第 56 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-09-29 13:02      字数:9322
  kely to have been of service in the field is  on the occasion when; in 1605; he sent 〃six score〃 men to support him  against Glengarry; and these; it has been seen; had fled before they saw the  enemy。 So much for the favour and friendship of the House of Sutherland and its results before and after 1477。
  Lord Colin became involved in legal questions with the Earl of  Argyll about the superiority of Moidart and Arisaig; and thus spent most of the great fortune accumulated for him by his uncle the Tutor; but he  was ultimately successful against Argyll。  He was frequently at the Court of James VI。; with whom he was a great favourite; and in 1623 he was  raised to the peerage by the title of Earl of Seaforth; and Viscount  Fortrose。  From his influence at Court he was of great service to his  followers and friends; while he exerted himself powerfully and steadily  against those who became his enemies from jealousy of his good fortune  and high position。
  He imposed high entries and rents upon his Kintail and West Coast tenants; which they considered a most 〃grievous imposition。〃  In Lord  Kenneth's time and that of his predecessors; the people had their lands at  very low rates。  After the wars with Glengarry the inhabitants of the West  Coast properties devoted themselves more steadily to the improvement of  their stock and lands; and accumulated considerable means。  The Tutor;  discovering this; took advantage of their prosperity and imposed a heavy  entry or grassum on their tacks payable every five years。  〃I shall give you  one instance thereof。  The tack of land called Muchd in Letterfearn; as I was told by Farquhar Mac Ian Oig; who paid the first entry out of it to the  Tutor; paid of yearly duty before but 40 merks Scots; a cow and some  meal; which cow and meal was usually converted to 20 merks  but the  Tutor imposed 1000 merks of entry upon it for a five years' tack。  This  made the rent very little for four years of the tack; but very great and  considerable for the first year。 The same method proportionately was  taken with the rest of the lands; and continued so during the Tutor's and Colin's time; but Earl George; being involved in great troubles; contracted  so much debt that he could not pay his annual rents yearly and support his own state; but was forced to delay his annual rents to the year of their  entry; and he divided the entry upon the five years with the people's  consent and approbation; so that the said land of Muchd fell to pay 280  merks yearly and no entry。〃  From this account; taken from the  contemporary Ardintoul Manuscript; it appears that the system of charging rent on the tenant's own improvements is an injustice of considerable  antiquity。
  Colin 〃lived most of his time at Chanonry in great state and very magnificently。  He annually imported his wines from the Continent; and  kept a store for his wines; beers; and other liquors; from which he  replenished his fleet on his voyages round the West Coast and the Lewis;  when he made a circular voyage every year or at least every two years  round his own estates。  I have heard John Beggrie; who then served Earl  Colin; give an account of his voyages after the bere seed was sown at  Allan (where his father and grandfather had a great mains; which was  called Mackenzie's girnel or granary); took a Journey to the Highlands;  taking with him not only his domestic servants but several young  gentlemen of his kin; and stayed several days at Killin; whither he called  all his people of Strathconan; Strathbran; Strathgarve; and Brae Ross; and  did keep courts upon them and saw all things rectified。  From thence he  went to Inverewe; where all his Lochbroom tenants and others waited  upon him; and got all their complaints heard and rectified。 It is scarcely  credible what allowance was made for his table of Scotch and French  wines during these trips amongst his people。 From Inverewe he sailed to  the Lewis; with what might be called a small navy; having as many boats;  if not more loaded with liquors; especially wines and English beer; as he had under men。 He remained in the Lewis for several days; until he  settled all the controversies arising among the people in his absence; and setting his land。  From thence he went to Sleat in the Isle of Skye; to Sir  Donald Macdonald; who was married to his sister Janet; and from that he  was invited to Harris; to Macleod's house; who was married to his sister  Sybilla。  While he tarried in these places the lairds; the gentlemen of the  Isles; and the inhabitants came to pay their respects to him; including  Maclean; Clanranald; Raasay; Mackinnon; and other great chiefs。  They  then convoyed him to Islandonain。  I have heard my grandfather; Mr  Farquhar MacRa (then Constable of the Castle); say that the Earl never  came to his house with less than 300 and sometimes 500 men。  The  Constable was bound to furnish them victuals for the first two meals; till my Lord's officers were acquainted to bring in his own customs。 There  they consumed the remains of the wine and other liquors。  When all these  lairds and gentlemen took their leave of him; he called the principal men of Kintail; Lochalsh; and Lochcarron together; who accompanied him to  his forest of Monar; where they had a great and most solemn hunting day;  and from Monar he would return to Chanonry about the latter end of  July。〃 'Ardintoul MS。'
  He built the Castle of Brahan; which he thought of erecting where the old castle of Dingwall stood; or on the hill to the west of Dingwall; either of which would have been very suitable situations; but the Tutor  who had in view to erect a castle where he afterwards erected Castle Leod;  induced the Lord High Chancellor; Seaforth's father…in…law; to prevail  upon him to build his castle upon his own ancient inheritance; which he  subsequently did; and which was then one of the most stately houses in  Scotland。  He also added greatly to the Castle of Chanonry; and 〃as be was  diligent in secular affairs; so be and his lady were very pious and  religious。〃 They went yearly to take the Sacraments from the Rev。  Thomas Campbell; minister of Carmichael; a good and religious man; and staid eight days with him; nor did their religion consist in form and  outward show。  They proved its reality by their good works。 He had  usually more than one chaplain in his house。  He provided the kirks of the  Lewis without being obliged to do so; as also the five kirks of Kintail;  Lochalsh; Lochcarron; Lochbroom; and Gairloch; all of which he was  patron; with valuable books from London; the works of the latest and best authors; 〃whereof many are yet extant〃  He also laid the foundation for a church in Strathconan and Strathbran; of which the walls are 〃yet to be  seen in Main in Strathconan; the walls being built above the height of a  man above the foundation; and he had a mind to endow it had he lived longer。〃  He mortified 4000 merks for the Grammar School of Chanonry;  and had several works of piety in his view to perform if his death had not  prevented it。  The last time he went to Court some malicious person;  envying his greatness and favour; laboured to give the King a bad  impression of him; as if he were not thoroughly loyal; but the King  himself was the first who told him what was said about him; which did not a little surprise and trouble the Earl; but it made no impression on the  King; who was conscious and sufficiently convinced of his loyalty and  fidelity。  After his return from Court his only son; Lord Alexander; died of  smallpox at Chanonry; on the 3d of June; 1629; to the great grief of all who knew him; but especially his father and mother。  His demise hastened  her death at Edinburgh; on the 20th February; 1631。  She was buried with  her father at Fife on the 4th of March; after which the Earl contracted a lingering sickness; which; for some time before his death; confined him to  his chamber; during which 〃he behaved most Christianly; putting his  house in order; giving donations to his servants; etc。〃  He died at  Chanonry on the 15th of April; 1633; in the 36th year of his age; and was buried there with his father on the 18th of May following; much lamented  and regretted by all who knew him。  The King sent a gentleman all the way to Chanonry to testify his respect and concern for him; and to attend his funeral; which took place; on the date already stated; with great pomp  and solemnity。  〃Before his death he called his successor; George of  Kildene; to his bedside; and charged him with the protection of his family;  but above all to be kind to his men and followers; for that he valued  himself while he lived upon their account more than upon his great estate and fortune。〃 'Ardintoul; Letterfearn; and other Family MSS。'  On the  occasion of his last visit to London the King complimented him on being  the best archer in Britain。
  Colin married; first; Lady Margaret Seton; daughter of Alexander; Earl of Dunfermline; Lord High Chancellor of Scotland; with issue
  I。  Alexander Lord Kintail; who died young。
  II。  Anna; who married Alexander; second Lord Lindsay; who was created Earl of Balcarres by Charles II。 in 1651。  By him Lady Anna had  two sons; Charles and Colin。  Charles succeeded his father; and died  u