　by　　Mackenzie；　who　then　had　no　kindred　of　his　own　blood；　the　first　six　　Barons；　or　Lords　of　Kintail；　having　but　one　lawful　son　to　succeed　the　　father；　hoping　that　the　MacRas；　by　reason　of　their　relation；　as　being　　originally　descended　from　the　same　race　of　people　in　Ireland　would　prove　　more　faithful　than　others；　wherein　he　was　not　disappointed；　for　the　　MacRas　of　Kintail　served　him　and　his　successors　very　faithfully　in　every　　quarrel　they　had　with　neighbouring　clans；　and　by　their　industry；　blood；　and　　courage；　have　been　instrumental　in　raising　that　family。〃　　The　writer　adds　that　he　does　not　know　Macrae's　christian　name；　but　that　he　married　〃a　　daughter　or　grand…daughter　of　MacBeolan；　who　possessed　a　large　part　of　　Kintail　before　Mackenzie's　predecessors　got　a　right　of　it　from　Alexander　　III。〃　　This　　marriage；　and　their　common　ancestry　from　a　native　Celtic　　source；　and　not　from　〃the　same　race　of　people　in　Ireland〃　seems　a　much　　more　probable　explanation　of　the　early　and　continued　friendship　which　　existed　between　the　two　families　than　that　suggested　by　the　rev。　author　of　　〃The　Genealogy　of　the　Macraes；〃　above　quoted。

But　the　curious　circumstance　to　which　he　directs　attention　　regarding　the　first　five　Mackenzie　chiefs　is　quite　true。　　It　is　borne　out　by　every　genealogy　of　the　House　of　Kintail　which　we　have　ever　seen。　There　　is　not　a　trace　of　any　legitimate　male　descendant　from　the　first　of　the　name　　down　to　Alexander；　the　sixth　baron；　except　the　immediately　succe