"
The night before the battle young Brodie of Brodie, accompanied by
his accustomed retinue, was on a visit at Kinellan, and as be was
preparing to leave the next morning be noticed Mackenzie's men in
arms, whereupon he asked if the enemy were known to be so near
that for a certainty they would fight before night. Being informed
that they were close at hand, he determined to wait and take part
in the battle, replying to Kenneth's persuasions to the contrary,
"that be was an ill fellow and worse neighbour that would leave
his friend at such a time," He took a distinguished part in the
fight and behaved "to the advantage of his friend and notable loss
of his enemy," and the Earl of Cromarty informs us that immediately
after the battle be went on his journey. But his conduct produced
a friendship between the Mackenzies and the family of Brodie, which
continued among their posterity, "and even yet remains betwixt
them, being more sacredly observed than the ties of affinity and
consanguinity amongst most others," and a bond of manrent was
entered into between the families. Some authorities assert that
young Brodie was slain, but of this no early writer makes any mention
and neither in Sir Robert Gordon's 'Earldom of Sutherland,' in the
'Earl of Cromartie' or other MS.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176