history of the mackenzies-第76章

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　of　Grants　on　　their　way　to　join　them；　on　being　informed　of　Sutherland's　retreat；　thought　　it　prudent　to　retrace　their　steps。　Seaforth；　thus　relieved；　levied　　considerable　fines　on　Munro's　territories；　which　were　fully　retaliated　　for　　during　his　absence　with　the　Jacobite　army；　to　join　which　he　now　set　out；　　and　Sir　John　Mackenzie　of　Coul；　whom　he　had　ordered　to　occupy　　Inverness；　was；　after　a　gallant　resistance；　forced　by　Lord　Lovat；　at　the　head　　of　a　mixed　body　of　Frasers　and　Grants；　to　retire　with　his　garrison　to　Ross…shire。　　〃Whether　he　followed　his　chief　to　Perth　does　not　appear；　but　on　　Seaforth's　arrival　that　Mar　seems　for　the　first　time　to　have　resolved　on　the　　passage　of　the　Firtha　movement　which　led　to　the　Battle　of　Sheriffmuiris　evident　and　conclusive　as　to　the　different　features　given　to　the　whole　campaign　by　the　Whig　camp　at　Alness；　however　creditable　to　the　noble　　Earl　and　his　mother's　confederates。　　But　it　is　not　our　present　province　to　enter　on　a　military　review　of　the　conduct　of　either　army　preceding　this　　consequential　conflict；　or　to　decide　to　which　party　the　victory；　claimed　by　　both　parties；　properly　belonged　　suffice　it　to　say　that　above　3000　of　　Seaforth's　men　formed　a　considerable　part　of　the　second　line；　and　seem　　from　the　general　account　on　that　subject　to　have　done　their　duty。〃　　＇Bennetsfield　MS。＇　　A　great　many　of　Seaforth's　followers　were　slain；　　among　whom　were　four　Highlanders　who　appear　to　have　signally　　distinguished　themselves。　They　were　John　Mackenzie　of　Hilton；　who　　commanded　a　company　of　the　Mackenzies；　John　Mackenzie　of　　Applecross；　John　Mac　Rae　of　Conchra；　and　John　Murchison　of　Achtertyre。

Their　prowess　on　the　field　had　been　commemorated　by　one　of　their　　followers；　John　MacRae；　who　escaped　and　returned　home；　in　an　excellent　　Gaelie　poem；　known　as　〃Latha　Blar　an　t…Siorra；〃　the　〃　Day　of　　Sheriffmuir。〃　　The　fate　of　these　renowned　warriors　was　keenly　regretted　　by　their　Highland　countrymen；　and　they　are　still　remembered　and　distinguished　amongst　them　as　〃Ceithear　Ianan　na　h…Alba；〃　or　The　four　Johns　　of　Scotland。

During　the　preceding　troubles　Ellandonnan　Castle　got　into　the　　hands　of　the　King's　troops；　but　shortly　before　Sheriffmuir　it　was　again　secured　by　the　following　clever　stratagem：A　neighbouring　tenant　applied　to　the　Governor　for　some　of　the　garrison　to　cut　his　corn；　as　he　　feared　from　the　appearance　of　the　sky　and　the　croaking　of　ravens　that　a　　heavy　storm　was　impending；　and　that　nothing　but　a　sudden　separation　of　　his　crop　from　the　ground　could　save　his　family　from　starvation。　　The　　Governor　readily　yielded　to　his　solicitations；　and　sent　the　garrison　of　　Government　soldiers　then　in　the　castle　to　his　aid；　who；　on　their　return；　　discovered　the　ruse　too　late　for　the　Kintail　men　were　by　this　time　reaping　　the　spoils；　and　had　possession　of　the　castle。　　〃The　oldest　inhabitant　of　the　　parish　remembers　to　have　seen　the　Kintail　men　under　arms；　dancing　on　the　　leaden　roof；　just　as　they　were　setting　out　for　the　Battle　of　Sheriffmuir；　where　this　resolute　band　was　cut　to　pieces。〃　＇Old　Statistical　Account　of　　Kintail；　1792。＇

Inverness　continued　meanwhile　in　possession　of　the　Mackenzies；　under　command　of　the　Governor；　Sir　John　Mackenzie　of　Coul；　and　George　　Mackenzie　of　Gruinard。　　Macdonald　of　Keppoch　was　on　the　march　to　　support　Sir　John　at　Inverness；　and　Lord　Lovat；　learning　this；　gathered　his　　men　together；　and　on　the　7th　of　November　decided　to　throw　himself　　across　the　river　Ness　and　place　his　forces　directly　between　Keppoch　and　　the　Governor。　　Sir　John；　on　discovering　Lovat's　movement；　resolved　to　　make　a　sally　out　of　the　garrison　and　place　the　enemy　between　him　and　the　　advancing　Keppoch；　where　he　could　attack　him　with　advantage；　but　　Macdonald　became　alarmed　and　returned　home　through　Glen…Urquhart；　　whereupon　Lord　Lovat　marched　straight　upon　Inverness；　and　took　up　a　　position　about　a　mile　to　the　west　of　the　town。　　The　authorities　were　　summoned　to　send　out　the　garrison　and　the　Governor；　or　the　town　would　　be　burnt　and　the　inhabitants　put　to　the　sword。　　Preparations　were　made　for　　the　attack；　but　Sir　John　Mackenzie；　considering　that　any　further　defence　　was　hopeless；　on　the　10th　of　November　collected　together　all　the　boats　he　could　find　and　at　high　water　safely　effected　his　escape　from　the　town；　when　Lovat　marched　in　without　opposition。　　His　Lordship　advised　the　Earl　　of　Sutherland　that　he　had　secured　possession　of　Inverness；　and　on　the　15th　　of　November　the　latter；　leaving　Colonel　Robert　Munro　of　Fowlis　as　　Governor　of　Inverness；　went　with　his　followers；　accompanied　by　Lord　　Lovat　with　some　of　his　men；　to　Brahan　Castle；　and　compelled　the　　responsible　men　of　the　Clan　Mackenzie　who　were　not　in　the　South　with　　the　Earl　of　Seaforth　to　come　under　an　obligation　for　their　peaceable　　behaviour；　and　to　return　the　arms　previously　taken　from　the　Munros　by　　　Lord　Seaforth　at　Alness；　to　release　the　prisoners　in　their　possession；　and　　promise　not　to　assist　Lord　Seaforth　directly　or　indirectly　in　his　efforts　against　the　Government；　that　they　would　grant　to　the　Earl　of　Sutherland　　any　sum　of　money　he　might　require　from　them　upon　due　notice　for　the　use　　of　the　Government；　and；　finally；　that　Brahan　Castle；　the　principal　　residence　of　the　Earl　of　Seaforth；　should　be　turned　into　a　garrison　for　King　George。

Seaforth　returned　from　Sheriffmuir；　and　again　collected　his　men　near　Brahan；　but　the　Earl　of　Sutherland　with　a　large　number　of　his　own　　men；　Lord　Reay's；　the　Munros；　Rosses；　Culloden's　men；　and　the　Frasers；　　marched　to　meet　him　and　encamped　at　Beauly；　within　a　few　miles　of　　Mackenzie's　camp；　and　prepared　to　give　him　battle；　which；　when　my　Lord　　Seaforth　saw；　he　thought　it　convenient　to　capitulate；　own　the　King's　　authority；　disperse　his　men；　and　propose　the　mediation　of　these　　Government　friends　for　his　pardon。　　Upon　his　submission　the　King　was　　graciously　pleased　to　send　down　orders　that　upon　giving　up　his　arms　and　　coming　into　Inverness；　he　might　expect　his　pardon；　yet　upon　the　　Pretender's　Anvil　at　Perth　and　my　Lord　Huntly's　suggestions　to　him　that　　now　was　the　time　for　them　to　appear　for　their　King　and　country；　and　that　　what　honour　they　lost　at　Dunblane　might　yet　be　regained；　but　while　he　　thus　insinuated　to　my　Lord　Seaforth；　he　　privately　found　that　my　Lord　　Seaforth　had　by　being　an　early　suitor　for　the　King's　pardon；　by　promising　to　lay　down　his　arms；　and　owning　the　King's　authority；　claimed　in　a　great　measure　to　an　assurance　of　his　life　and　fortune；　which　he　thought　proper　　for　himself　to　purchase　at　the　rate　of　disappointing　Seaforth；　with　hopes　of　　standing　by　the　good　old　cause；　till　Seaforth；　with　that　vain　hope；　lost　the　　King's　favour　that　was　promised　him；　which　Huntly　embraced　by　taking　　the　very　first　opportunity　of　deserting　the　Chevalier's　cause；　and　　surrendering　himself　upon　terms　made　with　him　　of　safety　to　his　life　and　　fortune。　　This　sounded　so　sweet　to　him　that　he　sleeped　so　secure　as　never　to　dream　of　any　preservation　for　a　great　many　good　gentlemen　that　made　　choice　to　stand　by　him　and　serve　under　him　that　many　other　worthy　nobles　　who　would　die　or　banish　rather　that　not　show　their　personal　bravery；　and　　all　other　friendly　offices　to　their　adherents。〃　＇Lord　Lovat's　Account　of　the　　taking　of　Inverness。　　Patten's　Rebellion。＇

In　February；　1716；　hopeless　of　attaining　his　object；　the　unfortunate　son　of　James　II。　left　Scotland；　the　land　of　his　forefathers；　never　to　visit　it　　again；　and　Earl　William　followed　him　to　the　common　resort　of　the　exiled　　Jacobites　of　the　time。　　On　the　7th　of　the　following　May　an　Act　of　attainder　　was　passed　against　the　Earl　and　the　other　chiefs　of　the　Jacobite　party。　　　Their　estates　were　forfeited；　though　practically　in　many　cases；　and　　especially　in　that　of　Seaforth；　it　was　found　extremely　difficult　to　carry　the　forfeiture　into　effect。　　The　Master　of　Sinclair　is　responsible　for　the　base　　and　unfounded　allegation　that　the　Earl　of　Seaforth；　the　Marquis　of　Huntly；　　and　other　Jacobites；　were　in　treaty　with　the　Government　to　deliver　up　the　Chevalier　to　the　Duke　of　Argyll；　that　they　might　procure　better　terms　for　themselves　than　　they　could　otherwise　expect。　　This　odious　charge；　which　　is　not　corroborated　by　any　other　writer；　must　be　looked　upon　as　highly　　improba