A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

CHAPTER XII.
Feud between the Colquhouns and Macgrepors— Defeat uf the Colquhouns and Buchtin<
ans— Harsh proceedhigs against the Macgregors — 'I'he chief of tiie Macgregors sur-
renders himself— Base Execution of tlie Chief and his hostages—Quarrel between the
Clan-Keiizie and Glengarry—The latter outlawed—Proceedings against him and his
people— Alister Mack-William-Moir beheaded—Murder of Angus Mack-Kenneth-
Mack- Alister— Circumstances which led thereto—The Earl of Caithness attempts to
disturb the North—Deadly quarrel in Dornoch—Meeting of the Earls of Sutherland
and Caithness at Elgin — Their reconciliation— Dispute between the Earls of Caithness
and Orkney— Feud between the Murrays and some of the Seill-Thomas— Dissentions
in Moray among the Duubai-S— Quarrel between the Earl of Caithness and the Chief
of the Mackays—Commotions in Li^wis among the Macleods— Proceedings of Torquill
Connaldagh— Avaricious conduct of the Mackenzies— Invasion of Lewis by Fife adventurers—They
are forced to abandon it— Second invasion and final abandonment of
Lewis—Plans of Lord Kiniail to obtain possession thereof— Acquires right thereto
Expulsion of NeiU MacJeod— Quarrel between the Laird of Rasay and Mackenzie of
Gairtoch—Rasay and Mackenzie, younger of Gairloch, killed— Depredations of
William Mack-Angus- Rary^Apprehension of Arthur Smith, a false coiner— His
trial and liberation— Employed by the Earl of Caithness—Commission against Smith-
Apprehended in Thurso—Tumult in the town in consequence—The Earl of Caitlmess
prosecutes the Commissioners—Submission of diflerences.
In the early part of the year sixteen hundred and two, the west of Scot-
land was thrown into a state of combustion, in consequence of the re-
newal of some old quarrels between Colquhoun of Luss, the chief
of that surname, and Alexander Macgregor chief of the Clan-Gregor.
Aggressions had formerly been committed on both sides ; first by Luss
and Lis party against some of the Macgregors, and then by John Mac-
gregor, the brother of Alexander, against the laird of Luss and his de-
pendants and tenants. To put an end to these dissensions, Alexander
Macgregor leit Kannoch, accompanied by about two hundred of his
kinsmen and friends, entered Lennox, and took up his quarters on the
confines of Luss's territory, where lie expected, by the mediation of his
friends, to bring matters to an amicable adjustment. As the laird of
Luss was suspicious of Macgregor's real intentions, he assembled all his
vassals, with the Buchanans and others, to the number of 300 horse,
and 500 foot, with the design, if the result of the meeting should
not turn out to his expectations and wishes, to cut off Macgregor and
his party. But Macgregor, anticipating his intention, was upon his
guard, and, by his precautions, defeated the design upon him. A con
ference was held for the purpose of terminating all differences ; but the
meeting broke up without any adjustinont ;
—
Macgregor then proceeded