Origins of the 'Forty-five : $b and other papers relating to that rising
History
Origins of the 'Forty-five : $b and other papers relating to that rising
Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746
Next is Seaforth’s country, all along pretty low and level, till you
come to Ferrindonall, the country of the Munro’s; (the Highland part
of his estate, I described on the first sheet as it lies on the North
Sea). The Gentlemen and Commons of the McKenzies are Protestants save
very few, but very much devoted to the Nonjurant Episcopal Clergy. The
Seaforth family embraced the Reformation in the Minority of James the
sixth. Coline, then Earl, entertained the famous Mr. Robert Bruce[292]
at his house with great respect and esteem when he was banished to
Inverness and the country beyond it. I saw the subscription of Earl
George, brother to the said Colin, to an original copy of the Covenant
ingrossed on parchment, but he was afterward excommunicated by the
Church for breach of trust. I am not sure if this family turned Popish
before James the seventh’s time, but the then Earl, whose name was
Kenneth, was Popish, as was his son the late Earl. The present Earl was
very faithful to the Government all the time of the Rebellion.[293] The
Munros and Rosses, I say nothing of, as their good affection to Church
and State is well known.
Next is the Earl of Cromartie’s Estate. In the low country the people
well affected to our Constitution in Church and State; and very few of
his Low Country tenants went with their Lord to the Rebellion.
[_Mackintosh Country_]
Having in the first sheet described all be-north the broad Ferry of
Sutherland at which I have arrived, I come to McIntoshes country,
viz., Strathnairn, Strathdearn,[294] and Badenoch. The people are all
Protestants, not given to thieving, but strangely poisoned by the
Nonjurant Clergy. Their dissatisfaction has sufficiently appeared by
their rising with the Lady against the King, rather than with the
Laird, their Chief who was a captain in the King’s pay, yea, McIntoshes
own company, which he had newly levied, deserted from him and listed in
what was called the Lady’s Regiment.[295]
[_Strathspey, Strathavon and Glenlivat_]
The next country, Strathspey, the property and seat of the Laird of
Grant: this Clan raised a Regiment at the Revolution and were firm
to the interest of King William, but they suffered so much by the
depredations of the Camerons and McDonalds that they became rather too
cautious in time of the late Rebellion; the truth is they were ’twixt
two fires, Lord Lewis Gordon to the east, and McIntoshes, Camerons
and MacDonalds to the west, so that their country must have been
severely plundered if they had been more than Neuters.[296] Besides
the emulation ’twixt Grant and the President in former Elections for a
member of Parliament was said to have made the Grants too [cautious];
however their good affection to the Revolution Interest has not been
questioned, and they are firm Presbyterians. Theft is scarcely known
in this country, though they have been great sufferers by the thieving
clans to the West.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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