The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

171C.] SHKUIFF OF IXVKRNK.SS. 323
iVoin this recoinniendation, and although the suhjoct was again In'uught
up in the Scots Parhanicnt in 1707, and by successive Lairds of (irant,
for a long time all etTorts to obtain indemnity for these losses and other
expenditure were finiitless.
lioference has alreadv been niade to liic appointment. :
i 1G89,
of the
Laird of Grant, then of j^reuchie, to be Sheriif of Liven :^s3-shire, which
appointment was duly a]ijiroved. His commission as Slieriir Principal was
continued by Queen Anne,^ and he probably held tlie oilice till his death.
His promptitude in doing justice seems to have been much impressed
upon those under his jurisdiction, if the traditions regarding his severity be
correct. His treatment of the C'amerons who were caught plundering has
been stated in connection with the war of 1GS9, but it was probably carried
out in his capacity as Sheritl' of Liverness. The anonymous writer of
anecdotes, already referred to, who devotes his nan-ative chiefly to " Lidrd
Lewis," states that there were nine C'amerons, all of whom were hanged
in one day at Tom-na-croich, i.e. the place of the gallows, a little hill above
Duthil. Two of these were gentlemen, and the Laiixl was on this occasion
so exasperated against these Highland freebooters that be never afterwards
missed an opportunity of inflicting the extreme penalty of the law where
it was merited.
The same chronicler, however, tells another story which shows that
" law " did not always limit the Laird's actions, when hanging was in
question. No date is given, but it was after the Laird became Sheriff.
A " gentleman of the name of Macgregor," driving a " spraith " from
the Laird's country, was apjirehended by a party of Grants who went
in pursuit, and carried prisoner to Liverness. Letters were addressed to
the Laird, as Sheriff, by Lord Strathallan, Glengyle, and other friends of
the captive, which, instead of pleading for favour to the prisoner, declared
that " though IMacgregor was guilty, yet if the Sheriff lianged him, they
would have a Grant's head for every finger in both his hands." The Laird's
reply was that if the prisoner on trial was clearly proved to be guilty,
hanged he shoidd be, " though a hundred heads should be lost on both sides."
Macgregor was duly convicted, and condemned. Un the way to execution,
' Original Commission, 24tli A[inl ITUS, at Castle Grant.