CHAPTER VII. 



IN December, 1597, two important Acts were passed by 

 the Scottish Parliament, both of which had a direct bearing 

 upon the Long Island. One, entitled " The Inhabitants 

 of the lies and Hielandis suld schaw thair haldingis," 

 required that all landlords, chiefs of clans, and other 

 proprietors of land and fisheries in the Highlands and 

 Isles, should appear in Edinburgh before I5th May, 1598, 

 and produce their deeds. The other, entitled " Anent the 

 bigging of burrowes townes in the lies and Hielandis," 

 ordained that for better "civilitie and polecie" in those 

 parts, there should be erected a burgh in Kintyre, one in 

 Lochaber, and one in Lewis, each with lands to be granted 

 by the King, and to be endowed with all the privileges 

 enjoyed by any other burghs within the realm.* 



The preamble of the first Act sets forth that the lords 

 of the districts concerned had neglected to pay the feu- 

 duties, or to perform the services due by them to the Crown. 

 They are called hard names for their barbarity and cruelty, 

 which, it is affirmed, had resulted in the fertile lands and 

 rich fisheries in their possession being left undeveloped. 

 Then follows the charge to produce title-deeds, failure to 

 do so involving absolute forfeiture of the lands to the 

 Crown. It is easy to see what lay at the root of this 

 drastic Act. The impecuniosity of the King, in conse- 

 quence of his extravagance, was notorious. Money had 

 to be raised somehow and somewhere. The Act was 

 plainly devised to replenish the Exchequer at the expense 

 of the Highlanders and Islesmen. It was the first step 

 in the policy of confiscation upon which James the Sixth 



* Acts of Par!., Vol. IV., p. 139. 



