The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

ITIG.] MACPl[i:i;S(i.\ AM) TliK (Ml'slKs. 325
He allowed tlieui till ten o'clock next laornino- to give a reply, and they
responded by proniising all he desired. The Laird discharged all forraer
factors and bailies, and appointed two, one as his own substitute and another
as a forester, leaving Lui-d Mar to nanj'.' liis own factoi's. On returning-
liome, the Laird inforiij- 1 the i
.id of t',e result of his i
'oceediiij.s,
and
received a letter of than: -, "wi,.; in the sti-ongest terms T friend ,.'iip." '
The same writer refers to a:; incident ^\'ith which tlii^; Laird was also
connected, namely, the trial of .lames Mac}>hersun and others at l>anfi', in
the year 1700. It is said that Sir Walter Scott intended to introduce
Macpherson, to whose history a romantic interest attached, into the pages
of fiction, and " ^lacpherson's Lament" will be known to every readei-
of Burns. The circumstances regarding the capture and execution of
Macpherson liave l.ieen told and retold elsewhei-e," and it need only be
nrentioned here that he was the leader of a. gang of gipsies, who roamed
through the North country, and, by their audacity in jilinidering, caused
considerable terror to the inhabitants. Alexander Dull', Laird of Braco,
had long wished to arrest the gang, but stood in awe of the Laird of
Grant, who regarded some of the marauders as his tenants, and felt bound
to protect his jurisdlctiou frum encroachment. These tenants were two
of ]\Licplierson's comrades, Peter and Donald Brown, \\ho usually resided
near Castle Grant. The Laird of Braco, however, made an attempt at
Keith to seize the robbers, and succeeded in arresting ]\L\cpherson and
Peter Brown. It is related that the Lau-d of Grant attempted a rescue,
and was successful so f u- that the culprits escaped, but they were retaken
and placed in safe custody.^
Macpherson, Peter and Donald Brown, with a fourth named James
Gordon, were tried before the Sheriff of Bantf on 7th November 1700.
A claim was made by the Laird of Grant that the Browns, being his
vassals, should Ije remitted to his jurisdiction, but this plea was repelled.
The trial went on, and the prisoners were found g-uilty, and, at different
dates, sentenced to death.* The author of tlie Chronicles of Keith states
' MS. " Ariecclotes" at Ci-stle Grant. ' OorJou's Chronicles of Keith, jJi). .S", 38.
^ Miscellany of the Spaliluig (.luli, vol. iii. jiji. * Miscellany of the Sjiakling Club, vol. lii.
170-191 Gordon's ; Chioniclesol Keith, pii. .'iT 4:1. p. l;iO.