history of the mackenzies-第66部分

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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　their　own　business。〃　On　the　28th　of　the　same　month　his　Lordship　writes　to　inform　the　　President　that　the　Earl　of　Cromarty　and　his　son；　Macculloch　of　　Glastullich；　and　Ardloch's　brother；　came　to　Brahan　Castle　on　the　previous　Friday；　that　it　was　the　most　unexpected　visit　he　had　received　for　some　　time；　that　he　did　not　like　to　turn　them　out；　that　Cromarty　was　pensive　and　　dull；　but　that　if　he　had　known　what　he　knew　at　the　date　of　writing　he　　would　have　made　them　prisoners；　for　Lord　Macleod　went　since　to　　Lochbroom　and　Assynt　to　raise　men。　　He　enclosed　for　the　President's　use　　the　names　of　the　officers　appointed　to　the　two　Mackenzie　companies；　and　　intimated　that　he　offered　the　commission　to　both　Coul　and　Redcastle；　but　that　both　refused　it。　　It　was　from　Coul's　house；　he　says；　that　Lord　Macleod　　started　for　the　North；　and　that　vexed　him。　　On　the　same　day　Forbes　　acknowledges　receipt　of　this　letter；　and　requests　that　the　officers　in　the　　two　companies　should　be　appointed　according　to　Mackenzie's　recommedations；　〃without　any　further　consideration　than　that　you　judge　it　　right；〃　and　he　desires　to　see　Sir　Alexander　of　Fairburn　for　an　hour　next　　day　to　carry　a　proposal　to　his　Lordship　for　future　operations。　　〃I　think；〃　he　　adds；　〃it　would　be　right　to　assemble　still　more　men　about　Brahan　than　you　now　have；　the　expense　shall　be　made　good　and　it　will　tend　to　make　　Caberfey　respectable；　and　to　discourage　folly　among　your　neighbours。〃　　In　a　letter　of　6th　November　the　President　says；　〃I　supposed　that　your　　Lordship　was　to　have　marched　Hilton's　company　into　town　（Inverness）　on　　Monday　or　Tuesday；　but　I　dare　say　there　is　a　good　reason　why　it　has　not　been　done。〃

On　the　8th　of　November　Mackenzie　informs　the　Lord　President　　that　the　Earl　of　Cromarty　had　crossed　the　river　at　Contin；　with　about　a　hundred　men　on　his　way　to　Beauly；　〃owing　to　the　neglect　of　my　spies；　as　　there's　rogues　of　all　professions。〃　　Lord　　Macleod；　Cromarty's　son　came　　from　Assynt　and　Lochbroom　the　same　day；　and　followed　his　father　to　the　　rendezvous；　　but　after　traversing　the　whole　of　that　northern　district　he　did　　not　get　a　single　volunteer。　　〃Not　a　man　started　from　Ross…shire；　except　　William；　Kilcoy's　brother；　with　seven　men；　and　a　tenant　of　Redcastle　with　a　few　more　and　if　Lentran　and　Torridon　did　go　off　last　night；　they　did　not　　carry　between　them　a　score　of　men。　　I　took　a　ride　yesterday　to　the　　westward　with　two　hundred　men；　but　find　the　bounds　so　rugged　that　it's　　impossible　to　keep　a　single　man　from　going　by　if　he　has　a　mind。　　　However；　I　threatened　to　burn　their　cornyards　if　anybody　was　from　home　　this　day；　and　I　turned　one　house　into　the　river　for　not　finding　its　master　at　　home。　　It's　hard　the　Government　gives　nobody　in　the　North　power　to　keep　　people　in　order。　　I　don't　choose　to　send　a　company　to　Inverness　until　I　hear　　what　they　are　determined　to　do　at　Lord　Lovat's。〃　The　Earl　of　Loudon　writes　to　Marshal　Wade；　then　Commander…in…Chief　in　the　North；　under　date　of　16th　November；　saying　that　150　or　160　　Mackenzies；　seduced　by　the　Earl　of　Cromarty；　marched　in　the　beginning　　of　that　week　up　the　north　side　of　Loch…Ness；　expecting　to　be　followed　by　　500　or　600　Frasers；　under　command　of　the　Master　of　Lovat；　but　the　　Mackenzies　had　not　on　that　date　passed　the　mountains。　　On　the　16th　of　　December　Fortrose　writes　asking　for　？00　expended　by　him　during　two　　months　on　his　men　going　to　and　coming　from　the　Highlands；　for　which　he　　would　not　trouble　him　only　that　he　bad　a　very　〃melancholy　appearance〃　of　　getting　his　Martinmas　rent；　as　the　people　would　be　glad　of　any　excuse　for　non…payment；　and　the　last　severe　winter；　and　their　having　to　leave　home；　　would　afford　them　a　very　good　one。　　He　was　told　by　the　President　in　reply；　that　his　letter　had　been　submitted　to　Lord　Loudon；　that　both　of　them　　agreed　that　his　Lordship's　expenses　must　have　been　far　greater　than　what　　he　claimed；　〃but　as　cash　is　very　low　with　us　at　present；　all　we　can　possibly　　do　is　to　let　your　Lordship　have　the　pay　of　the　two　companies　from　the　date　　of　the　letter　signifying　that　they　were　ordered　to　remain　at　Br