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

2G8 ISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDS.
for trial on the appointed day, on wliich account he was again outlaweu,
and declared a rebel as tlie guilty author.
In this extremilv Lord Berridale had recourse to Sir Robert Gordon,
then resident at court, for his aid. He wrote him a letter, entreatin"
him that as all controversies were now settled, he would, in place of an
enemy, become a faithful friend,—that for liis own part, lie, Lord Berri-
dale, had been always innocent of all the jars and dissensions which had
happened between the two families,—that he was also innocent of the
crime with which he was charged,—and that he wished his majesty to
be informed by Sir Robert of these circumstances, hoping that he
would order him to be released from confinement. Sir Robert's an-
swer was to this effect,—that he had long desired a perfect agreement
between the houses of Sutherland and Caithness, which he would en-
deavour to maintain during his administration iu Sutherland,—that he
would intercede with the king, in behalf of his lordship, to the utmost
of his power,—that all disputes being now at an end, he would be his
faithful friend,—that he had a very different opinion of his disposition,
from that he entertained of his lather, the earl ; and he concluded by
entreating him to be careful to preserve the friendship wliich had been
now commenced between them.
As the king understood that Lord Berridale was supposed to be inno-
cent of the crime with which he and his father stood charged, and as he
could not, without a verdict against Berridale, proceed against the family
of Caithness by forfeiture, in consequence of his lordship having been
infeft many years before in his father's estate ;
his majesty, on the earn-
est entreaty of the then bishop of Ross, Sir Robert Gordon, and Sir
James Spence of Wormistoun, was pleased to remit and forgive the
crime on the following conditions:— 1st. That the earl of Caithness and
his son should give satisfaction to their creditors, who were constantly
annoying his majesty with clamours against the earl, and craving justice
at his hands. 2d. That the earl of Caithness, with consent of Lord Ber-
ridale, should freely I'enounce and resign perpetually, into the hands ol
his majesty, the heritable sheriffship and justiciary of Caithness. 3d.
Tiiat the earl of Caithness should deliver the three criminals who had
burnt the corn, that public justice might be satisfied upon them, as a
terror mid example to others. 4th. That the earl of Caithness, with con-
sent of Lord Berridale, should give and resign in pcrpctuum to the bishop
of Caithness, the house of Stiabister, with as many of the feu lands of
that bishoprick as should amount to the yearly value of two thousand
merks Scots money, for the purpose of augmenting the income of the
bishop which was at that time small in consequence of the greater part
of his lands being in the hands of the earl. Commissioners were sent
down from London to Caithness, in October sixteen hundred and sixteen,
to see that these conditions were complied with. The second condition
as well as the last was immediately inqjiemented; and as the carl and
his son promised to give satisfaction to their creditors, and to do every