Source:Celtic Magazine (Munros of Milntown)

"The Munros of Milntown" The Celtic Magazine (vol. 10)

No. CX.      DECEMBER 1884.      VOL. X.

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THE MUNROS OF MILNTOWN. By Alexander Ross.

The family of Milntown and a few of its cadets spelt their name at different periods, and often indiscriminately, Monro and Munro. The latter is the form adopted in this and the following chapters, as being, on the whole, nearer the general pronunciation, and that which has been used by the Chiefs of the Clan for the last two centuries.

The founder of the family of Milntown, in or about the year 1465, was John, son of Hugh Munro, twelfth Baron of Fowlis, by his second marriage 'with Lady Margaret Sutherland, daughter of Nicolas, eighth Earl of Sutherland, grand-daughter of William, fifth Earl of Sutherland, and of his wife, the Princess Margaret, eldest daughter of the second marriage of King Robert the Bruce.

John Munro was called the Tutor of Fowlis, on account of his having been for many years guardian of his nephew, John, the young Baron of Fowlis, whose father, George, and grandfather, Hugh, were killed at the battle of Bealach-na-Broige, in 1452. He is recorded as having “purchased the ward of the lands of Fowlis, in favor of his nevvy, the sone of his deid brother George Munroe.”*

In a manuscript History of the Munros, written apparently about the year 1712, John Munro is described as a “bold, forward,

* History of the Earldom of Sutherland.

daring gentleman, esteemed by his sovereign, and loved by his friends.” It was he who fought the Battle of Clachnaharry, near Inverness, with the Mackintoshes.

The following is the account of this sanguinary conflict given by Sir Robert Gordon in his History of the Earldom of Sutherland: —“John Monroe, tutor of Foulls, travelling homeward on his journey from the South of Scotland towards Rosse, did repose himself by the way in Strathardale, between Sanct Johnstoun (Perth) and Athole, wher he fell at variance with the inhabitants of that countrey, who had abused him. Being returned home to Rosse, he gathered together his whole kinsmen and followers, and declared into them how he had been used, craveing withall their aid to revenge himself of that injurie ; unto the which motion they hearkned willinglie, and yeelded to assist him to the uttermost of their abilities. Whereupon he singled out thrie hundred and fyftie of the best and ablest men among them, and went with these to Strathardaill, which he wasted and spoilled, killed some of the people, and careid away their cattell. In his return home, as he wes passing by the ile of Moy with the prey, Mackintosh (cheftan of the Clanchattan) sent to him to crave a pairt of the spoile, being persuaded thereto by some evill disposed persons about him, and challenging the same as due unto him by custome. John Monroe, in curtesie, offered into Mackintosh a reasonable portion, which he, thorow evill councell, refused to accept, and wold have no less than the half of the whole booty ; whereunto John Monroe wold not hearken nor yield, bot goeth on his intended journie homeward. Mackintosh conveens his forces with all dilligence, and followes John Monroe, whom he overtook at Clagh-ne-Hayre, besyd Inverness, hard by the ferrie of Kessak. John perceaving Mackintosh and his companie following them hard at hand, he sent fyftie of his men home to Ferrindonald with the spoile, and incouraged the rest of his followers to fight : so ther ensued a cruell conflict, wherein Mackintosh was slain, with the most part of his companie ; divers of the Monroes were also ther slain. John Monroe wes left as deid in the field, and wes taken up by the Lord Lovat his predicessor, who careid him to his hous, wher he was cured of his wounds ; and wes from thence foorth called John Bacelawigh, becaus he wes mutilat of one of his hands all the rest of his dayes. From this John Bacelawigh

Monroe of the familie of Milntown Monroe descended.” The date assigned by Sir Robert for this conflict is 1333.

In a manuscript account of the “Conflicts in Scotland” there is a report of this clan battle of Clachnaharry, which in all important particulars, mainly agrees with the above, except in the date, 1341, which can hardly be accurate; neither can the year 1333; but that of 1454, given by Shaw, is more likely to be correct. At page 219 of his “Province of Morayshire,” he says — “A shameful and bloody conflict happened betwixt the Mackintoshes and Munroes in the year 1454. The occasion was this —John Munroe, tutor of Fowles, in his return from Edinburgh, rested upon a meadow in Strathardale, and both he and his servants falling asleep, the peevish owner of the meadow cut off the tails of his horses. This he resented as the Turks would resent the cutting off their horses' tails, which they reckon a grevious insult. He returned soon with three hundred and fifty men, spoiled Strathardale, and drove away their cattle ; in passing the Loch of Moy in Strathern he was observed. Mackintosh, then residing in the Island of Moy, sent to ask a Stike Raide, or Stick Criech, that is, a Road Collop ; a custom among the Highlanders, that when a party drove away spoil through a gentleman's land they should give him part of the spoil. Munroe offered what he thought reasonable, but more was demanded ; Mackintosh, irritated by some provoking words, given to his messenger, convocated a body of men, pursued the Munroes, and at Clachnaharie, near Inverness, they fought desperately. Many were killed on each side, among whom was the Laird of Mackintosh ; John Munroe was wounded and laimed, and was after called John Bacilach. The Munroes had great advantage of ground by lurking among the rocks ; whilst the Mackintoshes were exposed to their arrows. How rude and barbarous was the spirit of men in those days? and upon what trifling, nay shameful, provocations did they butcher one another.”

There is another narration of this fight, given in the “Historical Account of the Family of Frisel or Eraser,” pages 54-5, on the authority of MSS. of Frasers in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh (p. 114), as follows : —

“On the 27th of June 1378, the Munroes, a distinguished tribe in Ross, returning from an inroad they had made in the south of

Scotland, passed by Moyhall, the seat of Mackintosh, leader of the Clan Chattan. A share of the booty, or road-collop, payable to a chief for traversing his domains, was demanded and acceded to ; but Mackintosh's avaricious coveting the whole, his proposal met with contempt. Mackintosh summoned his vassals to extort compliance. The Munroes pursuing their journey, forded the River Ness a little above the Island, and dispatched the cattle they had plundered across the hill of Kinmylies, to Lovat's province. Their enemies came up with them at the point of Clagnahayre, and immediately joined battle. The conflict was such as might have been expected from men excited to revenge by a long and inveterate enmity. Quarter was neither sought nor granted. After an obstinate struggle, Mackintosh was killed. The survivors of his band retraced their steps to their own country. John Munro, tutor of Foulis, was left for dead upon the field ; from the loss of his arm he ever after acquired the name of John Back-Lawighe. The Munroes were not long in retaliating. Having collected a sufficient force, they marched in the dead of night for the Isle of Moy, where the Chief of the Mackintoshes resided. By the aid of some planks which they had carried with them, and now put together, they crossed to the Isle, and glutted their thirst for revenge by murder or captivity of all the inmates.”

There are other notices of this fight — in Pennants “First Tour” in Scotland in 1769, as also in Anderson's “Scottish Nation,” vol. iii., page 214, and in Brown's “History of the Highlands,” vol. i., page 151, which vary very little from those above given. The following account, which was written by Mackintosh of Kinrara, about two hundred years after the event, bears every mark of being an unbiassed statement ; he moreover treats of the encounter as one he deplores. It will be seen that, though not generally known, the principal actors were not only reconciled, but became brothers-in-law : —

“In 1454 a sudden and unexpected contest sprung up between Malcolm Mackintosh, commonly called Gilliecallum Oig, Mac-Mic-Gilliecallum Beg, grandson of the afore-mentioned Mackintosh (of Mackintosh), and John Monro, tutor of Fowlis. A very keen contest followed. The origin of it was this :— John Munro was second son of Hugh Munro of Fowlis, and acted tutor

to John Munro, his nephew, by his brother, George Munro of Fowlis. Returning from a tour to the South for despatching his pupil's business, a dissension took place between him and the inhabitants of Strathardale. He was contemptuously treated and loaded with great abuse. Intent upon revenge he comes home, informing his friends and relations of the injury he has sustained, and implores their assistance. At the head of two hundred chosen men he advances with all possible speed, and before his approach is observed enters Strathardale, ravages the country, and carries off the herds of cattle. At the River Findhorn, on his return, the afore-mentioned Malcolm Oig meets him by accident, and understanding the matter, is urged by the young men that follow him to demand a part of the plunder. John offers him twenty-four cows and a bull, which Malcolm Oig proudly and rashly rejects, insisting on no less than one-third part. John treats his demand with scorn, and proceeds on his way, determined to give none. Malcolm Oig incensed, instantly communicates this to his friends, and immediately commands the inhabitants of Petty and Lochardil to follow John and obstruct his passage until he, with the men of Strathnairn, shall have come up. His commands are obeyed. They pursue John beyond the water of Ness, and overtake him at a place called Clachnaharry. He (John), sends off forty men with the booty, and encourages the rest to fight. A fierce conflict ensues. A few fell on each side. John, almost slain, is left among the dead, but Lord Lovat upon better information takes care of his recovery. John was afterwards called 'Baichlich' i.e. maimed, because he lost his hand in that engagement From him descended the family of Milntown. Malcolm Oig was not present in that battle, which arose from his temerity, for the conflict took place before he came up. “The same Malcolm Oig afterwards married Janet Munro, sister of John.”

The chief difficulty remaining is to fix the correct date of the event, as there are so many discrepancies in the different historians, although they all agree in the main facts — the years 1333, 1341 (in Lawrie's “Scots Wars,” page 116), 1378, and 1454, being variously stated by them. Sir Robert Gordon was not over-exact in giving dates to the events which he describes, and the year (1333) given by him may be at once discarded; and, for many reasons, that of 2/th June 1378, assigned to it in the

“MS. History of the Erasers,” though the only one stating the month, can hardly be accepted as decisive. I am inclined to accept the year 1454 as the actual date of the battle of Clachnaharry. No chief of the Clan Mackintosh, from Angus, who fought at Bannockburn, and died in 1346, aged 77, down to Malcolm Beg—noticed above—who died in 1457 at the age of 90, is recorded by any writer of their history as having been so killed ; yet all the historians above quoted— except Mackintosh of Kinrara— agree in saying that the Chief of the Mackintoshes was slain at Clachnaharry, a circumstance which is quite unaccountable, and I leave it as a crux in chronology.

The sobriquet given to John Munro should be spelt “Baclamhach.” “Bac-lamh” is a manacle or handcuff; “Bac-lamhach” means disabled in the hand. “Coitach” should be spelt “Ciotach.” “Coit” signifies a “coble” or “coracle.” “Ciotach” is the proper word for “lefthand.” Both words were evidently applied to John Munro “Bac-lamhach,” because he was lamehanded. “Ciotach” because he became so expert in the use of the left hand as to make both terms equally applicable — “Ian Bac-lamhach,” “John Lamehand;” “Ian Ciotach,” “John Lefthand.”

Clach-na-Fair, or as it is now spelt, Clachnaharry, literally means, in Gaelic, “the stone of watching.” This stone was placed by the authorities of Inverness in a conspicuous position, with men on the watch, from early morning to nightfall, to give an alarm of any threatened raid from Ross ; the view from the place being so commanding as to enable them to see any hostile approach, whether by crossing Kessock Ferry, or coming round by the head of the Beauly Firth. A commemorative monument was, several years ago, erected by the late Hugh Robert Duff of Muirtown, on a site amid the rocks where the conflict took place.

John Munro I. of Milntown, married late in life, and left, at least, two sons —

1. Andrew Mòr, his successor, and
2. John of Kilmorack, who married a daughter of Henry Urquhart of Davidston, in the parish of Cromarty, by whom he had, among others, a son,

Donald, who married Jane, daughter of William M'Vorchie that is, William, son of Murdoch— by whom he had two sons—

(1) Thomas, and

(2) Alexander, who migrated to Lochbroom, where he married, and had a son, John, who entered the Church, and in 1569 was presented to the vicarage of his native parish by King James VI. He died in 1573, and in that year James presented Angus Macneil Mackenzie to the vicarage.

Thomas, III. of Kilmorack, married Jean, daughter of Hugh Ross of Millderg, by whom he had a son, Andrew. He had also a natural son, named Donald.

Andrew married Anne, daughter of Angus M'Vorchie of Inveran, by whom he had two sons —

(1) John, and

(2) Alexander.

John married Isabella, daughter of Donald Munro of Milntown of Alness, by whom he had, among others —

(1) Robert, and

(2) Donald.

Robert married Christian, daughter of Donald Brown of Acharn, in the parish of Alness, by whom he had two sons —

(1) Donald, and

(2) Hector, who entered the army, and fought at the battle of Worcester, where he was taken prisoner, and banished to the Barbadoes. I have not succeeded in tracing further the descent of this branch.

John Munro, I. of Milntown, died about the year 1475, and was succeeded by his eldest son —

II. Andrew, who is stated to have been “a bold, austere, and gallant gentleman, esteemed by his friends, and a terror to his enemies.” It was he who built the Castle of Milntown ; and in connection with its erection Sir Robert Gordon makes the following observation, on page 146 of his Earldom of Sutherland: —

“About the year A.D. 1500, the Monroes of Milntown began to build the castell of Milntoun. Their next neighbours, the Rosses of Balnagown, endevoard to stop and hinder them from the building of the castell. But Earl John of Sutherland went himselff in persone to defend them against Balnagowan, his bragings. Then returning home into Sutherland, he did leave a companie of men at Milntown, for their defence against the Rosses, untill the most pairt of that castell was finished ; which kyndness the Monroes of Milntoun doe acknowledge unto this day.”

The Laird, or Chief of Balnagown at that period, was Sir David Ross, Knight, who played a conspicuous part in the history of Ross-shire, of which he was for several years sheriff. It is a remarkable fact that a lineal descendant— Lord Tarbat- of that John, Earl of Sutherland, who assisted the Munros in their contentions with the Rosses of Balnagown and their allies, will at some future period, inherit the very place that his ancestor defended, now called New Tarbat, formerly Milntown, the vaults of which now only remain at the back-ground of the modern mansion-house of New Tarbat, built by the late Lord Macleod, who died in 1789, and great-great-grandfather of the present Duchess of Sutherland, mother of Lord Tarbat.

According to an entry in the “Kalendar of Fearn,” the old castle of Milntown was burnt down accidentally by the nest of a jackdaw, which had been built in some part of the house, taking fire. The entry in the Register quaintly records that on “the 19 of May 1642, the hous of Milntown was burnt negligentlie be ane keai's nest.”

Andrew married and left one son, Andrew, on account of his low statue, called Andrew “Beg.”

Andrew Mòr of Milntown, died in 1501, and was succeeded by his only son.

(To be continued.)

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No. CXI.      JANUARY 1885.       VOL. X.

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THE MUNROS OF MILNTOWN. By Alexander Ross. II.

III. Andrew Beg Munro, who is said to have been of a very ferocious disposition, on which account he was called the “Black Baron;” but being hereditary Bailie, or Maor of Ross, during a part of Queen Mary's reign, he had no doubt to exercise great severity in the then lawless state of the country.

In 1512 King James IV. granted to Andrew Beg “the croft, called the markland of Tulloch” (Tullich) for the yearly payment of one pound of wax, payable at Midsummer within the Chapel of Delny.* The value of a pound of wax at that time, according to the Books of Exchequer, was ten shillings Scots, or tenpence sterling. The Chapel of Delny, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, stood in the old burying-ground, between the present farm-house of Delny and the county road behind it, till near the end of the last century, when James Munro, the farmer of Delny, demolished the old building and used the stones in the erection of his farm premises, and the mortar in improving his land ; and ploughed up the burying-ground with the intention of adding it to the contiguous field. The late Rev. John Matheson, parish minister of Kilmuir-Easter, and grandfather of Bailie Matheson, Tain, on hearing of this species of vandalism and

* Origincs Parochiahs Scotiæ, vol. ii. p. 460.

sacrilege, visited the spot, and found it all covered with the bones of the dead, which had been turned up with the plough. He represented to Munro the indelicacy of his conduct, persuaded him to collect the relics, and deposit them again in the earth. This the farmer duly performed, and this neglected spot, where, perhaps, was laid —

“Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire ;
Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed,
Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre” —

was afterwards enclosed and laid out with grass.

A short distance to the north of the site of the Chapel stood the priest's house, and the spot is on that account called Cnoc-an-t-Sagairt (the hill of the priest), Priesthill. In the beginning of the last century, the remains of a cross stood on the hill at the extremity of the hamlet. Thither all the people belonging to the Barony or Maordom of Delny, which comprehended a great part of the County of Ross, resorted once a year to pay homage to their superior. Here, also, the barons held their criminal courts. In ancient times the right of pit and gallows — furca et fossa — was the true mark of a true baron, who had jurisdiction in life and limb — curia vitœ et membrorum. It was not the peculiar taste of our barbarous ancestors : all feudal lords through feudal Europe were equally fond and proud of the right of executing those whom they had first convicted and sentenced to death. The French had the phrase avec haute et basse justice, which meant nothing more than the “right of pit and gallows.” The gallow-hill is still an object of interest, and human bones have been frequently found in its vicinity. The gallow-hill of the Barony of Milntown is situated on the march between Milntown and Balnagown, near Logie Free Church Manse ; and the drowning-pool is adjacent to the Manse. Here, in 1864, while excavations were being made in connection with the construction of the railway, a number of human bones were found, the remains, no doubt, of the poor wretches who died at the hands of “Black” Andrew Munro. The “pit” was for the female criminal ; for women sentenced to death were, for the most part, drowned. The “gallows” was for the male defaulters, who were invariably hanged. There is a hill within a mile of Delny called Cnoc-na-Croich, or the “hill of the gallows” ; and on the summit of this

hill was a circular pool of water, many fathoms deep, called Poll-a-bhathaidh (the pool of drowning). Here the barons of Delny drowned and hanged their victims. It is not known when the last execution took place here ; but a man who died about the year 1750, in Logic, witnessed the last execution which took place at the Milntown “drowning pool,” that of a woman for child-murder.*

In the year 1512, James IV. granted also to Andrew Munro “the lands of Myltoun of Meath with the mill, the office of Chief Mair of the Earldom of Ross, which lands of Myltoun, with the mill and mairdom, had been granted to Andrew and one heir by a letter under the Privy Seal, the grantee paying eight chalders, four bolls of victual, half bear, half meal, of the lesser measure of the Earldom, and to augment the rental by eight bolls.”† The Chief Maors or Maormars, were the greatest officers of great districts, and it is to them, and not to the Thanes, that Shakespeare, in “Macbeth,” should have made young Malcolm address his speech — “Henceforth be Earls!” The office of Chief Maor of the Earldom of Ross was a very ancient one, and several of the fees and perquisites belonging to it were peculiar. In 1591 a decreet of the Lords of Council and Session was obtained by Andrew Munro, V. of Milntown, then principal Maor, or Maor of fee of the Earldom, against Andrew Dingwall and the feuars, farmers, and possessors of the Earldom of Ross, for his fees of the office, to wit 40s. 8d. for the ordinary fee of the said Earldom yearly, and for every sack of corn brought to the shore to be shipped, “ane gopin of corn,” estimated at a halfpenny a lippy, and out of every chalder of victuals delivered thereat to the Maor, two pecks, etc. The collection of the Maor's fees seems to have caused some trouble, and the law had to be occasionally invoked to enforce payment.

Besides Milntown, Andrew Beg acquired by grants and purchase large possessions in many parts of Ross-shire, namely, Delny, Newmore, in the parish of Rosskeen ; Contullich and Kildermorie, in the parish of Alness ; Dochcarty, in the parish of Dingwall ; Allan, in the parish of Fearn ; and Culnaha, in the parish of Nigg ; and was, on that account, and the fierceness of his

*Old Stat. Acct., vol. iv. p. 378. † Reg. Mag. Sig., lib. xviii. No. 74, and Reg. Sec. Sig., vol. iv. fol. 195.

temper, called by the natives in the vernacular “Andra Dubh nan seachd Caisteal” (that is, “Black Andrew of the seven Castles” ), having a castle on each of his properties.

In the present day much interest is excited in catching occasional glimpses of the ancient state of society through the chance vistas of tradition. These glimpses serve to show us, in the expressive language of Scripture, “the rock whence we were hewn, and the hole whence we were dug.” They serve, too, as Hugh Miller remarks, to dissipate those dreamy imaginings of the good and happiness of the past in which it seems to be an instinct of our nature to indulge ; and enables us to correct the exaggerated estimates of that school of philosophy, which sees most to admire in society the farther it recedes from civilisation.

The following is one of those chance glimpses, preserved by Hugh Miller. It is, however, obviously at variance with strict chronology ; and the facts stated apparently apply to some other individual, and not to Andrew Munro III. of Milntown, as he died before Sir George Munro of Newmore was born, who is evidently the “Munro of Newmore” referred to. There was no “Munro of Newmore,” contemporary with Black Andrew of Milntown, who was laird of Newmore himself; neither was Andrew Munro the last baron of Newtarbat (Milntown). Hugh Miller records : — “That an old man who died in 1829 told him, that when a boy he was sent to the Manse of Resolis to bring back the horse of an elderly gentleman, a retired officer, who had gone to visit the Rev. Hector Macphail, minister of the parish, with the intention of remaining with him a few days. The officer was a silver-headed, erect old man, who had served as an Ensign at the battle of Blenheim, and who, when he had retired on half-pay, about forty years after, was still a poor Lieutenant. His riding days were well nigh over ; and the boy overtook him long ere he had reached the manse, and just as he was joined by William Forsyth, merchant, Cromarty, who had come riding up by a crossroad, and then slackened bridle to keep the officer company. The old man spoke much of the allied armies under Marlborough. By far the strongest man in them, he said, was a gentleman from Ross-shire — Munro of Newmore. He had seen him raise a piece of ordnance to his breast, which Mackenzie of Fairburn had succeeded in raising to his knee, but which no other man, among

more than eighty thousand, could lift from off the ground. Newmore was considerably advanced in life at the time. He was a singularly daring, as well as an immensely powerful man, and had signalised himself in early life in the feuds of his native district. Some of his lands bordered on those of Black Andrew Munro, the last baron of Newtarbat, one of the most detestable wretches that ever abused the power of the pit and gallows. But, as at least their nominal politics were the same, and as the baron, though by far the less powerful man, was in, perhaps, a corresponding degree the more powerful proprietor, they had never come to an open rupture.”

Newmore, on account of his venturing at times to screen some of the baron's vassals from his fury, by occasionally taking part against him in the quarrel of some of the petty landholders, whom the tyrant never missed an opportunity to oppress, was, by no means, one of his favourites. All the labour of the baron's demesnes was, of course, performed by his vassals as part of their proper service. A late wet harvest came on, and they were employed in cutting down his crops, when their own lay rotting on the ground. It is natural that in such circumstances they should have laboured unwillingly. All their dread of the baron, who remained among them in the fields, indulging in every caprice of fierce and cruel temper, aggravated by irresponsible power, proved scarcely sufficient to keep them at work ; and to inspire them with greater terror, an elderly female, who had been engaged during the night in reaping a little field of her own, and had come somewhat late in the morning, was actually stripped naked by the savage, and sent home again. In the evening he was visited by Munro of Newmore, who came, accompanied by only a single servant, to expostulate with him on an act so atrocious and disgraceful. He was welcomed with a show of hospitality ; the baron heard him patiently, and called for wine ; they sat down and drank together. It was only a few weeks before, however, that one of the neighbouring lairds, who had been treated with a similar show of kindness by the baron, had been stripped half-naked at his table, when in a state of intoxication, and sent home with his legs tied under his horse's belly. Newmore, therefore, kept warily on his guard ; he had left his horse ready saddled at the gate, and drank no more than he could

master, which was quite as much, however, as would have overcome most men. One after one of the baron's retainers began to drop into the room, each on a separate pretence, and as the fifth entered, Newmore, who had seemed as if yielding to the influence of the liquor, affected to fall asleep. The retainers came clustering round him. Two seized him by the arms, and two more essayed to fasten him to the chair ; when up he sprang, dashed his four assailants from him, as if they had been boys of ten summers, and raising the fifth from the floor, hurled him headlong against the baron, who fell prostrate before the weight and momentum of so unusual a missile. In a minute after, Newmore had reached the gate, and, mounting his horse, rode away. The baron died during the night, a victim to apoplexy, induced, it is said, by the fierce and vindictive passions awakened on this occasion ; and a Gaelic proverb, still current in Ross-shire, shows with what feelings his poor vassals must have regarded the event. Even to the present day, a Highlander will remark, when overborne by oppression, that “the same God still lives who killed Black Andrew Munro of Newtarbat.”

The above events are said to have taken place in Black Andrew's Castle at Delny. He resided .occasionally at his Castle of Contullich ; and tradition states that the people of Boath, in passing up or down, had to perform the most abject obeisance to him, by taking off their hats and throwing themselves on the ground ; and woe-betide the man (or woman) who forgot or refused to do so, for a shot from Andrew's big gun would bring him to his senses, or render him incapable of ever regaining that stage.

The following story in connection witji Andrew's residence at Contullich I had some years ago from a Seanachie, who is now no more : —

The Rothach Dubh, he said, was an exceedingly fierce and cruel man, and ruled over his numerous estates with unlimited despotism, none daring to “make him afraid.” For some reason or other he had conceived an inveterate hatred towards a number of his tenants or vassals in Garvary, and he resolved “to remove” them. The poor people having been informed of Andrew's feelings and intentions towards them, were accordingly on the watch for him. There were eight families in all in the

locality, and the system they adopted to defend themselves was this — The eight heads of the families watched together, one night in one house, next night in another, and so on. One exceptionally boisterous night of rain, sleet, and snow, they considered it unnecessary to be so watchful, erroneously believing that the Rothach Dubh would not trouble them on such a night. They were all, however, as usual, assembled in one house ; but reckoned without their host. That same night Black Andrew ordered one of his servants to get two wisps of straw and make ready for a midnight ride to Garvary to attack and kill the people there. His servant remonstrated with him on the madness and recklessness of venturing out on such a stormy night, and on the atrocious character of the object of his journey ; but his master was inexorable, and they set out on their diabolical mission. All the men, as already stated, were convened in one house. The Rothach Dubh, on arriving at the place, made for that house, being guided by the light shining through the window. Going up to this window, he listened to hear and determine who were inside. He overheard one of the men ask another in Gaelic “to look out and see what the night was doing.” He did so, without noticing the Rothach Dubh, and on his return informed his friends that the night was most unusually fierce and boisterous, adding in Gaelic, “Weel, I know one thing, and that is, that Black Andrew Munro of Contullich wont attempt to come out on such a night, should he be the Devil himself.” Black Andrew, who was still at the window, heard the man's observations, and gnashed his teeth. The unwary men on hearing what their friend said, and believing it, were completely thrown off their guard. When they had got all seated round the fire, the Rothach Dubh rushed in upon them with his drawn sword and killed them all, ere they had time to recover from their consternation, or to defend themselves. This story is firmly believed by the natives of the heights of Alness parish to this day.

Black Andrew married Euphemine, or Euphemia, daughter of James Dunbar, Laird of Tarbat, in Easter Ross, son of Sir James Dunbar of Westfield, in Moray.

On the 25th of January 1485, the Lords of Council ordained that James Dunbar of Tarbat should pay to Elizabeth, Countess

of Ross, the sum of 100 merks out of the mails (rents in money) of her lands in Tarbat and others, due at the term of Whitsunday last. They further ordained that the consideration of a claim made by the Countess against James Dunbar for 13 chalders of victuals and 100 merks received on her behalf from George, II. Earl of Huntly, should be deferred till the 24th of March, and that the Earl should be summoned to appear for his interest. The Lords of Council deferred till the same date an action raised by James Dunbar against the Countess for payment of £40 of fee, which he alleged remained due by her for five years, and for fulfilment of a condition under which he asserted he held her lands, that the dues should be diminished when the lands were waste.* On the 21st of January 1489, the Lords Auditors ordained that James Dunbar should pay to the Countess of Ross the sum of 736 merks Scots, due by him for the mails of the lands in Ross-shire which he held of her in lease, as proved by a bond under his seal and superscription ; that his lease should be declared null and void, because he had failed to pay his dues at the terms contained in his bond, and that his lands and goods should be distrained for payment. James was summoned in the case, but failed to appear.† He seems, however, to have held the lands still, for on the 26th of February of the following year the Lords of Council ordained him to pay to the Countess 200 merks Scots as the dues of the said lands from Martinmas preceding, as shown by his bond.‡ On the 9th of December 1494, the Countess of Ross brought another action against James Dunbar for wrongfully withholding from her £42 “with the mare of the Witsonday terme” of her lands in Ross, and eighty head of oxen and cows, and for wrongfully occupying her lands of Dolgny (?Delny) and Easter Tarbat, with the rest of her lands in Ross-shire ; in which case the Lords Auditors, in presence of the parties, judged that James Dunbar did wrong ; that he should cease to occupy the lands ; that he should deliver to the Countess the dues and cattle in question, in so far as she could prove her case before Sir William Munro, XII. Baron of Fowlis ; that Sir

* Acta Dom. Cone., p. 100. † Acta Auditorum, p. 122. ‡ Acta Pom. Cone., p. 126.

William should be empowered to hear the case, and, if it was proved, to distrain accordingly ; and that the lands should for-with be “red” to the Countess.*

By Miss Dunbar, Andrew Munro had issue, besides daughters, and an illegitimate son named Thorns, three sons —

1. George, his heir and successor.
2. William, I. of Allan, from whom David Munro, the present popular laird of Allan, is lineally descended.
3. Andrew, to whom his father bequeathed the estate of Culnald, or Culnaha, in the parish of Nigg. He was twice married. His first wife was Ellen, daughter of John Sutherland of Insh, by whom he had one son.

(1) David, his successor.

By his second wife, Anne, daughter of Hugh Ross of Achnacloich, in the parish of Rosskeen, he had two sons —

(2) George of Knocksworth, who married, and had three sons and one daughter—

George,

Robert,

Hugh, and

Anne.

He died on the 23rd of August 1640, and was succeeded by his eldest son, George, Commissary of Caithness, who married a daughter of Robert Sinclair of Gillhills, by whom he had two sons, George and Robert, of whom nothing is recorded.

(3) Hugh, who apparently died unmarried.

Andrew of Culnald was succeeded by his eldest son, David, as second laird of Culnaha and Delny. He married his cousin, Janet, eldest daughter of Andrew Munro, V. of Milntown, by whom he had one son, Andrew.

David Munro second of Culnaha and Delny, died on the 12th of November 1596, and his relict married, as his second wife, Hector Munro, XVIII. Baron of Fowlis, without issue. He was succeeded as third of Culnaha and Delny by his only son, Andrew, who married a daughter of James Sinclair of Hemmington, by whom he had one son and two daughters —

(1) John of Delny, his heir.

(2) Janet, who married Duncan Grant of Lentran.

(3) A daughter, whose name is not recorded.

Andrew was succeeded as fourth of Culnaha and Delny by his only son, John, who entered the army as a Major, and subsequently attained the rank of a Lieutenant-general. He was killed at the battle of Worcester in 1651, “dying unmarried, and without issue.”

* Acta. Auditorum, pp. 192-3.

Andrew Beg Munro, III. of Milntown, died at Milntown Castle, “in great extravagance and profusion,” before 1541, and was buried in the east end of the Church of Kilmuir-Easter, near the Meikle Allan Burying-Ground.* He was succeeded by his eldest son.

* I am indebted to the Rev. Gustavus Aird, Creich, for the information anent Black Andrew's place of interment. (To be continued.)

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No. CXII.       FEBRUARY 1885.      VOL. X.

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THE MUNROS OF MILNTOWN. By Alexander Ross.

III.

IV. George Munro Of Milntown And Dochcarty, to whom Thomas Dingwall of Kildun, by deed, dated at Inveran, 2Oth April 1541, sold his half of the lands of Ferncosky in Brachat, parish of Creich ; and on the 22nd of June following James V. granted to George Munro a crown charter of the same. In 1542 James V. granted to George a crown charter of a fourth of the lands of Easter Aird, in the parish of Tarbat, called the Intown of Tarbat, and sold to him by his cousin, James Dunbar of Tarbat. In 1 543 John Bisset, Chaplain of Newmore in the College Church of St Duthus in Tain, with the consent of Queen Mary, the Earl of Arran, and Robert Cairncross, Bishop of Ross, granted to George Munro the kirklands of the Chaplainry, namely, the lands of Newmore, with the alehouse, Inchendown, Badachonacher, Rhicorrach, and Strathrory,” which the tenants used to have for the annual rent of 7 merks Scots, 403. grassum, 30 bolls victual, 4 muttons, 4 dozen poultry, 4 marts, and 12 capons the grantee paying accordingly, the victual to be half oatmeal, half bear by Leith measure.”* In 1552 Queen Mary granted to George Munro and Janet Fraser, his wife, a crown charter of the lands of Easter Aird and others in Ross-shire,

* Reg. Sec. Sig. Vol. xvii., folio 14-15.

sold to George in 1542 by James Dunbar, to whom she, at the same time, granted the right of reversion. On the 4th of March 1544, Mary granted to Thomas Dingvvall the dues of the half lands of Ferncosky since his redemption of the same from George Munro ; and on the 5th of March she granted to Thomas a letter of regress of the same lands, sold by him to George Munro in 1541. In the year 1559 Sir Robert Melville, Chaplain of Tarlogie, granted to George Munro and his third son, Donald, and his heirs male, with remainder to George's male heirs, and to the eldest of his female heirs, the lands of Tarlogie, for the yearly payment to the Chaplain of 29 merks, 45. 6d., with two dozen capons, 2s. 10d., in augmentation of the rental: Queen Mary confirmed the grant in the same year.

George Munro appears first on record in 1541 as “George Munro of Davochgartie.” Between 1561 and 1566 he was feuar of Tarlogie. In 1553 he sold part of the estate of Dochcarty to Duncan Bain of Tulloch, to whom Queen Mary in the same year granted a crown charter of the same, and a letter of reversion to George. In 1555 he (George) sold the fourth part of the lands of Dochcarty to Donald Mac-Ian-Roy, who in 1556 received a crown charter for the same from Queen Mary.

In 1561 Queen Mary appointed George Munro bailie and chamberlain of her lands and lordships of Ross and Ardmeanach, the appointment to continue during her pleasure; and in 1567 she exempted him for life, on account of his age, from all service as a soldier, from sitting on assizes, and from appearing as a witness in any court. His appointment of bailie and chamberlain was renewed in 1568 by James VI., to continue during the pleasure of James and his Regent. In the same year (1568) George sold to Donald Mac-Ian-Roy the half of the east quarter of the lands of Dochcarty, namely, an oxgang, then occupied by Murdoch Macdonald and William Mackay, and an oxgang of the west quarter of the same lands, then occupied by Patrick Macdonald Roy. James in the same year granted to Donald and his heirs a crown charter of the same lands, and to George a letter of reversion.* Dochcarty is in the parish of Dingwall.

George Munro was a member of an inquest held at Inverness, on the 15th of October 1563, when John Campbell of Cawdor

* Orig. Par. Scot., vol. ii., pp. 493-4.

was served heir to his father in the Barony of Strathnairn, before the Sheriff-Principal, James, Earl of Moray. In 1565 George Munro held the Castle of Inverness for the Earl of Moray, and the King and Queen issued the following order requesting him to deliver up the fortress : —

“At Edinburgh, 22nd September, A.D. 1565. — The King and Queen's Majesties, for certain occasions moving them, ordain an officer of arms to pass, and in their Highnesses' name and authority, command and charge George Munro of Davochcarty, and Andrew Munro, his son, and all others, havers and withholders of the Castle of Inverness, to deliver the same to Hugh Rose of Kilravock, whom their Majesties have recommended to receive the same within six hours next after they be charged thereto, under pain of treason.

“MARIE R., HENRY R.”

Among the documents in the charter chest of Innes is a charter by Sir Alexander Innes of Plaids and Cadboll “to George Munroe of Dawachcartie, of the lands of Petkandie and Glaktamalenye in Ross,” granted at Elgin on the 15th November 1573, and confirmed by Sir William Douglas, Chaplain of St Lawrence, and Thomas Brabener, Chaplain of St Mary Magdalene, in the Cathedral Church of Moray, “superiors of the said lands.” George possessed considerable literary attainments, and wrote a life of Farquhar Mackintosh, X. of Mackintosh.

George Munro IV. of Milntown, married Janet, daughter of Hugh Fraser of Phopachy, by whom he had three sons and three daughters : —

1. Andrew, his heir.
2. Donald, who received from his father the estate of Tarlogie. He married twice, his first wife being Christian, daughter of Donald Ross of Nonikiln, by whom he had two sons: —

(1) George, his successor, and

(2) Hugh, to whom in 1580, James V. granted, for seven years, for his maintenance at school, the Chaplainry of Tarlogie, “not exceeding £20 yearly; and in 1586 James renewed the grant.”* He married Catherine, daughter of John Ross of Ballochskead, by whom he had two sons, John and Donald, both of whom settled in Sutherlandshire, where they married and had issue of whom there is no record. By his second wife — whose name is not recorded — Donald of Tarlogie had one

* Orig. Par. Scot., vol. ii., p. 423.

son, David, who studied for the church at St Andrew's University, where he obtained his M.A. degree on the 21st of July 1621. Having been duly licenced, he was appointed minister of Tarbat in 1628, and translated to the parish of Kiltearn, prior to 8th February 1630. He was a member of the General Assembly of 1638, and also of that of 1639. He was deposed in 1648 by the Presbytery of Dingwall — for what cause it is not known — and his deposition was approved of by the Assembly in July 1649. He married Florence, daughter of Andrew Munro, I. of Daan, by whom he had four sons and several daughters —

(1) Donald,

(2) Robert,

(3) John,

(4) Hugh, a Writer to the Signet in Edinburgh.

They all died unmarried. The names of the Rev. David Munro's daughters have not been recorded.

Donald Munro, I. of Tarlogie, was succeeded by his eldest son, II. George, to whom in 1574 James VI. granted for seven years, “for his education at school,” the Chaplainry of Tarlogie, and which was subsequently granted to his brother, “vacant by the demission of Master George Munro (his uncle), who was promoted to the Chancellary of Ross.”* He married Isabel, daughter of William Innes of Calrossie, by whom he had two sons and one daughter: —

(1) Donald, his heir.

(2) Gordon, who became a writer. He married Catherine Hunter, without issue, and died at Chanonry in 1650.

(3) Jane, who married Hector Munro of Nonikiln, with issue.

III. Donald Munro succeeded as third of Tarlogie. He studied for the legal profession, was for several years practising in Edinburgh as a writer, and died, apparently unmarried, there. He was in 1628 served heir-portioner, together with his aunts, Beatrix, Margaret, and Agnes Innes, to his maternal grandfather, William Innes, in the lands of Kinrive and Strathrory, in the parish of Kilmuir-Easter.† He appears to have sold the estate of Tarlogie to David Ross of Balnagown, as it was in the possession of that family before the middle of the seventeenth century.

* Orig. Par. Scot., vol. ii., p. 423.

† William Innes was son of Walter Innes of Inverbreakie, in the parish of Ross- keen, son of Sir Robert Innes of Invermarkie, in Moray. Walter obtained by grant from Queen Mary the lands of Kinrive and Strathrory. His wife was Margaret, eldest daughter of Lachlan Mackintosh, X. of Mackintosh, and that of his son, William, was Catherine, sixth daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, X. of Kintail. She received a charter of certain lands on her marriage on iQth January 1556. In sheet I. of Sir James D. Mackenzie of Findon's Genealogies of the Mackenzies, she is stated to have been the wife of Walter, but the Reg. Sec. Sig. makes her William's wife.

3. George, Chancellor of Ross, and from whom are descended the Munros of Achenbowie, Argaty, Edmondsham, and others, all of whom shall be given in their order.
4. Janet, who married John Murray of Pulrossie, to whom she bore, among others, two sons —

   (1) George, and

   (2) John.

   In 1579, or previously, John Murray granted to “his wife, Janet Munro, the daughter of the deceased George Munro of Daucharty, and in heritage to the heirs got between them, with reversion to John himself and his heirs, the lands of Pulrossie and the lands of Floid, lying in the Earldom of Sutherland and Sheriffdom of Inverness. In 1579 James VI. confirmed the grant. John Murray died in 1599, when his son George was served his heir in the lands of Spiningdale, with the mill, Achany, Floid, and Pulrossie, “in the lordship of Sutherland, of the old extent of £14. 135. 4d.”* George Murray appears on record in 1613 “as having, or pretending to have, a right to the lands of Farr ; and on the 4th of June 1616 he was a member of the Assize which served John, XVIII. Earl of Sutherland, heir to his father, John.
5. Margaret, who married Hugh Fraser of Culbokie before 1563, for in that year Queen Mary granted to “Hugh Fraser and Margaret Munro, his wife, the western half of Easter Culbokie, and eastern half of Wester Culbokie, with the houses and gardens made and to be made near the shore, in the place called Querrell, in the Lordship of Ardmanach, resigned by Hugh.”† Hugh Fraser was one of the gentlemen who sat at the inquest held at Inverness on I5th October 1563, when John Campbell of Cawdor was served heir in the Barony of Strathnairn. He appears on record in 1581, when James VI. granted to him and his heirs male the mill of Culbokie, etc.
6. Anne, who married Hugh Ross of Achnacloich, in the parish of Rosskeen, with issue.

George had also an illegitimate son named John, I. of Pittonachy (now Rosehaugh), and ancestor of the Munros of Novar, of which family R. C. Munro-Ferguson of Novar, M.P. for Ross-shire, is the present representative.

George Munro, IV. of Milntown, died on the 1st of November

* Orig. Par. Scot., Vol. ii., pp. 187-8. † Orig. Par. Scot., vol. ii. p. 550.

1576 at Milntown Castle, and was buried in Kilmuir-Easter Church-yard. He was succeeded by his eldest son,

V. Andrew Munro Of Milntown And Dochcarty, who embraced the Protestant religion, and became a rigid Presbyterian. His father apparently, some time before his decease, gave him possession of Newmore, for, anterior to that event, he is frequently mentioned as “Andrew Munro of Newmore.”

In 1568, James VI. granted to “Andrew Munro of Newmore,” the son and heir-apparent of George Munro of Dochcarty, and to Catherine Urquhart, his wife, and to their male heirs, the town and lands of Castletown, with the fishing, croft, and its pertinents; the town and lands of Belmaduthy; the town and lands of Suddie, with the brewhouse (bruerium), croft, and mill ; the town and lands of Achterflow, with all the pendicles and pertinents of these towns and lands lying in the Earldom of Ross, Lordship of Ardmanoch, and Sheriffdom of Inverness, belonging in heritage to David Chalmers, formerly Chancellor of Ross, held by him of the King, and forfeited on account of treason and lese-majesty — united in unam integrant et liber am particulam et partem terre consolidate vocatam vulgo Casteltown; the grantee paying yearly the old fermes, victual, grassum, and dues, namely: — For Castletown, £11. 10s. 6d. in money, 1 chalder 4 bolls of bear, 4 bolls of oats, 1 mart, 1 mutton, with the bondages (bondagia), or £1 in lieu of them, 4 dozen poultry, and 1 1 hens, commonly called “reek hens” ; for the croft commonly called Castletown croft, 195. 8d, and 1 boll of bear ; for Belmaduthy, £10. 16s. in money, 1 chalder and 1 boll of bear, 1 mart, 1 mutton, and 4 dozen poultry, with the usual bondages of the same, or in lieu of them £1 ; for Suddie, 13s. 4d., 1 chalder, 5 bolls and 1 firlot of bear, 1 mart, 1 mutton, and 4 dozen poultry, with the bondages, or £1 ; for the brew-house of Suddie and its croft, £1. 12s.; for the mill of Suddie, 18 bolls of victuals, half meal, half bear, with 1 boll 2 pecks for “the charity,” and 8 capons ; for Achterflow, £15. 43. 9½d. Scots, 2 chalders bear, 8 bolls oats, 2 marts, 2 muttons, with the bondages, or £2, 8 dozen poultry, and 14 reek hens, with £1. 6s. 8d. Scots in augmentation of the rental.*

*Reg. Sec. Sig., Vol. xxxviii , folios 16, 109, and 110.

The “treason and lese-majesty” committed by David Chalmers, and for which he was denounced a rebel and put to the horn, besides having all his lands and goods forfeited, was his not finding surety to appear and answer for the slaughter of James Balvany in Preston, and other persons slain at the battle of Langside. Among the other lands so forfeited and granted to Andrew Munro by James VI., in 1568, were the escheat of the grant of Meikle Tarrel, which the same monarch confirmed in 1571 ; and the lands of Easter Airds, in the parish of Tarbat, also confirmed in 1571.

In 1569 King James granted to Andrew Munro the escheat of all the goods upon the quarter lands of Meikle Allan, with the crops of that year, which was forfeited by John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, for treason and lese-majesty. In the same year James granted to him the escheat of all the goods, cattle, and corn upon the piece of land called “Bishop's Shed,” in the Chanonry of Ross, which belonged formerly to Bishop Leslie, “of this instant crop and yeir of God 1569 yeiris, and sawin to his behoof,” and which were forfeited by Leslie for treason and lese-majesty. The treason committed by Bishop Leslie was his being engaged in the attempt to get Queen Mary married to the Duke of Norfolk. He was imprisoned in the Tower in May 1571, where he remained till January 1574. It should have been noticed, however, that he was banished from Scotland in 1568 “for certane crymes of treasonn and lesemaiestie committit be him,” and it was while in exile in England he engaged in the projected marriage of the Duke of Norfolk with Queen Mary, then a prisoner in the hands of Elizabeth, Queen of England.

By a deed dated at Stirling, 10th February, and at the Chanonry of Ross, 28th February 1571, George Munro, Prebendary and Chaplain of Newmore, in the Collegiate Church of St Duthus in Tain, with the consent of James VI., the Regent, Matthew, Earl of Lennox, Kintigern Monypenny, Dean and Vicar-General of Ross, Thomas Ross, Abbot of Fearn, and Provost of the Church of Tain, and the Prebendaries of that Church, for the augmentation of his rental by the sum of six merks Scots, granted to Andrew Munro, the son and heir apparent of George Munro of Dochcarty, and his male heirs, with remainder to his heirs whatsomever, bearing the surname and arms of Munro, the

churchlands of the Chaplainry — namely, the lands of Newmore, with the alehouse ; the lands of Inchendown, with the mill, and Strath of the same ; the lands of Badachonacher, Coilmore, Rhicullen, Rawnvick, Newmore, with the “Straythis of Aldnafrankach, Aldnaquheriloch, and Rewthlasnabaa, in Strathrory, in the Earldom of Ross and Sheriffdome of Inverness,” which were formerly held by the same George, and resigned by him on account that owing to the dearness of the lands, he had reaped no profit from them, but had sustained loss by the payment of the dues, and because the whole yearly revenue of the lands amounted only to the sum of £30 Scots, to be held by Andrew Munro for the yearly payment of 7 merks Scots in name of feuferm, £2 grassum, 30 bolls victual, or 8s. 4d. Scots for each boll, 4 muttons, or 3s. 4d. Scots for each ; 12 capons, or 6s. ; 4 dozen poultry, or I2s.; together with the sum of £4 Scots for heirages, carriages, bondages, and every other burden, and for the augmentation of the rental beyond what the lands ever before yielded, amounting in all in money to the sum of £30. 14s. 8d. Scots for feuferm and customs.*

Andrew Munro of Milntown was a member of the Assize, held at Golspie in 1591, to serve Alexander, XV. Earl of Sutherland, heir to his great-grandfather, Adam, XIII. Earl, who died in 1538, and to his great-grandmother, Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland, who died in 1535.

(To be continued.)

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No. CXIII.      MARCH 1885.       VOL. X.

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THE MUNROS OF MILNTOWN. By Alexander Ross. IV.

Andrew Munro was Captain of the Castles of Inverness and Chanonry, and Chamberlain of the Earldom of Ross. About the year 1567, John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, who had been secretary to Queen Mary, dreading the effect of public feeling against Popery in the North, and against himself personally, made over to his cousin, John Leslie of Balquhain, his rights and titles to the Castle and Castle lands of Chanonry, to divert them of the character of Church property, and so save them to his family ; but notwithstanding this grant, the “Good Regent” Murray gave the custody of the Castle to Andrew Munro of Milntown, and promised Leslie some of the lands of the Barony of Fintry, in Buchan, as an equivalent ; but the Regent was assassinated before this arrangement was completed — before Andrew Munro obtained titles to the Castle and Castle lands. Yet he obtained permission from the Earl of Lennox, during his regency, and afterwards from his successor, the Earl of Mar, to take possession of the Castle.

Colin Mackenzie, XI. Chief of Kintail, and his clansmen were extremely jealous of the Munros occupying the stronghold; and being desirous to obtain possession of the Castle themselves, they purchased Leslie's right, by virtue of which they demanded delivery of the fortress. This demand Andrew Munro at once refused. Kintail in consequence raised his vassals, and being joined by a detachment of the Mackintoshes,* garrisoned the

* In the year 1573, Lachlan Mor, Laird of Mackintosh, favouring Kintail, his brother-in-law, required all the people of Strathnairn to join him against the Munroes. Colin, Lord of Lome, had, at the time, the administration of that Lordship as the jointure lands of his wife, the Countess Dowager Murray, and he wrote to Hugh Rose of Kilravock : — True Friend, after my most hearty commendation, for as much as it is reported to me that Mackintosh has charged all my tenants west of the water of Nairn to pass forward with him to Ross to enter into this troublous action with Mackenrie against the Laird of Fowlis, and because I will not that any of mine enter presently this matter whose service appertains to me, I thought good to advertise you of my mind thereon, in respect ye are tenants of mine and have borne the charge of Bailliary of Strathnarne in times past ; wherefore I will desire you to make my will known to my tenants at Strathnarne within your Bailliary that none of them take upon hand to rise at this present with Mackintosh to pass to Ross, or at any time hereafter without my special command and goodwill obtained on such pains as any of them may incur there- through, certifying them and ilk one of them, and they do in the contrary hereof, I will by all means crave the same at their hands as occasion may serve. And this it will please you to make known to them, that none of them pretend any excuse through ignorance hereof; and this for the present, not doubting but ye will do the same ; I commit you to God ; from Darnaway, the 28th of June 1573 — The Family of Rose of Kilravock, p. 263.

steeple of the Cathedral, and laid siege to Irving's Tower and the Palace. The Munros held out for three years; but one day the garrison getting short of provisions, they attempted a sortie to the Ness of Fortrose, where there was a salmon stell, the contents of which they endeavoured to secure. They were, however, immediately discovered, and quickly followed by the Mackenzies, who fell upon them in a most savage manner. Weak and starving as they were, they fought with that bravery which was always so characteristic of the Munros; but after a desperate and unequal struggle, they were overpowered by the overwhelming number of the Mackenzies, and twenty-six of their number killed, among them being their commander, John Munro. The Mackenzies had two men killed and several wounded. The defenders of the Castle immediately capitulated, and it was taken possession of by the Mackenzies.

Sir Robert Gordon says that the Munros “defended and keipt the Castle for the space of thrie yeirs, with great slaughter on either syd, vntill it was delyvered to the Clancheinzie, by the Act of pacification. And this wes the ground and begining of the feud and hartburning, which, to this day, remaynes betwein the Clanchenzie and Mumois.”†

Andrew Munro, V. of Milntown, married Catherine, daughter of Thomas Urquhart, VI. of Cromarty, by whom he had three sons and nine daughters —

1. George, his successor.
2. Andrew of Kincraig, who married “ane Mrs Gray,” by whom he had two sons —

(1) Andrew, his successor.

(2) William, who entered the army, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in a Regiment of Foot, under the Elector of Branderburg.

† Earldom of Sutherland, p. 155.

He married a Mrs Bruce, and acquired an estate in Germany, where he resided till his death. By Mrs Bruce he had issue, both sons and daughters, who settled in Branderburg, and other parts of Germany, and some of their descendants were living there in 1734.

Andrew succeeded his father in Kincraig. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Innes, XXIII. of Innes, and relict of George Munro, VII. of Milntown, by whom he had no issue. He left, however, two illegitimate children, a son George, born in Edinburgh, and a daughter Janet, who married a burgess of Tain.

Andrew I. of Kincraig had also a natural son, John, “burgess of Edinburgh,” who bought the estate of Culcraigie, in the parish of Alness.

3. John, I. of Fearn, who was twice married. His first wife was Christian Urquhart, by whom he had three sons and one daughter —

   (1) John, his successor.

   (2) Andrew.

   (3) George, who married Mary, sister to Major-General Scot, by whom he had one son, John, who was “cast away” at sea in 1639, in company of John Munro, younger of Obsdale, on their way to Germany, to enter the Swedish service.

   (4) Christian, who married Malcolm, third son of Lachlan Mackintosh, XII. of Mackintosh, with issue.

   John of Fearn's second wife was Isabel, fourth daughter of George Ross, XII. of Balnagown, without issue. He was succeeded by his eldest son John, who married Janet, daughter of Thomas MacCulloch of Fearn, by whom he had two sons —

   (1) John of Logie.

   (2) Andrew, who entered the army, and went with Robert Munro, Baron of Fowlis to the German wars. He was executed at Stettin for maltreating a surgeon there within his own house during the night, “contrary to his Majestie's Articles and discippline of warre.” Colonel Robert Munro of Obsdale, in his “Expedition,” states that there was “much solicitation” made for Robert's life by the “Duchesse of Pomereu and sundry noble Ladies, but all in vaine, yet to be lamented, since divers times before he had given proofe of his valour, especially at the siege of Frailesound in his Majestie's service of Denmarke, where he was made lame of his left arme, who, being young, was well bred by his parents at home, and abroad in France, though it was his misfortune to have suffered an exemplary death, for such an oversight committed through sudden passion, being Summum jus, in respect that the party had forgiven the fault,

but the Governor, being a churlish Swede, would not remit the satisfaction due to his Majesty and justice.”*

John Munro, II. of Fearn, was succeeded by his eldest son,

John, who is designated “of Logie,” in a MS. history of the Munros, in the possession of Stuart C. Munro, of Teaninich. John who was a Quartermaster in the army, married Margaret, daughter of the Rev. David Ross, minister of Logie-Easter, from 1638 to 1644, and had by her, among others, a son, Andrew, who succeeded him.

Andrew married Christina, daughter of Hugh Munro, II. of Culrain, by whom he had six sons —

(1) George,

(2) John,

(3) Andrew,

(4) David,

(5) Robert,

(6) James.

George, Robert, and James entered the army, and were dead in 1734, leaving, apparently, no issue. David became a carpenter, and John learned another trade. I have not succeeded in tracing whether John, David, and Andrew left issue.

4. Janet, who was married to David Munro, II. of Culnald, with issue, one son, Andrew. After David's death she married Hector Munro, XVIII. Baron of Fowlis, to whom she bore no issue.
5. Catherine, who married George Munro, I. of Obsdale, third son of Robert Munro, XV. Baron of Fowlis, to whom she had two sons —

   (1) Colonel John, who succeeded his father;

   (2) Major-General Robert, a distinguished military officer, and author of “Munro: His Expedition.”

6. Elizabeth, who married Hay of Kinardie.
7. Christian, who died unmarried.
8. Euphemme, who married Hugh Munro, IV. of Balconie, with issue, five sons and one daughter.
9. Margaret, who married Robert Gordon of Bodlan.
10. Anne, who married Hugh Ross of Priesthill.
11. Ellen, who was twice married. Her first husband was Donald Ross of Balmuchie ; and her second, John Munro, minister of Tain, and Sub-Dean of Ross, third son of Hugh Munro, I. of Assynt.
12. Isabella, who was also twice married. Her first husband was James Innes of Calrossie. Her second husband, whom she married after 25th July 1614, was Walter Ross, II. of Invercarron. She bore to him, among others —

(1) William, who succeeded

* Munro, His Expedition, part II, page 47.

his father, and, on the 30th of December 1661, grants a charter of Invercarron to his eldest son and heir, Walter, and to Walter's spouse, Margaret Gray, relict of George Murray of Pulrossie ;

(2) Janet, who, before 12th August 1664, married Kenneth Mackenzie, I. of Scatwell ;

(3) Christian, who is said to have married Hugh Macleod of Cambuscurry, in the parish of Edderton, ancestor of Robert B. A. Macleod, of Cadboll, Invergordon Castle.

Andrew Munro, V. of Milntown, died about 1593, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

VI. — George, who in 1598 is designated “George Munro of Meikle Tarrel.” In that year he became bound “to releve and skaithles keip Elizabeth Rose, the relicit of unquhile (deceased) Walter Urquhart, Shiref of Cromertie, and William Gordoun of Bredland, now hir spous, William Rose of Kilrawak, tutor tistamentare to Alex. Urquhart, sone lauchfull to the said unquhile Walter, and the said Alex, self and his aires — at the hands of Donald Ros, Magnus Feme, and Finlay Manson, cessioneris and assignais constitut be unquhile Alexander Feme, portioner of Pitcalyean, to the letters of reversion and redemption following thereupon made by the said unquhile Walter and the said Alexander, to the said unquhile Alexander Feme and his assignais for redemption of the easter half davoch lands of Pitcalyean with the pertinentis, and of all redemption and renunciation made thereupon by them to Andrew Munro, sone and air to unquhile David Munro of Culnald, and to his tutour testementare for their entres, and that at the handis of the saidis foure assaignais and their aires : Be their presentis, subscribuit with our hand at Kilrawak the twenty day of August, the yeir of God 1598, beffoir their witness, David Rose of Holme, William Ros, Walter Ros, and John Munro, notar public.”*

George Munro was principal tacksman of the Chantry of Ross. On the 18th of July 1618, the Commissioners of the Bishopric of Ross provided a stipend of 620 merks for the minister of Kilmorack, payable, 465 merks, out of the parsonage or rectorial tithes, by George Munro of Tarrell, principal tacksman of the Chantry of Ross, and, 155 merks, by the tacksman of the vicarage teinds ; and the lease was prorogated as compensation for the charge.

* Kilravock Papers, pp. 287-8, and Priory of Beauly, p. 251.

In 1584 James VI. confirmed a charter, granted by Alexander Horne, Canon of the Church of Ross, with consent of the Dean and Chapter, to George Munro in heritage, “the churchlands of his prebend called Killecreist, with the parsonage tithes included, lying in the Earldom of Ross and Sheriffdom of Inverness, and also the prebendary's manse with its pertinents lying as above.*

George Munro was twice married. His first wife was Mariot, daughter and heiress of John M'Culloch of Meikle Tarrel. She was served heir to her father in the estate of Meikle Tarrel in 1577, together with the revenue of £2. 10s. from Easter Airds. In 1578 James VI. granted to her, and her “future spouse, George Munro, the son and heir-apparent of Andrew Munro of Newmore,” the lands of Meikle Tarrel, which formerly belonged to Mariot in heritage, and which she had resigned with the consent of her curators, Robert Munro, Baron of Fowlis ; James Dunbar of Tarbat ; George Dunbar, of Avoch ; and George Munro, Chancellor of Ross — to be held of the Crown for the service formerly due.†

By Mariot M'Culloch, George Munro had four sons and one daughter —

1. George, his heir.
2. John ;
3. William ;
4. David, all of whom went to the German wars with Robert Munro, Baron of Fowlis, “whence they returned not, dying going there.”
5. Margaret, who married David Dunbar of Dunphail, she being his second wife.

George Munro's second wife was Margaret, daughter of David Dunbar, Dean of Moray, fourth son of Sir Alexander Dunbar of Westfield, who was the fifth son of James, V. Earl of Moray. By Miss Dunbar he had two sons and four daughters —

6. Hector ;
7. John, “of whom there is no account to be given of, their being soldiers, and killed in battle.”
8. Janet, who married Hugh Munro of Achnagart, with issue.
9. Helen, who married John Fraser of Inchbreck, with issue.
10. Catherine, who married Alexander Baillie of Dunean, to whom she had, among others, William, VIII. of Dunean ; David,

* Reg. Sec. Sig., Vol. 1L, folio 90. † Reg. Sec. Sig., Vol. xlv., Folio 68.

I. of Dochfour ; and Catherine, who married one of the younger sons of Hugh Fraser of Culbokie.

11. Isabella, who married Walter Leslie of Elgin, with issue.

George Munro built the tower and belfry of the present Established Church of Kilmuir-Easter, on the top of which is an eagle, the Munros armorial crest, and the monogram, G.M.— George Munro. It bears the date 1616, with the word “biggit.” The Munros' aisle in the same church is a building of some architectural taste.

George died at Boggs on the 6th of May 1623, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

VII. George Munro, VII. of Milntown who was in 1623 served heir to his father in a fourth of the lands and town of Meikle Allan, containing two oxgangs of the extent of 135. 4d. and a fourth of the alehouse of the extent of 3s. 4d. He was in the same year served his father's heir in the lands of Milntown, “with the mills and office of chief mair of the earldom of Ross, of the extent of 8 ch alders, 4 bolls of victual ; a croft named the Markland of Tullich, of the extent of one pound of wax ; and the lands and town of Meikle Meddat, of the extent of6chalders of bear and oatmeal, and other dues, its alehouse with toft and croft, of the extent of 133. 4d., and its other alehouse, without toft and croft, of the extent of 6s. 8d. — in the Barony of Delnie, earldom of Ross, and sherififdom of Inverness.”*

He married Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Innes, XVI. Laird of Innes, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Lord Elphinstone, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, by whom he had one son and one daughter —

1. Andrew, his heir, and
2. Margaret, who married Captain Alexander Forester of Corstorphine, near Edinburgh, with issue.

George had also an illegitimate son, named Hugh, who married Jane, daughter of Robert Dunbar of Dunphail, and had issue.

George Munro, VII. of Milntown, died in 1630, and was succeded by his only son,

VIII. Andrew Munro, who was the last of his family who held the estate of Milntown. He succeeded in his eleventh year. His maternal uncle, Sir John Innes, never permitted him to possess

* Retours.

the property or inhabit the Castle of Milntown, as he had, immediately after the death of Andrew's father, taken possession of the same by virtue of “an appraising and other diligences” — Sir John holding wadsets over the lands and estates of Milntown which he sold in 1656 to Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat. Andrew Munro served as a Captain under his kinsman, Sir George Munro I., of Newmore, in Ireland, in the Royal Army, during the rebellion there. He was in 1644 ordered to Scotland with his men, and took a distinguished part in the battle of Kilsyth, fought in 1645, where he fell fighting bravely at the head of his company, in the twenty-sixth year of his age. His friends and relations had great hopes of his being able to redeem the debts, contracted by his father, and his death was a severe blow to the Milntown family. He died unmarried, and without issue, when the family of Milntown, in the main line, became extinct.

Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, after purchasing the castle and estate of Milntown, changed the name to Tarbat, after his own title, he being a Lord of Session under the title of Lord Tarbat. He was afterwards created a Viscount. The peasantry to this day call the place “New Tarbat,” and in the vernacular, Baile-Mhuillinn Andrea. Adjoining the site of the old castle of Milntown is a high mound, near the river, where the pipers played the bagpipes. The only remains of the old castle still extant are the door of the vault, and the high terraces near the place where it stood. In the year 1728 Viscount Tarbat — afterwards Earl of Cromarty — contracted with masons to “throw down Munro's old work,” and clear the foundation, and build a new house. Some of the oldest inhabitants of the village of Milntown remember hearing their parents, who assisted in razing Milntown Castle, say that the hall was so large “that the music of fiddles at one end could not be heard at the other.” The castle is said to have been the most elegant and highly finished house in the north, and adorned with turrets. It stood near the site of the present mansion. In the grounds near the old building were many large trees. One large beech was called “Queen Mary's tree,” and was supposed to have been planted by that queen during her stay at Beauly Priory. It was more than 100 feet high, and required a whole week to cut it down. No force was able to remove it, and it was in consequence buried where it lay.

People pages	• Munro of Milntown • Monro of Allan

Timeline

Below is a list of events that are evidenced by this source. They should appear in the 'Timeline' section of articles about people and places involved in the events.

• January 1885 - Alexander Ross published the 2nd of his four-part series on the Munros of Milntown stating that William 1st of Allan was the son of Andrew beg Munro. It does not include a section on the Monro of Allan.
  <ref name="Munros of Milntown p. 111" />

Source material

According to R. W. Munro, editor of The Munro tree, published by the Clan Munro Association in 1978, Alexander Ross probably used the Teaninich copy of the Munro manuscript in compiling his Munro genealogies.

Timeline of documents

Below is a timeline of documents related to the Munros of Milntown and/or referenced in the footnotes.

• 28 November 1576 - George Munro of Dauachcartie departed
• 25 December 1611 - Andreas Munro of Neoumoir died
• January 1612 - Donald Munro off Tarloge died
• 6 May 1623 - Died George Monro of Meikle Tarrell
• 8 March 1643 - George Munro of Tarlogie departed at Teainrian in Str.

Sources cited

Below is a list of abbreviations commonly used to cite sources in Scottish historical writings. For additional sources, see the list of Scottish research sources.

• A.M.Ross
• ADC
• ADCP
• APS, Acta Parl. Scot.
• ASPA
• Acta Aud.
• Acta Dom. Conc.
• Acts of Lords of Council
• Balnagown Castle MSS
• Balnagown Charters
• Bannatyne Misc.
• Beauly
• Blackie
• Blaeu
• Book of Assignations
• Book of Assumptions
• Burgh Common Good Accounts
• Burghs Convention Recs
• CDS
• CP
• CPL
• CSSR
• Calendar of Fearn
• Coll. de Reb. Alb.
• Cromartie Muniments
• Cronicle
• ER
• Earlis of Ross
• Family of Rose
• Fasti
• Floors Charters
• Foedera
• GCR
• Gordon
• HMC
• History of Family of Kilravock
• Isles
• Laing Chrs.
• MS. Maps in Adv. Lib
• MS. in Adv. Lib
• Macfarlane
• Macgill
• Mackenzie, Munros
• Monro of Allan Muniments
• Moray Reg., Regist. Moraviense
• Neale's Ecclesiological Notes
• New Stat. Acc.
• OPS, Orig. Par. Scot.
• OS
• OSA, Old Stat. Acc.
• PNRC
• PRO
• PSAS
• RMS, Reg. Mag. Sig., Register of Great Seal
• RPC
• RRS
• RSS, Reg. Sec. Sig., Register of Privy Seal
• Ragman Rolls
• Reg. Supp.
• Register House Charters
• Register House Plans
• Register of Acts and Decreets
• Register of Decreets
• Register of Deeds
• Register of Sasines
• Register of Testaments
• Reid
• Retours
• SHR
• SHS
• SP
• SRO
• SRS
• State Papers, 1292-1740
• Stevenson, Docs.
• Stone, Pont Maps
• Subscription list
• TA
• TGAS
• TGSI
• Tain Charters
• Thirds
• Treasurer's Accounts
• Wardlaw MS

Source citation

Each of the timeline events displayed above is followed by the reference code for that particular timeline event. This code is not displayed when the timeline event is included in the 'Timeline' section of an article. If an event is discussed within the body of an article, this reference code can be used to cite the source of the timeline event.

This source also needs to be included in the 'Sources' section of an article by adding the following:

* {{cite book |title= |title-link= The Celtic Magazine (vol. 10) }}{{#set: Has source=The Celtic Magazine (vol. 10)}}

Sources

• Adam, R. J., ed. (1991). The Calendar of Fearn: text and additions, 1471-1667. Edinburgh: Scottish History Society. OCLC 906672176. OL 1465734M.
• Munro, Robert William, ed. (1978). The Munro tree : a genealogy and chronology of the Munros of Foulis and other families of the clan : a manuscript compiled in 1734. Edinburgh: Clan Munro Association. OCLC 7171605. OL 22329686M.