History of the Macleods

354 TH E HISTORY OF THE MACLEODS.
his ploughs and 'rigwiddeis,' and thereby, and by others
the like open and manifest oppressions, has laid and holds
the said lands waste." The Rev. Mr. John did not appear,
and was denounced a rebel.
It would seem that a Mr. John " Irwing of Kynnock"
became cautioner on the 29th December, 1595, for this
Rev. John Mackenzie, of Urray, to the amount of 300
merks, that he would appear on the 3rd of February
following to answer the complaint made against him
by the Banes respecting "the reset" and protection of
this John MacGillechallum, Raasay. The bond is deleted
by warrant, subscribed by the King's hand, at Edinburgh
on the 17th of January, 1595-96.*
There is another complaint by the same parties in con-
nection with this matter, on the 6th of February, 1595-96,
from which it appears that John MacGillechallum, Raasay,
had been put to the horn on the 7th of March, 1594,
but, notwithstanding this, " he not only remains unreleased
from the horn, but continues in his wicked and accustomed
trade of reif, theft, sorning, and oppression, seeking all
indirect and shameful means to wreck and destroy him
(Bane of Tulloch) and his bairns. Thus, lately he sent
to the complainer, desiring him to give over to him his
old heritage called Torrertane [Torridon], with assurance,
if he do not the same, to burn his whole corns and
goods." In these insolencies he is " encouraged and set
forward by the consort, reset, and supply which he
receives of Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail and his friends,
he being near kinsman to the said Kenneth, viz., his
father's sister's son, who, in that respect, shows him all
good offices of friendship and courtesy, indirectly assisting
him with his men and moyan in all his enterprises
against the said complainer and his bairns, without whose
oversight and allowance, and protection it were not able
to have a reset in any part of the country." The com-
plainer, Bane of Tulloch, is then described as a decrepit
aged man, past eighty years of age ; and being blind for
* Register of the Privy Council, p. 316.