The Earl became alarmed, not knowing whom they might be
or what their object was, whereupon Mackenzie said that it could
be no other than Kenneth and his rebellious followers coming to
punish him for paying his lordship this visit without his consent
and he advised the Earl to leave at once, as he was not strong
enough to resist the enemy, and to take him (the old chief) along
with him in order to protect him from his son's violence, which
would now, in consequence of this visit he directed against him
more than ever. The Earl and his retinue at once withdrew to
Easter Ross. Kenneth ordered his men to pursue them. He overtook
them as they were crossing the bridge of Dingwall and killed
several of them; but having attained his object of frightening
Huntly out of Ross, he ordered his men to desist. This skirmish
is known as the "affair of Dingwall Bridge." [Ardintoul MS.]
In 1556 Y Mackay of Farr, progenitor of the Lords of Reay, refused
to appear before the Queen Regent at Inverness, to answer charges
made against him for depredations committed in Sutherlandshire;
and she issued a commission to John, fifth Earl of Sutherland,
to lay Mackay's country waste.
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