Ossian Collection > History of the Highlands and of the Highland clans > Volume 1

DECEITFUL CONDUCT OF SIR DONALD MACKAY. 293
he »ai no mean adept in the arts of cunning and dissimulation. His
plan was this : — He wrote, in the first place, private letters to the lairJ
of Duti'us, and to his brother, John Sutherland of Clyne, to apprehend
Angus Roy Gun under the commission he had obtained; and at the same
time, sent the commission itself to tlie laird of Duli'us as his authority
for so doinj:. He next wrote a letter to Alexander Gordon, the earl of
Sutherland's uncle, who, in the absence of his brother, Sir Robert, go-
verned Sutherland, entreating liim, as Angus Roy Gun was then in Su-
therland, to send him to him to Cromarty, as he was his hired soldier.
Ignorant of Mackay's design, and desirous of serving him. Sir Alex-
ander sent two of his men to bring Gun to Sir Alexander ; but on
their return they were met by John Sutherland of Clyne and a party
of sixteen men who seized Gun ; and to prevent a rescue, the laird of
Duffua sent his brother, James Sutherland, Alexander Murray, heir-
apparent of Aberscors, and William Neill-son, chief of the Sliochd-Iuiii-
Abaraich, with three hundred men to protect his brother John. And as
he anticipated an attack from Sir Alexander Gordon, he sent messen-
gers to his supporters in Ross, Strathnaver, Caithness, and other places
for assistance.
When Sir Alexander Gordon heard of the assembling of such a body
of the earl of Sutherland's vassals without his knowledge, he made
inquiry to ascertain the cause of such a proceeding ; and being in-
formed of Gun's capture, he collected eighteen men who were near at
hand, and hastened with them from Dunrobin towards Clyne. On ar-
riving at the bridge of Broray, he found James Sutherland, and his
brother, John, and their whole party drawn up in battle array at the
east end of the bridge. He, thereupon, sent a person to the Sutherlands
to know the cause of such an assemblage, and the reason why they had
taken Gun from his servants. The bearer of the message was also
instructed to say, that if they pretended to act under a commission, he,
Sir Alexander, would, on their producing it, not only desist from all
proceedings against them, but would assist them in fulfilling the com-
mission ; but, that if they held no such commission, he would not allow
any man to be apprehended in Sutherland, and particularly by the earl of
Sutherland's vassals, without his permission, — and that failing production
of any commission, he would insist upon their immediately delivering
up Gun into his hands. As the Sutherlands refused to exhibit their
authority. Sir Alexander made demonstrations for passing the bridge, but
he was met by a shower of shot and arrows which wounded two of his men.
After exchanging shots for some time. Sir Alexander was joined by a con-
riderable body of his countrymen, by whose aid, notwithstanding the re-
sistance he met with he was enabled to cross the bridge. The Suther-
lands were forced to retreat, and as they saw no chance of opposing,
with success, the power of the house of Sutherland, they, after some
hours consultation, delivered up Angus Roy Gun to Sir Alexander Su-
therland, who sent him immediately to Mackay then at Cromarty.