23: The MacLeans (1)
A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.
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Na Leathanaich (1)
Anns an t-seachdamh linn deug bha mòran air an cur gu bàs ann an Alba. Carson? ’S e “buidsichean” no “bana-bhuidsichean” a bh’ annta. ’S e sin a bha daoine ag ràdh co-dhiù.
Bha buidheann a’ fuireach air Oighreachd Shrath Ghlais. B’ e sin an oighreachd aig ceann-cinnidh nan Siosalach. ’S e buill de Chloinn ’ic Illeathain a bh’ anns na daoine. Leathanaich. Bha iad fo amharas gu robh iad ri buidseachd. Thug an Siosalach a’ bhuidheann don eaglais ann an Cnoc Mhoire. ’S e boireannaich a bh’ anns a’ mhòrchuid dhiubh.
Bha fear eile ann air an robh MacPheadrais. Bha esan a’ sgrùdadh daoine a bha fo amharas de bhuidseachd. Rinn e sgrùdadh air a h-uile duine de na Leathanaich à Srath Ghlais. Seo mar a rinn e e. Bha prìne fada aige. Dh’iarr e air na daoine an aodach a chur dhiubh. Bha e a’ suathadh a làmhan air am bodhaigean.
Bha e a’ cur a’ phrìne aige annta. Bha e a’ cur a’ phrìne fad an rathaid a-steach. Bha cothrom aig an duine am prìne a lorg. Mura d’ fhuair e lorg air a’ phrìne gu furasta, thuirt MacPheadrais gu robh e ri buidseachd.
Chan eil e furasta prìne mar sin a lorg annad. Chaidh mòran daoine neo-chiontach a chur gu bàs air sàilleabh seo. Agus an là sin ann an Eaglais Chnoc Mhoire, bha na Leathanaich uile “ciontach”.
Bha an Siosalach toilichte. Bha e ag iarraidh na Leathanaich seo a chur gu bàs. Dh’iarr e air a’ Chomhairle Dhìomhair ann an Dùn Èideann leigeil leis coimisean a stèidheachadh. Bha an coimisean a’ dol a thoirt sùil air a’ chùis. Chaidh cead a thoirt seachad airson coimisean.
Ach cò na buill a bh’ air a’ choimisean? A, uill, ann Siosalach fhèin, a bhràthair agus dithis de na co-oghaichean aige. Bha cùisean a’ coimhead dubhach do na Leathanaich. Chì sinn dè thachair an ath-sheachdain.
Faclan is abairtean: anns an t-seachdamh linn deug: in the 17th Century; bha mòran air an cur gu bàs: many people were put to death; a’ fuireach air Oighreachd Shrath Ghlais: living on the Strathglass Estate; ceann-cinnidh nan Siosalach: the clan chief of the Chisholms; ’s e buill de Chloinn ’ic Illeathain a bh’ anns na daoine: they were members of the Maclean clan; Leathanaich: Macleans; fo amharas gu robh iad ri buidseachd: under suspicion that they were involved in witchcraft; Cnoc Mhoire: Kirkhill; ’s e boireannaich a bh’ anns a’ mhòrchuid dhiubh: most of them were women; bha fear eile ann air an robh MacPheadrais: there was another man called Paterson; rinn e sgrùdadh air a h-uile duine: he scrutinised every person; seo mar a rinn e e: here’s how he did it; prìne fada: a long pin; an aodach a chur dhiubh: to take their clothes off; a’ suathadh a làmhan air am bodhaigean: rubbing his hands on their bodies; bha e a’ cur a’ phrìne fad an rathaid a-steach: he was putting the pin all the way in; mura d’ fhuair e lorg air a’ phrìne gu furasta:if he didn’t find the pin easily; annad: in you; chaidh mòran daoine neo-chiontach a chur gu bàs air sàilleabh seo: many innocent people were put to death because of this; bha na Leathanaich uile “ciontach”: all of the Macleans were “guilty”; dh’iarr e air a’ Chomhairle Dhìomhair ann an Dùn Èideann leigeil leis coimisean a stèidheachadh:he asked the Privy Council in Edinburgh to let him establish a commission; cò na buill a bh’ air a’ choimisean?:who were the members that were on the commission?; dithis de na co-oghaichean aige: two of his cousins; bha cùisean a’ coimhead dubhach: things were looking gloomy; chì sinn dè thachair: we’ll see what happened.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 327
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