Part 38

It may easily be conceived how both objects would become combined but whatever the real object of the trip to Skye, it proved disastrous. The ship found its way - intentionally on the part of the crew, or forced by a great storm - to the sheltered bay of Kirkton of Raasay, opposite the present mansion house, where young MacGillechallum at the time resided. Anchor was cast, and young Raasay, hearing that Murdoch Mackenzie was on board, discussed the situation with his friend MacGillechallum Mor MacDhomhnuill Mhic Neill, who persuaded him to visit the ship as a friend, and secure Mackenzie's person by stratagem, with the view of getting him afterwards exchanged for his own relative, John MacAllan Mhic Rory, then a prisoner in Gairloch. Acting on this advice, young Raasay, with Gillecallum Mor and twelve of their men, started for the ship, leaving word with his bastard brother, Murdoch, to get ready all the men he could, to go to their assistance in small boats as soon as the a]arm was given.

Mackenzie received his visitors in the most hospitable and unsuspecting manner, and supplied them with as much wine and other viands as they could consume. Four of his men, however, feeling somewhat suspicious, and fearing the worst, abstained from drinking. Alexander Bayne of Tulloch, and the remainder of Murdoch's men partook of the good cheer to excess, and ultimately became so drunk that they had to retire below deck. Mackenzie, who sat between Raasay and MacGillechallum Mor, had not the slightest suspicion, when Macleod, seeing Murdoch alone, jumped up, turned suddenly round and told him that he must become his prisoner. Mackenzie instantly started to his feet, in a violent passion, laid hold of Raasay by the waist, and threw him down, exclaiming, "I would scorn to be your prisoner." One of Raasay's followers, seeing his young chief treated thus, stabbed Murdoch through the body with his dirk. Mackenzie finding himself wounded, stepped back to draw his sword, and, his foot coming against some obstruction, he stumbled over it and fell into the sea.

Those on shore observing the row, came out in their small boats and seeing Mackenzie, who was a dexterous swimmer, manfully making for Sconsar, on the opposite shore, in Skye, they pelted him with stones, smashed in his brains and drowned him. The few of his men who kept sober, seeing their leader thus perish, resolved to sell their lives dearly; and fighting like heroes, they killed the young laird of Raasay, along with MacGillechallum Mor, author of all the mischief, and his two sons. Young Bayne of Tulloch and his six inebriated companions who had followed him below, hearing the uproar overhead, attempted to come on deck, but they were all killed by the Macleods as they presente themselves through the hold. Not a soul of the Raasay men escaped alive from the swords of the four who had kept sober, ably supported by the ship's crew.

The small boats now began to gather round the vessel and the Raasay men attempted to get on board but they were thrown back, slain, and pitched into the sea without mercy. The shot and ammunition having become exhausted, all the pots and pans, and other articles of furniture on board were hurled at the Macleods, while the four abstainers plied their weapons of war with deadly effect. Having procured a lull from the attempts of the enemy, they commenced to pull in their anchor, when a shot from one of the boats killed one of them - Hector MacKenneth, "a pretty young gentleman." The other three seeing him slain, and being themselves more or less seriously wounded, cut their cable, hoisted sail, and proceeded before a fresh breeze, with all the dead bodies still lying about the deck. As soon as they got out of danger, they threw the bodies of young Raasay and his men into the sea, that they might have the same interment which their own leader had received, and whose body they were not able to search for.

It is said that none of the bodies were ever found, except that of MacGillechallum Mor, which afterwards came ashore, and was buried, in Raasay. The Gairloch men carried the bodies of Bayne of Tulloch and his companions to Lochcarron, where they were decently interred.

The only survivors of the Rausay affair were John MacEachainn Chaoil, John MacKenneth Mhic Eachainn, and Kenneth MacSheumais. The first named lived for thirty years after, dying in 1641; the second died in 1662; and the third in 1663 - all very old men. Amongst the slain was a son of Mackenzie of Badachro, who is said to have signally distinguished himself. The conduct of the Mackenzies of Gairloch was such on this and previous occasions that they deemed it wise to secure a remission from the Crown, which was duly granted to them in 1614, by James VI. [Mackenzie's "History of the Macleods," pp. 361-366.] The document, modernised in spelling, is as follows:

James R. - Our Sovereign Lord understanding the manifold cruel and barbarous tyrannies and oppressions so frequent within he Highlands and Isles, of that (part of) his Highness's Kingdom of Scotland, before his Majesty's departure furth of the same, that one part of the inhabitants thereof being altogether void of the true ear of God, and not regarding that true and loyal obedience they ought to his Majesty in massing and drawing themselves together n troops and companies, and after a most savage and insolent form committing depredations, rieves, "slouthis," and cruel slaughters against the most honest, godly, and industrious sort of people dwelling within and bewest the said bounds, who were a ready prey to the said oppressors, so that the said honest and peaceable subjects were oft and sundry times, for defence of their own lives, their wives and children, forced to enter into actions of hostility against the said limmers and broken men who oft and diverse times invaded and pursued them with tire and sword, reft and spuilzied their whole goods, among whom his Majesty, understanding that his Highness's lovites and true and obedient subjects, John Mackenzie of Gairloch, Alexander, Kenneth, Duncan, and William Mackenzie, his sons, dwelling within the Highlands most 'ewest' the Isles of Skye and Lewis, who many and sundry times before his Majesty's going to England, has been most cruelly invaded and pursued with tire and sword by sundry of the said vagabonds and broken men dwelling and resorting in the Skye and Lewis and other bounds of the Highlands where they dwell, and has there-through sustained many and great slaughters, depredations and heirschips, so that in the very action of the said invasions and hostilities pursued against them, the said persons in defence of their own lives, their wives' and children's, and of their goods, have slain sundry of the said invaders and limmers, taken others of them and thereafter put them to death, to the great comfort of his Majesty's good, honest, and true subjects who were subject to the like inroads, invasions and tyrannies of the said vagabonds and fugitives, and settling of his Majesty's peace within the bounds and his Majesty being noways willing that the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch and his said sons' forawardness in their own defence, and withstanding of the foresaid open and violent hostilities and tyrannies of the said broken men which has produced so much and good benefit to his Majesty's distressed subjects, shall suffer any hurt, prejudice, or inconvenience against the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch and his said sons, which his Highness by these letters decrees and declares to have been good and acceptable service done to his Highness and the country: Therefore, his Majesty, of his special grace, mercy, and favour, ordains a letter to be made under his Highness's Great Seal in due form to the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch, Alexander, Kenneth, Duncan, and William Mackenzie, his sons, remitting and forgiving them and everyone of them all rancour, hatred, action, and crime whatsoever that his Majesty had, has, or anywise may lay to the charge of the said John Mackenzie or his said sons, or any of them, for the alleged taking and apprehending, slaying or mutilating of the said vagabonds and broken men, or any of them, or for art and part thereof, or for raising of tire against them, in the taking and apprehending of them, or any of them, at any time preceding his Majesty's going to England and of all that has passed or that may pass thereupon, and of every circumstance thereanent and suchlike. His Majesty, of his especial grace, taking knowledge and proper motive, remits and forgives the said persons, and everyone of them, all slaughters, mutilations, and other capital crimes whatsoever, art and part thereof committed by them, or any of them, preceding the day and date hereof (treason in our said Sovereign Lord's own most noble person only excepted), with all pains and executions that ought and should be executed against them, or any of them for the same, exonerating, absolving, and relieving the said John and his said sons, and all of them of all action and challenge criminal and civil that may be moved thereupon to their prejudice for ever: Discharging hereby all judges, officers, magistrates, administrators of his Majesty's laws, from granting of any proofs, criminal or civil, in any action or causes to be moved or pursued against the said John Mackenzie or his sons foresaid for anything concerning the execution of the premises: Discharging them thereof and their officers in that employed by them, and that the said letter he extended in the best form with ill clauses needful and the precepts he directed orderly thereupon in form as effeirs. Given at Theobald's, the second day of April, the year of God, 1614 years. [Original in the Gairloch Charter Chest.]

John Roy purchased or rented the tithes of his lands, which appear to have led him into no end of disputes. The Rev. Alexander Mackenzie was appointed minister at Gairloch - the first after the Reformation - and in 1583 he obtained a decree from the Lords of the Privy Council and Session ordaining the teind revenue to be paid to him. At the Reformation Sir John Broik was rector of the parish; after which it was vacant until, in 1583, James VI. presented this Alexander Mackenzie to "the parsonage and vicarage of Garloch vacand in our Souerane Lordis handis contenuallie sen the reformatioun of the religioun within this realme by the decease of Sir John Broik." [Reg. Sec. Sig., vol xlix, fol. 62.] In 1584 the Rev. Alexander Mackenzie let the teinds to John Roy for three lives and nineteen years more, for an annual payment of L12 Scots. In 1588 the Crown granted a similar tack for a like payment. In 1612 the Rev. Farquhar MacGillechriost Macrae raised an action against John Roy and his eldest surviving son Alexander for payment of the teind. A certain Robert Boyd became cautioner for the teind of 1610; but the action went on for several years, and was apparently won by the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, who, in 1616, lets the teind of Gairloch for nineteen years to Alexander Mackenzie, Fiar of Gairloch, for L80 Scots yearly. Alexander thereupon surrenders the tithes of the lands of Letterewe, Inverewe, Drumchorc, and others to Colin Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, who on his part, as patron of the parish, binds himself not to sanction the set of these tithes to any other than the said Alexander and his heirs. [Papers in the Gairloch Charter Chest.]

John Roy married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Angus Macdonald, VII. of Glengarry, by his wife, Janet, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, X. of Kintail, by Lady Elizabeth, daughter of John, second Earl of Athole, with issue -

1. John, who married, as already stated, Isabel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Fairburn, with issu - an only daughter, also named Isabel, who, as his second wife, married Colin Mackenzie of Kinnock, with issue--an only son, who sold back his mother's jointure lands of Davochpollo and Pitlundie in 1666. John died before his father, in 1601, at Kinkell, and was buried at Beauly.

2. Alexander, who succeeded to the estates.

3. Murdoch, killed, unmarried, at Raasay in 1611.

4. Kenneth, I. of Davochcairn, who married, first, Margaret, daughter of James Cuthbert of Alterlies and Drakies, Inverness, with issue, whose male representation is extinct. He married, secondly, a daughter of Hector Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn, also with issue, of whose present representation nothing is known. Kenneth died at Davochcairn in 1643, and was buried at Beauly.

5. Duncan of Sand, who married a daughter of Hugh Fraser of Belladrum, with issue - (1) Alexander, who succeeded him at Sand; (2) John, who married a daughter of the Rev. George Munro, minister of Urquhart, and resided at Ardnagrask; (3) Katharine, who married, first, a son of Allan Macranald Macdonald, heir male of Moydart, at the time residing at Baile Chnuic, or Hiltown of Beauly, and secondly, William Fraser of Boblanie, with issue. (4) A daughter, who married Thomas Mackenzie, son of Murdoch Mackenzie, IV. of Achilty and (5) a daughter, who married Duncan MacIan vic Eachainn Chaoil. Duncan died at Sand, from the bite of a cat at Inverasdale, in 1635, and is buried at Gairloch.

Alexander, who succeeded his father at Sand (retour 1647), married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie of Kernsary, fifth son of Colin Cam, XI. of Kintail, by his wife, Barbara, daughter of John Grant, XII. of Grant. Murdoch married the eldest daughter of John Mackenzie, III. of Fairburn, by whom he had, in addition to the daughter who became the wife of Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, an only lawful son, John, killed in 1645 at the battle of Auldearn in command of the Lewis Mackenzie Regiment, whereupon the lineal and sole representation of the Kernsary family reverted to the descendants of Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, through Mary, his wife, by whom he had issue - two sons and two daughters. He was succeeded, in 1656, by the eldest son, Hector, who also succeeded his uncle John in Ardnagrask. He married Janet Fraser, with issue - John Mackenzie, who died in 1759, and left a son Alexander, who got a new tack of Ardnagrask for forty years, commencing in May, 1760; [Gairloch Papers.] and married Helen Mackenzie, daughter of Donald, great-grandson of Murdo Mackenzie, V. of Hilton (by his wife, Jean Forbes of Raddery), by whom he had a large family of five sons and six daughters. The eldest son, John Mackenzie, a merchant and Bailie of Inverness, was born at Ardnagrask in 1762, and married Prudence, daughter of Richard Ord, Merkinch, Inverness, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John, third son of Alexander, VII. of Davochmaluag, with issue - five sons and two daughters. Three of the sons died without issue, one of whom was John, a merchant in Madras. Another, Alexander, married Maria Lascelles of Blackwood, Dumfries, with issue - John Fraser Mackenzie, who married Julia Linton, with issue; Alexander, who married Adelaide Brett, Madras, with issue and four daughters, Margaret, Jane, Frances, and Maria, of whom two married, with issue.

Bailie John's second surviving son, the Rev. William Mackenzie, married Elizabeth Maclaren, with issue - John Ord, who married, without issue; James, who married, with issue; Richard, who married Lousia Lyall, with issue Henry, of the Oriental Bank Corporation; Gordon, of the Indian Civil Service; and Alfred, of Townsville, Queensland; also Louisa, Isabella, Maria, and Williamina, all married, the first three with issue.

Bailie Mackenzie's daughters were - Elizabeth, who married Montgomery Young, with issue; and Jane, who married Provost Ferguson, of Inverness, with issue - John Alexander, who married, with issue; Mary, who married the late Walter Carruthers of the Inverness Courier, with issue; and Agnes Prudence, who married the Rev. G. T. Carruthers, one of Her Majesty's Chaplains in India.

6. William Mackenzie of Shieldaig, who married a daughter of the Rev. Murdo Mackenzie, minister of Kintail, with issue - (1) Murdoch, who married Mary, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, I. of Applecross, with issue - Roderick, who, in 1727, married Margaret Mackenzie, with issue - William Mackenzie, on record in 1736; (2) Duncan, who married a daughter, by his second marriage, of Hector Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn; (3) John, who married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie in Sand; (4) Kenneth, who married a daughter of Hector MacIan vic Eachainn Mackenzie; (5) Hector; (6) Roderick; (7) Alexander, the last-named three unmarried in 1669; (8) a daughter, who married Alexander Fraser of Reelick, with issue; (9) a daughter, who married Hector "Mac Mhic Alastair Roy"; (10) a daughter, who married Murdo "Mac Ian Mhic Eachainn Chaoil," a son of one of the Raasay heroes; (11) a daughter, who married Hector Mackenzie, Chamberlain in Lochcarron; (12) a daughter, who married the Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Lochalsh; and (13) a daughter, unmarried in 1669. He had also a natural son, John Mor "Mac Uilleam," who married a natural daughter or Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle.

7. A daughter, who married Fraser of Foyers.

8. Katherine, who married Hugh Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan.

9. Another Katherine, who married Fraser of Struy.

10. Janet, who married, first, George Cuthbert of Castlehill, Inverness (marriage contract 29th June, 1611); and secondly Neil Munro of Findon marriage contract dated 5th of February, 1627). [Both marriage contracts are in the Gairloch Charter Chest.]

11. A daughter, who married Alastair Mor, brother of Chisholm of Comar.

John Roy married, secondly, Isabel, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, I. of Fairburn, with issue -

12. Captain Roderick of Pitglassie, who served in the army of the Prince of Orange, and died, unmarried, in Holland, in 1624.

13. Hector of Mellan, who married, first, the widow of the Rev. John Mackenzie of Lochbroom, without issue and secondly, a daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Achilty, with issue, five sons - Alexander, who married a daughter of "Murdo Mc Cowil vic Ean Oig"; Murdo, who married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie of Sand and three others unmarried in 1669.

14. John, a clergyman, who married a natural daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Kilcoy, with issue - four sons and two daughters. He died at Rhynduin in 1666, and is buried at Beauly.

15. Katherine Og, who married Fraser of Belladrum, with issue - from whom the Frasers of Achnagairn and Seafield.