history of the mackenzies-第13章

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h　of　　his　enemies。　　　That　Bruce　found　shelter　in　Ellandonnan　Castle　and　was　　there　protected　for　a　considerable　time　by　the　Baron　of　Kintailuntil　he　　found　opportunity　again　to　take　the　field　against　his　enemieshas　ever　　since　been　the　unbroken　tradition　in　the　Highlands；　and　it　has　always　been　　handed　down　from　one　generation　to　another　as　a　proud　incident　in　the　　history　of　the　clan。　　The　Laird　of　Applecross；　who　wrote　his　manuscript　history　of　the　Mackenzies　in　1669；　follows　the　earlier　family　historians。　　　　　He　says　that　this　Baron　of　Kintail　〃did　own　the　other　party；　and　was　one　of　　those　who　sheltered　the　Bruce；　and　assisted　in　his　recovery。　　I　shall　not　say　　he　was　the　only　one；　but　this　stands　for　that　assertion　that　all　who　were　considerable　in　the　Hills　and　Isles　were　enemies　to　the　Bruce；　and　so　　cannot　be　presumed　to　be　his　friends。　　The　Earl　of　Ross　did　most　　unhandsomely　and　unhumanly　apprehend　his　lady　at　Tain　and　delivered　　her　to　the　English；　anno　1305。　　Donald　of　the　Isles；　or　Rotholl；　or　rather　Ronald；　with　all　the　Hebrides；　armed　against　the　Bruce　and　were　beat　by　　Edward　　Bruce　in　Buchan；　anno　1308。　　Alexander　of　Argyll　partied　（sided　　with）　the　Baliol；　his　country；　therefore；　was　wasted　by　Bruce；　anno　1304；　and　himself　taken　by　him；　1309。　　Macdougall　of　Lorn　fought　against　the　　Bruce；　and　took　him　prisoner；　from　whom　he　notably　escaped；　so　that　　there　is　none　in　the　district　left　so　considerable　as　this　chief　（Mackenzie）　　who　had　an　immediate　dependence　on　the　Royal　family　and　had　this　　strong　fort；　which　was　never　commanded　by　the　Bruce's　enemies；　either　　English　or　Scots；　and　that　his　shelter　and　assistance　was　from　a　remote　　place　and　friend　is　evident　from　all　our　stories。　　But　all　their　neighbours　being　stated　on　a　different　side　from　the　Mackenzies　engendered　a　feud　　betwixt　him　and　them；　especially　with　the　Earl　of　Ross　and　Donald　of　the　　Isles；　which　never　ended　　but　with　the　end　of　the　Earl　of　Ross　and　　lowering　of　the　Lord　of　the　Isles。〃　　That　this　is　true　will　be　placed　beyond　　question　as　we　proceed。

It　may；　indeed；　be　assumed　from　subsequent　events　in　the　history　of　these　powerful　families　and　the　united　testimony　of　all　the　genealogists　　of　the　Mackenzies；　that　the　chief　of　Kintail　did　befriend　Robert　the　Bruce　　against　his　enemies　and　protected　him　in　his　castle　of　Ellandonnan；　in　　spite　of　the　commands　of　his　immediate　superior；　the　Earl　of　Ross；　and　the　　united　power　of　all　the　other　great　families　of　the　Western　Isles　and　　Argyle。　　And　in　his　independent　stand　at　this　important　period　in　the　　history　of　Scotland　will　be　found　the　true　grounds　of　the　local　rancour　　which　afterwards　prevailed　between　Mackenzie　and　the　Island　Lord；　and　which　only　terminated　in　the　collapse　of　the　Earls　of　Ross　and　the　Lords　　of　the　Isles；　upon　the　ruins　of　which；　as　a　reward　for　proved　loyalty　to　the　　reigning　monarch；　and　as　the　result　of　the　characteristic　prudence　of　the　race　of　MacKenneth；　the　House　of　Kintail　gradually　rose　in　power；　subsequently　absorbed　the　ancient　inheritance　of　all　the　original　possessors　of　　the　district；　and　ultimately　extended　their　influence　more　widely　over　the　　whole　provinces　of　Wester　and　Central　Ross。

The　genealogists　further　say　that　this　chief　waited　on　the　King　during　his　visit　to　Inverness　in　　1312。　　＇The　MS。　histories　of　the　Mackenzies　give　the　date　of　Robert　Bruce's　visit　to　Inverness　as　1307；　but　　from　a　copy　of　the　〃Annual　of　Norway；〃　at　the　negotiation　and　　arrangement　of　which　〃the　eminent　Prince；　Lord　Robert；　by　the　like　grace；　noble　King　of　Scors　（attended）　personally　on　the　other　part；〃　it　will　be　seen　that　the　date　of　the　visit　was　1312。See　Invernessiana；　by　Charles　Fraser…Mackintosh；　F；S。A。　Scot。；　pp。　36…40。＇　　This　may　now　be　accepted　as　correct；　as　also　that　　he　fought　at　the　head　of　his　followers　at　the　battle　of　　Inverury；　where　Bruce　defeated　Mowbray　and　the　Comyn　in　　1303。　　After　　this　important　engagement；　according　to　Fenton；　〃all　the　nobles；　barons；　towns；　cities。　garrisons；　and　castles　north　of　the　Grampians　submitted　to　Robert　the　Bruce；〃　when；　with　good　reason；　the　second　chief　of　Clan　　Kenneth　was　further　confirmed　in　the　favour　of　his　sovereign；　and　in　the　　government　of　Ellandonnan。

The　Lord　of　the　Isles　had　in　the　meantime；　after　his　capture　in　Argyle；　died　while　confined　in　　Dundonald　Castle；　when　　his　brother　and　　successor；　Angus　Og；　declared　for　Bruce。　　Argyll　and　Lorn　left；　or　were　　driven　out　of　the　country；　and　took　up　their　residence　in　England。　　With　　Angus　Og　of　the　Isles　now　on　the　side　of　Bruce；　and　the　territories　of　　Argyll　and　Lorn　at　his　mercy　in　the　absence　of　their　respective　chiefs；　it　　was　an　easy　matter　for　the　King；　during　the　varied　fortunes　of　his　heroic　struggle；　defending　Scotland　from　the　English；　to　draw　largely　upon　the　　resources　of　the　West　Highlands　and　Isles；　flow　unmolested；　particularly　　after　the　surprise　at　Perth　in　the　winter　of　1312；　and　the　reduction　of　all　　the　strongholds　in　Scotlandexcept　Stirling；　Berwick；　and　Dunbarduring　the　ensuing　summer。　　The　decisive　blow；　however；　yet　to　be　struck　　by　which　the　independence　and　liberties　of　Scotland　were　to　be　for　ever　　established　and　confirmed；　and　the　time　was　drawing　nigh　when　every　　nerve　would　have　to　be　strained　for　a　final　effort　to　clear　it；　once　for　all；　of　　the　bated　followers　of　the　tyrant　Edwards；　roll　them　back　before　an　　impetuous　wave　of　Scottish　valour；　and　for　ever　put　an　end　to　England's　　claim　to　tyrannise　over　a　free…born　people　whom　it　was　found　impossible　　to　crush　or　cow。　　Nor；　in　the　words　of　the　Bennetsfield　manuscript；　〃will　we　affect　a　morbid　indifference　to　the　fact　that　on　the　24th　of　June；　1314；　　Bruce's　heroic　band　of　thirty　thousand　warriors　on　the　glorious　field　of　　Bannockburn　contained　above　ten　thousand　Western　Highlanders　and　men　　of　the　Isles；〃　under　Angus　Og　of　the　Isles；　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　（who　led　five　hundred　of　his　vassals）；　and　other　chiefs　of　the　mainland；　of　whom　　Major　specially　says；　that　〃they　made　an　incredible　slaughter　of　their　　enemies；　slaying　heaps　of　them　around　wherever　they　went；　and　running　　upon　them　with　their　broadswords　and　daggers　like　wild　bears　without　any　　regard　to　their　own　lives。〃　　Alluding　to　the　same　event；　Barbour　says

Angus　of　the　Is'es　and　Bute　alsae；　And　of　the　plain　lands　he　had　mae　Of　armed　men　a　noble　route；　His　battle　stalwart　was　and　stout。

General　Stewart　of　Garth；　in　a　footnote；　Sketches　of　the　　Highlanders；　says　that　the　eighteen　Highland　chiefs　who　fought　at　　Bannockburn　wereMackay；　Mackintosh；　Macpherson；　Cameron；　　Sinclair；　Campbell；　Menzies；　Maclean；　Sutherland；　Robertson；　Grant；　　Fraser；　Macfarlane；　Ross；　Macgregor；　Munro；　Mackenzie；　and　Macquarrie　　and　that　〃Cumming；　Macdougall　of　Lorn；　Macnab；　and　a　few　others　were　　unfortunately　in　opposition　to　Bruce；　and　suffered　accordingly。〃　　In　due　　time　the　Western　chiefs　returned　home；　where　on　their　arrival；　many　of　them　found　local　feuds　still　smoulderingencouraged　by　the　absence　of　　the　natural　protectors　of　the　peopleamidst　the　surrounding　blaze。　　John　lived　peaceably　at　home　during　the　remainder　of　his　days。　　He　　married　Margaret；　daughter　of　David　de　Strathbogie；　XIth　Earl　of　Atholl；　　by　Joan；　daughter　of　John；　the　Red　Comyn；　last　Earl　of　Badenoch；　killed　　by　Robert　the　Bruce　in　1306。　　He　died　in　1328；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　　only　son；


III。　　KENNETH　　MACKENZIE；


Commonly　called　Coinneach　na　Sroine；　or　Kenneth　of　the　Nose；　from　the　　size　of　that　organ。　　Very　little　is　known　of　this　chief。　　But　he　does　not　appear　to　have　been　long　in　possession　when　he　found　himself　serious　　trouble　and　unable　to　cope　successfully　with　the　Earl　of　Ross；　who　made　　determined　efforts　to　re…establish　the　original　position　of　his　house　over　　the　Barons　of　Kintail。　　Wyntoun　says　that　in　1331；　Randolph；　Earl　of　　Moray；　nephew　of　Robert　the　Bruce；　and　at　that　time　Warden　of　　Scotland；　　sent　his　Crowner　to　Ellandonnan；　with　orders　to　prepare　the　castle　for　his　　reception　and　to　arrest　all　〃misdoaris〃　in　the　district；　fifty　of　whom　the　Crowner　beheaded；　and；　according　to　the　barbarous　practice　of　even　much　　later　times；　exposed　their　heads　for　the　edification　of　the　surrounding　　lieges　high　upon　the　castle　walls。　　Randolph　himself