history of the mackenzies-第23部分

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writer　makes　any　mention　and　neither　in　Sir　　Robert　Gordon's　Earldom　of　Sutherland；　in　the　Earl　of　Cromartie　or　other　　MS。　Histories　of　the　Mackenzies；　nor　in　Brown's　History　of　the　Highland　　Clans；　is　there　any　mention　made　of　his　having　been　killed；　though　they　　all　refer　to　the　distinguished　part　be　took　in　the　battle。　　He　was；　however；　　seriously　wounded。

The　morning　after　the　battle　Kenneth；　fearing　that　the　few　of　the　Macdonalds　who　escaped　might　rally　among　the　hills　and　commit　cruelties　and　robberies　on　those　of　his　people　whom　they　might　come　across；　marched　to　Strathconan；　where　he　found；　as　he　had　expected；　that　　about　three　hundred　of　the　enemy　had　rallied；　and　were　destroying　　everything　they　had　passed　over　in　their　eastward　march　before　the　battle。

As　soon；　however；　as　they　noticed　him　in　pursuit　they　took　to　their　heels；　　but　they　were　overtaken　and　all　killed　or　made　prisoners。

Kenneth　then　　returned　to　Kinellan；　carrying　with　him　Alexander　Macdonald　of　Lochalsh；　whom　he　had　taken　prisoner；　in　triumph。　　His　aged　father；　Alastair　Ionraic；　had　now　returned　from　the　Raven's　Rock；　　and　warmly　congratulated　his　valiant　son　upon　his　splendid　victory；　　adding；　however；　with　significant　emphasis；　that　he　feared　they　made　two　　days　work　of　one；〃　since；　by　sparing　Macdonald；　who　was　also　a　prisoner；　　and　his　apparent　heir；　they　preserved　the　lives　of　those　who　might　yet　give　　them　trouble。　　But　Kenneth；　though　a　lion　in　the　field；　could　not；　from　any　　such　prudential　consideration；　be　induced　to　commit　such　a　cowardly　and　　inhuman　act　as　was　here　inferred。　　He；　however；　had　no　great　faith　in　the　forbearance　of　his　followers　if　an　opportunity　occurred　to　them；　and　he　　accordingly　sent　Macdonald；　under　a　strong　guard；　to　Lord　Lovat；　to　be　　kept　by　him　in　safety　until　he　should　advise　him　how　to　dispose　of　him。

He　kept　Alexander　of　Lochalsh　with　himself；　but；　contrary　to　the　expectations　of　their　friends；　he；　on　the　intercession　of　old　Macdonald；　　released　them　both　within　six　months；　having　first　bound　them　by　oath　　and　honour　never　to　molest　him　or　his；　and　never　again　to　claim　any　right　to　the　Earldom　of　Ross；　which　the　Lord　of　the　Isles　had　in　1475　forfeited　to　the　Crown。

Many　of　the　Macdonalds　and　their　followers　who　escaped　from　the　field　of　battle　perished　in　the　River　Conon。　　Flying　from　the　close　pursuit　　of　the　victorious　Mackenzies；　they　took　the　river；　which　in　some　parts　was　　very　deep；　wherever　they　came　up　to　it；　and　were　drowned。　　Rushing　to　　cross　at　Moy；　they　met　an　old　womanstill　smarting　under　the　insults　and　　spoliations　inflicted　on　her　and　her　neighbours　by　the　Macdonalds　on　their　　way　northand　asked　her　where　was　the　best　ford　on　the　river。　　〃O！　　ghaolaich；〃　she　answered；　〃is　aon　ath　an　abhuinn；　ged　tha　i　dubh；　cha　‘n　　eil　i　domhain；〃　（Oh！　dear；　the　river　is　all　one　ford　together；　though　it　looks　　black；　it　is　not　deep）。　　In　their　pitiful　plight；　and　on　the　strength　of　this　　misleading　information；　they　rushed　into　the　water　in　hundreds；　and　were　　immediately　carried　away　by　the　stream；　many　of　them　clutching　at　the　　shrubs　and　bushes　which　overhung　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　crying　　loudly　for　assistance。　　This　amazon　and　a　number　of　her　sex　who　were　　near　at　hand　had　meanwhile　　procured　their　sickles；　and　now　exerted　　themselves　in　cutting　away　the　bushes　to　which　the　wretched　Macdonalds　　clung　with　a　death　grasp；　the　old　woman　exclaiming　in　each　case；　as　she　　applied　her　sickle；　〃As　you　have　taken　so　much　　already　which　did　not　　belong　to　you；　my　friend；　you　can　take　that　into　the　　bargain。　　The　　　instrument　of　the　old　woman's　revenge　has　been　for　many　generations；　　and　still　is　by　very　old　people　in　the　district；　called　〃Cailleach　na　Maigb；〃　　or　the　Old　Wife　of　Moy。

The　Mackenzies　then　proceeded　to　ravage　the　lands　of　　Ardmeanach　and　those　belonging　to　William　Munro　of　Fowlisthe　　former　because　the　young　laird　of　Kilravock；　whose　father　was　governor　　of　that　district；　had　assisted　the　Macdonalds；　the　latter　probably　because　Munro；　who　joined　neither　party；　was　suspected　secretly　of　favouring　Lochalsh。　　So　many　excesses　were　committed　at　this　time　by　the　Mackenzies　that　the　Earl　of　Huntly；　Lieutenant　of　the　North；　was　compelled；　notwithstanding　their　services　in　repelling　the　invasion　of　the　　Macdonalds；　to　proceed　against　them　as　oppressors　of　the　lieges。　　＇Gregory；　p。　57。　　Kilravock　Writs；　p。170；　and　Acts　of　Council。＇

A　blacksmith；　known　as　Glaishean　Gow　or　〃Gobha；〃　one　of　　Lovat's　people；　in　whose　father's　house　Agnes　Fraser；　Mackenzie's　wife；　　was　fostered；　hearing　of　the　advance　of　the　Macdonalds　to　the　Mackenzie　territory；　started　with　a　few　followers　in　the　direction　of　Conan；　but　　arrived　too　late　to　take　part　in　the　fight。　　They　were；　however；　in　time　to　　meet　those　few　who　managed　to　ford　or　swim　the　river；　and　killed　every　　one　of　them　so　that　they　found　an　opportunity　〃to　do　more　service　than　if

they　had　been　at　the　battle。〃

This　insurrection　cost　the　Macdonalds　the　Lordship　of　the　Isles；　as　　others　had　previously　cost　them　the　Earldom　of　Ross。　　In　a　Parliament　　held　in　Edinburgh　in　1493；　the　possessions　of　the　Lord　of　the　Isles　were　　declared　forfeited　to　the　Crown。　　In　the　following　January　the　aged　Earl　　appeared　before　King　James　IV。；　and　made　a　voluntary　surrender　of　　everything；　after　which　he　remained　for　several　years　in　the　King's　　household　as　a　Court　pensioner。　By　Act　of　the　Lords　of　Council　in　1492　　Alexander　Urquhart；　Sheriff　of　Cromarty；　had　obtained　restitution　for　　himself　and　his　tenants　for　the　depredations　committed　by　Macdonald　and　　his　followers。　According　to　the　Kilravock　Papers；　p。　162；　the　spoil　　amounted　to　600　cows　and　oxen；　each　worth　13s　4d；　80　horses；　each　worth　　26s　8d；　1000　sheep；　each　worth　2s；　200　swine；　each　worth　3s；　with　plenishing　to　the　value　of　？00　and　also　500　bolls　of　victual　and　？00　of　the　mails　of　the　Sheriff's　lands。

The　　Earl　of　Cromarty　says　of　Kenneth；　〃that　he　raised　great　fears　　in　his　neighbours　by　his　temper　and　power；　by　which　he　had　overturned　so　　great　ane　interest　as　that　of　Macdonald；　yet　it　appearit　that　he　did　not　　proceid　to　such　attemptts　but　on　just　resentments　and　rationall　grounds；　　for　dureing　his　lyfe　he　not　only　protected　the　country　by　his　power；　but　he　　caryed　so　that　non　was　esteemed　a　better　neighbour　to　his　friends　nor　a　　juster　maister　to　his　dependers。　　In　that　one　thing　of　his　caryadge　to　his　first　wife　he　is　justly　reprowable；　in　all　things　else　he　merits　justly　to　be　　numbered　amongst　the　best　of　our　Scots　patriots。〃　The　same　writer　　continues　〃The　fight　at　Blairnapark　put　Mackenzie　in　great　respect　　through　all　the　North。　　The　Earl　of　Huntly；　George；　who　was　the　second　　Earle；　did　contract　a　friendship　with　him；　and　when　he　was　imployed　by　　King　James　3d　to　assist　him　against　the　conspirators　in　the　South；　Kenneth　　came　with　500　men　to　him　in　summer　1488；　but　erre　they　came　the　　lengthe　of　Perth；　Mackenzie　had　nottice　of　his　father　Alexander's　death；　　whereupon　Huntly　caused　him　retire　to　ordor　his　affaires；　least　his　old　enemies　might　tack　advantage　of　such　a　change；　and　Huntly　judgeing　that　　they　were　rather　too　numberous　than　weak　for　the　conspirators；　by　which　　occasion　he　（Kenneth）　was　absent　from　that　vnfortunat　battle　wher　King　　James　3d　wes　kild；　yet　evir　after　this；　Earl　George；　and　his　son　Alexander；　　the　3d　Earl　of　Huntly；　keipt　a　great　kyndness　to　Kenneth　and　his　　successors。　　From　the　yeir　1489　the　kingdom　vnder　King　James　4d　wes　at　　great　peace；　and　thereby　Mackenzie　toock　opportunity　to　setle　his　privat　　affaires；　which　for　many　yeirs　　befor；　yea　severall　ages；　had　bein　almost　still　disturbed　by　the　Earls　of　Ross　and　Lords　of　the　Illes；　and　so　he　lived　　in　peace　and　good　correspondences　with　his　neighbours　till　the　yeir　1491；　for　in　the　moneth　of　February　that　yeir　he　died　and　wes　buried　at　Bewlie。

All　his　predecessors　wer　buried　at　Icolmkill　（except　his　father）；　as　wer　　most　of　the　considerable　chieffs　in　the　Highlands。　　But　this　Kenneth；　after　　his　marriage；　keipt　frequent　devotiones　with　the　Convent　of　Bewlie；　and　at　　his　owin　desyre　wes　buried　ther；　in　the　ille　on　the　north　syd　of　the　alter；　　which　wes　built　by　himselfe　in　his　lyftyme　or　he　died；　after　that　he　done　pennance　for　his　irregular　marieing　or　Lovit's　daughter。　　He　procured　recommendationes　from　Thomas　Hay　（his　lady's　uncle）；　Bishop　of　Ross；　to　Pope　Alexander　the　6；　from　whom　he　procured　a　legittmatione　of　all　the　cheildrein　of　the　mariadge；　daited　apud　St　Petri；　papatus　nostri　primo；　　anno　Cristiano　1491。〃

Bishop　Hay　strongly　impressed　upon　Mackenzie　the　propriety　of　　getting　his　marriage　with　Agnes　of　Lovat　legitimized；　and　to　send　for　a　commission　to　the　Pope　for　that　purpose。　　Donald　Dubh　MacChreggir；　priest　of　Kirkhill；　was　despatched　to　Rome　with　that　object；　and；　according　to　several　of　the　family　manuscripts；　procured　the　legitimation　of　the　marriage。　　〃This　priest　was　a　native　of　Kintail；　descended　from　a　　clan　there　called　Clan　Chreggir；　who；　being　a　hopefull　boy　in　his　younger　days；　was　educat　in　Mackenzie's　house；　and　afterwards　at　Beullie　be　the　　forementioned　Dugall　Mackenzie；　pryor　yrof。　　In　end　he　was　made　priest　　of　Kirkhill。　　His　successors　to　this　day　are　called　Frasers。　　Of　this　priest