On the 11th of December next, John Gordon of Pitlurg becomes cautioner in one thousand merks that Colin will not injure Andrew, Lord Dingwall, his tenants, or servants. On the 11th of April, 1586, William Cumming of Inverallochy and others become surety in L1000 that Mackenzie shall "remove his coble, fishers, and nets, from the fishing of the water of Canon, and desist and cease therefrom in time coming, conform to the letters raised at the instance of Andrew, Lord Dingwall, to the same effect, in case it shall be found and declared that the said Colin ought to do the same." On the 4th of May following, Mackenzie binds himself to keep his sureties scaithless in the matter of this caution. On the 16th of the same month, the King and Council "for certain necessary and weighty considerations moving his Highness, tending to the furthering and establishing of his Highness' obedience and the greatness and safety of his peaceable and good subjects from burnings, riefs, and oppression," ordain Colin to enter in ward in Blackness Castle within twenty-four hours after being charged under pain of treason. Two days later, being then in ward in this stronghold, he finds caution in ten thousand merks that on being relieved from ward he will repair to Edinburgh and keep ward there until set free. This is deleted by a warrant subscribed by the King and the Secretary at Falkland on the 6th of the following August. His name appears as one of a long list of Highland chiefs complained against to the Privy Council on the 30th of November, 1586, by the united burghs of the realm for obstructing the fisheries in the northern parts and making extortionate exactions from the fishermen, and again on the 16th of September, 1587, when an order is made to denounce him for his failure to appear before the Council to enter John Mackenzie of Gairloch and his accomplices, for whom Colin is held liable "as master and landlord," to answer a complaint made against them by James Sinclair, Master of Caithness, on the 10th of August preceding. On the 5th of March, 1587-88, John Davidson, burgess of Edinburgh, becomes cautioner in 500 merks that Colin will, if required, enter such of his men before the Privy Council as "assegeit" James, Master of Caithness, within the house of William Robson, in the Chanonry of Ross. On the 27th of July, 1588, he is appointed by a Convention of the Estates member of a Commission, charged with powers for executing the laws against Jesuits, Papists, and other delinquents, and with other extensive powers. On the 24th of May, 1589, he is named as the Commissioner for the shire of Inverness who is to convene the freeholders of the county for choosing the Commissioners to a Parliament to be held at Edinburgh on the 2nd of October in that year, and to report his diligence in this matter to the Council before the 15th of August, under pains of rebellion. On the 4th of June following, he appears in a curious position in connection