History of the Clan MacLean from its first settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period

An Independent Clan — 1598 to 1746. 151
tifullie payit thame; the rwynous kivkis with reasonable diligence repairit;
the Sabothis solemplie kepit ; adultereis, fornicationis, insest and sic uther
vyle sklanderis seveirlie punist; marriageis contractit for certane yeiris* sim-
plicitir dischargeit and the committaris tliairof reptile and punini as fornica-
toiirk." f The second statute ordained the establishment of inns at such places
as were most convenient in the several islands; which was designed not only
for the accommodation of travelers, but to relieve the burden from the tenants
and laborers. The fJiird statute was intended to diminish the number of idle
persons, for the expense of keeping them fell ])i-ineipally upon the tenantry,
in addition to their usual rents. A limit was put to the number of individ-
uals of each household, and the chiefs were to support tiicir households from
their own means. The fourth statute provided against such persons who were
not natives found sorning, or living at free quarters on the poor inhabitants,
an evil wliicli had reached a great height. The fifth statute declared that
one of the chief causes of poverty in the Isles, and of tlie cruelty and inhu-
manity practiced in their feuds', was the inordinate love of strong wines and
aquavite. It was tliei'efore decreed that imported liquor sliould be destroyed,
and a fine of forty pounds to any one who, for the first offense, purchased it
from a mainland trader ; one hundred pounds for the second, and for the third
offense the loss of his entire possessions. It was, however, provided that any
individual could lirew as much aquavite as his own family required: and the
barons and wealthy gentlemen might purchase in the lowlands such liquors as
were required for their private consumption. The sixth statute declares "that
the ignorance and incivilitie of the saidis His hes daylie incressit be the negli-
gence of gaid educatioun and instructioun of the youth in the knowledge of God
and good lettres : For remeid quhairof it is enactit that everie gentilman or
yeaman within the saidis Islandis or ony of thame liaving children maill or
famell and being in goodis worth thriescoir ky, sail putt at the leist thair eld-
est sone or, having na childrene maill, thair eldest dochtir to the scuillis in
the lawland and interteny and bring tlmnie up thair quhill thay may be found
able sufificientlie to speik, read and wryte Inglische." + The seventh statute
"'■'This evitlently shows that the praotii'e of handrastinc (as it was called) was not vet abol-
isIkmI. Upiin this strange prai'tice .Jolin Mac-Vic-Ewin, fourth Laird of Aidyour, had Imnd-
fattcd with a dau<;liter of Maolaii of Ardnaimirehan, whom lie had taken on a promise of mar-
riMLjeif she pleased him. At the expiration of two years ho sent her home to her (aiher, but
his son by her (the gallant John of In verscaddel, already noticed at p. 101) was held to be a leuiti-
mato ofisprins, by virtue of the handfast ceremony. tCullec/aiieii ilc Rrbiis Alhmiicia, p. 118.
t Ibid.