友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

history of the mackenzies-第29章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



go。'  With this the cheese and butter come; and Duncan desires  the Irishman to make ready; but all his persuasions (not against his will)  would not prevail with Mac a Chruimb; whereupon all the company gave  over with laughter; knowing the other could swim none at all; but the  fellow thought they jeered  him。  The laird made Duncan forbear him; but  Duncan swore a great oath he would make him swim or he left the town;  otherwise he would want of his will。  So it came to pass for the Irishman got away that same night; was seen on the morrow in Lochalsh; but none  (was) found that ferried him over。  But never after resorted Mackenzie's house。〃 'Ancient MS。 of the Mackenzies。'

What remained of the Macdonalds after the battle of Park were completely routed and put to flight; but most of them were killed; 〃quarter  being no ordinar complement in thos dayes。〃

The night before the battle young Brodie of Brodie; accompanied  by his accustomed retinue; was on a visit at Kinellan; and as be was preparing to leave the next morning be noticed Mackenzie's men in arms;  whereupon he asked if the enemy were known to be so near that for a  certainty they would fight before night。  Being informed that they were  close at hand; he determined to wait and take part in the battle; replying to  Kenneth's persuasions to the contrary; 〃that be was an ill fellow and  worse neighbour that would leave his friend at such a time;〃  He took a  distinguished part in the fight and behaved 〃to the advantage of his friend  and notable loss of his enemy;〃 and the Earl of Cromarty informs us that  immediately after the battle be went on his journey。  But his conduct  produced a friendship between the Mackenzies and the family of Brodie;  which continued among their posterity; 〃and even yet remains betwixt them; being more sacredly observed than the ties of affinity and consanguinity amongst most others;〃 and a bond of manrent was entered  into between the families。  Some authorities assert that young Brodie was slain; but of this no early writer makes any mention and neither in Sir  Robert Gordon's Earldom of Sutherland; in the Earl of Cromartie or other  MS。 Histories of the Mackenzies; nor in Brown's History of the Highland  Clans; is there any mention made of his having been killed; though they  all refer to the distinguished part be took in the battle。  He was; however;  seriously wounded。

The morning after the battle Kenneth; fearing that the few of the Macdonalds who escaped might rally among the hills and commit cruelties and robberies on those of his people whom they might come across; marched to Strathconan; where he found; as he had expected; that  about three hundred of the enemy had rallied; and were destroying  everything they had passed over in their eastward march before the battle。

As soon; however; as they noticed him in pursuit they took to their heels;  but they were overtaken and all killed or made prisoners。

Kenneth then  returned to Kinellan; carrying with him Alexander Macdonald of Lochalsh; whom he had taken prisoner; in triumph。  His aged father; Alastair Ionraic; had now returned from the Raven's Rock;  and warmly congratulated his valiant son upon his splendid victory;  adding; however; with significant emphasis; that he feared they made two  days work of one;〃 since; by sparing Macdonald; who was also a prisoner;  and his apparent heir; they preserved the lives of those who might yet give  them trouble。  But Kenneth; though a lion in the field; could not; from any  such prudential consideration; be induced to commit such a cowardly and  inhuman act as was here inferred。  He; however; had no great faith in the forbearance of his followers if an opportunity occurred to them; and he  accordingly sent Macdonald; under a strong guard; to Lord Lovat; to be  kept by him in safety until he should advise him how to dispose of him。

He kept Alexander of Lochalsh with himself; but; contrary to the expectations of their friends; he; on the intercession of old Macdonald;  released them both within six months; having first bound them by oath  and honour never to molest him or his; and never again to claim any right to the Earldom of Ross; which the Lord of the Isles had in 1475 forfeited to the Crown。

Many of the Macdonalds and their followers who escaped from the field of battle perished in the River Conon。  Flying from the close pursuit  of the victorious Mackenzies; they took the river; which in some parts was  very deep; wherever they came up to it; and were drowned。  Rushing to  cross at Moy; they met an old womanstill smarting under the insults and  spoliations inflicted on her and her neighbours by the Macdonalds on their  way northand asked her where was the best ford on the river。  〃O!  ghaolaich;〃 she answered; 〃is aon ath an abhuinn; ged tha i dubh; cha ‘n  eil i domhain;〃 (Oh! dear; the river is all one ford together; though it looks  black; it is not deep)。  In their pitiful plight; and on the strength of this  misleading information; they rushed into the water in hundreds; and were  immediately carried away by the stream; many of them clutching at the  shrubs and bushes which overhung the banks of the river; and crying  loudly for assistance。  This amazon and a number of her sex who were  near at hand had meanwhile  procured their sickles; and now exerted  themselves in cutting away the bushes to which the wretched Macdonalds  clung with a death grasp; the old woman exclaiming in each case; as she  applied her sickle; 〃As you have taken so much  already which did not  belong to you; my friend; you can take that into the  bargain。  The   instrument of the old woman's revenge has been for many generations;  and still is by very old people in the district; called 〃Cailleach na Maigb;〃  or the Old Wife of Moy。

The Mackenzies then proceeded to ravage the lands of  Ardmeanach and those belonging to William Munro of Fowlisthe  former because the young laird of Kilravock; whose father was governor  of that district; had assisted the Macdonalds; the latter probably because Munro; who joined neither party; was suspected secretly of favouring Lochalsh。  So many excesses were committed at this time by the Mackenzies that the Earl of Huntly; Lieutenant of the North; was compelled; notwithstanding their services in repelling the invasion of the  Macdonalds; to proceed against them as oppressors of the lieges。  'Gregory; p。 57。  Kilravock Writs; p。170; and Acts of Council。'

A blacksmith; known as Glaishean Gow or 〃Gobha;〃 one of  Lovat's people; in whose father's house Agnes Fraser; Mackenzie's wife;  was fostered; hearing of the advance of the Macdonalds to the Mackenzie territory; started with a few followers in the direction of Conan; but  arrived too late to take part in the fight。  They were; however; in time to  meet those few who managed to ford or swim the river; and killed every  one of them so that they found an opportunity 〃to do more service than if

they had been at the battle。〃

This insurrection cost the Macdonalds the Lordship of the Isles; as  others had previously cost them the Earldom of Ross。  In a Parliament  held in Edinburgh in 1493; the possessions of the Lord of the Isles were  declared forfeited
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!