284 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



there is "no vertew hot vaiging (stravaiging) among the 

 yemans (yeomen), dependaris and servandis." He there- 

 fore petitioned the Council to be allowed to remain at 

 home for the next seven years, in order to develop his 

 estate, and thus enable him to pay his creditors. He asked 

 for a dispensation from the Act abolishing the imposition 

 of calps. On behalf of Clanranald, he petitioned for a 

 supersedere for seven or five years from all civil actions by 

 Clanranald's creditors.* 



Rory Mor's petition met with no direct success, but it is 

 significant that, by an Act of Council in 1623, the com- 

 pulsory attendance of the chiefs every year was abolished, 

 and we find in that year, Maclean of Duart and Maclean 

 of Morvern making themselves answerable for the appear- 

 ance of Ruari Macleod, at any time during the succeeding 

 three years that his presence might be required by the 

 Council. Rory Mor's letter suggests that both he and his 

 son-in-law were hard pressed by their creditors. In view 

 of the extravagance of living which prevailed among the 

 Highland chiefs of those and later times, it is not sur- 

 prising to find them in a constant state of debt and 

 impecuniosity. 



Turning now to Barra, we find a condition of domestic 

 discord which augured badly for the prosperity of that 

 island. Going back to the end of the sixteenth century, we 

 read of strange happenings in Barra. Ruari Macneill was 

 not too scrupulous in his means of adding to his revenue. 

 In plain English, he was a noted pirate. He was com- 

 paratively safe so long as he confined his attentions to 

 Dutch or French ships. Unluckily for him, however, he 

 pursued his avocation on the coast of Ireland, and spread 

 such terror there that the news of his exploits came to the 

 ears of Queen Elizabeth, who complained to King James 

 of the chiefs depredations upon her subjects, and requested 

 him to take steps to bring Macneill to justice. Desirous 

 above all things to avoid giving offence to the Maiden 



* Reg. ofP.C., Vol. XIII., pp. 745-6. 



