history of the mackenzies-第24章

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　undoubted　heir；　and　that　Hector　should　ever　afterwards　acknowledge　and　　honour　him　as　his　chief；　and　so　they　parted；　all　being　well　pleased。　　＇John　　and　Hector　did　condescend　that　Hector　should　have　the　estate　till　John　　were　one　and　twentie　years；　and　that　John　should　live　on　his　own　purchase　till　then。　　Letter　from　MS。＇　　But　Allan　and　the　most　of　the　Kintail　men　　were　dissatisfied　that　John　did　not　get　Ellandonnan；　his　principal　house；　in　　his　own　possession；　and　so　desired　John　to　come　to　them　and　possess　the　　castle　by　fair　or　foul　means　wherein　　they　promised　to　assist　him。　　John　　goes　to　Kintail；　desires　him　to　render　the　place　to　him；　which　he　refused；　　for　which　cause　John　ordered　bring　all　his　cattle　to　those　he　employed　to　besiege　the　castle　till　Malcolm　（the　governor）　would　be　starved　out　of　it。

Yet　this　did　not　prevail　with　the　governor；　till　he　got　Hector's　consent；　who；　being　acquainted；　came　to　Lochalsh　and　met　with　his　nephew；　and　　after　concerting　the　matter；　Hector　sends　word　to　Malcolm　to　render　the　　place　to　John。　　But　Malcolm　would　not　till　he　would　be　paid　of　his　goods　　that　were　destroyed。　　But　Hector　sending　to　him　the　second　time；　after　　considerable　negotiation　for　several　days；　telling　him　he　was　a　fool；　that　　he　might　remember　how　himself　was　used；　and　that　that　might　be　a　means　　to　take　his　life　also。　　Whereupon　Malcolm　renders　the　house；　but　John　was　so　much　offended　at　him　that　he　would　not　continue　him　governor；　but　gave　the　charge　to　Gillechriost　Mac　Fhionnla　Mhic　Rath；　making　him　　Constable　of　the　Isle。　　So　after　that　there　was　little　or　no　debate　twixt　John　　and　Hector　during　the　rest　of　the　six　years　he　was　Tutor。'　＇Ardintoul　and　Ancient　MSS。　of　the　Mackenzies。＇

The　MS。　Histories　of　the　family　are　borne　out　by　Gregory；　　（Highlands　and　Isles　of　Scotland；　p。　111）　who　informs　us　that　〃Hector　Roy　Mackenzie；　progenitor　of　the　House　of　Gairloch；　had；　since　the　death　of　　Kenneth　Og　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　in　1497；　and　during　the　minority　of　　John；　the　brother　and　heir　of　Kenneth；　exercised　the　command　of　that　　clan；　nominally　as　guardian　to　the　young　chief。　Under　his　rule　the　Clan　　Mackenzie　became　involved　in　feuds　with　the　Munroes　and　other　clans；　　and　Hector　Roy　himself　became　obnoxious　to　Government　as　a　disturber　　of　the　public　peace。　　His　intentions　towards　the　young　Laird　of　Kintail　　were　considered　very　dubious；　and　the　apprehensions　of　the　latter　having　　been　roused；　Hector　was　compelled　by　law　to　yield　up　the　estate　and　the　　command　of　the　tribe　to　the　proper　heir。〃　　Gregory　gives　the　〃Acts　of　the　Lords　of　Council；　xxii。；　fo。　142；〃　as　that　upon　which；　among　other　autho…rities；　he　founds。　　We　give　the　following　extract；　except　that　the　spelling　is　　modernised：

〃7th　April　　1511。Anent　the　summons　made　at　the　instance　of　　John　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　against　Hector　Roy　Mackenzie　for　the　　wrongous　intromitting；　uptaking；　and　withholding　from　him　of　the　mails　‘fermez；'　profits；　and　duties　of　all　and　whole　the　lands　of　Kintail；　with　the　　pertinents　lying　in　the　Sheriffdom　of　Inverness；　for　the　space　of　seven　　years　together；　beginning　in　the　year　of　God　1501；　and　also　for　the　space　of　two　years；　last　bye…past；　and　for　the　masterful　withholding　from　the　said　　John　Mackenzie　of　his　house　and　Castle　of　Ellandonnan；　and　to　bring　with　　him　his　evidence　if　（he）　any　has　of　the　constabulary　and　keeping　thereof；　and　to　hear　the　same　decerned　of　none　avail；　and　diverse　other　points　like　as　at　more　length；　is　contained　in　the　said　summons；　the　said　John　　Mackenzie　being　personally　present；　and　the　said　Hector　Roy　being　　lawfully　summoned　to　this　action；　oft…times　called　and　not　compearing；　　the　said　John's　rights；　etc。　　The　Lords　of　Council　decree　and　deliver；　that　　the　said　Hector　has　forfeited　the　keeping　and　constabulary　of　the　said　　Castle　of　Ellandonnan；　together　with　the　fees　granted　therefor；　and　decern　　all　evidents；　if　he　any　has　made　to　him　thereupon；　of　none　avail；　force；　nor　　effect；　and　the　said　John　Mackenzie　to　have　free　ingress　and　entry　to　the　said　Castle；　because　he　required　the　said　Hector　for　deliverance　thereof　and　to　thole　him　to　enter　thereunto；　howbeit　the　said　Hector　refused　and　　would　not　give　him　entry　to　the　said　Castle；　but　if　his　servants　would　have　　delivered　their　happinnis　from　them　to　his　men　or　their　entries；　like　as　one　　actentit　instrument　taken　thereupon　shown　and　produced　before　the　said　　Lords　purported　and　bore；　and　therefore　ordains　our　sovereign　Lords'　　letters　（to）　be　directed　to　devode　and　rid　the　said　Castle　and　to　keep　the　　said　John　in　possession　thereof　as　effeirs　and　continues　to　remanent　points　　contained　in　the　said　summons　in　form；　as　they　are　now；　unto　the　20th　day　of　July　next　to　come；　with　continuation　of　days；　and　ordains　that　letters　be　　written　in　form　of　commission　to　the　Sheriff　of　Inverness　and　his　deputies　　to　summon　witnesses　and　take　probations　thereupon　and　to　summon　the　　party　to　heir　them　sworn　and　thereafter　send　their　depositions　closed　to　the　　Lords　again；　the　said　day；　under　the　said　Sheriffs　or　his　Deputy's　seal；　that　thereafter　justice　may　be　ministered　thereuntill。〃

Whatever　truth　there　may　be　in　the　accounts　given　by　the　family　historians；　Hector　Roy　was　undoubtedly　at　this　period　possessed　of　considerable　estates　of　his　own；　for；　we　find　a　〃protocol；〃　by　John　Vass；　〃Burges　of　Dygvayll；　and　Shireff　in　this　pairt；〃　by　which　he　makes　known　　that；　by　the　command　of　his　sovereign　lord；　letters　and　process　was　　directed　to　him　as　Sheriff　granting　him　to　give　Hector　Mackenzie　heritable　　state　and　possession　〃of　all　and　syndri　the　landis　off　Gerloch　with　thar　　pertinens；　after　the　forme　and　tenor　off　our　souerane　lordis　chartyr　maide　　to　the　forsaide　Hector；〃　lying　between　the　waters　called　Inverew　and　　Torridon。　The　letter　is　dated　〃At　Alydyll　（？Talladale）　　the　xth　of　the　　moneth　off　December　the　zher　off　Gode　ane　thousande　four　hundreth　　nynte　an　four　zheris。〃　It　is　clear　that　Hector　did　not　long　continue　under　a　cloud；　for　in　　1508　the　King　directed　a　mandate　to　the　Chamberlain　of　Ross　requesting　　him　to　enter　Hector　Roy　Mackenzie　in　the　〃males　and　proffitis　of　our　　landis　of　Braane　and　Moy；　with　ariage；　　cariage　and　vther　pertinence　　thareof　。　for　his　gude　and　thankfull　service　done　and　to　be　done　to　us　。　　and　this　on　na　wise　ye　leif　vndone；　as　ye　will　incur　our　indignatioun　and　displesour。　　This　our　letrez　。　efter　the　forme　of　our　said　vther　letres　past　　obefor；　given　vnder　our　signet　at　Edinburgh　the　fift　day　of　Marche　and　of　Regne　the　twenty　yere。（Signed）　James　R。〃　　In　1513　he　received　a　charter　under　the　great　seal　of　the　lands　of　Gairloch　formerly　granted　him；　with　　Glasletter　and　Coruguellen；　with　their　pertinents。　＇The　original　charter；　the　　〃protocol〃　from　John　Vass；　the　mandate　to　the　Chamberlain　of　Ross；　for　　copies　of　which　we　are　indebted　to　Sir　Kenneth　S。　Mackenzie；　Baronet；　　are　in　the　Gaitloch　Charter　Chest；　and　the　latter　two　will　be　found　in　　extenso　in　the　account　of　the　Gairloch　family　later　on。＇　　Hector　Roy's　　conduct　towards　John　has　been　unfavourably　criticised；　but　if　it　is　kept　in　　mind　that　no　regular　marriage　ever　took　place　between　Kenneth　a　Bhlair　and　John's　mother；　Agnes　of　Lovat　that　their　union　was　not　recognised　by　　the　Church　until　1491；　if　then；　the　same　year　in　which　Kenneth　died　it　can　　easily　be　understood　why　Hector　should　conscientiously　do　what　he　　probably　held　to　be　his　duty…oppose　John　of　Killin　in　the　interest　of　those　　whom　he　considered　the　legitimate　successors　of　Kenneth　a　Bhlair　and　his　　unfortunate　son；　Kenneth　Og；　to　whom　only；　so　far　as　we　can　discover；　　Hector　Roy　was　appointed　Tutor；　for　when　his　brother；　Kenneth　a　Bhlair；　　died；　there　was　every　appearance　that　Hector's　ward；　Kenneth　Og；　would　　succeed　when　he　came　of　age。　　The　succession　of　John　of　Killin　was　at　　most　only　a　remote　possibility　when　his　father　died；　and　therefore　no　　Tutor　to　him　would　have　been　appointed。

In　terms　of　an　Act　passed　in　1496；　anent　the　education　of　young　gentlemen　of　note；　John；　when　young；　was　sent　by　Hector　Roy　to　Edinburgh　to　complete　his　education　at　Court。　　He　thus；　in　early　life；　　acquired　a　knowledge　of　legal　principles　and　practice　of　great　service　and　　value　to　him　in　after　life；　not　only　in　the　management　of　his　own　affairs；　　but　in　aiding　his　friends　and　countrymen　in　their　peculiar　difficulties　by　　his　counsel　and　guidance；　and　thus　he　secured　such　universal　esteem　and　　confidence　as　seldom　fell　to　the　lot　of　a　Highland　chief　in　that　rude　and　unruly　age。　　The　standard　of　education　necessary　at　Court　in　those　days　　must　have　been　very　different　from　that　required　in　ours；　for　we　find　that；　with　all　his　opportunities；　John　of　Killin　could　not　write　his　own　name。

To　a　bond　in　favour　of　the　Earl　of　Huntly　he　subscribes；　〃Jhone　M'Kenzie　　of　Kyntaill；　with　my　hand　on　the　pen　led　by　Master　William　Gordone；　　Notar。〃　Referring　to　the　power　of　the　House　of　Kintail　at　this　period；　and　　to　the　rapid　advance　made　by　the　family　under　Alexander　and　his　　successors；　we　quote　the　following　from　a　modern　MS。　history　of　the　　family　by　the　late　Captain　John　Matheson　of　Bennetsfield：〃We　must　　observe　here　the　rapid　advance　which　the　family　of　Kintail　made　on　every　　side。　　The　turbulent　Macdonalds；　crushed　by　the　affair　of　Park；　Munro；　　sustained　by　his　own　clan；　and　the　neighbouring　vassals　of　Ross　humbled　　at　their　own　door；　when　a　century　had　not　yet　passed　since　the　name　of　　Mackenzie　had　become　familiar　to　their　ears；　and　it　is　gratifying　to　trace　　all　this　to　the　wise　policy　of　the　first　James　and　his　successors。　　The　judicious　education　of　Alastair　Ionraic；　and　consequent　cultivation　of　　those　　habits　which；　by　identifying　the　people　with　the　monarch　through　　the　laws；　render　a　nation　securely'　great；　is　equally　discernible　in　John　of　　Killin　and　his　posterity。　　The　successors　of　the　Earls　of　Ross　were　　turbulent　and　tenacious　of　their　rights；　but　they　were　irreclaimable。

The　　youthful　Lord　of　the　Isles；　at　the　instigation　of　his　haughty　mother；　　deserted　the　Court　of　James　I。；　while　young　Kintail　remained；　sedulously　　improving　himself　at　school　in　Perth；　till　he　was　called　to　display　his　　gratitude　to　his　Royal　master　in　counteracting　the　evil　arising　from　the　　opposite　conduct　　of　Macdonald。　　　Thus；　by　one　happy　circumstance；　the　　attention　of　the　King　was　called　to　a　chieftain　who　gave　such　early　　promise　of　steady　attachment；　and　his　future　favour　was　secured。　　The　　family　of　Kintail　was　repeatedly　recognised　in　the　calendar　of　the　Scottish　　Court；　while　that　of　the　once　proud　Macdonalds　frowned　in　　disappointment　　and　barbarous　independence　amidst　their　native　wilds；　　while　their　territories；　extending　beyond　the　bounds　of　good　government　　and　　protection；　presented　　gradually　　such　defenceless　gaps　as　became　　inviting　and　easily　penetrable　by　the　intelligence　of　Mackenzie；　and　　Alastair　Ionraic　acquired　a　great　portion　of　his　estates　by　this　legitimate　advantage；　afterwards　secured　by　the　intractable　arrogance　of　Macdonald　　of　Lochalsh　and　the　valour　and　military　capacity　of　Coinneach　a　Bhlair。〃　In　1513　John　of　Killin　is　found　among　those　Highland　chiefs　　summoned　to　rendezvous　with　the　Royal　army　at　Barrow　Moor　　preparatory　to　the　fatal　advance　of　James　IV。　into　England；　when　the　　Mackenzies；　formi