wrongfully　detained　and　withheld　from　him；　but　also　　through　occasion　thereof　still　insists　in　their　cruelty　and　inhumanity　　against　the　said　complainant；　his　kin　and　friends。　　Like　as　lately；　about　the　　end　of　July　last；　the　said　Colin　Mackenzie　Rory　Mackenzie；　and　others　aforesaid；　having　violently　taken　Donald　MacMoroch　Roy；　one　of　the　said　　complainant's　chief　kinsmen；　and　were　not　content　to　put　him　to　a　simple　　death；　but　to　bait　them　in　his　blood；　and　by　a　strange　example　to　satisfy　their　cruel　and　unnatural　hearts；　first　cut　off　his　hands；　next　his　feet；　and　　last　his　head；　and　having　cast　the　same　in　a　〃peitpott；〃　exposed　and　laid　out　his　carcase　to　be　a　prey　for　dogs　and　ravenous　beasts：　　Tending　by　　such　kind　of　dealing　to　undo　as　many　of　the　said　complainant's　friends　　and　servants　as　they　can　apprehend；　and　to　lay　waste　their　lands；　　〃rowmes；〃　and　possessions　to　the　said　complainant's　heavy　hurt　and　　skaith；　and　dangerous　example　of　wicked　persons　to　attempt　the　like；　if　　remedy　be　not　provided。〃　　In　consequence　of　this　complaint　charges　had　gone　forth　to　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　（1）；　to　have　rendered　the　said　　Castle　of　Strome　with　the　munition　and　goods　therein　to　the　complainer　or　his　representatives；　within　twenty…four　hours　after　being　charged；　under　　pain　of　rebellion。　or　else　to　have　appeared　and　shown　cause　to　the　　contrary；　（2）　to　have　appeared　and　found　sufficient　surety　in　the　Books　of　　the　Council　for　the　safety　of　the　complainer　and　his　dependants　in　persons　　and　goods；　or　else　shown　cause　to　the　contrary；　under　the　same　pain。　　And　now；　〃the　said　Angus　Mac　Angus　compeared　personally　and　the　said　　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　being　oftimes　called　and　not　compearing；　the　Lords　（1）　repeat　their　charge　for　delivery　of　the　castle　within　twenty…four　　hours；　and；　failing　obedience；　order　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　to　be　denounced　rebel　and　put　to　the　horn　and　to　escheat；　（2）　repeat　their　charge　to　the　said　　　Mackenzie　to　find　sufficient　caution　for　the　safety　of　the　complainer　and　his　dependants　in　person　and　goods；　with　order　that　if　he　fail　to　do　so　　within　fifteen　days　after　being　charged；　he　shall；　for　that　default　also；　be　　denounced　rebel　and　put　to　the　horn。〃
  On　the　2nd　of　December；　1582；　Colin　finds　caution　in　the　sum　of　　two　thousand　merks　that　he　shall　deliver　up　Strome　Castle；　Lochcarron；　to　Donald　Mac　Angus　of　Glengarry；　　in　　the　event　of　the　Privy　Council　　finding　that　he　should　do　so。
  Shortly　after　this　the　aspect　of　affairs　is　changed。　　On　the　11th　of　　January；　1582…83；　the　decree　against　Mackenzie　for　the　surrender　of　　Strome　Castle　to　Donald　Macdonald　of　Glengarry　is　reversed。　He　　petitions　the　Privy　Council　and　gives　an　entirely　different　complexion　to　the　facts　of　the　case　against　him　to　those　submitted　by　Glengarry　to　the　　Council。　　He　complains　of　Donald　Mac　Angus　for　having　〃upon　a　certain　　　sinister　and　malicious　narration〃　obtained　a　decree　against　him　charging　　him　upon　pain　of　rebellion　to　deliver　up　the　Castle　of　Strome；　and　to　　appear　before　the　Privy　Council；　on　the　4th　of　August　preceding；　to　find　　caution　that　Glengarry　and　his　friends　should　be　kept　harmless　of　him　in　　their　persons　and　goods；　and　then　makes　the　following　statement：
  The　officer；　alleged　executor　of　the　said　letters　（against　him）；　neither　charged　thc　said　Colin　personally　nor　at　his　dwelling　house；　neither　yet　came　any　such　charge　to　his　knowledge。　　Yet　he　hearing　tell　　somewhat　thereof　by　the　〃bruit〃　of　the　country；　he；　for　obedience　of　the　　same；　directed　Alexander　Mackenzie；　his　servant　and　procurator；　to　our　　Burgh　of　Perth；　where　his　Majesty　was　resident　for　the　time；　who　from　the　same　fourth　of　August；　being　the　peremptory　day　of　compearance；　as　well　　there　as　at　Ruthven；　attended　continually　upon　the　calling　of　the　said　　letters　till　the　Council　dissolved；　and　that　his　Majesty　passed　to　Dunkeld　　to　the　hunting。　　Like　as　immediately　thereafter　the　said　Alexander　repaired　　to　the　Burgh　of　Edinburgh；　where　he　likewise　awaited　a　certain　space　　thereafter　when　Council　should　have　been；　and　the　said　letters　should　have　　been　called　but　perceiving　no　number　of　Council　neither　there　nor　actually　　with　his　Majesty；　he　looked　for　no　calling　of　the　said　letters　nor　　proceeding　thereuntil；　but　that　the　same　should　have　（been）；　deserted；　　because　the　day　was　peremptory；　at　the　least　till　he　should　have　been　of　　new　warned　and　heard　in　presence　of　his　Highness　and　his　Council　to　have　　shown　a　reasonable　cause　why　no　such　letters　should　be　granted　　simpliciter　upon　the　said　Colin　to　the　effect　above…written。　　Not…withstanding　for　by　his　expectation；　he　being　resident　for　the　time　in　　Edinburgh；　where　he　looked　that　the　said　matter　should　have　been　called；　the　said　other　letters　were　upon　the　tenth　day　of　the　said　month　of　August　　last；　by　moyen　of　the　said　Donald　Mac　Angus；　called　at　the　Castle　of　　Dalkeith；　and　there；　for　the　said　Colin's　alleged　non…compearance；　as　he　is　　surely　informed；　decree　was　pronounced　in　the　said　matter　and　letters　　ordained　to　be　directed　simpliciter　against　him。〃　　Had　his　said　servant；　　then　still　in　Edinburgh；　been　made　aware　of　this　meeting　of　Council　at　　Dalkeith；　〃he　would　not　have　failed　to　have　compeared；　and　had　many　　good　and　sufficient　reasons　and　defences　to　have　staid　all　giving　of　the　　said　letters　simpliciter；〃　such　as　that　〃the　said　Colin　received　the　said　castle　and　fortalice　of　Strome　by　virtue　of　a　contract　passed　betwixt　him　and　the　said　Donald；　wherein　he　was　content　and　consented　that　the　said　　castle　should　remain　in　the　said　Colin's　hands　and　keeping　unto　the　time　　he　had　fulfilled　certain　other　articles　and　clauses　mentioned　and　contained　　in　the　same　contract；〃　also　〃that　the　said　Colin　was　charged；　by　virtue　of　　letters　passed　by　deliverance　of　the　Lords　of　Session；　to　render　and　deliver　　the　said　castle　and　fortalice　of　Strome　to　John　Grant　of　Freuchie；　as　　pertaining　to　him　in　heritage；　within　a　certain　space　after　the　charge；　under　the　said　pain　of　horning；　so　that；　he　being　doubly　charged；　he　is　uncertain　　to　whom　to　render　the　said　castle。〃　　Moreover；　for　the　satisfaction　of　the　　King　and　the　Lords　of　Council；　〃the　said　Colin　has　found　caution　to　render　　and　deliver　the　said　castle　and　fortalice　to　the　said　Donald；　if　it　shall　be　　found　by　his　Highness　and　the　said　Lords　that　he　ought　to　do　the　same。〃　　　For　these　reasons　it　is　argued　that　the　said　decree　and　letters　issued　against　　him　ought　to　be　suspended。
  Charge　having　been　made　to　the　said　Donald　Mac　Angus　to　appear　to　this　complaint　and　demand；　〃both　the　said　parties　compeared　personally；〃　and　the　Lords　after　hearing　them；　〃suspended　the　foresaid　　letters　pur　chased　by　the　said　Donald　Mac　Angus；　effect　thereof；　and　　process　of　horning　contained　therein；　and　all　that　has　followed　thereupon；　　upon　the　said　Colin　simpliciter　in　time　coming；〃　the　ground　for　this　　decision　being　that　〃the　said　Colin　has　found　security　acted　in　the　books　of　Secret　Council　that　the　said　castle　and　fortalice　of　Strome；　committed　to　him　in　keeping　by　the　King's　Majesty　and　Lords　of　Secret　Council；　　shall　be　rendered　and　delivered　again　to　such　person　or　persons　as　shall　be　　appointed　by　the　King's　Majesty　to　receive　the　same；　as　the　keepers　　thereof　shall　be　required　thereto　upon　six　days'　warning；　under　the　pain　of　　ten　thousand　merks〃　and　meanwhile；　under　the　same　pains；　that　none　of　　the　King's　subjects　shall　be　〃invaded；　troubled；　molested；　nor　persecuted；〃　　by　those　who　keep　the　castle　for　him；　or　by　others　resorting　thither。
  There　　is；　however；　this　proviso
  That；　in　case　the　said　Colin　shall　at　any　time　hereafter　sue　of　the　　King's　Majesty　to　be　disburdened　of　the　keeping　of　the　said　castle；　and　　that　some　person　may　be　appointed　to　receive　the　same　out　of　his　hands　　and　keeping　within　the　space　of　twenty　days　next　after　his　said　Suit；　which　　notwithstanding　shall　happen　to　be　refused　and　not　done　by　his　Highness　　within　the　said　space；　that　in　that　case　he　nor　his　cautioner　be　anywise　　answerable　thereafter　for　the　said　house　and　keeping　thereof；　but　to　be　　free　of　the　same；　and　these　presents　to　annul　and　to　have　no　further　force；　　effect；　nor　execution；　against　them　at　any　time　thereafter　except　that　the　　same　house　shall　happen　to　be　kept　by　the　said　Colin　or　his　servants　in　his　　name　thereafter；　for　the　which　in　that　respect　the　said　Colin　shall　always　　be　answerable　in　manner　aforesaid　and　no　otherwise。
  A　bond　of　caution　by　Mackenzie；　and　Lord　Lindsay　of　the　Byres　as　security　for　him；　for　ten　thousand　merks；　subscribed　on　the　20th　of　　January；　1582…83；　and　registered　in　the　Chanonry　of　Ross；　binds　Colin　to　　surrender　the　Castle　of　Strome　to　any　person　appointed　by　the　King　for　the　　purpose；　on　six　days'　warning　and　to　fulfil　the　other　duties　imposed　upon　him　by　the　Act　of　the　Privy　Council　dated　the　11th　of　the　same　month；　　already　given；　but　with　the　proviso　in　his　favour　contained　in　that　Act；　　which　is　repeated　at　length　in　the　bond　of　caution　of　this　date。
  In　terms　of　this　bond　the　King　and　Council　at　a　meeting　held　at　　Holyrood　on　the　8th　of　March　following　〃for　certain　causes　and　　considerations　moving　them；〃　order　letters　to　issue　charging　Mackenzie　　and　other　keepers　of　the　Castle　of　Strome　to　deliver　t