history of the mackenzies-第82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！


r　to　have　passed　much　of　his　time　in　the　Highlands；　but　about　a　　year　after　his　succession；　he　seems；　from　a　warrant　issued　by　his　authority　　to　have　been　in　the　North。　　It　is　signed　by　Colin　Mackenzie；　Baillie；〃　and　　addressed　to　Roderick　Mackenzie；　officer　of　Locks；　commanding　him　to　　summon　and　warn　Donald　Mackenzie；　tacksman　of　Lainbest；　and　others；　　to　compear　before　〃Kenneth；　Lord　Fortrose；　heritable　proprietor　of　the　　Estate　of　Seaforth；　at　Braan　Castle；　or　before　his　Lordship's　Baron　　Baillies；　or　other　judges　appointed　by　him　there；　upon　the　10th　day　of　　October　next；　to　come　to　answer　several　unwarrantable　and　illegal　things　　to　be　laid　to　their　charge：〃　　Dated　at　〃Stornoway；　29th　September；　1741。〃　There　is　no　doubt　that　in　early　life　Lord　Fortrose；　during　the　exile　of　his　　father；　held　communications　with　the　representative　of　the　Stuarts。　　It　is　a　　common　tradition　in　Kintail　to　this　day　that　he　and　Sir　Alexander　　Macdonald　of　Sleat　were　school　companions　of　the　Prince　in　France；　and　　were　among　those　who　first　imbued　his　mind　with　the　idea　of　attempting　　to　regain　possession　of　his　ancient　Kingdom　of　Scotland；　promising　him　　that　they　would　use　their　influence　with　the　other　northern　chiefs　to　rise　in　　his　favour；　although　when　the　time　for　action　came　neither　of　them　joined　him。

The　unfortunate　position　in　which　Kenneth　found　himself　by　the　Jacobite　proclivities　of　his　ancestors；　and　especially　those　of　his　father；　　appears　to　have　made　a　deep　impression　upon　his　mind；　and　to　have　　induced　him　to　be　more　cautious　in　supporting　a　cause　which　seemed　　certain　to　land　him　in　final　and　utter　ruin。　　But　though　he　personally　held　　aloof；　several　of　the　clan　joined　the　Prince；　mostly　under　George；　third　　Earl　of　Cromarty；　and　a　few　under　John　Mackenzie；　III。　of　Torridon。

Several　young　and　powerful　Macraes；　who　strongly　sympathised　with　the　　Prince；　though　unaccompanied　by　any　of　their　natural　leaders；　left　Kintail　　never　again　to　return　and；　it　is　said；　that　several　others　had　to　be　bound　　with　ropes　by　their　friends；　to　keep　them　at　home。　　The　influence　of　Lord　President　Forbes　weighed　strongly　with　Mackenzie　in　deciding　him　to　　support　the　Government；　and；　in　return　for　his　loyalty；　the　honours　of　the　　house　of　Seaforth　were；　in　part；　afterwards　restored　to　his　son。

In　1744　an　exciting　incident　occurred　in　Inverness　in　which　his　Lordship　played　a　conspicuous　part；　and　which　exemplifies　the　impetuous　　character　of　the　Highland　chiefs　of　the　day。　　A　court　of　the　Freeholders　of　　the　county　was　being　held　there　at　Michaelmas　to　elect　a　collector　of　the　land　tax；　at　which　were　present；　among　others；　Lord　President　Forbes；　　Norman　　Macleod　of　Macleod；　Lord　Fortrose；　Lord　Lovat；　and　many　　leading　members　of　the　Clan　Fraser。　A　warm　debate　upon　some　burning　　business　arose　between　Lords　Lovat　and　Fortrose；　when　the　　former　gave　　the　latter　the　lie　direct。　　To　this　Mackenzie　replied　by　giving　Lovat　a　smart　　blow　in　the　face。　Mutual　friends　at　one　intervened　between　the　fiery　antagonists。　　But　the　Fraser　blood　was　up；　and　Fraser　of　Foyers；　who　was　　present；　interfered　in　the　interest　of　the　chief　of　his　clan；　but　more；　however；　it　is　said；　in　that　capacity　than　from　any　personal　esteem　in　　which　he　held　　him。　　He　felt　that　in　his　chief's　person　the　whole　clan　had　　been　insulted　as　if　it　had　actually　been　a　personal　blow　to　every　man　of　the　　name；　and　he　instantly　sprung　down　from　the　gallery　and　presented　a　　loaded　and　cocked　pistol　at　Mackenzie's　head；　to　whom　it　would　　undoubtedly　have　proved　fatal　had　not　one　of　the　gentlemen　present；　with　　great　presence　of　mind；　thrown　his　plaid　over　the　muzzle；　and　thus　　arrested　and　diverted　its　contents。　In　another　moment　swords　and　dirks　　were　drawn　on　both　sides；　but　the　Lord　President　and　Macleod　laid　hold　of　Mackenzie　and　hurried　him　from　the　Court。　　Yet　he　no　sooner　gained　the　　outside　than　one　of　the　Frasers　levelled　him　to　the　ground　with　a　blow　　from　a　heavy　bludgeon；　notwithstanding　the　efforts　of　his　friends　to　　protect　him。　　The　matter　was；　however；　afterwards；　with　great　difficulty；　arranged　by　mutual　friends；　between　the　great　clans　and　their　respective　　chiefs；　otherwise　the　social　jealousies　and　personal　irritations　which　then　　prevailed　throughout　the　whole　Highlands；　fanned　by　this　incident；　would　　have　produced　a　lasting　and　bloody　feud　between　the　Frasers　and　the　　Mackenzies。

In　the　following　year；　shortly　after　the　Lord　President　arrived　at　Culloden　from　the　south；　he　wrote　a　letter　to　Mackenzie　dated　the　11th　of　October　1745；　in　which　he　tells　him　that　the　Earl　of　Loudon　had　come　the　　day　before　to　Cromarty；　and　brought　some　〃credit〃　with　him；　which　〃will　　enable　us　to　put　the　Independent　Companies　together　for　the　service　of　the　　Government　and　for　our　mutual　protection。〃　　He　requested　Fortrose　to　　give　immediate　orders　to　pick　out　those　who　are　first　to　form　one　of　the　　companies；　that　they　might　receive　their　commissions　and　arms。

Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Fairburn　was　to　command。　　There　was；　the　President　said；　a　report　that　Barrisdale　had　gone　to　Assynt　to　raise　the　men　　of　that　country；　to　be　joined　to　those　of　Coigeach；　who　were　said　to　have　orders　to　be　in　readiness　to　join　Macdonald；　and　with　instructions　to　　march　through　Mackenzie's　territories　in　order　to　find　out　how　many　of　　his　Lordship's　vassals　could　be　persuaded；　by　fair　means　or　foul；　to　join　the　standard　of　the　Prince。　　〃I　hope　this　is　not　true；〃　writes　the　President；　　〃if　it　is；　it　is　of　the　greatest　consequence　to　prevent　it。　　　I　wish　Fairburn　　were　at　home；　your　Lordship　will　let　me　know　when　he　arrives；　as　the　　Lord　Cromarty　has　refused　the　company　I　intended　for　his　son。　　Your　　Lordship　will　deliberate　to　whom　you　would　have　it　given。〃　＇Culloden　　Papers；　pp。　421…2。＇

Exasperated　at　this　time　by　the　exertions　made　by　President　Forbes　to　obstruct　the　designs　of　the　disaffected；　a　plan　was　formed　to　seize　him　　by　some　of　the　Frasers；　a　party　of　whom；　amounting　to　about　200；　attacked　Culloden　House　during　the　night　of　the　15th　of　October；　but　the　President　being　on　his　guard　they　were　repulsed。　＇Fraser's　Earls　of　Cromartie。＇

On　the　13th　of　October　Mackenzie　had　written　to　Forbes　that　he　surmised　some　young　fellows　of　his　name　attempted　to　raise　men　for　the　　Prince；　but　that　he　sent　expresses　to　the　suspected　parts；　with　orders　to　the　　tenants　not　to　stir　under　pain　of　death　without　his　leave；　though　their　　respective　masters　should　be　imprudent　enough　to　desire　them　to　do　so。

The　messengers　returned　with　the　people's　blessings　for　his　protection；　and　with　assurances　that　they　would　do　nothing　without　his　orders；　〃so　　that　henceforward　your　Lordship　need　not　be　concerned　about　any　idle　　report　from　benorth　Kessock。〃　　In　a　letter　dated　〃Brahan　Castle；　19th　　October　1745；〃　Lord　Fortrose　refers　to　the　attempt　on　the　President's　　house；　which；　he　says；　surprised　him　extremely；　and　〃is　as　dirty　an　action　　as　I　ever　heard　of；〃　and　he　did　not　think　any　gentleman　would　be　capable　　of　doing　such　a　thing。　　He　adds；　〃as　I　understand　your　cattle　are　taken　　away；　I　beg　you　will　order　your　steward　to　write　to　Colin；　or　anybody　else　　here；　for　provisions；　as　I　can　be　supplied　from　the　Highlands。　　I　am　　preparing　to　act　upon　the　defensive；　and　I　suppose　will　soon　be　provoked　　to　act　on　the　offensive。　　I　have　sent　for　a　strong　party　to　protect　my　house　　and　overawe　the　country。　　None　of　my　Kintail　men　will　be　down　till　　Tuesday；　but　as　the　river　is　high；　and　I　have　parties　at　all　boats；　nothing　　can　be　attempted。　　Besides；　I　shall　have　reinforcements　every　day。　　I　have　　ordered　my　servants　to　get；　at　Inverness；　twelve　or　twenty　pounds　of　　powder　with　a　proportionable　quantity　of　shot。　　If　that　cannot　be　bought　at　　Inverness；　I　must　beg　you　will　write　a　line　to　Governor　Grant　to　give　my　　servant　the　powder；　as　I　can　do　without　the　shot　。　Barrisdale　has　come　　down　from　Assynt；　and　was　collared　by　one　of　the　Maclauchlans　there　for　　offering　to　force　the　people　to　rise；　and　he　has　met　with　no　success　there。

I　had　a　message　from　the　Mackenzies　in　Argyllshire　to　know　what　they　　should　do。　　Thirty　are　gone　from　Lochiel；　the　rest；　being　about　sixty；　are　at　　home。　　I　advised　them　to　stay　at　home　and　mind　thei