history of the mackenzies-第73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！


e　called　upon　to　give　their　bond　and　caution　for　the　security　of　the　peace　and　quiet　of　the　Highlands；　which　the　leaders　　were　to　give；　not　only　for　themselves　but　for　all　the　members　of　their　　respective　Clans。　In　spite　of　all　the　enactments　and　orders　hitherto　passed；　　the　inhabitants　and　broken　men　in　the　Highlands　were　〃inured　and　accustomed　to　liberty　and　licentiousness〃　during　the　late　troubles；　and　　〃still　presumed　to　sorn；　steal；　oppress；　and　commit　other　violences　and　　disorders。〃　　The　great　chiefs　were　commanded　to　appear　in　Edinburgh　on　　the　last　Tuesday　of　February；　1679；　and　yearly　thereafter　on　the　second　　Thursday　of　July；　to　give　security　and　receive　instructions　as　to　the　　peace　　of　the　Highlands。　　To　prevent　any　excuse　for　non…attendance；　they　were　　declared　free　from　caption　for　debt　or　otherwise　while　journeying　to　and　　from　Edinburgh；　and　other　means　were　to　be　taken；　which　might　be　　thought　necessary　or　expedient　until　the　Highlands　were　finally　quieted；　and　〃all　these　wicked；　broken；　and　disorderly　men　utterly　rooted　out　and　　extirpated。〃　　A　second　proclamation　was　issued；　in　which　the　lesser　barons　　heads　of　the　branches　of　clanswhose　names　are　given；　were　to　go　to　　Inverlochy　by　the　20th　of　November　following；　as　they　were　〃by　reason　of　　their　mean　condition；〃　not　able　to　come　in　to　Edinburgh　and　find　caution；　and　there　to　give　in　bonds　and　securities　for　themselves；　their　men；　　tenants；　servants；　and　indwellers　upon　their　lands；　and　all　of　their　name　descended　of　their　families；　to　the　Earl　of　Caithness；　Sir　James　Campbell　of　Lawers；　James　Menzies　of　Culdarers；　or　any　two　of　them。　　These　lists　　are　interesting；　showing；　as　they　do；　those　who　were　considered　the　greater　and　lesser　barons　at　the　time。　　We　find　four　Mackenzies　in　the　　former　but　not　one　in　the　latter。　＇For　the　full　lists　see　Antiquarian　Notes；　　pp。　184　and　187。＇

On　the　1st　of　March；　1681；　Kenneth　was　served　heir　male　to　his　greatg…randfather；　Lord　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　in　his　lands　in　the　Lordship　　of　Ardmeanach　and　in　the　Earldom　of　Ross；　was　made　a　member　of　the　　Privy　Council　by　James　II。　on　his　accession　to　the　throne　in　1685；　and　　chosen　a　Knight　Companion　of　the　Thistle；　on　the　revival　of　that　ancient　　Order　in　1687。　　The　year　after　the　Revolution　Seaforth　accompanied　his　　Royal　master　to　France；　but　when　that　Prince　returned　to　Ireland　in　the　　following　year　to　make　a　final　effort　for　the　recovery　of　his　kingdom；　he　was　accompanied　thither　by　the　Earl。　　There　he　took　part　in　the　siege　of　　Londonderry　and　in　other　engagements；　and　as　an　expression　of　gratitude　　James　created　him　Marquis　of　Seaforth；　under　which　title　he　repeatedly　appears　in　various　legal　documents。　　This　well…meant　and　deserved　honour；　however；　came　too　late　in　the　falling　fortunes　and　declining　powers　of　the　ex…King；　and　does　little　more　than　mark　his　Royal　confirmation　of　the　steady　adherence　of　the　chiefs　of　Kintail　to　the　cause　of　　the　unfortunate　Stuarts。

Viscount　Dundee　in　a　letter　to　the　〃Laird　of　Macleod；〃　dated　　〃Moy；　June　23；　1689〃　＇About　this　time　Viscount　Tarbat　boasted　to　　General　Mackay　of　his　great　influence　with　his　countrymen；　especially　the　Clan　Mackenzie；　and　assured　him　〃that　though　Seaforth　should　come　to　his　own　country　and　among　his　friends；　he　（Tarbat）　would　overturn　in　　eight　days　more　than　the　Earl　could　advance　in　six　weeks　　yet　be　proved　as　　backward　as　Seaforth　or　any　other　of　the　Clan。　　And　though　Redcastle；　　Coul；　and　others　of　the　name　of　Mackenzie　came；　they　fell　not　on　final　　methods；　but　protested　a　great　deal　of　affection　for　the　cause。〃Mackay's　　Memoirs。＇　in　which　he　details　his　own　and　the　King's　prospects；　gives　a　　list　of　those　who　are　to　join　him。　　〃My　Lord　Seaforth；〃　he　says；　〃will　be　in　　a　few　days　from　Ireland　to　raise　his　men　for　the　King's　service；〃　but　the　fatal　shot　which　closed　the　career　of　that　brilliant　star　and　champion　of　the　　Stuart　dynasty　at　Killiecrankie；　arrested　the　progress　of　the　family　of　　Seaforth　in　the　fair　course　to　all　the　honours　which　a　grateful　dynasty　　could　bestow；　nor　was　the　family　of　Kintail　singular　in　this　respectseeing　its　flattering　prospects　withered　at；　perhaps；　a　fortunate　moment　for　　the　prosperity　of　the　Empire。　Jealousies　have　now　passed　away　on　that　　subject；　and　it　is　not　our　business　to　discuss　or　in　any　way　confound　the　principles　of　contending　loyalties。

To　check　the　proceedings　of　the　Mackenzies；　Mackay　placed　a　　garrison　of　a　hundred　Mackays　in　Brahan　Castle；　the　principal　seat　of　the　Earl；　and　an　equal　number　of　Rosses　in　Castle　Leod；　the　mansion　of　　Viscount　Tarbat；　both　places　of　strength；　and　advantageously　situated　for　watching　the　movements　of　the　Jacobite　Mackenzies。　＇Life　of　General　　Mackay；　by　John　Mackay　of　Rockfield；　pp。　36…37。＇

Seaforth　seems　to　have　left　Ireland　immediately　after　the　battle　of　　the　Boyne；　and　to　have　returned　to　the　Highlands。　　The　greater　part　of　the　　North　was　at　the　time　hostile　to　the　Government；　and　General　Mackay　was　　obliged　to　march　north；　with　all　haste；　before　a　general　rising　could　take　　place　under　Buchan；　who　now　commanded　the　Highlanders　who　stood　out　　for　King　James。　　Mackay　was　within　four　hours　march　of　Inverness　before　　Buchan；　who　was　then　at　that　place　〃waiting　for　the　Earl　of　Seaforth's　and　　the　other　Highlanders　whom　he　expected　to　join　him　in　attacking　the　　town；〃　knew　of　his　approach。　　Hearing　of　the　proximity　of　the　enemy；　　Buchan　at　once　retreated；　crossed　the　River　Ness；　and　retired　along　the　　north　side　of　the　Beauly　Firth；　eastward　through　the　Black　Isle。　　In　this　emergency；　Seaforth；　fearing　the　personal　consequences　of　the　part　be　had　acted　throughout；　sent　two　of　his　friends　to　General　Mackay；　offering　　terms　of　submission　and　whatever　securities　might　be　required　for　his　　future　good　behaviour；　informing　him　at　the　same　time　that；　although　he　　had　been　forced　to　appear　on　the　side　of　James；　he　never　entertained　any　　design　of　molesting　the　Government　forces　or　of　joining　Buchan　in　his　　attack　on　the　town　of　Inverness。　Mackay　replied　that　he　could　accept　no　　security　other　than　the　surrender　of　his　Lordship's　person；　at　the　same　time　　conjuring　him　to　comply；　as　he　valued　his　own　safety　and　the　preservation　of　his　family　and　people；　and　assuring　him　that　in　the　case　of　surrender　he　　should　be　detained　in　civil　custody　in　Inverness；　and　treated　with　the　　respect　due　to　his　rank；　until　the　will　of　the　Government　should　become　　known。　　Next　day　the　Earl's　mother；　the　Countess　Dowager　of　Seaforth；　　and　Sir　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Coul　proceeded　to　Inverness；　to　plead　　with　Mackay　for　a　mitigation　of　the　terms　proposed；　but　finding　him　　inflexible；　they　told　him　that　Seaforth　would　accede　to　any　conditions　　agreed　to　by　them　in　his　behalf。　It　was　thereupon　stipulated　that　he　should　　deliver　himself　up　at　once　and　be　kept　a　prisoner　in　Inverness　until　the　　Privy　Council　decided　as　to　his　ultimate　disposal。　　With　the　view　of　　concealing　his　voluntary　submission　from　his　own　clan　and　his　other　　Jacobite　friends；　it　was　agreed　that　the　Earl　should　allow　himself　to　be　siezed　at　one　of　his　seats　by　a　party　of　horse　under　Major　Mackay；　as　if　he　　were　taken　by　surprise。　　He；　however；　disappointed　those　sent　to　take　him；　　in　excuse　of　which；　his　mother　and　he；　in　letters　to　General　Mackay；　　pleaded　the　delicate　state　of　his　health；　which；　it　was　urged；　would　suffer　　from　imprisonment；　and　indeed　few　can　blame　him　for　any　unwillingness　　to　place　himself　absolutely　at　the　disposal　of　such　a　body　as　the　Privy　　Council　of　Scotland　then　wasmany　of　whom　would　not　hesitate　in　the　　slightest　to　sacrifice　him；　if　by　so　doing　they　could　only　see　any　chance　of　　obtaining　a　share；　however　small；　of　his　extensive　estates。　　General　Mackay　became　so　irritated　at　the　deception　thus　practised　　upon　him　that　he　resolved　to　treat　Seaforth's　vassals　〃with　all　the　rigour　of　military　execution；〃　and　he　sent　his　Lordship　a　message　that　if　he　did　not　　surrender　forthwith　according　to　his　promise；　he　should　at　once　carry　out　his　instructions　from　the　Privy　Council　by　entering　his　country　with　fire　and　sword；　and　seizing　all　the　property　belonging　to　himself　or　to　his　clan　　as　lawful　prize；　and；　lest　the　Earl　should　have　any　doubt　as　to　his　intenti