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

164 History of the Clan MacLean.
monci/ : 'logediler milh the henelhe of cverie saluriliiycs Jisliing : And that 71010 they exact onlie
frome his Majesteis subjects of the Associatioun for ilk ship and baike that comes to the
herring fishing, i/trertze sax shillings Scottish money ; and for ilk ship that comes to the
gray and white fishing lioenty markis : And this for ankorage and ground leave conforme
to ane Contract past betwix the said Sir Donald, Johne M'rannald and umquhile Sir
Rorie McCleod and some others of tlie Ylanders on the ane part, and certane of the
Burrowis in the East countrie on the other part in anno Ifi'iO or thereby; Quhilk tliey
s!iy is registrat in the bookes of Counsell : — They being interrogat what is the ground
leave of the saids dewteis quhilk they now lift, they say they can make no division, be-
cause the same is payable to thame be the said contract for ane anknra;;p imd L'ronnd
leave, quhilk they refer to the contract itselff'e: — Being deniandit by what warraticl they
ii|ilift the saids exactions and dewteis foresaids, tliey answer that they ar heretours of
the ground and so may lawfully take up satisfactioun for ground leave and ankerage; it
being ane ancient custome and in use to be done past memorie of man: — Being de-
niandit how they can exact the particular exactions and dewteis foirsaids from ane of his
Majesteis subjects of the associatioun who have not contracted with thame, They ansuer
that they take no more aff thame than aff these who have contracted; wherein they
think they doe thame favour, Becaus they thinke they might ujilift frome thame the fore-
said ancient dewtie and exactions that they war in use to gett befoi'e the dait of the said
Contract, in respect of the antiquitie of the custome and that they are heretours of the
lands and that they have made no conditions with thame: — Item the saids Sir La.uchlane
M^claine, Murdoch McClaine of Lochbuy, Lauchlane McClaine of Coill and Lauehlane
McCharles v'fingon being all examined anent the premisses. They and ilkane of thame de-
clared that there is no fishings within their boundis, wherethrow they mny exact nnie-
thing frome his Majesteis subjects of the associatioun; But if the fishings were in these
bounds they would be content to exact no more nor the saids north Ylanders doe: — And
the saids haill ylanders being demandit how and by whome strangers wer brought in
and their vessellis loadned with fisches and uther native commoiliteis ; They all in one
voice ansuered that nane of thame nor anie within thair bounds does anie such thing;
onlie the snid Sir Donald McDonnald declares that the last yeere there came into Loch-
niadie to the herring fishing in his bounds ane Dutche ship having the Deputie of Ire-
land his warrand, and some Frenche shippis with some men of Air who transported no
commoditeis away hot herring and uther fishes: — Upoun the trueth of the quhilkis
ansueres and declarations above written, the said ylanders and ilk ane of thame for thair
awne parts to give their oaths of veritie: — In witness whereof the saids commissioners
and ylanders have subscribed thir piesents day yee'r and place foresaid, i^ic subscribitui',
A. Lome; Neill Isles; Sr. Donald MacDonald of Sleat; L. M'claue Moruerne; J. Mc-
Leod of Dunvegane; J, McC. rannold. Us Neill McNeill of Bara, Lauclane McClaine
of Coill and I.auchlane McCharles v'fingon abone written at our commands becaus we
cannot write our selffes." *
Public feeling ran so high against tlie king on account of his extravagant
acts that the munnurings broke out into rebellion, -which in 11140 ha<l assumed
such proportions in Scotland that an army commenced the invasion of Eng-
land, iind defeated the royal army at Newburn-Upon-Tyne. This advance
met with the sympathy and good wishes of no small part of the English peo-
ple. The parliament of 1G40 was resolute in its opposition to the king's des-
potism, and began by the impeachment of the ministers and high officers of
* Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, p. 109.