CHAP. VI.

FROM THE SUPPRESSION OF THE REBELLION OF THE CATHOLIC EARLS, TO THE DEPARTURE OF KING JAMES VI. FOR ENGLAND.-1595-1603.

A. D. 1595.

THE rebellion of the Catholic noblemen being now suppressed, the King found himself more at leisure to attend to the improvement of the Isles, and the expected increase to the Royal revenue from that portion of his dominions. Early in 1596, James A. D. 1596. Macdonald-who had remained as a hostage for his father, Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg, during the last four years-received a licence to visit his father and his clan, in the hope that he might prevail on the former to make his submission and fulfil the conditions formerly prescribed to him. That chief, and others of similar rank in the Isles, still delayed to enter into the views of their sovereign and his councillors, although some of them were in treaty with the Lords of Exchequer. In order, therefore, to compel their submission, and avoid further delay in a matter of such importance to the revenue, the King, by the advice both of the Privy Council and of the Estates of Parliament then sitting,

1 Notes from Exchequer Rolls, in Haddington's MS. Collections, Advocates' Library.

264

PROJECTED EXPEDITION TO THE ISLES. [1596.

resolved to proceed against the Islanders in person. A proclamation to this effect was accordingly issued in the month of May, by which all Earls, Lords, Barons, and freeholders, worth above three hundred merks of yearly rent, and the whole burgesses of the realm, were summoned to meet his Majesty at Dunbarton, on the first day of August, well armed, and with forty days' provisions, and likewise provided with vessels to carry them to the Isles. Disobedience to this summons was to infer loss of life, lands, and goods. The effects of this proclamation were soon evident. Maclean and Macdonald of Sleat immediately repaired to Court, and, upon making their submission, and satisfying the demands of the Exchequer, by agreeing to augment their rents, and to make certain other concessions required of them, were received into favour, and restored against the acts of forfeiture under which they had lain for two years. Roderick Macleod of Harris, and Donald (MacAngus) Macranald of Glengarry, made their submission about the same time. The Lewis was now held by Torquil Dubh Macleod, whose title was disputed by his elder brother, Torquil Connanach. The origin of this dispute has been traced in a former chapter; and it seems about this time to have broken

2

1 Record of Privy Council, 22nd May, 1596; Acts of Parliament, IV. 97.

2 Record of Privy Council, 15th June, 1596; Reg. of Privy Seal, LXIX., fo. 17, 152; Original Papers in General Register House, connected with the submission of Donald Gorme. At this time the Lords of Exchequer recognised Donald Gorme as the heir of Hugh of Sleat, his grandfather's great-grandfather. Ibid, and MS. Advocates' Library, M. 6, 15.

3 Balcarras Papers, Advocates' Library, Vol. VI., No. 70; Reg. of Privy Seal, LXVIII., fo. 127.

1596.]

OBSTINACY OF THE CLAN IAN VOR.

265

out with renewed violence. As each of the claimants, however, professed his willingness to agree to the terms proposed by the Exchequer-hoping thus to obtain a recognition of his right as heir of the estate-the Siol Torquil was withdrawn from the list of disobedient clans. Of all the great chiefs in the Isles, Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg alone remained contumacious. The displeasure of the King was marked, in the first instance, by his granting to Maclean a lease of the Rinns of Isla, so long disputed between that chief and the Macdonalds. At the same time preparations continued to be made for the expedition to the Isles, which, through the submission of most of the other tribes, dwindled down into an expedition against the Clandonald of Kintyre and Isla. As the time for proceeding to the Isles drew near, the King found that it would be more convenient and less dangerous for him to remain at some place near the Highland coasts, until it should be reported by his Lieutenant and Commissioner, whether or not his Majesty's presence was necessary. The person chosen to lead the expedition on this occasion was Sir William Stewart of Houston, Knight, Commendator of Pittenweem, who received, accordingly, in the month of June, a commission of lieutenandry and justiciary, with the fullest powers. One of the principal points to which his attention was directed, was to obtain possession of and garrison the principal castles in the West Highlands and Isles; a step the necessity for which seems in most cases to have been obviated by the submission of the chiefs previous to the setting out of the expedition. A 1 Balcarras Papers, ubi supra.

2 Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 237.

3 Record of Privy Council, 30th June, 1596.

• Balcarras Papers, ubi supra.

266

PREPARATIONS AGAINST THAT TRIBE

[1596.

difficulty in procuring the necessary funds seems to have delayed the expedition much beyond the day originally fixed. Early in August, we find that the necessary forces for accompanying the Lieutenant were not yet raised. A proclamation was now issued, which, in consideration of the near approach of harvest, and other weighty causes, allowed those called out by the first proclamation to compound for their personal service in the following manner. Each county might escape the burden of personal service, by sending twenty horsemen and thirty footmen to meet the King at Dunbarton, on the 20th August, or else pay the King £24 for every horseman and £12 for every footman that might be wanting of these numbers. The whole burghs of the realm were allowed to compound, by sending 500 men, one-third armed with muskets, one-third with pikes and corselets, and the remaining third with hackbuts and headpieces; or by paying £12 for every man of the 500 that should fail to appear. The burghs were likewise charged to furnish three ships of middling size, well supplied with ammunition. The inhabitants of the shires of Berwick, Roxburgh, and Selkirk, and the Burghs in these shires, were specially exempted from this service against the Isles, so that they might attend to the peace of the Borders. The inhabitants of Inver ness-shire, and the town of Inverness, were licensed to remain at home on this occasion; but were directed to hold themselves in readiness for similar service in the spring of the following year. Finally, the whole inhabitants of the sheriffdoms of Tarbert and Bute were peremptorily ordered to give their personal service, and were not permitted to compound either in men or money. 1 Record of Privy Council, 2nd August, 1596.

1596.]

UNDER A ROYAL LIEUTENANT.

267

Another proclamation authorised the Commendator of Pittenween to levy soldiers for the service in the Isles to the amount of one thousand men, and to appoint officers over them.1 A third proclamation charged the Islesmen to remain quiet at home; assuring them, notwithstanding false reports to the contrary, that his Majesty did not intend to proceed to extremities against any of them, except such as continued in open and avowed rebellion. They were further assured that such sinister reports of his Majesty's intentions could only proceed from wicked persons, who envied their future "happie estate and felicitie, as the success" (of his Majesty's experiments), "with God's grace, sall evidentlie declare, in sic sorte, as, within few yeirs, they sall be able to compare their estate to the maist happie estate that has occurrit in man's memorie."

Want of money, however, and a growing dislike, on the part of the people, to these harassing raids, as they were called, to which every slight disturbance in the kingdom made them liable, and of which an unusual number had occurred during the present reign, still further delayed this long talked of expedition. Towards the end of September, among other measures for raising money, it was proposed to borrow four thousand pounds from the Duke of Lennox. That nobleman was further requested to go in person to the Lennox, and cause two hundred of his vassals to accompany the Lieutenant to Kintyre. The Earl of Argyle likewise was earnestly required to give his concurrence to the Lieutenant, and to send two hundred men to Kintyre, under his kinsman, Campbell of Auchinbreck. A let

1 Record of Privy Council, 3rd August, 1596.

• Ibid.