rior the earl of Sutherland, and entreated him, for his own sake, to join the earl; but Mackay remained inflexible.

By the mediation of mutual friends, the two earls agreed to a temporary truce on the ninth of March fifteen hundred and eighty-seven, and thus the effusion of human blood was stopped for a short time. As Mackay was the vassal of the earl of Sutherland, the latter refused to comprehend him in the truce, and insisted upon an unconditional submission, but Mackay obstinately refused to do so, and returned home to his own country, highly chagrined that the earl of Caithness, for whom he had put his life and estate in jeopardy, should have acceded to the earl of Sutherland's request, to exclude him from the benefit of the truce. Before the two earls separated, they came to a mutual understanding to reduce Mackay to obedience; and that he might not suspect their design, they agreed to meet at Edinburgh for the purpose of concerting the necessary measures together. Accordingly, they held a meeting at the appointed place in the year fifteen hundred and eighty-eight, and came to the resolution to attack Mackay; and to prevent Mackay from receiving any intelligence of their design, both parties swore to keep the same secret ; but the earl of Caithness, regardless of his oath, immediately sent notice to Mackay of the intended attack, for the purpose of enabling him to meet it. Instead, however, of following the earl of Caithness' advice, Mackay, justly dreading his hollow friendship, made haste, by the advice of Mackintosh and the Laird of Foulis, to reconcile himself to the earl of Sutherland, his superior, by an immediate submission. For this purpose, he and the earl first met at Inverness, and after conferring together they made another appointment to meet at Elgin, where a perfect and final reconciliation took place in the month of November, fifteen hundred and eighty-eight.

CHAPTER XI.

The Earl of Sutherland invades Caithness-Truce between the two Earls Caithness breaks the truce-Affair of the Creach-ne-Kamkish-Earl of Sutherland again invades Caithness-Submission of the people-Fresh truce-Sinclair of Murkle invades Strathully--Skirmish at Crissalligh-The Earl of Sutherland enters Caithness a third time -Meeting of the Earls at Elgin-Dispute between the Gordons and Murrays about precedency-Battle of Clyne-Houcheon Mackay invades Caithness-Feud between the Clan Gun and other tribes-The Clan-Chattan opposes the Earl of HuntlyQuarrel between the Gordons and the Grants-Meeting at Forres of the Grants, ClanChattan and others-Huntly breaks up the meeting-Huntly's operations against the Earl of Moray-Death of the Earl of Moray-Tumults in consequence-Huntly com.. mitted-Revolt of the Clan-Chattan-Defeated by the Camerons-Defeat of the Grants -Clan-Chattan invade Strathdee and Glenmucke-Defeated by the Earl of HuntlyMarch of the Earl of Argyle to the north-Battle of Glenlivet-Journey of James VI. to the north-Tumults in Ross-Feud in the Western Isles between the Macleans and Macdonalds-Defeat of the Macleans in Ila-Dispute between the Earls of Sutherland and Caithness-Feud between Macdonald of Slate and Sir Roderick Macleod of Harris-Dreadful excesses in Skye and Uist-Defeat of the Macleans in Skye-Reconciliation between Macleod and Macdona

THE truce between the two earls having now expired, the earl of Sutherland, emboldened by the submission of Mackay, demanded redress from the earl of Caithness for the slaughter of George Gordon, an required that the principal actors in that affair should be punished. The earl of Caithness having refused reparation, the earl of Sutherland sent two hundred men into Caithness under the command of John Gordon of Golspietour, afterwards of Embo, and of John Gordon of Kilcalmekill, his brother, to reconnoitre and ascertain the strength of the enemy be. fore invading the country himself. The Gordons and their party, entered the parishes of Dumbaith and Lathron, and after wasting the country and killing John James-son, one of the principal gentlemen in Caithness, and some others, they returned with an immense booty in cattle, which they divided among themselves. This division was long known by the name of Creach-lairn, that is, the harship of Lathron.

Immediately on the return of this party, the earl of Sutherland, accompanied by Mackay, Mackintosh, the Laird of Foulis, the Laird of Assint, and Gille-Calum, Laird of Rasay, entered Caithness with all his forces. In taking this step he was warranted by a commission which he had obtained at court through the influence of chancellor Maitland, against the earl of Caithness for killing George Gordon. The people of Caithness, alarmed at the great force of the earl, fled in all directions on his approach, and he never halted till he reached the strong fort of Girnigo, where he pitched his camp for twelve days. He then penetrated as far as Duncansby, killing several of the country people in his route,

and collecting an immense quantity of cattle and goods, so large, indeed, as to exceed all that had been seen together in that country for many years, all of which was divided among the army, agreeably to the custom in such cases. This invasion had such an effect upon the people of Caithness, that every race, clan, tribe and family there, vied with one another in offering pledges to the earl of Sutherland to keep the peace in all time coming. This affair took place in the month of February, fifteen hundred and eighty-eight, and was called La-na-Creach-Moir, that is, the time of the great slaughter or spoil. The town of Wick was also pillaged and burnt, but the church was preserved. In the church was found the heart of the earl of Caithness' father in a case of lead, which was opened by John Mac-Gille-Calum Rasay, and the ashes of the heart were thrown by him to the winds.

During the time when these depredations were committing, the earl of Caithness shut himself up in the castle of Girnigo; but on learning the disasters which had befallen his country, he desired a cessation of hostilities and a conference with the earl of Sutherland. As the castle of Girnigo was strongly fortified, and as the earl of Caithness had made preparations for enduring a long siege, the earl of Sutherland complied. with his request. Both earls ultimately agreed to refer all their differences and disputes to the arbitrament of friends, and the earl of Huntly was chosen by mutual consent to act as umpire or oversman, in the event of a difference of opinion. A second truce was in this way entered into until the decision of the arbiters, when all differences were to cease.*

Notwithstanding this engagement, however, the earl of Caithness soon gave fresh provocation, for before the truce had expired he sent a party of his men to Diri-Chatt in Sutherland, under the command of Kenneth Buy, and his brother, Farquhar Buy, chieftains of the Siol-Mhic-Imheair in Caithness, and chief advisers of the earl of Caithness in his bad actions, and his instruments in oppressing the poor people of Caithness. These men, after killing Donald-Mac-Iain-Moir, a herdsman of the earl of Sutherland, carried off some booty out of Baddenligh. The earl of Sutherland lost no time in revenging himself. At Whitsunday, in the year fifteen hundred and eighty-nine, he sent three hundred men into Caithness with Alexander Gordon of Kilcalmekill at their head. They penetrated as far as Girnigo, laying the country waste everywhere around them, and striking terror into the hearts of the inhabitants, many of whom, including some of the Siol-MhicImheair, they killed. After spending their fury the party returned to Sutherland with a large booty, and without the loss of a single man. This affair was called the Creach-na-Camchic.

To retaliate upon the earl of Sutherland for this inroad, James Sinclair of Markle, brother of the earl of Caithness, collected an army of

Sir R. Gordon, p. 157.

SKIRMISH AT CRISSALLIGH.

215

three thousand men, with which he marched into Strathully, in the month of June, fifteen hundred and eighty-nine. As the earl of Sutherland had been apprehensive of an attack, he had placed a range of sentinels along the borders of Sutherland, to give notice of the approach of the enemy. Of these, four were stationed in the village of Liribell, which the Caithness men entered in the middle of the day unknown to the sentinels, who, instead of keeping an outlook, were at the time carelessly enjoying themselves within the watch-house. On perceiving the Caithness men about entering the house, they shut themselves up within it; but the house being set on fire, three of them perished, and the fourth, rushing through the flames, escaped with great difficulty, and announced to his countrymen the arrival of the enemy.

From Strathully, Sinclair passed forward with his army to a place called Crissalligh, on the height of Strathbroray, and began to drive away some cattle towards Caithness. As the earl of Sutherland had not yet had sufficient time to collect a sufficient force to oppose Sinclair, he sent in the meantime Houcheon Mackay, who happened to be at Dunrobin, with five or six hundred men, to keep Sinclair in check until a greater force should be assembled. With this body, which was hastily drawn together on the spur of the occasion, Mackay advanced with amazing celerity, and such was the rapidity of his movements, that he most unexpectedly came up with Sinclair, not far from Crissalligh, when his army was ranging about without order, or military discipline. On coming up, Mackay found John Gordon of Kilcalmekill at the head of a small party skirmishing with the Caithness men, a circumstance which made him instantly resolve, though so far inferior in numbers, to attack Sinclair. Crossing therefore the water, which was between him and the enemy, Mackay and his men rushed upon the army of Sinclair, which they defeated after a long and warm contest. The Caithness men retreated with the loss of their booty and part of their baggage, and were closely pursued by a body of men, commanded by John Murray, nicknamed the merchant, to a distance of sixteen miles.*

This defeat, however, did not satisfy the earl of Sutherland, who, having now assembled an army, entered Caithness with the intention of laying it waste. The earl advanced as far as Corrichoigh, and the earl of Caithness convened his forces at Spittle, where he lay waiting the arrival of his enemy. The earl of Huntly having been made acquainted with the warlike preparations of the two hostile earls, sent, without delay, his uncle, Sir Patrick Gordon of Auchindun to mediate between them, and he luckily arrived at the earl of Sutherland's head-quarters, at the very instant his army was on its march to meet the earl of Caithness. By the friendly interference of Sir Patrick, the parties were prevailed upon to desist from their hostile intentions, and to agree to hold an amicable meeting at Elgin, in presence of the earl of Huntly, to

Sir R. Gordon, p. 199.

whom they also agreed to refer all their differences. A meeting accordingly took place in the month of November, fifteen hundred and eightynine, at which all disputes were settled, and in order that the reconciliation might be lasting, and that no recourse might again be had to arms, the two earls subscribed a deed, by which they appointed Huntly and his successors hereditary judges, and arbitrators of all disputes, or differences, that might from thenceforth arise between these two families and houses.

This reconciliation, however, as it did not obliterate the rancour which existed between the people of these different countries, was but of short duration. The frequent depredations committed by the vassals and retainers of the earls upon the property of one another, led to an exchange of letters and messages between them, about the means to be used for repressing these disorders. During this correspondence the earl of Sutherland became unwell, and, being confined to his bed, the earl of Caithness, in October fifteen hundred and eighty-nine, wrote him a kind letter which he had scarcely despatched when he most unaccountably entered Sutherland with a hostile force; but he only remained one night in that country, in consequence of receiving intelligence of a meditated attack upon his camp, by John Gordon of Kilcalmekill, and Neill Mac-Iain-Mac-William. A considerable number of the Sutherlands having collected together, they resolved to pursue the Caithness men, who had carried off a large quantity of cattle; but on coming nearly up with them, an unfortunate difference arose between the Murrays and the Gordons, each contending for the command of the vanguard. The Murrays rested their claim upon their former good services to the house of Sutherland; but the Gordons refusing to admit it, all the Murrays, with the exception of William Murray, brother of the laird of Palrossie, and John Murray, the merchant, withdrew, and took a station on a hill hard by to witness the combat. This unexpected event seemed to paralyze the Gordons at first; but seeing the Caithness men driving the cattle away before them, and thinking that if they did not attack them they would be accused of cowardice, Patrick Gordon of Gartay, John Gordon of Embo, and John Gordon of Kilcalmekill, after some consultation, resolved to attack the retiring foe without loss of time, and without waiting for the coming up of the Strathnaver men, who were hourly expected. This was a bold and desperate attempt, as the Gordons were only as one to twelve in point of numbers, but they could not brook the idea of being branded as cowards. With such numerical inferiority, and with the sun and wind in their faces to boot, the Sutherland men advanced upon and resolutely attacked the Caithness men near Clyne. In the van of the Caithness army were placed about fifteen hundred archers, a considerable number of whom were from the Western Isles, under the command of Donald Balloch Mackay of Skowrie, who poured a thick shower of arrows upon the men of Sutherland as they advanced, and who, in return, gave their opponents a similar re