208 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



over his prisoners to Ruari Macleod, and thus the feud was 

 terminated.* But what of the divorced wife, and still more, 

 what of the starving people? In after years, when a dis- 

 pute arose between the Macleods and the Macdonalds, they 

 referred it to the Law Courts, for the arbitration of the sword 

 was too expensive an operation. When the Highland and 

 Hebridean chiefs substituted the pen for the sword, they 

 became as famed for their litigious proclivities as they had 

 previously been for their prowess in arms. Fighters always, 

 they found in the Law Courts a safety valve for their pug- 

 nacity, which in other times had been provided by their 

 interminable feuds. 



The events just narrated may have been the direct cause 

 of a fresh commission of lieutenancy, to last for a year or 

 until discharged, which, on i6th June, 1601, was issued to 

 the Duke of Lennox and the Marquis of Huntly. The 

 King having already proof of the " guid and happie suc- 

 ces " which had attended the efforts of Lennox, enlarged 

 his scope of jurisdiction to include Kintyre, Islay, and 

 other lands of Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg ; also Mull, 

 Tiree, lona, Coll, Barra, Rathlin, Morvern, and Ardna- 

 murchan. Absolute authority over the lives and liberties 

 of the people was vested in the lieutenant, with an indem- 

 nity for " slaughter or any other inconvenient " committed 

 in the execution of his commission. 



Similarly, Huntly was granted autocratic sway over Skye, 

 Harris, Hert (St. Kilda), Uist, Scalpa, Rum, Canna, Raasay, 

 Eigg, Eilean Tirrim, and Arisaig ; and his commission was 

 extended to cover any Highlanders on the mainland who 

 were the avowed partisans of the Islesmen against the 

 authority of the lieutenant. The earls, lords, barons, and 

 " substantious " landed men of Aberdeen, Banff, Elgin, 

 Forres, Nairn, Inverness, Caithness, Cromarty, and the 

 burghers of these counties, were charged to assist Huntly 

 under pain of treason. And a reward was promised to 

 the Marquis if he were successful in " settling " the Isles. 



* Conflicts of the Clans (from MS. written circa 1620). 



