第 69 节
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西门在线 更新:2021-09-29 13:02 字数:9322
g the Royal troops in the rear and it is said of him that having more zeal than prudence he attacked the rear of the enemy's column before they had become engaged in front his small party was routed; and the intention of placing the King's troops between two fires was thus defeated。 'A Statistical Account of Glenshiel; by the Rev。 John Macrae; who gives a minute description of the scenes of the battle; and informs us that in constructing the parliamentary road which runs through the Glen a few years before he wrote; several bullets and pieces of musket barrels were found and the green mounds which covered the graves of the slain; and the ruins of a rude breast…work which the Highlanders constructed on the crest of the hill to cover their position still marked the scene of the conflict。' General Wightman sent a detachment to Ellandonnan Castle; which he ordered to be blown up and demolished。 General Wightman advanced from the Highland Capital by Loch…Ness and a recent writer pertinently asks; 〃Why he was allowed to pass by such a route without opposition? It is alleged that Marischal and Tullibardine had interrupted the movements of the invaders by ill timed altercations about command; but we are provoked to observe that some extraordinary interposition seems evident to frustrate every scheme towards forwarding the cause of the ill…fated house of Stuart。 Had the Chevalier St George arrived earlier; as he might have done; had William Earl of Seaforth joined the Earl of Mar some time before; as he ought to have done; and strengthened as Mar would then have been; had he boldly advanced on Stirling; as it appears he would have done; Argyll's force would have been annihilated; and James VIII。 proclaimed at the Cross of Edinburgh。 Well did the brave Highlanders indignantly demand; ‘What did you call us to arms for? Was it to run away? What did our own King come for? Was it to see us butchered by hangmen?' There was a fatuity that accompanied all their undertakings which neutralised intrepidity; devotedness; and bravery which the annals of no other people can exhibit; and paltry jealousies which stultified exertions; which; independently of political results; astonished Europe at large。〃 'Bennetsfield MS。'
An Act of Parliament for disarming the Highlanders was passed in 1716; but in some cases to very little purpose for some of the most disaffected clans were better armed than ever; although by the Act the collectors of taxes were allowed to pay for the arms given in; in no case were any delivered except those which were broken; old; and unfit for use; and these were valued at prices far above what they were really worth。 Not only so; but a lively trade in old arms was carried on with Holland and other Continental countries; and these arms were sold to the commissioners as Highland weapons; at exorbitant prices。 General Wade afterwards found in the possession of the Highlanders a large quantity of arms which they obtained from the Spaniards who took part in the battle of Glenshiel; and he computed that the Highlanders opposed to the Government possessed at this time no less than five or six thousand arms of various kinds。
Wade arrived in Inverness on the 10th of August; 1723; and in virtue of another Act passed the same year; he was empowered to proceed to the Highlands and to summon the clans to deliver up their arms; and to carry several other recommendations of his own into effect。 On his arrival he immediately proceeded to business; went to Brahan Castle; and called on the Mackenzies to deliver up their weapons。 He took those presented to him on the word of Murchison; factor on the estate and by the representation of Sir John Mackenzie Lord Tarbat; Sir Kenneth Mackenzie of Cromarty; and Sir Colin Mackenzie of Coul; at the head of a large deputation of the clan; he compromised his more rigid instructions and accepted a selection of worn…out and worthless arms; and at the same time promised that if the clan exhibited a willing disposition to comply with the orders of the Government he would use his influence in the next Parliament to procure a remission for their chief and his followers; and we find; that 〃through his means; and the action of other minions of Court (Tarbat was then in power); Seaforth received a simple pardon by letters patent in 1726; for himself and his clan; whose submission was recognised in the sham form of delivering their arms; a matter of the less consequence as few of that generation were to have an opportunity of wielding them again in the same cause。〃
General Wade made a report to the Government; from which we take the following extract:〃The Laird of the Mackenzies; and other chiefs of the clans and tribes; tenants to the late Earl of Seaforth; came to me in a body; to the number of about fifty; and assured me that both they and their followers were ready to pay a dutiful obedience to your Majesty's commands; by a peaceable surrender of their arms; and if your Majesty would be graciously pleased to procure them an indemnity for the rents that had been misplaced for the time past; they would for the future become faithful subjects to your Majesty; and pay them to your Majesty's receiver for the use of the public。 I assured them of your Majesty's gracious intentions towards them; and that they might rely on your Majesty's bounty and clemency; provided they would merit it by their future good conduct and peaceable behaviour; that I had your Majesty's commands to send the first summons to the country they inhabited; which would soon give them an opportunity of showing the sincerity of their promises; and of having the merit to set the example to the rest of the Highlands; who in their turns were to be summoned to deliver up their arms; pursuant to the Disarming Act; that they might choose the place they themselves thought most convenient to surrender their arms; and that I would answer that neither their persons nor their property should be molested by your Majesty's troops。 They desired they might be permitted to deliver up their arms at the Castle of Brahan; the principal seat of their late superior。 who; they said; had promoted and encouraged them to this their submission; but begged that none of the Highland companies might be present; for; as they had always been reputed the bravest; as well as the most numerous of the northern clans; they thought it more consistent with their honour to resign their arms to your Majesty's veteran troops; to which I readily consented。 Summonses were accordingly sent to the several clans and tribes; the inhabitants of 18 parishes; who were vassals or tenants of the late Earl of Seaforth; to bring or send in all their arms and warlike weapons to the Castle of Brahan; on or before the 28th of August。 On the 25th of August I went to the Castle of Brahan with a detachment of 200 of the regular troops; and was met there by the chiefs of the several clans and tribes; who assured me they had used their utmost diligence in collecting all the arms they were possessed of; which should be brought thither on the Saturday following; pursuant to the summons they had received; and telling me they were apprehensive of insults or depredations from the neighbouring clans of the Camerons and others; who still continued in possession of their arms。 Parties of the Highland companies were ordered to guard the passes leading to their country; which parties continued there for their protection; till the clans in that neighbourhood were summoned and had surrendered their arms。 On the day appointed the several clans and tribes assembled in the adjacent villages; and marched in good order through the great avenue that leads to the Castle; and one after the other laid down their arms in the court…yard in great quiet and decency; amounting to 784 of the several species mentioned in the Act of Parliament。 The solemnity with which this was performed had undoubtedly a great influence over the rest of the Highland clans; and disposed them to pay that obedience to your Majesty's commands; by a peaceable surrender of their arms; which they had never done to any of your Royal predecessors; or in compliance with any law either before or since the Union。〃
The following account of Donald Murchison's proceedings and of Seaforth's vassals during his exile in France is abridged from an interesting and valuable work。 'Chambers's Domestic Annals of Scotland。'
It brings out in a prominent light the state of the Highlands and the futility of the power of the Government during that period in the North。
As regards several of the forfeited estates which lay in inaccessible situations in the Highlands; the commissioners had up to this time been entirely baffled; never having been able even to get them surveyed。
This was so in a very special manner in the case of the immense territory of the Earl of Seaforth; extending from Brahan Castle; near Dingwall in the east; across to Kintail in the west; as well as in the large island of the Lewis。 The districts of Lochalsh and Kintail; on the west coast; the scene of the Spanish invasion of 1719; were peculiarly difficult of access; there being no approa