第 63 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-09-29 13:02      字数:9321
  they had taken prisoners; did their utmost to hinder the  Highlanders from fighting; cutting their bowstrings; etc。; so they were  forced to disband and dissipate。  Pluscardine; in the meantime; being  absent from them; and fearing to fall into their hands; turned back to Spey  with Kenneth of Coul; William Mackenzie of Multavie; and Captain  Alexander Bain; and swam the river; being then high by reason of the  rainy weather; and so escaped from their implacable enemies。  My Lord  Reay; Red…castle; and others were sent to Edinburgh as prisoners; as it  were to make a triumph; where a solemn day of thanksgiving was kept for  that glorious victory。  My Lord Reay and the rest were set at liberty; but  Redcastle was still kept prisoner; because when he came from home he  garrisoned his house of Redcastle; giving strict commands to those he  placed in his house not to render or give it until they had seen an order under his hand; whereupon Colonel Carr and Strachan coming to Ross;  after the defeat of Balvenny; summoned the garrison to come forth; but all  in vain; for they obstinately defended the house against the besiegers until;  on a certain day; a cousin of Carr's advancing in the ruff of his pride; with  his cocked carbine in his hand; to the very gates of the castle; bantering  and threatening those within to give up the castle under all highest pain and danger; he was shot from within and killed outright。  This did so  grieve and incense Colonel Carr; that he began fairly to capitulate with  them within; and made use of Redcastle's own friends to mediate and  persuade them; till in the end; upon promise and assurance of fair terms; and an indemnity of what passed; they came out; and then Carr and his  party kept not touches with them; but; apprehending several of them; and  finding who it was that killed his cousin; caused him to be killed; and thereafter; contrary to the promise and articles of capitulation; rifled the  house; taking away what he found useful; and then burnt the house and all that was within it。  In the meantime Redcastle was kept prisoner at  Edinburgh; none of his friends being in a condition to plead for him; till  Ross of Bridly; his uncle by his mother; went south; and being in great  favour with Argyll; obtained Redcastle's liberation upon payment of 7000  merks fine。〃 'Ardintoul MS。'
  While these proceedings were taking place in the Highlands;  Seaforth was in Holland at the exiled Court of Charles II。; and when  Montrose arrived there Seaforth earnestly supported him in urging on the  King the bold and desperate policy of throwing himself on the loyalty of  his Scottish subjects; and in strongly protesting against the acceptance by  his Majesty and his friends of the arrogant and humiliating demand made  by the commissioners sent over to treat with him by the Scottish faction。    It is difficult to say whether Seaforth's zeal for his Royal master or the  safety of his own person influenced him most during the remainder of his  life; but whatever the cause; he adhered steadfastly to the exiled monarch to the end of a life which; in whatever light it may be viewed; cannot be commended as a good example to others。  Such vacillating and time…serving conduct ended in the only manner which it deserved。 He might  have been admired for taking a consistent part on either side; but with Earl  George self…preservation and interest appear to have been the only  governing principles throughout the whole of this trying period of his  country's history。  The Earl of Cromarty thought differently; and says that  〃this George; being a nobleman of excellent qualifications; shared the  fortune of his Prince; King Charles I。; for whom he suffered all the  calamities in his estate that envious or malicious enemies could inflict。    He was made secretary to King Charles II。 in Holland; but died in that banishment before he saw an end of his King and his country's calamities  or of his own injuries。〃  We have seen that his conduct was by no means  steadfast in support of Charles; and it may now be safely asserted that his  calamities were due more to his own indecision and accommodating  character than to any other cause。 Earl George married early in life; Barbara; daughter of Arthur Lord Forbes (sasine to her in 1637) with issue
  I。  Kenneth Mor; his heir and successor。
  II。  Colin; who has a sasine in 1648; but died young and unmarried。
  III。  George of Kildun; who married; first; Mary daughter of Skene of Skene; with issue(1) Kenneth; who went abroad and was no more heard of;  (2) Isobel; and several others who died young。  He married;  secondly; Margaret; daughter of Urquhart of Craighouse; with issue  Colin of Kildun and several other children of whom no trace can be found。  All his descendants are said to be extinct。
  IV。  Colin; who has a sasine of Kinachulladrum in 1721; as 〃only child now in life; and heir of his brother Roderick。〃  He married Jean;  daughter of Robert Laurie; Dean of Edinburgh; with issue(1) Captain  Robert Mackenzie; killed in Flanders; without issue; Colin married;  secondly; Lady Herbertshire; with  issue; (2) Dr George Mackenzie; who;  in 1708; wrote a manuscript History of the Fitzgeralds and Mackenzies;  frequently quoted in this work; and Lives of Eminent Scotsmen。  He; with  his father sold the estate of Kinachulladrum to Roderick Mackenzie; IV。  of Applecross; in 1721; and died without issue。 (3) Barbara; who married  Patrick Oliphant。
  V。  Roderick; I。 of Kinachulladrum; who married; first; Anna; daughter of Ogilvie of Glencairn; in 1668 (sasine 1670); with issue(1) Alexander; II。 of Kinachulladrum; who married Anne; daughter of  Alexander Mackenzie; III。 of Applecross (marriage contract 1707); with  issueAnne; his only child alive in  1766; (2) Kenneth; who died without  issue; and two daughters。  Roderick married; secondly; Catherine  Scougall; daughter of the Bishop of Aberdeen; with issue; all of whom  died young。
  VI。  Jean; who married; first; John Earl of Mar; with issue; and; secondly; Lord Fraser。
  VII。  Margaret; who married Sir William Sinclair of Mey; with issue。
  VIII。  Barbara; who married Sir John Urquhart of Cromarty。
  IX。  John; first of Gruinard; a natural son whose illegitimacy is fully established in the chapter dealing with the Chiefship of the clan。  When his Lordship received the news of the disastrous defeat of  the King's forces at Worcester he fell into a profound melancholy and  died in 1651; at Schiedam in Hollandwhere he had lived in exile since  the beginning of January; 1649in the forty…third year of his age。  He was  succeeded by his eldest son;
  XV。  KENNETH  MOR;  THIRD  EARL  OF  SEAFORTH;
  Kenneth was born at Brahan Castle in 1635; and when he was five or six  years old his father placed him under the care of the Rev。 Farquhar  Macrae; minister of Kintail; and constable of Ellandonnan Castle; who  had a seminary in his house which was attended by the sons of the  neighbouring gentry; who kept young Kintail company。 One of the  manuscript historians of the family; referring to this practical early  training of his Lordship; says〃This might be thought a preposterous and  wrong way to educate a nobleman; but they who would consider where the  most of his interest lay; and how he was among his people; followers; and dependants; on which the family was still valued; perhaps will not think  so; for by this the young lord had several advantages; first; by the  wholesome; though not delicate or too palatable diet he prescribed to him and used him with; he began to have a wholesome complexion; so nimble and strong; that he was able to endure Stress and fatigue; labour and  travel; which proved very useful to him in his after life; secondly; he did  not only learn the language but became thoroughly acquainted with and  learned the genius of his several tribes or clans of his Highlanders; so that  afterwards he was reputed to be the fittest chief or chieftain of all  superiors in the Highlands and Isles of Scotland; and thirdly; the early  impressions of being among them; and acquaint with the bounds; made  him delight and take pleasure to be often among them and to know their circumstances; which indeed was his interest and part of their happiness; so that it was better to give him that first step of education than that which  would make him a stranger at home; both as to his people; estate; and  condition but when he was taken from Mr Farquhar to a public school; he  gave great evidence of his abilities and inclination for learning; and being  sent in the year 1651 to the King's College at Aberdeen; under the  discipline of Mr Patrick Sandylands; before he was well settled or made  any progress in his studies King Charles II。; after his army had been defeated at Dunbar the year before; being then at Stirling recruiting and making up his army; with which he was resolved to march into England;  the young laird was called home in his father's absence; who was left in  Holland (as already described); to raise his men for the King's service; and  so went straight to Kintail with the particular persons of his name; viz。; the  Lairds of Pluscardine and Lochslinn; his uncles; young Tarbat; Rory of  Davochmaluag; Kenneth of Coul; Hector of Fairburn; and