history of the mackenzies-第74章

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　himself　or　to　his　clan　　as　lawful　prize；　and；　lest　the　Earl　should　have　any　doubt　as　to　his　intention　　of　executing　this　terrible　treat；　he　immediately　ordered　three　Dutch　　regiments　from　Aberdeen　to　Inverness；　and　decided　on　leading　a　　competent　body　of　horse　and　foot　in　person　from　the　garrison　at　the　latter　　place；　to　take　possession　of　Brahan　Castle。　　The　General；　at　the　same　time　wrote　instructing　the　Earl　of　Sutherland；　Lord　Reay；　and　　Ross　of　Balnagown；　to　send　a　thousand　of　their　men；　under　Major　Wishart　an　experienced　officer　acquainted　with　the　country；　to　take　up　their　quarters　in　　the　more　remote　districts　of　the　Seaforth　estates；　should　that　extreme　step；　　as　he　much　feared；　become　necessary。　Having；　however；　a　friendly　　disposition　towards　the　followers　of　Seaforth；　on　account　of　their　being　　〃all　Protestants　and　none　of　the　most　dangerous　enemies；〃　and　being　more　　anxious　to　get　hold　of　his　Lordship's　person　than　to　ruin　his　friends；　he　caused　information　of　his　intentions　to　be　sent　to　Seaforth's　camp　by　some　of　his　own　party；　as　if　from　a　feeling　of　friendship　for　him　the　result　being　　that；　contrary　to　Mackay's　expectations；　Seaforth　surrenderedthus　relieving　him　from　a　most　disagreeable　duty；　＇Though　the　General　〃was　not　　immediately　connected　with　the　Seaforth　family　himself；　some　of　his　near　　relatives　were；　both　by　the　ties　of　kindred　and　of　ancient　friendship。　　For　　these；　and　other　reasons　it　may　be　conceived　what　joy　and　thankfulness　to　Providence　he　felt　for　the　result　of　ibis　affair；　which　at　once　relieved　him　　from　a　distressing　dilemma；　and　promised　to　put　a　speedy　period　to　his　　labours　in　Scotland。〃Mackay's　Life　of　General　Mackay。＇and　he　was　at　once　committed　a　prisoner　to　the　Castle　of　Inverness。

Writing　to　the　Privy　Council　about　the　disaffected　chiefs　at　the　time；　General　Mackay　says〃I　believe　it　shall　fare　so　with　the　Earl　of　　Seaforth；　that　is；　that　he　shall　haply　submit　when　his　country　is　ruined　and　　spoyled；　which　is　the　character　of　a　true　Scotsman；　wyse　behinde　the　　hand。〃　＇Letters　to　the　Privy　Council；　dated　1st　September；　1690。＇　　By　　warrant；　dated　7th　October；　1690；　the　Privy　Council　directs　Mackay　〃to　　transport　the　person　of　Kenneth；　Earl　of　Seaforth；　with　safety　from　　Inverness　to　Edinburgh；　in　such　way　and　manner　as　he　should　think　fit。〃

This　done；　he　was　on　the　6th　November　following　confined　within　the　　Castle　of　Edinburgh；　but；　little　more　than　a　year　afterwards；　he　was　　liberated；　on　the　7th　January；　1692；　having　found　caution　to　appear　when　　called　upon；　and　on　condition　that　he　should　not　go　ten　miles　beyond　the　　walls　of　Edinburgh。　　He　appears　not　to　have　implemented　these　conditions　　for　any　length　of　time；　for　shortly　after　he　is　again　in　prison　　almost　immediately　makes　his　escape　is　apprehended　on　the　7th　of　May；　the　same　　year；　at　Pencaitland　and　again　kept　confined　in　the　Castle　of　Inverness；　　from　which　he　is　ultimately　and　finally　liberated　on　giving　sufficient　　security　for　his　peaceable　behaviour；　＇Records　of　the　Privy　Council；　and　Mackay's　Memoirs。＇　the　following　being　the　order　for　his　release：

〃William　R。；　Right　trusty　and　right…well…beloved　Councillors；　&c。；　we　greet　you　well。　　Whereas　we　are　informed　that　Kenneth；　Earl　of　Seaforth；　did　surrender　himself　prisoner　to　the　commander　of　our　garrison　at　Inverness；　and　has　thrown　himself　on　our　Royal　mercy；　it　is　our　will　and　　pleasure；　and　we　hereby　authorise　and　require　you　to　set　the　said　Earl　of　Seaforth　at　liberty；　upon　his　finding　bail　and　security　to　live　peaceably　under　our　Government　and　to　compear　before　you　when　called。　　And　that　　you　order　our　Advocate　not　to　insist　in　the　process　of　treason　waged　　against　him　until　our　further　pleasure　be　known　therein。　　For　doing　　whereof　this　shall　be　your　warrant；　so　we　bid　you　heartily　farewell。

Given　　at　our　Court　at　Kensington；　the　first　day　of　March；　1696…7；　and　of　our　　reign　the　eighth　year。　　By　his　Majesty's　command。

（Signed）　　　　　　　　　　〃TULLIBARDINE。〃

During　the　remaining　years　of　his　life；　Seaforth　appears　to　have　lived　mainly　in　France。　　Apart　from　his　necessary　absence　from　his　own　country　during　the　long…continued　period　of　political　irritation；　the　　exhausted　state　of　his　paternal　revenues　would　have　rendered　his　　residence　abroad　highly　expedient。　　We　accordingly　find　several　discharges　for　feu…duties　granted　by　others　in　his　absence；　such　as　the　　following：

〃I；　Maister　Alexander　Mackenzie；　lawful　brother　to　the　Marquis　of　Seaforth；　grants　me　to　have　received　from　John　Mathesone；　all　and　hail　　the　somme　of　seaven　hundred　and　twentie　merks　Scots　money　and　that　in　　complete　payment　of　his　duties　and　or　the　lands　of　both　the　Fernacks　and　　Achnakerich；　payable　Martimass　ninety　（1690）；　dated　22d　November；　　1694。〃

There　is　another　by　〃Isobel；　Countess　Dowager　of　Seaforth；　in　　1696；　tested　by　‘Rorie　Mackenzie；　servitor　to　the　Marquis　of　Seaforth；'〃　and　an　original　discharge　by　〃me；　Isobell；　Countess　Dowager　of　Seaforth；　Lady　Superior　of　the　grounds；　lands；　and　oyes　under…written；〃　to　Kenneth　　Mackenzie　of　Dundonnel；　dated　at　Fortrose；　15th　November；　1697；　signed；　　〃Isobell　Seaforth。〃　＇Allangrange　Service；　on　which　occasion　thc　originals　were　produced。＇　　It　may　fairly　be　presumed　that；　during　the　whole　of　this　period；　Earl　Kenneth　was　in　retirement；　and　that　be　took　no　personal　part　in　the　management　of　his　estates　for　the　remainder　of　his　life。

His　clansmen；　however；　seem　to　have　been　determined　to　protect　his　interest　as　much　as　they　could。　　A　certain　Sir　John　Dempster　of　Pitliver　　had　advanced　Seaforth　and　his　mother；　the　Countess　Dowager；　a　large　　sum　of　money　and　obtained　a　decree　of　Parliament　to　have　the　amount　　refunded　to　him。　　The　cash　was　not　forthcoming；　and　Sir　John　secured　　letters　of　horning　and　arrestment　against　them；　and　employed　several　　officers　to　serve　them；　but　they　returned　the　letters　unexecuted；　not　finding　　notum　accessum　in　the　Earl's　country；　and　they　refused　altogether　to　　undertake　the　duty　again　without　the　assistance　of　the　King's　forces　in　the　　district。　　Sir　John　petitioned　for　this　aid；　and　humbly　craved　the　Privy　　Council　to　allow　him　〃a　competent　assistance　of　his　Majesty's　forces　at　Fort…William；　Inverness；　or　where　they　are　lying　adjacent　to　the　places　　where　the　said　dilligence　is　to　be　put　in　execution；　to　support　and　protect　　the　messengers〃　in　the　due　enforcement　of　the　legal　dilligence　against　the　　Earl　and　his　mother；　〃by　horning；　poinding；　arrestment；　or　otherways；〃　　and　to　recommend　to　the　Governor　at　Fort…William；　or　the　commander　of　　the　forces　at　Inverness；　to　grant　a　suitable　force　for　the　purpose。

Their　　Lordships　having　considered　the　petition；　recommended　Sir　Thomas　　Livingstone；　commander…in…chief　of　his　Majesty's　forces；　to　order　some　of　the　officers　already　mentioned　to　furnish　the　petitioner　〃with　competent　　parties　of　his　Majesty's　forces〃　to　support　and　protect　the　messengers　in　the　due　execution　of　the　〃legal　dilligence　upon　the　said　decreet　of　　Parliament。〃　＇For　this　document　see　Antiquarian　Notes；　pp　118…119。＇

The　Earl　married　Lady　Frances　Herbert；　second　daughter　of　　William；　Marquis　of　Powis；　an　English　nobleman；　by　Lady　Elizabeth　　Somerset；　daughter　of　Edward；　Marquis　of　Worcester；　with　issue

I。　　William；　his　heir　and　successor。

II。　　Mary；　who　married　John　Careyl；　with　issue。

He　died　at　Paris；　in　1701；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　only　son；

XVII。　　WILLIAM；　　FIFTH　　EARL　　OF　　SEAFORTH；

Generally　known　among　the　Highlanders　as　〃Uilleam　Dubh。〃　　He　succeeded　at　a　most　critical　period　in　the　history　of　Scotland；　just　when　the　country　was　divided　on　the　great　question　of　Union　with　England；　　which　in　spite　of　the　fears　of　most　of　the　Highland　chiefs　and　nobles　of　　Scotland；　ultimately　turned　out　so　beneficial　to　both。　　He　would；　no　doubt；　　have　imbibed　strong　Jacobite　feelings　during　his　residence　with　his　exiled　　parents　in　France。　　But　little　information　of　William's　proceedings　during　　the　first　few　years　of　his　rule　is　obtainable。　　He　seems　to　have　continued　　abroad；　for　on　the　23d　of　May；　1709；　an　order　is　found　addressed　to　the　forester　at　Letterewe　signed　by　his　mother　the　Dowager；　〃Frances　Seaforth。〃　　But　on　the　22d　of　June；　1713；　she　addresses　a　letter　to　Col