Source:Earls of Cromartie (History of the Family of Mackenzie)

"History of the Family of Mackenzie" The Earls of Cromartie (vol. 2)

HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF MACKENZIE.
By Sir George Mackenzie, first Earl of Cromartie.

Sir—I had not delayed so long to have sent ane short accountt of the genealogie of our family if I haid not bein sollicitous of exact truth, that tho we cannot compett with some others in fabled antiquitie and romantick acctiones we might appeir yett without fals vernishes, and so burdin neather our owin consciences nor other men's beleiff with vntruthes and lyes. Most of our antient families place the fountaines beyond record, that we most tack them on report, as we doe that of Nile, which, as it cannot be impugned, neather doth it import whither it wer so or not. All are come of Noah ; and if antiquitie wer sufficient to import worth any who is suirelie come of him is come of the oldest and greatest since the flood. But opinion hath placed respect on thes particular stems who have bein of any contanuance in greatnes, and blots out of its matriculationes the greatest when poverty clouds them. Should any of Cezar's or Alexander's successors be now searched for, it's probable enough they might be found drudges to the successors of ther meanest slaves. I doe not wreit this to bring any tash on noble progenies, but to ewince that it is not to be overvalued nor to tack place of personall qualitie, which makes men more truly glorious. On thing is to be confest by all, that since we observe qualities to rune much in a blood and lycknes to be consequent of relation, it is advantagious to be discerned [descended] of good and great prediccessors.

The origine of our familie, or rather its transplantation to Scotland, is not so farr of, vt caput inter nubila condat, for tradition, and evident doe joine to a point with very litle variatione in that account. Traditione informs that our first wes a sonne of the Earle of Kildar's, who came to Scotland in King Alexander the 3d's tyme, when the Danes invaded Scotland, and that our first appeirance wes at the famous battell of Largs, in which Acho the Norvegian receaved a notable defeat in the yeir 1263, when Colline Gerald, sone, say they, to the Earl of Kildar, asisting the Scots, acted so valiently that he wes still therafter justly respected by King Alexander, and imployed to goe with Alexander and Walter Stewart, and the Earl of March and Argyle, to reduce the north west Hies, and by Walter left to comand the fort then built at Kintaill, in a convenient situatione, for supprysing the adjacent Illes and Highlands, from whence the fort haid its name of the Hie Dantan. The lands of Kintaill wer at that tyme posest for the most pairt by MacMahon, and the rest by the family of Obeoland. This MacMahon, which comonly is Englished Mathesones, and descended of the Vrsines or Fitzursils, and wer of the antient inhabitants of Irland. He had an only daughter, who maried to this Colin, comandir of the fort, brought to him and his successors that heritadge of Kintaill which belonged to the MacMahon ; this our tradition nevir doubted nor contraverted, but evir held as a true accountt, from generation to generatione. All the ditferance I find in this from what I sould conclud as truth, is, that this Coline Gerald wes not a sone [of the] Earl of Kildar (for ther wes no Earl of Kildar till the yeir 1290, when John Fitz Thomas, alias Gerald, baron of Offaly, on the discord tuixt him and tue Cheif Justice William , wes receaved Earle by King of England) : bot that he wes of the cheiff family of the Geralds is not to be doubted, in respect that his comeing to Scotland wes notticed, for I find in ane old fragment that I have of the manuscript of Icolmkill, wher they, speaking of the notable persones who fought at the battell of Largs with the Stewart and the Cummin, they mentione Walter Stewart, the Earl of Carrick and March, the Thane of Argyle, Kobert de Loudon, Joannes de Strivelin, Walter Comin, Thomas Malliver, peregrinus and Hibernus ex familia Geraldinorum qui anno precedenti Hibernia pulsus apud regiam benigne acceptus et hucusque in carta [curia] permansit, hoc in prelio strenue pugnavit. And afterwards in the expedition made after that battell for reduceing the Illes, vnder the conduct of Walter Stewart, wher the said fragment speaks of the persones who accompanied him, they mention Gerald, with this note, De quo supra in prelio ad Largis, qui postea fortiter se gessit contra Insulanos et inter eos in presidium relictus. Now this agries with the traditione, only that the Earl of Kildar being since the eheitf of that family the tradition hath assumed that litle, but it would appeir that this Gerald wes sonne to Johne Fitz Thomas, who, in the first record, is stiled Lord Johne, and cheiff then of the family of Geralds, who, by the malice and invy of Sir Richard Bochell, alias Capell, wes slaine, and the who[le] family of the Geralds persecutt, Lord Morrine his eldest sone slaine, and the rest of his childrein Lord Johne to England, when afterwards he wes restored to the barronie of Offaly, and then created Earl of Kildar. This abuse and injury (for so all English and Irish records charectir it) fell out anno 1261. The comeing of this Gerald to Scotland, as the word [record] of Icolmkill says, wes anno precedenti, speaking of the battell of Largis, which wes anno 1263. So he had come to Scotland anno 1262, and anno 1263 asisted at Largis, afterwards accompanyed Walter Stewart to the Illes, and as the record of Icolmkill and our indoubted tradition agries, wes ther left in , to suppress the tumultuary Highlanders and Illanders ther newly reduced. Wher marieing the daughter and heritrix of MacMahon, he accquirit right to the greatest part of Kintaill. How he accquired the rest is not related, or if it wes by the right of his wyfe that he obteined Kintaill is only asserted by traditione, and albeit it be probable is not apparent in wreitt, for the chartour by King Alexander to this Colin deduces no such title. It is of dait three yeires after the battell of Largis. Since it is short I sail heir give you its full copy.

“Alexander Dei gratia rex Scotorum, omnibus probis hominibus totius terre sue clericis et laicis, salutem. Sciant presentes et futuri me pro fideli servitio mihi navato per Colinum Hibernum, tarn in bello quam in pace, ideo dedisse et hac presenti carta mea concessisse dicto Colino et ejus successoribus totas terras de Kintaill : Tenendas de nobis et successoribus nostris in liberam barroniam, cum guardia : Reddendo servitium forinsecum et fidelitatem. Testibus, Andrea episcopo Moraviensi, Waltero Stewart, Hendry de Balioch camerario, Ardnoldo de Campania, Thoma Hostiario vicecomite de Invernes. Apud Kincardin, ix die Januarii anno regni domini Regis xvi.”

And it wold appeir that the King haid some way satisfied the Obeolands for what possessione they haid in Kintaill, since this chartour conteines totas terras de Kintaill, and indeid befor this a litle Ferquhar Obeoland wes receaved Earl of Ros.

This Kincardin appears to be Kincardin on Dee, for it is vndoubted by information] that this Coline, waiting on King Alexander about this time in the forrest of Marr, in the begining of , at which tyme the harts bell, on of them runeing furiouslie at the King had put 1dm in danger, had not [he] prevented it by killing the hart with ane arrow in the forhead : for which cause the King conferred it on him in armory to cary a deare's head puissant wounded in ane asur feild, which is corrupted by turneing the wound to a starr, and the blood to a tusk. What the actiones of this Coline wer therafter wee find not mentioned, for thes remoter actiones are seldome recordit, vnless they be of very singular concerne ; but, howevir, it appears he served his Prince to good vse in that remote Government, since we find no stirring in the Tslandirs dureing this King's reigne ; but, on the contrar, Buchanan insinuats that ther mynds wer drawin from the Norwegians, and ther inclinationes of obedience to the Scots, which cannot but leave a good charecter on a persone who haid such autority neir to them as this Coline haid. His father-in-law retained possession of Lochelsh dureing lyfe, and Coline acclaimed it after his death ; and whillist he wes tacking possession of it he was killed by the neirest of kin of MacMahone, who toock possession of Lochelsh to themselffes. He wes killed besyd the loch of Auchnaunich, at a place called to this day Glack Chaillin.

The nixt who succeidit to Coline Hibernus or Geraldus, in Kintaill, wes his sonne Kenneth, so named after his grandfather on the mother's syde, Kenneth M^cMahone. Aither the constabulary of the fort hath bein conferred heritably on his father, or els the succeiding kings have found his successors fitt to serve them in that charge, since we find no change. He married Morvha, daughter to M^cCoull of Lome, and by hir haid Kenneth, who succeeded to him, and wes named according to the custome of the antient Scots, M^cKenneth, after his father, the people binding the patronimick on him from Kenneth, his father, rather thene from Coline, the grandfather, from ther respect to Kenneth M^cMahone, ther antient maister, so that all that come from this Kenneth reteined the patronimick M^cKenneth, and, euphonie causa, pronunced M^cKenzie, more consonant also to Irish pronunciatione. It is most probable that this second Kenneth not only sidit with Robert Bruce in his contest with the Cumins, but that this wes on of those that sheltred him in his lurking, and assisted him in his restitutione, for, in the Hies, sayes Boetius, he haid suply from a freind ; and yet Donald of the Illes, who then comandit them, wes on the Cumin syde, and raised the Illes to ther asistance, and wes beat at Deir by Edward Bruce anno 1308. The Earl of Argyle, Alexander, wes also with the Coumins' party, and wer taicken by King Bobert, and anno 1309 ; and M^cCoul of Lome, being Cumine, Earl of Athole's sister's sone, did fight againest the Bruce at Kildrummy, and toock him prisoner, who, being intrusted to M^cCoull's foster brother, the Bruce vnlosed the broch, and so slipt the mantle, wherby his keiper detained him, which broach M^cCoull belt to this day, so that upon examinatione we will find none any way considerable at that tyme to have aither sheltred or asisted the Bruce as this Kenneth, whos not being mentioned in the rest of southern battells I impute to two causes, first, the great ignorance of our wreitters without the verge of the shyres neir adjacent to ther abode, wherby all the northern actors are fallen in oblivion, tho it is most certaine that they wer the great defenders of the kingdome, as they wer the first acquirers of it.

The nixt is, that all the bordering countries being enimies to the Bruce, viz., the Earl of Bos, William , did unworthily apprehend his Queen at St. Duthas, now called Tayne, and delyvered hir to the English, anno 1305. Donald of the Illes and on Rolholand, I conjectir it should [be] Ranald, with all ther heritores hebred againest him, and wes beat at Deir. The Earl of Argyle wes enimie, and therfor Alexander the Earl wes apprehendit by him and his country subdued, anno 1304, so that the Bruce freinds in the Highlands of Ros could not be of so great use to him any wher as in that midst of thes enimies. Amongst so many and so great enimies, it wes a great victory to Kenneth not to be overcome, nor his fort taekin from him, which he keiped, hot with great disadvantadge, for at this tyme, as we have by traditione, begane the wasting of Kintaill by the Earles of Ross and Donald of the Illes, which feud continued (tho the publick state of the kingdome setled) for severall generationes ; but many of his people being kild, and possessiones wasted, all he could doe [w]as to maintain his fort, which he did on the spoile of his enimies, his owin being totaly wasted. After Banockburn, which fell out anno 1314, the kingdome returneing to peace, the followers and tennants of Kenneth of Kintaill returned to ther wasted country. This Kenneth keipt ane intimat freendship with Andrew Murray when he wes a privat man, and fidelity to him whilst lie wes governour, and haid the fortoune to be with him at his death anno 1338.

To him succeided Kenneth ni Stroin, from his nose, as Scipio wes in     . He wes maried to     , daughter to M^cLeod of Lewis, by whom he had on only sonne called Murdo, but befor his mariadge he haid three bastards, on called Hector Birrach or     , of Druninamarge, who accquired that land by marying Hellen Logan or Loban, daughter to Loban of Drumnamarge, on of the Earl of Rosse fewars. This superior haveing ane innate enmity with Kennethe's race, was the cause that this Hector had no peacable possessione of Drumnamarge, but turneing outlaw, retired to Eddirachilis, wher he left a sonne called Henrye, of whom are descendit a race yett possessing ther, called Slight-Henrick or Henrye's race. The 2d wes called Sewill, and agnamed Dearghuilach from his reed eyes, from whom are descendit John M^cKenzie, commissar deput of Ross, the Maister of Croy, and John writer in Edinburgh. And of the 3d bastard, called Alexander, are descendit the clan Murchievor, in Leadgown, and many of the comons in the Brayes of Ross.

This Kenneth, the Laird of Kintaill, was surprysed be the Earl of Ross, and execut at Invernes, the dait of this fact I could not be certainlie informed of ; but by David Bruce's imprisonement at this tyme, law gave place to force, and innocencie wes p[r]eyed on by insolence, especially in thes northern pairts. The Earl of Ross disposed of M^cKenzie's lands as he thought fitt ; only the castell of Ilandonan did keip out still. The 3 bastard sonnes of Kenneth, Hector, Sewill, and Alexander, possesses themselffes with what they could of Kintaill, and dismeaned themselffes, according to the custome of the tyme, in all maner of outrages to the weaker neighbours. Mean while the righteous aire, Murdo Dow, being a childe, wes convoyed for securitie by some of his father's faithfull servants to M^cCoul of Lome, wher he wes keipit till he came to manly age, at which tyme one M^cAuley, who all this tyme keipt Ilandonan, vent for him and brought thither saflie, non shewing themselffes greatter enimies to this aire then his three bastard breithrein.

Murdo M^cKenzie of Kintaill, succeiding to the lands which he haid by his father, succeidit also to the feuds of his neighbouring clans, especially the Earl of Ross and Donald of the Illes ; for they, tacking the advantadge of the troubles dureing David Bruce imprisonernent, confideing in ther owin power and the remotness of the place, Murdo lyckwayes being a stranger and bot a new established family, and consequently weak in freindship, they hound out ther sorners with sufficient strengthe to wast his lands. All he could doe wes to requitt them with spoiling als much of thers as his force could reach, guarding his persone and choisest men in Ilandonan ; but all his estat being wasted, he haid recours to his brother-in-law, M^cAula of Lochbroom, who, asisting him with what force he could, did attaine no more by so doeing but to have himselfe ranked in with others, the Earl of Ross enimies, who now wes Lesly, but ledd to ill practices by asociation with Donald of the Illes, with whom the Earl of Ross keipt a great freindshipe, till, by matching with him, they fell into the title and possessione of the earldome, as shall hearafter appeare.

     M^cAula      of Lochbroome, shairing now in the feued, they hound out Leod M^cOillendris, a depender of the Earl of Ross, and possessor of severall lands in Strathcarron and some in Strathhokell, to invade Lochbroome, which he did with such success that he kild M^cAulae, and possest his lands of Lochbroome and Cogiach, wherby that family endit. MeAula leaveing no childrein but the daughter maried to M^cKenzie (for so the Laird of Kintaill wes and is still designed by the Highlanders), and the estat holding of the Earl of Ross, the Earl disponed the samen in lyfrent by tack to Leod, albeit Murdo M^cKenzie acclamed it in right of his wyfe (and indeid we find few or no tailyed charters at that tyme). M^cKenzie distroyed in himself and his freind, fled to his vnckle      M^cLeod of Lewes, leaveing Illandonan weill fortified, and send oftymes wictuall to it by sea from the Lewis, but weariing of so unactive ane exile and precarious lyvlyhood, he procured a pairty of sex scor men from his vnckle, and tuo longe boatts, wherwith comeing in to Invereu in Lochbroome, other say to Kisseran in Lochcarron, and accompanyed with his cossing german, M^cLeod, he getts intelligence that Leod had appoynted a rendivouz at Kenlochew, tuelf miles distant the nixt morneing, with intention to goe and beseidge Illandonan. M^cKenzie seazes all persones he meitts with, and marches all night vp by the syd of Lochmourii (so called from ane iland in it wher Mouredus lived a hermitt), and comeing by the dawne in ane harvest day to the place of randivouz, all who were asembleing, mistaicking him and his people for a pairt of themselffes already rendivouzied, still as they came he seazed them, and amongest the first Leod himself and his sonne Pawll but carying calmly till he haid seased all. He then offered this oppressor to the memory of his brother-in-law, formerly killed by Leod, and execut him at Kenlochew, at a place in Achiluask, called to this day Fe-leod, that is Leod's myre, and possesing himself with Lochbroome in his wyfe's right, the only child leiving of M^cAula, he disposed of Cogiach to his cossigne M^cLeod, for his notable asistance in his distress; which lands they both retained, but could obteine no chartours from the Earls of Ross, of whom they held, the Earls of Ross pretending that they fell to themselfes in defect of ane aire-male, the other retaineing possession in right of his wyfe, as aire of lyne.

He wes a young man of a feirce and barbarous nature, loweing warr and action better then peace and queyt, who, contracting a freindshipe with Pawl, sonne to Leod, who wes prisoner, he procured his liberty from his brother, on conditione that he should resigne his tack in M^cKenzie's favours ; on which termes he wes dimitted, and evir after Murdo Riach and Pawl observed a perfect freindshipe. For Paull sonne comeing shortly therafter to the age of a man, he desyred to mak spoile on some neighbouring country, a barbarous custome, but most ordinary in thes dayes, as thinking therby to accquir the reput of valour, and to become formidable, the greatest security amidst ther unhappy feuds. This ther prentice sey or first expeditione wes called in the Irish creach vachtiu the young mans hership. Whither Paull wes incited to this by Murdo Riach or not is not now knowen, but asisted by him he wes. The place they pitch on for deprydatione was Cathnes. So levying such force as they could, they obteined peacable passadge through Sutherland, and falling in to the brayes of Cathnes they robed the country, drowe away multituds of cattell, and returned in safty home. After which Murdo Riach nevir haid his brother's kyndnes so affectionatly as formerly, nor did Paull or he evir resume that peacable deportment which haid bein fitt for good men, but puft up with success they frequently spoiled Cathnes, till at last Murdo Riach was killed at     , in Caithnes, and his two-handit sword, since that tyme keipt by Burb of Tottinga till Kenneth, now Earl of Seafort, haid it from him anno 1668, after whois death Paull wes not so turbulent, but had peace on no other termes granted then by giveing his daughter to     , Laird of Ballnigowin, who was coossing and favourit with     , Earl of Ross, at that tyme, by which mariadge the greatest part of Stratharron, and much of Strathhokell, fell to Ballnigowin. Of this Murdoch Riach are descendit the race called Slight Vurchie Riich, a people who reteined much of the nature of ther forfather, tho restrained by law and good government, and are numberous in Lochbroome, Cogiach, Sutherland, and Lewis.

But to returne to Murdo of Kintaill, he haveing accquired possessione of Lochbroome, he shortly therafter went to Kintaill and peopled it againe the best he could, by recollecting his native tennants, which he did with the mor eas that the Leslies, all this while being Earls of Ross, they walked more justly and peacably then others befor or after did ; and lyckwayes David Bruce, haveing returned from his imprisonement anno 1357, peace wes the better observed at home, the benefeit wherof wes injoyed be M^cKenzie, for all the while of this turbulent adge I find no securitie in the chartor-chist till the year 1362 ; at [which] tyme I find a charter granted by David King of Scotland to Murdoco filio Kenneti de Kintaill de terris, etc., dated at Edinburgh 1302, et regni domini Eegis 31, testibus Waltero Seneschalli Alexandra Barnsey, and otheris.

To this Murdo Dow M^cKenzie succeedit his eldest sonne, Murdo agnamed Murdo ni Troit so called     . He maried Fingalla, daughter to M^cLeod of Herries, by whom he haid only on sone, Alexander, who succeidit him. I find a charter gevin by King Bobert to Murdo, filius Murdochi de Kintaill, of Kintaill and Lagan Auchudrom, daited apud Edinburgh, anno 1380, et regni nostri     , testibus Willielmus de Dowglas, et Archembaldo de Galloway, et Joanne cancellario Scotie. In this Murdoch his tyme, Alexander Leslie, Earl of Boss, who wes kild at Halidown, I say Alexander, sone to the said Walter, maried his sister Euphame to Donald of Ilia, and he himself married Bobert, the governour's daughter, by whom he haid on only daughter Euphiam, who, dieing in the governour's custody, did, befor her death, dispon the Earldome to the governour faillieing of aires of hir body, which Donald of the Tiles alleidged to have been carried on by force, and deceit in the governor in prejudice of his wyfe, who should succeed to hir neice as neirest aire. He came from the Hies with a power of men, and posest the Earldome. The governour, Bobert Stewart, haveing the magistracy in his hand, fixt his title by law. Donald, who haid the naturall claime, retained possession by force, wherupon the governour, makeing it a publict quarrell, raisd ane army vnder the conduct of the Earl of Marr, his brother, who, marching north, wes rencountred by Donald at Harlau, in Marr, wher wes fought that famous battell of Harlaw, anno 1409, with incertain victory, had not Donald's tuo speidy retreat after the battell ascertained it to the governor, induced therto perhappes by his confederats, who, terified by the name of autority and magistracy, perswaded Donald to comply with ther inclinationes. At this battell Donald wes asisted almost with all the northern people, M^cKenzie excepted, who, because of the many injuries receaved by his predicessors from the Earls of Boss, and cheefly by instigation and concurrances of Donald's predicessors, he withdrew and refused concurrance. Donald resolved to mine him, but deferd it till his returne, which falling out mor vnfortunatly then he expected, did not allow him power nor oportunity to use the vengeance he intendit, for, on his returne to Eoss, he sent to M^cKenzie a freind with fair speiches desyreing his freindship, thinking no enimy despicable as he then stood. Murdo comeing to him to Dinguall, Donald dealt with him to joine him, and to give asurance to his intrest, which Murdo, partly out of hatred to his family on old feuds, pairtly diswaded by Donald's declineing fortune, refused, wherupon, most vnhandsomly, he rnaks Murdo prisoner, and secures him in a low chamber in the castell of Dinguall, who, at a window . he informed a Kenlochew man, his foster-brother, that the only way to releive him wer, if they could apprehend the Laird of Ballnigowin, a persone at that tyme old, but on wher Donald did cheifly rely on for counsell, and on that wes respected in the country as descendit of the former Earls of Ross befor the Lesly. In persuance wherof, the Kenlochew men being informed of this by the foster-brother, past towards the house of Ballnigowin, all alongs by montaines and night-travelling vndiscovered, being in number 42, and, comeing by day light to Ballnagowin, they fand the good old man at matins in the chappell within his gardin, wher, seazing him, they in hast fled with him to the hils and past homeward. Ther interest for most pairt lay at a distance, and to the east; the Monroes posest most of what lay to the west, who, being stird with the injurie don to ther freind and neighbur, the Laird of Fouls, with such as he could gather in hast, advanced to the hils with designe to fall in befor the Kenlochew men. Fouls with tuo of his sonnes wer on horse, having left his 3d sonne by the first wyfe a man at home. He failed not in his designe, but falling on a strait ground on the shoulder of the high montaine , he overtaks thes Kenlochew men and falls on them with what power he haid. They regarding more ther maister's liberation then ther owin safty, send of 4 of ther number to Ballnigowin to cary him away, and the rest being 26 ; and for ther defence they tyed ther shooes with ther belts on ther breasts to defend them from the enimyes' arrowes, and, in this posture, setting themselfl'es in a narrow passage, and the ground serveing them conveniently for keiping thos sent with Ballnigowin from discovery, they fought with such valour, that at the first rencounter, haveing kild Foull's eldest sonne, they so provocked the father's furie, and his so stir'd upe the couradge of his followers, who containually increased from the touues about, that albeit all the defendants wer kild to a man, yet wes ther lyves sold at a dear rate, haveing not [only] kild Foulls and his tuo sonnes that came forth to the persuit at first; but his lady being a stepmother to them, and the other young man who wes left at home she wpbreaded him with a shamefull lurking whilst his father and brothers wes in danger ; wherupon he lyckwyse followed in rage, and comeing too late to safe his father, came soon enough to share in ther fate, wherby a young childe, and sone of the second mariadge, wes that night cheife of that tribe, his father and 3 brethrein falling in that conflict. The place wher this wes fought is called to this day Beallachin Broege, that is, the Pack of the Shooes, because of the binding the shooes on ther breasts, dureing which fight the 4 that vent away with Ballangowin wer out of all reach, and so convoyed him to Kenlochew, and iinediatly addrest to the Earl of Ross for ane exchange with ther master, which he readily agried to, both because of the affectione he cary[ed] to Ballnagowin and because he found himselfe necessitat to leave Ross, the governour comeing with a force to posess it. This M^cKenzie wes releived by the fidelity and valour of his servants, whois actione, tho but a few and mean persones, and obscured from wreitters, did justly me[r]itt ane mentione in the best records, being eminent for affectione, fidelity, couradge, and conduct. M^cKenzie this releived, he repaired to Kintaill. This fell out the next yeir after Harlaw, which, according to Boetius, wes anno 1409, and [Holin]shed 1411. Of this Murdo I find not much mor to say till the yeir 1427. I find ane other chartor givin to him, without variatione of stile or tenor, by King James, at Invernes, at which tyme Alexander of the Illes, and pretendit Earl of Ross, came to the King and ingadged his faith for future fidelity and peacable behaviour, and on that wes sett at liberty. Many robers and rebells wer execut by King James the First at that circuit, and most at Invernes ; but shortly therafter the Alexander gathered the Islanders, and in his passage to Invernes robed and burned Kintaill ; he burned Invernes and beseidged the castell, but the King, with admirable speed, convocat a convenient force. On the report of his comeing Alexander disguosd himself, and, in a poor habit, mad such heast, that finding the King at Halyrood-house befor he marched, in church, at Mass, on Easterday, and finding the King in devout action, he threw himself befor him, begging mercy for His sak who rose that day. The Queen interceiding for him, the King pardoned as to lyfe, but gave his persone in custody to William Dowglas, Earl of Angus, in Tamtallon. His mother, Eunphiam, daughter to Walter Lesly, Earl of Ross, wes comitted prisoner to Inchcolm, she being of a turbulent temper, and ane inciter of hir childrein to rebellion, moved by the loss of the Earldome of Ross, wherto she acclamed title ; this happined anuo 1428. Nevertheles, hir second sonne, called Donald, and agnamed Baleach, raised the Islanders, and intendit a rebellione, to obviat which the Earles of Marr and Caithnes, both then of the surname of Stewart, wer sent by the King againest them with ane army. This Donald wes then very young, and caryed on principally by his kinred and M^cLean to this course. The Earles rencountered him at Inverlochy, in Lochaber, wher Donald haid the victory, and the Earl of Caithnes wes kild ; the Earl of Marr fled, and Donald returned to the Hies with spoile in triumph. The King raised ane army to reveng thes wrongs, wherwith he marched to Dunstafnage ; on his comeing Donald fled to Irland, and most of the clans, his confedrats, submitted to the King, others of his followers wer apprehendit and execut, to the number of 300. I find a comission anno 1431, to Murdo M^cCanich de Kintaill, granted by Alexander, Earl of Marr, for apprehending Alexander Keyle and his complices, and to execut justice on them, and comanding all other subjects in each place to give help to riddance. The writt is old, and is daited at the Castell of Forress.

To Murdo ni Troit succeidit his sone Alexander agnamed Inrick, i.e. honest, for his truth and honest behaviour. At his entry to his estait the country wes in peace, and the Earl of Ross (for all this while the M^cDonald keipt possession) wes vnder obediance. His name wes Donald, who haveing obteined pardon for the rebellione he haid raised, instigat to it by the Dowglas, when he wes banished be King James the 2. He leived for a whille in good neighbourhead with the King's subjects, which wes on [of] the express conditiones of his pardon. This Donald, in his rebellion, haid seased the houl of Invernes, and stilled himself, foolishly, King of the Ills ; but on his submission he wes pardoned, and asisted the King with a considerable force at Roxbrugh, wher the King being kild, he returned to his country and old course, seased Invernes againe, spoiled all the good subjects about, and amongst other he imployed ane pairty to tack Alexander JVPKenzie of Kintaill, who, haveing bein with him at Roxbrugh, he thought to have haid him ane assistant still, but Alexander, who wes only with him whilst he wes with the King, finding him debord from his aleidgance, retired amongest the first, which so Donald that, as I sed, he imployed a pairty to tack him, haveing nottice that he then residit at Inversteall, in Kintaill ; but a foolle or jester, to whom Alexander had bein kynd, who abod in the Earl's house, advertished Alexander, by sending a boy to him to repeat a rhyme, which, tho it seemed nonsence and folly, did couch advertisment enough to Alexander, without no doubt had ingadged this fellow to such lyck service, so he escaped, but the party wasted his country. On thing is remarkable, that his hereditary tennents, tho not descendit of his predicessors (as most of the Highland tennants are desendit of the samen family with ther cheiff), did nevir prow vnfaithfull, no, nor nevir deserted them in ther so many dificulties which the Earl of Ross and Donald of the Ills did aflict them with since Collin Gerald's first planting in Kintaill, but maugre all the prejudice of warr they adhyred to ther maister. The lands of Kintail being weill furnished with venison and fischiugs, which in all made by ther enimies furnished them victuall for ther mantainance. This trouble containowed to Alexander all the tyuie of Donald's lyfe, who haveing tacking the Earl of Atholl and his lady prisoners, and spoiled the whole country, robed St. Bryde's Church, in Atholl, and perpetrat many haynous outrages. By God's just judgement he became made. The prisoners wer released, and he caryed back as ane attonement to St. Bryde, tho to no purpose, for his madenes containueing, wes caryed back to Invernes, wher he died, anno 1461 ; and which wes very remarkable, many of his captaines fell with him in the lyck madnes, and died so. After his death the country became mor peacable, and Alexander vent south to gett new confirmation of his lands. His chartor from the King is daited apud Edinburge, anno 1462, et regui domini Regis secundo, testibus Jacobo Archiepiscopo [Sancti] Andree, domino Alexandro Boyd, domino Guilelmo Cranston et aliis. Alexander had to his first wyfe, Ann, daughter to M^cOoull of Lome, by whom he had Kenneth and Duncan ; and after her death he maried Margrat, daughter to M^cCoull of Morir, by whom he haid Hector. Off Duncan are descendit the Shiell Allaine and Loggy ; of Hector, the family of Garloch. Donald of the Ills, and Earl of Ross made Johne, his sone, succeid in both. He begane his lyf with imitatione of his father, but with mor pardone [prudence] and fewer injuries. He desyred freindship with Alexander of Kintaill ; and to obleidge him the more he gave severall lands in the Brayes of Ross, to be holdin ward of the Earls of Ross. The chartor containes the lands of Garive, Kenlochlychart, Killin, Garbat, and of the lands of Kenlochew. It's daited apud Castrum de Dinguall, 10 Januar 1463. The disponer designes himself Joannes de Ilia, Comes de Ross. Thes lands of Kenlochew wer apairt of thes which Murdo Dow did claim, with the rest of Lochbroome, in right of his wyfe, as I ther mentionated. But at this tyme Johne Earl of Ross dispons them be wertew of his pretendit right, wherby also he and his predicessors did still claime and oftymes posest them and the rest of Lochbroome. This emity containued a good whille, for tho John did comitt many outradgs on others, yett all the while he lived in good neighbourhead with Alexander, till, stird up by his bad counsellours, he invaded Murray, to which expeditione Alexander refusing concurrence, after his returne he disposest him of thes lands formerly gifted to him ; but John being called to a Parlyament for his wrongs, in Januar 1476 he wes accused of treason, and not compeiring, no sentance past. Wherfor the King raised ane army of the best men benorth Forth to persew him. The Earl of Craufoord wes made admirall by sea, and the Earl of Athol be land. By the Earl of Atholl's meanes, John wes brought to submitt himselfe to the King, anno 1477, and then he resigned the Earldom of Ross, Kintyre, and Knapdell in the King's hands for evir, which resignation is recordit in Parliament ; and the King pardoned his officers [offences], and of new invested him in the lairdship of the Ills, to be holdin ward. The lands of the Earldom of Eoss, disponed by this John, wer for most pairt reduced, but Alexander of Kintaill haid gift renewed, and a new chartor givin of them to him at Edinburgh, anno 1477, which wes imediatly after resignation. The resignatione wes in May, and his chartor is in September. Whilst John of Ilia oprest Alexander, non wes a greater enhny to him than Allan of Moydart, who made severall inrads into Kintaill and robed it ; but after that John haid resigned the Earldome of Eoss, his dependers wenting his protectione, this Allan's young brother drew a factione of his tennants in Moydart, and by violence posest the estait. John of Ilia being vnwilling to medle in turbulent affaires, or, as some thought, favouring the younger brother, refused asistance to Allane, wherupon he came personaly to Kinnellan, a place in Eoss which Alexander haid then in his possession from the Earl of Sutherland, and being ane ille in ane loch, Alexander did ordiuarly reside in it for security, and whose presence surprysed Alexander, as being on of his greatest enimies, and never reconcild ; but he told him plainlie how he wes abused by his neirest freinds, and therfor choist to make his recourse to his greatest enimies, who perhaps might therby gain as faithfull a freind of him as formerly he haid a diligent adversary. And Alexander, deteasting the oppression done to him, recpaitts his adres with a good asistance, and vent in persone with sufficient force to repossess him, which he accomplished. Heirvpon the weaker party make some representationes with the King of Alexander as a disturber of the peace and ane oppressor. Whereupon he wes cited to Edinburgh ; but heir wes occasion givin to Allan to requitt Alexander's generosity, for Alexander haveing raised armes to asist him without commission, he found in it a transgresion of law, tho' just upon the matter ; so to prevent Alexander's prejudice, he presently vent to Hallyroodhouse wher the King wes, being of a bold temper, did truly relate how his and Alexander M^cKenzie's affairs stood, showing withall that he, as being the occasione of it, ues ready to suffer what law would exact rather then to expose so generous a freind to any hazard. King James wes so tackin with ther reciprocall heroisimes, that he not only forgave, but allowed Alexander and of new confirmed Allan in the lands of Moydart. A litle befor I hinted that Alexander had Kinnellan from the Earl of Sutherland, which wes on this occasion : the King haveing the Earldome of Eoss now putt in his hands peaceably, he [gave the] manadgment of its rent to the Earl of Sutherland, who pute on Alexander as the fittest persone to order it for him, wherwpon he transferrs that trust on him, wherby he haid occasion to be oft in the Low Countries, where he haid no lands, but choisd Kinellan (a secure place) for his abod, and Braan for a maines, both which he and his successors keipt as rent allers to the King, till Kenneth of Kintaill fewed Braan, and Coline his son fewed Kinellan. This wes a kyndnes from the Earle of Sutherland, and Alexander ues neither vngrate nor vnfaithfull, for he not only accquitt the trust weill in manadging the Earldome to the satisfaction of the King and the Earl ; but the Earl being south, waiting on the King, the Strathnaver men and braymen of Cathness took oportunity in his absence to invad Sutherland. Ther preparations wer not so queyt, but that the allerum of ther intentiones spread over the adjacent countries. Wherwpon Alexander, with a party of about sex hunder men, past over to Sutherland, and the Sutherland joyneing with him, he gave a notable defeat to the robers, kild many, and forced the remanent to secure for peace, and to find surty for peacable caryadg for the future. At this tyme he begat on a gentlwoman in Sutherland a sone, who wes called Dowgall ; and the Earl of Sutherland, in kyndnes to his father, causit educat carfully, who profitted so in letters that he wes made prior of Bewlie by Pope , and is yet memorable for prudance and pietie in the records of that priory. He repaired the church of Bewlie, inlarging it with a south ille, opposit to M^cKenzie's ille, on the north syd of the kirk ; in which south ille prior Dowgall lyes buried in a tombe artificial! according to ther tyme, buildit by his own directione.

Ther is a tradition that when this Alexander wes a boy at seooles, after his father's death at St. Johnstoun, that his bastard brother, Hector Birrach, and Sewill Dearhulhich, that is reed-eyed, did usurp his possession, and some actiones are rencountred that past on his recovering of his estnte. Ther is no certainty in this, for out of doubte Alexander wes of manly adge or his father died. Off Hector Birrach I know no succession. Off Sewill are come John M^cKenzie, comissar deput, Mr. Rorie M^cKenzie, parson of Moy, and some others.

Alexander wes now old, and haveing attained to longer peace then any of his predecessors, he wes desyrous to provyd it to his posterity ; his eldest sone, Kenneth, comeing to the age of 20 yeires, he judged it a fitt mean to procuire his peace iff he should match with John of Ilia, and so extingushe ther old feads in that dearest band, whereto Ilia soone aecordit, and a mariadge wes solemnized betuixt Kenneth and       daughter to John of Ilia, whom traditione calls the Earl of Ross, but wrongously, since this wes long after the resignation. Donald, eldest son to John of Ilia, came to Ross, and now the mor secure because of this allya, he posseses himself, tho not with the Earldom, yett with the house of Balcony and adjacent lands, as ues thought with further designe, and to ingadge his old dependers at the nixt Cristmas he provydit a great feast, inviting to it most of the cheifs and considerable barons benorth Spey, amongst others his brother-in-law, Kenneth. The house of Balcony being somewhat out of repair, haid not such convenience to lodge all the guests, wherfor of necessity outtir houses wer accomodat for some. Kenneth comeing on Cristmas evin, with such traine as that tyme allowed, for the least being towards 40 persones, on M^cLean, who wes cheeff overseer in the house, haid discordit with Kenneth some few dayes befor at gameing ; and it being in his proveince to ordour the respective lodgings for ilk guest, he meitt Kenneth and told him because of his relatione to the family they had made bold to provyd his lodgings in the kill, which Kenneth tacking ill, and worse that he deemed.it to proceid from this M^cLean's resentment, in ane indiscreit rashnes he gives him a box on the ear, and, being of great strenth, threw him to the ground, which the servants (not few in number) tacking as ane afront to M^cDonald, for so they did still denominat ther cheefe, made to armes ; but Kenneth, tho bold enough, finding himself too weake aither to fight or to retreat handsomly, did with a ready judgment fall on a way both safe and shamles. Balcony lyes neir to the sea, some boats wer provydit for transport of the guests, to which boats Kenneth goes and tacks them of the shoare, what wes mor as served him he sunk, and in tuo or three he past to the other syde, wher he abod that night. Thes of the other sid, judgeing nothing les then that he should abyd ther, but that he haid iinmediatly retreated to the hils, that night he abod with a tennent, who haid no syrnam but a patronimick, as all the comons in Boss have ; but this proud younge man, boyling in passione, toock it as afront that he ues necessitat to be on Cristmas from his owin house, and neither with a freind nor kinsman, nor on his owin estate ; he first desyred his landlord to owin the syrnam of M^cKenzie, and promest him protectione, whereto the goodman willingly accordit, which he and his posterity retaine to this day. The nixt morneing, being Cristmas day, he vent to the hill abowe Chanry and desyred to speak with the Bishope of Ross (who ues solemnizing Cristmas with some of his clergy), and with some what of the toune desyred him to come speak with him. The of thes tymes and the young man's temper, made the Bishope to condescend to meitt him, tho' it loockit a litle strange. At meiting he would neid have a few of that litle peice land wher he haid lodged the night befor, and told the reasone, least M^cDonald should bragge that he haid forced him on Cristmas to lodge at ane other man's discretione, and not on his owin heritadge. The Bishope, partly willing to obleidge him, and to by him in wassaladge, and partly fearing to doe otherwayes, perceaveinge the man in radge, he presently sent to the [toune] for his clerk, and drew a chartor of the toune of Cullicuden, for so the place wes called, wherwpon Kenneth returned to it and abode in it all that day as his owin. This toune, tho' small, he and his successors keipt to Colline of Kintaill accquired more of the Bishopes fewes contigue to it, and at last it with the rest wes exchanged with the Shirreff of Cromartie for some lands in Strapepher. The nixt dayafter Cristmas he vent to Kinellan, wher his father Alexander wes, who, extremly greived at the occurrenc, knowing that a small varriance would reveive ther old grudges, and albeit now they wer in les fear because that M^cDonald his intrest of Eoss, yett the old experienced man knew them a great clann, and mor powerfull thene himself in privat force, but thes sentiments did nothing allay Kenneth's discontent, whois naturall feircness could broock no disobleigement, but thought himselfe wronged to that height that he wished opportunity of revenge ; but the fate of the other family did prevent the injurie towards him, for in the fourt day on wes sent from M^cDonald (who, because John his father wes on lyfe, wes called the Tiernoige, that is, the young lord, for tiern extendit to all persones of qualitie then), and the messinger had mandat to warne Alexander and Kenneth to remove from [thence] and all ther family in 24 hours, with certification of warr if they did not, only allowing that the young lady, his sister, might stay till she wer accomodat by leasur to remove. Kenneth, not waiting his father's answer nor advyce, did in angir but tell M^cDonald he would have his father sitt ther him and all his power ; for himself, he ues to receave no rules for his staying or goeing, but he should be suire enough to hear of him wherevir he wer, and for his sister, since he had no roynd to keip further peace with the brother, he would not longer keip hir, but with some small convoy of servants sent hir presently to Ballcony, which unhumanity did so greive the poor lady that after that she nevir recoverit health, haveing a short whill befor bein brought to bedd of a soue, who wes called Kenneth, and because his father wes of the samen name he wes called Kenneth Oig, i.e. younge Kenneth. It apeared that he haid no kyndnes for this lady, for some few dayes after he put hir away he vent to Lovat, accompany [ed] with towards 200 men, and beseidged the house. The Lord Lovat, who wes surprysed with this actione, vent to demand its proport. Kenneth told that he came to demand his daughter Ann in mariadge, in respect now that he haid no wyfe, and desyrit hir without further deliberation, since by that he should obleidge him in a strict freindshipe to his family ; and if he refused, he should ingadge him to a mortall enmity, the first effect wherof should be that he haid at present a party gathering the men, women, and guids that wer neir adjacent, all which shold be made on fyne to evidence his resolution. The Lord Lovat, who haid no kyndnes for M^cDonald, and wes desyrous enough to ingadge M^cKenzie in a freindshipe, straithned also with the exigence of his people's danger, and knowing the bold temper of Kenneth, he resolved to grant his desyre, and accordingly delyvered his daughter to him. He imediatly returned home with hir, and ever after leived with her as husband and wyfe. M^cDonald, exasperat by thes injuries, sends his great Stewart M^cLean to levy forces in the Ills, and to convocat his neirest relationes in the Maine, such as the M^cDonalds of Moydart and the Clan-Ean of Ardnimurchan, who, haveing in short tyme made vp a sufficient force towards fyftein hundereth men, he accquainted M^cDonald therwith, who appoynted them to meitt him at Containe, in respect that Alexander M^cKenzie being old, hade not gone to Kintaill, but resolved to stay in Ross, judgeing that the M^cDonalds would not adventur to convocat and invade the Lowcountry after such late ingadgment to obedience and peace : yett Kenneth, forseeing the dangir from the rebellious temper of his brother-in-law, had, on the begineing of M^cDonald's preparationes, gone to Kintaill and secured the house of Illandonan with a competent garison and sufficient provisiones, the goods with some to drive them to the most remote and queyt hils being left, he toock the rest of the fensable men, with all others of his dependers in Strathchonan, Strathgarve, and other glens in the Brayes of Ross, to guard his father and himself, tho a number very unproportionable to the force convocated againest him. However, confideing in the protection of the lawes, and the opinion he haid of the M^cDonald's vnwillingnes to invade Ross, he stayed at Kinnellan, his father abod in the litle Ille ; Kenneth, with such as he haid with him, lay at the Lochsyd, in a secure ground. M^cDonald's forces, ledd by Gillespick, brother-naturall to John of Ilia, and vnckle to this Donald, who wes at Balcony, drew doune to Ross, wasting Kintaill and Strathconan as he past, came to Containe on the       day of      , being Sunday. The whol people wer in confusion because of the outrage of the Islanders. The fensible men wer with M^cKenzie, the old and young, with ther women, fled into the kirk of Containe, judgeing that a secure shelter from Cristiane enimies ; but it prowed not so againest sacrilegious outlawes, who, I know [not], whither with more impietie or crueltie, lock vp the doores of the church, the preist and people being within, and burned them all to ashes, not on escapeing. Some of the beholders runne away and accquainted M^cKenzie with this execrable acctione, greived att the lose of the people, but declared a gladnes, that thes who wer otherwayes tuo numberous for him, haid now ingadged God againest them. Containe lyes not a mile from Kinnellan, wher M^cKenzie ly, but apprehending that M^cKenzie dared not abod, M^cDonald appoyntit his vnckle Galespeick to draw the forces vp to the large moore, called in the Irish dialect Blairnapark, that he might veive his forces, and send out parties to persew M^cKenzie. M^cKenzie all this whill ly in his strong ground, which he judged himselfe able to defend, and conveniently enough situated to wait for attaques on the eniniie if he should find oportunyfcie. He haid not abow sex hunder men, and for thos he had provydit wictualls for a longer tyme then M^cDonald could keipe his forces togither in that place. The country people have drewin ther goods to remote places, so that M^cDonald could not weill be furnished. About tuelf acloack M^cDonald drawes vp his forces in the moore, which ly not a quarter of a mile leaguir, and separated from it only by [a] litle moss. Kenneth, fearing to be beseidged, perswadit his father to goe to a stronge rock called Craignifiich, [that] is the raven's rock, by which place Kenneth resolved to flee if he found it necessar, the old man vent recomending his sone to God's asistance, and, by his confident      , assureing them of succes, notwithstanding of the power of the adversare. Kenneth, perceaving M^cDonald's force greater then wer fitt to be fought with by his small power, resolved to mantaine his ground ; but, moved by ane excess of couradge, he resolved on ane essay to bring his enimie to ane disadvantadge, which wes to draw out 300 of his men, and to march straught over the moss towards them, judging that ther contempt of his number would procuir vnadvertancy, and probably to a disordorly asault ; and he resolveing and accquanting his brother Duncan with his resolutione to retreat at the first approach, so to intice M^cDonald to a persuit, he desyred Duncan, with the rest of the people, to be in readines to fall doune in a close body on the persewers in the moss, which being full of pits and of a narrow bounds, made the unequality of number less hurtfull. So marching boldly with his 300, M^cDonald in great derisione called his vnckle to sie M^cKeivzie's impudent madnes, who dared this to face him at such disadvantage. Gillespeck answered that such extraordinar boldnes in our enimies should move extraordinar warines in us least we fall into vnexspected inconvenience. M^cDonald replyes in rage, “Goe you also and joyne with them, and it will not neid our care, nor move the least fear in my followers.” Mean whill M^cKenzie advances a litle beyond the moss, and M'Lean of Lochbuy, who had the vann of M^cDonald's men, charges him, and with the first brunt M^cKenzie flies, but so as putting himselfe in the rearward he gave as much hurt as he receaved. The space for retreat wes short, and Duncan observeing the enimie disordered and scattred in the persuit, and within the moss, according to his brother's ordours, he marched doune, and asaulting them violently, he kils most of them erre they could attaine the maine batle, which most vnskilfully had also quitte ther ground in disorder, vnwilling that M^cLeane should have the killing of M^cKenzie's men alon, so Duncan entred ther battell, put them in great confusione. Kenneth meane whill, with this 300 (who wer all weell instructed in their maister's designe) followed after Duncan, and err the eniniie could draw to any ordor, he fall in on ther right flanck with such fury, and doeing such executione, that albeit the M^cDonalds wer ashamed to flie befor ane enimie so latly by them, yett at last ther resolutione gave place to his couradge, for Gillespick, to evidence that tho' he wes wary in his councell he wes not fearfull in his actione, he sought out for M^cKenzie, and being guarded with some of his shouldiers, he found him out in the midst of the battel!, signalized with extraordinar executioune ; for, haveing kild or ceased all that opposit themselfes to him, he gave a signe for Gillespick to begine ane new act, but Kenneth exceiding both in strength and couradge, could broock no tedious debate in combatt but pressing in with a fearfull eagirnes, he at ane blow cutt of Gillespick's arme and past very farr into his body, so that he fell doune dead. M^cKenzie's standardbearer rencountreing M^cDonald's, he slew him, and then trust the stalf of the standard through his body, and left his attenders to guard it, himself pasing on in the battell towards his maister, who, seing him without his collours, asked what became of them. He told that he left M^cDonald's standard-bearer keipeing them, but without shame. Be this tyme M^cDonald wes tackin prisoner, and M^cLeane of Lochbuy wes kild by Duncane Moir, M^cKenzie's great scallack, which, with the great slaughter and contanuance of M^cKenzie's vninterrupting fury, the enimie fall to a totall flight, in which most of them all wer kild, quarter being no ordinar complement in thos dayes. Severalls of the M^cDonalds fled towards the river of Conan, wherby ane old woman subtilly who told them, asking for a foord, that all the river wes but on foord, they in the river and drownd. Thes who escaped or found the foord wer kild by on Classin Gowe, a smith ane of the Lord Lovat's people, who being related by coaltshipe that is fostering to Lovat's daughter, haid come to hir husband's asistance, but comeing too late for the batle, haid oportunity heir to doe more service then if he had bein at it. The night befor this battell the Laird of Brody haid come on some freindly occasion to Kinnellan, and nixt morneing, as he wes goeing to horse, he perceaved some of M^cKenzie'[ s] men in armes, wherupon he asked if the enimie wes certainly so neir as that it wes probable they should fight or night ; and being informed that they wer at hand, he stoped his journey and said he ues ane ill fellow and worse that would leave his freind at such a tyme ; and albeit M^cKenzie indeavoured to alter his resolutione and disuad his stay, yet he would neids abyd, and in the batle behaved himself to the advantadge of his freind and notable loss of his enimie ; and imediatly after the batle he vent on his journey, which did knit such a freindshipe tuixt M^cKenzie and him that it did propogat to posterity, and evir yett remaines tuixt them, being more sacredly observed then the tyes of affinity and consangunity amongst most of others. Mxt morneing M^cKenzie, judgeing that thos who escapit, railyeing midst the hils, might robe and spoile his people who lye in ther way, he followed vpe to Strathconan, wher he found, according to his guess, that the enimie, towards 300, had railyed, and wer distroying what remained of ther former crueltyes ; but on his sight they toock them to flight, but to litle purpose, most or all of them being kild in the retreat. Some few that fell in M^cKenzie's way wer saised ; amongst whom wes Gillespeicks sone called Alexander. This Gillespeick is in the chartors named Glestin. He ues naturall brother to John of Ilia, for in a chartor, daitit      , granted by the said John to him, he designes him fratri nostro carnali. M^cDonald being tackin, Glestin kild, and now Alexander, sone to Glestin tackin, M^cKenzie returned with a compleit victorie to Kinellan, wher he haid left M^cDonald vnder guard with his father. The old man imbraced his sone, but said (with a too great severity) that he feared they haid made tuo dayes work of on, since, by spairing M^cDonald and this young Alexander, they preserved thos who might yett give them trouble. Yett Kenneth, tho' a lyon in the batle, could not by thes prudentiall wameings be induced to ane unglorious crueltie ; but fearing least his rude followers might committ some unhandsom fact on the prisoners, he send M^cDonald with a guard to Lovit, to be keipt ther till he should advyse how to dispose of him, and he keipt Alexander with himself ; and contrar to all expectatioun, within 6 monethes he released them both, tacking them bound by oath and honour never to molest him nor his, nor to pretend to any right in the Earldome of Koss, which Alexander, this Donald's grandfather, had so fully resigned formerly to the King.

Alexander M^cKenzie being of a great age, died at      , and wes buried at      . About the samen tytne Kennethe's first lady, whom he had (for any thing evir wes heard) so vnjustly divorced, overwhelmed with so many and great misfortunes from hir husband's facts and hir brother's fate, overcome by greiff, died at      , the      , haveing Kenneth oige, hir sone, not many monthes old. The King so weill approwed what Kenneth performed on this occasion, that notwithstanding he wes not vnder commissione, yett it wes lookt on as a kynd of self-defence, because of the contanuall oppressiones and wrongs perpetrat by M^cDonald's family on JVPKenzie and other legall people; wherfor he wes continued in possessione of the manadgment of the Earldome of Koss, paying some consideration in name of rent for it. The M^cDonalds, after this stroak, never attempted anything on the Earldom of Ross, nor againest M^cKenzies, but ther power with ther intrest evir after diminished, as shall appeir, M^cKenzie, with all the other inhabitants of Ross, enjoyeing therafter the beneffeitts of peace and the protection of law. And albeit Kenneth raised great fears in his neighbours by his temper and power, by which he haid overturned so great ane intrest as that of M^cDonald, yett it appearit that he did not proceid to such attemptts but on just resentments and rationall grounds ; for dureing his lyfe he not only protected the country by his power, but he caryed so, that non wes els estemed a better neighbour to his freinds, nor a juster maister to his dependers. In that on thing of his caryadge to his first wyfe, he is justly reprowable ; in all things else he merits justly to be numbered amongst the best of our Scots patriots. He had but one sone by his first lady ; by Lovat's daughter he haid four, John, Alexander, Eorie, and Mr Kenneth, and on daughter, named      , who wes first maried to M^cKey, and after his deceas to Rorie M^cLeod of Lewes, who begatt on hir on sone called Torghill ; and this Rorie being a persone inconstant and lacivious, he forged calumnies againest her without any ground, and therupon, as if she haid bein truly guilty, he putt her awaye, and maried on Stewart, daughter to a gentleman in Orkney, and shortly after he put hir away also, and maried a daughter of M^cLean's. I insinuat in this place, because from this, as a root, did arise many not emergents relating to the house of Kintaill and Lewis. All thes sones of Agnes Fraser wer young when ther father died. This fight at Blaimapark put M^cKenzie in great respect thorough all the north. The Earl of Huntly, George, who wes the second Earle, did contract a freindship with him, and when he wes imployed by King James 3d to assist him againest the conspirators in the south, Kenneth came with 500 men to him, in summer 1488 : but erre they came the lenghe of Perth, M^cKenzie had nottice of his father Alexander's death, wherwpon Huntly caused him retire to ordor his affaires, least his old enimies might tack advantage on such a change, and Huntly judgeing that they wer rather too numberous then weak for the conspirators, by which occasion he wes absent from that vnfortunat batle wher King James 3d wes kild, yett evir after this Earl George, and his sone Alexander, the 3d Earl of Huntly, keipt a great kyndnes to Kenneth and his successors.

From the yeir 1489 the kingdom vnder King James 4d ues at great peace, and therby M^cKenzie toock oportunity to setle his privat affaires, which for many yeires befor, yea, severall ages, had bein almost still disturbed by the Earls of Ross and Lords of the Hies, and so he lived in peace and good correspondances with his neighbours till the yeir 1491, for in the moneth of February that yeir he died, and ues buried at Bewlie, on the       of      . All his predecessors wer buried at Icolmkill, as wer most of the considerable cheiffs in the Highlands, but this Kenneth, after his mariage, keipt frequent devotiones with the Convent of Bewlie, and at his owin desyre wes buried ther, in the ille on the north syd of the alter, which wes built by himselfe in his lyftyme or he died ; after that he done pennance for his irregular marieing of Lovit's daughter. He procured recomendationes from Thomas Hay, Bishop of Koss, to Pope Alexander the 6, from whom he procured a legittmatione of all the cheildrein of the mariadge, daited apud St Petri, papatus nostri primo, anno Cristiano 1491.

To Kenneth Ivlair, who wes the 4d Kenneth of Kintaill, succeidit his sone by the Lord of the Ills' daughter, called Sir Kenneth. King James 4 tacking great cair for keiping the Highlands in peace, amongst other mediums for aweing them he keipt severalls of the young cheiffes at Edinburgh, therby reteineing pleidges of ther clanns, and tacking oportunity to civilize the Highlands by the good educatione of ther cheiffes. Amongst others, he toock a speciall cair of this Kenneth and M^cIntosh, as being considerable for ther power, and both young men of great spirit. They remained at Edinburgh, vnder a favourable custody, till thes tuo young gentlemen, vnwilling to containow in this specious restraint, ashamed to be idle whilst they judged themselfes fitter actors for the stage of ther country, they resolved to make ther escape from the castell of Edinburgh (for they haid the liberty of the bounds within the wals). In goeing over the wall M^cKenzie hurt his legge, wherby he wes vnable to goe so fast as wes necessar ; and M^cIntosh, resolving rather to be tacken with his freind then to desert him, in 3 dayes tyme they came no farther then the Torwood ; and in a privat hous, wher they suspected no danger, they meitt with the Laird of Buchanan, being ther in outlaw for slaughter. Knowing that both thes cheiffes wer the King's pleidges, and judgeing that therby he might have a meane to ingratiat himself with the King if he should tack them and bring them back to Edinburgh, he resolved so to doe, and in persuance therof he drawes his followers about the house, calling to the young gentlmen to rendir. M^cKenzie, who of a more violent temper, did, with more couradge the[n] prudence, rush out with a drawin sword, refuseing delyvery and endeavouring ane escape. He wes vnworthily shott by on of Buchanan's men with ane arrow, and kild on the place. M^cIntosh wes tacken, and therafter detained in prisone. Thes fell out anno 149⁸/₉. Hector M^cKenzie, vnckle to this Sir Kenneth, brother to Kenneth Ivlair, and sone to Alexander by his second wyfe, being a man of courage and prudence, wes left tutor by his brother to Sir Kenneth, his owin brother-vterin Duncan being of better hands then head. This Hector heiring of Sir Kenneth's death, and finding himself in possession of ane estait, to which those only now haid title whose birthright wes debatable, viz., the childrein begot by Kenneth the 3d, on the Lord Lovat's daughter, with whom he did at first so irregularly and vnlawfully cohabet, ther youth further incouradgeing him, he dealt with his elder brother Duncane to quitt his pretence in his favours, and preserved a share to himselfe ; which Duncan refuseing in favours of his nephews, whom he knewe restored to legittimation and capacity of successione by the Pope, Hector resolved to prosecut it without him ; and so, disowning his brother's childrein as illegitimat, he reteined the possessione to his owin behooff. All the country peopl submitted because of the childrein's childhood and the tutor's persuasion. Yett the Lord Lovat to keip his sister's childrein right awak, he toock a precept of clare constat from James Stewart, Duke of Eoss and Archbishop of St. Andrews, to Johne his eldest sister's sone, as aire to his father Kenneth (for Sir Kenneth wes nevir entred) which precept is daited the last of Apryle 1500, and seasin thereon 16 Mey 1500, be Sir John Barchan and William Monro of Foulls, as baillie to the Duk. This containes not only the lands which M^cKenzie held of the Earl of Koss, but the barrony of Kintaill also, which wes occasioned by the Lord Lovit's ignorance of that estate, he not haveing the chartor-clieist for his informatione, that being keipit vp by Hector the vnckle, so that the Lord Lovat wes necessitat to proceid upon conjectore, notwithstanding Hector still keiped possessione and manadged the intrest to his owin advautadge. He wes a man of good spirit and couradge, for the Laird of Foulls, called William, being then baillie in the earldom of Koss to the Duk and of ane lofty mynd, he caried at a disobliedging hight with all neighbours, and amongest the rest with Hector, tutor of Kintaill, who continued to possess Kinnellan as a rentaler, as his father Alexander had don. Sir William toock occasion, for some small enormities of the tennents possessors, to hold courts on the place ; and as a mult or fyne, he caused tack away the couples of a barne as a lasting tokin of his power. Hector wes then absent ; but heiring of this, he toock in so ill pairt that he sent, in his passione, on to tell the Laird of Foulls if he wer a good fellow he would now come and cary the other barne away when he wes at home. Foulls, pickt with thes outbrawing words, did foolishly convocat a number of his owin people, and of the Dingualls and M^cCulloches, who then haid bound ther dependance on him, and with the number of 900 men he came to Kinnellan sooner then Hector expected, who, on the othersyd, gathered all he could in so short a tyme, and at such a distance from the place wher the stock of his intrest did ly. His force did not exceid 180 men. With thes not willing to adventor on so vnequall termes to open battell, yett he designed ane attempt wherin he promeised himself advantadge. With the 180 he conveyed himself secretly, with 24 hours' provisions, in the night tyme, to the head of the hill of Ferroll, a place so situat that Foulls behoved to march aither neir to its north or southsyd, both in his march to Kiuellan and his returne. The nixt morneing Foulls marched by, nevir getting the least nottice of Hector, but supossing him about Kinnellan to owin his bragge. Foulls keipt the strenth of his party in the vann, litle regarding the rest. That day he did not hold court nor cary as baillie, but, deeming that below him to shelter his violence with pretence of law, he demolished the barne, and caused cary its couples ; and not content therwith, he spoiled the vtensils, such as they wer, and drow the cattell as a trophee to his promeis. In the evening late be returned, as Hector conjectored, carying his trophie in the front of his pairty, with a strong guard, and the rest of his choise men he placed in his reer, least Hector should persew, litle imagining that he wes tuixt him and home. Foulls haid marched west to Kinellan by the northsyd of the hill, thorrow Strathpepher : and on what ground I know not, but ledd by his fate, he returned by the south syde, wher the highway toutched on the shoulder of the hill wher Hector wes, who, finding his desyre and hop meitt in the enimies' march, whilst they triumphingly advert litle to ther safty, and arre far dissipat in a long and negligent ordor of march, he letts them all pass till they of the reer ar within a muskett shott of him. He fells doune with violence on them, cutting betuixt them and the rest of the people. His power wes too stronge for the guard, so that or they could weill fitt themselfes to resistance they wer cutt off, whose dying groans in the glovvming of the evin, and the uncertainty, as weel as vnexpectednes of Hector's attaque, did so fright the rest that they presently rune away in confusione. Albeit Foulls, who wes in the vann uith the trophee and its guard, did all he could to stope them ; yet it ues to no purpose, for fear persuadit more strongly then aither his threats or intreats. The flieing croud disorder that for pairty also, all wer necessitat to flie. Hector and his pairty meane[while] persewing ther victory with all possible violence, since in prudence they [could] not give quarter to such a number, as if tacken might tack ther victors, they choisit to kill all by Hector's ordor on that consideration. In this retreat almost the whol fensible men of the clann of Dinguall and M^cCulloehes wer killed, and so many of the Monroes, that for a long tyme therafter ther could not be ane secure freindshipe made vp tuixt them and the M^cKenzies, till by frequent allyan[c]e and mutuall benefteits at last thes animosities are setled ; and, in ordor to a reconciliation, Hector, sone to this William of Foulls, wes maried to John M^cKenzie's sister, on whom wes begott Robert, who wes kild at Halydoun. All this conflict, besyd that it wes notable for its handsome contrivance, inequalitie of force, and number of the slaine, ther were tuo litle circumstance worth the noting : on wes that the persuit wes so hott as that they not only fledd in a croud, but they wer kild so att a place on the hill edge wher a desent fell into a hollow from each shoulder of the hill to a well, most of Hector's men being armed with axes and tuo handed suords, they cutt of in that litle space so many heads as toumbling doune to the well ther wer accompted 19 heads in itt, whenc[e] to this day it is named Tober ni Kean, or the fountaine of heads. Another wes that on agnamed Sunrachan, a servant of Hector's, persewed on of the enimie into the church of Dinguall, to which many had rune for shelter. As the persone wes goeing in to the church, Sunrachan apprehendit him by the arme ; the man cryed, “My sanctuary safes me.” “I, but,” sayes Sunrachan, “what a man puts in the sanctuary againest his will, if he can he may tack it out againe,” and so, puting him back from the doore, he kild him at on stroak. This William, who Sir William haid evir desyrs and designe the revenge this afront, and many thought that he intendit it, in that voyadge made by him to the Highlands as baillie to the Duke alongs the Highlands, anno      ; but in his goeing he ues kild by the Camerons at Auchanschellach, in Lochcarrou, for which Ewon Cameron wes a long tyme therafter execut at Elgine, being 82 yeires of adge till the yeir 1507, at which tyme Johne, being in his vnckle's house, and about 18 yeires of adge, the house of Lovat tack fyre. When non dard approach to it for the flames, he boldly entred it and caryed out Lovit's charter cheist, a weight even then thought much for the strongest man, and that cheist, yett extant, is a load sufficient for tuo. His vnckle, both obleidgd by the actione, and glad to sie such strength and boldnes in the young man, desyred to doe as much for himself as he haid done for him, and to recover his chartor cheist from his vnckle, and that he should have all the conccurance which he could give to that effect. John (whos prudence evin in youthhead went abow many men, as it did afterwards, almost beyond all of his country) did very sagaciously consider that his vnckle, a man of valour and wisdome, being in possession, could not without deficulty be expeled, in which atempts slaughter and depredationes could not be evited, and if once he did comitt any such things on thos who wer his natives, he should therby disobleidge them altogither to himself and ingadge them to his vncle. Therfor he resolved to assay a more prudent course, and to strick only at Hector's persone, with whom he weill judgit all the pretence and the country people's respects would fall. In prosecutione of this he addrest himself to his vnckle, and required that since he haid tackin his estait he would give hime a galley and as many of the ablest youthes of the country as should voluutarly follow him, with whom he would pass into Irland, a kingdom then in warr, and ther aither to purchase a glorious death or a mor plentifull fortune then he wes lyck to have at home. The motione pleasd his vnckle exceidingly, who therupon not only gave him his owin birline (so they call a galley), but furnish him with all necessar provisione, asuireing him withall that if he should prosecut that designe he would yeirly send him a portione till his fortune should [be] abow necessity, wheras if he hade otherwayes resolved and endeavor to have molested him in his right (as he callit it) he should have brought a suddaine ruine on himself. Of all the youth in the country non voluntarly offered themselfes to his adventor with John but threitty ; nor would he have any who offered not themselffes freily, on good grounds judging such, and only such, fitt companions for him in his conditione, as resolvit and affectionat. He appoynts them, with the boat, to attend him at Corristone, on of the privatest glens in all the west coast, and most distant from all other people, whilst he stayed with his vnckle, to be suplyed with some necessars, but indeid to observe his method and maner of converse. At last he toock leave, with all seemeing alacrity and simplicitie. His vnckl sent some servants to convoy him, but rather to ascertaine him of his departur, and as watching him to prevent any designe. Accompanyed with thes, he came to Corristone, wher the boat and his company waited. With thes he toock boat and sett sail, with a fair wind, for the Hies, as intending thence to Irland. Hector's servants imediatly returned to ther maister, who leived then at Wester Farburne, 24 miles distant from Corristone. At ther returne he asked wher they had left Johne. They told they saw him boated and gone. “Weill, then,” said he, “we may now sleep without fear of Anne's childrein,” for so Lovat's daughter, ther mother, wes named. But John, sailling doune the Loch of Corristone to a privat creick, he imediatly landit in a wood, dispersed his company, and desyred them in the most indescerned pathes to meitt him at Aid Corrinarnich, in the bray of Corristone, which accordinglie done, he followed Hector's men, and albeit he wes neir them err they came to Farburne, yett he buir off and lingered till about midnight. Then calling his company togither, he said : “Now, good freinds, I perceave you are indeid affectionat to me and resolit men, who have frielie forsaikin ther country and relationes to share in my no promising fortune, but my designe in seeking only such as voluntarly would goe alonge wes that I might have certainty of the affectione and resolution of my people ; and since you are they whom I ought only to rely upon in and danger, I shall now tell you that I wes nevir so fanthearted as to quitt my inherittance without atempting what is probable for any man in my capacity. In ordor to this I feigned this designe for Irland for three reasones, first, to put my vnckle in securitie, whom I found evir hitherto very circumspect and weill guarded, nixt, by this to find out a select faithfull number to whom I might trust, and, thirdly, that in case I faill, and that my vnckle sail prewaill over my indeavors, that I might have this boat and provisiones as a saife retreat, both for myselfe and yow, whom I should be loath to expose to so great a danger without some probability in the atempt and some securitie in the disappointment. I am resolved this night to fall on my vnckl, for he being gone ther is non of his childrein who dare hope to repone themselffes to his place. The country men who nowe, for fear, depend on him and disowin me, will, no doubt, on the same motives, promoved with my just title, owin me againest all other injurious pretenders. On thing I most require of you, and it is, that albeit thos on whom we are to fall are all related both to you and me, yett since on ther destructione depends the preservatione of our lyfe and restitutione of my estate, ye most all promeise not to give quarter to my vnckle or any of his company.” To this they all agrie, without considering of ther natural! obleidgments to most of them, so on they goe, and about midnight, with great queitnes, they fyred all the quarters of the house wher Hector and his servants lay, they standing in armes without to prevent the escape of any ; but some of them, provocked to more pity by the present danger of ther relationes then they wer when they resolved to give no quarters, called on the neirest freinds to come out and render on assurrance. John sieing so many of them desyre this, that he wes not able to resist them, “Weill,” said he, “my vnckle is as neir in blood to me as any in the house are to you, and therfor I will be as kynd to him as you are to them ;” therupon he calls him furth and asuired his lyfe, who therwpon rendered himself to his nephew. Kixt day then vent a gait towards Kintaill (haveing sent on to informe his vnckle Lovat of what passed), wher all the people, both ther and in the rest of his heritadge, recognised him as ther maister. The house of Illandonan wes furthwith delyvered to him, with the chartor-cheist and evidents of his estate, and all the lands sett by him, as vse is ther at entry of aires, in which affaire his vncle Hector gave him all possible asistance, and wes very helpfull to him, both by his prudence and experience in thos affaires ; and John, following his advyse, he gave the choise of all Keanlochew to Donald Dow M^cGillechrist w^cGillinach, who at Farburne haid endeavoured to kil Hector when John wes giving him quarter. This Donald wes foster brother to Sir Kenneth, and imagineing that Hector, who keipt John from the inheritance, haid vnderhand bein accessory to Sir Kenneth's captivity at Edinburgh, and consequently to his death, he haid therupon conceaved ane inveterat hatred againest Hector ; but Hector, judgeing all this to proceid from fidelity and affectionat to his maister, he toock this oportunity generously not only to forgive, but to reward him. This Donald Dow afterwards kild Buchanan at the batle of Flowden in reveng of Sir Kenneth, so myndfull wes he of revenge even in that comon ruine. John containued evir after in good termes with his vnckle, and in peacable possession of his estate. He voluntarly gave a portion of the estate to his vnckle for mantaineance dureing lyfe, but which wes more to Hector's advantadge he affoorded both men and money to him for prosecutting his designe on Garloch, which had his rise this : The Laird of Garloch, of the syrname of M^cLeod, and of the family of the Lewis or Shelltorkill, maried       M^cKenzie, daughter to Alexander of Kintaill, and sister to this Hector. On what ground I know not, but M^cLeod of Lewis, whois sister wes second wyfe to Garloch, did Idle M^cKenzie's sister's sone, who should succeid to Garloch, and so his owin sister's sone succeedit. Hector, justly incited to revenge this, made some atempts in prosecutione therof dureing John's minority, but not willing to ingadge in a warr with so potent a neighbour as M^cLeod of Lewis, whilst he wes not secure in his vnjust possessione of his nephewe's estate, he did not prosecut it so ardently all the whill, but now being frie of that fear, and venting a fortune suitable to his mynd and quality, he resolved at once to revenge the niurdir, and, if he could, to make it productive of his owin advantadge. In ordor to this, he suits such as wer accessory to the murdir befor the Cbeiffe Justice. Ther weell-groundit feares made them to absent themselffes, wherwpon they wer declared fugitives, and comissione granted to Hector for ther persuit, which he did so resolitly manadge, that in a short tyme he kild many, preserved some to justice, and forced the remainder to a compositione advantagious to himselfe, which wes to dispone to him and his aires the half or 3d pairt of Garloch (I know not whither, the chartor not being besyd me). His successors, who wer both active and provident men, did therafter accquire the rest from ther unthrifty neighbours. The greatest defeat that Hector gave to the Shelillichalum wes at Balach Glasleod, near Kintaill, wher most of them wer kild or tackin. At this fight old Duncane Moir, who fought so weill with Kenneth at Blaimapark, wes with Hector, and hearing that four men wer dailling at once with his sone ; “Weill,” said [he,] “if he be my sone, ther is no hazard for that,” which succeidit accordingly. This Hector maried M^cBanalds of Moydart's daughter ; John Glas, his sone, maried Glengarie's daughter ; and Alexander, his oye, maried KeadcasteU's daughter. This Alexander wes the man who, both by sword and law, accomplished the accquest of Garloch from the Shelillichalum, procuireing at last from [them] a voluntar resignatione of thes four davoches and Glaslettir to him and his aires. The great relatione that the branch of M^cKenzie's family had to the Clanranald made a litle unforward in M^cKenzie's warr with Glengarrie, and therwpon some jealousies wer intertained, which this Alexander and all ther descendants since have obliterat by all kynd of freindship and respect.

But to returne to Johne of Kintaill, who all this whill asisted his vnckle, but evited to medle in matters of blood on privat quarells, tho' non wes mor forward in his prince's service. He finding his vnckle Lovat's mistaik, who had tacken a precept of clare constat from James Duk of Ross, albeit the barronie of Kintaill held imediatly of the King, so soone as he accquired possessione of his estate, anno 1507, the nixt yeir vent to Edinburgh and obteined from King James the 4 a chartor, with a novodamus of all his lands (the Earldome of Ross being thene in the King's hands by the death of James Stewart, Duk of Ross). This chartor, vnder the Great Seall, is dated at Edinburgh, 1 6 February 1508. In this chartor all his lands, viz., the 40 merks land of Kintaill, 4 merk of Killin, 4 merk of Garrive, 3 merk land of Keanlochlycbart and Corrievunlie, the merk laud of Garbet, the merk land of Delnatua, 4 merk land of Auchnluisk, 3 merk land of Taage, 2 merk of Keanloch Beandachar, 3 merk of Inverchoran, 3 merk of Invermeine, 4 merk of Mein, 4 merk of Escadell, are all vnited to the barrony of Kintaill, and designed the barrony of Illandonan, wher seasin is to be tackin for all.

Therafter he imployed himselfe in manadging his privat estate, which he did with prudenc[e] and success, neather doeing nor receaveing wrong from any till the yeir 1513, at which tyme, with a competent number of men, he accompanyed the Earl off Huntly, then Lord Leivtennent of the north, to the vnhappie feild of Flowden vnder King James the 4, as did many others of the northern gentlmen, amongst whom wes Monro of Foulls, sister sone to this Johne, who wes kild in the feild. Johne escaped, being of the vanguard who fought with Huntly, and haid, by ther victory over the enimies vanguard, more honor and mor safty then the rest of that vnfortunat army. Hathorndenn wreitts wpon misinformatione that M^cKenzie wes kild ther, but he returned home and wes therafter at Pynky feild in his old age. King James the 4 being kild at Flowden, M^cDonald, imagineing that he might at such a tyme have advantadge off Ross, gathered a number of Illanders and marched towards that province, but M^cKenzie gathered a number sufficient to have fought him. M^cDonald had advanced the leng[t]h of Keanlochbeandachar, in Strathconan, wher, hearing of ftPKenzie's preparatione, he burned and wasted the land ther about, and heareing that Illandonan wes neather provydit of men nor amunitione, he resolved to quitt all other designes and aime at that place, which so oft haid defeated his predicessors intentiones againest the M^cKenzies, and indeid it wes so that at that tyme the said house wes very ill provydit, the peace that Johne M>'Kenzie had with all neighbours putting lain in more security then his predicessors wer accquainted with, or he had reasone for. Ther wes in the house as constable on Gillichrist M^cCray, greatgrandfather to Mr. John M^cOray, parsone of Dinguall, whois brother, Milmoir, wes kild by M^cDonald at Keanloehbeandachar. At ther approach M^cDonald did insolently demand the house to be rendered. Gillichrist answered that he had no intentione to give it vpe to his maister's enimy and his owin brother's murderer. But, in place of surrendering it he and his servants, being provydit of no other amunitione but bowes and arrowes, they shott from furth of the windowes, kild some, and wounded severalls. At last, all ther arrowes being spent, they perceaved M'Donald draweing doune his men to come over at a litle place, wher the sea ebbs, to the Ille. Gillichrist, tho resolut to defend with defensible weapons, relying on the strength of the place ; yett he wes vext that he could not offend, and by accident he spyed vnder the table ane arrow which haid a brocken head. “I wish,” said he, “that this on shott be weill bestowed.” He haid his desyre, for, aimeing at M'Donald, who wes at his boatsyd, walking and giveing ordors for ane approach to the house, and hitt him in the ankle, and cutting ane artery, the blood issued out with such violence, and the skill of his chyrurgions not being able to stop it, in ane hour's space therafter he died, which so discouradged his people that imediatly they lanched ther boats, sett saill, and directed ther course homeward. Nixt day M^cKenzie came ther in persuit of M'Donald, but finding them gone, and informed of M^cDonald's death, he persewed no further, as neather willing to venter beyond defence with a convocatione of people, nor desyrous so much to invaid as to defend. This M^cDonald, called      , wes of that branch which now possess Sleat, with many other lands, of whom Sir James M'Donald is descendit, and wes grandchild to the Earl of Ross by his second sone, Hugh, who, since the failling of the prime root, the Earl of Eoss, in the persone of John of Ilia and his sone Donald, is no doubt the cheiffe of the claim, and wes ever esteemed so by neighbours, and accknowleidged by all the other branches of that name till of late some, as foolishly as groundlesly, contraverted it. This family tho at that tyme reteined the old hatred at M'Kenzie, yett shortly after they came to allyance and freindshipe togither, and evir since none of all the neighbouring cheiffes have caryed so fairly and faithfully with M'Kenzie as they have done, both in peace and warr. For this service King James the 5 gave to him Kinchuldrum, Achilty, and Comery in few, with Meikle Scatuall, vnder the Great Seall, anno 1528. The lands of Laggan Achidrom being 4 merk, the 3 merk of Killianan,and the 4 merk lands of Invergarry, being in the King's hand, wer disponed by him to Johne M^cKenzie, after the King's minoritie and revocatione, anno 1540, vnder the Great Seall, a Precept, vnder the quarter Seall, and a Seasin therwpon by Sir Johne Robertsoue, in Januar 1541.

But befor this, anno 1521, he accquired the lands of Fotterty and myln therof from Mr. John Cadell, which King James the 5 confermed to John M^cKenzie, at Linlithgow, anno 1522, in September.

In the yeir 1541 he fewed Brahan from King James 5 to himself, and his airesmaill, which failling, to his eldest daughter, but divisione, and all that he accquired after this wes so tacken, whither by his owin inclination or by King James 5 will, who scrupled to give any tailyes.

Anno 1542 he obtained the wast lands and forrest of Neid and Monar from King James 5, and is seased that yeir by Sir John Eobertsone. In Januar 1547 he accquired a wodsett of the half of Culteleod and Drynie from on Denoone of Davidstoune. In September that yeir, old as he wes, he vent in defence of his soveraigne, young Queen Mary, to the unfortunat batle of Pinky, being then towards yeires of adge, wher he wes tacken prisoner ; and the Laird of Kilravock falling with him, he advised Kilravock that they should owin themself amongst the comons, that he should cary the quality of a yeaman, and Kilravock of a miller, which succeidit weill to Killravock, who therby wes released ; but Huntly, who wes also prisoner, being convoyed by the Duke of Sommervell [Somerset] to veiw the prisoners, espying his old freind M^cKenzie amidst the comon prisoners, and ignorant of M'Kenzie's plott, called him by his name, and desyred he might have him by the hand, which civility the English officers notticed to M<;Kenzie's disadvantage, for thence forward he wes guarded uitli the other prisoners of qualitie, and released for a considerable sowme, to which all his country did frilie contribut without burdineing his owin estait with it. So, returneing home, he sett himself to his privat affaires, and the year 1556 he accquired the heritable right of Cultealeod and Drynie from Denoone, which wes confirmed to him be Queen Mary, vnder the Great Seall, at Invernes, 13 July 1556. In the yeir 1544 he accquired the other half of Coultealeod and Drynie from Magnus Mowat, and therafter from Patrick Mouat of Bugholly.

Anno 1543 John M^cKenzie acquired Kildins, part of Lochbroom, to himself, and Elizebeth Grant, his wyfe, holdin blench for a pennie, and confirmed that yeir be Queen Mary. All this wes in the Queen regens tyme, who haid a speciall kyndnes to this Johne, he being on hir husband King James the 5 privy counsell, and contanued so dureing hir government and lyfe, for he died in the same yeir, viz., 1561, at Iuverchoran, in Strathchonan, and wes buried with his father at Bewlie. One passadge I ommitted, which wes that the Queen Kegent sent some courtiers to examine the stat of the Earldome of Boss, in ordor to a few or constant rentalling therof. When thes came to Fouls and Balnagowin, and to other gentlmen in the country, all possible good intertainment, according to tymes and custome of the country, wes made for them, but M^cKenzie, in leiu therof, vse no other fyring then green wood, which smoaked then execrably in thes chimnyes, which, as the custome wes, were placed in the midst of ther halls. Ther best fare wes great cutts of beeffe, towards half or quarters of kowes, ill rosted and mor vncleanly served, and for musick they had ten or tuelf lace of great dogs jangling and fighting, whilk doggs did also eat and ly with ther maister. The strangers wer ill pleased, evin to afrightment, at such rudnes. At ther returne, when they gave accompt to the Queen, they praised all the gentlmen of Eoss, except hir favorite, M^cKenzie, whom they represented as a miserable persone, giving accompt of ther cheare, and telling that he and his dogs did both eat and ly togither. The Queen regrated his condition with this expressione, “It is a sore pitty that so true and faithfull a man, and so wise, should not be better provydit,” which moifed hir in the fewes sett by hir to give him his at a very easie rate, and with all possible ease in the reddendo. This John, who wes most happie in his privat affairs, had this advantadge, that he saw his children's childrein in manly adge, for in the yeir 1538 he married his eldest sone, Kenneth, to Elizabeth Stewart, daughter to the Earl of Athole, who made him grandfather to very hopfull childrein, the great comfort of his old age.

His brethrein, Alexander, Korie, and Mr. Kenneth, wer men very much and very deservedly respected in ther tyme. Of Alexander is descendit the family of Davoch Muluak. He and his successors have accquired a considerable fortune. Of Korie are descendit the family of Achilty and Farburne. This Korie wes a man of exceiding statur and strengh. On a quarrell with Dinguall, laird of Kildin, he kild him, and that night abode with his wyfe, which wes so represented to and recented by King James the 5 that his brother M^cKenzie wes forced to apprehend him and rendir him to the King ; but Korie standing to a stiff denyall, and ther being no relevant prooff, the judges wold not condemn him, yett the King, being perswaded of his guilt, sent him prisoner to the Bass, with strict ordors to keip him in chanes. This wes obeyed, and his armes and leggs pained extreamly. The laird of Bass had fead with some neighbour, which occasioned many rencounters and skirmishes, and oftentymes the servants came in with wounds enough. Rorie seeing this to fall out frequently, he said, “Would to God that the laird would tack me with him, and [I] should then be worth my meat to him, and serve for better vse, the[n] I doe with these chaines.” Some of them told this to Bass, who therupon called for Rorie, and asked if he would fight weill with him. “If I doe not that,” said he, “lett me hang in thes chanes.” So the laird, tacking his oath not to rune away, which he friely offerd, his chaines were tacking, and his 'wounds by them cured with convenient oyntments in thos tymes. He found himself in condition to fight, so ane opportunity offered for his tryell. Bass rencountering with his adversar, this Eorie fought to admiration, and being both of high couradge and excessive force, he soone rooted the other party, wherby Bass became so enamoured of him that he nevir therafter vanted him out of his company wher he could secreitly haue him vnknowin to the Court.

Ane Italian comeing at that tyme to Edinburgh to challeng a wrestling in strength for money, challenged the nation. On or tuo grapled with him, but with such disadvantadge that therafter non would ingadge, which greived the King beyond measure, so that he expressed himselfe passionatly in favours of any who would overcome the Italian. Bass wes very glad of this occasione to favour Bory, and told the King that he beleived the prisoner comitted by his Majestie to the Bass, if he wer not vndone by the irons, would, in his opinione, be able to match the challenger. Said the King, “His liberty, with reward, shall he have if he so doe.” Bass did warily tack some tyme to cuire him, least his owin crim or Borie's former liberty should be knowin. So, on ane appointed day, he brought him to Halyroodhouse to the King. The King asked him if he would vndertack to cast the Italian for his liberty. “Yea, sir,” said he, “it will be a hard task that I will not undertack for that. But, sir,” sayes he, “it may be it will not be so easie to performe as to vndertack, yett I shall give him a fair tryell.” “Weill,” said the King, “how many dayes will ye have to fitt yourself?” “Not ane houre,” replyed Bory. The King, animated by his resolutione, sent to ask if the Italian would presently accept the challeng. He who head found many victories easie wes still ready, doubting nought. 5 lists ar prepared. The Italian wes first in the feild, and seing Bory come without any proper accountrment, in rude habit, he laughed, but at the first graple Bory putt him to his knee. Wherat the King cried The Italian pretending exeuse, and aleidgeing some foull play, and such frivolous pretence, the King, glad of the advantage, wes vnwilling to expose to a secound hazard. “No, sir,” said Bory, “lett him try it againe, for now I think I knowe his strenghe,” which, being allowed, at the nixt encountir, he pulled the Italian to him, and with all his force grasping him by the midle, he brock his back, disjoynting the back bone. The poore Italian fell to the ground with intolerable paine and suitable groans, and within tuo dayes he died. This so pleased the King that he inquirit of Bory if he would abid still with him, which he foolishly refused, saying that his long imprisonement made him vnfitt for a court lyfe, and if it pleasd his Majestie to lett him goe home he would send his sone, which would be fitter to serve his Majestie. The King causit furnish him in cloath and money, and desirit him to heast his sone to him, which he did accordinglie. His sone wes callit Murdo, with whom his maister fell in so good lyking that he keip him still about his persone, and gave him as ane earnest of greater things the lands of Farburne, Moy, and others adjacent to it, but Murdo being vnhappily absent at his death, did miss of what mor wes designed for him.

Mr. Kenneth, the fourt sone of Kenneth Blair, ues chanter of Eoss and perpetuall viccar of convent, which wiccaradge he resigned in the Pope Paulus hand in favor of the Priory of Bewly. He would not abstaine from mariadge, contrar to the ordors of the Church, wherupon the bishop intendit to depose him, but he called his brother Eory to be at Chanry on the tyme appoynted for his tryall, with a number of rude people ; himself came in befor the bishope in his long gowne, but vnder it he had a short tuohauded sword, so drawing neir to the Bishope, who satt in his presiding chair, he whispred in his eare that it wer best to lett him alon, “For my brother Eorie,” sayes he, “is in the church yaird with many ill men, and if ye tack of my ordors he will tack of your head, and I myself will not be your best freind.” With that he privily showe his pen kneefi', which sight, with Eorye's being so neir and a person knowin weill enough by the bishope, did so terify him that inconteinent he caused asolie, and vindicat the good chanter, who evir therafter enjoyed his office wnchallenged. From this Mr. Kenneth are descendit Suddie, Ord, and Inverlaoll.

To this John succeidit Kenneth agnamed ni Curk for his notable dexterity in ingravineing. He maried Elizebeth Stewart, daughter to Earl of Athoil. [He] and she wer conjunctly infeft in a great pairt of the estat in his father's lyftyme, anno 1543, and he wer infeft on a service as aire to John, anno 1561. He did accquire, in his father's lyftyme, the kirklands of Lochbroome, and the lands and fisching of Litle Brahan from the dean and chanons of Eoss, anno 1507, which disposition and chartor of thers is confirmed at Hallyroodhouse by King James the 6, anno 15S7. In the yeir 1554, being in his father's lyftyme, he accquired also Kildin's half of Lochesh be disposition the 20 of November that yeir, confirmed be the Queen 24 November 1554, it holding ward. In the yeir 1547, he accquired the chaplane lands of Tollie and Kinnard from Andrew Dow, chaplain, with consent of dean and channons of Eoss, and of the Queen and her regent, all which append ther seals to it, and subscryve ther consent.

This Kenneth wes a man fit both for peace and warr, but of so prudent a conduct that he rather prevented his enimies designes then allowed them to putt his couradge to tryall. It wes suggested that John Glassick of Garloch, sone to Hector, tutor of Kintaill, intendit to prosecut his father's unjust intentiones by clanieing to the estat of Kintaill. Kenneth hearing of this, sent for him, who, suspecting nothing, came to Brahan with his ordinary servants. So soone as he came, Kenneth asked some questiones relative to the said suspitione, and finding John's answers somewhat dubious, he caused presently apprehend him. A servant of Garloche's called John Kear, seing the servants lay hold on his maister, stroock with a two-handed sword at Kenneth, who, standing neir the table, straght nimbly, els he had cleaved him, for the strock wes incredibly deep in the table, so as yee could hyd your hand edgwayes [in] it. The stroock remained in the table till Colline, Earl of Seaforth, caused cutt that peice of the table, saying that he lowed no such rememberance of quarrells to his relationes. This John Glassick wes tacken and sent to Illandonan, wher he wes keipt till his death. Kenneth haid 3 sonnes, Murdo, who dyed befor him, Colline, who succeidit him, and Rory of Readcastell. He had many daughters ; on of them wes married to Glengarry, and, after his death, to Chisolme of Strathglass ; on of them married Ballnagowin, on to M^cIntosh, on to Cromarty, on to Foulls, and on to Inverbreaky. When the Queen Mary escaped out of Lochlevin and caliit her faithfull subjects to hir asistance, Huntly (who albeit he haid concurred in the Parliament held imediatly befor iu her sone's name, and carryed on of the honors), changeing from the Regent's pairty, adherit to the Queen, and wes levieing the northrein shyres in ordor to hir asistance for certifieing her therof, he sent Coline M^cKenzie, Rory's eldest sone, befor, as a persone of whois prudence he relyed most on to intreat the Queen's retiring to Stirling for awaiting the convocation of all hir freinds and true subjects als weill in the north as south. The place being situat comodiously for such a rendiwous, ther being no pas to hinder any from comeing to it, whilst it wes the only pas that could stop the combinatione of hir enimies that wer divydit by Forth, but the Queen's fate drawing hir from so good counsell, moved specially by the French ambassador, who, seing to endeavour a peace tuixt hir and the Regent meaned nothing less perceaveing the Queen's force allready gathered to exceid the Regent's. He wes the great instrument of that fattall ^dvyse for placeing the Queen into Doumbarton, and then to doe as they found occasione, apprehending that the Regent, vnequall in number, dared not fight them in ther way, which fell out otherwayes, for at Longsyd he overtook them, glad that the Queen haid not waited to make vnequality greater, who, getting advantadge of the ground by Argyls fitt of the epilepsy that toock him in his march, the Queen's pairty wes defeat, severalls tacken, the rest dispersed and fled home severall wayes. M^cKenzie returned through the Highland to Huntly, and gave ane accompt [of] the defeat, yett the northrein peopl wer resolved, under Huntlye's conduct, to have marched forward for asisting the Queens just title, and haid force enough in probability to have done so, had not the Quein putt on that vnhappy resolution of goeing to England, whence she nevir returned, nor did ever any atempt for hir cause therafter prowe succesfull, so that success placed the esteem of laufulnes on the vnjuster syd ; and the loyall nobility and gentry, who, according to ther duetie and oaths of aleidgence, had sided with ther soverane, wer forced, by the insolence of the Regent, to tack remissiones for ther fidelity, as if it haid bein treasone. Amongst [the rest] Coline M^cKenzie toock on, darted at Edinburgh the      day of      , vnder the Great Seall, for his being present at Longsyd fight with the Queen againest the King, and comeing in counsell and rebellione with Huntly. This is the only remisione that is or evir wes in M^cKenzie's chartor cheist, and this certainly no evidence of disgrace, but a testificat of his fidelity and loyalty. The batle wes fought at Longsyd the 15 of Mey 1568, but or Coline returned, his father Kenneth dyed on the 6 of June at Killin [ ? Kildin], the said yeir, and is buried at Bewlie, in M^cKenzie's ille, with his father and grandfather.

To Kenneth ni Curk succeided Coline, his eldest sone, by the death of Murdoch. He wes with the Earl of Huntly at the tyme of his father's death. On nottice wherof he came to setle his affaires, and imediatly returned to my Lord Huntly, with whom he abod till the Eegent maid ane expeditione to the north ; at which tyme, contrar to all reasone and law, Huntly and adherents wer fyned to repay any damnadge they had done to any in this levy, and, in case of refusall, wer to be proceidit againest as rebells. The Queen's flight haveing altogither brock liir pairty, they wer forced to submitt, and therupon all of them had remissiones past to them vnder the Great Seall. One, as is said, wes past to Coline M'Kenzie with the rest. Nor would the Eegent allow on remision to be exped for Huntly as all his adherents ; but to break of ther dependence from him it wes givin to them severally, non but his domesticks being includit in his own remision. The Eegent at this tyme held Court at Aberdein, Elgin, and Invernes, and toock pleidges of the clanns, but toock non from M>'Kenzie, finding him a young man of great prudance, civill, and of all peacable tempir. After this Coline did not medle further withe publick effaires, judgeing wisly, that in a civill warr the partys are seldome so stated in ther causes, but that the on is in the wrong, and the other not in the right ; that both pairtyes doe concurr in the destructione of the whole, and albeit in ane vndoubted magistracy, duty and obligation, tack away indifference, and make newtrality criminall; yett when the soveraignty is dubious, as it wes at this tyme, and both sydes fair in ther pretence, and violent in ther actings, they are oftymes the best patriots, and ordinarly most respected in the setled estate who have tackin thos retreats from injureing others, which a privat lyfe offir. On thes accountts, till King James the G toock the governement in his owin hand, he nevir ingadged in any publict transactione or actione, but manadged his privat intrest to such advantadge that albeit it appeir his predecessors wer active men and advancers of ther fortunes, yet this on man did exceid any of them, and purchast more then all of them had done befor him ; for first his father haveing wodsett the half of Lochelsh from Kildin, who had, by a daughter of Alexander, sone to Celestin (carnall sonne to the Lord of the Ills), his other tuo daughters wer maried, on to Glengarrie, the other to Cameron of Locheill. I say Coline, thinking a wodsett ane vnsecure title and ambulator, depending on ane other's will, and out of which a stronger or richer neighbour may still cast him by accquireing the reversione, he bought the reversione from Thomas Dinguall of Kildin, anno 1571, on the 17 of March, at Kildin.

In the yeir 1579, on the 22 of June, at Kildin, he bought also Kildin's half of Lochcaron, which Kildin had by the daughter of Alexander Celestin's sone, or, as the Irish name him, Alexander M^cGillespi[ck]. This charter, granted of Lochcarron be Kildin, is confirmed be King James the 6, at Halyroodhouse, 4 September 1586. In May 1587 he wodsett Glengarrie's half of Lochelsh, which Glengarrie haid also by Alexander M^cGillespick's daughter. The seasin givne on it 25 and 26 of Mey 1583 by John M^cGillichean, notar Anno 1572, on the 6 of December, at Elgin, Coline bought the half of Lochbroome from John Grant of Freughy. This confirmed by King James the 6, with consent of the Earl of Mortone, regent, at Halyroodhouse, the 20 July 1574. The other half of Lochbroom wes bought from Kildin be John M^cKenzie formerly, anno 1543, wher observe God's justice in restoring to M^cKenzie his just heritadge, which the Earl of Eoss haid keipt by violence from him for so many yeires, from the tyme of      , anno      , at which tyme thes lands of Lochbroome, with thes of Cogiach, did justly appertein to him in right of his wyfe, daughter to M'Aula of Lochbroom ; and now, by God's providenc[e], after the race of thes oppressors wer sweept out of that earldome, thes lands fell againe to ther just owiner by a peacable accquest, and shortly after wee shall find Cogiach returne with the samen smoothnes.

All this while the church moved in changes, and the state in confusione, the pityfull stat of thes tymes in King James' minority all our stories doe so fully record, and ther ruthfull rememberance is as yett so that it wer superfluous to mention them in this peculiar information. That which relats to my purpose is, that with the falling of from Eome, the church rents fall from the church, ane end of the reformation, T presume not by, but practised by many, and no wher more sacrilegiously then in Scotland, for some violently possest, others, by mor legall pretence, acquired bishopricks, abacies, priories, and other benefices, and this wes so catholickly carryed againest the Catholicks, that ther [wes] no possibility to preserve any from thos in power, which made some of the mor prudent Bishopes dispose of what they could not keip to ther relationes. Off thes ther wer few, but such as wer so disponed had the farr more legall conveyance then others who purchast them only by secular titles. The Bishoprick of Ross happined in thes yeires to fall into the manaidgment of very knowing and prudent bishopes, viz., Henry St. Clair, dean of Glasgow, on of our first and best lawiers, and president of the Sessione, and John Lesly, brother to Bughaine, whois great abilities, knowin through all Europe, in his faithful! negotiationes for Queen Mary, his soveraigne, maks any eharector from [me] neidles.

Henry St. Clair did few the lands of Allanclaich, and some others, to Oliver St. Clair of Whytkirk, anno 1562.

John Leslie did few to Bughaine, his brother, in the yeir 1567, the lands of Wodhead, Kinbeachie, Learny, Avoch and its milne, Ness of Chanry, and salmond fisching, Containe, Lealdy, Kirkskeith, and Inch, with the Craigwood, the office of constabulary, with the yairds, wards, and meadowes of the house, and 1001b, and 5 chalders wictuall out of the readiest of the Bishopes rents for constabul fie. This is disponed with consent of Dean and Chanons on the 16 of October.

In ane other charter of that dait, he disponed to the said Bughaine the tuo Raddiries, Rosmarkie, Chanrie and Bishope's Shed. In ane other charter of the said dait, he dispones to the said Bughaine, Fames, Wester (,'ulbo, Woodhead, Cullicudin, Balmungie, milne of Rosmarkie, and lands of Kilernan. All thes three chartors are, with consent of Dean and Chanons, chapterly conveined, and all thes three charters are confirmed by King James the 6, with consent of his regent, the Earl of Muray, at Edinburgh, 29 November 1567.

Whilst all thes that wer medlers in the publick and minister of thes comon calamities that then aflicted the kingdome did, some on way, some ane other, purchast pairts of thes kirk lands, Coline M^cKenzie, whois privat statione denyed him thos vnhappie oportunityes of conquest, did direct himself in a more just and legall method to thes purchases ; and finding the kirkmen's title the certainest security, he first bought from Oliver St. Clair of Wheytkirk thes lands fewed out by Henry St. Clair, Bishop of Ross. This he did in August 1572, and obteined a very full confirmation therof from King James 6, with consent of the Earl of Morton, regent, the 1 of July 1574. In the [yeir] 1577, on the Earl of Morton dimisione, the King called from all quarters of the kingdome thos of most note, amongst others Coline M^cKenzie wes ; and thos that waited on him from the north, wher finding the King tuo young, and the nobles all in factione, he medled no further then to pas his securities in what he haid accquired, and makeing a new purchase of all thes lands formerly fewed by John Leslie, Bishop of Eoss, to Bughain. Thes he bought from Johne Lesly, son and aire to William Lesly of Bughain, at Edinburgh, the 10 of Apryle 1577, and wysly forsieing that the vnconstant course of the law att that tyme, he brings some innovatione as to the securities of Kirklands ; he toock Bughain obleidgit, if any such alteration wer, that aither he should refound to him the money given for thes lands, or purchase a right conform to any such alteration, which accordingly Bughain did after the act of annexatione, albeit it could not affect thes lands ; yett, for further security, Bughain purchast a dispositione be wertew of the act of annexatione, which the King did very friely grant on the respect he haid to Bishop Leslie's memorie. But least it should insinuat a defect in the rights which M^cKenzie already haid, or infferr ane innovation of the security, they toock this new title in the person of on William Lesly of Culneldy, and he made it over to M^cKenzie with clausses sufficient to guard againest innovation, or infringing of, for more securities saik accumulando jurajuribus. On this arose a debate tuixt Coline M^cKenzie and the minors of Miltoun, for the Earl of Murray being Begent, did, brevi manu, posese himselfe with the Bishoprick of Boss, which he did pessima fide, haveing confirmed the fewes made by Bishop Lesly to Bughain anno 1567. But his hatred to Bishop Lesly for his fidelity to the Queen (to whom the Regent owed much more) did think nothing vnjust so it wer injurious to his adversars, and theron he put Androw Monro of Miltoune in the chamerlanery of the rent and custody of the Bishop's castell, in which possessione Androw containued and keipt Bughain from his right, which wes a motive to make him the more readily queyt it to Makenzie ; but M'Kenzie haveing accquired the just title with all the pretence that the late law superaded, he came north, demandit house and land from Androw Monro, but wes denyed, and the castell garrisoned by Androw more strongly, and on John Monro of Pittonachtne made leivtennant. Foulls and the clann of Monro owined their kinsman, but Coline, knowing the strengh of his titles, did forsee that ther possessione could beare out long, yett not to be difficient to his claime, he put as great a number in the steeple as the other had in the castell. This fell out befor M^cKenzie accquired the rights from Bughain, for Bughain finding Monro owined by the Regents, he showed his right with the Lord Innermeath, that by his favour with the Lords he might the better owin his titles. Innerrneath died, leaveing his sone a childe ; and the Lord Euthen being his tutor, and a fr[eind] of Coline M^cKenzie's, he gave his asistance to the Lord Euthen, who sent Captain Herrings with a band of men to concurr with Coline. All this tyme the[y] garrisoned the steepl, and intrometted with some of the Bishope's rents. So Coline did vndertack to keip the steeple, and Captain Herrings with his pairty to turne south. Some attempts past tuixt thos of the steepl and the castell, tho to litle purpose, till the moneth of June 1572. Johne M^cKenzie, sone to Rory M^cAlister, of the family of Davochmuluack, and on John Eeoch, of Loggie's family, drinking in the toune, John Eeoeh upbreadit the other, aleidgeing that he being grandchild to Sir William Monro, would nevir act cordially againest his grandmother's kin. Imediatly word comes to them that the Monroes wer gone to fisch the Ness, which is on of the debatable possessiones. John M^cRorie calls to the other, “Now is ther ane oportunity offerrit to try who shall daill cordially in ther cheif affair ; therfor lett us goe and beat them from the fisching.” The other said that wes not his charge, but to keip the steepl, and he would obey comand ; but the other vent furiously to the Ness, accompanyed with nyne or ten of the shouldiers, wher some pairtyes fought manfully. John M^cRorie wes shott with a bullett through the body, but nevir knew so much till he came of the feild. On Kenneth, who wes in his company, haid aughtein arrowes in his quiver ; he shott them all, and nevir on of them wes out of some of his enimies bodies, which maimned them and rendired many of them vseless in the fight, from which the said Kenneth wes ever named Kenneth ni Saied, that is, Kenneth of the arrowes. But the M'Kenzies wer so fewe, that they haid bein slaine and overpowered hade not Eobert Graham, archdean of Eoss, grandfather to Alexander Grahame of Drynie, came into ther asistance, at once favouring the juster's syd, and his freind Coline M^cKenzie. Most of both syds wer woundit err the Monroes fledd, but only three of the Monroes wer kild on the spott, and tuo of the MeKenzie, John M^cEory and Kenneth ni Saied wer both greivously woundit, but recovered and served afterwards ther cheiff to good purpose. Heirupon Miltoune came with a considerable power to revenge this rufle, but in 24 hours after him Coline came also with a power tuo great for him to resist. So the castell wes rendired on conditiones, viz., that it should be presently put in Walter Vrquhart of Cromertye's hand, who wes brother-in-law to M^cKenzie, and M^cKenzie wes ingadgit nocht to seik possession on it for 20 dayes, in which tyme Foulls wes obleidgit for Miltoune that he should make no attempt on the house, but should only adress to Morton, then Eegent, and the Lords, to knowe ther will in the matter. The Eegent and Lords, on the Lord Rutb.cn' s accompt, cornandit his passing from the possession in favours of Bughain and Innermeath, wherupon Bughain recovered that share disponed to Innermeath, and, in anno 1577, disponed all to Coline M^cKenzie, who all this whill keipt the possession on Bughaine's accompt till he bought it himselfe, and, as I told formerly, after the annexatione, he causit Bughaine gett a new dispositione of it in the nam of on William Leslie, who accumulative . . .

[Four pages, 41, 42, 43, and 44, wanting of the original MS.]

on all his kirklands. And the King's calling to rnynd the fidelity and service of his father, Collin, who haid not tackin a new right from Bishop David Lindsay, causit the bishop performe to Kenneth what wes promised to Colline, so the bishop gave a new chartor of all the bishop-lands to Kenneth, 1607, which the King confermed, vnder the Great Seall, that yeir, and renewed it for suplement of some defects, the fyft of Junii 1610.

Kenneth did accquire the lands of Kinnock from the Lord Elphingstoun anno 1607, and the superiority of Rasay, on Basaye's owin resignation in the Bishop of the Hies hands, anno 1 60S, both which are confirmed by the King in the former chartor, anno 1610. Thes conquists of the superiority of Ardmeanoch, which is the largest half of the earldom of Ross, wer purchast to M^cKenzie, from Sir William Keith, by the King's speciall favour, who evidenced a royall respect to him, pairtly on his father's accompt, but cheifly on a personall kyndnes, occasioned this. The Scots Presbyterian ministers haid perswadit Queen Elizabeth that the King, perswadit by many Popish Lords, wes to bring back the Roman profession. Her ambassadors and thes ministers did, by the mean of the Earl of Bothuell's rebellione and the fanatick humour of the Lothian people, so oppose the King, and so oft raise seditious troubles, that in May 1594, in a Parliament called to that purpose, the cheiff of thes, called the Popish Lords, viz., Huntly, Erroll, and Angus, wer forfalt, without forme or justice, aleidgit letters only produced as probatione, and all frivolous presumptiones tacken as evident prooffes, and in July therafter, by the English ambassadors and the ministers t[h]reats, ther wes a necessity imposed on the King, to raise on army for persuit of thes Lords. Argyle wes commissionat Leivteunent, incited to the acceptance by the Queen of England's gold and his hatred to Huntly for his killing the Earl of Murray so inhumanly a litle before. In persuance of this comissione Argyle convocatt towards 12,000 men of his owin claim and of the M^cLeanes, M^cNeills of Barray, M'Tntosh, Grants, Clangregor, and others. With thes he marched to Ruthen, in Badenoch (a house of Huntlyes), and in vaine beseidged it, then he marched towards the Popish Lords who wer in the brayes of Balveni. Argyle haveing intelligence of the fewnes of ther number, judged himself stronge enough, and others assuired him that Huntly dared not abyde him, so albeit Druniin, the Fortieses, Bagheyn, and the Leslyes, from the south, and M^cKenzie, with a considerable force, the Dunbars, and other gentlmen of Murray from the north, wer convocatting, iu obedience to the King, whois commands, so to pleas the seditious ministers, wer very pressing, wer all neir to have joyndit with him, yett consisting already off tuo great a number for the few that Huntly and Arroll haid, he vent forward againest them, they as resolutly mett him at Auldchoinachan, abow Glenlivet, and albeit he haid 12,000 foot, or therby, and Huntly did not exceid 1500, yet he rooted Argyle, Idled M^cNeill of Barray and many other gentlmen on the place, and persewed tho amidst the mountaines, till most pairt of them wer scattered, only M^cLean marched of in some ordor, and Huntly, content with victorie on so vnequall termes, did not persew M^cLean with any violence. At the tynie of this fight M^cKenzie wes with his 'peopl in Pluscarden, wher, haveing nottice of the defeat, but withall that the King wes the lenghe of Dundie in his march againest Huntly, he keipt a select number, sending the rest home, and with thes he waited till the King came the lenth of Strathbogy, wher he waited on him to give testimonie of his obedience, but withall did friely tell the King that they beleived Huntly, on of his best subjects, and that albeit for self defence he haid at that occasion oppose himself to his Majestie's yet that not long befor the Earl of Argyle had sollisted him, with others, to joyne with him and Bothuell, for the countrye's cause, againest the King's Counsell, which he refused, and would, if oportunity had served, discovered to his Majestie, so that it appeired the Earl of Argyle and others, who now used his authority to ruine the Dowglas, Gordons, and Horyes [?Hays], wer no other then thos who would have asisted Bothuell's rebellione if they could have found strenth enough in themselfes or willingnes in ther fellow subjects to have joyned with them. This did raise in the King a very good opinion of Kenneth M^cKenzie and a very great kyndnes to him, and ever after that he favoured him as ane vsefull and faithfull subject. And in March therafter, anno 1 595, he caused Sir William Keith to dispone to him the lordship of Ardmeanoch, so to strenghen him by dependance. This by the King's favour and privat industry this gentlman prospered in his fortune, which incuradged him to very remarkable vndertacking, but willing first to secure the purchase made by his authors, he found nothing foundit on so vnsur establishment as the lands of Lochels and Lochcaron, wherof his father haid accquired rights from Glengarie and Kildin for Colline of Kintaill, haid givin letters of reversione of Glengarie's pairt, so that M'Kenzie wes only a wodsetter of that share in thes, and as yet Camron of Locheill haid a third pairt of thes countries by the mariadge of the third of Alexander M^cGillespick's daughters, by whois sisters Kildin and Glengarie haid the other tuo pairts, as I told formerly, a divydit possessione in contigue and interniixt lands, proweing a with contanuall feuds amongst Highlanders. M^cKenzie desyred to accquir Locheill's pairt, and finding a pairt of it wodsett to Glengarie, viz., Strom Castell, and other places adjacent, and all of Locheill's pairt and Glengarie's pairts, both his owin, for what title he haid to it of reversione, as lyckwayes that which he haid wodsett from Camron. I say he found all this comprysit be the laird of Grant for great sowmes, both from Glengarie and Locheill. He did, with Glengarie's consent (for Locheill, as divested and out of possessione, did not concerne himself in it), buy this right of cornprysing from Grant ; but to evidence Glengarie's consent he bought first his right, title, and claim to all thes lands, and obteined procuratorie of resignation from Glengarie, elder and younger, at Elgin, on the penult of May 1606, and on the 23 of Junij therafter he gott procuratorie of resignation from Grant be wertew of his apprysing on the saids lands, wherby being secured in all thes former accquests he directs his purpose to a greater project of accquireing the barrony of the Lewis ; and that this may be the more pleasant to the reader, I sail repeat the oldir foundationes of this estate and the clan of M^cLeod that inherited it.

In the year 1047, when Harald, son of Goodwin, King of England, at Stamfirbrig, did give a great defeat to Harald Harfagir, King of Norway, a certaine comauder of the Norvegians, called Godred Cronan, sone to black Harald of Island, fieed to Godred, sone of Syrir, then King at Mann. This being the yeir of William the Conquorer conquest of England, Godred Syrir died, to whom succeidit his sone Fingall, who, carying vncivily to his guest Godred Cronan, forcit him to queyt the Ille abruptly without accomendations for his jorney, which did so irritat him that, what by his privat power in Norway, what by his prince's allowance, he provydit a number of shipes weill maned. With thes he urrit in recentment of his wrong againest Eingall, in which atempt he wes now worsted by the Manines ; but the third tyme, a litle from the port Eamsa, at the hill Scafavell, by a weell placed ambush, he rooted the Manines, and kild Fingall, ther king. The sea, filling in to Ramsa water, stopt ther retreat, so that they wer all necesitat to queyt ther country for saifty of ther lyftes ; and so choising Godred Cronan for ther king, and satisffieing his army by exposeing ther movables to the spoile, he wes established king so absolutly that all renunced ther heritadges in his and his successors favours, non therafter dareing to acclaime any pairt of the Ille as heritable, but as the King disposed. This Prince wes victorious in all rencounters, whither with Irish or Scots, and died at Ha, having reigned twelve yeires, beginning anno 1506 [1056], at the batle of Scacafell, and dying 1068. He left three sonnes, Lagman, Harald, and Olaus. Harald, rebelling against his brother, wes by him tacken, and is demembred of his eyes and genitals. In penance for this cruelty, Lagman resigned his croun to his youngest brother Olaus, and vent in pilgrimadge to Jerusalem, wher he died.

Dureing Olaus' minority, the Manines choosed Donald M^cTada, coosigne to Murdoch O'Bria, King of Irland, to be governor, whom they shortly banished for tirany and lust. Then, in the yeir 1077, the King of Norway sent on Ingemund.to be governor, who wes also kild shortly after his comeing in the Lewis by the cheitfes for his gluttony and lechery ; and on Other, elected governor in the yeir 1098. Magnus, King of Norway, son to Olaus, son to Harald Harfager, who wes beat at Stamford Bridge, did, againest the advyce of his clergy and nobility, sacrilegiously inquire into the tomb of St. Olaus King and Martir, whois body wes reported to remaine incorrupted ; and the night after this racking into the martyr's sepulcher, St. Olaus appeared to him in a dream, offiring this vncleiring alternative, viz., aither to queyt the kingdome for lyfe, or to lose lyfe and kingdome within thirty dayes. Awacking in a teror, and relating his dream, by advyce he choosing rather to lose the kingdome alone then both, wherupon he equipped a strong navy of 160 shippes. With thes he passed over to Orkeney, and swearing in fealty to his persone, he past through all the northern Hies, ingadging all to his aleadgance, till he came to Mann, wher he found all in disturbance, for Olaus, ther righteous king, wes yet a childe, Other governor : and a litle befor Magnus his arrivell, the old inhabitants, after the defeat of King Fingall, wer obleidged to live in the northern pairt of the Hie, did, in this yeir 1098, raisit a rebellione againest Other, vnder the conduct of on Macmaras. They fought at St. Patrick's a cruell fight, wher most on both syds wer kild, with both the comanders, Othir and Macmaras. In this condition did Magnus, King of Norway, find them ; and seeing the goodlines of the Hie, choosed it for his seat, excluding Olaus, sone to Godred Cronan, from his right, who fled for refuge to Henry [William] Kufus, King of England. This Magnus wes a man of excessive couradge, and desyred nothing less as peace. Heiring of the plenty of Irland, he designed its conquest; and, for procureing a quarell, he sent ane envay with his shooes to Murdoch O'Briean, desyring him to cary them (in testimonie that he recognized him as the better man) on his shoulders through his hall on Christmas day, and in veive of his nobles. The Irish nobles heard this with great disdain ; but the King Murdoch said, No, err I occassione on province of Irland to be waisted by this potent rober, he would not only cary, but he would chew his shooes ; yett this insolent vnjust Prince, who could not find a pretence, resolved to conquier it without any, and, fitting his fleett, he vent befor to tack possesione of some convenient haven, and to weive the region. A litle vnconsiderably at some distance from his shippes, he wes circumveined by the Irish, and he with his party kilt. His body wes intered at St. Patrick's, in Doun, after he had reigned four yeires in Mann. Imediatly on his death, the Manines sent to the English Court for Olaus, sone to Godred Cronan, and installed him ; he wes a peacable mann ; he maryed Africa, daughter to Fergus of Galloway, by whom he had a sone, called Godred ; by concubines he haid three sones, Eegnald, Lagman, and Harald, and many daughters, on wherof wes maried to Somarled, Thane or Lord of Hererquidell or Argyle, by whom he haid three sones, viz., Dowgall (of whom is M^cDowgall of Lorn), Eegnald (of whose sone Donald the Clandonald are descended), Angus, who died without successione, in Irland, and Olaus died also without successione, in Mann. Olaus, King of Mann, sent his sone, Godred, to Norvay to doe fealty to Ring, then King of Norvay, in whois absence the childrein of Harald, second sone to Godred Cronan, came from Irland with a convocation of Irishes, and other runegatts ; and, presumeing on the leage and peacable humor of Olaus, ther vncle, then King, they desyred, with Manines, to have ane equall share of the kingdom. The peacable Olaus, intending to satisfie them, the[y] mett at Ramsa to accord in the effair, wher Eegnall, the second sone to Harald, with ane axe, at on strock, kild the King whilst he wes communeing with him in freindshipe, in the yeir 1142.

This Olaus foundit the Abbacy of Fames and Russin, and inriched it with severall lands in the Illes, in the yeir 1134.

Haveing this kild the King, they divyd the [kingdome] amongst them, and for further conquist invade Galloway, fearing that the Lord therof should asist his sister's sone, Godred ; but they wer defeat by thes of Galloway, so they returned to Mann, and exerced great crueltie till the yeir 1143. Godred, the sone of the murthered Olaus, returned from Norway with a sufficient force, toock thes sonnes of Harald, and demembred tuo of ther eyes and genitales, and execut Eegnald the third, who kilt Olaus, the King.

In the year 1147 thes of Dublin revolted from Murdoch the king, and choosed this Godred for ther king, wher he kilt Osibiles, brother to King Murdo. Puft up with this success, he turned tyrant, and, returneing to Mann, he disobleidgit his cheifes. On of them, called Thorfin M^cOtter, fled from him to Sumerled of Argyle, and stird him and his sone Dowgall up to invade the kingdome of the Illes. They subdued severalls of them, wherof, when Godred had nottioe, he armed a fleett, and vent in persuit of Sumerled. They mett at sea, on the night of Epphany, anno 1156, and fought till night separated them. Nixt day they drew to treaty, and accordit on ane equall divisione of the Illes, whence the ruine of the kingdome proceidit. Somerled, not content with the half (as indeed kingdomes cannot stand be halfes), in the yeir 1158 he invaded the Ule of Mann, landed at Eamsa, waisted the Ille, and forced Godred to flee to Norway for aid, leaveing Somerled in possessione of the Ule, who, not content therwith, armed a fleet and invade Galloway, wher he and his sone Dougall wer kilt, with all ther army, by the Scots, anno 1164. Eegnald, bastard brother to Godred, finding Somerled defeat, and his brother Godred absent, he posest himself with Mann, but, on the fourt day therafter, Godred came with a considerable navy, [dejfeated his brother Eegnald, cutt of his genitals, and put out his eyes. Therafter he reigned peacably till the yeir 1176, at which tyme Vivianus, the Pope's legat, caused him to mary his wyfe Fingalo, daughter to Maclotlen sone [of] Mucartack, King of Irland. This mariadge wes promulgat by Silvanus, abbot, for befor that tyme [he] haid cohabited with hir without the churches ceremonie, and had begott on hir a sone called Eegnald. After solemnity of mariadge, he begott on hir Olaus and Ivar. In the yeire 1 ] 87, Godred, King of the Illes, died 4 Ide of November, and wes buried at the He of Hy. Befor his death he appoynted Olaus to be his successor as laufully begottin, but the Manines, finding Olaus young, and judging Eegnald eldest and laufull be the subsequent matrimonie, they owne him as ther King in the yeir 1187 ; and in the yeir 1192 the Abbacy of Eussin wes translated to Duffglas, and four yeires therafter againe to Eussin.

Anno 1204, Hugo de Lacy chased John de Curcy to Mann, wher Eegnald intertained him, for Curcye's sone haid formerly maried Africa, daughter to Godred. The nixt yeir, which wes 1205, John de Curcy, with Eegnald, invadit Ihster, and beseidged Eath castell, but wer defeat. Meaue whill Olaus aelamed a share of the kingdome, the whole wherof wes awouched his right by ther father. Eegnald did voluntarly give him the Ille of Lewis, which at that tyme wes the worst inhabited, tho' the largest of the Westren Illes. Who, tho' at first he seemed satisfied, yett addressing afterward to his brother for a larger share, he wes by him apprehenrlit and sent to William, King of Scotland, and freind to Eegnald, who keipt him as a prisoner for seven yeires till at William's death all prisoners, and Olaus, with others, wer sett at liberty. He imediatly addressed himself againe to his brother Eegnald, who of new gives him the Lewes, and caused him mary on Laven, daughter to a noble man in Kintyre, and sister to his own Queen, but she being coosigne-german to Olaus first wyfe, Eeginandus, Bishop of the Illes, devorced them imediatly. Olaus came then to the Lewes ami maryed Cristian, sister to Ferquhar, afterwards Earle of Ross, which did so irritat Regnald's Queen, sister to Laon, that she sent a comand in hir king's name to Godred, her sone, who then leived in the Ille of Sky, to kill Olaus, which he prepared foorthwith to obey, and landed with a force in Lewes, which Olaus not being able to resist, he fieed to his brother-in-law Ferquhar, afterwards Earl of Ross. Ther wes a cheiffe in the Ille of Sky called Pole Macboke, who refused to concurr with Godred againest Olaus, wherfor he wes forced to flee and shelter him with Olaus in Ferquhar's house, when, in the yeir 1223, they came in a galley to the Ille of Sky, and herring that Godred wes in St. Colm's Ille in security, they came hither vnder night and besett Godred. Mxt morneing they fought valiantly on both sydes, but Godred's pairty wes overcome with number, and himself tacken, his eyes and genitals tacken from him againest his vncle Olaus will, by Macboke. On this many of the Westren Hies sided with Olaus, and with them he invaded Mann, anno 122 , and forced Regnald to ane equall divisione of the kingdome of the Hies at Rognowhalfe. Olaus returned to posess himselfe with his share, but Regnald repented his grant, and the nixt yeir, asisted with forces from Galloway, he vent to repossess himselfe, but finding the Manines and other of the islanders freindly to Olaus, and vnwilling to haue the contract with him violat, they returned without doeing any thing remarkable. At this tyme Allan wes Lord of Galloway, and wes with Regnald at this expeditione. Allan's sone maryed Regnald's daughter. Regnald wes so wedded in affectione to Allan, that he bestowed all his tyme and measure at Allan's court, which so offended the Manines, that they secretly sent for Olaus, whilst Regnald wes in Galloway, and proclaimed him King; so in the yeir 1226, after that Regnald haide reigned       yeires, Olaus attained to that kingdome destinat to him by his father. He keipt it in peace two yeires. Iu the yeir 1228, Regnald, with the Lords of Galloway and Athole, invaded Mann, when Olaus with most of his Lords wer in the Westren Illes, and reposest Regnald, but himselfe returned to Galloway, leaveing bayliffes to manadge his affaires, but Olaus returneing, chased them out, and reposest himself ; but, on January following, Regnald, with fyve shippes, invaded Mann, burned all Olaus shippes at Ragnolwatch, and, on the 14 of Februar, they fought at Tinguall, wher Regnald wes beat and kild, and buried at Fournes in a tombe built by himself.

In the yeir 1230, on Haco, sent by Haco, King of Norway, wes killed by a ston out a Castel Bute, which they wer beseidging. Olaus did give the Ille of Lewis to his brother Regnald's sone, called Godred Donud. At his first arrivall to it he wes killed in a tumult, so the whole kingdome returned to Olaus, who died on the 12 calends of Junij 1237 at St. Patrick's, and is buried at Russin. He reigned elevin yeires two in Eeignold's tyme, and nine after his death.

Harald, his sone, succeided, being fourtein yeires of adge. He leived most pairt in the West Hies ; and Lognan, his coosigne, governor of Mann, who fought with clan Neill thisltie by Harald at Tinguall, and killed the clan Neill, for which Lagnan wes banished Mann anno 1238. Gospatrick and Giliclunes, the King of Norway's captaines, expelled Harald, and posest the Hie to the King of Norway's behooffe, but the nixt yeir, 1239, Harald wes restored by the King of Norway to his right. He niaried the King of Norwaye's daughter anno 1247, and returneing to Mann with hir, and many other persones of quality, they wer all drouned neir to Reaeland, anno 1 249. Reignald, sone to Olaus, toock possessione of the kingdom on the nones of May, and, on the 30 of that rnoneth, he wes killed by a knight called Ivar besyd the Trinity Church, and wes buried at Russin.

Harald, sone to Godred Done, usurped the kingdome, but the King of Norway imprisoned him anno 1250, and declared Magnus, sone to Olaus, King, who came to Mann anno 1252, and, in the yeir 1254, he appoynted him King of all the Illes, and confirmed it to him and his aires, especially to Harald, his brother. He wes with Haco or Acho at the batle of Largis, wher the Norwegian, getting a great owrthrow, Acho returned to Kirkwall, in Orkney, wher he died, and Magnus to Mann, wher he died in the castell of Russin anno 1265. In the yeir 1270, on the 7 October, the fleet belonging to Alexander, King of Scots, arrived at Rognolwath, and the nixt day the Scots and Manines fought, wher the Manines wer defeat, and 535 kild of ther best men.

On which defeat a poet made this distich :—

L dies X ter et pente duo cecidere Mannica gens de te, damna future cave.

Alexander, King of Scots, garrisoned Russin and returned. After this the Norwegians nevir regained Mann, for King Alexander, by Walter Stewart and others, did imediatly reduce the rest of the Westren Illes, which wer posest by the Norwegians, and gave to Harald, sone to Godred Donud (who wes released from prison by Acho after Largis), the Illes of Lewes, and that pairt of the Sky which he found then in the Norwegiane, possessioun, viz., Vaterues, Meignanes, and the Hemes, to be holdin in wassalladge of him and his successores, Kings of Scotland.

This Harald, after Magnus' death, was righteous successor to the kingdom of Mann, being grandchild of Regnald and Olaus failling in Magnus.

But ane Englishman, called William Montague, akin and grandchild, by a daughter to Godred of Mann, moved a suit in behalf of Mary, daughter to Kegnald, son to Olaus, acclaiming the succession befor the King. The King did resist the suit, as not being judge over the Scots King in any matter that did not relate the countries of England belonging to the Scots, and held of the croune of England. This of Mann, being now of thos, the bill wes cast. This Mary was married to the family of Waldebeef, in England, her nevoy, John Waldebeef, moved the samen suite againest the Scots king in Parliament, the thirty-three yeir of Edward the First. This suit being on the said ground cast, Sir William Montague toock opportunity, when the debate fell in tuixt Bothell [Baliol] and Bruce, and in that tyme did illegally, without sua much as allowance from his owin Prince, but, as Cambden sayes, with a tumultary pairty, he invaded Mann, expelled the Scots, and toock possession in the Ille, but therafter King Edward gave it to his favorit Gavistoun, he, being discourted and banished, the Ille returned to Montague, then made Earl of Sarisberie, who sold it William Scroop, 1393, by whois forfature it returned to King Henry Iv., who gave it to Percy of Northumberland, with the privileidge to cary the Lanastit sword ; but Percy being kild, the King bestowit it on the Stanly Earl of De[r]by, with the lordship of Mann. So this Ille, wonne by the Scots from the Norwegians, wes as violently and more vujustly taikin by the Englishes from the Scots, whilst he who haid the Norwegian title, viz., Harald, sone to Godred Donud, who, as I said, did taik the Ille of Lewis, Hemes, Waternes, Meigimes, and others of Hebrids, in wasselladge, the King Alexander, by agriement with Magnus, son to Acho, King of Norway, who made disposition of all thes Illes conquest by King Alexander to him for 4000 merks, and a yeirly pension of 100 merks for assurance of peace. Ther past a contract of allyance tuixt Hango, sone to Magnus, and Margrat, daughter to Alexander, both in infancy, of which mariadge wes begott the maden of Norway, who, haid shee leived, wes vndoubted successor to the croune of Scotland, and haid prevendit the mischeiffs that arose tuixt the Bruce and Bethell [Baliol]. Harald, sone to Godred Donud falling from his litle kingdom, with the Norvegian right to the Scots Illes, he wes obleidged to pey 100 merks yeirly for releive of the Scots King to the King of Norway, and at a certaine tyme of the yeir to keip tuo fyred beacons, on in Lewes, ane other in the Ille of Sky, for directing the Norvegian shippes in ther navigationes on thes coasts ; and he held his lands of the Scots King ward and releiff, as all the other great men of Scotland did then. From this obligation of the fyrie beacons, Harald and his successors caryed in ther sheild a burneing hill in a feild azure, whois [whereas] formerly his predicessors in Mann caryed Sol, three men's legges, Luna chaned Saturn.

To Harald succeidit Leodus, his only son. He maryed Adama, daughter to Ferquhar, Earl of Ross, and by hir had Torkell and Dormeth. To Torkell, the elder, he gave the Lewes and Waternes. To Dormeth, his second sone, he gave the Hemes, and his other lands in the Hie of Sky, which wes about the ffourt pairt of what he gave his eldest sone. To Torkell succeeds Hango. To Hango, Melcolumb or Macolme, whois daughter wes maryed to       M^cKenzie of Kintaill. To Malcolm succeidit      , who, asisting M^cKenzie against Leod M^cGillendris, at Fealoid, did then gett possession of Cogiach, which the Earl of Ross, becaus of his relatione to him, confirmed by giving him a new chartor theron, holdin of himselfe ; after that ther wer nevir any feat [feud] tuixt M^cLeod and the Earl of Ross, or Lords of the Hies.

To       succeidit Rory M^cKenzie [Macleod], for all of them toock ther patronimick from Leod, sone to Harald, both thos who descendit of Torquill, eldest sone to Leod, as thos who desendit of Dormeith, or, as the Highlanders pronunced, Tormett, heritor of the Herries.

To Rory succeidit Torkill, in whois tyme the lords of the Hies wer of such power, and haid rooted themselfes so in northern superiorities, that non of ther neighbours could obteine peace or saifty without acknowleidging them as ther Lords ; and the many prejudice done by them to M^cKenzie so teriffied others that almost all, and amongst others this Torkill M^cLeod, did cast himself vnder patrociny to the Lord of the Hies, and to insure it, resigned his lands in the King's hands in favours of the Lords of the Illes, and therwpon the Earl disponed all the lands againe to the said Torkill, to be holdin of him for homadge and service. This Chartor is given be Alexander of Ilia at Finlagan, in Ilia, the 7 of Januarii 1432. Torquill's eldest sone, called Malcolm ni Bowan, wes killed by M^cKyes at Tuittintavat.

To Torkill succeidit Rory Oig, i.e. young. He entred by a kynd of precept of clare constat, which is vnder forme of instrument, wherby John of Ilia declaires Rory M^cLeod air to Torkill in the lands of Lewis and Waternes, daited 3 Nouember 1464.

This Rory leived very long. To him succeidit Malcolm, to whom King James the 5 gave a new chartor of Lewis, Waternes, Cogiach, and Assint, to be holden of the King ward, dated at Edinburgh, 30 June 1511. This erectes all thes in on barrony, called Lewis, the seasin to be at the castel of Stornovay.

To Malcolme succeidit Rory. This man wes at first of good expectation. He maryed      , daughter to Kenneth M'Kenzie of Kintaill, called Kenneth Iblair. She wes first maried to M^cKy, and after his death to this Eory. She haid come to a greater age then suitted weill to his youth, wherupon did shortly follow a dislyek, and from dislyek to loweing of othirs, wherby in short tyme he became wicked, licentious, and putting away his wyfe, aleidging a falshood, but without proces or prooffe, since they wer not grounded on any truth. He first toock to wyfe a gentlewoman of the name of Stewart, in Orke[ney], heritrix of Burra. All this whill he keipt severall concubines. By wyfes and concubines he had many sones. By his first and only lawfull wyfe he haid Torkill, who being fostered with his vncle, John M^cKenzie, at Strathconan, wes agnamed Torkill Conanach. By Stewart of Burra he haid a sone, whom he called Torkill. He resolved that that Torkill should succeid to him. This Torkill he declaired his aire, by his owin authority, and therfor he was agnamed Torkill aire. Mrs. Stewart leived short whill, and after hir death he toock a daughter of M^cLeanes, promising to make her children his successors. And in ordor therto he called her sone also Torkill, who, because he wes black wes called Torkill Doue. She haid also to him Tormett. He haid bastards, as Murdo, Bory, Malcolm, Neill, Tormat and Donald. Torkill Chonanach remained still with his vncle, and disowined by his father. Notwithstanding of his promises to M^cLeane of makeing his sister childrein his successor, Torkill aire, sone to Mrs. Stewart, comeing first to adge, and being of ane excellent spirit and weill proportioned body, wes owined by Bory as his aire, and the whol tribe accknowleidged him as ther young cheitfe. He posest himself with the Me of Burra and others, more in right of his mother. At his being in Orkney he begott a daughter on a gentlewoman, whither vnder matrimoniall obligation or not is not knowin, but after his returne he did not owin a marriage. However, this daughter succeidit to him in thes lands of Burra and others, and wes maried to       Stewart of Mann ; by wh[ois] right they have descendit to his posterity.

This Torkill aire goeing to solemnizat Oristmas with M^cDonald in Troternes wes drouned, with the best of all his clann, on a rock of the pynt of Troternes. Others report that he wes driven by the storme to the west of Assint, and landed within a loch in the Hie of Cowla Begg ; he and all his company wer murdered by Donald Bayne, who at that tyme, or neir to it, haid entered on ane vnjust possessione of the lands of Assint, belonging to his cheiffe, and eyeing this Torkill, and others aire, he cruelly massacred them, but with such secresy as that it wes nevir fully discovired, tho beleived by many on several pregnant presumptiones.

Torkill aire being dround, old Rory declares Torkill Dow, sonne to M^cLeane's daughter, his aire. Torkill Conanach, asisted by his mother kinn and some of the M^cLeod's, who wer drawin by the justice of his pretence, ledd by tuo of his bastard brethern, Tormot legach and Murdo, he invads Stornovay, and securs his father, sett such servants about him as should be faithfull to Torkill Connanache's intrest, and so for 4 yeires tyme the Lewes wes in peace, Torkill liveing in Cogiach. But the other bastards, who haid disowned Torkill Conanach, finding themselffes slighted, and Tormot and Murdo in place and favour, Donald kils Tormot basely, in revenge wherof Torkill Conanach arms, invades Stornovay, now reposest by Donald and his associats, and err they wer aware he tacks Donald, caries him with him to Cogiach ; but he escapes, returnes to Lewis, and with a company of disolut persones he invades the Castell of Stornovay, tacks it by surpryse, and in it Murdo, who haid still owined Torkill Conanach, makes him prisoner, and so puts the goverment of the 111 again into the hands of old Eory. Torkill imediatly. on intelligence heirof, armes, comes to Stornovay, finds the castell garrisoned in his father's name, but, by Donald's advyce, he tacks it after sex wieks seidge, killed many of the vallanus people who wer in it. Donald, Neill, and Eory, the bastards, stole secretly out of the hous, and escaped. Torkill setles the Lewes, secures his infatuat father, and sends for John M^cLeod, his owin eldest sone by Glengarrie's daughter, puts him in the possession of the isle. He wes welcomed by old Rory and all the peopl, except the three bastards and ther dissolutt adherents. Torkill retired to Cogiach, glad at last to have . . . [remainder wanting].

People pages	• George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie • Mackenzie of Kintail

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.

• between 1668 and 1714 - George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie, wrote a history of his Mackenzie family
  <ref name="Cromartie pp. 462-513" />

Discussion

The author of this family history, George Mackenzie, was Viscount Tarbat, meaning he had, under his control, many Ross family estates in Easter Ross. This Mackenzie family also had ownership, at this point, of the lands of what was once Applecross monastery. This makes them pertinent to any conversation pertaining to an Earl of Ross connection to Applecross. The Mackenzies, in the mid 17th century, had motivation to connect themselves to anyone who might have a hereditary claim to Applecross.

Source citation

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* {{Earls of Cromartie full|volume=2}}

Sources

• Fraser, William (1876). The Earls of Cromartie; Their Kindred, Country, and Correspondence. [With Plates, including Portraits and Facsimiles, and Genealogical Tables.]. II. Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable. OCLC 1043043804. OL 6534123M.