The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1CC3.] TUB " lU.ACK 1!A.\D OF CLANCIIKUAX." 279
tliui lie would not remove any of tlie C^laii Clieran out of the couutiy on
account of ihis liand during- his lifetime, the Captain hurnt the liand and
ended the matter. The same autlnuity states tluit the son of James
Grant, Lau'd Ludovick, afterwards banished all tlio Clan Cheran out of
Strathsj^ey, save one house, that of Dellachaple/
The only document which indicates that the Laird stood at aiiv time
in fear of any of his jieople is a writ of lawI)urrows, issued in the name of
Oliver Cromwell au'ainst Alexander Grant in Auchnarrows, Allan Grant
Iris son, "William Grant of Xewtoun, Donald Grant his son, and Juhn Grant
of Gorton, with fifteen of other names in tlie same districts. It states
that they daily molested the Laird's tenants, and his woods, destroyed his
policies generally, and continually threatened and pursued the Laird him-
self, " awoing oppinlie to hereawe him of his lyiir.""
The Commonwealth was superseded in 1(300, and in IGG2 the
inhabitants in the vicinity of Inverness were required to contribute to the
demolition of the Sconce erected there by Cromwell's soldiers out of the
materials of several religious houses, and called Oliver's Fo)'t. The Laird
and his wadsetters contributed a number of men to the work.''
After the Restoration, the Laird considered it prudent to have a friend
at Coiu't, and he accordingly addressed himself to the Earl of llothes, with
wliom he hoped, as being feudally cormected, he would lie successfvd. The
Earl replied, not only courteously, but warndy, 2)romising his services in any
emergency, and requesting the Laird to have a regard to Ptothes in respect
of the robbers abroad in the Highlands. The letters are here subjoined.
Btllintoura, 2 Maij 1G60.
^Iy Lonn,—Your Lonl.-lup'.-; laudalile fauio and ilepDi-tment in tla-as tyiiici, togidder
with the interest wherwith I nin lionoured in j'our Lordsliip, doth invite me singidarlie to
mak my addresse to your Lordship, entieatinic tliat I may liawe tlie favour of acceptance
manifested by a corespondencie, (pilierliy I may boldlie ^^alk \vnd(i' your Lordshipis jiatron-
age. [I intended to haw gon south to haw made more paiticuhiro applicatioun, but Ijcing
by werie pressing reasones restrained]* I liaw signified my niynd to the bearer, Ihilzie
Lechey, to quhom also I haw entrusted the returne oft' your Lordships coniraaiidis to me.
In discharge quheroif, I sail not otferre to leiithen your Lordships trouble forder then to
1 Original Ms. at Ciistle firant. ^ Vol. iii. of this work, p. Mi.
2 Original Writ of Lawburruws, liateil 9th July * This sentence witbiii bracki/ts is scored tlirouyb
165S, ibid.
in the letter.