THE FIFE ADVENTURERS .sx Helen Cook tells the story of the 'Gentilmen adventuraris' and their followers who were sent to Lewis by James VI to bring law and order to this 'most barbourous Isle' .sx THE 'sturt and strife' the lawlessness of the Highlands and Islands - had long been a matter of great concern to James VI , as indeed it had been also to the earlier Stuart kings .sx A number of circumstances focused James VI's attention on Lewis in particular .sx It was at this time owned by a branch of the powerful Clan Macleod , and in the last years of the old Chief Ruari or Rory Macleod , who died c. 1595 , Lewis was torn by ferocious family feuding over who was to succeed him on his death .sx There were a number of claimants , for the old man had been married three times , and had fathered a brood of illegitimate sons besides the legitimate offspring from his lawful marriages .sx In the last decades of the 16th century Lewis had acquired the reputation of possessing great undeveloped agricultural and fishing wealth .sx The rich herring fishing could have been developed by Scottish and Dutch fishermen and so brought the impecunious James VI some highly desirable revenue , but the Lewismen guarded their waters too jealously .sx To pave the way for bringing law and order to the Highlands and Islands , an Act of December 1597 decreed that all those who owned land and fisheries in the latter must present their title to such possessions in person before the Lords of the Exchequer in Edinburgh not later than May 1598 .sx The owners were also ordered to provide security for their future good behaviour .sx Failure to comply with the Act would result in lands and fisheries being confiscated by the Crown .sx Torquil Dubh ( Black Torquil ) the late Chief of the Macleods of Lewis , and son of and successor to old Ruari Macleod - had been in his day declared a rebel , and the title deeds to Lewis had been carried off by Torquil Conanach , Torquil Dubh's murderer and rival for the Chieftainship of Lewis .sx They had been entrusted to the safekeeping of the powerful Mackenize of Kintail , and were not available to be presented in Edinburgh .sx Because of this , the Crown wasted no time in taking possession of Lewis .sx Events moved quickly after the island became Crown Land , and the 28th June 1598 saw a contract signed and sealed between James VI and a group of 'gentilmen aventuraris' which included Patrick , Commendator of Lindores in North Fife , James Learmonth of Balcomie Castle near Crail , Sir James Anstruther the Younger of that Ilk , James Spens of Wormiston , Sir William Stewart , Commendator of Pittenweem , Sir James Sandilands of Slamanno , Captain William Murray , John Forret of Fingask , Sir , George Home of Wedderburn , David Home , younger of Wedderburn , and the King's cousin , Ludovic , Duke of Lennox and Darnley .sx They quickly earned the nickname the 'Fife Adventurers' , most of them having a connection with Fife .sx The group was authorised by James VI " to plant policy and civilisation in the hitherto most barbourous Isle of Lewis , with Rona-Lewis , and Trotternish , and to develop the extraordinarily rich resources of the same for the public good , and the King's profit " .sx The Lowland settlers of Lewis were to do this " at their own costs and charges " , but undoubtedly they had high hopes of making a handsome personal profit .sx As part of the contract they were to build four parish kirks in Lewis and Rona , two in Trotternish , and establish burghs of barony .sx James VI was to receive from the new settlers a yearly rent in the form of bere barley - the first payment being made with the crop of 1600 .sx In November 1598 , the Fife Adventurers set sail from Leith .sx On board with the 'gentilmen aventuraris' were tradesmen , between 500 and 600 mercenary soldiers , Robert Durie , and Anstruther minister and a few other interested parties .sx The whole expedition was under the command of the Duke of Lennox , who was appointed Lieutenant of Lewis .sx James VI endeavoured to ensure a safe voyage and landing for the settlers by ordering that all the Isles' birlins - boats with 12 to 18 oars - and the even larger single-sailed galleys of the Western Isles , should be destroyed by those in authority in the area .sx The settlers landed in a sullen and hostile Lewis ruled by Murdoch and Neil Macleod , bastard sons of old Ruari Macleod .sx The island had been left " spoyled .sx .. voyd and bare " by recent inter-clan fighting .sx As to be expected , the Adventurers encountered resistance and there was some fighting , but Stornoway Castle fell to the settlers in December 1598 .sx Murdoch Macleod flew Lewis to fight another day , but Neil , a hardy and indefatigable fighter , stayed on to harass the settlers at every opportunity .sx During the first winter the Fifers found not only the islanders hostile , but also Lewis itself .sx The cold dampness rusted steel weapons and armour in a matter of three weeks .sx The winter of 1598-99 was a daunting and traumatic experience for the Lowland settlers as there had been no time to construct permanent buildings to provide proper shelter .sx Dysentery broke out , and supplies of food and necessities became dangerously low as the Lewismen practised a policy of non-co-operation with the settlers .sx Learmonth of Balcomie sailed from Lewis to bring back supplies to see the Adventurers through the winter .sx His mission was never completed for his ship was attacked and captured by Murdoch Macleod .sx Learmonth , and the few others of his company left alive , were taken prisoner and held for ransom in the Summer Isles .sx The worldly and sophisticated Laird of Balcomie Castle never saw Fife again , for after he was freed from his incarceration on the Summer Isles he died weakened and ill in Orkney .sx When news of Learmonth's capture reached Lewis , Colonel Stewart , and Spens of Wormiston set out to complete Learmonth's mission .sx In their absence Neil Macleod attacked the settlers with fire and sword .sx Twenty of them were killed , valuable property was burned , and domestic animals stolen .sx The raid left the settlers in dire straits , and James VI furious .sx In July 1599 , Lennox and the Marquie of Huntly were appointed by the King as Lieutenants and Justices in the Highlands and Islands .sx James VI authorised them to " prosequite with fyre , sword , and all kind of hostilitie " all those who opposed the Fife Adventurers in Lewis , for he was determined that they would " plant policy and civilization " on the island .sx Bitter dissension between Murdoch and Neil Macleod led to a most unlikely entente between Neil and the Adventurers , who wanted revenge on Murdoch for the death of Learmonth .sx They told Neil that if he delivered his brother into their hands , they would obtain a free pardon for him , and give him a grant of land in Lewis .sx Murdoch Macleod and 12 of his men fell into Neil's hands and the 12 were beheaded , the heads being conveyed in a sack to Edinburgh to be displayed above the city's gates .sx As for Murdoch , he was imprisoned in Balcomie Castle , and tried in St Andrews .sx He was found guilty of the crimes of which he was accused , and was hanged , drawn , and quartered , and his head spiked on Edinburgh's Netherbow , all as directed by James VI .sx It was a grisly warning to all who opposed the settlement plan .sx Neil Macleod received a free pardon from James VI , and returned to continue his somewhat uneasy and fragile co-operation with the settlers .sx By now , too , the Fife Adventurers were well aware that the powerful and subtle Mackenzie of Kintail with his friends in high places was not and never had been their friend .sx The year 1600 saw the confirmation by parliament of the legal rights of the 'Fife Adventurers' in Lewisand their other lands .sx James VI smiled on the settling of Lewis , and empowered the company of settlers amongst other things to build harbours and havens , and to keep harbour 'petty dues' .sx However , the settlers had to render to the king all the 'great customs' on all other imports and exports , including fish .sx A busy time lay ahead for the settlers for at the beginning of October 1600 , in St Andrews , they further confirmed and pledged themselves to plan and build a town in Lewis .sx After completion , the remaining land was to be equally divided among themselves .sx James VI also suggested that the settlers should open inns , so that travellers visiting could find suitable lodgings , for 16th century Lewismen had the reputation of presenting an unwelcoming face to strangers .sx The Fifers were also empowered to build an increased number of churches , and a school .sx At this time , friendly relations still existed between Neil Macleod and the settlers , but disaster struck when Macleod quarrelled bitterly with Spens of Wormiston .sx This quarrel was to seal the fate of the Lowland colony .sx At the beginning of December 1601 , under the cover of darkness , a party of settlers led by Spens of Wormiston set out to capture the militant and troublesome Neil Macleod , who had begun to harry the settlement once more .sx Neil turned the tables on his would-be captors , ambushed the settlers led by Spens , and killed almost 60 of them .sx Mackenzie of Kintail , watching events from the mainland , now released Tormod Macleod , the brother of Torquil Dubh , former chief of the Macleods of Lewis , and sent him to Lewis .sx As Kintail expected , Neil and the Lewismen rallied round the brother of their old Chief , and Lewis led by Tormod Macleod rose in revolt against the Fife Adventurers .sx Events moved quickly .sx Tormod and his supporters attacked and burned the settlement , the 'prettie toun' of stone and timber beside the old Castle of Stornoway , and the settlers' fort .sx The latter resisted stubbornly and many were killed , those left being forced to surrender unconditionally .sx Tormod agreed to free the settlers if they made over to him all their rights in Lewis , and obtained for him and his followers a free royal pardon .sx However , the settlers were to leave Spens of Wormiston and his son-in-law Thomas Monypenny of Kinkell , by St Andrews , in Lewis as hostages , until Tormod's conditions were carried out .sx In time they were , and Tormod , an honourable and generous man within the context of his times , was left in possession of Lewis , as chief of the Macleods , with Neil Macleod as his right-hand man .sx So ended the first attempt by the Fife Adventurers to plant policy and civilisation in Lewis .sx Undoubtedly the attempt to settle had been a loss-making enterprise for the settlers , but the bringing of the King's law to the Western Isles and the settling of Lewis with its " incredible fertility of corns and plenty of fishes " , had become almost an obsession with James VI , and still fired his imagination .sx In June 1602 , he had asked Parliament for money to send an army to conquer Lewis , a request which was refused .sx However , March 1603 saw the company of 'gentilmen aventuraris' in spite of financial difficulties , decreeing that each should by July 1604 , provide 30 well-armed soldiers , and supplies , and that the company of settlers should again sail to Lewis , and stay there for one year under the penalty of pounds1,000 .sx Each settler was to build himself a substantial dwelling of stone capable of defence .sx The King , however , agreed that their pact would be null and void " if the King by his own forces possessed them not in Lewis by midsummer next .sx .. " The settlers were to pay James VI rent in silver and fishes for Lewis .sx In the event it wasn't until August 1605 , that the settlers sailed once more for Lewis which was still ruled by the young Chief Tormod Macleod .sx The Union of the Crowns in 1603 , and the departure of James VI for London , had acted like a punctuation mark in the whole affair .sx The settlers in 1605 were accompanied , besides their own soldiers , by a large military force of men raised by the King from the North and West .sx James VI was determined that would be settled by Lowlanders , and the Macleods of Lewis , " an infamous byke of lawless limmers " and others like them , were to be rooted out .sx