History Of The Mackenzies [108]
the small boats of the laird.
The great concern and anxiety of her ladyship of Ellandonnan can be easily conceived, for all that she had yet learnt was the simple fact that an engagement of some kind had taken place, and this she only knew from having heard the sound of cannon during the night. Early in the morning she noticed her protectors returning with their birlinn, accompanied by another great galley. This brightened her hopes, and going down to the shore to meet them, she heartily saluted them, and asked if all had gone well with them. "Yea, Madam," answered their leader, Duncan MacGillechriost, "we have brought you a new guest, without the loss of a single man, whom we hope is welcome to your ladyship." She looked into the galley, and at once recognising the body of Angus of Glengarry, she ordered it to be carried ashore and properly attended to. The men proposed that he should be buried in the tomb of his predecessors, "Cnoc nan Aingeal," in Lochalsh; but this she objected to, observing that, if he could, her husband would never allow a Macdonald, dead or alive, any further possession in that locality, at the same time ordering young Glengarry to be buried with her own children, and such other children of the predecessors of the Mackenzies of Kintail as were buried in Kilduich, saying that she considered it no disparagement for him to be buried with such cousins; and if it were her own fate to die in Kintail, she would desire to be interred amongst them. The proposal was agreed to, and everything having been got ready suitable for the funeral of a gentleman of his rank-such as the place could afford in the circumstances-he was buried next day in Kilduich, in the same tomb as Mackenzie's own children.
This is not the most generally received account regarding Angus Macdonald's burial; but we are glad, for the credit of our common humanity, to find the following conclusive testimony in an imperfect but excellently written MS. of the seventeenth century, otherwise remarkably correct and trustworthy:--"Some person, out of what reason I cannot tell, will needs affirm he was buried in the church door, as men go out and in, which to my certain knowledge is a malicious lie, for with my very eyes I have seen his head raised out of the same grave and returned again, wherein there was two small cuts, noways deep." [Ancient MS.]
The author of the Ardintoul MS. informs us that MacLean had actually invaded Ardnamurchan, and carried fire and sword into that and the adjoining territory of the Macdonalds, whereupon the Earl of Argyll, who claimed the Macdonalds of those districts as his vassals and dependants, obtained criminal letters against MacLean, who, finding this, sent for his brother-in-law, Mackenzie of Kintail, at whose request he had invaded the country of the Macdonalds. Both started for Inveraray. The Earl seemed most determined to punish MacLean, but Mackenzie informed him that "he should rather be blamed for it than MacLean, and the King and Council than either of them, for he having obtained, upon good grounds, a commission of fire and sword against Glengarry and such as would assist him, and against these men's rebellious and wicked courses, which frequently his lordship seemed to own, that he did charge, as he did several others of the king's loyal subjects, MacLean to assist him." So that, if Maclean was to be punished for acting as his friend and as a loyal subject, he hoped to obtain a hearing before the King and Council under whose orders he acted. After considerable discussion they parted good friends, Argyll having agreed not to molest MacLean any further. Mackenzie and MacLean returned to Duart, where his lordship was warmly received and sumptuously entertained by MacLean's immediate friends and kinsmen for the service which he had just rendered to their chief. While thus engaged, a messenger arrived at the castle from Mackenzie's lady and the Kintail men.
After the funeral of young Angus of Glengarry, she became concerned about her husband's
The great concern and anxiety of her ladyship of Ellandonnan can be easily conceived, for all that she had yet learnt was the simple fact that an engagement of some kind had taken place, and this she only knew from having heard the sound of cannon during the night. Early in the morning she noticed her protectors returning with their birlinn, accompanied by another great galley. This brightened her hopes, and going down to the shore to meet them, she heartily saluted them, and asked if all had gone well with them. "Yea, Madam," answered their leader, Duncan MacGillechriost, "we have brought you a new guest, without the loss of a single man, whom we hope is welcome to your ladyship." She looked into the galley, and at once recognising the body of Angus of Glengarry, she ordered it to be carried ashore and properly attended to. The men proposed that he should be buried in the tomb of his predecessors, "Cnoc nan Aingeal," in Lochalsh; but this she objected to, observing that, if he could, her husband would never allow a Macdonald, dead or alive, any further possession in that locality, at the same time ordering young Glengarry to be buried with her own children, and such other children of the predecessors of the Mackenzies of Kintail as were buried in Kilduich, saying that she considered it no disparagement for him to be buried with such cousins; and if it were her own fate to die in Kintail, she would desire to be interred amongst them. The proposal was agreed to, and everything having been got ready suitable for the funeral of a gentleman of his rank-such as the place could afford in the circumstances-he was buried next day in Kilduich, in the same tomb as Mackenzie's own children.
This is not the most generally received account regarding Angus Macdonald's burial; but we are glad, for the credit of our common humanity, to find the following conclusive testimony in an imperfect but excellently written MS. of the seventeenth century, otherwise remarkably correct and trustworthy:--"Some person, out of what reason I cannot tell, will needs affirm he was buried in the church door, as men go out and in, which to my certain knowledge is a malicious lie, for with my very eyes I have seen his head raised out of the same grave and returned again, wherein there was two small cuts, noways deep." [Ancient MS.]
The author of the Ardintoul MS. informs us that MacLean had actually invaded Ardnamurchan, and carried fire and sword into that and the adjoining territory of the Macdonalds, whereupon the Earl of Argyll, who claimed the Macdonalds of those districts as his vassals and dependants, obtained criminal letters against MacLean, who, finding this, sent for his brother-in-law, Mackenzie of Kintail, at whose request he had invaded the country of the Macdonalds. Both started for Inveraray. The Earl seemed most determined to punish MacLean, but Mackenzie informed him that "he should rather be blamed for it than MacLean, and the King and Council than either of them, for he having obtained, upon good grounds, a commission of fire and sword against Glengarry and such as would assist him, and against these men's rebellious and wicked courses, which frequently his lordship seemed to own, that he did charge, as he did several others of the king's loyal subjects, MacLean to assist him." So that, if Maclean was to be punished for acting as his friend and as a loyal subject, he hoped to obtain a hearing before the King and Council under whose orders he acted. After considerable discussion they parted good friends, Argyll having agreed not to molest MacLean any further. Mackenzie and MacLean returned to Duart, where his lordship was warmly received and sumptuously entertained by MacLean's immediate friends and kinsmen for the service which he had just rendered to their chief. While thus engaged, a messenger arrived at the castle from Mackenzie's lady and the Kintail men.
After the funeral of young Angus of Glengarry, she became concerned about her husband's