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

PnOCEEDINGS OF LOKD LORN. 307
sioned an immediate assemblage of the inhabitants of that part of the
country, who pursued tiiese marauders, and took them prisoners. The
remainder escaped either into the isles, or into Lorn. The ten prison-
ers were brought to Auchincloigh, wliere Sir Robert Gordon was at tlie
lime deciding a dispute about the marches between Auchincloigli and
Neamore. After some consultation about wliat was to be done witli the
prisoners, it was resolved that tliey should be sent to tlie earl of Sutlior-
land, who then happened to be in pursuit of them. On the prisoners
being sent to him, the earl assembled the principal gentlemen of Ross
and Sutherland at Dornoch, where Ewen Aird and his accomplices were
tried before a jury, convicted and executed at Dornoch, with the ex-
ception of two j'oung boys, who were dismissed.
The privy council not only approved of what the earl of Sutherland
had done, but they also sent a commission to him and the earl of Sea-
forth, and to Hutcheon Ross, and some other gentlemen in Ross and
Sutherland, against the Clann-Mliic-Iain-Dliuinn, in ease they should
again make any fresh incursion into Res5 and Sutherland.
Lord Lorn being at this time justiciary of the isles, had obtained
an act of the privy council in his favour, by which it was decreed that
any malefactor, being an islander, upon being apprehended in any part
of the kingdom, should be sent to Lord Lorn, or to his deputies, to be
judged; and that to this efl'eet he should have deputies in every part of
the kingdom. As soon as his lordship heard of the trial and execution
of the men at Dornoch, who were of the Clann-Mhic-Iain-Dhuinn, and
his dependents and followers, he took the matter highly amiss, and re-
paired to Edinburgh, where he made a complaint to the lords of the
lOuneil against the earl of Sutherland, for having, as he maintained, ap-
prehended the king's free subjects without a commission, aud for causing
them to be executed, although they had not been apprehended witliin
his own jurisdiction. After hearing this complaint, Lord Lorn obtained
letters to charge the earl of Sutherland and Hutcheon Ross to answer
to the complaint at Edinburgh before the lords of the privy council, and
he, moreover, obtained a suspension of the earl's commission against the
Clann-Mhic-Iain-Dhuinn, on becoming bound, in the meantime, as
surety for their obedience to tiie laws.
Sir Robert Gordon happening to arrive at Edinburgh from England,
shortly after Lord Lorn's visit to Edinburgh, in the year sixteen hun-
dred and thirty-four, learned the object of his mission, and the success
which had attended it. He, therefore, being an eye-witness of every
thing which had taken place at Dornoch respecting the trial, condemna-
tion, and execution of Lord Lorn's dependents, informed the lords of
the council of all the proceedings, w hieh proceeding on his part had the
efleet of preventing Lo"il Lorn from going on with his prosecution
against the earl of Sutherland. He, however, proceeded to summon
Hutcheon Ross ; but the earl not being disposed to abandon Ross,
be, al tiie suggistion of Sir Robert Gordon, Lord l{eay, and all the