第 16 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-09-29 13:02      字数:9322
  ing clans; and by their industry; blood; and  courage; have been instrumental in raising that family。〃  The writer adds that he does not know Macrae's christian name; but that he married 〃a  daughter or grand…daughter of MacBeolan; who possessed a large part of  Kintail before Mackenzie's predecessors got a right of it from Alexander  III。〃  This  marriage; and their common ancestry from a native Celtic  source; and not from 〃the same race of people in Ireland〃 seems a much  more probable explanation of the early and continued friendship which  existed between the two families than that suggested by the rev。 author of  〃The Genealogy of the Macraes;〃 above quoted。
  But the curious circumstance to which he directs attention  regarding the first five Mackenzie chiefs is quite true。  It is borne out by every genealogy of the House of Kintail which we have ever seen。 There  is not a trace of any legitimate male descendant from the first of the name  down to Alexander; the sixth baron; except the immediately succeeding  chief; so that their vassals and followers in the field and elsewhere must;  for nearly two hundred years; have been men of different septs and tribes and names; except the progeny of their own illegitimate sons; such as  〃Sliochd Mhurcbaidh Riabhaich〃 and others of similar base origin。  Murdoch married Finguala or Florence; daughter of Malcolm  Macleod; III。 of Harris and Dunvegan; by his wife; Martha; daughter of  Donald Stewart; Earl of Mar; nephew of King Robert the Bruce。  By this  marriage the Royal blood of the Bruce was introduced for the first time  into the family of Kintail; as also that of the ancient Kings of Man。
  Tormod Macleod; II。 of Harris; who was grandson of Olave the Black; last  Norwegian King of Man; and who; as we have seen; had married Christina; daughter of Ferquhard O'Beolan; Earl of Ross; married Finguala Mac Crotan; the daughter of an ancient and powerful Irish chief。   By this  lady Malcolm Macleod; III。 of Harris and Dunvegan; had issue; among  others; Finguala; who now became the wife of Murdoch Mackenzie and  mother of Alexander Ionraic; who carried on the succession of the ancient line of Kintail。
  Murdoch died in 1416 when he was succeeded by his only son;
  VI。  ALEXANDER  MACKENZIE;
  Alastair Ionraic; or Alexander the Upright; so called 〃for his righteousness。〃  He was among the Western barons summoned in 1427; to  meet King James I。 at Inverness; who; on his return from a long captivity in England; in 1424; determined to put down the rebellion and oppression  which was then and for some time previously so rampant in the Highlands。
  To judge by the poceedings of a Parliament held at Perth on the 30th  September 1426; James exhibited a foresight and appreciation of the  conduct of the lairds in those days; and passed laws which might with  good effect; and with equal propriety; be applied to the state of affairs in  our own time。  In that Parliament an Act was passed which; among other  things; ordained that; north of the Grampians; the fruit of those lands  should be expended in the country where those lands lie。  The Act is as  follows:〃It is ordanit be the King ande the Parliament that everilk lorde  hafande landis bezonde the mownthe (the Grampians) in the quhilk landis  in auld  tymes there  was  castellis;  fortalyces  and  manerplaicis; big;  reparell and reforme their castellis and maneris; and duell in thame; be  thameself; or be ane of thare frendis for the gracious gournall of thar  landis; be gude polising and to expende ye fruyt of thar landis in the  countree where thar landis lyis。〃 'Invernessiana; p。102。'
  James was determined to bring the Highlanders to submission; and Fordun relates a characteristic anecdote in which the King pointedly declared his resolution。 When the excesses in the Highlands were first  reported to him by one of his nobles; on entering Scotland; he thus  expressed himself :〃 Let God but grant me life; and there shall not be a  spot in my dominions where the key shall riot keep the castle; and the  furze bush the cow; though I myself should lead the life of a dog to  accomplish it〃; and it was in this frame of mind that he visited Inverness  in 1427; determined to establish good government and order in the North;  then in such a state of insubordination that neither life nor  property was  secure。  The principal chiefs; on his order or invitation met him; from  what motives it is impossible to determinewhether hoping for a reconciliation by prompt compliance with the Royal will; or from a dread; in case of refusal; to suffer the fate of the Southern barons who had  already fallen victims to his severity。  The order was in any case obeyed;  and all the leading chiefs repaired to meet him at the Castle of Inverness。
  As they entered the ball; however; where the Parliament was at the time  sitting; they were; one by one; by order of the King; arrested; ironed; and  imprisoned in different apartments; and debarred from having any  communications with each other; or with their followers。
  Fordun says that James displayed marks of great joy as these turbulent and haughty spirits; caught in the toils which he had prepared for  them; came voluntarily within reach of his regal power; and that be  〃caused to be arrested Alexander of the Isles; and his mother; Countess of  Ross; daughter and heiress of Sir Walter Lesley; as well as the more  notable men of the north; each of whom he wisely invited singly to the  Castle; and caused to be put in strict confinement apart。  There he also  arrested Angus Duff (Angus Dubh Mackay) with his four sons; the leader  of 4000 men from Strathnarven (Strathnaver。)  Kenneth More; with his  son…in…law; leader of two thousand men; 'All writers on the Clan  Mackenzie have hitherto claimed this Kenneth More as their Chief; and  argued from the above that Mackenzie had a following of two thousand fighting men in 1427。  It will be seen that Alexander was Chief at this  time; but Kenneth More may have been intended for MacKenneth More;  or the Great Mackenzie。  He certainly could have had no such following of his own name。' John Ross; William Lesley; Angus de Moravia; and  Macmaken; leaders of two thousand men; and also other lawless caterans  and great captains in proportion; to the number of about fifty Alexander  Makgorrie (MacGodfrey) of Garmoran; and John Macarthur (of the family  of Campbell); a great chief among his own clan; and the leader of a  thousand and more; were convicted; and being adjudged to death were  beheaded。  Then James Cambel was hanged; being accused and convicted  of the slaughter of John of the Isles (John Mor; first of the Macdonalds of  Isla。) The rest were sent here and there to the different castles of the noblemen throughout the kingdom; and were afterwards condemned to different kinds of death; and some were set at liberty。〃  Among the latter  was Alexander of Kintail。  The King sent him; then a mere youth; to the  High School at Perth; at that time the principal literary seminary in the kingdom; while the city itself was frequently the seat of the Court。
  During Kintail's absence it appears that his three bastard uncles ravaged the district of Kinlochewe; for we find them insulting and troubling 〃Mackenzie's tenants in  Kenlochewe and Kintail   Macaulay; who was still Constable in Ellandonnan; not thinking it proper to leave his  post; proposed Finlay Dubh Mac Gillechriost as the fittest person to be  sent to St。 Johnston; now Perth; and by general consent he accordingly  went to inform his young master; who was then there with the rest of the  King's ward children at school; of his lordship's tenants being imposed on  as above; which; with Finlay's remonstrance on the subject; prevailed on  Alexander; his young master; to come home; and being backed with all the assistance Finlay could command; soon brought his three bastard uncles to condign punishment。〃 'Genealogical Account of the Macraes。'
  The writer of the Ardintoul MS。 says that Finlay 〃prevailed on him to go home without letting the master of the school know of it。 Trysting with him at a certaiu place and set hour they set off; and; lest any should  surprise them; they declined the common road and went to Macdougall of  Lorn; he being acquainted with him at St。 Johnston。  Macdougall  entertained him kindly; and kept him with him for several days。  He at that  time made his acquaintance with Macdougall's daughter; whom  afterwards he married; and from thence came to his own Kintail; and  having his authority and right backed with the power of the people; he  calls his bastard uncles before him; and removes their quarters from  Kenlochewe; and gave them possessions in Glenelchaig in Kintail  prescribing measures and rule for them how to behave; assuring them;  though he pardoned them at that time; they should forfeit favours and be  severely punished if they transgressed for the future; but after this; going  to the county of Ross to their old dwelling at Kenlochewe; they turned to practice their old tricks and broke loose; so that he was forced to correct  their insolency and make them shorter by the heads; and thus the people  were quit of their trouble。〃
  The young Lord of the Isles was at the same time that Mackenzie  went