history of the mackenzies-第44章

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ebates　him　that　he　cannot　be　apprehended；〃　so　that　　all　the　proceedings　of　the　complainer　Fraser　are　frustrated。　　Colin　was　　thereupon　charged　to　present　Mac　Allan　before　the　Privy　Council；　under　　pain　of　rebellion；　and　failing　to　appear；　or　present　John　Dow；　and　the　　complainer　having　appeared　personally；　an　order　was　pronounced　　denouncing　Mackenzie　a　rebel。

On　the　11th　of　December　next；　John　Gordon　of　Pitlurg　becomes　cautioner　in　one　thousand　merks　that　Colin　will　not　injure　Andrew；　Lord　　Dingwall；　his　tenants；　or　servants。　　On　the　11th　of　April；　1586；　William　　Cumming　of　Inverallochy　and　others　become　surety　in　？000　that　　Mackenzie　shall　〃remove　his　coble；　fishers；　and　nets；　from　the　fishing　of　the　water　of　Canon；　and　desist　and　cease　therefrom　in　time　coming；　　conform　to　the　letters　raised　at　the　instance　of　Andrew；　Lord　Dingwall；　to　　the　same　effect；　in　case　it　shall　be　found　and　declared　that　the　said　Colin　　ought　to　do　the　same。〃　　On　the　4th　of　May　following；　Mackenzie　binds　　himself　to　keep　his　sureties　scaithless　in　the　matter　of　this　caution。

On　the　　16th　of　the　same　month；　the　King　and　Council　〃for　certain　necessary　and　　weighty　considerations　moving　his　Highness；　tending　to　the　furthering　and　establishing　of　his　Highness'　obedience　and　the　greatness　and　safety　of　his　　peaceable　and　good　subjects　from　burnings；　riefs；　and　oppression；〃　ordain　Colin　to　enter　in　ward　in　Blackness　Castle　within　twenty…four　hours　after　being　charged　under　pain　of　treason。　　Two　days　later；　being　then　in　ward　　in　this　stronghold；　he　finds　caution　in　ten　thousand　merks　that　on　being　relieved　from　ward　he　will　repair　to　Edinburgh　and　keep　ward　there　until　　set　free。　　This　is　deleted　by　a　warrant　subscribed　by　the　King　and　the　　Secretary　at　Falkland　on　the　6th　of　the　following　August。　　His　name　　appears　as　one　of　a　long　list　of　Highland　chiefs　complained　against　to　the　　Privy　Council　on　the　30th　of　November；　1586；　by　the　united　burghs　of　the　　realm　for　obstructing　the　fisheries　in　the　northern　parts　and　making　　extortionate　exactions　from　the　fishermen；　and　again　on　the　16th　of　　September；　1587；　when　an　order　is　made　to　denounce　him　for　his　failure　　to　appear　before　the　Council　to　enter　John　Mackenzie　of　Gairloch　and　his　　accomplices；　for　whom　Colin　is　held　liable　〃as　master　and　landlord；〃　to　　answer　a　complaint　made　against　them　by　James　Sinclair；　Master　of　　Caithness；　on　the　10th　of　August　preceding。　　On　the　5th　of　March；　1587…88；　John　Davidson；　burgess　of　Edinburgh；　becomes　cautioner　in　500　merks　　that　Colin　will；　if　required；　enter　such　of　his　men　before　the　Privy　　Council　as　〃assegeit〃　James；　Master　of　Caithness；　within　the　house　of　　William　Robson；　in　the　Chanonry　of　Ross。　　On　the　27th　of　July；　1588；　he　　is　appointed　by　a　Convention　of　the　Estates　member　of　a　Commission；　　charged　with　powers　for　executing　the　laws　against　Jesuits；　Papists；　and　　other　delinquents；　and　with　other　extensive　powers。　　On　the　24th　of　May；　　1589；　he　is　named　as　the　Commissioner　for　the　shire　of　Inverness　who　is　　to　convene　the　freeholders　of　the　county　for　choosing　the　Commissioners　　to　a　Parliament　to　be　held　at　Edinburgh　on　the　2nd　of　October　in　that　year；　　and　to　report　his　diligence　in　this　matter　to　the　Council　before　the　15th　of　　August；　under　pains　of　rebellion。　　On　the　4th　of　June　following；　he　appears　　in　a　curious　position　in　connection　with　a　prosecution　for　witchcraft　　against　several　women；　and　an　abridgement　of　the　document；　as　recorded　　in　the　Records　of　the　Privy　Council；　is　of　sufficient　interest　to　justify　a　　place　here。　It　is　the　complaint　of　Katherine　Ross；　relict　of　Robert　Munro　　of　Fowlis　Margaret　Sutherland；　spouse　of　Hector　Munro；　portioner　of　Kiltearn　Bessie　Innes；　spouse　of　Neil　Munro；　in　Swordale　　Margaret　Ross；　　spouse　of　John　Neil　Mac　Donald　Roy；　in　Caull；　and　Margaret　Mowat；　as　　follows：

Mr　Hector　Munro；　now　of　Fowlis；　son…in…law　of　the　said　Katherine　Ross；　　〃seeking　all　ways　and　means　to　possess　himself　in　certain　her　tierce　and　　conjunct　fee　lands　of　the　Barony　of　Fowlis；　and　to　dispossess　her　　therefrom〃　had　first　〃persued　certain　of　her　tenants　and　servants　by　way　of　　deed　for　their　bodily　harm　and　slaughter；〃　and　then；　〃finding　that　he　could　　not　prevail　that　way；　neither　by　sundry　other　indirect　means　sought　by　　him；〃　had　at　last；　〃upon　sinister　and　wrong　information　and　importunate　　suit；　purchased　a　commission　of　the　same　to　his　Majesty；　and　to　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　Rory　Mackenzie；　his　brother；　John　Mackenzie　of　Gairloch；　Alexander　Bain　of　Tulloch；　Angus　Mackintosh　of　Termitt；　James　Glas　of　Gask；　William　Cuthbert；　in　Inverness；　and　some　others　specially　mentioned　therein；　for　apprehending　of　the　said　Margaret　Sutherland；　Bessy　Innes；　Margaret　Ross；　and　Margaret　Mowat；　and　sundry　　others；　and　putting　them　to　the　knowledge　of　an　assize　for　witchcraft；　and　　other　forged　and　feinted　crimes　alleged　to　be　committed　by　them。〃

Further；　〃the　said　persons；　by　virtue　of　the　same　commission；　intended　to　proceed　against　them　most　partially　and　wilfully；　and　thereby　to　drive　the　　said　complainers　to　that　strait　that　either　they　shall　satisfy　his　　unreasonable　desire；　or　then　to　lose　their　lives；　with　the　sober　portion　of　　goods　made　by　them　for　the　sustenance　of　themselves　and　their　poor　　bairns：　howbeit　it　be　of　verity　that　they　are　honest　women　of　repute　and　　holding　these　many　years　bygone；　spotted　at　no　time　with　any　such　　ungodly　practices；　neither　any　ways　having　committed　any　offence；　but　by　　all　their　actions　behaved　themselves　so　discreetly　and　honestly　as　none　justly　could　or　can　have　occasion　of　complaintthey　being　ever　ready；　　like　they　are　yet；　to　underlie　the　law　for　all　crimes　that　can　be　laid　to　their　　charge；〃　and　having　to　that　effect；　〃presently　found　caution　for　their　　compearance　before　the　justice　and　his　deputes；　or　any　judge　unsuspected；　upon　fifteen　days'　warning。〃　Their　prayer；　accordingly；　is　that　the　said　commission　be　discharged。　Hector　Munro　appearing　for　himself　and　his　　colleagues；　and　the　complainers　by　Alexander　Morrison；　their　procurator；　　the　Lords　ordain　Mr　Hector　and　the　other　commissioners　to　desist　a　from　proceeding　against　the　women；　and　〃remit　their　trial　to　be　taken　before　the　　Justice…General　or　his　deputes　a　in　the　next　justice　court　appointed　to　be　held　after　his　Majesty's　repairing　to　the　north　parts　of　this　realm　in　the　　month　of　July　next；　at　which　time；　if　his　Majesty　shall　not　repair　thither；　or　　being　repaired　shall　not　before　his　returning　cause　the　same　trial　to　be　　taken；　〃in　that　case　commission　shall　be　given　to　Thomas　Fraser　of　　Knocky；　tutor　of　Lovat；　John　Urquhart　of　Cadboll；　tutor　of　Cromarty；　and　　Alexander　Bayne　of　Tulloch；　or　any　two　of　them　to　administer　justice　　conform　to　the　laws　of　the　realm。〃

On　the　6th　of　March；　1589…90；　Colin　is　again　mentioned　as　one　of　the　Commissioners　for　Inverness　and　Cromarty　for　executing　the　Acts　against　the　Jesuits　and　the　seminary　of　priests；　with　reconstitution　of　the　　Commission　of　the　preceding　year　for　putting　the　Acts　in　force　and　the　　appointment　of　a　new　Commission　of　select　clergy　in　the　shires　to　cooperate　in　the　work　and　promote　submission　to　the　Confession　of　Faith　　and　Covenant　over　the　whole　Kingdom。　　On　the　8th　of　June；　1590；　officers　　of　arms　are　ordered　to　arrest　in　the　hands　of　David　Clapen　in　Leith；　or　any　　other　person；　any　money　consigned　in　their　hands；　or　due　by　them　to　Sir　　William　Keith　for　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　〃or　remanent　gentlemen　　and　tenants　of　the　Earldom　of　Ross　for　their　feus　thereof〃　or　that　rests　yet　　in　the　hands　of　Colin　or　such　tenants；　unpaid　or　not　consigned　by　them；　　and　to　discharge　them　from　paying　the　same　to　Sir　William　or　any　other　in　his　name　until　the　King　shall　further　declare　his　will；　under　the　penalty　of　　paying　his　Majesty　the　same　sums　over　again。　　On　the　5th　of　July　in　the　　same　year；　Colin　gives　caution　of　？000　that　William　Ross　of　Priesthill；　　when　released　out　of　the　tolbooth　of　Edinburgh；　shall　keep　ward　in　that　　city　till　he　find　surety　for　the　entrance　of　himself　and　his　bastard　son；　John　　Ross　and　others；　to　appear　before　the　justice　to　answer　for　certain　crimes　　specified　in　letters　raised　against　him　by　David　Munro　of　Nigg　when　　required　upon　fifteen　days'