Scenes and legends of the north of Scotland : $b or, The traditional history of Cromarty — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Scenes and legends of the north of Scotland : $b or, The traditional history of Cromarty
John Stuart Mill · en
The people of the town, not excepting some of those who had shouted
round the bonfires and sat down to the dinner, were much gratified by
the result of Macculloch’s application; and for some time the laird was
so popular that there was no party in opposition to him. An incident
soon occurred, however, which had the effect of uniting nine-tenths of
the whole parish into a confederacy, so powerful and determined, that
it contended with him in a lawsuit for three whole years.
[Sidenote: THE LAW PLEA.]
The patronage of the church of Cromarty, on the attainder of Lord
George Mackenzie, in whom it had been vested, devolved upon the
Crown. It was claimed, however, by Captain Urquhart, and the Crown,
unacquainted with the extent of many of the privileges derived to it
by the general forfeiture of the late Rebellion, and of this privilege
among the others, seemed no way inclined to dispute with him the claim.
He therefore nominated to the parish, on the first vacancy, a Mr.
Simpson of Meldrum as a proper minister. This Meldrum was a property
of Mrs. Urquhart’s, and the chief qualification of Mr. Simpson arose
from the circumstance of his having been born on it. The Captain was
himself a Papist, and had not set a foot within the church of Cromarty
since he had come to the estate; his wife was an Episcopalian, and,
more liberal than her husband, she had on one occasion attended it
in honour of the wedding of a favourite maid. The people of the town,
in the opinion that the presentation could not be in worse hands, and
dissatisfied with the presentee, rejected the latter on the ground that
Captain Urquhart was not the legitimate patron; and, binding themselves
by contract, they subscribed a considerable sum that they might join
issue with him in a lawsuit. They were, besides, assisted by the
neighbouring parishes; and, after a tedious litigation, the suit was
decided in their favour; but not until they had expended upon it, as I
have frequently heard affirmed with much exultation, the then enormous
sum of five hundred pounds. They received from the Crown their choice
of a minister.
[Sidenote: RODERICK AND THE CAPTAIN.]