history of the mackenzies-第51章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　his　colleagues　from　among　the　clan　for　these　counties　being　Roderick　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle；　Roderick　Mackenzie　of　Coigeach；　and　John　Mackenzie　of　Gairloch。　　He　was　at　the　same　time　appointed　in　a　similar　　capacity　for　Elgin；　Forres；　and　Nairn。

Mackenzie　had　for　some　time　kept　Tormod　Macleod；　the　lawful　　brother　of　Torquil　Dubh；　a　prisoner；　but　he　now　released　him；　correctly　premising　that　on　his　appearance　in　the　Lewis　all　the　islanders　would　rise　　in　his　favour。　　In　the　meantime；　early　in　1600；　Murdoch　Dubh　was　taken　　by　the　Fife　Adventurers　to　St　Andrews；　and　there　put　to　death；　but　at　his　execution　he　revealed；　in　his　confession；　the　designs　of　Mackenzie；　who　　was　in　　consequence　apprehended　and　committed　to　Edinburgh　Castle；　　from　which；　however；　he　contrived　to　escape　without　trial；　through　his　　influence　with　the　Lord　Chancellor。

There　is　an　entry　in　the　Records　of　the　Privy　Council　under　date　of　　15th　August；　1599；　which　shows　that　Kintail　must　at　an　earlier　date　have　　been　confined　in　Edinburgh　Castle；　for　some　previous　offence；　for　〃it　　having　pleased　the　King　to　suffer　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　to　repair　　furth　of　the　Castle　of　Edinburgh　for　four　or　five　miles；　when　he　shall　think　　expedient；　for　repose；　health；　and　recreation〃　on　caution　being　given　by　　himself　as　principal；　and　Robert　Lord　Seton　as　surety；　that　he　shall　re…enter　the　Castle　every　night；　under　pain　of　ten　thousand　merks。　　The　bond　is　signed　on　the　same　date；　and　is　deleted　by　warrant　signed　by　the　King；　and　the　Treasurer；　on　the　25th　of　September　following。

After　various　battles　had　been　fought　between　the　brothers；　the　Adventurers　returned　in　strong　force　to　the　island；　armed　with　a　commission　of　fire　and　sword；　and　all　the　Government　power　at　their　back；　against　Tormod。　　The　fight　between　the　combatants　continued　with　　varied　success　and　failure　on　either　side；　the　Adventurers　again　　relinquished　their　settlement；　and　returned　to　Fife　to　bewail　their　losses；　　having　solemnly　promised　never　again　to　return　to　the　Island　or　molest　　Mackenzie　and　his　friends。

Kintail　now；　in　virtue　of　Torquil　Cononach's　resignation　in　his　favour；　obtained　a　gift；　under　the　Great　Seal；　of　the　Lewis　for　himself　　through　the　influence　of　the　Lord　Chancellor。　　This　he　had；　however；　　ultimately　to　resign　into　the　hands　of　the　King；　and　his　Majesty；　in　1608；　　vested　these　rights　in　the　persons　of　Lord　Balmerino；　Sir　George　Hay；　and　Sir　James　Spence；　of　Wormistoun；　who　undertook　the　colonisation　of　the　　island。　　For　this　purpose　they　made　great　preparations；　and；　assisted　by　the　　neighbouring　tribes；　invaded　the　Lewis　for　the　double　purpose　of　planting　a　colony　in　it　and　of　subduing　and　apprehending　Neil　Macleod；　who　now　　alone　defended　it。　　Mackenzie　dispatched　his　brother　Roderick；　and　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Coul；　with　a　party　of　followers　numbering　400；　　ostensibly　to　aid　the　colonists　now　acting　under　the　King's　commission　to　whom　he　promised　active　friendship。　　At　the　same　time　he　despatched　a　　vessel　from　Ross　loaded　with　provisions；　but　privately　sent　word　to　Neil　　Macleod　to　intercept　her　on　the　way；　so　that　the　settlers；　being　　disappointed　of　their　supply　of　the　provisions　to　which　they　trusted　　for　maintenance；　　should　　be　obliged　　to　abandon　the　island　for　want　of　the　　necessaries　of　life。　Matters　turned　out　exactly　as　Kintail　anticipated。

Sir　　George　Hay　and　Sir　James　Spence　（Lord　Balmerino　having　meanwhile　been　convicted　of　high　treason；　and　forfeited）　abandoned　the　Lewis；　leaving　a　party　behind　them　to　hold　the　garrison；　and　intending　to　send　a　fresh　supply　of　men　and　provisions　back　to　the　island　on　their　arrival　in　Fife。　　But　Neil　Macleod　and　his　followers　took　and　burnt　the　fort；　　apprehended　its　defenders；　and　sent　them　safely　to　their　homes　〃on　giving　their　oath　that　they　would　never　come　on　that　pretence　again；　which　they　　never　did。〃　　Finding　this；　the　Adventurers　gave　up　all　hope　of　establishing　　themselves　in　the　island；　and　sold　their　acquired　rights　therein；　as　also　their　share　of　the　forfeited　districts　of　Troternish　and　Waternish　in　Skye；　to　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　who　at　the　same　time　obtained　a　grant　　from　the　King　of　Balmerino's　forfeited　share　of　the　Lewis；　thus　finally　　acquiring　what　he　had　so　long　and　so　anxiously　desired。　　In　addition　to　a　fixed　sum　of　money；　Mackenzie　granted　the　Adventurers　〃a　lease　of　the　　woods　of　Letterewe；　where　there　was　an　iron　mine；　which　they　wrought　by　　English　miners；　casting　guns　and　other　implements　till　their　fuel　was　　exhausted　and　their　lease　expired。〃　　The　King　confirmed　this　agreement；　　and　〃to　encourage　Kintail　and　his　brother　Roderick　in　their　work　of　　civilizing　the　people　of　the　Lewis；〃　he　elevated　the　former　to　the　peerage　　as　Lord　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　on　the　19th　of　November；　1609；　at　the　same　　time　conferring　the　honour　of　knighthood　on　his　brother；　Roderick　Mor　　Mackenzie　of　Coigeach。

Referring　to　this　period　Mr　Fraser…Tytler；　in　his　History　of　　Scotland；　says〃So　dreadful　indeed　was　now　the　state　of　those　portions　of　his　（the　King's）　dominions；　that；　to　prevent　an　utter　dissevering　from　　the　　Scottish　crown；　something　must　be　done；　and　many　were　the　projects　　suggested。　　At　one　time　the　King　resolved　to　proceed　to　the　disturbed　　districts　in　person；　and　fix　his　headquarters　in　Kentire；　at　another；　a　deputy　　was　to　be　sent；　armed　with　regal　powers；　and　twice　the　Duke　of　Lennox　　was　nominated　to　this　arduous　office。　　The　old　plan；　too；　might　have　been　repeated；　of　granting　a　Royal　Commission　to　one　or　other　of　the　northern　　Reguli；　who　were　ever　prepared；　under　the　plea　of　loyalty；　to　strengthen　　their　own　hands；　and　exterminate　their　brethren；　but　this；　as　had　been　often　felt　before；　was　to　abandon　the　country　to　utter　devastation；　and　a　more　pacific　and　singular　policy　was　now　adopted。　　One　association　of　　Lowland　barons；　chiefly　from　Fife；　took　a　lease　from　the　Crown　of　the　Isle　　of　Lewis；　for　which　they　agreed；　after　seven　years'　possession；　to　give　the　　King　an　annual　rent　of　one　hundred　and　forty　chalders　of　victual；　and　　came　under　an　obligation　to　conquer　their　farm　at　their　own　charges。

Another　company　of　noble…men　and　gentlemen　in　Lothian　offered；　under　a　　similar　agreement；　to　subdue　Skye。　　And　this　kind　of　feudal　joint…stock　　company　actually　commenced　their　operations　with　a　force　of　six　hundred　　soldiers；　and　a　motley　multitude　of　farmers；　ploughmen；　artificers；　and　　pedlars。　　But　the　Celtic　population　and　their　haughty　chiefs　could　not　　consent　to　be　handed　over；　in　this　wholesale　fashion；　to　the　tender　mercies　　and　agricultural　lectures　of　a　set　of　Saxon　adventurers。　　The　Lowland　　barons　arrived；　only　to　be　attacked　with　the　utmost　fury；　and　to　have　the　leases　of　their　farms；　in　the　old　Douglas　phrase；　written　on　their　own　skins　　with　steel　pens　and　bloody　ink。　　For　a　time；　however；　they　continued　the　　struggle　and　having　entered　into　alliance　with　some　of　the　native　chiefs；　fought　the　Celts　with　their　own　weapons；　and　more　than　their　own　　ferocity。　　Instead　of　agricultural　and　pastoral　produce；　importations　of　　wool；　or　samples　of　grain；　from　the　infant　colony；　there　was　sent　to　the　　Scottish　Court　a　ghastly　cargo　of　twelve　human　heads　in　sacks；　and　it　was　hoped　that；　after　such　an　example　of　severity；　matters　might　succeed　　better。　　But　the　settlers　were　deceived。　　After　a　feeble　and　protracted　　struggle　for　a　few　years；　sickness　and　famine；　perils　by　land　and　perils　by　　water；　incessant　war；　and　frequent　assassinations；　destroyed　the　colony；　and　the　three　great　western　chiefs；　Macdonald　of　Sleat；　Macleod　of　Harris；　　and　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　enjoyed　the　delight　of　seeing　the　principal　　gentlemen　adventurers　made　captive　by　Tormod　Macleod；　who；　after　　extorting　from　them　a　renunciation　of　their　titles；　and　an　oath　never　to　　return　to　the　Lewis；　dismissed　them　to　carry　to　the　Scottish　Court　the　　melancholy　reflection　that　a　Celtic　population；　and　the　islands　on　which　it　　was　scattered；　were　not　yet　the　materials　or　the　field　for　the　further　　operations　of　the　economists　of　Fife　and　Mid…Lothian。〃

In　1610　his　Lordship　returned　to　the　Lewis　with　700　men；　and　finally　brought　the　whole　island　to　submission；　with　the　exception　of　Neil　　Macleod　and　a　few　of　hi