Chiefs of Grant > Correspondence

1737.] TO LUDOVICK GRANT, YOUNGER OF GRANT. 349
rather encouraged than chastised them for such an illegal and insolent association. I wrote
something of it to you in the letter that I had the honour to send you by one of the soldiers
of my company, but did not receive any answer since ; and truly I must own that I was never
so astonished as to find that you took no great concern about the most barbarous, villainous,
horrid, and unprecedented crime that was committed in the Highlands in this age, in any
country or by any people ; that is, the decoying one of your tennents from his own house,
while he was at supper, by a little boy, and when he was conducted by the boy in order to
go to Dochfour's house, as the boy made him believe, as he pass'd the bridge that was upon
the road, two or three ruffians, mask'd, jump'd upon him, bruised him, and beat him till
within an inch of his life, and afterwards cutt off both his ears, — a barbarity without example
in this country, or in any country round it. I referr to your own serious and mature con-
sideration whither or not this insolent action does not strick at your honour and character
as well as at your authority and jurisdiction. I am very certain that it is a manifest insult
upon my person, both as to my office as shirref and as to my commission as captain of an
Independent Company, that now takes care of this district, and has one of my posts in
Urqhuart. I do assure you that if it was not for the singular love and regard I have for
your person and for your family, being resolved to be for ever addicted and attached to both.
and that I would not meddle with anything that is within your country, regality and
jurisdiction, without acquainting yourself first, I would have seised both the gentlemen and
common fellows that I had information against, and very strong presumptions that they were
the contrivers and the actors of that barbarous crime against your poor tennent, against
whom they had no reason of complaint but his marrying a country girl that had some
money, and that she preferr'd him to one of their relations to whom they designed to marry
her ; a fine pretext for murder and barbarity. Those gentlemen came within an half mile
of my house the next day after this villainy was committed, in order to pay me a visit as
they said. I sent them a message not to come to my house, and to tell them that if it was
not for the particular regard I had for you, and that they were then in my own country, I
would send them all prisoners to the Tolbooth of Inverness to undergo the law. It is not
worth my while or yours to trouble you with an account of their misbehaviour that night.
They went all drunk to your cousin Belladrum's house about 12 aclock at night, and Bella-
drum being sick in bed, they insulted him and his lady and family, and gave unseeming
names to this country and people ; and of all mankind they should be the last to say
unmannerly things of it, for they aiwayes met with a great deall of good hospitality and
kindness in it, for they were still as welecome to every house in this country as they were
at home in their own houses, which none of them can deny.
After all that I have said to you, my dear nephew, I humbly beg that you may let me
know precisely what you are resolved to do to chastise the insolent persons that committed
this horrid crime in defyance of the law, and in downright contempt of your authority and