history of the mackenzies-第69章

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tion；　after　the　death　of　the　ill…fated　and　despotic　Charles　I。；　　Seaforth；　in　1649；　went　over　to　Holland；　and　joined　Charles　II。；　by　whom　　he　was　made　Principal　Secretary　of　State　for　Scotland；　the　duties　of　which；　however；　he　never　had　the　opportunity　of　performing。

Charles　was　proclaimed　King　on　the　5th　of　February；　1649；　in　Edinburgh；　and　it　was　decided　by　him　and　his　friends　in　exile　that　Montrose　should　make　a　second　attempt　to　recover　Scotland；　for；　on　the　　advice　of　his　friends；　Charles　declined　the　humiliating　terms　offered　him　by　the　Scottish　faction；　and；　in　connection　with　the　plans　of　Montrose；　a　rising　took　place　in　the　North；　under　Thomas　Mackenzie　of　Pluscardine；　　brother　to　the　Earl　of　Seaforth；　Sir　Thomas　Urquhart　of　Cromarty；　Colonel　John　Munro　of　Lemlair；　and　Colonel　Hugh　Fraser。　　On　the　22d　February　　they　entered　Inverness；　expelled　the　troops　from　the　garrison；　and　　afterwards　demolished　the　walls　and　　fortifications。　　On　the　26th　of　　February　a　Council　of　War　was　held；　presentThomas　Mackenzie　of　　Pluscardine；　Preses；　Sir　Thomas　Urquhart　of　Cromarty；　H。　Fraser　of　　Belladrum；　Jo。　Cuthbert　of　Castlehill；　R。　Mackenzie；　of　Davochmaluak；　　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Gairloch；　R。　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle；　John　Munro　　of　Lumlair；　Simon　Fraser　of　Craighouse；　and　Alex。　Mackenzie　of　Suddie。

This　Committee　made　certain　enactments；　by　which　they　took　the　customs　and　excise　of　the　six　northern　counties　entirely　into　their　own　　hands。　　The　Provost　of　Inverness　was　made　accountable　〃for　all　the　money　　which；　under　the　name　of　excise；　has　been　taken　up　in　any　of　the　foresaid　shires　since　his　intromissions　with　the　office　of　excise　taking。〃

Another　　item　is　that　Duncan　Forbes　be　pleased　to　advance　money　〃upon　the　　security　which　the　Committee　will　grant　to　him；〃　to　be　repaid　out　of　the　　readiest　of　the　〃maintaince　and　excise。〃　　Cromarty　House　was　ordered　to　　be　put　in　a　position　of　defence；　for　which　it　was　〃requisite　that　some　faill　　be　cast　and　led；〃　and　all　Sir　James　Fraser's　tenants　within　the　parishes　of　　Cromarty　and　Cullicudden；　together　with　those　of　the　laird　of　Findrassie；　within　the　parish　of　Rosemarkie；　were　ordered　〃to　afford　from　six　hours　in　　the　morning　to　six　hours　at　night；　and　one　horse　out　of　every　oxengait　　daily　for　the　space　of　four　days；　to　lead　the　same　faill　to　the　House　of　Cromarty。〃　　By　the　tenth　enactment　the　Committee　find　it　expedient　for　　their　safety　that　the　works　and　forts　of　Inverness　be　demolished　and　　levelled　to　the　ground；　and　they　ordain　that　each　person　appointed　to　this　　work　shall　complete　his　proportion　thereof　before　the　4th　day　of　March　　following　〃under　pain　of　being　quartered　upon；　aud　until　the　said　task　be　performed。〃　　They　further　enact　that　a　garrison　be　placed　in　Culloden　　House；　〃which　the　Committee　is　not　desirous　of　for　any　intention　of　harm　　towards　the　disturbance　of　the　owner；　but　merely　because　of　the　security　　of　the　garrison　of　Calder；　which；　if　not　kept　in　good　order；　is　like　to　infest　　all　the　well…affected　of　the　country　circumjacent。〃　＇For　these　minutes　see　　Antiquarian　Notes；　pp。　157…8。＇　　General　Leslie　having　been　sent　against　　them；　they　retired　to　the　mountains　of　Ross；　when　Leslie　advanced　to　　Fortrose　and　placed　a　garrison　in　the　castle。　　He　made　terms　with　all　the　other　leaders　except　Pluscardine；　who　would　not　listen　to　any　　accommodation；　and　who；　immediately　on　Leslie's　return　south；　　descended　from　his　mountain　fastnesses；　attacked　and　re…took　the　Castle　　of　Chanonry。

Pluscardine　was　then　joined　by　his　nephew；　Lord　Reay；　at　the　head　of　three　hundred　men；　which　increased　his　force　to　eight　or　nine　hundred。　　　　General　Middleton　and　Lord　Ogilvie；　having　brought　up　their　forces；　　Mackenzie　advanced　into　Badenoch；　with　the　view　of　raising　the　people　in　　that　and　the　neighbouring　districts；　where　he　was　joined　by　the　Marquis　of　　Huntly；　formerly　Lord　Lewis　Gordon；　and　they　at　once　attacked　and　took　　the　Castle　of　Ruthven。　　After　this　they　were　pressed　closely　by　Leslie；　and　　fell　down　from　Badenoch　to　Balvenny　Castle；　whence　they　sent　General　　Middleton　and　Mackenzie　to　treat　with　Leslie；　but　before　they　reached　　their　destination；　Carr；　Halket；　and　Strachan；　who　had　been　in　the　North；　made　a　rapid　march　from　Fortrose；　and　on　the　8th　of　May　surprised　Lord　　Reay　with　his　nine　hundred　followers　at　Balvenny；　with　considerable　loss　　on　both　sides。　　Eighty　Royalists　fell　in　the　defence　of　the　castle。　　Carr　at　　once　dismissed　the　Highlanders　to　their　homes　on　giving　their　oath　never　　again　to　take　up　arms　against　the　Parliament；　but　he　detained　Lord　Reay　　and　some　of　his　kinsmen；　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle；　and　a　few　leaders　of　　that　name；　and　sent　them　　prisoners　to　Edinburgh。　Having　there　given　　security　to　keep　the　peace　in　future；　Lord　Reay；　Ogilvy；　Huntly；　and　　Middleton　were　forgiven；　and　allowed　to　return　home；　Roderick　　Mackenzie　of　Redcastle；　being　the　only　one　kept　in　prison；　until　he　was　　some　time　after　released；　through　the　influence　of　Argyll；　on　payment　of　a　　fine　of　seven　thousand　merks　Scots。

Carr　now　returned　to　Ross　and　laid　siege　to　Redcastle；　the　only　stronghold　in　the　North　which　still　held　out　for　the　Royal　cause。　The　　officer　in　charge　recklessly　exposed　himself　on　the　ramparts；　and　was　　pulled　down　by　a　well…directed　shot　from　the　enemy。　　The　castle　was　set　　on　fire　by　the　exasperated　soldiers。　　Leslie　then　placed　a　garrison　in　　Brahan　and　Chanonry　Castles；　and　returned　south。　The　garrisons　were　　then　expelled；　some　of　the　men　hanged；　the　walls　demolished；　and　the　　fortifications　razed　to　the　ground。　　Thus　ended　an　insurrection　which　　probably　would　have　had　a　very　different　result　had　it　been　delayed　until　the　arrival　of　Montrose。　　The　same　year　General　Leslie　himself　came　to　　Fortrose　with　nine　troops　of　horse；　and　forwarded　detachments　to　　Cromarty　and　〃Seaforth's　strongest　hold〃　of　Ellandonnan　Castle。

The　following　account　of　this　period　by　a　contemporary　writer　is　　very　interesting：〃Immediately　after　the　battle　of　Auldearn　Seaforth　met　　and　communed　with　Montrose；　the　result　of　which　was　that　Seaforth　　should　join　Montrose；　for　the　King　against　the　Parliament　and　States；　　whom　they　now　discovered　not　to　be　for　the　King　as　they　professed；　but　in　the　meantime　that　Seaforth　should　not　appear；　till　he　had　called　upon　and　prevailed　with　his　neighbours　about　him；　namely；　My　Lord　Reay；　Balna…gown；　Lovat；　Sir　James　Macdonald　of　Sleat；　Macleod　of　Dunvegan；　and　　others；　to　join　him　and　follow　him　as　their　leader。　　Accordingly；　Seaforth　　having　called　them　together；　pointed　out　to　them　the　condition　the　King　was　in；　and　how　it　was　their　interest　to　rise　and　join　together　immediately　　for　his　Majesty's　service　and　relief。　　All　of　them　consented　and　approved　of　the　motion；　only　some　of　them　desired　that　the　Parliament　who　　professed　to　be　for　the　King　as　well　as　they；　and　desired　to　be　rid　of　　Montrose　and　his　bloody　Irish；　should　first　be　made　acquainted　with　their　resolution。　　Seaforth；　being　unwilling　to　lose　any　of　them；　condescended；　and　drew　up　a　declaration；　which　was　known　as　Seaforth's　Remonstrance；　　as　separate　from　Montrose；　whereof　a　double　was　sent　them；　but　the　　Parliament　was　so　far　from　being　pleased　therewith　that　they　threatened　to　　proclaim　Seaforth　and　all　who　should　join　him　as　rebels。　　Now；　after　the　battle　of　Alford　and　Kilsyth；　wherein　Montrose　was　victorious；　and　all　in　the　south　professing　to　submit　to　him　as　the　King's　Lieutenant；　he　was　by　the　treachery　of　Traquair　and　others　of　the　Covenanters；　surprised　and　　defeated　at　Philiphaugh。　　In　the　beginning　of　the　next　year；　1646；　he　came　　north　to　recruit　his　army。　Seaforth　raised　his　men　and　advertised　his　　foresaid　neighbours　to　come；　but　none　came　except　Sir　James　Macdonald；　　who；　with　Seaforth；　joined　Montrose　at　Inverness；　which　they　besieged；　　but　Middleton；　who　then　served　in　the　Scots　armies　in　England；　being　sent　with　nearly　1000　horse　and　800　foot；　coming　suddenly　the　length　of　Inverness；　stopped　Montrose's　progress。　　Montrose　was　forced　to　raise　the　siege　and　quit　the　campaign；　and　retired　with　Seaforth　and　Sir　James　　Macdonald　to　the　hills　of　Strathglass；　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　rest　of　　their　confederates；　Lord　Reay；　Glengarry；　Maclean；　and　several　other