September 16th 1587

Mad Colin gets very mad indeed

The earliest chiefs of Glenlyon were the Fingalians about whom there are many legends but few hard facts. Later, in Robert the Bruce’s time, William Olifant received lands from the King. There was a Black John of the Spears who was probably a Macdougal, but by the mid-16th Century the lairds of Glenlyon were Campbells and remained so for the next three hundred years. There was Archibald, step-son of Black John, then Red Duncan of the Hospitality, and then the third Campbell laird, Cailean Gorach or Mad Colin.

Colin had not always been mad. He was thought to have sustained a blow to the head when he was a young man, though as long as his first wife was alive his behaviour was not too outrageous. In any case, general standards of lawlessness were such that it was often necessary for the laird to administer his own forms of justice.

On August 20th 1583 there was a complaint made by Colin Campbell that “three score persons or thereby, by the break of day, masterfully reft, spulzied and took away furth of the lands of Glenlyon, four score head of ky, eleven horses and mares, together with the whole insight and plenishing of their (his tenants) houses and also struck dang the women of the said lands, and cutted the hair of their head……”

The persons were named in the indictment and the Court ordered them to be “denounced rebels” . It was an empty gesture and the reivers remained safe in their mountain hideouts. No doubt Colin would have learned the lesson taught by this particular episode. When a few years later there was another raiding party in Glenlyon, his reaction was more direct and final.

A party of Lochaber men had raided some of the lands in Glenlyon on their way south to the cattle tryst at Crieff. Two tenants who tried to stop them were killed. It was too late for the laird to collect his men and pursue the raiders but it was agreed to mount an ambush and catch them on their way home. This was done and Colin’s son Duncan, with a strong force of men, captured Dougal of Muirdart and thirty five of his followers. They were flung into the dungeons at Meggernie Castle and Duncan went to Edinburgh to inform the authorities of the capture. A week later he sent a message to his father telling him that because of the representations made by the Muirdart family there was every possibility that an order would be made to pardon the prisoners.

This was too much for Colin who became very mad indeed. “Pardon,” he shouted, “pardon men taken red handed in the act of murdering my tenants. By God, it shall not be so.” He ordered the prisoners to be taken from Meggernie Castle and all thirty five to be hung from some nearby trees. Dougal, their leader he shot. The Muirdart family protested and Colin and his son were both outlawed, but they too were quite safe as long as they remained in Glenlyon.

After Colin’s first wife died, he decided that he would like another wife and took immediate steps to remedy the situation. Register of Privy Council September 16th 1587. “Complaint by Dame Agnes Sinclair, Countess of Errol. While in September last, she was living quietly at Inchestuthill, Colin Campbell of Glenlyon, with convocation of men to the number of one hundred, came to the said place under cloud and silence of night, and treasonably raised fire at the gates thereof, where she was constrained, for fear of the fury of fire and for the preservation of her own life, to come forth; at which time the said Colin Campbell and his complices put violent hands on her and had her as captive and prisoner with them the space of twelve miles, of intention to have used her according to his filthy appetites and lust, and had not failed so to have done, were it not that she was delivered and freed by the Earl of Athol and his servants……”

Colin Campbell was ordered to appear before the Privy Council but declined and was ‘denounced rebel’. Two years later, the Countess was still pursuing Cailean Gorach and obtained from King James a commission for pursuing him ‘by fire and sword’. It was of no avail.

After another four years, the Countess was again on the warpath. July 21st 1591 “By means of some shameless and indiscreet persons, preferring their own private gain to his Highness’ honour, privily, without his Majesty’s knowledge, obtained a letter under the King’s subscription and signet relaxing him (i.e. Colin Campbell) from the horn for any cause bygone.”

She asked for the letter to be set aside and that the original letters of “horning, caption and treason against Colin Campbell to be put to further execution in all points.” She was wasting her time and Cailean Gorach remained at liberty.

By this time Colin was beginning to prove an embarrassment to his family and his son Duncan arranged with the government for himself to be appointed administrator of the estate. Colin with his personal attendant Finlay, was allowed to roam freely among his lands, still quarrelling with his neighbours, until his death in 1597.