260 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



seizing the persons named in the former charge. That 

 the Tutor's time was fully occupied in the reduction of 

 Lewis, is evident from the fact that he and his nephew, 

 Lord Kintail, were specially exempted from the operation 

 of a commission with which the Marquis of Huntly was 

 charged to suppress a quarrel which had broken out 

 between different factions of the Camerons. The circum- 

 stances of this exemption are stated in a commission from 

 the King, dated I4th September, 1614, confirming the 

 authority of Kintail and the Tutor to reduce the Lewis- 

 men to obedience. The inhabitants of Lewis are charged 

 with being "godles and laules," being "traynit up from 

 thair youths in all kynd of impietie and wickednes," and 

 the Mackenzies were excused from any service which 

 would disturb them in completing the subjugation of the 

 island. The conquest of Lewis, the King "asserts, is 

 necessary alike for his own honour, the peace and quiet- 

 ness of the Hebrides, and the safety of his subjects who 

 resort to the fishing. According to this commission, 

 several of the insurgents had already been executed, and 

 in February, 1615, others who had been taken south by 

 Macleod of Harris were handed over to the Mackenzies 

 by the magistrates of Edinburgh, to be kept in ward 

 pending their trial.* A week later, Ruari (Neil Macleod's 

 son), who was one of the Lewismen presented to the 

 Council by Macleod of Harris, was set at liberty on taking 

 his oath to leave the country within forty days, and in the 

 meantime not to show himself north of the Tay, the 

 penalty for disobedience being death. The unfortunate 

 Tormod Macleod, the only legitimate representative of 

 the Siol Torquil then living, who had lain in prison since 

 1605, was released on the same conditions. The Tutor 

 of Kintail appeared in Edinburgh as his nephew's repre- 

 sentative, and gave his consent to the release of the two 

 Macleods, taking the precaution to secure from the 

 Council an acknowledgment of his non-liability, and that 



* Reg. ofP.C., Vol. X., pp. 270-1. 



