history of the mackenzies-第80章

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Covenanters　　were　obliged　to　provide　a　ship　for　his　transportation；　but　finding　that　they　　neglected　to　do　so；　meeting　with　a　Murray　ship　in　the　harbour　of　　Montrose；　he　went　aboard　of　her　with　several　of　his　friends；　namely；　Sir　　John　Hurry；　who　served　the　States　the　year　before；　John　Drummond；　　Henry　Brechin；　George　Wishart；　and　several　others；　leaving　Seaforth　and　the　rest　of　his　friends　to　the　mercy　of　these　implacable　enemies；　for　the　States　and　Parliament　threatened　to　forfeit　him　for　acting　contrary　to　their　　orders；　and　the　Kirk　excommunicated　him　for　joining　with　the　　excommunicated　traitor；　as　they　called　him；　James　Graham；　for　now　the　　Kirk　began　to　rule　with　a　high　hand；　becoming　more　guilty　than　the　　bishops；　of　that　of　which　they　charged　him　with　as　great　a　fault　for　　meddling　with　civil　and　secular　affairs；　for　they　not　only　looked　upon　　them　to　form　the　army　and　to　purge　it　of　such　as　whom；　in　their　idiom；　　they　called　Malignants；　but　really　such　as　were　loyal　to　the　King；　and　also　　would　have　no　Acts　of　Parliament　to　pass　without　their　consent　and　　approbation。　Their　proselytes　in　the　laity　were　also　heavy　upon　and　　uneasy　to　such　as　they　found　or　conceived　to　have　found　with　a　tincture　of　Malignancy；　whereof　many　instances　might　be　given。〃　　But　to　return　to　　Seaforth。　　〃After　he　was　excommunicated　by　the　Kirk　he　was　obliged　to　　go　to　Edinburgh；　where　he　was　made　prisoner　and　detained　two　years；　till　　in　the　end　he　was；　with　much　ado；　released　from　the　sentence　of　excom…munication；　and　the　process　of　forfeiture　against　him　discharged；　for　that　　time　he　returned　home　in　the　end　of　the　year；　1648；　but　King　Charles　I。　　being　before　that　time　murdered；　and　King　Charles　II。　being　in　France；　　finding　that　he　would　not　be　for　any　time　on　fair　terms　with　the　States　and　　Kirk；　he　proposed　to　remove　his　family　to　the　Island　of　Lewis；　and　dwell　there　remote　from　public　affairs；　and　to　allocate　his　rents　on　the　mainland　　to　pay　his　most　pressing　debts；　in　order　to　which；　having　sent　his　lady　in　　December　to　Lochcarron；　where　boats　were　attending　to　transport　himself　　and　children　to　the　Lewis　by　way　of　Lochbroom；　wherein　his　affairs　called　him；　he；　without　acquainting　his　kinsmen　and　friends；　went　aboard　a　ship　　which　he　had　provided　for　that　purpose；　and　sailed　to　France；　where　the　　King　was；　who　received　him　most　graciously　and　made　him　one　of　his　　secretaries。　This　did　incense　the　States　against　him；　so　that　they　placed　a　garrison　in　his　principal　house　at　Brahan；　under　the　command　　of　Captain　　Scott；　　who　（afterwards）　broke　his　neck　from　a　fall　from　his　horse　in　the　Craigwood　of　Chanonry；　as　also　another　garrison　in　the　Castle　of　　Ellandonnan；　under　the　command　of　one　William　Johnston；　which　　remained　to　the　great　hurt　and　oppression　of　the　people　till；　in　t

Paragraph　587　has　too　many　words。　he　year　1650；　some　of　the　Kintail　men；　not　bearing　the　insolence　of　the　garrison　　soldiers；　discorded　with　them；　and　in　harvest　that　year　killed　John　　Campbell；　a　leading　person　among　them；　with　others；　for　having　wounded　　several　at　little　Inverinate；　without　one　drop　of　blood　drawn　out　of　the　　Kintail　men；　who　were　only　10　in　number；　while　the　soldiers　numbered　　30。　　After　this　the　garrison　was　very　uneasy　and　greatly　afraid　of　the　　Kintail　men；　who　threatened　them　so；　that　shortly　thereafter　they　removed　to　Ross；　being　commanded　then　by　one　James　Chambers；　but　Argyll；　to　　keep　up　the　face　of　a　garrison　there；　sent　ten　men　under　the　command　of　John　Muir；　who　lived　there　civilly　without　molesting　the　people；　the　States　　were　so　incensed　against　the　Kintail　men　for　this　brush　and　their　usage　of　　the　garrison；　that　they　resolved　to　send　a　strong　party　next　spring　to　　destroy　Kintail　and　the　inhabitants　thereof。　　But　King　Charles　II。；　after　the　　defeat　of　Dunbar；　being　at　Stirling　recruiting　his　army　against　Cromwell；　to　which　Seaforth's　men　were　called；　it　proved　an　act　of　oblivion　and　　indemnity　to　them；　so　that　the　Kintail　men　were　never　challenged　for　their　　usage　of　the　garrison　soldiers。　　Though　the　Earl　of　Seaforth　was　out　of　the　kingdom；　he　gave　orders　to　his　brother　Pluscardine　to　raise　men　for　the　　King's　service　whenever　he　saw　the　King's　affairs　required　it；　and　so；　in　the　year　1649；　Pluscardine　did　raise　Seaforth's　men　and　my　Lord　Reay　　joining　him　with　his　men；　marched　through　Inverness；　went　through　　Moray；　and　crossed　the　Spey；　being　resolved　to　join　the　Gordons；　Atholes；　and　several　others　who　were　ready　to　rise；　and　appeared　for　the　King。　　　Lesley；　who　was　sent　from　the　Parliament　to　stop　their　progress；　called　　Pluscardine　to　treat　with　him；　while　Seaforth's　and　my　Lord　Reay's　men　　encamped　at　Balveny；　promising　a　cessation　of　hostilities。　　For　some　days　Colonel　Carr　and　Strachan；　with　a　strong　body　of　horse；　surprised　them　in　their　camp；　when　they　lay　secure；　and　taking　my　Lord　Reay；　Rory　　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle；　Rory　Mackenzie　of　Fairburn；　John　Mackenzie　of　　Ord；　and　others；　prisoners；　threatening　to　kill　them　unless　the　men　surrendered　and　disbanded；　and　the　under　officers　fearing　they　would　kill　them　whom　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　con