him　at　such　times；　days；　and　places；　as　he　shall　　please　appoint；　as　they　and　each　one　of　them　will　answer　upon　their　　obedience　at　their　highest　peril。　This　commission　for　the　space　of　two　　years　after　the　date　hereof；　without　revocation；　to　endure。
  Soon　after　this；　Neil　apprehended　a　crew　of　English　pirates　who　had　been　carrying　on　their　nefarious　traffic　among　the　fishermen　from　the　South　and　other　places　who　frequented　the　prolific　fishing　banks；　by　　which；　then　as　now；　the　island　was　surrounded。　　This　meritorious　public　　service　secured　some　consideration　for　him　at　Court；　as　appears　from　the　　following　letter　addressed　to　Lord　Kintail　under　date　of　29th　August；　1610
  After　our　very　hearty　commendations　to　your　good　Lordship：　　Whereas　Neil　Macleod　in　the　Lewis　has　of　late　done　some　good　service　to　　his　Majesty　and　the　country　by　the　taking　and　apprehension　of　certain　English　pirates　upon　the　coast　of　the　Lewis；　common　enemies　to　all　lawful　traffic；　whereby　he　has　merited　his　Majesty's　grace　and　pardon　in　some　　measure　to　be　shown　unto　him；　and　he　having　made　promise　and　　condition　for　delivery　of　the　pirates　and　their　ships　to　such　persons　as　shall　　be　directed　by　us　to　receive　them　we　have　thereupon　given　an　assurance　to　him　to　come　here　to　us　and　to　remain　at　his　pleasure　until　Whitsunday　　next；　that　some　good　course　may　be　taken　for　settling　him　in　quietness；　　and　in　this　meantime　we　have　promised　that　all　hostility　and　persuit　of　　him　and　his　followers　shall　rest　and　cease　until　the　said　term；　and　also　that　　we　shall　deal　and　trouble　with　your　Lordship　for　some　reasonable　ease　and　condition　to　be　given　to　him　and　his　followers；　all　tenants　to　your　Lordship　　of　the　lands　and　possessions　claimed　by　them。　　And；　we　being　careful　that　our　word　and　promise　made　and　given　hereupon　shall　be　effectual　and　　valid　we　have　therefore　thought　meet　to　acquaint　your　Lordship　therewith；　requesting　your　Lordship　to　forbear　all　persuit；　trouble；　and　invasion　of　the　　said　Neil　and　his　followers　until　the　said　term；　and　that　your　Lordship　will　　take　some　such　course　with　them　as　upon　reasonable　conditions　they　may　　be　received　and　acknowledged　by　your　Lordship　as　tenants　of　those　lands　　claimed　by　them。　　Wherein　looking　to　find　your　Lordship　conformable；　we　　commit　you　to　God。
  Neil　does　not　then　appear　to　have　gone　to　Edinburgh；　but　he　gave　up　the　pirate；　the　captain；　and　ten　of　her　crew　to　Patrick　Grieve；　a　burgess　　of　Burntisland；　who；　on　the　10th　of　September；　received　a　commission　〃to　　sail　with　a　hired　ship〃　to　the　Lewis　for　that　purpose。　　On　the　10th　of　　October；　Macleod　writes　to　the　Council　acknowledging　receipt；　〃from　this　　bearer；　Patrick　Grieve；〃　of　their　Lordships'　order　upon　him　to　deliver　up　the　pirate　and　all　her　belongings。
  On　the　19th　of　July；　the　same　day　on　which　the　Commission　　against　Neil　Macleod　was　granted　to　Lord　Kintail；　the　Council　〃being　careful　that　the　present　peace　and　quietness　in　the　Isles　shall　be　fostered；　　kept；　and　entertained；　and　all　such　occasions　removed　and　taken　away　　whereby　any　new　disorder；　trouble；　or　misrule　may　be　reinstated　within　　the　same；　has　therefore　thought　meet　that　Rory　Macleod；　son　to　the　late　　Torquil　Dubh　Macleod；　who　has　been　this　long　time　in　the　keeping　of　　Donald　Gorm　of　Sleat；　and　（Torquil）　Macleod；　another　of　the　said　late　　Torquil's　sons；　who　has　been　this　long　time　in　keeping　of　Rory　Macleod　　of　Harris；　shall　be　delivered　to　Kenneth　Lord　Kintail；　to　be　kept　by　him　　until　the　said　　Lord　take　order　with　them　for　their　obedience。〃　　Charges　are　　thereupon　made　upon　the　chiefs　of　Sleat　and　Harris　〃to　bring；　present；　and　　deliver〃　Torquil　Dubh's　two　sons；　〃in　their　keeping；〃　to　the　Mackenzie　　chief；　to　be　kept　by　him　until　such　order　is　taken　for　their　good　behaviour。
  They　are　to　be　delivered　within　thirty　days；　under　the　usual　pains　of　　rebellion　and　horning。
  He　is　one　of　the　Commissioners　of　the　Peace　appointed　by　the　　King　on　the　6th　of　November；　in　1610；　in　terms　of　a　newly…passed　Act　of　Parliament；　for　Inverness…shire　（including　Ross）　and　Cromarty；　his　colleagues　from　among　the　clan　for　these　counties　being　Roderick　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle；　Roderick　Mackenzie　of　Coigeach；　and　John　Mackenzie　of　Gairloch。　　He　was　at　the　same　time　appointed　in　a　similar　　capacity　for　Elgin；　Forres；　and　Nairn。
  Mackenzie　had　for　some　time　kept　Tormod　Macleod；　the　lawful　　brother　of　Torquil　Dubh；　a　prisoner；　but　he　now　released　him；　correctly　premising　that　on　his　appearance　in　the　Lewis　all　the　islanders　would　rise　　in　his　favour。　　In　the　meantime；　early　in　1600；　Murdoch　Dubh　was　taken　　by　the　Fife　Adventurers　to　St　Andrews；　and　there　put　to　death；　but　at　his　execution　he　revealed；　in　his　confession；　the　designs　of　Mackenzie；　who　　was　in　　consequence　apprehended　and　committed　to　Edinburgh　Castle；　　from　which；　however；　he　contrived　to　escape　without　trial；　through　his　　influence　with　the　Lord　Chancellor。
  There　is　an　entry　in　the　Records　of　the　Privy　Council　under　date　of　　15th　August；　1599；　which　shows　that　Kintail　must　at　an　earlier　date　have　　been　confined　in　Edinburgh　Castle；　for　some　previous　offence；　for　〃it　　having　pleased　the　King　to　suffer　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　to　repair　　furth　of　the　Castle　of　Edinburgh　for　four　or　five　miles；　when　he　shall　think　　expedient；　for　repose；　health；　and　recreation〃　on　caution　being　given　by　　himself　as　principal；　and　Robert　Lord　Seton　as　surety；　that　he　shall　re…enter　the　Castle　every　night；　under　pain　of　ten　thousand　merks。　　The　bond　is　signed　on　the　same　date；　and　is　deleted　by　warrant　signed　by　the　King；　and　the　Treasurer；　on　the　25th　of　September　following。
  After　various　battles　had　been　fought　between　the　brothers；　the　Adventurers　returned　in　strong　force　to　the　island；　armed　with　a　commission　of　fire　and　sword；　and　all　the　Government　power　at　their　back；　against　Tormod。　　The　fight　between　the　combatants　continued　with　　varied　success　and　failure　on　either　side；　the　Adventurers　again　　relinquished　their　settlement；　and　returned　to　Fife　to　bewail　their　losses；　　having　solemnly　promised　never　again　to　return　to　the　Island　or　molest　　Mackenzie　and　his　friends。
  Kintail　now；　in　virtue　of　Torquil　Cononach's　resignation　in　his　favour；　obtained　a　gift；　under　the　Great　Seal；　of　the　Lewis　for　himself　　through　the　influence　of　the　Lord　Chancellor。　　This　he　had；　however；　　ultimately　to　resign　into　the　hands　of　the　King；　and　his　Majesty；　in　1608；　　vested　these　rights　in　the　persons　of　Lord　Balmerino；　Sir　George　Hay；　and　Sir　James　Spence；　of　Wormistoun；　who　undertook　the　colonisation　of　the　　island。　　For　this　purpose　they　made　great　preparations；　and；　assisted　by　the　　neighbouring　tribes；　invaded　the　Lewis　for　the　double　purpose　of　planting　a　colony　in　it　and　of　subduing　and　apprehending　Neil　Macleod；　who　now　　alone　defended　it。　　Mackenzie　dispatched　his　brother　Roderick；　and　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Coul；　with　a　party　of　followers　numbering　400；　　ostensibly　to　aid　the　colonists　now　acting　under　the　King's　commission　to　whom　he　promised　active　friendship。　　At　the　same　time　he　despatched　a　　vessel　from　Ross　loaded　with　provisions；　but　privately　sent　word　to　Neil　　Macleod　to　intercept　her　on　the　way；　so　that　the　settlers；　being　　disappointed　of　their　supply　of　the　provisions　to　which　they　trusted　　for　maintenance；　　should　　be　obliged　　to　abandon　the　island　for　want　of　the　　necessaries　of　life。　Matters　turned　out　exactly　as　Kintail　anticipated。
  Sir　　George　Hay　and　Sir　James　Spence　（Lord　Balmerino　having　meanwhile　been　convicted　of　high　treason；　and　forfeited）　abandoned　the　Lewis；　leaving　a　party　behind　them　to　hold　the　garrison；　and　intending　to　send　a　fresh　supply　of　men　and　provisions　back　to　the　island　on　their　arrival　in　Fife。　　But　Neil　Macleod　and　his　followers　took　and　burnt　the　fort；　　apprehended　its　defenders；　and　sent　them　safely　to　their　homes　〃on　giving　their　oath　that　they　would　never　come　on　that　pretence　again；　which　they　　never　did。〃　　Finding　this；　the　Adventurers　gave　up　all　hope　of　establishing　　themselves　in　the　island；　and　sold　their　acquired　rights　therein；　as　also　their　share　of　the　forfeited　districts　of　Troternish　and　Waternish　in　Skye；　to　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　who　at　the　same　time　obtained　a　grant　　from　the　King　of　Balmerino's　forfeited　share　of　the　Lewis；　thus　finally　　acquiring　what　he　had　so　long　and　so　anxiously　desired。　　In　addition　to　a　fixed　sum　of　money；　Mackenzie　granted　the　Adventurers　〃a　lease　of　the　　woods　of　Letterewe；　where　there　was　an　iron　mine；　which　they　wrought　by　　English　miners；　casting　guns　and　other　implements　till　their　fuel　was　　exhausted　and　their　lease　expired。〃　　The　King　confirmed　this　agreement；　　and　〃to　encourage　Kintail　and　his　brother　Roderick　in　their　work　of　　civilizing　the　people　of　the　Lewis；〃　he　elevated　the　former　to　the　peerage　　as　Lord　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　on　the　19th　of　November；　1609；　at　the　same　　time　conferring　the　honour　of　knighthood　on　his　brother；　Roderick　Mor　　Mackenzie　of　Coigeach。
  Referring　to　this　period　Mr　Fraser…Tytler；　in　his　History　of　　Scotland；　says〃So　dreadful　indeed　was　now　the　state　of　those　portions　of　his　（the　King's）　dominions；　that；　to　prevent　an　utter　dissevering　from　　the　　Scottish　crown；　something　must　be　done；　and　many　were　the　projects　　su