History of the Mackenzies, with genealogies of the principal families of the nameMackenzie, Alexander
History
History of the Mackenzies, with genealogies of the principal families of the name
Mackenzie, Alexander
Mackenzie family; Scotland -- Genealogy; Seaforth, Earls of
and the three great western chiefs, Macdonald of Sleat, Macleod of
Harris, and Mackenzie of Kintail, enjoyed the delight of seeing
the principal gentlemen adventurers made captive by Tormod Macleod;
who, after extorting from them a renunciation of their titles,
and an oath never to return to the Lewis, dismissed them to carry
to the Scottish Court the melancholy reflection that a Celtic
population, and the islands on which it was scattered, were not
yet the materials or the field for the further operations of the
economists of Fife and Mid-Lothian."
In 1610 his Lordship returned to the Lewis with 700 men, and
finally brought the whole island to submission, with the exception
of Neil Macleod and a few of his followers, who retired to the rock
of Berissay, and took possession of it. At this period religion
must have been at a very low ebb - almost extinct among the
inhabitants; and, to revive Christianity among them, his Lordship
selected and took along with him the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, a native
of Kintail and minister of Gairloch, [He brought with him Mr
Farquhar Macrae, who was then a young man and minister of Gairloch
and appointed by the Bishop of Ross (Lesley) to stay with Sir George
Hay and the Englishmen that were with him in Letterewe, being
a peaceful and eloquent preacher. - "Ardintoul MS."] who had been
recommended to the latter charge by the bishop of Ross. Mr Macrae
found quite enough to do on his arrival in the island, but he appears
to have been very successful among the uncivilised natives; for
he reports having gained many over to Christianity; baptised a
large number in the fortieth year of their age; and, to legitimise
their children, marrying many others to those women with whom they
had been for years cohabiting. Leaving the reverend gentleman in
the prosecution of his mission, his Lordship returned home, having
established good order in the island, and promising to return
again the following year, to the great satisfaction of the people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account