history of the mackenzies-第36章

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While　Kilravock　would　pass　himself　off　as　a　miller；　which　plan　succeeded　　so　well　as　to　secure　Kilravock　his　release；　but　the　Earl　of　Huntly；　who　was　　also　a　prisoner；　having　been　conveyed　by　the　Duke　of　Somerset　to　view　　the　prisoners；　espying　his　old　friend　Mackenzie　among　the　common　　prisoners；　and　ignorant　of　the　plot；　called　him　by　his　name；　desiring　that　　he　might　shake　hands　with　him；　which　civility　two　English　officers　　noticed　to　Mackenzie's　disadvantage；　for　thenceforward　he　was　placed　　and　guarded　along　with　the　other　prisoners　of　quality；　but　afterwards　　released　for　a　considerable　sum；　to　which　all　　his　　people　contributed　　without　burdening　his　own　estate　with　　it；　＇〃He　was　ransomed　by　cows　　that　was　raised　through　all　his　lands。〃Letterform　MS。＇　so　　returning　home　to　set　himself　to　arrange　his　private　affairs；　and　in　the　year　1556　he　　acquired　the　heritage　of　Culteleod　and　Drynie　from　Denoon；　which　was　　confirmed　to　him　by　Queen　Mary　under　the　Great　Seal；　at　Inverness　13th　　July　the　same　year。　　He　had　previously；　in　1544；　acquired　the　other　half　of　　Culteleod　and　Drynie　from　Magnus　Mowat；　and　Patrick　Mowat　of　　Bugholly。　　In　1543　John　Mackenzie　acquired　Kildins；　part　of　Lochbroom；　　to　himself　and　Elizabeth　Grant；　his　wife；　holding　blench　for　a　penny；　and　confirmed　in　the　same　year　by　Queen　Mary。　＇MS。　History　by　the　Earl　of　　Cromartie。＇

In　1540　Mackenzie　with　his　followers　joined　King　James　at　Loch　　Duich；　while　on　his　way　with　a　large　fleet　to　secure　the　good　government　of　the　West　Highlands　and　Isles；　upon　which　occasion　many　of　the　suspected　and　refractory　leaders　were　carried　south　and　placed　in　　confinement。　　His　Majesty　died　soon　after；　in　1542。　　Queen　Mary　　succeeded；　and；　being　a　minor；　the　country　generally；　but　particularly　the　　northern　parts；　was　thrown　into　a　state　of　anarchy　and　confusion。　　In　1544　the　Earl　of　Huntly；　holding　a　commission　as　Lieutenant　of　　the　North　from　the　Queen　Regent；　Mary　of　Guise；　commanded　Kenneth　　Mackenzie；　younger　of　Kintail　（his　father；　from　his　advanced　age；　being　　unable　to　take　the　field）；　to　raise　his　vassals　and　lead　an　expedition　against　　the　Clan　Ranald　of　Moidart；　who；　at　that　time；　held　lands　from　Mackenzie　　on　the　West　Coast；　but　Kenneth；　in　these　circumstances；　thought　it　would　　be　much　against　his　personal　interest　to　attack　Donald　Glas　of　Moidart；　and　refused　to　comply　with　Huntly's　orders。　　To　punish　him；　the　Earl　　ordered　his　whole　army；　consisting　of　three　thousand　men；　to　proceed　　against　both　Moidart　and　Mackenzie　with　fire　and　sword；　but　he　had　not　　sufficiently　calculated　on　the　constitution　of　his　force；　which　was　chiefly　　composed　of　Grants；　Rosses；　Mackintoshes；　and　Chisholms；　and　　Kenneth's　mother　being　a　daughter　of　John；　then　laird　of　Grant；　and　three　of　his　daughters　having　married；　respectively；　Ross　of　Balnagown；　　Lachlan　Mackintosh　of　Mackintosh；　and　Alexander　Chisholm　of　Comar；　　Huntly　found　his　followers　as　little　disposed　to　molest　Mackenzie　as　he　　had　been　to　attack　Donald　Glas　of　Moidart。　　In　addition　to　the　friendly　　feelings　of　the　other　chiefs　towards　young　Kintail；　fostered　by　these　family　alliances；　Huntly　was　not　at　all　popular　with　his　own　followers；　or　with　the　　Highlanders　generally。　　He　had　incurred　such　odium　for　having　some　time　　before　executed　the　Laird　of　Mackintosh；　contrary　to　his　solemn　pledge；　　that　it　required　little　excuse　on　the　part　of　the　exasperated　kindred　tribes　to　　counteract　his　plans；　and　on　the　slightest　pretext　to　refuse　to　follow　him。

He　was　therefore　obliged　to　retire　from　the　West　without　effecting　any　　substantial　service；　was　ultimately　disgraced　committed　to　Edinburgh　　Castle；　compelled　to　renounce　the　Earldom　of　Moray　and　all　his　other　　possessions　in　the　north；　and　sentenced　to　banishment　in　France　for　five　　years。

On　the　13th　of　December　1545；　at　Dingwall；　the　Earl　of　Sutherland　entered　into　a　bond　of　manrent　with　John　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　for　mutual　　defence　against　all　enemies；　reserving　only　their　allegiance　to　their　　youthful　Queen；　Mary　Stuart。　＇Sir　Robert　Gordon；　p。　112。＇　Two　years　　later　the　Earl　of　Arran　sent　the　fiery　cross　over　the　nation　calling　upon　all　　between　the　ages　of　sixteen　and　sixty　to　meet　him　at　Musselburgh　for　the　　protection　of　the　infant　Queen。　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　then　between　sixty　and　seventy　years　of　age；　when　he　might　fairly　consider　himself　exempt　　from　further　military　service；　duly　appeared　with　all　the　followers　he　　could　muster；　prudently　leaving　Kenneth；　his　only　son；　at　home　　and　when　remonstrated　with　for　taking　part　in　such　a　perilous　journey　at　his　time　of　　life；　especially　as　he　was　far　past　the　stipulated　age　for　active　service；　the　　old　chief　patriotically　remarked　that　one　of　his　age　could　not　possibly　die　　more　decorously　than　in　the　defence　of　his　country。　　In　the　same　year　　（1547）　he　fought　bravely；　at　the　head　of　his　clan；　with　all　the　enthusiasm　　and　gallantry　of　his　younger　days；　at　the　battle　of　Pinkie；　where　he　was　　wounded　in　the　head　and　taken　prisoner；　but　was　soon　afterwards　released；　through　the　influence　of　the　Earl　of　Huntly；　who　had　meanwhile　again　got　　into　favour　received　a　full　pardon；　and　was　appointed　Chancellor　for　　Scotland。

The　Earl　of　Huntly　some　time　after　this　paid　a　visit　to　Ross；　intending；　if　he　were　kindly　received　by　the　great　chiefs；　to　feu　a　part　of　　the　earldom　of　Ross；　still　in　the　King's　hands；　and　to　live　in　　the　district　　for　some　period　of　the　year。　　Mackenzie；　although　friendly　disposed　　towards　the　Earl；　had　no　desire　to　have　him　residing　in　his　immediate　　neighbourhood；　and　he　arranged　a　plan　which　had　the　effect　of　deciding　　Huntly　to　give　up。　any　idea　of　remaining　or　feuing　any　lands　in　Ross。

The　　Earl；　having　obtained　a　commission　from　the　Regent　to　hold　courts　in　the　　county；　came　to　the　castle　of　Dingwall；　where　he　invited　the　principal　　chiefs　to　meet　him。　　John　of　Killin；　though　very　advanced　in　years；　was　the　　first　to　arrive；　and　he　was　very　kindly　received　by　Huntly。　　Mackenzie　in　return　made　a　pretence　of　heartily　welcoming　and　congratulating　his　　lordship　on　his　coming　to　Ross；　and　trusted　that　he　would　　be　the　means　of　　protecting　him　and　his　friends　from　the　violence　of　his　son；　Kenneth；　who；　taking　advantage　of　his　frailty　and　advanced　years；　was　behaving　most　　unjustly　towards　him。　　John；　indeed；　expressed　the　hope　that　the　Earl　　would　punish　Kenneth　for　his　illegal　and　unnatural　rebellion　against　him；　his　aged　father。　　While　they　were　thus　speaking；　a　message　came　in　that　a　large　number　of　armed　men；　three　or　four　hundred　strong；　with　banners　　flying　and　pipes　playing；　were　just　in　sight　on　the　hill　above　Dingwall。

The　Earl　became　alarmed；　not　knowing　whom　they　might　be　or　what　their　　object　was；　whereupon　Mackenzie　said　that　it　could　be　no　other　than　　Kenneth　and　his　rebellious　followers　coming　to　punish　him　for　paying　his　　lordship　this　visit　without　his　consent　and　he　advised　the　Earl　to　leave　at　　once；　as　he　was　not　strong　enough　to　resist　the　enemy；　and　to　take　him　　（the　old　chief）　along　with　him　in　order　to　protect　him　from　his　son's　　violence；　which　would　now；　in　consequence　of　this　visit　he　directed　　against　him　more　than　ever。　　The　Earl　and　his　retinue　at　once　withdrew　to　Easter　Ross。　Kenneth　ordered　his　men　to　pursue　them。　　He　overtook　them　　as　they　were　crossing　the　bridge　of　Dingwall　and　killed　several　of　them；　but　having　attained　his　object　of　frightening　Huntly　out　of　Ross；　he　ordered　his　men　to　desist。　　This　skirmish　is　known　as　the　〃affair　of　　Dingwall　Bridge。〃　＇Ardintoul　MS。＇

In　1556　Y　Mackay　of　Farr；　progenitor　of　the　Lords　of　Reay；　　refused　to　appear　before　the　Queen　Regent　at　Inverness；　to　answer　charges　made　against　him　for　depredations　committed　in　Sutherlandshire；　and　she　　issued　a　commission　to　John；　fifth　Earl　of　Sutherland；　to　lay　Mackay's　　country　waste。　　Mackay；　satisfied　that　he　could　not　successfully　oppose　　the　Earl's　forces　in　the　field；　pillaged　and　plundered　another　district　of　　Sutherland。　　The　Earl　conveyed　intelligence　of　how　matters　stood　to　John　　of　Kintail；　who；　in　terms　of　the　bond　of　manrent　entered　into　between　　them　in　1545；　despatched　his　son　Kenneth　with　an　able　body　of　the　clan　to　arrest　Mackay's　progress；　which　duty　he　performed　most