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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.06/12/01*END* +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + + + +[This book was digitized by William James Mackenzie, III, of +Montgomery County, Maryland, USA in 1999 - 2000. I would +appreciate notice of any corrections needed. This is the edited version +that should have most of the typos fixed. May 2003. wjm10@juno.com] + +The book author writes about himself in the SLIOCHD ALASTAIR CHAIM +section. + +I have tried to keep everything intact. I have made some small +changes to apparent typographical errors. I have left out the +occasional accent that is used on some Scottish names. For +instance, "Mor" has an accent over the "o." A capital L preceding a +number, denotes the British monetary pound sign. + +[Footnotes are in square brackets, book titles and italized words in +quotes.] + +Edited and reformatted by Brett Fishburne william.fishburne@verizon.net + + + + + +HISTORY OF THE MACKENZIES WITH +GENEALOGIES OF THE PRINCIPAL FAMILIES +OF THE NAME. + +NEW, REVISED, AND EXTENDED EDITION. + + + + +BY + +ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, M.J.I., + +AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF THE MACDONALDS AND LORDS OF +THE ISLES;" "THE HISTORY OF THE CAMERONS;" "THE HISTORY OF +THE MACLEODS;" "THE HISTORY OF THE MATHESONS;" "THE HISTORY +OF THE CHISOLMS;" "THE PROPHECIES OF THE BRAHAN SEER;" "THE +HISTORICAL "TALES AND LEGENDS OF THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES;" +"THE SOCIAL STATE OF THE ISLE OF SKYE;" ETC., ETC. + + + + + +LUCEO NON URO + + + + +INVERNESS: A. & W. MACKENZIE. MDCCCXCIV. + + + +PREFACE. + + +-:0:- + + + +THE ORIGINAL EDITION of this work appeared in 1879, fifteen years +ago. It was well received by the press, by the clan, and by all +interested in the history of the Highlands. The best proof of +this is the fact that the book has for several years been out of +print, occasional second-hand copies of it coming into the market +selling at a high premium on the original subscription price. + +Personally, however, I was never satisfied with it. It was my +first clan history, and to say nothing of inevitable defects of +style by a comparatively inexperienced hand, it was for several +other reasons necessarily incomplete, and in many respects not +what I should wish the history of my own clan to be. + +This edition, which extends to close upon two hundred pages more +than its predecessor, has an accurate and well-executed plate of +the clan tartan, and a life-like portrait of the Author; has been +almost entirely re-written; contains several families omitted from +the first; has all been carefully revised; and although not even +now absolutely perfect, I believe it is almost as near being so +as it is possible for any work which contains such an enormous +number of dates and other details as this one to be. + +The mythical Fitzgerald origin of the clan, hitherto accepted by +most of its leading members, is exhaustively dealt with, I venture +to hope effectively, if not completely and finally disposed of. +That it is now established beyond any reasonable dispute to have +been a pure invention of the seventeenth century may, I think, be +safely asserted, while it is, with almost equal conclusiveness, +shown that the Mackenzies are descended from a native Celtic chief +of the same stock as the original O'Beolan Earls of Ross, as set +forth in the Table printed on page 39. + +My list of subscribers, for a second edition, shows in the most +gratifying form that the work is still in active demand, and I am +sanguine enough to expect that as soon as it is issued to the +public the remaining copies will be quickly disposed of. + +I am indebted to a young gentleman, Mr Evan North Burton-Mackenzie, +Younger of Kilcoy, of whom I venture to predict more will be heard +in this particular field, for valuable genealogical notes about +his own and other Mackenzie families, while for the copious and +well-arranged Index at the end of the volume - a new feature of this +edition - I have again to acknowledge the services of my eldest +son, Hector Rose Mackenzie, solicitor, Inverness. + + A. M. + PARK HOUSE, INVERNESS, + March 1894 + + + + + +THE HISTORY OF THE MACKENZIES. + + + + + +ORIGIN. + + + +THE CLAN MACKENZIE at one time formed one of the most powerful +families in the Highlands. It is still one of the most numerous +and influential, and justly claims a very ancient descent. But +there has always been a difference of opinion regarding its original +progenitor. It has long been maintained and generally accepted +that the Mackenzies are descended from an Irishman named Colin or +Cailean Fitzgerald, who is alleged but not proved to have been +descended from a certain Otho, who accompanied William the Conqueror +to England, fought with that warrior at the battle of Hastings, +and was by him created Baron and Castellan of Windsor for his +services on that occasion. + + +THE REPUTED FITZGERALD DESCENT. + + +According to the supporters of the Fitzgerald-Irish origin of the +clan, Otho had a son Fitz-Otho, who is on record as his father's +successor as Castellan of Windsor in 1078. Fitz-Otho is said to +have had three sons. Gerald, the eldest, under the name of Fitz-Walter, +is said to have married, in 1112, Nesta, daughter of a Prince of South +Wales, by whom he also had three sons. Fitz-Walter's eldest son, Maurice, +succeeded his father, and accompanied Richard Strongbow to Ireland +in 1170. He was afterwards created Baron of Wicklow and Naas +Offelim of the territory of the Macleans for distinguished services +rendered in the subjugation of that country, by Henry II., who on +his return to England in 1172 left Maurice in the joint Government. + +Maurice married Alicia, daughter of Arnulph de Montgomery, brother +of Robert Earl of Shrewsbury, and by that lady had four sons. The +eldest was known as Gerald Fitz-Maurice, who in due course succeeded +his father, and was created Lord Offaly. Having married Catherine, +daughter of Hamo de Valois, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, he had +a son, named Maurice after his grandfather. This Maurice died +in 1257, leaving two sons, Thomas and Gerald. Thomas, generally +called "Tomas Mor," or Great Thomas, on account of his great valour +and signal services in the battlefield, succeeded his father as +Lord Offaly. He married the only daughter of Thomas Carron. This +lady brought him the Seigniory of Desmond as a dowry. By her +Thomas Lord Offaly had an only son, John, who, according to Colin +Fitzgerald's supporters, was first Earl of Kildare and married +first, Marjory, daughter of Sir Thomas Fitz-Antony, by whom he had +issue - Maurice, progenitor of the Dukes of Leinster. John married, +secondly, Honora, daughter of Hugh O'Connor, by whom he had six +sons, the eldest of whom, according to the Irish-origin theory, was +Colin Fitz-Gerald - but who, if the Fitzgerald theory had not been +a pure invention, really ought to have been called Colin Fitz-John, +or son of John - the reputed ancestor of the Mackenzies. + +This, briefly stated, is the genealogy of the Fitzgeralds as given +by the supporters of the Irish origin of the Mackenzies, and it +may be right or wrong for all we need care in discussing the origin +of the Mackenzies. Its accuracy will, however, be proved impossible. + +According to the true genealogy, Thomas, who was the third son of +Maurice, married Rohesia, heiress of Woodstock, near Athy, and +daughter of Richard de St. Michael, Lord of Rheban. By this lady +he had an only son, John, who succeeded as 6th Baron Offaly, and +was in 1316 created 1st Earl of Kildare. John married Blanche, +daughter of John Roche, Baron of Fermoy; not the two ladies given +him in the Fitzgerald-Mackenzie genealogy. + +The real authentic genealogy of the Fitzgeralds, from whom the +Dukes of Leinster and other Fitzgerald families are descended, is +as follows: The first, + +I. OTHO, known as "Dominus Otho," belonged undoubtedly to the +Gherardini family of Florence. He passed into Normandy, and in 1057 +crossed into England, became a favourite with Edward the Confessor, +and obtained extensive estates from that monarch. He had a son + +II. WALTER FITZ OTHO, or son of Otho. He is mentioned in Domesday +Book in 1078 as being then in possession of his father's estates. He +was Castellan of Windsor and Warden of the Forests in Berkshire. He +married Gladys, daughter of Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn, Prince of North +Wales, and had three sons, the eldest being + +III. GERALD FITZ WALTER, or son of Walter, who was appointed by +Henry I. to the Constableship of Pembroke Castle and other important +offices. He married Nesta, daughter of Rhys ap Gruffyd, ap Tudor +Mawr, Prince of South Wales, and had issue by her, three sons, the +eldest of whom was + +IV. MAURICE FITZ GERALD, or son of Gerald. This, it will be noticed, +was the first Fitzgerald of which we have any record, and he was the +progenitor of the Irish Fitzgeralds. He accompanied Richard de Clare, +Earl of Pembroke, popularly known as "Strongbow," to Ireland, and there +highly distinguished himself, having, among other acts of renown, +captured the city of Dublin. He died at Wexford in 1177. He married +Alice or Alicia, daughter of Arnulph de Montgomery, fourth son of +Roger de Montgomery, who led the centre of the Norman army at the +battle of Hastings, and by her had issue - five sons, the eldest +of whom was William, Baron of Naas, not Gerald as claimed by the +supporters of the Colin Fitzgerald theory. + +Thus far the two genealogies may be said to agree, except in a few +of the marriages. + +V. GERALD FITZ MAURICE, the second son, in 1205 became first +Baron Offaly. The third son, Thomas, was progenitor of the original +Earls of Desmond, who have long been extinct in the male line, the +present Earldom, which is the Irish title of the Earl of Denbigh, +having been created in 1622. Gerald Fitz Maurice married Katherine, +daughter of Hamo de Valois, who was Lord Chief Justice of Ireland +in 1197, and by her had a son, + +VI. MAURICE FITZ GERALD, second Baron Offaly, one of the Lord +Justices of Ireland. Maurice died in 1257, having married Juliana, +daughter of John de Cogan, who was Lord Justice of Ireland in 1247, +and by her had three sons, Maurice, Gerald, and Thomas. Maurice +Fitzgerald has no wife given him in the Colin Fitzgerald genealogy. +Thomas, the youngest son, had a son John, who ultimately, on the +death of Maurice, fifth Baron Offaly, without issue, succeeded as +sixth Baron, and was, on the 14th May, 1316, created the first Earl +of Kildare. Maurice Fitz Gerald was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VII. MAURICE FITZ MAURICE, as third Baron Offaly. He married +Emelina, daughter of Sir Stephen de Longespee, a rich heiress, and by +her had a son and two daughters. He was succeeded by his only son, + +VIII. GERALD FITZ MAURICE, 4th Baron Offaly, who died without issue +in 1287, when he was succeeded by his cousin Maurice, only son of +Gerald, second son of Maurice Fitzgerald, second Baron Offaly, as + +IX. MAURICE FITZGERALD, 5th Baron Offaly, who married Agnes de +Valance, daughter of William Earl of Pembroke, without issue, when he +was succeeded by his cousin John, son of Thomas, third son of Maurice +Fitzgerald, second Baron Offaly, as + +X. JOHN FITZ THOMAS FITZ GERALD, sixth Baron Offaly, and first +Earl of Kildare. From him, by his wife Blanche, daughter of John +Roche, Baron of Fermoy, are descended the present Duke of Leinster and +other Irish Fitzgeralds. He died on the 10th November, 1316. + +Several important particulars bearing on the points in dispute are +noticeable in this genuine Fitzgerald genealogy, a few of which may be +remarked upon. (1) There is no trace of a Colin Fitzgerald, or of any +other Colin, in the real family genealogy from beginning to end, down +to the present day. (2) Gerald, the 4th Baron Offaly, died in 1287. +He was succeeded by his cousin Maurice, as 5th Baron, who in turn +was succeeded by his cousin John Fitz Thomas Fitz Gerald, who died +comparatively young in 1316. According to the Colin Fitzgerald +theory, this John, first Earl of Kildare, was twice married, and by +his second wife had six sons, of whom Colin Fitzgerald, who really +ought to have been described as Colin Fitz John - for it will +be observed that the Chiefs in the real genealogy are invariably +described as Fitz or son of their fathers - was the eldest. This +was impossible. How could John Fitz Thomas Fitzgerald, who died +at a comparatively early age in 1316, have had a son by his second +marriage, who must have arrived at a mature age before he "was +driven" from Ireland to Scotland in 1261, and be able to fight, as +alleged by his supporters, with great distinction, as a warrior +who had already an established reputation, at the battle of Largs, +in 1263? Let us suppose that Colin's reputed father was 70 years +old when he died. He (the father) must thus have been born as +early as 1246. Let us take it that his eldest son, the reputed +Colin, by his second wife, was born when his father was only 24 +years of age - say in 1270 - and the result of the Fitzgerald origin +theory would be that Colin must have fought at the battle of Largs +7 years before, according to the laws of nature, he could have +been born. In other words, he was not born, if born at all, for +seven years after the battle of Largs, four years after the reputed +charter of 1266, and 40 years subsequent to 1230, the last year +in which either of the witnesses whose names are upon the alleged +charter itself was in life. (3) But take the genealogy as given by +the upholders of the Colin Fitzgerald origin themselves Maurice, +who died in 1257, had, according to it, two sons - Thomas and Gerald. +This Thomas, they say, succeeded his father as third Lord Offaly, +and had a son, John, who, by his second wife, had Colin Fitzgerald. +That is, Maurice, who died in 1257, had a great grandson Colin, +who, as a warrior of mature years and experience, fought at the +battle of Largs only six years after his great-grandfathers death. +But there was in fact no Earl of Kildare at this early date. That +title was, as already stated, not created until 1316, twenty-eight +years after his son Colin Fitzgerald was, according to the testimony +of his supporters, buried in Icolmkill. It is surely unnecessary to +add that such a consummation is absolutely impossible; and these +facts alone, though no other shred of evidence was forthcoming, +would dispose of the Colin Fitzgerald origin of the Mackenzies for +ever. + +Colin's five brothers are given by the upholders of the Fitzgerald +origin as Galen, said to have been the same as Gilleon or Gillean, the +ancestor of the Macleans; Gilbert, ancestor of the White Knights; +John, ancestor of the Knights of Glynn; Maurice, ancestor of the +Knights of Kerry; and Thomas, progenitor of the Fitzgeralds of +Limerick. But it is quite unnecessary to deal with Colin's brothers +and their descendants here. It will be sufficient if we dispose of +Colin himself, who, according to the genealogy given to him by those +who claim him as their progenitor, was really not Colin Fitz-Gerald +but Colin Fitz-John. He must, however, be dealt with a little more at +length; for, whoever he may have been, and however mythical his +personal history, his name will always command a certain amount of +interest for members of the Clan Mackenzie, and those who have become +allied with them by marriage or association. + +Most of us are acquainted with the turbulent state of the West +Highlands and Islands in the reign of Alexander II., when the +Highland Chiefs became so powerful, and were so remote from the +centre of Government, that they could not be brought under the King's +authority. His Majesty determined to make a serious effort to +reduce these men to obedience, and for this purpose he proceeded, at +the head of a large force, but died on his way in 1249, on the Island +of Kerrera, leaving his son, Alexander III., then only nine years of +age, with the full weight and responsibility of government on his +shoulders. + +Shortly after the King attained his majority, Colin Fitzgerald, +correctly speaking Fitz John is said to have been driven out of +Ireland and to have sought refuge at the Scottish Court, where he was +heartily welcomed by the King, by whom his rank and prowess well +known to him by repute, were duly recognised and acknowledged. + +At this time Alexander was preparing to meet Haco, King of Norway, +who, on the 2nd of October, 1262, landed with a large force on the +coast of Ayrshire, where he was met by a gallant force of fifteen +hundred knights splendidly mounted on magnificent chargers - many +of them of pure Spanish breed - wearing breastplates, while their +riders, clad in complete armour, with a numerous army of foot armed +with spears, bows and arrows, and other weapons of war, according +to the usage in their respective provinces, the whole of this valiant +force led by the King in person. These splendid, well-accoutred +armies met at Largs two or three days after, and then commenced that +sanguinary and memorable engagement which was the first decisive +check to the arrogance of the Norsemen who had so long held sway +in the West Highlands and Isles, and the first opening up of the +channel which led to the subsequent arrangements between Alexander +III. of Scotland and Magnus IV. of Norway in consequence of which +an entirely new organisation was introduced into the Hebrides, then +inhabited by a mixed race composed of the natives and largely of +the descendants of successive immigrant colonists of Norwegians +and Danes who had settled in the country. + +In this memorable engagement, we are told, the Scots commenced the +attack. The right wing, composed of the men of Argyle, of Lennox, of +Athole, and Galloway, was commanded by Alexander, Lord High Steward, +while Patrick Dunbar, Earl of March, commanded the left wing, +composed of the men of the Lothians, Berwick, Stirling, and Fife. +The King placed himself in the centre, at the head of the choice men +of Ross, Perth, Angus, Mearns, Mar, Moray, Inverness, and Caithness, +where he was confronted by Haco in person, who, for the purpose +of meeting the Scottish King, took post in the Norwegian centre. The +High Steward, by a dexterous movement, made the enemy's left give +way, and instantly, by another adroit manoeuvre, he wheeled back on +the rear of Haco's centre, where he found the two warrior Kings +desperately engaged. This induced Haco, after exhibiting all the +prowess of a brave King and an able commander, to retreat from the +field, followed by his left wing, leaving, as has been variously +stated, sixteen to twenty-four thousand of his followers on the field, +while the loss on the Scottish side is estimated at about five +thousand. The men of Caithness and Sutherland were led by the Flemish +Freskin, those of Moray by one of their great chiefs, and there is +every reason to believe that the men of Ross rallied round one of +their native chiefs. Among the most distinguished warriors who took +part in this great and decisive victory for the Scots, under the +immediate eye of their brave King, was, it is said, Colin Fitzgerald, +who is referred to in a fragment of the Record of Icolmkill as +"Callenus peregrinus Hibernus nobilis ex familia Geraldinorum qui +proximo anno ab Hibernia pulsus opud regni benigne acceptus hinc +usque in curta permansit et in praefacto proelio strenue pugnavit." +That is, "Colin, an Irish stranger and nobleman, of the family of the +Geraldines who, in the previous year, had been driven from Ireland, +and had been well received by the King, remained up to this time at +Court, and fought bravely in the aforesaid battle." This extract has +often been quoted to prove that Colin Fitzgerald was the progenitor of +the Mackenzies; but it will be noticed that it contains no reference +whatever to the point. It merely says that Colin, an Irishman, was +present at Largs. + +After the defeat of Haco the King sent detachments to secure the +West Highlands and Isles, and to check the local chiefs. Among the +leaders sent in charge of the Western garrisons was, according to +the supporters of the Irish-origin theory, Colin Fitzgerald, who, +under the patronage of Walter Stewart, Earl of Menteith, was settled +in the Government of the Castle of Ellandonnan, the well-known +stronghold of the Mackenzies, in Kintail, situated on a small +rocky island at the junction of Lochalsh, Loch Duich and Loch Long. +Colin's jurisdiction, it is said, extended over a wide district, +and he is referred to in the fragment of the Record of Icolmkill, +already quoted, as he "of whom we have spoken at the battle of +Largs, and who afterwards conducted himself with firmness against +the Islanders, and was left a governor among them." Sir George +Mackenzie, first Earl of Cromartie, who will be proved later on +to have been the inventor of the Fitzgerald theory, says in a MS. +history of the clan, that Colin "being left in Kintail, tradition +records that he married the daughter of Mac Mhathoin, heritor of +the half of Kintail. This Mhathoin," he continues, "is frequently +identified with Coinneach Gruamach Mac Mhathoin, Cailean's +predecessor as Governor of Ellandonnan Castle. The other half of +Kintail belonged to O'Beolan, one of whose chiefs, Ferchair, was +created Earl of Ross, and his lands were given to Cailean Fitzgerald." +It will be proved by incontestible public documents still in +existence, that these identical lands were, except that they once +for a time exchanged them with a relative for lands in Buchan, +uninterruptedly possessed by the Earls of Ross, the descendants +of this Ferchair, or Farquhar, for two centuries after the battle +of Largs. + +While the Earl of Cromartie and other clan historians accept the +Fitzgerald origin by marriage with a daughter of Kenneth Matheson of +Lochalsh, the Mathesons maintain that the first Mackenzie, or Mac +Choinnich - the actual progenitor of the clan - was a son of their +chief, Coinneach Gruamach, and that the Mackenzies are thus only a +sept, or minor branch of the Mathesons. It must in fairness be +admitted that the latter contention is quite as near the truth as +the Fitzgerald theory and it must have already occurred to the +reader, how, if the Fitzgerald origin of the Mackenzies had been +true, has it come about that the original patronymic of Fitzgerald +has given way to that of Mackenzie? It is not pretended that it +was ever heard of after Colin himself. + +This difficulty occurred even to the Earl of Cromartie, and this +is how he attempts to dispose of it. Cailean, he says, had a son +by the daughter of Kenneth Mac Mhathoin, or Matheson, whom he named +Coinneach, or Kenneth, after his father-in-law Kenneth Matheson; +Cailean himself was killed in Glaic Chailein by Mac Mhathoin, +who envied him, and was sore displeased at Colin's succession to +Matheson's ancient heritage; Colin was succeeded by his son Kenneth, +and all his descendants were by the Highlanders called "Mac +Choinnich," or Kenneth's son, taking the patronymic from Mac Mhathoin +rather than from Cailean, whom they esteemed a stranger. Of the two +theories the Matheson one is by far the more probable; but they are +both without any real foundation. + +The Fitzgerald theory has, however, until recently, been accepted +by all the leading Mackenzie families and by the clan generally. +It has been adopted in all the Peerages and Baronetages, and by +almost every writer on the history and genealogy of the Cabar feidh +race. + +The main if not the only authority of any consequence in favour of +this Irish origin is the charter alleged to have been granted by +Alexander III. to Colin in 1266, of which the reputed original runs +as follows:- + +"Alexander, Dei Gracia, Rex Scottorum, omnibus probis hominibus +tocius terre sue clericis et laicis, salutem sciant presentes et +futuri me pro fideli seruicio michi navato per Colinum Hybernum +tam in bello quam in pace ideo dedisse, et hac presenti carta +mea concessisse dicto Colino, et ejus successoribus totas terras +de Kintail. Tenendas de nobis et successoribus nostris in liberam +baronium cum guardia. Reddendo servicium forinsecum et fidelitatem. +Testibus Andrea episcopo, Moraviensi. Waltero Stewart. Henrico de +Balioth Camerario. Arnoldo de Campania. Thoma Hostiario, +vice-comite de Innerness. Apud Kincardine, IX die Jan.: Anno Regni +Domini, Regis XVI." + +This is a literal translation of the document:- +"Alexander, by the Grace of God, King of Scots, to all honest men +of his whole dominions, cleric and laic, greeting: Be it known to +the present and future that I, for the faithful service rendered to +me by Colin of Ireland, in war as well as peace, therefore I have +given, and by this my present charter I concede to the said Colin +and his successors, the lands of Kintail to be held of us in free +barony with ward to render foreign service and fidelity. Witnesses +(as above.) At Kincardine, 9th day of January, in the year of the +reign of the Lord the King, the 16th." + +The Kincardine at which this charter is alleged to have been signed +is supposed to be the place of that name situated on the River +Dee; for about this time an incident is reported to have occurred +in the Forest of Mar in connection with which it is traditionally +stated that the Mackenzies adopted the stag's head as their coat +armour. The legend is as follows: + +Alexander was on a hunting expedition in the forest, near Kincardine, +when an infuriated stag, closely pursued by the hounds, made +straight in the direction of the King, and Cailean Fitzgerald, who +accompanied the Royal party, gallantly interposed his own person +between the exasperated animal and his Majesty, and shot it with +an arrow in the forehead. The King in acknowledgment of the Royal +gratitude at once issued a diploma in favour of Colin granting him +armorial bearings which were to be, a stags head puissant, bleeding +at the forehead where the arrow pierced it, to be borne on a field +azure, supported by two greyhounds. The crest to be a dexter arm +bearing a naked sword, surrounded by the motto "Fide Parta, Fide +Acta," which continued to be the distinctive bearings of the +Mackenzies of Seaforth until it was considered expedient, as +corroborating their claims on the extensive possessions of the +Macleods of Lewis, to substitute for the original the crest of that +warlike clan, namely, a mountain in flames, surcharged with the +words, "Luceo non uro," the ancient shield, supported by two savages, +naked, and wreathed about the head with laurel, armed with clubs +issuing fire, which are the bearings now used by the representatives +of the High Chiefs of Kintail. + +The incident of the hunting match and Colin Fitzgerald's gallant +rescue of Alexander III. was painted by West for "The last of the +Seaforths" in one of those large pictures with which the old +Academician employed and gratified his latter years. The artist +received L8oo for the noble painting, which is still preserved in +Brahan Castle, and in his old age he expressed his willingness to +give the same sum for it in order to have it exhibited in his own +collection. + +The first notice of the reputed charter to Colin Fitzgerald is in +the manuscript history of the Mackenzies, by George, first Earl +of Cromartie, already quoted, written about the middle of the +seventeenth century. All the later genealogists appear to have +taken its authenticity for granted, and quoted it accordingly. Dr +Skene, the most learned and accurate of all our Highland historians, +expresses his decided opinion that the charter is forged and +absolutely worthless as evidence in favour of the Fitzgerald origin +of the clan. At pages 223-25 of his 'Highlanders of Scotland,' +he says - + +"The Mackenzies have long boasted of their descent from the great +Norman family of Fitzgerald in Ireland, and in support of this +origin they produce a fragment of the Records of Icolmkill, and +a charter by Alexander III. to Colin Fitzgerald, the supposed +progenitor of the family, of the lands of Kintail. At first sight +these documents might appear conclusive, but, independently of +the somewhat suspicious circumstance that while these pages have +been most freely and generally quoted, no one has ever seen the +originals, and the fragment of the Icolmkill Record merely says +that among the actors in the battle of Largs, fought in 1263, was +`Peregrinus et Hibernus nobilis ex familia Geraldinorum qui proximo +anno Hibernia pulsus apud regni benigne acceptus hinc usque in +curta permansit et in praefacto proelio strenue pugnavit,' giving +not a hint of his having settled in the Highlands, or of his having +become the progenitor of any Scottish family whatever while as to +the supposed charter of Alexander III., it is equally inconclusive, +as it merely grants the lands of Kintail to Colin Hiberno, the +word `Hiberno' having at the time come into general use as denoting +the Highlanders, in the same manner as the word 'Erse' is now +frequently used to express their language; but inconclusive as it +is, this charter," he continues, "cannot be admitted at all, as +it bears the most palpable marks of having been a forgery of a +later time, and one by no means happy in its execution. How such +a tradition of the origin of the Mackenzies ever could have arisen, +it is difficult to say but the fact of their native origin and +Gaelic descent is completely set at rest by the Manuscript of +1450, which has already so often been the means of detecting the +falsehood of the foreign origins of other clans." + +Cosmo Innes, another high authority, editor of the 'Orgines +Parachiales Scotia,' the most valuable work ever published dealing +with the early history of Scotland, and especially of the Highlands, +came to a similar conclusion, and expresses it even more strongly +than Dr Skene. At pages 392-3, Vol. II., he says "The lands of +Kintail are said to have been granted by Alexander III. to Colin, an +Irishman of the family of Fitzgerald, for services done at the battle +of Largs. The charter is not extant, and its genuineness has been +doubted." In a footnote, this learned antiquarian gives the text of +the document, in the same terms as those in which they have been +already quoted from another source, and which, he says, is "from +a copy of the 17th century." "If the charter be genuine," he adds, +"it is not of Alexander III., or connected with the battle of Largs +(1263). Two of the witnesses, Andrew, Bishop of Moray, and Henry de +Baliol, Chamberlain, would correspond with the 16th year of +Alexander II." He further says that "the writers of the history of +the Mackenzies assert also charters of David II. (1360) and of +Robert II. (1380) to `Murdo filius Kennethi de Kintail,' but without +furnishing any description or means of testing their authenticity. +No such charters are recorded." + +This is emphatic enough and to every unprejudiced mind absolutely +conclusive. The sixteenth year of the reign of Alexander II. was +1230; for he ascended the throne in 1214. It necessarily follows that +the charter, if signed at all, must have been signed thirty-three +years before the battle of Largs, and thirty-six years earlier than +the actual date written on the document itself. If it had any +existence before it appeared in the Earl of Cromartie's manuscript +of the seventeenth century, it must have been written during the +lives of the witnesses whose names attest it. That is, according to +those who maintain that Colin Fitzgerald was the progenitor of the +Mackenzies, thirty-one years before that adventurer ever crossed the +Irish Channel, and probably several years before he was born, if he +ever existed elsewhere than in the Earl of Cromartie's fertile +imagination. + +But this is not all. It has long been established beyond any +possible doubt that the Earls of Ross were the superiors of the +lands of Kintail during the identical period in which the same lands +are said to have been held by Colin Fitzgerald and his descendants +as direct vassals of the Crown. Ferchard Mac an t-Sagairt, Earl +of Ross, received a grant of the lands of Kintail from Alexander +II. for services rendered to that monarch in 1222, and he is again +on record as their possessor in 1234, four years after the latest +date on which the reputed charter to Colin Fitzgerald, keeping +in view the witnesses whose names appear on the face of it, could +possibly have been a genuine document. Even the most prominent of +the clan historians who have so stoutly maintained the Fitzgerald +theory felt bound to admit that, "it cannot be disputed that the +Earl of Ross was the Lord paramount under Alexander II., by whom +Farquhard Mac an t-Sagairt was recognised in the hereditary dignity +of his predecessors, and who, by another tradition," Dr George +Mackenzie says, "was a real progenitor of the noble family of +Kintail." That the Earls of Ross continued lords paramount long +after the death of Colin Fitzgerald, which event is said to have +taken place in 1278, will be incontestibly proved. + +But meantime let us return to the 'Origines Parochiales Scotiae.' +There we have it stated on authority which no one whose opinion +is worth anything will for a moment call in question. The editor +of that remarkable work says:- "In 1292 the Sheriffdom of Skye +erected by King John Baliol, included the lands of the Earl of Ross +in North Argyle, a district which comprehended Kintail and several +other large parishes in Ross (Acts of Parliament of Scotland, Vol. +1. p. 917). Between 1306 and 1329 King Robert Bruce confirmed to +the Earl of Ross all his lands including North Argyle (Robertson's +Index, p. 16, No. 7; Register of Moray, p. 342). In 1342, William, +Earl of Ross, the son and heir of the deceased Hugh, Earl of Ross, +granted to Reginald, the son of Roderick (Ranald Rorissoune or +MacRuaraidh) of the Isles, the ten davochs (or pennylands) of +Kintail in North Argyle (Robertson's Index, p. 48, No. 1; p. 99; +p. 100, No. 1). The grant was afterwards confirmed by King David II. +(Robertson's Index). About the year 1346 Ranald was succeeded by his +sister Amie, the wife of John of Isla (Gregory p. 27). Between the +years 1362 and 1372, William, Earl of Ross, exchanged with his +brother Hugh of Ross, Lord of Phylorth, and his heirs, his lands of +all Argyle, with the Castle of Ellandonnan, for Hugh's lands in +Buchan (Balnagown Charters). In 1463 the lands of Kintail were held +by Alexander Mackenzie (Gregory, p, 83)," when the Mackenzies +obtained the first authentic charter on record as direct vassals from +the Crown. + +During the whole of this period - for two hundred years - there is +no trace of Colin Fitzgerald or any of his descendants as superiors +of the lands of Kintail in terms of Alexander III.'s reputed charter +of 1266, the Mackenzies holding all that time from and as direct +vassals of their relatives, the Earls of Ross, who really held +the position of Crown vassals which, according to the upholders +of the Fitzgerald theory, had that theory been true, would have +been held by Colin and his posterity. But neither he nor any +of his reputed descendants appear once on record in that capacity +during the whole of these two centuries. On the contrary, it has +now been proved from unquestionable authentic sources that Kintail +was in possession of the Earls of Ross in, and for at least two +generations before, 1296; that King Robert the Bruce confirmed +him in these lands in 1306, and again in 1329; that in 1342 Earl +William granted the ten davochs or pennylands of Kintail - which +is its whole extent - to Reginald of the Isles; that this grant +was afterwards confirmed by David II.; and that between the years +1362 and 1372 the Earl of Ross exchanged the lands of Kintail, +including the Castle of Ellandonnan, with his brother Hugh for +lands in Buchan. + +These historical events could never have occurred had the Mackenzies +occupied the position as immediate vassals of the Crown contended +for by the supporters of the Fitzgerald theory of the origin of +the clan. It is admitted by those who uphold the claims of Colin +Fitzgerald that the half of Kintail belonged to Farquhar O'Beolan, +Earl of Ross, after what they describe as the other half had been +granted by the King to Colin Fitzgerald. But as it is conclusively +established that the ten pennylands, being the whole extent of +Kintail were all the time, before and after, in possession of the +Earls of Ross, this historical myth must follow the rest. Even the +Laird of Applecross, in his MS. history of the clan, written in 1669, +although he adopts the Fitzgerald theory from his friend and +contemporary the Earl of Cromartie, has his doubts. After quoting the +statement, that "the other half of Kintail at this time belonged to +O'Beolan, whose chief, called Farquhar, was created Earl of Ross, and +that his lands in Kintail were given by the King to Colin Fitzgerald," +he says, "this tradition carries enough of probability to found +historical credit, but I find no charter of these lands purporting +any such grounds for that the first charter of Kintail is given by +this King Alexander to this Colin, anno 1266." That is, Alexander III. + +But enough has been said on this part of the subject. Let us, however, +briefly quote two well-known modern writers. The late Robert +Carruthers, LL.D., Inverness, had occasion several years ago to examine +the Seaforth family papers for the purpose of reviewing them in the +'North British Quarterly Review.' He did not publish all that he had +written on the subject, and he was good enough to present the writer, +when preparing the first edition of this work, with some valuable MS. +notes on the clan which had not before appeared in print. In one of +these notes Dr Carruthers says - + +"The chivalrous and romantic origin of the Clan Mackenzie, though +vouched for by certain charters and local histories, is now believed +to be fabulous. It seems to have been first advanced in the 17th +century, when there was an absurd desire and ambition in Scotland +to fabricate or magnify all ancient and lordly pedigrees. Sir +George Mackenzie of Tarbat, the Lord Advocate, and Sir George +Mackenzie, the first Earl of Cromartie, were ready to swear to the +descent of the Scots nation from Gathelus, son of Cecrops, King +of Athens, and Scota his wife, daughter of Pharaoh, King of Egypt; +and, of course, they were no less eager to claim a lofty and +illustrious lineage for their own clan. But authentic history +is silent as to the two wandering Irish Knights, and the reputed +charter (the elder one being palpably erroneous) cannot now be found. +For two centuries after the reigns of the Alexanders, the district of +Kintail formed part of the lordship of the Isles, and was held by the +Earls of Ross. The Mackenzies, however, can he easily traced to +their wild mountainous and picturesque country - Ceann-da-Shail - +the Head of the two Seas." + +This is from an independent, impartial writer who had no interest +whatever in supporting either the one theory or the other. + +Sir William Fraser, the well-known author of so many valuable private +family histories, incidentally refers to the forged charter in +his 'Earls of Cromartie,' written specially for the late Duke of +Sutherland. He was naturally unwilling to offend the susceptibilities +of the Mackenzie chiefs, all of whom had hitherto claimed Colin +Fitzgerald as their progenitor, but he was forced to admit the +inconclusive character of the disputed charter, and that no such +charter was granted to Colin Fitzgerald by Alexander III. Sir +William says:- "In the middle of the seventeenth century, when +Lord Cromartie wrote his history, the means of ascertaining, by the +names of witnesses and other ways, the true granter of a charter +and the date were not so accessible as at present. The mistake +of attributing the Kintail charter to King Alexander the Third, +instead of King Alexander the Second, cannot be regarded as a +very serious error in the circumstances." Sir William, it will +be observed, gives up the charter from Alexander III. The mere +admission that it is not of Alexander III. is conclusive against +its ever having been granted to Colin Fitzgerald at all, for, as +already pointed out, that adventurer, if he ever existed, did not, +even according to his stoutest supporters, cross the Irish Channel, +nor was he ever heard of on this side of it, for more than thirty +years after the date written on the face of the document itself +could possibly have been genuine, the witnesses whose names +appear as attesting it having been in there graves for more than +a generation before the battle of Largs was fought. + +When the ablest upholders of the Colin Fitzgerald theory are obliged +to make such admissions and explanations as these, they explain +away their whole case and they must be held to have practically +given it up; for once admit, as Sir William Fraser does, that the +charter is of the reign of Alexander II. (1230), it cannot possibly +have any reference to Colin Fitzgerald, who, according to those +who support the Irish origin of the clan, only arrived in Scotland +from Ireland in 1262 and it is equally absurd and impossible to +maintain that a charter granted in 1230 could have been a reward +for services rendered or valour displayed at the battle of Largs, +which was fought in 1263, to say nothing of the now admittedly +impossible date and signatures written on the face of the document +itself; and Sir William Fraser having, by the logic of facts, +been forced to give up that crucial point, should in consistency +have at the same time given up Colin Fitzgerald. And in reality +he practically did so, for having stated that the later reputed +charters of 1360 and 1380 are not now known to exist, he adds, "But +the terms of them as quoted in the early histories of the family +are consistent with either theory of the origin of the Mackenzies, +whether descended from Colin Fitzgerald or Colin of the Aird." +In this he is quite correct; but it is impossible to say the same +thing of the earlier charter, which all the authorities worth +listening to now admit to be a palpable forgery of the seventeenth +century; and Sir William virtually admits as much. + +There is one other fact which alone would be almost conclusive +against the Fitzgerald theory. Not a single man of the name Colin +is found, either among the chiefs or members of the clan from their +first appearance in history until we come to Colin cam Mackenzie +XI. of Kintail, who succeeded in June, 1568 - a period of three +hundred years after the alleged date of the reputed charter to +Colin Fitzgerald. Colin Cam was a second son, his eldest brother, +Murdoch, having died during his father's life and before he attained +majority, when Colin became heir to the estates. It was then, as +now, a common custom to name the second son after some prominent +member of his mother's family, and this was, no doubt, what was +done in the case of Colin Cam, the first Colin who appears - as +late as the middle of the sixteenth century - in the genealogy of +the Mackenzies. His mother was Lady Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of +John, Earl of Atholl, by Lady Mary Campbell, daughter of Archibald, +second, and sister of Colin, third Earl of Argyll. Colin Cam +Mackenzie, XI. of Kintail, and the first of the name in the family +genealogy, was thus called Colin by his mother, Lady Elizabeth +Stewart, after her uncle Colin, third Earl of Argyll. + +It scarcely needs to be pointed out how very improbable it is that, +had Colin Fitzgerald been really the progenitor of the Mackenzies, +his name would have been so completely ignored as a family name for +more than three hundred years in face of the invariable custom among +all other notable Highland houses of honouring their direct +ancestors by continuing their names as the leading names in the +family genealogy. + +It is believed that no one who brings an independent, unprejudiced. +mind to bear upon the question discussed in the preceding pages can +help coming to the conclusion that the Colin Fitzgerald theory is +completely disposed of. It is indeed extremely doubtful whether +such a person ever existed, but in any case it has been conclusively +proved by the evidence of those who claim him as their ancestor +that he never could have been what they allege - the progenitor +of the Mackenzies, whom all the best authorities now maintain to +be of purely native Celtic origin. And if this be so, is it not +unpatriotic in the highest degree for the heads of our principal +Mackenzie families to persist in supplying Burke, Foster, and other +authors of Peerages, Baronet ages, and County Families, with the +details of an alien Irish origin like the impossible Fitzgerald myth +upon which they have, in entire error, been feeding their vanity +since its invention by the first Earl of Cromartie little more +than two hundred years ago. For be it remembered that all these +Norman and Florentine pedigrees and descents are supplied to +the compilers of such genealogical works as those by members of +the respective families themselves, and that the editors are not +personally responsible for nor do they in any way guarantee their +accuracy. It is really difficult to understand the feeling that +has so long prompted most of our leading Highlanders to show such +an unnatural and unpatriotic preference for alien progenitors - +claiming the Norman enemies and conquerers of their country, or +mythical Irish adventurers, as ancestors to be proud of. Writing of +the clans who claim this alien origin the late Dr W. F. Skene, +Historiographer Royal for Scotland, says - + +"As the identity of the false aspect which the true tradition, +assumes in all these cases implies that the case was the same +all, we may assume that wherever these two circumstances are to be +found combined, of a clan claiming a foreign origin and asserting +a marriage with the heiress of a Highland family whose estates +they possessed and whose followers they led, they must invariably +have been the oldest cadet of that family, who, by usurpation or +otherwise, had become de facto chief of the clan, and who covered +their defect by right of blood by denying their descent from the +clan, and asserting that the founder had married the heiress of +its chief." ['Highlands and Highlanders.'] + +In his later and more important work the same learned historian +discusses this question at great length. He analyses all +the doubtful pedigrees and origins claimed by the leading clans. +Regarding the Fitzgerald theory he says, "But the most remarkable +of these spurious origins is that claimed by the Mackenzies. It +appears to have been first put forward by Sir George Mackenzie, +first Earl of Cromarty," who, in his first manuscript, made Colin +a son of the Earl of Kildare, but in a later edition, written in +1669, "finding that there was no Earl of Kildare until 1290, he +corrects it by making him son of John Fitz-Thomas, chief of the +Geraldines in Ireland, and father of John, first Earl of Kildare, +who was slain in 1261." Dr Skene then summarises the story already +known at length to the reader, quotes the Record of Icolmkill +and the forged charter, and concludes - + +"The same mistake is here committed as is usual in manufacturing +these pedigree charters, by making it a crown charter erecting the +lands into a barony. Kintail could not have been a barony at +that time, and the Earl of Ross and not the king was superior, +for in 1342 the Earl of Ross grants the ten davochs of the lands +of Kintail to Reginald, son of Roderick of the Isles, and we +find that the Mackenzies held their lands of the Earls of Ross +and afterwards of the Duke of Ross till 1508, when they were all +erected into a barony by King James the Fourth, who gave them a +crown charter. An examination of the witnesses usually detects +these spurious charters, and in this case it is conclusive against +the charter. Andrew was bishop of Moray from 1223 to 1242 and +there was no bishop of that name in the reign of Alexander the +Third. Henry de Baliol was chamberlain in the reign of Alexander +the Second, and not of Alexander the Third. Thomas Hostarius +belongs to the same reign, and has been succeeded by his son Alan +long before the date of this charter." + +Dr Skene adds that if the Earl of Cromartie was not himself the +actual inventor of the whole story, it must have taken its rise not +very long before his day, for, he says, "no trace of it is to be +found in the Irish MSS., the history of the Geraldine family knows +nothing of it, and MacVureach, who must have been acquainted with +the popular history of the western clans, was equally unacquainted +with it." ['Celtic Scotland,' Vol. III., pp. 351-354.] + +This fully corroborates all that was said in the preceding pages +regarding the Fitzgerald-Irish origin of the Mackenzies and which +every intelligent clansman, however biassed, must now admit in his +inner consciousness to be fully and finally disposed of. Having, +however, quoted Skene's earlier views on the general claim by +the Highland chiefs for alien progenitors it may be well to give +here his more mature conclusions from his later and greater work, +especially as some people, who have not taken the trouble to read +what he writes, have been saying that the great Celtic historian +had seen cause to change his views on these important points in +Highland genealogy since he wrote his 'Highlands and Highlanders' +in 1839. After examining them all very closely and exhaustively +in a long and learned chapter of some forty pages, he says - + +"The conclusion, then, to which this analysis of the clan pedigrees +which have been popularly accepted at different times has brought +us, is that, so far as they profess to show the origin of the +different clans, they are entirely artificial and untrustworthy, +but that the older genealogies may be accepted as showing the descent +of the clan from its eponymus or founder, and within reasonable +limits for some generations beyond him, while the later spurious +pedigrees must be rejected altogether. It may seem surprising that +such spurious and fabulous origins should be so readily credited +by the clan families as genuine traditions, and receive such prompt +acceptance as the true fount from which they sprung; but we must +recollect that the fabulous history of Hector Boece was as rapidly +and universally adopted as the genuine annals of the national +history, and became rooted in those parts of the country to +which its fictitious events related as local traditions." ['Celtic +Scotland,' Vol. III., p. 364.] + +The final decision to which Dr Skene comes in his great work is +that the clans, properly so called, were of native origin, and that +the surnames adopted by them were partly of native and partly of +foreign descent. Among these native Highland clans he unhesitatingly +classes the Mackenzies, the clan Gillie-Andres or Rosses, and the +Mathesons, all of whom belong, he says, to the tribe of Ross. In +his first work on the Highlands and Highland Clans he draws the +general deduction, based on all our existing MS. genealogies, that +the clans were divided into several great tribes, descended from +a common ancestor, but he at the same time makes a marked distinction +between the different tribes which, by indications traceable in +each, can be identified with the earldoms or maormorships into +which the North of Scotland was originally divided. By the aid +of the old genealogies he divides the clans into five different +tribes in the following order:- (1) The descendants of Conn of the +Hundred Battles; (2) of Ferchar Fata Mac Feradaig; (3) of Cormaig +Mac Obertaig; (4) of Fergus Leith Dearg; and (5) of Krycul. In +the third of these divisions he includes the old Earls of Ross, +the Mackenzies, the Mathesons, and several other clans, and to this +classification he adheres, after the most mature consideration, +in his later and greater work, the 'History of Celtic Scotland.' + + +THE REAL CELTIC ORIGIN. + + +It is now most interesting to know who the ancient Earls of Ross, +from whom the Mackenzies are really descended, were. The first of +these earls of whom we have any record is Malcolm Mac Heth to whom +Malcolm IV. gave Ross in 1157, with the title of Earl of Ross, but +the inhabitants rose against him and drove him out of the district. +Wyntoun mentions an Earl "Gillandrys," a name which we believe +is derived from the common ancestor of the Mackenzies and Rosses, +"Gilleoin-Ard-Rois," as one of the six Celtic earls who besieged +King Malcolm at Perth in 1160. Skene is also of opinion that this +Gillandres represented the old Celtic earls of Ross, as the clan +bearing the name of Ross are called in Gaelic Clann Ghilleanrias, +or descendants of Gillandres, and may, he thinks, have led the +revolt which drove Malcolm Mac Heth out of the earldom. The same +King, two years after the incident at Perth, gave the earldom of +Ross to Florence, Count of Holland, on that nobleman's marriage with +His Majesty's sister Ada, in 1162, but the new earl never secured +practical possession ['Celtic Scotland,' Vol. III., pp. 66-67.] He +is, however, found claiming it as late as 1179, in the reign of +William the Lion. + +The district of Ross is often mentioned in the Norse Sagas along +with the other parts of the country then governed by Maormors or +Jarls, and Skene in his earlier work says that it was only on the +downfall of those of Moray that the chiefs of Ross appear prominent +in historical records, the Maormors of Moray being in such close +proximity to them and so great in power and influence that the +less powerful Maormor of Ross held only a comparatively subordinate +position, and his name was in consequence seldom or never associated +with any of the great events of that early period in Highland +history. It was only after the disappearance of those district +potentates that the chiefs appear under the appellation of +Comites or Earls. That most, if not all, of these earls were the +descendants of the ancient maormors there can be little doubt, +and the natural presumption in this instance is strengthened by +the fact that all the old authorities concur in asserting that +the Gaelic name of the original Earls of Ross was O'Beolan - a +corruption of Gilleoin, or Gillean, na h`Airde - or the descendants +of Beolan. "And we actually find," says the same authority, "from +the oldest Norse Saga connected with Scotland that a powerful chief +in the North of Scotland named O'Beolan, married the daughter of +Ganga Rolfe, or Rollo, the celebrated pirate who became afterwards +the celebrated Earl of Normandy." If this view is well-founded +the ancestor of the Earls of Ross was chief in Kintail as early as +the beginning of the tenth century. We have seen that the first +Earl of Ross recorded in history was Malcolm Mac Heth, to whom +a precept is found, directed by Malcolm IV., requesting him to +protect the monks of Dunfermline and defend them in their lawful +privileges and possessions. The document is not dated, but judging +from the names of the witnesses attesting it, the precept must have +been issued before 1162. It will be remembered that Mac Heth was +one of the six Celtic earls who besieged the King at Perth two +years before, in 1160. William the Lion, who seems to have kept +the earldom in his own hands for several years, in 1179 marched +into the district at the head of his earls and barons, accompanied +by a large army, and subdued an insurrection fomented by the +local chiefs against his authority. On this occasion he built two +castles within its bounds, one called Dunscath on the northern +Sutor at the entrance to the Cromarty Firth, and Redcastle in the +Black Isle. In the same year we find Florence, Count of Holland, +complaining that he had been deprived of its nominal ownership +by King William. There is no trace of any other earl in actual +possession until we come to Ferquard or "Ferchair Mac an t' Sagairt," +Farquhar the son of the Priest, who rose rapidly to power on the +ruins of the once powerful Mac Heth earls of Moray, of which line +Kenneth Mac Heth, who, with Donald Ban, led a force into Moray +against Alexander II., son of William the Lion, in 1215, was +the last. Of this raid the following account is given in 'Celtic +Scotland,' Vol. I. p. 483: + +"The young king had barely reigned a year when be had to encounter +the old enemies of the Crown, the families of Mac William and +Mac Eth, who now combined their forces under Donald Ban, the son +of that Mac William who bad been slain at Mamgarvie in 1187, and +Kenneth Mac Eth, a son or grandson of Malcolm Mac Eth, with the son +of one of the Irish provincial kings, and burst into the Province +of Moray at the head of a large band of malcontents. A very +important auxiliary, however, now joined the party of the king. +This was Ferquhard or Fearchar Macintagart, the son of the 'Sagart' +or priest who was the lay possessor of the extensive possessions +of the old monastery founded by the Irish Saint Maelrubba at +Applecross in the seventh century. Its possessions lay between the +district of Ross and the Western Sea and extended from Lochcarron +to Loch Ewe and Loch Maree, and Ferquhard was thus in reality a +powerful Highland chief commanding the population of an extensive +western region. The insurgents were assailed by him with great +vigour, entirely crushed, and their leaders taken, who be at once +beheaded and presented their heads to the new king as a welcome +gift on the 15th of June, when he was knighted by the king as a +reward for his prompt assistance." + +The district then known as North Argyle consisted chiefly of the +possessions of this ancient monastery of Appercrossan or Applecross. +Its inhabitants had hitherto - along with those of South Argyle, +which extended from Lochcarron to the Firth of Clyde - maintained +a kind of semi-independence, but in 1222 they were, by their +lay possessor, Ferchair Mac an t'Sagairt, who was apparently the +grandson or great-grandson of Gillandres, one of the six earls +who besieged Malcolm IV. at Perth in 1160, brought into closer +connection with the crown. The lay Abbots of which Ferquhard +was the head were the hereditary possessors of all the extensive +territories which had for centuries been ruled and owned by this +old and powerful Celtic monastery. As a reward for his services +against the men of Moray in 1215 and for the great services which, +in 1222, he again rendered to the King in the subjugation of the +whole district then known as Argyle, extending from the Clyde to +Lochbroom, he received additional honours. In that campaign known +as "the Conquest of Argyle," Ferquhard led most of the western +tribes, and for his prowess, the Celtic earldom, which was then finally +annexed to the Crown and made a feudal appanage, was conferred on +him with the title of Earl of Ross, and he is so designated in a +charter dated 1234. He is again on record, under the same title, +in 1235 and 1236. Regarding an engagement which took place between +Alexander II. and the Gallowegians, in 1235, the Chronicle of +Melrose says, that "at the beginning of the battle the Earl of +Ross, called Macintagart, came up and attacked the enemies (of +the King) in the rear, and as soon as they perceived this they +took to flight and retreated into the woods and mountains, but they +were followed up by the Earl and several others, who put many of +them to the sword, and harassed them as long as daylight lasted." +In 'Celtic Scotland,' Vol. II, p.412, it is stated that the +hereditary lay priests of which he was the chief "according to +tradition, bore the name of O'Beollan"; and MacVuirich, in the Black +Book of Clanranald, says that from Ferquhard was descended +Gillapatrick the Red, son of Roderick, and known traditionally as the +Red Priest, whose daughter, at a later date, married and carried the +monastery lands of Lochalsh and Lochcarron to the Macdonalds of the +Isles. + +In one of the Norse Sagas the progenitor of Ferquhard is designated +"King," just the same as the great Somerled and some of his +descendants had been called at a later date. Referring to Helgi, +son of Ottar, the Landnamabok Saga records that "he made war upon +Scotland and carried off prisoner Nidbjorga, the daughter of King +Bjolan, and of Kadliner, daughter or Ganga Rolf," or Rollo, who, +as already stated, afterwards became the celebrated Earl of Normandy. +Writing of Alexander, third Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles, +Hugh Macdonald, the Sleat historian, says that - + +"He was a man born to much trouble all his life time. First he +took to him the concubine daughter of Patrick Obeolan, surnamed +the Red, who was a very beautiful woman. This surname Obeolan +was the surname of the Earls of Ross, till Farquhar, born in Ross, +was created earl by King Alexander, and so carried the name of +Ross since, as best answering the English tongue. This Obeolan +had its descent of the ancient tribe of Manapii; of this tribe +is also St. Rice or Ruffus. Patrick was an Abbot and had Carlebay +in the Lewis, and the Church lands in that country, with 18 mark +lands in Lochbroom. He bad two sons and a daughter. The sons +were called Normand and Austin More, so called from his excessive +strength and corpulency. This Normand had daughters that were +great beauties, one of whom was married to Mackay of Strathnavern +one to Dugall MacRanald, Laird of Mudort; one to MacLeod of Assint; +one to MacDuffie; and another, the first, to Maclean of Bororay. +Patrick's daughter bore a son to Alexander, Lord of the Isles and +Earl of Ross, who was called Austin (Uisdean or Hugh) or as others +say, Augustine. She was twice before the King, as Macdonald could +not be induced to part with her, on occasion of her great beauty. +The King said, that it was no wonder that such a fair damsel had +enticed Macdonald." ['Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis,' pp. 304-305.] + +It is not intended here to discuss whether Hugh of Sleat and his +elder brother Celestine of Lochalsh were illegitimate or not. +They were so called by their father, Earl Alexander, and by their +brother, Earl John. The first describes Celestine as "filius +naturalis" in a charter preserved in the Mackintosh charter +chest, dated 1447, and Earl John calls his brother Austin or Hugh +"frater carnalis" in two charters, dated respectively 1463 and +1470. This goes far to corroborate the Sleat historian, who was not +the least likely to introduce illegitimacy into his own favourite +family unless the charge was really true. It is instructive to +find that Celestine succeeded to all the lands of the monastery +of Applecross in Lochalsh, Lochcarron, and Lochbroom. These lay +abbots are also said to have held, under the old Earls of Ross, +the Sleat district of the Isle of Skye, which Hugh, first of that +family, is alleged to have inherited through his mother, daughter +of the Red Priest and a descendant of Farquhar Mac an t'Sagairt, Earl +of Ross. It will be observed also that Austin, Uisdean, or Hugh, +a common name among the Applecross and old Earl of Ross dynasty, +comes into the Macdonald family for the first time at this period, +after Earl Alexander of the Macdonald line had formed a union with +the daughter of the last lay Abbot of Applecross. Skene distinctly +affirms that Hugh Macdonald of Sleat was the son of Earl Alexander +by a daughter of this Gille-Padruig ('Celtic Scotland,' Vol. III. p. +298) while Gregory suggests that the words naturalis and carnalis +used by Hugh's father and brother in the charters already quoted +"were used to designate the issue of those handfast or left-handed +marriages which appear to have been so common in the Highlands +and Isles." ['Western Highlands and Isles,' p.41] Whether the Sleat +district of Skye was or was not carried for the first time to the +Macdonald Earls of Ross and Lords of the Isles by this union with +a member of the family of the original O'Beolan Earls, it is +perfectly clear that the latter had an intimate connection with +the Sleat district at a much earlier period. + +Saint Maelrubba, who is first heard of in Britain in 671, two years +later, in 673, founded the original Church of Applecross "from +which as a centre he evangelised the whole of the western districts +lying between Loch Carron and Loch Broom, as well as the south and +west parts of the Island of Skye, and planted churches in Easter +Ross and elsewhere." ['Celtic Scotland,' Vol. II. p. 166.] It is +at least interesting to find these lands going to and afterwards +remaining in possession of the two sons of Earl Alexander who are +said to have been illegitimate, when all their other enormous +possessions were in 1493 finally forfeited to the Crown. Hugh, +who possessed Sleat during the life of his father and brother, +receives a Crown charter of these lands under the Great Seal two +years after, in 1495, although his brother John, fourth and last +Lord of the Isles, was still alive, his death not having occurred +until 1498, three years later. + +Sir Robert Gordon ('Earldom of Scotland,' p. 36) shows that the +Rosses were originally designated O'Beolan and Gillanders +indiscriminately, according to the writer's or speaker's fancy. +He says that - + +"From the second son of the Earl of Ross the lairds of Balnagowan +are descended, and had by inheritance the lands of Rariechies and +Coulleigh, where you may observe that the laird of Balnagowan's +surname should not be Ross, seeing that there was never any Earl +of Ross of that surname; but the Earls of Ross were first of the +surname of Beolan, then they were Leslies, and last of all that +earldom fell by inheritance to the Lords of the Isles, who resigned +the same unto king James the Third's bands, in the year of God +1477. So I do think that the lairds of Balnagowan, perceiving the +Earls of Ross decayed, and that earldom, fallen into the Lords of +the Isles' hands, they called themselves Ross thereby to testify +their descent from the Earls of Ross. Besides, all the Rosses in that +province are Unto this day called in the Irish (Gaelic) language +Clan Leandries, which race by their own tradition is sprung from +another stock." + +In the same work, p. 46, we find that the Earls of Ross were called +O'Beolans as late as 1333, for Sir Robert informs us, writing of +the battle of Halidon Hill, that "in this field was Hugh Beolan, +Earl of Ross, slain." + +It is established to the satisfaction of all reasonable men that +the Applecross and O'Beolan Earls of Ross were one and the same, +and that they were descended from Gilleoin na h' Airde, corrupted +in the Norse Sagas into "Beolan," the general designation by which +they were known, until Earl William, the last of his line, died +without surviving male issue on the 9th of February, 1372, when the +title devolved upon his daughter, Euphemia, Countess of Ross in her +own right, whose daughter, Mary, or Margaret, by Sir Walter Leslie, +carried the earldom to Donald of Harlaw, second Lord of the Isles. +That the O'Beolan Earls of Ross, of whom Ferquhard Mac an t'Sagairt +was the first, descended from the same ancestor, Gilleoin na h' Airde, +as the older "Gillandres" earl of 1160, is equally certain. Earl +Gillandres as probably forfeited for the part he took against +Malcolm IV. on that occasion, and Ferquhard having rendered such +important services to Alexander II. was restored probably quite as +much in virtue of his ancient rights as the grandson of Ferquhard as +on account of his valiant conduct in support of the crown in Moray, +in Argyle, and in Galloway, in 1215, 1222, and 1235. + +The surname Ross has in early times been invariably rendered in +Gaelic as Gilleanrias, or Gillanders, and the Rosses appear under +this appellation in all the early Acts of Parliament. There is +also an unvarying tradition that on the death of the last Earl of +the O'Beolan line a certain Paul Mac Tire was for some years head +of the Rosses, and this tradition is corroborated by the fact +that there is a charter on record by Earl William of the lands of +Gairloch in 1366 in favour of Paul Mac Tire and his heirs by Mary +Graham, in which the Earl styles Mac Tire his cousin. This grant +was confirmed by King Robert II. in 1372. In the manuscript of +1467 the genealogy of Clann Gille-Anrias, or the descendants of +Gillean-Ard-Rois, begins with a Paul Mac Tire. The clan whose +genealogy is there given is undoubtedly that of the Rosses, and +in the manuscript they are traced upwards from Paul MacTire in a +direct line to Gilleon na h'Airde, the "Beolan" of the Norse Sagas, +who lived in the tenth century, and who will be shown to be also +the remote progenitor of the Mackenzies. The Aird referred to is +said to be the Aird of Ross. + +In the manuscript of 1467 the name Gille-Anrias appears +in the genealogies of both the Mackenzies and the Rosses exactly +contemporaneous with the generation which preceded the original +grant to "Ferchair Mac an t'Sagairt" of the Earldom of Ross. The +name Gille-Anrias has been rendered as the Gaelic equivalent for +Servant of Andrew, or St. Andrew, and that, according to Skene, +would seem to indicate that the first of that name, if not a priest +himself, must have belonged to the priestly house of Appercrossan +or Applecross, of which Earl Farquhar ultimately became the head. +The dates exactly correspond; and when, in addition to this, it +is remembered that of the earls who besieged Malcolm IV. at Perth +in 1160 one was named "Gillandres" it seems fully established that +Ferchard Mac an t'Sagairt was descended from the original earls +and that he was entitled to the earldom by ancient right on the +failure or forfeiture of the direct representative of the old line, +as well as by a new creation. Although there may have been one +or two usurpers - a common event in those turbulent times - Ferquhard +was undoubtedly a near relative and the legitimate successor +of the Celtic "Gillandres" earl of 1160. He is described in the +'Chronicle of Melrose' as "Comes Rossensis Machentagard," and in +Dalrymple's Annals of Scotland as "Mc Kentagar," a designation +which the author describes in a footnote as "an unintelligible +word," though its meaning is perfectly plain to every Gaelic-speaking +Celt. + +Ferquhard founded the Abbey of Fearn, in Easter Ross, about 1230, +and died there in 1251. + +Referring to his position during the first half of the thirteenth +century even the Earl of Cromartie is forced to admit in his MS., a +copy of which we possess, that "it cannot be disputed that the Earl +of Ross was the Lord paramount under Alexander II., by whom Farquhard +Mac an t'Sagairt was recognised in the hereditary dignity of his +predecessors, and who, by another tradition, was a real progenitor of +the noble family of Kintail." And this was said and written by an +author, who, in another part of the same manuscript, stoutly maintains +that the king granted these identical lands to Colin Fitzgerald by a +charter which, if it was ever signed at all, must have been signed a +full generation before the date which the forged document bears - +thirty years after the witnesses whose names attest it had gone to +their last home. + + +THE O'BEOLAN EARLS OF ROSS. + + +It must now be most interesting to every member of the Clan Mackenzie +to know who these O'Beolan Earls of Ross were and all that can +be ascertained regarding themselves and their family alliances. +Leaving out Earl Gillanders, of whom so little is known, let us begin +with + +I. FERQUHARD, OR FARQUHAR O'BEOLAN, "Mac an t'Sagairt," +who, as already stated, founded the Abbey of Fearn, and died there +in 1251. By his wife, whose name has not come down to us, he had +issue, at least, + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. Malcolm, of whose life nothing is known. + +3. Euphemia, who married Walter de Moravia, Lord of Duffus from +1224 to 1262. + +4. Christina, who married Olave the Red, King of Man, with issue. + +Farquhar was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. WILLIAM O'BEOLAN, EARL OF ROSS. He obtained Skye and +Lewis from Alexander III. and died at Earles Allane in 1274. He +married Joan daughter of the first Red Comyn, who died in 1273, +and sister of John, the Black Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Earl +of Buchan, who married Marjory, sister of King John Baliol, with +issue - the Red Comyn, who was killed by Robert the Bruce in the +Church of Dumfries in 1306. Another sister of the Countess of +Ross was married to John Macdougall, Lord of Lorn, on record in 1251, +usually styled "King Eoin or Ewin." By his wife Earl William +had issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. Dorothea, who married her cousin, Torquil Macleod II. of Lewis, +with issue. + +He was succeeded by his only son, + +III. WILLIAM O'BEOLAN, EARL OF ROSS, who fought alternately +with Edward I. and Robert the Bruce, and was imprisoned in London +1296-97. In 1306 he delivered up to the English King, Robert +Bruce's Queen, Isabella, his daughter Marjory, his sister Mary, +the brave Countess of Buchan, and other ladies of distinction, who +bad for a time found shelter and protection in the Sanctuary of +St. Duthus, at Tain, from the English oppressors of their country. +In 1309 he obtained a new grant of his lands. By his wife, one of +the Grahams of Montrose, he had issue - + +1. Hugh, his heir and successor. + +2. Sir John, who married his second cousin, Margaret, daughter of +Alexander, Earl of Buchan. + +3. Isabella, who married Edward Bruce, Earl of Carrick, brother +of King Robert the Bruce. + +4. A daughter who, as her second husband, married Malise, Earl of +Stratherne, with issue - four daughters, the eldest of whom married +William St. Clair, Baron of Roslin, whose son Henry afterwards +succeeded in right of his mother to the earldom of Stratherne. + +He died at Delny, in Easter Ross, in 1323, and was succeeded by +his eldest son, IV. HUGH O'BEOLAN, EARL OF ROSS. He received +charters, of Strathglass and of the Isle of Skye. He married first, +in 1308, Maud or Matilda, sister of King Robert the Bruce, with +issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. Hugh Ross of Rarichies, from whom the Old Rosses of Balnagown, +of whom the last representative in the male line was the late +George Ross of Pitcalnie. This Hugh obtained the lands of Philorth +in Aberdeen-shire, and between 1362 and 1372 he exchanged them with +his brother, Earl Hugh, for the lands of North Argyle, including +the Castle of Ellandonnan. The territories exchanged included +Strathglass, Kintail, and other lands in Wester Ross. + +3. Janet, who married, first, Monimusk of Monimusk and, secondly, +Sir Alexander Murray of Abercairny. + +4. Euphemia or Eupham, who married, first, Randolph, Earl of Moray, +who was killed at the battle of Durham, and secondly, her cousin, +King Robert II., grandson of Robert the Bruce and first of the +Stuart dynasty. This marriage being within the prohibited degrees +of consanguinity a special dispensation was obtained from Pope +Innocent VI. for its celebration in 1355. She died in 1372. + +Earl Hugh married, secondly, also by dispensation from the Pope, +in 1329, Margaret, daughter of Sir David de Graham. + +The Earl was killed at the battle of Halidon Hill in 1333, when he +was succeeded by his eldest son, V. WILLIAM O'BEOLAN, EARL OF +ROSS AND LORD OF SKYE, banished to Norway for some serious +offence, but in 1336 he is found in actual possession of the +earldom. He was afterwards Justiciar of Scotland, and in a charter +of 1374 he is designated "frater Regis," or the King's brother, no +doubt from the fact that his sister Euphemla was the wife of +Robert II. He rebuilt the Abbey of Fearn, and married his cousin +Isobel, daughter of Malise, Earl of Stratherne, Orkney, and +Caithness, with issue - + +1. William, who died before his father + +2. Euphemia, who became Countess of Ross in her own right on the +death of her father. + +3. Johanna, who, in 1375, married Sir Alexander Fraser, Lord of +Cowie and Durris, ancestor of the Frasers of Philorth and Pitsligo, +now represented by Lord Saltoun. Johanna first carried the lands +of Philorth to that family. She has a charter in 1370. + +William died on the 9th of February, 1372, without surviving male +issue, when he was succeeded by his eldest daughter, + +VI. EUPHEMIA O'BEOLAN, COUNTESS OF ROSS in her own right. +She married first, by dispensation, dated 1367, Sir Walter Leslie, +son of Sir Andrew Leslie, who in right of his wife became Earl of +Ross. They have a charter of the earldom of Ross and of the lands +of Skye dated 1370, two years before Earl William's death, in their +own favour and that of their heirs male and female in reversion. +Her first husband predeceased her in 1382, whereupon she married, +secondly, Alexander, Earl of Buchan, better known in history as +"The Wolf of Badenoch." He died, without issue, in 1394. She died +Abbess of Elcho in 1398, and was buried in Fortrose Cathredral. By +Sir Walter Leslie she had issue - + +1. Sir Alexander Leslie, who became Earl of Ross in right of his +mother. + +2. Margaret Leslie, who married Donald, second Lord of the Isles, +who in her right, after fighting the battle of Harlaw, succeeded to +the earldom of Ross, and carried it to a new family, the Macdonald +Lords of the isles. + +When the Countess Euphemia died, in 1398, she was succeeded by +her only son, + +VII. SIR ALEXANDER LESLIE, EARL OF ROSS, who married Isabella, +daughter of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, Governor of Scotland, +and by her had issue an only daughter, Lady Euphemia, or Mary, who +became a nun, and resigned the earldom in favour of her maternal +uncle, John, Earl of Buchan. Donald, Lord of the Isles, who married +her father's sister, Margaret, disputed Euphemia's right to put the +earldom past her aunt, and the battle of Harlaw was fought in 1411 +to decide the issue, which, as already stated, turned, so far as the +possession of the great earldom was concerned, in favour of the Lord +of the Isles, since known as Donald of Harlaw. From this point the +history of the earldom falls properly to be dealt with and is given +at length in 'The History of the Macdonalds and Lords of the Isles.' +But thus far it cannot fail to be extremely interesting to all the +members of the clan Mackenzie, whether they believe in the +Gillanders and O'Beolans or in the Fitzgeralds as the progenitors of +the race; for in any case the clan was in its earlier annals closely +allied with the O'Beolan Earls of Ross by descent and marriage. + +It has been established that Gillanders and O'Beolan were the names +of the ancient and original Earls of Ross, and they continued to be +represented in the male line by the Old Rosses of Balnagowan down +to the end of the eighteenth century, when the last heir male of +that family, finding that the entail ended with himself, sold the +estates to General Ross, brother of Lord Ross of Hawkhead, who, +although possessing the same name, was of a different family +and origin. It will, it is believed, be now admitted with equal +certainty that the Rosses and the Mackenzies are descended from +the same progenitor, Beolan or Gilleoin na h'Airde, the undoubted +common ancestor of the old Earls of Ross, the Gillanders, and the +Rosses. The various steps in the earliest portion of the genealogy +connecting the Mackenzies with the common ancestor will be given +with the same detail as that of the Rosses, and it will be stated +with sufficient accuracy to justify the conclusions at which, in +common with Dr Skene and all the best authorities on the subject, +we have arrived. The genealogy of the Clan Andres or Rosses in +the manuscript of 1467, is as follows: + +"Pol ic Tire, ic Eogan, ic Muiredaigh, ic Poil, ic Gilleanrias, +ic Martain, ic Poil, ic Cainig, ic Cranin, ic Eogan, ic Cainic, +ic Cranin, McGilleoin na h'Airde, ic Eirc, ic Loirn, ic Fearchar, +Mc Cormac, ic Abertaig, ic Feradaig." + +Dr Skene's translation - + +"Paul son of Tire, son of Ewen, son of Murdoch, son of Paul, son +of Gillanrias, son of Martin, son of Paul, son of Kenneth, son of +Crinan, son of Ewen, son of Kenneth, son of Crinan, son of Gilleoin +of the Aird, son of Erc, son of Lorn, son of Ferchar, son of +Cormac, son of Oirbeirtaigh, son of Feradach." + +The Mackenzie genealogy in the same MS. is - + +"Muiread ic Cainig, Mc Eoin, ic Cainig, ic Aengusa, ic Cristin, +ic Agam, Mc Gilleoin Qig, ic Gilleon na h'Aird." + +Skene's translation follows - + +"Murdoch son of Kenneth, son of John, son of Kenneth, son of Angus, +son of Cristin, son of Adam, son of Gilleoin Og, son of Gilleoin +of the Aird." + +Skene makes an important correction on this genealogy in his +later work, 'Celtic Scotland,' Vol. III., p. 485, by substituting +Cainig - Kenneth, for Agam - Adam, in his original reading. In +this form the genealogy of 1467 corresponds exactly, so far as it +goes, with that given by MacVuirich in the Black Book of Clanranald. +In 1222 "Gilchrist filius Kinedi," Gillecriosd son of Kenneth, is +on record as a follower of MacWilliam. Cristean is the ordinary +Gaelic form of Christopher, otherwise Gilchrist, or Gillecriosd. +There is thus no doubt that the "Cristin" of the Gaelic genealogy +is the same name as Gillecriosd, Gilchrist, and Christopher. + +In the MacVuirich manuscript, however, several names are given +between Gilleoin Og and Gilleoin na h'Airde which are absent from +the manuscript of 1467; for while we have thirteen generations in +the Clan Anrias or Ross genealogy in the latter between Paul Mac +Tire and Gilleoin of the Aird, we have only eight in the Mackenzie +genealogy between Murdoch of the Cave, who was contemporary with +Mac Tire, and their common ancestor Gilleoin of the Aird, or +Beolan. In the MacVuirich manuscript there are fifteen generations, +translated thus - + +"Murdoch son of Kenneth, son of John, son of Kenneth, son of Angus +'crom,' or the hump-backed, son of Kenneth, son of Gilleoin Og, +son of Gilleoin Mor, or the Great, son of Murdoch, son of Duncan, +son of Murdoch, son of Duncan, son of Murdoch, son of Kenneth, +son of Cristin, or Christopher, son of Gilleoin of the Aird." + +The genealogies of the three families as brought out by these +manuscripts, are shown in the following table:-- + + + + GILLEOIN OF THE AIRD. + | + +------------------------------+------------------+ + |CLAN ANRIAS. | MACKENZIES. | + +------------------------------+------------------+ + | Crinan | Cristin | + | Kenneth | Kenneth | + | Ewen | Murdoch | + | Crinan | Duncan | + | Kenneth | Murdoch | + | Paul | Duncan | + | Martin | Murdoch | + | Gillanrias | Gilleoin Mor | + +---------|--------------------| Gilleoin Og | + | | Kenneth | ++-------------------+------------------+ | Angus Crom | +| EARLS OF ROSS | ROSSES | | Kenneth | ++-------------------+------------------+ | John | +| The Priest-"An | Paul | | Kenneth | +| Sagart" | Murdoch | | Murdoch of the | +| I. Ferquhard "Mac | Ewen | | Cave who died | +| an t'Sagairt" | Tire | | in 1375 | +| II. William | Paul Mac Tire | +------------------+ +| III. William | who has a | +| IV. Hugh | charter of the | +| V. William who | lands of | +| died in 1372 | Garloch from | +| | the Earl of | +| | Ross in 1366, | +| | confirmed in | +| | 1372. | ++-------------------+------------------+ + +There would seem to be no doubt that "Tire" or Tyre, stands here +and elsewhere for "An t'Oighre," or the Heir, and Paul "Mac Tire" +for Pol " Mac-an-Oighre," or Son of the Heir. It will be observed +that Colin does not appear once in these early genealogies, and it +has been already pointed out that no trace of it is found anywhere +as a family name until the middle of the sixteenth century, when +it was introduced by the marriage of one of the Mackenzie chiefs +to a daughter of the Earl of Atholl, whose mother was Lady Mary +Campbell, and who, calling her second son after her own uncle +Colin, third Earl of Argyll, for the first time brought that name +into the family genealogy of Kintail. + +It will also be seen as we proceed, although the Earls of Ross were +superiors of the lands of Kintail as part of the earldom, and that +it was therefore impossible that Colin Fitzgerald or any other person +than those earls could have had a gift of it from the Crown, that +the Mackenzies occupied the lands and the castle, not as immediate +vassals; of the King, but of their own near relatives, the O'Beolan +Earls of Ross and their successors, for at least two hundred years +before the Mackenzies received a grant of it for themselves direct +from the Crown. This is proved beyond dispute by genuine historical +documents. Until within a few years of the final forfeiture of +the Lords of the Isles in 1476, the Mackenzies undoubtedly held +their lands, first from the O'Beolan Earls and subsequently from +the Island Lords as Earls of Ross; for the first direct Crown +charter to any chief of Kintail of which we have authentic record, +is one dated the 7th of January, 1463, in favour of Alexander +"Ionraic," the sixth Baron. + +To show the intimate relations which existed between the original +Earls of Ross and the ancestor of the Mackenzies, a quotation +may be given from a manuscript history of the clan written by Dr +George Mackenzie, nephew of Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth, +in the seventeenth century. Although he is a supporter of the +Fitzgerald origin, he is forced to say that, "at the same time +(1267) William, Earl of Ross, laying a claim of superiority over +the Western Isles, thought this a fit opportunity to seize the +Castle of Ellandonnan. He sent a messenger to his Kintail men to +send their young chieftain to him as being his nearest kinsman by +marriage with his aunt." He then goes on to say, that Kenneth, +not Colin, was joined by the MacIvers, Macaulays, MacBeolans, and +Clan Tarlichs, "the ancient inhabitants of Kintail," and refused to +surrender, when "the Earl of Ross attacked them and was beaten." +Had there been no previous kinship between the two families - and +no one will now attempt with any show of reason to maintain +that there was not - this marriage of William, the second Earl, to +Kenneth's aunt would have made the youthful Kenneth, ancestor of +the Mackenzies, first cousin, on the maternal side, to William +O'Beolan, the third Earl of that line, whose wife and therefore +Kintail's aunt, was Joan, sister of John, the Black Comyn, Lord +of Badenoch. It has further been proved to a demonstration, and +it is now admitted by all the best authorities, that the O'Beolan +Earls of Ross were descended from Gilleoin na h' Airde; and so are +the Mackenzies, who from the first formed an integral and most +important part of the ancient powerful native Gaelic tribes of +which the Earls of Ross were the chiefs. + +It has been shown that Kenneth, from whom the Mackenzies take +their name, was closely allied by marriage with William, second +Earl of Ross, the latter having married Kenneth's maternal aunt. +This fact by itself would be sufficient to establish the high +position, which even at that early period, was occupied by Kenneth, +who was already very closely connected with the O'Beolan Earls of +Ross by blood and marriage. + +Kenneth himself married Morna or Morba, daughter of Alexander +Macdougall, styled, "De Ergedia," Lord of Lorn by a daughter +of John, the first Red Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, who died in 1273. +Kenneth's wife was thus a sister of John, the Black Comyn, who +died about 1299, having married Marjory, daughter of John Baliol, +by whom he had John, the second Red Comyn, one of the competitors +for the Scottish Crown, killed by Robert the Bruce in the Church +of Dumfries in 1306. Kenneth's issue by Morna or Morba of Lorn was +John Mackenzie, II. of Kintail, who was thus, through his mother, +third In descent from John, the first Red Comyn, who died in 1273, +and sixth from the great Somerled of the Isles, Thane of Argyle, +progenitor of the Macdougalls of Lorn and of all the Macdonalds, +who died in 1164. + +John made even a more illustrious alliance than his father, by +which at that early date he introduced the Royal blood of Scotland +and England into the family of Kintail. He married his relative, +Margaret, sister of David, twelfth Earl of Atholl, slain in 1335, +and daughter of David, the eleventh Earl, who died in 1327 (whose +estates were forfeited by Edward I.), by Joan Comyn (died 1323), +daughter of the Red Comyn killed by Robert the Bruce, and great +granddaughter of John Baliol. Margaret's father, David, eleventh +Earl of Atholl who died in 1327, was the oldest son of John de +Strathbogie, tenth Earl, hanged by Edward I. Earl John's mother +was the Countess Isabel de Dover, who died at a very old age in +1292, daughter of Richard Fitzroy de Chillam (died 1216), a natural +son of King John of England. + +Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of Kintail, the issue of this marriage, was +sixth in descent from John Baliol of the Royal line of Scotland +and sixth from King John of England. + +The Norwegian blood of the Kings of Man was brought into the family +by the marriage of this Kenneth to Finguala, daughter of Torquil +Macleod, I. of Lewis, who was the grandson of Olave the Black, +Norwegian King of Man, who died about 1237, by his wife Christina, +daughter of Ferquhard "Mac an t'Sagairt," first O'Beolan Earl of +Ross. + +The Royal blood of the Bruce was introduced by the marriage of +Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Kintail, to Finguala, daughter of Malcolm +Macleod, III. of Harris (who has a charter in 1343), by Martha, +daughter of David, twelfth Earl of Mar, son of Gratney, eleventh +Earl (whose sister Isabel married Robert the Bruce) by his wife +Christina, daughter of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, and sister +of King Robert the Bruce. + +The Plantaganet blood-royal of England was introduced later by the +marriage of Kenneth Mackenzie, X. of Kintail, to Lady Elizabeth +Stewart, daughter of John, second Earl of Atholl, fourth in descent +from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son of Edward III., and +father of Henry IV. of England, and this strain was strengthened and +continued by the marriage of Kenneth's son, Colin Cam Mackenzie, +XI. of Kintail, to his cousin Barbara, daughter of John Grant of +Grant by Lady Marjory Stewart, daughter of John, third Earl of +Atholl. It scarcely needs to be pointed out that, through these +inter-marriages, the Mackenzies are also descended from the +ancient Celtic MacAlpine line of Scottish Kings, from the original +Anglo-Saxon Kings of England, and from the oldest Scandinavian, +Charlemagne, and Capetian lines, as far back as the beginning of +the ninth century. + +The origin of the O'Beolan Earls of Ross and the Mackenzies from +the same source is strikingly illustrated by their inter-marriages +into the same families and with each other's kindred. Both the +O'Beolans and the Mackenzies made alliances with the Comyns of +Badenoch, with the MacDougalls of Lorn, and subsequently with the +Macleods of Lewis and Harris, thus forming a network of cousinship +which ultimately included all the leading families in the Highlands, +every one of which, through these alliances, have the Royal blood +of all the English, Scottish, and Scandinavian Kings, and many of +the earlier foreign monarchs, coursing in their veins. + +Surely this is a sufficiently ancient and illustrious origin and +much more satisfactory to every patriotic clansman than an Irish +adventurer like the reputed Colin Fitzgerald, who, if he ever +existed, had not and never could have had any connection with the +real origin of the Mackenzies, which was as purely native of the +Highlands as it was possible for any Scoto-Celtic family in those +days to be. The various genealogical steps and marriage alliances +already referred to will be confirmed in each individual case as +we proceed with the succession and history of the respective chiefs +of the family, beginning with the first of the line, + + +I. KENNETH, OR COINNEACH, + + +Who gave his name to the clan. His is the fourth ascending name +in the manuscript genealogy of 1467, which begins with Murdoch +of the Cave. Murdoch died in 1375, and was thus almost +contemporaneous with the author of the Gaelic genealogy, which, +translated, proceeds up to this Kenneth as follows: Murdoch, son +of Kenneth, son of John, son of Kenneth, and so on, as already +given at page 39 to Gilleoin of the Aird. + +At this interesting stage it may be well to explain how the name +Mackenzie came to be pronounced and written as it now is. John, +the son of this Kenneth, would be called in the original native +Gaelic, "Ian Mac Choinnich," John, son of Kenneth. In that form +it was unpronounceable to those unacquainted with the native tongue. +The nearest approach the foreigner could get to its correct +enunciation would be Mac Coinni or Mac Kenny, which ultimately came +to be spelt Mac Kenzie, Z in those days having exactly the same +value and sound as the letter V; and the name, although spelt +with a Z instead of a Y would be pronounced Mac Kenny, as indeed +we pronounce in our own day, in Scotland, such names as Menzies, +Macfadzean, and several others, as if they were still written with +the letter Y. The two letters being thus of the same value, after +a time came to be used indiscriminately in the word Kenny or +Kenzie, and the letter z having subsequently acquired a different +value and sound of its own, more allied to the letter S than to the +original Y, the name is pronounced as if it were written Mackensie. + +Kenneth was the son and heir of Angus, the direct representative +of a long line of ancestors up to Gilleoin na li'Airde, the common +progenitor of the O'Beolan Earls of Ross, the Clann Ghille-Andrais, +who about the end of the fourteenth century called themselves +Rosses, and of the Mackenzies. The close connection by blood and +marriage between the O'Beolan Earls of Ross and Kenneth's family +before and after this period has been already shown, but the ancient +ties of friendship had at this time become somewhat strained. +Kenneth succeeded to the government of Ellandonnan Castle, which +was garrisoned by his friends and supporters, the Macraes and the +Maclennans, who, even at that early date in large numbers occupied +Kintail. Kenneth, in fact, was Governor of the Castle, and was +otherwise becoming so powerful that his superior, the Earl, was +getting very jealous of him. + +At this time the first Earl William laid claim to the superiority +of the Western Isles, which he and his father, Ferchair +Mac an t'Sagairt; were chiefly instrumental, among the followers +of Alexander III., in wresting from the Norwegians, and he was +naturally desirous to have the government of Ellandonnan Castle +in his own hands, or under the charge of some one less ambitious +than Kenneth, and on whom he could implicitly rely. Kenneth +was advancing rapidly both in power and influence among his more +immediate neighbours, who were mainly composed of the ancient +inhabitants of the district, the Mac Beolains, who occupied +Glenshiel and the south side of Loch Duich as far as Kylerhea; the +Mac Ivors, who inhabited Glen Lichd, the Cro of Kintail, and the +north side of Loch Duich; while the Mac Tearlichs, now calling +themselves Mac Erlichs or Charlesons, occupied Glenelchaig. +These aboriginal natives naturally supported Kenneth, who was one +of themselves, against the claims of his superior, the Earl, who +though a pure Highland Celt was less known in Kintail than the +Governor of the Castle. This only made the Earl more determined +than ever to obtain possession of the stronghold, and he peremptorily +requested the garrison to surrender it and Kenneth to him at once. +The demand was promptly refused; and finding that the Governor +was resolved to hold it at all hazards the Earl sent a strong +detachment to take it by storm. + +Kenneth was readily joined by the surrounding tribes, among whom +were, along with those whose names have been already given, the +brave Macaulays of Lochbroom, who were distantly related to him. +By the aid of these reinforcements Kenneth was able to withstand +a desperate and gallant onset by the Earl and his followers, who +were defeated and driven back with great slaughter. This +exasperated the enemy so much that he soon after returned to the +charge with a largely increased force, at the same time threatening +the young governor with the utmost vengeance and final extirpation +unless he immediately capitulated. But before the Earl was able to +carry his threats into execution, be was overtaken by a severe +illness of which he very soon after died, in 1274. His son, the +second Earl William, did not persevere in his father's policy +against Kintail, and it was not long before his attention was +diverted into another channel. On the death of Alexander III., in +1286, the affairs of the nation became confused and distracted. +This was rather an advantage to Kenneth than otherwise, for, in the +general disorder which followed he was able to strengthen his +position among the surrounding tribes. Through a combination +of native prudence, personal popularity, and a growing power and +influence heightened by the eclat of his having so recently defeated +the powerful Earl of Ross, he succeeded in maintaining good order +in his own district, while his increasing influence was felt over +most of the Western Isles. + +Kenneth married Morna or Morba, daughter of Alexander Macdougall +of Lorn, "de Ergedia," by a daughter of John the first Red Comyn, +and sister of John the Black Comyn, Earl of Badenoch. He died +in 1304 and was buried in Icolmkill, when he was succeeded by his +only son, + + +II. JOHN MAC KENNETH, OR MAC KENZIE, + + +The first of the race called Mac Kenny or Mac Kenzie. Dr George +Mackenzie, already quoted, says that "the name Coinneach is common +to the Pictish and Scottish Gael," and that "Mackenzie, Baron of +Kintail, attached himself to the fortunes of the heroic Robert the +Bruce, notwithstanding MacDougall's (his father-in-law) tenacious +adherence to the cause of Baliol, as is believed, in resentment +for the murder of his cousin, the Red Comyn, at Dumfries"; while +the Earl of Cromartie says that he "not only sided with Robert +Bruce in his contest with the Cumins but that he was one of those +who sheltered him in his lurking and assisted him in his restitution; +'for in the Isles,' says Boethius 'he had supply from a friend; +and yet Donald of the Isles, who then commanded them, was on the +Cumin's side, and raised the Isles to their assistance, and was +beat at Deer by Edward Bruce, anno 1308.'" All this is indeed +highly probable. + +After Bruce left the Island of Rachrin he was for a considerable +time lost sight of, many believing that he had perished during his +wanderings, from the great hardships which he necessarily endured +in his ultimately successful attempts to escape the vigilant +efforts and search of his enemies. That Bruce found shelter in +Ellandonnan Castle and was there protected for a considerable time +by the Baron of Kintail - until he found opportunity again to take +the field against his enemies - has ever since been the unbroken +tradition in the Highlands, and it has always been handed down +from one generation to another as a proud incident in the history +of the clan. The Laird of Applecross, who wrote his manuscript +history of the Mackenzies in 1669, follows the earlier family +historians. He says that this Baron of Kintail "did own the +other party, and was one of those who sheltered the Bruce, and +assisted in his recovery. I shall not say he was the only one, +but this stands for that assertion that all who were considerable +in the Hills and Isles were enemies to the Bruce, and so cannot be +presumed to be his friends. The Earl of Ross did most unhandsomely +and unhumanly apprehend his lady at Tain and delivered her to the +English, anno 1305. Donald of the Isles, or Rotholl, or rather +Ronald, with all the Hebrides, armed against the Bruce and were +beat by Edward Bruce in Buchan, anno 1308. Alexander of Argyll +partied (sided with) the Baliol; his country, therefore, was wasted +by Bruce, anno 1304, and himself taken by him, 1309. Macdougall +of Lorn fought against the Bruce, and took him prisoner, from whom +he notably escaped, so that there is none in the district left +so considerable as this chief (Mackenzie) who had an immediate +dependence on the Royal family and had this strong fort, which was +never commanded by the Bruce's enemies, either English or Scots; +and that his shelter and assistance was from a remote place and +friend is evident from all our stories. But all their neighbours +being stated on a different side from the Mackenzies engendered a +feud betwixt him and them, especially with the Earl of Ross and +Donald of the Isles, which never ended but with the end of the +Earl of Ross and lowering of the Lord of the Isles." That this +is true will be placed beyond question as we proceed. + +It may, indeed, be assumed from subsequent events in the history +of these powerful families and the united testimony of all the +genealogists of the Mackenzies, that the chief of Kintail did +befriend Robert the Bruce against his enemies and protected him +in his castle of Ellandonnan, in spite of the commands of his +immediate superior, the Earl of Ross, and the united power of all +the other great families of the Western Isles and Argyle. And in +his independent stand at this important period in the history of +Scotland will be found the true grounds of the local rancour which +afterwards prevailed between Mackenzie and the Island Lord, and +which only terminated in the collapse of the Earls of Ross and +the Lords of the Isles, upon the ruins of which, as a reward for +proved loyalty to the reigning monarch, and as the result of the +characteristic prudence of the race of MacKenneth, the House of +Kintail gradually rose in power, subsequently absorbed the ancient +inheritance of all the original possessors of the district, and +ultimately extended their influence more widely over the whole +provinces of Wester and Central Ross. + +The genealogists further say that this chief waited on the King +during his visit to Inverness in 1312. [The MS. histories of the +Mackenzies give the date of Robert Bruce's visit to Inverness as +1307, but from a copy of the "Annual of Norway," at the negotiation +and arrangement of which "the eminent Prince, Lord Robert, by the +like grace, noble King of Scors (attended) personally on the other +part," it will be seen that the date of the visit was 1312. - See +'Invernessiana,' by Charles Fraser-Mackintosh, F,S.A. Scot., pp. +36-40.] This may now be accepted as correct, as also that he +fought at the head of his followers at the battle of Inverury, +where Bruce defeated Mowbray and the Comyn in 1303. After this +important engagement, according to Fenton, "all the nobles, barons, +towns, cities, garrisons, and castles north of the Grampians submitted +to Robert the Bruce," when, with good reason, the second chief of +Clan Kenneth was further confirmed in the favour of his sovereign, +and in the government of Ellandonnan. + +The Lord of the Isles had in the meantime, after his capture in +Argyle, died while confined in Dundonald Castle, when his brother +and successor, Angus Og, declared for Bruce. Argyll and Lorn left, +or were driven out of the country, and took up their residence +in England. With Angus Og of the Isles now on the side of Bruce, +and the territories of Argyll and Lorn at his mercy in the absence +of their respective chiefs, it was an easy matter for the King, +during the varied fortunes of his heroic struggle, defending +Scotland from the English, to draw largely upon the resources of +the West Highlands and Isles, flow unmolested, particularly after +the surprise at Perth in the winter of 1312, and the reduction of +all the strongholds in Scotland - except Stirling, Berwick, and +Dunbar - during the ensuing summer. The decisive blow, however, yet +to be struck by which the independence and liberties of Scotland +were to be for ever established and confirmed, and the time was +drawing nigh when every nerve would have to be strained for a final +effort to clear it, once for all, of the bated followers of the +tyrant Edwards, roll them back before an impetuous wave of Scottish +valour, and for ever put an end to England's claim to tyrannise +over a free-born people whom it was found impossible to crush or +cow. Nor, in the words of the Bennetsfield manuscript, "will we +affect a morbid indifference to the fact that on the 24th of June, +1314, Bruce's heroic band of thirty thousand warriors on the +glorious field of Bannockburn contained above ten thousand Western +Highlanders and men of the Isles," under Angus Og of the Isles, +Mackenzie of Kintail (who led five hundred of his vassals), and +other chiefs of the mainland, of whom Major specially says, that +"they made an incredible slaughter of their enemies, slaying heaps +of them around wherever they went, and running upon them with +their broadswords and daggers like wild bears without any regard +to their own lives." Alluding to the same event, Barbour says - + +Angus of the Is'es and Bute alsae, +And of the plain lands he had mae +Of armed men a noble route, +His battle stalwart was and stout. + +General Stewart of Garth, in a footnote, 'Sketches of the +Highlanders,' says that the eighteen Highland chiefs who fought at +Bannockburn were - Mackay, Mackintosh, Macpherson, Cameron, Sinclair, +Campbell, Menzies, Maclean, Sutherland, Robertson, Grant, Fraser, +Macfarlane, Ross, Macgregor, Munro, Mackenzie, and Macquarrie and +that "Cumming, Macdougall of Lorn, Macnab, and a few others were +unfortunately in opposition to Bruce, and suffered accordingly." In +due time the Western chiefs returned home, where on their arrival, +many of them found local feuds still smouldering - encouraged by the +absence of the natural protectors of the people - amidst the +surrounding blaze. John lived peaceably at home during the remainder +of his days. He married Margaret, daughter of David de Strathbogie, +XIth Earl of Atholl, by Joan, daughter of John, the Red Comyn, last +Earl of Badenoch, killed by Robert the Bruce in 1306. He died in +1328, and was succeeded by his only son, + + +III. KENNETH MACKENZIE, + + +Commonly called Coinneach na Sroine, or Kenneth of the Nose, from +the size of that organ. Very little is known of this chief. But +he does not appear to have been long in possession when he found +himself serious trouble and unable to cope successfully with the +Earl of Ross, who made determined efforts to re-establish the +original position of his house over the Barons of Kintail. Wyntoun +says that in 1331, Randolph, Earl of Moray, nephew of Robert the +Bruce, and at that time Warden of Scotland, sent his Crowner to +Ellandonnan, with orders to prepare the castle for his reception +and to arrest all "misdoaris" in the district, fifty of whom the +Crowner beheaded, and, according to the barbarous practice of even +much later times, exposed their heads for the edification of the +surrounding lieges high upon the castle walls. Randolph himself +soon after arrived and, says the same chronicler, was "right +blithe" to see the goodly show of heads "that flowered so weel +that wall" - a ghastly warning to all treacherous or plundering +"misdoaris." From what occurred on this occasion it is obvious +that Kenneth either did not attempt or was not able to govern +his people with a firm hand and to keep the district free from +plunderers and lawlessness. + +It is undoubted that at this time the Earl of Ross succeeded in +gaining a considerable hold in the district over which he had all +along claimed superiority; for in 1342 William, the fifth and last +O'Beolan Earl, is on record as granting a charter of the whole +ten davochs of Kintail to Reginald, son of Roderick of the Isles. +The charter was granted and dated at the Castle of Urquhart, +witnessed by the bishops of Ross and Moray, and confirmed by David +II. in 1344. ['Invernessiana,' p.56.] From all this it may fairly +be assumed that the line of Mac Kenneth was not far from the +breaking point during the reign of Kenneth of the Nose. + +Some followers of the Earl of Ross about this time made a raid +to the district of Kenlochewe and carried away a great herschip. +Mackenzie pursued them, recovered a considerable portion of the +spoil, and killed many of the raiders. The Earl of Ross was greatly +incensed at Kenneth's conduct in this affair, and he determined +to have him apprehended and suitably punished for the murders and +other excesses committed by him. + +In this he ultimately succeeded. Mackenzie was captured, chiefly +through the instrumentality of Leod Mac Gilleandrais - a desperate +character, and a vassal and relative of the Earl - and executed +at Inverness in 1346, when the lands of Kenlochewe, previously +possessed by Kintail, were given to Mac Gilleandrais as a reward +for Mackenzie's capture. + +On this point the author of the Ardintoul manuscript says, that +the lands of Kenlochewe were held by Kenneth Mackenzie "and his +predecessors by tack, but not as heritage, for they had no real or +heritable right of them until Alexander of Kintail got heritable +possession of them from John, Earl of Ross," at a much later date. +Ellandonnan Castle, however, held out during the whole of this +disturbed and distracted period, and until Kenneth's heir, who +at his father's death was a mere boy, came of age, when he fully +avenged the death of his father, and succeeded to the inheritance +of his ancestors. The garrison meanwhile maintained themselves +on the spoil of the enemy. The brave defenders of the castle were +able to hold their own throughout and afterwards to hand over the +stronghold to their chief when he arrived at a proper age and +returned home. + +The Earl of Cromarty, who gives a very similar account of this +period, concludes his notice of Kenneth in these terms - "Murdered +thus, his estate was possessed by the oppressor's followers; but +Island Donain keeped still out, maintaining themselves on the spoyle +of the enemie. All being trod under by insolince and oppression, +right had no place. This was during David Bruce's imprisonment +in England," when chaos and disorder ruled supreme, at least in +the Highlands. + +Kenneth married Finguala, or Florence, daughter of Torquil Macleod, +II. of Lewis, by his wife Dorothea, daughter of William, second +O'Beolan Earl of Ross by his wife, Joan, daughter of John the first +Red Comyn, and sister of John the Black Comyn, Lord of Badenoch +and Earl of Buchan, with issue, an only son, + + +IV. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, + +Usually called "Murchadh Dubh na h' Uagh," or Black Murdoch of the +Cave, from his habits of life, which shall be described presently. + +Murdoch was very young when his father was executed at Inverness. +During Kenneth's absence on that occasion, and for some time +afterwards, Duncan Macaulay, a great friend, who then owned the +district of Lochbroom, had charge of Ellandonnan Castle. The +Earl of Ross was determined to secure possession of Murdoch, as he +previously did of his father, and Macaulay becoming apprehensive +as to his safety sent him, then quite young, accompanied by his +own son, for protection to Mackenzie's relative, Macdougall of +Lorn. While here the Earl of Ross succeeded in capturing young +Macaulay, and in revenge for his father's gallant defence at +Ellandonnan during Kenneth's absence, and more recently against +his own futile attempts to take that stronghold, he put Macaulay +to death, whereupon Murdoch, who barely escaped with his life, +left Lorn and sought the protection of his uncle, Macleod of Lewis. + +The actual murderer of Macaulay was the same desperate character, +Leod Macgilleandrais, a vassal of the Earl of Ross, who had in +1346 been mainly instrumental in the capture and consequent death +of Mackenzie's father at Inverness. The Earl of Cromarty describes +the assassin as "a depender of the Earl of Ross, and possessed +of several lands in Strathcarron (of Easter Ross) and some in +Strathoykell." When he killed Macaulay, Leod possessed himself +of his lands of Lochbroom and Coigach "whereby that family ended." +Macaulay's estates should have gone to Mackenzie in right of his +wife, Macaulay's daughter, but "holding of the Earl of Ross, the +earl disponed the samen in lyfrent by tack to Leod, albeit Murdo +Mackenzie acclaimed it in right of his wyfe." + +Leod kept possession of Kenlochewe, which, lying as it did, exactly +between Kintail and Lochbroom, he found most convenient as a centre +of operations against both, and he repeatedly took advantage of it, +though invariably without success so far at least as his main object +was concerned - to get possession of the stronghold of Ellandonnan. +On the other hand, the brave garrison of the castle made several +desperate reprisals under their heroic commander, Macaulay, and +held out in spite of all the attempts made to subdue them, until +the restoration of David II., by which time Murdoch Mackenzie had +grown up a brave and intrepid youth, approaching majority. + +The author of the Ardintoul MS. informs us that he was called Murdo +of the Cave; being perhaps not well tutored, he preferred sporting +and hunting in the hills and forests to going to the Ward School, +where the ward children, or the heirs of those who held their lands +and wards from the King, were wont or bound to go, and he resorted +to the dens and caves about Torridon and Kenlochewe, hoping to +get a hit at Leod Macgilleandrais, who was instrumental, under +the Earl of Ross, to apprehend and cut off his father. In the +meantime Leod hearing of Murdo's resorting to these bounds, that +he was kindly entertained by some of the inhabitants, and fearing +that he would withdraw the services and affections of the people +from himself, and connive some mischief against him for his ill-usage +of his father, he left no means untried to apprehend him, so that +Mackenzie was obliged to start privately to Lochbroom, from whence, +with only one companion, he went to his uncle, Macleod of Lewis, +by whom, after he had revealed himself to him alone, he was well +received, and both of them resolved to conceal his name until a +fit opportunity offered to make known his identity. He, however, +met with a certain man named Gille Riabhach who came to Stornoway +with twelve men, about the same time as himself, and he, in the +strictest confidence, told Gille Riabhach that he was Mackenzie of +Kintail, which secret the latter kept strictly inviolate. Macleod +entertained his nephew, keeping it an absolute secret from others +who he was, that his enemies might think that he was dead, and +so feel the greater security till such time as they would deem it +wise that he should act for himself and make an attempt to rescue +his possessions from Macgilleandrais, who now felt quite secure, +thinking that Mackenzie had perished, having for so long heard +nothing concerning him. When a suitable time arrived his uncle +gave Murdo two of his great galleys, with as many men (six score) +as he desired, to accompany him, his cousin german Macleod, the +Gille Riabhach and his twelve followers, all of whom determined +to seek their fortunes with young Kintail. They embarked at +Stornoway, and securing a favourable wind they soon arrived at +Sanachan, in Kishorn (some say at Poolewe), where they landed, +marched straight towards Kenlochewe, and arrived at a thick wood +near the place where Macgilleandrais had his residence. Mackenzie +commanded his followers to lie down and watch, while he and his +companion, Gille Riabhach, went about in search of intelligence. +He soon found a woman cutting rushes, at the same time lamenting +his own supposed death and Leod Macgillearidrais' succession to +the lands of Kenlochewe in consequence. He at once recognised +her as the woman's sister who nursed or fostered him, drew near, +spoke to her, sounded her, and discovering her unmistakeable +affection for him he felt that he could with perfect safety make +himself known to her. She was overjoyed to find that it was really +he, whose absence and loss she had so intensely and so long +lamented. He then requested her to go and procure him information +of Leod's situation and occupation that night. This she did with +great propriety and discretion. Having satisfied herself, she +returned at the appointed time and assured him that Macgilleandrais +felt perfectly secure, quite unprepared for an attack, and +bad just appointed to meet the adjacent people next morning at a +place called Ath-nan-Ceann (the Ford of the Heads), preparatory +to a hunting match, having instructed those who might arrive before +him to wait his arrival. Mackenzie considered this an excellent +opportunity for punishing Leod. He in good time went to the +ford accompanied by his followers. Those invited by Leod soon +after arrived, and, seeing Mackenzie before them, thought he was +Macgilleandrais with some of his men, but soon discovered their +mistake. Mackenzie killed all those whom he did not recognise as +soon as they appeared. The natives of the place, who were personally +known to him, he pardoned and dismissed. Leod soon turned up, and +seeing such a gathering awaiting him, naturally thought that they +were his own friends, and hastened towards them, but on approaching +nearer he found himself "in the fool's hose." Mackenzie and his +band fell upon them with their swords, and after a slight resistance +Macgilleandrais and his party fled, but they were soon overtaken +at a place called to this day Featha Leoid or Leod's Bog, where +they were all slain, except Leod's son Paul, who was taken prisoner +and kept in captivity for some time, but was afterwards released +upon plighting his faith that he would never again trouble Mackenzie +or resent against him his father's death. Murdoch Mackenzie being +thus re-possessed of Kenlochewe, "gave Leod Macgilleandrais' widow +to Gillereach to wife for his good services and fidelity, whose +posterity live at Kenlochewe and thereabout, and to this day some +of them live there." According to the Cromarty MS., Mackenzie +possessed himself of Lochbroom in right of his wife and disposed +of Coigach to his cousin Macleod, "for his notable assistance in +his distress; which lands they both retained but could obtain no +charters from the Earls of Ross, of whom they held, the Earls of +Ross pretending that they fell to themselves in default of male +heirs, the other retaining possession in right of his wife as heir +of line." + +Paul Macgilleandrais some years after this repaired to the confines +of Sutherland and Caithness, prevailed upon Murdo Riabhach, Kintail's +illegitimate son, to join him, and, according to one authority, +became "a common depredator," while according to another, he became +what was perhaps not inconsistent in those days with the character +of a desperado - a person of considerable state and property. +They often "spoiled" Caithness. The Earl of Cromarty, referring +to this raid, says that Paul "desired to make a spoil on some +neighbouring country, a barbarous custom but most ordinary in those +days, as thinking thereby to acquire the repute of valour and to +become formidable as the greatest security amidst their unhappy +feuds. This, their prentice try or first exhibition, was called +in Irish (Gaelic) `Creach mhacain' the young man's herschip." +Ultimately Murdo Riabhach and Paul's only son were killed by Budge +of Toftingall. Paul was so mortified at the death of his young +depredator son that he gave up building the fortress of Duncreich, +which he was at the time erecting to strengthen still more +his position in the county. He gave his lands of Strathoykel, +Strathcarron, and Westray, with his daughter and heiress in marriage, +to Walter Ross, III. of Balnagown, on which condition he obtained +pardon from the Earl of Ross, the chief and superior of both. + +Mackenzie, after disposing of Macgilleandrais, returned to his +own country, where he was received with open arms by the whole +population of the district. He then married the only daughter of +his gallant friend and defender, Duncan Macaulay - whose only son, +Murdoch, had been killed by Macgilleandrais - and through her his +son ultimately succeeded to the lands of Lochbroom and Coigeach +granted to Macaulay's predecessor by Alexander II. Mackenzie was +now engaged principally in preserving and improving his possessions, +until the return of David II. from England, 1357-8, when Murdoch +laid before the King a complaint against the Earl of Ross for the +murder of his father, and claimed redress but the only satisfaction he +ever obtained was a confirmation of his rights previously granted +by the King to "Murdo filius Kennethi de Kintaill, etc.," dated +"Edinburg 1362, et Regni Domini Regis VI., Testibus Waltero Senescollo +et allis." [MS. History of the Mackenzies.] + +Of Murdoch Dubh's reign, the Laird of Applecross says: "During +this turbulent age, securities and writs, as well as laws, were +little regarded; each man's protection lay in his own strength." +Kintail regularly attended the first Parliament of Robert II., +until it was decreed by that King and his Privy Council that the +services of the "lesser barons" should not be required in future +Parliaments or General Councils. He then returned home, and +spent most of his time in hunting and wild sports, of which he +was devotedly fond, living peaceably and undisturbed during the +remainder of his days. + +This Baron of Kintail took no share in the recent rebellion under the +Lord of the Isles, who, backed by most of the other West Highland +chiefs, attempted to throw off his independence and have himself +proclaimed King of the Isles. The feeble and effeminate Government of +David II., and the evil results consequent thereon throughout the +country, encouraged the island lord in this desperate enterprise, but, +as Tytler says, the King on this occasion, with an unwonted energy of +character, commanded the attendance of the Steward, with the prelates +and barons of the realm, and surrounded by this formidable body of +vassals and retainers, proceeded against the rebels in person." The +expedition proved completely successful, and John of the Isles, with a +numerous train of chieftains who joined him in the rebellion, met the +King at Inverness, and submitted to his authority. He there engaged +in the most solemn manner, for himself and for his vassals, that +they should yield themselves faithful and obedient subjects to +David their liege lord, and not only give due and prompt obedience +to the ministers of the King in suit and service, as well as in +the payment of taxes and public burdens, but that they would coerce +and put down all others, and compel all who dared to rise against +the King's authority to make due submission, or pursue them +from their respective territories." For the fulfilment of these +obligations, the Lord of the Isles not only gave his most solemn +oath before the King and his nobles, on condition of forfeiting his +whole possessions in case of failure, but offered his father-in-law, +the High Steward, in security and delivered his son Donald, his +grandson Angus, and his natural son, also named Donald, as hostages +for the strict performance of the articles of the treaty, which +was duly signed, attested and dated, the 15th November, 1369. [For +a full copy of this instrument, see 'Invernessiana,' pp. 69-70.] + +Fordun says that in order to crush the Highlanders, and the more +easily, as the King thought, to secure obedience to the laws, he +used artifice by dividing the chiefs and promising high rewards +to those who would capture or kill their brother lords; and, that +writer continues "this diabolical plan, by implanting the seeds +of disunion amongst the chiefs, succeeded, and they gradually +destroyed one another." + +Before his marriage Murdoch had three illegitimate sons. One of +them was called Hector or Eachainn Biorach. He acquired the lands +of Drumnamarg by marrying Helen, daughter of Loban or Logan of +Drum-namarg, who, according to the Earl of Cromarty, "was one of the +Earl of Ross's feuars. This superior having an innate enmity with +Kenneth's race, was the cause that this Hector had no peaceable +possession of Drumnamarg, but turning outlaw, retired to Eddirachillis, +where he left a son called Henry, of whom are descended a race yet +possessing there, called Sliochd Ionraic, or Henry's race." The +second bastard was named Dugald Deargshuileach, "from his red +eyes." From him descended John Mackenzie, Commissary-Depute of +Ross, afterwards in Cromarty, Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, minister of +Croy, John Mackenzie, a writer in Edinburgh, and several others +of the name. The third bastard was named Alexander, and from +him descended Clann Mhurchaidh Mhoir in Ledgowan, and many of the +common people who resided in the Braes of Ross. + +Murdoch had another son Murdoch Riach, after his wife's death, +by a daughter of the Laird of Assynt, also illegitimate, although +the Laird of Applecross says that he was "by another wife." This +Murdoch retired to Edderachillis and married a Sutherland woman +there, "where, setting up an independent establishment, he became +formidable in checking the Earl of Ross in his excursions against +his clan, till he was killed by a Caithness man named Budge of +Toftingall. His descendants are still styled Clann Mhuirich, and +among them we trace Daniel Mackenzie, who arrived at the rank of +Colonel in the service of the Statholder, who had a son Barnard, +who was Major in Seaforth's regiment, and killed at the battle of +Auldearn. He too left a son, Barnard, who taught Greek and Latin +for four years at Fortrose, was next ordained by the Bishop of Ross +and presented to the Episcopal Church of Cromarty, where, after +a variety of fortunes, he died, and was buried in the Cathedral +Church of Fortrose. Alexander, eldest son of this last (Barnard), +studied medicine under Boerhave, and retired to practice at Fortrose. +He married Ann, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of Belmaduthy, +purchased the lands of Kinnock, and left a son, Barnard, and two +daughters, Catherine and Ann." [Bennetsfield MS. of the Mackenzies.] + +This was the turbulent and insecure state of affairs throughout the +Kingdom when the chief of Mackenzie was peaceably and quietly +enjoying himself in his Highland home. He died in 1375. [Murdo +became a great favourite latterly with all those with whom he came +in contact. "He fell in company with the Earl of Sutherland, who +became his very good friend afterwards, as that he still resorted +his court. In end (being comely of person and one active young man) +the Earl's lady (who was King Robert the Bruce's young daughter) +fell in conceit of him, and both forgetting the Earl's kindness, +by her persuasion, he got her with child, who she caused name +Dougall," and the earl suspecting nothing amiss "caused bred him +at schools with the rest of his children but Dougall being as +ill-given as gotten, he still injured the rest, and when the earl +would challenge or offer to beat him, the Ladie still said, 'Dear +heart, let him alone, it is hard to tell Dougall's father,' which +the good earle always took in good part. In end, he comeing to +years of discretion, she told her husband that Mackenzie was his +father, and shortly thereafter, by way of merriment, told the +King how his lady cheated him. The King, finding him to be his own +cousine and of parts of learning, with all to pleasure the earle +and his lady, he made Dougall prior of Beauly." - Ancient MS.] + +By his wife Isabel, only child of Macaulay of Lochbroom, Murdoch +Dubh had a son and successor, + +V. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, + +Known as "Murchadh na Drochaid," or Murdoch of the Bridge. The +author of the Ardintoul MS. say's that "he was called Murdo na Droit +by reason of some bad treatment his lady met with at the Bridge +of Scatwell, which happened on this occasion. He having lived for +many years with his lady and getting no children, and so fearing +that the direct line of his family might fail in his person, was +a little concerned and troubled thereat, which being understood +by some sycophants and flatterers that were about him and would +fain curry his favour, they thought that they could not ingratiate +themselves more on him than putting his lady out of the way, +whereby he might marry another, and they waited an opportunity to +put their design in execution (some say not without his connivance), +and so on a certain evening or late at night as she was going +to Achilty, where her laird lived, these wicked flatterers did +presumptuously and barbarously cast her over the Bridge of Scatwell, +and then their conscience accusing them for that horrid act they +made off with themselves. But the wonderful providence of God +carried the innocent lady (who was then with child) nowithstanding +the impetuousness of the river, safe to the shore, and enabled +her in the night-time to travel the length of Achilty, where her +husband did impatiently wait her coming, that being the night she +promised to be home, and entertained her very kindly, being greatly +offended at the maltreatment she met with. The child she had then +in the womb was afterwards called Alexander, and some say agnamed +Inrick because by a miracle of Providence he escaped that danger +and afterwards became heir to his father and inherited his estate." +The author of the Applecross MS. says that this Baron was called +"Murchadh no Droit" from "the circumstances that his mother being +with child of him, had been saved after a fearful fall from the +Bridge of Scattal into the Water of Conon." The writer of the +"Ancient" MS. history of the Mackenzies, the oldest in existence, +suggests that Mackenzie himself may have instigated the ruffians +to do away with his wife. "They lived," he says, "a considerable +time together childless, but men in those days (of whom be reason) +preferred succession and manhood to wedlock. He caused to throw +her under silence of night over the Bridge of Scatwell, but by +Providence and by the course of the river she was cast ashore and +escaped, went back immediately to his house, then at Achilty, and +went to his bedside in a fond condition. But commiserating her +case and repenting over the deed he gave her a hearty reception, +learned from her that she expected soon to become a mother, and +"so afterwards they lived together contentedly all their days." + +During his earlier years Murdoch appears to have lived a peaceful +life, following the example of loyalty to the Crown set him by his +father, keeping the laws himself, and compelling those over whom +his jurisdiction extended to do the same. Nor, if we believe the +MS. historians of the family, was this dutiful and loyal conduct +allowed to go unrewarded. All the successors of the Earl of +Cromarty follow his lordship in saying that a charter was given +by King Robert to Murdo, "filius Murdochi de Kintail," of Kintail +and Laggan Achadrom, dated at Edinburgh, anno 1380, attested +by "Willielmus de Douglas, et Archibaldo de Galloway, et Joanne, +Cancellario Scotiae." As already stated, however, no such charter +as this, or the one previously mentioned on the same authority +as having been granted to Murdoch IV. of Kintail, in 1362, is on +record. + +Murdoch was one of the sixteen Highland chiefs who accompanied the +Scots under James, second Earl of Douglas, in his famous march to +England and defeated Sir Henry Percy, the renowned Hotspur, at the +memorable battle of Otterburn, or Chevy Chase, in 1388. + +The period immediately following this historical raid across the +Border was more than usually turbulent even for those days in the +Scottish Highlands, but Mackenzie managed to escape involving +himself seriously with either party to the many quarrels which +culminated in the final struggle for the earldom of Ross between +the Duke of Albany and Donald, Lord of the Isles, in 1411, at the +battle of Harlaw. + +As soon as the news of the disaster to the Earl of Mar, who commanded +at Harlaw, reached the ears of the Duke of Albany, at the time +Regent for Scotland, he set about collecting an army with which, in +the following autumn, he marched in person to the north determined to +bring the Lord of the Isles to obedience. Having taken possession +of the Castle of Dingwall, he appointed a governor to it, and from +thence proceeded to recover the whole of Ross. Donald retreated +before him, taking up his winter quarters in the Western Islands. +Hostilities were renewed next summer, but the contest was not long +or doubtful, notwithstanding some little advantages obtained by +the Lord of the Isles. He was compelled for a time to give up his +claim to the earldom of Ross, to become a vassal of the Scottish +Crown, arid to deliver hostages for his good behaviour in the +future. + +Murdoch must have felt secure in his stronghold of Ellandonnan, +and been a man of great prudence, sagacity, and force of character, +when, in spite of the commands of his nominal superior - the Lord +of the Isles - to support him in these unlawful and rebellious +proceedings against the King and threats of punishment in case of +refusal, he resolutely declined to join him in his desperate and +treasonable adventures. He went the length of saying that even +if his lordship's claims were just in themselves, they would not +justify a rebellion against the existing Government; and he further +informed him that, altogether independently of that important +consideration, he felt no great incentive to aid in the cause of +the representative of his grandfather's murderer. Mackenzie was +in fact one of those prudent and loyal chiefs who kept at home in +the Highlands, looking after his own affairs, the comfort of his +followers, and laying a solid foundation for the future prosperity +of his house, "which was so characteristic of them that they always +esteemed the authority of the magistrate as an inviolable +obligation." + +Donald of the Isles never forgave Mackenzie for thus refusing to +assist him in obtaining the Earldom of Ross, and he determined to +ruin him if he could. On this subject the Earl of Cromartie says +that at the battle of Harlaw Donald was assisted by almost "all +the northern people, Mackenzie excepted, who because of the many +injuries received by his predecessors from the Earls of Ross, and +chiefly by the instigation and concurrence of Donald's predecessors, +he withdrew and refused concurrence. Donald resolved to ruin him, +but deferred it till his return, which falling out more unfortunately +than he expected, did not allow him power nor opportunity to +use the vengeance he intended, for on his return to Ross he sent +Mackenzie a friend with fair speeches desiring his friendship, +thinking no enemy despicable as he then stood." Murdoch, at Donald's +request, proceeded to Dingwall, where the Island Lord urged him +to join and promise him to support his interest. This Mackenzie +firmly refused, "partly out of hatred to his family for old feuds, +partly dissuaded by Donald's declining fortunes" at that particular +period; whereupon the Lord of the Isles made Murdoch prisoner +in an underground chamber in the Castle of Dingwall. He was not +long here, however, when he found an opportunity of making his +plight known to some of his friends, and he was soon after released +in exchange for some of Donald's immediate relatives who had been +purposely captured by Mackenzie's devoted vassals. + +Here it may be appropriate to give the traditionary account of the +origin of the Macraes and how they first found their way to Kintail +and other places in the West; for their relationship with the +Mackenzies has from the earliest times been of the closest and most +loyal character. Indeed, from the aid they invariably afforded +them they have been aptly described as "Mackenzie's shirt of +mail." According to the Rev. John Macrae, minister of Dingwall, +who died in 1704, and wrote the only existing trustworthy history +and genealogy of his own clan, the Macraes came originally from +Clunes, in the Aird of Lovat, recently acquired from patriotic family +reasons by Horatio Macrae, W.S., Edinburgh, the representative +in this country of the Macraes of Inverinate, who were admittedly +the chiefs of that brave and warlike race. The Rev. John Macrae, +who was himself a member of the Inverinate family, says that the +Macraes left the Aird under the following circumstances: A dispute +had arisen in the hunting field between Macrae of Clunes and a +bastard son of Lovat, when a son of Macrae intervened to protect +his father, and killed Fraser's son in the scuffle. The victor +"immediately ran oft; and calling himself John Carrach, that he +might be less known, settled on the West Coast, and of him are +descended the branch of the Macraes called Clann Ian Charraich. +It was some time after this that his brethren and other relatives +began seriously to consider that Lovat's own kindred and friends +became too numerous, and that the country could not accommodate +them all, which was a motive for their removing to other places +according as they had encouragement. One of the brothers went +to Brae Ross and lived at Brahan, where there is a piece of land +called Knock Vic Ra, and the spring well which affords water to +the Castle is called Tober Vic Ra. His succession spread westward +to Strathgarve, Strathbraan, and Strathconan, where several of them +live at this time. John Macrae, who was a merchant in Inverness, +and some of his brethren, were of them, and some others in +Ardmeanach. Other two of MacRa's sons, elder than the above, went +off from Clunes several ways; one is said to have gone to +Argyleshire and another to Kintail. In the meantime their father +remained at Clunes all his days, and bad four Lords Fraser of Lovat +fostered in his house. He that went to Argyle, according to our +tradition, married the heiress of Craignish, and on that account +took the surname of Campbell. The other brother who went to Kintail, +earnestly invited and encouraged by Mackenzie, who then had no +kindred of his own blood, the first six Barons, or Lords of Kintail, +having but one lawful son to succeed the father, hoping that the +MacRas, by reason of their relation, as being originally descended +from the same race of people in Ireland would prove more faithful +than others, wherein he was not disappointed, for the MacRas of +Kintail served him and his successors very faithfully in every +quarrel they had with neighbouring clans, and by their industry, +blood, and courage, have been instrumental in raising that family." +The writer adds that he does not know Macrae's christian name, but +that he married "a daughter or grand-daughter of MacBeolan, who +possessed a large part of Kintail before Mackenzie's predecessors +got a right of it from Alexander III." This marriage, and their +common ancestry from a native Celtic source, and not from "the same +race of people in Ireland" seems a much more probable explanation of +the early and continued friendship which existed between the two +families than that suggested by the rev. author of "The Genealogy of +the Macraes," above quoted. + +But the curious circumstance to which he directs attention regarding +the first five Mackenzie chiefs is quite true. It is borne out by +every genealogy of the House of Kintail which we have ever seen. +There is not a trace of any legitimate male descendant from the +first of the name down to Alexander, the sixth baron, except the +immediately succeeding chief, so that their vassals and followers +in the field and elsewhere must, for nearly two hundred years, +have been men of different septs and tribes and names, except the +progeny of their own illegitimate sons, such as "Sliochd Mhurcbaidh +Riabhaich" and others of similar base origin. + +Murdoch married Finguala or Florence, daughter of Malcolm +Macleod, III. of Harris and Dunvegan, by his wife, Martha, daughter +of Donald Stewart, Earl of Mar, nephew of King Robert the Bruce. By +this marriage the Royal blood of the Bruce was introduced for the +first time into the family of Kintail, as also that of the ancient +Kings of Man. Tormod Macleod, II. of Harris, who was grandson of +Olave the Black, last Norwegian King of Man, and who, as we have seen, +had married Christina, daughter of Ferquhard O'Beolan, Earl of Ross, +married Finguala Mac Crotan, the daughter of an ancient and powerful +Irish chief. By this lady Malcolm Macleod, III. of Harris and +Dunvegan, had issue, among others, Finguala, who now became the wife +of Murdoch Mackenzie and mother of Alexander Ionraic, who carried on +the succession of the ancient line of Kintail. + +Murdoch died in 1416 when he was succeeded by his only son, + +VI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, + +Alastair Ionraic, or Alexander the Upright, so called "for his +righteousness." He was among the Western barons summoned in 1427, +to meet King James I. at Inverness, who, on his return from a long +captivity in England, in 1424, determined to put down the rebellion +and oppression which was then and for some time previously so +rampant in the Highlands. To judge by the poceedings of a +Parliament held at Perth on the 30th September 1426, James +exhibited a foresight and appreciation of the conduct of the lairds +in those days, and passed laws which might with good effect, and +with equal propriety, be applied to the state of affairs in our own +time. In that Parliament an Act was passed which, among other +things, ordained that, north of the Grampians, the fruit of those +lands should be expended in the country where those lands lie. The +Act is as follows: "It is ordanit be the King ande the Parliament +that everilk lorde hafande landis bezonde the mownthe (the Grampians) +in the quhilk landis in auld tymes there was castellis, fortalyces +and manerplaicis, big, reparell and reforme their castellis and +maneris, and duell in thame, be thameself, or be ane of thare +frendis for the gracious gournall of thar landis, be gude polising +and to expende ye fruyt of thar landis in the countree where thar +landis lyis." [Invernessiana, p.102.] + +James was determined to bring the Highlanders to submission, and +Fordun relates a characteristic anecdote in which the King pointedly +declared his resolution. When the excesses in the Highlands were +first reported to him by one of his nobles, on entering Scotland, +he thus expressed himself: "Let God but grant me life, and there +shall not be a spot in my dominions where the key shall riot keep +the castle, and the furze bush the cow, though I myself should lead +the life of a dog to accomplish it"; and it was in this frame of +mind that he visited Inverness in 1427, determined to establish +good government and order in the North, then in such a state of +insubordination that neither life nor property was secure. The +principal chiefs, on his order or invitation met him, from what +motives it is impossible to determine - whether hoping for a +reconciliation by prompt compliance with the Royal will, or from +a dread, in case of refusal, to suffer the fate of the Southern +barons who had already fallen victims to his severity. The order +was in any case obeyed, and all the leading chiefs repaired to +meet him at the Castle of Inverness. As they entered the hall, +however, where the Parliament was at the time sitting, they were, +one by one, by order of the King, arrested, ironed, and imprisoned +in different apartments, and debarred from having any communications +with each other, or with their followers. + +Fordun says that James displayed marks of great joy as these +turbulent and haughty spirits, caught in the toils which he had +prepared for them, came voluntarily within reach of his regal +power, and that he "caused to be arrested Alexander of the Isles, +and his mother, Countess of Ross, daughter and heiress of Sir +Walter Lesley, as well as the more notable men of the north, each +of whom he wisely invited singly to the Castle, and caused to be +put in strict confinement apart. There he also arrested Angus Duff +(Angus Dubh Mackay) with his four sons, the leader of 4000 men from +Strathnarven (Strathnaver.) Kenneth More, with his son-in-law, +leader of two thousand men; [All writers on the Clan Mackenzie +have hitherto claimed this Kenneth More as their Chief, and argued +from the above that Mackenzie had a following of two thousand +fighting men in 1427. It will be seen that Alexander was Chief at +this time, but Kenneth More may have been intended for MacKenneth +More, or the Great Mackenzie. He certainly could have had no +such following of his own name.] John Ross, William Lesley, Angus +de Moravia, and Macmaken, leaders of two thousand men; and also +other lawless caterans and great captains in proportion, to the +number of about fifty Alexander Makgorrie (MacGodfrey) of Garmoran, +and John Macarthur (of the family of Campbell), a great chief +among his own clan, and the leader of a thousand and more, were +convicted, and being adjudged to death were beheaded. Then James +Cambel was hanged, being accused and convicted of the slaughter +of John of the Isles (John Mor, first of the Macdonalds of Isla.) +The rest were sent here and there to the different castles of the +noblemen throughout the kingdom, and were afterwards condemned to +different kinds of death, and some were set at liberty." Among the +latter was Alexander of Kintail. The King sent him, then a mere +youth, to the High School at Perth, at that time the principal +literary seminary in the kingdom, while the city itself was frequently +the seat of the Court. + +During Kintail's absence it appears that his three bastard uncles +ravaged the district of Kinlochewe, for we find them insulting and +troubling "Mackenzie's tenants in Kenlochewe and Kintail Macaulay, +who was still Constable in Ellandonnan, not thinking it proper +to leave his post, proposed Finlay Dubh Mac Gillechriost as +the fittest person to be sent to St. Johnston, now Perth, and by +general consent he accordingly went to inform his young master, +who was then there with the rest of the King's ward children at +school, of his lordship's tenants being imposed on as above, which, +with Finlay's remonstrance on the subject, prevailed on Alexander, +his young master, to come home, and being backed with all the +assistance Finlay could command, soon brought his three bastard +uncles to condign punishment." [Genealogical Account of the Macraes.] + +The writer of the Ardintoul MS. says that Finlay "prevailed on him +to go home without letting the master of the school know of it. +Trysting with him at a certaiu place and set hour they set off, +and, lest any should surprise them, they declined the common road +and went to Macdougall of Lorn, he being acquainted with him at +St. Johnston. Macdougall entertained him kindly, and kept him +with him for several days. He at that time made his acquaintance +with Macdougall's daughter, whom afterwards he married, and from +thence came to his own Kintail, and having his authority and right +backed with the power of the people, he calls his bastard uncles +before him, and removes their quarters from Kenlochewe, and gave +them possessions in Glenelchaig in Kintail prescribing measures +and rule for them how to behave, assuring them, though he pardoned +them at that time, they should forfeit favours and be severely +punished if they transgressed for the future; but after this, +going to the county of Ross to their old dwelling at Kenlochewe, +they turned to practice their old tricks and broke loose, so that +he was forced to correct their insolency and make them shorter by +the heads, and thus the people were quit of their trouble." + +The young Lord of the Isles was at the same time that Mackenzie went +to Perth sent to Edinburgh, from which he soon afterwards escaped +to the North, at the instigation of his mother, the Countess, raised +his vassals, and, joined by all the outlaws and vagabonds in the +country, numbering a formidable body of about ten thousand, he +laid waste the country, plundered and devastated the crown lands, +against which his vengeance was specially directed, razed the +Royal burgh of Inverness to the ground, pillaged and burned the +houses, and perpetrated every description of cruelty. He then +besieged the Castle, but without success, after which he retired +precipitately towards Lochaber, where he was met by the Royal +forces, commanded by the King in person. The Lord of the Isles +prepared for battle, but he had the mortification to notice the +desertion of Clan Chattan and Clan Cameron, who had previously +joined him, and of seeing them going over in a body to the Royal +standard. The King immediately attacked the island chief and +completely routed his forces, while their leader sought safety +in flight. He was vigorously pursued, and finding escape or +concealment equally impossible, and being reduced to the utmost +distress, hunted from place to place by his vigilant pursuers, the +haughty chief resolved to throw himself entirely on the mercy of +His Majesty, and finding his way to Edinburgh in the most secret +manner, and on the occasion of a solemn festival on Easter Sunday, +in 429, at Holyrood, he suddenly appeared in his shirt and drawers +before the King and Queen, surrounded by all the nobles of the +Court, while they were engaged in their devotions before the High +Altar, and implored, on his knees, with a naked sword held by the +point in his hand, the forgiveness of his sovereign. With bonnet +in hand, his legs and arms quite bare, his body covered only with +a plaid, and in token of absolute submission, he offered his sword +to the King. His appearance, strengthened by the solicitations +of the affected Queen and all the nobles, made such an impression +on His Majesty that he submitted to the promptings of his heart +against the wiser and more prudent dictates of his judgment. He +accepted the sword offered him, and spared the life of his captive, +but immediately committed him to Tantallon Castle, under the charge +of William Douglas, Earl of Angus. The spirit of Alexander's +followers, however, could not brook this mortal offence, and the +whole strength of the clan was promptly mustered under his cousin +Donald Balloch, who led them to Lochaber, where they met the King's +forces under the Earls of Mar and Caithness, killed the latter, +gained a complete victory over the Royal army, and returned to +the Isles in triumph, with an immense quantity of spoil. + +James soon after proceeded north in person as far as Dunstaffnage; +Donald Balloch fled to Ireland; and, after several encounters with +the rebels, the King obtained the submission of the majority of +the chiefs who were engaged in the rebellion, while others were +promptly apprehended and executed to the number of about three +hundred. The King thereupon released the Lord of the Isles +from Tantallon Castle, and granted him a free pardon for all his +rebellious acts, confirmed him in all his titles and possessions, +and further conferred upon him, in addition, the Lordship of +Lochaber, which had previously, on its forfeiture, been granted to +the Earl of Mar. + +After his first escape from Edinburgh, the Lord of the Isles again +in 1429 raised the standard of revolt. He for the second time burnt +the town of Inverness, while Mackenzie was "attending to his duties +at Court." Kintail was recalled by his followers, who armed for the +King, and led by their young chief on his return home, they +materially aided in the overthrow of Alexander of the Isles at the +same time securing peace and good government in their own district, +and among most of the surrounding tribes. Alexander is also found +actively supporting the King, and with the Royal army, during the +turbulent rule of John, successor to Alexander, Lord of the Isles, +who afterwards, in 1447, died at peace with his sovereign. + +James I. died in 1460, and was succeeded by James II. When, in +1462, the Earl of Douglas, the Lord of the Isles, and Donald Balloch +of Isla entered into a treaty with the King of England for the +subjugation of Scotland, on condition, in the event of success, +that the whole of Scotland, north of the Firth of Forth, should +be divided between them, Alexander Mackenzie stood firm in the +interest of the ruling monarch, and with such success that nothing +came of this extraordinary compact. We soon after find him rewarded +by a charter in his favour, dated 7th January 1463, confirming +him in his lands of Kintail, with a further grant of the "5 merk +lands of Killin, the lands of Garve, and the 2 merk lands of +Coryvulzie, with the three merk lands of Kinlochluichart, and 2 +merk lands of Ach-na-Clerich, the 2 merk lands of Garbat, the merk +lands of Delintan, and the 4 merk lands of Tarvie, all lying within +the shire and Earldom of Ross, to be holden of the said John and +his successors, Earls of Ross." This is the first Crown charter +in favour of the Mackenzie chief of which any authentic record +exists. + +Alexander continued to use his great influence at Court, as well +as with John Lord of the Isles, for the purpose of bringing about +a reconciliation between his Majesty and his powerful subject +during the unnatural rebellion of Angus Og against his father. +The King, however, proved inexorable, and refused to treat with +the Earl on any condition other than the absolute and unconditional +surrender of the earldom of Ross to the Crown, of which, however, +he would be allowed to hold all his other possessions in future. +These conditions the island chief haughtily refused, again flew to +arms, and in 1476 invaded Moray, but finding that he could offer +no effectual resistance to the powerful forces sent against him +by the King, he, by the seasonable grants of the lands of Knapdale +and Kintyre, secured the influence of Colin, first Earl of Argyll, +in his favour, and with the additional assistance of Kintail, +procured remission of his past offences on the conditions previously +offered to him and resigning for ever, in 1476, the Earldom of +Ross to the King, he "was infeft of new" in the Lordship of the +Isles and the other possessions which he had not been called upon +to renounce. The Earldom was in the same year, in the 9th Parliament +of James III., irrevocably annexed to the Crown, where the title +and the honours still remain, held by the Prince of Wales. + +The great services rendered by the Baron of Kintail to the reigning +family, especially during these negotiations, and generally throughout +his long rule at Ellandonnan, were recognised by a charter from +the Crown, dated Edinburgh, November 1476, of some of the lands +renounced by the Earl of Ross, viz., Strathconan, Strathbraan, and +Strathgarve; and after this the Barons of Kintail held all their +lands quite independently of any superior but the Crown. + +During the long continued disputes between the Earl of Ross and +Kintail no one was more zealous in the cause of the island chief than +Allan Macdonald of Moydart, who, during Mackenzie's absence, made +several raids into Kintail, ravaged the country, and carried away +large numbers of cattle. After the forfeiture of the Earldom of Ross, +Allan's youngest brother, supported by a faction of the tenantry, +rebelled against his elder brother, and possessed himself for a +time of the Moydart estates. The Lord of the Isles was unwilling to +appear so soon in these broils; or perhaps he favoured the pretentions +of the younger brother, and refused to give any assistance to Allan, +who, however, hit upon a device as bold as it ultimately proved +successful. He started for Kinellan, "being ane ile in ane loch," +where Mackenzie at the time resided, and presented himself personally +before his old enemy, who was naturally surprised beyond measure to +receive such a visit from one to whom he had never been reconciled. +Allan, however, related how he had been oppressed by his brother and +his nearest friends and how he had been refused aid from those to +whom he had a natural right to look for it. In these desperate +circumstances he resolved to apply to his greatest enemy, who, he +argued, might for any assistance he could give gain in return as +faithful a friend as he bad previously been his "diligent adversary." +Alexander, on hearing the story, was moved to pity by the manner +in which Allan had been oppressed by his own relatives, promised +him the required support, proceeded in person with a sufficient +force to repossess him, and finally accomplished his purpose. The +other Macdonalds, who had been dispossessed thereupon represented +to the King that Alexander Mackenzie had invaded their territory +as a "disturber of the peace, and ane oppressor," the result being +that he was cited before His Majesty at Edinburgh, "but here was +occasion given to Allan to requite Alexander's generosity, for +Alexander having raised armies to assist him, without commission, +he found in it a transgression of the law, though just upon the +matter; so to prevent Alexander's prejudice, he presently went to +Holyrood house, where the King was, and being of a bold temper, +did truly relate how his and Alexander's affairs stood, showing +withal that he, as being the occasion of it, was ready to suffer +what law would exact rather than to expose so generous a friend +to any hazard. King James was so taken with their reciprocal +heroisms, that he not only forgave, but allowed Alexander, and +of new confirmed Allan in the lands of Moydart." [Cromartie MS. +of the Mackenzies.] The two were then allowed to return home +unmolested. + +Some time before this a desperate skirmish took place at a place +called Bealach nam Brog, "betwixt the heights of Fearann Donuil +and Lochbraon" (Dundonald and Lochbroom), which was brought about +by some of Kintail's vassals, instigated by Donald Garbh M'Iver, +who attempted to seize the Earl of Ross. The plot was, however, +discovered, and M'Iver was seized by the Lord of the Isles' +followers, and imprisoned in the Castle of Dingwall. He was soon +released, however, by his undaunted countrymen from Kenlochewe, +consisting of Macivers, Maclennans, Macaulays, and Macleays, +who, by way of reprisal, pursued and seized the Earl's relative, +Alexander Ross of Balnagown, and carried him along with them. +The Earl at once apprised Lord Lovat, who was then His Majesty's +Lieutenant in the North, of the illegal seizure of Balnagown, and +his lordship promptly dispatched northward two hundred men, who, +joined by Ross's vassals, the Munroes of Fowlis, and the Dingwalls +of Kildun, pursued and overtook the western tribes at Bealach nam +Brog, where they were resting themselves. A sanguinary conflict +ensued, aggravated and more than usually exasperated by a keen and +bitter recollection of ancient feuds and animosities. The Kenlochewe +men seem to have been almost extirpated. The race of Dingwall were +actually extinguished, one hundred and forty of their men having +been slain, while the family of Fowlis lost eleven members of their +house alone, with many of the leading men of their clan. ["Among +the rest ther wer slain eleven Monroes or the House or Foulls, +that wer to succeed one after another; so that the succession of +Foulls fell into a chyld then lying in his cradle." - Sir Robert +Gordon's History 0f the Earldom of Sutherland, p. 36.] + +An interesting account of this skirmish and the cause which led to +it is given in one of the family manuscripts. It says Euphemia +Leslie, Countess Dowager of Ross, lived at Dingwall. She would +gladly have married Alexander of Kintail, he being a proper handsome +young man, and she signified no less to himself. He refused the +offer, perhaps, because he plighted his faith to Macdougall's +daughter, but though he had not had done so, he had all the reason +imaginable to reject the Countess's offer, for besides that she +was not able to add to his estate, being but a life-rentrix, she +was a turbulent woman, and therefore, in the year 1426, the King +committed her to prison in St. Colin's Isle (Dingwall), because +she had instigated her son, Alexander Earl of Ross, to rebellion. +She invited Kintail to her Court in Dingwall to make a last effort, +but finding him obstinate she converted her love to hatred and +revenge, and made him prisoner, and either by torturing or bribing +his page, he procured the golden ring which was the token between +Mackenzie and Macaulay, the governor of Ellandonnan, who had strict +orders not to quit the castle or suffer any one to enter it until +he sent him that token. The Countess sent a gentleman to Ellandonnan +with the ring, who, by her instructions, informed Macaulay that his +master was, or shortly would be, married to the Countess of Ross, +desiring the Governor to repair to his master and to leave the +stronghold with him. Macaulay seeing and receiving the ring believed +the story, and gave up the castle, but in a few days he discovered +his mistake and found that his chief was a prisoner instead of being +a bridegroom. He went straight to Dingwall, and finding an +opportunity to communicate with Mackenzie, the latter made +allegorical remarks by which Macaulay understood that nothing would +secure his release but the apprehension of Ross of Balnagown, who was +grand uncle, or grand uncle's son to the Countess. Macaulay returned +to Kintail, made up a company of the "prettiest fellows" he could +find of Mackenzie's family, and went back with them to Easter Ross, +and in the morning apprehended Balnagown in a little arbour near the +house, in a little wood to which he usually resorted for an airing, +and, mounting him on horseback, carried him westward among the hills. +Balnagown's friends were soon in pursuit, but fearing capture, +Macaulay sent Balnagown away under guard, resolving to fight and +detain the pursuers at Bealach nam Brog, as already described, +until Balnagown was safely out of their reach. After his success +here Macaulay went to Kintail, and at Glenluing, five miles from +Ellandonnan, he overtook thirty men, sent by the Countess, with meal +and other provisions for the garrison, and the spot, where they +seized them is to this day called Innis nam Balg. Macaulay secured +them, and placed his men in their upper garments and plaids, who +took the sacks of meal on their backs, and went straight with them +to the garrison, whose impoverished condition induced the Governor +to admit them without any enquiry, not doubting but they were his +own friends. Once inside they threw down their burdens, drew their +weapons from under their plaids, seized the new Governor and all his +men and kept them in captivity until Mackenzie was afterwards +exchanged for the Governor and Balnagown. [Ardintoul MS.] + +There has been considerable difference of opinion as to the date +of this encounter, but it is finally set at rest by the discovery +of a positive date in the Fowlis papers, where it is said that +"George, the fourth Laird, and his son, begotton on Balnagown's +daughter, were killed at the conflict of Beallach na Brog, in the +year 1452, and Dingwall of Kildun, with several of their friends +and followers, in taking back the Earl of Ross's second son from +Clan Iver, Clan Tarlich or Maclennans, and Clan Leod." [The Earl +of Cromarty gives a different version, and says that the battle +or skirmish took place in the year immediately after the Battle +of Harlaw. In this he is manifestly in error. The Highlanders, to +defend themselves from the arrows of their enemies, with their +belts tied their shoes on their breasts, hence the name "Bealach +nam Brog," or the Pass of the Shoes.] The Balnagown of that date +was not the Earl of Ross's son, but a near relative. + +Angus Og, after many sanguinary conflicts with his father, finally +overthrew him at the battle of the Bloody Bay, between Tobermory and +Ardnamurchan, obtained possession of all the extensive territories +of his clan, and was recognised as its legitimate head. He then +determined to punish Mackenzie for having taken his father's part +at Court, and otherwise, during the rebellion, and swore that +he would recover from him the great possessions which originally +belonged to his predecessors, the Lords of the Isles, but +now secured by Royal Charter to the Baron of Kintail. With this +object he decided to attack him, and marched to Inverness, where +he expected to meet the now aged Mackenzie returning from attendance +at Court. Angus, however, missed his object, and instead of killing +Mackenzie, he was himself assassinated by his harper, an Irishman. +This tragic, but well-merited, close to such a violent and turbulent +career, is recorded in the Red Book of Clan Ranald in the following +terms: "Donald, the son of Angus that was killed at Inverness by +his own harper, son of John of the Isles, son of Alexander, son of +Donald, son of John, son of Angus Og;" an event which must have +occurred about 1485. + +Alexander was the first of the family who lived on the island In +Loch Kinellan, while at the same time he had Brahan as a "maines," +or farm, both of which his successor for a time held from the King +at a yearly rent, until Kenneth feued Brahan, and Colin, his son, +feued Kinellan. + +The Earl of Sutherland had been on friendly terms with Mackenzie, +and appointed him as his deputy in the management of the Earldom +of Ross, which devolved on him after the forfeiture. On one +occasion, the Earl of Sutherland being in the south at Court, the +Strathnaver men and the men of the Braes of Caithness took advantage +of his absence and invaded Sutherland. An account of their conduct +soon spread abroad, and reached the ears of the Chief of Kintail, +who at once with a party of six hundred men, passed into Sutherland, +where, the Earl's followers having joined him, he defeated the +invaders, killed a large number of them, forced the remainder to +sue for peace, and compelled them to give substantial security +for their peaceful behaviour in future. + +Kintail was now a very old man. His prudence and sagacity well +repaid the judicious patronage of the first King James, confirmed +and extended by his successors on the throne, and, as has been well +said by his biographer, secured for him "the love and respect of +three Princes in whose reign be flourished, and as his prudent +management in the Earldom of Ross showed him to be a man of good +natural parts, so it very much contributed to the advancement of +the interest of his family by the acquisition of the lands he thereby +made; nor was he less commendable for the quiet and peace he kept +among his Highlanders, putting the laws punctually in execution +against all delinquents." Such a character as this, justly called +Alastair Ionraic, or the just, was certainly well fitted to govern, +and deserved to flourish in the age in which he lived. Various +important events occurred during the latter part of his life, but +as Kenneth, his brave son and successor, was the actual leader of +the clan for many years before his father's death, and especially +at the celebrated battle of Park, the leading battles and feuds in +which the clan was engaged during this period will be dealt with +in the account of that Baron. + +There has been much difference of opinion among the genealogists and +family historians regarding Alexander's two wives. Both Edmonston in +his Baronagium Genealogicum, and Douglas in his Peerage say that +Alexander's first wife was Agnes, sixth daughter of Colin, first Earl +of Argyll. This we shall prove to be absolutely impossible within +the ordinary course of the laws of nature. Colin, first Earl of +Argyll, succeeded as a minor in 1453, his uncle, Sir Colin Campbell +of Glenurchy, having been appointed his tutor. Colin of Argyll was +created Earl in 1457, probably on his coming of age. He married +Isabel Stewart of Lorn, had two sons, and, according to Crawford, +five daughters. If he had a daughter Agnes she must have been his +sixth daughter and eighth child. Assuming that Argyll married when +he became of age, about 1457, Agnes, as his eighth surviving child, +could not have been born before 1470. Her reputed husband, Alexander +of Kintail, was then close upon 70 years of age, having died in +1488, bordering upon 90, when his alleged wife would barely have +reached a marriageable age, and when her reputed son, Kenneth +a Bhlair, pretty well advanced in years, had already fought the +famous battle of Park. John of Killin, her alleged grandson, +was born about 1480, when at most the lady said to have been his +grandmother could only have been 10 to 15 years of age, and, in +1513, at the age of 33, he distinguished himself at the battle +of Flodden, where Archibald second Earl of Argyll, the lady's +brother, at least ten years older than Agnes, was slain. All this +is of course impossible. + +A similar difficulty has arisen, from what appears to be a very +simple cause, about Alexander's second marriage. The authors of +all the family MS. histories are unanimous in stating that his first +wife was Anna, daughter of John Macdougall of Lorn, or Dunollich, +known as John Mac Alan Mac Cowle, fourth in descent from Alexander +de Ergedia and Lord of Lorn (1284), and eighth from Somerled, +Thane of Argyle, who died in 1164. Though the direct line of the +house of Lorn ended in two heiresses who, in 1388, carried away the +property to their husbands, the Macdougalls of Dunollich became +the male representatives of the ancient and illustrious house of +Lorn; and this fully accounts for the difference and confusion +which has been introduced about the families of Lorn and Dunollich +in some of the Mackenzie family manuscripts. + +The same authorities who affirm that Agnes of Argyll was Alexander's +first wife assert that Anna Macdougall, was his second. There +is ample testimony to show that the latter was his first, although +some confusion has again arisen in this case from a similarity of +names and patronymics. Some of the family MSS. say that Alexander's +second wife was Margaret, daughter of "M'Couil," "M'Chouile," +or "Macdougall" of Morir, or Morar, while others, among them the +Allangrange Ancient MS. have it that she was "MacRanald's daughter." +The Ardintoul MS. describes her as "Muidort's daughter." One +of the Gairloch MSS. says that she was "Margarite, the daughter +of Macdonald of Morar, of the Clan Ranald Race, from the stock +of Donald, Lord of the Aebudae Islands," while in another MS. in +Sir Kenneth Mackenzie's possession she is designated "Margaret +Macdonald, daughter of Macdonald of Morar." There is thus an +apparent contradiction, but it can be conclusively shown that the +lady so variously described was one and the same person. Gregory +in his Highlands and Islands of Scotland, p.158, states that +"Macdougall" was the patronymic of one of the families of Clan +Ranald of Moydart and Morar. Speaking of Dugald MacRanald, son +and successor to Ranald Ban Ranaldson of Moydart, he says, "Allan +the eldest son of Dougal, and the undoubted male heir of Clan +Ranald, acquired the estate of Morar, which he transmitted to his +descendants. He and his successors were always styled, in Gaelic, +MacDhughail Mhorair, ie., MacDougal of Morar, from their ancestor, +Dougald MacRanald." At p.65 he says that "the Clan Ranald of Garmoran +comprehended the families of Moydart, Morar, Knoydart, and +Glengarry." This family was descended from Ranald, younger son +of John of the Isles, by his marriage with the heiress of the +MacRorys or MacRuaries of Garmoran whose ancestry, from Somerled +of the Isles, is as illustrious as that of any family in the +kingdom. A district north of Arisaig is still known among the +Western Islanders as "Mor-thir Mhic Dhughail" or the mainland +possession of the son of Dougall. The MS. histories of the Mackenzies +having been all written after the patronymic of "MacDhughail" was +acquired by the Macdonalds of Moydart and Morar, they naturally +enough described Alexander of Kintail's second wife as a +daughter of Macdougall of Morar, of Muidort, and of Clan Ranald, +indiscriminately. But in point of fact all these designations +describe one and the same person. + +Alexander married first, Anna, daughter of John Macdougall of +Dunolly, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Duncan, progenitor of the Mackenzies of Hilton, and their +branches, and of whom in their order as the senior cadet family of +the clan. + +He married secondly Margaret, daughter of Macdonald of Morar, a +cadet of Clanranald, with issue - + +3. Hector Roy or "Eachainn Ruadh," from whom are descended the +Mackenzies of Gairloch and their various offshoots, of whom in +their proper place. + +4. A daughter, who married Allan Macleod, Hector Roy's predecessor +in Gairloch. + +He is also said to have had a natural son, Dugal, who became a +priest and was Superior of the Priory of Beauly, which he repaired +about 1478, and in which he is buried. This ecclesiastic is said +by others to have been Alexander's brother. [Anderson's 'History +of the Frasers,' p.66; and MS. History of the Mackenzies.] + +Alexander died in 1488 at Kinellan, having attained the extreme +old age of 90 years, was buried in the Priory of Beauly, and was +succeeded by his eldest son by the first marriage, + +VII. KENNETH MACKENZIE, + +Better known as "Coinneach a' Bhlair," or Kenneth of the Battle, +from his prowess and success against the Macdonalds at the Battle +of Park during his father's life-time. He was served heir to his +predecessor and seized in the lands of Kintail at Dingwall on the +2nd of September, 1488. He secured the cognomen "Of the Battle" +from the distinguished part he took in "Blar-na-Pairc" fought at +a well-known spot still pointed out near Kinellan, above Strathpeffer. +His father was advanced in life before Kenneth married, and as +soon as the latter arrived at twenty years of age Alexander thought +it prudent, with the view of establishing peace between the two +families, to match Kenneth, his heir and successor, with Margaret, +daughter of John Lord of the Isles and fourth Earl of Ross, and +for ever extinguish their ancient feuds in that alliance. The +Island chief willingly consented and the marriage was in due course +solemnised. About a year after, the Earl's nephew and apparent +heir, Alexander Macdonald of Lochalsh, came to Ross, and, feeling +more secure in consequence of this matrimonial alliance between +the family of Mackenzie and his own, took possession of Balcony +House and the adjoining lands, where, at the following Christmas, +he provided a great feast for his old dependants, inviting to +it also most of the more powerful chiefs and barons north of the +Spey, and among others, Kenneth Mackenzie, his cousin's husband. +The house of Balcony being at the time very much out of repair, he +could not conveniently lodge all his distinguished guests within +it, and had accordingly to arrange for some of them in the outhouses +as best he could. Kenneth did not arrive until Christmas Eve, +accompanied by a train of forty able bodied men, according to the +custom of the times, but without his lady, which deeply offended +Macdonald. Maclean of Duart had chief charge of the arrangements in +the house and the disposal of the guests. Some days previously he +had a disagreement with Kenneth at some games, and, on his arrival, +Maclean told the heir of Kintail that, taking advantage of his +connection with the family, they had taken the liberty of providing +him with lodgings in the kiln. Kenneth considered this an insult, +and, divining that it proceeded from Maclean's illwill to him, he +instantly struck him a blow on the ear, which threw him to the +ground. The servants in the house viewed this as a direct insult +to their chief, Macdonald, and at once took to arms. Kenneth, +though sufficiently bold, soon perceived that he had no chance to +light successfully or to beat a retreat, and, noticing several +boats lying on the shore, which had been provided for the transport +of the guests, he took as many of them as he required, sank the +rest, and passed with his followers to the opposite shore, where he +remained over night in the house of a tenant, who, like a good many +more in those days, had no surname, but was simply known by a +patronymic. Kenneth, boiling with passion, was sorely affronted at +the insult which he had received, and at being from his own house +at Christmas, staying with a stranger, and off his own property. +In these circumstances, he requested his host to adopt the name of +Mackenzie, promising him protection in future, so that be might +thus be able to say that he slept under the roof of one of his +own name. The man at once consented, and his posterity were ever +after known as Mackenzies. + +Next morning (Christmas Day) Kenneth went to the hill above +Chanonry, and sent word to the Bishop, who was at the time enjoying +his Christmas with some of his clergy, that he desired to speak +to him. The Bishop knowing his man's temper and the turbulent +state of the times thought it prudent to comply with this request, +though be considered it very strange to receive such a message on +such a day, and wondered much what his visitors object could be. +He soon found that Kenneth simply wanted a feu of the small piece +of land on which was situated the house in which he had lodged +the previous night, stating, as his reason, "lest Macdonald should +brag that he had forced him on Christmas Day to lodge at another +man's discretion, and not on own heritage." The Bishop, willing to +oblige him probably afraid to do otherwise, and perceiving him in +such a rage, at once sent for his clerk and there and then granted +him a charter of the township of Cullicudden, whereupon Kenneth +returned to the place and remained in it all day, lording over it +as his own property. The place was kept by him and his successors +until Colin "Cam" acquired more of the Bishop's lands in the +neighbourhood, and afterwards exchanged the whole with the Sheriff +of Cromarty for lands in Strathpeffer. + +Next day Kenneth started for Kinellan, where his father, the old +chief Alexander, resided, and related to him what had taken place. +His father was much grieved, for he well knew that the smallest +difference between the families would revive their old grievances, +and, although there was less danger since Macdonald's interest +in Ross was smaller than in the past, yet he knew the clan to be +a powerful one still, more so than his own, in their number of +able-bodied warriors; but these considerations, strongly impressed +upon the son by the experienced and aged father, only added fuel +to the fire in Kenneth's bosom, which was already fiercely burning +to avenge the insult offered him by Macdonald's servants. His +natural impetuosity could ill brook any such insult and he considered +himself wronged so much that he felt it his duty personally to +retaliate and avenge it. While this was the state of his mind +matters were suddenly brought to a crisis by the arrival on the +fourth day of a messenger from Macdonald with a summons requesting +Alexander and his son Kenneth to remove from Kinellan, with all +their families, within twenty-four hours, allowing only that the +young Lady Margaret, Macdonald's own cousin, might remain until +she had more leisure to remove, and threatening war to the knife +in case of noncompliance. + +Kenneth's rage now became ungovernable, and, without consulting his +father or waiting his counsel, he bade the messenger tell Macdonald +that his father would remain where he was in spite of him and all +his power. As for himself, he accepted no rules as to his staying +or going, but Macdonald would be sure enough to hear of him wherever +he was. As for Macdonald's cousin, Lady Margaret, since he had +no desire to keep further peace with his family he would no longer +keep his relative. + +Such was the defiant message sent to young Macdonald, and immediately +after its despatch, Kenneth sent away Lady Margaret, in the most +ignominious manner, to Balcony House. The lady was blind of an +eye, and, to insult her cousin to the utmost, he sent her back to +him mounted on a one-eyed horse, accompanied by a one-eyed servant, +followed by a one-eyed dog. She was in a delicate state of health, +and this inhumanity grieved her so much that she never after +wholly recovered. Her son, recently born, the only issue of the +marriage, was named Kenneth, and to distinguish him from his father +was called "Coinneach Og" or Kenneth the younger. + +It appears that Kenneth had no great affection for Lady Margaret, +for a few days after he sent her away he went to Lord Lovat accompanie +by two hundred of his followers and besieged his house. Lovat was +naturally surprised at his conduct and demanded an explanation, +when he was informed by Kenneth that he came to demand his daughter +Agnes in marriage now that he had no wife, having, as he told +him, disposed of Lady Margaret in the manner already described. +He insisted upon an immediate and favourable reply to his suit on +which condition he promised to be on strict terms of friendship +with the family; but, if his demand was refused he would swear +mortal enmity against Lovat and his house; and, as evidence of his +intention in this respect, he pointed out to his lordship that he +already bad a party of his vassals outside gathering together the +men, women, and goods that were nearest in the vicinity, all of whom, +be declared, should "be made one fyne to evidence his resolution." +Lovat, who had no particularly friendly feelings towards Macdonald +of the Isles, was not at all indisposed to procure Mackenzie's +friendship on the terms proposed, and considering the exigencies +and danger of his retainers, and knowing full well the bold and +determined character of the man he had to deal with, he consented +to the proposed alliance, provided the voting lady herself +was favourable. She fortunately proved submissive. Lord Lovat +delivered her up to her suitor, who immediately returned borne +with her, and ever after they lived together as husband and wife. + +Macdonald was naturally very much exasperated by Kenneth's defiant +answer to himself and the repeated insults heaped upon his relative, +and through her upon her family. He therefore dispatched his +great steward, Maclean, to collect his followers in the Isles, as +also to advise and request the aid of his nearest relations on the +mainland - the Macdonalds of Moidart and Clan Jan of Ardnamurchan. +In a short time they mustered a force between them of about fifteen +hundred men - some say three thousand - and arranged with Macdonald +to meet him at Contin. They assumed that Alexander Mackenzie, now +so old, would not have gone to Kintail, but would stay in Ross, +judging that the Macdonalds, so recently come under obligations +to the King to keep the peace would not venture to collect their +forces and invade the low country. But Kenneth, foreseeing the +danger from the rebellious temper of Macdonald, went to Kintail at +the commencement of his enemy's preparations, and placed a strong +garrison, with sufficient provisions, in Ellandonnan Castle; and +the cattle and other goods in the district he ordered to be driven +and sent to the most remote hills and secret places. He took +all the remaining able-bodied men along with him, and on his way +back to Kinellan he was joined by his dependants in Strathconan, +Strathgarve, and other glens in the Braes of Ross, all fully +determined to defend Kenneth and his aged father at the expense, +if need be, of their lives, small as their united forces were in +comparison with that against which they knew they would soon have +to contend. + +Macdonald had meanwhile collected his friends, and, at the head +of a large body of Western Highlanders, advanced through Lochaber +into Badenoch, where he was joined by the Clan Chattan; marched +to Inverness, where they were met by the young laird of Kilravock +and some of Lovat's people; reduced the Castle (then a royal +fortress), placed a garrison in it, and proceeded to the north-east, +plundering the lands of Sir Alexander Urquhart, Sheriff of Cromarty. +They next marched westward to the district of Strathconan, ravaged +the lands of the Mackenzies as they went, and put the inhabitants +and more immediate retainers of the family to the sword, resolutely +determined to punish Mackenzie for his ill-treatment of Lady +Margaret and recover possession of that part of the Earldom of +Ross forfeited by the earls of that name, and now the property of +Mackenzie by Royal charter. Having wasted Strathconan, Macdonald +arrived on Sunday morning at Contin, where he found the people in +great terror and confusion; and the able-bodied men having already +joined Mackenzie, the aged, the women, and the children took refuge +in the church, thinking themselves secure within its precincts from +any enemy professing Christianity. They soon, to their horror, +found out their mistake. Macdonald, having little or no scruples +on the score of religion, ordered the doors to be closed and +guarded, and then set fire to the building. The priest, together +with the hapless crowd of helpless and aged men, women and children, +were all burnt to ashes. + +Some of those who were fortunate enough not to have been in Contin +church immediately started for Kinellan, and informed Mackenzie +of the hideous massacre. Alexander, though deeply grieved at the +cruel destruction of his people, expressed his gratitude that the +enemy, whom he had hitherto considered too numerous to contend with +successfully, had now engaged God against them by their impious +conduct. Contin was not far from Kinellan, and Macdonald, thinking +that Mackenzie would not remain at the latter place with such +a comparatively small force, ordered Gillespic to draw up his +followers on the large moor, now known as "Blar-na-Pairc," that he +might review them, and send out a detachment to pursue the enemy. +Kenneth Mackenzie, who had received the command of the clan from +the old chief, had meantime posted his men in a strong position +- on ground where he considered he could defend himself against a +superior force, and conveniently situated to attack the enemy if +a favourable opportunity occurred. His followers only amounted +to six hundred, while his opponent had at least three times that +number, but he had the advantage in another respect inasmuch as he +had sufficient provisions for a much longer period than Macdonald +could possibly procure for his larger force, the country people +having driven their cattle and all the provender that might be of +service to the enemy out of his reach. About mid-day the Islesmen +were drawn up on the moor, about a quarter of a mile distant from +the position occupied by the Mackenzies, the opposing forces being +only separated from each other by a peat moss, full of deep pits +and deceitful bogs. Kenneth, fearing a siege, had shortly before +this prevailed upon his aged father to retire to the Raven's Rock, +above Strathpeffer, to which place, strong and easily defended, he +resolved to follow him in case he were compelled to retreat before +the numerically superior force of his enemy. This the venerable +Alexander did, recommending his son to the assistance and protection +of a Higher Power, at the same time assuring him of success, +notwithstanding the far more numerous numbers of his adversary. + +By the nature of the ground, Kenneth perceived that Macdonald could +not bring all his forces to the attack at once, and he accordingly +resolved to maintain his ground and try the effects of a stratagem +which he correctly calculated would mislead his opponent and +place him at a serious disadvantage. He acquainted his younger +brother, Duncan, with his resolution and plans, and sent him off, +before the struggle commenced, with a body of archers to be placed +in ambush, while he determined to cross the peat-bog himself and +attack Macdonald in front with the main body, intending to retreat +as soon as his adversary returned the attack, and thus entice the +Islesmen to pursue him. He informed Duncan of his own intention +to retreat and commanded him to be in readiness with his archers +to charge the enemy whenever they got fairly into the moss and +entangled among the pits and bogs. + +Having made these preliminary arrangements, he boldly advanced to +meet the foe, leading his resolute band in the direction of the +intervening moss. Macdonald, seeing him, cried in derision to +Gillespic to see "Mackenzie's impudent madness, daring thus to +face him at such disadvantage." Gillespic, being a more experienced +leader than the youthful and impetuous Alexander, said that "such +extraordinary boldness should be met by more extraordinary wariness +in us, lest we fall into unexpected inconvenience." Macdonald, +in a towering passion, replied to this wise counsel - "Go you also +and join with them, and it will not need our care nor move the +least fear in my followers; both of you will not be a breakfast +to me and mine." Meanwhile Mackenzie advanced a little beyond +the moss, avoiding, from his intimate knowledge of it, all the +dangerous pits and bogs, when Maclean of Lochbuy, who led the van +of the enemy's army, advanced and charged him with great fury. +Mackenzie, according to his pre-arranged plan, at once retreated, +but in so masterly a manner that, in doing so, he inflicted as +much damage on the enemy as he received. The Islesmen speedily +got entangled in the moss, and Duncan Mackenzie observing this, +rushed forth from his ambush and furiously attacked them in flank +and rear, killing most of those who had entered the bog. He then +turned his attention to the main body of the Islesmen, who were +quite unprepared for so sudden an onslaught. Kenneth, setting +this, charged with his main body, who were all well instructed in +their leader's design, and, before the enemy were able to form in +order of battle, he fell on their right flank with such impetuosity +and did such execution among them that they were compelled to fall +back in confusion before the splendid onset of the small force +which they had so recently sneered at and despised. Gillespic, +stung by Alexander Macdonald's taunt before the engagement began, +to prove to him that "though he was wary in council he was not +fearful in action," sought out Kenneth Mackenzie, that he might +engage him in single combat, and followed by some of his bravest +followers he, with signal valour, did great execution among the +Mackenzies in course of his approach to Kenneth, who was in the +hottest of the fight, and who, seeing Gillespic coming in his +direction, advanced to meet him, killing, wounding, or scattering +any of the Macdonalds that came in his way. He made a signal to +Gillespic to advance and meet him hand-to-hand, but, finding him +hesitating, Kenneth, who far exceeded him in strength while he +equalled him in courage, would brook no tedious debate but pressed +on with fearful eagerness, at one blow cut off Gillespic's arm +and passed very far into his body so that he fell down dead on +the spot. + +At this moment Kenneth noticed his standard-bearer close by, without +his colours, and fighting desperately to his own hand. He turned +round to him, and angrily asked what had become of his colours, +when he was coolly answered - "I left Macdonald's standard-bearer, +quite unashamed of himself, and without the slightest concern for +those of his own chief, carefully guarding mine." Kenneth naturally +demanded an explanation of such an extraordinary state of matters, +when the man informed him that he had met Macdonald's standard-bearer +in the conflict, and had been fortunate enough to slay him; that +he had thrust the staff of his own standard through his opponent's +body and as there appeared to be some good work to do among the +enemy, he had left some of his companions to guard the standard, +and devoted himself to do what little he could to aid his master, +and protect him from his adversaries. Maclean of Lochbuy (Lachlainn +MacThearlaich) was killed by "Duncan mor na Tuaighe," Mackenzie's +"great scallag," of whom we have the following curious account: + +Shortly before the battle, a raw, ungainly, but powerful looking +youth from Kintail was seen staring about, as the Mackenzies were +starting to meet the enemy, in an apparently idiotic manner, as +if looking for something. He ultimately came across an old rusty +battle-axe, of great size, and, setting off after the others, he +arrived at the scene of strife just as the combatants were closing +with each other. Duncan Macrae (for such was his name), from his +stupid and ungainly appearance, was taken little notice of, and +was wandering about in an aimless, vacant, half-idiotic manner. +Hector Roy, Alexander's third son, and progenitor of the Gairloch +Mackenzies, observing him, asked why he was not taking part in the +fight, and supporting his chief and clan. Duncan replied - "Mar a +faigh mi miabh duine, cha dean mi gniomh duine." (Unless I get +a man's esteem, I shall not perform a man's work.) This was in +reference to his not having been provided with a proper weapon. +Hector answered him - "Deansa gniomh duine 's gheibh thu miabh +duine." (Perform a man's work and you will get a man's esteem.) +Duncan at once rushed into the strife, exclaiming - "Buille mhor +bho chul mo laimhe, 's ceum leatha, am fear nach teich rombam, +teicheam roimhe." (A heavy stroke from the back of my hand [arm] +and a step to [enforce] it. He who does not get out of my way, +let me get out of his.) Duncan soon killed a man, and, drawing +the body aside, he coolly sat upon it. Hector Roy, noticing this +peculiar proceeding as be was passing by in the heat of the contest, +accosted Duncan, and asked him why he was not still engaged with +his comrades. Duncan answered - "Mar a faigh mi ach miabh aon duine +cha dean mi ach gniomh aon duine." (If I only get one man's due +I shall only do one man's work). Hector told him to perform two +men's work, and be would get two men's reward. Duncan returned +again to the field of carnage, killed another, pulled his body +away, placed it on the top of the first, and sat upon the two. The +same question was again asked, and the answer given: "I have +killed two men, and earned two men's wages." Hector answered +- "Do your best, and we shall not be reckoning with you." Duncan +instantly replied - "Am fear nach biodh ag cunntadh rium cha +bhithinn ag cunntadh ris" - (He that would not reckon with me, I +would not reckon with him) - and rushed into the thickest of the +battle, where he mowed down the enemy with his rusty battle-axe +like grass; so much so that Lachlan Maclean of Lochbuy (Lachlainn +MacThearlaich), a most redoubtable warrior, placed himself in +Duncan's way to check him in his murderous career. The two met +in mortal strife, but, Maclean being a very powerful man, clad +in mail, and well versed in arms, Duncan could make no impression +upon him but, being lighter and more active than his heavily mailed +opponent, he managed to defend himself, watching his opportunity, +and retreating backwards until he arrived at a ditch, where +his opponent, thinking he had him fixed, made a desperate stroke +at him, which Duncan parried, at the same time jumping backwards +across the ditch. Maclean, to catch his enemy, made a furious +lunge with his weapon, but, instead of entering Duncan's body, it +got fixed in the opposite bank of the ditch. In withdrawing it, +he bent his head forward, when the helmet, rising, exposed the +back of his neck, upon which Duncan's battle-axe descended with +the velocity of lightning, and with such terrific force as to sever +Maclean's head from his body. This, it is said, was the turning-point +of the struggle, for the Macdonalds, seeing the brave leader of +their van falling, at once retreated, and gave up all for lost. +The hero was ever afterwards known as "Donnchadh Mor na Tuaighe," +or Big Duncan of the Axe, and many a story is told in Kintail and +Gairloch of the many other prodigies of valour which he performed +in the after contests of the Mackenzies and the Macraes against +their common enemies. "Such of Macdonald's men as escaped the +battle fled together, and as they were going homeward began to +spulzie Strathconan, which Mackenzie hearing, followed them with +a party, overtakes them at Invercorran, kills shoals of them and +the rest fled divers ways." + +That night, as Mackenzie sat at supper, he missed Duncan Mor, and +said to the company - "I am more vexed for the want of my scallag +mar (big servant) this night than any satisfaction I had of this +day." One of those present said, "I thought, (as the people fled) +I perceived him following four or five men that ran up the burn." +He had not well spoken the word when Duncan Mor came in with +four heads "bound on a woody" and threw them before his master, +saying - "Tell me now if I have not deserved my supper," to which, +it is said of him, he fell with great gusto. + +This reminds me, continues the chronicler, "of a cheat he once +played on an Irishman, being a traveller, withal a strong, lusty +fellow, well-proportioned, but of an extraordinary stomach. He +resorted into gentlemen's houses, and (was) very oft in Mackenzie's. +Having come on a time to the same Mackenzie's house in Islandonain +two or three years after this battle (of Park), he was cared for +as usual, and when the laird went to dinner, he was set aside, +at a side-table to himself, and a double proportion allowed him, +which this Duncan Mor envying, went on a day and sat side for side +with him, drew his skyn or short dagger and eats with him. 'How +now,' says the Irishman, 'how comes it that you fall in eating +in any manner of way.' 'I cannot tell,' says Duncan, 'but I do +think I have as good will to eat as you can have.' 'Well,' says +the other, 'we shall try that when we have done.' So when the +laird had done of his dinner, the Irishman went where he was +and said, 'Noble sir, I have travelled now almost among all the +clans in Scotland, and was resorting their houses, as I have been +several times here, where I cannot say but I was sufficiently cared +for, but I never met with such an affront as I have this day.' The +laird asked what he meant. So he tells him what injury Duncan had +done him in eating a share of his proportion. 'Well,' says the +laird, 'I hope M'ille Chruimb,' for so the Irishman was called, +'you will take no notice of him that did that; for he is but a fool +that plays the fool now and then.' 'I cannot tell,' says he, 'but he +is no idiot at eating, nor will I let my affront pass so; for I must +have a turn or two of wrestling with him for it in your presence.' +Whereupon a stander-by asks Duncan if he would wrestle with him. 'I +will,' says he, 'for I think I was fit sides with him in eating and +might be so with this.' They yocks, and Duncan threw him thrice on +his back. The Irishman was so angry he wist not what to say. He +invites him to put the stone, and at the second cast he worried him +four feet, but could never reach him. Then he was like to burst +himself. Finding this, he invites him to lop so that he outlopped +him as far a length. The Irishman then said, 'I have travelled as +far as any of my equals, both in Scotland, England, and Ireland, and +tried many hands, but I never met with my equal till this day, +but comrade,' say's he 'let us now go and swim a little in the +laird's presence.' 'With all my heart,' say's Duncan, 'for I never +sought better' (with this Duncan could swim not at all), but down +to the shore they go to the next rock, and being full sea, was at +least three fathoms deep, but before the Irishman had off half of +his clothes Duncan was stark naked, lops over the rocks and ducks +to the bottom and up again. Looking about him he calls to a boy +that stood by, and said, 'Lad, go where the Lady is, and bid her +send me a butter and four cheese.' The Irishman, hearing this, +asks `what purpose.' 'To what purpose,' says he, 'yons the least we +will need this night and to-morrow wherever we be,' 'Do you intend a +journey,' say's the Irishman. 'Aye, that I do,' answered the other, +'and am in hopes to cross the Kyle ere night.' Now, this Kyle was +20 leagues off with a very ill stream, as the Irishman very well +knew, so that he said, with a very great oath, lie would not go with +him that length, but if he liked to sport the laird with several +sorts of swimming, he would give a trial. 'Sport here, sport there, +wherever I go you must go.' With this the cheese and butter come, +and Duncan desires the Irishman to make ready, but all his +persuasions (not against his will) would not prevail with +Mac a Chruimb, whereupon all the company gave over with laughter, +knowing the other could swim none at all, but the fellow thought +they jeered him. The laird made Duncan forbear him; but Duncan +swore a great oath he would make him swim or he left the town, +otherwise he would want of his will. So it came to pass for the +Irishman got away that same night, was seen on the morrow in +Lochalsh, but none (was) found that ferried him over. But never +after resorted Mackenzie's house." [Ancient MS. of the Mackenzies.] + +What remained of the Macdonalds after the battle of Park were +completely routed and put to flight, but most of them were killed, +"quarter being no ordinar complement in thos dayes." + +The night before the battle young Brodie of Brodie, accompanied by +his accustomed retinue, was on a visit at Kinellan, and as be was +preparing to leave the next morning be noticed Mackenzie's men in +arms, whereupon he asked if the enemy were known to be so near +that for a certainty they would fight before night. Being informed +that they were close at hand, he determined to wait and take part +in the battle, replying to Kenneth's persuasions to the contrary, +"that be was an ill fellow and worse neighbour that would leave +his friend at such a time," He took a distinguished part in the +fight and behaved "to the advantage of his friend and notable loss +of his enemy," and the Earl of Cromarty informs us that immediately +after the battle be went on his journey. But his conduct produced +a friendship between the Mackenzies and the family of Brodie, which +continued among their posterity, "and even yet remains betwixt +them, being more sacredly observed than the ties of affinity and +consanguinity amongst most others," and a bond of manrent was +entered into between the families. Some authorities assert that +young Brodie was slain, but of this no early writer makes any mention +and neither in Sir Robert Gordon's 'Earldom of Sutherland,' in the +'Earl of Cromartie' or other MS. 'Histories of the Mackenzies,' nor in +Brown's 'History of the Highland Clans,' is there any mention made +of his having been killed, though they all refer to the distinguished +part be took in the battle. He was, however, seriously wounded. + +The morning after the battle Kenneth, fearing that the few of the +Macdonalds who escaped might rally among the hills and commit +cruelties and robberies on those of his people whom they might come +across, marched to Strathconan, where he found, as he had expected, +that about three hundred of the enemy had rallied, and were +destroying everything they had passed over in their eastward march +before the battle. As soon, however, as they noticed him in pursuit +they took to their heels, but they were overtaken and all killed or +made prisoners. + +Kenneth then returned to Kinellan, carrying with him Alexander +Macdonald of Lochalsh, whom he had taken prisoner, in triumph. His +aged father, Alastair Ionraic, had now returned from the Raven's +Rock, and warmly congratulated his valiant son upon his splendid +victory; adding, however, with significant emphasis, that he feared +they made two days work of one," since, by sparing Macdonald, +who was also a prisoner, and his apparent heir, they preserved +the lives of those who might yet give them trouble. But Kenneth, +though a lion in the field, could not, from any such prudential +consideration, be induced to commit such a cowardly and inhuman +act as was here inferred. He, however, had no great faith in the +forbearance of his followers if an opportunity occurred to them, +and he accordingly sent Macdonald, under a strong guard, to Lord +Lovat, to be kept by him in safety until he should advise him how +to dispose of him. He kept Alexander of Lochalsh with himself, but, +contrary to the expectations of their friends, he, on the +intercession of old Macdonald, released them both within six months, +having first bound them by oath and honour never to molest him or +his, and never again to claim any right to the Earldom of Ross, +which the Lord of the Isles had in 1475 forfeited to the Crown. + +Many of the Macdonalds and their followers who escaped from the +field of battle perished in the River Conon. Flying from the close +pursuit of the victorious Mackenzies, they took the river, which +in some parts was very deep, wherever they came up to it, and were +drowned. Rushing to cross at Moy, they met an old woman - still +smarting under the insults and spoliations inflicted on her and +her neighbours by the Macdonalds on their way north - and asked her +where was the best ford on the river. "O! ghaolaich," she answered, +"is aon ath an abhuinn; ged tha i dubh, cha 'n eil i domhain," (Oh! +dear, the river is all one ford together; though it looks black, +it is not deep). In their pitiful plight, and on the strength of +this misleading information, they rushed into the water in hundreds, +and were immediately carried away by the stream, many of them +clutching at the shrubs and bushes which overhung the banks of +the river, and crying loudly for assistance. This amazon and a +number of her sex who were near at hand had meanwhile procured +their sickles, and now exerted themselves in cutting away the +bushes to which the wretched Macdonalds clung with a death grasp, +the old woman exclaiming in each case, as she applied her sickle, +"As you have taken so much already which did not belong to you, +my friend, you can take that into the bargain. The instrument +of the old woman's revenge has been for many generations, and +still is by very old people in the district, called "Cailleach na +Maigb," or the Old Wife of Moy. + +The Mackenzies then proceeded to ravage the lands of Ardmeanach +and those belonging to William Munro of Fowlis - the former because +the young laird of Kilravock, whose father was governor of that +district, had assisted the Macdonalds; the latter probably because +Munro, who joined neither party, was suspected secretly of favouring +Lochalsh. So many excesses were committed at this time by the +Mackenzies that the Earl of Huntly, Lieutenant of the North, was +compelled, notwithstanding their services in repelling the invasion +of the Macdonalds, to proceed against them as oppressors of the +lieges. [Gregory, p.57. Kilravock Writs, p.170, and Acts of +Council.] + +A blacksmith, known as Glaishean Gow or "Gobha," one of Lovat's +people, in whose father's house Agnes Fraser, Mackenzie's wife, was +fostered, hearing of the advance of the Macdonalds to the Mackenzie +territory, started with a few followers in the direction of Conan, +but arrived too late to take part in the fight. They were, however, +in time to meet those few who managed to ford or swim the river, +and killed every one of them so that they found an opportunity +"to do more service than if they had been at the battle." + +This insurrection cost the Macdonalds the Lordship of the Isles, +as others had previously cost them the Earldom of Ross. In +a Parliament held in Edinburgh in 1493, the possessions of the +Lord of the Isles were declared forfeited to the Crown. In the +following January the aged Earl appeared before King James IV., and +made a voluntary surrender of everything, after which he remained +for several years in the King's household as a Court pensioner. +By Act of the Lords of Council in 1492 Alexander Urquhart, Sheriff +of Cromarty, had obtained restitution for himself and his tenants +for the depredations committed by Macdonald and his followers. +According to the Kilravock Papers, p.162, the spoil amounted to +600 cows and oxen, each worth 13s 4d, 80 horses, each worth 26s +8d; 1000 sheep, each worth 2s; 200 swine, each worth 3s; with +plenishing to the value of L300 and also 500 bolls of victual and +L300 of the mails of the Sheriff's lands. + +The Earl of Cromarty says of Kenneth, "that he raised great +fears in his neighbours by his temper and power, by which he had +overturned so great ane interest as that of Macdonald, yet 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 was esteemed a better neighbour to his friends nor a juster +maister to his dependers. In that one thing of his caryadge to his +first wife he is justly reprowable; in all things else he merits +justly to be numbered amongst the best of our Scots patriots." +The same writer continues - "The fight at Blairnapark put Mackenzie +in great respect through all the North. The Earl of Huntly, +George, who was the second Earle, did contract a friendship with +him, and when he was imployed by King James 3d to assist him +against the conspirators in the South, Kenneth came with 500 men +to him in summer 1488; but erre they came the lengthe of Perth, +Mackenzie had nottice of his father Alexander's death, whereupon +Huntly caused him retire to ordor his affaires, least his old +enemies might tack advantage of such a change, and Huntly judgeing +that they were rather too numberous than weak for the conspirators, +by which occasion he (Kenneth) was absent from that vnfortunat +battle wher King James 3d wes kild, yet evir after this, Earl +George, and his son Alexander, the 3d Earl of Huntly, keipt a +great kyndness to Kenneth and his successors. From the yeir 1489 +the kingdom vnder King James 4d wes at great peace, and thereby +Mackenzie toock opportunity to setle his privat affaires, which +for many yeirs befor, yea severall ages, had bein almost still +disturbed by the Earls of Ross and Lords of the Illes, and so he +lived in peace and good correspondences with his neighbours till +the yeir 1491, for in the moneth of February that yeir he died and +wes buried at Bewlie. All his predecessors wer buried at Icolmkill +(except his father), as wer most of the considerable chieffs in the +Highlands. But this Kenneth, after his marriage, 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 or Lovit's daughter. He procured +recommendationes from Thomas Hay (his lady's uncle), Bishop of Ross, +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." + +Bishop Hay strongly impressed upon Mackenzie the propriety of getting +his marriage with Agnes of Lovat legitimized, and to send for a +commission to the Pope for that purpose. Donald Dubh MacChreggir, +priest of Kirkhill, was despatched to Rome with that object, and, +according to several of the family manuscripts, procured the +legitimation of the marriage. "This priest was a native of Kintail, +descended from a clan there called Clan Chreggir, who, being a +hopefull boy in his younger days, was educat in Mackenzie's house, +and afterwards at Beullie be the forementioned Dugall Mackenzie, +pryor yrof. In end he was made priest of Kirkhill. His successors +to this day are called Frasers. Of this priest is descended Mr +William Fraser and Mr Donald Fraser." [Ancient MS.] Another writer +describes the messengers sent to Rome as Mr Andrew Fraser, priest of +Kintail, a learned and eloquent man, who took in his company Dugal +Mackenzie, natural son to Alexander Inrig, who was a scholar. The +Pope entertained them kindly and very readily granted them what they +desired and were both made knights to the boot of Pope Clement the +VIII., but when my knights came home, they neglected the decree of +Pope Innocent III. against the marriage and consentrinate of all the +clergy or otherwise they got a dispensation from the then Pope +Clement VIII., for both of them married - Sir Dugall was made priest +of Kintail and married nien (daughter) Dunchy Chaim in Glenmorriston. +Sir Andrew likewise married, whose son was called Donald Du Mac +Intagard, and was priest of Kirkhill and Chaunter of Ross. His tack +of the vicarage of Kilmorack to John Chisholm of Comar stands to this +day. The present Mr William Fraser, minister of Kilmorack, is the +fifth minister in lineal and uninterrupted succession." +[Ardintoul MS.] + +Anderson, in his 'Account of the Family of Fraser,' also says that +"application was made to the Pope to sanction the second marriage, +which he did, anno 1491." Sir James D. Mackenzie of Findon (note, +p. 19) however says that he made a close search in the Vatican and +the Roman libraries but was unable to find trace of any document +of legitmation. + +Of Roderick, Sir Kenneth's fourth son, who was an exceedingly +powerful man, the following interesting story is told: - He was a +man of great strength and stature, and in a quarrell which took +place between him and Dingwall of Kildun, he killed the latter, and +"that night abode with his wife." Complaint was made to King James +the Fifth, who commanded the Baron of Kintail to give Rory up to +justice. His brother, knowing he could not do so openly and by +force without trouble and considerable danger, went to Kintail +professedly to settle his affairs there, and when he was about +returning home he requested Rory to meet him at Glassletter, that +he might privately consult and discourse with him as to his +present state. Rory duly met him on the appointed day with fifty +men of his "coalds," the Macleays, besides ordinary servants and +some Kintail men. While the two brothers went to discourse, they +passed between the Kintail men and the Macleays, who sat at a good +distance from one another. When Mackenzie came near the Kintail +men, he clapped Rory on the shoulder, which was the sign between +them, and Rory was immediately seized. Gillecriost MacFhionnla +instantly ran to the Macleays, who had taken to their arms to +relieve their Coald Rory Mor, and desired them in a friendly manner +to compose themselves, and not be rash, since Rory was seized not +by his enemies, but was in the hands of his own brother, and of +those who had as great a kindness for him, and interest in him as +they had themselves; and further he desired them to consider what +would be the consequences, for if the least drop of blood was +shed, Rory would be immediately put to death, and so all their +pains would be lost. He thus prevailed upon them to keep quiet. +In the meantime Rory struggled with the Kintail men, and would not +be taken or go along with them, until John Mor, afterwards agnamed +Ian Mor nan Cas, brother to Gillecriost MacFhionnla, took Rory +by the feet and cast him down. They then bound him and carried +him on their shoulders, until he consented to go along with +them willingly, and without further objection. They took him to +Ellandonnan, whence shortly after he was sent south to the King, +where he had to take his trial. He, however, denied the whole +affair, and in the absence of positive proof, the judges declined to +convict him; but the King, quite persuaded of his guilt, ordered +him to be sent a prisoner to the Bass Rock, with strict injunctions +to have him kept in chains. This order was obeyed, and Rory's hands +and legs were much pained and cut with the irons. The governor +had unpleasant feuds with one of his neighbours, which occasioned +several encounters and skirmishes between their servants, who +came in repeatedly with wounds and bruises. Rory, noticing this +to occur frequently, said to one of them, "Would to God that the +laird would take me with him, and I should then be worth my meat to +him and serve for better use than I do with these chains." This +was communicated to the governor, who sent for Rory and asked him +if he would fight well for him. "If I do not that," said he, "let +me hang in these chains." He then took his solemn oath that he +would not run away, and the governor ordered the servants to set +about curing Rory's wounds with ointments. He soon found himself +in good condition to fight, and an opportunity was not long delayed. +The governor met his adversary accompanied by his prisoner, +who fought to admiration, exhibiting great courage and enormous +strength. He soon routed the enemy, and the governor became so +enamoured of him that he was never after out of his company whenever +he could secretly have him unknown to the Court. About this time an +Italian came to Edinburgh, who challenged the whole nation to a +wrestling match for a large sum of money. One or two grappled with +him, but he disposed of them so easily that no one else could be +found to engage him. The King was much annoyed at this, and +expressed himself strongly in favour of any one who would defeat the +Italian, promising to give him a suitable reward. The governor of +the Rock having heard of this, thought it an excellent opportunity +for his prisoner to secure his freedom, and at the same time redeem +the credit of the nation, and he informed the King that a prisoner +committed to the Bass by his Majesty if released of his irons would, +in his opinion, match the Italian. The King immediately answered, +"His liberty, with reward, shall he have if he do so." The governor, +so as not to expose his own intimate relations with and treatment of +the prisoner, warily asked that time should be allowed to cure him of +his wounds, lest his own crime and Rory's previous liberty should +become known. When sufficient time had elapsed for this purpose a +day was appointed, and the governor brought Rory to Holyrood House to +meet the King, who enquired if he "would undertake to cast the +Italian for his liberty?" "Yes, sir," answered Rory "it will be a +hard task that I will not undertake for that; but, sir, it may be, +it will not be so easy to perform as to undertake, yet I shall give +him a fair trial." "Well" said the King, "how many days will you +have to fit yourself?" "Not an hour" replied Rory. His Majesty was +so pleased with his resolution that he immediately sent to the +Italian to ask if he would accept the challenge at once. He who had +won so many victories so easily already did not hesitate to grapple +with Rory, having no fear as to the result. Five lists were +prepared. The Italian was first on the ground, and seeing Rory +approaching him, dressed in his rude habit, without any of the +usual dress and accoutrements, laughed loudly. But no sooner was +he in the Highlander's grasp than the Italian was on his knee. +The King cried with joy; the Italian alleged foul play, and made +other and frivolous excuses, but His Majesty was so glad of the +apparent advantage in his favour that he was unwilling to expose +Rory to a second hazard. This did not suit the Highlander at all, +and he called out, "No, no, sir; let me try him again, for now I +think I know his strength." His Majesty hearing this, consented, +and in the second encounter Rory laid firm hold of the foreigner, +pulled him towards him with all his might, breaking his back, and +disjointing the back-bone. The poor fellow fell to the ground +groaning with pain, and died two day's after. The King, delighted +with Rory's prowess, requested him to remain at Court, but this he +refused, excusing himself on the ground that his long imprisonment +quite unfitted him for Court life, but if it pleased his Majesty +he would send him his son, who was better fitted to serve him. He +was provided with money and suitable clothing by Royal command. The +King requested him to hasten his son to Court, which he accordingly +did. This son was named Murdoch, and His Majesty became so fond +of him that he always retained him about his person, and granted +him, as an earnest of greater things to follow, the lands of +Fairburn, Moy, and others adjoining, also the Ferry of Scuideal; +but Murdoch being unfortunately absent from the Court when the +King died, he missed much more which his Majesty had designed for +him. [Ardintoul and Cromartie MS. Histories of the Mackenzies.] + +The following, told of Roderick and Kenneth, the fifth son, is also +worth a place: - Kenneth was Chaunter of Ross, and perpetual Curate +of Coinbents, which vicarage he afterwards resigned into the hands +of Pope Paulus in favour of the Priory of Beauly. Though a priest +and in holy orders he would not abstain from marriage, for which +cause the Bishop decided to have him deposed. On the appointed +day for his trial he had his brother Rory at Chanonry, when the +trial was to take place, with a number of his followers. Kenneth +presented himself before the Bishop in his long gown, but under +it he had a two-edged sword, and drawing near his Lordship, +who sat in his presiding chair, whispered in his ear, "It is +best that you should let me alone, for my brother Rory is in the +churchyard with many ill men, and if you take off my orders he will +take off your head, and I myself will not be your best friend." +He then coolly exposed his penknife, as he called his great sword, +"which sight, with Rory's proximity, and being a person whose +character was well enough known by his Lordship, he was so terrified +that he incontinently absolved and vindicated the good Chaunter," +who ever after enjoyed his office (and his wife) unchallenged. + +Sir Kenneth of Kintail, who was knighted by James IV. "for being +highly instrumental in reducing his fierce countrymen to the +blessings of a civilized life," was twice married; first, to Lady +Margaret, daughter of John, Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, +with issue - + +I. Kenneth Og, his heir and successor. + +He married secondly, Agnes or Anne Fraser, daughter of Hugh, third +Lord Lovat, with issue - + +II. John, who succeeded his brother Kenneth Og. + +III. Alexander, first of the family of Davochmaluag. + +IV. Roderick, progenitor of the families of Achilty, Fairburn, +Ardross, etc. + +V. Kenneth, better know as "the Priest of Avoch," from whom the +families of Suddie, Ord, Corryvulzie, Highfield, Inverlaul, Little +Findon, and others of lesser note. + +VI. Agnes, who married Roderick Macleod, VII. of Lewis, with issue. + +VII. Catherine, who married Hector Munro of Fowlis, with issue. + +There has been a considerable difference of opinion among the +family genealogists as to the date of Sir Kenneth's death, but it +is now placed beyond doubt that he died in 1491, having only ruled +as actual chief of the clan for the short space of three years. +This is clearly proved from his tomb in the Priory of Beauly, +where there is a full length recumbent effigy of him, in full +armour, with arms folded across his chest as if in prayer, and on +the arch over it is the following inscription "Hic Jacet, Kanyans, +m. kynch d'us de Kyntayl, q. obiit vii. die Februarii, a. di. +m.cccc.lxxxxi." Sir William Fraser, in his history of the Earls of +Cromartie, gives, in his genealogy of the Mackenzies of Kintail, +the date of his death as "circa 1506," and ignores his successor +Kenneth Og altogether. This is incomprehensible to readers of the +work; for in the book itself, in various places, it is indubitably +established that Sir William's genealogy is incorrect in this, as +in other important particulars." [Sir William Fraser appears to +have adopted Douglas in his genealogies, who, as already shown, +in many instances, cannot be depended upon.] + +The following, from the published "Acts of the Lords of Council," +p. 327, under date 17th June, 1494, places the question absolutely +beyond dispute. "The King's Highness and Lords of Council decree +and deliver that David Ross of Balnagown shall restore and deliver +again to Annas Fresale, the spouse of THE LATE Kenneth Mackenzie +of Kintail, seven score of cows, price of the piece (each), 20s; +30 horses, price of the piece, 2 merks; 200 sheep and goats, price +of the piece, 2s; and 14 cows, price of the piece, 20s; spuilzied +and taken by the said David and his complices from the said Annas +out of the lands of Kynlyn (? Killin or Kinellan), as was sufficiently +proved before the Lords; and ordain that letters be written to +distrain the said David, his lands and goods therefor, and he was +present at his action by this procurators." It is needless to +point out that the man who, by this undoubted authority, was THE +LATE Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, in 1494 could not have died +about or "circa 1506," as Sir William Fraser asserts in his Earls +of Cromartie. Kenneth died in 1491, and was succeeded by his only +son by his first wife, Margaret of Isla, + + +VIII. KENNETH OG MACKENZIE, + + +Or KENNETH THE YOUNGER, who was also known as Sir Kenneth. He +was fostered in Taagan, Kenlochewe. [Ancient MS.] When, in 1488, +King James the IV. succeeded to the throne, he determined to attach +to his interest the principal chiefs in the Highlands. "To overawe +and subdue the petty princes who affected independence, to carry +into their territories, hitherto too exclusively governed by their +own capricious or tyrannical institutions, the same system of a +severe but regular and rapid administration of civil and criminal +justice which had been established in his Lowland dominions was the +laudable object of the King; and for this purpose he succeeded, with +that energy and activity which remarkably distinguished him, in +opening up an intercourse with many of the leading men in the northern +counties. With the Captain of the Clan Chattan, Duncan Mackintosh +with Ewen, the son of Alan, Captain of the Clan Cameron with Campbell +of Glenurghay; the Macgilleouns of Duart and Lochbuy; Mackane +of Ardnamurchan the Lairds of Mackenzie and Grant; and the Earl +of Huntly, a baron of the most extensive power in these northern +districts, he appears to have been in habits of constant and regular +communication - rewarding them by presents, in the shape either of +money or of grants or land, and securing their services in reducing to +obedience such of their fellow chieftains as proved contumacious, +or actually rose in rebellion." [Tytler, vol. iv., pp. 367-368.] + +To carry out this plan he determined to take pledges for their +good behaviour from some of the most powerful clans, and, at the +same time, educate the younger lairds into a more civilized manner +of governing their people. Amongst others he took a special +interest in Kenneth Og, and Farquhar Mackintosh, the young lairds +of Mackenzie and Mackintosh, who were cousins, their mothers being +sisters, daughters of John, last Lord of the Isles. They were +both powerful, the leaders of great clans, and young men of great +spirit and reckless habits. They were accordingly apprehended in +1495 ["The King having made a progress to the North, was advised +to secure these two gentlemen as hostages for securing the peace of +the Highlands, and accordingly they were apprehended at Inverness +and sent prisoners to Edinburgh in the year 1495, where they +remained two years." - Dr George Mackenzie's MS. History,] and sent +to Edinburgh, where they were kept in custody in the Castle, until +a favourable opportunity occurring in 1497, they escaped over the +ramparts by the aid of ropes secretly conveyed to them by some of +their friends. This was the more easily managed, as they had +liberty granted them to roam over the whole bounds of the Castle +within the outer walls; and the young chieftains, getting tired of +restraint, and ashamed to be idle while they considered themselves +fit actors for the stage of their Highland domains, resolved to +attempt an escape by dropping over the walls, when Kenneth injured +his leg, so as to incapacitate him from rapid progress; but +Mackintosh manfully resolved to risk capture himself rather than +leave his fellow-fugitive behind him in such circumstances. The +result of this accident, however, was that after three days journey +they were only able to reach the Torwood, where, suspecting no +danger, they put up for the night in a private house. + +The Laird of Buchanan, who was at the time an outlaw for a murder +he had committed, happened to be in the neighbourhood, and meeting +the Highlanders, entertained them with a show of kindness; by +which means he induced them to divulge their names and quality. A +proclamation had recently been issued promising remission to any +outlaw who would bring in another similarly circumstanced, and +Buchanan resolved to procure his own freedom at the expense of his +fellow-fugitives; for he knew well that such they were, previously +knowing of them as his Majesty's pledges from their respective +clans. In the most deceitful manner, he watched until they had +retired to rest, when he surrounded the house with a band of his +followers, and charged them to surrender. This they declined; +and Mackenzie, being of a violent temper and possessed of more +courage than prudence, rushed out with a drawn sword "refusing +delivery and endeavouring to escape," whereupon he was shot with +an arrow by one of Buchanan's men. His head was severed from +his body, and forwarded to the King in Edinburgh; while young +Mackintosh, who made no further resistance, was secured and sent +a prisoner to the King. Buchanan's outlawry was remitted, and +Mackintosh was confined in Dunbar, where he remained until after the +death of James the Fourth at the battle of Flodden Field. [Gregory, +p.93; and MS. History by the Earl of Cromartie.] Buchanan's base +conduct was universally execrated, while the fate of young Mackenzie +was lamented throughout the whole Highlands, having been accused of +no other crime than the natural forwardness of youth, and having +escaped from his confinement in Edinburgh Castle. + +It is admitted on all hands that Kenneth Og was killed, as above, in +1497, and he must, therefore - his father having died in 1491 - have +ruled as one of the Barons of Kintail, though there is no record +of his having been formally served heir. He was not married, but +left two bastard sons - one, known as Rory Beag, by the daughter of +the Baron of Moniack; and the other by the daughter of a gentleman +in Cromar, of whom are descended the Sliochd Thomais in Cromar and +Glenshiel, Braemar, the principal families of which were those of +Dalmore and Renoway. ["In his going to Inverness, as I have said, +to meet the King, he was the night before his coming there in the +Baron of Muniag's house, whose daughter he got with child, who +was called Rory Begg. Of this Rory descended the parson of Slate; +and on the same journey going along with the King to Edinburgh +he got a son with a gentleman's daughter, and called him Thomas +Mackenzy, of whom descended the Mackenzies - in Braemar called +Slyghk Homash Vic Choinnich. That is to say Thomas Mackenzie's +Succession. If he had lived he would be heir to Mackenzie and +Macdonald (Earl of Ross)." - Ancient MS.] He was succeeded by his +eldest brother by his father's second marriage with Agnes or Anne, +daughter of Hugh, third Lord Lovat, + +IX. JOHN MACKENZIE OF KILLIN, + +Known by that designation from his having generally resided at that +place. He was, as we have seen, the first son of Kenneth, seventh +Baron of Kintail, by his second wife Agnes, or Anne of Lovat, and +his father being never regularly married, the great body of the clan +did not consider John his legitimate heir. Hector Roy Mackenzie, +his uncle, progenitor of the House of Gairloch, a man of great +prudence and courage, was by Kenneth a Bhlair appointed tutor +to his eldest son Kenneth Og, then under age, though Duncan, an +elder brother by Alexander's first wife, had, according to custom, +a prior claim to that honourable and important trust. Duncan is, +however, described as one who was "of better hands than head" - +more brave than prudent. Hector took charge, and on the death of +Kenneth Og found himself in possession of valuable and extensive +estates. He had already secured great popularity among the clan, +which in the past he had often led to victory against the common +enemy. He objected to John's succession on the ground that he was +the illegitimate son of Lovat's daughter, with whom his father, +Kenneth, at first did "so irregularly and unlawfully cohabit," and +John's youth encouraging him, it is said, [MS. History by the Earl +of Cromartie.] Hector proposed an arrangement to Duncan, whom he +considered the only legitimate obstacle to his own succession, by +which he would transfer his rights as elder brother in Hector's +favour, in return for which he should receive a considerable portion +of the estates for himself and his successors. Duncan declined +to enter into the proposed agreement, principally on the ground +that the Pope, in 1491, the year in which John's father died, +had legitimised Kenneth a Bhlair's marriage with Agnes of Lovat, +and thereby restored the children of that union to the rights of +succession. Finding Duncan unfavourable to his project, Hector +declared John illegitimate, and held possession of the estates for +himself; and the whole clan, with whom he was a great favourite, +submitted to his rule. [Though we have given this account on the +authority of the MS. histories of the family, it is now generally +believed that Duncan was dead at this period, and that his son Allan, +who would have succeeded, failing John of Killin's legitimacy, was +a minor when his father died.] + +It can hardly be supposed that Lord Lovat would be a disinterested +spectator of these proceedings, and in the interest of his sister's +children he procured a precept of clare constat from James Stewart, +Duke of Ross, [After the forfeiture of the ancient Earls of Ross, +the district furnished new titles under the old names, to members +of the Royal family. James Stewart, second son of King James the +Third, was created in 1487 Duke of Ross, Marquis of Ormond, Earl +of Ardmanach, and Lord of Brechin and Navar. The Duke did not +long hold the territorial Dukedom of Ross. On the 13th of May +1503, having obtained the rich Abbey of Dunfermline, he resigned +the Dukedom of Ross into the hands of the King. The Duke reserved +for his life the hill of Dingwall beside that town for the style of +Duke, the hill of Ormond (above Avoch) for the style of Marquis, +the Redcastle of Ardmanach for the style of Earl, and the Castle +of Brechin, with the gardens, &c., for the name of Brechin and +Navar. The Duke of Ross died in 1504. It was said of him by +Ariosto, as translated by Hoole - "The title of the Duke of +Ross he bears, No chief like him in dauntless mind compares." The +next creation of the title of the Duke of Ross was in favour of +Alexander Stewart, the posthumous son of King James the Fourth. +The Duke was born on the 30th April 1514, and died on the 18th +December 1515. In the reign of Mary Queen of Scots, John, Earl +of Sutherland, acquired from Mary, the Queen Dowager, a certain +right in the Earldom of Ross, which might ultimately have joined +in one family both Sutherland and Ross. Lord Darnley, on the +prospect of his marriage with Queen Mary, was created Earl of +Ross, a title by which he is little known, as it was only given +to him a short time before he obtained the higher titles of Duke +of Albany and King of Scotland. - Fraser's Earls of Cromartie.] and +Archbishop of St Andrews, in favour of his grandson, John, as heir +to the estates. The document is "daited the last of Apryle 1500 +and seasin thereon 16 Mey 1500 be Sir John Barchaw and William +Monro of Foulls, as Baillie to the Duk." [MS. History by the Earl +of Cromartie.] This precept included the Barony of Kintail, as +well as the lands held by Mackenzie off the earldom of Ross, for, +the charter chest being in the possession of Hector Roy, Lovat +was not aware that Kintail was held direct from the Crown; but +notwithstanding all these precautions and legal instruments, Hector +kept possession and treated the entire estates as his own. + +Sir William Munro of Fowlis, the Duke's Lieutenant for the +forfeited earldom of Ross, was dissatisfied with Hector's conduct, +and resolved to punish him. Munro was in the habit of doing things +with a high hand, and on this occasion, during Hector's absence +from home, he, accompanied by his Sheriff, Alexander Vass, went to +Kinellan, where Hector usually resided, held a court at the place, +and as a mulct or fine took away the couples of one of Hector's +barns as a token of his power. When Hector discovered what had +taken place in his absence, he became furious, and sent a messenger +to Fowlis telling him that if he were a man of courage and a "good +fellow" he would come and take away the couples of the other barn +when their owner was at home. + +Munro, greatly offended at this message, determined to accept the +bold challenge conveyed in it, and promptly collected his vassals, +including the Dingwalls and the MacCullochs, who were then his +dependants, to the number of nine hundred, and with this force +started for Kinellan, where he arrived much sooner than Hector, +who hurriedly collected all the men he could in the neighbourhood, +anticipated. Hector had no time to advise his Kintail men nor those +at a distance from Kinellan, and was consequently unable to bring +together more than one hundred and forty men. With this small +force he wisely deemed it imprudent to venture on a regular battle, +but decided upon a stratagem which if it proved successful, as he +anticipated, would give him an advantage that would more than +counterbalance the enemy's superiority of numbers. Having supplied +his small but resolute band with provisions for twenty-four +hours, Hector led them secretly, during the night, to the top of +Knock-farrel, a place so situated that Munro must needs pass near +its north or south side in his march to and from Kinellan. Early +next morning Fowlis marched past on his way to Kinellan, quite +ignorant of Hector's position, and expecting him to have remained +at home to implement the purport of his message. Sir William was +allowed to pass unmolested, and imagining that Hector had fled, +he proceeded to demolish the barn at Kinellan, ordered its couples +to be carried away. Broke all the utensils about the place, and +drove out all the cattle, as trophies of his visit. In the evening +he returned, as Hector had conjectured, carrying the plunderin +front of his party, accompanied by a strong guard, while he placed +the rest of his picked men in the rear, fearing that Hector might +pursue him, little thinking that he was already between him and his +destination. + +On his way to Kinellan, Munro bad marched through Strathpeffer round +the north side of Knock-farrel, but for some cause he returned by the +south side where the highway touched the shoulder of the hill on which +Hector's men were posted. He had no fear of attack from that quarter, +and his men feeling themselves quite safe, marched loosely and out of +order. Hector seeing his opportunity, allowed them to pass until the +rear was within musket shot of him. He then ordered his men to charge, +which they did with such furious impetuosity, that most of the enemy +were cut to pieces before they were properly aware from whence they +were attacked, or could make any effectual attempt to resist the +dashing onset of Hector's followers. The groans of the dying in the +gloaming, the uncertainty as well as the unexpectedness of the attack, +frightened them so much that they fled in confusion, in spite of every +attempt on the part of Fowlis, who was in front in charge of the spoil +and its guard, to stop them. Those from the rear flying in disorder +soon confused the men in front, and the result was a complete rout. +Hector's men followed, killing every one they met for it was ordered +that no quarter should be given, the number being so large that they +might again turn round, attack and defeat the victors. In this retreat +almost all the men of the clan Dingwall and MacCullochs capable of +bearing arms were killed, and so many of the Munroes were slain that +for a long time after "there could not be ane secure friendship made +up twixt them and the Mackenzies, till by frequent allyance and +mutuall beneffets at last thes animosities are setled and in ordor +to a reconciliation, Hector, sone to this William of Foulls, wes +maried to John Mackenzie's sister Catherine." + +At this conflict, besides that it was notable for its neat contrivance, +the inequality of the forces engaged, and the number of the slain, +there are two minor incidents worth noting. One is that the pursuit +was so hot that the Munroes not only fled in a crowd, but there +were so many of them killed at a place on the edge of the hill +where a descent fell from each shoulder of it to a well; and most +of Hector's men being armed with battle-axes and two-edged swords, +they had cut off so many heads in that small space, that, tumbling +down the slope to the well, nineteen heads were counted in it and +to this day the well is called "Tobar nan Ceann" or the Fountain +of the Heads. The other incident is that Suarachan, better known +as "Donnchadh Mor na Tuaighe," or Big Duncan of the Axe, previously +referred to as one of the heroes of the battle of Park, pursued +one of the enemy into the Church of Dingwall, to which he had fled +for shelter. As he was entering in at the door, Suarachan caught +him by the arm, when the man exclaimed, "My sanctuary saves me!" +"Aye," returned Suarachan, "but what a man puts in the sanctuary +against his will he can take it out again; and so, pushing him back +from the door, he killed him with one stroke of his broadsword. +[MS. History by the Earl or Cromartie.] + +Sir William Munro returned that night to Fowlis, where happened +to be, passing the evening, a harper of the name of MacRa, who, +observing Sir William pensive and dispirited, advised him to be +more cheerful and submit patiently to the fortunes of war, since +his defeat was not his own fault, nor from want of personal courage +and bravery, but arose from the timorousness of his followers, who +were unacquainted with such severe service. This led Sir William +to take more particular notice of the harper than he had hitherto +done, and he asked him his name. On hearing it, Munro replied, +"You surely must have been fortunate, as your name imports, and +I am sure that you have been more so than I have been this day; +but it's fit to take your advice, MacRath." This was a play on the +minstrel's name - MacRath literally meaning "Son of Fortune" - and +the harper being, like most of his kind, smart and sagacious, made +the following impromptu answer - + +Eachainn le sheachd fichead fear, +Agus thusa le d'ochd clad, +Se Mac Rath a mharbh na daoine +Air bathaois Cnoc faireal, + +Which may be rendered in English as follows: + +Although MacRath doth "fortunate" import, +It's he deserves that name whose brave effort +Eight hundred men did put to flight +With his seven score at Knockfarrel. [Ardintoul MS.] + +In 1499, George, Earl of Huntly, then the King's Lieutenant, +granted warrant to Duncan Mackintosh of Mackintosh, John Grant +of Freuchie, and other leaders, with three thousand men, to pass +against the Clan Mackenzie, "the King's rebels," for the slaughter +of Harold of Chisholm, dwelling in Strathglass, "and for divers +other heirschips, slaughters, spuilzies, committed on the King's +poor lieges and tenants in the Lordship of Ardmeanoch," [Kilravock +Papers, p. 170.] but Hector Roy and his followers gave a good +account of them, and soon defeated and dispersed them. He seems +to have held undisturbed possession until the year 1507, when +John and his brother Roderick were on a visit in the Aird, at the +house of their uncle, Lord Lovat, when a fire broke out at the +castle. According to the Earl of Cromartie, when the house took +fire, no one was found bold enough to approach the burning pile +but John, who rushed boldly through the flames and carried away +the Lovat charter chest "a weight even then thought too much for +the strongest man, and that cheist, yett extant, is a load sufficient +for two. His uncle, bothe obleiged by the actione, and glad to +sie such strength and boldnes in the young man, desyred (him) to +do as much for himself as he haid done for him, and to discover +his (own) charter cheist from his uncle, and that he should have +all the concurrance which he (Lovat) could give to that effect." +Anderson's "History of the Family of Fraser" ascribes this bold +act to Roderick, for which he was "considered amply recompensed +by the gift of a bonnet and a pair of shoes." It matters little +which is the correct version, but it is not unlikely that Lovat's +valuable charter chest was saved by one or other of them, and it +is by no means improbable that his Lordship's suggestion that +they should procure their own charter chest and his offer to aid +them in doing so was made and determined to be acted upon on this +occasion. + +John, who had proved himself most prudent, even in his youth, was +satisfied that his uncle Hector, a man of undoubted valour and +wisdom, in possession of the estates, and highly popular with the +clan, could not be expelled without great difficulty and extreme +danger to himself. Any such attempt would produce feuds and +slaughter among his people, with the certain result of making +himself personally unpopular with the clan, and his uncle more +popular than ever. He therefore decided upon a more prudent course +resolving to strike only at Hector's person, judging that, if his +uncle failed, his claims and the personal respect of his followers +would fall with him. To carry out his resolution, he contrived +a scheme which proved completely successful. Having secured an +interview with Hector, who then resided at Wester Fairburn, he +pleaded that since he had taken his estates from him, and left +him in such reduced circumstances, it was not in accordance with +his feelings and his ambition for fame to remain any longer in his +native country, where he had neither position nor opportunities +of distinguishing himself. He therefore begged that his uncle +should give him a galley or birlinn, and as many of the ablest and +most determined youths in the country as should voluntarily follow +him in his adventures for fame and fortune in a foreign land. +With these he should pass to Ireland, then engaged in war, and +"there purchase a glorious death or a more plentiful fortune than +he was likely to get at home." The idea pleased Hector exceedingly, +and he not only gave him his own galley, then lying at Torridon, +but furnished him with all the necessary provisions for the +voyage, at the same time assuring him that, if he prosecuted his +intentions, he should annually transmit him a sufficient portion +to keep up his position, until his own personal prowess and fortune +should place him above any such necessity whereas, if he otherwise +resolved or attempted to molest him in what he called his rights, +he would bring sudden and certain ruin upon himself. + +Thirty brave and resolute young men joined the supposed adventurer, +after having informed them that he would have none except those +who would do so of their own free will, from their affection for +him, and determination to support him in any emergency; for he well +judged that only such were suitable companions in the desperate +aims which he had laid out for himself to accomplish. These he +dispatched to the galley then at Torridon, one of the most secluded +glens on the West Coast, and distant from any populated place; +while he himself remained with his uncle, professedly to arrange +the necessary details of his journey, and the transmission +of his portion, but really to notice "his method and manner of +converse." John soon took farewell of Hector, and departed with +every appearance of simplicity. His uncle sent a retinue to convoy +him with becoming respect, but principally to assure himself of +his departure, and to guard against surprise or design on John's +part. Accompanied by these, he soon arrived at Torridon, where he +found his thirty fellow adventurers and the galley awaiting him. +They at once set sail, and with a fair wind made for the Isles, +in the direction of, and as if intending to make for, Ireland. +The retinue sent by Hector Roy returned home, and informed their +master that they saw John and his companions started before a +fair wind, with sails set, in the direction of Ireland when Hector +exclaimed, referring to Anne of Lovat, "We may now sleep without +fear of Anne's children." + +John, sailing down Loch Torridon, and judging that Hector's men had +returned home, made for a sheltered and isolated creek, landed in +a wood, and dispersed his men with instructions to go by the most +private and unfrequented paths in the direction of Alit Corrienarnich, +in the braes of Torridon, where he would meet them. This done, +they followed Hector's men, being quite close up to them by the +time they reached Fairburn. John halted at some little distance +from Hector's house until about midnight, when, calling his men +together, he feelingly addressed them thus: "Now, my good friends, +I perceive that you are indeed affectionate to me, and resolute +men, who have freely forsaken your country and relations to share +in my not very promising fortune but my design in seeking only +such as would voluntarily go along with me was that I might be +certain of your affection and resolution, and since you are they +whom I ought only to rely upon in my present circumstances and +danger, I shall now tell you that I was never so faint-hearted as +to quit my inheritance without attempting what is possible for +any man in my capacity. In order to this I feigned this design +for Ireland for three reasons; first, to put my uncle in security, +whom I have found ever hitherto very circumspect and well guarded; +next, to find out a select, faithful number to whom I might trust +and thirdly, that in case I fail, and that my uncle shall prevail +over my endeavours, that I might have this boat and these provisions +as a safe retreat, both for myself and you, whom I should be loath +to expose to so great a danger without some probability in the +attempt, and some security in the disappointment. I am resolved +this night to fall on my uncle for he being gone, there is none +of his children who dare hope to repose themselves to his place. +The countrymen who now, for fear, depend on him and disown me, +will, no doubt, on the same motives, promoved with my just title, +own me against all other injurious pretenders. One thing I must +require of you, and it is that albeit those on whom we are to +fall are all related both to you and to me, yet since on their +destruction depends the preservation of our lives, and the restitution +of my estate, you must all promise not to give quarter to my uncle +or to any of his company." + +To this inhuman resolution they all agreed, disregarding the natural +ties of blood and other obligations, and, marching as quietly as +possible, they arrived at Hector's house, surrounded it, and set +fire to it - guarding it all round so that not a soul could escape. +The house was soon in flames, and the inmates, Hector and his +household, were crying out for mercy. Their pitiful cries made +an impression on those outside, for many of them had relatives +within, and in spite of their previous resolution to give no +quarter, some of them called out to their nearest friends to come +out and surrender, on assurance of their lives being spared. John +seeing so many of his followers moved to this merciful conduct, +and being unable to resist them, exclaimed, "My uncle is as near +in blood to me as any in the house are to you, and therefore I +will be as kind to him as you are to them." He then called upon +Hector to surrender and come forth from the burning pile, assuring +him of his life. This he did; but Donald Dubh MacGillechriost Mhic +Gillereach, a Kenlochewe man, made for the door with his two-edged +sword drawn, whereupon Hector seeing him called out to John that he +would rather be burned where he was than face Donald Dubh. John +called the latter away, and Hector rushed out into his nephew's arms +and embraced him. That same night John and Hector, without "Dysman," +saving God and such commons as were then present, agreed and +condescended that Hector should have the estate till John was +twenty-one years of age, and that John should live on his own +purchases till then, Hector was to set the whole estate immediately, +as tutor to John, which next day he went about. "I cannot forget +what passed betwixt him and the foresaid Donald at the set of +Kenlochewe, who was one of the first that sought land from him, which +when he sought, Hector says to him: 'I wonder, Donald, how you can +ask land this day, that was so forward to kill me the last day.' +Donald answered that 'if he had such a leader this day as he had that +night he should show him no better quarters, for Kenneth's death +(meaning Kenneth Aack) struck nearer my heart than any prejudice you +can do me in denying me land this day.' Hector said, 'Well Donald, I +doubt ye not if you had such coildghys (coldhaltas - fosterage) to me +as you had to that man but you would act the like for me. Therefore +you shall have your choice of all the land in the country.' Hector +having set the whole estate as tutor, all things seemed fair, only +that Allan and his faction in Kintail, who previously urged John +to possess himself of Ellandonnan Castle, were not satisfied with +the arrangement, as John was still kept out of the stronghold, +'which Hector would not grant, not being condescended on (and as +he alleged) lest John should fail on his part but the factions - the +commons - within that country could not be satisfied herewith, +being, as it was said, moved hereto by an accident that fell out a +year or two before.'" [Ancient MS.] This "accident" is described +further on, and refers to Hector's alleged attempt to get Allan +assassinated at Invershiel. + +Donald Dubh was Kenneth Og's foster-brother, and Imagining that +Hector was accessory in an underhand way to Kenneth's captivity in +Edinburgh Castle, and consequently to his death in the Torwood, he +conceived an inveterate hatred for him, and determined to kill him +in revenge the first opportunity that presented itself. Hector, +knowing that his resolution proceeded from fidelity and affection +to his foster-brother and master, not only forgave him, but +ultimately took an opportunity of rewarding him and, as we have +seen, afterwards gave him his choice of all the lands in Kenlochewe. + +John immediately sent word of what had taken place to his uncle +of Lovat, and next day marched for Kintail, where all the people +there, as well as in the other parts of his property, recognised +him as their chief. The Castle of Ellandonnan was delivered up to him, +with the charter chest and other evidences of his extensive possessions. + +It has been maintained by the family of Gairloch that there is no +truth in the charge against their ancestor, Hector Roy, which we +have just given mainly on the authority of the Earl of Cromartie. +The writer of the Ardintoul MS. of the Mackenzies, [Dr George Mackenzie +gives substantially the same account,] however corroborates his +lordship, and says that John was but young when his father died; +and Hector, his younger uncle (Duncan, Hector's eldest brother, +who should be tutor being dead, and Allan, Duncan's son, not being +able to oppose or grapple with Hector), meddled with the estate. +It is reported that Hector wished Allan out of the way, whom he +thought only to stand in his way from being laird, since he was +resolved not to own my Lord Lovat's daughter's children, being all +bastards and gotten in adultery. The reason why they entertained +such thoughts of him was partly this: Hector going to Ellandonnan +(where he placed Malcolm Mac Eancharrich constable) called such +of the country people to him as he judged fit, under pretence +of setting and settling the country, but asked not for, nor yet +called his nephew Allan, who lived at Invershiel, within a few miles +of Ellandonnan, but went away. Allan, suspecting this to have +proceeded from unkindness, sends to one of his familiar friends +to know the result of the meeting, or if there was any spoken +concerning him. The man, perhaps, not being willing to be an ill +instrument twixt so near relations, sends Allan the following Irish +(Gaelic) lines: + +Inversheala na struth bras, +Tar as, 's fear foul ga d' fheitheamh, +Nineag, ga caol a cas, +Tha leannan aice gun thios, +A tighinn ga'm fhaire a shios, +Tha i, gun fhios, fo mo chrios +Tha 'n sar lann ghuilbneach ghlas, - +Bhehion urchair dha le fios. + +Allan put his own construction on them, and thought a friend warned +him to have a care of himself, there being some designs on him +from a near relation; and so that very night, in the beginning +thereof, he removed himself and family and anything he valued within +the house to an bill above the town, where he might see and bear +anything that might befall the house; and that same night about +cock crow he saw bis house and biggings in flames, and found +them consumed to ashes on the morrow. The perpetrators could not +be found; yet it was generally thought to be Hector his uncle's +contrivance." + +The writer then describes the legitimation of Agnes Fraser's +children by the Pope, and continues - "Hector, notwithstanding of +the legitimation, refused to quit the possession of the estate," +and he then gives the same account of John's feigned expedition +to Ireland, and the burning of Hector's house at Wester Fairburn, +substantially as already given from another source, but adding - +"That very night they both entered upon terms of agreement without +acquainting or sending for any, or to advise a reconciliation +betwixt them. The sum of their agreement was, that Hector, as a +man able to rule and govern, should have (allowing John an aliment) +the estate for five or six years, till John should be major, and +that thereafter Hector should render it to John as the right and +lawful undoubted heir, and that Hector should ever afterwards +acknowledge and honour him as his chief, and so they parted, all +being well pleased. [John and Hector did condescend that Hector +should have the estate till John were one and twentie years, and +that John should live on his own purchase till then. Letter from +MS.] But Allan and the most of the Kintail men were dissatisfied +that John did not get Ellandonnan, his principal house, in his +own possession, and so desired John to come to them and possess +the castle by fair or foul means wherein they promised to assist +him. John goes to Kintail, desires him to render the place to +him, which he refused, for which cause John ordered bring all his +cattle to those he employed to besiege the castle till Malcolm (the +governor) would be starved out of it. Yet this did not prevail with +the governor, till he got Hector's consent, who, being acquainted, +came to Lochalsh and met with his nephew, and after concerting the +matter, Hector sends word to Malcolm to render the place to John. +But Malcolm would not till he would be paid of his goods that were +destroyed. But Hector sending to him the second time, after +considerable negotiation for several days, telling him he was a fool, +that he might remember how himself was used, and that that might be a +means to take his life also. Whereupon Malcolm renders the house, +but John was so much offended at him that he would not continue him +governor, but gave the charge to Gillechriost Mac Fhionnla Mhic Rath, +making him Constable of the Isle. So after that there was little or +no debate twixt John and Hector during the rest of the six years he +was Tutor.' [Ardintoul and Ancient MSS. of the Mackenzies.] + +The MS. Histories of the family are borne out by Gregory, [Highlands +and Isles of Scotland, p. 111] who informs us that "Hector Roy +Mackenzie, progenitor of the House of Gairloch, had, since the +death of Kenneth Og Mackenzie of Kintail, in 1497, and during the +minority of John, the brother and heir of Kenneth, exercised the +command of that clan, nominally as guardian to the young chief. +Under his rule the Clan Mackenzie became involved in feuds with the +Munroes and other clans, and Hector Roy himself became obnoxious +to Government as a disturber of the public peace. His intentions +towards the young Laird of Kintail were considered very dubious; +and the apprehensions of the latter having been roused, Hector +was compelled by law to yield up the estate and the command of the +tribe to the proper heir." Gregory gives the "Acts of the Lords +of Council, xxii., fo. 142," as that upon which, among other +autho-rities, he founds. We give the following extract, except +that the spelling is modernised: + +"7th April 1511. - Anent the summons made at the instance of John +Mackenzie of Kintail against Hector Roy Mackenzie for the wrongous +intromitting, uptaking, and withholding from him of the mails +'fermez,' profits, and duties of all and whole the lands of Kintail, +with the pertinents lying in the Sheriffdom of Inverness, for the +space of seven years together, beginning in the year of God 1501, +and also for the space of two years, last bye-past, and for the +masterful withholding from the said John Mackenzie of his house +and Castle of Ellandonnan, and to bring with him his evidence if +(he) any has of the constabulary and keeping thereof, and to hear +the same decerned of none avail, and diverse other points like +as at more length; is contained in the said summons, the said +John Mackenzie being personally present, and the said Hector Roy +being lawfully summoned to this action, oft-times called and not +compearing, the said John's rights, etc. The Lords of Council +decree and deliver, that the said Hector has forfeited the keeping +and constabulary of the said Castle of Ellandonnan, together with +the fees granted therefor, and decern all evidents, if he any has +made to him thereupon, of none avail, force, nor effect, and the +said John Mackenzie to have free ingress and entry to the said +Castle, because he required the said Hector for deliverance thereof +and to thole him to enter thereunto, howbeit the said Hector +refused and would not give him entry to the said Castle, but if +his servants would have delivered their happinnis from them to +his men or their entries, like as one actentit instrument taken +thereupon shown and produced before the said Lords purported and +bore, and therefore ordains our sovereign Lords' letters (to) be +directed to devode and rid the said Castle and to keep the said +John in possession thereof as effeirs and continues to remanent +points contained in the said summons in form, as they are now, +unto the 20th day of July next to come, with continuation of days, +and ordains that letters be written in form of commission to the +Sheriff of Inverness and his deputies to summon witnesses and take +probations thereupon and to summon the party to heir them sworn +and thereafter send their depositions closed to the Lords again, +the said day, under the said Sheriffs or his Deputy's seal, that +thereafter justice may be ministered thereuntill." + +Whatever truth there may be in the accounts given by the family +historians, Hector Roy was undoubtedly at this period possessed of +considerable estates of his own; for, we find a "protocol," by John +Vass, "Burges of Dygvayll, and Shireff in this pairt," by which he +makes known that, by the command of his sovereign lord, letters +and process was directed to him as Sheriff granting him to give +Hector Mackenzie heritable state and possession "of all and syndri +the landis off Gerloch with thar pertinens, after the forme and +tenor off our souerane lordis chartyr maide to the forsaide Hector," +lying between the waters called Inverew and Torridon. The letter +is dated "At Alydyll (?Talladale) the xth of the moneth off +December the zher off Gode ane thousande four hundreth nynte an +four zheris." + +It is clear that Hector did not long continue under a cloud; for in +1508 the King directed a mandate to the Chamberlain of Ross +requesting him to enter Hector Roy Mackenzie in the "males and +proffitis of our landis of Braane and Moy, with ariage, cariage and +vther pertinence thareof ... for his gude and thankfull service +done and to be done to us ... and this on na wise ye leif vndone, +as ye will incur our indignatioun and displesour. This our letrez +... efter the forme of our said vther letres past obefor, given +vnder our signet at Edinburgh the fift day of Marche and of Regne +the twenty yere. - (Signed) James R." In 1513 he received a charter +under the great seal of the lands of Gairloch formerly granted +him, with Glasletter and Coruguellen, with their pertinents. [The +original charter; the "protocol" from John Vass; the mandate to +the Chamberlain of Ross, for copies of which we are indebted to +Sir Kenneth S. Mackenzie, Baronet, are in the Gaitloch Charter +Chest, and the latter two will be found in extenso in the account +of the Gairloch family later on.] Hector Roy's conduct towards +John has been unfavourably criticised, but if it is kept in mind +that no regular marriage ever took place between Kenneth a Bhlair +and John's mother, Agnes of Lovat that their union was not recognised +by the Church until 1491, if then, the same year in which Kenneth +died it can easily be understood why Hector should conscientiously +do what he probably held to be his duty-oppose John of Killin in +the interest of those whom he considered the legitimate successors +of Kenneth a Bhlair and his unfortunate son, Kenneth Og, to whom +only, so far as we can discover, Hector Roy was appointed Tutor; +for when his brother, Kenneth a Bhlair, died, there was every +appearance that Hector's ward, Kenneth Og, would succeed when he +came of age. The succession of John of Killin was at most only +a remote possibility when his father died, and therefore no Tutor +to him would have been appointed. + +In terms of an Act passed in 1496, anent the education of young +gentlemen of note, John, when young, was sent by Hector Roy to +Edinburgh to complete his education at Court. He thus, in early +life, acquired a knowledge of legal principles and practice of great +service and value to him in after life, not only in the management +of his own affairs, but in aiding his friends and countrymen in +their peculiar difficulties by his counsel and guidance, and thus +he secured such universal esteem and confidence as seldom fell +to the lot of a Highland chief in that rude and unruly age. The +standard of education necessary at Court in those days must have +been very different from that required in ours, for we find that, +with all his opportunities, John of Killin could not write his own +name. To a bond in favour of the Earl of Huntly he subscribes, +"Jhone M'Kenzie of Kyntaill, with my hand on the pen led by Master +William Gordone, Notar." + +Referring to the power of the House of Kintail at this period, and +to the rapid advance made by the family under Alexander and his +successors, we quote the following from a modern MS. history of the +family by the late Captain John Matheson of Bennetsfield: "We must +observe here the rapid advance which the family of Kintail made on +every side. The turbulent Macdonalds, crushed by the affair of Park, +Munro, sustained by his own clan, and the neighbouring vassals of +Ross humbled at their own door, when a century had not yet passed +since the name of Mackenzie had become familiar to their ears; and it +is gratifying to trace all this to the wise policy of the first James +and his successors. The judicious education of Alastair Ionraic, and +consequent cultivation of those habits which, by identifying the +people with the monarch through the laws, render a nation securely +great, is equally discernible in John of Killin and his posterity. +The successors of the Earls of Ross were turbulent and tenacious of +their rights, but they were irreclaimable. The youthful Lord of the +Isles, at the instigation of his haughty mother, deserted the Court +of James I., while young Kintail remained, sedulously improving +himself at school in Perth, till he was called to display his +gratitude to his Royal master in counteracting the evil arising from +the opposite conduct of Macdonald. Thus, by one happy circumstance, +the attention of the King was called to a chieftain who gave such +early promise of steady attachment, and his future favour was +secured. The family of Kintail was repeatedly recognised in the +calendar of the Scottish Court, while that of the once proud +Macdonalds frowned in disappointment and barbarous independence +amidst their native wilds, while their territories, extending beyond +the bounds of good government and protection, presented gradually +such defenceless gaps as became inviting and easily penetrable by the +intelligence of Mackenzie, and Alastair Ionraic acquired a great +portion of his estates by this legitimate advantage, afterwards +secured by the intractable arrogance of Macdonald of Lochalsh and the +valour and military capacity of Coinneach a Bhlair." + +In 1513 John of Killin is found among those Highland chiefs summoned +to rendezvous with the Royal army at Barrow Moor preparatory to the +fatal advance of James IV. into England, when the Mackenzies, forming +with the Macleans, joined that miserably-arranged and ill-fated +expedition which terminated so fatally to Scotland on the disastrous +field of Flodden, where the killed included the King, with the flower +of his nobility, gentry, and even clergy. There was scarcely a +Scottish family of distinction that did not lose at least one, and +some of them lost all the male members who were capable of bearing +arms. The body of the King was found, much disfigured with wounds, +in the thickest of the slain. Abercromby, on the authority of +Crawford, includes, in a list of those killed at Flodden, "Kenneth +Mackenzie of Kintail, ancestor to the noble family of Seaforth." +This is an undoubted error for it will be seen that John, not Kenneth +was chief at the time of Flodden. It was he who joined the Royal +army, accompanied by his brave and gallant uncle, Hector Roy of +Gairloch and it is established beyond dispute that though almost +all their followers fell, both John and Hector survived and +returned home. They, however, narrowly escaped the charge of Sir +Edward Stanley in rear of the Highlanders during the disorderly +pursuit of Sir Edward Howard, who had given way to the furious and +gallant onset of the mountaineers. + +John was made prisoner, but afterwards escaped in a very remarkable +manner. When his captors were carrying him and others of his +followers to the south, they were overtaken by a violent storm +which obliged them to seek shelter in a retired house occupied by +the widow of a shipmaster. After taking up their quarters, and, +as they thought, providing for the safe custody of the prisoners, +the woman noticed that the captives were Highlanders; and, in +reference to the boisterous weather raging outside, she, as if +unconsciously, exclaimed, "The Lord help those who are to-night +travelling on Leathad Leacachan." The prisoners were naturally +astonished to hear an allusion, in such a place, to a mountain so +familiar to them in the North Highlands, and they soon obtained an +opportunity, which their hostess appeared most anxious to afford +them, of questioning her regarding her acquaintance with so +distant a place; when she told them that during a sea voyage she +took with her husband, she had been taken so ill aboard ship that +it was found necessary to send her ashore on the north west coast +of Scotland, where, travelling with only a maid and a single guide, +they were caught in a severe storm, and she was suddenly taken +in labour. In this distressing and trying position a Highlander +passing by took compassion upon her, and seeing her case so +desperate, with no resources at hand, he, with remarkable presence +of mind, killed one of his horses, ripped open his stomach, and +taking out the bowels, placed her and the newly-born infant in +their place, as the only effectual shelter from the storm. By this +means he secured sufficient time to procure female assistance, and +ultimately saved the woman and her child. + +But the most remarkable part of the story remains to be told. The +same person to whom she owed her preservation was at that moment one +of the captives under her roof. He was one of Kintail's followers +on the fatal field of Flodden. She, informed of his presence and of +the plight he was in, managed to procure a private interview with him, +when he amply proved to her, by more detailed reference to the +incidents of their meeting on Leathad Leacachan, that he was the man +- "Uisdean Mor Mac 'Ille Phadruig" - and in gratitude, she, at the +serious risk of her own personal safety, successfully planned the +escape of Hugh's master and his whole party. The story is given on +uninterrupted tradition in the country of the Mackenzies; and a +full and independent version in the vernacular of the hero's humane +conduct on Leathad Leacachan will be found in the Celtic Magazine, +vol. ii., pp. 468-9, to which the Gaelic reader is referred. + +Gregory, p. 112, says: "Tradition has preserved a curious anecdote +connected with the Mackenzies, whose young chief, John of Kintail, +was taken prisoner at Flodden. It will be recollected that Kenneth +Og Mackenzie of Kintail, while on his way to the Highlands, after +making his escape from Edinburgh Castle, was killed in the Torwood +by the Laird of Buchanan. The foster-brother of Kenneth Og was a +man of the district of Kenlochewe, named Donald Dubh MacGillecrist +vic Gillereoch, who with the rest of the clan was at Flodden with +his chief. In the retreat of the Scottish army this Donald Dubh +heard some one near him exclaiming, 'Alas, Laird! thou hast fallen.' +On enquiry, he was told it was the Laird of Buchanan, who had sunk +from his wounds or exhaustion. The faithful Highlander, eager to +revenge the death of his chief and foster-brother, drew his sword, +and, saying, 'If he has not fallen he shall fall,' made straight +to Buchanan, whom he killed on the spot." + +As to the safe return of John of Kintail and Hector Roy to their +Highland home, after this calamitous event, there is now no question +whatever; for we find John among others, afterwards appointed, by +Act of Council, a Lieutenant or Guardian of Wester Ross, [Gregory, +p. 115. Acts of Lords of Council, xxvi., fo. 25.] to protect it +from Sir Donald Gallda Macdonald of Lochalsh, when he proclaimed +himself Lord of the Isles. In 1515, Mackenzie, without legal +warrant, seized the Royal Castle of Dingwall, but professed his +readiness to give it up to any one appointed by the Regent, John, +Duke of Albany. [Acts of Lords of Council, xxvii., fo. 60.] In +1532 he is included in a commission by James V. for suppressing a +disorderly tribe of Mackintoshes. He secured the esteem of this +monarch so much that he appointed him a member of his Privy Council. + +To put the question of John's return beyond question, and to show +how the family rose rapidly in influence and power during his +rule, we shall quote the Origines Parochiales Scotia, from which +it will also be seen that Kenneth, John's heir, received considerable +grants for himself during his father's lifetime: "In 1509 King +James IV. granted to John Makkenzie of Keantalle (the brother of +Kenneth Og) the 40 marklands of Keantalle - namely, the davach of +Cumissaig, the davach of Letterfearn, the davach of Gleanselle, +the davach of Glenlik, the davach of Letterchall, the two davachs +of Cro, and three davachs between the water of Keppach and the +water of Lwying, with the castle and fortalice of Eleandonnan, in +the earldom of Ross and sheriffdom of Innernis, with other lands +in Ross, which John had resigned, and which the King then erected +into the barony of Eleandonnan. [Reg. Mag. Sig., lib. xv., No.89. +Gregory, p.83.] In 1530 King James V. granted to James Grant of +Freuchy and Johne Mckinze of Kintale liberty to go to any part of +the realm on their lawful business. [Reg. Sec. Sig., vol. viii., +fol. 149.] In 1532, 1538, and 1540, the same John M'Kenich +of Kintaill appears on record. [Reg. Sec. Sig., vol. ix, fol. 3; +vol. xii., fol. 21; vol. xiv., fol. 32.] In 1542, King James V. +granted to John Mckenzie of Kintaill the waste lands of Monar, +lying between the water of Gleneak on the north, the top or summit +of Landovir on the south, the torrent of Towmuk and Inchclochill +on the east, and the water of Bernis running into the water of Long +on the west; and also the waste lands of lie Ned lying between Loch +Boyne on the north, Loch Tresk on the south, lie Ballach on the +west, and Dawelach on the east, in the earldom of Ross and sheriffdom +of Innernes - lands which were never in the King's rental, and never +yielded any revenue - for the yearly payment of L4 to the King as +Earl of Ross. [Reg. Mag. Sig., lib. xxviii., No. 417.] In 1543 Queen +Mary granted to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, and Isabel Stewart, his +wife, the lands of Auchnaceyric, Lakachane, Strome-ne-mowklach, +Kilkinterne, the two Rateganis, Torlousicht, Auchnashellicht, +Auchnagart, Auchewrane, lic Knokfreith, Aucharskelane, and Malegane, +in the lordship of Kintaill and other lands in Ross, extending in all +to 36 marks, which he had resigned. [Reg. Mag. Sig., lib. xxviii., +No. 524. Reg. Sec. Sig.,vol. xvii., fol. 56.] In 1551 the same Queen +granted to John M'Kenze of Kintaill, and Kenzeoch M'Kenze, his son +and apparent heir, a remission for the violent taking of John Hectour +M'Kenzesone of Garlouch, Doull Hectoursone, and John Towach +Hectoursone, and for keeping them in prison 'vsurpand thairthrou our +Souerane Ladyis autorite.' [Reg. Sec. Sig., vol. xxiv., fol. 75.] In +1554 there appear on record John Mackenzie of Kintaile and his son +and heir-apparant, Kenneth Mackenzie of Brahan - apparently the same +persons that appear in 1551. [Reg, Mag. Sig., lib. xxxii., No. 211.] + +Donald Gorm Mor Macdonald of Sleat laid waste the country of Macleod +of Dunvegan, an ally of Mackenzie, after which he passed over in +1539 to the mainland and pillaged the lands of Kenlochewe, where +he killed Miles or Maolmuire, son of Finlay Dubh MacGillechriost +MacRath, at the time governor of Ellandonnan Castle. Finlay was +a very "pretty man," and the writer of the "Genealogy of the Macras" +informs us that "the remains of a monument erected for him, in the +place where he was killed, is still (1704) to be seen." Kintail +was naturally much exasperated at this unprovoked raid upon his +territory, as also for Macdonald's attack upon his friend and +ally, Macleod of Dunvegan; and to punish Donald Gorm, he dispatched +his son, Kenneth, with a force to Skye, who made ample reprisals +in Macdonald's country, killing many of his followers, and at the +same time exhibiting great intrepidity and sagacity. Donald Gorm +almost immediately afterwards made an incursion into Mackenzie's +territories of Kintail, where he killed Sir (Rev.) Dougald +Mackenzie, "one of the Pope's knights"; whereupon Kenneth, younger +of Kintail, paid a second visit to the Island, wasted the country; +and on his return, Macdonald learning that Ellandonnan was garrisoned +by a very weak force, under the new governor, John Dubh Matheson +of Fernaig - who had married Sir Dugald Mackenzie's widow - he made +another raid upon it, with fifty birlinns or large boats full of +his followers, with the intention of surprising the small garrison, +and taking the castle by storm. Its gallant defenders consisted at +the time of the governor, his watchman, and Duncan MacGillechriost +Mac Fhionnladh Mhic Rath, a nephew of Maolmuire killed in the +last incursion of the Island chief. The advance of the boats was, +however, noticed in time by the sentinel or watchman, who at once +gave the alarm to the country people, but they arrived too late +to prevent the enemy from landing. Duncan MacGillechriost was +on the mainland at the time; but flying back with all speed he +arrived at the postern of the stronghold in time to kill several +of the Islesmen in the act of landing; and, entering the castle, +he found no one there but the governor and watchman; almost +immediately after, Donald Gorm Mor furiously attacked the gate, +but without success, the brave trio having strongly secured it by +a second barrier of iron within a few steps of the outer defences. +Unable to procure access the Islesmen were driven to the expedient +of shooting their arrows through the embrazures, and in this way +they succeeded in killing the governor. + +Duncan now found himself sole defender of the castle except the +watchman; and worse still his ammunition was reduced to a single +barbed arrow, which he determined to husband until an opportunity +occurred by which he could make good use of it. Macdonald at this +stage ordered his boats round to the point of the Airds, and was +personally reconnoitring with the view of discovering the weakest +part of the wall for effecting a breach. Duncan considered this +a favourable opportunity, and aiming his arrow at Donald Gorm, +it struck him and penetrated his foot through the master vein. +Macdonald, not having perceived that the arrow was a barbed one, +wrenched it out, and in so doing separated the main artery. +Notwithstanding that all available means were used, it was found +impossible to stop the bleeding, and his men conveyed him out of +the range of the fort to a spot - a sand bank - on which he died, +called to this day, "Larach Tigh Mhic Dhomhnuill," or the site +of Macdonald's house, where the haughty Lord of Sleat ended his +career. ["Genealogy of the Macras" and the Ardintoul MS. "This +Donald Gorme was son to Donald Gruamach, son to Donald Gallach, +son to Hugh, natural son to Alexander, Earl of Ross, for which the +elegy made on his death calls him grandchild and great grandchild +to Rhi-Fingal (King Fingal) - + +"A Dhonnchaldh Mhic Gillechriost Mhic Fhionnla, +'S mor um beud a thuit le d'aon laimh, +Ogha 's iar-ogha Mhic Righ Fhinghaill, +`Thuiteam le bramag an aon mhic." + +- Letterform MS.] The Islesmen burnt all they could find ashore +in Kintail. "In 1539 Donald Gorm of Sleat and his allies, after +laying waste Trouterness in Sky and Kenlochew in Ross, attempted to +take the Castle of Eileandonan, but Donald being killed by an arrow +shot from the wall, the attempt failed." [Gregory, pp. 145.146. +Border Minstrelsy. Anderson, p. 283. Reg. Sec. Sig., vol. xv., +fol. 46.] In 1541 King James V. granted a remission to Donald's +accomplices - namely, Archibald Ilis, alias Archibald the Clerk, +Alexander McConnell Gallich, John Dow Donaldsoun, and twenty-six +others whose names are recorded in Origines Parchiales, p. 394, +vol. ii., for their treasonable fire-raising and burning of the +"Castle of Allanedonnand" and of the boats there, for the "Herschip" +of Kenlochew and Trouterness, etc. + +Duncan MacGillechriost now naturally felt that he had some claim +to the governorship of the castle, but being considered "a man +more bold and rash than prudent and politick," Mackenzie decided +to pass him over. Duncan then put in a claim for his brother +Farquhar, but it was thought best, to avoid local quarrels and +bitterness between the respective claimants, to supersede them both +and appoint another, John MacMhurchaidh Dhuibh, priest of Kintail, +to the Constableship. Duncan was so much offended at such treatment +in return for his valiant services that he left Kintail in disgust, +and went to the country of Lord Lovat, who received him kindly, and +gave him the lands of Crochel and others in Strathglass, where he +lived for several years, until Lovat's death. Mackenzie, however, +often visited him and finally prevailed upon him to return to +Kintail, and Duncan, who always retained a lingering affection for +his native country, ultimately became reconciled to the chief, who +gave him the quarterland of Little Inverinate and Dorisduan, where +he lived the remainder of his days, and which his descendants +continued to possess for generations after his death. + +For this service against the Macdonalds, James V. gave Mackenzie +Kinchullidrum, Achilty, and Comery in feu, with Meikle Scatwell, +under the Great Seal, in 1528. The lands of Laggan Achidrom, +being four merks, the three merks of Killianan, and the four merk +lands of Invergarry, being in the King's hands, were disposed by +him to John Mackenzie, after the King's minority and revocation, +in 1540, with a precept, under the Great Seal, and sasine thereupon +by Sir John Robertson in January 1541. But before this, in 1521, he +acquired the lands of Fodderty and mill thereof from Mr John Cadell, +which James V. confirmed to him at Linlithgow in September, 1522. +In 1541 he feued Brahan from the King to himself and his heirs male, +which failing, to his eldest daughter. In 1542 he obtained the +waste lands and forest of Neid and Monar from James V. for which +sasine is granted in the same year by Sir John Robertson. In +January 1547 he acquired a wadset of the half of Culteleod (Castle +Leod) and Drynie from Denoon of Davidston. In September of the same +year, old as he was, he went in defence of his Sovereign, young Mary +of Scots, to the Battle of Pinkie, where he was taken prisoner; and +the Laird of Kilravock meeting him advised him that they should own +themselves among the commons, Mackenzie passing off as a bowman. +While Kilravock would pass himself off as a miller, which plan +succeeded so well as to secure Kilravock his release; but the +Earl of Huntly, who was also a prisoner, having been conveyed by +the Duke of Somerset to view the prisoners, espying his old friend +Mackenzie among the common prisoners, and ignorant of the plot, +called him by his name, desiring that he might shake hands with +him, which civility two English officers noticed to Mackenzie's +disadvantage; for thenceforward he was placed and guarded along +with the other prisoners of quality, but afterwards released for +a considerable sum, to which all his people contributed without +burdening his own estate with it, ["He was ransomed by cows that +was raised through all his lands." - Letterform MS.] so returning +home to set himself to arrange his private affairs, and in the +year 1556 he acquired the heritage of Culteleod and Drynie from +Denoon, which was confirmed to him by Queen Mary under the Great +Seal, at Inverness 13th July the same year. He had previously, in +1544, acquired the other half of Culteleod and Drynie from Magnus +Mowat, and Patrick Mowat of Bugholly. In 1543 John Mackenzie +acquired Kildins, part of Lochbroom, to himself and Elizabeth +Grant, his wife, holding blench for a penny, and confirmed in the +same year by Queen Mary. [MS. History by the Earl of Cromartie.] + +In 1540 Mackenzie with his followers joined King James at Loch Duich, +while on his way with a large fleet to secure the good government +of the West Highlands and Isles, upon which occasion many of the +suspected and refractory leaders were carried south and placed +in confinement. His Majesty died soon after, in 1542. Queen +Mary succeeded, and, being a minor, the country generally, but +particularly the northern parts, was thrown into a state of anarchy +and confusion. + +In 1544 the Earl of Huntly, holding a commission as Lieutenant of +the North from the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise, commanded Kenneth +Mackenzie, younger of Kintail (his father, from his advanced age, +being unable to take the field), to raise his vassals and lead an +expedition against the Clan Ranald of Moidart, who, at that time, +held lands from Mackenzie on the West Coast; but Kenneth, in these +circumstances, thought it would be much against his personal +interest to attack Donald Glas of Moidart, and refused to comply +with Huntly's orders. To punish him, the Earl ordered his whole +army, consisting of three thousand men, to proceed against both +Moidart and Mackenzie with fire and sword, but he had not +sufficiently calculated on the constitution of his force, which +was chiefly composed of Grants, Rosses, Mackintoshes, and Chisholms; +and Kenneth's mother being a daughter of John, then laird of Grant, +and three of his daughters having married, respectively, Ross of +Balnagown, Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh, and Alexander Chisholm +of Comar, Huntly found his followers as little disposed to molest +Mackenzie as he had been to attack Donald Glas of Moidart. In +addition to the friendly feelings of the other chiefs towards young +Kintail, fostered by these family alliances, Huntly was not at all +popular with his own followers, or with the Highlanders generally. +He had incurred such odium for having some time before executed the +Laird of Mackintosh, contrary to his solemn pledge, that it required +little excuse on the part of the exasperated kindred tribes to +counteract his plans, and on the slightest pretext to refuse to +follow him. He was therefore obliged to retire from the West +without effecting any substantial service; was ultimately disgraced; +committed to Edinburgh Castle; compelled to renounce the Earldom of +Moray and all his other possessions in the north; and sentenced to +banishment in France for five years. + +On the 13th of December 1545, at Dingwall, the Earl of Sutherland +entered into a bond of manrent with John Mackenzie of Kintail for +mutual defence against all enemies, reserving only their allegiance +to their youthful Queen, Mary Stuart. [Sir Robert Gordon, p. 112.] +Two years later the Earl of Arran sent the fiery cross over the +nation calling upon all between the ages of sixteen and sixty to +meet him at Musselburgh for the protection of the infant Queen. +Mackenzie of Kintail, then between sixty and seventy years of age, +when he might fairly consider himself exempt from further military +service, duly appeared with all the followers he could muster, +prudently leaving Kenneth, his only son, at home and when +remonstrated with for taking part in such a perilous journey at +his time of life, especially as he was far past the stipulated +age for active service, the old chief patriotically remarked that +one of his age could not possibly die more decorously than in the +defence of his country. In the same year (1547) he fought bravely, +at the head of his clan, with all the enthusiasm and gallantry of +his younger days, at the battle of Pinkie, where he was wounded +in the head and taken prisoner, but was soon afterwards released, +through the influence of the Earl of Huntly, who had meanwhile +again got into favour received a full pardon, and was appointed +Chancellor for Scotland. + +The Earl of Huntly some time after this paid a visit to Ross, +intending, if he were kindly received by the great chiefs, to feu +a part of the earldom of Ross, still in the King's hands, and to +live in the district for some period of the year. Mackenzie, +although friendly disposed towards the Earl, had no desire to +have him residing in his immediate neighbourhood, and he arranged +a plan which had the effect of deciding Huntly to give up any +idea of remaining or feuing any lands in Ross. The Earl, having +obtained a commission from the Regent to hold courts in the county, +came to the castle of Dingwall, where he invited the principal +chiefs to meet him. John of Killin, though very advanced in years, +was the first to arrive, and he was very kindly received by Huntly. +Mackenzie in return made a pretence of heartily welcoming and +congratulating his lordship on his coming to Ross, and trusted that +he would be the means of protecting him and his friends from the +violence of his son, Kenneth, who, taking advantage of his frailty +and advanced years, was behaving most unjustly towards him. John, +indeed, expressed the hope that the Earl would punish Kenneth for +his illegal and unnatural rebellion against him, his aged father. +While they were thus speaking, a message came in that a large +number of armed men, three or four hundred strong, with banners +flying and pipes playing, were just in sight on the hill above +Dingwall. The Earl became alarmed, not knowing whom they might be +or what their object was, whereupon Mackenzie said that it could +be no other than Kenneth and his rebellious followers coming to +punish him for paying his lordship this visit without his consent +and he advised the Earl to leave at once, as he was not strong +enough to resist the enemy, and to take him (the old chief) along +with him in order to protect him from his son's violence, which +would now, in consequence of this visit he directed against him +more than ever. The Earl and his retinue at once withdrew to +Easter Ross. Kenneth ordered his men to pursue them. He overtook +them as they were crossing the bridge of Dingwall and killed +several of them; but having attained his object of frightening +Huntly out of Ross, he ordered his men to desist. This skirmish +is known as the "affair of Dingwall Bridge." [Ardintoul MS.] + +In 1556 Y Mackay of Farr, progenitor of the Lords of Reay, refused +to appear before the Queen Regent at Inverness, to answer charges +made against him for depredations committed in Sutherlandshire; +and she issued a commission to John, fifth Earl of Sutherland, +to lay Mackay's country waste. Mackay, satisfied that he could +not successfully oppose the Earl's forces in the field, pillaged +and plundered another district of Sutherland. The Earl conveyed +intelligence of how matters stood to John of Kintail, who, in +terms of the bond of manrent entered into between them in 1545, +despatched his son Kenneth with an able body of the clan to arrest +Mackay's progress, which duty he performed most effectually. Meeting +at Brora, a severe contest ensued, which terminated in the defeat of +Mackay, with the loss of Angus MacIain Mhoir, one of his chief +commanders, and many of his clan. Kenneth was thereupon, conjointly +with his father, appointed by the Earl of Sutherland - then the +Queen's Lieutenant north of the Spey, and Chamberlain of the Earldom +of Ross [Sir Robert Gordon, p. 134.] - his deputies in the management +of this vast property, at the same time placing them in possession of +Ardmeanoch, or Redcastle, which remained ever since, until within a +recent period, in the possession of the family, becoming the property +of Kenneth's third son, Ruairidh Mor, first of the house of Redcastle, +and progenitor of the family of Kincraig and other well-known branches. + +After this, Kintail seems to have lived in peace during the +remainder of his long life. He died at his home at Inverchonan, +in 1561, about eighty years of age. He was buried in the family +aisle at Beauly. That he was a man of proved valour is fully +established by the distinguished part he took in the battles of +Flodden and Pinkie. The Earl of Cromarty informs us that, "in +his time he purchased much of the Brae-lands of Ross, and secured +both what he acquired and what his predecessors had, by well +ordered and legal security, so that it is doubtful whether his +predecessors' courage or his prudence contributed most to the rising +of the family." + +In illustration of the latter quality, we quote the following +story: John Mackenzie of Kintail "was a very great courtier and +counsellor of Queen Maries. Much of the lands of Brae Ross were +acquired by him, which minds me how he entertained the Queen's +Chamberlain who she sent north to learn the state and condition of +the gentry of Ross, minding to feu her interest of that Earldome. +Sir John, hearing of their coming to his house of Killin, he caused +his servants put on a great fyre of ffresh arn wood newly cutt, +which when they came in (sitting on great jests of wood which he +caused sett there a purpose) made such a reek that they were almost +blinded, and were it not the night was so ill they would rather +goe than byde it. They had not long sitten when his servants came +in with a great bull, which presently they brained on the floor, +and or they well could look about, this fellow with his dirk, and +that fellow with his, were cutting collops of him. Then comes +in another sturdie lusty fellow with a great calderon in his hand, +and ane axe in the other, and with its shaft stroak each of these +that were cutting the collops, and then made Taylzies of it and +put all in the kettle, sett it on the same tire before them all +and helped the tire with more green wood. When all was ready as +he had ordered, a long, large table was covered and the beef sett +on in great scaills of dishes instead of pleats. They had scarcely +sitten to supper when they let loose six or sevin great hounds +to supp the broth, but before they made ane end of it, they made +such a tulzie as made them all start at the table. The supper +being ended, and longing for their bedds (but much more for day), +there comes in 5 or 6 lustie women with windlings of strae (and +white plaids) which they spread on each side of the house, whereon +the gentlemen were forced to lye in their cloaths, thinking they +had come to purgatory before hand; but they had no sooner seen day +light than without stayeing dinner they made to the gett, down to +Ross where they were most noblie entertained be Ffowlis, Belnagowin, +Miltoun, and severall other gentlemen. But when they were come +south the Queen asked who were the ablest men they saw there. They +answered all they did see lived like princes, except Her Majesty's +great courtier and counsellor Mackenzie. So tells her all their +usage in his house, and that he slept with his doggs and sat with +his hounds, wherat the Queen leugh mirrily (whatever her thoughts +was of M'Kenzie) and said 'It were a pity of his poverty, ffor he +is the best and honestest among them all.' The Queen thereafter +having called all the gentry of Ross to hold their lands of the +Crown in feu, Mackenzie got (by her favour and his pretended +poverty) the easiest feu, and for his 1000 merks more than any of +the rest had for three." [Ancient MS.] + +John had a natural son named Dugall, who lived in Applecross, and +married a niece of Macleod of Harris, by whom he had a son and +one daughter. The son, also named Dugall, was a schoolmaster +in Chanonry, and died without issue. The daughter was married +to Duncan Mackenzie, Reraig, and after his death to Mackintosh +of Strone. Dugall, the elder, was killed by the Mathesons at +Kishorn. John had also a natural daughter, Janet, who married +first Mackay of Reay, and secondly, Roderick Macleod, X. of Lewis, +with issue - Torquil Cononach; and afterwards "Ian Mor na Tuaighe," +brother of John MacGillechallum of Raasay, with whom she eloped. + +He married Elizabeth, daughter of John, tenth Laird of Grant, and +by her had an only son and successor, + +X. KENNETH MACKENZIE, + +Commonly known as Coinneach na Cuirc, or Kenneth of the Whittle, +so called from his skill in wood carving and general dexterity +with the Highland "sgian dubh." He succeeded his father in 1561. +In the following year he was among the chiefs who, at the head +of their followers, met Queen Mary at Inverness, and helped her +to obtain possession of the Castle after Alexander Gordon, the +governor, refused her admission. In the same year an Act of Privy +Council, dated the 21st of May, bears that he had delivered up +Mary Macleod, the heiress of Harris and Dunvegan, of whom he had +previously by accident obtained the custody, into the hands of +Queen Mary, with whom she afterwards remained for several years +as a maid of honour. The Act is as follows: + +"The same day, in presence of the Queen's Majesty and Lords of +Secret Council, compeared Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, who, being +commanded by letters and also by writings direct from the Queen's +Grace, to exhibit, produce, and present before her Highness Mary +Macleod, daughter and heir of the umquwhile William Macleod of +Harris, conform to the letters and charges direct thereupon: And +declared that James Macdonald had an action depending the Lords of +Session against him for deliverance of the said Mary to him, and +that therefore he could not gudlie (well) deliver her. Notwithstanding +the which the Queen's Majesty ordained the said Kenneth to deliver +the said Mary to her Highness and granted that he should incur 'no +scaith thairthrou' at the hands of the said James or any others, +notwithstanding any title or action they had against him therefor; +and the said Kenneth knowing his dutiful obedience to the Queen's +Majesty, and that the Queen had ordained him to deliver the said +Mary to her Highness in manner foresaid which he in no wise could +disobey - and therefore delivered the said Mary to the Queen's +Majesty conform to her ordinance foresaid." ["Transactions of the +Iona Club," pp. 143-4.] + +Prior to this Mackenzie refused to give her up to her lawful guardian, +James Macdonald of Dunyveg and the Glens. In 1563 we find him +on the jury, with James, Earl of Moray, and others, at Inverness, +by whom John Campbell of Cawdor was served heir to the Barony of +Strathnairn. ["Invernessiana," p.229.] Kenneth was advanced in +years before he came into possession, and took, as we have seen, +an active and distinguished part in all the affairs of his clan +during the life of his long-lived father. He seems after his return +from Inverness, on the occasion of meeting Queen Mary there, to +have retired very much into private life, for, on Mary's escape +from Lochleven Castle he sent his son Colin, then quite a youth +attending his studies at Aberdeen, at the head of his vassals, to +join the Earl of Huntly, by whom Colin was sent, according to the +Laird of Applecross, "as one whose prudence he confided, to advise +the Queen's retreat to Stirling, where she might stay in security +till all her friends were convocate, but by an unhappy council +she refused this advice and fought at Langside, where Colin was +present, and when by the Regent's [The Earl of Moray, appointed +to the office after Mary's defeat.] insolence, after that victory, +all the loyal subjects were forced to take remissions for their +duty, as if it were a crime. Amongst the rest Mackenzie takes one, +the only one that ever any of his family had and this is rather +a mark of his fidelity than evidence of failure, and an honour, +not a task of his posterity." It would have been already seen +that another remission had been received at an earlier date, for +the imprisonment and murder of John Glassich, son and successor +to Hector Roy Mackenzie of Gairloch, in Ellandonnan Castle. Dr +George Mackenzie says that Kenneth apprehended John Glassich and +sent him prisoner to the Castle, where he was poisoned by the +constable's lady, [This lady was Nighean Iamhair, and was spouse +to John MacMhurchaidh Dhuibh, the Priest of Kintail, who was then +chosen constable of Ellandonnan for the following reason: A great +debate arose between the Maclennans and the Macraes about this +important and honourable post, and the laird finding them +irreconcilable, lest they should kill one another, and he being a +stranger in the country himself, Mackenzie, on the advice of the +Lord of Fairburn, elected the priest constable of the castle. +This did not suit the Maclennans, and, as soon as Mackenzie left +the country, they, one Sabbath morning, as the priest was coming +home from church, 'e sends a man in ambush in his road who shot +him with an arrow in the buttocks, so that he fell. The ambusher +thinking him killed, and perceiving others coming after the priest +that road, made his escape, and he (the priest) was carried to +his boat alive. Of this priest are all the Murchisons in thise +countries descended." - Ancient MS.] whereupon "ane certain female, +foster-sister of his, composed a Gaelic rhyme to commemorate him." +The Earl of Cromartie gives as the reason for this imprisonment +and murder that, according to rumour John Glassich intended to +prosecute his father's claim to the Kintail estates, and Kenneth +hearing of this sent for him to Brahan, John came suspecting nothing, +accompanied only by his ordinary servants. Kenneth questioned +him regarding the suspicious rumours in circulation, and not being +quite satisfied with the answers, he caused John Glassich to be +at once apprehended. One of John's servants, named John Gearr, +seeing his master thus inveigled, struck at Kenneth of Kintail a +fearful blow with a two-handed sword, but fortunately Kenneth, who +was standing close to the table, nimbly moved aside, and the blow +missed him, else he would have been cloven to pieces. The sword +made a deep cut in the table, "so that you could hide your hand +edgeways in it," and the mark remained in the table until Colin, +first Earl of Seaforth, "caused cut that piece off the table, +saying that he loved no such remembrance of the quarrels of his +relations." Kenneth was a man of good endowments "he carried so +prudently that he had the good-liking of his prince and peace from +his neighbours." He had a peculiar genius for mechanics, and was +seldom found without his corc - "sgian dubh" - or some other such +tool in his hand, with which he produced excellent specimens of +hand-carving on wood. + +He married early, during his father's lifetime, Lady Elizabeth +Stewart, daughter of John, second Earl of Athol, by his wife, +Lady Mary Campbell, daughter of Archibald, second, and sister of +Colin, third Earl of Argyll, and by her had three sons and several +daughters - + +I. Murdoch, who, being fostered in the house of Bayne of Tulloch, +was presented by that gentleman on his being sent home, with a +goodly stock of milch cows and the grazing of Strathvaich, but he +died before he attained majority. + +II. Colin, who succeeded his father. + +III. Roderick, who received the lands of Redcastle and became the +progenitor of the family of that name. + +IV. Janet, who as his third wife married, first, Aeneas Macdonald, + +VII. of Glengarry, with issue - a daughter Elizabeth, who married John +Roy Mackenzie, IV. of Gairloch. She married secondly, Alexander +Chisholm, XIV. of Chisholm, with issue. + +V. Catherine, who, as his second wife, married Alexander Ross, IX. +of Balnagown, with issue - one son Nicholas Alexander, who died on the +21st of October, 1592. + +VI. Agnes, who married Lachlan Mor Mackintosh of Mackintosh, [The +following anecdote is related of this match: Lachlan Mackintosh, +being only an infant when his father, William Mackintosh of that +ilk, was murdered in 1550, was carried for safety by some of his +humble retainers to the county of Ross. This came to the knowledge +of Colin, younger of Kintail, who took possession of the young +heir of Mackintosh, and carried him to Ellandonnan Castle. The +old chief retained him, and treated him with great care until +the years of pupilarity had expired, and then married him to his +daughter Agnes, by no means an unsuitable match for either, apart +from the time and manner in which it was consummated.] with issue. + +VII. A daughter who married Walter Urquhart of Cromarty. + +VIII. A daughter who married Robert Munro of Fowlis. + +IX. A daughter who married Innes of Inverbreackie. + +By Kenneth's marriage to Lady Elizabeth Stewart, the Royal blood +of the Plantaganets was introduced into the Family of Kintail, and +it was afterwards strengthened and the strain further continued +by the marriage of Kenneth's son, Colin Cam, to Barbara Grant of +Grant, daughter of Lady Marjory Stewart, daughter of John, third +Earl of Athol. + +By the inter-marriages of his children Kenneth left his house +singularly powerful in family alliances, and as has been already +seen he in 1554 derived very substantial benefits from them himself. +He died at Killin on the 6th of June, 1568, and was burried at +Beauly. He was succeeded by his second and eldest surviving son, + +XI. COLIN CAM MACKENZIE, + +Or COLIN THE ONE-EYED, who very early became a special favourite +at Court, particularly with the King himself; so much, the Earl +of Cromartie says, that "there was none in the North for whom he +hade a greater esteem than for this Colin. He made him one of +his Privie Councillors, and oft tymes invited him to be nobilitate +(ennobled); but Colin always declined it, aiming rather to have +his familie remarkable for power, as it were, above their qualitie +than for titles that equalled their power." We find that "in 1570 +King James VI. granted to Coline Makcainze, the son and apparent +heir of the deceased Canzeoch of Kintaill, permission to be served +heir in his minority to all the lands and rents in the Sheriffdom +of Innerness, in which his father died last vest and seised. In +1572 the same King confirmed a grant made by Colin Makcanze of +Kintaill to Barbara Graunt, his affianced spouse, in fulfilment +of a contract between him and John Grant of Freuchie, dated 25th +April 1571, of his lands of Climbo, Keppach, and Ballichon, Mekle +Innerennet, Derisduan Beg, Little Innerennet, Derisduan Moir, +Auchadrein, Kirktoun, Ardtulloch, Rovoch, Quhissil, Tullych, +Derewall and Nuik, Inchchro, Morowoch, Glenlik, Innersell and Nuik, +Ackazarge, Kinlochbeancharan, and Innerchonray, in the Earldom +of Ross, and Sheriffdom of Inverness. In 1574 the same Colin +was served heir to his father Kenneth M'Keinzie in the davach +of Letterfernane, the davach of Glenshall, and other lands in the +barony of Ellendonane of the old extent of five marks." [Origines +Parechiales Scotia, p. 393, vol, ii.] + +On the 15th of April, 1569, Colin, along with Alexander Ross +of Balnagown, Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Walter Urquhart +of Cromarty, Robert Munro of Fowlis, Hugh Rose of Kilravock, and +several others, signed a bond of allegiance to James VI. and to +James Earl of Murray as Regent. On the 21st of June, in the same +year, before the Lord Regent and the Privy Council, Colin promised +and obliged himself to cause Torquil Macleod of Lewis to obtain +sufficient letters of slams from the master, wife, bairns, and +principal kin and friends of the umquhile John Mac Ian Mhoir, and +on the said letters of slams being obtained Robert Munro of Fowlis +promised and obliged himself to deliver to the said Torquil or +Colin the sum of two hundred merks consigned in Robert Munro's +hands by certain merchants in Edinburgh for the assithment of +slaughters committed at Lochcarron in connection with the fishings +in that Loch. On the 1st of August, 1569, Colin signs a decree +arbitral between himself and Donald Gormeson Macdonald, sixth +of Sleat, the full text of which will be found at pp. 185-88 of +Mackenzie's "History of the Macdonalds and Lords of the Isles." + +In 1570 a quarrel broke out between the Mackenzies and the Munros. +Leslie, the celebrated Bishop of Ross, who had been secretary to +Queen Mary, dreading the effect of public feeling against prelacy +in the North, and against himself personally, made over to his +cousin Leslie of Balquhair, his rights and titles to the Chanonry +of Ross, together with the castle lands, in order to divest them +of the character of church property, and so save them to his family +but notwithstanding this grant, the Regent Murray gave the custody +of the castle to Andrew Munro of Milntown, a rigid presbyterian, +and in high favour with Murray, who promised Leslie some of the +lands of the barony of Fintry in Buchan as an equivalent but the +Regent died before this arrangement was carried out - before Munro +obtained titles to the castle and castle lands as he expected. Yet +he ultimately obtained permission from the Earl of Lennox, during +his regency, and afterwards from the Earl of Mar, his successor +in that office, to get possession of the castle. + +The Mackenzies were by no means pleased to see the Munros occupying +the stronghold; and, desirous to obtain possession of it themselves, +they purchased Leslie's right, by virtue of which they demanded +delivery of the castle. This was at once refused by the Munros. +Kintail raised his vassals, and, joined by a detachment of the +Mackintoshes, [In the year 1573, Lachlan More, Laird of Mackintosh, +favouring Kintail, his brother-in law, required all the people of +Strathnairn to join him against the Munros. Colin, Lord of Lorn +had at the time the adminstration of that lordship as the jointure +lands of his wife, the Countesa Dowager of Murray, and he wrote to +Hugh Rose of Kilravock: "My Baillie off Strathnarne, for as much +as it is reported to me that Mackintosh has charged all my tenants +west of the water of Naim to pass forward with him to Ross to +enter into this troublous action with Mackenzie against the Laird +of Fowlis, and because I will not that any of mine enter presently +this matter whose service appertains to me, wherefore I will desire +you to make my will known to my tenants at Strathnarne within +your Bailliary, that none of them take upon hand to rise at this +present with Mackintosh to pass to Ross, or at any time hereafter +without my special command and goodwill obtained under such pains," +etc. (Dated) Darnoway, 28th of June, 1573. - "Kilravock Writs," +p.263.] garrisoned the steeple of the Cathedral Church, and laid +siege to Irvine's Tower and the Palace. The Munros held out for +three years, but one day the garrison becoming short of provisions, +they attempted a sortie to the Ness of Fortrose, where there was at +the time a salmon stell, the contents of which they attempted to +secure. They were commanded by John Munro, grandson of George, +fourth laird of Fowlis, who was killed at the battle of +"Bealach-nam-Brog." They, were immediately discovered, and +quickly followed by the Mackenzies, under lain Dubh Mac Ruairidh +Mhic Alastair, who fell upon the starving Munros, and, after a +desperate struggle, killed twenty-six of their number, among whom +was their commander, while the victors only sustained a loss of +two men killed and three or four wounded. The remaining defenders +of the castle immediately capitulated, and it was taken possession +of by the Mackenzies. Subsequently it was confirmed to the Baron +of Kintail by King James VI. [Sir Robert Gordon, p. 154, and MS. +Histories of the Family.] Roderick Mor Mackenzie of Redcastle seems +to have been the leading spirit in this affair. The following +document, dated at Holyrood House, the 12th of September 1573, +referring to the matter will prove interesting - + +Anent our Sovereign Lord's letters raised at the instance of +Master George Munro, making mention: that whereas he is lawfully +provided to the Chancellory of Ross by his Highness's presentation, +admission to the Kirk, and the Lords' decree thereupon, and has +obtained letters in all the four forms thereupon and therewith has +caused charge the tenants and intromitters with the teind sheaves +thereof, to make him and his factors payment; and in the meantime +Rory Mackenzie, brother to Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, having +continual residence in the steeple of the Chanonry of Ross, which +he caused to be built not only to oppress the country with masterful +theft, sorning, and daily oppression, but also for suppressing of the +word of God which was always preached in the said Kirk preceding +his entry thereto, which is now become a filthy stye and den +of thieves; has masterfully and violently with a great force of +oppression, come to the tenants indebted in payment of the said Mr +George's benefice aforesaid and has masterfully reft them of all +and whole the fruits thereof; and so he having no other refuge +for obtaining of the said benefice, was compelled to denounce the +said whole tenants rebels and put them to the horn, as the said +letters and execution thereof more fully purports; and further is +compelled for fear of the said Mr George's life to remain from his +vocation whereunto God has called him. And anent the charge given +to the said Rory Mackenzie to desist and cease from all intromitting, +uptaking, molesting or troubling of the said Mr George's tenants +of his benefice above-written for any fruits or duties thereof, +otherwise than is ordered by law, or else to have compeared before +my Lord Regent's grace and Lords of Secret Council at a certain +day bypast, and show a reasonable cause why the same should not be +done; under the pain of rebellion and putting him to the horn, with +certification to him, and he failing, letters would be directed +simpliciter to put him to the horn, like as is at more length +contained in the said letters, execution and endorsement thereof. +Which being called, the said Master George compeared personally, +and the said Rory Mackenzie oftimes called and not compearing, my +Lord Regent's grace, with advise of the Lords of Secret Council, +ordained letters to be directed to officers of arms, Sheriffs in +that part, to denounce the said Rory Mackenzie our Sovereign Lord's +rebel and put him to the horn and to escheat and bring in all his +moveable goods to his Highness's use for his contempt. [Records of +the Privy Council.] + +In December of the same year Colin has to provide cautioners, for +things laid to his charge, to the amount of ten thousand pounds, +that he shall remain within four miles of Edinburgh, and eastward +as far as the town of Dunbar, and that he shall appear before the +Council on a notice of forty-eight hours. On the 6th of February +following other cautioners bind themselves to enter him in Edinburgh +on the 20th of May, 1574, remaining there until relieved, under +a penalty of ten thousand pounds. He is entered to keep ward in +Edinburgh on the 1st March, 1575, and is bound to appear before +the Council when required under a similar penalty. On the 10th +of April following he signs a bond that Alexander Ross shall appear +before the Lords when required to do so. On the 25th of May, 1575, +at Chanonry, Robert Munro of Fowlis and Walter Urquhart, Sheriff +of Cromarty, bind themselves their heirs, and successors, under +a penalty of five thousand pounds, that they shall on a month's +notice enter and present Roderick Mor Mackenzie of Redcastle +before the King and the Privy Council and that he shall remain +while lawful entry be taken of him, and that he shall keep good +rule in his country in the meantime. On the same day Colin, his +brother, "of his own free motive will" binds himself and his heirs +to relieve and keep these gentlemen scaithless of the amount of +this obligation. He is one of several Highland chiefs charged by +the Regent and the Privy Council on the 19th of February, 1577-78, +to defend Donald Mac Angus of Glengarry from an expected invasion +of his territories by sea and land. [Register of the Privy Council.] + +The disturbed state of the country was such, in 1573, that the +Earl of Sutherland petitioned to be served heir to his estates, at +Aberdeen, as he could not get a jury together to sit at Inverness, +"in consequence of the barons, such as Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, +Hugh Lord Lovat, Lachlan Mackintosh of Dunachton, and Robert Munro +of Fowlis, being at deadly feud among themselves." [Antiquarian +Notes, p. 79] + +In 1580 a desperate quarrel broke out between the Mackenzies and +Macdonalds of Glengarry. The Chief of Glengarry inherited part of +Lochalsh, Lochcarron, and Lochbroom, from his grandmother, Margaret, +one of the sisters and co-heiresses of Sir Donald Macdonald of +Lochalsh, and grand-daughter of Celestine of the Isles. Kenneth, +during his father's life, had acquired the other part by purchase +from Dingwall of Kildun, son of the other co-heiress of Sir +Donald, on the 24th November, 1554, and Queen Mary confirmed the +grant by Royal charter. Many causes leading to disputes and feuds +can easily be imagined with such men in close proximity. Glengarry +and his followers "sorned" on Mackenzie's tenants, not only in +the immediate vicinity of his own property of Lochcarron, but also +during their raids from Glengarry, on the outskirts of Kintail, +and thus Mackenzie's dependants were continually harrassed by +Glengarry's cruelty and ill-usage. His own tenants in Lochalsh +and Lochcarron fared little better, particularly the Mathesons in +the former, and the Clann Ian Uidhir in the latter, who were the +original possessors of Glengarry's lands in that district. These +tribes, finding themselves in such abject slavery, though they +regularly paid their rents and other dues, and seeing how kindly +Mackenzie used the neighbouring tenantry, envied their more +comfortable state and "abhorred Glengarry's rascality, who would +lie in their houses (yea, force their women and daughters) so long +as there was any good to be given, which made them keep better +amity and correspondence with Mackenzie and his tenants than with +their own master and his followers. This may partly teach how +superiors ought always to govern and oversee their tenantry and +followers, especially in the Highlands, who were ordinarily made +up of several clans, and will not readily underlie such slavery as +the Incountry Commons will do." + +The first serious outbreak between the Glengarry Macdonalds and +the Mackenzies originated thus: One Duncan Mac Ian Uidhir Mhic +Dhonnachaidh, known as "a very honest gentleman," who, in his early +days, lived under Glengarry, and was a very good deerstalker and +an excellent shot, often resorted to the forest of Glasletter, +then the property of Mackenzie of Gairloch, where he killed many +of the deer. Some time afterwards, Duncan was, in consequence of +certain troubles in his own country, obliged to leave, and he, with +all his family and goods, took up his quarters in Glen Affrick, close +to the forest. Soon after, he went, accompanied by a friend, to +the nearest hill, and began his favourite pursuit of deerstalking. +Mackenzie's forester perceiving the stranger, and knowing him as +an old poacher, cautiously walked up, came upon him unawares, and +demanded that he should at once surrender himself and his arms. +Duncan, finding that Gairloch's forester was only accompanied by +one gillie, "thought it an irrecoverable affront that he and his +man should so yield, and refused to do so on any terms, whereupon +the forester being ill-set, and remembering former abuses in their +passages," he and his companion killed the poachers, and buried +them in the hill. Fionnla Dubh Mac Dhomh'uill Mhoir and Donald +Mac Ian Leith, the latter a native of Gairloch, were suspected of +the crime, but it was never proved against them, though they were +both several times put on their trial by the barons of Kintail +and Gairloch. + +About two years after the murder was committed, Duncan's bones +were discovered by one of his friends, who had continued all the +time diligently to search for him. The Macdonalds always suspected +foul play, and this having now been placed beyond question by the +discovery of the bodies of the victims, a party of them started, +determined to revenge the death of their clansman; and, arriving +at Inchlochell, Glenstrathfarrar, then the property of Rory Mor +Mackenzie of Redcastle, they found Duncan Mac Ian Mhic Dhomh'uill +Mhoir, a brother of the suspected Finlay Dubh, without any fear +of approaching danger, busily engaged ploughing his patch of land, +and they at once attacked and killed him. The renowned Rory Mor, +hearing of the murder of his tenant, at once despatched a messenger +to Glengarry demanding redress and the punishment of the assassins, +but Glengarry refused. Rory was, however, determined to have +satisfaction, and he resolved, against the counsel of his friends, +to have retribution for this and previous injuries at once and as +best he could. Having thus decided, he at once sent for his friend, +Dugall Mackenzie of Applecross, to consult him as to the best mode +of procedure to ensure success. + +Glengarry lived at the time in the Castle of Strone, Lochcarron, +and, after consultation, the two Mackenzies resolved to use every +means in their power to capture him, or some of his nearest +relatives. For this purpose Dugall suggested a plan by which he +thought he would induce the unsuspecting Glengarry to meet him on +a certain day at Kishorn. Rory Mor, to avoid any suspicion, was +to start at once for Lochbroom, under cloak of attending to his +interests there; and if Macdonald agreed to meet Dugall at Kishorn, +he would immediately send notice of the day to Rory. No sooner had +Dugall arrived at home than, to carry out this plan, he dispatched a +messenger to Glengarry informing him that he had matters of great +importance to communicate to him, and that he wished, for that +purpose, to meet him on any day which he might deem suitable. + +Day and place were soon appointed, and Dugall at once sent +a messenger, as arranged, with full particulars of the proposed +meeting to Rory Mor, who instantly gathered his friends, the Clann +Allan, and marched them to Lochcarron. On his arrival, he had a +meeting with Donald Mac Ian Mhic Ian Uidhir, and Angus Mac Eachainn, +both of the Clann Ian Uidhir, and closely allied to Glengarry by +blood and marriage, and living on his lands. "Yet notwithstanding +this alliance, they, fearing his, and his rascality's further +oppression, were content to join Rory in the plot." The appointed +day having arrived, Glengarry and his lady (a daughter of the +Captain of Clan Ranald, he having previously sent away his lawfull +wife, a daughter of the laird of Grant) came by sea to Kishorn. +He and Dugall Mackenzie having conferred together for some time +discussing matters of importance to each as neighbours, Glengarry +took his leave, but while being convoyed to his boat, Dugall +suggested the impropriety of his going home by sea in such a clumsy +boat, when he had only a distance of two miles to walk, and if +he did not suspect his own inability to make the lady comfortable +for the night, he would be glad to provide for her and see her home +safely next morning. Macdonald declined the proffered hospitality +to his lady. He sent her home by the boat, accompanied by four +of his followers, and told Dugall that he would not endanger the +boat by overloading, but that he and the remainder of his gentlemen +and followers would go home on foot. + +Rory Mor had meanwhile placed his men in ambush in a place still +called Glaic nan Gillean. Glengarry and his train, on their way +to Strone Castle, came upon them without the slightest suspicion, +when they were suddenly surrounded by Rory's followers, and called +upon to surrender. Seeing this, one of the Macdonalds shot an +arrow at Redcastle, which fixed in the fringe of his plaid, when +his followers, thinking their leader had been mortally wounded +furiously attacked the Macdonalds; but Rory commanded his friends, +under pain of death, to save the life of Glengarry, who, seeing +he had no chance of escape, and hearing Redcastle's orders to his +men, threw away his sword, and ran into Rory Mor's arms, begging +that his life might be spared. This was at once granted to him, +but not a single one of his men escaped from Redcastle's infuriated +followers, who started the same night, taking Glengarry along with +him, for Lochbroom. + +Even this did not satisfy the cruel disposition of Donald Mac Ian +Mhic Ian Uidhir and Angus Mac Eachainn, who had an old grudge against +their chief, Glengarry, his father having some time previously +evicted their father from Attadale, Lochcarron, to which they +claimed a right. They, under silence of night, gathered all the +Clann Ian Uidhir, and proceeded to Arinaskaig and Dalmartin, where +lived at the time three uncles of Glengarry - Gorrie, Rorie, and +Ronald - whom they, with all their retainers, killed on the spot. +"This murder was undoubtedly unknown to Rory or any of the +Mackenzies, though alleged otherwise; for as soon as his nephew, +Colin of Kintail, and his friends heard of this accident, they were +much concerned, and would have him (Rory) set Glengarry at liberty +but all their persuasions would not do tell he was secured of him +by writ and oath, that he and his would never pursue this accident +either legally or unlegally, and which, as was said, he never +intended to do, till seventeen years thereafter, when, in 1597, +the children of these three uncles of Glengarry arrived at manhood," +determined, as will be seen hereafter, to revenge their father's +death. [Ancient and Ardintoul MSS.] + +Gregory, however, says (p. 219) that after his liberation, Glengarry +complained to the Privy Council, who, investigating the matter, +caused the Castle of Strone, which Macdonald yielded to Mackenzie +as one of the conditions of his release, to be placed under the +temporary custody of the Earl of Argyll and Mackenzie of Kintail +was detained at Edinburgh in open ward to answer such charges as +might be brought against him. [Records of Privy Council of date 10th +August and 2d December 1582; 11th January and 8th March 1582-3.] +In 1586 King James VI. granted a remission to "Colin M'Kainzie of +Kintaill and Rodoric M'Kainzie of Auchterfailie" (Redcastle), "his +brother, for being art and part in the cruel murder of Rodoric +M'Allester in Stroll; Gorie M'Allester, his brother, in Stromcraig; +Ronnald M'Gorie, the son of the latter; John Roy M'Allane v' +Allester, in Pitnean; John Dow M'Allane v' Allester, in Kirktoun +of Lochcarroun; Alexander M'Allanroy, servitor of the deceased +Rodoric; Sir John Monro in Lochbrume; John Monro, his son; John +Monro Hucheoun, and the rest of their accomplices, under silence +of night, upon the lands of Ardmanichtyke, Dalmartene, Kirktoun +of Lochcarroun, Blahat, and other parts within the baronies +of Lochcarroun, Lochbrume, Ros, and Kessane, in the Sheriffdom +of Innerness," and for all their other past crimes, ["Origines +Parochiales Scotia" and Retours.] + +During Colin's reign Huntly obtained a commission of fire and +sword against Mackintosh of Mackintosh, and reduced him to such a +condition that he had to remove with all his family and friends for +better security to the Island of Moy. Huntly, having determined +to crush him, came to Inverness and prepared a fleet of boats +with which to besiege the island. These preparations having been +completed, and the boats ready to be drawn across the hills from +Inverness to Moy, Mackenzie, who had been advised of Huntly's +intentions, despatched a messenger - John Mackenzie of Kinnock - +to Inverness, to ask his Lordship to be as favourable as possible +to his sister, Mackintosh of Mackintosh's wife, and to treat her as +a gentlewoman ought to be treated when he came to Moy, and that +he (Colin) would consider it as an act of personal courtesy to +himself. The messenger delivered his message, to which Huntly +replied, that if it were his good fortune, as he doubted not it +would be, to apprehend her husband and her, "she would be the worst +used lady in the North; that she was an ill instrument against +his cause, and therefore he would cut her tail above her houghs." +"Well, then," answered Kinnock, "he (Kintail) bade me tell your +Lordship if that were your answer, that perhaps he or his would +be there to have a better care of her." "I do not value his being +there more than herself" Huntly replied, "and tell him so much +from me." The messenger departed, when some of Huntly's principal +officers who heard the conversation remonstrated with his Lordship +for sending the Mackenzie chief so uncivil an answer, as he might +have cause to regret it if that gentleman took it amiss. Kinnock +on his arrival at Brahan, told his master what had occurred, +and delivered Huntly's rude message. Colin, who was at the time +in delicate health, sent for his brother, Rory Mor of Redcastle, +and sent him next day across the ferry of Ardersier with a force +of four hundred warriors. These he marched straight through the +hills; and just as Huntly, on his way from Inverness, was coming +in sight, on the west of Moy, Rory and his followers were marching +along the face of the hill on the east side of the Island, when +his Lordship, perceiving such a large force, asked his officers +who they could be. One of them, present during the interview with +Mackenzie's messenger on the previous day, answered, "Yonder is the +effect of your answer to Mackenzie." "I wonder," replied Huntly, +"how he could have so many men ready almost in an instant." The +officer replied, "Their leader is so active and fortunate that his +men will flock to him from all parts on a moment's notice when he +has any ado. And before you gain Mackintosh or his lady you will +lose more than he is worth, since now, as it seems, her friends +take part in the quarrel;" whereupon the Earl retired with his +forces to Inverness, "so that it seemed fitter to Huntly to agree +their differs friendly than prosecute the laws further against +Mackintosh." + +There is a complaint to the Privy Council by Christian Scrymgeour, +relict of the late Alexander, Bishop of Ross, dated 24th January, +1578-9, in which it is stated that Colin not only stopped and +debarred her late spouse from having fuel and "elding" to his +dwelling house in the Chanonry of Ross, where he made his residence +last summer, but stopped him also from victuals to his house, using +such unhuman and cruel dealings against him that he fell sick and +never recovered "till he departed this life." During the illness +of the bishop in December preceding, Colin and others "of his +special sending" enclosed the house of the Chanonry and debarred +the complainer and her husband of meat and drink and all other +relief of company or comfort of neighbours and friends, and how +soon he had intelligence of the bishop's approaching his death he +laid ambushes of armed men within the town of Chanonry and in the +neighbourhood and apprehended several of the bishop's and dean's +servants, whom he carried "immediately to the said Colin's house +of the Redcastle," and there detained them for twenty-four hours. +Further, on the 22nd of September preceding, the bishop being at +the extreme point of death, Colin with an armed following in great +numbers, came to the castle and house of the Chanonry and by force +and violence entered therein and put the said Christian Scrymgeour, +the bishop's wife, and his servants, children, and household out +of the same, intromitted with their goods and gear and constrained +them to leave the country by sea, not suffering them to get meat, +drink, or lodging, in the town, nor letting them take away with +them of their own gear as much as a plaid or blanket to protect +the children from cold in the boat, "committing thair throw such +cruel and barbarous oppression upon them as the like has not +been heard of in any realm or country subject to justice or the +authority of a Sovereign Prince." Colin did not appear to answer +this complaint, and he and his chief abettors were denounced rebels, +put to the horn and escheated. + +On the same day, there is a complaint by Henry Lord Methven, in +which it is stated that although his Lordship "has by gift of His +Highness to him, his heirs and assignees, the gift of all and whole +the temporality of the Bishopric of Ross, and of the castle, house, +and place of the Chanonry of Ross, now vacant in our Sovereign +Lord's hands by the decease of the late Alexander, last Bishop +of Ross, of all years and terms to come, aye and till the lawful +provision of a lawful bishop and pastor to the said bishopric," +and although it is "specially provided by Act of Parliament that +whatsoever person or persons takes any bishop's places, castles, or +strengths, or enters by their own authority to hold them without +his Highness' command, letters or charges, shall incur the crimes +of treason and lesemajesty," yet, "Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, +in proud and high contempt of his Majesty's said loveable law and +Act of Parliament, and of his Highness now having the administration +of the Government of the realm in his own person, lately, upon the +22nd day of September last bypast, in the very hour of the death +of the said late Alexander, Bishop of Ross, or shortly thereafter +beset and enclosed the said castle, house, and place of the Chanonry +of Ross, took the same by force and as yet detains and holds the +same as a house of war and will not render and deliver the same +to the said Lord Methven.' Mackenzie was duly charged to give up +possession of the castle and place or take the consequences. Lord +Methven appeared personally, but Colin did not, where-upon their +Lordships ordained letters to be directed to him charging him to +give them up, "with the whole munition and ordnance therein" to +Henry Lord Methven or to any other having power to receive them, +within twenty-four hours of the charge under the pain of treason. + +The following complaint by Donald Mac Angus of Glengarry laid before +the Privy Council at Dalkeith on 10th of August, 1582, is that +gentleman's version of his apprehension by Roderick Mor Mackenzie +of Redcastle and Dugall Mackenzie of Kishorn, as described from +family MSS. at pp. 156-59. Glengarry's complaint proceeds - + +After the great slaughters, herschips, and skaiths, committed upon +him, his kin, friends, and servants upon the last day of February +the year of God 1581 years, estimate worth six score thousand +pounds money of this realm or thereby, and on the first, second, +third, fourth, fifth and sixth days of March last bypast thereafter +by Rory Mackenzie, brother-german to Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, +Dugald Mackenzie, his brother and the remainder of their colleagues +and company, to the number of two hundred persons, armed with +two-handed swords, bows, darlochis, hagbutts, pistols, prohibited +to be worn or used, and other offensive weapons who also upon +the sixteenth day of April last bypast or thereby, came upon the +said complainant he being within his own "rowmes" and country of +Lochcarron having mind of no evil or injury to have been done to +him nor none of his, but thinking to have lived under God's peace +and our Sovereign Lord, and then not only took himself captive, +kept and detained him prisoner in coves, craigs, woods, and other +desert places at their pleasure wherethrough none of his kin +nor friends had access to him for the space of fourteen days or +thereby, but also in the meantime took and apprehended the late +Rory MacAlister, father's brother to the said complainant, and +three of their sons and other of his friends and servants to the +number of 33 persons or thereby, bound their hands with their own +shirts, and cruelly and unmercifully, under promise of safety of +their lives, caused murder and slay them with dirks, appointing +that they should not be buried as Christian men, but cast forth +and eaten by dogs and swine." Further, "at the end of the said +complainant's captivity and detention in the manner aforesaid, +being delivered by the foresaid person, his takers and detainers, +to Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, both he and they, being armed in +warlike manner as said is, upon the 24th day of the said month of +April, came to the said complainant's town and lands of Strome, +where they also carried him captive with them and theirs, by +hostility and way of deed, spoiled and reft the whole goods, gear, +and plenishing therein and besieged his house and Castle of Strome, +threatening his friends and servants therein that if they rendered +not the same to them they would hang the said complainant in their +sight compelling him and his said friends therefor and for safety +of his life to yield to the said persons' tyrranous desires and +appetites, and render to them the said castle, which they not only +wrongfully detained and withheld from him, but also through occasion +thereof still insists in their cruelty and inhumanity against the +said complainant, his kin and friends. Like as lately, about the +end of July last, the said Colin Mackenzie Rory Mackenzie, and +others aforesaid, having violently taken Donald MacMoroch Roy, one +of the said complainant's chief kinsmen, and were not content to put +him to a simple death, but to bait them in his blood, and by a +strange example to satisfy their cruel and unnatural hearts, first +cut off his hands, next his feet, and last his head, and having cast +the same in a "peitpott," exposed and laid out his carcase to be a +prey for dogs and ravenous beasts: Tending by such kind of dealing +to undo as many of the said complainant's friends and servants as +they can apprehend, and to lay waste their lands, "rowmes," and +possessions to the said complainant's heavy hurt and skaith, and +dangerous example of wicked persons to attempt the like, if remedy +be not provided." In consequence of this complaint charges had +gone forth to Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, (1), to have rendered the +said Castle of Strome with the munition and goods therein to the +complainer or his representatives, within twenty-four hours after +being charged, under pain of rebellion, or else to have appeared +and shown cause to the contrary; (2) to have appeared and found +sufficient surety in the Books of the Council for the safety of +the complainer and his dependants in persons and goods, or else +shown cause to the contrary, under the same pain. And now, "the +said Angus Mac Angus compeared personally and the said Colin +Mackenzie of Kintail being oftimes called and not compearing, the +Lords (1) repeat their charge for delivery of the castle within +twenty-four hours, and, failing obedience, order Mackenzie of +Kintail to be denounced rebel and put to the horn and to escheat; +(2) repeat their charge to the said Mackenzie to find sufficient +caution for the safety of the complainer and his dependants in person +and goods, with order that if he fail to do so within fifteen days +after being charged, he shall, for that default also, be denounced +rebel and put to the horn." + +On the 2nd of December, 1582, Colin finds caution in the sum of two +thousand merks that he shall deliver up Strome Castle, Lochcarron, +to Donald Mac Angus of Glengarry, in the event of the Privy +Council finding that he should do so. + +Shortly after this the aspect of affairs is changed. On the 11th +of January, 1582-83, the decree against Mackenzie for the surrender +of Strome Castle to Donald Macdonald of Glengarry is reversed. +He petitions the Privy Council and gives an entirely different +complexion to the facts of the case against him to those submitted +by Glengarry to the Council. He complains of Donald Mac Angus for +having "upon a certain sinister and malicious narration" obtained +a decree against him charging him upon pain of rebellion to deliver +up the Castle of Strome, and to appear before the Privy Council, +on the 4th of August preceding, to find caution that Glengarry +and his friends should be kept harmless of him in their persons +and goods, and then makes the following statement: + +The officer, alleged executor of the said letters (against him), +neither charged thc said Colin personally nor at his dwelling house, +neither yet came any such charge to his knowledge. Yet he hearing +tell somewhat thereof by the "bruit" of the country, he, for +obedience of the same, directed Alexander Mackenzie, his servant +and procurator, to our Burgh of Perth, where his Majesty was +resident for the time, who from the same fourth of August, being +the peremptory day of compearance, as well there as at Ruthven, +attended continually upon the calling of the said letters till +the Council dissolved, and that his Majesty passed to Dunkeld to +the hunting. Like as immediately thereafter the said Alexander +repaired to the Burgh of Edinburgh, where he likewise awaited a +certain space thereafter when Council should have been, and the +said letters should have been called but perceiving no number of +Council neither there nor actually with his Majesty, he looked +for no calling of the said letters nor proceeding thereuntil, but +that the same should have (been), deserted, because the day was +peremptory, at the least till he should have been of new warned and +heard in presence of his Highness and his Council to have shown a +reasonable cause why no such letters should be granted simpliciter +upon the said Colin to the effect above-written. Not-withstanding +for by his expectation, he being resident for the time in Edinburgh, +where he looked that the said matter should have been called, +the said other letters were upon the tenth day of the said month +of August last, by moyen of the said Donald Mac Angus, called at +the Castle of Dalkeith, and there, for the said Colin's alleged +non-compearance, as he is surely informed, decree was pronounced +in the said matter and letters ordained to be directed simpliciter +against him." Had his said servant, then still in Edinburgh, been +made aware of this meeting of Council at Dalkeith, "he would not +have failed to have compeared, and had many good and sufficient +reasons and defences to have staid all giving of the said letters +simpliciter;" such as that "the said Colin received the said castle +and fortalice of Strome by virtue of a contract passed betwixt him +and the said Donald, wherein he was content and consented that the +said castle should remain in the said Colin's hands and keeping +unto the time he had fulfilled certain other articles and clauses +mentioned and contained in the same contract;" also "that the said +Colin was charged, by virtue of letters passed by deliverance of +the Lords of Session, to render and deliver the said castle and +fortalice of Strome to John Grant of Freuchie, as pertaining to +him in heritage, within a certain space after the charge, under +the said pain of horning, so that, he being doubly charged, he +is uncertain to whom to render the said castle." Moreover, for +the satisfaction of the King and the Lords of Council, "the said +Colin has found caution to render and deliver the said castle and +fortalice to the said Donald, if it shall be found by his Highness +and the said Lords that he ought to do the same." For these reasons +it is argued that the said decree and letters issued against him +ought to be suspended. + +Charge having been made to the said Donald Mac Angus to appear +to this complaint and demand, "both the said parties compeared +personally," and the Lords after hearing them, "suspended the +foresaid letters purchased by the said Donald Mac Angus, effect +thereof, and process of horning contained therein, and all that +has followed thereupon, upon the said Colin simpliciter in time +coming," the ground for this decision being that "the said Colin +has found security acted in the books of Secret Council that the +said castle and fortalice of Strome, committed to him in keeping by +the King's Majesty and Lords of Secret Council, shall be rendered +and delivered again to such person or persons as shall be appointed +by the King's Majesty to receive the same, as the keepers thereof +shall be required thereto upon six days' warning, under the pain +of ten thousand merks" and meanwhile, under the same pains, that +none of the King's subjects shall be "invaded, troubled, molested, +nor persecuted," by those who keep the castle for him, or by others +resorting thither. There is, however, this proviso - + +That, in case the said Colin shall at any time hereafter sue of +the King's Majesty to be disburdened of the keeping of the said +castle, and that some person may be appointed to receive the same +out of his hands and keeping within the space of twenty days next +after his said Suit, which notwithstanding shall happen to be +refused and not done by his Highness within the said space, that +in that case he nor his cautioner be anywise answerable thereafter +for the said house and keeping thereof, but to be free of the same, +and these presents to annul and to have no further force, effect, +nor execution, against them at any time thereafter except that +the same house shall happen to be kept by the said Colin or his +servants in his name thereafter, for the which in that respect the +said Colin shall always be answerable in manner aforesaid and no +otherwise. + +A bond of caution by Mackenzie, and Lord Lindsay of the Byres as +security for him, for ten thousand merks, subscribed on the 20th +of January, 1582-83, and registered in the Chanonry of Ross, binds +Colin to surrender the Castle of Strome to any person appointed +by the King for the purpose, on six days' warning and to fulfil +the other duties imposed upon him by the Act of the Privy Council +dated the 11th of the same month, already given, but with the +proviso in his favour contained in that Act, which is repeated at +length in the bond of caution of this date. + +In terms of this bond the King and Council at a meeting held +at Holyrood on the 8th of March following "for certain causes +and considerations moving them," order letters to issue charging +Mackenzie and other keepers of the Castle of Strome to deliver the +same to Colin, Earl of Argyll, Chancellor, or to his servants in +his name within six days after charge under the pains of rebellion, +which being done the King "discharges thereafter the sureties +found by the said Colin Mackenzie of before, either acted in the +books of Secret Council, or by contract, bond, or promise between +him and Donald Mac Angus Mac Alastair of Glengarry," the Acts +referring to the same to be deleted from the books of the Privy +Council. + +Colin's name appears again on the 1st of August as surety for +a bond of three thousand merks by David Dunbar of Kilstarry and +Patrick Dunbar of Blairy. + +On the 5th of May, 1585, he is denounced a rebel on a complaint by +Hugh Fraser of Guisachan under the following circumstances. Fraser +says that a certain "John Dow Mac Allan was lawfully denounced his +Highness' rebel and put to the horn at the said Hucheon's instance +for not removing from the half davoch of land of Kilboky pertaining +to him, conform to a decree obtained by the said Hucheon against +the said John Dow Mac Allan." Upon this decree Hugh Fraser +"raised letters of caption by deliverance of the Lords of Session +to charge the Sheriff of Inverness and other judges in the country +where the said John resorts, to take, apprehend him, and keep him +conform to the order observed in such cases." In all this process +to obtain the decree, with "letters in the four forms, executions +and denunciations thereof," and then raising of the said letters +of caption thereupon, the complainer has been put to great travel +and expenses, having his habitation by the space of eight score +miles or thereby distant from the Burgh of Edinburgh." Nevertheless, +Colin Mackenzie, "to whom the said John Dow Mac Allan is tenant, +servant, and special depender," maintains and assists him in his +violent occupation or the complainer's lands, "keeps him in his +company, receives him in his house, and otherwise debates him that +he cannot be apprehended," so that all the proceedings of the +complainer Fraser are frustrated. Colin was thereupon charged to +present Mac Allan before the Privy Council, under pain of rebellion, +and failing to appear, or present John Dow, and the complainer +having appeared personally, an order was pronounced denouncing +Mackenzie a rebel. + +On the 11th of December next, John Gordon of Pitlurg becomes +cautioner in one thousand merks that Colin will not injure Andrew, +Lord Dingwall, his tenants, or servants. On the 11th of April, +1586, William Cumming of Inverallochy and others become surety in +L1000 that Mackenzie shall "remove his coble, fishers, and nets, +from the fishing of the water of Canon, and desist and cease +therefrom in time coming, conform to the letters raised at the +instance of Andrew, Lord Dingwall, to the same effect, in case it +shall be found and declared that the said Colin ought to do the +same." On the 4th of May following, Mackenzie binds himself to +keep his sureties scaithless in the matter of this caution. On the +16th of the same month, the King and Council "for certain necessary +and weighty considerations moving his Highness, tending to the +furthering and establishing of his Highness' obedience and the +greatness and safety of his peaceable and good subjects from +burnings, riefs, and oppression," ordain Colin to enter in ward +in Blackness Castle within twenty-four hours after being charged +under pain of treason. Two days later, being then in ward in this +stronghold, he finds caution in ten thousand merks that on being +relieved from ward he will repair to Edinburgh and keep ward there +until set free. This is deleted by a warrant subscribed by the +King and the Secretary at Falkland on the 6th of the following +August. His name appears as one of a long list of Highland chiefs +complained against to the Privy Council on the 30th of November, +1586, by the united burghs of the realm for obstructing the +fisheries in the northern parts and making extortionate exactions +from the fishermen, and again on the 16th of September, 1587, when +an order is made to denounce him for his failure to appear before +the Council to enter John Mackenzie of Gairloch and his accomplices, +for whom Colin is held liable "as master and landlord," to answer a +complaint made against them by James Sinclair, Master of Caithness, +on the 10th of August preceding. On the 5th of March, 1587-88, +John Davidson, burgess of Edinburgh, becomes cautioner in 500 +merks that Colin will, if required, enter such of his men before +the Privy Council as "assegeit" James, Master of Caithness, +within the house of William Robson, in the Chanonry of Ross. On +the 27th of July, 1588, he is appointed by a Convention of the +Estates member of a Commission, charged with powers for executing +the laws against Jesuits, Papists, and other delinquents, and with +other extensive powers. On the 24th of May, 1589, he is named +as the Commissioner for the shire of Inverness who is to convene +the freeholders of the county for choosing the Commissioners to +a Parliament to be held at Edinburgh on the 2nd of October in that +year, and to report his diligence in this matter to the Council +before the 15th of August, under pains of rebellion. On the 4th +of June following, he appears in a curious position in connection +with a prosecution for witchcraft against several women, and an +abridgement of the document, as recorded in the Records of the +Privy Council, is of sufficient interest to justify a place here. +It is the complaint of Katherine Ross, relict of Robert Munro of +Fowlis; Margaret Sutherland, spouse of Hector Munro, portioner of +Kiltearn; Bessie Innes, spouse of Neil Munro, in Swordale; Margaret +Ross, spouse of John Neil Mac Donald Roy, in Caull; and Margaret +Mowat, as follows: + +Mr Hector Munro, now of Fowlis, son-in-law of the said Katherine +Ross, "seeking all ways and means to possess himself in certain +her tierce and conjunct fee lands of the Barony of Fowlis, and +to dispossess her therefrom" had first "persued certain of her +tenants and servants by way of deed for their bodily harm and +slaughter," and then, "finding that he could not prevail that +way, neither by sundry other indirect means sought by him," had at +last, "upon sinister and wrong information and importunate suit, +purchased a commission of the same to his Majesty, and to Colin +Mackenzie of Kintail, Rory Mackenzie, his brother, John Mackenzie of +Gairloch, Alexander Bain of Tulloch, Angus Mackintosh of Termitt, +James Glas of Gask, William Cuthbert, in Inverness, and some others +specially mentioned therein, for apprehending of the said Margaret +Sutherland, Bessy Innes, Margaret Ross, and Margaret Mowat, and +sundry others, and putting them to the knowledge of an assize +for witchcraft, and other forged and feinted crimes alleged to be +committed by them." Further, "the said persons, by virtue of the +same commission, intended to proceed against them most partially +and wilfully, and thereby to drive the said complainers to that +strait that either they shall satisfy his unreasonable desire, or +then to lose their lives, with the sober portion of goods made by +them for the sustenance of themselves and their poor bairns: howbeit +it be of verity that they are honest women of repute and holding +these many years bygone, spotted at no time with any such ungodly +practices, neither any ways having committed any offence, but by all +their actions behaved themselves so discreetly and honestly as none +justly could or can have occasion of complaint - they being ever +ready, like they are yet, to underlie the law for all crimes that +can be laid to their charge," and having to that effect, "presently +found caution for their compearance before the justice and his +deputes, or any judge unsuspected, upon fifteen days' warning." +Their prayer, accordingly, is that the said commission be discharged. +Hector Munro appearing for himself and his colleagues, and the +complainers by Alexander Morrison, their procurator, the Lords +ordain Mr Hector and the other commissioners to desist a from +proceeding against the women, and "remit their trial to be taken +before the Justice-General or his deputes a in the next justice +court appointed to be held after his Majesty's repairing to the north +parts of this realm in the month of July next, at which time, if +his Majesty shall not repair thither, or being repaired shall not +before his returning cause the same trial to be taken, "in that +case commission shall be given to Thomas Fraser of Knocky, tutor +of Lovat, John Urquhart of Cadboll, tutor of Cromarty, and Alexander +Bayne of Tulloch, or any two of them to administer justice conform +to the laws of the realm." + +On the 6th of March, 1589-90, Colin is again mentioned as one of +the Commissioners for Inverness and Cromarty for executing the Acts +against the Jesuits and the seminary of priests, with reconstitution +of the Commission of the preceding year for putting the Acts in +force and the appointment of a new Commission of select clergy in +the shires to cooperate in the work and promote submission to the +Confession of Faith and Covenant over the whole Kingdom. On the +8th of June, 1590, officers of arms are ordered to arrest in the +hands of David Clapen in Leith, or any other person, any money +consigned in their hands, or due by them to Sir William Keith for +Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, "or remanent gentlemen and tenants of +the Earldom of Ross for their feus thereof" or that rests yet in +the hands of Colin or such tenants, unpaid or not consigned by +them, and to discharge them from paying the same to Sir William +or any other in his name until the King shall further declare his +will, under the penalty of paying his Majesty the same sums over +again. On the 5th of July in the same year, Colin gives caution +of L2000 that William Ross of Priesthill, when released out of the +tolbooth of Edinburgh, shall keep ward in that city till he find +surety for the entrance of himself and his bastard son, John Ross +and others, to appear before the justice to answer for certain +crimes specified in letters raised against him by David Munro of +Nigg when required upon fifteen days' warning, and satisfy the +Treasurer-depute for his escheat fallen to the King through having +been put to the horn at the instance of the said David Munro. He +repeats the same caution for the same person on the 15th of August +following. He is again on record in March, 1591-92, and in June, +1592. He is, along with Simon Lord Lovat, John Grant of Grant, +Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Ross of Balnagown, Hector +Munro of Fowlis, and others, chosen an assistant Commissioner of +justiciary for the counties of Elgin, Nairn, and Inverness, in +March 1592-93. He was appointed a member of the Privy Council in +June, 1592, but he appears not to have accepted the office on that +occasion, for on the 16th of February following there is an entry +of the admission of Sir William Keith of Delny "in the place +appointed by his Majesty, with the advise of his Estates in his +last Parliament, for Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, by reason he, +being required, has not compeared nor accepted the said place." +He, however, accepted the position soon after, for it is recorded +under date of 5th July, 1593, that "Colin Mackenzie of Kintail +being admitted of the Privy Council gave his oath," in common form. + +The great troubles in the Lewis, which ultimately ended in that +extensive principality coming into the possession of the House of +Kintail, commenced about this time, and although the most important +events connected with and leading up to that great result will +principally fall to be treated of later on, the quarrel having +originated in Colin Cam's time, it may be more convenient to +explain its origin under the present. + +Roderick Macleod, X. of the Lewis, married, first, Janet, a +natural daughter of John Mackenzie of Killin, by whom he had a son, +Torquil Cononach, so called from his having been brought up with +his mother's relations in Strathconon. Roderick, by all accounts, +was not so immaculate in his domestic relations as one might wish, +for we find him having no fewer than five bastard sons, named +respectively, Tormod Uigeach, Murdoch, Neil, Donald, and Rory +Og, all of whom arrived at maturity. In these circumstances it +can hardly be supposed that his lady's domestic happiness was of +the most felicitous and unmixed description. + +It was alleged by this paragon of virtue that she had proved +unfaithful to him, and that she had criminal intimacy with the +Brieve (Breitheamh), or consistorial judge of the Island. On +the other hand, it was maintained that the Brieve in his capacity +of judge, had been somewhat severe on the Island chief for his +reckless and immoral habits, and for his bad treatment of his lady +and that the unprincipled villain, as throughout his whole career +he proved himself to be, boldly, and in revenge, turned upon and +accused the judge of committing adultery with his wife. Be that +as it may, the unfortunate woman, attempting to escape from his +cruel treatment, while passing in a large birlinn, from the Lewis +to Coigeach, on the opposite side of the coast, was pursued and +run down by some of her husband's followers, when she, with all +on board, perished. Roderick thereupon disinherited her son, +Torquil Cononach, grandson of John of Killin, maintaining that +Torquil was not his legitimate son and heir, but the fruit of his +wife's unfaithfulness. [Most of the MS. Histories of the family which +we have perused state that Rory Macleod's wife was a daughter of +Kenneth a Bhlair, but it is impossible that the daughter of a chief +who died in 1491 could have been the wife of one who lived in the +early years of the seventeenth Century. She must have been Kenneth's +granddaughter, as above described, a daughter of John of Kuhn. +This view is corroborated by a decree arbitral in 1554, in which +Torquil Cononach is called the oy (ogha, or grandson) of John +Mackenzie: Acts and Decreets of Session, X., folio 201. The +Roderick Macleod who married, probably as his second wife, Agnes, +daughter of Kenneth a Bhlair, was Roderick Macleod, seventh of +Lewis, who died some time after his father early in the sixteenth +century.] Roderick Macleod married secondly, in 1541, Barbara +Stewart, daughter of Andrew, Lord Avandale, with issue - Torquil +Oighre or the Heir, who died unmarried before his father, having +been drowned along with a large number of others while on a voyage +in his birlinn, between Lewis and Skye. Macleod married thirdly +a daughter or Hector Og, XIII., and sister of Sir Lachlan Maclean, +XIV., of Duart, by whom he had two sons - Torquil Dubh, whom he +named as his heir and successor, and Tormod, known as Tormod Og. +Torquil Cononach, now designated "of Coigeach," married Margaret, +daughter of Angus Macdonald, VII. of Glengarry, and widow of +Cuthbert of Castlehill, Inverness, who bore him two sons - John +and Neil - and five daughters and, raising as many men as would +accompany him, he, with the assistance of two of his natural +brothers-Tormod and Murdoch-started for the Lewis to vindicate his +rights as legitimate heir to the island. He defeated his father, +and confined him in the Castle of Stornoway for four years, when he +was finally obliged to acknowledge Torquil Cononach as his lawful +son and successor. The bastards now quarrelled among themselves. +Donald killed Tormod Uigeach. Murdoch, in resentment, seized +Donald and carried him to Coigeach; but he afterwards escaped and +complained to old Rory, who was highly offended at Murdoch for +seizing and with Torquil Cononach for detaining Donald. Roderick +ordered Murdoch to be apprehended and confined to his own +old quarters in the Castle of Stornoway. Torquil Cononach again +returned to the Lewis, reduced the castle, liberated Murdoch, +again confined his father, and killed many of his followers, at the +same time carrying off all the writs and charters, and depositing +them for safety with his uncle, Mackenzie of Kintail. He had meanwhile +left his son John (who had been in the service of Huntly, and whom +he now called home) in charge of the castle, and in possession +of the Lewis. He imprudently banished his natural uncles, Donald +and Rory Og, out of the island. Rory Og soon after returned with +a considerable number of followers; attacked his nephew, Torquil +Cononach's son John, in Stornoway, killed him, and released his +own father, old Roderick, who was allowed after this to possess +the island in peace during the remainder of his life. "Thus was +the Siol Torquil weakened, by private dissensions, and exposed to +fall a prey, as it did soon afterwards, to the growing power of +the Mackenzies." + +In 1594 Alexander Bayne, younger of Tulloch, granted a charter of +the lands of Rhindoun in favour of Colin Mackenzie of Kintail and +his heirs male, proceeding on a contract of sale between them, +dated 10th of March, 1574. On the 10th of July in the same year +there is "a contract of alienation" of these lands by the same +Colin Mackenzie of Kintail in favour of Roderick Mackenzie of +Ardafillie (Redcastle), his brother-german, and his heirs male. A +charter implementing this contract is dated the 20th of October +following, by which the lands are to be holden blench and for relieving +Kintail of the feu-duty and services payable to his superiors." +These lands are, in 1625, resigned by Murdoch Mackenzie of Redcastle +into the hands of Colin, second Earl of Seaforth, the immediate +lawful superior thereof, for new infeftments to be granted to +Roderick Mackenzie, his second lawful son. [Writs and Evidents of +Lands of Rhindoun. "Antiquarian Notes," pp. 172-73.] + +Colin, in addition to his acquisitions in Lochalsh and. Lochcarron, +"feued the Lordship of Ardmeanach, and the Barony of Delnys, Brae +Ross, with the exception of Western Achnacherich, Wester Drynie, +and Tarradale, which Bayne of Tulloch had feued before, but found +it his interest to hold of him as immediate superior, which, with +the former possessions of the lands of Chanonry, greatly enhanced +his influence. Albeit his predecessors were active both in war and +peace, and precedent in acquiring their estate; yet this man acquired +more than all that went before him, and made such a solid progress in +it, that what he had acquired was with the goodwill of his sovereign, +and clear unquestionable purchase." He protected his nephew, +Torquil Macleod of the Lewis, when he was oppressed by his unnatural +relations and natural brothers, and from his he acquired a right +to the lands of Assynt. [Earl of Cromartie and other MS. Histories +of the Family.] + +Colin, in April, 1572, married Barbara, daughter of John Grant of +Grant, ancestor of the Earls of Seafield, by Lady Marjory Stewart, +daughter of John, third Earl of Athol (Tocher 2000 merks and the +half lands of Lochbroom, then the property of her father ["Chiefs +of Grant"]), with issue - + +I. Kenneth, who succeeded his father, and was afterwards elevated +to the Peerage by the title of Lord Mackenzie of Kintail. + +II. Roderick, the renowned Sir Roderick Mor Mackenzie of Coigeach, +"Tutor of Kintail" and progenitor of the Earls of Cromarty, of the +families of Scatwell, Tarvie, Ballone, and other minor Mackenzie +septs, of whom in their proper place. + +III. Alexander, first of Kilcoy, now represented by Colonel Burton +Mackenzie. + +IV. Colin of Kinnock and Pitlundie. + +V. Murdoch of Kernsary, whose only lawful son, John, was killed +at the Battle of Auldearn, in 1645, without issue. + +VI. Catherine, who married Simon, eighth Lord Lovat, with issue - +Hugh, his heir and successor, and Elizabeth, who married Dunbar of +Westfield, Sheriff of Moray. + +VII. Janet, who married Hector Maclean, "Eachainn Og," XV. of +Duart, with issue - Hector Mor, who succeeded his father Lachlan, +and Florence, who married John Garbh Maclean, VII. of Coll. + +VIII. Mary, who, as his second wife, married Sir Donald Gorm Mor +Macdonald, VII., of Sleat, without issue. + +He had also a natural son, + +IX. Alexander, by Margaret, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, +second of Davochmaluag, who became the founder of the families of +Applecross and Coul, of whom in their order. + +Colin "lived beloved by princes and people, and died, regretted +by all, on the 14th of June, 1594, at Redcastle and was buried at +Bewlie." He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +XII. KENNETH MACKENZIE, + +FIRST LORD MACKENZIE OF KINTAIL, who began his rule amidst those +domestic quarrels and dissensions in the Lewis, to which we have +already introduced the reader, and which may, not inappropriately, +be designated the Strife of the Bastards. He is on record as +"of Kintail" on the 31st of July, 1594, within seven weeks of his +father's death, and again on the 1st of October in the same year. +On the 9th of November he made oath in presence of the King and +the Privy Council that he should "faithfully, loyally, and truly +concur, fortify, and assist his Majesty's Lieutenant of the North +with his advice and force at all times and occasions as he may be +required by proclamations, missive letters, or otherwise." The +country generally was in such a lawless condition in this year that +an Act of Parliament was passed by which it was ordained "that in +order that there may be a perfect distinction, by names and surnames, +betwixt those that are and desire to be esteemed honest and true +men, and those that are and not ashamed to be esteemed thieves, +sorners, and resetters of them in their wicked and odious crimes +and deeds; that therefore a roll and catalogue be made of all +persons, and the surnames therein mentioned, suspected of slaughter, +etc." It was also enacted "that such evil disposed persons as +take upon themselves to sell the goods of thieves, and disobedient +persons and clans that dare not come to public markets in +the Lowlands themselves, whereby the execution of the Arts made +against somers, clans, and thieves, is greatly impeded," should be +punished in the manner therein contained. Another Act provided +"that the inbringer of every robber and thief, after he is +outlawed, and denounced fugitive, shall have two hundred pounds +Scots for every robber and thief so inbrought." ["Antiquarian +Notes."] + +On the 5th of February, 1595-96, it is complained against him by +Alexander Bayne of Tulloch that although upon the 7th of March, +1594, John MacGillechallum, Raasay, had been put to the horn +for non-appearance to a complaint by the said Alexander and his +son Alexander, Fiar of Tulloch, against the Rev. John Mackenzie, +minister of Urray, touching certain oppressions and depredations +committed on him and his tenants, he remained not only unrelaxed +from the horn, but continues in "his wicked and accustomed trade +of rief theft, sorning, and oppression," seeking "all indirect and +shameful means to wreck and destroy him and his bairns." A short +time before this, MacGillechallum sent to the complainer desiring +him to give over to him his (Bayne's) old heritage called Torridon, +"with assurance if he do not the same to burn his whole corn and +goods." In these insolencies "he is encouraged and set forward +by the consort, reset, and supply which he receives of Kenneth +Mackenzie of Kintail and his friends, he being near kinsman to +the said Kenneth, viz.: his father's sister's son; who, in that +respect, shows him all good offices of friendship and courtesy, +indirectly assisting him with his men and moyen in all his +enterprises against the said complainer and his bairns, without +whose oversight and allowance and protection it were not able to +him to have a reset in any part of the country." The complainer, +Alexander Bayne, describes himself as "a decrepit aged man past +eighty years of age and being blind these years he must submit +himself to his Majesty for remedy." Kintail appeared personally, +and Tulloch by his two sons, Alexander and Ranald, whereupon the +King and Council remitted the complaint to be decided before the +ordinary judges. + +The following account from family MSS. and Sir Robert Gordon's +"Earldom of Sutherland," refers no doubt to the same incidents - +John MacCallum, a brother of the Laird of Raasay, annoyed the people +of Torridon, which place at that time belonged to the Baynes of +Tulloch. He alleged that Tulloch, in whose house he was fostered, +had promised him these lands as a gift of fosterage; but Tulloch, +whether he had made a previous promise to MacGillechallum or not, +left the lands of Torridon to his own second son, Alexander Mor +MacDhonnchaidh Mhic Alastair, alias Bayne. He afterwards obtained +a decree against MacGillechallum for interfering with his lands +and molesting the people, and, on a Candlemas market, with a +large following of armed men, made up of most of the Baynes, and +a considerable number of Munros, he came to the market stance, +at that time held at Logie. John MacGillechallum, ignorant of +Tulloch "getting the laws against him" and in no fear of his life +or liberty, came to the market as usual, and, while standing buying +some article at a chapman's stall, Alastair Mor and his followers +came up behind him unperceived, and, without any warning, struck +him on the head with a two-edged sword - instantly killing him. A +gentleman of the Clann Mhurchaidh Riabhaich Mackenzies, Ian Mac +Mhurchaidh Mhic Uilleam, a very active and powerful man, was at +the time standing beside him, and he asked who dared to have spilt +Mackenzie blood in that dastardly manner. He had no sooner said +the words than he was run through the body by one of the swords +of the enemy; and thus, without an opportunity of drawing their +weapons, fell two of the best swordsmen in the North of Scotland. +The alarm and the news of their death immediately spread through +the market. "Tulloch Ard," the war cry of the Mackenzies, was +instantly raised; whereupon the Baynes and the Munros took to their +heels - the Munros eastward to the Ferry of Fowlis, and the Baynes +northward to the hills, both followed by a band of the infuriated +Mackenzies, who slaughtered every one they overtook. Iain Dubh Mac +Choinnich Mhic Mhurchaidh, of the clan Mhurchaidh Riabhaich, and +Iain Gallda Mac Fhionnla Dhuibh, two gentlemen of the Mackenzies, +the latter of whom was a Kintail man, were on their way from Chanonry +to the market, when they met in with a batch of the Munros flying +in confusion and, learning the cause to be the murder of their +friends at Logie market, they instantly pursued the fugitives, +killing no less than thirteen of them between Logie and the wood +of Millechaich. All the townships in the neighbourhood of the +market joined the Mackenzies in the pursuit, and Alastair Mor Bayne +of Tulloch only saved himself, after all his men were killed, by +taking shelter and hiding for a time in a kiln-logie. Two of his +followers, who managed to escape from the market people, met with +some Lewismen on their way to the fair, who, noticing the Baynes +flying half naked, immediately stopped them, and insisted upon their +giving a proper account of themselves. This proving unsatisfactory +they came to high words, and from words to blows, when the Lewismen +attacked and killed them at Ach-an-eilich, near Contin. + +The Baynes and the Munros had good cause to regret the cowardly +conduct of their leaders on this occasion at Logie market, for +they lost no less than fifty able-bodied men in return for the two +gentlemen of the Clan Mackenzie whom they had so basely murdered +at the fair. One lady of the Clan Munro lost her three brothers, +on whom she composed a lament, of which the following is all we +could obtain:-- + +'S olc a' fhuair mi tus an Earraich, +'S na feill Bride 'chaidh thairis, +Chaill mi mo thriuir bhraithrean geala, +Taobh ri taobh u' sileadh fala. +'Se 'n dithis a rinn mo sharach', +Fear beag dubh a chlaidheamh Iaidir, +'S mac Fhionnla Dhuibh a Cinntaile +Deadh mhearlach nan adh 's nan aigeach. + +When night came on, Alastair Mor Bayne escaped from the kiln, and +went to his uncle Lovat, who at once despatched James Fraser of +Phopachy south, with all speed to prevent information from the other +side reaching the King before be had an opportunity of relating his +version of the quarrel. His Majesty was at the time at Falkland, +and a messenger from Mackenzie reached him before Alastair Mor, +pursuing for the slaughter of Mackenzie's kinsmen. He got the ear +of his Majesty and would have been successful had not John Dubh +Mac Choinnich Mhic Mhurchaidh meanwhile taken the law into his own +hands by burning, in revenge, all Tulloch's cornyards and barns +at Lemlair, thus giving Bayne an opportunity of presenting another +and counter claim but the matter was ultimately arranged by the +King and Council obliging Kintail and Tulloch mutually to subscribe +a contract of agreement and peaceful behaviour towards each other. + +Under date of 18th February, 1395-96, there is an entry in the Privy +Council Records that Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail "being elected +and chosen to be one of the ordinary members" of the Council, and +being personally preset, makes faith and gives oath in the usual +manner. In a complaint against him, on the 5th of August, 1596, +by Habbakuk Bisset, he is assoilzied in all time coming by a decree +of their Lordships in his favour. + +Upon the death of Old Roderick of the Lewis, Torquil Dubh succeeded +him, excluding Torquil Cononach from the succession on the plea +of his being a bastard. The latter, however, held Coigeach and his +other possessions on the mainland, with a full recognition by the +Government of his rights to the lands of his forefathers in the +Lewis. His two sons having been killed, and his eldest daughter, +Margaret, having married Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, progenitor +of the Cromarty family, better known as the Tutor of Kintail, +Torquil Cononach threw himself into the hands of Kintail for aid +against the bastards. By Roderick Mackenzie's marriage with Torquil +Cononach's eldest daughter, he became heir of line to the ancient +family of Macleod, an honour which still remains to his descendants, +the Cromarty family. Torquil Dubh secured considerable support +by marriage with a daughter of Tormod, XI., and sister of William +Macleod, XII. of Harris and Dunvegan, and, thus strengthened, +made a descent on Coigeach and Lochbroom, desolating the whole +district, aiming at permanent occupation. Kintail, following the +example of his predecessors - always prudent, and careful to keep +within the laws of the realm - in 1596 laid the following complaint +before King James VI.: + +Please your Majesty, - Torquil Dow of the Lews, not contenting +himself with the avowit misknowledging of your Hieness authority +wherebe he has violat the promises and compromit made before your +Majesty, now lately the 25th day of December last, has ta'n upon +him being accompanied w 7 or 800 men, not only of his own by ylands +neist adjacent, to prosecute with fire and sword by all kind of +gud order, the hail bounds of the Strath Coigach pertaining to +M'Leod his eldest brother, likewise my Strath of Lochbroom, quhilks +Straths, to your Majesty's great dishonour, but any fear of God +ourselves, hurt and skaith that he hath wasted w fire and sword, +in such barbarous and cruel manner, that neither man, wife, +bairn, horse, cattle, corns, nor bigging has been spared, but all +barbarously slain, burnt, and destroyit, quhilk barbarity and +cruelty, seeing he was not able to perform it but by the assistance +and furderance of his neighbouring Ylesmen, therefore beseeches +your Majesty by advice of Council to find some sure remeid wherebe +sick cruel tyrannie may be resisted in the beginning. Otherway +nothing to be expectit for but dailly increasing of his malicious +forces to our utter ruin, quha possesses your Majesty's obedience, +the consideration quharof and inconveniences quhilk may thereon +ensue. I remit to your Highness guid consideration of whom taking +my leif with maist humble commendations of service, I commit your +Majesty to the holy protection of God eternal. At the Canonry of +Ross, the 3d day, Jany. 1596-97. Your Majesty's most humble and +obt. subject. KENNETH MACKENZIE of Kintail. + +The complaint came before the Privy Council, at Holyrood, on the +11th of February, following, and Torquil Dubh, failing to appear, +was denounced a rebel. Kenneth thereupon obtained a commission of +fire and sword against him, as also the forfeiture of the Lewis, +upon which Torquil Cononach made over his rights to Mackenzie, on +the plea that he was the next male heir, but reserving the lands +of Coigeach to his own son-in-law. The Mackenzies did all they +could to obtain the estste for Torquil Cononach, the legitimate +heir, but mainly through his own want of activity and indolent +disposition, they failed with their united efforts to secure +undisturbed possession for him. They succeeded, however, in +destroying the family of Macleod of the Lewis, and most of the +Siol-Torquil, and ultimately became complete masters of the island. +The Brieve by stratagem captured Torquil Dubh, with some of his +friends, and delivering them up to Torquil Cononach, they were, by +his orders, beheaded in July, 1597. "It fell out that the Breve +(that is to say, the judge) in the Lewis, who was chief of the Clan +Illevorie (Morrison), being sailing from the Isle of Lewis to Ronay +in a great galley, met with a Dutch ship loaded with wine, which he +took; and advising with his friends, who were all with him there, +what he would do with the ship lest Torqull Du should take her from +him, they resolved to return to Stornoway and call for Torqull Du +to receive the wine, and if he came to the ship, to sail away with +him where Torqull Cononach was, and then they might be sure of the +ship and the wine to be their own, and besides, he would grant them +tacks in the best parts in the Lewis; which accordingly they did, +and called for Torqull to come and receive the wine. Torqull Du +noways mistrusting them that were formerly so obedient, entered the +ship with seven others in company, where he was welcomed, and he +commended them as good fellows that brought him such a prize. They +invited him to the quay to take his pleasure of the feast of their +wine. He goes, but instead of wine they brought cords to tie him, +telling him he had better render himself and his wrongously +possessed estate to his eldest brother; that they resolved to put +him in his mercy, which he was forced to yield to. So they +presently sail for Coigeach, and delivered him to his brother, who +he had no sooner got but he made him short by the head in the month +of July, 1597. Immediately he was beheaded there arose a great +earthquake, which astonished the actors and all the inhabitants +about them as a sign of God's judgment." [Ancient MS.] + +In 1598 some gentlemen in Fife, afterwards known as the "Fife +Adventurers," obtained a grant of the Lewis with the professed +object of civilising the inhabitants. It is not intended here +to detail their proceedings or to describe at much length the +squabbles and constant disorders, murders, and robberies which took +place while they held possession of the Island. The speculation +proved ruinous to the Adventurers, who in the end lost their +estates, and were obliged to leave the islanders to their fate. +A brief summary of it will suffice, and those who desire more +information on the subject will find a full account of it in the +History of the Macleods. [By the same author. A. & W. Mackenzie, +Inverness, 1889.] + +On the 15th of June, 1599, Sir William Stewart of Houston, Sir James +Spence of Wormistoun, and Thomas Cunningham appeared personally +before the Privy Council "to take a day for the pursuit of Kenneth +Mackenzie of Kintail upon such crimes as criminally they had to lay +to his charge for themselves and in the name of the gentlemen- +ventuaries of their society," and the 26th of September was fixed +for the purpose. + +On the 14th of September Kenneth enters into a bond for a thousand +merks that John Dunbar, Fiar of Avoch, and James Dunbar of Little +Suddie, four sons of John of Avoch, and several others, in five +hundred merks each, that they will not harm Roderick Dingwall of +Kildin, Duncan Bayne, apparent heir of Tulloch, Alexander Bayne +of Loggie, and other sons and grandsons of Bayne of Tulloch. + +Sir James Stewart of Newton enters into a bond, on the 6th of +October, for six hundred merks that Kenneth will not harm James +Crambie, a burgess of Perth, signed at Dunkeld in presence of Murdo +Mackenzie, apparent heir of Redcastle, John Mackenzie, minister of +Dingwall, and Alexander Mackenzie, writer. + +On the 16th of April, 1600, Tormod Macleod complains that Kenneth +had apprehended him and detained him as a prisoner without just +cause, and failing to appear the King and Council, understanding +that Tormod "is a chief and special man of that clan (Macleod), +and that therefore it is necessary that order be taken for his +dutiful obedience and good behaviour," order Kenneth to present +him before the Council on a day to be afterwards fixed. + +Kenneth, on the 11th of December, brings under the notice of the +Council a case which places the unlawful practices of the times in +a strong light. He says that upon the 16th of October preceding, +while Duncan MacGillechallum in Kintail, his man, was bringing +twenty-four cows to the fair of Glammis, three men, whose names +he gives, violently robbed him of the cattle. Upon the 1st of +November, 1599, the same persons had reft Duncan MacGillechriosd +in Kintail, his tenant, at the fair of Elycht, of twenty-six cows +and four hundred merks of silver, and robbed Murdo Mac Ian Mhic +Mhurchaidh, also his tenant in Kintail, of twenty-six cows at the +same market. On the 30th of October, 1600, he sent his servants, +John and Dougall MacVanish, in Lochalsh, to the fair of Elycht +with a hundred and fifty-four cows and oxen to be sold, "for outred +and certane the said complenaris adois in thir pairtis," and his +servants being at the foot of Drummuir with his said cattle, two +of the three who robbed his men at Glammis, with Patrick Boll in +Glenshee, and Alexander Galld Macgregor, took from them the whole +of the cattle and "hes sparpellit and disponit" upon the same at +their pleasure. This violence and rief at free markets and fairs, +he says, is not only hurtful to him, but it "discourages all +peaceable and good subjects to direct or send any goods to the +market and fairs of the incountry." Kenneth Mackenzie of Kilchrist +appeared for Kintail, and the defenders, in absence, were denounced +rebels. + +He is ordered on the 31st of January, 1602, as one of the leading +Highland chiefs, to hold a general muster and wapinschaw of his +followers each year within his bounds, on the 10th of March, as +the other chiefs are in their respective districts. On the same +day he is requested to provide a hundred men to aid the Queen of +England "against the rebels in Ireland;" is authorised to raise +this number compulsorily, if need be, and appoint the necessary +officers to command them. On the 28th of July following, Alexander +Dunbar of Cumnock, Sheriff-Principal of Elgin and Forres, and +David Brodie of Brodie, become cautioners to the amount of three +thousand merks that Kenneth will appear before the King and Council, +when charged with some unnamed offence, upon twenty days warning. +On the 9th of September Mackenzie complains to the Council that +about St Andrews Day, 1601, when he sent eighty cattle to the St. +Andrew market for sale, Campbell of Glenlyon, with a large number +of his men, "all thieves and broken Highland men," had set upon his +servants and spuilzied them of the whole; and that eighty cattle +he had sent to the Michaelmas market had been reft from him in the +same way by the said Campbell, for which Duncan Campbell, younger +of Glenlyon, having failed to produce his father, who "was in his +custody and keeping," was denounced a rebel. + +There being some variance and controversy "between Mackenzie and +Donald Mac Angus of Glengarry, they were both ordered at the same +meeting of Council to subscribe, within three hours after being +charged, such forms of mutual assurance as should be presented to +them, to endure till the 1st of May, 1603, under pain of rebellion. + +By warrant of the King, Kenneth is admitted a member of the Privy +Council and is sworn in, in common form, on the 9th of December, +1602. On the following day he gives caution for James Dunbar +of Little Suddie, and John Dunbar, Fiar of Avoch, in two hundred +merks, for their relaxation by the 1st of February next from +several hornings used against them. + +At a meeting of the Privy Council, held at Edinburgh on the 30th +of September, 1605, Kenneth receives a commission to act for the +King against Neil MacNeill of Barra, the Captain of Clanranald, +and several other Highland and Island chiefs, who had "of late +amassed together a force and company of the barbarous and rebellious +thieves and limmers of the Isles," and with them entered the Lewis, +"assailed the camp of his Majesty's good subjects," and "committed +barbarous and detestable murders and slaughters upon them." +Mackenzie is in consequence commissioned to convocate the lieges +in arms and to pursue these offenders with fire and sword by sea +or land, "take and slay them," or present them to their Lordships +for justice, with power also to the said Kenneth to pass to the +Lewis for thc relief of the subjects "distressed and grieved" by +the said rebellious "lymmairis," or of prisoners in their hands, +and to procure their liberty by "force or policy, as he may best +have it." He is also ordered to charge the lieges within the shires +of Inverness and Nairn, burgh and landward, to rise and assist him +in the execution of his office, whenever he requires them, "by his +precepts and proclamations." This was the beginning of Kenneth's +second conquest of the Lewis. + +Mackenzie is, on the 2nd of June, 1607, appointed by the Privy Council, +along with the Bishop of Ross, a commissioner to the Presbyteries +of Tam and Ardmeanach, and on the 14th of July following, he is +summoned before their Lordships to report his diligence in that +matter, under pain of rebellion. Kenneth does not appear, and he +is denounced a rebel. On the 30th of July he takes the oath of +allegiance, along with the Earl of Wyntoun and James Bishop of +Orkney, in terms of a Royal letter issued on the 2nd of June preceding +imposing a special oath acknowledging the Royal Supremacy in Church +and state on all Scotsmen holding any civic or ecclesiastical office. + +He receives another commission on the 1st of September, 1607. +Understanding that "Neil Macleod and others, the rebellious thieves +and limmers of the Isles, have of late surprised and taken the +Castle of Stornoway in the Lewis, and other houses and biggings, +pertaining to the gentlemen portioners of the Lewis, and have +demolished and cast down some of the said houses, and keep others +of them as houses of war, victualled and fortified with men +and armour, and in the meantime commit barbarous and detestable +insolencies and cruelties upon so many of the poor inhabitants of +that country as gave their obedience to his Majesty," the Lords +give commission to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail to convocate +the lieges in arms pass to the Lewis, and pursue the said Neil +Macleod with fire and sword, using all kinds of "warlike engines" +for recovering the houses, and having power to keep trysts and +intercommune with the inhabitants of the Isles. This commission +is to continue in force for six months. + +Mackenzie is one of the Highland chiefs to whom missive letters +are ordered to be sent on the 23rd of June, 1608, to attend his +Majesty's service under Lord Ochiltree, at Troternish, in the Isle +of Skye, on the 20th of August following, on which occasion the +soldiers must "furnish themselves with powder and bullets out of +their own pay, and not out of the King's charges." It is ordered +at a meeting of the Privy Council held on the 6th of February, +1609, that he, along with Simon Lord Lovat, Grant of Grant, the +Earl of Caithness, Ross of Balnagown, John Mackenzie of Gairloch, +and others, be charged to appear personally before their Lordships +on the 25th of March following, to come under such order as shall +be prescribed to them touching the finding of surety and caution for +the quietness and obedience of their bounds, and that no fugitive +and disobedient Islesmen shall be reset or supplied within the +same, under pain of rebellion and horning. He appears, with some +of the others, before the Council on the 28th of March, and gives +the necessary bond, but the amount in his case is not named. On +the 7th of April, however, it appears that he and Grant become +personally bound for each other, in L4000 each, that those for +whom they are answerable shall keep the King's peace and that they +will not reset or favour any fugitives from the Isles. Kenneth +becomes similarly bound in L3000 for John Mackenzie of Gairloch +and Donald Neilsoun Macleod of Assynt. + +He was one of the eight Lesser Barons who constituted the Lords +of the Articles in the Scottish Parliament which met for the first +time on the 17th of June, 1609. + +The Privy Council, on the 22nd of the same month, committed to +the Earl of Glencairn and Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail the charge +of conveying Hector Maclean of Duart from the Castle of Dumbarton +to Edinburgh and bringing him before their Lordships, "for order +to be taken with him anent the affairs of the Isles, and they +became bound in L20,000 to produce him on the first Council day +after the end of that year's Parliament. On the 28th of the same +month they enter formally into a bond to this amount that Maclean +will appear on the first Thursday of November, he, in turn, binding +himself and his heirs for their relief. On the 22nd of February, +1610, the bond is renewed for Maclean's appearance on the first +Council day after that date. He appears on the 28th of June +following, and Mackenzie and the Earl of Glencairn are released +from their cautionary obligations. + +On the 30th of June, 1609, Kenneth and Sir George become cautioners +for Donald Gorm Macdonald of Sleat to the amount of L10,000 that he +will appear before the Lords Commissioners on the 2nd of February next, +to come under their orders, and Kenneth is charged to keep Donald +Gorm's brother's son, "who is now in his hands," until Macdonald +presents himself before the Lords Commissioners. On the 22nd of +February, 1610, this caution is repeated for Donald's appearance on +the 8th of March. He appears and Mackenzie is finally relieved of the +bond on the 28th of June following. + +On the 5th of July, 1609, Mackenzie and Sir John Home of Coldenknowes, +undertake, under a penalty of ten thousand merks, that George +Earl of Caithness, shall make a free, peaceable, and sure passage +to all his Majesty's lawful subjects through his country of Caithness, +in their passage to and from Orkney. + +At a meeting of the Council held on the 20th of February, 1610, +a commission is granted to Simon Lord Lovat, Kenneth Mackenzie +of Kintail, John Mackenzie of Gairloch, Hugh Mackay of Farr, and +Roderick Mackenzie of Redcastle, to apprehend Allan Mac Donald +Duibh Mhic Rory of Culnacnock, in Troternish, Isle of Skye, and +several others, including "Murdo Mac Gillechallum, brother of +Gillecallum Raasay, Laird of Raasay, Gillecallum Mac Rory Mhic +Leoid, in Lewis, Norman Mac Ghillechallum Mhoir, there, and Rory Mac +Ghillechallum Mhoir, his brother," all of whom "remain unrelaxed +from a horning of 18th January last, raised against them by +Christian, Nighean Ian Leith, relict of Donald Mac Alastair Roy, +in Dibaig," Murdo, his son, his other kin and friends, tenant and +servants, "for not finding caution to answer before the justice +for the stealing of forty cows and oxen, with all the insight and +plenishing of the said late Donald Mac Alastair's house in Dibaig, +worth œ1000, and for murdering the said Donald," his tenant, and +servants. The Commissioners are to convocate the lieges in arms +for apprehending the said rebels, and to enter them, when taken, +before the justice to be suitably punished for their crimes. +Another commission is issued in favour of Simon Lord Lovat, Kenneth +Mackenzie of Kintail, Donald Gorm Macdonald of Sleat, and Donald +Mac Allan Mhic Ian of Eilean Tirrim, Captain of Clanranald, against +John Mac Allan Mac Ranald, who is described as "having this long +time been a murderer, common thief, and masterful oppressor" of +the King's subjects. + +Although Kenneth had been raised to the Peerage on the 19th of +November, 1609, by the title of Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, he is +not so designated in the Privy Council Records until the 31st of +May, 1610, when the patent of his creation is read and received by +their Lordships, and he is thereupon acknowledged to be a free +baron in all time coming. He is one of the Highland chiefs charged +and made answerable for good rule in the North on the 28th of +June of that year and to find caution within fifteen days, under +pain of rebellion, not to reset within their bounds any notorious +thieves, rievers, fugitives, and rebels, for theft and murder, under +a further penalty, in Mackenzie's case, of five thousand merks. + +At a meeting of the Privy Council held on the 19th of July, 1610, +the following commission was issued in Kenneth's favour as justiciary +of the Lewis, against Neil Macleod: + +Forasmuch as a number of the chieftains and principal men of +the Isles and continent next adjacent are come in and presented +themselves before the Lords of his Majesty's Privy Council, and +have given satisfaction unto the said Lords anent their obedience +and conformity in time coming, so as that now there is no part of +the Isles rebellious and disobedient but the Lewis, which being +possessed and inhabited by a number of thieves, murderers, and +an infamous byke of lawless and insolent limmers under the charge +and command of the traitor Neil Macleod, who has usurped upon him +the authority and possession of the Lewis, and they, concurring +altogether in a rebellious society, do commit many murders, +slaughters, riefs, and villianies, not only among themselves but +upon his Majesty's peaceable and good subjects who resorted among +them in their trade of fishing, and by their barbarous and savage +behaviour against his Majesty's good subjects they have made the +trade of fishing in the Lewis, which was most profitable for the +whole country, to become always unprofitable, to the great hurt +of the commonweal. And the Lords of Secret Council finding it a +discredit to the country that such a parcel of ground, possessed +by a number of miserable caitiffs, shall be suffered to continue +rebellious, whereas the whole remanent Isles are become peaceable +and obedient, and the said Lords understand the good affection of +Kenneth, Lord Kintail and his willing disposition to undergo all +pains and trouble in his Majesty's service. Therefore the said +Lords has made and constituted, and by the tenour hereof makes and +constitutes, the said Kenneth Lord Kintail, his Majesty's justice +and commissioner over the whole boundaries of the Lewis, to the +effect under-written, with full power, commission, and authority +to him to convocate his Majesty's lieges in arms, to levy and take +up men of war, to appoint captains and commanders over them, and +with them to pass to the Lewis, and there, with tire and sword, and +all kind of hostility, to search, seek, hunt, follow, and pursue +the said Neil, his accomplices, assistants, and partakers, by sea +and land, wherever they may be apprehended, and to mell, confiscate, +and intromit with their goods and gear, and to dispone thereupon +at their pleasure, and to keep such of their persons as shall +be taken in sure firmance till justice he ministered upon them, +conform to the laws of this realm, courts of justiciary within the +said bounds to sit, begin, affix, hold, and continue suits to be +made called "absentis to amerchiat," trespasses to punish, all and +sundry persons inhabitants of the Lewis suspected and delayed of +murder, slaughter, fire-raising, theft, and reset of theft, and +other capital crimes, to search, seek, take, apprehend, commit to +prison, and to enter them upon panel by dittay to accuse them, and +to put them to the knowledge of an assize, and as they shall happen +to be found culpable or innocent of the said crimes, or any of +them, to cause justice be administered upon them conform to the +laws of this realm assize needful to this effect, each person +under the pain of forty pounds, to summon, warn, chase, and cause +be sworn, clerks, serjeants, dempsters, and all other officers and +members of court needful, to make, create, substitute and ordain, +for whom he shall be held to answer with power likewise to our +said justice, for the better execution of this commission to take +the lymphads, galleys, birlinns, and boats, in the next adjacent +Isles, and in the Lewis, for the furtherance of them in their +service, the said justice being always answerable to the owners +of the said lymphads, galleys, birlinns, and bouts for redelivery +of the same at the finishing of his Majesty's service with +power likewise to the said justice and persons assisting him in +the execution of this commission to bear, wear, and use hagbutis, +pistols, and petards. And if in pursuit of this commission there +shall happen slaughter, mutilation fire-raising, or any other +inconvenience, to follow, the said Lords decern and declare that the +same shall not be imputed as crime or offence to the said justice +nor persons assisting him in the execution of this Commission, +nor that they, nor none of them, shall not be called nor accused +therefore criminally nor civilly by any manner of way in time +coming; exonerating them of all pain, crime, and danger, that +they may incur therethrough for ever. And generally all and sundry +other things to do, exercise, and use, which for execution of this +commission are requisite and necessary, firm, and stable, holding +and for to hold all and whatsoever things shall be lawfully done +herein. And that letters of publication be directed hereupon +charging all his Majesty's lieges within the whole boundaries of +the North Isles of this Kingdom and within the bounds of the said +Lord's own lands, heritages, possessions, offices, and baillies, +excepting always the persons of the name of Fraser, Ross, and +Munro, their tenants and servants, to reverance. acknowledge, and +obey, rise, concur, pass forward, fortify, and assist the said +Kenneth, Lord Kintail, in all things tending to the execution of +his commission, and to convene in arms with him at such times, +days, and places, as he shall please appoint, as they and each one +of them will answer upon their obedience at their highest peril. +This commission for the space of two years after the date hereof, +without revocation, to endure. + +Soon after this, Neil apprehended a crew of English pirates who +had been carrying on their nefarious traffic among the fishermen +from the South and other places who frequented the prolific fishing +banks, by which, then as now, the island was surrounded. This +meritorious public service secured some consideration for him +at Court, as appears from the following letter addressed to Lord +Kintail under date of 29th August, 1610 - + +After our very hearty commendations to your good Lordship: Whereas +Neil Macleod in the Lewis has of late done some good service to his +Majesty and the country by the taking and apprehension of certain +English pirates upon the coast of the Lewis, common enemies to +all lawful traffic, whereby he has merited his Majesty's grace and +pardon in some measure to be shown unto him, and he having made +promise and condition for delivery of the pirates and their ships +to such persons as shall be directed by us to receive them we +have thereupon given an assurance to him to come here to us and +to remain at his pleasure until Whitsunday next, that some good +course may be taken for settling him in quietness; and in this +meantime we have promised that all hostility and persuit of him +and his followers shall rest and cease until the said term, and +also that we shall deal and trouble with your Lordship for some +reasonable ease and condition to be given to him and his followers, +all tenants to your Lordship of the lands and possessions claimed +by them. And, we being careful that our word and promise made +and given hereupon shall be effectual and valid we have therefore +thought meet to acquaint your Lordship therewith, requesting your +Lordship to forbear all persuit, trouble, and invasion of the said +Neil and his followers until the said term, and that your Lordship +will take some such course with them as upon reasonable conditions +they may be received and acknowledged by your Lordship as tenants +of those lands claimed by them. Wherein looking to find your +Lordship conformable, we commit you to God. + +Neil does not then appear to have gone to Edinburgh, but he gave +up the pirate, the captain, and ten of her crew to Patrick Grieve, +a burgess of Burntisland, who, on the 10th of September, received +a commission "to sail with a hired ship" to the Lewis for that +purpose. On the 10th of October, Macleod writes to the Council +acknowledging receipt, "from this bearer, Patrick Grieve," of +their Lordships' order upon him to deliver up the pirate and all +her belongings. + +On the 19th of July, the same day on which the Commission against +Neil Macleod was granted to Lord Kintail, the Council "being +careful that the present peace and quietness in the Isles shall be +fostered, kept, and entertained, and all such occasions removed +and taken away whereby any new disorder, trouble, or misrule may +be reinstated within the same, has therefore thought meet that +Rory Macleod, son to the late Torquil Dubh Macleod, who has been +this long time in the keeping of Donald Gorm of Sleat, and (Torquil) +Macleod, another of the said late Torquil's sons, who has been +this long time in keeping of Rory Macleod of Harris, shall be +delivered to Kenneth Lord Kintail, to be kept by him until the +said Lord take order with them for their obedience." Charges +are thereupon made upon the chiefs of Sleat and Harris "to bring, +present, and deliver" Torquil Dubh's two sons, "in their keeping," +to the Mackenzie chief, to be kept by him until such order is +taken for their good behaviour. They are to be delivered within +thirty days, under the usual pains of rebellion and horning. + +He is one of the Commissioners of the Peace appointed by the King +on the 6th of November, in 1610, in terms of a newly-passed Act of +Parliament, for Inverness-shire (including Ross) and Cromarty, his +colleagues from among the clan for these counties being Roderick +Mackenzie of Redcastle, Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, and John +Mackenzie of Gairloch. He was at the same time appointed in a +similar capacity for Elgin, Forres, and Nairn. + +Mackenzie had for some time kept Tormod Macleod, the lawful brother +of Torquil Dubh, a prisoner, but he now released him, correctly +premising that on his appearance in the Lewis all the islanders +would rise in his favour. In the meantime, early in 1600, Murdoch +Dubh was taken by the Fife Adventurers to St Andrews, and there +put to death; but at his execution he revealed, in his confession, +the designs of Mackenzie, who was in consequence apprehended and +committed to Edinburgh Castle, from which, however, he contrived to +escape without trial, through his influence with the Lord Chancellor. + +There is an entry in the Records of the Privy Council under date +of 15th August, 1599, which shows that Kintail must at an earlier +date have been confined in Edinburgh Castle, for some previous +offence, for "it having pleased the King to suffer Kenneth Mackenzie +of Kintail to repair furth of the Castle of Edinburgh for four +or five miles, when he shall think expedient, for repose, health, +and recreation" on caution being given by himself as principal, +and Robert Lord Seton as surety, that he shall re-enter the Castle +every night, under pain of ten thousand merks. The bond is signed +on the same date, and is deleted by warrant signed by the King, +and the Treasurer, on the 25th of September following. + +After various battles had been fought between the brothers, the +Adventurers returned in strong force to the island, armed with a +commission of fire and sword, and all the Government power at their +back, against Tormod. The fight between the combatants continued +with varied success and failure on either side; the Adventurers +again relinquished their settlement, and returned to Fife to bewail +their losses, having solemnly promised never again to return to +the Island or molest Mackenzie and his friends. + +Kintail now, in virtue of Torquil Cononach's resignation in his +favour, obtained a gift, under the Great Seal, of the Lewis for +himself through the influence of the Lord Chancellor. This he +had, however, ultimately to resign into the hands of the King, and +his Majesty, in 1608, vested these rights in the persons of Lord +Balmerino, Sir George Hay, and Sir James Spence, of Wormistoun, who +undertook the colonisation of the island. For this purpose they +made great preparations, and, assisted by the neighbouring tribes, +invaded the Lewis for the double purpose of planting a colony in +it and of subduing and apprehending Neil Macleod, who now alone +defended it. Mackenzie dispatched his brother Roderick, and +Alexander Mackenzie of Coul, with a party of followers numbering +400, ostensibly to aid the colonists now acting under the King's +commission to whom he promised active friendship. At the same +time he despatched a vessel from Ross loaded with provisions, but +privately sent word to Neil Macleod to intercept her on the way, +so that the settlers, being disappointed of their supply of the +provisions to which they trusted for maintenance, should be +obliged to abandon the island for want of the necessaries of +life. Matters turned out exactly as Kintail anticipated. Sir +George Hay and Sir James Spence (Lord Balmerino having meanwhile +been convicted of high treason, and forfeited) abandoned the Lewis, +leaving a party behind them to hold the garrison, and intending +to send a fresh supply of men and provisions back to the island on +their arrival in Fife. But Neil Macleod and his followers took and +burnt the fort, apprehended its defenders, and sent them safely +to their homes "on giving their oath that they would never come +on that pretence again, which they never did." Finding this, the +Adventurers gave up all hope of establishing themselves in the +island, and sold their acquired rights therein, as also their share +of the forfeited districts of Troternish and Waternish in Skye, +to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, who at the same time obtained a +grant from the King of Balmerino's forfeited share of the Lewis, +thus finally acquiring what he had so long and so anxiously +desired. In addition to a fixed sum of money, Mackenzie granted +the Adventurers "a lease of the woods of Letterewe, where there +was an iron mine, which they wrought by English miners, casting +guns and other implements till their fuel was exhausted and their +lease expired." The King confirmed this agreement, and "to encourage +Kintail and his brother Roderick in their work of civilizing the +people of the Lewis," he elevated the former to the peerage as +Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, on the 19th of November, 1609, at the +same time conferring the honour of knighthood on his brother, +Roderick Mor Mackenzie of Coigeach. + +Referring to this period Mr Fraser-Tytler, in his "History of Scotland," +says - "So dreadful indeed was now the state of those portions of +his (the King's) dominions, that, to prevent an utter dissevering +from the Scottish crown, something must be done, and many were +the projects suggested. At one time the King resolved to proceed +to the disturbed districts in person, and fix his headquarters +in Kentire; at another, a deputy was to be sent, armed with regal +powers; and twice the Duke of Lennox was nominated to this arduous +office. The old plan, too, might have been repeated, of granting +a Royal Commission to one or other of the northern "Reguli," who +were ever prepared, under the plea of loyalty, to strengthen their +own hands, and exterminate their brethren; but this, as had been +often felt before, was to abandon the country to utter devastation; +and a more pacific and singular policy was now adopted. One +association of Lowland barons, chiefly from Fife, took a lease +from the Crown of the Isle of Lewis, for which they agreed, after +seven years' possession, to give the King an annual rent of one +hundred and forty chalders of victual; and came under an obligation +to conquer their farm at their own charges. Another company of +noble-men and gentlemen in Lothian offered, under a similar agreement, +to subdue Skye. And this kind of feudal joint-stock company actually +commenced their operations with a force of six hundred soldiers, and a +motley multitude of farmers, ploughmen, artificers, and pedlars. But +the Celtic population and their haughty chiefs could not consent to be +handed over, in this wholesale fashion, to the tender mercies and +agricultural lectures of a set of Saxon adventurers. The Lowland +barons arrived, only to be attacked with the utmost fury, and to have +the leases of their farms, in the old Douglas phrase, written on their +own skins with steel pens and bloody ink. For a time, however, they +continued the struggle and having entered into alliance with some +of the native chiefs, fought the Celts with their own weapons, and +more than their own ferocity. Instead of agricultural and pastoral +produce, importations of wool, or samples of grain, from the infant +colony, there was sent to the Scottish Court a ghastly cargo of +twelve human heads in sacks; and it was hoped that, after such an +example of severity, matters might succeed better. But the settlers +were deceived. After a feeble and protracted struggle for a few +years, sickness and famine, perils by land and perils by water, +incessant war, and frequent assassinations, destroyed the colony; +and the three great western chiefs, Macdonald of Sleat, Macleod of +Harris, and Mackenzie of Kintail, enjoyed the delight of seeing +the principal gentlemen adventurers made captive by Tormod Macleod; +who, after extorting from them a renunciation of their titles, +and an oath never to return to the Lewis, dismissed them to carry +to the Scottish Court the melancholy reflection that a Celtic +population, and the islands on which it was scattered, were not +yet the materials or the field for the further operations of the +economists of Fife and Mid-Lothian." + +In 1610 his Lordship returned to the Lewis with 700 men, and +finally brought the whole island to submission, with the exception +of Neil Macleod and a few of his followers, who retired to the rock +of Berissay, and took possession of it. At this period religion +must have been at a very low ebb - almost extinct among the +inhabitants; and, to revive Christianity among them, his Lordship +selected and took along with him the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, a native +of Kintail and minister of Gairloch, [He brought with him Mr +Farquhar Macrae, who was then a young man and minister of Gairloch +and appointed by the Bishop of Ross (Lesley) to stay with Sir George +Hay and the Englishmen that were with him in Letterewe, being +a peaceful and eloquent preacher. - "Ardintoul MS."] who had been +recommended to the latter charge by the bishop of Ross. Mr Macrae +found quite enough to do on his arrival in the island, but he appears +to have been very successful among the uncivilised natives; for +he reports having gained many over to Christianity; baptised a +large number in the fortieth year of their age; and, to legitimise +their children, marrying many others to those women with whom they +had been for years cohabiting. Leaving the reverend gentleman in +the prosecution of his mission, his Lordship returned home, having +established good order in the island, and promising to return +again the following year, to the great satisfaction of the people. + +Some time before this Alexander MacGorrie and Ranald MacRory, +sons of Glengarry's uncles murdered in 1580 in Lochcarron, having +arrived at maturity, and being brave and intrepid fellows, determined +to revenge upon Mackenzie the death of their parents. With this +object they went to Appelcross, where lived one of the murderers, +John Og, son of Angus, MacEachainn, surrounded his house, and set +fire to it, burning to death himself and his whole family. Kintail +sought redress from Glengarry, who, while he did not absolutely +refuse, did not grant it or punish the wrong-doers; and encouraged +by Glengarry's eldest son, Angus, who had now attained his majority, +the cousins, taking advantage of the absence of Mackenzie, who +had gone on a visit to France, continued their depredations and +insolence wherever they found opportunity. Besides, they made +a complaint against him to the Privy Council, whereupon he was +charged at the pier of Leith to appear before the Council on an +appointed day under pain of forfeiture. In this emergency, Mr +John Mackenzie, minister of Dingwall, went privately to France in +search of his chief, whom he found and brought back in the most +secret manner to Edinburgh, fortunately in time to present himself +next day after his arrival before the Council, in terms of the +summons at Glengarry's instance; and, after consulting his legal +adviser and other friends, he appeared quite unexpectedly before +their Lordships. + +Meantime, while the gentlemen were on their way from France, +Alexander MacGorrie and Alexander MacRory killed in his bed Donald +Mackenneth Mhic Alastair, a gentleman of the family of Davochmaluag, +who lived at Kishorn. The shirt, covered with his blood, had been +sent to Edinburgh to await the arrival of Mackenzie, who the same +day presented it before the Privy Council, as evidence of the foul +crime committed by his accusers. Glengarry was unable to prove +anything material against Kintail or his followers. On the +contrary, the Rev. John Mackenzie, of Dingwall, charged Glengarry +with being instrumental in the murder of John Og and his family at +Applecross, as also in that of Donald Mackenzie of Davochmaluag, +and undertook not only to prove this, but also that he was a +sorner, an oppressor of his own and of his neighbours' tenants, an +idolater, who had a man in Lochbroom making images, in testimony +of which he carried south the image of St. Coan, which Glengarry +worshipped, called in Edinburgh Glengarry's god, and which was, +by public order, burnt at the Town Cross that Glengarry was a man +who lived in constant adultery with the Captain of Clan Ranald's +daughter, after he had put away Grant of Grant's daughter, his +lawful wife; whereupon Glengarry was summoned there and then to +appear next day before the Council, and to lodge defences to this +unexpected charge. He naturally became alarmed, and fearing the +worst, fled from the city during the night, "took to his heels," +and gave up further legal proceedings against Mackenzie. Being +afterwards repeatedly summoned, and failing to put in an appearance, +most of the charges were found proven against him; and in 1602, +[Records of Privy Council, 9th September, 1602; Sir Robert Gordon's +Earldom of Sutherland, p. 248; Letterfearn, Ardintoul, and other +MS. Histories of the Mackenzies.] he was declared outlaw and rebel; +a commission of fire and sword was granted to Mackenzie against +him and all his followers, with a decree of ransom for the loss +of those who were burnt and plundered by him, and for Kintail's +charges and expenses, making altogether a very large sum. But +while these legal matters were being arranged, Angus Macdonald, +younger of Glengarry, who was of a restless, daring disposition, +went along with some of his followers under silence of night to +Kintail, burnt the township of Cro, killed and burnt several men, +women, and children, and carried away a large spoil of cattle. + +Mackenzie, hearing of this sudden raid, became much concerned +about the loss of his Kintail tenants, and decided to requite the +quarrel by at once executing his commission against the Macdonalds +of Glengarry, and immediately set out in pursuit, leaving a sufficient +number of men at home to secure the safety of his property. He +took along with him a force of seventeen hundred men, at the same +time taking three hundred cows from his farm of Strathbraan to +maintain his followers. Ross of Balnagowan sent a party of a hundred +and eighty men, under command of Alexander Ross of Invercharron, to +aid his neighbour of Kintail, while John Gordon of Embo commanded +a hundred and twenty men sent to his aid by the Earl of Sutherland, +in virtue of the long standing bond of manrent which existed +between the two families; but Sir John "retired at Monar, growing +faint-hearted before he saw the enemie". Andrew Munro of Novar also +accompanied Kintail on this, as on several previous expeditions. +The Macdonalds, hearing of Mackenzie's approach, drove all their +cattle to Monar, where they gathered in strong force to guard them. +Kintail, learning this, marched straight where they were; harried +and wasted all the country through which he had to pass; defeated +and routed the Macdonalds, and drove into Kintail the largest +booty ever heard of in the Highlands of Scotland, "both of cows, +horses, small bestial, duinuasals, and plenishing, which he most +generously distributed amongst his soldiers, and especially amongst +such strangers as were with him, so that John Gordon of Embo was at +his repentance for his return." Mackenzie had only two men killed +in this expedition, though a few of the Kintail men, whom he caused +to be carried home on litters, were wounded. + +Several instances are recorded of the prowess and intrepidity +of Alexander of Coul on this occasion. He was, excepting John +MacMhurchaidh Mhic Gillechriost, the fastest runner in the Mackenzie +country. On his way to Kintail, leading his men and driving the +creach before them, he met three or four hundred Camerons, who sent +Mackenzie a message demanding "a bounty of the booty" for passing +through their territory. This Kenneth was about to grant, and +ordered thirty cows and a few of the younger animals to be given, +saying that it "was fit that hungry dogs should get a collop;" +whereupon Alexander of Coul and his brave band of one hundred and +twenty followers started aside and swore with a great oath that if +the Camerons dared to take away a single head, they would, before +night, pay dearly for them, and have to light for their collop; +for he and his men, he said, had already nearly lost their lives +driving them through a wild and narrow pass where eighteen of +the enemy fell to their swords before they were able to get the +cattle through; but he would now let them pass in obedience to +his chief's commands. The messengers, hearing the ominous threat, +notwithstanding Kenneth's personal persuasion, declined on any +account to take the cattle, and marched away "empty as they came." + +Before starting from home on this expedition Kintail drove every +one of Glengarry's followers out of their holdings in Lochalsh +and Lochcarron, except a few of the "Mathewsons and the Clann Jan +Uidhir," and any others who promised to submit to him and engaged +to prove their sincerity by "imbrowing their bands in the enemy's +blood." The Castle of Strome, however, still continued in possession +of the Macdonalds. + +Mackenzie, after his return home, had not well dissolved his camp +when Alexander MacGorrie and Ranald MacRory made an incursion to the +district of Kenlochewe, and there meeting some women and children +who had fled from Lochcarron with their cattle, he attacked them +unexpectedly, killed several of the defenceless women, all the +male children, slaughtered and took away many of the cattle, and +"houghed" all they were not able to carry along with them. + +In the following autumn, Alexander MacGorrie made a voyage to Applecross +in a great galley, contrary to the advice of all his friends, who +looked upon that place as a sanctuary which all Highlanders had +hitherto respected as the property of the Church. Notwithstanding +that many took refuge in it in the past, he was the first man who +ever pursued a fugitive to the place, "but," says our authority, +"it fared no better with him or he rested, but be being informed +that some Kintail men, whom he thought no sin to kill anywhere," +bad taken refuge there with their cattle, he determined to kill +them, but on his arrival he found only two poor fellows, tending +their cows. These he murdered, slaughtered all the cows, and took +away as many of them as his boat would carry. + +A few days after this, Glengarry combined with the Clann Alain of +Moydart (whose chief was at the time captain of Clan Ranald's men), +the Clann Ian Uidhir, and several others of the Macdonalds, who +gathered together amongst them thirty-seven birlinns with the +intention of sailing to Lochbroom, and on their return to burn and +harry the whole of the Mackenzie territories on the west coast. +Coming to an arm of the sea on the east side of Kyleakin called +Loch na Beist, opposite Lochalsh, they sent Alexander MacGorrie +forward with eighty men in a large galley to examine the coast in +advance of the main body. They first landed i Applecross, in the +same spot where MacGorrie had previously killed the two Kintail +men. Kenneth was at the time on a visit to Mackenzie of Gairloch, +at his house on Island Rory in Loch-Maree, and hearing of Glengarry's +approach and the object of his visit, he ordered all his coasts to +be placed in readiness, and sent Alexander Mackenzie of Achilty with +sixteen men and eight oarsmen, in an eight oared galley belonging +to John Tolmach Macleod, son of Rory, son of Allan Macleod, who +still possessed a small portion of Gairloch, to watch the enemy +and examine the coast as far as Kylerhea. John Tolmach himself +accompanied them, in charge of the galley. On their way south +they landed by the merest chance at Applecross, on the north side +of the point at which MacGorrie landed, where they noticed a woman +gathering shellfish on the shore, and who no sooner saw them than +she came forward and informed them that a great galley had landed +in the morning on the other side of the promontory. This they at +once suspected to contain an advanced scout of the enemy, and, +ordering their boat round the point, in charge of the oarsmen, they +took the shortest cut across the neck of land, and, when half way +along, they met one of Macdonald's sentries lying sound asleep on +the ground. He was soon sent to his long rest; and the Mackenzies +blowing up a set of bagpipes found lying beside him, rushed towards +the Macdonalds, who, suddenly surprised and alarmed by the sound of +the Piob mhor, and thinking a strong force was falling down upon them, +fled to their boat, except MacGorrie, who, when he left it, swore a +great oath that he would never return with his back to the enemy; but +finding it impossible single-handed to resist, he retired a little, +closely followed by the Mackenzies who furiously attacked him. He was +now forced to draw aside to a rock, against which he placed his back, +and fought right manfully, defending himself with extraordinary +intrepidity, receiving the enemy's arrows in his targe. He was +ultimately wounded by an arrow which struck him under the belt, yet no +one dared to approach him; but John Dubh Mac Choinnich Mhic Mhurchaidh +noticing his amazing agility, observing that his party had arrived +with the boat, and fearing they would lose Glengarry's galley unless +they at once pursued it, went round to the back of the rock against +which the brave Macdonald stood, carrying a great boulder, which he +dropped straight on to MacGorrie's head, instantly killing him. Thus +died the most skilful and best chieftain - had he possessed equal wisdom +and discretion - then alive among the Macdonalds of Glengarry. + +The Mackenzies immediately took to their boat, pursuing Macdonald's +galley to Loch na Beist, where, noticing the enemy's whole fleet +coming out against them, John Tolmach Macleod recommended his men +to put out to sea; but finding the fleet gaining upon them, they +decided to land in Applecross, where they were nearly overtaken +by the enemy. They were obliged to leave their boat and run for +their lives, hotly pursued by the Macdonalds; and were it not that +one of Mackenzie's men - John Mac Rory Mhic Mhurchaidh Mathewson - +was so well acquainted with the ground, and led them to a ford on +the river between two rocks, which the Macdonalds missed, and the +night coming on, they would have been unable to escape with their +lives. The Macdonalds retraced their steps to their boats, and +on the way discovered the body of Alexander MacGorrie, whose death +"put their boasting to mourning," and conceiving his fate ominous +of additional misfortunes, they, carrying him along with them, +prudently returned home, and disbanded all their followers. In +the flight of the Mackenzies Alexander of Achilty, being so stout +that he fainted on the way, was nearly captured. John MacChoinnich, +who noticed him falling, threw some water on him, and, drawing +his sword, swore that he would kill him on the spot if he did not +get up at once rather than that the enemy should have the honour +of killing or capturing him. They soon arrived at Gairloch's +house in the island on Loch-Maree, and gave a full account of their +expedition, whereupon Kintail at once decided upon taking active +measures against the Macdonalds. In the meantime he was assured +that they had returned to their own country. He soon returned +home, and found that the people of Kintail and Glengarry, tiring +of those incessant slaughters and mutual injuries, agreed, during +his absence, in the month of May, to cease hostilities until +the following Lammas. Of this agreement Kintail knew nothing; +and young Glengarry, who was of an exceedingly bold and restless +disposition, against the earnest solicitations of his father, who +became a party to this agreement between his people and those of +Kintail, started with a strong force to Glenshiel and Letterfearn, +while Allan Macdonald of Lundy with another party went to Glenelchaig, +harried those places, took away a large number of cattle, and killed +some of the aged men, several women, and all the male children. They +found none of the principal and able-bodied men, who had withdrawn +some distance that they might with greater advantage gather together +in a body and defend themselves, except Duncan MacIan Mhic +Ghillechallum in Killichirtorn, whom the enemy apprehended, and would +have killed, had not one of the Macdonalds, formerly his friend and +acquaintance, prevailed upon young Glengarry to save his life, and +send him to the Castle of Strome, where he still had a garrison, +rather than kill him. + +The successful result of this expedition encouraged Angus so much +that he began to think fortune had at last turned in his favour, +and he set out and called personally upon all the chief and leaders +of the various branches of the Macdonalds in the west, soliciting +their assistance against the Mackenzies, which they all agreed to +give him in the following spring. + +This soon came to Mackenzie's knowledge, who was at the time +residing in Ellandonnan Castle; and fearing the consequences of such +a powerful combination against him, he went privately to Mull by +sea to consult his brother-in-law, Hector Og Maclean of Duart, to +whom he told that he had a commission of fire and sword against +"the rebels of Glengarry and such as would rise in arms to assist +them, and being informed that the Macdonalds near him (Maclean) +had combined to join them, and to put him to further trouble, +that, therefore, he would, not only as a good subject but as his +fast friend, divert these whenever they should rise in arms against +him." [Ardintoul MS.] Maclean undertook to prevent the assistance +of the Clan Ranald of Isla and the Macdonalds of Glencoe and +Ardnamurchan, by, if necessary, invading their territories, and +thus compelling them to protect their own interests at home. It +appears that old Glengarry was still anxious to arrange a permanent +peace with Mackenzie; but his son Angus, restless and turbulent +as ever, would not hear of any peaceful settlement, and determined +to start at once upon an expedition, from which his father told +him at the time he had little hopes of his ever returning alive - a +prediction which turned out only too true. + +Angus, taking advantage of Mackenzie's absence in Mull, gathered, +in the latter end of November, as secretly as be could, all the +boats and great galleys within his reach, and, with this large fleet +loaded with his followers passed through the Kyles under silence +of night; and, coming to Lochcarron, he sent his marauders ashore +in the twilight. The inhabitants perceiving them, escaped to the +hills, but the Macdonalds cruelly slaughtered all the aged men +who could not escape, and many of the women and children seized +all the cattle, and drove them to the Island of Slumbay, where +their boats which they filled with the carcases lay. Before, +however, they had fully loaded, the alarm having gone through the +districts of Lochalsh and Kintail, some of the natives of those +districts were seen marching in the direction of Lochcarron. The +Macdonalds deemed it prudent to remain no longer, and set out to +sea pursued by a shower of arrows by way of farewell, which, +however, had little effect upon them, as they were already out of +range. + +The Kintail men, by the shortest route, now returned to Ellandonnan, +sending twelve of the swiftest of their number across country to +Inverinate, where lay, newly built, a twelve-oared galley, which +had never been to sea, belonging to Gillecriost MacDhonnchaidh, one +of Inverinate's tenants. These heroes made such rapid progress +that they were back at the castle with the boat before many of +their companions arrived from Lochcarron. During the night they +set to work, superintended and encouraged by Lady Mackenzie in +person, to make arrangements to go out and meet the enemy. The +best men were quickly picked. The Lady supplied them with all +the materials and necessaries for the journey within her reach, +handed them the lead and powder with her own hands, and gave them +two small pieces of brass ordnance. She ordered Duncan MacGillechriost, +a powerful handsome fellow, to take command of the galley in his +father's absence, and in eloquent terms charged them all with the +honour of her house and her own protection in her husband's absence. +This was hardly necessary, for the Kintail men had not yet forgotten +the breach of faith which had been committed by Macdonald regarding +the recent agreement to cease hostilities for a stated time, and +other recent sores. Her ladyship having wished them God-speed, +they started on their way rejoicing and in the best of spirits. +She mounted the castle walls, and stood there encouraging them +until, by the darkness of the night, she could no longer see them. + +On their way towards Kylerhea they met a boat from Lochalsh sent +out to inform them of the enemy's arrival at Kyleakin. Learning +this, they cautiously kept their course close to the south side of +the loch. It was a calm moonlight night, with occasional slight +showers of snow. The tide had already begun to flow, and, judging +that the Macdonalds would await the next turning of the tide to +enable them to get through Kylerhea, the Kintail men, longing for +their prey, resolved to advance and meet them. They had not +proceeded far, rowing very gently, after placing seaweed in the +rowlocks so as not to make a noise, when they noticed a boat, rowing +at the hardest, coming in their direction; but from its small size +they thought it must have been sent by the Macdonalds in advance to +test the passage of Kylerhea. They therefore allowed it to pass +unmolested, and proceeded northward, looking for Macdonald's own +galley. As they neared the Cailleach, a low rock midway between +both Kyles, it was observed in the distance covered with snow. The +night also favoured them, the sea, calm, appearing black and +mournful to the enemy. Here they met Macdonald's first galley, +and drawing up near it, they soon discovered it to be no other than +his own great birlinn, some distance ahead of the rest of the fleet. +Macdonald, as soon as he noticed them, called out "Who is there?" +twice in succession, but receiving no answer, and finding the +Kintail men drawing nearer, he called out the third time, when, in +reply, he received a full broadside from Mackenzie's cannon, +which disabled his galley and threw her on the Cailleach Rock. + +The men on board Macdonald's galley thought they had been driven +on shore, and flocked to the fore part of the boat, striving to +escape, thus capsizing and filling the birlinn. Discovering their +position, and seeing a long stretch of sea lying between them and +the mainland, they became quite confused, and were completely at +the mercy of their enemies, who sent some of their men ashore to +despatch any of the poor wretches who might swim ashore, while +others remained in their boat killing and drowning the Macdonalds. +Such of them as managed to reach the land were also killed or +drowned by those of the Kintail men who went ashore, not a soul out +of the sixty men on board the galley having escaped except Angus +Macdonald himself still breathing, though he had been wounded twice +in the head and once in the body. He was yet alive when they took +him aboard their galley, but he died before morning. Hearing the +uproar, several of the Lochalsh people went out with all speed in +two small boats, under command of Dugall Mac Mhurchaidh Matthewson, +to take part in the fray; but by the time they arrived at the +scene of action few of Macdonald's followers were alive. Thus +ended the career of Angus, younger of Glengarry, a chief to whom +his followers looked up, and whom they justly regarded as a bold +and intrepid leader, though deficient in prudence and strategy. + +The remainder of Macdonald's fleet, to the number of twenty-one, +following behind his own galley, having heard the uproar, returned +to Kyleakin in such terror and confusion that each thought his +nearest neighbour was pursuing him. Landing in Strathardale, +they left their boats "and their ill-cooked beef to these hungry +gentlemen," and before they slept they arrived in Sleat, from +whence they were sent across to the mainland in the small boats +of the laird. + +The great concern and anxiety of her ladyship of Ellandonnan can +be easily conceived, for all that she had yet learnt was the simple +fact that an engagement of some kind had taken place, and this she +only knew from having heard the sound of cannon during the night. +Early in the morning she noticed her protectors returning with +their birlinn, accompanied by another great galley. This brightened +her hopes, and going down to the shore to meet them, she heartily +saluted them, and asked if all had gone well with them. "Yea, +Madam," answered their leader, Duncan MacGillechriost, "we have +brought you a new guest, without the loss of a single man, whom +we hope is welcome to your ladyship." She looked into the galley, +and at once recognising the body of Angus of Glengarry, she ordered +it to be carried ashore and properly attended to. The men proposed +that he should be buried in the tomb of his predecessors, "Cnoc nan +Aingeal," in Lochalsh; but this she objected to, observing that, +if he could, her husband would never allow a Macdonald, dead or +alive, any further possession in that locality, at the same time +ordering young Glengarry to be buried with her own children, +and such other children of the predecessors of the Mackenzies of +Kintail as were buried in Kilduich, saying that she considered it +no disparagement for him to be buried with such cousins; and if +it were her own fate to die in Kintail, she would desire to be +interred amongst them. The proposal was agreed to, and everything +having been got ready suitable for the funeral of a gentleman of +his rank-such as the place could afford in the circumstances-he +was buried next day in Kilduich, in the same tomb as Mackenzie's +own children. This is not the most generally received account +regarding Angus Macdonald's burial; but we are glad, for the credit +of our common humanity, to find the following conclusive testimony +in an imperfect but excellently written MS. of the seventeenth +century, otherwise remarkably correct and trustworthy: "Some person, +out of what reason I cannot tell, will needs affirm he was buried in +the church door, as men go out and in, which to my certain knowledge +is a malicious lie, for with my very eyes I have seen his head raised +out of the same grave and returned again, wherein there was two +small cuts, noways deep." [Ancient MS.] + +The author of the Ardintoul MS. informs us that MacLean had actually +invaded Ardnamurchan, and carried fire and sword into that and the +adjoining territory of the Macdonalds, whereupon the Earl of Argyll, +who claimed the Macdonalds of those districts as his vassals and +dependants, obtained criminal letters against MacLean, who, finding +this, sent for his brother-in-law, Mackenzie of Kintail, at whose +request he had invaded the country of the Macdonalds. Both started +for Inveraray. The Earl seemed most determined to punish MacLean, +but Mackenzie informed him that "he should rather be blamed for +it than MacLean, and the King and Council than either of them, +for he having obtained, upon good grounds, a commission of fire +and sword against Glengarry and such as would assist him, and +against these men's rebellious and wicked courses, which frequently +his lordship seemed to own, that he did charge, as he did several +others of the king's loyal subjects, MacLean to assist him." So +that, if Maclean was to be punished for acting as his friend and +as a loyal subject, he hoped to obtain a hearing before the King +and Council under whose orders he acted. After considerable +discussion they parted good friends, Argyll having agreed not +to molest MacLean any further. Mackenzie and MacLean returned +to Duart, where his lordship was warmly received and sumptuously +entertained by MacLean's immediate friends and kinsmen for the +service which he had just rendered to their chief. While thus +engaged, a messenger arrived at the castle from Mackenzie's lady +and the Kintail men. + +After the funeral of young Angus of Glengarry, she became concerned +about her husband's safe return, and was at the same time most +anxious that he should be advised of the state of matters at home. +She therefore despatched Robert Mac Dhomh'uill Uidhir to arrange the +safest plan for bringing her lord safely home, as the Macdonalds +were still prowling among the creeks and bays further south. +Robert, after the interchange of unimportant preliminaries, on his +arrival in Mull, informed his master of all that had taken place +during his absence. MacLean, surprised to hear of such gallant +conduct by the Kintail men in the absence of their chief, asked +Mackenzie if any of his own kinsmen were amongst them, and being +informed they were not, Maclean replied, "It was a great and +audacious deed to be done by fellows." "Truly, MacLean," returned +Mackenzie, "they were not fellows that were there, but prime +gentlemen, and such fellows as would act the enterprise better +than myself and kinsmen." "You have very great reason to make +the more of them," said Maclean; "he is a happy superior who has +such a following." Both chiefs then went outside to consult as +to the best and safest means for Mackenzie's homeward journey. +MacLean offered him all his chief and best men to accompany him +by land, but this he declined, saying that he would not put his +friend to such inconvenience, and would return home in his own boat +just as he came; but he was ultimately persuaded to take MacLean's +great galley, his own being only a small one. He sailed in +his friend's great birlinn, under the command of the Captain of +Cairnburgh, accompanied by several other gentlemen of the MacLeans. + +In the meantime, the Macdonalds, aware that Mackenzie had not yet +returned from Mull, "convened all the boats and galleys they could, +to a certain island which lay in his course, and which he could +not avoid passing. So, coming within sight of the island, having +a good prospect of a number of boats, after they bad ebbed in +a certain harbour, and men also making ready to set out to sea. +This occasioned the captain to use a stratagem, and steer directly +to the harbour, and still as they came forward he caused lower the +sail, which the other party perceiving made them forbear putting +out their boats, persuading themselves that it was a galley they +expected from Ardnamurchan, but they had no sooner come forgainst +the harbour but the captain caused hoist sail, set oars and steers +aside, immediately bangs up a bagpiper and gives them shots. The +rest, finding the cheat and their own mistake, made such a +hurly-burly setting out their boats, with their haste they broke +some of them, and some of themselves were bruised and bad broken +shins also for their prey, and such as went out whole, perceiving +the galley so far off; thought it was folly to pursue her any +further, they all returned wiser than they came from home. This is, +notwithstanding other men's reports, the true and real narration of +Glengarrie Younger his progress, of the Kintail men their meeting +him in Kyle Rhea, of my lord's coming from Mull, and of the whole +success, which I have heard verbatim not only from one but from +several that were present at their actings." [Ancient MS. The +authors of the Letterfearn and Ardintoul MSS. give substantially +the same account, and say that among those who accompanied Mackenzie +to Mull, was "Rory Beg Mackenzie, son to Rory More of Achiglunichan. +Fairburn and Achilty's predecessor, and who afterwards died parson +of Contine, from whom my author had the full account of Mackenzie's +voyage to Mull."] + +Mackenzie arrived at Ellandonnan late at night, where he found his +lady still entertaining her brave Kintail men after their return +from Glengarry's funeral. While not a little concerned about the +death of his troublesome relative, he heartily congratulated his +gallant retainers on the manner in which they had protected his +interests during his absence. Certain that the Macdonalds would +never rest satisfied until they wiped out and revenged the death of +their leader, Mackenzie determined to drive them out of the district +altogether. The castle of Strome still in possession of Glengarry, +was the greatest obstacle in carrying out this resolution, for it +was a good and convenient asylum for the Macdonalds when pursued by +Mackenzie and his followers; but he ultimately succeeded in wresting +it from them. + +The following account is given in the Ancient MS. of how it was +taken from them: "In the spring of the following year, Lord Kintail +gathered together considerable forces and besieged the castle of +Strone in Lochcarron, which at first held out very manfully, and +would not surrender, though several terms were offered, which he +(Mackenzie) finding not willing to lose his men, resolved to raise +the siege for a time; but the defenders were so unfortunate as to +have their powder damaged by the women they had within. Having +sent them out by silence of night to draw in water, out of a well +that lay just at the entrance of the castle, the silly women were +in such fear, and the room they brought the water into being so +dark for want of light, when they came in they poured the water +into a vat, missing the right one, wherein the few barrels of +powder they had lay. And in the morning, when the men came for +more powder, having exhausted the supply of the previous day, they +found the barrels of powder floating in the vat; so they began +to rail and abuse the poor women, which the fore-mentioned Duncan +Mac Ian Mhic Gilliechallum, still a prisoner in the castle, hearing, +as he was at liberty through the house, having promised and made +solemn oath that he would never come out of the door until he was +ransomed or otherwise relieved." This he was obliged to do to +save his life. But having discovered the accident which befel the +powder, he accompanied his keepers to the ramparts of the castle, +when he noticed his country men packing up their baggage as if +intending to raise the siege. Duncan instantly threw his plaid +over the head of the man that stood next to him, and jumped over +the wall on to a large dung heap that stood immediately below. +He was a little stunned, but instantly recovering himself, flew +with the fleetness of a deer to Mackenzie's camp, and informed +his chief of the state of matters within the stronghold. Kintail +renewed the siege and brought his scaling ladders nearer the +castle. The defenders seeing this, and knowing that their mishap +and consequent plight had been disclosed by Duncan to the enemy, +they offered to yield up the castle on condition that their lives +would be spared, and that they he allowed to carry away their +baggage. This was readily granted them, and "my lord caused +presently blow up the house with powder, which remains there in +heaps to this day. He lost only but two Kenlochewe men at the +siege. Andrew Munro of Teannouher (Novar) was wounded, with two +or three others, and so dissolved the camp." [Ardintoul MS.] +Another writer says - "The rooms are to be seen yet. It stood +on a high rock, which extended in the midst of a little bay of +the sea westward, which made a harbour or safe port for great +boats or vessels of no great burden, on either side of the castle. +It was a very convenient place for Alexander Mac Gillespick to +dwell in when he had both the countries of Lochalsh and +Lochcarron, standing on the very march between both." + +A considerable portion of the walls is still (1893) standing, but +no trace of the apartments. The sea must have receded many feet +since it was in its glory; for now it barely touches the base of +the rock on which the ruin stands. We have repeatedly examined +it, and with mixed feelings ruminated upon its past history, and +what its ruined walls, could they only speak, might bear witness +to. + +In the following year (1603) the chief of Glengarry Donald +Gruamach having died, and the heir being still under age, the +Macdonalds, under Donald's cousin, Allan Dubh MacRanuil of Lundy, +made an incursion into the country of Mackenzie in Brae Ross, +plundered the lands of Cillechriost, and ferociously set fire +to the church during divine service, when full of men, women, +and children, while Glengarry's piper marched round the building +cruelly mocking the heartrending wails of the burning women and +children, playing the well-known pibroch, which has been known +ever since by the name of "Cillechriost," as the family tune of the +Macdonalds of Glengarry. "Some of the Macdonalds chiefly concerned +in this inhuman outrage were afterwards killed by the Mackenzies; +but it is somewhat startling to reflect that this terrible instance +of private vengeance should have occurred in the commencement +of the seventeenth century, without, so far as we can trace, any +public notice being taken of such an enormity. In the end the +disputes between the chiefs of Glengarry and Kintail were amicably +settled by an arrangement which gave the Ross-shire lands, so long +the subject of dispute, entirely to Mackenzie; and the hard terms +to which Glengarry was obliged to submit in the private quarrel seem +to have formed the only punishment inflicted on this clan for the +cold-blooded atrocity displayed in the memorable raid on Kilchrist." +[Gregory, pp. 302-3.] + +Eventually Mackenzie succeeded in obtaining a crown charter to +the disputed districts of Lochalsh, Lochcarron, and others, dated +1607; and the Macdonalds having now lost the three ablest of their +leaders, Donald's successor, his second son, Alexander, considered +it prudent to seek peace with Mackenzie. This was, after some +negotiation, agreed to, and a day appointed for a final settlement. + +In the meantime, Kintail sent for twenty-four of his ablest men in +Kintail and Lochalsh, and took them, along with the best of his +own kinsmen, to Baile Chaisteil (now Grantown), where his uncle +Grant of Grant resided, with the view to purchase from him a +heavy and long-standing claim which he held against Glengarry for +depredations committed on Grant's neighbouring territories in +Glenmoriston and Glen-Urquhart. Grant was unwilling to sell, but +ultimately, on the persuasion of mutual friends, he offered to +take thirty thousand merks for his claim. Mackenzie's kinsmen and +friends from the West were meanwhile lodged in a great kiln in the +neighbourhood, amusing themselves with some of Grant's men who went +to the kiln to keep them company. Kintail sent a messenger to the +kiln to consult his people as to whether he would give such a large +amount for Grants "comprising" against Glengarry. The messenger was +patiently listened to until he had finished, when he was told to go +back and tell Grant and Mackenzie, that had they not entertained +great hopes that their chief would "give that paper as a gift to his +nephew after all his trouble," he would not have been allowed to +cross the Ferry of Ardersier; for they would like to know where he +could find such a large sum, unless he intended to harry them and +his other friends, who had already suffered quite enough in the wars +with Glengarry; and, so saying, they took to their arms, and desired +the messenger to tell Mackenzie that they wished him to leave the +paper where it was. And if he desired to have it, they would sooner +venture their own persons and those of the friends they had left at +home to secure it by force, than give a sum which would probably be +more difficult to procure than to dispossess Glengarry altogether by +their doughty arms. They then left the kiln, and sent one of their +own number for their chief, who, on arriving, was strongly abused +for entertaining such an extravagant proposal and requested to leave +the place at once. This he consented to do, and went to inform +Grant that his friends would not hear of his giving such a large +sum, and that he preferred to dispense with the claim against +Glengarry altogether rather than lose the goodwill and friendship of +his retainers, who had so often endangered their lives and fortunes +in his quarrels. Meanwhile, one of the Grants who had been in the +kiln communicated to his master the nature of the conversation +which had there passed when the price asked by Grant was mentioned +to the followers of Mackenzie. This made such an impression upon +Grant and his advisers, that he prevailed upon Mackenzie, who was +about starting for home, to remain in the castle for another night. +To this Kintail consented, and before morning he obtained the +"paper" for ten thousand merks - a third of the sum originally +asked for it. "Such familiar relationship of the chief with his +people," our authority says, "may now-a-days be thought fabulous; +but whoever considers the unity, correspondence, and amity that was +so well kept and entertained betwixt superiors and their followers +and vassals in former ages, besides as it is now-a-days, he need not +think it so; and I may truly say that there was no clan in the +Highlands of Scotland that would compete with the Mackenzies, their +vassals and followers, as to that; and it is sure their superiors +in former times would not grant their daughters in marriage without +their consent. Nor durst the meanest of them, on the other hand, +give theirs to any stranger without the superior's consent; and I +heard in Earl Colin's time of a Kintail man that gave his daughter +in marriage to a gentleman in a neighbouring country without the +Earl's consent, who never after had kindness for the giver, and, +I may say, is yet the blackest marriage for that country, and others +also, that ever was among their commons. But it may be objected +that now-a-days their commons advice or consent in any matter of +consequence is not so requisite, whereas there are many substantial +friends to advise with; but its an old Scots phrase, 'A king's +advice may fall from a fool's head.' I confess that is true where +friends are real friends, but we ordinarily find, and partly know +by experience, that, where friends or kinsmen become great and +rich in interest, they readily become emulous, and will ordinarily +advise for themselves if in the least it may hinder them from +becoming a chief or head of a family, and forget their former +headship, which was one of the greatest faults, as also the ruin +of Munro of Miltown, whereas a common man will never eye to become +a chief so long as he is in that state, and therefore will advise +his chief or superior the more freely." What a change in the +relationship between the chiefs and clansmen of to-day! + +Sir William Fraser, who quotes the foregoing narrative from the +former edition of this work, says that John Grant, fifth of +Freuchie, in whose time this incident is said to have occurred, +was not "uncle" but cousin to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail. But +he adds that the "story is so far corroborated by the fact that +about the time the incident is said to have happened, the young +Chief of Kintail granted a receipt to the laird of Freuchie for +the charter of comprising, granted on 4th May, 1548, to James Grant +of Freuchie, which, with relative papers, was now handed over to +Mackenzie, in terms of a disposition by the Laird to him of lands +in Kessoryne, Lochalsh, Lochcarron, etc." The original discharge, +dated 1st May, 1606, Sir William says, is at Castle Grant. ["Chiefs +of Grant," vol. i. p. 178.] A bond of manrent is entered into +between Grant and Mackenzie on the same date, at Inverness. + +The day appointed for the meeting of Mackenzie and Glengarry to +arrange terms soon arrived. The former had meanwhile brought up +several decrees and claims against the latter at the instance of +neighbouring proprietors, for "cost, skaith and damage," which +altogether amounted to a greater sum than the whole of Macdonald's +lands were worth. The two, however, settled their disputes by an +arrangement which secured absolutely to Mackenzie all Glengarry's +lands in the county of Ross, and the superiority of all his +other possessions, but Glengarry was to hold the latter, paying +Mackenzie a small feu as superior. In consideration of these +humiliating concessions by Macdonald, Mackenzie agreed to pay +twenty thousand merks Scots, and thus ended for ever the ancient +quarrels which had existed for centuries between the powerful families +of Glengarry and Kintail. "Thus ended the most of Glengarrie's +troubles tho' there was severall other bloody skirmishes betwixt +ym-such as the taking of the Stank house in Knoidart, where there +was severalls burnt and killed by that stratagem; as also young +Glengarrie's burning and harrying of Croe in Kintail, where there +was but few men killed, yet severall women and children were both +burned and killed. I cannot forget ane pretty fellow that was +killed there, who went himself and three or four women to ane +outsett in the Croe, where there was a barn (as being more remote), +where they sleept yt night. But in the morning the breaking of +the dore was their wakening, whereupon the man, (called Patrick +McConochy Chyle) started and finding them about the barn, bad them +leave of and he would open it. So, getting his bow and arrow, he +opens the door, killed 4 of them there, (before) they took nottice +of him, which made them all hold off. In end they fires the barn +and surrounds it, which he finding still, started out, and as he +did he still killed one of them, till he had killed 11. The barn +in end almost consumed and his arrows spent, he took him to his +heels, but was killed by them, and two of the women, the third +having stayed in the reek of the barn, and a rough hide about her." +[Ancient MS.] + +On the 18th of July, 1610, Lord Kenneth made over to Sir Roderick +Mor Macleod, XIII. of Dunvegan, the five unciate lands of Waternish, +which his lordship had previously purchased from Sir George Hay +and others, who obtained possession of them on the forfeiture of +the Macleods of Lewis, to whom Waternish formerly belonged. As +part payment, Sir Roderick Mor Macleod disponed to Mackenzie two +unciates of lands in Troternish, Isle of Skye, which belonged to +him, along with the Bailliary of the old extent of eight merks +which had been united to the Barony of Lewis, and in which William +Macleod, XII. of Dunvegan, had been served heir to his father in +1585. On the 24th of the same month the Lords of the Privy Council +ordain that Lord Kintail should pay Norman Macleod's expenses in +prison in all time coming. + +Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, to quote the Earl +of Cromarty, "was truly of an heroic temper, but of a spirit too +great for his estates, perhaps for his country, yet bounded by +his station, so as he (his father) resolved to seek employment +for him abroad; but no sooner had he gone to France, but Glengarry +most outrageously, without any cause, and against all equity +and law convocates multitudes of people and invades his estates, +sacking, burning, and destroying all. Kenneth's friends sent John +Mackenzie of Tollie to inform him of these wrongs, whereupon he +made a speedy return to an affair so urgent, and so suitable to +his genius, for as he never offered wrong so he never suffered +any. His heat did not overwhelm his wit, for he took a legal +procedure, obtained a commission of fire and sword against Glengarry +and his complices, which he prosecuted so bravely as in a short +time by himself and his brother he soon forced them to retreat +from his lands, and following them to their own bills, he soon +dissipated and destroyed them, that young Glengarry and many +others of their boldest and most outrageous were killed, and the +rest forced to shelter themselves amongst the other Macdonalds +in the islands and remote Highlands, leaving all their estates to +Kenneth's disposal. This tribe of the Clan Ranald seem to have +been too barbarous for even those lawless times, while by a strange +contumacy in latter times, a representative of that ancient family +pertinaciously continued to proclaim its infamy and downfall by the +adherence to the wild strain of bagpipe music (their family pibroch +called Cillechriost), at once indicative of its shame and submission. +Kenneth's character and policies were of a higher order, and in +the result he was everywhere the gainer by them." He was +supported by Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle; and by his own +brothers - Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, Alexander of Coul, +and Alexander of Kilcoy, all men of more than ordinary +intelligence and intrepidity. + +Lord Kenneth married, first, Ann, daughter of George Ross, IX. of +Balnagown, with issue - + +I. Colin Ruadh, his successor, afterwards created first Earl of +Seaforth. + +II. John of Lochslinn, who married Isobel, eldest daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, and died without lawful male +issue. + +III. Kenneth, who died unmarried. + +IV. Barbara, who married Donald, Lord Reay. + +V. Janet, who married Sir Donald Macdonald, VIII. of Sleat, +Baronet, with issue, his heir and successor, and others. + +Kenneth married, secondly, Isobel, daughter of Sir Gilbert Ogilvie +of Powrie, by whom he had - + +VI. Alexander, who died without issue. + +VII. George, who afterwards succeeded Colin as second Earl +of Seaforth. + +VIII. Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine, whose male line has been +proved extinct. + +IX. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn. Simon was twice married and +left a numerous offspring, who will afterwards be more particularly +referred to, his descendants having since the death of "the Last +of the Seaforths" in 1815, without surviving male issue, carried +on the male representation of the ancient family of Kintail. + +X. Sibella, who married,, first, John Macleod, XIV. of Harris; +secondly, Alexander Fraser, Tutor of Lovat; and thirdly, Patrick +Grant, Tutor of Grant, second son of Sir John Grant of Freuchie. + +He died in February, 1611, in the forty-second year of his age; was +buried "with great triumph" at Chanonry, ["As is proved by an old +MS. record kept by the Kirk Session of Inverness, wherein is this +entry: 'Upon the penult day of February 1611 My Lord Mackenzie died +in the Chanonrie of Ross and was buried 28th April anno foresaid +in the Chanonrie Kirk with great triumph.'" - "Allangrange Service"] +and was succeeded by his second and eldest surviving son, + + +XIII. COLIN FIRST EARL OF SEAFORTH, + + +AND SECOND LORD MACKENZIE OF KINTAIL, a minor only fourteen +years old when his father died. On the 16th of July, 1611, a Royal +precept is issued under the Signet to the Sheriff of Inverness +directing him to have all brieves of inquest obtained by Colin, +Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, for serving him nearest and lawful +heir to the late Kenneth Mackenzie, Lord of Kintail, his father, +in all lands and annual-rents wherein his father died, last vested +and seased, proclaimed and put to the knowledge of an inquest, +notwithstanding the minority of the said Colin, "whereupon we +have dispensed and by these present dispense" with that objection, +providing always that the dispensation be not prejudicial to the +donator of the ward of the said late Kenneth's lands in the matter +of the mails, fermes, and duties of the same during the time of +the ward thereof. + +On the 16th of August, 1611, a proclamation is issued to the Highland +chiefs, following upon one granted to Sir Roderick Mackenzie of +Coigeach, as Tutor of Kintail, and four other leaders of the clan, +on the 11th of June preceding, against assisting Neil Macleod and +the other rebels of the Lewis, who had risen in arms against the +Tutor, in the following terms: + +Forasmuch as the barbarous and rebellious thieves and limmers of +the Lewis, who have been suppressed and in some measure kept in +subjection and obedience these years bygone, taking new breath and +courage upon occasion of the decease of Kenneth, Lord Kintail, who +was his Majesty's justice and commissioner in these bounds, they +have now of late risen in arms in a professed and avowed rebellion +against the Tutor of Kintail, whom his Majesty and his Council have +authorised and constituted in that place of justiciary possessed +by his deceased brother within the Lewis, and intend, with their +whole power and force, not only to withstand and resist the said +Tutor of Kintail in the advancement of his Majesty's authority +and service within the Lewis, but to prosecute himself and his +Majesty's good subjects attending upon him with all hostility - +wherein they presume of farther backing and assistance, upon some +foolish apprehension that the clansmen of the Isles who have given +their obedience to his Majesty, and now stands under his Majesty's +good grace, shall make shipwreck of their faith, credit, and promised +obedience, and join with them in their detestable rebellion. +And although his Majesty, in the sincerity of his royal heart, +cannot apprehend any such disloyalty or treachery in the person of +the clansmen of the Isles, who have had so large a proof of his +Majesty's clemency, benignity, and favour, that now, so unworthily +and unnecessarily, they will reject his Majesty's favour, and, to +the inevitable hazard and peril of their estates, join with these +miserable miscreants in their rebellion yet to take away all +pretext of excuse from them, and to make them the more inexcusable +if wilfully, traitorously, and maliciously they will suffer +themselves to be carried in such an imminent danger, the King's +Majesty and Lords of Secret Council ordain letters to be directed +to command, charge, and inhibit all and sundry, the inhabitants +of the Isles and continent next adjacent, namely Donald Macdonald +Gorm of Sleat, Roderick Macleod of Dunvegan, called Macleod of +Harris, Hugh Mackay of Farr, Mackay his son and apparent heir, +and MacNeill of Barra, that none of them presume or take upon +hand, under whatsoever colour or pretence, to concur, fortify, or +assist the said rebellious thieves and limmers of the Lewis, nor +to intercommune or join with them, supply them with men, victual, +powder, bullets, or any other thing consortable unto them, nor to +show them any kind of protection, consort, countenance, reset or +supply, under the pain to be reputed, held, and esteemed as art +and partakers with them in their rebellion, and to be pursued and +punished for the same, as traitors to his Majesty and his country, +with all vigour. + +On the 28th of May, 1612, a commission, apparently first granted +to those named in it on the 11th of June, 1611, but of which the +original is not given in the published Records of the Privy Council, +"almost expired" at the first-named date, and was renewed to the +same persons - the Tutor of Kintail, Colin Mackenzie of Killin, +Murdo Mackenzie of Kernsary, Alexander Mackenzie of Coul, and +Kenneth Mackenzie of Darochmaluag. It is to the same effect as and +in almost identical terms with the commission issued in favour of +Kenneth, Lord Kintail, on the 19th of July, 1610 (given at length +at pp. 193-94), and it confers full powers on the Tutor and his +colleagues for the pursuit and apprehension of Neil Macleod and his +fellow rebels in the Lewis. + +A complaint is made on the 4th of March, 1613, by Sir William +Oliphant, the King's Advocate, that all the chieftains and principal +men of the Isles and mainland next adjacent having made their +submission to his Majesty, "there only resteth Neil Macleod, +called the Traitor, rebellious and disobedient." His accomplices +are given as Malcolm Mac Rory MacLeod William Mac Rory Macleod, +his brother, John Dubh Mac Angus Mac Gillemhichell, Gillecallum Mac +Ian Mhic-ant-Sagairt, Murdo and Donald Mac Ian Mhic-an-t-Sagairt, +Donald and Rory, sons to Neil Macleod, and Donald Mac Ian Duibh - +the Brieve. They are stated to have maintained open rebellion in the +Lewis for some years past, "but after their strength and starting +hoill," called Berissay, had been attacked by the Tutor of Kintail +and others in the King's name they fled to the bounds and country +of Donald Mac Allan of Ellantirrim, where they were received and +supplied by him and several others, whose names are given, "despite +the proclamation of the commission against the resett of rebels made +at Inverness," some time before. The resetters, to the number of +nine, are denounced rebels and at the born. + +At a meeting of the Council held on the 28th of April Roderick +Macleod of Harris is charged to deliver up to the Tutor of Kintail +within twenty days after the charge five of Neil Macleod's accomplices +who had been apprehended by Roderick's brother Alexander. These +are Malcolm and William, "sons to the late Neil Macleod, called +the Traitor," Murdo Mac Ian Mhic-an-t-Sagairt, Malcolm Mac Ian +Mhic-an-t-Sagairt, and Donald Mac Angus, "who were the chief actors +and ringleaders in all the treasonable and rebellious attempts +committed and perpetrated upon his Majesty's peaceable and good +subjects within the Lewis these divers years bygone. + +On the 20th of May a commission is issued in favour of the Tutor, +Roderick MacLeod of Dunvegan and Harris, and John Grant of Grant, +for the apprehension of Allan Mac Allaster, in Kilchoan, Knoydart, +and several others of his relatives, for the murder of Ronald +Mac Angus Gearr, and also, at the instance of Donald Mac Angus of +Glengarry, for not finding caution to appear before the Justice +for going by night armed with "daggs and pistolletts" to the lands +of Laggan Achadrom in Glengarry, and setting fire to the houses +there and destroying them with all their plenishing. They are +afterwards apprehended, and on the 8th of February, 1614, a commission +to try them is issued in favour of the Sheriff of Inverness and +his deputies. In the meantime they are lodged in the tolbooth of +that town. + +The Tutor must have become responsible for Donald Gorm Macdonald, +for on the 3rd of June, 1613, there is an entry declaring that "in +respect of the personal compearance of Donald Gorm of Sleat" before +the Privy Council their Lordships "exoner and relieve Rory Mackenzie +of Coigeach of the acts" whereby he became acted for the entry of +Macdonald before them on the last Council day of May preceding, +and he is declared "free of said acts in all time coming." On +the 24th of the same month a commission is issued to Roderick, Mr +Colin Mackenzie of Killin, Murdo Mackenzie of Kernsary, Alexander +Mackenzie of Coul, and Kenneth Mackenzie of Davochmaluag, to pass +to the Lewis and apprehend Roderick and Donald Macleod, sons of +Neil who had been executed at Edinburgh in the preceding April; +William and Roderick Macleod, brothers of Malcolm, son of Rory +Macleod, sometime of the Lewis; Donald Mac Ian Duibh - the Brieve, +Murdo Mac Angus Mhic-an-t-Sagairt, Donald, his brother, Gillecallum +Caogach Mac-an-t-Sagairt, John Dubh Mac Angus Mac Gillemhichell, +Murdo Mac Torquil Blair, John Roy and Norman, sons of Torquil +Blair, Donald Mac Neill Mhic Finlay, Gillecallum Mac Allan Mhic +Finlay, and Donald Mac Dhomhnuill Mac Gillechallum, "actors in +the first rebellion in the Lewis against the gentlemen venturers," +all of whom bad been denounced as rebels on the 2nd of February +the same year. This commission is renewed for twelve months on +the 21st of June, 1614, and proclamation is ordered at Inverness +and other places, charging all the inhabitants of the North Isles, +and within the bounds of the lands, heritages, possessions, offices +and bailliaries pertaining to Colin, Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, +except persons of the name of Fraser, Ross, and Munro, and their +tenants and servants, to assist the commissioners in apprehending +those named in the former commission. + +On the 30th of July, 1613, in a long list of 121 persons before the +Council from the County of Inverness, which then included Ross, and +fined for the reset of the Clan Macgregor, Sir Roderick Mackenzie +of Coigeach, as Tutor of Kintail, has L4000 against his name, by +far the largest sum in the list, the next to him being his own +uncle, Roderick Mor Mackenzie I. of Redcastle, with 4000 merks. +There seems to have been some difficulty as to the settlement of +these heavy fines, for on the 27th of October following, there is +a missive before the Council from the King "anent the continuation +granted to the Tutor of Kintail, Mr John and Rory Mackenzies, for +payment of their fines," and directions are given accordingly that +no new continuation be granted. + +In 1614, while the Tutor was busily engaged in the island of Lewis, +discussions broke out between different branches of the Camerons, +instigated by the rival claims of the Marquis of Huntly and the Earl +of Argyll. The latter had won over the aid of Allan MacDhomhnuill +Dubh, chief of the clan, while Huntly secured the support of +Erracht, Kinlochiel, and Glen Nevis, and, by force, placed them +in possession of all the lands belonging to the chief's adherents +who supported Argyll. Allan, however, managed to deal out severe +retribution to his enemies, who were commanded by Lord Enzie, and, +as is quaintly said, "teaching ane lesson to the rest of kin that +are alqui in what form they shall carry themselves to their chief +hereafter." The Marquis obtained a commission from the King to +suppress these violent proceedings, in virtue of which he called +out all his Majesty's loyal vassals to join him. Kintail and the +Tutor demurred, and submitted the great difficulties and trials +they had experienced in reducing the Lewis to good and peaceable +government as their excuse, and they were exempted from joining +Huntly's forces by a special commission from the King. Closely +connected as it is with the final possession of the island by the +House of Kintail, it is here given - + +"James Rex, - James, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, +France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, to all and sundry our +lieges, and subjects whom it effeirs to whose knowledge this our +letters shall come greeting. For as much as we have taken great +pains and travails, and bestown great charge and expense for +reducing the Isles of our kingdom to our obedience: And the same +Isles being now settled in a reasonable way of quietness, and the +chieftains thereof having come in and rendered their obedience to +us there rests none of the Isles rebellious, but only the Lewis, +which being inhabitated by a number of godless and lawless people, +trained up from their youth in all kinds of ungodliness: They can +hardly be reclaimed from their impurities and barbarities, and +induced to embrace a quiet and peaceable form of living so that +we have been constrained from time to time to employ our cousin, +the Lord Kintail, who rests with God, and since his decease the +Tutor of Kintail his brother, and other friends of that House in +our service against the rebels of the Lewis, with ample commission +and authority to suppress their insolence and to reduce that island +to our obedience, which service has been prosecuted and followed +these divers years by the power, friendship and proper services +of the House of Kintail, without any kind of trouble and charge +or expense to us, or any support or relief from their neighbours +and in the prosecution of that service, they have had such good +and happy success, as divers of the rebels have been apprehended +and executed by justice: But seeing our said service is not yet +fully accomplished, nor the Isle of the Lewis settled in a solid +and perfect obedience, we have of late renewed our former commission +to our cousin Colin, now Lord of Kintail, and to his Tutor and +some other friends of his house, and they are to employ their whole +power, and service in the execution of the said commission, which +being a service importing highly our honour, and being so necessary +and expedient for the peace and quiet of the whole islands, and +for the good of our subjects, haunting the trade of fishing in +the isles, the same ought not to be interrupted upon any other +intervening occasion, and our commissioners and their friends ought +not to be distracted therefrom for giving of their concurrence +in our services: Therefore, we, with advice of the Lords of +our Privy Council, have given and granted our licence to our said +cousin Colin. Lord of Kintail, and to his friends, men, tenants and +servants, to remain and bide at home from all osts, raids, wars, +assemblings, and gatherings to be made by George, Marquis of +Huntly, the Earl of Enzie, his son, or any other our Lieutenants, +Justices, or Commissioners, by sea or land either for the pursuit +of Allan Cameron of Lochiel and his rebellious complices, or for +any other cause or occasion whatsoever, during or within the time +of our commission foresaid granted against the Lewis, without pain +or danger to be incurred by our said cousin the Lord of Kintail +and his friends in their persons, lands or goods; notwithstanding +whatsoever our proclamation made or to be made in the contrary +whatever, and all pains contained in it, we dispense by these +presents, discharging hereby our Justices, Justice Clerk, and all +our Judges and Ministers of law, of all calling, accusing, or +any way proceeding against them, for the cause aforesaid, and of +their officers in that part. Given under our signet at Edinburgh, +the 14th day of September, 1614, and of our reign the 12th, and 48 +years. Read, passed, and allowed in Council. Alexander, +Chancellor. Hamilton, Glasgow, Lothian, Binning." + +Having procured this commission, the Mackenzies were in a position +to devote their undivided attention to the Lewis and their other +affairs at home; and from this date that island principality +remained in the continuous possession of the family of Kintail +and Seaforth, until in 1844, it was sold to the late Sir James +Matheson. The people ever after adhered most loyally to the +illustrious house to whom they owed peace and prosperity such as +was never before experienced in the history of the island. + +The commission proved otherwise of incalculable benefit to Kintail; +for it not only placed him in a position to pacify and establish +good order in the Lewis with greater ease, but at the same time +provided his Lordship with undisturbed security in his extensive +possessions on the mainland at a time when the most violent +disorders prevailed over every other district of the West Highlands +and Isles. + +On the 2nd of February, 1615, a commission is signetted in favour +of Sir Roderick, Mr Colin Mackenzie of Strathgarve, Mr Alexander +Mackenzie of Kinnock, and Alexander Mackenzie of Coul, to receive +Malcolm Caogach Mac Jan Mhic-an-t-Sagairt, Callum Dubh Mac Allaster, +Donald Mac Angus Mac Gillechallum, Gillecallum Mac Ian Riabhaich, +and James Mac Ian Duibh, from the Magistrates of Edinburgh, to +carry them north, and to keep them in ward until everything is +ready for trying them for murder, mutilation, theft, reset, and +other crimes. + +At a meeting of the Council held at Edinburgh on the 9th of +February, 1615, Neil Macleod's two sons, Norman and Roderick, are +set at liberty on condition that they transport themselves out of +the King's dominions and never return. They appeared personally +"and acted and obliged them that within the space of forty days +after their relief furth of their ward, where they remain within +the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, they shall depart and pass furth of his +Majesty's dominions and never return again within the same during +their lifetimes, under the pain of death; and in the meantime, +till their passing furth of his Majesty's dominions, that they +shall not go benorth the water of Tay, under the said pain, to be +executed upon them without favour if they fail in the premises. +And they gave their great oath to perform the conditions of this +present act; and further, the said Norman declared that he would +renounce, like as by the tenour of this present act he does +renounce, his Majesty's remission and pardon granted unto him, and +all favour and benefit that he could acclaim by the said remission, +in case he failed in the premises. In respect whereof the said +Lords ordained the said Norman and Rory to be put to liberty and +fredom furth of the Tolbooth"; and a warrant was issued to the +Provost and Bailies of Edinburgh to give effect to their Lordships' +decision. The Tutor appeared personally, and in name of Lord +Kintail consented to the liberation of the prisoners. He at the +same time protested that neither he nor his chief should be held +any longer responsible for the expenses of maintaining Norman, +now that lie was at liberty, and he was accordingly relieved from +further charge on that account. + +On the 26th of April following the Tutor receives a commission +for the pursuit and apprehension of Coll MacGillespic Macdonald, +Malcolm Mac Rory Macleod, and other fugitives, described as "the +Islay rebels," who had fled from justice, should they land in +the Lewis or in any other of the territories belonging to Lord +Mackenzie of Kintail. In order that he may the better attend +to this duty, along with several other heads of clans named in +the same commission for their respective districts, and as "it is +necessary that the commissioners foresaid remain at home and on +nowise come to this burgh (Edinburgh) to pursue or defend in any +actions or causes concerning them," their Lordships continued all +actions against them until the 1st of November next, ordaining the +said actions "to rest and sleep" till that date. + +On the same day, a second dispensation under the signet is addressed +to the Sheriff of Inverness and his deputes in favour of Lord +Colin, requesting that despite his minority he be served heir to +his father, the late Kenneth, Lord Mackenzie of Kintail. On the +25th of June following he is ordered to provide twenty-five men as +part of an expedition for the pursuit of Sir James Macdonald and +Coll MacGillespick. In June, 1616, he is appointed a Commissioner +of the Peace for the Sheriffdom of Elgin and Forres. + +On the outbreak of a new rebellion in the Lewis another commission, +dated the 28th of August, 1616, to last for twelve months, was +issued by the Privy Council, in favour of the Tutor and other +leading men of the clan, couched in the following terms: + +Forasmuch as the King's Majesty having taken great pains and +troubles and bestowed great charges and expenses for reducing of +the Islands of this Kingdom and continent next adjacent to his +Majesty's obedience, and for establishing of religion, peace, +justice, order, and government, within the same, in the which his +Majesty by the force and power of his royal authority has had such +a happy and good success as almost the whole chieftains of clans +and headsmen of the Isles are come in and in all dutiful submission +doth acknowledge his Majesty's obedience, so that now there +is no part of the Isles rebellious but the Lewis - the chieftains +whereof, as from time to time they raise up in credit, power, and +friendship among the barbarous inhabitants thereof, have been +apprehended and by course of justice have suffered their deserved +punishment, and at last the traitor Neil, who was last ringleader +of that rebellious society, being apprehended and executed to the +death, whereby it was presumed that in him all further trouble, +misery, and unquietness in the Lewis should have ceased and rested; +notwithstanding it is of truth that Malcolm Macleod, son to Rory +Macleod, sometime of the Lewis, has embraced that rebellious and +treasonable course wherein his treacherous predecessors miserably +perished, and having associated himself with the persons following +- Rory and Donald Macleod, sons to the said umquhile Neil, and +William and Rory Macleod, brothers to the said Malcolm, Donald Mac +Ian Duibh-the Brieve, Murdo Mac Angus Mhic-an-t-Sagairt, Donald +Mac Angus Mhic-an-t-Sagairt his brother, Gillecallum Caogach +Mac-an-t-Sagairt, John Dubh Mac Angus Mac Gillemichell, Murdo Mac +Torquil Blair, Norman Mac Torquil Blair, John Roy Mac Torquil Blair, +Donald Mac Neil Mac Finlay, Gillecallum Mac Allan Mac Finlay, and +Donald Mac Dhomhuill Mac Gillechallum - who were all actors in the +first rebellion moved and raised in the Lewis against the gentlemen +venturers who were directed by his Majesty there, and did prosecute +that rebellion against them with fire and sword and all kinds of +hostility, for the which and for other thievish and treasonable +crimes committed by them they and every one of them were upon the +second day of February, 1612, orderly denounced rebels and put to +the horn - they have now combined and banded themselves in a most +treacherous, disloyal, and pernicious course and resolution to +maintain a public rebellion in the Lewis, and to oppose themselves +with their whole power and strength against all and whatsoever +courses shall be further taken by his Majesy's direction for +repressing of their insolence; whereby is not only all intercourse +and trade which by his Majesty's good subjects in the Lowlands +would be entertained amongst them, made frustrate and void, but +the preparative of this rebellion in consequence and example is +most dangerous, and if the same be not substantially repressed, +may give further boldness to others who are not yet well settled +in a perfect obedience, to break loose. Accordingly, as it is "a +discredit to the country that such a parcel of ground possessed +by a number of miserable caitiffs shall be suffered to continue +rebellious, whereas the whole remanent Isles are become peaceable +and obedient; and whereas the said Lords, for repressing of the +insolence of the whole of the rebellious thieves and limmers of +the Lewis and reducing them to his Majesty's obedience, passed +and expede a commission - to Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, Tutor +of Kintail, Mr Colin Mackenzie of Killin, Murdo Mackenzie, their +brother, Alexander Mackenzie of Coul, and Kenneth Mackenzie of +Davochmaluag, for reducing of the limmers of the Lewis to obedience," +which commission "is now expired, and the said thieves, taking +new courage and breath thereupon, are become more insolent than +formerly they were, and have lately made a very open insurrection +and committed slaughter and bloodshed within the said bounds, in +contempt of God and disregard of his Majesty's laws"; therefore +his Majesty and the Lords of Council, understanding of the "good +affection" of the said persons, now reconstitute them commissioners +for the reduction of the said rebels, with full power and authority, +etc. (as in previous commissions granted them) and, "for the +better execution of this commission, to take the lymphads, galleys, +birlinns, and boats in the Lewis and in the next adjacent Isles +for the furtherance of his Majesty's service, - the said justices +being always answerable to the owners of the said lymphads, galleys, +birlinns, and boats for delivery of the same at the finishing +of his Majesty's said service." Proclamation was to be made at +Inverness and other places charging the lieges within the bounds +of the North Isles and within the lands of Colin, Lord of Kintail +(except those of the name of Fraser, Ross, and Munro, their tenants +and servants), to assist the said commissioners in the execution +of their duty. + +By a commission dated the same day, Sir Roderick, along with Simon +Lord Lovat, and Urquhart of Cromarty, is appointed, for the trial +in the Burgh of Inverness of all resetters within thc Sheriffdom +of the county of any traitors in the Isles, the commission to last +for one year. + +In 1618, along with Grant of Grant, he assisted the Mackintosh +against the Marquis of Huntly. On the 18th of June, 1622, he +is one of the chiefs named in a commission against the Camerons, +among the others being Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Sir Roderick +Macleod, XIII. of Harris, Grant of Grant, Sir John Campbell of +Calder, John Grant of Glenmoriston, Patrick Grant of Ballindalloch, +and John Macdonald, Captain of Clanranald. [See Mackenzie's "History +of the Camerons," p. 86.] + +At the death of Kenneth, Lord Kintail, the estates were very heavily +burdened in consequence of the wars with Glengarry and various +family difficulties and debts. His lordship, in these circumstances, +acted very prudently, as we have seen, in appointing his brother, +Sir Roderick Mackenzie I. of Coigeach - in whose judgment he placed +the utmost confidence - Tutor to his son and successor, Lord Colin. +Knowing the state of affairs - the financial and numberless other +difficulties which stared him in the face, at the same time that +the family were still much involved with the affairs of the Lewis, +and other broils on the mainland - Sir Roderick hesitated to accept +the great responsibilities of the position, but, to quote one of +the family manuscripts, "all others refusing to take the charge he +set resolutely to the work. The first thing he did was to assault +the rebels in the Lewis, which he did so suddenly, after his +brother's death, and so unexpectedly to them, that what the Fife +Adventurers had spent many years and much treasure in without success, +he, in a few months, accomplished; for having by his youngest +brother Alexander, chased Neil, the chief commander of all the +rest, from the Isle, pursued him to Glasgow, where, apprehending +him, he delivered him to the Council, who executed him immediately. +He returned to the Lewis, banished those whose deportment he most +doubted, and settled the rest as peaceable tenants to his nephew; +which success he had, with the more facility, because he had the +only title of succession to it by his wife, and they looked on +him as their just master. From thence he invaded Glengarry, who +was again re-collecting his forces; but at his coming they dissipated +and fled. He pursued Glengarry to Blairy in Moray, where he took +him; but willing to have his nephew's estate settled with conventional +right rather than legal, he took Low-countrymen as sureties for +Glengarry's peaceable deportment, and then contracted with him for +the reversion of the former wadsets which Colin of Kintail had +acquired of him, and for a ratification and new disposition of all +his lands, formerly sold to Colin, and paid him thirty thousand +merks in money for this, and gave him a title to Lagganachindrom, +which, till then, he possessed by force, so that Glengarry did +ever acknowledge it as a favour to be overcome by such enemies, +who over disobligements did deal both justly and generously. Rory +employed himself therefore in settling his pupil's estate, which +he did to that advantage that ere his minority passed he freed +his estate, leaving him master of an opulent fortune and of great +superiorities, for be acquired the superiority of Troternish with +the heritable Stewartry of the Isle of Skye, to his pupil, the +superiority of Raasay and some other Isles. At this time, Macleod, +partly by law and partly by force, had possessed himself of Sleat +and Troternish, a great part of Macdonald's estate. Rory, now +knighted by King James, owned Macdonald's cause as an injured +neighbour, and by the same method that Macleod possessed himself +of Sleat and Troternish he recovered both from him, marrying the +heir thereof Sir Donald Macdonald, to his niece, sister to Lord +Colin, and caused him to take the lands of Troternish holden of +his pupil. Shortly after that he took the management of Maclean's +estate, and recovered it from the Earl of Argyll, who had fixed a +number of debts and pretences on it, so by his means all the Isles +were composed and accorded in their debates and settled in their +estates, whence a full peace amongst them, Macneill of Barra +excepted, who had been an hereditary outlaw. Him, by commission, +Sir Rory reduced, took him in his fort of Kisemull, and carried +him prisoner to Edinburgh, where he procured his remission. The +King gifted his estate to Sir Rory, who restored it to Macneill +for a sum not exceeding his expenses, and holding it of himself in +feu. This Sir Rory, as he was beneficial to all his relations, +establishing them in free and secure fortunes, purchased considerable +lands to himself in Ross and Moray, besides the patrimony left him +by his father, the lands of Coigeach and others, which, in lieu +of the Lewis, were given him by his brother. His death was regretted +as a public calamity, which was in September, 1626, in the 48th year +of his age. To Sir Rory succeeded Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat; and +to him Sir George Mackenzie, of whom to write might be more honour to +him than of safety to the writer as matters now stand." +[The Applecross Mackenzie MS.] + +We shall now draw to some extent on the family manuscripts. +The narrative in this form will add considerable interest to the +information already given under this head from official sources. +Sir Roderick was a most determined man, and extremely fertile +in such schemes as might enable him to gain any object he had in +view. One of his plans, connected with Mackenzie's possession +of the Lewis, in its barbarous and cruel details, almost equalled +the Raid of Cillechriost. Neil Macleod, accompanied by his nephews, +Malcolm, William, and Roderick, the three sons of Roderick Og; the +four sons of Torquil Blair; and thirty of their more determined +and desperate followers, retired, when Kintail obtained possession +of the whole of the Lewis, to the impregnable rock of Berrissay, +at the back of the island, to which Neil, as a precautionary measure, +had been for years previously sending food and other necessaries +as a provision for future necessity. Here they held out for three +years, where they were a source of great annoyance to the Tutor +and his followers. On a little rock opposite Berrissay, Neil, by +a well-directed shot killed one of the Tutor's followers named Donald +MacDhonnchaidh Mhic Ian Ghlais, and wounded another called Tearlach +MacDhomh'uill Roy Mhic Fhionnlaidh Ghlais. This exasperated +their leader so much that, all other means having failed to oust +Neil from his impregnable position, the Tutor conceived the inhuman +scheme of gathering together all the wives and children of the +men who were on Berrissay, and all those in the island who were in +any way related to them by blood or marriage, and, having placed +them on a rock exposed only during low water, so near Berrissay +that Neil and his companions could see and hear them, Sir Roderick +and his men avowed that they would leave them - innocent, helpless +women and children - on the rock to be overwhelmed and drowned on +the return of the tide, if Neil and his companions did not at once +surrender the rock. Macleod knew, by stern experience, that even +to the carrying out such a fiendish crime, the promise of the Tutor, +once given, was as good as his bond. It is due to the greater +humanity of Neil that the terrible position of the helpless women +and children and their companions appalled him so much that he +decided immediately upon yielding up the rock on condition that +he and his followers should be allowed to leave the Lewis with +their lives. It cannot be doubted that but for Macleod's more +merciful conduct the ferocious act would have been committed +by Sir Roderick and his followers; and we have to thank the less +barbarous instincts of their opponents for saving the clan Mackenzie +from the commission of a crime which would have secured to its +perpetrators the execration of posterity. + +After Neil had left the rock he proceeded privately, during the +night, to his cousin Sir Roderick Mor Macleod, XIII. of Harris. +The Tutor learning this caused Macleod to be charged, under pain +of treason and forfeiture, to deliver him up to the Council. +Realising the danger of his position, Macleod prevailed upon Neil +and his son Donald to accompany him to Edinburgh, and to seek +forgiveness from the King; and under pretence of this he delivered +them both up on arriving in the city, where Neil, in April, 1613, +was at once executed and his son afterwards banished out of the +kingdom. This treacherous conduct on the part of Macleod of Harris +cannot be excused, but it was a fair return for a similar act of +treachery of which Neil had been guilty against another some little +time before. + +When on Berrissay, he met with the captain of a pirate, with whom +he entered into a mutual bond by which they were to help each +other, both being outlaws. The captain agreed to defend the rock +from the seaward side while Neil made his incursions on shore. +They promised faithfully to live and die together, and to make the +agreement more secure, it was arranged that the stranger should +marry Neil's aunt, a daughter of Torquil Blair. The day fixed +for the marriage having arrived, and Neil and his adherents having +discovered that the captain had several articles of value aboard +his vessel, he, when the master of the pirate was naturally off +his guard, treacherously seized the ship, and sent the captain and +crew prisoners to Edinburgh, expecting that in this way he might +secure pardon for himself in addition to possession of all the stores +on board. By order of the Council the sailors were all hanged +at Leith. Much of the silver and gold taken from the vessel Neil +carried to Harris, where probably it helped to tempt Macleod, as +it previously tempted himself to break faith with Neil. The official +account of these incidents has been already given at pages 194-95. + +Sir Robert Gordon writing about this period but referring to 1477, +says - "From the ruins of the family of Clandonald, and some of the +neighbouring Highlanders, and also by their own virtue, the surname of +the Clankenzie, from small beginnings, began to flourish in these +bounds; and by the friendship and favour of the house of Sutherland, +chiefly of Earl John, fifth of that name, Earl of Sutherland (whose +Chamberlains they were, in receiving the rents of the Earldom of +Ross to his use) their estate afterwards came to great height, +yea above divers of their more ancient neighbours. The chief and +head of the family at this day is Colin Mackenzie, Lord of Kintail, +now created Earl of Seaforth." [Gordon's "Earldom of Sutherland," +p. 77.] If the family was so powerful in 1477, what must its +position have been under Lord Colin? The Earl of Cromarty says +that "This Colin was a noble person of virtuous endowments, beloved +of all good men, especially his Prince. He acquired and settled +the right of the superiority of Moidart and Arisaig, the Captain +of Clandonald's lands, which his father, Lord Kenneth, formerly +claimed right to but lived not to accomplish it. Thus, all the +Highlands and Islands from Ardnamurchan to Strathnaver were either +Mackenzie's property, or under his vassalage, some few excepted, +and all about him were tied to his family by very strict bonds of +friendship or vassalage, which, as it did beget respect from many +it be got envy in others, especially his equals." + +It is difficult to discover any substantial aid which the Mackenzies +ever received from the Earls of Sutherland of the kind stated by +Sir Robert Gordon. We have carefully perused the whole of the +work from which the above quotation is made, and are unable to +discover a single instance prior to 1477, where the Sutherlands +were of any service whatever to the family of Kintail; and the +assumption is only another instance of that quality of partiality +to his own family," so characteristic of Sir Robert, and for which +even the publishers of his work deemed it necessary to apologise +in the Advertisement prefaced to his "History of the Earldom of +Sutherland." They "regret the hostile feelings which he expresses +concerning others who were equally entitled to complain of aggression +on the part of those whom he defends," but "strict fidelity to the +letter of the manuscript" would not allow them to omit "the instances +in which this disposition appears." After Mackenzie's signal victory +over the Macdonalds at Blar-na-Pairc, and Hector Roy's prowess at +Drumchait, the Earl of Sutherland began to think that the family +of Mackenzie, rapidly growing in power and influence, might be of +some service in the prosecution of his own plans and in extending +his power, and he accordingly entered into the bond of manrent +with him already noticed. It has been seen that, for a long time +after, the advantages of this arrangement were entirely on the side +of the Sutherlands, as at the battle of Brora and other places +previously mentioned. The appointment of Kintail as Deputy- +Chamberlain of the Earldom of Ross was due to and in acknowledgment +of these signal and repeated services, and the obligations and +advantages of the office were found to be reciprocal. The first +and only instance in which the Earl's connection with Mackenzie is +likely to have been of service in the field is on the occasion when, +in 1605, he sent "six score" men to support him against Glengarry, +and these, it has been seen, had fled before they saw the enemy. +So much for the favour and friendship of the House of Sutherland +and its results before and after 1477. + +Lord Colin became involved in legal questions with the Earl of Argyll +about the superiority of Moidart and Arisaig, and thus spent most +of the great fortune accumulated for him by his uncle the Tutor; +but he was ultimately successful against Argyll. He was frequently +at the Court of James VI., with whom he was a great favourite, +and in 1623 he was raised to the peerage by the title of Earl +of Seaforth, and Viscount Fortrose. From his influence at Court +he was of great service to his followers and friends; while he +exerted himself powerfully and steadily against those who became +his enemies from jealousy of his good fortune and high position. + +He imposed high entries and rents upon his Kintail and West Coast +tenants, which they considered a most "grievous imposition." In +Lord Kenneth's time and that of his predecessors, the people had +their lands at very low rates. After the wars with Glengarry the +inhabitants of the West Coast properties devoted themselves more +steadily to the improvement of their stock and lands, and accumulated +considerable means. The Tutor, discovering this, took advantage +of their prosperity and imposed a heavy entry or grassum on their +tacks payable every five years. "I shall give you one instance +thereof. The tack of land called Muchd in Letterfearn, as I was +told by Farquhar Mac Ian Oig, who paid the first entry out of it to +the Tutor, paid of yearly duty before but 40 merks Scots, a cow +and some meal, which cow and meal was usually converted to 20 +merks but the Tutor imposed 1000 merks of entry upon it for a +five years' tack. This made the rent very little for four years +of the tack, but very great and considerable for the first year. +The same method proportionately was taken with the rest of the +lands, and continued so during the Tutor's and Colin's time, but +Earl George, being involved in great troubles, contracted so much +debt that he could not pay his annual rents yearly and support his +own state, but was forced to delay his annual rents to the year of +their entry, and he divided the entry upon the five years with the +people's consent and approbation, so that the said land of Muchd +fell to pay 280 merks yearly and no entry." From this account, +taken from the contemporary Ardintoul Manuscript, it appears that +the system of charging rent on the tenant's own improvements is an +injustice of considerable antiquity. + +Colin "lived most of his time at Chanonry in great state and very +magnificently. He annually imported his wines from the Continent, +and kept a store for his wines, beers, and other liquors, from which +he replenished his fleet on his voyages round the West Coast and +the Lewis, when he made a circular voyage every year or at least +every two years round his own estates. I have heard John Beggrie, +who then served Earl Colin, give an account of his voyages after +the bere seed was sown at Allan (where his father and grandfather +had a great mains, which was called Mackenzie's girnel or granary), +took a Journey to the Highlands, taking with him not only his +domestic servants but several young gentlemen of his kin, and +stayed several days at Killin, whither he called all his people +of Strathconan, Strathbran, Strathgarve, and Brae Ross, and did +keep courts upon them and saw all things rectified. From thence +he went to Inverewe, where all his Lochbroom tenants and others +waited upon him, and got all their complaints heard and rectified. +It is scarcely credible what allowance was made for his table of +Scotch and French wines during these trips amongst his people. +From Inverewe he sailed to the Lewis, with what might be called +a small navy, having as many boats, if not more loaded with +liquors, especially wines and English beer, as he had under men. +He remained in the Lewis for several days, until he settled all +the controversies arising among the people in his absence, and +setting his land. From thence he went to Sleat in the Isle of Skye, +to Sir Donald Macdonald, who was married to his sister Janet, and +from that he was invited to Harris, to Macleod's house, who was +married to his sister Sybilla. While he tarried in these places +the lairds, the gentlemen of the Isles, and the inhabitants came +to pay their respects to him, including Maclean, Clanranald, +Raasay, Mackinnon, and other great chiefs. They then convoyed him +to Islandonain. I have heard my grandfather, Mr Farquhar MacRa +(then Constable of the Castle), say that the Earl never came to +his house with less than 300 and sometimes 500 men. The Constable +was bound to furnish them victuals for the first two meals, till +my Lord's officers were acquainted to bring in his own customs. +There they consumed the remains of the wine and other liquors. When +all these lairds and gentlemen took their leave of him, he called +the principal men of Kintail, Lochalsh, and Lochcarron together, +who accompanied him to his forest of Monar, where they had a great +and most solemn hunting day, and from Monar he would return to +Chanonry about the latter end of July." [Ardintoul MS.] + +He built the Castle of Brahan, which he thought of erecting where +the old castle of Dingwall stood, or on the hill to the west of +Dingwall, either of which would have been very suitable situations; +but the Tutor who had in view to erect a castle where he afterwards +erected Castle Leod, induced the Lord High Chancellor, Seaforth's +father-in-law, to prevail upon him to build his castle upon his +own ancient inheritance, which he subsequently did, and which was +then one of the most stately houses in Scotland. He also added +greatly to the Castle of Chanonry, and "as be was diligent in +secular affairs, so be and his lady were very pious and religious." +They went yearly to take the Sacraments from the Rev. Thomas +Campbell, minister of Carmichael, a good and religious man, and +staid eight days with him; nor did their religion consist in form +and outward show. They proved its reality by their good works. +He had usually more than one chaplain in his house. He provided +the kirks of the Lewis without being obliged to do so, as also +the five kirks of Kintail, Lochalsh, Lochcarron, Lochbroom, and +Gairloch, all of which he was patron, with valuable books from +London, the works of the latest and best authors, "whereof many are +yet extant" He also laid the foundation for a church in Strathconan +and Strathbran, of which the walls are "yet to be seen in Main +in Strathconan, the walls being built above the height of a man +above the foundation, and he had a mind to endow it had he lived +longer." He mortified 4000 merks for the Grammar School of +Chanonry, and had several works of piety in his view to perform +if his death had not prevented it. The last time he went to Court +some malicious person, envying his greatness and favour, laboured +to give the King a bad impression of him, as if he were not thoroughly +loyal; but the King himself was the first who told him what was +said about him, which did not a little surprise and trouble the +Earl, but it made no impression on the King, who was conscious +and sufficiently convinced of his loyalty and fidelity. After his +return from Court his only son, Lord Alexander, died of smallpox +at Chanonry, on the 3d of June, 1629, to the great grief of all +who knew him, but especially his father and mother. His demise +hastened her death at Edinburgh, on the 20th February, 1631. She +was buried with her father at Fife on the 4th of March; after +which the Earl contracted a lingering sickness, which, for some +time before his death, confined him to his chamber, during which +"he behaved most Christianly, putting his house in order, giving +donations to his servants, etc." He died at Chanonry on the 15th +of April, 1633, in the 36th year of his age, and was buried there +with his father on the 18th of May following, much lamented and +regretted by all who knew him. The King sent a gentleman all the +way to Chanonry to testify his respect and concern for him, and to +attend his funeral, which took place, on the date already stated, +with great pomp and solemnity. "Before his death he called his +successor, George of Kildene, to his bedside, and charged him with +the protection of his family; but above all to be kind to his men +and followers, for that he valued himself while he lived upon their +account more than upon his great estate and fortune." [Ardintoul, +Letterfearn, and other Family MSS.] On the occasion of his last +visit to London the King complimented him on being the best archer +in Britain. + +Colin married, first, Lady Margaret Seton, daughter of Alexander, +Earl of Dunfermline, Lord High Chancellor of Scotland, with issue - + +I. Alexander Lord Kintail, who died young. + +II. Anna, who married Alexander, second Lord Lindsay, who was +created Earl of Balcarres by Charles II. in 1651. By him Lady Anna +had two sons, Charles and Colin. Charles succeeded his father, +and died unmarried. Colin then became third Earl, and married +Jane, daughter of David, Earl of Northesk, by whom he had issue +an only daughter, who married Alexander Erikine, third Earl of +Kellie. Secondly, the Earl of Balcarres married Jane, daughter of +William, second Earl of Roxburgh, by whom he had an only daughter, +who married John Fleming, sixth Earl of Wigton. This Earl +of Balcarres married a third time Margaret, daughter of James +Campbell, Earl of Loudon, by whom he had two sons, Alexander and +James. Alexander succeeded his father, but died without issue, +and was succeeded by James, fifth Earl of Balcarres, from whom the +present line descends uninterruptedly, carrying along with it, in +right of the said Anna Mackenzie, daughter of Colin, first Earl +of Seaforth, first Countess of Balcarres, the lineal representation +of the ancient House of Kintail. Anna married, secondly, Archibald, +ninth Earl of Argyll, beheaded in 1685, and died in 1706. + +III. Jean, who married John, Master of Berriedale, with issue, +George, sixth Earl of Caithness, who died without issue in 1676. +She afterwards married Lord Duffus, with issue, and died in 1648. +His lordship died, as already stated, at Chanonry on the 15th of +April, 1633, and was buried in the Cathedral Church of Fortrose +in a spot chosen by himself. His son, Lord Alexander, having died +before his father, on the 3d of June, 1629, and Colin having had +no other issue male, he was succeeded by his brother, + +XIV. GEORGE, SECOND EARL OF SEAFORTH, + +THIRD LORD MACKENZIE OF KINTAIL, eldest son of Kenneth, the +first Lord, by his second marriage. During the life of his father +and brother he was known as George Mackenzie of Kildun. In 1633 +he was "served heir male to his brother Colin, Earl of Seaforth, +Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, in the lands and barony of Ellandonnan, +including the barony of Lochalsh, in which was included the barony +of the lands and towns of Lochcarron, namely, the towns and lands +of Auchnaschelloch, Coullin, Edderacharron, Attadill, Ruychichan, +Brecklach, Achachoull, Delmartyne, with fishings in salt water +and fresh, Dalcharlarie, Arrinachteg, Achintie, Slumba, Doune, +Stromcarronach, in the Earldom of Ross, of the old extent of L13 +6s 8d, and also the towns of Kisserin, and lands of Strome, with +fishings in salt and fresh water, and the towns and lands of Torridan +with the pertinents of the Castle of Strome; Lochalsh, Lochcarron, +and Kisserin, including the davach of Achvanie, the davach of +Achnatrait, the davach of Stromcastell, Ardnagald, Ardneskan, and +Blaad, and the half davach of Sannachan, Rassoll, Meikle Strome, +and Rerag, in the Earldom of Ross, together of the old extent of +L8 13s 4d." ["Origines Parochiales Scotiae", p. 401.] He was served +heir male to his father Kenneth, Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, in +the lands and barony of Pluscardine, on the 14th of January, 1620; +and had charters of Balmungie and Avoch, on the 18th of July, +1635; of Raasay, on the 18th of February, 1637 and of Lochalsh, on +the 4th of July, 1642. + +His high position in the North, and his intimate friendship at +this period with the powerful House of Sutherland, is proved by +the fact that he and Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, on the 2d of +November, 1633, stood godfathers to George Gordon, second son of +John, Earl of Sutherland; and there cannot be any doubt that to +the influence of the latter must mainly be attributed Seaforth's +vacillating conduct during the earlier years of the great civil +wars which became the curse of Scotland for so many years after. +In 1635 the Privy Council, with the view of putting down the +irregularities then prevalent in the Highlands, demanded securities +from the chiefs of clans, heads of families, and governors of +counties, in conformity with a general bond, previously agreed +to, that they should be responsible for their clans and surnames, +men-tenants, and servants. The first called upon to give this +security was the Earl of Huntly; then followed the Earls of +Sutherland and Seaforth, and afterwards Lord Lorn and all the chiefs +in the western and northern parts of the Kingdom. + +In the following year the slumbering embers of religious differences +broke out into a general blaze all over the country. Then began +those contentions about ecclesiastical questions, church discipline +and liturgies, at all times fraught with the seeds of discontent +and danger to the common weal, and which in this case ultimately +led to such sad and momentous consequences as only religious feuds +can. Charles I. was playing the despot with his subjects, not +only in Scotland, but in England. He was governing without a +Parliament, defying and trying to crush the desires and aspirations +of a people born to govern themselves and to be free. His infatuated +attempt to introduce the Liturgy of the Church of England into the +Calvinistic and Presbyterian pulpits of Scotland was as insane as it +was unavailing. But his English as well as Scottish subjects were at +the same time almost in open rebellion for their liberties. He tried +to put down the rising in Scotland by the sword, but his means and +military skill were unequal to the task. He failed to impose the +English Liturgy on his Scottish subjects, but his attempt to do so +proved the deliverance of his English subjects from high-handed +tyranny. It is only natural that in these circumstances Seaforth, +though personally attached to the King, should be found on the side +of the Covenant, and that he should have joined the Assembly, the +clergy, and the nobles in the Protest, and in favour of the renewal +of the Confession of Faith previously accepted and confirmed by +James VI. in 1580, 1581, and 1590, at the same time that these +several bodies entered into a covenant or bond of mutual defence +among themselves against all opposition from whatever source. + +The principal among the Northern nobles who entered into this +engagement were the Earls of Seaforth and Sutherland, Lord Lovat, +the Rosses, Munroes, Grant of Grant, Mackintosh of Mackintosh, +Innes, the Sheriff of Moray, Kilravock, Cumming of Altyre, and +the Tutor of Duffus. These, with their followers under command of +the Earl of Seaforth, who was appointed General of the Covenanters +north of the Spey, marched to Morayshire, where they met the Royalists +on the northern banks of the river ready to oppose their advance. [On +May 14, 1639, 4000 men met at Elgin under the command of the Earl of +Seaforth, and the gentlemen following, viz.: The Master of Lovat, the +Master of Ray, George, brother to the Earl of Sutherland, Sir James +Sinclare of Murkle, Laird of Grant, Young Kilravock, Sheriff of +Murray, Laird of Innes, Tutor of Duffus, Hugh Rose of Achnacloich, +John Munro of Lemlare, etc. They encamped at Speyside, to keep the +Gordons and their friends from entering Murray; and they remained +encamped till the pacification, which was signed June 18, was +proclaimed, and intimated to them about June 22. - "Shaw's MS. History +of Kilravock."] An arrangement was here come to between Thomas +Mackenzie of Pluscardine, Seaforth's brother, on behalf of +the Covenanters, and a representative from the Gordons for their +opponents, that the latter should recross to the south side of the +Spey, and that the Highlanders should return home. About the same +time Seaforth received a despatch from Montrose, then at Aberdeen +and fighting for the Covenant, intimating the pacification entered +into on the 20th of June between the King and his subjects at +Berwick, and requesting Seaforth to disband his army - an order which +was at once obeyed. Shortly after, however, Montrose dissociated +himself from the Covenanters, joined the King's side and raised the +Royal standard. The Earl of Seaforth soon after this was suspected +of lukewarmness for the Covenant. In 1640 the King arrived at +York on his way north to reduce the Covenanting Scots, after they +had resolved to invade England, and, as a precautionary measure, to +imprison or expel all suspected Royalists from the army. Among +the suspects are found the Earl of Seaforth, Lord Reay, and +several others, who were taken before the Assembly, kept in ward +at Edinburgh for two months; and in 1641, on the King's arrival +in Scotland, the Earl of Traquair, who had been summoned before +Parliament as an opponent to the Lords of the Covenant succeeded +in persuading the Earls of Montrose, Wigton, Athole, Hume, and +Seaforth (who had meanwhile escaped), and several other influential +chiefs, to join in a bond against the Covenanters. + +Soon after this Montrose leaves Elgin with the main body of his +army, and marches towards the Bog of Gight, accompanied by the +Earl of Seaforth, Sir Robert Gordon, Grant of Grant, Mackenzie +of Pluscardine, and several other gentlemen who came to him at +Elgin, to support the King. After this, however, fearing that +depredations might be committed upon his followers by a garrison +of two regiments then stationed at Inverness, and the other +Covenanters of that district, he permitted Seaforth, Grant of +Grant, and other Morayshire gentlemen, to return home in order to +defend their estates, but before permitting them to depart he made +them swear allegiance to the King and promise that they should never +again under any circumstances take up arms against his Majesty or +any of his loyal subjects, and to rejoin him with all their available +forces as soon as they were able to do so. Seaforth, however, +with unaccountable want of decision, disregarded his oath, again +joined the Covenanters, and excused himself in a letter to the +Committee of Estates, saying that he had joined the Royalists +through fear of Montrose, at the same time avowing that he would +abide by "the good cause to his death" - a promise not much to be +trusted. + +He is soon again in the field, this time against Montrose. Wishart +says that "the Earl of Seaforth, a very powerful man in those +parts (and one of whom he entertained a better opinion) with the +garrison of Inver-ness, which were old soldiers, and the whole +strength of Moray, Ross, Sutherland, and Caithness, and the sept +of the Frasers, were ready to meet him with a desperate army of +5000 horse and foot." Montrose had only 1500 - the Macdonalds +of Glengarry and the Highlanders of Athol having previously gone +home, against the earnest solicitude of Montrose that they should +complete the campaign, according to their usual custom, to deposit +the booty obtained in their repeated victories under their great +chief, but on the plea of repairing their houses and other property +which had been so much injured by their enemies in their absence. +The great commander, however, although he knew many of the garrison +to be old soldiers, decided to attack the superior numbers against +him, correctly surmising that a great many of his opponents were +newly raised recruits "from among husband-men, cowherds, tavern-boys +and kitchen-boys," and would be raw and unserviceable. Fortunately +for Seaforth and his forces, matters turned out otherwise. The +gallant Marquis, on his way to Inverness, was informed of Argyll's +descent on Lochaber, and, instantly changing his route, he fell +down upon him at Inverlochy so unexpectedly, that when Argyll, by +an ignominious flight in one of his boats, made himself secure, he +had the well-merited reward of personal cowardice and pusillanimity +of witnessing fifteen hundred of his devoted adherents cut down, +among whom were a great number of the leading gentlemen of the clan, +who deserved to fight under a better and less cowardly commander. +Among those who fell were Campbell of Auchinbreck, Campbell +of Lochnell, his eldest son, and his brother Colin; Macdougall +of Rara, and his eldest son, Major Menzies, brother to the Chief +of Achattens Parbreck, and the Provost of the Church of Kilmuir. +The power of the Campbells was thus broken, and so probably would +that of Seaforth had Montrose attacked him first. + +After this brilliant victory at Inverlochy, on the 2d February, +1645, Montrose returned to Moray, by Badenoch, where on his march to +Elgin, he was met by Thomas Mackenzie of Piuscardine and others, +sent by Seaforth and the Covenanters as commissioners to treat +with him. They received an indignant answer. The Marquis declined +any negotiation, but offered to accept the services of such as +would join and obey him as the King's Lieutenant-General. The +Earl of Seaforth was then sent by the Committee of Ross and +Sutherland, in person, and meeting the Marquis between Elgin and +Forres, he was arrested and for several days detained prisoner. He +was subsequently released, but all the authorities plead ignorance +of the terms. + +When the Royalists marched south, the Laird of Lawers, who was +then Governor of the Castle of Inverness, cited all those who had +communications with Montrose in Moray, and compelled them to give +bonds for their appearance, to answer for their conduct, before +Parliament, if required to do so. Among them were Thomas Mackenzie of +Pluscardine; and, after the affair at Fettercairn, and the retreat +of Montrose from Dundee, the Earls of Seaforth and Sutherland, +with the whole of the Clan Fraser, and most of the men of Caithness +and Moray, are found assembled at Inverness, where General Hurry, +who had retreated before Montrose, joined them with a force of +Gordons - 1000 foot and 200 horse - the whole amounting to about 3500 +of the former and 400 of the latter, which included Sutherlands, +Mackenzies, Frasers, Roses, and Brodies, while the followers of +Montrose consisted of Gordons, Macdonalds, Macphersons, Mackintoshes, +and Irish, to the number of about 3000 foot and 300 horse. [Shaw's +MS. History.] Montrose halted at the village of Auldearn, and +General Hurry finding such a large force waiting for him at Inverness, +decided to retrace his steps the next morning, and give battle to +the Marquis at that village. + +The author of the Ardintoul MS. tells how Seaforth came to take +part in the battle of Auldearn, and gives the following interesting +account of his reasons and of the engagement: "General Hurry sent +for Seaforth to Inverness, and during a long conference informed +him that although he was serving the States himself he privately +favoured the King's cause. He advised Seaforth to dismiss his men +and make a pretence that he had only sent for them to give them new +leases of their lands, and in case it was necessary to make an +appearance to fight Montrose, he could bring, when commanded to do so, +two or three companies from Chanonry and Ardmeanach, which the Marquis +would accept. It was, however, late before they parted, and Lady +Seaforth, who was waiting for her lord at Kessock, prepared a +sumptuous supper for her husband and his friends. The Earl and his +guests kept up the festivities so long and so well that he 'forgot +or delayed to advertise his men to dismiss till to-morrow,' and +going to bed very late, before he could stir in the morning all the +lairds and gentlemen of Moray came to him, most earnestly entreating +him by all the laws of friendship and good neighbourhood, and for +the kindness they had for him while he lived among them, and which +they manifested to his brother yet living amongst them, that his +lordship would not see them ruined and destroyed by Montrose and the +Irish, when he might easily prevent it without the least loss to +himself or his men, assuring him that if he should join General +Hurry with what forces he had then under his command, Montrose would +go away with his Irish and decline to fight them. Seaforth, +believing his visitors, and thinking, as they said, that Montrose +with so small a number would not venture to fight, his opponents +being twice the number, and many of them trained soldiers. Hurry +told him that he was to march immediately against Montrose and being +of an easy and compassionate nature, Seaforth yielded to their +request, and sent immediately in all haste for his Highlanders, +crossed the ferry of Kessock, and marched straight with the rest of +his forces to Auldearn, where Montrose had his camp; but the Moray +men found themselves mistaken in thinking the Marquis would make off, +for he was not only resolved but glad of the opportunity to fight +them before Baillie, whom he knew was on his march north with +considerable forces, could join General Hurry, and so drawing up his +men with great advantage of ground he placed Alexander Macdonald, +with the Irish, on the right wing beneath the village of Auldearn, +and Lord Gordon with the horse on the left. On the south side of +Auldearn, he himself (Montrose) biding in town, and making a show of +a main battle with a few men, which Hurry understanding and making +it his business that Montrose should carry the victory, and that +Seaforth would come off without great loss, he set his men, who were +more than double the number of their adversaries, to Montrose's +advantage, for he placed Sutherland, Lovat's men, and some others, +with the horse under Drummond's command, on the right wing, opposite +to my Lord Gordon, and Loudon and Laurie's Regiments, with some +others on the left wing, opposite Alexander Macdonald and the Irish, +and placed Seaforth's men for the most in the midst, opposite +Montrose, where he knew they could not get hurt till the wings were +engaged. Seaforth's men were commanded to retire and make off before +they had occasion or command to fight; but the men hovering, and not +understanding the mystery, were commanded again to make off and +follow Drummond with the horse, who gave only one charge to the +enemy and then fled, which they did by leaving both the wings +and some of their own men to the brunt of the enemy, because they +stood at a distance from them, the right wing being sore put to +by my Lord Gordon, and seeing Drummond with the horse and their +neighbours fly, they began to follow. Sutherland and Lovat suffered +great loss, while on the left wing, Loudon's Regiment and Lawrie with +his Regiment were both totally cut off betwixt the Irish and the +Gordons, who came to assist them after Sutherland's and Lovat's men +were defeated. Seaforth's men got no hurt in the pursuit, nor did +they lose many men in the fight, the most considerable being John +Mackenzie of Kernsary, cousin-german to the Earl, and Donald Bain, +brother to Tulloch and Chamberlain to Seaforth in the Lewis, both +being heavy and corpulent men not fit to fly, and being partly +deceived by Seaforth's principal ensign or standard-bearer in the +field, who stood to it with some others of the Lochbroom and Lewis +men, till they were killed, and likewise Captain Bernard Mackenzie, +with the rest of his company, which consisted of Chanonry men and +some others thereabout, being somewhat of a distance from the rest of +Seaforth's men, were killed on the spot. There were only four +Kintail men who might make their escape with the rest if they had +looked rightly to themselves, namely, the Bannerman of Kintail, +called Rory Mac Ian Dhomh'uill Bhain, alias Maclennan, who, out of +foolhardiness and indignation, to see that banner, which was wont to +be victorious, fly in his hands, fastens the staff of it in the +ground, and stands to it with his two-handed sword drawn, and would +not accept of quarter, though tendered to him by my Lord Gordon in +person; nor would he suffer any to approach him to take him alive, as +the gentlemen beholders wished, so that they were forced to shoot +him. The other three were Donald the bannerman's brother, Malcolm +Macrae, and Duncan Mac Ian Oig. Seaforth and his men, with Colonel +Hurry and the rest, came back that night to Inverness, all the men +laying the blame of the loss of the day upon Drummond, who commanded +the horse, and fled away with them, for which, by a Council of +War, he was sentenced to die; but Hurry assured him that he would +get him absolved, though at the very time of his execution he made +him keep silence, but when Drummond was about to speak, he caused +him to be shot suddenly, fearing, as was thought, that he would +reveal that what was acted was by Hurry's own directions. This +account of the Battle of Auldearn I had from an honourable gentleman +and experienced soldier, as we were riding by Auldearn, who was +present from first to last at this action, and who asked Hurry, +'Who set the battle with such advantage to Montrose and to the +inevitable loss and overthrow of his own side?' to whom Hurry, +being confident of the gentlemen, said, 'I know what I am doing, +we shall have by-and-bye excellent sport between the Irish and +the States Regiments, and I shall carry off Seaforth's men without +loss;' and that Hurry was more for Montrose than for the States +that day is very probable, because, shortly thereafter when he +found opportunity, he quitted the States service, and is reckoned +as first of Montrose's friends, who, in August next year, embarked +with Montrose to get off the nation, and returned with him again +in his second expedition to Scotland, and was taken prisoner at +Craigchonachan, and sent south and publicly executed with Montrose +as guilty of the same fault." + +Montrose gained another engagement at Alford on the 2nd of July, +after which he was joined by a powerful levy of West Highlanders +under Colla Ciotach Macdonald, Clanranald, and Glengarry, the +Macnabs, Macgregors, and the Stewarts of Appin. In addition to +these some of the Farquharsons of Braemar and small parties of +lesser septs from Badenoch rallied round the standard of Montrose. +Thus, as a contemporary writer says, "he went like a current speat +(spate) through this kingdom." Seeing all this - the great successes +of Montrose and so many Highlanders joining - Seaforth, who had +never been a hearty Covenanter, began to waver. The Estates sent +a commission to the Earl of Sutherland appointing him as their +Lieutenant north of the Spey, but he refused to accept it. It was +then offered to Seaforth, who likewise declined it, but instead +"contrived and framed ane band, under the name of an humble +remonstrance, which he perswaded manie and threatened others +to subscryve. This remonstrance gave so great a distast to both +the Church and State, that the Earl of Seaforth was therefore +excommunicate by the General Assemblie; and all such as did not +disclaim the raid remonstrance within some days thereafter, were, +by the Committee of Estates, declared inimies to the publick. +Hereupon the Earl of Seaforth joined publicly with Montrose in +April, 1646, at the siege of Inverness, though before that time be +had only joined in private councils with him." [Gordon's "Earldom +of Sutherland," p. 529.] + +At Inverness, through the action of the Marquis of Huntly and the +treachery of his son, Lord Lewis Gordon, Montrose was surprised by +General Middleton, but he promptly crossed the river Ness in face +of a regiment of cavalry, under Major Bromley, who crossed the +river by a ford above the town, while another detachment crossed +lower down towards the sea with a view to cut off his retreat. These +he succeeded in beating back with a trifling loss on either side, +whereupon he marched unmolested to Kinmylies, and the following +morning he went round by Beauly and halted at Fairley, where slight +marks of field works are still to be seen; and now, for the first +time, he found himself in the territories of the Mackenzies, +accompanied by Seaforth in person. Montrose, here finding himself +in a level country, with an army mainly composed of raw levies +newly raised by Seaforth among his own people, and taught by their +chief's vacillating conduct and example to have little interest or +enthusiasm in either cause, did not consider it prudent to engage +Middleton, who pursued him with a disciplined force, including +a considerable following of cavalry, ready to fight with every +advantage on his side in a level country. He therefore moved rapidly +up through the valley of Strathglass, crossed to Loch-Ness, and +passed through Stratherrick in the direction of the river Spey. +Meanwhile Middleton advanced to Fortrose and laid siege to the +castle, which was at the time under the charge of Lady Seaforth. +She surrendered after a siege of four days; and having removed +a considerable quantity of stores and ammunition, sent by Queen +Henrietta for the use of Montrose on his arrival there, Middleton +gave the Countess, whom he treated with the greatest civility and +respect, possession of the stronghold. + +The Committee on Public Affairs, which, throughout the contest, +acted in opposition to the Royal authority, and held sederunts +at Aberdeen and Dundee as well as at Edinburgh, gratified their +malignity, after Montrose gave up the fight in 1646, by fining +the loyalists in enormous amounts of money, and decerning them to +"lend" to the committee such sums - in many cases exorbitant - as +they thought proper. Sir Robert Farquhar, formerly a Bailie of +Aberdeen, was treasurer, and in the sederunt held in that city, +the committee threw a comprehensive net over the clan Mackenzie. +Sixteen of the name were decerned to lend the large sum of L28,666 +13s 4d Scots; but from the other side of the balance sheet it is +found that they declined to lend a penny; and Sir Robert credits +himself as treasurer thus: "Item of the loan moneys above set +down there is yet resting unpaid, and wherefore no payment can +be gotten, as follows - viz. - Be the name of Mackenzie, sixteen +persons, the sum of L28,666 13s 4d Scots." The following are the +names and sums decerned against each of them: Thomas Mackenzie +of Pluscardine, L2000; Alexander Mackenzie of Kilcoy, L2000; +Roderick Mackenzie of Redcastle, L2000; Alexander Mackenzie of +Coul, L6000; Kenneth Mackenzie of Gairloch, L3333 6s 8d; Hector +Mackenzie of Scotsburn, L2000; Roderick Mackenzie of Davochmaluag, +L1333 6s 8d; John Mackenzie of Dawach-Cairn, L1333 6s 8d; William +Mackenzie of Multavie, L1000; Kenneth Mackenzie of Scatwell, L2000; +Thomas Mackenzie of Inverlael, L1333 6s 8d; Colin Mackenzie of +Mullochie, L666 13s 4d; Donald Mackenzie of Logie, L666 13s 4d; +Kenneth Mackenzie of Assint, L1000; Colin Mackenzie of Kincraig, +L1000; Alexander Mackenzie of Suddie, L1000. Among the other +sums decerned is one of L6666 13s 4d against "William Robertson in +Kindeace, and his son Gilbert Robertson," and in Inverness and +Ross the loan amounted to the respectable sum of L44,783 6s 8d, of +which the treasurer was allowed to retain L15,000 in his own hands. +The sum, with large amounts of disbursements by the committee, +show that they were more fortunate with others than with the Clan +Mackenzie. ["Antiquarian Notes," pp. 307-308-309.] + +The Earl of Seaforth taking advantage of being on opposite sides +to the Earl of Sutherland, now asserted some old claims against +Donald Ban Mor Macleod, IX. of Assynt, a follower of the house of +Sutherland, who afterwards became notorious as the captor of the +great Montrose himself. In May, 1646, Mackenzie laid siege to +his castle, on the Isle of Assynt. + +A document written by a friend of the family of Assynt, in 1738, +for Norman Macleod, XIX. of Macleod, who, in that year, in virtue +of a disposition of all his estates made by Neil Macleod of Assynt +to John Breac Macleod, XVI. of Macleod, dated the 24th of November, +1681, commenced a process against Mackenzie, gives a most interesting +account of the proceedings, from the Macleod point of view, by +which Seaforth obtained possession of the lands of Assynt. This +document or "Information" came into the possession of Simon Lord +Lovat, with whose papers it found its way to the Rev. Donald +Fraser, minister of Killearnan, and is now the property of that +gentleman's grandson, the Rev. Hector Fraser, Halkirk. It was +read by Mr William Mackay, solicitor, Inverness, before the Gaelic +Society there on the 19th of March, 1890, and is published at +length in their Transactions for that year, vol. XVI. pp. 197-207. +According to the writer of this paper, Neil Macleod was in +possession of Assynt from 1650 to 1672, when in the latter year +"he was violently dispossessed by Seaforth," and was from 1672 +to 1692, when be obtained a "Decree of Spulzie" against Seaforth, +endeavouring to recover his right, but without avail. He says that +from the time Seaforth got a right, "such as it was," to the Island +of Lewis for a payment of ten thousand merks, "and afterwards, +in lieu of that, for a mile of the wood of Letterew," he and his +family had it in view to make themselves masters of the estate of +Macleod of Assynt, who, he erroneously states, "was lineal heir to +the estates of Lewis." In order to give effect to this intention +Seaforth purchased several old claims, "some of them very unjust," +against Assynt, which were made over to Thomas Mackenzie of +Plus-cardine, Seaforth's brother. In 1637 the two Mackenzies, in +virtue of these claims and the titles founded upon them, gave a +wadset of the lands of Assynt to Kenneth Mackenzie of Scatwell in +security for forty thousand merks. In 1640 "the Legal of those +claims and apprisings being expired, Seaforth did, with his friends +and clan, to the number of 1000 men, invade Assynt, and did there +commit great outrages. He being for this pursued at law, was +decerned in 40,000 pounds Scots of damages," which paid a great +part of his claim upon the estate, and it is maintained that the +remainder was afterwards paid by the means, which are set forth +in the same document, along with somewhat intricate statements, +which would occupy too much space here. The "Information" proceeds +with the following interesting details, which we give, with very +slight alteration, in his own words. + +He says that in 1646 Seaforth having joined Montrose at Inverness, +where were likewise 100 men of Assynt under his Superior's (Seaforth) +command, and Neil of Assynt himself, then a minor, being a friend, +in Seaforth's house at Brahan, Seaforth ordered his men in the +Highlands to fall upon Assynt's estate, where they made fearful +havoc, carried away, as Neil represents, 3000 cows, 2000 horses, +7000 sheep and goats, and burnt the habitations of 180 families. +When complaint was made of this in the South, Seaforth was bought +off by the interest of General Middleton, and by virtue of a +capitulation which he had with Seaforth when in the North. + +In the year 1654 Seaforth led a body of his own men, with a part +of the broken army under the command of Middleton, to Assynt and +made great depredations, destroyed a very great quantity of wine +and brandy, which the Laird of Assynt had bought, besides other +commodities, in all to the value of 50,000 merks, out of a ship +then on that coast, carrying off 2400 cows, 1500 horses, about 6000 +sheep and goats, besides burning and destroying many families. +Assynt was not liable in law to any such usage from them, having +receipts from Seaforth and Lord Reay for his proportion of the +levy appointed at that time for the King's service. When Middleton +came to that country he declared that he had given no warrant for +what Seaforth had done, and that in presence of Lord Macdonald and +Sir George Munro, etc. When Assynt pursued Seaforth before the +English judges of the time, Seaforth defeated his process by proving +that Neil had been in arms against the English, and did then allege +no cause for the injuries done by him to Assynt, except a private +quarrel. But when Macleod afterwards, at the Restoration, pursued +Seaforth, he alleged in defence that he had acted by a warrant from +Middleton, who was then commissioner for the Parliament. But Neil +says, if there was any such warrant it was certainly given after the +injuries had been done to him. However, things stood then in such a +way that Neil was not likely to procure any justice. + +There was another claim which seems to have brought matters to a +crisis. Macleod had become a party to a bond of caution granted +by Ross of Little Tarrel in the sum of L150 sterling, for which, +in 1656, an apprising was laid upon the estate of Assynt, at the +instance of Sinclair of Mey, in Caithness, who subsequently assigned +his claim to Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat and John Mackenzie, +second son of Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth, afterwards known +as the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt. The matter was contested +for a time, but "in the year 1668 or 1669 or 1670, the legal +apprising being expired, decree of mails and duties was obtained +upon the claim against the estate of Assynt and ejection against +himself. Upon pursuing this ejection in 1671, several illegal +steps were alleged against Assynt, particularly holding out the +Castle of Ard-Bhreac against the King, and his otherwise violently +opposing the ejection; whereupon Neil of Assynt, who it seems +had been negligent in defending himself against the foresaid +accusations, was denounced rebel, and a commission of fire and +sword was obtained in July, 1672, against him and his people," +granted to Lord Strathnaver, Lord Lovat, Munro of Fowlis, and +others, who at once invaded his territories with a force of 2300 +men "and committed the most horrid barbarities," until all the +country of Assynt was destroyed. + +After this raid Neil, "under the benefit of a protection," went to +consult Seaforth, who gave him a certificate of having obeyed the +King's laws, and fifteen days to consider a proposition which his +lordship made to him to dispose of his estates to himself on certain +conditions, and so settle the dispute between them for ever. But +Macleod, considering that it was not safe for him to return to +his own country, resolved to proceed to Edinburgh by sea, and to +carry his charter chest along with him. "Seaforth being apprehensive, +it seems, of the con-sequences of Assynt's going to Edinburgh, +immediately entered into correspondence and concert about the matter +with the Laird of Mey, in Caithness. The consequence was: Assynt +being driven by unfavourable winds to the Orkneys the Laird of Mey, +with a body of men, seized him there, to be sure under the notion of +an outlaw, and, by commission from Seaforth, stripped him to his shirt, +robbed him of everything, particularly of his charter chest, and of all +the writs and evidents belonging to his family and estates, carried +them to the castle of Mey; where he was kept prisoner in a vault. From +thence he was carried prisoner, under a strong guard, to Tam, and at +last to Brahan, Seaforth's house. In Brahan (to which place the +charter chest was brought, as was afterwards proved in the Process +of Spoilzie) Neil was many months detained prisoner in a vault, in +most miserable circumstances, still threatened with worse usage if +he would not agree to subscribe a blank paper, probably designed +for a disposition of his estates, which was, it seems, the great +thing designed to be procured from him by all this bad usage. At +last Neil was brought south to Edinburgh, where he arrived after +being in thirteen or fourteen prisons, and in the end he obtained +the remission formerly mentioned," for the offence of defending +the Castle of Assynt, and all the other crimes that were alleged +against him. + +His apologist makes out a strong case for him, if half his allegations +are true. In any case it is but fair to state them. Neil was in +prison, according to the "Information," when the ejection proceedings +were carried out against him. He was ignorant of the legal steps +taken against him until it was too late, and, in consequence of +his great distance from Edinburgh, he was unable to correspond with +his legal advisers there in time for his defence. His messengers, +carrying his correspondence, were more than once seized, on their +way south, and imprisoned at Chanonry. When in the south, the +contributions of his friends towards his support and the expenses +of his defence were intercepted, and his people at home were put +to great hardships by their new master, the Hon. John Mackenzie, +"for any inclination to succour him in his distress." "By all +these means, the unfortunate gentleman was reduced to great poverty +and misery, and was disabled from procuring the interest or +affording the expense needful in order to obtain justice against +such potent adversaries." And "it was easy for them (the +Mackenzies), being now possessed of his estate, to get in old unjust +patched claims from such as had them, and being possessed of his +charter chest and the retired vouchers of debts therein contained, by +all these means, to make additional titles to the estate of Assynt, +while he, poor gentleman, besides his other misfortunes, was deprived +of his writs and of all his evidences needful to be produced in his +defence against the claims of his adversaries." If a tithe of all +this is true poor Neil deserves to be pitied indeed. But after +giving such a long catalogue of charges, involving the most cruel and +deceitful acts against the Mackenzies, the author of them is himself +doubtful about their accuracy, for he says that, although the +Mackenzies, after possessing the estates, had all the advantages and +means for doing the unjust things which he alleges against them of +inventing new claims and additional titles, "it is not pretended to +be now told what additional titles they made" - an admission which +largely discounts and disposes of the other charges made by Macleod's +apologist. And, notwithstanding all his disadvantages and +difficulties, Neil made another effort "towards obtaining justice +to himself and his family"; and to that end, in 1679 and 1680, +he commenced a new process against Seaforth and all others "whom +he knew to have or pretended to have" claims against him or his +estate. It was, however, objected (1) that he had no title in +his own person to the lands of Assynt, and (2) that he was at the +horn and had no personam standi in judices. Neil made "very +pertinent" answers to these objections in 1682, but he was wisely +advised to stop the proceedings of reduction, and to commence a +Process of Spulzie against the Earl Sinclair, of Mey, the Laird of +Dunbeath, and others. Seaforth having died while these proceedings +were pending, there appears in process an Oath by his successor, +"who swears that he not then nor formerly had the charter chest, nor +knew what was become of it; and as he was not charged with having a +hand in the Spulzie he was freed thereof and of the consequences of +it, by their Lordships. Neil having given in an inventory of the +writs contained in his chest, his oath in litem was taken thereanent, +and he referred his expenses and damages to the judgment of the +Lords," with the result that, in 1692, they decerned in his favour +for the sum of two thousand pounds Scots, in name of damages and +expenses, to be paid to him by the defenders, and at the same time +superseding his further claim until he should give in more +particulars regarding it. He assigned this decree to his nephew, +Captain Donald Macleod of Geanies, and it remained as the basis of +the process which was raised by Norman Macleod, XIX. of Macleod, in +1738, already referred to "for what thereof is unpaid." But Neil, +"being unable by unparalleled bad usage, trouble, and poverty, and at +length by old age, it does not appear that lie went any further +towards obtaining of justice for himself than what is above narrated +in relation to the process of reduction and Spulzie"; and that his +friends failed in their subsequent efforts to punish Mackenzie +or re-possess themselves of the Assynt estates is sufficiently +well-known. [For Neil's connection with the Betrayal of Montrose +see Mackenzie's "History of the Macleods," pp. 410-419.] + +In 1648 Seaforth again raised a body of 4000 men in the Western +Islands and Ross-shire, whom he led south, to aid the King's cause, +but after joining in a few skirmishes under Lanark, they returned +home to "cut their corn which was now ready for their sickles." +During the whole of this period Seaforth's fidelity to the Royal +cause was open to considerable suspicion, and when Charles I. +threw himself into the hands of the Scots at Newark, and ordered +Montrose to disband his forces, Earl George, always trying to be +on the winning side, came in to Middleton, and made terms with the +Committee of Estates; but the Church, by whom he had previously +been excommunicated, continued implacable, and would only agree to +be satisfied by a public penance in sackcloth within the High Church +of Edinburgh. The proud Earl consented, underwent this ignominious +and degrading ceremonial, and his sentence of excommunication +was then removed. Notwithstanding this public humiliation, after +the death of the ill-fated and despotic Charles I., Seaforth, in +1649, went over to Holland, and joined Charles II., by whom he +was made Principal Secretary of State for Scotland, the duties of +which, however, he never had the opportunity of performing. + +Charles was proclaimed King on the 5th of February, 1649, in +Edinburgh, and it was decided by him and his friends in exile that +Montrose should make a second attempt to recover Scotland; for, on +the advice of his friends, Charles declined the humiliating terms +offered him by the Scottish faction, and, in connection with the +plans of Montrose, a rising took place in the North, under Thomas +Mackenzie of Pluscardine, brother to the Earl of Seaforth, Sir +Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty, Colonel John Munro of Lemlair, and +Colonel Hugh Fraser. On the 22d February they entered Inverness, +expelled the troops from the garrison, and afterwards demolished +the walls and fortifications. On the 26th of February a Council +of War was held, present - Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine, +Preses, Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty, H. Fraser of Belladrum, +Jo. Cuthbert of Castlehill, R. Mackenzie, of Davochmaluak; Kenneth +Mackenzie of Gairloch, R. Mackenzie of Redcastle, John Munro of +Lumlair, Simon Fraser of Craighouse, and Alex. Mackenzie of Suddie. + +This Committee made certain enactments, by which they took the +customs and excise of the six northern counties entirely into their +own hands. The Provost of Inverness was made accountable "for all +the money which, under the name of excise, has been taken up in +any of the foresaid shires since his intromissions with the office +of excise taking." Another item is that Duncan Forbes be pleased to +advance money "upon the security which the Committee will grant to +him," to be repaid out of the readiest of the "maintaince and +excise." Cromarty House was ordered to be put in a position of +defence, for which it was "requisite that some faill be cast and +led," and all Sir James Fraser's tenants within the parishes of +Cromarty and Cullicudden, together with those of the laird of +Findrassie, within the parish of Rosemarkie, were ordered "to afford +from six hours in the morning to six hours at night, and one horse +out of every oxengait daily for the space of four days, to lead the +same faill to the House of Cromarty." By the tenth enactment the +Committee find it expedient for their safety that the works and +forts of Inverness be demolished and levelled to the ground, and they +ordain that each person appointed to this work shall complete his +proportion thereof before the 4th day of March following "under pain +of being quartered upon, aud until the said task be performed." They +further enact that a garrison be placed in Culloden House, "which the +Committee is not desirous of for any intention of harm towards the +disturbance of the owner, but merely because of the security of the +garrison of Calder, which, if not kept in good order, is like to +infest all the well-affected of the country circumjacent." [For these +minutes see "Antiquarian Notes," pp. 157-8.] General Leslie having +been sent against them, they retired to the mountains of Ross, when +Leslie advanced to Fortrose and placed a garrison in the castle. He +made terms with all the other leaders except Pluscardine, who would +not listen to any accommodation, and who, immediately on Leslie's +return south, descended from his mountain fastnesses, attacked +and re-took the Castle of Chanonry. + +Pluscardine was then joined by his nephew, Lord Reay, at the head +of three hundred men, which increased his force to eight or nine +hundred. General Middleton and Lord Ogilvie, having brought up +their forces, Mackenzie advanced into Badenoch, with the view of +raising the people in that and the neighbouring districts, where +he was joined by the Marquis of Huntly, formerly Lord Lewis Gordon, +and they at once attacked and took the Castle of Ruthven. After +this they were pressed closely by Leslie, and fell down from +Badenoch to Balvenny Castle, whence they sent General Middleton +and Mackenzie to treat with Leslie, but before they reached their +destination, Carr, Halket, and Strachan, who had been in the North, +made a rapid march from Fortrose, and on the 8th of May surprised +Lord Reay with his nine hundred followers at Balvenny, with +considerable loss on both sides. Eighty Royalists fell in the +defence of the castle. Carr at once dismissed the Highlanders +to their homes on giving their oath never again to take up arms +against the Parliament, but he detained Lord Reay and some of his +kinsmen, Mackenzie of Redcastle, and a few leaders of that name, +and sent them prisoners to Edinburgh. Having there given security +to keep the peace in future, Lord Reay, Ogilvy, Huntly, and Middleton +were forgiven, and allowed to return home, Roderick Mackenzie of +Redcastle, being the only one kept in prison, until he was some +time after released, through the influence of Argyll, on payment +of a fine of seven thousand merks Scots. + +Carr now returned to Ross and laid siege to Redcastle, the only +stronghold in the North which still held out for the Royal cause. +The officer in charge recklessly exposed himself on the ramparts, +and was pulled down by a well-directed shot from the enemy. The +castle was set on fire by the exasperated soldiers. Leslie then +placed a garrison in Brahan and Chanonry Castles, and returned south. +The garrisons were then expelled, some of the men hanged, the +walls demolished, and the fortifications razed to the ground. Thus +ended an insurrection which probably would have had a very different +result had it been delayed until the arrival of Montrose. The +same year General Leslie himself came to Fortrose with nine troops +of horse, and forwarded detachments to Cromarty and "Seaforth's +strongest hold" of Ellandonnan Castle. + +The following account of this period by a contemporary writer +is very interesting: "Immediately after the battle of Auldearn +Seaforth met and communed with Montrose, the result of which +was that Seaforth should join Montrose, for the King against the +Parliament and States, whom they now discovered not to be for the +King as they professed; but in the meantime that Seaforth should not +appear, till he had called upon and prevailed with his neighbours +about him, namely, My Lord Reay, Balnagown, Lovat, Sir James +Macdonald of Sleat, Macleod of Dunvegan, and others, to join him +and follow him as their leader. Accordingly, Seaforth having +called them together, pointed out to them the condition the King +was in, and how it was their interest to rise and join together +immediately for his Majesty's service and relief. All of them +consented and approved of the motion, only some of them desired that +the Parliament who professed to be for the King as well as they, +and desired to be rid of Montrose and his bloody Irish, should +first be made acquainted with their resolution. Seaforth, being +unwilling to lose any of them, condescended, and drew up a declaration, +which was known as Seaforth's Remonstrance, as separate from +Montrose, whereof a double was sent them; but the Parliament was +so far from being pleased therewith that they threatened to proclaim +Seaforth and all who should join him as rebels. Now, after the +battle of Alford and Kilsyth, wherein Montrose was victorious, +and all in the south professing to submit to him as the King's +Lieutenant, he was by the treachery of Traquair and others of +the Covenanters, surprised and defeated at Philiphaugh. In the +beginning of the next year, 1646, he came north to recruit his army. +Seaforth raised his men and advertised his foresaid neighbours to +come, but none came except Sir James Macdonald, who, with Seaforth, +joined Montrose at Inverness, which they besieged, but Middleton, +who then served in the Scots armies in England, being sent with +nearly 1000 horse and 800 foot, coming suddenly the length of +Inverness, stopped Montrose's progress. Montrose was forced to +raise the siege and quit the campaign, and retired with Seaforth +and Sir James Macdonald to the hills of Strathglass, to await the +arrival of the rest of their confederates, Lord Reay, Glengarry, +Maclean, and several others, who, with such as were ready to join +him south, were likely to make a formidable army for the King but, +in the meantime, the King having come to the Scots army, the first +thing they extorted from him was to send a herald to Montrose, +commanding him to disband his forces, and to pass over to France +till his Majesty's further pleasure. The herald came to him in +the last of May, 1646, while he was at Strathglass waiting the rest +of the King's faithful friends who were to join him. For this +Montrose was vexed, not only for the King's condition, but for +those of his faithful subjects who declared themselves for him +and before he would disband he wrote several times to the King, +but received no answer, except some articles from the Parliament +and Covenanters, which after much reluctance, he was forced to +accept, by which he was to depart the Kingdom against the first of +September following, and the Covenanters were obliged to provide +a ship for his transportation, but finding that they neglected to +do so, meeting with a Murray ship in the harbour of Montrose, he +went aboard of her with several of his friends, namely, Sir John +Hurry, who served the States the year before, John Drummond, Henry +Brechin, George Wishart, and several others, leaving Seaforth and +the rest of his friends to the mercy of these implacable enemies; +for the States and Parliament threatened to forfeit him for acting +contrary to their orders, and the Kirk excommunicated him for +joining with the excommunicated traitor, as they called him, James +Graham; for now the Kirk began to rule with a high hand, becoming +more guilty than the bishops, of that of which they charged him +with as great a fault for meddling with civil and secular affairs; +for they not only looked upon them to form the army and to purge +it of such as whom, in their idiom, they called Malignants, but +really such as were loyal to the King; and also would have no +Acts of Parliament to pass without their consent and approbation. +Their proselytes in the laity were also heavy upon and uneasy to +such as they found or conceived to have found with a tincture of +Malignancy, whereof many instances might be given." But to return +to Seaforth. "After he was excommunicated by the Kirk he was +obliged to go to Edinburgh, where he was made prisoner and detained +two years, till in the end he was, with much ado, released from +the sentence of excommunication, and the process of forfeiture +against him discharged; for that time he returned home in the +end of the year, 1648, but King Charles I. being before that time +murdered, and King Charles II. being in France, finding that he +would not be for any time on fair terms with the States and Kirk, +he proposed to remove his family to the Island of Lewis, and dwell +there remote from public affairs, and to allocate his rents on +the mainland to pay his most pressing debts, in order to which, +having sent his lady in December to Lochcarron, where boats were +attending to transport himself and children to the Lewis by way of +Lochbroom, wherein his affairs called him, he, without acquainting +his kinsmen and friends, went aboard a ship which he had provided +for that purpose, and sailed to France, where the King was, who +received him most graciously and made him one of his secretaries. +This did incense the States against him, so that they placed a +garrison in his principal house at Brahan, under the command of +Captain Scott, who (afterwards) broke his neck from a fall from +his horse in the Craigwood of Chanonry, as also another garrison +in the Castle of Ellandonnan, under the command of one William +Johnston, which remained to the great hurt and oppression +of the people till, in the year 1650, some of the Kintail men, not +bearing the insolence of the garrison soldiers, discorded with +them, and in harvest that year killed John Campbell, a leading +person among them, with others, for having wounded several at +little Inverinate, without one drop of blood drawn out of the +Kintail men, who were only 10 in number, while the soldiers numbered +30. After this the garrison was very uneasy and greatly afraid of +the Kintail men, who threatened them so, that shortly thereafter +they removed to Ross, being commanded then by one James Chambers; +but Argyll, to keep up the face of a garrison there, sent ten men +under the command of John Muir, who lived there civilly without +molesting the people, the States were so incensed against the +Kintail men for this brush and their usage of the garrison, that +they resolved to send a strong party next spring to destroy Kintail +and the inhabitants thereof. But King Charles II., after the defeat +of Dunbar, being at Stirling recruiting his army against Cromwell, to +which Seaforth's men were called, it proved an act of oblivion and +indemnity to them, so that the Kintail men were never challenged for +their usage of the garrison soldiers. Though the Earl of Seaforth +was out of the kingdom, he gave orders to his brother Pluscardine to +raise men for the King's service whenever he saw the King's affairs +required it; and so, in the year 1649, Pluscardine did raise +Seaforth's men and my Lord Reay joining him with his men, marched +through Inverness, went through Moray, and crossed the Spey, being +resolved to join the Gordons, Atholes, and several others who were +ready to rise, and appeared for the King. Lesley, who was sent +from the Parliament to stop their progress, called Pluscardine to +treat with him, while Seaforth's and my Lord Reay's men encamped at +Balveny, promising a cessation of hostilities. For some days Colonel +Carr and Strachan, with a strong body of horse, surprised them in +their camp, when they lay secure, and taking my Lord Reay, Rory +Mackenzie of Redcastle, Rory Mackenzie of Fairburn, John Mackenzie of +Ord, and others, prisoners, threatening to kill them unless the men +surrendered and disbanded; and the under officers fearing they +would kill them whom they had taken prisoners, did their utmost to +hinder the Highlanders from fighting, cutting their bowstrings, +etc., so they were forced to disband and dissipate. Pluscardine, +in the meantime, being absent from them, and fearing to fall into +their hands, turned back to Spey with Kenneth of Coul, William +Mackenzie of Multavie, and Captain Alexander Bain, and swam the +river, being then high by reason of the rainy weather, and so +escaped from their implacable enemies. My Lord Reay, Red-castle, +and others were sent to Edinburgh as prisoners, as it were to make +a triumph, where a solemn day of thanksgiving was kept for that +glorious victory. My Lord Reay and the rest were set at liberty, +but Redcastle was still kept prisoner, because when he came from +home he garrisoned his house of Redcastle, giving strict commands +to those he placed in his house not to render or give it until +they had seen an order under his hand, whereupon Colonel Carr and +Strachan coming to Ross, after the defeat of Balvenny, summoned +the garrison to come forth, but all in vain; for they obstinately +defended the house against the besiegers until, on a certain day, +a cousin of Carr's advancing in the ruff of his pride, with his +cocked carbine in his hand, to the very gates of the castle, +bantering and threatening those within to give up the castle under +all highest pain and danger, he was shot from within and killed +outright. This did so grieve and incense Colonel Carr, that +he began fairly to capitulate with them within, and made use of +Redcastle's own friends to mediate and persuade them, till in the +end, upon promise and assurance of fair terms, and an indemnity of +what passed, they came out, and then Carr and his party kept not +touches with them, but, apprehending several of them, and finding +who it was that killed his cousin, caused him to be killed, and +thereafter, contrary to the promise and articles of capitulation, +rifled the house, taking away what he found useful, and then burnt +the house and all that was within it. In the meantime Redcastle +was kept prisoner at Edinburgh, none of his friends being in a +condition to plead for him, till Ross of Bridly, his uncle by his +mother, went south, and being in great favour with Argyll, obtained +Redcastle's liberation upon payment of 7000 merks fine." [Ardintoul +MS.] + +While these proceedings were taking place in the Highlands, Seaforth +was in Holland at the exiled Court of Charles II., and when Montrose +arrived there Seaforth earnestly supported him in urging on the King +the bold and desperate policy of throwing himself on the loyalty +of his Scottish subjects, and in strongly protesting against the +acceptance by his Majesty and his friends of the arrogant and +humiliating demand made by the commissioners sent over to treat +with him by the Scottish faction. It is difficult to say whether +Seaforth's zeal for his Royal master or the safety of his own +person influenced him most during the remainder of his life, but +whatever the cause, he adhered steadfastly to the exiled monarch +to the end of a life which, in whatever light it may be viewed, +cannot be commended as a good example to others. Such vacillating +and time-serving conduct ended in the only manner which it deserved. +He might have been admired for taking a consistent part on either +side, but with Earl George self-preservation and interest appear +to have been the only governing principles throughout the whole of +this trying period of his country's history. The Earl of Cromarty +thought differently, and says that "this George, being a nobleman +of excellent qualifications, shared the fortune of his Prince, +King Charles I., for whom he suffered all the calamities in his +estate that envious or malicious enemies could inflict. He was +made secretary to King Charles II. in Holland, but died in that +banishment before he saw an end of his King and his country's +calamities or of his own injuries." We have seen that his conduct +was by no means steadfast in support of Charles, and it may now +be safely asserted that his calamities were due more to his own +indecision and accommodating character than to any other cause. + +Earl George married early in life, Barbara, daughter of Arthur Lord +Forbes (sasine to her in 1637) with issue - + +I. Kenneth Mor, his heir and successor. + +II. Colin, who has a sasine in 1648, but died young and unmarried. + +III. George of Kildun, who married, first, Mary daughter of Skene +of Skene, with issue - (1) Kenneth, who went abroad and was no more +heard of; (2) Isobel; and several others who died young. He +married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Urquhart of Craighouse, +with issue - Colin of Kildun and several other children of whom +no trace can be found. All his descendants are said to be extinct. + +IV. Colin, who has a sasine of Kinachulladrum in 1721, as "only +child now in life, and heir of his brother Roderick." He married +Jean, daughter of Robert Laurie, Dean of Edinburgh, with issue - (1) +Captain Robert Mackenzie, killed in Flanders, without issue, Colin +married, secondly, Lady Herbertshire, with issue, (2) Dr George +Mackenzie, who, in 1708, wrote a manuscript "History of the +Fitzgeralds and Mackenzies," frequently quoted in this work, and +"Lives of Eminent Scotsmen." He, with his father sold the estate +of Kinachulladrum to Roderick Mackenzie, IV. of Applecross, in +1721, and died without issue. (3) Barbara, who married Patrick +Oliphant. + +V. Roderick, I. of Kinachulladrum, who married, first, Anna, +daughter of Ogilvie of Glencairn, in 1668 (sasine 1670), with +issue - (1) Alexander, II. of Kinachulladrum, who married Anne, +daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, III. of Applecross (marriage +contract 1707), with issue - Anne, his only child alive in 1766; +(2) Kenneth, who died without issue; and two daughters. Roderick +married, secondly, Catherine Scougall, daughter of the Bishop of +Aberdeen, with issue, all of whom died young. + +VI. Jean, who married, first, John Earl of Mar, with issue; and, +secondly, Lord Fraser. + +VII. Margaret, who married Sir William Sinclair of Mey, with +issue. + +VIII. Barbara, who married Sir John Urquhart of Cromarty. + +IX. John, first of Gruinard, a natural son whose illegitimacy is +fully established in the chapter dealing with the Chiefship of +the clan. When his Lordship received the news of the disastrous +defeat of the King's forces at Worcester he fell into a profound +melancholy and died in 1651, at Schiedam in Holland - where he +had lived in exile since the beginning of January, 1649 - in the +forty-third year of his age. He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +XV. KENNETH MOR, THIRD EARL OF SEAFORTH, + +Kenneth was born at Brahan Castle in 1635, and when he was five +or six years old his father placed him under the care of the Rev. +Farquhar Macrae, minister of Kintail, and constable of Ellandonnan +Castle, who had a seminary in his house which was attended by the +sons of the neighbouring gentry, who kept young Kintail company. +One of the manuscript historians of the family, referring to this +practical early training of his Lordship, says - "This might be +thought a preposterous and wrong way to educate a nobleman, but +they who would consider where the most of his interest lay, and +how he was among his people, followers, and dependants, on which +the family was still valued, perhaps will not think so, for by this +the young lord had several advantages; first, by the wholesome, +though not delicate or too palatable diet he prescribed to him and +used him with, he began to have a wholesome complexion, so nimble +and strong, that he was able to endure Stress and fatigue, labour +and travel, which proved very useful to him in his after life; +secondly, he did not only learn the language but became thoroughly +acquainted with and learned the genius of his several tribes or +clans of his Highlanders, so that afterwards he was reputed to be +the fittest chief or chieftain of all superiors in the Highlands +and Isles of Scotland; and thirdly, the early impressions of +being among them, and acquaint with the bounds, made him delight +and take pleasure to be often among them and to know their +circumstances, which indeed was his interest and part of their +happiness, so that it was better to give him that first step of +education than that which would make him a stranger at home, both +as to his people, estate, and condition but when he was taken +from Mr Farquhar to a public school, he gave great evidence of +his abilities and inclination for learning, and being sent in the +year 1651 to the King's College at Aberdeen, under the discipline +of Mr Patrick Sandylands, before he was well settled or made any +progress in his studies King Charles II., after his army had been +defeated at Dunbar the year before, being then at Stirling recruiting +and making up his army, with which he was resolved to march into +England, the young laird was called home in his father's absence, +who was left in Holland (as already described), to raise his men +for the King's service, and so went straight to Kintail with the +particular persons of his name, viz., the Lairds of Pluscardine +and Lochslinn, his uncles; young Tarbat, Rory of Davochmaluag, +Kenneth of Coul, Hector of Fairburn, and several others, but the +Kintail men, when called upon, made a demur and declined to rise +with him, because he was but a child, and that his father, their +master, was in life, without whom they would not move, since the +King, if he had use for him and for his followers, might easily +bring him home." [Ardintoul MS.] + +Kenneth, like his father in later years, became identified with +the fate of Charles II., and devoted himself unremittingly to the +services of that monarch during his exile. From his great stature +he was known among the Highlanders as "Coinneach Mor." On the +arrival of the King at Garmouth, in June, 1650, his reception +throughout all Scotland was of a most cheering character, but +the Highlanders, who always favoured the Stuarts, were specially +joyous on the return of their exiled king. After the defeat by +Oliver Cromwell of the Scottish army at Dunbar - a defeat brought +about by the interference of the Committee of Estates and the Kirk +with the duties of those in charge of the forces, and whose plans, +were they allowed to carry them out, would have saved Scotland +from the first great defeat it had ever received at the hands of +an enemy - the King resolved to come north and throw himself upon +the patriotism and loyalty or his Highland subjects. He was, +however, captured and taken back to Perth, and afterwards to +Edinburgh, by the Committee of Estates, on whom, it is said, his +attempted escape to the Highlands "produced a salutary effect;" +and they began to treat him with some respect, going the length +even of admitting him to their deliberations. A large number +of the Highlanders were already in arms to support him; but the +Committee, having the King in their power, induced him to write +to the Highland chiefs requesting them to lay down their arms. +This they refused, and to enforce the King's orders a regiment, +under Sir John Drown, was despatched to the North, but it was +surprised and defeated on the night of the 21st of October by Sir +David Ogilvy of Airley. On receiving this intelligence, General +Leslie hastened north with a force of 3000 cavalry. General +Middleton, who supported the King's friends in the Highlands, and +who was then at Forfar, hearing of Leslie's advance, forwarded him +a letter containing a copy of a bond and oath of engagement which +had been entered into by Huntly, Athole, the Earl of Seaforth, and +other leading Highland chiefs, by which they had pledged themselves +on oath to join firmly and faithfully together, and "neither for +fear, threatening, allurement, nor advantage, to relinquish the +cause of religion, of the king, and of the kingdom, nor to lay down +their arms without a general consent; and as the best undertakings +did not escape censure and malice, they promised and swore, for the +satisfaction of all reasonable persons, that they would maintain +the true religion, as then established in Scotland, the National +Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant, and defend the person +of the King, his prerogative, greatness, and authority, and the +privileges of parliament, and the freedom of the subject." Middleton +pointed out that the only object of himself and friends was to +unite the Scots in the defence of their common rights, and that, +as would be seen from this bond, the grounds on which they entered +into association were exactly the same as those professed by Leslie +himself. Considering this, and seeing that the independence of +Scotland was at stake, he urged that all Scotsmen should join for +the preservation of their common liberties. Middleton proposed to +join Leslie, to place himself under his command, and expressed a +hope that he would not shed the blood of his countrymen nor force +them to shed the blood of their bethren in self-defence. These +communications ended in a treaty between Leslie and the leading +Royalists at Strathbogie, dated 4th November, by which Middleton +and his followers received an indemnity, and laid down their arms. +["Balfour," vol, iv., p. 129. "Highland Clans," p. 285] + +Immediately after the battle of Worcester, at which Charles was +defeated by Cromwell in 1651 - where we find among those present +Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine as one of the Colonels of foot +for Inverness and Ross, and Alexander Cam Mackenzie, fourth son +of Alexander, fifth of Gairloch - Charles fled to the Continent, +and, after many severe hardships and narrow escapes, he found +refuge in Flanders, where he continued to reside, often in great +want and distress, until the Restoration, when in May, 1660, +he returned to England "indolent, selfish, unfeeling, faithless, +ungrateful, and insensible to shame or reproach." The Earl of +Cromarty says that subsequent to the treaty agreed upon between +Middleton and Leslie at Strathbogie, "Seaforth joined the King at +Stirling. After the fatal battle of Worcester he continued a close +prisoner until the Restoration of Charles." He was excepted from +Oliver Cromwell's Act of Grace and Pardon in 1654, and his estates +were forfeited, without any provision being allowed out of it for +his wife and family. He supported the King's cause as long as there +was an opportunity of fighting for it in the field, and when forced +to submit to the opposing forces of Cromwell and the Commonwealth, +he was committed to prison, where, with "much firmness of mind +and nobility of soul," he endured a tedious captivity for many +years, until Charles II. was recalled, when he ordered his old and +faithful friend Seaforth to be released, after which he became a +great favourite at his licentious and profligate Court. + +During the remainder of his life little or nothing of any importance +is known of him, except that he lived in the favour and merited +smiles of his sovereign, in the undisputed possession and enjoyment +of the extensive estates and honours of his noble ancestors, which, +through his faithful adherence to the House of Stuart, had been +nearly lost during the exile of the second Charles and his own +captivity. Referring to the position of affairs at this period, +the Laird of Applecross says that the "rebels, possessing +the authority, oppressed all the loyal subjects, and him with the +first; his estate was over-burthened to its destruction, but nothing +could deter him so as to bring him to forsake his King or his duty. +Whenever any was in the field for him, he was one, seconding that +falling cause with all his power, and when he was not in the field +against the enemy, he was in the prison by him until the restoration +of the King." Restored to liberty, he, on the 23d of April, +1662, received a Commission of the Sheriffship of Ross, which was +afterwards renewed to him and to his eldest son Kenneth, jointly, +on 31st of July, 1675; and when he had set his affairs in order at +Brahan, he re-visited Paris, leaving his Countess Isobel, daughter +of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, and sister to the first Earl of +Cromarty, in charge of his interests in the North. + +Kenneth married early in life Isobel, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie +of Tarbat, father of George, first Earl of Cromarty, with issue - + +I. Kenneth Og, his heir and successor. + +II. John Mackenzie of Assynt, who married Sibella, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, III. of Applecross (marriage contract 1697). +He has a sasine in 1695 and 1696. They had issue, an only son, +Kenneth, who married his cousin Frances, daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie of Assynt and Conansbay, and died in 1723, without issue. + +III. Hugh, who died young and unmarried. There is a sasine to +him as third son in 1667. + +IV. Colonel Alexander, also designated of Assynt and Conansbay. +He has a sasine as "third lawful son now in life" of the lands of +Kildin, dated October, 1694. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John +Paterson, Bishop of Ross (marriage contract 1700), with issue - Major +William Mackenzie, who married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of +Mathew Humberston, county Lincoln, whose two sons - Colonel Thomas +Francis Mackenzie, and Francis Humberston Mackenzie, created Lord +Seaforth in 1797, and who died without surviving male issue, the +last of his line in 1815 - succeeded to the family estates. + +V. Margaret, who married James, second Lord Duffus, with issue. + +VI. Anne, who died unmarried. + +VII. Isabel, who married, first, in February, 1694, Roderick +Macleod, XVI I. of Macleod, without issue; and, secondly, Sir Duncan +Campbell of Lochnell, with issue. + +VIII. Mary, who, as his second wife, married Alexander Macdonald, +XI. of Glengarry, with issue - John, who carried on the succession, +and others. She has a life-rent sasine in 1696. Kenneth Mor died +in December, 1678, when he was succeeded by his eldest son, + +XVI. KENNETH OG, FOURTH EARL OF SEAFORTH, + +So described by the Highlanders to distinguish him from his father. +At an early age he began to reap the benefits of his predecessor's +faithful adherence to the fortunes of Charles II. In 1678, before +his father died, his name is found among the chiefs, who, by a +proclamation dated 10th of October in that year, were called upon +to give their bond and caution for the security of the peace and +quiet of the Highlands, which the leaders were to give, not only +for themselves but for all the members of their respective Clans. +In spite of all the enactments and orders hitherto passed, the +inhabitants and broken men in the Highlands were "inured and +accustomed to liberty and licentiousness" during the late troubles, +and "still presumed to sorn, steal, oppress, and commit other +violences and disorders." The great chiefs were commanded to +appear in Edinburgh on the last Tuesday of February, 1679, and +yearly thereafter on the second Thursday of July, to give security +and receive instructions as to the peace of the Highlands. To +prevent any excuse for non-attendance, they were declared free +from caption for debt or otherwise while journeying to and from +Edinburgh, and other means were to be taken, which might be thought +necessary or expedient until the Highlands were finally quieted, +and "all these wicked, broken, and disorderly men utterly rooted +out and extirpated." A second proclamation was issued, in which +the lesser barons - heads of the branches of clans - whose names are +given, were to go to Inverlochy by the 20th of November following, +as they were "by reason of their mean condition," not able to +come in to Edinburgh and find caution, and there to give in bonds +and securities for themselves, their men, tenants, servants, and +indwellers upon their lands, and all of their name descended of their +families, to the Earl of Caithness, Sir James Campbell of Lawers, +James Menzies of Culdarers, or any two of them. These lists are +interesting, showing, as they do, those who were considered the +greater and lesser barons at the time. We find four Mackenzies +in the former but not one in the latter. [For the full lists see +"Antiquarian Notes," pp. 184 and 187.] + +On the 1st of March, 1681, Kenneth was served heir male to his +great-grandfather, Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, in his lands in the +Lordship of Ardmeanach and in the Earldom of Ross; was made a +member of the Privy Council by James II. on his accession to the +throne in 1685, and chosen a Knight Companion of the Thistle, on +the revival of that ancient Order in 1687. The year after the +Revolution Seaforth accompanied his Royal master to France, but +when that Prince returned to Ireland in the following year to make +a final effort for the recovery of his kingdom, he was accompanied +thither by the Earl. There he took part in the siege of Londonderry +and in other engagements, and as an expression of gratitude James +created him Marquis of Seaforth, under which title he repeatedly +appears in various legal documents. This well-meant and deserved +honour, however, came too late in the falling fortunes and declining +powers of the ex-King, and does little more than mark his Royal +confirmation of the steady adherence of the chiefs of Kintail to +the cause of the unfortunate Stuarts. + +Viscount Dundee in a letter to the "Laird of Macleod," dated "Moy, +June 23, 1689" [About this time Viscount Tarbat boasted to General +Mackay of his great influence with his countrymen, especially the +Clan Mackenzie, and assured him "that though Seaforth should come to +his own country and among his friends, he (Tarbat) would overturn +in eight days more than the Earl could advance in six weeks yet +be proved as backward as Seaforth or any other of the Clan. And +though Redcastle, Coul, and others of the name of Mackenzie came, +they fell not on final methods, but protested a great deal of +affection for the cause." - "Mackay's Memoirs."] in which he details +his own and the King's prospects, gives a list of those who are +to join him. "My Lord Seaforth," he says, "will be in a few days +from Ireland to raise his men for the King's service;" but the fatal +shot which closed the career of that brilliant star and champion +of the Stuart dynasty at Killiecrankie, arrested the progress of +the family of Seaforth in the fair course to all the honours which +a grateful dynasty could bestow; nor was the family of Kintail +singular in this respect - seeing its flattering prospects withered +at, perhaps, a fortunate moment for the prosperity of the Empire. +Jealousies have now passed away on that subject, and it is not +our business to discuss or in any way confound the principles of +contending loyalties. + +To check the proceedings of the Mackenzies, Mackay placed a garrison +of a hundred Mackays in Brahan Castle, the principal seat of the +Earl, and an equal number of Rosses in Castle Leod, the mansion +of Viscount Tarbat, both places of strength, and advantageously +situated for watching the movements of the Jacobite Mackenzies. +["Life of General Mackay," by John Mackay of Rockfield, pp. 36-37.] + +Seaforth seems to have left Ireland immediately after the battle +of the Boyne, and to have returned to the Highlands. The greater +part of the North was at the time hostile to the Government, and +General Mackay was obliged to march north, with all haste, before +a general rising could take place under Buchan, who now commanded +the Highlanders who stood out for King James. Mackay was within +four hours march of Inverness before Buchan, who was then at that +place "waiting for the Earl of Seaforth's and the other Highlanders +whom he expected to join him in attacking the town," knew of his +approach. Hearing of the proximity of the enemy, Buchan at once +retreated, crossed the River Ness, and retired along the north +side of the Beauly Firth, eastward through the Black Isle. In this +emergency, Seaforth, fearing the personal consequences of the part +be had acted throughout, sent two of his friends to General Mackay, +offering terms of submission and whatever securities might be +required for his future good behaviour, informing him at the same +time that, although he had been forced to appear on the side of +James, he never entertained any design of molesting the Government +forces or of joining Buchan in his attack on the town of Inverness. +Mackay replied that he could accept no security other than the +surrender of his Lordship's person, at the same time conjuring him +to comply, as he valued his own safety and the preservation of his +family and people, and assuring him that in the case of surrender +he should be detained in civil custody in Inverness, and treated +with the respect due to his rank, until the will of the Government +should become known. Next day the Earl's mother, the Countess +Dowager of Seaforth, and Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Coul proceeded +to Inverness, to plead with Mackay for a mitigation of the terms +proposed, but finding him inflexible, they told him that Seaforth +would accede to any conditions agreed to by them in his behalf. +It was thereupon stipulated that he should deliver himself up at +once and be kept a prisoner in Inverness until the Privy Council +decided as to his ultimate disposal. With the view of concealing +his voluntary submission from his own clan and his other Jacobite +friends, it was agreed that the Earl should allow himself to be +siezed at one of his seats by a party of horse under Major Mackay, +as if he were taken by surprise. He, however, disappointed those +sent to take him, in excuse of which, his mother and he, in letters +to General Mackay, pleaded the delicate state of his health, which, +it was urged, would suffer from imprisonment; and indeed few can +blame him for any unwillingness to place himself absolutely at +the disposal of such a body as the Privy Council of Scotland then +was - many of whom would not hesitate in the slightest to sacrifice +him, if by so doing they could only see any chance of obtaining +a share, however small, of his extensive estates. + +General Mackay became so irritated at the deception thus practised +upon him that he resolved to treat Seaforth's vassals "with all the +rigour of military execution," and he sent his Lordship a message +that if he did not surrender forthwith according to his promise, he +should at once carry out his instructions from the Privy Council by +entering his country with fire and sword, and seizing all the +property belonging to himself or to his clan as lawful prize; and, +lest the Earl should have any doubt as to his intention of executing +this terrible treat, he immediately ordered three Dutch regiments +from Aberdeen to Inverness, and decided on leading a competent body +of horse and foot in person from the garrison at the latter place, +to take possession of Brahan Castle. The General, at the same time +wrote instructing the Earl of Sutherland, Lord Reay, and Ross of +Balnagown, to send a thousand of their men, under Major Wishart an +experienced officer acquainted with the country, to take up their +quarters in the more remote districts of the Seaforth estates, +should that extreme step, as he much feared, become necessary. +Having, however, a friendly disposition towards the followers +of Seaforth, on account of their being "all Protestants and none +of the most dangerous enemies," and being more anxious to get +hold of his Lordship's person than to ruin his friends, he caused +information of his intentions to be sent to Seaforth's camp by some +of his own party, as if from a feeling of friendship for him the +result being that, contrary to Mackay's expectations, Seaforth +surrendered - thus relieving him from a most disagreeable duty, +[Though the General "was not immediately connected with the +Seaforth family himself, some of his near relatives were, both by +the ties of kindred and of ancient friendship. For these, and +other reasons it may be conceived what joy and thankfulness to +Providence he felt for the result of ibis affair, which at once +relieved him from a distressing dilemma, and promised to put +a speedy period to his labours in Scotland." - Mackay's "Life of +General Mackay."] - and he was at once committed a prisoner to the +Castle of Inverness. + +Writing to the Privy Council about the disaffected chiefs at the +time, General Mackay says - "I believe it shall fare so with the +Earl of Seaforth, that is, that he shall haply submit when his +country is ruined and spoyled, which is the character of a true +Scotsman, wyse behinde the hand." [Letters to the Privy Council, +dated 1st September, 1690.] By warrant, dated 7th October, 1690, +the Privy Council directs Mackay "to transport the person of +Kenneth, Earl of Seaforth, with safety from Inverness to Edinburgh, +in such way and manner as he should think fit." This done, he was +on the 6th November following confined within the Castle of +Edinburgh, but, little more than a year afterwards, he was liberated, +on the 7th January, 1692, having found caution to appear when called +upon, and on condition that he should not go ten miles beyond the +walls of Edinburgh. He appears not to have implemented these +conditions for any length of time, for shortly after he is again in +prison almost immediately makes his escape is apprehended on the 7th +of May, the same year, at Pencaitland and again kept confined in the +Castle of Inverness, from which he is ultimately and finally +liberated on giving sufficient security for his peaceable behaviour, +["Records of the Privy Council," and "Mackay's Memoirs."] the +following being the order for his release: + +"William R., Right trusty and right-well-beloved Councillors, &c., +we greet you well. Whereas we are informed that Kenneth, Earl of +Seaforth, did surrender himself prisoner to the commander of our +garrison at Inverness, and has thrown himself on our Royal mercy; +it is our will and pleasure, and we hereby authorise and require +you to set the said Earl of Seaforth at liberty, upon his finding +bail and security to live peaceably under our Government and to +compear before you when called. And that you order our Advocate +not to insist in the process of treason waged against him until +our further pleasure be known therein. For doing whereof this +shall be your warrant, so we bid you heartily farewell. Given +at our Court at Kensington, the first day of March, 1696-7, and +of our reign the eighth year. By his Majesty's command. +(Signed) + "TULLIBARDINE." + +During the remaining years of his life, Seaforth appears to have +lived mainly in France. Apart from his necessary absence from his +own country during the long-continued period of political irritation, +the exhausted state of his paternal revenues would have rendered +his residence abroad highly expedient. We accordingly find several +discharges for feu-duties granted by others in his absence, such +as the following: + +"I, Maister Alexander Mackenzie, lawful brother to the Marquis of +Seaforth, grants me to have received from John Mathesone, all and +hail the somme of seaven hundred and twentie merks Scots money and +that in complete payment of his duties and or the lands of both +the Fernacks and Achnakerich, payable Martimass ninety (1690), +dated 22d November, 1694." + +There is another by "Isobel, Countess Dowager of Seaforth, in 1696, +tested by 'Rorie Mackenzie, servitor to the Marquis of Seaforth,'" +and an original discharge by "me, Isobell, Countess Dowager of Seaforth, +Lady Superior of the grounds, lands, and oyes under-written," to +Kenneth Mackenzie of Dundonnel, dated at Fortrose, 15th November, +1697, signed, "Isobell Seaforth." [Allangrange Service, on which +occasion thc originals were produced.] It may fairly be presumed +that, during the whole of this period, Earl Kenneth was in retirement, +and that be took no personal part in the management of his estates +for the remainder of his life. + +His clansmen, however, seem to have been determined to protect +his interest as much as they could. A certain Sir John Dempster +of Pitliver had advanced Seaforth and his mother, the Countess +Dowager, a large sum of money and obtained a decree of Parliament +to have the amount refunded to him. The cash was not forthcoming, +and Sir John secured letters of horning and arrestment against +them, and employed several officers to serve them, but they returned +the letters unexecuted, not finding notum accessum in the Earl's +country, and they refused altogether to undertake the duty again +without the assistance of the King's forces in the district. Sir +John petitioned for this aid, and humbly craved the Privy Council +to allow him "a competent assistance of his Majesty's forces at +Fort-William, Inverness, or where they are lying adjacent to the +places where the said dilligence is to be put in execution, to +support and protect the messengers" in the due enforcement of the +legal dilligence against the Earl and his mother, "by horning, +poinding, arrestment, or otherways," and to recommend to the Governor +at Fort-William, or the commander of the forces at Inverness, to +grant a suitable force for the purpose. Their Lordships having +considered the petition, recommended Sir Thomas Livingstone, +commander-in-chief of his Majesty's forces, to order some of the +officers already mentioned to furnish the petitioner "with competent +parties of his Majesty's forces" to support and protect the +messengers in the due execution of the "legal dilligence upon the +said decreet of Parliament." [For this document see "Antiquarian +Notes," pp 118-119.] + +The Earl married Lady Frances Herbert, second daughter of William, +Marquis of Powis, an English nobleman, by Lady Elizabeth Somerset, +daughter of Edward, Marquis of Worcester, with issue - + +I. William, his heir and successor. + +II. Mary, who married John Careyl, with issue. + +He died at Paris,in 1701, and was succeeded by his only son, + +XVII. WILLIAM, FIFTH EARL OF SEAFORTH, + +Generally known among the Highlanders as "Uilleam Dubh." He +succeeded at a most critical period in the history of Scotland, +just when the country was divided on the great question of Union +with England, which in spite of the fears of most of the Highland +chiefs and nobles of Scotland, ultimately turned out so beneficial +to both. He would, no doubt, have imbibed strong Jacobite feelings +during his residence with his exiled parents in France. But little +information of William's proceedings during the first few years +of his rule is obtainable. He seems to have continued abroad, +for on the 23d of May, 1709, an order is found addressed to the +forester at Letterewe signed by his mother the Dowager, "Frances +Seaforth." But on the 22d of June, 1713, she addresses a letter +to Colin Mackenzie of Kincraig, in which she says - "I find my son +William is fully inclined to do justice to all. Within fifteen +days he will be at Brahan." [Original produced at Allangrange +Service in 1829.] + +At this period the great majority of the southern nobles were ready +to break out into open rebellion, while the Highland chiefs were +almost to a man prepared to rise in favour of the Stuarts. This +soon became known to the Government. Bodies of armed Highlanders +were seen moving about in several districts in the North. A party +appeared in the neighbourhood of Inverness which was, however, soon +dispersed by the local garrison. The Government became alarmed, +and the Lords Justices sent a large number of half-pay officers, +chiefly from the Scottish regiments, to officer the militia, under +command of Major General Whitham, commander-in-chief at the time +in Scotland. These proceedings alarmed the Jacobites, most of +whom returned to their homes. The Duke of Gordon was confined in +Edinburgh Castle, and the Marquis of Huntly and Lord Drummond in +their respective residences. The latter fled to the Highlands +and offered bail for his good behaviour. Captain Campbell of +Glendaruel, who had obtained a commission from the late Administration +to raise an independent company of Highlanders, was apprehended at +Inverlochy and sent prisoner to Edinburgh. Sir Donald Macdonald, +XI. of Sleat, was also seized and committed to the same place, and +a proclamation was issued offering a reward of L100,000 sterling +for the apprehension of the Chevalier, should he land or attempt +to land in Great Britain. King George, on his arrival, threw +himself entirely into the arms of the Whigs, who alone shared his +favours. A spirit of the most violent discontent was excited +throughout the whole kingdom, and the populace, led on by the +Jacobite leaders, raised tumults in different parts of the King's +dominions. The Chevalier, taking advantage of this excitement, +issued a manifesto to the chief nobility, especially to the Dukes +of Shrewsbury, Marlborough, and Argyll, who at once handed them to +the Secretaries of State. + +The King dissolved Parliament in January, 1715, and issued an +extraordinary proclamation calling together a new one. The Whigs +were successful both in England and Scotland, but particularly in +the latter, where a majority of the peers, and forty out of the +forty-five members then returned to the Commons, were in favour +of his Majesty's Government. The principal Parliamentary struggle +was in the county of Inverness between Mackenzie of Prestonhall, +strongly supported by Glengarry and the other Jacobite chiefs, +and Forbes of Culloden, brother of the celebrated President, who +carried the election through the influence of Brigadier-General +Grant and the friends of Lord Lovat. + +The Earl of Mar, who had rendered himself extremely unpopular +among the Jacobite chiefs, afterwards rewarded some of his former +favourites by advocating the repeal of the Union. He was again made +Secretary of State for Scotland in 1713, but was unceremoniously +dismissed from office by George I., and he vowed revenge. He +afterwards found his way to Fife, and subsequently to the Braes +of Mar. On the 19th of August, 1715, he despatched letters to the +principal Jacobites, among whom was Lord Seaforth, inviting them +to attend a grand hunting match at Braemar on the 27th of the same +month. This was a ruse meant to cover his intention to raise the +standard of rebellion and that the Jacobites were let into the +secret is evident from the fact that as early as the 6th of August +those of them in Edinburgh and its neighbourhood were aware of his +intentions to come to Scotland. Under pretence of attending this +grand match, a considerable number of noblemen and gentlemen arrived +at Aboyne at the appointed time. Among them were the Marquis of +Huntly, eldest son of the Duke of Gordon the Marquis of Tullibardine, +eldest son of the Duke of Athole; the Earls of Nithsdale, Marischal, +Traquair, Errol, Southesk, Carnwarth, Seaforth, and Linlithgow; the +Viscounts Kilsyth, Kenmure, Kingston, and Stormont Lords Rollo, +Duffus, Drummond, Strathallan, Ogilvie, and Nairne; and about +twenty-six other gentlemen of influence in the Highlands, among +whom were Generals Hamilton and Gordon, Glengarry, Campbell of +Glendaruel, and the lairds of Aucterhouse and Auldbar. ["Rae," p +189; "Annals of King George," pp. 15-16.] Mar delivered a stirring +address, in which he expressed regret for his past conduct in +favouring the Union, and, now that his eyes were opened, promising +to do all in his power to retrieve the past and help to make his +countrymen again a free people. He produced a commission from +James appointing him Lieutenant-General and Commander of all the +Jacobite forces in Scotland, and at the same time informed the +meeting that he was supplied with money, and that an arrangement +had been made by which he would be able to pay regularly any forces +that might be raised, so that no gentleman who with his followers +should join his standard would be put to any expense, and that +the country would be entirely relieved of the cost of conducting +the war; after which the meeting unanimously resolved to take up +arms for the purpose of establishing the Chevalier on the Scottish +throne. They then took the oath of fidelity to Mar as the +representative of James VIII. and to each other, and separated, +each going home after promising to raise his vassals and to be in +readiness to join the Earl whenever summoned to do so. They had +scarcely arrived at their respective destinations when they were +called upon to meet him at Aboyne on the 3d of September following, +where, with only sixty followers, Mar proclaimed the Chevalier at +Castletown in Braemar, after which he proceeded to Kirkmichael, +and on the 6th of September, raised his standard in presence of +a force of 2000, mostly consisting of cavalry. When in course of +erection, the ball on the top of the flag-staff fell off. This was +regarded by the Highlanders as a bad omen, and it cast a gloom over +the proceedings of the day. + +Meanwhile Colonel Sir Hector Munro, who bad served as Captain in +the Earl of Orkney's Regiment with reputation in the wars of Queen +Anne, raised his followers, who, along with a body of Rosses, +numbered about 600 men. With these, in November, 1715, he encamped +at Alness and on the 6th of October following he was joined by +the Earl of Sutherland, accompanied by his son, Lord Strathnaver, +and by Lord Reay, with an additional force of 600, in the interest +of the Whig Government, and to cover their own districts and check +the movements of the Western clans in effecting a junction with +the Earl of Mar, whom Earl William and Sir Donald Macdonald had +publicly espoused, as already stated, at the pretended hunting +match in Braemar. The meeting at Alness was instrumental in +keeping Seaforth in the North. If the Earl and his mother's clans +had advanced a month earlier the Duke of Argyll would not have +dared to advance against Mar's united forces, who might have pushed +an army across the Forth sufficient to have paralyzed any exertion +that might have been made to preserve a shadow of the Government. +It may be said that if Dundee had lived to hold the commission of +Mar, such a junction would not have been necessary, which amounts +to no more than saying that the life of Dundee would have been +tantamount to a restoration of the Stuarts Mar was not trained +in camp, nor did he possess the military genius of Dundee. Had +Montrose a moiety of his force things would have been otherwise. +Mar, trusting to Seaforth's reinforcement, was inactive, and Seaforth +was for a time kept in by the collocation of Sutherland's levies, +till he was joined by 700 Macdonalds and detachments from other +clans, amounting, with his own followers, to 3000 men, with which +he promptly attacked the Earl of Sutherland, who fled with his +mixed army precipitately to Bonar-Bridge, where they dispersed. +A party of Grants on their way to join them, on being informed of +Sutherland's retreat, thought it prudent to retrace their steps. +Seaforth, thus relieved, levied considerable fines on Munro's +territories, which were fully retaliated for during his absence +with the Jacobite army, to join which he now set out; and Sir John +Mackenzie of Coul, whom he had ordered to occupy Inverness, was, +after a gallant resistance, forced by Lord Lovat, at the head of +a mixed body of Frasers and Grants, to retire with his garrison +to Ross-shire. "Whether he followed his chief to Perth does not +appear; but on Seaforth's arrival that Mar seems for the first +time to have resolved on the passage of the Firth - a movement +which led to the Battle of Sheriffmuir - is evident and conclusive +as to the different features given to the whole campaign by the +Whig camp at Alness, however creditable to the noble Earl and +his mother's confederates. But it is not our present province to +enter on a military review of the conduct of either army preceding +this consequential conflict, or to decide to which party the +victory, claimed by both parties, properly belonged suffice it to +say that above 3000 of Seaforth's men formed a considerable part +of the second line, and seem from the general account on that +subject to have done their duty." [Bennetsfield MS.] A great +many of Seaforth's followers were slain, among whom were four +Highlanders who appear to have signally distinguished themselves. +They were John Mackenzie of Hilton, who commanded a company of the +Mackenzies, John Mackenzie of Applecross, John Mac Rae of Conchra, +and John Murchison of Achtertyre. Their prowess on the field had +been commemorated by one of their followers, John MacRae, who +escaped and returned home, in an excellent Gaelie poem, known as +"Latha Blar an t-Siorra," the " Day of Sheriffmuir." The fate of +these renowned warriors was keenly regretted by their Highland +countrymen, and they are still remembered and distinguished amongst +them as "Ceithear Ianan na h-Alba," or The four Johns of Scotland. + +During the preceding troubles Ellandonnan Castle got into the hands +of the King's troops, but shortly before Sheriffmuir it was again +secured by the following clever stratagem: A neighbouring tenant +applied to the Governor for some of the garrison to cut his corn, +as he feared from the appearance of the sky and the croaking of +ravens that a heavy storm was impending, and that nothing but a +sudden separation of his crop from the ground could save his family +from starvation. The Governor readily yielded to his solicitations, +and sent the garrison of Government soldiers then in the castle +to his aid, who, on their return, discovered the ruse too late +for the Kintail men were by this time reaping the spoils, and had +possession of the castle. "The oldest inhabitant of the parish +remembers to have seen the Kintail men under arms, dancing +on the leaden roof, just as they were setting out for the Battle +of Sheriffmuir, where this resolute band was cut to pieces." ["Old +Statistical Account of Kintail," 1792.] + +Inverness continued meanwhile in possession of the Mackenzies, +under command of the Governor, Sir John Mackenzie of Coul, and +George Mackenzie of Gruinard. Macdonald of Keppoch was on the +march to support Sir John at Inverness, and Lord Lovat, learning +this, gathered his men together, and on the 7th of November decided +to throw himself across the river Ness and place his forces directly +between Keppoch and the Governor. Sir John, on discovering Lovat's +movement, resolved to make a sally out of the garrison and place +the enemy between him and the advancing Keppoch, where he could +attack him with advantage, but Macdonald became alarmed and returned +home through Glen-Urquhart, whereupon Lord Lovat marched straight +upon Inverness, and took up a position about a mile to the west of +the town. The authorities were summoned to send out the garrison +and the Governor, or the town would be burnt and the inhabitants +put to the sword. Preparations were made for the attack, but Sir +John Mackenzie, considering that any further defence was hopeless, +on the 10th of November collected together all the boats he could +find and at high water safely effected his escape from the town, +when Lovat marched in without opposition. His Lordship advised the +Earl of Sutherland that he had secured possession of Inverness, +and on the 15th of November the latter, leaving Colonel Robert +Munro of Fowlis as Governor of Inverness, went with his followers, +accompanied by Lord Lovat with some of his men, to Brahan Castle, and +compelled the responsible men of the Clan Mackenzie who were not +in the South with the Earl of Seaforth to come under an obligation +for their peaceable behaviour, and to return the arms previously +taken from the Munros by Lord Seaforth at Alness; to release the +prisoners in their possession, and promise not to assist Lord +Seaforth directly or indirectly in his efforts against the Government; +that they would grant to the Earl of Sutherland any sum of money +he might require from them upon due notice for the use of the +Government; and, finally, that Brahan Castle, the principal residence +of the Earl of Seaforth, should be turned into a garrison for King +George. + +Seaforth returned from Sheriffmuir, and again collected his men +near Brahan, but the Earl of Sutherland with a large number of his +own men, Lord Reay's, the Munros, Rosses, Culloden's men, and the +Frasers, marched to meet him and encamped at Beauly, within a few +miles of Mackenzie's camp, and prepared to give him battle, which, +when my Lord Seaforth saw, he thought it convenient to capitulate, +own the King's authority, disperse his men, and propose the mediation +of these Government friends for his pardon. Upon his submission +the King was graciously pleased to send down orders that upon +giving up his arms and coming into Inverness, he might expect +his pardon; yet upon the Pretender's Anvil at Perth and my Lord +Huntly's suggestions to him that now was the time for them to +appear for their King and country, and that what honour they lost +at Dunblane might yet be regained; but while he thus insinuated +to my Lord Seaforth, he privately found that my Lord Seaforth +had by being an early suitor for the King's pardon, by promising +to lay down his arms, and owning the King's authority, claimed in +a great measure to an assurance of his life and fortune, which he +thought proper for himself to purchase at the rate of disappointing +Seaforth, with hopes of standing by the good old cause, till Seaforth, +with that vain hope, lost the King's favour that was promised +him; which Huntly embraced by taking the very first opportunity +of deserting the Chevalier's cause, and surrendering himself upon +terms made with him of safety to his life and fortune. This sounded +so sweet to him that he sleeped so secure as never to dream of any +preservation for a great many good gentlemen that made choice to +stand by him and serve under him that many other worthy nobles who +would die or banish rather that not show their personal bravery, +and all other friendly offices to their adherents." [Lord Lovat's +Account of the taking of Inverness. "Patten's Rebellion."] + +In February, 1716, hopeless of attaining his object, the unfortunate +son of James II. left Scotland, the land of his forefathers, never +to visit it again, and Earl William followed him to the common +resort of the exiled Jacobites of the time. On the 7th of the +following May an Act of attainder was passed against the Earl +and the other chiefs of the Jacobite party. Their estates were +forfeited, though practically in many cases, and especially in +that of Seaforth, it was found extremely difficult to carry the +forfeiture into effect. The Master of Sinclair is responsible for +the base and unfounded allegation that the Earl of Seaforth, the +Marquis of Huntly, and other Jacobites, were in treaty with the +Government to deliver up the Chevalier to the Duke of Argyll, that +they might procure better terms for themselves than they could +otherwise expect. This odious charge, which is not corroborated +by any other writer, must be looked upon as highly improbable." +[Fullarton's "Highland Clans," p 471.] If any proof of the +untruthfulness of this charge be required it will be found in the +fact that the Earl returned afterwards to the Island of Lewis, +and re-embodied his vassals there under an experienced officer, +Campbell of Ormundel, who had served with distinction in the +Russian army; and it was not until a large Government force was +sent over against him, which he found it impossible successfully +to oppose, that he recrossed to the mainland and escaped to France. + +Among the "gentlemen prisoners" taken to the Castle of Stirling +on the day following the Battle of Sheriffmuir the following are +found in a list published in Patten's Rebellion - Kenneth Mackenzie, +nephew to Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Coul Joh Maclean, adjutant to +Colonel Mackenzie's Regiment Colonel Mackenzie of Kildin, Captain +of Fairburn's Regiment; Hugh MacRae, Donald MacRae, and Christopher +MacRae. + +The war declared against Spain in December, 1718, again revived +the hopes of the Jacobites, who, in accordance with a stipulation +between the British Government and the Duke of Orleans, then Regent +of France, had previously, with the Chevalier and the Duke of +Ormont at their head, been ordered out of France. They repaired +to Madrid, where they held conferences with Cardinal Alberoni, and +concerted an invasion of Great Britain. On the 10th of March, 1719, +a fleet, consisting of ten men-of-war and twenty-one transports, +having on board five thousand men, a large quantity of ammunition, +and thirty thousand muskets, sailed from Cadiz under the command +of the Duke of Ormond, with instructions to join the rest of the +expedition at Corunna, and to make a descent at once upon England, +Scotland, and Ireland. The sorry fate of this expedition is well +known. Only two frigates reached their destination, the rest having +been dispersed and disabled off Cape Finisterre by a violent storm +which lasted about twelve days. The two ships which survived the +storm and reached Scotland had on board the Earl of Seaforth and +Earl Marischal, the Marquis of Tullibardine, some field officers, +three hundred Spaniards, and arms and ammunition for two thousand +men. They entered Lochalsh about the middle of May; effected a +landing in Kintail and were there joined by a body of Seaforth's +vassals, and a party of Macgregors under command of the famous +Rob Roy; but the other Jacobite chiefs, remembering their previous +disappointments and misfortunes, stood aloof until the whole of +Ormond's forces should arrive. General Wightman, who was stationed +at Inverness, hearing of their arrival, marched to meet them with +2000 Dutch troops and a detachment of the garrison at Inverness. +Seaforth's forces and their allies took possession of the pass of +Glenshiel, but on the approach of the Government forces they retired +to the pass of Strachell, which they decided to defend at all +hazards. They were there engaged by General Wightman, who, after +a smart skirmish of about three hours duration, and after inflicting +some loss upon the Jacobites, drove them from one eminence to +another, till night came on, when the Highlanders, their chief having +been seriously wounded, and giving up all hopes of a successful +resistance, retired during the night to the mountains, carrying +Seaforth along with them and the Spaniards next morning surrendered +themselves prisoners of war. [The Spaniards kept their powder magazine +and ball behind the manse, but after the battle of Glenshiel they +set fire to it lest it should fall into the hands of the King's +troops. These balls are still gathered up by sportsmen, and are +found in great abundance upon the glebe. - "Old Statistical Account +of Kintail."] Seaforth, Marischal, and Tullibardine, with the other +principal officers, managed to effect their escape to the Western +Isles, from which they afterwards found their way to the Continent. +Rob Roy was placed in ambush with the view of attacking the Royal +troops in the rear and it is said of him that having more zeal than +prudence he attacked the rear of the enemy's column before they +had become engaged in front his small party was routed, and the +intention of placing the King's troops between two fires was thus +defeated. [" New Statistical Account of Glenshiel," by the Rev. John +Macrae, who gives a minute description of the scenes of the battle, +and informs us that in constructing the parliamentary road which +runs through the Glen a few years before he wrote, several bullets +and pieces of musket barrels were found and the green mounds +which covered the graves of the slain, and the ruins of a rude +breast-work which the Highlanders constructed on the crest of +the hill to cover their position still marked the scene of the +conflict.] General Wightman sent a detachment to Ellandonnan +Castle, which he ordered to be blown up and demolished. + +General Wightman advanced from the Highland Capital by Loch-Ness +and a recent writer pertinently asks, "Why he was allowed to pass by +such a route without opposition? It is alleged that Marischal and +Tullibardine had interrupted the movements of the invaders by ill +timed altercations about command, but we are provoked to observe +that some extraordinary interposition seems evident to frustrate +every scheme towards forwarding the cause of the ill-fated house +of Stuart. Had the Chevalier St George arrived earlier, as he +might have done; had William Earl of Seaforth joined the Earl of +Mar some time before, as he ought to have done; and strengthened +as Mar would then have been, had he boldly advanced on Stirling, +as it appears he would have done, Argyll's force would have been +annihilated, and James VIII. proclaimed at the Cross of Edinburgh. +Well did the brave Highlanders indignantly demand, 'What did you +call us to arms for? Was it to run away? What did our own King +come for? Was it to see us butchered by hangmen?' There was a +fatuity that accompanied all their undertakings which neutralised +intrepidity, devotedness, and bravery which the annals of no +other people can exhibit, and paltry jealousies which stultified +exertions, which, independently of political results, astonished +Europe at large." [Bennetsfield MS.] + +An Act of Parliament for disarming the Highlanders was passed in +1716, but in some cases to very little purpose for some of the most +disaffected clans were better armed than ever, although by the Act +the collectors of taxes were allowed to pay for the arms given +in, in no case were any delivered except those which were broken, +old, and unfit for use, and these were valued at prices far above +what they were really worth. Not only so, but a lively trade +in old arms was carried on with Holland and other Continental +countries, and these arms were sold to the commissioners as Highland +weapons, at exorbitant prices. General Wade afterwards found in +the possession of the Highlanders a large quantity of arms which +they obtained from the Spaniards who took part in the battle of +Glenshiel, and he computed that the Highlanders opposed to the +Government possessed at this time no less than five or six thousand +arms of various kinds. + +Wade arrived in Inverness on the 10th of August, 1723, and in virtue +of another Act passed the same year, he was empowered to proceed +to the Highlands and to summon the clans to deliver up their arms, +and to carry several other recommendations of his own into effect. +On his arrival he immediately proceeded to business, went to Brahan +Castle, and called on the Mackenzies to deliver up their weapons. +He took those presented to him on the word of Murchison, factor +on the estate and by the representation of Sir John Mackenzie Lord +Tarbat, Sir Kenneth Mackenzie of Cromarty, and Sir Colin Mackenzie +of Coul, at the head of a large deputation of the clan, he +compromised his more rigid instructions and accepted a selection +of worn-out and worthless arms, and at the same time promised that +if the clan exhibited a willing disposition to comply with the +orders of the Government he would use his influence in the next +Parliament to procure a remission for their chief and his followers; +and we find, that "through his means, and the action of other +minions of Court (Tarbat was then in power), Seaforth received a +simple pardon by letters patent in 1726, for himself and his clan, +whose submission was recognised in the sham form of delivering their +arms, a matter of the less consequence as few of that generation +were to have an opportunity of wielding them again in the same +cause." + +General Wade made a report to the Government, from which we take +the following extract: "The Laird of the Mackenzies, and other +chiefs of the clans and tribes, tenants to the late Earl of Seaforth, +came to me in a body, to the number of about fifty, and assured +me that both they and their followers were ready to pay a dutiful +obedience to your Majesty's commands, by a peaceable surrender of +their arms; and if your Majesty would be graciously pleased to +procure them an indemnity for the rents that had been misplaced for +the time past, they would for the future become faithful subjects +to your Majesty, and pay them to your Majesty's receiver for the +use of the public. I assured them of your Majesty's gracious +intentions towards them, and that they might rely on your Majesty's +bounty and clemency, provided they would merit it by their future +good conduct and peaceable behaviour; that I had your Majesty's +commands to send the first summons to the country they inhabited; +which would soon give them an opportunity of showing the sincerity +of their promises, and of having the merit to set the example to +the rest of the Highlands, who in their turns were to be summoned +to deliver up their arms, pursuant to the Disarming Act; that they +might choose the place they themselves thought most convenient to +surrender their arms; and that I would answer that neither their +persons nor their property should be molested by your Majesty's +troops. They desired they might be permitted to deliver up their +arms at the Castle of Brahan, the principal seat of their late +superior. who, they said, had promoted and encouraged them to this +their submission; but begged that none of the Highland companies +might be present; for, as they had always been reputed the bravest, +as well as the most numerous of the northern clans, they thought +it more consistent with their honour to resign their arms to your +Majesty's veteran troops; to which I readily consented. Summonses +were accordingly sent to the several clans and tribes, the inhabitants +of 18 parishes, who were vassals or tenants of the late Earl of +Seaforth, to bring or send in all their arms and warlike weapons +to the Castle of Brahan, on or before the 28th of August. On the +25th of August I went to the Castle of Brahan with a detachment of +200 of the regular troops, and was met there by the chiefs of the +several clans and tribes, who assured me they had used their utmost +diligence in collecting all the arms they were possessed of, which +should be brought thither on the Saturday following, pursuant to +the summons they had received; and telling me they were apprehensive +of insults or depredations from the neighbouring clans of the +Camerons and others, who still continued in possession of their +arms. Parties of the Highland companies were ordered to guard the +passes leading to their country; which parties continued there +for their protection, till the clans in that neighbourhood were +summoned and had surrendered their arms. On the day appointed +the several clans and tribes assembled in the adjacent villages, +and marched in good order through the great avenue that leads to +the Castle; and one after the other laid down their arms in the +court-yard in great quiet and decency, amounting to 784 of the +several species mentioned in the Act of Parliament. The solemnity +with which this was performed had undoubtedly a great influence +over the rest of the Highland clans; and disposed them to pay that +obedience to your Majesty's commands, by a peaceable surrender +of their arms, which they had never done to any of your Royal +predecessors, or in compliance with any law either before or since +the Union." + +The following account of Donald Murchison's proceedings and of +Seaforth's vassals during his exile in France is abridged from +an interesting and valuable work. [Chambers's "Domestic Annals of +Scotland."] It brings out in a prominent light the state of the +Highlands and the futility of the power of the Government during that +period in the North. As regards several of the forfeited estates +which lay in inaccessible situations in the Highlands, the +commissioners had up to this time been entirely baffled, never having +been able even to get them surveyed. This was so in a very special +manner in the case of the immense territory of the Earl of Seaforth, +extending from Brahan Castle, near Dingwall in the east, across to +Kintail in the west, as well as in the large island of the Lewis. +The districts of Lochalsh and Kintail, on the west coast, the scene +of the Spanish invasion of 1719, were peculiarly difficult of access, +there being no approach from the south, east, or north, except by +narrow and difficult paths, while the western access was only +assailable by a naval force. To all appearance this tract of ground, +the seat of many comparatively opulent tacksmen and cattle farmers, +was as much beyond the control of the six commissioners assembled at +their office in Edinburgh, as if it had been amongst the mountains +of Tibet or upon the shores of Madagascar. + +For several years after the insurrection, the rents of this district +were collected, without the slightest difficulty, for the benefit +of the exiled Earl, and regularly transmitted to him. At one +time a large sum was sent to him in Spain. The chief agent in the +business was Donald Murchison, descendant of a line of faithful +adherents of the "High Chief of Kintail." Some of the later +generations of the family had been entrusted with the keeping of +Ellandonnan Castle, a stronghold dear to the modern artist as a +picturesque ruin, but formerly of serious importance as commanding a +central point from which radiate Loch Alsh and Loch Duich, in the +midst of the best part of the Mackenzie country. Donald was a man +worthy of a more prominent place in his country's annals than he +has yet attained; he acted under a sense of right which, though +unfortunately defiant of Acts of Parliament, was still a very pure +sense of right; and in the remarkable actions which he performed he +looked solely to the good of those towards whom he had a feeling of +duty. A more disinterested hero - and he was one - neverlived. + +When Lord Seaforth brought his clan to fight for King James in +1715, Donald Murchison and an elder brother, John, accompanied him +as field officers of the regiment - Donald as Lieutenant-Colonel, +and John as Major. The late Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, the +distinguished Geologist, great-grandson of John, possessed a large +ivory and silver "mill," which once contained the commission sent +from France to Donald, as Colonel, bearing the inscription: "James +Rex: forward and spare not." John fell at Sheriffmuir, in the +prime of life; Donald returning with the remains of the clan, was +entrusted by the banished Earl with the management or estates no +longer legally but still virtually his. And for this task Donald +was in various respects well qualified, for, strange to say, the +son or the castellan of Ellandonnan - the Sheriffmuir Colonel - had +been "bred a writer" in Edinburgh, and was as expert at the business +of a factor or estate-agent as in wielding the claymore. [For a +short time before the insurrection, he had acted as factor to Sir +John Preston of Preston Hall, in Mid-Lothian, then also a forfeited +estate, but of minor value.] + +In bold and avowed insubordination to the Government of George the +First, Mackenzie's tenants continued for ten years to pay their +rents to Donald Murchison, setting at nought all fear of ever +being compelled to repeat the payment to the commissioners. + +In 1720 his Majesty's representatives made a movement for asserting +their claims upon the property. In William Ross of Easterfearn +and Robert Ross, a bailie of Tain, they found two men bold enough to +undertake the duty of stewardship in their behalf over the Seaforth +property, the estates of Grant or Glenmoriston, and or Chisholm of +Strathglass. Little, however, was done that year beyond sending +out notices to the tenants, and preparing for more strenuous +measures for next year. The stir they made only produced excitement, +not dismay. Some of the duine-uasals from about Lochcarron, coming +down with their cattle to the south-country fairs, were heard to +declare that the two factors would never get anything but leaden +coin from the Seaforth tenantry. Donald went over the whole country +showing a letter he had got from the Earl, encouraging the people +to stand out at the same time telling them that the old Countess +was about to come north with a factory for the estate, when she +would allow as paid for any rents which they might hand to him. +The very first use to be made of this money was to bring both the +old and the young Countesses home immediately to Brahan Castle, +where they were to live as they used to do. Part of the funds +thus acquired, Murchison used in keeping on foot a party of +some sixty armed Highlanders, who, in virtue of his commission as +colonel, he proposed to employ in resisting any troops of George +the First which might be sent to Kintail. Nor did he wait to +be attacked, but in June, 1720, hearing of a party of excisemen +passing near Dingwall with a large quantity of aqua vitae, he fell +upon them and rescued their prize. The collector of the district +reported this transaction to the Board of Excise, but no notice +was taken of it. + +In February, 1721, the two factors sent officers of their own +into the western districts, to assure the tenants of good usage, +if they would make a peaceable submission but the men were seized, +robbed of their papers, money, and arms, and quietly sent across +the Frith of Attadale, though only after giving their solemn +assurance that they would never attempt to renew their mission. +Resenting this procedure the two factors caused a constable to take +a military party from Bernera Barracks, Glenelg, into Lochalsh, +and, if possible, capture those who had been guilty. They made a +stealthy night-march, and took two men; but the alarm was given, +the two men escaped, and began to fire down upon their captors +from a hillside; then they set fire to the bothy as a signal, and +such a coronach went over all Kintail and Lochalsh as made the +soldiers glad to beat a quick retreat. + +After some further proceedings, all ineffectual, the two factors +were enabled, on the 13th day of September, to set forth from +Inverness with a party of thirty soldiers and some armed servants +of their own, with the design of enforcing submission to their +claims. Let it be remembered that in those days there were no +roads in the Highlands, nothing but a few horse-tracks along the +principal lines in the country, where not the slightest effort +had ever been made to smooth away the natural difficulties of the +ground. In two days the factors reached Invermoriston; but here +they were stopped for three days, waiting for their heavy luggage, +which was storm-stayed in Castle Urquhart, and there nearly taken +in a night attack by a partisan warrior bearing the name of Evan +Roy Macgillivray. The tenantry of Glenmoriston at first fled with +their cattle, but afterwards a number of them came in and made +the appearance of submission. The party then moved on towards +Strathglass, while Evan Roy respectfully followed, to pick up any +man or piece of baggage that might be left behind. At Erchless +Castle, and at Invercannich, seats of the Chisholm, they held +courts, and received the submission of a number of the tenants, +whom, however, they subsequently found to be "very deceitful." + +There were now forty or fifty miles of the wildest Highland +country before them, where they had reason to believe they should +meet groups of murderous Camerons and Glengarry Macdonalds, and +also encounter the redoubtable Donald Murchison himself, with +his guard of Mackenzies, unless their military force should be +sufficiently strong to render all such opposition hopeless. An +arrangement having been made that they should receive an addition +of fifty soldiers from Bernera, with whom to pass through the +most difficult part of their journey, it seemed likely that they +would appear too strong for resistance and, indeed, intelligence +was already coming to them, that "the people of Kintail, being a +judicious opulent people, would not expose themselves to the +punishments of law," and that the Camerons were absolutely determined +to give no further provocation to the Government. Thus assured, +they set out in cheerful mood along the valley of Strathglass, and, +soon after passing a place called Knockfin, they were reinforced +by Lieutenant Brymer with the expected fifty men from Bernera. +There were now about a hundred well armed men in the invading +body. They spent the next day (Sunday) together in rest, to +gather strength for the ensuing day's march of about thirty arduous +miles, by which they hoped to reach Kintail. + +At four in the morning of Monday, the 2d of October, the party +went forward, the Bernera men first, and the factors in the rear. +They were as yet far from the height of the country, and from its +more difficult passes; but they soon found that all the flattering +tales of non-resistance were groundless, and that the Kintail men +had come a good way out from that district in order to defend +it. The truth was, that Donald Murchison had assembled not only +his stated band of Mackenzies, but a levy of the Lewis men under +Seaforth's cousin, Mackenzie of Kildun; also an auxiliary corps of +Camerons, Glengarry and Glenmoriston men, and some of those very +Strathglass men who had been making appearances of submission. +Altogether he had, if the factors were rightly informed, three +hundred and fifty men with long Spanish firelocks, under his command, +and all posted in the way most likely to give them an advantage +over the invading force. + +The rear-guard, with the factors, had scarcely gone a mile when +they received a platoon of seven shots from a rising ground near +them to the right, which, however, had only the effect of piercing +a soldier's hat. The Bernera company left the party at eight +o'clock, as they were passing Lochanachlee, and from this time is +heard of no more; how it made its way out of the country does not +appear. The remainder still advancing, Easterfearn, as he rode +a little before his men, had eight shots levelled at him from a +rude breast-work near by, and was wounded in two places, but was +able to appear as if he had not been touched. Then calling out +some Highlanders in his service, he desired them to go before the +soldiers and do their best, according to their own mode of warfare, +to clear the ground of such lurking parties, so that the troops +might advance in safety. They performed this service pretty +effectually, skirmishing as they went on, and the main body +advanced safely about six miles. They were here arrived at a +place called Ath-na-Mullach, where the waters, descending from the +Cralich and the lofty mountains of Kintail, issue eastwards through +a narrow gorge into Loch Affric. It was a place remarkably well +adapted for the purpose of a resisting party. A rocky boss, called +Torr-a-Bheathaich, then densely covered with birch, closes up the +glen as with a gate. The black mountain stream, "spear-deep," +sweeps round it. A narrow path wound up the rock, admitting of +passengers in single file. Here lay Murchison with the best of his +people, while inferior adherents were ready to make demonstrations +at a little distance. As the invading party approached, they +received a platoon from a wood on the left, but nevertheless went +on. When, however, they were all engaged in toiling up the pass, +forty men concealed in the heather close by fired with deadly +effect, inflicting a mortal wound on Walter Ross, Easterfearn's son +while Bailie Ross's son was wounded by a bullet which swept across +his breast. The Bailie called to his son to retire, and the order +was obeyed; but the two wounded youths and Bailie Ross's servant +were taken prisoners, and carried up the hill, where they were +quickly divested of clothes, arms, money, and papers. +Easterfearn's son died next morning. The troops faced the +ambuscade manfully and are said to have given their fire thrice, +and to have beaten the Highlanders from the bushes near them; but, +observing at this juncture several parties of the enemy on the +neighbouring heights, and being informed of a party of sixty in +their rear, Easterfearn deemed it best to temporise. + +He thereupon sent forward a messenger to ask who they were that +opposed the King's troops, and what they wanted. The answer was +that, in the first place, they required to have Ross of Easterfearn +delivered up to them. This was pointedly refused; but it was at +length arranged that Easterfearn should go forward and converse +with the leader of the opposing party. The meeting took place +at Beul-ath-na-Mullach, and Easterfearn found himself confronted +with Donald Murchison. It ended with Easterfearn giving up his +papers, and covenanting, under a penalty of five hundred pounds, +not to officiate in his factory any more; after which he gladly +departed homewards with his associates, under favour of a guard +of Donald's men to conduct them safely past the sixty men who were +lurking in the rear. It was alleged afterwards that the commander +was much blamed by his own people for letting the factors off +with their lives and baggage, particularly by the Camerons, who +had been five days at their post with hardly anything to eat; +and Murchison only pacified them by sending them a good supply of +meat and drink. He had in reality given a very effective check +to the two gentlemen-factors, to one of whom he imparted in +conversation that any scheme of Government stewartship in Kintail +was hopeless, for he and sixteen others had sworn that, if any +person calling himself a factor came there, they would take his +life, whether at kirk or at market, and deem it a meritorious +action, though they should be cut to pieces for it the next minute. + +A bloody grave for young Easterfearn in Beauly Cathedral concluded +this abortive attempt to take the Seaforth estates within the scope +of a law sanctioned by statesmen, but against which the natural +feelings of nearly a whole people revolted. + +A second attempt was then made to obtain possession of the forfeited +Seaforth estates for the Government. It was calculated that what +the two factors and their attendants with a small military force +had failed to accomplish in the preceding October, when they were +beaten back with fatal loss at Ath-na-Mullach, might now be effected +by a military party alone, if they should make their approach +through a less critical passage. A hundred and sixty of Colonel +Kirk's regiment left Inverness under Captain M'Neill, who had at one +time been Commander of the Highland Watch. They proceeded by +Dingwall, Strathgarve, and Loch Carron, an easier, though a longer +way. Donald Murchison, nothing daunted, got together his followers, +and advanced to the top of Mam Attadale, by a high pass from Loch +Carron to the bead of Loch Long, separating Lochalsh from Kintail. +Here a gallant relative, Kenneth Murchison, and a few others, +volunteered to go forward and plant themselves in ambush in the +defiles of the Coille Bhan (White Wood), while the bulk of the party +should remain where they were. It would appear that this ambush +party consisted of thirteen men, all peculiarly well armed. + +On approaching this dangerous place the Captain of the invading +party went forward with a sergeant and eighteen men to clear the +wood, while the main body came on slowly in the rear. At a place +called Altanbadubh, in the Coille Bhan, he encountered Kenneth +and his associates, whose fire wounded himself severely, killed +one of his grenadiers, and wounded several others of the party. +He persisted in advancing, and attacking the handful of natives +with sufficient resolution they slowly withdrew, as unable to +resist; but the Captain now obtained intelligence that a large +body of Mackenzies was posted in the mountain pass of Attadale. +It seemed to him as if there was a design to draw him into a fatal +ambuscade. His own wounded condition probably warned him that a +better opportunity might occur afterwards. He turned his forces +about, and made the best of his way back to Inverness. Kenneth +Murchison quickly rejoined Colonel Donald on Mam Attadale, with the +cheering intelligence that one salvo of thirteen guns had repelled +the hundred and sixty red-coats. After this we hear of no more +attempts to comprise the Seaforth property. + +Strange as it may seem, Donald Murchison, two years after this a +second time resisting the Government troops, came down to Edinburgh +with eight hundred pounds of the Earl's rents, that he might get +the money sent abroad for Seaforth's use. He remained a fortnight +in the city unmolested. He on this occasion appeared in the garb +of a Lowland gentleman; he mingled with old acquaintances, "doers" +and writers; and appeared at the Cross amongst the crowd of +gentlemen who assembled there every day at noon. Scores knew all +about his doings at Ath-na-Mullach and the Coille Bhan; but thousands +might have known without the chance of one of them betraying him +to the Government. + +General Wade, in his report to the King in 1725, stated that +the Seaforth tenants, formerly reputed the richest of any in the +Highlands, were now become poor, by neglecting their business, +and applying themselves to the use of arms. "The rents" he says, +"continue to be collected by one Donald Murchison, a servant of +the late Earl's, who annually remits or carries the same to his +master in France. The tenants, when in a condition, are said to +have sent him free gifts in proportion to their circumstances, +but are now a year and a-half in arrear of rent. The receipts he +gives to the tenants are as deputy-factor to the Commissioners of the +Forfeited Estates, which pretended power he extorted from the factor +(appointed by the said Commissioners to collect those rents for the +use of the public), whom he attacked with above four hundred armed +men, as he was going to enter upon the said estate, having with him a +party of thirty of your Majesty's troops. The last year this +Murchison marched in a public manner to Edinburgh, to remit eight +hundred pounds to France for his master's use, and remained fourteen +days there unmolested. I cannot omit observing to your Majesty that +this national tenderness the subjects of North Britain have one for +the other is a great encouragement for rebels and attainted persons +to return home from their banishment." + +Donald went again to Edinburgh about the end of August, 1725. On the +2d of September, George Lockhart of Carnwath, writing from that city +to the Chevalier St George, states, amongst other information +regarding his party in Scotland, that Daniel Murchison (as he +calls him) "is come to Edinburgh, on his way to France" - doubtless +charged with a sum of rents for Seaforth. "He's been in quest of +me, and I of him," says Lockhart, "these two days, and missed each +other; but in a day or two he's to be at my country house, where +I'll get time to talk fully with him. In the meantime, I know +from one that saw him that he has taken up and secured all the +arms of value on Seaforth's estate, which he thought better than +to trust them to the care and prudence of the several owners; and +the other chieftains, I hear, have done the same." + +The Commissioners on the forfeited estates concluded their final +report in 1725, by stating that they had not sold the estate +of William, Earl of Seaforth, "not having been able to obtain +possession and consequently to give the same to a purchaser." +[In a Whig poem on the Highland Roads, written in 1737, Donald +is characteristically spoken of as a sort of cateran, while, in +reality, as every generous person can now well understand, he was +a high-minded gentleman. The verses, nevertheless, as well as the +appended note, are curious - + +Keppoch, Rob Roy, and Daniel Murchison, +Cadets are servants to some chief of clan, +From theft and robberies scarce did ever cease, +Yet 'scaped the halter each, and died in peace. +This last his exiled master's rents collected, +Nor unto king or law would be subjected. +Though veteran troops upon the confines lay, +Sufficient to make lord and tribe a prey, +Yet passes strong through which no roads were cut, +Safe-guarded Seaforth's clan, each in his hu', +Thus in strongholds the rogue securely lay, +Neither could they by force be driven away, +Till his attainted lord and chief of late +By ways and means repurchased his estate. + +"Donald Murchison, a kinsman and servant to the Earl of Seaforth, +bred a writer, a man of small stature, but full of spirit and +resolution, fought at Dunblane against the Government, anno 1715, +but continued thereafter to collect Seaforth's rents for his +lord's use, and had some bickerings with the King's forces on that +account, till, about five years ago, the Government was so tender +as to allow Seaforth to repurchase his estate, when the said Murchison +had a principal band in striking the bargain for his master. How +he fell under Seaforth's displeasure, and died thereafter, is not +to the purpose here to mention."] + +The end of Donald's career can scarcely now be passed over in +a slighting manner. The story is most painful. The Seaforth of +that day - very unlike some of his successors - proved unworthy of the +devotion which this heroic man had shown to him. When his lordship +took possession of the estates which Donald had in a manner preserved +for him, he discountenanced and neglected him. Murchison's noble +spirit pined away under this treatment, and he died in the very +prime of his days of a broken heart. He lies in a remote little +church-yard in the parish of Urray, where his worthy relative, +the late Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, raised a suitable monument +over his grave. The traditional account of Donald Murchison, +communicated to Chambers by the late Finlay Macdonald, Druidaig, +states that the heroic commissioner had been promised a handsome +reward for his services; but Seaforth proved ungrateful. "He was +offered only a small farm called Bun-Da-Loch, which pays at this +day to Mr Matheson, the proprietor, no more than L60 a year; +or another place opposite to Inverinate House, of about the same +value. It is no wonder he refused these paltry offers. He shortly +afterwards left this country, and died in the prime of life near +Conon. On his death-bed, Seaforth went to see him, and asked how +he was, when he said, 'Just as you will be in a short time,' and +then turned his back. They never met again." + +The death of George I. in 1726, suggested to the Chevalier a +favourable opportunity for attempting a second Rising, and of again +stirring up his adherents in Scotland, whither he was actually +on his way, until strongly remonstrated with on the folly and +hoplessness of such an undertaking. It was pointed out to him that +it could only end in the ruin of his family pretentions, and in +that of many of his friends who might be tempted to enter on the +rash scheme more through personal attachment to himself than from +any reasonable prospect they might see of success. He therefore +retraced his steps to Boulogne; and the Earl of Seaforth having +been pardoned in the same year, [By letters dated 12th July, 1726, +King George I. was pleased to discharge him from imprisonment or +the execution of his person on his attainder, and King George II. +made him a grant of the arrears of feu-duties due to the Crown +out of his forfeited estate. An Act of Parliament was passed in +1733, to enable William Mackenzie, late Earl of Seaforth, to sue +or maintain any action or suit notwithstanding his attainder, and +to remove any disability in him, by reason of his said attainder, +to take or inherit any real or personal estate that may or shall +hereafter descend to him. - "Wood's Douglas' Peerage."] felt free +once more to return to his native land, where, according to Captain +Matheson, he spent the remainder of his life in retirement, and +"with few objects to occupy him or to interest us beyond the due +regard of his personal friends and the uninterrupted loyalty of +his old vassals." He must, however, have been in tightened +circumstances, for, on the 27th of June, 1728, he writes a letter to +the Lord Advocate, in which he refers to a request he had made to Sir +Robert Walpole, who advised him to put his claim in writing that it +might be submitted to the King. This was done, but "the King would +neither allow anything of the kind or give orders to be granted what +his Royal father had granted before. On hearing this, I could +not forbear making appear how ill I was used. The Government in +possession of the estate, and I in the interim allowed to starve, +though they were conscious of my complying with whatever I promised +to see put in execution." He makes a strong appeal to his friend +to contribute to an arrangement that would tend to the mutual +satisfaction of all concerned, "for the way I am now in is most +disagreeable, consequently, if not rectified, will choose rather +to seek my bread elsewhere than continue longer in so unworthy a +situation." ["Culloden Papers," pp. 103-4] Notwithstanding the personal +remission granted in his favour for the part he had taken in the +Rising of 1715, the title of Earl of Seaforth, under which alone +he was proscribed, passed under attainder, while the older and +original dignity of Kintail, which only became subordinate by a +future elevation, remained unnoticed, and, consequently unvitiated +in the male descent of Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, +granted by patent on the 19th of November, 1609, and it has accordingly +been claimed. [This Act (of Attainder) omits all mention of the +subordinate though older title of "Lord Kintail," which he and +all the collateral branches descended of George, the second Earl, +had taken up and assumed in all their deeds and transactions, though +there was no occasion to use it in Parliament, as they appeared +there as "Earls of Seaforth." It is questionable therefore, if the +Act of Attainder of "William, Earl of Seaforth," by that designation +only could affect the "barony of Kintail;" and as the designation to +the patentee of it, "Suisque heredibus maxulis," seems to render +the grant an entailed fee agreeable to the 7th of Queen Anne, c. 21, +and the protecting clause of 26th Henry VIII. c. 13, the claimant +George Falconer Mackenzie, is entitled to the benefit of such +remainder, and in fact such remainder was given effect to by the +succession of Earl George to his brother Colin's titles as his heir +male collateral. - "Allangrange Service."] + +Earl William married in early life, Mary, the only daughter and +co-heir of Nicholas Kenet of Coxhow, Northumberland, with issue, +three sons - + +I. Kenneth, who succeeded his father. + +II. Ronald, who died unmarried. + +III. Nicholas, who was drowned at Douay, without issue. + +IV. Frances, who married the Hon. John Gordon of Kenmure, whose +father was beheaded in 1715. + +He died in 1740 in the Island of Lewis, was buried there in the +Chapel of Ui, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +XVIII. KENNETH, LORD FORTROSE, + +Which courtesy title he continued to bear as the subordinate title of +his father; and under this designation he is named as a freeholder +of Ross in 1741. In the same year be was elected as member +of Parliament for the Burgh of Inverness, for his own County of +Ross in 1747, and again in 1754. In 1741, the year after Earl +William's death, the Crown sold the Seaforth estates, including +the lands of Kintail, the barony of Ellandonnan, and others, for +L25,109 8s 31/2d, under burden of an annuity of L1000 to Frances, +Countess Dowager of Seaforth. The purchase was for the benefit +of Kenneth, Lord Fortrose. [Fraser's "Earls of Cromartie."] He does +not appear to have passed much of his time in the Highlands, but +about a year after his succession, he seems, from a warrant issued +by his authority to have been in the North. It is signed by Colin +Mackenzie, Baillie," and addressed to Roderick Mackenzie, officer +of Locks, commanding him to summon and warn Donald Mackenzie, +tacksman of Lainbest, and others, to compear before "Kenneth, +Lord Fortrose, heritable proprietor of the Estate of Seaforth, at +Braan Castle, or before his Lordship's Baron Baillies, or other +judges appointed by him there, upon the 10th day of October next, +to come to answer several unwarrantable and illegal things to be +laid to their charge:" Dated at "Stornoway, 29th September, 1741." +There is no doubt that in early life Lord Fortrose, during the +exile of his father, held communications with the representative +of the Stuarts. It is a common tradition in Kintail to this day +that he and Sir Alexander Macdonald of Sleat were school companions +of the Prince in France, and were among those who first imbued +his mind with the idea of attempting to regain possession of his +ancient Kingdom of Scotland, promising him that they would use their +influence with the other northern chiefs to rise in his favour, +although when the time for action came neither of them joined him. + +The unfortunate position in which Kenneth found himself by the +Jacobite proclivities of his ancestors, and especially those of +his father, appears to have made a deep impression upon his mind, +and to have induced him to be more cautious in supporting a cause +which seemed certain to land him in final and utter ruin. But +though he personally held aloof, several of the clan joined the +Prince, mostly under George, third Earl of Cromarty, and a few +under John Mackenzie, III. of Torridon. Several young and powerful +Macraes, who strongly sympathised with the Prince, though +unaccompanied by any of their natural leaders, left Kintail never +again to return and, it is said, that several others had to be +bound with ropes by their friends, to keep them at home. The +influence of Lord President Forbes weighed strongly with Mackenzie +in deciding him to support the Government, and, in return for his +loyalty, the honours of the house of Seaforth were, in part, +afterwards restored to his son. + +In 1744 an exciting incident occurred in Inverness in which his +Lordship played a conspicuous part, and which exemplifies the +impetuous character of the Highland chiefs of the day. A court of +the Freeholders of the county was being held there at Michaelmas +to elect a collector of the land tax, at which were present, among +others, Lord President Forbes, Norman Macleod of Macleod, Lord +Fortrose, Lord Lovat, and many leading members of the Clan Fraser. +A warm debate upon some burning business arose between Lords Lovat +and Fortrose, when the former gave the latter the lie direct. To +this Mackenzie replied by giving Lovat a smart blow in the face. +Mutual friends at once intervened between the fiery antagonists. But +the Fraser blood was up, and Fraser of Foyers, who was present, +interfered in the interest of the chief of his clan, but more, +however, it is said, in that capacity than from any personal esteem +in which he held him. He felt that in his chief's person the +whole clan had been insulted as if it had actually been a personal +blow to every man of the name, and he instantly sprung down from +the gallery and presented a loaded and cocked pistol at Mackenzie's +head, to whom it would undoubtedly have proved fatal had not one +of the gentlemen present, with great presence of mind, thrown his +plaid over the muzzle, and thus arrested and diverted its contents. +In another moment swords and dirks were drawn on both sides, but +the Lord President and Macleod laid hold of Mackenzie and hurried +him from the Court. Yet he no sooner gained the outside than +one of the Frasers levelled him to the ground with a blow from a +heavy bludgeon, notwithstanding the efforts of his friends to protect +him. The matter was, however, afterwards, with great difficulty, +arranged by mutual friends, between the great clans and their +respective chiefs, otherwise the social jealousies and personal +irritations which then prevailed throughout the whole Highlands, +fanned by this incident, would have produced a lasting and bloody +feud between the Frasers and the Mackenzies. + +In the following year, shortly after the Lord President arrived at +Culloden from the south, he wrote a letter to Mackenzie dated the +11th of October 1745, in which he tells him that the Earl of Loudon +had come the day before to Cromarty, and brought some "credit" +with him, which "will enable us to put the Independent Companies +together for the service of the Government and for our mutual +protection." He requested Fortrose to give immediate orders to +pick out those who are first to form one of the companies, that +they might receive their commissions and arms. Alexander Mackenzie +of Fairburn was to command. There was, the President said, a report +that Barrisdale had gone to Assynt to raise the men of that country, +to be joined to those of Coigeach, who were said to have orders to +be in readiness to join Macdonald, and with instructions to march +through Mackenzie's territories in order to find out how many of +his Lordship's vassals could be persuaded, by fair means or foul, +to join the standard of the Prince. "I hope this is not true," +writes the President; "if it is, it is of the greatest consequence +to prevent it. I wish Fairburn were at home; your Lordship will +let me know when he arrives, as the Lord Cromarty has refused the +company I intended for his son. Your Lordship will deliberate to +whom you would have it given." ["Culloden Papers," pp. 421-2.] + +Exasperated at this time by the exertions made by President Forbes +to obstruct the designs of the disaffected, a plan was formed to +seize him by some of the Frasers, a party of whom, amounting to +about 200, attacked Culloden House during the night of the 15th of +October, but the President being on his guard they were repulsed. +[Fraser's "Earls of Cromartie."] + +On the 13th of October Mackenzie had written to Forbes that he +surmised some young fellows of his name attempted to raise men for +the Prince, but that he sent expresses to the suspected parts, +with orders to the tenants not to stir under pain of death without +his leave, though their respective masters should be imprudent +enough to desire them to do so. The messengers returned with the +people's blessings for his protection, and with assurances that they +would do nothing without his orders, "so that henceforward your +Lordship need not be concerned about any idle report from benorth +Kessock." In a letter dated "Brahan Castle, 19th October 1745," Lord +Fortrose refers to the attempt on the President's house, which, he +says, surprised him extremely, and "is as dirty an action as I ever +heard of," and he did not think any gentleman would be capable of +doing such a thing. He adds, "as I understand your cattle are taken +away, I beg you will order your steward to write to Colin, or anybody +else here, for provisions, as I can be supplied from the Highlands. +I am preparing to act upon the defensive, and I suppose will soon be +provoked to act on the offensive. I have sent for a strong party to +protect my house and overawe the country. None of my Kintail men +will be down till Tuesday, but as the river is high, and I have +parties at all boats, nothing can be attempted. Besides, I shall +have reinforcements every day. I have ordered my servants to get, +at Inverness, twelve or twenty pounds of powder with a proportionable +quantity of shot. If that cannot be bought at Inverness, I must +beg you will write a line to Governor Grant to give my servant the +powder, as I can do without the shot ... Barrisdale has come down +from Assynt, and was collared by one of the Maclauchlans there +for offering to force the people to rise, and he has met with no +success there. I had a message from the Mackenzies in Argyllshire +to know what they should do. Thirty are gone from Lochiel; the rest, +being about sixty, are at home. I advised them to stay at home and +mind their own business." + +On the 28th of the same month his Lordship writes to inform the +President that the Earl of Cromarty and his son, Macculloch of +Glastullich, and Ardloch's brother, came to Brahan Castle on the +previous Friday; that it was the most unexpected visit he had +received for some time, that he did not like to turn them out, that +Cromarty was pensive and dull; but that if he had known what he knew +at the date of writing he would have made them prisoners, for Lord +Macleod went since to Lochbroom and Assynt to raise men. He enclosed +for the President's use the names of the officers appointed to the +two Mackenzie companies, and intimated that he offered the commission +to both Coul and Redcastle, but that both refused it. It was from +Coul's house, he says, that Lord Macleod started for the North, and +that vexed him. On the same day Forbes acknowledges receipt of this +letter, and requests that the officers in the two companies should be +appointed according to Mackenzie's recommedations, "without any +further consideration than that you judge it right," and he desires +to see Sir Alexander of Fairburn for an hour next day to carry a +proposal to his Lordship for future operations. "I think," he adds, +"it would be right to assemble still more men about Brahan than you +now have; the expense shall be made good and it will tend to make +Caberfey respectable, and to discourage folly among your neighbours." +In a letter of 6th November the President says, "I supposed that your +Lordship was to have marched Hilton's company into town (Inverness) +on Monday or Tuesday; but I dare say there is a good reason why it +has not been done." + +On the 8th of November Mackenzie informs the Lord President that +the Earl of Cromarty had crossed the river at Contin, with about a +hundred men on his way to Beauly, "owing to the neglect of my spies, +as there's rogues of all professions." Lord Macleod, Cromarty's +son came from Assynt and Lochbroom the same day, and followed his +father to the rendezvous, but after traversing the whole of that +northern district he did not get a single volunteer. "Not a man +started from Ross-shire, except William, Kilcoy's brother, with +seven men, and a tenant of Redcastle with a few more and if Lentran +and Torridon did go off last night, they did not carry between +them a score of men. I took a ride yesterday to the westward with +two hundred men, but find the bounds so rugged that it's impossible +to keep a single man from going by if he has a mind. However, I +threatened to burn their cornyards if anybody was from home this +day, and I turned one house into the river for not finding its +master at home. It's hard the Government gives nobody in the +North power to keep people in order. I don't choose to send a +company to Inverness until I hear what they are determined to do +at Lord Lovat's." + +The Earl of Loudon writes to Marshal Wade, then Commander-in-Chief +in the North, under date of 16th November, saying that 150 or 160 +Mackenzies, seduced by the Earl of Cromarty, marched in the +beginning of that week up the north side of Loch-Ness, expecting to +be followed by 500 or 600 Frasers, under command of the Master of +Lovat, but the Mackenzies had not on that date passed the mountains. +On the 16th of December Fortrose writes asking for L400 expended by +him during two months on his men going to and coming from the +Highlands, for which he would not trouble him only that he bad a +very "melancholy appearance" of getting his Martinmas rent, as the +people would be glad of any excuse for non-payment, and the last +severe winter, and their having to leave home, would afford them a +very good one. He was told by the President in reply, that his +letter had been submitted to Lord Loudon, that both of them agreed +that his Lordship's expenses must have been far greater than what +he claimed, "but as cash is very low with us at present, all we can +possibly do is to let your Lordship have the pay of the two +companies from the date of the letter signifying that they were +ordered to remain at Brahan for the service of the Government. +The further expense, which we are both satisfied it must have +cost your Lordship, shall be made good as soon as any money to +be applied to contingencies, which we expect, shall come to hand, +and if it should not come so soon as we wish, the account shall +be made up and solicited, in the same manner with what we lay +out of our own purses, which is no inconsiderable sums." This +correspondence will show the confidence which then existed between +the Government and Lord Fortrose. + +On the 9th of December the two Mackenzie companies were marched +into Inverness. Next day, accompanied by a detachment from +Fort-Augustus, they proceeded to Castle Dounie for the purpose of +bringing Lord Lovat to account. The crafty old Simon agreed to +come in to Inverness and to deliver up his arms on the 14th of the +month, but instead of doing so he of course made good his escape. + +After the battle of Prestonpans, the Government, on the recommendation +of the Earl of Stair, forwarded twenty blank commissions to +President Forbes, with orders to raise as many companies of 100 +men each, among the Highlanders. Eighteen of the twenty were sent +to the Earls of Sutherland and Cromarty, Lords Fortrose and Reay, +the Lairds of Grant and Macleod, and Sir Alexander Macdonald of +Sleat, with instructions to raise the Highland companies in their +respective districts. The Earl of Cromarty, while pretending to +comply with the instructions of the Lord President, offered the +command of one of the companies to a neighbouring gentleman, whom +he well knew to be a strong Jacobite, and at the same time made +some plausible excuse for his son's refusal of another of the +commissions. + +When Lord John Drummond landed with a body of Irish and Scotch +troops, in the service of the French, to aid Prince Charles, he +wrote to Mackenzie announcing his arrival and earnestly requesting +him to declare at once for the Stuart cause, as the only means +by which he could "now expect to retrieve his character." All the +means at Drummond's disposal proved futile, and the Mackenzies +were thus kept out of the Rising of 1745. + +That Prince Charles fully appreciated the importance of having the +Mackenzies led by their natural chief, for or against him, will be +seen from Lord Macleod's Narrative of the Rebellion. [Printed at +length in Fraser's "Earls of Cromartie."] "We set out," his Lordship +says, "from Dunblain on the 12th of January, and arrived the same +evening at Glasgow. I immediately went to pay my respects to the +Prince, and found that he was already set down to supper. Dr +Cameron told Lord George Murray, who sat by the Prince, who I was, +on which the Lord Murray introduced me to the Prince, whose hand +I had the honour to kiss, after which the Prince ordered me to +take my place at the table. After supper I followed the Prince to +his apartment to give him an account of his affairs in the North, +and of what had passed in these parts during the time of his +expedition to England. I found that nothing surprised the Prince +so much as to hear that the Earl of Seaforth had declared against +him, for he heard without emotion the names of the other people +who had joined the Earl of Loudon at Inverness; but when I told him +that Seaforth had likewise sent two hundred men to Inverness for +the service of the Government, and that he had likewise hindered +many gentlemen of his clan from joining my father (the Earl of +Cromarty) for the service of the Stuarts, he turned to the French +Minister and said to him, with some warmth, "Hc! mon Dieu! et +Seaforth est aussi contre moi!"" + +At this stage a hero named Mackenzie, who had done good service +to the Prince in his wanderings through the Highlands after the +battle of Culloden, may be mentioned. Such a small tribute is due +to the gallant Roderick Mackenzie, whose intrepidity and presence +of mind in the last agonies of death, saved his Prince from pursuit +at the time, and was consequently the means of his ultimate escape +in safety to France. Charles had been pursued with the most +persevering assiduity, but Roderick's ruse proved so successful on +this occasion that further search was for a time considered +unnecessary. Mackenzie was a young man, of respectable family, who +joined the Prince at Edinburgh, and served as one of his life-guards. +Being about the same age as his Royal Highness, and, like him, tall, +somewhat slender, and with features in some degree resembling his, he +might, by ordinary observers not accustomed to see the two together, +have passed for the Prince himself. As Roderick could not venture +with safety to return to Edinburgh, where still lived his two maiden +sisters, he after the battle of Culloden fled to the Highlands and +lurked among the hills of Glenmoriston, where, about the middle of +July, he was surprised by a party of Government soldiers. Mackenzie +endeavoured to escape, but, being overtaken, he turned on his +pursuers, and, drawing his sword, bravely defended himself. He was +ultimately shot by one of the red-coats, but as he fell, mortally +wounded, he exclaimed, "You have killed your Prince! You +have killed your Prince!" whereupon he immediately expired. The +soldiers, overjoyed at their supposed good fortune, cut off his +head, and hurried off to Fort-Augustus with their prize. The Duke +of Cumberland, quite convinced that he had now obtained the head of +his Royal relative, packed it up carefully, ordered a post-chaise, +and at once went off to London, taking the head along with him. +After his arrival the deception was discovered, but meanwhile it +proved of great assistance to Prince Charles in his ultimately +successful efforts to escape. + +Shortly after the battle of Culloden a fleet of ships appeared off +the coast of Lochbroom, under the command of Captain Fergusson. +They dropped anchor at Loch-Ceannard, when a large party went ashore +and proceeded up the Strath to the residence of Mr Mackenzie of +Langwell, connected by marriage with the Earl of Cromarty. Langwell +having supported the Prince, fled out of the hated Fergusson's +way; but his lady was obliged to remain at home to attend to a +large family of young children, who were at the time laid up with +smallpox. The house was ransacked. A large chest containing the +family and other valuable papers, including a wadset of Langwell +and Inchvannie from her relative, George, Earl of Cromarty, was +burnt before her eyes; and about fifty head of fine Highland cattle +were mangled by the swords and driven to the ships of the spoilers. +Nor did this satisfy them. They committed similar depredations, +without any discrimination between friend or foe, for eight days +during which they remained in the neighbourhood. ["New Statistical +Account of Lochbroom."] + +It is well known that Mackenzie had strong Jacobite feelings +although his own prudence and the influence of Lord President Forbes +secured his support for the Government. "Though many respectable +individuals of the Clan Mackenzie had warmly espoused the cause of +Charles, Lord Fortrose seems at no time to have proclaimed openly +for him, whatever hopes he might have countenanced when in personal +communication with the expatriated Sovereign, as indeed there is +cause to infer something of the kind from a letter which, towards +the end of November, 1745, was addressed by Lord John Drummond to +Kenneth, pressing him instantly to join the Prince, then successfully +penetrating the West of England, and qualifying the invitation by +observing that it was the only mode for his Lordship to retrieve +his character. Yet so little did Fortrose or his immediate followers +affect the cause, that when Lord Lovat blockaded Fort-Augustus, +two companies of Mackenzies, which bad been stationed at Brahan, +were withdrawn, and posted by Lord Loudon, the commander-in-chief +of the Government forces, at Castle Dounie, the stronghold of +Fraser and, with the exception of these, the Royal party received +no other support from the family of Seaforth, though many gentlemen +of the clan served in the King's army. Yet it appears that a still +greater number, with others whose ancestors identified themselves +with the fortunes of the House of Kintail, were inclined to espouse +the more venturous steps of the last of the Stuarts. George, the +last Earl of Cromarty, being then paramount in power, and, probably +so, in influence, even to the chief himself, having been, for +certain reasons, liable to suspicions as to their disinterested +nature, declared for Charles, and under his standard his own levy, +with all the Jacobite adherents of the clan, ranged themselves, +and were mainly instrumental in neutralizing Lord Loudon's and the +Laird of Macleod's forces in the subsequent operations of 1746, +driving them with the Lord President Forbes, to take shelter in +the Isle of Skye." [Bennetsfield MS.] + +Kenneth married on the 11th of September, 1741, Lady Mary, eldest +daughter of Alexander Stewart, sixth Earl of Galloway, with issue - + +I. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +II. Margaret, who on the 4th of June, married William Webb. + +III. Mary, who married Henry Howard, of Effingham, with issue. + +IV. Agnes, who married J. Douglas. + +V. Catherine, who on the 1st of March, 1773, married Thomas Griffin +Tarpley, student of medicine. + +VI. Frances, who married General Joseph Wald. + +VII. Euphemia, who, on the 2nd of April, 1771, married William +Stewart of Castle Stewart, M.P. for the County of Wigton. + +His wife died in London on the 18th of April, 1751, and was buried +at Kensington, where a monument was raised to her memory. Kenneth +died, also in London, on the 19th of October, 1761, and was buried +in Westminster Abbey, when he was succeeded by his only son, + +XIX. KENNETH, SIXTH EARL OF SEAFORTH, + +Viscount Fortrose, and Baron Ardelve, in the Peerage of Ireland. +From his small stature, he was generally known among the Highlanders +as the "Little Lord." He was born in Edinburgh on the 15th of +January, 1744, and at an early age entered the army. As a return +for his father's loyalty to the House of Hanovar in 1745, and his +own steady support of the reigning family, George III., in 1764, +raised him to the peerage by the title of Baron Ardelve. He was +created Viscount Fortrose in 1766, and in 1771, Earl of Seaforth, +all in the peerage of Ireland. To evince his gratitude for this +magnanimous act, he, in 1778, offered to raise a regiment for general +service. The offer was accepted by his Majesty, and a fine body +of 1130 men were in a very short time raised by his Lordship, +principally on his own estates in the north and by gentlemen +of his own name. Of these, five hundred were enlisted among his +immediate vassals, and about four hundred from the estates of the +Mackenzies of Scatwell, Kilcoy, Redcastle, and Applecross. The +officers from the south to whom he gave commissions in the regiment +brought about two hundred men, of whom forty-three were English +and Irish. The Macraes of Kintail, always such faithful followers +and able supporters of the House of Seaforth, were so numerous +in the new regiment that it was known more by their name than by +that of Seaforth's own kinsmen, and so much was this the case +that the well-known mutiny which took place in Edinburgh, on the +arrival of the regiment there, is still known as "the affair of +the Macraes." [The Seaforth Highlanders were marched to Leith, +where they were quartered for a short interval, though long enough +to produce complaints about the infringement of their engagements, +and some pay and bounty which they said were due them. Their +disaffection was greatly increased by the activity of emissaries +from Edinburgh, like those just mentioned as having gone down +front London to Portsmouth. The regiment refused to embark, and +marching out of Leith, with pipes playing and two plaids fixed +on poles instead of colours, took a position on Arthur's Seat, +of which they kept possession for several days, during which time +the inhabitants of Edinburgh amply supplied them with provisions +and ammunition. After much negotiation, a proper understanding +respecting the cause of their complaint was brought about, and +they marched down the hill in the same manner in which they had +gone up, with pipes playing; and "with the Earls of Seaforth and +Dunmore, and General Skene, at their head, they entered Leith, +and went on board the transports with the greatest readiness, and +cheerfulness." In this case, as in that of the Athole Highlanders, +none of he men were brought to trial, or even put into confinement +for these acts of open resistance. - "Stewart's Sketches - Appendix" +p. lxvviv.] The regiment was embodied at Elgin in May, 1778, +and inspected there by General Skene, when it was so effective +that not a single man was rejected. Seaforth, appointed Colonel +on the 29th of December, 1777, was now promoted to the rank of +Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant, and the regiment was called the 78th +(afterwards the 72nd), or Ross-shire Regiment of Highlanders. + +The grievances complained of at Leith being removed, the regiment +embarked at that port, accompanied by their Colonel, and the +intention of sending them to India having been abandoned, one half +of the corps was sent to Guernsey and the other half to Jersey. +Towards the end of April, 1781, the two divisions assembled +at Portsmouth, whence they embarked for India on the 12th of +June following, being then 973 strong, rank and file. Though in +excellent health, the men suffered so much from scurvy, in consequence +of the change of food, that before their arrival at Madras, on +the 2d of April, 1782, no fewer than 247 of them died. and out of +those who landed alive only 369 were fit for service. Their Chief +and Colonel died in August, 1781, before they arrived at St Helena, +to the great grief and dismay of his faithful followers, who looked +up to him as their principal source of encouragement and support. +His loss was naturally associated in their minds with recollections +of home, with melancholy remembrances of their absent kindred, +and with forebodings of their own future destiny and so strong +was this feeling impressed upon them that it materially contributed +to that prostration of mind which made them all the more readily +become the victims of disease. They well knew that it was on +their account alone that he had determined to forego the comforts +of a splendid fortune and high rank to encounter the privations and +inconveniences of a long voyage and the dangers and other fatigues +of military service in a tropical climate. ["Stewart's Sketches," +and Fullarton's "History of the Highland Clans and Highland +Regiments."] + +His Lordship married on the 7th of October, 1765, Lady Caroline +Stanhope, eldest daughter of William, second Earl of Harrington, +and by her - who died in London from consumption, from which she +suffered for nearly two years, on the 9th of February, 1767, at +the early age of twenty, ["Scots' Magazine" for 1767, p. 533.] and +was buried at Kensington - he had issue, an only daughter, Lady +Caroline, who was born in London on the 7th of July, 1766. She +formed an irregular union with Lewis Malcolm Drummond, Count +Melfort, a nobleman of the Kingdom of France, originally of Scottish +extraction, and died in 1547. She is buried under a flat stone +inscribed with her name in the St Pancras (Old) Burial Ground, +London. + +Thus the line of George, second Earl of Seaforth, who died in +1633, became extinct; and the reader must therefore now accompany +us back to Kenneth Mor, the third Earl, to pick up the chain of +legitimate succession. It has been already shown that the lineal +descent of the original line of Kintail was diverted from heirs +male in the person of Anna, Countess of Balcarres, daughter of +Colin, first Earl of Seaforth. + +Kenneth Mor, the third Earl, had four sons - (1) Kenneth Og, his heir +and successor, whose line terminated in Lady Caroline, as above; (2) +John of Assynt, whose only son, Alexander, had an only son Kenneth, +who died in 1723 without issue; (3) Hugh, who died young; and (4) +Colonel Alexander, afterwards designated of Assynt and Conansbay, +who, as his second wife, married Elizabeth, daughter of John +Paterson, Bishop of Ross, and sister of John Paterson, Archbishop of +Glasgow. Colonel Alexander had no issue by his first wife, but by +the second he had an only son and six daughters. The daughters were +(1) Isabella, who married Basil Hamilton of Baldoon, became the +mother of Dunbar, fourth Earl of Selkirk, and died in 1725; (2) +Frances, who married her cousin, Kenneth Mackenzie of Assynt, without +issue; (3) Jane, who married Dr Mackenzie, a cadet of Coul, and died +at New Tarbat, on the 18th of September, 1776; (4) Mary, who married +Captain Dougall Stuart of Blairhall, a Lord of Session and Justiciary, +and brother of the first Earl of Bute, with issue; (5) Elizabeth, +who died unmarried at Kirkcudbright, on the 12th of March, 1796, +aged 81; and (6) Maria, who married Nicholas Price of Saintfield, +County Down, Ireland, with issue. She was maid of honour to +Queen Caroline, and died in 1732. Colonel Alexander's only son was, + +Major William Mackenzie, who died on the 12th of March, 1770. He +married Mary, daughter and co-heir of Matthew Humberston, Lincoln, +with issue, two sons - (1) Thomas Frederick Mackenzie, Colonel of the +100th Regiment of foot, who assumed the name of Humberston in addition +to his own on succeeding to his mother's property; and (2) Francis +Humberston Mackenzie. Both of Major William's sons ultimately +succeeded to the Seaforth estates. He had also four daughters - (1) +Frances Cerjat, who married Sir Vicary Gibbs, M.P., his Majesty's +Attorney-General, with issue; (2) Maria Rebecca, who married +Alexander Mackenzie of Breda, younger son of James Mackenzie, III. of +Highfield, with issue, six sons - William, a Lieutenant in the 78th +Highlanders, who died at Breda, in Holland, from a wound which he +received on the previous day at the taking of Merxein, in 1814 Thomas, +a Midshipman, R.N., drowned at sea; Frederick, R.N., murdered at +Calcutta in 1820; Francis, R.N., drowned at sea in 1828; and Colin, +all without issue; also Captain Alexander, of the 25th Regiment, +subsequently Adjutant of the Ross-shire Militia, who married Lilias +Dunbar, daughter of James Fowler of Raddery, with issue - James Evan +Fowler, who died unmarried; Alexander, now residing at Fortrose, and +three daughters who died unmarried; (3) Elizabeth, who died without +issue; and (4) Helen, who married Major-General Alexander +Mackenzie-Fraser of Inverallochy, fourth son of Colin Mackenzie, VI. +of Kilcoy, Colonel of the 78th Regiment, and M.P. for the County of +Ross, with issue. + +Major William died on the 12th of March, 1770, at Stafford, Lincolnshire. +His wife died on the 19th of February, 1813, at Hartley, Herts. His +eldest son, + +Colonel Thomas Frederick Mackenzie-Humberston, it will be seen, thus +became male heir to his cousin, Earl Kenneth, who died, without male +issue, in 1781. The Earl, finding his property heavily encumbered +with debts from which he could not extricate himself, conveyed the +estates to his cousin and heir male, Colonel Thomas, in 1779, on +payment of L100,000. Earl Kenneth died, as already stated, in 1781, +and was succeeded by his cousin, + +XX. COLONEL THOMAS FREDERICK MACKENZIE-HUMBERSTON, + +In all his estates, and in the command of the 78th Ross-shire +Highland Regiment, but not in the titles and dignities, which +terminated with his predecessor. When the 78th was raised, in +1778, Thomas Frederick Mackenzie-Humberston was a captain in the +1st Regiment of Dragoon Guards, but he gave this up and accepted +a captaincy in Seaforth's regiment of Ross-shire Highlanders. +He was afterwards quartered with the latter in Jersey, and took +a prominent share in repelling the attack made on that island by +the French. On the 2nd of September, 1780, he was appointed from +the 78th as Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant of the 100th Foot. + +In 1781 he embarked with this regiment to the East Indies, and was +at Port Preya when the outward bound East India fleet under Commodore +Johnston was attacked by the French. He happened at the time to +be ashore, but such was his ardour to share in the action that he +swam to one of the ships engaged with the enemy. Immediately on +his arrival in India he obtained a separate command on the Malabar +Coast, but in its exercise he met with every possible discouragement +from the Council of Bombay. This, however, only gave a man of his +spirit greater opportunity of distinguishing himself, for, under all +the disadvantages of having funds, stores, and reinforcements +withheld from him, he undertook, with 1000 Europeans and 2500 Sepoys +to wage an offensive war against Calicut. He was conscious of great +personal resources, and harmony, confidence, and attachment on the +part of his officers and men. He finally drove the enemy out of the +country, defeated them in three different engagements, took the city +of Calicut, and every other place of strength in the kingdom. He +concluded a treaty with the King of Travancore, who was reinforced +by a body of 1200 men. Tippoo then proceeded against him with +an army of 30,000, more than one-third of them cavalry; Colonel +Mackenzie-Humberston repelled their attack, and by a rapid march +regained the Fort of Panami, which the enemy attempted to carry, +but he defeated them with great loss. He served under General +Matthews against Hyder Ali in 1782; but during the operations of +that campaign, Matthews gave such proofs of incapacity and injustice, +that Colonels Macleod and Humberston carried their complaints to +the Council of Bombay, where they arrived on the 26th of February, +1783. The Council ordered General Matthews to be superseded, +appointed Colonel Macleod to succeed him in command of the army, +and desired Colonel Humberston to join him. They both sailed from +Bombay on the 5th of April, 1783, in the "Ranger" sloop of war; but, +notwithstanding that peace had been concluded with the Mahrattas, +their ship was attacked on the 8th of that month by the Mahratta +fleet, and after a desperate resistance of four hours, captured. +All the officers on board were either killed or wounded, among +them the young and gallant Colonel Mackenzie-Humberston, who was +shot through the body with a four pound ball, and he died of the +wound at Geriah, on the 30th April, 1783, in the 28th year of his +age. A fine monument is erected to his memory in Fortrose Cathedral. +He had only been Chief of the Clan for two years, and, dying +unmarried, he was succeeded as head of the house and in the family +estates by his next and only lawful brother, ["Douglas' Peerage." +He had a natural son, Captain Humberston Mackenzie, of the 78th, +killed at the storming of Ahmadnugger, on the 8th of August, 1803.] + +XXI. FRANCIS HUMBERSTON MACKENZIE, + +Raised to the peerage of the United Kingdom as Lord Seaforth and +Baron Mackenzie of Kintail, in 1797. This nobleman was in many +respects an able and remarkable man, was born in 1754, in full +possession of all his faculties but a severe attack of scarlet +fever, from which he suffered when about twelve years of age, +deprived him of hearing and almost of speech. As he advanced in +years he again nearly recovered the use of his tongue, but during +the last two years of his life, grieving over the loss of his four +promising sons, all of whom predeceased him, he became unable, or +rather never made the attempt to articulate. In his youth he was +intended to follow the naval profession, but his physical +misfortunes made such a career impossible. + +Little or nothing is known of the history of his early life. In +1784, and again in 1790, he was elected M.P. for the County of Ross. +In 1787, in the thirty-third year of his age, he offered to raise a +regiment on his own estates for the King's service, to be commanded +by himself. In the same year the 74th, 75th, 76th, and 77th +Regiments were raised, and the Government declined his patriotic +offer, but agreed to accept his services in procuring recruits +for the 74th and 75th. This did not satisify him, and he did not +then come prominently to the front. On the 19th of May 1790, he +renewed his offer, but the Government informed him that the +strength of the army had been finally fixed at 77 Regiments, and +his services were again declined. He was still anxious to be of +service to his country, and when the war broke out in 1793, he for +the third time renewed his offer, and placed his great influence +at the service of the Crown. On this occasion a letter of +service is granted in his favour, dated the 7th of March, 1793, +empowering him, as Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant, to raise a Highland +battalion, which, being the first embodied during the war, was to +be numbered the 78th, the original Mackenzie regiment having had +its number previously reduced to the 72d. The battalion was to +consist of one company of grenadiers, one of light infantry, and +eight battalion companies. The Mackenzie chief at once appointed +as his Major his own brother-in-law, Alexander Mackenzie, at +that time of Belmaduthy but afterwards of Inverallochy and Castle +Fraser, fourth and younger son of Colin Mackenzie, VI. of Kilcoy, +then a captain in the 73d Regiment, and a man who proved himself +on all future occasions well fitted for the post. The following +notice, headed by the Royal arms, was immediately posted throughout +the counties of Ross and Cromarty, on the mainland, and in the +Island of Lewis: + +"SEAFORTH'S HIGHLANDERS to be forthwith raised for the defence +of his Glorious Majesty, King George the Third, and the preservation +of our happy constitution in Church and State. + +"All lads of true Highland blood willing to show their loyalty and +spirit, may repair to Seaforth, or the Major, Alexander Mackenzie of +Belmaduthy or the other commanding officers at headquarters at , +where they will receive high bounties and soldier-like entertainment. + +"The lads of this regiment will live and die together, as they +cannot be draughted into other regiments, and must be reduced in +a body, in their own country. + +"Now for a stroke at the Monsieurs, my boys! King George for ever! +Huzza!" + +The machinery once set agoing, applications poured in upon Seaforth +for commissions in the corps from among his more immediate relatives, +and from others who were but slightly acquainted with him. [Besides +Seaforth himself, and his Major mentioned in the text, the following, +of the name of Mackenzie, appear among the first list of officers: + +Major. - Alexander Mackenzie of Fairburn, General in 1809. + +Captains. - John Mackenzie of Gairloch, "Fighting Jack," Major in +1794. Lieutenant-Colonel the same year and Lieutenant-General in 1814; +died the father of the British Army in 1860; and John Randoll Mackenzie +of Suddie, Major-General in 1804, killed at Talavera in 1809. + +Lieutenant. - Colin Mackenzie, Lieutenant-Colonel 91st Regiment. + +Ensigns. - Charles Mackenzie, Kilcoy; and J. Mackenzie Scott, Captain +57th Regiment; killed at Albuera.] + +The martial spirit of the people soon became thoroughly roused, and +recruits came in so rapidly that on the 10th of July, 1793, only +four months after the letter of service to Seaforth, the Regiment +was marched to Fort-George, inspected and passed by Lieutenant-General +Sir Hector Munro, when five companies were immediately embarked +for Guernsey and the other five companies were landed in Jersey +in September, 1793, and afterwards sent to Holland. + +On the 13th of October, the same year, Mackenzie offered to raise +a second battalion for the 78th, and on the 30th of the same month +the King gave him permission to raise five hundred additional men on +the original letters of service. But this was not what he wanted, +and on the 28th of December following he submitted to the Government +three alternative proposals for raising a second battalion. On the +7th of February, 1794, one of these was agreed to. The battalion +was to be formed of eight battalion and two flank companies, +each to consist of 100 men, with the usual number of officers and +noncommissioned officers. He was, however, disappointed by the +Government; for while he intended to have raised a second battalion +for his own regiment, an order was issued signed by Lord Amherst, +that it was to be considered a separate corps, whereupon the +Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant addressed the following protest to Mr +Dundas, one of the Secretaries of State: + +St Alban Street, 8th February, 1794. + +Sir, - I had sincerely hoped I should not be obliged to trouble you +again; but on my going to-day to the War Office about my letter +of service (having yesterday, as I thought, finally agreed with +Lord Amherst), I was, to my amazement, told that Lord Amherst had +ordered that the 1000 men I am to raise were not to be a second +battalion of the 78th, but a separate corps. It will, I am sure, +occur to you that should I undertake such a thing, it would destroy +my influence among the people of my country entirely and instead +of appearing as a loyal honest chieftain calling out his friends +to support their King and country, I should be gibbeted as a jobber +of the attachment my neighbours bear to me. Recollecting what +passed between you and me, I barely state the circumstance; and I +am, with great respect and attachment, sir, your most obliged and +obedient servant, + +F. H. MACKENZIE. + +This had the desired effect the order for a separate corps was +rescinded, and a letter of service was issued in his favour on the +10th of February, 1794, authorising him, as Lieutenant-Colonel- +Commandant, to add the new battalion, the strength of which was to +be one company of grenadiers, one of light infantry, and eight +battalion companies, to his own regiment. The regiment was soon +raised, inspected and passed at Fort-George in June of the same year +by Lieutenant-General Sir Hector Munro; and in July following the +King gave permission to have it named, as a distinctive title, +"The Ross-shire Buffs." The two battalions were amalgamated in +June, 1796. Another battalion was raised in 1804 - letter of service, +dated 17th April. These were again amalgamated in July, 1817. + +Although the regiment was not accompanied abroad by its +Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant, he continued most solicitous for its +reputation and welfare, as we find from the various communications +addressed to him regarding it and the conduct of the men by +Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of Fairburn, appointed its +Lieutenant-Colonel from the first battalion, [John Randoll Mackenzie, +also from the first battalion, was appointed senior Major.] and +then in actual command; but as the history of the 78th Highlanders +is not our present object, we must here part company with it and +follow the future career of Francis Humberston Mackenzie. + +As a reward for his eminent services to the Government he was +appointed Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Ross, and, on the 26th +of October, 1797, raised to the dignity of a peer of the United +Kingdom, by the titles of Lord Seaforth and Baron Mackenzie of +Kintail, the ancient dignities of his house, with limitation to +the heirs male of his body. His Lordship, having resigned the command +of the 78th, was, in 1798, appointed Colonel of the Ross-shire +Regiment of Militia. In 1800 he was appointed Governor of Barbadoes, +an office which he retained for six years, after which he held high +office in Demerara and Berbice. While Governor of Barbadoes he was +for a time extremely popular, and was distinguished for his firmness +and even-handed justice. He succeeded in putting an end to slavery, +and to the practice of slave-killing in the island, which at that time +was of very common occurrence, and deemed by the planters a venal +offence punishable only by a small fine of œ15. In consequence +of his humane proceedings in this matter he became obnoxious to +many of the colonists, and, in 1806, he finally left the island. In +1808 he was made a Lieutenant-General. + +These were singular incidents in the life of a man who may be +said to have been deaf and dumb from his youth but who, in spite +of these physical defects - sufficient to crush any ordinary man - +had been able, by the force of his natural abilities and the favour +of fortune, to overcome them sufficiently to raise himself to such +a high and important position in the world. He took a lively +interest in all questions of art and science, especially in natural +history, and displayed at once his liberality and his love of +art by his munificence to Sir Thomas Lawrence, in the youth and +struggles of that great artist and famous painter, and by his +patronage of others. On this point a recent writer says - "The +last baron of Kintail, Francis. Lord Seaforth, was, as Sir Walter +Scott has said, 'a nobleman of extraordinary talents, who must +have made for himself a lasting reputation had not his political +exertions been checked by painful natural infirmities.' Though deaf +from his sixteenth year and though labouring under a partial +impediment of speech, he held high and important appointments, and +was distinguished for his intellectual activities and attainments +... His case seems to contradict the opinion held by Kitto and others, +that in all that relates to the culture of the mind, and the +cheerful exercise of the mental faculties, the blind have the +advantage of the deaf. The loss of the ear, that 'vestibule of +the soul,' was to him compensated by gifts and endowments rarely +united in the same individual. One instance of the chief's +liberality and love of art may be mentioned. In 1796 he advanced +a sum of L1000 to Sir Thomas Lawrence to relieve him from pecuniary +difficulties. Lawrence was then a young man of twenty-seven. His +career from a boy upwards was one of brilliant success, but he was +careless and generous as to money matters, and some speculations +by his father embarassed and distressed the young artist. In his +trouble he applied to the Chief of Kintail. 'Will you,' he said +in that theatrical style common to Lawrence, 'will you be the +Antonio to a Bassanio?' He promised to pay the L1000 in four years, +but the money was given on terms the most agreeable to the feelings +and complimentary to the talents of the artist. He was to repay it +with his pencil, and the chief sat to him for his portrait. Lord +Seaforth also commissioned from West one of those immense sheets of +canvas on which the old Academician delighted to work in his latter +years. The subject of the picture was the traditionary story of the +Royal hunt, in which Alexander the Third was saved from the assault +of a fierce stag by Colin Fitzgerald, a wandering knight unknown to +authentic history. West considered it one of his best productions, +charged L800 for it, and was willing some years afterwards, with a +view to the exhibition of his works, to purchase back the picture +at its original cost. In one instance Lord Seaforth did not evince +artistic taste. He dismantled Brahan Castle removing its +castellated features and completely modernising its general +appearance. The house, with its large modern additions, is a tall, +massive pile of building, the older portion covered to the roof with +ivy. It occupies a commanding site on a bank midway between the +river Conon and a range of picturesque rocks. This bank extends for +miles, sloping in successive terraces, all richly wooded or +cultivated, and commanding a magnificent view that terminates with +the Moray Firth." ["The Seaforth Papers," in the "North British +Review," 1863, by Robert Carruthers, LL.D.] + +The remarkable prediction of the extinction of this highly +distinguished and ancient family is so well known that it need not +be recapitulated here, and its literal fulfilment is one of the +most curious instances of the kind on record. There is no doubt +that the "prophecy" was widely known throughout the Highlands +generations before it was fulfilled. Lockhart, in his "Life of +Sir Walter Scott," says that "it connected the fall of the house of +Seaforth not only with the appearance of a deaf 'Cabarfeidh,' +but with the contemporaneous appearance of various different +physical misfortunes in several of the other Highland chiefs, all +of which are said to have actually occurred within the memory of +the generation that has not yet passed away. Mr Morrit can testify +thus far, that he heard the prophecy quoted in the Highlands at a +time when Lord Seaforth had two sons alive, and in good health, +and that it certainly was not made after the event," and then he +proceeds to say that Scott and Sir Humphrey Davy were most certainly +convinced of its truth, as also many others who had watched the +latter days of Seaforth in the light of those wonderful predictions. +[Every Highland family has its store of traditionary and romantic +beliefs. Centuries ago a seer of the Clan Mackenzie, known as +Kenneth Oag (Odhar), predicted that when there should be a deaf +Caberfae the gift land of the estate would be sold, and the male +line become extinct. The prophecy was well known in the North, +and it was not, like many similar vaticinations, made after the +event. At least three unimpeachable Sassenach writers, Sir Humphrey +Davy, Sir Walter Scott, and Mr Morritt of Rokeby, had all heard +the prediction when Lord Seaforth had two sons alive, both in good +health. The tenantry were, of course, strongly impressed with the +truth of the prophecy, and when their Chief proposed to sell part +of Kintail, they offered to buy in the land for him, that it might +not pass from the family. One son was then living, and there was +no immediate prospect of the succession expiring; but, in deference +to their clannish prejudice or affection, the sale of any portion +of the estate was deferred for about two years. The blow came at +last. Lord Seaforth was involved in West India plantations, which +were mismanaged, and he was forced to dispose of part of the "gift +land." About the same time the last of his four sons, a young man +of talent and eloquence, and then representing his native county in +Parliament, died suddenly, and thus the prophecy of Kenneth Oag +was fulfilled. - + +"Of the name of Fitzgerald remained not a male +To bear the proud name of the Chief of Kintail." + +--Robert Carruthers, LL.D., in the "North British Review."] + +His Lordship outlived all his four sons, as predicted by the Brahan +Seer. His name became extinct, and his vast possessions were +inherited by a stranger, James Alexander Stewart, who married his +eldest daughter, Lady Hood. The sign by which it would be known +that the prediction was about to be fulfilled was also foretold in +the same remarkable manner, namely, that in the day's of the last +Seaforth there should be four great contemporary lairds, distinguished +by certain physical defects described by the Seer. Sir Hector +Mackenzie, Bart. of Gairloch, was buck-toothed, and is to this day +spoken of among the Gairloch tenantry as "An Tighearna storach," +or the buck-toothed laird. Chisholm of Chisholm was hair-lipped, +Grant of Grant half-witted, and Macleod of Raasay a stammerer. +[For full details of this remarkable instance of family fate, see +"The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer." - A. & W. Mackenzie, Inverness.] + +To the testimony of those whose names have been already given we +shall add the evidence of a living witness when the first edition +of this work was in preparation. Duncan Davidson of Tulloch, +Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Ross, in a letter addressed to +the author, dated May 21, 1878, says - "Many of these prophecies I +heard of upwards of 70 years ago, and when many of them were not +fulfilled, such as the late Lord Seaforth surviving his sons, and +Mrs Stewart Mackenzie's accident, near Brahan, by which Miss +Caroline Mackenzie was killed." + +It is impossible not to sympathise with the magnificent old Chief +as he mourned over the premature death of his four promising sons, +and saw the honours of his house for ever extinguished in his own +person. + +Many instances are related of his magnificent extravagance at home, +while sailing round the West Coast, visiting the great principality +of the Lewis, and calling on his way hither and thither on the +other great chiefs of the West and Western Islands. Sir Walter +Scott, in his "Lament for the Last of the Seaforths," adds his +tribute - + +In vain the bright course of thy talents to wrong. +Fate deadened thine ear and imprisoned thy tongue, +For brighter o'er all her obstructions arose +The glow of thy genius they could not oppose; +And who, in the land of the Saxon or Gael +Could match with Mackenzie, High Chief of Kintail? + +Thy sons rose around thee in light and in love, +All a father could hope, all a friend cou'd approve; +What `vails it the tale of thy sorrows to tell? +In the spring time of youth and of promise they fell! +Of the line of MacKenneth remains not a male, +To bear the proud name of the Chief of Kintail. + +This sketch of the great chief cannot better be closed than in the +words of one already repeatedly quoted: "It was said of him by an +acute observer and a leading wit of the age, the late Honourable +Henry Erskine, the Scotch Dean of Faculty, that 'Lord Seaforth's +deafness was a merciful interposition to lower him to the ordinary +rate of capacity in society,' insinuating that otherwise his +perception and intelligence would have been oppressive. And the +aptness of the remark was duly appreciated by all those who had +the good fortune to be able to form an estimate from personal +observation, while, as a man of the world, none was more capable of +generalizing. Yet, as a countryman, he never affected to disregard +those local predilections which identified him with the County +of Ross, as the genuine representative of Kintail, possessing an +influence which, being freely ceded and supported, became paramount +and permanent in the county which he represented in the Commons +House of Parliament, till he was called to the peerage on the 26th +October, 1797, by the title of Lord Seaforth and Baron of Kintail, +with limitation to heirs male of his body, and which he presided +over as his Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant. He was commissioned, in +1793, to reorganise the 78th or Ross-shire Regiment of Highlanders, +which, for so many years, continued to be almost exclusively composed +of his countrymen. Nor did his extraordinary qualifications and +varied exertions escape the wide ranging eye of the master genius +of the age, who has also contributed, by a tributary effusion, to +transmit the unqualified veneration of our age to many that are +to follow. He has been duly recognised by Sir Walter Scott, nor +was he passed over in the earlier buddings of Mr Colin Mackenzie; +but while the annalist is indebted to their just encomiums, he may +be allowed to respond to praise worthy of enthusiasm by a splendid +fact which at once exhibits a specimen of reckless imprudence +joined to those qualities which, by their popularity, attest +their genuineness. Lord Seaforth for a time became emulous of the +society of the most accomplished Prince of his age. The recreation +of the Court was play; the springs of this indulgence then were +not of the most delicate texture; his faculties, penetrating as +they were, had not the facility of detection which qualified him +for cautious circumspection; he heedlessly ventured and lost. It +was then to cover his delinquencies elsewhere, he exposed to sale +the estate of Lochalsh; and it was then he was bitterly taught +to feel, when his people, without an exception, addressed his +Lordship this pithy remonstrance - 'Reside amongst us and we shall +pay your debts.' A variety of feelings and facts, unconnected with +a difference, might have interposed to counteract this display of +devotedness besides ingratitude, but these habits, or his Lordship's +reluctance, rendered this expedient so hopeless that certain of the +descendants of the original proprietors of that valuable locality +were combining their respective finances to buy it in, when a +sudden announcement that it was sold under value, smothered their +amiable endeavours. Kintail followed, with the fairest portion of +Glenshiel, and the Barony of Callan Fitzgerald ceased to exist, to +the mortification, though not to the unpopularity of this still +patriarchal nobleman among his faithful tenantry and the old +friends of his family." [Bennetsfield MS.] + +He married on the 22d of April, 1782, Mary, daughter of the Rev. +Baptist Proby, D.D., Dean of Lichfield, and brother of John, first +Lord Carysfort, by whom he had issue - + +I. William Frederick, who died young, at Killearnan. + +II. George Leveson Boucherat, who died young at Urquhart. + +III. William Frederick, who represented the County of Ross in +Parliament, in 1812, and died unmarried at Warriston, near Edinburgh, +in 1814. + +IV. Francis John, a midshipman in the Royal Navy, who died unmarried +at Brahan, in 1813. + +V. Mary Frederica Elizabeth, who succeeded her father and of whom +presently. + +VI. Frances Catherine, who died without issue. + +VII. Caroline, who was accidentally killed at Brahan, unmarried. + +VIII. Charlotte Elizabeth, who died unmarried. + +IX. Augusta Anne, who died unmarried. + +X. Helen Ann, who married the Right Hon. Joshua Henry Mackenzie +of the Inverlael family, anciently descended from the Barons of +Kintail, a Lord of Session and Justiciary by the title of Lord +Mackenzie, with issue - two daughters, Frances Mary and Penuel +Augusta. + +Lord Seaforth, having survived all his male issue, died on the +11th of January, 1815, at Warriston, near Edinburgh, the last +male representative of his race. His lady outlived him, and died +at Edinburgh on the 27th of February, 1829. The estates, in virtue +of an entail executed by Lord Seaforth, with all their honours, +duties, and embarrassments, devolved upon his eldest daughter, +then a young widowed lady, + +XXII. MARY ELIZABETH FREDERICA MACKENZIE, LADY HOOD, + +Whom Scott commemorated in the well-known lines - + +And thou, gentle dame, who must bear to thy grief, +For thy clan and thy country the cares of a Chief, +Whom brief rolling moons in six changes have left +Of thy husband, and father, and brethren bereft; +To thine ear of affection how sad is the hail +That salutes thee the heir of the line of Kintail. + +She was born at Tarradale, Ross-shire, on the 27th of March, 1783, +and married, first, at Barbadoes on the 6th of November, 1804, Sir +Samuel Hood, K.B., Vice-Admiral of the White, and afterwards, in +1806, M.P. for Westminster. Sir Samuel died at Madras, on the +24th of December, 1814, without issue. Lady Hood then returned +home, and, in 1815, entered into possession of the family estates, +which had devolved upon her by the death of her father without +male issue, when the titles became extinct. + +She married secondly, on the 21st of May, 1817, the Right Hon. James +Alexander Stewart of Glasserton, nephew of the seventh Earl of +Galloway, who assumed the name of Mackenzie, was returned M.P. +for the County of Ross, held office under Earl Grey, and was +successively Governor of Ceylon, and Lord High Commissioner to +the Ionian Islands. He died on the 24th of September, 1843. Mrs +Sewart-Mackenzie died at Brahan Castle on the 28th of November, +1862, and was buried in the family vault in the Cathedral of +Fortrose. Her funeral was one of the largest ever witnessed in +the Highlands, many thousands being present on foot, while the +vehicles that followed numbered more than 150. By her second +marriage she had issue - + +I. Keith William Stewart, her heir and successor. + +II. Francis Pelham Proby, Lieutenant 71st Highlanders. He died +unmarried in 1844. + +III. George Augustus Frederick Wellington, who, born in 1824, +married in November, 1850, Maria Louisa, daughter of General Thomas +Marriot, H.E.IC.S., and died, without issue, in 1852. + +IV. Mary Frances, who married, in 1838, the Hon. Philip Anstruther, +Colonial Secretary of Ceylon, with issue. + +V. Caroline Susan, who, in 1844, married John Berney Petre, and +died in 1867. + +VI. Louisa Caroline, who, on the 17th of November, 1858, married, +as his second wife, William Bingham second Lord Ashburton, who +died on the 23rd of March, 1864, with issue, an only daughter, Mary +Florence, who, in 1884, married the Hon. William George Spencer +Scott, Earl Compton, M.P., eldest surviving son and heir of +William Douglas Compton, fourth Marquis of Northampton, born in +1851, with issue - William Bingham Lord Wilmington, born in 1885; +and Lady Margaret Louisa Lizzie. + +Mrs Stewart Mackenzie and her husband, on her death on the 28th of +November, 1862, were succeeded in the estates by their eldest son, + +XXIII. KEITH WIILLIAM STEWART MACKENZIE, + +Born on the 9th of May, 1818. He was an officer in the 90th +Regiment and subsequently Colonel-Commandant of the Ross-shire +Highland Rifle Volunteers. He sold what remained of Kintail in +1869. He married first, on the 17th of May, 1844, Hannah Charlotte, +daughter of James Joseph Hope Vere of Craigie Hall and Blackwood, +Midlothian, with issue - + +I. James Alexander Francis Humberston, his heir. + +II. Susan Mary Elizabeth, who on the 15th of August, 1871, married, +first, the Hon. John Constantine Stanley, Colonel Grenadier Guards, +second son of the Right Hon. Edward Lord Stanley of Alderley. He +was born on the 30th of September, 1837, and died on the 27th of +April, 1878, leaving issue - two daughters. She married, secondly, +the Right Hon. Sir Francis Henry Jeune, Q.C., President of the +Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division of the High Court of +Justice, with issue - one son. + +III. Julia Charlotte Sophia, who on the 8th of October, 1873, +married, as his second wife, the Right Hon. Arthur, ninth Marquis of +Tweeddale, who died in 1878, without issue. In 1887 she married, +secondly, as his second wife, the Right Hon. Sir John Rose, Baronet, +G.C.M.G., of Queensgate, London, who died in 1888, without issue. +In 1892 she married, thirdly, Captain William Evans Gordon, without +issue. + +IV. Georgina Henrietta, who died young, on the 15th of October, +1868. + +His first wife died in June, 1868. He married, secondly, on the +2nd of June, 1871, Alicia Almeira Bell, with issue - one daughter. + +Keith Stewart Mackenzie died in June, 1881, when he was succeeded +by his only son, + +XXIV. JAMES ALEXANDER FRANCIS HUMBERSTON STEWART MACKENZIE, + +Who was born on the 9th of October, 1847, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding +the 9th Lancers, and now of Seaforth. He is still unmarried. + + +THE CHIEFSHIP. + +It has been shown at p. 343 that the male line of Colonel +Alexander Mackenzie of Assynt, fourth son of Kenneth Mor, third +Earl of Seaforth, became extinct on the death, in 1815, of Francis +Humberston Mackenzie, who survived all his male issue. It has +also been proved that the male line of George, second Earl of +Seaforth, who died in 1651, terminated in Kenneth, XIX. of Kintail +and sixth Earl of Seaforth, whose only child, Lady Caroline +Mackenzie, formed an irregular union with Lewis Drummond, Count +Melfort, a French nobleman. It was shown earlier, at p. 246, +that the lineal representation of the original line of Kintail +was diverted from heirs male in the person of Anna, Countess of +Balcarres, eldest daughter of Colin, first Earl of Seaforth, who +had no surviving male issue; and the male line of Colonel Mackenzie of +Assynt having terminated in "The Last of the Seaforths," who died +in 1815, we must go back beyond all these to an earlier collateral +branch to pick up the legitimate male succession, and for ever dispose +of the various unfounded claims hitherto made to the Chiefship of +the clan. + +Before the appearance of the former edition of this work there had +been several claimants to this highly honourable position; and +this is not to be wondered at, for whoever proves his right to +the Chiefship of the Mackenzies establishes at the same time his +right to the ancient honours of the house and Barons of Kintail. +In an earlier part of the work, at p. 316, it is shown that the +original title of Lord Mackenzie of Kintail did not come under the +attainder of William, the fifth Earl, for the part which he took +in the Rising of 1715, and therefore the Chief of the Mackenzies, +as heir male of the first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, is, in virtue +of that position, we believe, entitled to assume that ancient title. + +The first formal claim to the Chiefship is one by a Captain +Murdoch Mackenzie, "of London," who claimed "the titles, honours, +and dignities of Earl of Seaforth and Baron Mackenzie of Kintail," +in virtue of a pretended descent and pedigree from the Hon. +John Mackenzie of Assynt, second son of Kenneth Mor, third Earl +of Seaforth. This pedigree and claim is before us. According to +that document the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt had a son "Murdoch +Mackenzie of Lochbroom, who, having shown a disposition of enterprise +like his kinsman Earl William, left his native parish in 1729 or +1730, first for Aberdeen and afterwards for Northumberland, where, +in consequence of the unsettled state of Scotland, he resided +with his family." This Murdoch had a son, John Mackenzie, "born +in Beadnall, parish of Bamborough, county of Northumberland, in +1738, who married Miss Isabella Davidson in 1762, and died in 1780, +in his forty-second year." John had a son, "Captain Murdoch +Mackenzie, the claimant, who was born at Beadnall, county of +Northumberland, in 1763, and married in 1781, Miss Eleanor Brown +of the same place, and has issue. He commanded the ship Essex, +transport 81, of London, during the late war. Being desirous to +see his clan in the North, in 1790 he visited the late Francis Lord +Seaforth, who in the true spirit of Scotch sincerity, hospitality, +and nobility received him with demonstrations of pleasure. After +talking over family matters his Lordship candidly said that Captain +Murdoch ought to have been the peer in point of primogeniture." +A short account of the family accompanies the pedigree and claim, +which concludes in these terms - "In consequence of the death of +the last peer it has been discovered in Scotland that the titles +and family estates have devolved upon Captain Murdoch Mackenzie +of London. This gentleman is naturally anxious to establish his +rights, but being unable to prosecute so important a claim without +the aid of sufficient funds he has been advised to solicit the +aid of some individuals whose public spirit and liberal feelings +may prompt them to assist him on the principle that such timely +assistance and support will be gratefully and liberally rewarded. +Captain Mackenzie hereby offers to give his bond for L300 (or more +if required) for every L100 that may be lent him to prosecute his +claim - the same to become due and payable within three months after +he shall have recovered his titles and estates." The result of +this appeal has not been ascertained, but it is certain that Captain +Murdoch Mackenzie did not succeed in establishing any claim either +to the titles or estates of the House of Kintail and Seaforth. + +It was, on the contrary, placed absolutely beyond dispute by the +evidence produced at the Allangrange Service in 1829 that the eldest +and only surviving son of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt was +not Murdoch but Kenneth, and there is no trace whatever of his +having had any son but Kenneth. In an original Precept issued by +the Provost and Magistrates of Fortrose on the 30th of October, +1716, the son of the then late John Mackenzie of Assynt is designated +"Kenneth Mackenzie, now of Assynt, grandchild and apparent heir to +the deceased Isobel, Countess Dowager of Seaforth, his grandmother +on the father's side." In the same document Kenneth is described +as her Ladyship's "nearest and lawful heir," conclusively showing +that he was her son John's eldest son. It is thus fully established +that Captain Murdoch Mackenzie's genealogical chain fails at the +very outset - is broken in its initial link. The Hon. John Mackenzie +of Assynt had only one son. His name was Kenneth, not Murdoch, +and he died without issue. If any additional proof be required to +show that the male line of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt has +long been extinct, it will be found in the fact that on the death +of Earl Kenneth, known as "the Little Lord," in 1781, the succession +to the representation and ancient honours of the family of Kintail +and Seaforth, devolved upon the heir male of Colonel Alexander +Mackenzie of Assynt, who was the fourth son of Kenneth Mor, third +earl, and a younger brother of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt, +apart altogether from the conclusive parole evidence given by very +old people at the Allangrange Service in 1829. This effectually +disposes of Captain Murdo Mackenzie. + +Now as to the more plausible but equally baseless claim of Captain +William Mackenzie of Gruinard, and his cousin, the late Major-General +Alexander Mackay Mackenzie of the Indian Army. Captain Murdoch +Mackenzie's claim having failed, we must go back another step in +the chain to pick up the legitimate succession to the honours of +Kintail and Seaforth. Here we are met on the way by another claim, +put forward by the late Captain William Mackenzie of Gruinard, +in the following letter addressed to George F. Mackenzie, then of +Allangrange: + +11 Margaret Street, Cavendish Square, +London, 24th October 1829. + +My Dear Allangrange, - Having observed in the "Courier" of the 21st +inst., at a meeting at Tain, that you were proceeding with the +Seaforth Claims, I take the earliest opportunity of communicating +to you a circumstance which I am sure my agent, Mr Roy, would have +informed you of sooner, did he know that you were proceeding in +this affair; and which, I think probable, he has done ere this; +but lest it might have escaped his notice, I deem it proper to +acquaint you that on Mr Roy having discovered, by authenticated +documents, that I was the lineal descendant of George, Earl of +Seaforth, he authorised an English counsellor to make application +to the Secretary of State to that effect, who made a reference to +the Court of Exchequer in Scotland to examine the evidence - Mr Roy +having satisfied them with having all which he required to establish +my claim. I therefore am inclined to address you in order that +you may be saved the trouble and expense attending this affair. +Indeed, had I known you were taking any steps in this business, be +assured I would have written to you sooner. + +I had not the pleasure of communicating with you since your marriage, +upon which event I beg leave to congratulate you, and hope I shall +soon have the pleasure of learning of your adding a member to the +Clan Kenneth. Believe me, my dear Mac, yours most sincerely, + +WM. MACKENZIE. + +This claim is founded on a Genealogical Tree in possession of the +present representatives of the Gruinard family, by which John +Mackenzie, their progenitor is incorrectly described as the son +of George Mackenzie of Kildun, second son of George, second Earl +of Seaforth. It is believed that the descendants of this George, +who was the second George designated of Kildun, are long ago +extinct; but whether they are or not, it will be conclusively +shown, by reference to dates, that John, I. of Gruinard, could not +possibly have been a son of his. And to the indisputable evidence +of dates may be added the testimony of all the Mackenzie MSS. in +existence which make any reference to John of Gruinard. In every +instance where his name appears in these he is described as a +natural son of George, second Earl of Seaforth. + +Before this Earl succeeded he also was known as George Mackenzie +of Kildun, hence the error in the Gruinard Genealogical Tree. The +author of the Ancient MS., so often quoted in the course of this +work, was a contemporary of John, I. of Gruinard, and he states +that Earl George "had also "ane naturall" son, called John Mackenzy, +who married Loggie's daughter." The author of the Ardintoul +MS., who was the grandson, as mentioned by himself, of the Rev. +Farquhar Macrae, Constable of Ellandonnan Castle in Earl Colin's +time, and who died advanced in years as far back as 1704 - consequently +a contemporary of John of Gruinard - describing the effects of the +disastrous battle of Worcester, says that Earl George, who was +then in Holland, was informed of the result of the battle "by John +of Gruinard, "his natural son," and Captain Hector Mackenzie, who +made their escape from the battle," that the tidings "unraised his +melancholy, and so died in the latter end of September, 1651." The +Letterfearn MS. is also contemporary, for the author of it speaks +of Earl Kenneth as ""now" Earl of Seaforth," and of George of Kildun +in the present tense, while he speaks of his father in the past +tense, and he say's that "He (Earl George) left "ane natural son," +who "is" called John, who "is" married with Logie's daughter." +That John of Gruinard was married to Christina, daughter of Donald +Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, is proved by a sasine dated 1655, in +which that lady is described as his wife. + +It may be objected to these MSS. that, however probable it may be +that they are correct, they are not necessarily authentic. But +there is ample evidence of an official and incontestible character +on the point. A sasine, dated 6th of February, 1658, is recorded in +the Particular Register of Sasines of Inverness, vol. 7, fol. 316, +from which the following is an extract - "Compearit personally John +Mackenzie, "naturall" broyr to ane noble Erle Kenneth Erle of +Seaforth Lord of Kintail, etc., as bailzie in that part," on behalf +of "the noble Lady, Dame Isobell Mackenzie, Countess of Seaforth, +sister german to Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, Knight, future +ladie to the said noble Erle." Another authentic document having a +most important bearing on this question was recently discovered in +the office of the Sheriff-Clerk of Tain. It is a discharge by +Patrick Smith of Braco, dated and registered in the Commissary Books +at Fortrose, on the 4th of December, 1668, in which the parties are +described as "Kenneth Erle of Seafort, Lord Kintail, as principal, +and John Mackenzie of Gruinyard, designit in the obligatione +vnder-wrytten his "naturall" brother, as cautioner." Further, George +of Kildun married, first, Mary Skene, daughter of Skene of Skene, in +1661. This is proved by a charter to her of her jointure lands of +Kincardine, etc. (see Particular Register of Sasines Invss., vol. +ix. fol. 9). He married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Urquhart +of Craighouse. The absolute impossibility is at once obvious of +George of Kildun - who only married his first wife in 1661 - having +had a son, John Mackenzie of Gruinard, in a position to have obtained +a charter in his favour of the lands of Little Gruinard, etc., in +1669 - within eight years of his reputed father's marriage to his +first wife - and who was himself designated in that charter as +of "Meikle Gruinard," while it is proved by undoubted official +documents that John of Gruinard's "wife" had lands disponed to her +as his wife in 1655; that is, six years before the marriage of +George of Kildun, John's alleged father. And further, how could +John of Gruinard's second son, Kenneth, have married, as be is known +to have done, the widow of Kenneth Og, fourth Earl of Seaforth, +who died in 1701, if John, his father, had been the son by a +second marriage of George of Kildun, who married his first wife +in 1661? The thing is absolutely impossible. + +Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth, who, according to the Gruinard +Genealogy, was John of Gruinard's uncle, was born at Brahan Castle +in 1635. In 1651 he is described as "a child" by a contemporary +writer, who says that the Kintail people declined to rise with him +in that year during his father's absence on the Continent, because +"he was but a "child," and his father, their master, was in life." +Colin, first Earl of Seaforth, died in 1633, and the author of the +Ancient MS. says that "Earl George, being then the Laird of Kildun, +married before his brother's death, the Lord Forbes's daughter." +Thus, George of Kildun could not have been born before 1636 or +1637 at the very earliest; and the date of his first marriage, +twenty-four years later, strongly corroborates this. How then +could he have had a married son, John Mackenzie of Gruinard, whose +wife undoubtedly obtained lands in 1655; that is, when Kildun +himself was only 18 years of age, and when John, already designated +of Gruinard, was, in 1656, old enough to be cautioner for Kenneth, +Earl of Seaforth? Proof of the same conclusive character could be +adduced to any extent, but in face of the documents already quoted, +it is obviously superfluous to do so. + +John Mackenzie, I. of Gruinard, could not in the nature of things +have been a son of the second George Mackenzie of Kildun. He was, on +the other hand, undoubtedly, the "natural" son of the first George, +who succeeded his brother Colin as second Earl of Seaforth, and +it necessarily follows that his representatives can have no claim +whatever to the Chiefship of the Clan, or to the ancient honours +of the family of Kintail and Seaforth. We shall now proceed to show +that these distinctions belong to and are at present possessed by +the male representative of + + +THE MACKENZIES OF ALLANGRANGE. + + +HAVING disposed of the only two serious claims made to the Chiefship +of the Clan in later times our next step is to show who the present +Chief is. To do this we must go back to Kenneth, created Lord +Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609; for there is no male representative of +any later head of the House in existence, so far as can be ascertained, +between that date and this. Lord Kenneth had seven sons - + +1. Colin Ruadh or "the Red Earl," his heir and successor, who +died, in 1633, without surviving male issue. + +2. John Mackenzie of Lochslinn, who married Isabel, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, and died in 1631, having been +poisoned at Tam, without issue male. His only daughter, Margaret, +married Sir Norman Macleod, I. of Bernera, with issue. + +3. Kenneth, who died unmarried. + +Lord Kenneth, XII. of Kintail, married secondly, Isabel, daughter +of Sir Gilbert Ogilvie of Powrie, with issue - + +4. Alexander, who died unmarried. + +5. George, who succeeded his brother Colin, as second Earl of +Seaforth, and whose line terminated in Lady Caroline Mackenzie, who +died without issue in 1847, her father Kenneth, Baron Ardelve and +Earl of Seaforth in the peerage of Ireland, the last male of his +line, having died at the Cape of Good Hope in 1781. + +6. Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine, whose male issue was proved +extinct at the Allangrange Service in 1829. + +7. SIMON MACKENZIE, who, after the death of his brother John, +was designated of Lochslinn, and whose representative will be +shown to be the present head and heir male of the ancient family of +Kintail and Seaforth, and Chief of the Clan. This SIMON married, +first, Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Peter Bruce of Ferrar, +D.D., Principal of St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews, and son of +Bruce of Fingask, by Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Wedderburn +of Blackness, with issue - five sons and one daughter, Jane, who +married Robert Douglas of Katewell, in the parish of Kiltearn, +Ross-shire, and secondly, Sir James Grant of Moyness. + +The eldest of Simon's five sons was the famous SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE +of Rosehaugh, Lord Advocate for Scotland, whose history is so +well known that it would serve no good purpose to give only such +a brief account of it as could be given in the space here available. +He wrote several works of admitted literary merit, his "Institutes" +being to this day considered a standard legal authority. He left an +autobiography in MS. which was published by his widow in 1716. +The estate of Rosehaugh, where he always took up his residence +while in the Highlands, was, in his time, profusely covered with +the Dog Rose, a fact which first suggested to the famous lawyer +the idea of designating that property by the name of "Vallis +Rosarum," or Rosehaugh. Sir George married first, Elizabeth, +daughter of John Dickson of Hartree, with issue - (1) John; (2) Simon; +(3) George, all of whom died young and unmarried; (4) Agnes, who +in 1705 married Sir James Stuart Mackenzie, first Earl of Bute, +with issue, whose descendants, now represented by the Earl of +Wharncliffe, succeeded to his Ross-shire estates, but since sold +by them, though still retaining the name and arms of the family. +(For the succession see Retour of James Marquis of Bute, January, +1721); (5) Elizabeth, who married, first, Sir Archibald Cockburn +of Langton, with issue, and, secondly, the Hon. Sir James Mackenzie +of Royston, Baronet, with issue - George (who married but died +before his father, without male issue), and two daughters - Anne, +who married Sir William Dick of Prestonfield; and Elizabeth, who +married Sir John Stuart of Grandtully, with issue. + +Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh married, secondly, Margaret, +daughter of Haliburton of Pitcur, with issue, (6) James, who died +young; (7) George, who succeeded his father as II. of Rosehaugh, +and married - with issue, an only daughter, who died without issue; +(8) Jean, and (9) Margaret, both of whom died without issue. From +this it will be seen that the male representation of Sir George +Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, eldest son of the Hon. Simon Mackenzie +of Lochslinn, terminated at the death of his only son. We must +therefore revert to SIMON MACKENZIE, the immediate younger brother +of Sir George Mackenzie, and second son of the Hon. Simon Mackenzie +of Lochslinn, from whom JAMES FOWLER MACKENZIE OF ALLANGRANGE, +present Chief of the Clan, is descended as follows: + +SIMON, who died at Lochbroom in 1664, married Jane, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, brother of Sir John Mackenzie +of Tarbat and uncle to George, first Earl of Cromarty (marriage +contract 1663) with issue - an only and posthumous son, + +I. SIMON MACKENZIE, first of Allangrange, an Advocate at the +Scottish Bar. This property he acquired through his wife in the +following manner. Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Kilcoy, third son +of Colin, XI. of Kintail, had four sons, of whom the youngest, +Roderick, obtained the lands of Kilmuir, in the Black Isle. He +became a successful lawyer, Sheriff-Depute, and Member of Parliament, +and was knighted by Charles II. Sir Roderick, at the same time +proprietor of Findon, acquired several other properties by purchase. +He died in 1692, and on the death of his only son in the following +year, without issue, his unentailed estates, which were not +included in the Barony, and which had become very considerable, +and all his moveable property, were divided equally among his four +daughters, as heirs portioners. Isobel, the third of these ladies, +on the 22nd of August, 1693, married, as his first wife, Simon +Mackenzie, the Advocate, and carried to him in 1699 as her portion, +the estate of Allan - formerly the property and residence of the +Earl of Seaforth - which has ever since been known as Allangrange. +By Isobel Mackenzie, daughter of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, +Simon had issue - + +1. Roderick, who died unmarried. + +2. George, who succeeded his father as II. of Allangrange. + +3. Kenneth, of whom there is no trace. + +4. William, a Captain in the Dutch army. He married a Miss Innes, +with issue, since proved extinct. + +5. Simon, who died, without issue, in the West Indies. + +6. Lilias, who died unmarried. + +7. Elizabeth, who in 1745 married, as his third wife John Matheson, +V. of Fernaig, ancestor of Sir Kenneth James Matheson, Baronet +of Lochalsh, with issue - one son, Captain Alexander Matheson, of +the 78th Highlanders, who died in India in 1809, without issue. + +8. Eliza, who married Ludovic, son of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of +Redcastle. + +9. Isobel, who married Murdoch Cameron, with issue, at Allangrange. + +Simon married, secondly, on the 28th of August, 1718, Susanna, +daughter of Colonel Alexander Fraser of Kinneries, generally known +as "the Coroner," with issue - + +10. Colin, who married a Miss Macdonald in Lochaber, with +issue - William, who died unmarried in the West Indies; Susanna, who +married a Mr Cameron, with issue; and a daughter, who died unmarried. + +11. Alexander, a Doctor of Medicine, who died without issue, in +Jamaica, in 1780. + +12. Margaret, married Dr John Mackenzie of Newton, who died +in 1759, with issue - Dr Simon of Mullet Hall, Jamaica, who there +married Catherine, daughter of Samuel Gregory from Nairn; George; +Roderick; Kenneth; and Isobel. + +13. Frances, who married Lieutenant James Cumming of the Marines +(marriage contract 1752), without issue. + +14. Susanna, and + +15. Janet, both of whom died unmarried. + +Simon was drowned in the River Orrin, in February, 1730, while +returning home from a visit to a friend in Fairburn, when he was +succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +II. GEORGE MACKENZIE, second of Allangrange, who in May, 1731, +married Margaret, daughter of John and grand-daughter of Sir Donald +Bayne of Tulloch. They have a retour in 1732. The male heirs +of the Baynes of Tulloch--originally a sept of Mackays from +Sutherlandshire, who settled down in the vicinity of Dingwall early +in the sixteenth century - having terminated in John, this lady's +father, she carried the lineal representation of that old and +respectable house to the family of Allangrange. By Margaret Bayne, +George Mackenzie had issue - + +1. Simon, who died young in 1731. + +2. William, a Captain in the 25th Regiment. He died before his +father, unmarried, in 1764. + +3. George, who died young. + +4. Alexander, who died unmarried before his father, in 1765. + +5. John, who succeeded his father in Allangrange. + +6. Margaret, who, as his second wife, married Alexander Chisholm, +XXII. of Chisholm, with issue, and carried on the succession of +that family. + +7. Isobell, who married Simon Mackenzie of Langwell, a Captain +in the 4th Regiment (marriage contract 1767), with issue. + +8. Mary, who married Kenneth Chisholm, Fasnakyle, a cadet of +Knockfin, with issue - Margaret, who married John Chisholm, Comar. + +George had six other daughters - Anne, Janet, Susanna, Lilias, Ann, +Barbara, and Elizabeth, all of whom died young or unmarried. + +He died in 1773, when he was succeeded by his eldest surviving +son, + +III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Allangrange, who at an early age +was appointed Examiner of Customs in Edinburgh. He married, first, +Catherine, eldest daughter and co-heiress of James Falconer of +Monkton (marriage contract 1781), and grand-daughter of the Right +Hon. Lord Halkerton and the Hon. Jane Falconer. By the acquisition +of his wife's fortune John was able to devote himself to his favourite +agricultural pursuits, in which he was eminently successful in +his day. By his wife, who died in 1790, he left issue - + +1. George Falconer, his heir and successor. + +2. Jane Falconer, who married John Gillanders of Highfield, with +issue - (1) Captain George Gillanders, who died without issue; (2) +Captain John Mackenzie Bowman Gillanders, H.E.I.C.S., of Highfield, +who died, without issue, in 1852; (3) Alexander Gillanders; (4) +James Falconer Gillanders, of Highfield, who in 1852 married Amy, +daughter of the late Major Charles Robertson of Kindeace, with +issue - George Francis Gillanders, late of Highfield, who, on the +21st of December, 1876, married Geraldine Anne Isabella Mary Jane, +daughter of Major James Wardlaw, Belmaduthy, with issue - an only +daughter, Frances Geraldine; (5) Frances Williamina Gillanders, +who died without issue; (6) Margaret Mackenzie Gillanders; (7) +Catherine, who married William Inglis, of the H.E.I.C.S. + +3. Margaret Bayne, who died young. + +4. Margaret Bayne, who also died young. + +John married, secondly, Barbara, daughter of George Gillanders, +first of Highfield, widow of John Bowman, an East India merchant +in London, without issue. She died in 1823. He died in 1812, +when he was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. GEORGE FALCONER MACKENZIE, fourth of Allangrange, who was +in 1829 served heir male to his ancestor, the Hon. Simon Mackenzie +of Lochslinn, and heir male in general to Simon's father, Kenneth, +created first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609, and to Lord +Kenneth's brother, Colin, created first Earl of Seaforth in 1623. + +He matriculated arms accordingly in the Lyon Office of Scotland. +On the 9th of January, 1828, he married Isabella Reid, daughter of +James Fowler of Raddery and Fairburn, in the county of Ross, and +The Grange, Jamaica, with issue - + +1. John Falconer, who succeeded his father, and died unmarried in +1849. + +2. James Fowler, who succeeded his brother John. + +3. George Thomas, who married Ethel Newman, London, without issue +male. + +4. Catherine Sophia, who died young. + +5. Anna Watson. + +George Falconer Mackenzie died in 1841, and was succeeded by his +eldest son, + +V. JOHN FALCONER MACKENZIE, fifth of Allangrange, who died +unmarried in 1849, when he was succeeded by his next brother, + +VI. JAMES FOWLER MACKENZIE, now of Allangrange, Chief of +the Mackenzies, and heir male to the dormant honours and ancient +titles of the historic family of Kintail and Seaforth. He is +still unmarried, and it is much to be feared that after his death +and that of his brother, George, who is without issue male, the +Chiefship of this great Clan may go a-begging. The only member of +the family whose male representation has not been proved extinct +is Kenneth, third son of Simon, I. of Allangrange, born about two +hundred years ago, and of whom or of his descendants, if any, +nothing is known for two centuries. And trace of them is now +scarcely within the region of possibility, even if in existence, +which is extremely improbable. + +The Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, seventh son of Kenneth, +first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, had by his first wife, three +other sons - Thomas Mackenzie, I. of Loggie; John Mackenzie, I. of +Inchcoulter or Balcony and Colin Mackenzie, Clerk to the Privy +Council, but the male issue of all three has been proved extinct. +He, however, married again; and it is among the descendants of +the second marriage that the Chiefship of the Clan must be sought +for should the heirs male of Allangrange at any time fail. + + +THE OLD MACKENZIES OF DUNDONNEL. + +THE HON. SIMON MACKENZIE of Lochslinn married, secondly, in 1630 +(marriage contract dated at Kingillie on the 12th of January), +Agnes, daughter of William Fraser, V. of Culbokie, and widow of +Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, brother of Sir John Mackenzie +of Tarbat, with issue - + +1. Kenneth Mor Mackenzie, first of Glenmarkassie and Dundonnel. + +2. Isobel, who, in 1673, married Murdoch Mackenzie, VI. of Fairburn, +with issue. + +3. Elizabeth, who married the Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, minister +and laird of Avoch - the land of which he had purchased - son of John, +Archdean of Ross, natural son of Sir Roderick Mackenzie, Tutor of +Kintail, with issue. This + +I. KENNETH MOR MACKENZIE, first of Glenmarkassie, acquired the +lands of Dundonnel, or "Achadh-Tigh-Domhnuill," from Roderick +Mackenzie, III. of Redcastle, in 1690, by excambion for Meikle +Scatwell. In 1681 he is described as Chamberlain of Assynt, and +in 1690 he receives a discharge from the Hon. John Mackenzie, then +designed "of Assynt," for 2448 merks, being the full rent for the +estate crop of 1689. He married Annabella, daughter of John +Mackenzie, I. of Gruinard, natural son of George, second Earl of +Seaforth, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, of whom nothing is known. + +3. Colin Riabhach of Ardinglash, who married Annabella, daughter +of Simon Mackenzie of Loggie, without surviving issue. + +4. Simon, of whom there is no trace. + +5. Barbara, who married Alexander Mackenzie III. of Ballone (sasine +1727), with issue. + +6. Sibella, who married John Mackenzie, II. of Ardloch, with +issue. + +7. Annabella, who married James Mackenzie of Keppoch, Lochbroom, +brother of John Mackenzie, II. of Ardloch, with issue. + +Kenneth Mor was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. KENNETH MACKENZIE, second of Dundonnel, who married Jean, +daughter of John Chisholm, XX. of Chisholm, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Captain Alexander, of the 73rd Regiment, who died in 1783, and +whose issue, if any, is unknown. + +3. John, who married Barbara, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. +of Ardloch, with issue, several sons, all of whom died young, and +two daughters - Annabella, who married Alexander Mackenzie, Rivochan, +Kishorn, with issue, twenty-five children; and Isabella. John's +widow married, as her second husband, Roderick, sixth son of George +Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, with issue. + +Kenneth was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. KENNETH MACKENZIE, third of Dundonnel, who in 1737, married +Jean, daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, IV. and first Baronet of +Scatwell, with issue - + +1. George, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, a W.S. who died in 1790, and whose issue, if any, is +unknown. + +3. William, an Episcopalian minister, who married, with issue. +If any male descendants of his exist and can be traced one of them +may, at no distant date, become Chief of the Clan. + +4. Roderick, who was also married, with issue, but of whose +descendants, if any, nothing is known. + +5. Captain Alexander, who died in India, without issue. + +6. Captain Simon, who was married, and died in Nairn in 1812, +whether with or without issue, at present unknown. + +7. Captain Lewis, who died in India, without issue. + +8. Janet, who married Colin Mackenzie, Jamaica brother of George +Mackenzie, Kildonan of Lochbroom without issue. She died in 1783. + +9. Isabella, who died unmarried. + +Kenneth, whose wife predeceased him in 1786, died in 1789, when +he was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. GEORGE MACKENZIE, fourth of Dundonnel, who married Abigail, +daughter of Thomas Mackenzie, V. of Ord, with issue - + +1. Alexander, who died young. + +2. Kenneth, who succeeded his father in the estates. + +3. Thomas, who succeeded his brother Kenneth. + +4. Jane, who married the Rev. Dr Ross, minister of Lochbroom, +with issue. + +George was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +V. KENNETH MACKENZIE, fifth of Dundonnel, who, in 1817, married +Isabella, daughter of Donald Roy of Treeton, without issue. He +left the estate by will to his brother-in-law, Robert Roy, W.S., +who, however, lost it after a long and costly litigation with +Kenneth's brother, + +VI. THOMAS MACKENZIE, sixth of Dundonnel, who was financially +ruined by the litigation in the case, and the property had to +be sold in 1835, to meet the costs of the trial. It was bought +by Murdo Munro-Mackenzie of Ardross, grandfather of the present +owner, Hugh Mackenzie of Dundonnel, and of Bundanon, Shoulhaven, +New South Wales. Thomas married his cousin, Anne, eldest daughter +of Alexander, VI. of Ord, with issue - + +1. George Alexander, who became the representative of the family +on the death of his father. + +2. Thomas, who emigrated to California, and of whose issue, if +any, nothing is known. + +3. John Hope, who for some time resided at Tarradale House, +Ross-shire. + +4. Helen, who married the Hon. Justice Charles Henry Stewart of +Ceylon, without issue. + +5. Isabella, who resided in Elgin, unmarried. + +Thomas was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest +son + +VII. GEORGE ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who, on the death of his father, +became head of the original Mackenzies of Dundonnel, although +the estates had been sold to another family. He married Louisa, +daughter of Captain Stewart of the Celyon Rifles, without issue. +If his next brother, who went to California, survived George +Alexander, then, on his death, he - + +VIII. THOMAS MACKENZIE, would have succeeded as head of his house, +and failing him and his descendants, if any, the representation +of the old Mackenzies of Dundonnel would have fallen to JOHN HOPE +MACKENZIE, third son of Thomas, VI. of Dundonnel and last proprietor +of the family estates. He married Louisa, daughter of Captain +Stewart of the Ceylon Rifles, widow of his deceased brother, George +Alexander, without issue, and died in London in 1892. + +The only members of this family whose descendants can ever now by +any possibility succeed to the Chiefship should it pass from the +Mackenzies of Allangrange are (1) Alexander, second son of Kenneth +Mor, first of Dundonnel, but of him there is no trace for more +than two hundred years, and never likely to be. (2) Simon, +Alexander's youngest brother, of whom nothing has been heard during +the same period. (3) Captain Alexander, of the 73rd Regiment, +second son of Kenneth Mackenzie, II. of Dundonnel, who died, +probably unmarried, in 1783. In any case there is nothing known +of any descendants. (4) Kenneth, W.S., second son of Kenneth +Mackenzie, III. of Dundonnel, who died in 1790, and is not known +to have been married. (5) William, third son of the same Kenneth, an +Episcopalian minister, who was married, and left issue, of whom, +however, we know nothing. (6) Roderick, William's immediate younger +brother, and third son of the same Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of +Dundonnel, who was also married, with issue, but whether extinct +or not we cannot say. (7) Captain Simon, who was married and died +in Nairn in 1812, but of his descendants, if any, we at present +know nothing. (8) Captain Lewis, who died in India, probably, +unmarried, but this has not been conclusively established; and +(9) Thomas, second son of Thomas, VI. of Dundonnel, who in early +life emigrated to California, and regarding whom nothing has since +been heard. If he is still alive or has left any surviving male +issue the late John Hope Mackenzie could not have succeeded as +head of the family, and Thomas, or his male heir, if now in life, +occupies that position; and on the failure of the Mackenzies of +Allangrange, he or his representative will become Chief of the +Mackenzies. Failing Thomas, or his male heirs, that honour would +fall to the heirs male, if any, of each of the eight others mentioned, +in the inverse order in which their names are here set forth. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF HILTON. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF HILTON are descended from Alexander Mackenzie, +VI. of Kintail, known among the Highlanders as "Alastair Ionraic," +by his first wife, Anna, daughter of John Macdougall of Dunolly. + +The first of the family was + +I. DUNCAN MACKENZIE, designated of Hilton, a barony situated in +Strathbraan, bounded on the north by Loch Fannich, on the south +by the ridge of the hills on the north side of Strathconan, on the +east by Achnault, and on the west by Ledgowan. Duncan married a +daughter of Ewen Cameron, XIII. of Lochiel, with issue - an only +son, his heir and successor - + +II. ALLAN MACKENZIE, second of Hilton, Loggie or Brea, from +whom the family is known in Gaelic as "Clann Alain." He married +a daughter of Alexander Dunbar of Conzie and Kilbuyack, third son +of the Sheriff of Moray, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. John, progenitor of the Mackenzies of Loggie. + +3. Roderick, who married, with issue, an only daughter, Agnes, +who married Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Killichrist, with issue. + +4. Alastair, who married, with issue - a daughter, who married +Roderick, son of Murdoch Mackenzie, III. of Achilty, with issue - +the Rev. Murdo Mackenzie, Bishop of Ranfoe, in Ireland. + +Allan's wife survived him, and married, as her second husband, +Kenneth Mackenzie of Meikle Allan, now Allangrange, second son of +Hector Roy Mackenzie, I. of Gairloch. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, third of Hilton, who married a daughter +of Innes of Innerbreakie, now Invergordon, with issue - an only +son, + +IV. JOHN MACKENZIE, fourth of Hilton, who married Margaret, +daughter of Dunbar of Inchbrook, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir. + +2. Alexander, who, in 1640, married Margaret, natural daughter +of John Roy Mackenzie, IV. of Gairloch, apparently without issue. +The marriage contract is in the Gairloch charter chest. + +3. Colin, M.A. of Aberdeen University, and minister of Kilearnan, +where he died. He married Miss Dundas, with issue - Kenneth, well +known in his day as Deacon of the Edinburgh Goldsmiths, who left +no issue. + +4. A daughter who married John Sinclair, Caithness. + +5. A daughter, who married John Matheson, "Ian Og," in Lochalsh, +whose eldest son, Alexander, became the progenitor of the Mathesons +of Lochalsh, Attadale, and Ardross, represented in this country by +Sir Kenneth James Matheson, Baronet, and others. + +John was succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. MURDOC MACKENZIE, fifth of Hilton, who married Mary, eldest +daughter of the Rev. Murdoch Murchison, Auchtertyre, minister of +Kintail, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir. + +2. Roderick, who married the eldest daughter of Alexander, third +son of Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle, with issue - a son, +Colin, who died without issue, in 1682. + +3. Colin, who married Isobel, daughter of Donald Simpson, Chamberlain +of Ferintosh, with issue - (1) Alexander, locally called "Sanders," +who succeeded his grandfather, Donald Simpson, as Chamberlain of +Ferintosh. He married Helen, daughter of William Munro, Ardullie, +with issue - two sons and two daughters - (a) Colin, who died unmarried, +but left a natural son, of whom are descended several respectable +families in Ferintosh; (b) Donald, who married Jean, legitimate +male succession of his paternal grandfather, Alexander, eldest son +of Colin, third son of Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Hilton. Donald +had several daughters; first Mary, who was along with her father +and brother when they were drowned, but she was saved, and married, +as his second wife, the Rev. Colin Mackenzie, minister of Fodderty, +first of the family of Glack, of whom presently second, Jean, who +married Colin Murchison third, Isabel, who married David Ross; +fourth, a daughter, who married Mackenzie of Ussie, with issue - two +sons, Donald and Frank; fifth, Anne, who married Lewis Grant; +and sixth, Helen, who married Alexander Mackenzie of Ardnagrask, +afterwards at Loggie-side, from whom was descended Bailie John +Mackenzie, of Inverness. Alexander's ("Sanders") eldest daughter, +Mary, in 1723, married Donald, son of John Murchison, Achtertyre; +the second, Elizabeth, married William Martin of Inchfure, with +issue - a daughter, Ann, celebrated for her beauty, who, as his second +wife, married Norman Macleod, XIX. of Macleod, with issue - three +daughters, Elizabeth, Anne, and Rich Mary, for whose marriage and +descendants see Mackenzie's "History of the Macleods," pp. 154-155. +(2) Roderick, Colin's second son, whose male heir carried on the +representation of the family on the death, without legitimate male +issue, of Alexander Mackenzie, X. of Hilton, when he was succeeded +by Roderick's grandson, Alexander, as XI. of Hilton, whose descent +will be shown presently. John, a third son of Colin, is on record +in 1730, but nothing more is known of him. + +4. Murdoch, fourth son of Murdoch, V. of Hilton, married Agnes +Helen, daughter of Donald Taylor, a Bailie of Inverness (1665), +with issue - an only son, Alexander, who in early life entered the +service of Kenneth, Earl of Seaforth, and who, in 1709, became +Chamberlain of the Lewis for Earl William. In the same year +Alexander married Katherine, daughter of Andrew Duncan, factor +for Viscount Stormont, with issue, whose descendants are unknown. +Murdoch had also a daughter, Jean, who daughter of Thomas Forbes +of Raddery and of the lands of Fortrose as far as Ethie, with +issue - an only son, Alexander, who was drowned along with his +father, while fording the Conon, Opposite Dingwall, in 1759, when, +the son being unmarried, perished the married Hector Mackenzie, by +whom she had a son, Kenneth, a Jesuit Priest in Spain, and several +daughters. + +5. Isobel, who married the Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Kintail, +with issue. + +Murdoch was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, sixth of Hilton, who, in 1630, married, +first, Annabella, second daughter of John Mackenzie, I. of Ord, +without issue, and secondly, Sibella, eldest daughter of Roderick +Mackenzie, I. of Applecross, widow in succession of Alexander Macleod, +V. of Raasay, and Thomas Graham of Drynie, with issue - an only son, + +VII. EWEN MACKENZIE, who succeeded as seventh of Hilton. He +married, in 1685, Elizabeth, third daughter of Colin Mackenzie, +IV. of Redcastle, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, who succeeded his brother John as IX. of Hilton. + +3. Florence, who married her cousin, Alexander Macrae, son of the +Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Kintail. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VIII. JOHN MACKENZIE, eighth of Hilton, who married Margaret, +daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie of Alduinny (marriage contract +1710), without issue. He joined the Earl of Mar, and was one of +"The four Johns of Scotland," - Ceithear Ianan na h-Alba - killed at +the battle of Sheriff-Muir in November, 1715, where he commanded +a Company of the Mackenzies. He was succeeded by his brother, + +IX. COLIN MACKENZIE, ninth of Hilton, who married Catherine, +daughter of Christopher Mackenzie, Arinhugair, with issue - + +1. John, who married Helen, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, VII. +of Fairburn, and died without issue, before his father, in 1751. + +2. Alexander, who succeeded to the estate. + +3. A daughter, who, as his first wife, married John Macdonell, +XII. of Glengarry, with issue - Alastair, who carried on the +representation of that family, and another son. + +He died in 1756, aged 65, and was succeeded by his only surviving +son, + +X. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, tenth of Hilton, who married Mary, +daughter of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, without issue, when +the direct male line of Murdoch, V. of Hilton, came to an end. +He, however, had a natural son - Alexander, well known in his day +and yet affectionately spoken of by very old people as "Alastair Mor +mac Fhir Bhaile Chnuic," Seaforth's principal and most successful +recruiting serjeant when originally raising the 78th Highland +Regiment. And many a curious story is still told of Alastair's +successful efforts to procure willing and sometimes hesitating +recruits for the Regiment of his Chief. He married Annabella +Mackenzie, of the Gruinard family, by whom he had a numerous offspring; +and many of his descendants, one of whom is Major Alexander Colin +Mackenzie, of the 1st V.B. Seaforth Highlanders, Maryburgh, occupy +responsible positions in several parts of the country. + +We must now revert, in order to pick up the legitimate male line +of succession, to + +RODERICK MACKENZIE, I. of Brea, Chamberlain of Ferintosh, second +son of Colin, by his wife Mary Simpson, third son of Murdoch, V. +of Hilton, all the intermediate male heirs having, as has been +shown, become extinct. He acquired Brea in Ferintosh, in wadset +and it remained in his family for two generations. By marriage he +became possessed of the ruined Castle of Dingwall, and the lands +adjoining, the ancient residence of the Earls of Ross; also the +lands of Longcroft. Roderick married Una, or Winifred, daughter +of John Cameron, Town Clerk of Dingwall, with issue - + +1. John of Brea, commonly known as "John the Laird." He resided +at Tarradale and married, in 1759, Beatrice, second daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, VIII. of Davochmaluag, by Magdalen, daughter +of Hugh Rose, XIII. of Kilravock, with issue - (1) Roderick, who +died unmarried; (2) Alexander, who succeeded as XI. of Hilton, +and of whom presently; (3) Kenneth of Inverinate, who married +Anne, daughter of Thomas Mackenzie, IV. of Highfield and VI. of +Applecross, with issue - (a) Thomas, who succeeded as X. of Applecross, +in right of his mother, and whose male heirs have died out (see +Applecross genealogy); (b) Alexander, who married Harriet, daughter +of Newton of Curriehill, with issue - Kenneth, who died unmarried; +Alexander, a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, who died unmarried; +Marion, who married Charles Holmes, barrister, without issue; and +Harriet, unmarried; (c) Jean, who died unmarried; (d) Elizabeth, +who married her cousin, Major John Mackenzie, XII. of Hilton, with +issue, whose descendants, in Australia, now represent the male +line of the family; (e) Flora, who married the Rev. Charles Downie, +minister of Contin who died in 1852, leaving issue - Kenneth +Mackenzie Downie, a surgeon in Australia, and five daughters, all +dead; (f) Catherine, (g) Mary, and (h) Johanna, all three of whom +died unmarried. The other sons and daughters of John Mackenzie +of Brea, "the Laird," were (4) Colin, called "the Baron," born at +Tarradale, on the 3rd of December, 1759, and died unmarried; (5) +Peter, who also died unmarried; (6) Duncan, who married Jessie, +daughter of Mackenzie of Strathgarve, without issue; (7) Arthur, +who died unmarried; (8) Magdalen, who died unmarried; (9) Marcella +or Medley, who married the Rev. Dr Downie, in the Lewis; (10) +Mary, who in 1790, married her cousin, the Rev. Donald Mackenzie +minister of Fodderty, with issue - Major Colin, Royal Engineers, who +married Anne, daughter of John Pendrill, of Bath, without issue; +and (11) Elizabeth, who died unmarried. + +2. Colin Mackenzie, minister of Fodderty, who purchased an estate +in Aberdeenshire, and was the first of the Mackenzies of Glack, in +that county, of whom later on. + +3. Sir Peter, M.D., a knight of Nova Scotia, Surgeon-General in +the army, who died unmarried. + +Roderick Mackenzie was succeeded in Brea by his eldest son, + +JOHN MACKENZIE, II. of Brea, with surviving issue, among several +others already mentioned, Alexander, who as nearest male heir +collateral, succeeded to the lands and barony of the family as + +XI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, eleventh of Hilton and Brea, who was, +as has just been shown, the great-grandson of Colin, third son of +Murdoch, V. of Hilton, and his heir of line. Alexander was born +at Tigh-a-phris of Ferintosh, on the 3rd of July, 1756. He was +educated at the University of Aberdeen, but was afterwards bred +a millwright to qualify him for the supervision of family estates +and business connections in Jamaica, where he subsequently became a +Colonel of Militia. On the death of his maternal uncle, Alexander +Mackenzie, VIII. of Davochmaluag, in 1776, and of that gentleman's +grandson, Lieutenant Kenneth Mackenzie, who was killed at Saratoga +in 1777, Alexander of Hilton succeeded also to the Davochmaluag +estate. The adjoining properties of Davochpollo and Davochcairn +having been previously acquired by his father, John Mackenzie, +second of Brea, Alexander combined the three properties into one, +and gave it the name of Brea, after the former possession of the +family in Ferintosh. He greatly improved this estate and laid it +out in its present beautiful form. His land improvements, however, +turned out unremunerative. His Hilton property was heavily encumbered +in consequence of the part taken by members of the family in the +Risings of 1696, 1715, and 1745, and great losses having been +incurred in connection with his West Indian estates, Alexander +got into pecuniary difficulties, and all his possessions, at home +and abroad, had to be sold either by himself or by his trustees +to meet the demands of his creditors. He was a distinguished +agriculturist for his time, and was the first, along with Sir +George Mackenzie, VII. of Coul, and his own cousin, Major Forbes +Mackenzie, to introduce Cheviot sheep to the Highlands for hill +grazings. + +He married Mary James, in Jamaica, with issue - + +1. John, his heir. + +2. Alexander, who married his cousin Charlotte, daughter of the +Rev. Dr Downie, with issue - (1) Alexander, who died unmarried; (2) +Downie, who died unmarried; (3) John; (4) Kenneth, who married +Flora, daughter of the Rev. John Macdonald, a native of Inverness, +who emigrated to and was a minister in Australia, by his wife Mary +(who died in 1878), third daughter of Neil Macleod, XI. of Gesto, +Isle of Skye; (5) Charles, who died unmarried; (6) William, who +died unmarried; (7) Mary James, who married her cousin, Kenneth +Mackenzie, XIV. of Hilton, in Australia; and (8) Jessie, who died +unmarried. Alexander emigrated to Australia, where he died. + +3. Kenneth, W.S., who married Anne Urquhart, Aberdeen, with +issue - an only daughter, who died unmarried. He married, secondly, +Elizabeth Jones, with issue, and died in Canada, where his widow +and children continued to reside, in the city of Toronto. + +4. Mary, who died unmarried in Australia a few years ago. + +Alexander died at Lasswade in 1840, and was succeeded as representative +of the family by his eldest son, + +XII. JOHN MACKENZIE, Colonel of the 7th Regiment of Bengal +Cavalry, and for many years Superintendent of the Government +breeding stud at Buxar, India. He married, in 1813, his cousin, +Elizabeth, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie of Inverinate, W.S., with +issue - + +1. Alexander, who succeeded him as representative of the family. + +2. Kenneth, who succeeded his brother Alexander. + +3. Mary, who married Dr James of the 30th Regiment, without issue. + +4. Anne, who married General Arthur Hall of the 5th Bengal Cavalry, +with issue. + +5. Elizabeth Jane, who died unmarried. + +Colonel John died at Simla in 1856, when he was succeeded as +representative of the family by his eldest son, + +XIII. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who emigrated to Australia, and died +unmarried in New South Wales in 1862, when he was succeeded as +representative of the family by his younger brother, + +XIV. KENNETH MACKENZIE, who recently resided at Tyrl-Tyrl, Taralga, +near Sydney, New South Wales. He married his cousin, Mary James, +daughter of Captain Alexander Mackenzie of Brea, second son of +Alexander, XI. of Hilton, with issue - + +1. John, his heir; (2) Kenneth; (3) Downie; (4) Flora; (5) Jessie, +all in Australia. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF GLACK. + +THIS family is descended from Roderick, second son of Colin, third +son of Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Hilton. The issue of Roderick, +Hilton's second son, by the daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of +Redcastle, and Roderick's eldest brother, has already been proved +extinct. Colin, Murdoch of Hilton's third son, had - (1) a son, +Alexander, whose male issue died out in 1759; and (2) Roderick, +Chamberlain of the Lewis. This Roderick had three sons - (1) John +Mackenzie, I. of Brea, who carried on the male line of Hilton, and +whose representative, now in Australia, is head of that family; +(2) Colin; and (3) Sir Peter, a Surgeon-General in the army, who +died unmarried. Roderick's second son, + +I. THE REV. COLIN MACKENZIE, minister of Fodderty, purchased +the estate of Glack - in Aberdeenshire, and became the first of this +family. He was born in 1707, educated at the University of Aberdeen, +and in 1734 appointed parish minister of Fodderty. Subsequently, +for services rendered to the family of the forfeited Earl of +Cromarty, he was appointed by the Earl's eldest son, Lord Macleod, +Chaplain to Macleod's Highlanders, afterwards the 71st Highland +Light Infantry, an office which proved more honorary than lucrative, +for he had to find a substitute, at his own expense, to perform +the duties of the office. Colin inherited a considerable fortune +in gold from his father, while in right of his mother he succeeded +to the ruined Castle of Dingwall, one of the ancients seats of the +old Earls of Ross, and its lands, as also the lands of Longcroft. +He gave the site of the Castle, at the time valued at L300, to +Henry Davidson of Tulloch as a contribution towards the erection +of a manufactory which that gentleman proposed to erect for the +employment of the surplus male and female labour in Dingwall and +its vicinity, but which was never begun. He sold the remaining +portion of the Castle lands and those of Longcroft to his nephew, +Alexander Mackenzie, XI. of Hilton, and afterwards bought Glack +in Aberdeenshire, of which he and his descendants have since been +designated. Colin was on intimate terms with the Lord President +Forbes of Culloden, and maintained a constant correspondence with +his lordship, the result of which was, along with the demands and +influence of his clerical calling, to keep him out of the Rising +of 1745, although all his sympathies were with the Jacobites. He +is said to have been the first who, in his own district, received +intelligence of the landing of Prince Charles in Scotland. It +reached him during the night, whereupon he at once crossed +Knockfarrel to Brahan Castle, where, finding his Chief in bed, he +without awakening her ladyship, communicated to his lordship what +had occurred. Seaforth, having had his estate recently restored +to him, was easily prevailed upon by his clansmen to keep out of +the way in the meantime, and both of them started for the West +Coast of Ross-shire at the same time that the army of the Prince +began its march eastwards. The two were in retirement at Poolewe, +when two ships laden with his lordship's retainers from the Lewis +sailed into Lochewe. They were at once signalled to return to +Stornoway, Seaforth waving them back with the jawbone of a sheep, +which he was in the act of picking for his dinner, and in this +way, it is said, was fulfilled one of the prophecies of the Brahan +Seer, by which it was predicted "That next time the men of Lewis +should go forth to battle, they would be turned back by a weapon +smaller than the jawbone of an ass." Meanwhile Seaforth's lady (we +shall for greater convenience continue to call him by his former +title, although it was at this time under attainder), not knowing +what had become of her lord or what his real intentions were, is +said to have entertained the Prince at Brahan Castle, and to have +urged upon the Earl of Cromarty and his eldest son, Lord Macleod, +to call out the clan in her husband's absence. Subsequently, when +that Earl and his son were confined in the Tower of London for +the part which they took on her advice, and when the Countess with +ten children, and bearing another, were suffering the severest +hardships and penury, the Rev. Colin, at great risk to himself and +the interests of his family, collected the rents from the Cromarty +tenants, giving his own receipt against their being required to +pay again to the Forfeited Estates Commissioners, and personally +carried the money to her ladyship in London. It was in acknowledgment +of this service that Lord Macleod afterwards appointed him Chaplain +to his newly raised regiment, Macleod's Highlanders. + +It was this Colin who first fully recognised the health-giving +properties of the Strathpeffer mineral springs, and who, by erecting +a covered shed over one of them, placed it, for the first time, +in a condition to benefit the suffering thousands who have since +derived so much advantage from it. Shortly before his death, in +1801, at the very old age of ninety-five years, he conducted the +opening services of the parish church of Ferintosh, and contributed +largely to the funds for its erection, to commemorate the saving +of his wife's life, when she was washed ashore on her horse's back, +near the site of the church, when her father and brother perished +by drowning while crossing the River Conon, opposite Dingwall, in +1759. + +The Rev. Colin married first, Margaret, daughter of Hugh Rose, IV. +of Clava, with issue, an only daughter, Margaret, who died young +on the 22nd of September. 1746. He married, secondly, in 1754, +his cousin, Mary, eldest daughter of Donald Mackenzie, Balnabeen, +who, as has been already shown, carried on, in the female line, +the succession of Alexander (Sanders), eldest son of Colin, third +son of Murdoch, V. of Hilton. By her, who died in 1828, the Rev. +Colin of Fodderty, and Glack had issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Donald, who was educated at the University of Edinburgh, and +afterwards appointed parish minister of Fodderty and Chaplain to +the 71st Highlanders, his father having resigned both offices in +his favour. He was a noted humorist and said by those who knew +him best to be much more at heart a soldier than a minister. He +married first, his cousin, Mary, daughter of John Mackenzie of +Brea, "the Laird," and sister of Alexander, XI. of Hilton, with +issue - (1) Colin, a Colonel of Royal Engineers, who, born in 1793, +married in 1838 Ann Petgrave, daughter of John Pendrill, M.D., +Bath, and died without issue, in 1869; (2) John, who ultimately +succeeded as IV. of Glack, and of whom presently; (3) Elizabeth, +who married Lieutenant Stewart, R.N., with issue; and (4) Mary, +who died unmarried. Colin married, secondly, Mary, daughter of +the Rev. Mr Fyers, Fort-George, without issue. + +3. Forbes Mackenzie, a Captain in the North British (Ross-shire) +Militia, afterwards Major in the East of Ross Militia, and for +thirty-seven years a Deputy Lieutenant for the county. He reclaimed +and laid out the greater part of the valley of the Peffery, where, +on the estate of Fodderty, be was the first to apply lime to the +land and to grow wheat north of the Moray Firth. He was also the +first to introduce Clydesdale horses and shorthorn cattle to the +Highlands, and was, as has been already said, along with Sir George +Mackenzie of Coul and his own cousin, Alexander Mackenzie, XI. of +Hilton, the first to import Cheviot sheep to the northern counties. +He married Catherine, daughter of Angus Nicolson, Stornoway, and +grand-daughter of the gentleman of the same name who commanded and +brought to Poolewe, with the intention of joining the standard of +Prince Charles, the three hundred men ordered back to the Lewis, +as already mentioned, by Seaforth, in 1745. By her Major Forbes +Mackenzie had issue - (1) Nicolson, a surgeon in the army, who was +wrecked near Pictou, Nova Scotia, and there drowned in his noble +attempts to save the lives of others, in 1853, unmarried; (2) +Roderick, heir of entail to the estate of Foveran, and a Colonel +in the Royal Artillery, who, in 1878, married Caroline Sophia, +daughter of J. A. Beamont of Wimbledon Park; (3) Thomas, a Major in +the 78th Highlanders, Ross-shire now retired, and still unmarried; +(4) Mary, who married the late Rev. John Kennedy, D.D., Free Church +minister of Dingwall, with issue - Jessie, unmarried, and Mary, who +married John Matheson, banker, Madras, only surviving son of the +late Rev. Duncan Matheson, late Free Church minister of Gairloch +with issue. Mrs Kennedy died at Strathpeffer in 1892. (5) Dorothy +Blair, who died unmarried; and (6) Catherine Eunice, who married +the late Adam Alexander Duncan of Naughton, county of Fife, with +issue - Catherine Henrietta Adamina. + +4. Anne, who married Hector Mackenzie, a Bailie of Dingwall +("Baillidh Eachainn"), to whom Alexander Campbell, the Gaelic bard, +composed the beautiful elegy published in 1893 in the "Scottish +Highlander." He was the second son of Alexander Mackenzie of +Tollie, Provost of Dingwall (third son of Charles Mackenzie, I. +of Letterewe), by his second wife, Catherine, daughter of Bayne +of Delny, and younger half brother of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of +Portmore. By his wife, Bailie Hector had issue, Alexander, whose +daughter, Katherine, in 1836, married Major Roderick Mackenzie, +H.E.I.C.S., and VII. of Kincraig, with issue. + +5. Mary, who married Captain John Mackenzie, VI. of Kincraig, whose +descendants, from her, now represent the Mackenzies of Redcastle. + +6. Johanna, who married Dr Millar, Stornoway. + +7. Una, who died unmarried. + +8. Beatrice, who married Peter Hay, a Bailie of Dingwall. + +9. Isabella, who died unmarried, and + +10. Jean, who married the Rev. Colin Mackenzie, Stornoway. + +Rev. Colin Mackenzie was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. RODERICK MACKENZIE, second of Glack. He married first, +Margaret, daughter of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, X. of Gairloch, +Baronet, without issue, and secondly, Christina, daughter of John +Niven, Peebles, with issue - + +1. Harry, who died unmarried, in 1828. + +2. John, who succeeded as III. of Glack. + +3. Roderick of Thornton, Aberdeenshire, who died unmarried, in +1858. + +4. James, a Major in the 72nd Highlanders, who died unmarried in +India, in 1857. + +5. Mary, who married the late General Sir Alexander Leith, K.C.B., +of Freefield and Glenkindie, without issue. + +6. Rachael, who died unmarried. + +7. Christina of Foveran, who died unmarried. + +8. Jane Forbes Unice, who also died unmarried. + +Roderick was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Glack. He was born in 1810, +succeeded his father in 1842, inherited his brother Roderick's estate +in 1857, and Foveran, on her death, from his sister Christina. +He acquired Inveramsay by purchase. He died. unmarried, in 1877, +when he was succeeded by his cousin, the second son of his uncle, +the Rev. Donald, minister of Fodderty, + +IV. JOHN MACKENZIE, fourth of Glack. He was born on the 21st of +March, 1795, and married first, in 1817, at Malta, Anne, daughter +of Thomas MacGill, without issue; and secondly, on the 21st of +October, 1822, Margaret Campbell, daughter of John Pendrill, M.D., +Bath, with issue - + +1. The Rev. Duncan Campbell, rector of Shephall, Hertfordshire, +his heir. + +2. John Pendrill, M.A. of Oxford, who was born on the 7th of +February, 1825, and married first, on the 20th of October, 1859, Lucy +Adelaide, daughter of Henry Thornton, with issue - Lucy Eleanor and +Margaret Pendrill. She died in 1870, and he married, secondly, on +the 25th of July, 1878, Caroline Maria, daughter of J. H. Wottur +of Hamburg. + +3. The Rev. Roderick Bain, M.A. of Exeter College, Oxford, Rector +of Ludbrooke, county of Lincoln. He was born on the 14th of +September, 1834, and married on the 10th of November, 1868, Josepha +Peyton, eldest daughter of Colonel Richard Ignatius Robertson of +Portland Place, London, without issue. + +4. Margaret Campbell Pendrill, and + +5. Mary, both unmarried. + +His second wife died at Sorrento, Naples, on the 7th of June, 1855. + +He is succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son, + +V. THE REV. DUNCAN CAMPBELL MACKENZIE, Vicar of Shephall, Herts, +who was born on the 6th of January, 1824, and married on the 31st +of January, 1854, Louisa, daughter of the late Lieutenant-Colonel +Nicolls, of Chichester, with issue - + +1. Donald, an officer in the Marines. + +2. Allan, an officer in the Ross-shire Militia. + +3. Malcolm; 4, Helen; 5, Edith; 6, Lilian; and 7, Amy. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF LOGGIE. + + +THE representative of this family, if alive, would succeed to the +Chiefship after the male representative of the family of Glack, +but there is no trace of any heir male of Loggie for two centuries. +Before the Chiefship could come into this family, the descendants +of Kenneth of Inverinate, third son of John Mackenzie of Brea, and +immediate younger brother of Alexander, XI. of Hilton would have +to be disposed of. Thomas, the eldest son of Inverinate, succeeded +in terms of a disposition by John Mackenzie, VII. of Applecross, +and in right of his mother, to the Applecross estates, but not +to the male representation of that family. But the last male +representative of this family failed, a few years ago, in the +person of his third and last surviving son, Thomas Mackenzie, +W.S., Edinburgh, who died unmarried. It will be remembered that +Allan Mackenzie, II. of Hilton and Loggie, married a daughter of +Alexander Dunbar of Conzie and Kilbuyack, third son of the Sheriff +of Moray, with issue - (1) Murdoch, who succeeded as III. of Hilton, +and (2) John, who was served heir to and afterwards designated, + +I. JOHN MACKENZIE, first of Loggie, a barony situated in the old +parish of that name, but now forming the western portion of the +modern parish of Urquhart. John married a daughter of John Glassich +Mackenzie, II. of Gairloch, with issue, one son, who succeeded him +as + +II. ALLAN MACKENZIE, second of Loggie. He married a daughter +of Hector, sixth son of Murdoch Mackenzie, III. of Achilty, with +issue - + +1. Donald, his heir and successor. + +2. Murdoch, who was married and left one daughter, Margaret, who +in 1634 married Murdoch Mackenzie, I. of Little Findon, third son +of Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Killichrist, with issue - a son, +John, who succeeded his father. Allan was succeeded by his eldest +son, + +III. DONALD MACKENZIE, third of Loggie, who married first, in +1636, Catherine, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle, +with issue - + +1. Colin, a doctor of medicine, educated at the University of +Aberdeen, and afterwards under the most celebrated professors of +the day at Leyden, Paris, and Rheims, at the last-named of which +he took his degree of M.D. He adopted extravagant theological +views, in consequence of which "and his immoral conduct in his +youth" he was disinherited by his father, whereupon he re-visited +the Continent and remained there for several years. He subsequently +returned to Inverness, where he practised his profession with +considerable success, and had a yearly pension settled upon him +by his father, until his death there, unmarried, in 1708. + +Donald married, secondly, Annabella, eldest daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, with issue - + +2. Alexander, who succeeded his father. + +3. John, who was educated for the ministry at the University +of Aberdeen, and was for several years Chaplain to Major-General +Mackay's Regiment. After the Revolution he was appointed minister +of Kirkliston, near Edinburgh, but soon removed to London, where +he died unmarried, before his brother Alexander, and was buried +in St. Martin's Church, Westminster. + +4. Murdoch, who succeeded as V. of Loggie. + +5. Margaret, who married first, in 1663, Roderick Mackenzie, V. +of Fairburn, with issue, and secondly, the Rev. Hector Mackenzie of +Bishop-Kinkell, second son of Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch, +with issue. + +6. Christian, who married John Mackenzie, I. of Gruinard, with +issue, and + +7. Annabella, who married Mackenzie of Loggie in Lochbroom, with +issue. + +He married, thirdly, Anne, daughter of the Rev. Donald Morison, +minister in the Lewis (sasine to her in 1666), with issue - an only +daughter, Anne, who married the Rev. Angus Morison, minister of +Contin. Donald had also a natural son, Roderick, a Captain in the +Confederate army under King William, who died in Holland, unmarried. + +He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +IV. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth of Loggie, who married first, in +1667, Jane, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, J. of Ballone, widow +of Simon, second son of the Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, +without issue. He married, secondly, Catherine, second daughter +of William Mackenzie, I. of Belmaduthy, also without issue. + +He was succeeded by his youngest brother, + +V. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, fifth of Loggie, who was educated at the +University of Aberdeen. He afterwards joined the Earl of Dumbarton's +Regiment, and by his merit and valour soon raised himself to the +rank of Captain. It is said of him that, at the battle of Sedgmoor, +fought on the 6th of February, 1685, during Monmouth's rebellion, +"the valiant Colonel Murdoch Mackenzie, under the command of Lord +Feversham, signally distinguished himself." He at the head of his +Company attacked the enemy on that occasion with such bravery and +resolution that, excepting the officers, there were only nine men +who were not either killed or wounded. Personally he had the +distinguished honour of taking the Duke of Monmouth's standard, +twisting it out of the standard-bearer's hand, and afterwards +presenting it to James II. at Whitehall. For this gallant exploit +he was promoted at once to the rank of Colonel. He married an +English lady, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir. + +2. George, a young man of promising parts, who was killed in +a duel, unmarried; and three daughters of whom nothing has been +ascertained. + +Murdoch died in London, was buried in St. Martin's Church, +Westminster, and succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, who settled in London, and of whose +representatives nothing whatever is known. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF GAIRLOCH. + +THIS family is descended from Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, by +his second wife Margaret, daughter of Roderick Macdonald, III. of +Moydart and Clanranald, the famous "Ruairidh MacAlain," by Margaret, +daughter of Donald Balloch of Islay, son of John Mor Tanastair (by +his wife Marjory Bisset, heiress of the Seven Lordships of the +Glens in Antrim), second son of John, first Lord of the Isles, by +his wife Lady Margaret Stewart, daughter of King Robert II. and +brother of Donald, second Lord of the Isles and first Earl of +Ross. [For Alexander, VI. of Kintail's first and second wives see +pp. 81-83.] By this lady the sixth Baron of Kintail had one son - + +I. HECTOR ROY MACKENZIE, better known among his countrymen as +"Eachainn Ruadh." He has been already noticed at considerable +length at pp. 113 to 132 in his capacity as Tutor or Guardian to +his nephew, John of Killin, IX. of Kintail, but he played such a +prominent part in the history of his time that it will be necessary +to give his history at much greater length under this head. It has +been conclusively shown that Kenneth a' Bhlair, VII. of Kintail, +died in 1491, and that his only son by his first wife, Kenneth Og, +killed in the Torwood by the Laird of Buchanan in 1497, outlived +his father and became one of the Barons of Kintail, although there +is no record of his having been served heir to the family estates. +It has been said that Duncan of Hilton, Kenneth a Bhlair's eldest +brother, predeceased him, and that consequently Hector Roy succeeded, +as a matter of course to the legal guardianship of his nephew, +Kenneth Og, VIII. of Kintail, he being the eldest surviving +brother of the late Chief, who died in 1491. But this has not been +sufficiently established, although it is quite true that Duncan's +name does not appear after his brother's death in 1491, in any +of the manuscript histories of the clan, or in any known official +document. The author of the Ardintoul MS. states distinctly that +Duncan was dead, and that Hector, John of Kuhn's younger uncle, +"meddled with the estate." The Earl of Cromarty says that "Hector +Roy, being a man of courage and prudence, was left Tutor by his +brother to Sir Kenneth, his own brother-uterine, Duncan being of +better hands than head. This Hector, hearing of Sir Kenneth's +death, and finding himself in possession of an estate, to which +those only now had title whose birthright was debateable, namely, +the children begot by Kenneth the third, on the Lord Lovat's +daughter, with whom he did at first so irregularly and unlawfully +cohabit." The objection of illegitimacy could not apply to +Duncan, or to his son Allan, and it is difficult to understand on +what ground Hector attempted to obtain personal possession of the +estates, unless it be true, as confirmed to some extent hereafter, +that he was himself joint-heir of Kintail; for it is undoubted +that Allan, Duncan's eldest son, who was entitled to succeed +before Hector, was then alive. There is no official evidence that +Hector Roy was at any time appointed Tutor to John of Kuhn until an +arrangement was made between themselves, in terms of which Hector +was to act as such, and to keep the estates in his own bands until +his nephew came of age. + +There is no doubt that Hector was in possession of extensive estates +of his own at this period. When the Lords of the Association, a +factious party of the nobility, took up arms against James III., +Alexander of Kintail despatched his sons, Kenneth and Hector, +with a retinue of 500, to join the Royal standard; but Kenneth, +hearing of the death of his father on his arrival at Perth, +returned home at the request of the Earl of Huntly; and the clan +was led by Hector Roy to the battle of Sauchieburn, near Stirling +but after the defeat of the Royal forces, and the death there in +1488 of the King himself, Hector, who narrowly escaped, returned +to Ross-shire and took the stronghold of Redcastle, then held for +the rebels by Rose of Kilravock, and placed a garrison in it. He +then joined the Earl of Huntly and the clans in the north who were +rising to avenge the death of His Majesty but meanwhile orders +came from the youthful King James IV., who had been at the head of +the conspirators, ordering the Northern chiefs to lay down their +arms, and to submit to the powers that be. Thereupon Hector, +yielding to necessity, submitted with the rest, and he was "not +only received with favour, but to reward his previous fidelity and +also to engage him for the future the young King, who at last saw +his error, and wanted to reconcile to him those who had been the +friends of his father, made him a present of the Barony of Gairloch +in the western circuit of Ross-shire by knight-service after the +manner of that age. He likewise gave him Brahan in the Low Country, +now a seat of the family of Seaforth, the lands of Moy in that +neighbourhood, Glassletter (of Kintail), a Royal forest which was +made a part of the Barony of Gairloch. In the pleasant valley of +Strathpeffer, Castle Leod, part of Hector's paternal estate, +afterwards a seat of the Earl of Cromarty; Achterneed near adjacent, +also Kinellan, were likewise his, and so was the Barony of Allan, +now Allangrange, a few miles southwards. In the Chops of the +Highlands he had Fairburn the Wester, and both the Scatwells, the +great and the lesser. Westward in the height of that country he had +Kenlochewe, a district adjoining Gairloch on the east, and +southward on the same track he had the half of Kintail, of which he +was left joint-heir with his brother Kenneth, chief of the family." +[Manuscript history of the Gairloch family. Another MS. says that +Hector's possessions in Kintail were "bounded by the rivers Kilillan +and Cro."] + +The original Gairloch charters are lost, but a "protocol" from John +de Vaux, or Vass, Sheriff of Inverness, whose jurisdiction at that +time extended to Ross and the other Northern counties, is conclusive +as to their having existed. This document, its orthography +modernised, is in the following terms: + +To all and sundry to whom it effeirs to whose knowledge these +present letters shall come, John de Vaux, burgess of Dingwall and +Sheriff in this part, sends greeting in God everlasting, to you +universally I make it known that by the commands of our Sovereign +Lords Letters and "precess" under his white wax directed to +me as Sheriff in that part, and grants me to have given to Hector +MacKennich heritable state and possession of all and sundry +the lands of Gairloch, with their pertinents, after the form and +tenour of our Sovereign Lord's charter made to the foresaid Hector +thereupon, the which lands with their pertinents extends yearly +to twelve merks of old extent, lying between the waters called +Inverewe and Torridon within the Sheriffdom of Inverness, and +I grant me to have given to the foresaid Hector heritable state +and possession of all and sundry the foresaid lands with their +pertinents, saving other men's rights as use and custom is, and +charge in our Sovereign Lord's name, and mine as Sheriff, that no +man vex, unquiet, or trouble the said Hector nor his heirs in the +peaceable brooking and enjoyment of the lands foresaid under all +pain and charges that after may follow: In witness of the which I +have appended to these my letters of sasine my seal at "Allydyll" +(? Talladale) in Gairloch, the 10th day of the month of December, +the year of God, 1494, before these witnesses - Sir Dougall Ruryson, +Vicar of Urquhart, Murchy Beg Mac Murchy, John Thomasson, Kenneth +Mac-anleyson, Donald Mac-anleyson, Dugald Ruryson, and Duncan +Lachlanson servant, with others divers. + +The next authentic document in Hector's favour is a precept by the +King to the Chamberlain of Ross commanding that functionary to obey +a former precept granted to Hector of the mails, etc., of Brahan +and Moy, in the following terms: + +Chamberlain of Ross we greet you well - Forasmuch as we directed +our special letters of before, making mention that we have given to +our lovite Hector Roy Mackenzie the mails and profits of our lands +of Brahan and Moy, with arriage, carriage, and other pertinents +thereof, lying within our lordship of Ross for his good and thankful +service done and to be done to us, enduring our will, and that it +was our will that he should brook and enjoy the said lands with +all the profits thereof enduring our will, and so the tenants now +inhabitants thereof brook their tacks and not remove therefrom, +the which letters, as, we are surely informed, you disobeyed in +great contemption and littling of our authority Royal; Herefor +we charge you now as of before that ye suffer the said Hector to +brook and enjoy the same lands and take up and have all mails, +fermes, profits, arriage, carriage, and due service of the said +lands, and that the tenants and inhahitants thereof to answer +and obey to him and to none others till, we give command by our +special letters in the contrary, and this on no wise you leave +undone, as you will incur our indignation and displeasure. These +our letters seen and understood, deliver them again to the bearer +to be kept and shown by the said Hector upon account of your warrant +before our Comptroller and auditors of our Exchequer at your next +accounting, and after the form of our said letters past of before +given under our Signet, at Edinburgh, the 5th day of March, 1508, +and of our reign the twentieth year. + +JAMES R. + +It will be seen from these documents that Hector had at this time +large possessions of his own; and the dispute between him and his +nephew, John of Killin, already fully described, probably arose +in respect of Hector's rights to the half of Kintail, which his +father is said to have left him jointly with his eldest brother, +Kenneth, VII. of Kintail. Hector kept possession of Ellandonnan +Castle until compelled by an order from the Privy Council to give +it up in 1511 to John of Killin, and it appears from the records +of the Privy Council that from 1501 to 1508 Hector continued to +collect the rents of Kintail without giving any account of them; +that he again in 1509 accounted for them for twelve months, and +for the two succeeding years for the second time retained them, +while he seems to have had undisturbed possession of the stronghold +of Ellandonnan throughout. No record can be found of his answer +to the summons commanding him to appear before the Privy Council, +if he ever did put in an appearance, but in all probability he +merely kept his hold of that Castle in order to compel his nephew +to come to terms with him regarding his joint rights to Kintail, +without any intention of ultimately keeping him out of possession. +This view is strengthened by the fact that John obtained a charter +under the Great Seal granting him Kintail anew on the 25th of +February, 1508-9 [Reg. of the Great Seal, vol. xv, fol. 89.] - the +same year in which Hector received a grant of Brahan and Moy - probably +following on an arrangement of their respective rights in those +districts also from the fact that Hector does not appear to have +fallen into any disfavour with the Crown on account of his conduct +towards John of Kintail; for only two years after Kuhn raised the +action against Hector before the Privy Council, the latter receives +a new charter, dated the 8th April, 1513, [The original charter is +in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] under the Great Seal, of Gairloch, +Glasletter, and Coirre-nan-Cuilean "in feu and heritage for ever," +and he and his nephew appear ever after to have lived on the most +friendly terms. + +Gairloch, originally the possession of the Earls of Ross, and +confirmed to them by Robert Bruce in 1306 and 1329 was subsequently +granted by Earl William to Paul MacTire and his heirs by Mary +Graham, for a yearly payment of a penny of silver in the name of +blench ferme in lieu of every other service except the foreign +service of the King when required. In 1372 Robert the II. confirmed +the grant. In 1430 James I. granted to Nele Nelesoun (Neil son +of Neil Macleod) for his homage and service in the capture of his +deceased brother, Thomas Nelesoun, a rebel, the lands of Gairloch. +["Origines Parochiales Scotiae," vol. ii, p. 406] + +Although Hector was in possession of Crown charters to at least +two-thirds of the lands of Gairloch he found it very difficult to +secure possession of them from the Macleods and their chief, Allan +MacRory, the former proprietors. This Allan had married, as his +first wife, a daughter of Alexander, VI. of Kintail, and sister +of Hector Roy, with issue - three sons. He married, secondly, a +daughter of Roderick Macleod, VII. of Lewis, with issue - one son, +Roderick, subsequently known as Ruairidh Mac Alain, author of +an atrocious massacre of the Macleods of Raasay and Gairloch at +Island Isay, Waternish, Isle of Skye, erroneously attributed in +the first edition of this work to his grandfather, the above-named +Roderick Macleod of Lewis. Allan of Gairloch was himself related +to the Macleods of Lewis, but it is impossible to trace the exact +connection. Two brothers of Macleod of Lewis are said, traditionally, +to have resolved that no Mackenzie blood should flow in the veins of +the future head of the Gairloch Macleods, and determined to put +Allan's children by Hector Roy's sister to death, so that his son by +their own niece should succeed to Gairloch, and they proceeded across +the Minch to the mainland to put their murderous intent into execution. + +Allan MacRuairidh, the then Macleod laird of Gairloch, was personally +a peacefully disposed man, and lived at the "Crannag," of which +traces are still to be found on Loch Tolly Island, along with his +second wife, two of his sons by the first marriage, and a daughter. +The brothers, having reached Gairloch, took up their abode at the +old "Tigh Dige," a wattled house, surrounded by a ditch, whose site +is still pointed out in one of the Flowerdale parks, a few hundred +yards above the stone bridge which crosses the Ceann-an-t-Sail river +at the head of Gairloch Bay. Next day the murderous barbarians +crossed over to Loch Tolly. On the way they learnt that Allan +was not then on the island, he having gone a-fishing on the Ewe. +They at once proceeded in that direction, found him sound asleep +on the banks of the river, at "Cnoc na Mi-chomhairle," and without +any warning "made him short by the head." Then retracing their +steps, and ferrying across to the island where Allan's wife, with +two of her three step-children were enjoying themselves, they, in +the most cold-blooded manner, informed her of her husband's fate, +tore the two boys - the third being fortunately absent - from her +knees, took them ashore, and carried them along to a small glen +through which the Poolewe Road now passes, about a mile to the +south of the loch, and there, at a spot still called "Creag Bhadain +an Aisc," the Rock at the place of Burial, stabbed them to the +heart with their daggers, and carried their bloodstained shirts +along with them to the Tigh Dige. These shirts the stepmother +ultimately secured through the strategy of one of her husband's +retainers, who at once proceeded with them to the boys' grandfather, +Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, at Kinellan or Brahan. +Hector Roy started immediately, carrying the bloodstained shirts +along with him as evidence of the atrocious deed, to report the +murder to the King at Edinburgh. His Majesty on hearing of the +crime granted Hector a commission of fire and sword against the +murderers of his nephews, and gave him a Crown charter to the +lands of Gairloch in his own favour dated 1494. The assassins +were soon afterwards slain at a hollow still pointed out between +Porthenderson and South Erradale, nearly opposite the northern end +of the Island of Raasay, where their graves are yet to be seen, +quite fresh and green, among the surrounding heather. [Mackenzie's +"History of the Macleods," pp. 342, 343.] + +One of the family historians says that this was the first step that +Hector Roy got to Gairloch. His brother-in-law, Allan Macleod, +gave him the custody of their rights, but when he found his nephews +were murdered, he took a new gift of it to himself, and going to +Gairloch with a number of Kintail men and others, he took a heirschip +with him, but such as were alive of the Siol 'ille Challum of +Gairloch, followed him and fought him at a place called Glasleoid, +but they being beat Hector carried away the heirschip. After this +and several other skirmishes they were content to allow him the +two-thirds of Gairloch, providing he would let themselves possess +the other third in peace, which he did, and they kept possession +till Hector's great-grandchild put them from it." [Ancient MS.] + +The Earl of Cromarty, and other MS. historians of the family fully +corroborate this. The Earl says that Hector, incited to revenge +by the foul murder of his nephews, made some attempts to oust the +Macleods from Gairloch during John of Killin's minority, but was +not willing to engage in war with such a powerful chief as Macleod +of Lewis, while he felt himself insecure in his other possessions, +but after arranging matters amicably with his nephew of Kintail, +and now being master of a fortune and possessions suitable to his +mind and quality, he resolved to avenge the murder and to "make +it productive of his own advantage." He summoned all those who +were accessory to the assassination of his sister's children before +the Chief Justice. Their well grounded fears made them absent +themselves from Court. Hector produced the bloody shirts of the +murdered boys, whereupon the murderers were declared fugitives and +outlaws, and a commission granted in his favour for their pursuit, +"which he did so resolutely manage that in a short time he killed +many, preserved some to justice, and forced the remainder to +a composition advantageous to himself. His successors, who were +both active and prudent men, did thereafter acquire the rest from +their unthrifty neighbours." The greatest defeat that Hector +ever gave to the Macleods "was at Bealach Glasleoid, near Kintail, +where most of them were taken or killed." At this fight Duncan Mor +na Tuaighe, who so signally distinguished himself at Blar-na-Pairc, +was present with Hector, and on being told that four men were +together attacking his son Dugal, he indifferently replied, "Well, +if he be my son there is no hazard for that," a remark which turned +out quite true, for the hero killed the four Macleods, and came +off himself without any serious wounds. [Duncan in his old days +was very assisting to Hector, Gairloch's predecessor, against the +Macleods of Gairloch, for he, with his son Dugal, who was a strong, +prudent, and courageous man, with ten or twelve other Kintailmen, +were alwise, upon the least advertisement, ready to go and assist +Hector, whenever, wherever, and in whatever he had to do, for which +cause there has been a friendly correspondence betwixt the family +of Gairloch and the MacRas of Kintail, which still continues." - +"Genealogy of the MacRas."] + +The massacre of Island Isay followed a considerable time after +this, and its object was very much the same as the murder of Loch +Tolly, although carried out by a different assassin. Ruairidh +"Nimhneach" Macleod, son of Allan "Mac Ruairdh" of Gairloch, and +nephew of the Loch Tolly assassins, determined not only to remove +the children of John Mor na Tuaighe, brother of Alexander Macleod, +II. of Raasay, by Janet Mackenzie of Kintail, but also to destroy +the direct line of the Macleods of Raasay, and thus open up the +succession to John na Tuaighe's son by his second wife, Roderick +Nimhneach's sister, and failing him, to Roderick's own son Allan. +By this connection it would, he thought, be easier for him to +attain repossession of the lands of Gairloch, from which his family +was driven by the Mackenzies. + +Roderick's name appears as "Rory Mac Allan, alias Nevymnauch," +in a decree-arbitral by the Regent Earl of Murray between Donald +Macdonald, V. of Sleat, and Colin Mackenzie, XI. of Kintail, dated +at Perth, the 1st of August, 1569, in terms of which Macdonald +becomes responsible for Roderick and undertakes that he and his kin +shall "desist and cease troubling, molesting, harming or invasion +of the said Laird of Gairloch's lands and rowmes, possessions, +tenants, servants, and goods, while on the other hand Kintail shall +see to it that Torquil Cononach shall cease to do the same in all +respects to Macdonald's lands." In 1586 Roderick is described as +"of Lochgair," but another person is named in the same document +as "Macleud, heritor of the lands of Gairloch," which proves that +Roderick Nimhneach was not the actual proprietor of even the small +portion of that district which was still left to his family. He +was the second son, and one of the objects of the massacre on +Island Isay was to cut off his father's only surviving son and +heir by his first wife - a daughter of Mackenzie of Kintail - who +escaped the previous massacre on the Island of Loch Tolly. + +With the view of cutting off the legitimate male representation of +his own Macleod relatives of Gairloch and of Raasay, he invited +all the members of both families, and most of them accepted the +invitation. Roderick on their arrival feasted them sumptuously +at a great banquet. In the middle of the festivities he informed +them of his desire to have each man's advice separately, and that he +would after-wards make known to them the important business which +had to be considered, and which closely concerned each of them. He +then retired into a separate apartment, and called them in one by +one, when they were each, as they entered, stabbed with dirks +through the body by a set of murderous savages whom he had engaged +and posted inside the room for the purpose. Not one of the family +of Raasay was left alive, except a boy nine years of age, who was +being fostered from home, and who had been sent privately by his +foster-father, when the news of the massacre became known, to the +laird of Calder, who kept him in safety during his minority. He +afterwards obtained possession of Raasay, and became known as +Gillecallum Garbh MacGillechallum. Macleod of Gairloch's sons, by +Hector Roy's sister, were all murdered. Roderick took his own +nephew to the room where, walking with his brutal relative, he +heard one of his half-brothers cry on being stabbed by the +assassin's dirk, and saying "Yon's my brother's cry." "Hold your +peace," Rory replied, "yonder cry is to make you laird of Gairloch; +he is the son of one of Mackenzie's daughters." The boy, fearing +that his own life might be sacrificed, held his tongue, "but +afterwards he did what in him lay in revenging the cruel death of +his brothers and kinsmen on the murtherers." [Ancient MS.] + +In acknowledgment of the King's favour, Hector gathered his followers +in the west, joined his nephew, John of Killin, with his vassals, +and fought, in command of the clan, at the disastrous battle +of Flodden, from which both narrowly escaped but most of their +followers were slain. Some time after his return home he successfully +fought the desperate skirmish at Druim-a-chait, already referred +to, pp. 114-118, with 140 men against 700 of the Munros, Dingwalls, +MacCullochs, and other clans under the command of William Munro +of Fowlis, on which occasion Sheriff Vass of Lochslinn was killed +at a bush near Dingwall, "called to this day Preas Sandy Vass," +or Alex. Vass's bush, a name assigned to it for that very cause. +[Gairloch MS.] + +Hector, during his life, granted to his nephew, John of Killin, +his own half of Kintail, the lands of Kinellan, Fairburn, Wester +Brahan, and other possessions situated in the Low Country, which +brought his son John Glassich afterwards into trouble. +[Gairloch MS.] + +Hector Roy was betrothed to a daughter of the Laird of Grant +- probably Sir Duncan, who flourished from 1434 to 1485 - but she +died before the marriage was solemnised. He, however, had a son by +her called Hector Cam, he being blind of an eye, to whom he gave +Achterneed and Culte Leod, now Castle Leod, as his patrimony. Hector +Cam married a daughter of Mackay of Farr, ancestor of Lord Reay, by +whom he had two sons Alexander Roy and Murdo. ["These were both +succeeded by the son of Alexander, a slothful man, who dotingly +bestowed his estate on his foster child. Sir Roderick Mackenzie +of Coigeach, in detriment to his own children, though very deserving +of them, Captain Hector Mackenzie, late of Dumbarton's Regiment, +and also a tribe in the Eastern circuit of Ross, surnamed, from +one of their progenitors, Mac Eanin, i.e., the descendants of John +the Fair." - "Gairloch MS." Another MS. gives the additional names +of - "Richard Mackenzie, vintner in Edinburgh, grandson of Alexander +Mackenzie of Calder, Midlothian; Duncan Mackenzie, an eminent +gunsmith in London; and James Mackenzie, gunsmith in Dundee." +It also adds that of the successors of the Mac Eanins in Easter +Ross, were "Master Alexander Mackenzie, an Episcopal minister +in Edinburgh; and preceptor to the children of the present noble +family of Cromarty, whose son is Charles Mackenzie, clerk to Mr +David Munro of Meikle Allan."] Alexander married a daughter of +John Mor na Tuaighe MacGillechallum, a brother of Macleod of Raasay, +by whom she had a son, Hector, who lived at Kinellan, and was +nicknamed the Bishop. This Hector married a daughter of Macleod of +Raasay, and left a large family, one of the daughters being +afterwards married to Murdo Mackenzie, V. of Achilty, without issue. +Hector Cam's second son, Murdo, married a daughter of Murdoch Buy +Matheson of Lochalsh, with issue - Lachlan, known as "Lachlainn Mac +Mhurchaidh Mhic Eachainn," who married a daughter of Murdoch +Mackenzie, III. of Achilty, with issue - Murdoch, who married a +daughter of Alexander Ross of Cuilich and Alastair, who married a +daughter of William MacCulloch of Park. + +Hector Roy, after the death of Grant of Grant's daughter, married +his cousin Anne, daughter of Ranald MacRanald, generally known as +Ranald Ban Macdonald, V. of Moydart and Clanranald. Her brother +Dougal was assassinated and his sons formally excluded from the +succession, when the estate and command of the clan were given to +his nephew Alexander, "portioner," of Moydart, whose son, John +Moydartach afterwards succeeded and became the famous Captain of +Clanranald Gregory says, however, that "Allan, the eldest son of +Dougal, and the undoubted heir male of Clanranald, acquired the +estate of Morar, which he transmitted to his descendants. He and +his successors were always styled 'MacDhughail Mhorair,' that is +MacDougal of Morar, from their ancestor Dougal MacRanald." This +quite explains the various designations by which these Moydart +and Clanranald ladies who had married into the Gairloch family +have been handed down to us. Anne was the widow of William Dubh +Macleod, VII. of Harris, Dunvegan, and Glenelg, by whom she had +an only daughter, who, by Hector Roy's influence at Court, was +married to Rory Mor of Achaghluineachan, ancestor of the Mackenzies +of Fairburn and Achilty, after she bad by her future husband +a natural son, Murdoch, who became progenitor of the family of +Fairburn. By this marriage with Anne of Moydart and Clanranald +Hector Roy had issue - + +1. John Glassich, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth of Meikle Allan, now Allangrange, who married a daughter +of Alexander Dunbar of Kilbuyack, and widow of Allan Mackenzie, +II. of Hilton, with issue - (1) Hector, who married an Assynt lady, +with issue - Hector Og, who was killed at Raasay, in 1611, unmarried; +and three daughters, the eldest of whom married, as her second +husband, John, son of Alastair Roy, natural son of John Glassich, +with issue - Bishop Murdoch Mackenzie of Moray and Orkney, and +several other sons. Hector's second daughter married "Tormod Mac +Ean Lleaye" - Norman, son of John Liath Macrae - who, according to +the traditions of the country, took such a prominent part against +the Macleods at that period - and a brother of the celebrated archers +Domhull Odhar and lain Odhar mic Ian Leith, of whose prowess the +reader will learn more presently. The third daughter married +Duncan, son of John, son of Alastair Roy, son of John Glassich, +II. of Gairloch. (2) Angus, who married, with issue - Kenneth, +who left an only daughter, who married her cousin, Murdo Mac Ian, +son of Alastair Roy. + +3. John Tuach of Davochpollo, who married with issue - a son, John, +who died without lawful issue. + +4. Dougal Roy, who inherited Scatwell, and was killed in a family +feud in 1550, and + +Three daughters, who married respectively, Bayne of Tulloch, John +Aberach Mackay, and Hugh Bayne Fraser of Bunchrew, a natural son +of Thomas, fourth Lord Lovat, killed at Blar-na-Leine, ancestor of +the Frasers of Reelick. + +He had also a son, John Beg, who was according to some authorities +illegitimate, from whom descended several Mackenzies who settled +in Berwick and Alloa. + +Hector Roy died in 1528. On the 8th of September in that year, +a grant is recorded to Sir John Dingwall, "Provost of Trinity +College, beside Edinburgh, of the ward of the lands of Gairloch, +which pertained to the umquhile Achinroy Mackenzie." He was +succeeded by his eldest lawful son, + +II. JOHN GLASSICH MACKENZIE, who, from the above quoted document, +appears to have been a minor at his father's death. His retour of +service cannot be found, but an instrument of sasine, dated the +24th of June, 1536, in his favour, is in the Gairloch charter chest, +wherein he is designated "John Hector-son," and in which he is +said to be the heir, served and retoured, of his father, Hector +Roy Mackenzie, in the lands of Gairloch, and the grazings of +Glasletter and Coirre-nan-Cuilean. He is said to have objected +to his father's liberality during his life in granting, at the +expense of his successors, to his nephew, John of Kuhn, so much +of his patrimonial possessions. According to the Gairloch MS. +already quoted Hector gave him his own half of Kintail, as well as +Kinellan, Fairburn, Wester Brahan, and "other possessions in the Low +Country besides." John thought these donations far too exorbitant, +and he "sought to retrench them by recovering in part what with +so much profusion his father had given away, and for that, a feud +having ensued betwixt him and his Chief, he was surprised in his +house by night, according to the barbarous manner of the times, +and sent prisoner to Iland Downan, and there taken away by poison +in A.D. l550. His brother Dugal, who sided with him, and John +(Beg), his natural brother, were both slain in the same quarrel." +[Gairloch MS. Another MS. says that his other brother, John Tuach, +was assassinated the same night.] + +A bond, dated 1544, has been preserved, to which John Glassich's +name, along with others, is adhibited, undertaking to keep the peace, +and promising obedience to Kenneth, younger of Kintail (Kenneth +na Cuirc), as the Queen's Lieutenant. [Spalding Club Miscellany, +vol. iv. p.213.] John's obedience does not appear, however, to +have been very complete. Kintail having, according to another +authority, received information of John Glassich's intention to +recover if possible part of the property given away by his father, +sent for him to Brahan, where he went, accompanied by a single +attendant, John Gearr. The chief charged him with these designs +against him, and John's denials proving unsatisfactory, Kintail +caused him to be apprehended. John Gearr, seeing this, and feeling +that his master had been treacherously dealt with, drew his two +handed sword and made a fierce onslaught on the chief who sat at +the head of the table, but smartly bowed his head under it, or it +would have been cloven asunder. John Gearr was instantly seized by +Mackenzie's guards, who threatened to tear him to pieces, but the +chief, admiring his fidelity, charged them not to touch him. John +Gearr, on being questioned why he had struck at Mackenzie and took +no notice of those who apprehended his master, boldly replied that +he "saw no one else present whose life was a worthy exchange for +that of his own chief." John's sword made a deep gash in the table, +and the mark, which was deep enough to admit of a hand being placed +edgeways in it, remained until Colin, first Earl of Seaforth, +caused the piece to be cut off, saying that "he loved no such +remembrance of the quarrels of his relations." + +John Glassich, it would appear, was not unduly circumspect at +home, or a very dutiful and loyal subject to his King. In 1547 +his estate was forfeited for refusing to join the Royal Standard, +and the escheat thereof granted to the Earl of Sutherland, as will +be seen by the following letter in favour of that nobleman: + +"A letter made to John, Earl of Sutherland, his heirs, assigns, +one or more, the gift of all goods moveable and unmoveable, debts, +tacks, steadings, corns, and obligations, sums of money, gold, +silver, coined and uncoined, and other goods whatsoever which +pertained to John Hectors - son of Gairloch, and now pertaining to +our Sovereign Lady by reason of escheat through the said John's +remaining and biding at home from the 'oist' and army devised to +convene at Peebles, the 10th day of July instant, for recovering +of the house of Langholm furth of our enemies' hands of England, +in contrary to the tenour of the letters and proclamations made +thereupon, incurred therethrough the pains contained thereuntil, +or any otherwise shall happen to pertain to us our Sovereign by +reason foresaid with power, etc. At Saint Andrews the 23rd day +of July, the year of God, 1547 years." [Reg. Sec. Sig., xxi. fol. +316.] + +There is no trace of the reversal of this forfeiture. It does +not, however, appear to have affected the succession. Indeed it +is not likely that it even affected the actual possession, for it +was not easy even for the Earl of Sutherland, though supported by +the Royal authority to wield any real power in such an out-of-the-way +region in those days as John Glassich's possessions in the west. +It has been already stated that, in 1551, the Queen granted to +John Mackenzie, IX. of Kintail, and his heir, Kenneth na Cuirc, +a remission for the violent taking of John Glassich, Dougal, and +John Tuach, his brothers, and for keeping them in prison, thus +usurping "therethrough our Sovereign Lady's authority." None of +them is spoken of in this remission as being then deceased, though +tradition and the family MS. history have it that John Glassich +was poisoned or starved to death at Ellandonnan Castle in 1550. [One +of the family MSS. says that by his marriage "he got the lands of +Kinkell, Kilbokie, Badinearb, Pitlundie, Davochcairn, Davochpollo, +and Foynish, with others in the Low Country, for which the family +has been in the use to quarter the arm of Fraser with their own. +This John, becoming considerably rich and powerful by those +different acquisitions, became too odious to and envied by John, +Laird of Mackenzie, and his son Kenneth then married to Stewart, +Earl of Atholes daughter, that they set upon him, having previously +invited him to a Christmas dinner, having got no other pretence +than a fit of jealousy on account of the said Earl's daughter, +bound him with ropes and carried him a prisoner to Islandownan, +where his death was occasioned by poison administered to him in a +mess of milk soup by one MacCalman, a clergyman and Deputy-Constable +of the Fort."] It is, however, probable that Kintail considered it +wise to conceal John's death until the remission had been already +secured. Only six weeks after the date of the "respitt" John +Glassich is referred to in the Privy Council Records, under date +of 25th July, 1551, as the "omquhile (or late) John McCanze of +Gairlocht," his lands having then been given in ward to the Earl +of Athole, "Ay and till the lawful entry of the righteous heir or +heirs thereto, being of lawful age." [Reg. Sec. Con., vol. xxiv., +fol. 84.] + +Although Hector obtained a charter of the lands of Gairloch in +1494, the Macleods continued for a time to hold possession of +a considerable part of it. According to the traditions of the +district they had all to the east and south-east of the Crasg, +a hill situated on the west side of the churchyard of Gairloch, +between the present Free and Established Churches. At the east +end of the Big Sand, on a high and easily defended rock, stood +the last stronghold occupied by the Macleods in Gairloch - to this +day known as the "Dun" or Fort. The foundation is still easily +traced. It must have been a place of consider-able importance, +for it is over 200 feet in circumference. Various localities are +still pointed out in Gairloch where desperate skirmishes were +fought between the Macleods and the Mackenzies. Several of these +spots, where the slain were buried, look quite green to this day. +The "Fraoch Eilean," opposite Leac-na-Saighid, where a naval +engagement was fought, is a veritable cemetery of Macleods, ample +evidence of which is yet to be seen. Of this engagement, and of +those at Glasleoid, Lochan-an-Fheidh, Leac-na-Saighid, Kirkton, +and many others, thrilling accounts are still recited by a few +old men in the district; especially of the prowess of Domh'ull +Odhar Mac Ian Leith, and the other Kintail heroes who were +mainly instrumental in establishing the Mackenzies of Gairloch +permanently and in undisputed possession of their beautiful and +romantic inheritance. + +John Glassich married Janet Agnes, daughter of James Fraser of +Phoineas, brother of Hugh, sixth Lord Lovat (with whom he got the +Barony of Inchlag, etc.), with issue - + +1. Hector, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, who succeeded his brother Hector. + +3. John, who succeeded Alexander. + +4. A daughter, who married John Mackenzie, II. of Loggie, with +issue. + +John Glassich's widow married, secondly, Thomas Chisholm, XV. of +Chisholm, without issue male. + +He had also two natural sons before his marriage, Alexander Roy +and Hector Caol. + +Alexander Roy had a son John, who lived at Coirre Mhic Cromaill +in Torridon, and who had a son, the Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie, +Chaplain to Lord Reay's Regiment in the Bohemian and Swedish +service, under Gustavus Adolphus. He was afterwards minister of +Contin, Inverness, and Elgin, and subsequently Bishop of Moray +and of Orkney in succession. His family and descendants are +dealt with under a separate heading - MACKENZIES OF GROUNDWATER. + +Hector Caol left a numerous tribe in Gairloch, still known as Clann +Eachainn Chaoil, and said to be distinguished by their long and +slender legs. + +John Glassich, who was assassinated in 1550, as already stated, +at Ellandonnan Castle, was buried in the Priory of Beauly, and +succeeded by his eldest lawful son, + +III. HECTOR MACKENZIE. He has a sasine, dated the 6th May, 1563, +[Gairloch Charter Chest,] in which he is described as "Achyne +Johannis MacAchyne," and bearing that the lands had been in non-entry +for 12 years, thus carrying back the date of his succession to 1551, +when the estate was given in ward to John, fourth of the Stewart +Earls of Athole. Hector died - probably killed, like his brother - +without issue, on the 3rd of September, 1566, and was buried at +Beauly, when he was succeeded by his next lawful brother, + +ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who has a retour, dated the 2nd of December, +1566, [Ing. Retour Reg., vol. i., fol. 22, and "Origines Parochiales +Scotiae,"] as heir to "Hector his brother-german," in the lands of +Gairloch, namely, "Gairloch, Kirktoun, Syldage, Hamgildail, Malefage, +Innerasfidill, Sandecorran, Cryf, Baddichro, Bein-Sanderis, Meall, +Allawdall, with the pasturage of Glaslettir and Cornagullan, in +the Earldom of Ross, of the old extent of L8;" but not to any of +the other lands which Hector Roy left to his descendants. Alexander +did not long possess the estates, for he died - to all appearance +assassinated - a few weeks after he succeeded, without making up +titles. It is, therefore, not thought necessary to count him as +one of the Barons of Gairloch. + +It is probable that the brothers, Hector and Alexander, met with +the same violent death as their father and uncles, John Glassich, +John Tuach, and John Beg and by the same authors. This is according +to tradition, and an old MS., which says that their mother Agnes +Fraser fled with John Roy "to Lovat and her Fraser relatives," +adds as to the fate of his brothers that "In those days many acts +of oppression were committed that could not be brought to fair +tryales befor the Legislator." "She was afterwards married to +Chisholm of Comar, and heired his family; here she kept him in +as concealed a manner as possible, and, as is reported, every +night under a brewing kettle, those who, through the barbarity +of the times, destroyed his father and uncles, being in search +of the son, and in possession of his all excepting his mother's +dower. He was afterwards concealed by the Lairds of Moydart +and of Farr, till he became a handsome man and could put on his +weapon, when he had the resolution to wait on Colin Cam Mackenzie, +Laird of Kintail, a most worthy gentleman, who established him +in all his lands, excepting those parts of the family estate for +which Hector and his successors had an undoubted right by writs." +Hector was succeeded by his next brother, + +IV. JOHN ROY MACKENZIE, John Glassich's third son, who was at +the time a minor, although his father had been dead for 15 or 16 +years; and the estate was given in ward by Queen Mary in 1567. +She "granted in heritage to John Bannerman of Cardeyne, the ward +of the lands and rents belonging to the deceased Hector Makkenych, +of Gairloch, with the relief of the same when it should occur +and the marriage of John Roy Makkenych, the brotherand apparent +heir of Hector." ["Origines Parochiales Scotiae" p. 406, and Reg. +Sec. Sig., vol. xxxvi. fol. 6.] In 1569, John, being then of +"lauchful age," is served and retoured heir to his brother-german, +Hector, in the lands of Gairloch [Ing. Retour Reg., vol. i., +fol. 22, and "Origines Parochiales Scotiae."] as specified in the +service of 1566, passing over Alexander, no doubt because he +never made up titles. This retour of 1569 gives the date of +Hector's death as 30th September, 1566. In 1574 John has a sasine +which bears that the lands had been seven and a half years in +non-entry, taking it back to the date of Hector's death, three +months before the gift of the ward to John Bannerman. He, in the +same year, acquired half the lands of Ardnagrask from Lord Lovat, +partly in exchange for the rights he inherited in Phoineas from his +mother, and he is described by his Lordship in the disposition as +"the son, by her first husband, of his kinswoman Agnes Fraser." +From this it may be assumed that John Glassich's widow had during +her life made over her own rights to her son or that she had in the +meantime died. + +It is found from the old inventory, already quoted, that there +was a charter of alienation by Hugh Fraser of Guisachan, dated the +29th of May, 1582, from which it appears that John Roy in 1574, +acquired Davochcairn and Davochpollo, in Strathpeffer, from this +Hugh Fraser, and that in the first-named year he obtained from +him also the lands of Kinkell-Clarsach and Pitlundie, in terms of +a contract of sale dated the 26th of January, 1581. The charter +is confirmed by James VI. in 1523. It appears from his daughter's +retour of service [Ing. Retours Reg., vol. viii., fol. 284b.] that +Gairloch's eldest son, John, died in 1601. He had been infeft +by his father in Davochpollo and Pitlundie, and married Isabel, +daughter of Alexander Mackenzie II. of Fairburn, by whom he had +a daughter, also named Isabel, who married Colin Mackenzie of +Strathgarve, brother to Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, +and first of the Mackenzies of Kinnock and Pitlundie. Colin of +Strathgarve entered into a lawsuit with Alexander V. of Gairloch, +probably in connection with this marriage, "to cut him out of his +Low Country estate." ["Colin of Kinnock, who entered a lawsuit +against Alexander Mackenzie of Gairloch, meaning to cut him out +of his low country estates, and being powerfully supported by +Mackenzie of Fairburn and Mr John Mackenzie of Tolly, minister +of Dingwall, a plodding clergyman, kept him sixteen sessions at +Edinburgh; the last year of which Gairloch and his brother Kenneth +seeing Lord Kintail insulted by the Earl of Glencairn, who was +supported by most of those on the street, put on their armour and +came directly to his assistance, and rescuing him from imminent +danger brought him to their lodging. No sooner was the tumult +over than they embraced very cordially, and the whole matter in +debate was instantly taken away, aud Gairloch got a present of +600 merks to finish the Tower of Kinkell, of which his father +(John Roy) only built three storeys." - "Gairloch MS."] In 1657 +she mortgaged Davochpollo and Pitlundie to her cousin, Kenneth VI. +of Gairloch; and her successor, John Mackenzie of Pitlundie, +completed the sale to him, which brought the property back again +to the Gairloch family. [Papers in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] + +Under date of 11th August, 1587, the following complaint by James +Sinclair, Master of Caithness, and James Paxtoun, his servant, +against John Mackenzie of Gairloch appears in the Records of the +Privy Council - While they "were in a peaceable and quiet manner," +in March last, in the Chanonry of Ross, within the house of +William Robson, the following persons, viz.: John Mackenzie of +Gairloch, Hector Mackenzie in Fairburn, Meikle John Mackenzie, his +son, Thomas MacThomais Mac Keanoch's son, Donald Macintagairt, +Mr John Mackenzie, son of Murdo Mackenzie of Fairburn, Mr Murdo +Mackenzie, parson of Lochcarron, Duncan Mackenzie, John Beg +Mackenzie's son, Duncan MacCulloch of Achanault, David Aytoun, +master stabler to Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, Finlay Roy, Stewart +to the said Colin, William Barbour, burgess in the Chanonry, with +convocation of the lieges, to the number of 300, "bodin in feir +of weir," and hounded on by the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch, +"had come to the said William Robson's house, wherein the said +complainers were, and had without any occasion of offence, assegeit +the said house and used all means and engines for apprehending of +the said James Sinclair and his said servant." Further, "seeing +they could not goodly recover the said house," they "cried for +fire, and had not failed most treasonably to have risen fire +within the same had not the said complainer delivered the said +James Paxton in their bands, whom they immediately conveyed and +led to the castle of Chanonry pertaining to the said Colin, and +kept and detained him captive therein for the space of two hours +or thereby." After such detention of the said James "they granted +liberty to him to pass home, and the better to cloak their cruel +and unmerciful decree, which openly they durst not put to execution, +they secretly hounded out a great number of cut-throats to have +beset the same James's way and to have bereft him of his life, +which they not failed to have done had not God otherwise prevented +their doings." Moreover, "at that same time they reft and took +away from the said complainers their horses, saddles, and other +gear worth five hundred merks." John Mackenzie of Gairloch, +master and landlord of the foresaid persons, having been charged +to appear personally and enter them this day "to have answered +and underlaid punishment for the premises," according to the +general band, but making no such appearance or entry, while the +complainers appear personally, the Lords order the said Mackenzie +of Gairloch to be denounced rebel. + +In 1606 John Roy received a charter of resignation in favour of +himself in life-rent, and of his son, Alexander in fee, erecting +Gairloch into a free barony and in 1619 he obtained another charter, +[These charters are in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] under the Great +Seal, by which Kinkell is included in the barony and constituted +its chief messuage. He built the first three stories of the Tower +of Kinkell, "where his arms and those of his first wife are parted +per pale above the mantelpiece of the great hall." [Gairloch MS.] + +The son of Roderick MacAllan "Nimhneach" of Gairloch, in the +absence of young MacGillechallum Garbh of Raasay, who, under the +care of the Laird of Calder escaped the massacre of Island Isay, +possessed himself of Raasay and took up his quarters in Castle +Brochail, the ancient residence of the Chiefs of Macleod, of which +the ruins are still to be seen on the east side of the island. +Seeing this, Donald Mac Neill, who previously sent young Macleod +of Raasay to the protection of Calder brought back the rightful +heir, and kept him, in private, until an opportunity occurred +by which he could obtain possession of the castle. This he soon +managed by coming to terms with the commander of the stronghold, +who preferred the native heir to his relative of the Gairloch +Macleods. It was arranged that when Mac Neill should arrive at the +castle with his charge, access should be given to young Raasay. +The commander kept his word, and MacGillechallum Garbh was soon +after proclaimed laird. + +In 1610 a severe skirmish was fought at Lochan-an-Fheidh, in Glen +Torridon, between the Mackenzies - led by Alexander, since his +brother's death in 1601, the apparent heir of Gairloch - and the +Macleods under John MacAllan Mhic Rory, then the only surviving +direct male representative of Allan Macleod of Gairloch and grandson +probably of Rory Nimhneach. John Tolmach, John's uncle was also +present, but he succeeded in effecting his escape, while John MacAllan +and seventeen or eighteen of his followers were taken prisoners. Many +more were killed and a few who escaped alive with John Tolmach were +pursued out of the district. The slain were buried where they fell, +and the graves can still be seen, the nettles which continue to grow +over them at the present day indicating the position of the last +resting-place on the field of battle of these Macleod warriors, on +the west side of the Sgura Dubh, above Glen Torridon, a little beyond +the Gairloch estate march. + +Shortly after this engagement another attempt was made by the +Macleods to regain the lands of Gairloch, the history of which is +still a prominent and interesting feature in the local traditions +of the parish. The affair is called "Latha Leac-na-Saighead." +Mr John H. Dixon gives a good version of it, as related to him +by Roderick Mackenzie, locally known as Ruairidh an Torra - an +intelligent man of about ninety who only died two years ago - in +his interesting book on the history and traditions of the parish +of Gairloch. According to Roderick's version, as given by Mr Dixon, +many of the Macleods, after they had been driven from Gairloch, +settled in Skye. A considerable number of the younger men were +invited by their chief to pass Hogmanay night in the Castle of +Dunvegan. In the kitchen there was an old woman known as Mor Bhan, +who was usually occupied in carding wool, and generally supposed to +be a witch. After dinner the men began to drink, and when they had +passed some time in this occupation, they sent to the kitchen for +Mor Bhan. She at once joined them in the hall, and having drunk one +or two glasses along with them, she remarked that it was a very poor +thing for the Macleods to be deprived of their own lands in Gairloch, +and to have to live in comparative poverty in Raasay and the Isle +of Skye. "But," she said to them, "prepare yourselves and start +to-morrow for Gairloch, sail in the black birlinn, and you shall +regain it. I shall be a witness of your success when you return." + +The men trusted her, believing she had the power of divination. In +the morning they set sail for Gairloch - the black galley was full +of the Macleods. It was evening when they entered the loch. They +were afraid to land on the mainland, for they remembered that +the descendants of Domhnull Greannach (a celebrated Macrae) were +still there, and they knew the prowess of these men only too well. +The Macleods therefore turned to the south side of the loch, and +fastened their birlinn to the Fraoch Eilean, in the well-sheltered +bay opposite Leac-nan-Saighead, between Shieldaig and Badachro. +Here they decided to wait until morning, then disembark, and walk +round the head of the loch. + +But all their movements had been well and carefully watched. +Domhnull Odhar Mac lain Leith and his brother Ian, the celebrated +Macrae archers, recognised the birlinn of the Macleods, and +determined to oppose their landing. They walked round the head +of the loch by Shieldaig and posted themselves before daylight +behind the Leac, a projecting rock overlooking the Fraoch Eilean. +The steps on which they stood at the back of the rock are still +pointed out. Donald Odhar, being of small stature, took the +higher of the two ledges, and Ian took the lower. Standing on +these they crouched down behind the rock, completely sheltered +from the enemy, but commanding a full view of the island, while +they were quite invisible to the Macleods, who lay down on the +island. As soon as the day dawned the two Macraes directed their +arrows on the strangers, of whom a number were killed before +their comrades were even aware of the direction from which the +messengers of death came. The Macleods endeavoured to answer +their arrows, but not being able to see the foe, their efforts +were of no effect. In the heat of the fight one of the Macleods +climbed up the mast of the birlinn to discover the position of +the enemy. Ian Odhar observing this, took deadly aim at him when +near the top of the mast. "Oh," says Donald, addressing John, +"you have sent a pin through his broth." The slaughter continued, +and the remnant of the Macleods hurried aboard their birlinn. +Cutting the rope, they turned her head seawards. By this time +only two of their number were left alive. In their hurry to +escape they left all the bodies of their slain companions unburied +on the island. A rumour of the arrival of the Macleods had during +the night spread through the district, and other warriors, such as +Fionnla Dubh na Saighead, and Fear Shieldaig, were soon at the scene +of action, but all they had to do on their arrival was to assist in +the burial of the dead Macleods. Pits were dug, into each of +which a number of the bodies were thrown, and mounds were raised +over them which remain to this day, as any one landing on the +island may observe. + +In 1611, Murdoch Mackenzie, second surviving son of John Roy +Mackenze, IV. of Gairloch, accompanied by Alexander Bayne, heir +apparent of Tulloch, and several brave men from Gairloch, sailed +to the Isle of Skye in a vessel loaded with wine and provisions. +It is said by some that Murdoch's intention was to apprehend John +Tolmach, while others maintain that his object was to secure in +marriage the daughter and heir of line of Donald Dubh MacRory. +The latter theory is far the more probable, and it is the unbroken +tradition in Gairloch. John Macleod was a prisoner in Gairloch, was +unmarried, and easily secured where he was, in the event of this +marriage taking place. By such a union, failing issue by John, then +in the power of John Roy, the ancient rights of the Macleods would +revert to the Gairloch family, and a troublesome dispute would be +for ever settled, if John Tolmach were at the same time captured or +put to death. + +It may easily be conceived how both objects would become combined +but whatever the real object of the trip to Skye, it proved disastrous. +The ship found its way - intentionally on the part of the crew, or +forced by a great storm - to the sheltered bay of Kirkton of Raasay, +opposite the present mansion house, where young MacGillechallum +at the time resided. Anchor was cast, and young Raasay, hearing +that Murdoch Mackenzie was on board, discussed the situation +with his friend MacGillechallum Mor MacDhomhnuill Mhic Neill, who +persuaded him to visit the ship as a friend, and secure Mackenzie's +person by stratagem, with the view of getting him afterwards +exchanged for his own relative, John MacAllan Mhic Rory, then a +prisoner in Gairloch. Acting on this advice, young Raasay, with +Gillecallum Mor and twelve of their men, started for the ship, +leaving word with his bastard brother, Murdoch, to get ready all +the men he could, to go to their assistance in small boats as soon +as the a]arm was given. + +Mackenzie received his visitors in the most hospitable and +unsuspecting manner, and supplied them with as much wine and other +viands as they could consume. Four of his men, however, feeling +somewhat suspicious, and fearing the worst, abstained from drinking. +Alexander Bayne of Tulloch, and the remainder of Murdoch's men +partook of the good cheer to excess, and ultimately became so drunk +that they had to retire below deck. Mackenzie, who sat between +Raasay and MacGillechallum Mor, had not the slightest suspicion, +when Macleod, seeing Murdoch alone, jumped up, turned suddenly +round and told him that he must become his prisoner. Mackenzie +instantly started to his feet, in a violent passion, laid hold of +Raasay by the waist, and threw him down, exclaiming, "I would scorn +to be your prisoner." One of Raasay's followers, seeing his young +chief treated thus, stabbed Murdoch through the body with his dirk. +Mackenzie finding himself wounded, stepped back to draw his sword, +and, his foot coming against some obstruction, he stumbled over +it and fell into the sea. + +Those on shore observing the row, came out in their small boats +and seeing Mackenzie, who was a dexterous swimmer, manfully making +for Sconsar, on the opposite shore, in Skye, they pelted him with +stones, smashed in his brains and drowned him. The few of his men +who kept sober, seeing their leader thus perish, resolved to sell +their lives dearly; and fighting like heroes, they killed the +young laird of Raasay, along with MacGillechallum Mor, author of +all the mischief, and his two sons. Young Bayne of Tulloch and his +six inebriated companions who had followed him below, hearing the +uproar overhead, attempted to come on deck, but they were all killed +by the Macleods as they presente themselves through the hold. Not a +soul of the Raasay men escaped alive from the swords of the four who +had kept sober, ably supported by the ship's crew. + +The small boats now began to gather round the vessel and the Raasay +men attempted to get on board but they were thrown back, slain, +and pitched into the sea without mercy. The shot and ammunition +having become exhausted, all the pots and pans, and other articles +of furniture on board were hurled at the Macleods, while the four +abstainers plied their weapons of war with deadly effect. Having +procured a lull from the attempts of the enemy, they commenced to +pull in their anchor, when a shot from one of the boats killed one +of them - Hector MacKenneth, "a pretty young gentleman." The other +three seeing him slain, and being themselves more or less seriously +wounded, cut their cable, hoisted sail, and proceeded before a fresh +breeze, with all the dead bodies still lying about the deck. As +soon as they got out of danger, they threw the bodies of young +Raasay and his men into the sea, that they might have the same +interment which their own leader had received, and whose body they +were not able to search for. + +It is said that none of the bodies were ever found, except that +of MacGillechallum Mor, which afterwards came ashore, and was +buried, in Raasay. The Gairloch men carried the bodies of Bayne +of Tulloch and his companions to Lochcarron, where they were +decently interred. + +The only survivors of the Rausay affair were John MacEachainn +Chaoil, John MacKenneth Mhic Eachainn, and Kenneth MacSheumais. +The first named lived for thirty years after, dying in 1641; the +second died in 1662; and the third in 1663 - all very old men. +Amongst the slain was a son of Mackenzie of Badachro, who is +said to have signally distinguished himself. The conduct of the +Mackenzies of Gairloch was such on this and previous occasions +that they deemed it wise to secure a remission from the Crown, +which was duly granted to them in 1614, by James VI. [Mackenzie's +"History of the Macleods," pp. 361-366.] The document, modernised +in spelling, is as follows: + +James R. - Our Sovereign Lord understanding the manifold cruel and +barbarous tyrannies and oppressions so frequent within he Highlands +and Isles, of that (part of) his Highness's Kingdom of Scotland, +before his Majesty's departure furth of the same, that one part +of the inhabitants thereof being altogether void of the true ear +of God, and not regarding that true and loyal obedience they ought +to his Majesty in massing and drawing themselves together n troops +and companies, and after a most savage and insolent form committing +depredations, rieves, "slouthis," and cruel slaughters against +the most honest, godly, and industrious sort of people dwelling +within and bewest the said bounds, who were a ready prey to the +said oppressors, so that the said honest and peaceable subjects +were oft and sundry times, for defence of their own lives, their +wives and children, forced to enter into actions of hostility +against the said limmers and broken men who oft and diverse times +invaded and pursued them with tire and sword, reft and spuilzied +their whole goods, among whom his Majesty, understanding that his +Highness's lovites and true and obedient subjects, John Mackenzie +of Gairloch, Alexander, Kenneth, Duncan, and William Mackenzie, +his sons, dwelling within the Highlands most 'ewest' the Isles +of Skye and Lewis, who many and sundry times before his Majesty's +going to England, has been most cruelly invaded and pursued with +tire and sword by sundry of the said vagabonds and broken men +dwelling and resorting in the Skye and Lewis and other bounds of +the Highlands where they dwell, and has there-through sustained +many and great slaughters, depredations and heirschips, so that +in the very action of the said invasions and hostilities pursued +against them, the said persons in defence of their own lives, their +wives' and children's, and of their goods, have slain sundry of +the said invaders and limmers, taken others of them and thereafter +put them to death, to the great comfort of his Majesty's good, +honest, and true subjects who were subject to the like inroads, +invasions and tyrannies of the said vagabonds and fugitives, and +settling of his Majesty's peace within the bounds and his Majesty +being noways willing that the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch and +his said sons' forawardness in their own defence, and withstanding +of the foresaid open and violent hostilities and tyrannies of the +said broken men which has produced so much and good benefit to his +Majesty's distressed subjects, shall suffer any hurt, prejudice, +or inconvenience against the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch and +his said sons, which his Highness by these letters decrees and +declares to have been good and acceptable service done to his +Highness and the country: Therefore, his Majesty, of his special +grace, mercy, and favour, ordains a letter to be made under his +Highness's Great Seal in due form to the said John Mackenzie of +Gairloch, Alexander, Kenneth, Duncan, and William Mackenzie, his +sons, remitting and forgiving them and everyone of them all rancour, +hatred, action, and crime whatsoever that his Majesty had, has, +or anywise may lay to the charge of the said John Mackenzie or his +said sons, or any of them, for the alleged taking and apprehending, +slaying or mutilating of the said vagabonds and broken men, or +any of them, or for art and part thereof, or for raising of tire +against them, in the taking and apprehending of them, or any of +them, at any time preceding his Majesty's going to England and +of all that has passed or that may pass thereupon, and of every +circumstance thereanent and suchlike. His Majesty, of his especial +grace, taking knowledge and proper motive, remits and forgives the +said persons, and everyone of them, all slaughters, mutilations, +and other capital crimes whatsoever, art and part thereof committed +by them, or any of them, preceding the day and date hereof (treason +in our said Sovereign Lord's own most noble person only excepted), +with all pains and executions that ought and should be executed +against them, or any of them for the same, exonerating, absolving, +and relieving the said John and his said sons, and all of them +of all action and challenge criminal and civil that may be moved +thereupon to their prejudice for ever: Discharging hereby all +judges, officers, magistrates, administrators of his Majesty's laws, +from granting of any proofs, criminal or civil, in any action or +causes to be moved or pursued against the said John Mackenzie or +his sons foresaid for anything concerning the execution of the +premises: Discharging them thereof and their officers in that +employed by them, and that the said letter he extended in the best +form with ill clauses needful and the precepts he directed orderly +thereupon in form as effeirs. Given at Theobald's, the second day +of April, the year of God, 1614 years. [Original in the Gairloch +Charter Chest.] + +John Roy purchased or rented the tithes of his lands, which appear +to have led him into no end of disputes. The Rev. Alexander +Mackenzie was appointed minister at Gairloch - the first after +the Reformation - and in 1583 he obtained a decree from the Lords +of the Privy Council and Session ordaining the teind revenue to +be paid to him. At the Reformation Sir John Broik was rector of +the parish; after which it was vacant until, in 1583, James VI. +presented this Alexander Mackenzie to "the parsonage and vicarage +of Garloch vacand in our Souerane Lordis handis contenuallie sen +the reformatioun of the religioun within this realme by the decease +of Sir John Broik." [Reg. Sec. Sig., vol xlix, fol. 62.] In 1584 +the Rev. Alexander Mackenzie let the teinds to John Roy for three +lives and nineteen years more, for an annual payment of L12 Scots. +In 1588 the Crown granted a similar tack for a like payment. In +1612 the Rev. Farquhar MacGillechriost Macrae raised an action +against John Roy and his eldest surviving son Alexander for +payment of the teind. A certain Robert Boyd became cautioner for +the teind of 1610; but the action went on for several years, and +was apparently won by the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, who, in 1616, lets +the teind of Gairloch for nineteen years to Alexander Mackenzie, +Fiar of Gairloch, for L80 Scots yearly. Alexander thereupon +surrenders the tithes of the lands of Letterewe, Inverewe, Drumchorc, +and others to Colin Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, who on his part, +as patron of the parish, binds himself not to sanction the set of +these tithes to any other than the said Alexander and his heirs. +[Papers in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] + +John Roy married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Angus Macdonald, +VII. of Glengarry, by his wife, Janet, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, +X. of Kintail, by Lady Elizabeth, daughter of John, second Earl +of Athole, with issue - + +1. John, who married, as already stated, Isabel, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Fairburn, with issu - an only daughter, +also named Isabel, who, as his second wife, married Colin Mackenzie +of Kinnock, with issue--an only son, who sold back his mother's +jointure lands of Davochpollo and Pitlundie in 1666. John died +before his father, in 1601, at Kinkell, and was buried at Beauly. + +2. Alexander, who succeeded to the estates. + +3. Murdoch, killed, unmarried, at Raasay in 1611. + +4. Kenneth, I. of Davochcairn, who married, first, Margaret, +daughter of James Cuthbert of Alterlies and Drakies, Inverness, +with issue, whose male representation is extinct. He married, +secondly, a daughter of Hector Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn, also +with issue, of whose present representation nothing is known. +Kenneth died at Davochcairn in 1643, and was buried at Beauly. + +5. Duncan of Sand, who married a daughter of Hugh Fraser of +Belladrum, with issue - (1) Alexander, who succeeded him at +Sand; (2) John, who married a daughter of the Rev. George Munro, +minister of Urquhart, and resided at Ardnagrask; (3) Katharine, +who married, first, a son of Allan Macranald Macdonald, heir male +of Moydart, at the time residing at Baile Chnuic, or Hiltown of +Beauly, and secondly, William Fraser of Boblanie, with issue. +(4) A daughter, who married Thomas Mackenzie, son of Murdoch +Mackenzie, IV. of Achilty and (5) a daughter, who married Duncan +MacIan vic Eachainn Chaoil. Duncan died at Sand, from the bite +of a cat at Inverasdale, in 1635, and is buried at Gairloch. + +Alexander, who succeeded his father at Sand (retour 1647), married +a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie of Kernsary, fifth son of Colin Cam, +XI. of Kintail, by his wife, Barbara, daughter of John Grant, XII. +of Grant. Murdoch married the eldest daughter of John Mackenzie, +III. of Fairburn, by whom he had, in addition to the daughter who +became the wife of Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, an only lawful +son, John, killed in 1645 at the battle of Auldearn in command +of the Lewis Mackenzie Regiment, whereupon the lineal and sole +representation of the Kernsary family reverted to the descendants +of Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, through Mary, his wife, by whom +he had issue - two sons and two daughters. He was succeeded, in +1656, by the eldest son, Hector, who also succeeded his uncle +John in Ardnagrask. He married Janet Fraser, with issue - John +Mackenzie, who died in 1759, and left a son Alexander, who got a +new tack of Ardnagrask for forty years, commencing in May, 1760; +[Gairloch Papers.] and married Helen Mackenzie, daughter of +Donald, great-grandson of Murdo Mackenzie, V. of Hilton (by his +wife, Jean Forbes of Raddery), by whom he had a large family of +five sons and six daughters. The eldest son, John Mackenzie, +a merchant and Bailie of Inverness, was born at Ardnagrask in +1762, and married Prudence, daughter of Richard Ord, Merkinch, +Inverness, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John, third son +of Alexander, VII. of Davochmaluag, with issue - five sons and +two daughters. Three of the sons died without issue, one of whom +was John, a merchant in Madras. Another, Alexander, married +Maria Lascelles of Blackwood, Dumfries, with issue - John Fraser +Mackenzie, who married Julia Linton, with issue; Alexander, who +married Adelaide Brett, Madras, with issue and four daughters, +Margaret, Jane, Frances, and Maria, of whom two married, with +issue. + +Bailie John's second surviving son, the Rev. William Mackenzie, +married Elizabeth Maclaren, with issue - John Ord, who married, +without issue; James, who married, with issue; Richard, who married +Lousia Lyall, with issue Henry, of the Oriental Bank Corporation; +Gordon, of the Indian Civil Service; and Alfred, of Townsville, +Queensland; also Louisa, Isabella, Maria, and Williamina, all +married, the first three with issue. + +Bailie Mackenzie's daughters were - Elizabeth, who married +Montgomery Young, with issue; and Jane, who married Provost +Ferguson, of Inverness, with issue - John Alexander, who married, +with issue; Mary, who married the late Walter Carruthers of the +Inverness Courier, with issue; and Agnes Prudence, who married the +Rev. G. T. Carruthers, one of Her Majesty's Chaplains in India. + +6. William Mackenzie of Shieldaig, who married a daughter of +the Rev. Murdo Mackenzie, minister of Kintail, with issue - (1) +Murdoch, who married Mary, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, I. of +Applecross, with issue - Roderick, who, in 1727, married Margaret +Mackenzie, with issue - William Mackenzie, on record in 1736; (2) +Duncan, who married a daughter, by his second marriage, of Hector +Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn; (3) John, who married a daughter of +Murdo Mackenzie in Sand; (4) Kenneth, who married a daughter of +Hector MacIan vic Eachainn Mackenzie; (5) Hector; (6) Roderick; +(7) Alexander, the last-named three unmarried in 1669; (8) a +daughter, who married Alexander Fraser of Reelick, with issue; +(9) a daughter, who married Hector "Mac Mhic Alastair Roy"; (10) +a daughter, who married Murdo "Mac Ian Mhic Eachainn Chaoil," +a son of one of the Raasay heroes; (11) a daughter, who married +Hector Mackenzie, Chamberlain in Lochcarron; (12) a daughter, who +married the Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Lochalsh; and (13) +a daughter, unmarried in 1669. He had also a natural son, John +Mor "Mac Uilleam," who married a natural daughter or Murdoch +Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle. + +7. A daughter, who married Fraser of Foyers. + +8. Katherine, who married Hugh Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan. + +9. Another Katherine, who married Fraser of Struy. + +10. Janet, who married, first, George Cuthbert of Castlehill, +Inverness (marriage contract 29th June, 1611); and secondly Neil +Munro of Findon marriage contract dated 5th of February, 1627). +[Both marriage contracts are in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] + +11. A daughter, who married Alastair Mor, brother of Chisholm of +Comar. + +John Roy married, secondly, Isabel, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, +I. of Fairburn, with issue - + +12. Captain Roderick of Pitglassie, who served in the army of the +Prince of Orange, and died, unmarried, in Holland, in 1624. + +13. Hector of Mellan, who married, first, the widow of the Rev. John +Mackenzie of Lochbroom, without issue and secondly, a daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Achilty, with issue, five sons - Alexander, +who married a daughter of "Murdo Mc Cowil vic Ean Oig"; Murdo, who +married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie of Sand and three others +unmarried in 1669. + +14. John, a clergyman, who married a natural daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie, I. of Kilcoy, with issue - four sons and two daughters. +He died at Rhynduin in 1666, and is buried at Beauly. + +15. Katherine Og, who married Fraser of Belladrum, with issue - from +whom the Frasers of Achnagairn and Seafield. + +16. Isabel, who married first, Alastair Og Macdonald [The marriage +contract is in the Gairloch Charter Chest, dated 23rd Jan. 1629. +This gentleman, in the month of November, 1625, killed a man in +Uist named Alexander Mac Ian Mhic Alastair, for which he received a +remission from Charles I., dated at Holyrood, the first of August, +1627, and which Macdonald appears to have deposited in the +Gairloch Charter Chest on his marriage with Isabel of Gairloch.] +of Cuidreach, brother-german to Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat, and +ancestor of the Macdonalds of Cuidreach and Kingsburgh, Isle of +Skye. She married, secondly, Hugh Macdonald of Skirmish. + +John had also a natural son, Kenneth Buy Mackenzie, by a woman +named Fraser, who married a daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, IV. +of Achilty; and two natural daughters, one of whom married Donald +Bain, Seaforth's Chamberlain in the Lewis, killed in the battle of +Auldearn in 1645; the other, Margaret, in 1640, married Alexander, +"second lawful son" of John Mackenzie, IV. of Hilton. + +He died at Talladale in 1628, in the 80th year of his age; was +buried in the old churchyard of Gairloch, and succeeded by his +eldest surviving son, + +V. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who was advanced in years at his father's +death. He was most active in the duties pertaining to the head +of his house during the life of his father, for it was he who led +the Mackenzies of Gairloch against the Macleods in their repeated +incursions to repossess themselves of their estates, "He was a +valiant worthy gentleman. It was he who made an end of all the +troubles his predecessors were in the conquering of Gairloch from +the Shiel Vic Gille Challum. [Applecross MS.] Very little is +known of him personally, his career having been so much mixed up +with that of his father. By the charter of 1619 he was infeft in +the barony as fiar, and he immediately succeeded on his father's +decease. In 1627, while still fiar or feuer of Gairloch, he obtained +from his son-in-law, John Mackenzie of Applecross (afterwards of +Lochslinn), who married his daughter Isobel, a disclamation of +part of the lands of Diobaig, previously in dispute between the +Lairds of Gairloch and Applecross. In the Gairloch Charter Chest +there is a feu charter of endowment by John Mackenzie of Applecross, +in implement of the contract of marriage with his betrothed spouse, +Isobel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, younger of Gairloch, dated +6th of June, 1622. After John of Lochslinn's death, she married, +secondly, Colin Mackenzie of Tarvie and there is a sasine in favour +of Margaret, second lawful daughter of this Colin of Tarvie by +Isobel of Gairloch and spouse of Matthew Robertson of Davoch-carty, +in implement of a marriage contract. + +A little piece of scandal seems, from an extract of the Presbytery +Records of Dingwall, of date 3rd of March, 1666, to have arisen in +connection with this pair - Matthew Robertson and Margaret Mackenzie. +"Rorie McKenzie of Dochmaluak, compearing desyred ane answer to his +former supplication requiring that Matthew Robertson of Dochgarty +should be ordained to make satisfaction for slandering the said +Rorie with alleged miscarriage with Matthew Robertson's wife. The +brethren considering that by the witness led in the said matter +there was nothing but suspicion and jealousies, and said Matthew +Robertson being called and inquired concerning the said particular, +did openly profess that he was in no wayes jealous of the said +Rorie Mackenzie and his wife, and if any word did escape him upon +which others might put such a construction, he was heartily sorry +for it, and was content to acknowledge so much to Rorie Mackenzie +of Dochmaluak, and crave pardon for the same, which the brethren +taking into their consideration, and the Bishop referring it to them +(as the Moderator reported), they have, according to the Bishop's +appointment, ordered the said Matthew Robertson to acknowledge so +much before the Presbytery to the party, and to crave his pardon in +anything he has given him offence. The which being done by the +said Matthew Robertson, Rory Mackenzie of Dochmaluak did acquiesce +in it without any furder prosecution of it," and we hear no more +of the subject. + +In 1637 Alexander proceeded to acquire part of Loggie-Wester from +Duncan Bayne, but the matter was not arranged until 1640, during +the reign of his successor. + +Alexander married, first, Margaret, third daughter of Roderick Mor +Mackenzie, I. of Redcastle, by his wife, Finguala or Florence, +daughter of Robert Munro, XVth Baron of Fowlis, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Murdo of Sand, "predecessor to Sand and Mungastle," [There is +great confusion about the families of the various Sands which we +have not been able to clear up. The following is from the public +records: In 1718 on the forfeiture of the Fairburn estate, +"Alexander" Mackenzie of Sand appeared and deponed that "Murdoch" +Mackenzie of Sand, his father, had a wadset of Mungastle and +certain other lands from Fairburn. In May 1730 "Alexander" Mackenzie +of Sand purchased Mungastle for 3000 merks from Dundonell, who +had meantime become proprietor of it. In January 1744 "Alexander" +Mackenzie of Sand, son of the preceding Alexander, was infeft in +Mungastle in place of his father. In 1741 the above Alexander (the +younger) being then a minor, and John Mackenzie of Lochend being +his curator, got a wadset of Glenarigolach and Ridorch, and in 1745 +Alexander being then of full age, apparently purchased these lands +irredeemably. In March 1765 Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, with consent +of Janet Mackenzie, his wife, sold Mungastle, Glenarigolach, etc. +One of the witnesses to this deed of disposition is Alexander +Mackenzie, eldest son to Alexander Mackenzie, the granter of the +deed.] who married the eldest daughter of John Mackenzie, III. +of Fairburn, with issue - a daughter, Margaret, who married Colin +Mackenzie, I. of Sanachan, brother to John Mackenzie, II. of +Applecross. + +3. Hector, "portioner of Mellan," and a Cornet in Sir George +Munro's regiment, who married a daughter of Donald Maciver, with +issue - three sons and a daughter, Mary - of whom under MACKENZIES +OF DAILUAINE. + +4. Alexander, from whom the author of this History, and of whose +descendants under "SLIOCHD ALASTAIR CHAIM." + +5. Isobel, who married John Mackenzie of Applecross (afterwards +of Lochslinn), brother-german to Colin, first Earl of Seaforth. +By him she had issue, a daughter, who married Sir Norman Macleod, +I. of Bernera, with issue - John Macleod of Muiravenside and Bernera, +Advocate. Isobel, on the death of her husband, who was poisoned +at Tam, married secondly, Colin Mackenzie of Tarvie, third son +of Sir Roderick Mackenzie, I. of Coigach, Tutor of Kintail, with +issue. She married, thirdly, Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Achilty, +without issue. + +6. Margaret, who, as his third wife, married Alexander Ross of +Cuilich, from whom the family of Achnacloich. + +7. A daughter, who married Robert Gray of Skibo, with issue. +Alexander married, secondly, Isabel, eldest daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie, progenitor of Coul and Applecross, with issue - + +8. William of Multafy and I. of Belmaduthy, of whom in their +order. + +9. Roderick, who married Agnes, second daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie, I. of Suddie, without issue. + +10. Angus, who married the eldest daughter of Hector Mackenzie, +IV. of Fairburn, without issue. Angus "was a brave soldier, and +commanded a considerable body of Highlanders under King Charles the +second at the Torwood. He, with Scrymgeour of Dudhope and other +Loyalists, marched at a great rate to assist the Macleans, who +were cut to pieces by Cromwell's dragoons at Inverkeithing, but +to their great grief were recalled by the Earl of Argyll, General +of the army." [Gairloch Manuscript.] + +11. Annabella, who, as his second wife, married Donald Mackenzie, +III. of Loggie, with issue - his heir and successor, and others. + +12. Janet, who married Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ardross and +Pitglassie, progenitor of the present Mackenzies of Dundonnel, with +issue - his heir and successor. + +Alexander had also a natural daughter, who, as his first wife, +married George, fourth son of John Mackenzie, I. of Ord, without +issue. + +He died, as appears from his successor's retour of service, on the +4th of January, 1638, [In this service we have "Kirktoun with the +manor and gardens of the same," and after a long list of the +townships, the fishings of half the water of Ewe and the rivers Kerry +and Badachro follows, "the loch of Loch Maroy, with the islands +of the same, and the manor place and gardens in the Island of +Illiurory, the loch of Garloch, with the fishings of the same," +from which it appears that the residence on, Island Rory Beg, +the walls of which and of the large garden are yet distinctly +traceable, was quite as early as that on Island Suthain in which +Alexander died.] in the 61st year of his age, at Island Suthain, +in Loch Maree, where traces of his house still remain. He was +buried with his wife "in a chapel he caused built near the Church +of Gairloch," during his father's lifetime, and was succeeded by +his eldest son, + +VI. KENNETH MACKENZIE, a strong Loyalist during the wars of +Montrose and the Covenanters. He was fined by the Committee +of Estates for his adherence to the King, under the Act of 3rd +February, 1646, entitled Commission for the moneys of Excise and +Process against delinquents," in a forced loan of 500 merks, for +which the receipt, dated 15th March, 1647, signed by Kennedy, Earl +of Cassilis, and Sir William Cochrane, two of the Commissioners +named in the Act, and by two or three others, is still extant. +Seaforth was, at the time, one of the Committee of Estates, and +his influence was probably exercised in favour of leniency to the +Baron of Gairloch; especially as he was himself privately imbued +with strong predilections in favour of the Royalists. Kenneth +commanded a body of Highlanders at Balvenny under Thomas Mackenzie +of Pluscardine, and his own brother-in-law, the Earl of Huntly; but +when the Royalist army was surprised and disarmed, he was on a +visit to Castle Grant and managed to effect his escape. + +In 1640 he completed the purchase of Loggie-Wester, commenced +by his predecessor, but in order to do so he had to have recourse +to the money market. He granted a bond, dated 20th of October, +1644, for 1000 merks, to Hector Mackenzie, alias MacIan MacAlastair +Mhic Alastair, indweller in Eadill-fuill or South Erradale. On +the 14th of January, 1649, at Kirkton, he granted to the same +person a bond for 500 merks; but at this date Hector was described +as "indweller in Androry," and again, another dated at Stankhouse +of Gairloch (Tigh Dige), 24th of November, 1662; but the lender +of the money is on this occasion described as living in Diobaig. +For the two first of these sums Murdo Mackenzie of Sand, Kenneth's +brother-german, became security. + +In 1657 Kenneth is collateral security to a bond granted by the +same Murdoch Mackenzie of Sand to Colin Mackenzie, I. of Sanachan, +brother-german to John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross, for 2000 +merks, borrowed on the 20th of March in that year the one-half of +which was to be paid by the delivery at the feast of Beltane or +Whitsunday, 1658, of 50 cows in milk by calves of that year, and +the other half, with legal interest, at Whitsunday, 1659. Colin +Mackenzie, I. of Sanachan, married Murdoch's daughter; the contract +of marriage is dated the same day as the bond, and is subscribed +at Dingwall by the same witnesses. + +By letters of Tutorie Dative from Oliver Cromwell, he was, in +1658, appointed Tutor to Hector Mackenzie, lawful son of Alexander +Mackenzie, lawful son of Duncan Mackenzie of Sand, Gairloch. There +is nothing further to show what became of the pupil, Hector, +but it is highly probable that on the death of Alexander, son of +Duncan of Sand, the farm was given by Kenneth to his own brother, +Murdoch, and that the 2000 merks, borrowed from Colin Mackenzie +of Sanachan, who married Murdoch's only daughter, Margaret, may +have been borrowed for the purpose of stocking the farm. The dates +of the marriage, of the bond, and of the Tutorie Dative, so near +each other, strongly support this view. + +Kenneth married, first, Katharine, daughter of Sir Donald Macdonald, +IX. of Sleat, without issue. The contract of marriage is dated +5th September, 1635, the marriage portion being the handsome sum +of "6ooo merks, and her endowment 1000 libs Scots yearly." He +married, secondly, Ann, daughter of Sir John Grant of Grant, by +Ann Ogilvy, daughter of the Earl of Findlater (marriage contract +dated 17th October, 1640). There is a charter by Kenneth in +her favour of the lands of Loggie-Wester, the miln and pertinents +thereof, with the grazings of Tolly, in implement of the marriage +contract, dated 4th of December, 1640, with a sasine of the same +date, and another charter of the lands and manor-place of Kinkell +and Ardnagrask, dated the 15th of August, 1655, with sasine +thereon, dated 5th September following. By her Kenneth had issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Hector, of Bishop-Kinkell, who married Margaret, eldest +daughter of Donald Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, and widow of Roderick +Mackenzie, V. of Fairburn, and with her obtained the lands of +Bishop-Kinkell, to which his son John succeeded. + +3. John, who died unmarried. + +4. Mary, who, in 1656, married Alexander Mackenzie, at the time +Younger and afterwards III. of Kilcoy, with issue. + +5. Barbara, who married, first, Fraser of Kinneries, and secondly, +Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ardloch, with issue by both. + +6. Lilias, who married, as his first wife, Alexander Mackenzie, +II. of Ballone, with issue. + +He married, thirdly, Janet, daughter of John Cuthbert of Castlehill +(marriage contract dated 17th December, 1658, the marriage portion +being 3000 merks, and her endowment 5 chalders victual yearly), +with issue - + +7. Charles, I. of Letterewe, who, by his father's marriage +contract, got Loggie-Wester, which had been purchased by Kenneth +in 1640. In 1696 Charles exchanged it with his eldest half-brother, +Alexander, VII. of Gairloch, for Letterewe. Charles married Ann, +daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross, with issue - See +MACKENZIES OF LETTEREWE. + +8. Kenneth, who died unmarried. + +9. Colin, I. of Mountgerald, who married Margaret, second daughter +of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, and widow of Sir Roderick +Mackenzie of Findon, without issue; and secondly, Katharine, +daughter of James Fraser of Achnagairn, with issue - See MACKENZIES +OF MOUNTGERALD. + +10. Isabella, who married Roderick Mackenzie, second son of John +Mackenzie, II. of Applecross, with issue, whose descendants now +represent the original Mackenzies of Applecross. + +11. Annabella, who married George, third son of Roderick Mackenzie, +V. of Davochmaluag, with issue. + +According to the retour of service of his successor, Kenneth died +in 1669, was buried in Beauly Priory, and was succeeded by his +eldest son, + +VII. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who, by a charter of resignation, got +Loggie-Wester included in the barony of Gairloch. It had, however, +been settled on his stepmother, Janet Cuthbert, in life-rent, and +after her on her eldest son, Charles of Mellan and subsequently of +Letterewe, to whom, after her death, Alexander formally disponed +it. They afterwards entered into an excambion by which Alexander +reacquired Loggie-Wester in exchange for Letterewe, which then +became the patrimony of the successors of Charles. + +A tradition is current in the Gairloch family that when Alexander +sought the hand of his future lady, Barbara, daughter of Sir +John Mackenzie of Tarbat, and sister-german to the first Earl +of Cromarty and to Isobel Countess of Seaforth, he endeavoured +to make himself appear much wealthier than he really was, by +returning a higher rental than he actually received at the time +of making up the Scots valued rent in 1670, in which year he +married. This tradition is corroborated by a comparison of the +valuation of the shire of Inverness for 1644, published by Charles +Fraser-Mackintosh in "Antiquarian Notes," and the rental of 1670, +on which the ecclesiastical assessments are still based. In the +former year the rental of the parish of Gairloch was L3134 13s +4d, of which L1081 6s 8d was from the lands of the Barony, equal +to 34 1/2 per cent., while in the latter year the valued rental +of the parish is put down at L3400, of which L1549 is from the +barony lands, or 45 1/2 per cent. It is impossible that such a +rise in the rental could have taken place in the short space of +twenty-six years; and the presumption is in favour of the accuracy +of the tradition which imports that the rental was over-valued for +the special purpose of making the Baron of Gairloch appear more +important in the eyes of his future relatives-in-law than he +really was. In 1681 he had his rights and titles ratified by Act +of Parliament, printed at length in the Folio edition. + +He married, first, in 1670, Barbara, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie, +Baronet of Tarbat, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Isobel, who married John Macdonald of Balcony, son of Sir James +Macdonald, IX. of Sleat. + +He married, secondly, Janet, daughter of William Mackenzie, I. +of Belmaduthy (marriage contract 30th of January 1679), on which +occasion Davochcairn and Ardnagrask were settled upon her in +life-rent, and on her eldest son at her death, as appears from a +precept of date clare constat, by Colin Mackenzie of Davochpollo, +in favour of William, his eldest surviving son. By her he had +issue - + +3. Alexander, who died unmarried. + +4. William, who acquired the lands of Davochcairn, and married, in +1712, Jean, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of Redcastle, with +issue - a son, Alexander, of the Stamp Office, London, and several +daughters. Alexander has a "clare constat" as only son in 1732. +He died in 1772, leaving a son, Alexander Kenneth, who emigrated +to New South Wales, where several of his descendants now reside; +the representative of the family, in 1878, being Alexander Kenneth +Mac-kenzie, Boonara, Bondi, Sydney. + +5. John, who purchased the lands of Lochend (now Inverewe), with +issue - Alexander Mackenzie, afterwards of Lochend and George, +an officer in Colonel Murray Keith's Highland Regiment also two +daughters, Lilias, who married William Mackenzie, IV. of Gruinard, +and Christy, who married William Maciver of Tournaig, both with +issue - See MACKENZIES OF LOCHEND. + +6. Ann, who, in 1703, married Kenneth Mackenzie, II. of Torridon, +with issue. She married, secondly, Kenneth Mackenzie, a solicitor +in London. + +He died in December 1694, at the age of 42, which appears from +his general retour of sasine, dated 25th February, 1673, in which +he is said to be then of lawful age. He was buried in Gairloch, +and was succeeded by his only son by his first marriage, + +VIII. SIR KENNETH MACKENZIE, created a Baronet of Nova Scotia, +by Queen Anne, on the 2nd of February, 1703. He was educated at +Oxford, and afterwards represented his native county of Ross in +the Scottish Parliament. He strongly opposed the Union, considering +that if it should take place, it would be "the funeral of his +country." After the succession of Queen Anne he received from her, +in December 1702, a gift of the taxed ward, feu-duties, non-entry, +and marriage dues, and other casualties payable to the Crown, from +the date of his father's death, which, up to 1702, do not appear to +have been paid. Early in the same year he seems to have been taken +seriously ill, whereupon he executed a holograph will and testament +at Stankhouse, dated the 23rd of May, 1702, which was witnessed +by his uncle, Colin Mackenzie of Findon, and by his brother-in-law, +Simon Mackenzie, I. of Allangrange. He appoints as trustees +his "dear friends "John, Master of Tarbat, Kenneth Mackenzie +of Cromarty, Kenneth Mackenzie of Scatwell, Hector Mackenzie, +and Colin Mackenzie, his uncles, and George Mackenzie, II. of +Allangrange. He appointed Colin Mackenzie, then of Findon, and +afterwards of Davochpollo and Mountgerald, as his tutor and factor +at a salary of 200 merks Scots. In May, 1703, having apparently +to some extent recovered his health, he appears in his place +in Parliament. In September of the same year he returned to +Stankhouse, Gairloch, where he executed two bonds of provision, one +for his second son George, and the other for his younger daughters. + +He married, in 1696, Margaret, youngest daughter, and, as is +commonly said, co-heiress of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, but +the Barony of Findon went wholly to Lilias, the eldest daughter, +who married Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Baronet and IV. of Scatwell +another of the daughters, Isobel, married Simon Mackenzie, I. of +Allangrange. There was a fourth daughter, unmarried at the date +of Margaret's contract of marriage and the four took a fourth part +each of Sir Roderick's moveables and of certain lands not included +in the Barony. At the date of his marriage Kenneth had not made +up titles to his estates; but by his marriage contract he is taken +bound to do so as soon as he can. His retour of service was taken +out in the following year. + +By Margaret Mackenzie of Findon Kenneth had issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. George, who became a merchant in Glasgow, and died unmarried +in 1739. + +3. Barbara, who, in 1729, married George Beattie, a merchant in +Montrose, without issue. + +4. Margaret, who died young in 1704. + +5. Anne, who, in 1728, married, during his father's life-time, +Murdo Mackenzie, VII. of Achilty, without issue. + +6. Katharine, who died young. + +Sir Kenneth had also a natural daughter, Margaret, who married, +in 1723, Donald Macdonald, younger of Cuidreach. Sir Kenneth's +widow, about a year after his decease, married Bayne of Tulloch. +Notwithstanding the money that Sir Kenneth received with her, he +died deeply in debt, and left his children insufficiently provided +for. George and Barbara were at first maintained by their +mother, and afterwards by Colin of Findon who had married their +grandmother, widow of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, while +Alexander and Anne were in even a worse plight. + +He died in December 1703, at the early age of 32; was buried in +Gairloch, and succeeded by his eldest son, + +IX. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, the second Baronet, a child only +three and a half years old. His prospects were certainly not +enviable, he and his sister Anne having had for a time, for actual +want of means, to be "settled in tenants' houses." The rental +of Gairloch and Glasletter at his father's death only amounted to +5954 merks, and his other estates in the Low Country were settled +on his mother, Sir Kenneth's widow, for life while he was left +with debts due amounting to 66,674 merks, equal to eleven years +rental of the whole estates. During his minority, however, the +large sum of 51,200 merks was paid off, in addition to 27,635 +in name of interest on the original debt; and consequently very +little was left for his education. In 1708 he, along with +his brother and sisters, were taken to the factor's house - Colin +Mackenzie of Findon - where they remained for four years, and +received the rudiments of their education from a young man, Simon +Urquhart. In 1712 they were all sent to school at Chanonry, +under Urquhart's charge, where Sir Alexander remained for six +years, after which, having arrived at 18 years of age, he went to +complete his education in Edinburgh. He afterwards made a tour +of travel, and returning home in 1730 married his cousin, Janet +Mackenzie of Scatwell, on which occasion a fine Gaelic poem was +composed in her praise by John Mackay, the famous blind piper +and poet of Gairloch, whose daughter became the mother of William +Ross, a Gaelic bard even more celebrated than the blind piper +himself. If we believe her eulogist the lady possessed all the +virtues of mind and body but in spite of all these graces the +marriage did not turn out a happy one; for, in 1758, she separated +from her husband on the grounds of incompatibility of temper, +after which she lived alone at Kinkell. + +When, in 1721, Sir Alexander came of age, he was obliged to find +means to pay the provision payable to his brother George and to +his sisters, amounting altogether to 16,000 merks, while about +the same amount of his father's debts was still unpaid. In 1729 +he purchased Cruive House and the Ferry of Skudale. In 1735 he +bought Bishop-Kinkell; in 1742 Loggie-Riach and, in 1743, Kenlochewe, +which latter property was considered equal in value to Glasletter +of Kintail, sold about the same time. About 1730 he redeemed +Davochcairn and Ardnagrask from the widow of his uncle William, +and Davochpollo from the widow and son James of his grand-uncle, +Colin, I. of Mountgerald. In 1752 he executed an entail of all +his estates; but leaving debts at his death, amounting to L2679 +13s 10d more than his personal estate could meet, Davochcairn, +Davochpollo, and Ardnagrask, had eventually to be sold to make up +the deficiency. + +In 1738 he pulled down the old family residence of Stankhouse, +or "Tigh Dige," at Gairloch, which stood in a low, marshy, damp +situation, surrounded by the moat from which it derived its name, +and built the present house on an elevated plateau, surrounded +by magnificent woods and towering hills, with a southern front +elevation - altogether one of the most beautiful and best sheltered +situations in the Highlands; and he very appropriately called it +Flowerdale. He greatly improved his property, and was in all +respects a careful and good man of business. He kept out of the +Rising of 1745, and afterwards when John Mackenzie of Meddat applied +to him for aid in favour of Lord Macleod, son of the Earl of +Cromarty, who took so prominent a part in it, and was afterwards in +very tightened circumstances, Sir Alexander replied in a letter +dated at Gairloch, 17th May, 1749, in the following somewhat +unsympathetic terms: + +Sir,--I am favoured with your letter, and am extreamly sory Lord +Cromartie's circumstances should obliege him to sollicit the aide +of small gentlemen. I much raither he hade dyed sword in hand +even where he was ingag'd then be necessitate to act such a pairt +I have the honour to be nearly related to him, and to have been +his companion, but will not supply him at this time, for which I +believe I can give you the best reason in the world, and the only +one possible for me to give, and that is that I cannot. [Fraser's +"Earls of Cromartie," vol. ii., p. 230.] + +The reason stated in this letter may possibly be the true one; +but it is more likely that Sir Alexander had no sympathy whatever +with the cause which brought his kinsman into such an unfortunate +position, and that he would not, on that account, lend him any +assistance. + +Some of his leases, preserved in the Gairloch charter chest, contain +some very curious clauses, many of which would now be described +as tyrannical and cruel, but the Laird and his tenants understood +each other, and they got on remarkably well. The tenants were +bound to sell him all their marketable cattle "at reasonable +rates," and to deliver to him at current prices all the cod and +ling caught by them; and, in some cases, were bound to keep one +or more boats, with a sufficient number of men as sub-tenants, +for the prosecution of the cod and ling fishings. He kept his own +curer, cured the fish, and sold it at 12s 6d per cwt. delivered in +June at Gairloch, with credit until the following Martinmas, to +Mr Dunbar, merchant, with whom he made a contract binding himself, +for several years, to deliver, at the price named, all the cod +caught in Gairloch. [See copy of lease granted by him, in 1760, +of the half of North Erradale, to one of the author's ancestors, +printed at length under the family of "Alastair Cam."] + +Sir Alexander married, in 1730, Janet, daughter of Sir Roderick +Mackenzie, second Baronet and V. of Scatwell, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, who died in infancy. + +3. Roderick, a captain in the army, who was killed at Quebec +before he attained majority. + +4. William, a writer, who died unmarried. + +5. James, who died in infancy. + +6. Kenneth of Millbank, factor and Tutor to Sir Hector, the fourth +Baronet of Gairloch, during the last few years of his minority. +He married Anne, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of Tolly, with +issue - (1) Alexander, County Clerk of Ross-shire, who married, and +had issue - Alexander, in New Zealand; Kenneth, who married twice, +in India, and died in 1877; and Catherine, who married Murdo +Cameron, Leanaig, with surviving issue - one son, Alexander; (2) +Janet, who married the Rev. Dr John Macdonald, of Ferintosh, the +famous "Apostle of the North," with issue; (3) Catherine, who +married Alexander Mackenzie, a merchant in London, and grandson +of Alexander Mackenzie of Tolly, with issue - an only daughter, +Catherine, who married Major Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Kincraig, +with issue; (4) Jane, who, in 1808, married the Rev. Hector +Bethune, minister of Dingwall, with issue - Colonel Bethune, who died +without issue; the Rev. Angus Bethune, Rector of Seaham; Alexander +Mackenzie Bethune, Secretary of the Peninsular and Oriental Navigation +Company, married, without issue; and a daughter, Jane, who married +the late Francis Harper, Torgorm. Mrs Bethune died in 1878, aged +91 years. + +7 and 8. Margaret and Janet, both of whom died young. + +9. Janet, who married Colin, eldest son of David, brother of +Murdo Mackenzie, VII. of Achilty. Murdo leaving no issue, Colin +ultimately succeeded to Achilty, but he seems afterwards to have +parted with it, for in 1784, he has a tack of Kinkell, and dies +there, in 1813, with his affairs seriously involved, leaving a +son John, who died without issue. + +Sir Alexander had also a natural son, Charles Mackenzie, ancestor +of the later Mackenzies of Sand, and two natural daughters, one +of whom, Annabella, by a daughter of Maolmuire, or Miles Macrae, +of the family of Inverinate, married John Ban Mackenzie, by whom +she had a daughter, Marsali or Marjory, who married John Mor Og +Mackenzie (Ian Mor Aireach), son of John Mor Mackenzie, grandson +of Alexander Cam Mac-kenzie, fourth son of Alexander, V. of Gairloch, +in whose favour Sir Alexander granted the lease of North Erradale, +already referred to. The other daughter, known as "Kate Gairloch," +who lived to a very old age, unmarried, was provided for in +comfortable lodgings and with a suitable allowance by the heads +of the family. + +He died in 1766, in the 66th year of his age, was buried with his +ancestors in Gairloch, [The old chapel and the burying place of the +Lairds of Gairloch appear to have been roofed almost up to this +date; for in the Tutorial accounts of 1704 there is an item of +30 merks for "harling, pinning, and thatching Gairloch's burial +place."] and succeeded by his eldest son, + +X. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third Baronet, designated "An +Tighearna Ruadh," or the Red-haired Laird. He built Conon House +between 1758 and 1760, during his father's lifetime. Lady Mackenzie, +who continued to reside at Kinkell, where she lived separated from +her husband, on Sir Alexander's decease claimed the new mansion at +Conon built by her son eight years before on the ground that it was +situated on her jointure lands; but Sir Alexander resisted her +pretensions, and ultimately the matter was arranged by the award of +John Forbes of New, Government factor on the forfeited estates of +Lovat, who then resided at Beaufort, and to whom the question in +dispute was submitted as arbitrator. Forbes compromised it by +requiring Sir Alexander to expend L300 in making Kinkell Castle more +comfortable, by taking off the top storey, re-rooting it, rebuilding +an addition at the side, and re-flooring, plastering, and papering +all the rooms. + +Sir Alexander, in addition to the debts of the entailed estates, +contracted other liabilities on his own account, and finding himself +much hampered in consequence, he tried, but failed, to break the +entail, although a flaw has been discovered in it since, and Sir +Kenneth, the present Baronet, having called the attention of +the Court to it, the entail was judicially declared invalid. Sir +Alexander had entered into an agreement to sell the Strathpeffer +and Ardnagrask lands, in anticipation of which Henry Davidson +of Tulloch bought the greater part of the debts of the entailed +estates, with the view of securing the consent of the Court to the +sale of Davochcairn and Davochpollo afterwards to himself. But on +the 15th of April, 1770, before the transaction could be completed, +Sir Alexander died suddenly from the effects of a fall from his +horse. His financial affairs were seriously involved, but having +been placed in the hands of an Edinburgh accountant, his creditors +ultimately received nineteen shillings in the pound. + +He married, first, on the 29th of November, 1755, Margaret, eldest +daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Redcastle, with issue - + +1. Hector, his heir and successor. + +She died on the 1st of December, 1759. + +He married, secondly, in 1760, Jean, daughter of John Gorry of +Balblair, and Commissary of Ross, with issue - + +2. John, who raised a company, almost wholly in Gairloch, for the +78th Regiment of Ross-shire Highlanders when first embodied, of +which he himself obtained the Captaincy. He rose rapidly in rank. +On the 3rd of May, 1794, he attained to his majority; in the +following year he is Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment Major-General +in the army in 1813; and full General in 1837. He served with +distinction and without cessation from 1779 to 1814. So marked +was his daring and personal valour that he was popularly known +among his companions in arms as "Fighting Jack." He was at the +Walcheren expedition; at the Cape; in India; in Sicily; Malta; +and the Peninsula and though constantly exhibiting numberless +instances of personal daring, he was only once wounded, when on +a certain occasion he was struck with a spent ball on the knee, +which made any walking somewhat troublesome to him in after life. +At Tarragona he was so mortified with Sir John Murray's conduct, +that he almost forgot that he himself was only second in command, +and charged Sir John with incapacity and cowardice, for which +the latter was tried by Court Martial - General Mackenzie being +one of the principal witnesses against him. Full of vigour of +mind and body, he took a lively interest in everything in which +he engaged, from fishing and shooting to farming, gardening, +politics, and fighting. He never forgot his Gaelic, which he spoke +with fluency and read with ease. Though a severe disciplinarian, +his men adored him. He was in the habit of saying that it gave +him more pleasure to meet a dog from Gairloch than a gentleman +from any other place. When the 78th returned from the Indian +Mutiny the officers and men were feted to a grand banquet by the +town of Inverness, and as the regiment marched through Academy +Street, where the General resided, they halted opposite his +residence, next door above the Station Hotel; and though so frail +that he had to be carried, he was taken out and his chair placed +on the steps at the door, where the regiment saluted and warmly +cheered their old and distinguished veteran commander, who +had so often led their predecessors to victory; and at the time +the oldest officer in and "father" of the British army. He was +much affected, and wept with joy at again meeting his beloved +78th - the only tears he was known to have shed since the days of +his childhood. He married Lilias, youngest daughter of Alexander +Chisholm, XXII. of Chisholm, with issue - (1) Alastair, an officer +in the 90th Light Infantry, who afterwards settled down and +became a magistrate in the Bahamas, where, in 1839, he married +an American lady, Wade Ellen, daughter of George Huyler, Consul +General of the United States, and French Consul in the Bahama +Islands, with issue - a son, the Rev. George William Russel +Mackenzie, an Episcopalian minister, who on the 2nd of August, +1876, married Annie Constance, second daughter of Richard, son +of William Congreve of Congreve and Burton, with issue - Dorothy +Lilias; (2) a daughter, Lilias Mary Chisholm, unmarried. Alastair +subsequently left the Bahamas, went to Melbourne, and became +Treasurer for the Government of Victoria, where he died in 1852. +General Mackenzie died on the 14th of June, 1860, aged 96 years, +and was buried in the Gairloch aisle in Beauly Priory. + +3. Kenneth, who was born on the 14th of February, 1765, was a +Captain in the army, and served in India, where he was at the +siege of Seringapatam. He soon after retired from the service, +and settled down as a gentleman farmer at Kerrisdale, Gairloch. +He married Flora, daughter of Farquhar Macrae of Inverinate, with +issue, three sons and four daughters - (1) Alexander, a Captain +in the 58th Regiment, who married a daughter of William Beibly, +M.D., Edinburgh, with issue; (2) Hector, a merchant in Java, where +he died, unmarried; (3) Farquhar, a settler in Victoria, where +he married and left issue - Hector, John, Violet, Mary, and Flora; +(4) Jean, who married William H. Garrett, of the Indian Civil +Service, with issue - two sons, Edward and William, and four +daughters, Eleanor (now Mrs Gourlay, The Gows, Dundee); Flora, +Emily, and Elizabeth; (5) Mary, who married, first, Dr Macleod, +Dingwall, without issue and, secondly, Murdo Mackenzie, a Calcutta +merchant, also without issue; (6) Christian Henderson, who married +John Mackenzie, solicitor, Tam, a son of George Mackenzie, III. +of Pitlundie, with issue--two sons, both dead, one of whom left +a son, Charles; (7) Jessie, who married Dr Kenneth Mackinnon, of +the Corry family, H.E.I.C.S., Calcutta. + +4. Jean, who died young. + +5. Margaret, who married Roderick Mackenzie, II. of Glack, with +issue. + +6. Janet, who married Captain John Mackenzie Woodlands, son of +George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, without issue. + +Sir Alexander had also a natural daughter, Janet, who married John +Macpherson, Gairloch, with issue. + +The second Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch, Jean Gorry, died in 1766, +probably at the birth of her last daughter, Janet, who was born on +the 14th of October in that year, and Sir Alexander himself died +on the 15th of April, 1770. He was buried in Gairloch, and was +succeeded by his eldest son, + +XI. SIR HECTOR MACKENZIE, the fourth Baronet, generally spoken +of among Highlanders as "An Tighearna Storach," or the Buck-toothed +Laird. Being a minor, only twelve years of age when he succeeded, +his affairs were managed by the following trustees appointed by his +father - John Gorry; Provost Mackenzie of Dingwall, and Alexander +Mackenzie, W.S., son and grandson respectively of Charles Mackenzie, +I. of Letterewe; and Alexander Mackenzie, of the Stamp Office, +London, son of William Mackenzie of Davochcairn. These gentlemen did +not get on so harmoniously as could be wished in the management +of the estate. The first three opposed the last-named, who was +supported by Sir Hector and by his grandfather and his uncle of +Redcastle. In the month of March, 1772, in a petition in which Sir +Hector craves the Court for authority to appoint his own factor, +he is described as "being now arrived at the age of fourteen years." +The differences which existed between the trustees finally landed +them in Court, the question specially in dispute being whether +the agreement of the late Sir Alexander to sell the Ardnagrask +and Strathpeffer lands should be carried out? In opposition to +the majority, the Court decided in favour of Sir Hector that they +should not be sold until he arrived at an age to judge for himself. +Having secured this decision, Sir Hector, thinking that Mr Gorry had +been acting too much in the interest of his own grandchildren - Sir +Alexander's children by the second marriage - now appointed a factor +of his own, Kenneth Mackenzie, his half uncle, the first "Millbank." + +In 1789 he obtained authority from the Court to sell the lands +which his father had previously arranged to dispose of to enable +him to pay the debts of the entailed estates. He sold the lands +of Davochcairn and Davochpollo to Henry Davidson of Tulloch, +and Ardnagrask to Captain Rose, Beauly, who afterwards sold it +to Mackenzie of Ord. + +In 1815 he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of his native county. He +lived generally at home among a devoted tenantry; and only visited +London once during his life. He regularly dispensed justice among +his Gairloch retainers without any expense to the county, and to +their entire satisfaction. He was adored by the people, to whom +he acted as a father and friend, and his memory is still green +among the older inhabitants, who never speak of him but in the +warmest terms for his generosity, urbanity, and frankness, and for +the kind and free manner in which he always mixed with and +addressed his tenants. He was considered by all who knew him the +most sagacious and intelligent man in the county. He employed no +factor after he came of age, but dealt directly and entirely with +his people, ultimately knowing every man on his estates, so that +he knew from personal knowledge how to treat each case of hardship +and inability to pay that came before him, and to distinguish +feigned from real poverty. When he grew frail from old age he +employed a clerk to assist him in the management, but he wisely +continued landlord and factor himself to his dying day. When Sir +Francis, his eldest son, reached a suitable age, instead of +adopting the usual folly of sending elder sons to the army that +they might afterwards succeed to the property entirely ignorant +of everything connected with it, he gave him, instead of a yearly +allowance, several of the farms, with a rental of about L500 a +year, over which he acted as landlord or tenant, until his +father's death, telling him "if you can make more of them, all the +better for you." Sir Francis thus grew up interested in and +thoroughly acquainted with all property and county business, and +with his future tenants, very much to his own ultimate advantage +and those who afterwards depended upon him. + +Sir Hector also patronised the Gaelic poets, and appointed one of +them, Alexander Campbell, better known as "Alastair Buidhe Mac +Iomhair," to be his ground-officer and family bard, and allowed +him to hold his land in Strath all his life rent free. [The late +Dr John Mackenzie of Eileanach, Sir Hector's youngest son, makes +the following reference, under date of August 30, 1878, to the +old bard: "I see honest Alastair Buidhe, with his broad bonnet +and blue great coat (summer and winter) clearly before me now, +sitting in the dining room at Flowerdale quite 'raised' - like while +reciting Ossian's poems, such as 'The Brown Boar of Diarmad,' and +others (though he had never heard of Macpherson's collection) to +very interested visitors, though as unacquainted with Gaelic as +Alastair was with English. This must have been as early as 1812 +or so, when I used to come into the room after dinner about nine +years old." Alastair Buidhe, the bard, was the author's +great-grandfather on the maternal side, and he was himself, on his +mother's side, descended from the Mackenzies of Shieldaig.] He +gave a great impetus to the Gairloch cod fishing, which he +continued to encourage as long as he lived. + +Sir Hector married, in August, 1778, Cochrane, daughter of James +Chalmers of Fingland, without issue; and the marriage was dissolved +by arrangement between the parties on the 22nd of April, 1796. +In the same year, the marriage contract being dated the "9th May, +1796," within a month of his separation from his first wife, Sir +Hector married, secondly, Christian, daughter and only child of +William Henderson, Inverness, a lady who became very popular +with the Gairloch people, and is still affectionately remembered +amongst them as "A Bhantighearna Ruadh," [Dr John, late of +Eileanach, writes of her and her father as follows: His second +wife was only child of William Henderson, from Aberdeenshire +(cousin of Mr Coutts, the London banker, with whom, in consequence +of the relationship, my elder brothers, Francis and William, +were on intimate terms in Stratton Street, Piccadilly, where Lady +Burdett Coutts now lives), who set up a Bleachfield at the Bught, +Inverness, by a daughter of Fraser of Bught. Henderson followed his +daughter to Conon, as tenant of Riverford, where, till very old, +he lived, and then moved to Conon House, till he died about 1816, +loved by all, aged 97. I think he is buried in the Chapel-Yard, +Inverness."] with issue - + +1. Francis Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. William, a merchant in lava, and afterwards in Australia. He +died, unmarried, in 1860, at St. Omer France. + +3. Hector, who married Lydia, eldest daughter of General Sir +Hugh Fraser of Braelangwell; was Captain in H.E.I.C.S., and died +in India, without surviving issue. + +4. Dr John, of Eileanach. He studied for the medical profession, +and took his degree of M.D. He was factor for the trustees of Sir +Kenneth, the present Baronet, during his minority, and afterwards +for several years, Provost of Inverness. He married, on the 28th +of September, 1826, Mary Jane, only daughter of the Rev. Dr Inglis +of Logan Bank and old Greyfriars, Edinburgh, Dean of the Chapel +Royal, and sister of the late distinguished Lord Justice-General +Inglis, President of the Court of Session, with issue - (1) Colonel +Hector, who was born on the 24th of August, 1828, and went to India +in his twentieth year, fought at Chilianwallah and Goojerat, and +was afterwards, until he retired in 1877, in the Civil Service, +chiefly as Judicial Commissioner for Central India at Nagpore. +He married on the 9th of May, 1855, Eliza Ann Theophila, eldest +daughter of General Jamieson, of the H.E.I.C.S., without issue; +(2) John Inglis, who died in 1843, in the 6th year of his age; (3) +Harry Maxwell, who was born on the 16th of May, 1839, a Colonel +in the Royal Artillery. He married on the 7th of September, 1872, +Caroline Georgina, eldest daughter of Captain Ponsonby, Indian +Staff Corps, Deputy Quarter-Master-General in Scinde, with issue, +six sons and four daughters - Hector Ian Maxwell, born on the 14th +of June, 1875; Harry Ponsonby, born on the 30th of March, 1877; +Kenneth Gordon, born on the 6th of July, 1878; Allan Stewart, born +on the 27th of October, 1881, and died in infancy; Colin Ray, +born on the 7th of May, 1887 Alastair Ponsonby, born on the 25th +of June, 1889 Margaret; Mary; Lillian Kythe; Kythe; and Gladys +Georgina. Colonel Mackenzie, after retiring from the Service, +resided at Auld Castlehill, Inverness, was Inspector for the Science +and Art Department in the North, and died suddenly, at Wick, on +the 13th of July, 1891; (4) Mary, who as his fourth wife, married +Duncan Davidson of Tulloch, with issue - Eoin Duncan Reginald, +a settler in Queensland; Hector Francis, in New Zealand Alastair +Norman, in Queensland; Lucy Eleonora, who, in 1873, married Sir +Allan R. Mackenzie, Baronet of Glenmuick, with issue, four sons +and a daughter - Allan James Reginald, born in 1880; Victor Audley +Falconer, born in 1882; Allan Keith, born in 1887; Eric Dighton, +born in 1891; and Mary Lucy Victoria. Tulloch's other daughters +were Mary Macpherson and Victoria Geraldine. His wife died on the +27th of October, 1867. (5) Christina Isabella, who, on the 23rd +of November, 1853, married Charles Addington Hanbury of Strathgarve, +Ross-shire, and Belmont, Herts, with issue, four sons and four +daughters - Harold Charles, of the Carabineers; John Mackenzie; +Basil; David Theophilus; Florence Mary; Kithe Agatha, who on the +10th of April, 1877, married Horace William Kemble, Hon. Major +2nd Cameron Highlanders, of Oakmere, Herts, at present tenant of +Knock, Isle of Skye, with issue - Horace Leonard, born on the 22nd +of April, 1882, Dorothea Lucinda, Hilda Olive, and Kythe Louisa +Elaine; Isabel, who married Major O. F. Annesley, R.A., with +issue - two daughters, Daphne and Myrtle; and Marie Frances Lisette +(6) Kithe Caroline who on the 12th of April, 1865, married Francis +Mackenzie, third son of Thomas Ogilvie of Corriemony, with issue, +seven children; (7) Lisette, who on the 28th of June, 1878, married +Frederick Louis Kindermann, son of Mr Kindermann, founder of the +house of Keith & Co., London and Liverpool, without issue; (8) +Georgina Elizabeth, who on the 26th of January, 1860, married the +late Duncan Henry Caithness Reay Davidson of Tulloch (who died +on the 29th of March, 1889), with issue - Duncan, now of Tulloch, +who on the 15th of November, 1887, married Mary Gwendoline, eldest +daughter of William Dalziel Mackenzie of Fawley Court, Bucks, and +of Farr, County of Inverness; John Francis Barnard Mary; Elizabeth +Diana; Adelaide Lucy; Georgianna Veronnica; and Christina Isabella. +Dr John of Eileanach died on the 18th of December, 1886. His +widow still survives. + +5. Roderick, a Captain in the army, who sold out and became a +settler in Australia, where he died. He married an Irish lady, +Meta Day, sister of the Bishop of Cashel, without issue, and died +in 1849. + +Sir Hector had also, by his housekeeper, Jean Urquhart, three +natural children, which caused his separation from his first wife. +He made provision for them all. The first, Catherine, married +John Clark, leather merchant, Inverness, and left issue. Another +daughter married Mr Murrison, contractor for the Bridge of Conon, +who afterwards settled down, after the death of the last of the +Mackenzies of Achilty, on the farm of Kinkell, with issue, from +whom the Stewarts, late Windmill, Inverness. A son, Kenneth who +was for some time in the British Linen Bank, Inverness, afterwards +died in India, in the army, unmarried. + +Sir Hector's widow survived him for about twelve years, first +living with her eldest son Sir Francis, and after his marriage +at Ballifeary, now Dunachton, on the banks of the Ness. Though +he succeeded to the property under such unfavourable conditions +though his annual rental was under L3000 per annum; and though he +kept open house throughout the year both at Conon and Gairloch, +he was able to leave or pay during his life to each of his younger +sons the handsome sum of L5000. When pressed, as he often was, to +go to Parliament he invariably asked, "Who will then look after +my people?" + +He died on the 26th of April, 1826; was buried in the Priory of +Beauly, and succeeded by his eldest son, + +XII. SIR FRANCIS ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth Baronet, who, +benefitting by his father's example, and his kindly treatment +of his tenants, grew up interested in all county affairs. He was +passionately fond of all manly sports, shooting, fishing, and +hunting. He resided during the summer in Gairloch, and for the +rest of the year kept open house at Conon. During the famine of +1836-37 he sent cargoes of meal and seed potatoes to the Gairloch +tenantry, which, with some heavy bill transactions he had entered +into to aid an old friend, William Grant of Redcastle, at the time +carrying on the Haugh Brewery, Inverness, involved him in financial +difficulties. This induced him, in 1841, to get his brother, Dr +John Mackenzie of Eileanach, to take charge of his affairs, going +himself along with his second wife for a few years to Brittany, +where his youngest son, Osgood Hanbury Mackenzie, now of Inverewe, +was born. To get clear of the liability incurred with Grant, Dr +John had ultimately to pay down L7000. + +In 1836 Sir Francis published a work on agriculture, entitled +"Hints for the use of Highland Tenants and Cottagers," extending +to 273 pages, with English and Gaelic on opposite pages, which +shows his intimate knowledge of the subject, as well as the +great interest which he took in the welfare of his tenantry - for +whose special benefit the book was written. It deals first, +with the proper kind of food and how to cook it; with diseases +and medicine, clothing, houses, furniture, boats, fishing and +agricultural implements; cattle, horses, pigs, and their diseases; +gardens, seeds, fruits, vegetables, education, morals, etc., +etc., with illustrations and plans of suitable cottages, barns, +outhouses, and farm implements. + +He married, first, in the 31st year of his age, on the 10th of +August, 1829, Kythe Caroline, eldest daughter of Smith-Wright of +Rempstone Hall, Nottinghamshire, with issue - + +1. Kenneth Smith, the present Baronet. + +2. Francis Harford, born in 1833, unmarried. + +He married, secondly, on the 25th of October, 1836, Mary, daughter +of Osgood Hanbury of Holfield Grange, Essex, the present Dowager +Lady Mackenzie, residing at Letterewe, with issue - + +3. Osgood Hanbury, born on the 13th of May, 1842. In 1862 he +bought Kernsary from his brother Sir Kenneth, and in 1863 Inverewe +and Tournaig from Sir William Mackenzie, IX. of Coul. On the +26th of June, 1877, he married Mina Amy, daughter of Sir Thomas +Edwards-Moss, Baronet of Otterspool, Lancashire, with issue, a +daughter, Mary Thyra. + +Sir Francis died on the 2nd of June, 1843, from inflammation of the +arm, produced by bleeding--then a common practice for all manner +of complaints - by his intimate personal friend, Robert Liston, +the celebrated surgeon. He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +XIII. SIR KENNETH SMITH MACKENZIE, sixth and present Baronet, +who was born on the 25th of May, 1832, and has long been considered +one of the best and most enlightened landlords in the Highlands. +Following the example of his father and grandfather he for many +years dealt directly with his people, without any factor, or +other intermediary, except an estate manager at Gairloch, and, +like his ancestors, took a personal interest in every man on his +property. He takes an active and intelligent part in all county +matters; is Convener of the Commissioners of Supply and of the +County Council, and is Lord-Lieutenant for Ross and Cromarty. +In 1854 he was appointed Attache to Her Majesty's Legation at +Washington, which, however, he never joined. In 1855 he received +a commission as Captain in the Highland Rifle (Ross-shire) Militia, +afterwards attained the rank of Major, and ultimately retired. +In 1880 he contested the county of Inverness as a Liberal against +Donald Cameron of Lochiel, the Tory candidate, but was defeated +by a majority of 28. In 1883-84 he was a member of the Royal +(Napier) Commission to enquire into the condition and grievances +of the Highland crofters. In 1885 he again contested the county +of Inverness as the official Liberal candidate against Reginald +Macleod in the Tory interest and Charles Fraser-Mackintosh as the +Independent Land Law Reform candidate, when he was again defeated. +On the 11th of December, 1860, he married Eila Frederica, daughter +of Walter Frederic Campbell of Islay, with issue - + +1. Kenneth John, Younger of Gairloch, who was born on the 6th of +October, 1861, late Captain in the Rifle Brigade. On the 8th of +April, 1891, he married the Hon. Marjory Lousia Murray, eldest +daughter of the late William David Viscount Stormont (who died +in 1893), eldest son of the present and fourth Earl of Mansfield, +K.T., by Emily Louisa, daughter of the late Sir John Atholl Macgregor +of Macgregor, Baronet, with issue - Hector David, who was born on +the 6th of June, 1893; and Marjory Kythe. + +2. Francis Granville, who was born on the 31st of August, 1865; +and + +3. Muriel Katharine. + +"Arms" - Quarterly: 1st and 4th, azure, a buck's head cabossed or; +2nd and 3rd, asure, three frasers argent. "Crest" - A Highlander +wielding a sword, proper. "Mottoes" - Over crest, "Virtute et valore;" +under, "Non sine periculo." + + +THE MACKENZIES OF LOCHEND. + +I. JOHN MACKENZIE, first of Lochend, was the third son of Alexander +Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, by his second wife, Janet, daughter +of William Mackenzie, I. of Belmaduthy. He purchased the lands +of Lochend and married Annabella, second daughter and nineteenth +child of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, by his first wife, +Margaret, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Ballone with +issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. George, an officer in Murray Keith's Highland Regiment, afterwards +successively Major and Lieutenant-Colonel of the 78th or Seaforth +Highlanders, and of whose family and descendants presently. + +3. Lilias, who married William Mackenzie, IV. of Gruinard (sasine +1742), with issue - four sons and three daughters. + +4. Christina, who married William Mac Iver of Tournaig, with +issue. + +John Mackenzie of Lochend was Guardian or Tutor to his nephew, Sir +Alexander Mackenzie, IX. and second Baronet of Gairloch, in 1728. +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who married, first, Anne, second daughter +of Colin Mackenzie, I. of Mountgerald, with issue - + +1. Lewis, who died before his father, unmarried. + +2. John, who succeeded to the estate of Lochend. + +3. Alexander, who was married, but of whom nothing further is +known. + +4. James, of whom there is no trace. + +5. Annabella, who married John Mac Iver, Stornoway, with issue. + +6. Lilias, who married Iver Mac Iver, Gress, Lewis, with issue. + +He married secondly, Annabella, daughter of Sutherland of Little +Torboll, with issue - + +7. Lewis, of whom nothing is known. + +8. Elizabeth, who married a Mr Mackenzie, with issue. + +Alexander was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +III. CAPTAIN JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Lochend, who married +first, a daughter of Mr Morrison, in the Lewis, with issue - + +1. Anne, who married Kenneth Gardiner, Leith. + +He married, secondly, a daughter of Roderick Morrison, Island of +Tanera, with issue - + +2. Annabella, who married Neil Morrison, Sailing Master, Royal +Navy, with issue. + +3. Sybella, who married Lieutenant William Ryrie, of the Royal +Marines, with issue. + +4. Ellen, who married John Mackenzie, Ullapool, of the Sand family, +who resided in Tanera, without issue. + +Captain John married, thirdly, a daughter of Collector John Reid, +Stornoway, with issue-- + +5. Anne, who married Alexander Stewart, Chamberlain of the Lewis, +and afterwards factor for the Duke of Sutherland at Scourie. + +6. Alexander, who died before his father, unmarried. + +7. John Reid, who succeeded to Lochend. + +8. Daniel Lewis, who married Helen Mackay, widow of his cousin, +Donald Macdonald, master mariner, with issue - Aeneas, unmarried, +and Agnes Ann, who married Murdoch Mac Iver, a London merchant, +with issue - a son, Kenneth, and three daughters, one of whom, Helen +Isabella, married Donald MacIver, merchant, Currachee, India. + +9. James Reid, M.D., who married his cousin, a daughter of Captain +Donald Reid, of Eilean Riach, without issue. + +10. Margaret, alive as late as August, 1881, unmarried. + +He was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son, + +IV. JOHN REID MACKENZIE, fourth of Lochend, who married Miss +Mackenzie Morrison, daughter of Captain John Morrison, RN., and +sister of Mrs Stewart, wife of the Rev. Alexander Stewart, LL.D., +"Nether-Lochaber." He died in New Zealand in 1879, and his wife +died in the following year, leaving issue - + +1. John Alexander, his heir. + +2. Daniel Lewis. + +3. Agnes. + +4. Kennethina. + +5. Christina Mary. + +He was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son, + +V. JOHN ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth of Lochend, now at the head +of a large Insurance Company, in the City of New York. + +COLONEL GEORGE MACKENZIE, second son of John Mackenzie, I. of +Lochend, served first as an officer in Murray Keith's Highland +Regiment, and was subsequently, in September 1780, appointed +Major in the 78th or Seaforth Highlanders. He was on Sir David +Baird's Staff in India, and was present at the storming of Seringapatam. +In 1783 he was promoted to the rank of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel. +In 1791 he was killed near Inverness, by the upsetting of a coach +in which he was a passenger. He married Christina, daughter of +Captain Hector Munro of Braemore, with issue - + +1. John, a Captain in the army, who married Miss Fraser, with +issue - George, a Lieutenant in the 2nd or Queen's Regiment, who +died, unmarried, in Madras; and Poyntz, Lieutenant 79th Cameron +Highlanders, who died, unmarried, in North America, in 1843. + +2. Poyntz, Paymaster 72nd Highlanders, who died unmarried, at +Antigua, in the West Indies. + +3. Alexander, who joined the army on the 9th of September, 1795, +as Ensign in the 39th Regiment. He obtained his Lieutenancy on +the 27th of February, 1796, was in June 1802 exchanged to the 60th +Rifles, and on the 27th of April, 1809, promoted to a Captaincy +in the 81st Regiment. During this period he saw much service in +the Peninsula, and was subsequently engaged in the expedition to +Flushing, for which he received the war medal with four clasps. +On the 31st of October, 1811, he exchanged to the York Light +Infantry, then serving in Jamaica; was placed on half-pay on the +reduction of that regiment on the 19th of March, 1817; appointed +to the Royal Newfoundland Companies on the formation of that corps +on the 25th of July, 1824, and promoted to the rank of Major in +July, 1830. He retired from the Army in 1836 and died in Canada +in 1852. He married, first, Eliza, daughter of Captain John +Sutherland, of Shiberscross, Sutherlandshire, with issue - (1) +Mary Maxwell, who married Garland Crawford Gordon, St. John's, +Newfoundland with issue. She (Mary Maxwell) died in 1852. Major +Alexander married, secondly, Eliza Frances, daughter of William +Brown, of Lucea, Jamaica, with issue - (2) ALEXANDER WILLIAM +MACKENZIE, Lieutenant-Colonel, who joined the 1st West India +Regiment as Ensign, on the 3rd of February, 1839, and obtained +his Captaincy on the 1st of January, 1847. He retired from this +regiment in January, 1850, but was re-appointed to the Service as +Regimental Paymaster in December 1854 - a position in which +he subsequently served in the 48th, 54th, 3rd West India and the +21st and 18th Regiments, until he was transferred to the Army +Pay Department on the 1st of April, 1878. He was promoted to +the rank of Major on the 6th of February, 1862, and to that of +Lieutenant-Colonel on the 1st of October, 1882. He married, first, +Selina Martha, fourth daughter of Captain William Webster late +of the 1st West India and 76th Regiments, by his wife, Marie +Gabrielle, daughter of Charles Parseille, M.D., of Brittany, +and grand-daughter of the Countess De Mariset, with issue - (a) +Alexander William Webster Mackenzie, Lieutenant in the 100th +Regiment, who married Jessie Glen Rae, daughter of Captain Hector +Munro, 2nd Queen's and Royal Canadian Rifles, son of Captain +John Munro of the Sutherland Militia, without Issue. He died in +Canada on the 16th of October, 1867, and his wife was lost at sea +in September, 1870, on the passage from Canada to Britain; (b) +Rowland Poyntz Mackenzie, who married Rosalie MacEwen, daughter +of William Wainwright, of Trinidad, with issue - Alexander William, +who went to Columbus, Ohio, United States of America, on the 5th +of May, 1892, and is in the Commercial National Bank there. The +daughters were Selina Margaret, who married Henneage Goldie Pasea +of Strathearn Lodge, Trinidad; and Rosalie Miriam Gray. He died +in Trinidad on the 22nd of May, 1877; (c) Charles William Beverley +Mackenzie, late of the 71st Highland Light Infantry, Assistant +Commissary General. He married Selina Janet, daughter of Alexander +Gray, of Lanark, for many years a resident proprietor in Trinidad, +and a member of the Legislative Council of that island, without +issue. His wife died in Ireland on the 18th of October, 1880, +and he died at Gibraltar on the 12th of August, 1884; (d) George +Ker Mackenzie, of the Agra Bank, India, now residing in Bedford, +England. He married Jamesina Greig, daughter of Hugh Fraser, +a native of Kingussie, for many years a resident proprietor in +Calcutta, with issue - George Fraser, who died in infancy; Hugh +Fraser; Charles Fraser Alexander Fraser, who died in childhood; +and Selina Fraser; (e) Evelina Gray, who married Colonel Charles +Hill Jones, of the 54th Regiment, who died, without issue, on +the 3rd of September, 1876, while in command of the 13th and 14th +Sub-Districts at Liverpool. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander William +Mackenzie's first wife died at Folkstone, on the 13th of December, +1890, and he married, secondly, Mary Jane, daughter of Thomas +Crawford, coal-owner, Little Town House, Durham. (3) George John +Poyntz Mackenzie, a resident proprietor, and for several years a +member of the Legislative Council of Trinidad. He married Emily, +daughter of a Mr Williams, of that island, with issue; (4) Innes +Munro Mackenzie, who died in infancy; (5) Innes Munro Mackenzie, +who married Sarah Nicholson, Lewes, Sussex, and latterly of Toronto, +Canada, with issue; (6) Wemyss Erskine Sutherland Mackenzie, who +married Eliza Marache, Trinidad, with issue. He died in 1872 at La +Guyra, Spanish Main, South America; (7) Norman Leslie Mackenzie, +who married Catherine Forsyth, Trinidad, with issue. He was drowned +in the Gulf of Paria, in 1858, by the upsetting of a sailing-boat +in which he was proceeding from Port of Spain to San Fernando; +(8) the Rev. Garland Crawford Mackenzie, Rural Dean of Brant, +Ontario, Canada, who married Helen, daughter of the Rev. Michael +Boomer, Dean of Ontaria, with issue; (9) Eliza Francis Cressy, +who married Henry Lord, M.D., Canada, with issue. She died in +1851; (10) Lydia, who married Henry Rowland Hanning, Danville, +Canada, without issue. She died in 1857. + +4. Eliza (eldest daughter of Colonel George Mackenzie), married +her cousin, the distinguished Colonel Alexander Mackenzie, fourth +son of William Mackenzie, IV. of Gruinard, with issue - Captain +George, who was killed in action, unmarried, and Alexanderina, +who married Alexander Grove, M.D., R.N., Greenwich Hospital, with +issue. + +5. Lilias, who married Captain Macgregor of the 18th Regiment, +without issue. + +6. Georgina, who married a Mr Euracht, without issue. + +7. Christina, who married Angus Macleod, Banff, with issue. + +8. Annabella, who married Captain John Munro of Kirkton, with +issue. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF LETTERWE. + +I. CHARLES MACKENZIE, first of Letterewe, was the eldest son by +his third wife, Janet, daughter of John Cuthbert of Castle Hill, +Inverness (marriage contract, 17th December, 1658), of Alexander +Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch. He is originally designed of Mellan +Charles, no doubt so called after himself, but by his father's +marriage contract he got Loggie-Wester, now Conon, which he +afterwards, in 1696, exchanged with his half brother, Alexander +Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, for the lands of Letterewe. He +married, in 1684, Anne, third daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of +Applecross (sasine 1687), with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. The Rev. Hector, minister of Fodderty, and previous to his +appointment there, Librarian to the University of Aberdeen. He +married a Miss Baillie, with issue - a daughter, who married +Mackenzie of Park. + +3. Alexander of Tolly, Provost of Dingwall, who married in 1740, +Annabella, daughter of Sir Donald Bayne of Tulloch, with issue, +among others - Alexander, from whom the Mackenzies of Portmore, and +by his second wife, Katharine, daughter of Bayne of Delny, Bailie +Hector Mackenzie of Dingwall, on whose death Alexander Campbell, +the Gairloch Bard, composed one of the finest elegies in the Gaelic +language. + +4. Anna, who married Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Kernsary (marriage +contract in 1708), with issue. + +5. A daughter, who married her cousin, Roderick Mackenzie, II. +of Sanachan, son of Colin, second son of Roderick Mackenzie, I. +of Applecross. + +6. Annabella, who married John Maciver of Tournaig, and afterwards +tacksman of Gress, in the Lewis, with issue. + +Charles was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, second of Letterewe. He fought at the +battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715, and at Glenshiel in 1719. When +a very old man he was determined to be out again in 1745, but +according to a family tradition his wife prevented him by pouring +hot water on his feet, as if by accident, and scalded him so much +that he was unable to walk. He married his cousin, Catharine, +daughter of Simon Mackenzie, I. of Torridon and Lentran, widow +of John Mackenzie, Dalmartin, who was killed at Sheriffmuir, and, +it is also said, of Roderick Mackenzie of Auldeny, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Janet, who married Alexander Mackenzie of Sand. (Sasine to +her in 1744). + +3. Anne, who married the Rev. James Robertson, the famous "Ministear +Laidir" of Lochbroom, with issue - six sons and two daughters, one +of whom was James Robertson, Collector of Customs at Stornoway. He +married his cousin, Annabella, eldest daughter of John Mackenzie, +III. of Letterewe, with issue - three sons - (1) Captain James +Robertson-Walker, R.N., late of Gilgarran, Cumberland, +who married his cousin, Katherine, daughter of John Mackenzie, +Sheriff-Substitute of the Lewis, without issue. He died in 1858. +(2) Murdoch, who married, with issue - James Robertson, who, like +his uncle, took in addition the name of Walker on his succession +as proprietor to the estate of Gilgarran, on the death of his aunt +in 1892. He is married, with issue - James Austin, Murdo, and two +daughters; (3) John, a noted Captain in the Merchant Service, +celebrated for his quick passages with racing tea clippers between +China and this country. He was also married with issue - a son, +Francis Shand Robertson, residing at Richmond, Surrey, who married +his cousin, Mary, daughter of Evander MacIver, factor for the +Duke of Sutherland at Scourie and another great-grandson of the +Strong Minister, with issue, and a daughter Annie, who married W. +Napier. + +Murdoch, who died at a very old age, was succeeded by his only +son, + +III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Letterewe, who married his cousin, +Katherine, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of Tolly, Provost of +Dingwall, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, who succeeded his brother Murdoch. + +3. John, for many years the popular Sheriff-Substitute of the Lewis +district of Ross-shire, and subsequently tacksman of Shieldaig, +Gairloch. + +He married Johanna, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of Badachro, +by his wife, a daughter of the Rev. James Robertson of Lochbroom, +with issue - (1) the late John Mackenzie of Auchenstewart, Wishaw, +and subsequently of Ardlair, Edinburgh, who married in Australia, +Anna Baird, who died at Wishaw on the 7th of November, 1885, with +issue - an only son, John Alexander Mackenzie, now of Ardlair, +Edinburgh. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Sinclair, +Newark, U.S.A., formerly of Glasgow, with issue - John Baird; +Alexander Livingston Munro; Elizabeth Margaret, who died young; +Anna Louisa; Elizabeth Louttit; and Katharine May. John of +Auchenstewart died at Ardlair, Edinburgh, on the 25th of December, +1890. + +Sheriff Mackenzie married, secondly, Christina, daughter of the +Rev. Hugh Munro, minister of Uig, Lewis (representative of the +Munroes of Erribol, Sutherlandshire), with issue - (2) John Munro +Mackenzie of Mornish, Mull, who, born in 1819, married in 1846, +Eliza, eldest daughter of the late Patrick Chalmers, Wishaw, +brother of the celebrated Dr Thomas Chalmers of the Disruption, +with issue - (a) John Hugh Munro, who, on the 23rd of June, +1875, married Jeanie Helen, second daughter of Thomas Chalmers, +Longcroft, Linlithgowshire, with issue - John Munro; Thomas +Chalmers; Hugh Munro; Kenneth; Jean Elizabeth; Christina Marion; +and Kathlene Harriet. (b) Patrick Chalmers, who was born on +the 4th of May, 1862, and on the 31st of October, 1882, married +Mary Kathlene, third daughter of Thomas Chalmers, of Longcroft, +Linlithgowshire, with issue - Patrick Harry, born on the 15th of +March, 1889; Isabel Grace and Mary Mona. (c) Harriet, who on +the 5th of July, 1870, married James Scott, of Garrion Tower, +Lanarkshire, with issue - Munro Mackenzie, born on the 2nd of March, +1872 James Harry, born on the 27th of September, 1873; William +Patrick, born on the 18th of March, 1880; Elizabeth; and Harriet +Carige, who died in her twelfth year on the 17th of April, 1889. +(d) Christina Marion, who died unmarried at Cannes in January, +1881; and (e) Helen Mary, who, in April, 1883, married Dr John +Aymers Macdougall of Ann, Berwickshire, and Villa Letterewe, +Cannes, France, with issue - Christina Marion Mackenzie; Helen +Mary Mackenzie; and Sheila Aymers. John Munro of Mornish died at +Garrion Tower, Wishaw, on the 26th of November, 1893. (3) Hugh +Munro Mackenzie, of Distington, Cumberland, who married Alexa, +daughter of the late Captain Martin Macleod, of Drynoch, Ontario, +Canada, with issue - Martin Edward; Hugh Munro; Christina; Jeanie; +and Kate. Hugh Munro, of Distington, died on the 25th of January, +1885. (4) Katharine, who married her cousin, Captain James +Robertson-Walker, R.N., of Gilgarran, Cumberland. She died on +the 21st of December, 1892, without issue. + +4. Annabella, who married her cousin, James Robertson, Collector +of Customs at Stornoway, son of the "Ministear Laidir" of Lochbroom, +with issue, among others - Katharine, who married Lewis Mac Iver, of +Gress, representative of the Mac Ivers of Tournaig and Leckmelm, with +issue - (1) Evander MacIver, now factor for the Duke of Sutherland +at Scourie, who married Mary, daughter of Donald Macdonald, then +of Skeabost, Isle of Skye, with issue - (a) James Robertson, M.D., +who died in India, unmarried; (b) Donald, factor for Lord Falmouth, +who died unmarried; (c) Duncan Davidson, a settler at Ellisdale, +Victoria, who married Florence Eastwood, Ballarat, with issue - Evander +and Mary; (d) Lewis, formerly in the Bank of Madras, and now +of Blackburn, Lancashire, who married Margaret MacAll there; (e) +Evander, who died young; (f) Murdo Robertson, who married, with +issue - two sons, John, Evander, and two daughters, who, with their +mother survive him; (g) John Macdonald, a settler in the Cape +of Good Hope, married, without issue; and (h) Mary, who married +her cousin, Francis Shand Robertson, residing at Chiswick, +with issue - Evander Shand, Duncan, and two daughters; (2) James +Robertson MacIver, merchant, Stornoway, married, but died without +male issue; (3) John MacIver, banker at Dingwall, afterwards Secretary +of the Bank of Madras, in India, and now residing at Dover. He +married Eliza Doherty of Coleraine, Ireland, with issue - (a) Lewis, +late of the Indian Civil Service, Barrister-at-law, and M.P. +for Torquay during the short Parliament of 1885-86. He was born +on the 6th of March, 1846, and married on the 11th of September, +1884, Charlotte Rosalind, daughter of Nathaniel Montefiore, +F.R.S., of Coldeast, Hants, a grand-niece of the late Sir Moses +Montefiore, with issue, two daughters - Marjorie Barabel Ruth and +Nathalie Esther; (b) Iver Ian, a squatter in Queensland, who married +a daughter of George Dill, one of the founders of the "Melbourne +Argus," with issue - four children, the eldest of whom is a boy named +Ian; (4) Lewis Maciver, a Liverpool merchant, who married, with +issue - (a) James Walker, a Civil Engineer, and (b) another son; +(5) William Walker MacIver, who died at Hong Kong, unmarried; (6) +Murdo Robertson MacIver, who also died unmarried; (7) Alexander +MacIver, Agent for the Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company, +first at Madras and afterwards at Hong Kong, who married Marjory, +daughter of Captain Hector Gunn, of the Black Watch, with issue - (a) +Alister, in the London office of the Peninsular and Oriental +Steamship Company; (b) Colin, and several daughters. Alexander +died in 1892. (8) Lilias, who married Roderick Macleod, merchant, +Liverpool, with issue - one daughter. + +5. Catherine, who married her cousin, Charles, a younger son of +the Rev. James Robertson, and brother of her sister's husband, +Collector James Robertson, of Stornoway, with issue. + +6. Anne, who married John Macintyre, tacksman of Letterewe, with +issue. + +John was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. MURDO MACKENZIE, fourth of Letterewe, a Captain in the 78th +Highlanders. He died in India, unmarried, and was succeeded by +his next brother, + +V. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth of Letterewe, who married Catherine, +daughter of James Macdonald of Skeabost, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. James, a midshipman, H.E.I.C.S., who died unmarried. + +3. Murdo, a doctor, H.E.I.C.S., who also died unmarried. + +4. Hector, who was an Officer of Customs at the Cape of Good +Hope, and afterwards succeeded his brother in the estate of Letterewe. + +5. Donald Alexander, who in early life emigrated to the United +States, and of whom presently. + +6. Jessie, who married Donald Macdonald, Lochinver, who afterwards +went to the Cape of Good Hope and died at Southsea in 1888, +leaving issue - (1) Donald, C.E., at the Cape, who married, and has +issue - two sons and a daughter. (2) Alexander James, of Milland, +Hants, who, in 1866, married Caroline, daughter of John Heugh, of +Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with issue - Ione and Thyra. (3) +Murdo, who, in 1869, married Laura, daughter of J. Foley, sculptor, +London, with issue - Flora; Alexander; Charles; Somerled; and +Ronald. (4) Katherine, who in 1849 married the late James Somers +Kirkwood, merchant at Port Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope, with +issue - (1) Donald, who married first, in 1866, Helen, daughter of +Thomas Read, of Trouse, Norwich, with issue - Donald. He married, +secondly, Cornelia, daughter of R. Restall, of Uitenhague, South +Africa, with issue - Hector and Hellen; (2) Charles; (3) Alexander; +(4) Reginald; (5) Annie, who married Archibald Merilees, Moscow; and +(6) Jessie, who married Walter Somerville Lockhart, of Clydesdale, +with issue - Lawrence. + +7. Katherine, who died unmarried. + +8. Emily, who resided in London, unmarried. + +Alexander was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. JOHN MACKENZIE, a Writer to the Signet, in Edinburgh, where he +died unmarried, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving brother, + +VII. HECTOR MACKENZIE, seventh of Letterewe. In 1835 he sold +the estate to Meyrick Bankes of Winstanley Hall, Lancashire. He +died, unmarried, in 1860 at Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, when he +was succeeded, as representative of the family, by his youngest +and only surviving brother, + +VIII. DONALD ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, a merchant at Dubuque, Iowa, +United States of America, who married, with issue - + +1. Charles, who succeeded as representative of the family. + +2. Alexander, a Captain of Engineers in the United States Army, +who married in 1872, with issue - a son Donald. + +Donald Alexander died in 1872, leaving a widow, who subsequently +resided at Dubuque, when he was succeeded as representative of +the family, by his eldest son, + +IX. CHARLES MACKENZIE, a lawyer, now in good practice in the +United States. + +The representative of the Mackenzies of Letterewe in this country +is John Alexander Mackenzie, of Ardlair, Edinburgh, only son of +the late John Mackenzie of Auchenstewart, who died in 1890. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF PORTMORE. + +THIS family is descended from Alexander Mackenzie of Tolly, grandson +of Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch, and third son of Charles +Mackenzie of Loggie-Wester, and subsequently I. of Letterewe, by +Anne, daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross. He married, +first, Annabella, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Donald Bayne of +Tulloch; and their descendants, as representatives of that ancient +family, bear its cognisance on the centre of their shield, a wolf's +head proper. He was a Bailie and afterwards Provost of Dingwall, +exercised considerable local and political influence, and greatly aided +Lord Macleod, son of George Earl of Cromarty, in his candidature +for the county of Ross, as may be seen from the Cromarty Papers. +During an election riot which occurred in Dingwall in 1751, Mrs +Mackenzie, whilst looking out of a window of her own house, was +accidentally shot. By her Provost Mackenzie had issue - + +1. Alexander, I. of Portmore. + +2. Katharine, who married her cousin, John Mackenzie, III. of +Letterewe, with issue. + +3. Charlotte, who married the Rev. John Downie, minister of +Gairloch, subsequently of Urray, with issue. + +He married, secondly, Katharine, daughter of Bayne of Delny, with +issue - + +4. Ronald, a Captain in the Army, who died in Ireland, without +issue. + +5. Hector, a well-known and highly-popular Bailie of Dingwall, +who married, first, Anne, daughter of the Rev. Colin Mackenzie, +minister of Fodderty, and I. of Glack, with issue - (1) Alexander, +a merchant in London, who married his cousin, Catherine, daughter +of Kenneth Mackenzie, of Millbank, with issue - two daughters, +Catherine, who married Major Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Kincraig +and Ann, who married the Rev. John Macdonald of Calcutta, an +eminent divine; (2) Colin, Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, who died +without issue; (3) Henry, who died unmarried; (4) Hectorina, who +died at Dingwall, unmarried, in 1850. Bailie Mackenzie married +secondly, a daughter of Mackenzie, Ussie, with issue - (5) Jane, +who married John Mackenzie; (6) Annabella, who married William +Kemp, of Comrie; (7) Anne, who married Kenneth Mackenzie, of +Millbank. + +Alexander of Tolly died in 1774 and, along with his wife, Annabella, +is interred in the family burying-place at Dingwall. + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, his eldest son and heir, who was born +on the 5th of February, 1740, and afterwards became first of +Portmore, settled as a W.S. in Edinburgh; but all his life he +kept up a close connection with his native county, having intimate +business relations with all its principal landowners. He was a +man of undoubted ability, and the personal friend of many noted +literary men of his day. He purchased the estate of Seaton, in +East Lothian, but afterwards sold it to the Earl of Wemyss, after +which he purchased the estate of Portmore, Peebleshire, from the +Conyears Earls of Portmore. He married on the 25th of February, +1766, Anne, eldest daughter of Colin Mackenzie, VI. of Kilcoy, +by Martha, eldest daughter of Charles Fraser of Inverallochy +and Castle Fraser, whose mother was Lady Marjory Erskine, eldest +daughter of James, seventh Earl of Buchan. + +Lady Marjory married secondly, Charles, last Lord Fraser of Castle +Fraser, who, dying without issue, left his estate to his step-son, +Simon Fraser of Inverallochy. On the death, without issue, of +Martha's three brothers, she and her sister Elizabeth became +co-heiresses of Inverallochy and Castle Fraser, and on Elizabeth's +death Martha became sole heiress. She left the estates to her +distinguished son, Lieutenant-General Alexander Mackenzie, who +assumed the additional name of Fraser. Thus the families of Kilcoy +and Portmore deduce descent from the Royal Houses of Stuart and +Plantaganet, as also from the Dukes of Burgundy, and Raymond +Count of Provence. Alexander had issue - + +1. Alexander, who died in infancy in 1767. + +2. Alexander, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding the 21st Dragoons. +He died before his father at Cape Malo, St. Domingo, West Indies, +in July 1796, aged 27, unmarried. + +3. Colin, who succeeded his father at Portmore. + +4. John, who was born in 1771, and died young. + +5. George Udny, born in 1773, and died young. + +6. Charles, born in 1779, and died in 1783. + +7. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, I. of Muirton, Ross-shire, W.S. in +Edinburgh, Deputy-Lieutenant for Ross, Sutherland, and Cromarty. +He was born on the 1st of October, 1780, and married first, on the +6th of July, 1805, Mary, daughter of James Mansfield of Midmar, +Aberdeenshire, by Marion, daughter of Dalrymple Horn-Elphinstone +of Horn and Logie-Elphinstone, eldest surviving son of Viscount +(now Earl of) Stair, with issue - (1) ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, II. of +Muirton, and of Meikle Scatwell; a W.S., Edinburgh. Alexander, +who was born on the 28th of February, 1812, married his cousin, +Maria, second daughter and co-heiress with her three sisters of +John Mansfield of Midmar, with issue - William Garloch, who died +unmarried at Gibraltar, on the 22nd of May, 1876; John Mansfield, +W.S., Edinburgh, who died unmarried - the last of six sons - in 1892; +Alexander James, who died in Natal in 1887, unmarried; Douglas +Hay, who succeeded to the estate of Meikle Scatwell by the will +of his aunt, Mrs Douglas (Jemima Mansfield), and, dying unmarried +at Clifton on the 9th of June, 1873, bequeathed it to his father; +George Vansittart, a merchant in Leith, who died unmarried in +1891; and James Dalrymple, who died in New Zealand, unmarried, +in 1887. Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Muirton, sold that estate +to Colonel Ainslie, and Meikle Scatwell to Sir William James Bell, +LL.D., now of Scatwell. (2) James Mansfield, who died unmarried +in 1838, aged 25. (3) William, M.A., in Holy Orders, who married +Isabella Trotter, Natal, with issue - George Charles, born in 1857, +heir of his uncle, John Mansfield; Alexander Frederick, born in +1859 Harry James Mansfield, born in 1863; John, born in 1866; +Mary Marion; Thomas Mansfield, born in 1866; and Grace Isabella. +The Rev William died in Natal in 1887. (4) Marion, who married +Captain Frederick H. De Lisle, R.N., Guernsey, and died without +issue in 1879. William Mackenzie, I. of Muirton, married secondly, +Alice, daughter of Andrew Wauchope of Niddry Marischal, County +of Midlothian, without issue. He died in 1856, and was succeeded +in the lands of Muirton by his eldest son, Alexander, II. of +Muirton, as above. + +8. Sutherland, manager of the Scottish Union Insurance Company, +who was born on the 31st of January, 1785, and died unmarried on +the 26th of March, 1853. + +9. John, who was born on the 13th of October, 1787, died in 1854, +and is interred in the family burying place at Dingwall. He was +a banker in Inverness and Commissioner for many years for the +Redcastle and Flowerburn estates. He was a man of great ability, +lavish hospitality and generosity, and a keen sportsman. He +exercised very considerable social and political influence, and the +Burgh of Inverness presented him with a valuable service of plate +in recognition of his services during Earl Grey's administration +on the passing of the Municipal Reform Bill in 1833. He was +unanimously elected the first Provost of Inverness after the Act +came into force, and was repeatedly pressed to become a candidate +for Inverness as its representative in Parliament. He was offered +the Governorship of Ceylon and of the Mauritius, but he declined +to accept either. He married, on the 4th December, 1817, Mary +Charlotte, only child of Robert Pierson, a merchant prince in +Riga, son of James Pierson of Balmadies, Forfarshire, a very old +Scottish family of Scandinavian origin, recorded as landowners in +Berwickshire in 1296, and described in 1634 as "very ancient." +She was a most beautiful and accomplished woman, could converse +in Russ, German, French, and Italian, and was an admirable musician +and artist. She died in 1883 and is buried in Dingwall, leaving +issue - (1) Alexander, like his father a banker in Inverness, who +was born on the 18th of March, 1820, and died, unmarried, on the +20th of March, 1860; (2) JOHN ROBERT MACKENZIE, a Major-General in +Her Majesty's Forces, late Colonel of the 2nd Battalion King's +Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He was in command in 1873 of +a successful expeditionary force in Arabia. He was born on the +5th of June, 1822, and on the 28th of August, 1851, married +Amelia Robertson, daughter of James Wilson, banker, Inverness, +by his cousin, Isabella, daughter of Thomas Fraser of Newton, +with issue - (a) Amelia Isabella Margery, who died, aged 17, and +is buried at Inverness (b) John William Sutherland, who was born on +the 17th of July, 1855, and on the 19th of July, 1881, married +Matilda Henrietta, daughter of Colonel Brown-Constable of +Wallace-Craigie, Forfarshire, Lord Lieutenant of the County, by +Mary Christina, daughter of Colonel Francis Kenneth Mackenzie, +fourth son of Captain John Mackenzie, VI. of Kincraig, with +issue - John Fraser, Donald Constable Travers, Mary Amelia, and +Norah Constance (c) Mary Charlotte Pierson, who, on the 13th of +May, 1880, married Alfred Woodhouse, F.R.G.S., with issue - Margery +Amelia Fraser, Coventry William, John Alick Edward, Alfred +Frederick Bell, Hector Roy Mackenzie, and Muriel Mary; (d) Alice +Marion Fraser, who died young in Madras; (e) Elizabeth Margaret +Cumming, who, on the 8th of April, 1885, married Henry Gibbs, +with issue - Ella Margaret; (f) Louisa Constance Harris, who died +young, and is buried at Dingwall; (g) Ella Fraser Magdalene; (h) +James Wilson Alexander, in Holy Orders, MA. of Pembroke College, +Cambridge. He was born on the 18th of May, 1867, and married +Amy Adela Magee, daughter of the Rev. John N. B. Woodroffe, M.A., +with issue - John William Wilson; and (i) Hector Colin Udney, who +died young; (3) COLIN MACKENZIE, a Major-General, Madras Staff +Corps, who was born on the 18th of October, 1833, and on the +16th of January, 1861, married, first, Victoria Henrietta, eldest +daughter of Charles Mackinnon, M.D., of the Corry family, Isle of +Skye, with issue - (a) Colin John, Brevet Major, 78th Highlanders, +2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs), Adjutant +of his Regiment, Aide-de-Camp to Lord Frederick Roberts, +Commander-in-Chief in India, and Deputy Assistant Adjutant General at +Quetta. He was born on the 26th of November, 1861, and served in +the Egyptian Campaign, medal and clasp, Tel-el-Kebir, the Burmese +Campaign, the Black Mountain Expedition, and the Hunga Nagar +Campaign, in Cashmere, for which he received the Brevet rank of +Major. He has two medals and four clasps and the Khedive Star. +(b) Charles Alexander, born on the 21st December, 1862, an indigo +planter in Thiroot; (c) Ronald Pierson, M.D., born on the 12th of +January, 1863; (d) Mary Charlotte; (e) Henrietta Studd, who died +young; (f) Victor Herbert, born on the 17th of September, 1867, +of the British East Africa Company. He died in 1892, aged 25. +(g) Kenneth Lascelles, born on the 27th of November, 1869, an +indigo planter; (h) Frederick William, R.N., born on the 19th of +May, 1870; (i) Henry Studd, who died young; (j) Morna; and (k) +Annie Stuart. Major-General Colin married, secondly, Stella Adela +Newbigging, with issue - (l) Isobel. (4) Charlotte, who married, +first, John Alexander Fraser, Captain 93rd Sutherland Highlanders, +with issue - (a) John Alexander Mackenzie, D.S.O., Commander, +R.N., who married Euphemia Ritchie, daughter of Peacock-Edwards; +(b) William Forbes Mackenzie, Captain 18th Bengal Infantry, +formerly of the 88th Connaught Rangers; (c) Charlotte Amelia +Rose, who married Ernest Duncombe, R.N., with issue - Dorothy +and Estelle Amy, twins, and Beryl; and (d) Mary Eliza Alexia. +Charlotte married, secondly, the Rev. William Duncombe, M.A., +with issue - (e) Francis Hay. (5) Mary Ann, who married first, +George Grogan of Sutton, Dublin, Captain 6th Dragoon Guards (the +Carabineers) with issue - (a) Edward George, Major 42nd Highlanders +(Black Watch), who married, first, Meta, daughter of Sir William +King Hall, K.C.B., Admiral Commanding off the Nore, with +issue - George William St. George and Edward Harry John; (b) Meta +Aileen Odetta. Mary Ann married, secondly, Colonel St. George +Herbert Stepney, C.B., Commanding 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, +without issue. (6) Elizabeth, who, in 1856, married Colonel George +Harkness, Madras Army, with issue - (a) Henry George; Alexander +Charles, M.D.; (b) George Bacon; (c) Mary Kate; and (d) Charlotte +Esmi, who married Captain Carlton Cuthbert Collingwood, with +issue - Ronald George; (7) Catherine, who married Captain Charles +Harkness, Madras Army, and died in 1857, without issue. + +10. Martha; 11. Annabella; 12. Jean; 13. Elizabeth; and 14. +Catherine, five daughters of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Portmore, +all of whom died unmarried. + +Alexander died on the 4th of September, 1805, was buried in +the Greyfriars, Edinburgh, and succeeded by his third and eldest +surviving son, + +II. COLIN MACKENZIE, second of Portmore, W.S., Edinburgh, +Principal Clerk of Session and Keeper of the Signet, who was +born on the 11th of January, 1770. He was a very popular man, +and one of the oldest friends of Sir Walter Scott, who alludes to +him in his poems. He married on the 13th of May, 1803, Elizabeth, +daughter of Sir William Forbes, sixth Baronet of Pitsligo, by +Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Hay of Hayston, Baronet. Sir +William was a banker of great eminence in Edinburgh. He succeeded +Coutts Brothers, the Scotch firm of Coutts & Co., and founded +the bank of Sir William Forbes, Baronet, and Sir William Hunter, +Baronet, & Co., now the National Bank of Scotland. He died on +the 16th of September, 1830, leaving issue - + +1. Alexander, who died in infancy. + +2. Alexander, who died in 1822, at the age of 17. + +3. William Forbes, who succeeded to Portmore. + +4. Colin, Bengal Civil Service, who was born in June, 1808, and +died, unmarried, on the 14th of January, 1870. + +5. James Hay, W.S., Edinburgh, who married Isabella, daughter of +James Wedderburn, Solicitor-General for Scotland, with issue - (1) +Colin, W.S. in Edinburgh, a man of great ability, who had a +very large business connection with many of the most influential +families in Scotland. Colin was born on the 24th of April, 1841, +and died, unmarried, at sea, on a return voyage from America in +1883; (2) James Wedderburn, who died young in 1844; (3) George +Wedderburn, who was born on the 9th of April, 1851, now in Ceylon; +(4) Isabella Elizabeth, who married Major-General Kirkland of Wester +Fordel, Perthshire, with issue - one daughter, Isabella Sybella; +(5) Alice, who died young; (6) Louisa Helen; (7) Ann Christina, who +married Edward Bannerman, with issue - Kenneth Mordaunt, D'Arcy, +and Eric Edward; and (8) Jean Charlotte. James Hay died on the +16th of February, 1865. + +6. John, Treasurer of the Bank of Scotland and Manager of the +Scottish Widows Fund, who was born on the 1st of April, 1812, and +on the 29th of May, 1844, married his cousin, Christina Garioch, +third daughter and co-heiress with her three sisters of John +Mansfield of Midmar, with issue - (9) Colin, Captain in the 78th +Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs), and Major, 3rd Battalion Seaforth +Highlanders (Highland Rifle Militia), F.R.G.S., and a gentleman +of considerable literary ability and taste. He was author of +the History of the 78th Highlanders in Keltie's "History of the +Highland Clans and Highland Regiments," and of a series of articles +in the "Celtic Magazine" on "The Sculptured Stones of Ross +and Cromarty." He also prepared a most elaborate and complete +Genealogical Table, showing the origin and descent of his own +family of Portmore - and necessarily all the Mackenzies who can +trace connection with any of the leading families of the Clan - from +the earliest times to the present day, printed by his relative, +Major-General John Robert Mackenzie, after Major Colin's death. +He was born on the 10th of June, 1843, and died of a decline at +St. Moritz, Switzerland, in March, 1890. He married Jeannette +Sophia, eldest daughter of Baron Gerhard Knut A. Falkenberg of +Trystorp, His Swedish and Norwegian Majesty's Consul-General in +British North America, with issue - Ian Duncan, born on the 15th +of July, 1870; Ulric Knut, born on the 6th of December, 1872; +Colin Mansfield, born on the 3rd of November, 1876; and Christina +Frederica Augusta; (2) Christina Garioch, who died young. + +7. Sutherland, Lieutenant Royal Navy, born on the 15th of January, +1818, and lost on board H.M.S. "Victor," in the Gulf of Mexico, +in 1844, unmarried. + +8. George, Lieutenant in the Indian Army, born on the 23rd of +February, 1819. He was killed in action on the 14th of October, +1844, unmarried. + +9. Charles Frederick Fraser, a Fellow of Caius and Gonville +College, Cambridge, second Wrangler of his year. He entered Holy +Orders and was appointed Archdeacon of Natal, in which colony +he laboured successfully for some years among the Zulus. Coming +home, he was selected as the leader of the Universities Mission +to Central Africa and was afterwards consecrated at Cape Town +as the first Bishop of Central Africa. He subsequently proceeded +to the Zambesi River, where, acting in concert with Dr Livingstone, +he succeeded in liberating a large number of slaves from the +hands of the drivers who were conducting them to the coast, and +some of these liberated slaves formed the nucleus of the Bishop's +first settlement at Magomero. While descending the River Ruo to +meet Dr Livingstone, Bishop Mackenzie's canoe was overturned and +his quinine lost. A short sojourn on a swampy island brought +on a fever, to which he succumbed on the 31st of January, 1862, +without issue. His Life has been written by his friend, Dr +Goodwin, Bishop of Carlisle. + +10. Elizabeth, who married George Dundas of Ochtertyre, Advocate, +a Judge of the Scottish Bench by the title of Lord Manor, with +issue - (1) James, V.C., Captain in the Royal Engineers. He obtained +the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry during the expedition +to Bhotan, and died at Cabul, in 1879, unmarried; (2) Colin Mackenzie +of Ochtertyre, Commander Royal Navy, twin brother of James. He +married Agnes, daughter of Samuel Wauchope, C.B., and sister of +Mrs Mackenzie, Portmore, with issue - James Colin, and David John +Wauchope; (3) George Ralph, who died unmarried; (4) William John, +a W.S. in Edinburgh; (5) David, Advocate in Edinburgh, who married +Helen, daughter of David Wauchope; (6) Elizabeth Christian; (7) +Mary Frances; (8) Helen Anne; and (9) Katharine. + +11. Anne, who accompanied her brother Charles to Natal, where she +remained with him during the whole period of his ministry there. +She afterwards followed him to Central Africa, but hearing of his +death whilst ascending the Zambezi River, she returned to England, +when she started and edited a monthly missionary periodical, +entitled "The Net." By this, and through her own unaided efforts, +she was the means of inaugurating the Memorial Mission to Zululand +(in memory of her brother) of which the Bishop of Zululand is the +head. She was the author of a Life of Henrietta Robertson, wife +of the Chaplain of the garrison of Fort-Etchowe; and other works. +She died in 1877, unmarried. + +12. Katharine, who died unmarried on the 20th of March, 1832. + +13. Jane, died unmarried on the 13th of February, 1820. + +14. Louisa, who married William Wilson, C.A., and died on the +20th of January, 1866, without issue. + +15. Alice, who married the Venerable C. S. Grubb, late Archdeacon +of Natal and now Vicar of Mentmore, with issue - Sarah Louisa and +Constance Ann. + +Colin died on the 16th of September, 1830, and was succeeded by his +eldest surviving son, + +III. WILLIAM FORBES MACKENZIE, who, born on the 18th of April, +1807, was for many years M.P. for the County of Peebles, and +afterwards for Liverpool. He was a Lord of the Treasury in Lord +Derby's Government, and is chiefly known as the author of the +"Forbes Mackenzie Act." He married, on the 16th of March, 1830, +Anne, daughter of Sir James Montgomery of Stanhope, Baronet, by +Lady Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of Dunbar, fourth Earl of Selkirk, +with issue - + +1. Colin James, his heir and successor. + +2. Elizabeth Helen, who died in her ninth year. + +William died on the 24th of December, 1862, and was succeeded by +his only son, + +IV. COLIN JAMES MACKENZIE, late of the Bengal Civil Service, +now of Portmore, and Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Peebles. +He was born on the 19th of February, 1835, and married, in 1870, +Katharine Alice, daughter of Samuel Wauchope, C.B., Niddry Marischal, +Midlothian, late of the Bengal Civil Service, with issue - + +1. A son who died young, 26th of September, 1871. + +2. Colin Charles Forbes, born 7th of December, 1879. + +3. John Montalien Hay, born 17th of August, 1885. + +4. Francis Victor Hamilton. + +5. Helen Alice, who died in her 6th year. + +6. Evelyn Mary Hay. + +7. Katharine Maud. + +8. Dorothy Anne Lucy. + +9. Cecil Louise. + +10. Esme Valentine. + +11. Ruth Eleonara, died young. + +12. Rachael Octavia. + +13. Winifred Kersey. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF MOUNTGERALD. + +I. COLIN MACKENZIE, first of Mountgerald, was the second surviving +son of Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch, by his third wife, +Janet, daughter of John Cuthbert of Castlehill, Inverness. He +was a Lieutenant in the Scotch Fusilier Guards, and fought at +the battle of Stenkirk, after which he retired from the army, +purchased the estate of Mountgerald and, in 1726, built Woodlands +House. He married, first, Margaret, widow of Roderick Mackenzie +of Findon, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, without +issue. He married, secondly, Katharine, daughter of James Fraser +of Achnagairn (marriage contract 1721), with issue - + +1. James, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, who died, without issue, in 1725. + +3. Kenneth, who died in 1727, withoutissue. + +4. Colin, who succeeded his brother James. + +5. Isabel, who married Sir Lewis Mackenzie, VI. and third Baronet +of Scatwell, with issue. + +6. Anne, who married Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Lochend, with +issue. + +Colin died in 1727, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. JAMES MACKENZIE, second of Mountgerald, who has a sasine as +eldest son dated 15th of April, 1732. He died withoutissue, and +was succeeded by his eldest surviving brother, + +III. MAJOR COLIN MACKENZIE, third of Mountgerald, who in 1759, +married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Roderick Mackenzie, V. and +second Baronet of Scatwell, with issue, an only son, + +IV. MAJOR COLIN MACKENZIE, fourth of Mountgerald, who, in 1795, +married Emilia, daughter of Colonel James Fraser of Belladrum +with issue - + +1. Colin, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, who succeeded his brother Colin. + +3. Simon Fraser, who succeeded his brother Alexander. + +4. Hannah, who died unmarried. + +5. Mary, who died unmarried. + +6. Eliza, who married, first, David Dick, of Glenshiel. + +7. Isabella, who married Archibald Dick, with issue. + +8. Sarah, who died unmarried. + +9. Jemima, who died unmarried. + +Major Colin died in 1824, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. COLIN MACKENZIE, fifth of Mountgerald, who died, in Jamaica +without issue, when he was succeeded by his next brother, + +VI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, sixth of Mountgerald, who also died +without issue, and was succeeded by his next brother, + +VII. SIMON FRASER MACKENZIE, seventh of Mountgerald, +a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Madras Cavalry. He married, first, +a daughter of Colonel Pendergast, with issue - an only daughter, +Mary. He married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of General Stewart +without issue. In 1855, he sold Mountgerald to Lewis Mark Mackenzie +of Findon, who died unmarried in 1856. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF DAILUAINE. + +THIS family is descended from Hector Mackenzie, Portioner of +Mellan, third son of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, by his +first wife, Margaret, daughter of Roderick Mor Mackenzie, I. of +Redcastle, by Florence, daughter of Robert Munro, XV of Fowlis. +Hector, who was a Cornet in Sir George Munro's Regiment, married +a daughter of Donald Maciver, of whose issue "a small tribe in +Gairloch." [Gairloch MS. Hector, his three sons - John, Murdoch, +and Duncan - and a grandson, Kenneth, are referred to by name in +the Records of the Presbytery of Dingwall under date of 6th August, +1678.] That Mellan Charles was not a permanent possession of +any member of the Gairloch family is obvious from the fact that +another Hector, the second son, by the second marriage, of John +Roy Mackenzie, IV. of Gairloch, and uncle of Hector, third son of +Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, of whose descendants we now +treat, occupied it in the preceding generation, and from the further +fact that Charles Mackenzie, I. of Letterewe, eldest son by his +third marriage of Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch, who would +come of age about 1670, is described as "of Mellan," which he +possessed along with Loggie-Wester, until he exchanged both places +with his eldest half-brother, Alexander Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, +in 1696. + +The sons of Hector, Portioner of Mellan, joined in the Rising +of 1715, and on that account found it necessary to leave their +native county, crossing in an open boat from the Black Isle to the +town of Nairn, from which they naturally found their way to the +neighbourhood of their kinsmen in the upper districts of Morayshire +and Inverness-shire, a place in which several of their relatives +held influential positions in the Episcopal Church, and in other +situations. The Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie, Hector's second cousin, +descended from John Glassich Mackenzie, II. of Gairloch, and +Episcopal minister successively of Contin, Inverness, and Elgin, +had only very recently, in 1677, been transferred from the Bishopric +of Moray to that of Orkney, while several of his near relations +were still in the district, among them the Rev. Hector Mackenzie, +the Bishop's nephew, and third cousin of Hector's son John, who +was minister of Kingussie from 1670 until he was translated to +Inverness in 1688. There were also several intermarriages between +them and the families of Grant of Freuchy and Grant of Easter +Elchies and Edenvillie. Some of Hector's sons are found not many +years after in the Strathspey district, John, the eldest, having +two farms on the estate of Edenvillie, in the parish of Aberlour. +Hector of Mellan's descendants continued Episcopalians for some +time after settling there. + +I. HECTOR MACKENZIE, Portioner of Mellan, son of Alexander +Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, married a daughter of Donald MacIver, +Lochbroom, with issue - + +1. John, who engaged in the Rising of 1715. + +2. Murdoch, married, and had a son Kenneth. + +3. Duncan, of whom there is no further trace. + +4. Mary, who married her cousin, Alastair Mor, son of Alexander +Cam Mackenzie, fourth son of Alexander, V. of Gairloch, with issue. + +Hector was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest +son, + +II JOHN MACKENZIE, the first of the family who settled in +Aberlour. He married Margaret Mackenzie, a relative of his own, +died on the 9th of August, 1772, and was buried at Aberlour, leaving +issue - an only son, + +III. HECTOR MACKENZIE, who, on the 5th of May, 1721, married +Elspet Stronach, with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. John, born 7th April, 1728, and died without issue. + +3. Alexander, who was born on the 28th of February, 1731, and +died without issue. + +4. Margaret, who died without issue. + +On the 3rd of June, 1723, it is recorded in the Session Records +of the parish of Aberlour, that "Hector Mackenzie, in Netherton +of Edenvillie, gave in a boll of meal, which his deceased father +had appointed to be distributed among the poor of the parish." + +Hector died on the 9th of March, 1732, was buried at Aberlour, and +succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son, + +IV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, who was born on the 26th of March, 1725. +He left Edenvillie, and settled at Lyne of Carron, and in 1763 +married Grizzel Dean, Knockando, with issue - + +1. John, who was born on the 28th of February, 1764, and died +without issue, in 1838. + +2. William, born on the 2nd of March, 1769, and married, with +issue - one daughter, Grace. + +3. James, born 26th of May, 1771, and died in 1783. + +4. Alexander, born on the 7th of January, 1774, and died in France, +without issue. + +5. Thomas, who on the death of his eldest brother, John, in 1838, +became the representative of the family. + +6. Hector, born on the 8th of May, 1778, and died in 1814, without +issue. + +7. James, a clergyman, born on the 26th of September, 1785, and +died without issue, in 1811. + +8. Elspet, who married John MacConnachie, Tombain, with issue. + +9. Margaret, who died without issue, in 1812. + +William died in June, 1813, at Lyne of Carron, was buried at Aberlour, +and succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son, + +V. JOHN MACKENZIE, who died without issue in 1838, when he was +succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest surviving +brother, + +VI. THOMAS MACKENZIE, who was born on the 12th of April, 1776, +and married on the 26th of July, 1821, Ann Grant, great-grand-daughter +of Ludovick Grant, grandson of Sir John Grant of Freuchy, with +issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. John, born on the 18th of November, 1823. He is unmarried. + +3. Grace, married John Shand, Rinnachat, without issue. + +4. Penuel, who married Patrick Shaw, Benstaak, with issue - several +sons and daughters. + +5. Margaret, unmarried. + +Thomas died at Lyne of Carron, on the 5th of February, 1861, aged +85, when he was succeeded as representative of the family by his +eldest son, + +VII. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, who was born on the 3rd of May, 1822. +He founded the Distillery of Dailuaine in 1851, one of the most +extensive malt distilleries in Scotland. He married on the 5th of +October, 1844, Jean, daughter of William Thomson, Knockando, with +issue - + +1. John, born on the 28th of July, 1845. He was drowned at sea, +without issue. + +2. William, born on the 9th of October, 1846. He went to the West +Indies and died there unmarried, on the 10th of December, 1893, at +Paramaribo, Surinam. + +3. Thomas, who succeeded his father in Dailuaine. + +4. Alexander, who was born on the 11th of July, 1851. He is in +South Africa, and still unmarried. + +5. William Grant, born on the 21st of June, 1859, and still +unmarried. + +6. Lewis Grant, born on the 10th of January, 1862. He went to +California, and is still unmarried. + +7. Ann. + +8. Jane. + +9. Margaret. + +10. Grace Penuel, who married Dr Robert Cochrane Buist, Dundee, +with issue - a son and daughter. + +11. Mary Forbes. + +William died at Dailuaine, on the 17th of May, 1865, and was +succeeded there by his son, + +VIII. THOMAS MACKENZIE, now of Dailuaine, and since the death +of his elder brother William in December, 1893, heir-male of the +family. Born on the 18th of March, 1848, he on the 30th of October, +1877, married Emily, daughter of Edwin Holt of Rosehill, Worcestershire. + + +SLIOCHD ALASTAIR CHAIM. + +THE progenitor of this family, not one of whom so far as known ever +owned an acre of land until now, was + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth son of Alexander Mackenzie, +V. of Gairloch, by his wife Margaret, daughter of Roderick Mor +Mackenzie, I. of Redcastle, by his wife Florence, daughter of Robert +Munro, XVth Baron of Fowlis. Alexander, like his brother Hector, +was a Cornet in Sir George Munro's Regiment, and according to +one of the Gairloch manuscript Histories was "an officer under +Cromwell, whom he afterwards left, and was wounded on the King's +side at the battle of Worcester, leaving a succession in Gairloch +by his wife Janet, daughter of Mackenzie of Ord." He lost an eye +at Worcester, and was consequently ever after known Alastair Cam. +His descendants are still numerous in Gairloch, where, having had +no land to be designated of, they were always known as "Sliochd +Alastair Chaim" or "The descendants of Alexander the One-Eyed." +He married, in 1652, Janet, third daughter of John Mackenzie, I. +of Ord, [The marriage contract is dated "at Chanonrie, the 21st +of July and 26th of August, 1652," the year after the Battle of +Worcester, and is in the Ord charter chest.] by his wife Isobel, +daughter of Alexander Cuthbert of Drakies, Inverness, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir. + +2. Alexander, commonly called "Alastair Mor Mac Alastair Chaim," +from whom are descended, among several others in Gairloch, the +late John Mackenzie of the "Beauties of Gaelic Poetry," and Alexander +Mackenzie, the author of this History. ALEXANDER married his +cousin, Mary, daughter of Hector Mackenzie, "Portioner of Mellan," +with issue - John Mackenzie, locally known as "Ian Mor Mac Alastair +Mhic Alastair Chaim." JOHN MOR married Barbara, daughter of +John Roy Mackenzie, of Sand. He had a tack from Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, second Baronet and IX. of Gairloch, of the half of +North Erradale, in 1760, for twenty years, to begin at Whit-sunday, +1765, and he is described in the lease as then in possession +(see pp. 483-84). By his wife he had issue - seven sons, known as +"Clann Ian Mhoir," said to have been the biggest and most powerful +men in Gairloch in their day - (1) JOHN, "Ian Mor Aireach," who +succeeded his father in a portion of North Erradale, and married +Marsali, or Marjory, daughter of John Ban Mackenzie, Isle of +Ewe, by his wife, Annabella, natural daughter of Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, second Baronet and IX. of Gairloch. By Marsali Mackenzie, +"Ian Mor Aireach" had issue - four sons, Duncan, Murdoch, John Mor +Og, and William, and two daughters - Annabella, who married her +cousin four times removed, Alexander Mackenzie, Melvaig, the +male representative of Alastair Cam, with issue; and Margaret, +who married John Mackenzie, also in Melvaig, with issue - several +sons and daughters. The sons were also married and left numerous +descendants in Gairloch. Ian Mor Mac Alastair's other sons were +(2) Alexander, who died unmarried; (3) Roderick, who married, +with issue; (4) Colin, married, with issue; (5) Roderick Ban, +unmarried; (6) John Og; and (7) Kenneth, married, with issue. JOHN +OG, who was tacksman of Loch-a-Druing, married Jessie, daughter +of Miles Macrae, with issue, among others - Alastair Og Mackenzie, +tacksman of Mellan Charles, who married Margaret, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, of Badachro, with issue - James Mackenzie, +who died unmarried a few years ago, at Poolewe; John Mackenzie, +of the "Beauties of Gaelic Poetry" and several other works, who +died, unmarried in his father's house at Kirkton, in 1848, and +to whose memory a monument was erected in 1878, by a few of his +Celtic admirers on a projecting rock overlooking his grave in the +"Sliochd Alastair Chaim burying ground, within the ancient Chapel +in the Gairloch Churchyard. Alastair Og had also several daughters, +married and unmarried, of whom three are still alive. + +We shall now revert to Alastair Cam's eldest son, by Janet Mackenzie +of Ord - + +I. RODERICK MACKENZIE, who married Isabella, daughter of William +Mackenzie of Sand, with issue, among others, - + +II. HECTOR MACKENZIE, Melvaig, who married Mary, daughter of +William Mackenzie, of the same place, with issue, along with a +younger son Murdoch, - + +III. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, also in Melvaig, who married Mary, +daughter of Hugh Morrison, Sand, with issue - + +IV. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, designated, Highland fashion, as +"Alastair Mac Alastair, Mhic Eachainn, 'ic Alastair, 'ic Ruairidh, +Mhic Alastair Chaim Mac an Tighearna." He married his third +cousin, Annabella, eldest daughter of John Mor Mackenzie, "Ian +Mor Aireach," great grandson of "Alastair Cam Mac an Tighearna," +with issue, an only son - + +V. HECTOR MACKENZIE, born in April, 1810. His father died +before Hector was a year old, and the widow soon after married, +as her second husband, Alexander, son of Alexander Grant, "Bard +mor an t-Slagain," with issue - three sons, Roderick, John, Duncan, +and Margaret, who subsequently emigrated with their father and +mother to Cape Breton, where they settled, married, and have large +families, and another daughter, Janet, who married and remained +in Gairloch. His father left Hector what was considered a +substantial sum of money for those day's, in the hands of Murdo +Mackenzie, tacksman of Melvaig, one of the original Sand family, +and a near relative of Gairloch, but he never received a penny of +it. He was thus left a penniless orphan and was obliged to fight +his way in the world as best he could as an honest, industrious, +and respected crofter and fisherman. He married on the 17th of +February, 1838, Catherine, daughter of Roderick, eldest son of +Alexander Campbell, "Alastair Buidhe Mac Iomhair," the well-known +Gairloch Gaelic Bard, by his wife Catherine, daughter of Roderick, +son of William Mackenzie of Shieldaig, a cadet of the Gairloch +family. By his wife Catherine Campbell (who died at Inverness on +the 20th of January, 1882, and was buried at Gairloch), or more +correctly MacIver (the family having only discarded the older +and better name and adopted the new within living memory), Hector +Mackenzie, who is still alive in his 84th year, had issue - + +1. Alexander, of Park House, Inverness, who was born on Christmas +Day, 1838. He was for seventeen years an active member of the +Town Council and a Police Commissioner of Inverness four years +Dean of Guild and a Magistrate of the Burgh, as well as a +Commissioner of Supply and Justice of Peace for the County. He +was also a member of the first Inverness County Council, and took +a prominent part in its proceedings. In 1875 he founded the +"Celtic Magazine," which he owned and conducted for thirteen years +until it was incorporated with the "Scottish Highlander" newspaper +in 1888. In 1885 he started the "Scottish Highlander," which he has +managed and edited since, and which now, though still nominally +carried on as a Limited Liability Company, is practically his own +property. He is the author of several Clan histories - that of +the Mackenzies, the first edition of which appeared in 1879; of +the Macdonalds, in 1881; of the Mathesons, in 1882; of the Camerons, +in 1884; of the Macleods, in 1889; and of the Chisholms, in 1891. +He is also the author of The History of the Highland Clearances," +which created quite a sensation when it appeared; of the "Social +State of the Isle of Skye;" the "Prophecies of the Brahan Seer;" and +of several other minor works. He married, on the 3rd of August, +1865, Emma Sarah Rose (author of Tales of the Heather) only surviving +daughter of Thomas Whittaker Rose, Henrietta Park Villas, Bath +(still living in his eighty-sixth year), by his first wife Sarah +Cole, with issue - Hector Rose Mackenzie, solicitor, Inverness, +who was born in Ipswich, on the 25th of February, 1867, and married +on the 19th of July, 1892, Barbara Sutherland, elder surviving +daughter of John Anderson, late of the 71st Regiment of Foot +(The Highland Light Infantry); Thomas William, born in Inverness +on the 4th of August, 1875; Alastair Ian, born on the 30th of +December, 1880; Kenneth John, born on the 17th of October, 1885; +Catharine Anne, born on the 24th of February, 1868, died on the +1st of August in the same year, and buried in Ipswich Cemetery; +Annie Emma; Catharine, who died in infancy in 1873; Mary Rose; +and Emma Barabel. + +2. Roderick, born on the 13th of July, 1844, a member of the +firm of William Cumming & Co., wholesale woollen warehousemen, +Huddersfield, but residing in London. He married, first, on the +18th of January, 1871, Julia Catherine, eldest daughter of Thomas +Lewis shipowner, Sunderland, with issue - William Frank, who was +born on the 6th of October, 1874; Hector Dundas, born on the 22nd +of July, 1876; Catherine Louisa, who died in her thirteenth year, +on the 11th of July, 1884, while on a holiday visit, at Inverness; +Ellen Maria; and Mary Josephine. His first wife having died on +the 14th of June, 1881, Roderick married, secondly, on the 18th +of December, 1889, Mary Lang, daughter of John Sandford, Cambuslang. + +3. William, clothier, Inverness, born on the 12th of November, +1846, and married on the 16th of July, 1873, Annabella Bertrude, +daughter of Alexander Grant, tacks-man of Easter Gallovie, +Strathspey, with issue - Alexander Roderick, C.E., born on the +17th of May, 1874; Hector Donald Grant, born on the 20th of June, +1875; William John Macintyre, born on the 18th of January, 1877; +James Grant, born on the 20th of June, 1878, died on the 23rd of +September, 1889; Arthur Henderson, born on the 9th of February, +1880; Allan Campbell, born on the 19th of April, 1881; Eneas +Kenneth, born on the 9th of March, 1883; Andrew Duncan, born on +the 7th of January, 1885, died on the 2nd of May, 1888; Harry +Macpherson, born on the 28th of October, 1887; Douglas Mitchell, +born on the 19th of February, 1890; and Ella May, born on the +21st of June, 1886, and died on the 24th, three days after. + +4. Another Alexander, who served for twelve years in the 2nd +Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) in which he was Troop Sergeant-Major, +and subsequently went abroad. + +5. Catherine, who married John Fraser, shipowner, Inverness, +without issue. + +6. Mary, who married Alexander Fraser, and resides in Cheltenham, +with issue - Hector Alexander John, born on the 4th of May, 1883; +Catherine Campbell; and Lily Mary. + +7. Annabella, who married George Mackenzie, draper, Ipswich, +afterwards at Nairn and Inverness with issue - William Hector, born +on the 9th of January, 1877 Alastair, born on the 5th of March, +1878; George John, born on the 14th of April, 1884; Marion; +and Catherine Campbell, who died in infancy. Annabella died at +Edinburgh on the 9th of May, 1888, and is buried there. + +This is the lease, with its miscellaneous rent, curious and +antiquated conditions, referred to at page 479 - + +I, Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Gairloch, Baronet, heritable proprietor +of the lands and others under-written with the pertinents, do +hereby set and in tack and assedation for the full space of twenty +years, lets to John Mackenzie, tacksman of the equal half of the +quarter lands of Erradale-a-phris, or North Erradale, all and +whole the said possession as presently occupied by him, with all +the shielings, mosses, moors, biggings and universal pertinents +thereof, all lying within the parish of Gairloch and Sheriffdom +of Ross. To him and his lawful heirs whatsoever, to he occupied +and "brooked" by them during the foresaid space of twenty +years, without any hindrance or breach of tack whatever; and it +is hereby provided, nothwithstanding the date hereof, that this +tack commences directly at the term of Whitsunday in the year +of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-five years, and +to continue thereafter, aye and until the number of twenty years +complete be expired, and I, the above-named Sir Alexander, do +hereby bind and oblige me, my heirs, and successors, to make this +tack good, valid, and sufficient to the effect foresaid at all +hands and against all deadly, as law will, - For the which cause, +and on the other part, the said John Mackenzie by his acceptance +hereof binds himself, his heirs, and successors, to pay to me, +the above Sir Alexander, and my successors, or our factors having +proper powers thereanent, as a yearly rent furth of the said equal +half of the quarter lands of Erradale foresaid all and whole the +sum of one hundred and thirty-one marks and a half Scots money two +marks three shillings and fourpence money foresaid, crown rent; +ten marks ten shillings and eight pence in lieu of peats, or as +the same shall reasonably be from time to time regulated by the +proprietor a mark of cruive money, twenty marks money foresaid +of stipend, or as the same shall happen to be settled 'twixt the +landlord and minister; two long carriages, two custom wedders, +a fed kid, a stone of cheese, and half a stone weight of butter; +eight hens, or as usual eight men yearly at their own expense to +shear corn or cut hay a davoch of ploughing, and four horses for +mucking. The above John also obliges himself and his foresaids +to attend road duty yearly four days, with all his servants and +sub-tenants, or pay a yearly capitation optional to the landlord +during this lease under breach of tack, and to sell all the cod +and ling that shall be caught by him and his foresaids at the +current prices to our order and to dispose of all his marketable +cattle to our drover at reasonable rates, also under breach of +tack and further the above John and his successors are, by their +acceptance hereof, become bound to pay to me, the above Sir +Alexander Mackenzie and my foresaids, in the way of a grassum at +the term of Whitsunday, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-five +years foresaid, all and whole the sum of two hundred and fifty +marks Scots money, and the like sum at the end of every five +years of this tack, making in all the sum of one thousand marks +Scots money; and both parties become hereby bound to fulfil the +premises to one another "hinc inde" under the failure or penalty of +ten pounds sterling to be paid by the party failing to the party +performing, or willing to perform, his or their part and for the +more security I consent that these presents be registered for +conservation in the Books of Council and Session, that letters +of horning and all needful executions may pass hereon in form +as effeirs and thereto constitute our procurators. In testimony +of which these presents, consisting of this and the former two +pages of stamped paper are written and duly signed by me, Sir +Alexander Mackenzie of Gairloch, at Flowerdale, this fifth day +of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred +and sixty years. + +ALEXANDER MACKENZIE. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF BELMADUTHY. + +I. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, first of Belmaduthy, was the eldest son of +Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, by his second wife, Isabel, +eldest daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, natural son of Colin Cam, +XI. of Kintail, and progenitor of the families of Applecross and +Coul. He married Mary, daughter of James Cuthbert of Alterlies +and Easter Drakies, Inverness (sasine of the lands to them in +1657) with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Isabel, who married John Munro of Fayres. + +3. Catherine, who, as his second wife, married Alexander Mackenzie, +IV. of Loggie and Inchcoulter, without issue. + +4. Janet, who in 1679, as his second wife, married her cousin, +Alexander Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, with issue. + +5. Jean, who married Hugh Baillie of Kinmylies, Sheriff-Clerk of +Ross. + +6. Mary, who married Murdoch Mackenzie of Sand. + +William and his wife died in the same week at Belmaduthy, in 1658, +and were buried at Chanonry, when he was succeeded by his only son, + +II. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, second of Belmaduthy, who married +Catherine, eldest daughter by the second marriage of Sir Kenneth +Mackenzie, Baronet, I. of Coul (sasine 1693), with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, who became first of Pitlundie. + +3. George, who got Culbo (sasine to him in 1721), and married +Mary, daughter of Alexander Forrester of Cullenauld, with +issue--Isabel, who married Fraser of Achnagairn; Anne, who married +Dr John Mackenzie and Catherine, who, in 1713, married, as his +first wife, John Mackenzie, III. of Gruinard, with issue - his +heir and successor. George, who died in 1765, having left no male +issue, his nephew, William Mackenzie, II. of Pitlundie, succeeded +to Culbo. + +4. Anna, who married Alexander Mackenzie, M.D., eldest son of +Bernard Mackenzie of Sandylands, on record in 1707. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, third of Belmaduthy, who married first, +Margaret, daughter of Alexander Rose of Clava (sasine to her in +1717), with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. George, M.D. in the Queen's Dragoons, who died unmarried. + +3. Hugh, a merchant in Fortrose, who died unmarried. + +4. Alexander, who commanded a ship in the Guinea trade, and died +unmarried. + +5. Catharine, who married William Tolmie, merchant, Fortrose. + +6. Elizabeth, who married John Matheson of Bennetsfield. + +7. Jean, who married Simon Mackenzie, first of Scotsburn, with +issue. + +8. Isabel, who married Lieutenant William Mackenzie, of the 77th +Regiment (Montgomery's Highlanders.) He was killed at Fort du +Quesne in 1759. + +William married, secondly, Elizabeth (who died in 1772), daughter +of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, first Baronet and IV. of Scatwell, with +issue - + +9. Kenneth, M.D., who practised at Reading. + +10. Roderick, first of Flowerburn, of whom presently. + +11. Lilias, who married Roderick Macleod, II. of Cadboll, with +issue - his heir and successor. + +12. A daughter, who married Fraser of Culduthel. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. JOHN MACKENZIE, fourth of Belmaduthy, who married Rebecca, +daughter of John Mackenzie, I. of Delvine, with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. John, who died young. + +3. Kenneth, a merchant at Patna, who married a Miss Mackenzie, +in the East Indies. + +4. Margaret, who died unmarried. + +5. Rebecca, who married John Aird, merchant, London. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, fifth of Belmaduthy, Advocate. He married +Maria, daughter of John Lancaster, of Cambridge, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. William, who married Miss Hay, Huntingdon, without issue. + +3. George, who married Miss Lynch, without issue. + +4. Cecilia; 5. Maria; 6. Rebecca, all unmarried. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. JOHN MACKENZIE, sixth of Belmaduthy, who married Margaret +Hay, Huntingdon, with issue - + +1. John Kenneth; 2. Anna Maria; and 3. Catherine. The present +representation of the family is unknown. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF PITLUNDIE AND CULBO. + +I. KENNETH MACKENZIE, first of Pitlundie, was the second son of +Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Belmaduthy, by his wife, Catherine, +daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, Baronet, I. of Coul. He married +Anne, daughter of Hector Mackenzie of Bishop-Kinkell, second son +of Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch, by his wife, Ann, daughter +of Sir John Grant of Grant by Ann Ogilvy, daughter of the Earl of +Findlater, with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. Margaret, who, on the 9th of September, 1728, as his second +wife, married John Matheson, first of Attadale, ancestor of Sir +Kenneth James Matheson, Baronet of Lochalsh and Ardross. + +Kenneth was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, second of Pitlundie and first of Culbo, +succeeding to the latter as heir-male of his uncle George. He +married a daughter of George Mackenzie of Inchcoulter, with +issue - + +1. George, his heir and successor. + +2. William, of whom there is no trace. + +3. A daughter, who married Alexander Mackenzie of Cleanwaters. + +4. Anne, who married Roderick Mackenzie of Achvannie, with issue. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. GEORGE MACKENZIE, third of Pitlundie and second of Culbo, +Sheriff-Substitute of Ross. He married Anne, daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie, VIII. of Davochmaluag, with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, who died unmarried. + +3. Captain Kenneth, of the H.E.I.C.S., who was killed at Java, in +1811, unmarried. + +4. Major Duncan Henry of the Madras Horse Artillery, who married +Mary, daughter of Lachlan Mackinnon of Corry, Isle of Skye, with +issue - George William Mackinnon, who died unmarried, and +Lieutenant-Colonel Lachlan Mackinnon of the Madras Army, who died +unmarried. Major Duncan died in 1834. + +5. George of Drynie, a solicitor in Dingwall. He married Catherine, +daughter of John Macrae, Sheriff of Dingwall, with issue - John, a +surgeon in the Madras Army, who died unmarried in 1872; the Rev. +George William, English Chaplain at Frankfort, who married Fanny +Taylor; Charles, who died unmarried; Duncan Anne, who married Thomas +Ballantine, with issue - a daughter; Elizabeth Proby, who married +the Rev. W. Hutchins, Vicar of Louth, Lincolnshire, with issue; +Isabella, who married the Rev. William Baden Powell, Vicar of +Newick, Sussex; and Margaret, unmarried. The last-named three +daughters are now dead and their father, George of Drynie, died +in 1865. + +6. John, a solicitor in Tam. He married Christian, daughter of +Captain Kenneth Mackenzie, of Kerrisdale, third son of Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, third Baronet and N. of Gairloch, with issue - George, +who died young; and Kenneth, who died unmarried. John died in +1852. + +7. Mary Proby, who married James Macdonell, W.S., without issue. + +8. Elizabeth, who married Thomas Simpson, son of the minister of +Avoch, with issue - two sons and two daughters, all dead. + +9. Anne, who died unmarried. + +George died in 1802 (his wife dying in 1832), and was succeeded +by his eldest son, + +IV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, M.D., of the H.E.I.C.S., fourth of +Pitlundie and third of Culbo. He married Margaret (who died in +1841), daughter of Thomas Allan, with issue - + +1. George Kenneth, who died young. + +2. William Ord, M.D., Deputy-Inspector-General of Army Hospitals, +who became his father's heir. + +3. Thomas Allan, Major 3d Light Cavalry, Bombay, who married +Clara, daughter of J. Birdwood, judge, Bombay Civil Service, with +issue - William, who died unmarried; and Allan Stanley, who died +young. He died in 1856. + +4. Duncan Proby, who married Cecilia Margaret, daughter of William +Dudgeon, Edinburgh, with issue - three sons and four daughters. He +died in 1884. + +5. George Richard, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas +Scott, W.S., Edinburgh. + +6. Robert Cleghorn, who married Ellen Maria, daughter of Colonel +Flexman, Tasmania with issue - two daughters. He died in 1866. + +7. Agnes Helen, who married Charles Garstin, of the Bengal Civil +Service with issue - William Edmund, Under Secretary for State +at Cairo, who married Mary Isabel North, London; Alfred Allan, +Lieutenant-Colonel 77th Regiment; Helen Julia; Alice Margaret; +and Mary Annette, who married the Rev. Gordon Crowdy, Sherfield +Rectory, Basingstoke. Agnes Helen died in 1871. + +8. Margaret Anne, who died young. + +William sold the estate of Pitlundie in 1805 to Graham of Drynie. + +He died in 1866, and was succeeded in Culbo by his eldest surviving +son, + +V. WILLIAM ORD MACKENZIE, now of Culbo, M.D., Deputy-Inspector-General +of Army Hospitals. He married Mary Susan, daughter of the late +Henry Holmes, London, with issue - + +1. Montague Allan-Ord, who married Frances Gordon, daughter of +the Rev. James Rennie, Glasgow. + +2. William Henry Allan-Ord, who married Constance Jane, daughter +of Thomas Llewellyn, Shelton, Staffordshire. + +3. Stuart Allan-Ord, who married Isabel, daughter of Edward B. +Cargill, of the Cliffs, Dunedin, New Zealand. + +4. Edith Allan-Holmes. + +5. Gertrude Helen Allan-Holmes, who married Edwin Claud Porter +Scott, of Hampstead. + +6. Margaret Douglas Allan-Holmes. + +7. Mary Susan Allan-Holmes, who died young. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF FLOWERBURN. + + +I. RODERICK MACKENZIE, first of Flowerburn, was second son of +William, III. of Belmaduthy, by his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter +of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, IV. of Scatwell, Bart. He married Grace, +daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of Inchcoulter, with issue - + +II. An only daughter, second of Flowerburn, who married a Mr +Kilgour. She succeeded to the estate, and may be called second of +Flowerburn. She had issue - + +1. Roderick Kilgour, her heir. + +2. Elizabeth Townsend. + +She was succeeded by her only son, + +III. RODERICK KILGOUR-MACKENZIE, third of Flowerburn. He assumed +the name of Mackenzie. He married Anne, second daughter of John +Grant of Glenmoriston, and died in 1812, leaving an only son, + +IV. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fourth of Flowerburn, who married Harriet, +daughter of Colonel Grogan of Seafield, County of Dublin, with +issue - + +1. Roderick Grogan, his heir and successor. + +2. Elma, who married Major John Macdonald Smith, Madras Staff +Corps, with issue. + +3. Georgina Adelaide, who married Major Roderick Mackenzie, VIII. +of Kincraig, and died in 1889. + +He was succeeded on his death in 1848, by his only son, + +V. RODERICK GROGAN MACKENZIE, fifth of Flowerburn. + +He was born in 1844, was a Cornet in the 16th Lancers, and for many +years afterwards an officer in the Highland Rifle (Ross-shire) +Militia, in which, at his death he held the rank of Colonel. He +married on the 22nd of February, 1872, Eva Mary Marjory Erskine, +third daughter of Sir Evan Mackenzie of Kilcoy, Baronet, with +issue - Eva Georgina Lillie, and Alice Maude Harriet. He died on +the 13th of October, 1892, and was succeeded as representative of +the family by his eldest daughter, + +VI. EVA GEORGINA LILLIE MACKENZIE, who came of age in 1893. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF GROUNDWATER. + +THIS family is descended from Alastair Roy Mackenzie, a natural +son of John Glassich Mackenzie, II. of Gairloch. + +ALEXANDER ROY MACKENZIE married a daughter of John Roy MacRory, +with issue, among several others, a son, John Mackenzie, who +resided at Coirre-Mhic-Cromaill in Torridon, and a daughter Anne, +called in Gaelic "Anna bheag nam mac mora," who married John +Matheson of Fernaig, with issue - John Mor Matheson, who succeeded +who succeeded his father there and afterwards purchased Bennetsfield +in the Black Isle, County of Ross. + +JOHN MACKENZIE, son of Alastair Roy, married first, a daughter of +Hector Cam, natural son of Hector Roy, I. of Gairloch, with issue - + +1. Duncan "Mac Ean Mhic Allister," who married Helen, daughter +of Hector, son of Kenneth of Meikle Allan, son of Hector Roy, +apparently without issue. + +2. Murdoch, progenitor of this family. + +3. Alexander, who settled in Strathnaver, Sutherlandshire, with +issue - one son, the Rev. Hector Mackenzie, A.M., who was ordained +minister of Kingussie on the 30th of November, 1670, and remained +there until 1688, when he was translated to Inverness, and is +said to have been the last Episcopalian minister who officiated +as parish minister there. He was married and had issue - four +sons, the Rev. James and Alexander, both ministers in Edinburgh; +James of Drumshiuch, M.D., and Fellow of the College of Physicians +of Edinburgh. He practised in Worcester for many years with +great reputation and success. He was elected Physician to the +Infirmary of that town in 1745, which once he held until he retired +from his profession in 1750. He then settled in Kidderminster, +where he was living in 1751. He was author of a medical work +of high repute in its day - "The History of Health and the Art of +Preserving It," first published in Edinburgh in 1758, followed by +new editions in 1759 and 1760. He also wrote a volume of "Devout +Meditations" issued shortly before his death, in Scotland, so far +as known, without issue, and probably unmarried; also William, +who was a schoolmaster in Cromarty, afterwards lost on the Coast +of Guinea. + +4. Roderick "Mac Ean Mhic Allister," who lived in Lochbroom and +married a daughter of John Maciver there, with issue - one son. + +5. Donald "Mor Mac Ean Mhic Allister," who died without issue. + +6. John "Gearr Mac Ean Mhic Allister," unmarried at the date of +the Applecross manuscript in 1669. John married, secondly, his +first cousin, a daughter of Hector Mackenzie, by an Assynt lady, +eldest son of Kenneth Mackenzie, first of Meikle Allan, now +Allangrange, second lawful son of Hector Roy Mackenzie, progenitor +of the family of Gairloch, with issue - + +7. Hector "Mac Ean Mhic Allister." He married a daughter of Hector +Mackenzie of Mellan, with issue - one son. He married, thirdly, a +daughter of William Mackenzie of Shieldaig, with issue - + +8. Donald "Og Mac Ean Mhic Allister," who was killed in the Scots +Army in England in 1645. + +John was succeeded as representative of the family by his second +son, + +I. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, who was born in 1600, and educated for the +ministry. Referring to this Murdoch's cousin, John Mor Matheson +of Fernaig and subsequently of Bennetsfield, the author of the +"Iomaire" manuscript says, that John "was taken up" by the Bishop +of Moray, who resided at Kinkell (hence no doubt Bishop-Kinkell, +the name by which the place has since been known). The Bishop +"kept him for some time at school and gave him 500 merks Scots to +traffic therewith. After following the mercantile line for some +time, in which he was very successful, he began cattle dealing, +by which he became master of a good deal of money." John, in +consequence cut out a career for himself. His cousin, the Bishop, +pointed out to him the great source of wealth which might open to +him if he succeeded in driving some of the superfluous herds of +black cattle which at that time abounded in the Highlands to the +southern markets, and which were then of scarcely any value among +his own countrymen, but on the other hand often served as a strong +temptation to spoliations from their southern enemies, and deadly +feuds among themselves. John Mor had the good sense to act on his +Rev. cousin's advice, and he soon amassed a sufficient fortune to +buy the estate of Bennetsfield and other lands, including Easter +Suddie, in the Black Isle, County of Ross. [Mackenzie's "History +of the Mathesons," pp. 17-18.] + +The Rev. Murdoch was Chaplain of Lord Reay's Regiment, in the army +of Gustavus Adolphus during the Bohemian and Swedish wars, and +subsequently minister of Contin and Inverness in succession. He +was transferred from Inverness to Elgin, and while there was, in +1662, appointed Bishop of Moray, and afterwards of Orkney, arriving +at Kirkwall on the 28th of August, 1677, where he was the last to +occupy Earl Patrick Stewart's Palace, in which he died. He married +Margaret, only daughter and heiress of Donald MacLey, Bailie of +Fortrose. She died in 1676, and is buried in Elgin Cathedral. He +died in 1688, and was interred in the Session House of St. Magnus +Cathedral, which bad been given to him as a burial place for +himself and his descendants, and used by them as such, until any +further interments in it were, some years ago, prohibited. He +left issue by his wife - + +1. Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Broomhill (sasine in 1686), and +Pitarrow, in Kincardine. He was Commissary of Inverness and +Sheriff of the Bishopric of Orkney, his father when appointing him +to the latter office describing him as "Mr Alexander Mackenzie, +Commissary of Inverness, my eldest lawful son." In 1706 he appears +among the heritors of Caithness for the Nethertoun of Stroma in +the parish of Canisbay. He is again on record in 1713, in which +year he disponed the Nethertoun of Stroma to his nephew, Murdoch +Kennedy, son of his sister Jane, and her husband, John Kennedy +of Carmunks. Sir Alexander of Broomhill had an only son, Colonel +Alexander Mackenzie of Hampton, Virginia, who left his English +estates to his nephew, Andrew Young of Castleyards. + +2. George of Pitarrow, of whom nothing is known. + +3. William Mackenzie, Commissary of Orkney, who, in 1679, married +Margaret Stewart of Newark, with issue - Murdoch, born in 1680, +who was invited to become minister of the Episcopal Meeting House +of Kirkwall, but emigrated to New England in 1714, and a daughter +Margaret, who married Andrew Young of Castleyards, Kirkwall also +with issue - a daughter who married Riddoch of Cairston, Provost +of Kirkwall. + +4. The Rev. Thomas Mackenzie, minister of Shapinshay, Orkney. +He was born about 1652, and was appointed minister of Shapinshay +on the 5th of May, 1678. On the 1st of May, 1679 he married +Elspet, daughter of James Blaikie of Burness with issue - Murdoch, +who succeeded his grandfather, the Bishop, as representative of +the family; James, N.P., who seems to have succeeded his brother +Murdoch; Alexander, of whom there is no trace; Thomas, of whom +also nothing is known; Sibella, who married William, second son of +George Traill of Quendale, with issue - Anna, who, in 1716, married +the Rev. James, Nisbet, Stromness; Margaret; and Anna. The Rev. +Thomas Mackenzie died, aged 36 years, on the 7th of February, +1688, a few days before his father. + +5. Captain James, of the Dragoons, who married the Hon. Frances, +daughter of Andrew, eighth Lord Gray, with issue - a daughter, +Frances, who married a clergyman in England. + +6. David, who died young, before 1676, and is buried in Elgin +Cathedral. + +7. Jane, who, on the 15th of May, 1678, married her cousin, John +Kennedy of Carmunks, with issue - Murdoch, already referred to as +afterwards of Stroma. + +8. Mary, who, on the 4th of April, 1678, married George Balfour +of Faray. + +9. Jacobina, who settled in Dundee. + +The male representation of Bishop Murdoch's three eldest sons - +Sir Alexander of Broomhill, George Mackenzie of Pitarrow, +and William Mackenzie, Commissary of Orkney - having failed, the +representation of the family devolved upon + +II. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, eldest son of the Rev. Thomas Mackenzie, +minister of Shapinshay. Murdoch was master of the Grammar School +of Kirkwall, and was alive in November, 1739, a receipt given +by him in that month being still extant. He appears to have died +unmarried when the representation of the family fell to his next +brother, + +III. JAMES MACKENZIE, N.P., who, on the 14th of March, 1709, +married Marion, third daughter of Thomas Traill of Tirlet, with +issue - + +1. Thomas, merchant in Kirkwall, afterwards of Groundwater. + +2. Murdoch Mackenzie, of Minehead, Somersetshire, Hydropapher to +the Navy, and described in one of the Gairloch MSS., written by +James Mackenzie, a member of this family, as "Navigator to His +Majesty, known by his accurate surveys of the western coast of Great +Britain and Ireland, and whose abilities will render him famous to +posterity." He went round the world with Captain Cook's second +expedition in 1772, died unmarried in London, and is buried at +Oxford. + +3. James, S.S.C., described in one of the Gairloch MSS. as "once +in the service of the Earl of Morton," in the Orkneys, author of a +treatise on "The General Grievances and Oppressions of the Isles +of Orkney and Shetland," and of another on Security. He was himself +the author of this Gairloch MS. He died unmarried in London about +1733. + +IV. THOMAS MACKENZIE of Groundwater, who married Elizabeth, +daughter of the Rev. William Blaw, Westray, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, who succeeded his brother Murdoch. + +3. Mary, married Thomas Balfour of Huip, with issue. + +Thomas died before 1781, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. MURDOCH MACKENZIE of Groundwater, who married Miss Cox, and +died without issue, when he was succeeded by his brother, + +VI. KENNETH MACKENZIE, who married Anne Wolf, with issue - + +1. Thomas, who succeeded his father. + +2. Elizabeth, who married Louis Lavencie, London. + +3. Barbara, who, as his first wife, married Robert Hodson, London, +with issue. + +4. Mary, who married Richard Bray, London. + +5. Jane, who married John Cramer, London. + +6. Nancy, who died, unmarried, at Kirkwall, May, 1848. + +Kenneth was succeeded by his only son, + +VII. CAPTAIN THOMAS MACKENZIE, of the H.E.I.C.S., who married +Elizabeth Ayton, London, with issue - + +1. Thomas, his heir and successor. + +2. Elizabeth Anne, who married, in 1831, Alexander Russell +Duguid, M.D., son of the Rev. John Duguid, minister of Evie, +Orkney, with issue - (1) John, who was born on the 25th of March, +1838, and died unmarried, at Falmouth, on the 7th of October, +1865; (2) Alexander, born on the 26th of November, 1840, and died, +unmarried, at Peckham, London, on the 3rd of January, 1884; (3) +Thomas, born on the 4th of September, 1843, and died in London, +unmarried, on the 19th of May, 1874; (4) Elizabeth, who died in +childhood; (5) Jane, who married, first, on the 11th of September, +1855, Robert Heddle, second son of Robert Heddle of Melsetter, +with issue - Elizabeth, who died in infancy, in Toronto, Canada; +and James Alexander, who was born on the 21st of July, 1856, and +died at Kirkwall, unmarried, on the 25th of September, 1876. Her +first husband, Robert Heddle, died on the 28th of August, 1860, +and she married, secondly, on the 30th of November, 1874, John +Armit Bruce, Sheriff-Clerk of Orkney, with issue - an only daughter, +Alexandra Esther Heddle. (6) Mary Hamilton, who on the 5th of +April, 1859 married John Guthrie Iverach, Kirkwall, a cadet of the +Macivers Buidhe of Quoycrook, Caithness, eldest son of William +Iverach of Wideford, Orkney, with issue - Alexander William, who +was born in 1860 and died in infancy; William, born on the 21st +of June, 1865; Mary Elizabeth; and Margaret Guthrie. Her husband, +John Guthrie Iverach, died at Wideford, on the 31st of October, +1875. (7) Sarah Anne, who, in May, 1864, married John Thomson, +Codnor, Derbyshire, son of Thomson, Alnwick, Northumberland, +with issue - Alexander Russell Duguid, who died in infancy; Jessie +Elizabeth, who married Percy Clarke, Nottingham, with issue - Mary +Hamilton Iverach, who married Frederick Grimsly, Birmingham, with +issue - Florence Mackenzie; Henrietta; Louisa Sarah, who died in +infancy; and Gwendoline Averill. + +Captain Thomas, H.E.I.C.S., died in Jamaica, early in the present +century, and was succeeded by his only son, + +VIII. THOMAS MACKENZIE of Groundwater, who died unmarried, at +Kirkwall, in November, 1847, when the property was sold to the +Earl of Orkney, and the lineal representation of the family went +into the female line, the nearest male relative at present being +the son of his niece, Mary Hamilton Iverach, who died 3rd May, +1867, + +IX. WILLIAM IVERACH, Wideford, Orkney, who was born on the 21st +of June, 1865, and is still unmarried. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF DAVOCHMALUAG. + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, first of this family, was the second son +of Kenneth Mackenzie, VII. of Kintail by his second wife, Agnes, +daughter of Hugh, VIth Lord Lovat. He married Margaret, daughter +of Sir William Munro of Fowlis, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Hector, who was married three times, and had numerous issue, +many of whose descendants are well-known and in good positions at +the present day. From his second son Roderick, by his father's +second wife, a daughter of Urquhart, Sheriff of Cromarty, were +descended the late Rev. John Mackenzie, minister of Resolis; the +late Hector Mackenzie, of Taagan, Kenlochewe; the late Rev. Peter +Mackenzie, D.D., minister of Ferintosh, ex-Moderator of the General +Assembly of the Church of Scotland; the Rev. Colin Mackenzie, +minister of Contin; the Rev Kenneth Alexander Mackenzie, LL.D., +present minister of Kingussie; Thomas Mackenzie, Sheriff-Substitute +of Sutherlandshire; the late Major-General Alexander Mackenzie, +C.B., Colonel of the 78th Highlanders; the Rev. John Gibson, +ex-minister of Avoch; Mrs Alexander, Bedford, and several others, +all of whom are shown in Sheet 4 of Sir James Dixon Mackenzie's +Genealogical Tables. + +3. A daughter, who married Fraser of Belladrum. + +4. A daughter, married William Ross of Invercharron. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. RODERICK MACKENZIE, second of Davochmaluag, who married +Anne, daughter of Donald Macdonald of Sleat, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. John Dubh, of whom no trace. + +3. Mary, who had a natural son, Alexander, progenitor of the family +of Applecross and Coul, by Colin Cam Mackenzie, XI. of Kintail. +She afterwards married, first, John Mor Grant, with issue; and, +secondly, Cameron of Glen-Nevis. + +Four other daughters married, respectively, Mackenzie of Kildun; +Murdoch Mackenzie, III. of Achilty; Iver MacIver, Lochbroom, and +Donald MacChoinnich Mhic Mhurchaidh. + +Roderick was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. KENNETH MACKENZIE, third of Davochmaluag, who married a +daughter of Ross of Balnagown, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. John, minister of Lochbroom, who married his cousin, a daughter +of Hector, son of Alexander, I. of Davochmaluag, with issue - William +and Kenneth. + +3. Kenneth, of whom nothing is known. + +He had also a natural son, Murdo, Chamberlain of the Lewis, who +married a daughter of George Munro of Katewell, with issue - several +sons. + +Kenneth was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth of Davochmaluag, served heir to +his father on the 30th of December, 1611. He married Margaret, +daughter of Hector Munro of Fowlis, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, who married Mary, daughter of the Rev. Mr Mackenzie, +minister of Sleat, with issue. + +3. The eldest daughter married Robert Gray. + +4. Another married Alexander MacRae of Inverinate. + +5. A third married Murdo Matheson, of Balmacarra. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fifth of Davochmaluag, who was a strong +Loyalist. His estates were confiscated, a garrison was placed +in his house by Oliver Cromwell, and he suffered great hardships +during the Commonwealth. His friends took the officer who commanded +the garrison in Davochmaluag house by surprise, and, in exchange +for the officer's release, Mackenzie secured his peace. A sasine +to him is dated 1640. He married Janet, daughter of Fraser of +Belladrum, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. John, a Captain in Colonel Hill's Regiment. + +3. George, who married Annabella, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, +VI. of Gairloch, with issue. + +4. Roderick, who married a daughter of Mackenzie of Fairburn, +with issue. + +5. Hector, merchant in Edinburgh, who died unmarried. + +6. Margaret, who married Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Tarvie, with +issue. + +7. A daughter, who married Bain of Knockbain. + +8. Another, who married the Rev. John Mackenzie, minister of +Lochbroom. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. KENNETH MACKENZIE, sixth of Davochmaluag, who married, +first, Mary, daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, first Baronet of +Coul, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Roderick, who married a daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie of +Dundonnel, with issue. + +3. Kenneth, who married a daughter of the Rev. John Mackenzie, +minister of Fodderty and Archdeacon of Ross, with issue. + +4. A daughter, who, in 1689, married Alexander Forrester of +Cullenauld. + +5. A daughter, who married Roderick, a brother of Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, II. of Coul. + +6. A third, who married Donald, son of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of +Fairburn all three with issue. + +He married, secondly, the widow of Mackenzie of Gairloch, without +issue. + +Kenneth was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VII. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, seventh of Davochmaluag. He was +appointed Sheriff-Substitute of Ross in 1698. He married first, +Janet, daughter of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Coul, with +issue - an only daughter, Janet, who married Aeneas Macleod of +Camuscurry, with issue; marriage contract 28th April, 1715; tocher, +3000 merks. She married, secondly, John MacKenzie, chirurgeon, +Fortrose. + +He married, secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Rose of +Clava (marriage contract 1695), with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, who married a Miss Gordon, with issue - two sons. He +died in Jamaica. + +3. John, who married his cousin Mary, daughter of his uncle +Roderick, with issue - (1) Alexander, who went to Melbourne, +Australia. and married, with issue, Alexander, now in Brisbane, +Queensland. (2) Captain John Mackenzie, who married abroad, +with issue - a daughter, Elizabeth, who died at Brighton, in 1856, +without issue. (3) Elizabeth Mackenzie, who married, first, +Richard Ord, of the Merkinch, Inverness, with issue - (a) William +Ord, M.D. in the H.E.I.C.S., who died without issue; (b) John +Ord, a merchant in London, who married with issue; (c) Richard, +who died young; (d) Mary, who married Donald Fraser, solicitor, +Inverness, with issue among others - the late John Fraser +of Bunchrew, who married Hester Mary Mostyn, daughter of Edmund +Lomax of Netley Park, Surrey, with issue, four sons and five +daughters - Lieutenant-Colonel Edmund Lomax, late of the 60th +Rifles, now of Bunchrew, unmarried; William Francis Mostyn, who +died, unmarried, in 1881; Robert Scarlett, who married Beatrice +Anna, daughter of Captain Alexander Watson Mackenzie, now of +Ord, with issue; and Richard Agnew, late of the 78th Highlanders +(Ross-shire Buffs), now Major 1st V.B. Cameron Highlanders, and +Brigade Major Highland Volunteer Brigade, unmarried. John Fraser +of Bunchrew's daughters were - Hester Mary, who, on the 4th of May, +1875, married Sir Archibald Douglas Drummond Stewart, Baronet, of +Murthly and Grandtully, who died in 1891, without issue; Eliza, +who died at Cairo, unmarried, in 1889; Frances Cecil Catherine; +Laura, who married Sir Francis William Grant, Baronet of Monymusk, +who died in 1887, without issue; and Georgina Arbuthnot. John +Fraser of Bunchrew died in 1876. (e) Prudence, Richard Ord's +second daughter, married Bailie John Mackenzie, Inverness, son +of John Mackenzie of Ardnagrask, eldest son of Hector Mackenzie +of Sand, Gairloch, and of Ardnagrask, with issue (for which see +Gairloch Genealogy, pp. 416-418). Elizabeth, on the death of +her first husband, Richard Ord, married, secondly, as his second +wife, Farquhar Macrae of Inverinate, without issue. + +4. Roderick, who died unmarried. + +5. Mary, who married William Mackenzie of Achilty and Kinnahaird, +brother of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Coul, with issue. + +6. Margaret, who married Captain Joseph Avery. They afterwards +went to Carolina, and left issue. + +7. Frances, who married John Macleod of Bay, Isle of Skye, with +issue - one daughter. + +8. Christian, who married William Tolmie, first a merchant +at Fortrose, and subsequently factor for Macleod of Macleod at +Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, with issue, among others - John, tacksman of +Uiginish, Skye, who married Jean, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, +merchant, Stornoway, son of Roderick Mackenzie, III. of Avoch, +with issue - John, who succeeded his father at Uiginish and married +a daughter of Hugh MacCaskill, tacksman of Tallisker, with +issue - the Rev. John Tolmie, M.A.; Jean, who married Laurence +Skene, banker, Portree, with issue Normana, who married Donald +MacLellan, tacksman of Vatersay, Barra, with issue; and several +other sons and daughters, who emigrated to Australia and New +Zealand. The first-named John Tolmie had also two daughters, one +of whom, Barbara, married John Macdonald, tacksman of Scolpaig, +North Uist, with issue - the late John Macdonald, Newton, one of +the finest men and best factors that ever lived and Margaret, who +married William MacNeil, tacksman of Newton, North Uist, and died +in 1893 without issue. The other daughter, Annabella, married +her cousin Hector, second son of Captain John Mackenzie, VI. +of Ballone, with issue - John Tolmie Mackenzie, now residing at +Dunvegan, Isle of Skye. + +Alexander was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VIII. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, eighth and last Baron of Davochmaluag. +He also was Sheriff-Substitute of Ross and was Captain of an Independent +Company in 1746. He married, first, Magdalene, daughter of Hugh +Rose, XV. of Kilravock (marriage contract 1723), with issue - + +1. Kenneth, who died before his father, of consumption, in 1753, +at Cowes, Isle of Wight, while serving an apprenticeship with George +Mackenzie, merchant there. + +2. Jean, who married, first, William Mackenzie, son of Donald +Mackenzie, V. of Kilcoy, without issue and secondly, Alexander +Mackenzie, VIII. of Fairburn, with issue - Roderick, who succeeded +as IX. of Fairburn, and Kenneth, Lieutenant in the 21st Regiment, +who served under General Burgoyne in America, where he was killed, +unmarried, at Saratoga, in September, 1777. + +3. Beatrice, who married John Mackenzie, II. of Brae, with issue. + +4. Mary, who married Farquhar MacRae of Inverinate, with issue. + +5. Magdalene, who married the Rev. Alexander Mackay, minister of +Barvas, Lewis, without issue. + +Alexander married, secondly, Anne, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, +IV. of Applecross, and widow of Alexander Mackenzie of Lentran, +with issue - Anne, who married George Mackenzie, III. of Pitlundie, +Sheriff-Substitute of Ross, with issue. He died without male issue +in 1776, and was succeeded by his grandson, + +IX. KENNETH MACKENZIE, ninth of Davochmaluag, son of his eldest +daughter, Jean, a Lieutenant in the army, killed, as already stated, +without issue, at Saratoga in 1777 and having survived his cousin, +Roderick Mackenzie, eldest son of John Mackenzie, II. of Brae, +the lineal representation of the family devolved upon Alexander +Mackenzie, XI. of Hilton. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF ACHILTY. + +THE first of this family was the third son of Kenneth Mackenzie, +VII. of Kintail, by Agnes Fraser of Lovat. He was originally +designated of Acha-ghluineachan, but afterwards as + +I. RORY MOR MACKENZIE, first of Achilty. He was a most powerful +man, and numerous instances of his prowess are still related among +his countrymen, the most noted of which was his defeat of the famous +Italian champion before King James V. (described pp. 104-107). He +married, first, a daughter of Farquhar MacEachainn Maclean, with +issue - + +1. Alastair Roy, his heir and successor. + +2. Alastair Dubh, who died without issue. + +3. John Roy, who married, with issue. + +He married, secondly, a lady of the name of Grant, widow of Ross +of Balnagown, also with issue. + +By a daughter of William Dubh Macleod he had four natural sons, +the eldest of whom, Murdoch, legitimatised by James V. in 1539, was +progenitor of the family of Fairburn. The other three - Alexander, +John, and Roderick - were also legitimatised by the same King in +1541. + +Rory Mor died on the 17th of March, 1533, was buried at Beauly, +and succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. ALASTAIR ROY MACKENZIE, second of Achilty, who married a +daughter of John Chisholm, XIII. of Chisholm. with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. Rory, who married, with issue - a daughter, who married Duncan +Fraser of Munlochy, and Donald, who was also married, with issue. + +3. John, who married Tullochgorm's daughter, with issue - a son +Alexander, who lived at Struy. + +He died at Lochbroom in 1578, was buried there, and succeeded by +his eldest son, + +III. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, third of Achilty, who married a daughter +of Roderick Mackenzie, II. of Davochmaluag, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Murdoch, I. of Ardross and Pitglassie, progenitor of the present +Mackenzies of Dundonnel. + +3. Kenneth, of whom nothing is known. + +4. Rory, who married, first, a daughter of Alastair MacAllan, by +whom he had Murdo Mackenzie, afterwards Bishop of Raufoe in Ireland. +He married, secondly, a daughter of Hector Mackenzie, son of +Murdoch Mackenzie, I. of Fairburn, with issue, two sons - Alexander +and Hector, and four daughters who married respectively Allan +Mackenzie of Loggie; Dougal Mac Ian Oig; Rory Clark; and Lachlan +Mac Mhurchaidh Mhic Eachainn, of Gairloch. + +5. Isobel, who married Alexander Mackenzie of Inchcoulter, with +issue. + +He died on the 14th of March, 1609, was buried in Lochbroom, and +succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth of Achilty, who married a daughter +of David Chambers, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. John, who married a daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, I. of the +old family of Davochcairn. + +3. Thomas, who married a daughter of Duncan Mackenzie, I. of Sand; +and several daughters, who married respectively James Macleod, +Assynt; Ranald MacGillespick; Angus Mac Dhomhnuill Mhic Dhomhnuill; +Hector Mackenzie, Mellan, Gairloch, second son of John Roy Mackenzie, +IV. of Gairloch, by his second marriage Kenneth Buidhe Mackenzie, +natural son of John Roy, IV. of Gairloch; and Duncan Mackenzie, +Mhic Ian. + +He died at Kildin in 1642, was buried at Dingwall, and succeeded +by his eldest son, + +V. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, fifth of Achilty, who married, first, a +daughter of Hector Mackenzie, son of Alexander Roy, son of Hector +Cam, natural son of Hector Roy Mackenzie, I. of Gairloch, without +issue. He married, secondly, a daughter of Hector Mackenzie, IV. +of Fairburn, relict of Kenneth Mackenzie, I. of Davochcairn, with +issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Isobel, who, in 1701, married Kenneth, son of John MacIver of +Tournaig. + +He married, thirdly, Isabel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, V. +of Gairloch, relict successively of John Mackenzie of Lochslinn, +and Colin Mackenzie, I. of Tarvie, without issue. + +He was succeeded by his only son, + +VI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, sixth of Achilty, Chamberlain of the +Lewis and Assynt in 1735. He married Christian Mackenzie, with +issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. David, who married, with issue - Colin, who succeeded his uncle +Murdoch. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VII. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, seventh of Achilty, who, in 1728, married +Anne, third daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, first Baronet and +VIII. of Gairloch, without issue. He was succeeded by his nephew, +a son of his brother David, + +VIII. COLIN MACKENZIE, eighth of Achilty, an Officer in the +78th Regiment, who married Janet, third daughter of Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, second Baronet and IX. of Gairloch. He was the last +who possessed the property. In 1784 he has a tack of the farm +of Kinkell, where he died in 1813, with his affairs involved. He +left one son, John, who died without issue, whereupon the property +passed to the Mackenzies of Applecross. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF ARDROSS, NOW OF DUNDONNEL. + +THE progenitor of this family was Murdoch, second son of Murdoch +Mackenzie, III. of Achilty. He purchased the lands of Pitglassie +and Kildin, and married Catharine, daughter of John Mackenzie of +Tolly, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, who, in 1699, married Agnes Fraser, and died before +his father, without issue. + +2. Alexander, who succeeded his father. + +3. John "Rapach," who married Anne, daughter of Colin Mackenzie, +III. of Kincraig, without issue. + +4. William, Episcopal minister of Rosskeen, who married a daughter +of Fraser of Belladrum. He was admitted minister of Rosskeen +before the 9th of August, 1665, and he died on the 14th of March, +1714. He had a son described in 1709 as "John, his eldest son." +He also had a son called "Black Colin," who had the farm of +Achintoul in Rosskeen, and who married, with issue--(1) Alexander, +who married Lilias Mackenzie, daughter of Colin Mackenzie, II. of +Kincraig, with issue - a daughter, who married, first, Alexander +Ellison, and secondly, Alexander Aird; (2) George, who married +a daughter of Gordon of Embo, with issue - Colin; John; and three +daughters, Mary, Nelly, and Margaret, who died at Invergordon +45 to 50 years ago, and "were as primitive in their appearance and +dress as if they had come out of Noah's ark." The Rev. William +had also three daughters, who married respectively the Rev. Allan +Clark, minister of Glenelg; the Rev. Duncan MacCulloch, minister +of Urquhart, and Andrew Fraser, Chamberlain of Ferrintosh. + +Murdoch died in 1655, was buried at Dingwall, and succeeded by his +second and eldest surviving son, + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, first of Dundonnel. He bought the lands +of Ardross during his father's lifetime, in 1644, formerly the +property of Ross of Tolly, and sold the lands of Pitglassie and +Kildin. He was served heir in 1662. He married Janet, daughter +of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, in Ulladale, who had a son Alexander, retoured as heir +general in 1715. + +3. Hector, apprenticed to learn chirurgery in 1682. + +4. William, who in 1681, married Christian, daughter of Colin +Mackenzie, II. of Kincraig. + +5. Alexander. + +6. Roderick, of whom nothing is known. + +7. Isobella, who in 1678 married, as his second wife, Alexander +Mackenzie of Inchcoulter, brother-german to Sir George Mackenzie +of Rosehaugh. + +He died in 1674, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, second of Dundonnel, who married a daughter +of Grant of Elchies, Strathspey, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Another son, who died in 1761. + +3. Murdoch, tacksman of Clynes in 1745. + +4. Rory. + +5. Anne. + +6. Margaret, who in 1709 married Gregor, heir of Robert Grant of +Gartenmor. + +He was buried at Rosskeen, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Dundonnel, who married Helen, +daughter of T. Erskine of Pittoderie, celebrated for her beauty, +with issue-- + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Murdoch, who succeeded as V. of Ardross. + +3. Margaret, who married James Muir of Stonywood, with issue. + +4. Rachael, or Barbara, who married George Paton, of Grandholm, +with issue. + +5. Jean, and several others - in all a family of fifteen. He was +buried at Rosskeen, and succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fourth of Dundonnel, who died without +issue, and was succeeded by his eldest brother, + +V. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, fifth of Dundonnel, who in 1743, married +Bathia, daughter of John Paton of Grandholm. In his time was +concluded before Lord Mansfield in the House of Lords, a law-suit +which existed for four generations between his family and the +Rosses of Achnacloich or Tolly, regarding the validity of the sale +of the property to Alexander, second of the family, a litigation +which ruined the Rosses and involved the Mackenzies of Ardross +deeply in debt. He died, and was buried at Rosskeen, having had +issue, an only daughter, who succeeded to the property as sixth +of Dundonnel, + +VI. MARGARET MACKENZIE, who in 1768 married James Munro of +Teaninich, Captain R.N., with issue - + +1. Hugh Munro, Captain in the 78th Regiment, who succeeded to the +estate of Teaninich, and in 1846 died unmarried. + +2. Murdoch, who resumed the name of Mackenzie, and succeeded his +mother in Ardross and Dundonnel. + +3. Colonel Hector, who died unmarried in 1827. + +4. Major-General John Munro, H.E.I.C. S., who married Charlotte, +daughter of Dr Blacker, with issue - (1) James St John, late Major +60th Rifles, who died in 1818, was married, and left issue - Maxwell, +Lieutenant 48th Regiment, and others; (2) John; (3) Stuart Caradoc +Munro, now of Teaninich; (4) Maxwell William; and (5) Charlotte, +who, in 1834, married the Hon. George A. Spencer, with issue. + +5. Catherine, who married Thomas Warrand of Warrandfield, Inverness, +with issue - Robert, Major in the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons; three +other sons and a daughter, all of whom died young. + +6. Bathia; and 7. Alexina, both of whom died young. + +Margaret, whose husband died in 1845, was buried at Ardross, and +succeeded by her second son, + +VII. MURDO MUNRO-MACKENZIE, seventh of Dundonnel, retoured in +1795. He sold Ardross to the Duke of Sutherland, and, in 1834, +purchased Dundonnel from Thomas Mackenzie, VI. of the old family +of Dundonnel. By the death of his elder brother, Hugh, without +issue, Murdo became the head of the family of Munro of Teaninich. +In 1838 he purchased the detached portions of the Cromarty estates, +including the forest of Fannich. He married Christina, daughter +of Robert Ross, Strathcullanach, Balnagown, with issue - + +1. Hugh, who, in 1813, died young. + +2. John, who died before his father in 1815. + +3. Hugh, who succeeded his father. + +4. Kenneth, who succeeded his brother Hugh. + +5. Robert, Lieutenant-Colonel H.E.I.C.S., residing in Brisbane, +Queensland, married, with issue. + +6. James, who died unmarried. + +7. Murdo, who died unmarried. + +8. Mary, who married Major-General Francis Archibald Reid, C.B., +with issue. + +9. Helen, who married Simon Mackenzie-Ross of Aldie, without +issue. + +Murdo died at Dundonnel, was buried there, and succeeded by his +eldest surviving son, + +VIII. HUGH MUNRO-MACKENZIE, who spent his whole time in beautifying, +improving, and increasing his estates, upon which he constantly +resided. He died unmarried, on the 30th of July, 1869, leaving his +fee-simple estates of Mungasdale, Gruinard, and Strath-na-Sealg, +to an illegitimate daughter, who afterwards married Mr Catton. + +He was buried at Dundonnel, and succeeded by his brother, IX. +KENNETH MUNRO-MACKENZIE, who was trained to the medical profession, +qualified in Edinburgh, and afterwards practised successively in +Dublin, London, France, and Italy, and eventually emigrated to +New South Wales, from which he returned in 1870 after thirty-four +years - having established the members of his family in good +positions there - to his native county, to take possession of his +late brother's property. But this he only succeeded in doing +after many years of expensive litigation carried on against him +by his brother's natural daughter, Mrs Catton, who attempted to +overthrow the family settlements and obtain possession of all +the estates for herself. She, however, only succeeded in ruining +her own property, which had to be old to pay the lawyers. + +He married, in 1838, Julia Smith, relict of Captain Edmund Harrison +Cliffe, of Sydney, New South Wales, with issue - + +1. Murdo, his heir, who, born in 1843, accompanied his father +from Australia and afterwards succeeded to the property. + +2. Hugh, of Bundanon, Shoulhaven, N.S.W., now of Dundonnel. + +3. Helen, who, in 1870, married John Robinson of Shoulhaven, +N.S.W., with issue. + +4. Mary, who in 1860 married James Thomson of Burner, Shoulhaven, +N.S.W., with issue. + +5. Julia Anna, who married, in 1867, the Rev. Robert Spier Willis, +M.A., of the Church of England, Incumbent of Manly Beach, Sydney, +N.S.W., with issue. + +Kenneth died in 1878, was buried at Dundonnel, and succeeded by +his eldest son, + +X. MURDO MUNRO-MACKENZIE, tenth of Dundonnel. He died unmarried +and was succeeded by his only brother, + +XI. HUGH MUNRO-MACKENZIE, eleventh of Dundonnel. He resides in +New South Wales. In 1876 he married Bella Mary, daughter of T. +T. Biddulph of Earie, Shoulhaven, N.S.W., with issue - Hugh, Bella, +and Mary. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF FAIRBURN. + +THIS family is also descended from Roderick Mor Mackenzie, I. of +Achilty, by a daughter of William Dubh Macleod, VII. of Harris, by +whom he had a natural son, + +I. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, first of Fairburn, who was granted letters +of legitimation by James V., dated 1st of July, 1539. On the 16th +of March, 1541, there are also letters of legitimation in favour +of "Alexandro Mackenze seniori, Joanni juniori, et Roderico +bastardis filus naturalibus, quondam Roderici Mackenze." Murdo +for some time lived at Court and was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber +to James V. He obtained a charter for his lands, dated 1st +of April, 1542, afterwards confirmed by Queen Mary in 1343. He +married, first, Margaret, daughter of Urquhart, Sheriff of Cromarty, +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. John, I. of Tolly, minister of Dingwall, who married Margaret, +daughter of Ballindalloch, with issue, among others - Murdoch, +II. of Tolly, who married Catherine, daughter of James Innes of +Inverbreakie, with issue. + +3. Annabella, who married, first, Thomas Mackenzie of Lochluichart +and Ord, with issue; and secondly, Alexander Mackenzie, progenitor +of Coul, also with issue. + +4. A daughter, who married Ross of Priesthill. Murdoch married, +secondly, a daughter of Rory MacFarquhar Maclean, with issue - + +5. Roderick, of Knockbaxter, from whom the Mackenzies of Kernsary, +of whom presently. + +6. John, I. of Corry, who married a daughter of Donald Clark, with +issue - three sons and four daughters. + +7. Hector, Chamberlain of Lochcarron. + +8. Isabel, who, as his second wife, married John Roy Mackenzie, +IV. of Gairloch, with issue. + +9. A daughter, who married Donald Glas Macdonald. + +10. Mary, who married Wyland Chisholm, Kinkell, with issue - Agnes, +who married her cousin, Hector Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn, with +issue. + +Murdoch died in 1590, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, second of Fairburn, who married a +daughter of Walter Innes of Inverbreakie, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Hector, who succeeded his brother John in Fairburn. + +3. Isobel, who married John Mackenzie, eldest son of John Roy, +IV. of Gairloch, who died in 1601, before his father, without male +issue. She married, secondly, Bayne of Tulloch. + +4. A daughter, who married Murdo Mackenzie, II. of Kensary, with +issue - a daughter. + +Alexander was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Fairburn, who married Janet, +daughter of Torquil Macleod of Coigeach, without male issue, but by +her he had four daughters who married - the eldest, Murdo Mackenzie +of Sand; Agnes, first, Murdo MacCulloch of Park, and secondly, +Roderick Mackenzie, II. of Corry; Isobel, John Mackenzie of +Pitlundie; and Annabella, Roderick Mackenzie, Ardlair; the last +three being heirs portioners. He has a sasine of Monar in 1620. +He died in 1645, and was succeeded by his next brother, + +IV. HECTOR MACKENZIE, fourth of Fairburn, who married, first, +his cousin Agnes, daughter of Wyland Chisholm, Kinkell, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir, who succeeded; and five daughters, who +married respectively, Roderick, son of Bayne of Tulloch, and +secondly, Angus, third son of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, +by Isobel Mackenzie of Coul another married Kenneth Mackenzie, I. +of Davochcairn, and, secondly, Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Achilty; +the third married the Rev. Alexander Mackenzie, minister of +Lochcarron; the fourth, Roderick, second son of Colin Mackenzie, +I. of Kincraig the fifth, the Rev. Alexander, third son of +the Rev. John Mackenzie of Tolly, by his second marriage with a +daughter of Thomas Fraser of Struy. + +Hector married, secondly, a natural daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, +I. of Kilcoy, with issue - two sons and three daughters. + +Hector was succeeded by his only son, by his first wife, + +V. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fifth of Fairburn, who first married a +daughter of Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston, with issue - Mary, who +married as his second wife, Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Ballone, +with issue. He married, secondly, in 1663, Margaret, daughter of +Donald Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. John, of Bishop-Kinkell, who was married twice, with issue - three +sons and two daughters. + +3. Colin, who died without issue. + +4. Donald, married, with issue - a son Murdoch. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, sixth of Fairburn, who in 1673 married +Isobel, daughter of the Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, with +issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, who died unmarried in 1731. + +3. George; and 4. James, both unmarried. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VII. RODERICK MACKENZIE, seventh of Fairburn, who in 1712 married +Winniewood, daughter of William Mackintosh, Younger of Borlum, +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, who married Ann MacRae, with issue. + +3. Colin, of whom nothing is known. + +4. Helen, who married John, eldest son of Colin, IX. of Hilton, +who died before his father in 1751, without issue. + +Roderick was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VIII. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, eighth of Fairburn, to whom the +estates, which had been forfeited in 1715, were restored in 1731. +He married Jean, eldest daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, VIII. +of Davochmaluag, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, Lieutenant 21st Regiment, who was killed under General +Burgoyne at Saratoga, unmarried, in September 1777. + +Alexander was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IX. RODERICK MACKENZIE, ninth of Fairburn, who in 1768 married +Catharine, daughter of William Baillie of Rosehall, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. William, who died without issue. + +3. Mary, who married James Massey, without issue. She married +secondly, Colonel Robert Murray Macgrigor, with issue - Janetta +Catharine, who married, first, Robert Sutherland, and secondly, +Lieutenant Hull and Barbara, who married Richard Hort, Royal +Horse Guards Blue, with issue. + +4. Barbara, who married, first, Kenneth Murchison of Tarradale, +with issue - the late Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, President of +the Royal Geographical Society, who married a daughter of General +Hugonin, without issue; and the Hon. Kenneth Murchison. + +Roderick was succeeded by his eldest son, + +X. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, tenth of Fairburn, Major-General in the +Army. He was created a Baronet. He died unmarried, the last +direct heir male of the family, and was buried in the St. Clement's +aisle of the old Church of Dingwall. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF KERNSARY. + +THIS family is descended from the Mackenzies of Fair-burn, the last +of the male line of the original Kernsary Mackenzies having, as +already shown, been killed at the battle of Auldearn in 1645, +when his sister carried the lineal representation of that family +to the Mackenzies of Sand. + +The descent of the second family is as follows - Murdoch Mackenzie, +I. of Fairburn, married as his second wife Mary, daughter of +Roderick MacFarquhar Maclean, with issue along with two other sons +and daughters - + +RODERICK MACKENZIE of Knockbaxter, in the vicinity of Dingwall. +He married Aegidia, daughter of Bayne of Tulloch (sasine 1636), +with issue - (1) the Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie, who married a daughter +of MacCulloch of Park; (2) Kenneth, who married a daughter of the +Rev. John Mackenzie, Cromarty; and (3)- + +I. THE REV. RODERICK MACKENZIE, who was minister of Gairloch +from 1649 to 1710. Sir James Dixon Mackenzie of Findon says +distinctly that Roderick was "ancestor of Kernsary," ["Genealogical +Tables of the Mackenzies," Sheet 5.] and there appears to be no +doubt about it. But it is not at all clear whether he or his +brother Kenneth bought the estate from the Mackenzies of Coul, +who then owned it. Mr John H. Dixon, in his interesting book on +Gairloch, says that Roderick had a son Kenneth, born about 1703, +by a sister of the Laird of Knockbain, but if there was such a son, +which is highly improbable, he could not have been the purchaser +of any property during his father's lifetime, who died seven +years after Kenneth's alleged birth, when the father must have +been very advanced in years - close upon eighty. The probability +therefore is that Roderick's brother Kenneth - who, like himself, +during a portion of his ministry was an Episcopalian clergyman - was +the purchaser and that he died, without issue, before his brother, +and left the estate to Roderick, who died in 1710, or perhaps +to his eldest son Murdoch, who, in his marriage contract, dated +1708, two years before his father's death, is designated "of +Kernsary." Mr Dixon has several references to these men, but +being traditional they are more or less unreliable; and as yet no +papers have been discovered which throw any light on the original +purchase by this family. + +Writing about their immediate progenitor Mr Dixon says - "In 1649 +the Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, third son of Roderick Mackenzie of +Knockbackster, was admitted minister of Gairloch and continued so +until his death in March 1710, after an incumbency of sixty-one +years. He seems to have been a man of quiet easy-going temperament. +When he came to Gairloch, Presbyterianism ruled; when Episcopacy +was established in 1660, he conformed; and when the Revolution put +an end to Episcopacy, he became a Presbyterian again." But that +he never was a very enthusiastic one is clear from the Presbytery +records during his incumbency, for they show that he seldom +attended its meetings, though often specially cited by his brethren +to do so. His brother Kenneth, who appears to have continued +an Episcopalian all his life, was of a very different stamp. He +seems to have spent a considerable portion of his early life in the +Island of Bute, to which apparently he became very much attached, +for when he left it and went to reside with his brother at Kernsary, +probably as purchaser and proprietor of the estate, he took a smack +load of Bute soil along with him in order that he might be buried +in it when he died. A portion of this imported earth "was put +into the Inverewe Church, so that when Kenneth was buried there +he might lie beneath Bute soil the overplus was deposited in +the garden of Kirkton house, where the heap is still preserved." +[Dixon's "Gairloch."] The same writer states distinctly that Kenneth +came from Bute, that he was the actual purchaser of the estate, +that he resided in the proprietor's house at Kirkton, that +he officiated in the old church there, some remains of which are +still to be seen, and, he adds - "a loose stone may be seen in the +part of the ruined church which was used as the burial place of +the Kernsary family; it is inscribed 'K M K 1678' and is believed +to have recorded the date when the Rev. Kenneth built or restored +the little church." But is it not much more likely to record +the date of Kenneth's own death? Mr Dixon may be correct in +the assumption that Kenneth, who was a sincere Episcopalian, had +to leave Bute during the troubles of the Covenanting period, and +seek a safe refuge in his brother's parish, who very probably had +no objection to preaching in his church according to the Episcopal +form to which he had himself openly conformed not many years before. +Indeed, after the Revolution, in 1680, the Rev. Roderick, who had +for twenty years been the Episcopalian minister of the parish, +was allowed to remain in his charge until his death thirty years +after without submitting himself to the Presbytery, and most +amusing accounts are given of the manner in which his Presbyterian +successor was opposed on his induction and afterwards persecuted +by the Gairloch Episcopalians. + +There appears to be no doubt that the Rev. Kenneth died before +his brother Roderick, minister of Gairloch, and left the estate +of Kernsary either to him or his eldest son, Murdoch, who, as +already stated, is described in 1708, two years before his father's +death, as then of Kernsary." It has been shown that the estate +was purchased by this family from the Mackenzies of Coul, and there +is a sasine, dated the 27th of July, 1762, on a precept of "clare +constat," granted by Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Coul in favour of +Roderick Mackenzie, IV. of Kernsary, as nearest heir male to his +grandfather. + +The Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, minister of Gairloch married a daughter +of Bayne of Knockbain, his father's neighbour, with issue, among +several other sons, - + +II. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, second of Kernsary, who married, first, +his cousin, a daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Fairburn, +without male issue. + +He married, secondly, Anna, eldest daughter of Charles Mackenzie, +I. of Letterewe (marriage contract 1708), with issue - + +III. RODERICK MACKENZIE, third of Kernsary, who as her second +husband married Margaret, youngest daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, +III. of Ballone (sasine to her in 1742), by his wife Barbara, +daughter of Kenneth Mor Mackenzie, I. of Dundonnel, and niece of +Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Hector, who died without issue. + +3. Ann, who married George Mackenzie of Kildonan, third son of +James, brother of George Mackenzie, II. of Ardloch, with issue - a +son James. + +4. Mary, who married John Ross, Inverness. + +Roderick was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fourth of Kernsary, who married his cousin +Mary, eldest daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Ballone, by +his wife, Catherine, daughter of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard. +She was celebrated for her great beauty, and was immortalised as +"Mali chruinn donn" in one of the best songs in the Gaelic language, +composed by William Mackenzie, a native of Gairloch, better known +as "An Ceistear Crubach," or the Lame Catechist. By her Roderick +had issue - + +V. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth of Kernsary, who sold the property, +and leased the farm of Arcan, near Brahan. He married Mary, eldest +daughter of the Rev. Roderick Morrison, minister of Kintail, by +his wife Jean, daughter of Fraser of Culduthel, with issue - + +1. Roderick, planter in Demerara, who died unmarried. + +2. Alexander, now residing at Lincoln. He was twice married, and +has issue - a son and daughter. + +3. The Rev. Hector, late minister of Moy, Inverness-shire. He +married Margaret, daughter of William Macleod, I. of Orbost, with +issue - an only son William, who married, with issue, and emigrated +to Canada. + +4. Davidson, a squatter in Australia, married, with issue. + +5. Wilhelmina, who married Alexander MacTavish, Town Clerk of +Inverness, with issue - (1) Alastair, who went to New Zealand and +there married Jeanie Halse, of Wellington, with issue - Alastair +Henry; Hector; and Elsie; (2) William Tavish MacTavish, +Procurator-Fiscal for the Tam District of Ross and Cromarty; (3) +Mary who married Ranald Macdonald of Morar, with issue; and (4) +Catharine, who died unmarried. + +6. Maria, residing at Inverness, unmarried. + +7. Jean Fraser, who in 1844 married William Murray, tacksman +of Kilcoy, son of Francis Murray of Ardconnon Old Meldrum, with +issue - (1) Francis, an indigo planter in Kurnoul, Tirhoot, who +married, in 1875 Eliza Annabella, daughter of John Mackenzie, +Teetwarpore, Tirhoot, with issue - Francis Mackenzie, Walter William +Macdonald, Jean Fraser, Gertrude Mary, Florence Wilhelmina, and +Lisette Julia; (2) William, tacksman of Bellfield, North Kessock; +(3) Alexander, a fruit-grower in Australia, and editor of the +Mildewa Irrigationist. He marred Catherine, daughter of William +Mackenzie, C,E., New South Wales; (4) Robert Davidson, Surgeon-Major +Bengal Army. He married Mary, daughter of Surgeon-General Mackay, +Madras Army, of the family of Bighouse, with issue. (5) James, +M.D., practising in Inverness. He married Cecil, daughter of +John Scott, S.S.C., Toronto, with issue - two daughters, Violet +Cecil, and Janetta. (6) Edward Mackenzie, an indigo planter at +Mungulghur Tirhoot, who in 1893 married Annie Isabel Kingsburgh, +second daughter of General John Macdonald, Cheltenham, +great-great-grandson of the famous Flora Macdonald. (7) Alfred +Aberdein, an indigo planter in Tirhoot. He married Kathleen, +daughter of John Fraser Mackenzie of Belsund, Tirhoot, with issue - a +son Colin. (8) Mary Jane Elsie, who on the 5th of December, +1883, married John Hamilton Fasson, Bengal Civil Service, with +issue - Herbert, born in 1885; Elsie Isabel and Hilda. (9) Isabella +Leslie. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF KILLICHRIST, SUDDIE, AND ORD. + +KENNETH, VII. of Kintail, had a fourth son by his second marriage +with Agnes of Lovat, from whom descended the families of Suddie, +Inverlael, Little Findon, Ord, Langwell, Highfield, and several +minor branches. The three first named being long extinct in +the male line, it is needless to enter further into detail than +is necessary to show their intermarriages with other Mackenzie +families. The progenitor of these branches was known as + +I. KENNETH MACKENZIE, first of Killichrist. He was Priest of +Avoch, Chaunter of Ross, and perpetual Curate and Vicar of Coirbents, +or Conventh. He resigned this vicarage into the hands of Pope +Paulus in favour of the Priory of Beauly. There is a presentation +by James, Bishop of Moray, to Mr Kenneth Mackenzie, of the vicarage +of Conventh, dated June 27, 1518. ["Antiquarian Notes," p. 100] He +has a charter of the lands of Suddie from James V. in 1526. He +would not refrain from marriage, notwithstanding the orders of +the Roman Church promulgated some time previously, and the Bishop +attempted to depose him with the result described at pp. 107-108. +He married Helen, daughter of Robert Loval of Balumbie, Forfarshire; +his brother, John of Killin, IX. of Kintail, and his wife's father +being parties to the contract of marriage, dated 1539, by which +it was agreed that in case of his decease before her she is to +have an annuity of 600 merks Scots and other perquisites. By her +Kenneth had issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Thomas, of Kinlochluichart, afterwards I. of Ord. + +3. John Caol, or Slender, who married, with issue. + +4. Roderick, who married, with issue - Alexander and John, and +a daughter, who married, first, a Mr Macdonald and secondly, the +Rev. Kenneth Mackenzie, of the Torridon family, minister of Sleat, +Isle of Skye. + +Kenneth was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, second of Killichrist, who, in 1571, +obtained a charter from James VI. of the lands of Suddie, which +had been granted to his father in 1526 by James V. He married +Agnes, only child of Roderick Mackenzie, third son of Allan, II. +of Hilton, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. John, Archdean of Ross, I. of Inverlael, who married Margaret, +daughter of William Innes of Culrossie, and had a son, Kenneth, +II. of Inverlael, who married Agnes, daughter of William Fraser, +V. of Culbokie (sasine on marriage contract in 1629), without +issue male, and the Rev. Thomas, also Archdean of Ross, III. of +Inverlael. Thomas married Agnes, daughter of Hector Douglas of +Muldearg, with issue - John, who succeeded as IV. of Inverlael, +and Thomas, a W.S. in Edinburgh, who died unmarried. John, IV. +of Inverlael, had three sons who died without issue, and a daughter, +who married Alexander Mackenzie of Towie. John, the Archdean, +I. of Inverlael, had a third son, Alexander, a W.S., who died +unmarried; and a fourth, the Rev. James Mackenzie, minister of +Nigg, who married Mary, daughter of John Rose of Broadley, with +issue, from whom descended the late Right Hon. John Holt Mackenzie, +who married without issue; and the late Joshua Henry Mackenzie +of Belmont, Lord of Justiciary, who married Helen Ann, youngest +daughter of Francis Humberston-Mackenzie, last Lord Seaforth, +with issue - two daughters, Frances Mary and Penuel Augusta. + +3. Murdoch, I. of Little Findon, who married Margaret, daughter +of Murdoch, second son of John Mackenzie, I. of Loggie, with +issue - John, II. of Little Findon. + +4. Kenneth, of whom nothing is known. + +5. Alexander, a natural son, Colonel in the army, and Governor +of Tangiers. He had also by a German lady two sons in the French +army, and two daughters, one of whom, Penelope, married Allan +Macdonald, XIX of Clanranald, killed at Sheriffmuir in 1715, +without issue. + +Alexander died in 1575, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. KENNETH MACKENZIE, third of Killichrist, who married, +first, the widow of James Gray of Skibo, with issue - a daughter, +who married, first, John Dunbar of Avoch, and secondly, probably +as his second wife, Lachlan Mackintosh, VII. of Kyllachy. Kenneth +married, secondly, in 1605, Catharine, daughter of Roderick Mor +Mackenzie, I. of Redcastle (sasine of Suddie in 1607) with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Margaret, who married Fraser, Tutor of Foyers. + +He was succeeded by his only son, who became first of + + +THE MACKENZIES OF SUDDIE. + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, first of Suddie. He served under +Gustavus Adolphus, and married Mary, daughter of Bruce of Airth, +with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, who married Janet, daughter of John Mackenzie, Ardcharnach +and Langwell, with issue - Alexander, an officer in the Horse Guards; +Thomas, killed without issue, in the Scots Guards in Spain; John, +a Lieutenant-Colonel in Collier's Regiment in Flanders; and Colin, +in Lauder's Regiment, killed in Flanders, without issue. + +3. Elizabeth, who married George Leslie, Sheriff-Clerk of Inverness, +with issue (sasine in 1653). + +4. Agnes, who about 1630 married Roderick, sixth son of Alexander +Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, without issue. + +5. Magdalen, who married Alexander Graham of Drynie, with issue. + +Alexander has a sasine of Suddie in 1650, and another in 1672. He +was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. CAPTAIN KENNETH MACKENZIE, second of Suddie. He served +in Dumbarton's Regiment in France in 1666, and as a Royalist +Captain in Scotland. He married Isobel, daughter of John Paterson, +Bishop of Ross, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. George, killed with Lord Mungo Murray at Darien. + +3. Margaret, who married; William Macleod of Bernera. + +4. Elizabeth, married as his first wife, Colonel Alexander Mackenzie +of Conansbay, son of Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth, without +issue. + +5. Alice, who married, first, in 1698, as his second wife, John +Macdonald of Balcony, son of Sir James Macdonald, IX. of Sleat; +and secondly, John Maclean, M.D., Inverness. + +He was killed at the battle of Mulroy in Lochaber in 1688, [Scott +gives the following account of Captain Mackenzie's death - "He was +brave, and well-armed with carabine, pistols, and a halbert or +half-pike. This officer came in front of a cadet of Keppoch, called +Macdonald of Tullich, and by a shot aimed at him, killed one of +his brothers, and then rushed on with his pike. Notwithstanding +his deep provocation, Tullich, sensible of the pretext which the +death of a Captain under Government would give against his clan, +called out more than once, 'Avoid me, avoid me.' 'The Macdonald +was never born that I would shun,' replied Mackenzie, pressing on +with his pike on which Tullich hurled at his head a pistol, which +he had before discharged. The blow took effect, the skull was +fractured, and Mackenzie died shortly after, as his soldiers were +carrying him to Inverness." - "Tales of a Grandfather."] and was +succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. KENNETH MACKENZIE, third of Suddie, who, in 1706 married +Katharine, daughter of John Shaw of Sornbeg, Ayrshire, with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. John, Lieutenant-Colonel in the army. + +3. Mary, who married General Norman Macleod, XXII. of Macleod, +with issue. + +4. Agnes, who married Lachlan Mackintosh of Kyllachy. + +Kenneth has a sasine in 1695. He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, fourth and last of Suddie, who married +Margaret, second daughter of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Baronet, and +V. of Coul, with issue - + +1. Alexander, who died before his father, without issue. + +2. John Randoll Mackenzie, Major-General in the army, killed at +Talavera in 1809, without issue. + +3. Janet; and 4. Katharine, who both died without issue. + +5. Henrietta Wharton, who in 1810 became her father's heir, and +married, as her second husband, Sir James Wemyss, fifth Baronet +and VIII. of Scatwell, M.P., Lord-Lieutenant for the County of +Ross, to whom she carried the Suddie estates, and had issue - Sir +James John Randoll Mackenzie, sixth Baronet and last of Scatwell, +who, about 1850 sold or alienated the estates. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF ORD. + +KENNETH, first of Killichrist fourth son of Kenneth Mackenzie, +VII. of Kintail, had, as already shown, a second son, Thomas +of Lochluichart, who, in 1598, obtained from Kenneth, XII. and +afterwards first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, a tack of the lands +of Ord. Thomas married, first, Isobel, a daughter of Roderick +MacAllan Macleod of Gairloch, with issue - + +1. Murdoch Mackenzie of Scatwell, who married Catherine, daughter +of Alastair Roy Mac Eachainn, without issue. In 1619, he talzied +the estate of Scatwell to his foster-brother, Kenneth Mackenzie, +I. of Scatwell, son of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, Tutor +of Kintail. + +2. Kenneth, progenitor of the Mackenzies of Langwell, whose +present representatives are in Australia; and of Mackenzie-Ross +of Aldie, who adopted the additional name of Ross on succeeding +to that property. + +Thomas of Lochluichart married, secondly, Annabella, daughter of +Murdoch Mackenzie, I. of Fairburn, with issue - + +3. John, who afterwards obtained a charter of Ord. + +4. Thomas, who married a daughter of the Laird of Katewell, with +issue - two sons, John of Wester Kessock, who married Margaret +Maclean, and another son, who died unmarried, in 1642. Thomas +died before 1628. + +5. Murdoch, servitor to the Tutor of Kintail, who died unmarried, +in 1628. This Murdoch, by his last will, dated 13th January, +1628, left his brother-german, John Mackenzie of Ord, executor +and legatee, and bequeathed 400 merks Scots and fiffteen boils +victual or the value thereof to the children of his late brother +Thomas. He also left three hundred and twenty-one merks Scots +to Thomas Graham, his sister's son, and the annual rent of one +thousand merks to Isobel Cuthbert, wife of his said brother and +executor, and discharged his sisters of all the monies they borrowed +from him. + +Thomas of Lochluichart died before 1619. His eldest son, + +I. JOHN MACKENZIE, was the first of the family who possessed Ord +and was designed thereof, though it was previously held in tack by +his father. John was locally called "Ian Dubh a Ghiuthais," or +Black John of the Fir. He obtained a charter from Kenneth, XIIth +Baron and first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, of the lands and mill +of Ord, and the half of Corrievoulzie and Strathvaich, dated 23rd +July, 1607, and on the 15th of September, 1637, George second Earl +of Seaforth granted him a regular free charter of the whole. + +John married Isobel, daughter of Alexander Cuthbert of Drakies, +by his wife Christian Dunbar, who long survived him, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Thomas, from whom the Mackenzies of Highfield. + +3. James, who married a daughter of the Rev. Farquhar Clark. He +is cautioner, with his brother Kenneth of Ord, for Thomas Mackenzie, +III. of Inverlael, from which he is discharged on the 18th of May, +1659. He is witness to the registration of the marriage contract +of his brother John, at Inverness, on the 20th of February, 1666. + +4. George, who married, first, a natural daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, and secondly, Janet, daughter of the +Rev. Mr Linen, minister of Fairnly, with issue - one son, Alexander, +who joined the Darien expedition, and afterwards settled and +married in Jamaica, where his posterity still flourish. + +5. A daughter, who married Mackenzie of Tarradale. + +6. Annabella, who in 1650 married Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of +Hilton. + +7. Janet, who, in 1652 married Alexander Cam, fourth son +of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, with issue - Roderick and +Alexander, Mic Alastair Chaim, the author's ancestors. Two daughters +married respectively a son of the Rev. John Clark, minister of +Lochalsh, and Murdo Mackenzie Mhic Mhurchaidh. + +John witnessed the burning of the Church of Killichrist by the +Macdonalds of Glengarry in 1602. He died before the 1st of December, +1644, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. CAPTAIN JOHN MACKENZIE, second of Ord. He fought under +Montrose against the Covenanters, and was in consequence summoned +to appear before the Presbytery of Dingwall on the 5th of March, +1650, as a Malignant. He confessed to have been at the head +of a Company at Balvenny, professed his grief and desired to be +received to the Covenant and public satisfaction. + +He was ultimately ordained on the 19th of November, 1650, "to +make his repentance to James Graham's unnatural rebellion, the +unlawful engagements, and the late insurrection in the North, in +the kirk of Dingwall, in his own habits, the next Sabbath, and +to be received, and to subscribe the Declaration." On the 13th +of October, 1653, he is appointed to take charge of the Earl of +Seaforth's forest of Fannich, for which he is to receive a certain +number of boils victual yearly. On the 22nd of April, 1655, he +is tried by Court Martial in Edinburgh, for plundering the lands +of Fowlis on the 9th of November preceding, found guilty, and +sentenced to repair the damage to the extent proved, out of his +lands of Ord, and to be committed to prison until the General's +pleasure should be known thereon. + +He married Magdalen, daughter of William Fraser of Culbokie (marriage +contract 21st July, 1633; tocher 2500 merks Scots) with issue - + +1. Thomas, his heir and successor, + +2. Kenneth, who is witness to a bond, dated 27th of April, 1724, +by Thomas Mackenzie of Ord, and his eldest son, Alexander, in favour +of John Mackenzie of Highfield. He married, in 1702, Elizabeth, +daughter of Assynt, with issue - one son, Kenneth. + +3. Annabella, who married on the 28th of April, 1698, Charles +Maclean, Brae. + +4. Helen, who married on the 25th of April, 1700, James Murray, +Culloden. + +5. Janet, who married Donald Macdonald, South Uist (marriage +contract 1711). + +6. Florence, married Kenneth Mackenzie, Kenlochewe. + +Captain John died before the 19th of February, 1686, and was +succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. THOMAS MACKENZIE, third of Ord. On the 6th and 8th of March, +1697, he redeemed the wadset of Corrievoulzie, duly and lawfully +premonishing and warning John Mackenzie, indweller in Wester +Kessock, and Margaret Maclean, his spouse, to repair to the +Tolbooth of Fortrose, commonly called the Charter house, on the +15th of May next, and there any time betwixt the sun rising and +the down passing of the same, to receive from Thomas Mackenzie +of Ord, or any other in his name, the sum of fifty thousand merks +Scots, whole and together in one sum, all copper and lay-money +excepted, and upon receipt thereof to deliver up the Wadset +of Corrievoulzie, etc., to him. On the 23rd of August, 1716, he +entered into an obligation with Kenneth Bayne of Tulloch and John +Mackenzie of Highfield, by which, upon their satisfying Colin Graham +of Drynie for a debt contracted between that gentleman and Ord, +the latter is to make an ample disposition to them and their +heirs, of all his lands lying within the Sheriffdom of Ross, with +reversion always, during all the days of his life, of the sum of +one hundred and twenty merks Scots, five bolls of bear, five bolls +of malt, five bolls of oatmeal, five bolls of bear meal yearly, +out of the rents of said lands and it was specially provided that +as soon as the sum of four thousand merks Scots was paid by Kenneth +Bayne and John Mackenzie, they should be obliged to give the said +Thomas Mackenzie one chaldron of victual, or one hundred merks +Scots yearly, over and above the reservation above-mentioned. + +He married Mary, daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross. +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Magdalen, who married William Mackenzie, son of Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, II. of Coul (marriage contract 18th July 1716). + +He was succeeded by his only son, + +IV. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth of Ord, who before the 29th +of June, 1723, married Jean, daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of +Highfield, with issue - + +1. Thomas, his heir and successor. + +He died before the 10th of October, 1748, and was succeeded by his +only son, + +V. THOMAS MACKENZIE, fifth of Ord. He was educated at Fortrose, +and married Ann, youngest daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, first +Baronet and IV. of Scatwell (marriage contract 15th of June, 1730). +She had a jointure, in case of her surviving him, of five chalders +of victual rent, and three hundred merks Scots yearly, namely, three +chalders of victual out of the lands of Broomhill, Ballavulaich, +and Milltown of Ord, two chalders of the first and readiest of +the rents of the Mill of Ord, and three hundred merks out of the +lands of Corrievoulzie, Strathvaich, Stronchondrum, and Bruthach-nam-Bo. +By her he had issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Elizabeth, who married Alexander, only son of George Gillanders +of Highfield, Chamberlain to Kenneth, Earl of Seaforth (marriage +contract 17th April, 1777), with issue. + +3. Abigail, who married George Mackenzie, IV. of Dundonnel, with +issue. + +Thomas died in 1803, and was succeeded by his only son, + +VI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, sixth of Ord, who, during his father's +lifetime, was, by deed of settlement of Katharine Bethune and Alexander +Macdonald, her husband, dated 3rd December, 1785, appointed sole +executor to Macdonald's only child Kenneth, whom failing, the said +Alexander Mackenzie, younger of Ord, to be sole heir, "and this +as a token of gratitude to the worthy family of Ord." Alexander +married Helen, daughter of Neil Macinnes, Collector of Taxes, +Aberdeen, with issue - + +1. John, who died before his father, unmarried. + +2. Thomas, who became his heir and successor. + +3. Alexander, Captain in the 25th Regiment, Native Infantry, +H.E.I.C.S., who married Hannah Fraser, daughter of James Fraser +of Belladrum, with issue - (1) Alexander, H.E.I.C.S., who married +a daughter of Colonel Birch, with issue - four sons and four +daughters; (2) Charles-Archdale, in the Army, and three daughters, +Helen, Emilia, and Anna. He died in India on the 15th of June, +1837. + +4. Anne, who married her cousin, Thomas Mackenzie, VI. and last +of the Old Mackenzies of Dundonnel. + +5. Margaret, who married John Maclean, Granada, with issue - an +only daughter, Helen. + +6. and 7. Eliza and Helen, both of whom died unmarried. + +Alexander died in 1820 and was succeeded by his eldest surviving +son, + +VII. THOMAS MACKENZIE, seventh of Ord, Vice-Lieutenant of the +County of Ross. He was born in December 1797, and married, on +the 27th of April, 1825, Anna Watson, second daughter of James +Fowler of Raddery, and Grange in Jamaica, with issue - an only +son, who in 1880, succeeded his father as + +VIII. ALEXANDER WATSON MACKENZIE, eighth of Ord. He was born +on the 31st of August, 1827, and was a Captain in the 91st Regiment. +He married on the 10th of June, 1857, Angel-Babington, daughter +of the Rev. Benjamin Peile, of Hatfield, Herts, with issue - + +1. Thomas Arthur, born on the 17th of September, 1859, Captain +79th Cameron Highlanders. He first joined the 42nd Regiment but +was transferred in 1880 to the 79th Cameron Highlanders. He served +in the Egyptian War and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, +for which he has a medal and clasp and the Khedive Star. He +obtained his Captaincy on the 16th of January, 1885. He was for +several years Adjutant of the 79th and is one of the editors of +"The Historical Records" of that Regiment, published in 1887. + +2. Alexander Francis, who was born on the 18th of April, 1861, +Captain 93rd Highlanders. + +3. Beatrice Anna, who in 1887 married Robert Scarlett, son of +the late John Fraser of Bunchrew, with issue - John Ord Alastair; +Gladys Frances; and Evelyn Robert Leopold. + +4. Anna Watson. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF HIGHFIELD. + +I. THOMAS MACKENZIE, first of this family, was the second son +of John Mackenzie, I. of Ord, by Isobel, daughter of Alexander +Cuthbert of Drakies. He married Agnes, daughter of Murdoch Matheson +of Balmacarra, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Lachlan, who married Mary Macdonald of Tighchruic, with issue. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. JOHN MACKENZIE, second of Highfield (sasine in 1730), who +married Margaret, daughter of James Maclean, a Bailie of Inverness, +with issue - + +1. Thomas, who died before his father, without issue. + +2. James, who became his heir and successor. + +3. Colin, of Meikle-Scatwell, who married Catharine, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie of Lentran, without issue. + +4. William of Strathgarve, who married Janet, daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie of Lentran (sasine of lands in 1747), with issue - John, +II of Strathgarve, and Alexander, who died without issue. John +married and had issue - William, III. of Strathgarve, and three +daughters. William married a daughter of Dr Mackenzie, practising +as a surgeon in Edinburgh, with issue - a son John, whose issue, +if any, are unknown; and William, who died in India without issue. + +5. Elizabeth, who in 1716, married Donald Mackenzie, V. of Kilcoy, +with issue. + +6. Jean, who married Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Ord, with issue. + +7. Catharine, who in 1747, married Robert Ross of Achnacloich. + +He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +III. JAMES MACKENZIE, third of Highfield, who married Mary, +daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, IV. of Applecross, with issue - + +1. Thomas, his heir and successor. + +2. William, who died unmarried. + +3. Alexander, who died young. + +4. John, who died unmarried. + +5. Alexander, of Breda, Aberdeenshire, who married Maria Rebecca, +daughter of Colonel William Humberston Mackenzie of Conansbay, +and sister of the last Lord Seaforth, with issue - (1) William, +a Lieutenant in the 78th Regiment, died at Breda in Holland of a +wound he had received the previous day at the taking of Merxem, +in 1814; (2) Thomas, a midshipman, R.N., drowned at sea; (3) +Frederick, R.N., murdered at Calcutta, in 1820; (4) Francis, R.N., +drowned at sea in 1828; (5) John, all without issue; and (6) +Alexander, Captain, 25th Regiment, and Adjutant of the Ross-shire +Militia, who took a great interest in the history of his Clan +and collected a large amount of information and valuable MSS. He +married Lilias Dunbar, daughter of James Fowler of Raddery, with +issue - (1) James Evan Fowler, who died unmarried; (2) Alexander, now +at Fortrose and three daughters, who died unmarried. Alexander +of Breda, who died in 1872, had also four daughters, two of +whom, Louisa and Gertrude Elizabeth, died unmarried; Margaret, +who married the Rev. Charles Grant, minister of the Scottish +Episcopal Church at Meikle Folla, with issue - nine children. She +died in 1871. The youngest, Mary Gibbs, married on the 25th of +March, 1827, George Skues, Lieutenant Royal Marines, Aberdeen, +with issue - (1) William Mackenzie, M.D., Surgeon-Major in the Army, +who married Margaret, daughter of Christopher Hyre, Newfoundland, +with issue, three sons and five daughters - George Edward Mackenzie; +Frederick William Mackenzie; Charles Hyre Mackenzie; Mary Isabella +Mackenzie; Margaret Caroline Mackenzie; Gertrude Eliza Mackenzie; +Minnie Mackenzie, and Elsie Mackenzie; (2) Edward Walker, +Staff-Surgeon in the Army, who died at Calcutta, unmarried, in +1862; (3) Frederick Mackenzie, Surgeon-Major in the Army, who +married Maria Theresa Malcolm, with issue - two sons, Frederic +Mackenzie and Edward George, and two daughters, Mary Theresa and +Margaret Sarah; (4) Richard Alexander, residing in America; (5) +John Richards; (6) Georgina Mary, and two daughters who died in +infancy. + +6. Margaret, who married Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Muirton of +Kilcoy with issue. + +7. Elizabeth, who in 1755 married Donald Matheson of Attadale, +with issue - from whom Sir Kenneth James Matheson, Baronet, now of +Lochalsh and Ardross. + +8. Anne, who married James Rose of Cuilich, with issue; and seven +other daughters who died unmarried. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. THOMAS MACKENZIE, fourth of Highfield, who afterwards +succeeded his uncle, John Mackenzie, as VI. of Applecross. He +obtained that estate from his maternal uncle, John, V. of Applecross. + +In 1781 he sold Highfield to George Gillanders, commissioner for +Seaforth, and purchased Lochcarron from Sir Alexander Mackenzie +of Delvine for L10,000. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Donald +Mackenzie, V. of Kilcoy, with issue - John, VII. of Applecross, and +several others. (For his succession see Applecross Genealogy.) + + +THE MACKENZIES OF REDCASTLE. + +I. RODERICK MOR MACKENZIE, progenitor of the family of +Redcastle, was third son of Kenneth Mackenzie X. of Kintail, by +Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of John, second Earl of Athole. He was +a distinguished warrior, and took a prominent part in the frequent +encounters between the Mackenzies and the Macdonalds of Glengarry, +often commanding the Clan on these occasions. In 1608 he has a +charter under the Great Seal of the lands of Redcastle. He married +Florence, daughter of Robert Munro, XV. of Fowlis, with issue - + +1. Murdoch, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, I. of Kincraig, of whom presently. + +3. Isabel, who married Hugh Mackay of Bighouse, with issue. + +4. Margaret, who married, as his first wife, Alexander Mackenzie, +V. of Gairloch, with issue. + +5. Helen, who married Thomas Dunbar of Grange. + +6. Catharine, who married, first, in 1605, Kenneth Mackenzie, +III. of Killichrist, with issue; and secondly, Thomas Chisholm of +Kinneries, also with issue. + +7. Agnes, who married John Dunbar of Bennetsfield. + +8. Another, who married John Bayne of Tulloch. + +Roderick Mor was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, second of Redcastle, who has a sasine +as heir to his father in 1615. He married Margaret, daughter of +William Rose, XI. of Kilravock (marriage contract 13th of June +1599; tocher 4500 merks), ["Kilravock Papers," p. 83.] with issue - + +1. Kenneth, who died young. + +2. Roderick, his father's heir and successor. + +3. Alexander, who married a daughter of William Paterson, with +issue - Roderick, who married a daughter of Mackenzie of Fairburn; +William; John; Murdo; Colin; and two daughters, the elder of whom +married Roderick, son of Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Hilton, with +issue - Colin, who died without issue in 1682. + +4. The Rev. John, who after he was ordained, was schoolmaster +at Chanonry, and died in 1640, unmarried. + +5. William, M.D. at the Court of Spain, where he died, without +issue. + +6. Margaret, who married Angus Chisholm, XVIII. of Chisholm, +without issue. + +7. Finguala, who married Roderick Mackenzie, I. of Applecross, +with issue. + +8. Catharine, who married Donald Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, +without issue. + +Four other daughters married respectively, Alexander Fraser of +Reelig the Rev. William Mackenzie, minister of Tarbat Alexander +MacRae, Chamberlain of Kintail Fraser, son of Fraser of Foyers, +and secondly, Hugh, brother of Fraser of Culduthel. He had also +a natural daughter, who married John Mor Mackenzie, natural son +of William Mackenzie of Shieldaig, Gairloch. + +Murdoch was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +III. RODERICK MACKENZIE, third of Redcastle. He has a sasine +in 1629 and in 1638. He was fined L2000 for taking part in the +wars of Montrose against the Covenanters, and was for some time +imprisoned in Edinburgh along with Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine. +During his imprisonment General Carr besieged his castle, the +only stronghold which still held out for the King; killed the +commander, who exposed himself on the ramparts, set fire to the +castle, and razed its walls to the ground. He was liberated on +the intercession of his maternal uncle on payment of 7000 merks +Scots. In 1690 he excambed with Kenneth Mackenzie, I. of Dundonnel, +formerly of Glenmarkassie, the lands of Acha-ta-Donill, Blachlach, +etc., belonging to Redcastle, for the davoch of Meikle Scatwell, +of old possessed by Allan and Alexander Mackenzie. He married +Isobel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Kilcoy, with +issue - + +1. Colin, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, an Advocate, who died unmarried. + +3. Charles, of whom nothing is known. + +4. Anne, who married John Mackenzie, II. of Scatwell, with issue +- an only daughter, Lilias, who in 1679 married Colin Mackenzie, +III. of Kincraig, with issue. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. COLIN MACKENZIE, fourth of Redcastle, who was a very prudent +man and amassed a large fortune. In 1676 he made an entail of the +Barony of Redcastle, which, however, he neglected to register, a +fact only discovered long after his death. He married, first, the +eldest daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, Baronet, I. of Coul, +with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin of Rossend, who married, with issue - Colin, W.S., +and Charles, a goldsmith. He was out in the Rising of 1715, and +suffered much in consequence. + +3. John, of whom there is no trace. + +4. Jean, described on her tombstone in Tam as the eldest daughter. +She married, in 1679, John Urquhart of Newhall. + +5. Margaret, who in 1680 married Alexander Fraser, Younger of +Belladrum. + +6. Elizabeth, who in 1685 married Ewen Mackenzie, VII. of Hilton, +with issue. + +7. Anna, who in 1687 married Lachlan Mackintosh of Daviot, with +issue. + +Colin married, secondly, Marjory, daughter of John Robertson of +Inshes, widow of Angus Mackintosh of Daviot, without issue. He was +killed at Killearnan in 1704, when he was succeeded by his eldest +son, + +V. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fifth of Redcastle, known among the Highlanders +as "Ruairi Dearg," or Red Rory. He wrote a MS. history of his +own family, and married Margaret, daughter of James Grant, XVI. of +Grant (sasine to her "as sister to Ludovic Grant nunc de Freuchy," +in 1680), with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Ludovic, who married Eliza, daughter of Simon Mackenzie, I. +of Allangrange. + +3. James, M.D., who practised his profession in London. + +4. Alexander, who in 1721 married Margaret, daughter of Charles +Mackenzie of Cullen. + +5. Isobel, who in 1718 married Aeneas Macbean, Younger of Kinchyle, +with issue. + +6. Jean, who in 1712 married William Mackenzie of Davochcairn, +with issue. + +7. Anne, who died unmarried. + +Roderick married, secondly, Katharina, daughter of Charles Mackenzie +of Cullen. + +He died in 1725, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. RODERICK MACKENZIE, sixth of Redcastle, usually called +"Ruairi Mor," who married, first, in 1707, Margaret, daughter of +Sir James Calder of Muirton, widow of Alexander Dunbar of Westfield +(by whom she had seven sons and a daughter), with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, who in 1748, married Mary, daughter of Sir John Cochrane +of Waterside, son of the Hon. Sir John Cochrane of Ochiltree, +second son of the first Earl of Dundonald, with issue - Kenneth +Francis, Advocate-General, President of the Council, and Acting +Governor of the Island of Granada, in the West Indies. He spent +L25,000 of his own money in defending the island successfully +against the French, for which Pitt offered him a Baronetcy, which he +declined. Colin had also two daughters - Rose, who married John +Wilson, and Margaret, who married Gilbert Robertson of Kindeace. +Kenneth Francis married Anne Townshend. She died in 1847. He +died in 1831, aged 83, and left issue - (1) Charles, who married +Rebecca Molyneux, with issue - Charles, who married Lucie de Momet, +with issue - a son, Charles. He died in New York in 1865. (2) +James Joseph, who married Marian, daughter of Edward Impey, +B.C.S., and died without issue in 1872; (3) Kenneth, who died, +without issue; (4) Colin, Lieutenant-General, C.B., 48th Regiment, +Madras Army, Brigadier Commanding, Commissioner Southern Division +Nizam Dominions, and Governor General's agent at Murshedabad in +1843. He was, in 1844, Assistant Political Agent at Peshawur, and +afterwards for a time a hostage with the Afghans. He married, +first, on the 26th of May, 1832, Adeline Marian, daughter of James +Pattle, Bengal Civil Service, with issue - Adeline Anne, who married +Major-General Henry Hoseason, Madras Army, with issue - eight +children Mary Julia, who married Major Herbert Clogstorm, with +issue - four children; Rose Prinsep, who married, first, Lieutenant +David Arnot, and secondly, Captain Francis Pictet, Madras Army, +with issue - six children; (5) Anne; (6) Isabella Jessy, who +married, on the 17th of October, 1839, James Baines of Ludlow, +with issue; (7) Mary Cochrane, who on the 17th of March, 1835, +married James King of Staunton Park, Herts, for twenty years +M.P. for Hereford, with issue - three sons and seven daughters; +(8) Eliza Margaret, who on the 15th of August, 1832, married +Major-General Thomas D. Carpenter, Madras Army, with issue; (9) +Amelia Frances, who in 1838 married her brother-in-law, the Rev. +Thomas King of Staunton Park, Herts, with issue; and (10) Townshend, +who died without issue. Lieutenant-General Colin married, +secondly, in 1843, Helen Catharine, daughter of Admiral John +Erskine Douglas, of the Queensberry family, without issue, and +died in 1881. + +Roderick Mor had twelve other sons and two daughters, of whose +history very little is known. One of the sons, either John or +William, married, with issue - at least two sons - the Rev. Hugh +Mackenzie, who was born in 1771, and was for fourteen years Baptist +minister at St. Ives, where he died and was buried in 1836. Hugh +married, with issue - a son and daughter, both without issue. The +second son, ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, was born in 1772, and married in +1795. Helen, daughter of John Donaldson, Dunfermline, factor for the +Earl of Dundonald, with issue - (1) William, who was born in 1797 +and died in infancy; (2) JOHN DONALDSON MACKENZIE, surgeon, who +was born in 1803, and practised his profession in Jersey. He +married, in 1840, Emma Caroline, daughter of John Landseer, and +sister of the eminent painter, Sir Edwin Landseer, with issue - +Edwin John Landseer Mackenzie, of Kensington Park Gardens, London, +who was born in 1843; and Landseer Mackenzie, of St. Bernard, +Bournemouth, born in 1849. (3) Alexander, who was born in 1806, and +died young in 1822; (4) David Donaldson, born in 1811, and died +unmarried in 1836; (5) Margaret Donaldson, who was born in 1799, +married James Symington, banker, and died in 1863, without +surviving issue; (6) Helen, born in 1801, died in 1802; (7) Mary +Anne, born in 1808, and died young in 1823; and (8) Jane Donaldson, +who, in 1840, married Andrew Armstrong Kerr, banker, Edinburgh, with +issue - Robert, who, born in 1843, became a Judge in Jamaica, +married, with issue, and died in 1884; Alexander Charles, born +in 1847, married, with issue; Andrew William, who, born in 1848, +married, without issue; Henry Francis, born in 1855, married, +with issue; Frederick Ebenezer, born in 1858, and died in infancy. +Helen Alexandrina, who married Francis Suther Melville, Edinburgh, +Depute Clerk of Session and Registrar of Law Agents in Scotland, +with issue; Jane; and Margaret Jessie, who died young in 1868. +William Mackenzie had also a daughter Margaret, who married (and +died in 1832) John Fraser of Honduras, with issue - a son, John, +and a daughter, Catherine, who, in 1834, married William Napier, +of Bathurst, New Brunswick, without issue. Alexander died in +1841. + +Roderick Mor died on the 29th of March, 1751, at Redcastle, and +was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VII. RODERICK MACKENZIE, seventh of Redcastle, known among his +countrymen as "Ruairi Ban." He married in 1730, Hannah Anna +Murdoch of Cambodden, Galloway, with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Captain John, who by the will of the then proprietor, he having +had no son of his own to leave it to, succeeded as VI. of Kincraig. + +3. and 4. Alexander and Roderick, died in infancy. + +5. Margaret, who on the 29th of November, 1755, married Sir +Alexander Mackenzie, third Baronet and X. of Gairloch, with issue. +She died on the 1st of September, 1759. + +6. Mary who was born in 1732, and died, unmarried, at Lettoch, +Redcastle, in 1828, aged 96 years. + +7. Elizabeth, who was born in 1746, and married in August 1782, +Major-General Colin Mackenzie, with issue - Alexander Wedderburn, +who died, unmarried, on the 4th of January, 1838, at Park House, +Dingwall and Hannah Margaret Cochrane, who died, unmarried, on +the 2nd of February 1858, at Golder's Green, Hendon. + +8. Christina, who was born in 1749. + +9. Jean, who was born in 1752, married Robert Anderson, Glasgow, +and died, in 1819, without issue. + +Roderick's wife died at Redcastle on the 21st of April, 1755, in +the 39th year of her age. He died at Inverness on the 10th of +May 1785, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VIII. CAPTAIN KENNETH MACKENZIE, eighth of Redcastle. He +was born on the 21st of February, 1748, and married at Edinburgh, +on the 17th of August, 1767, Jean, daughter of James Thomson, +Accountant-General of Excise in Scotland, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Hector, who married at Edinburgh, on the 29th of March, 1800, +Diana Davidson, daughter of Dr Davidson of the H.E.I.C.S., Leeds, +with issue--Robert Davidson Mackenzie, Adjutant 1st Bombay Light +Cavalry, who died of cholera on the 22nd of December, 1822, at +Sholapore, India, without issue. She died at Garlieston in 1852. + +3. Boyd, who married William MacCall of Newton-Stewart, without +issue. + +4. Hanna, who was the last surviving child of Kenneth, of Redcastle, +married William MacCa, of Barnshalloch, and died atCreebridge, +Newton-Stewart, on the 8th of August, 1849, aged 83 years. + +Captain Kenneth was tried for the murder of Kenneth Mackenzie, "alias" +Jefferson. He was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged, but +was afterwards pardoned. He divorced his wife went abroad entered +the Russian service; and was killed in 1789 near Constantinople, +where he was Assistant Consul, in a duel with Captain Smith, master +of a merchant ship, to whom he had entrusted all his property +when he had got into trouble about Jefferson. He figures in +Kay's Edinburgh portraits as one of the Bucks of the City. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IX. RODERICK MACKENZIE, ninth of Redcastle. He never took +possession. The estate, being encumbered, he sold it in June, +1790, to James Grant of Corriemony, for L25,450, whose nephew, +Patrick Grant, sold it in 1828 to Sir William Fettes of Comely +Bank, Bart., for L133,000. Sir William's trustees re-sold it to +Colonel Hugh D. Baillie, whose relative, James Evan Bruce Baillie +of Dochfour, now possesses it. + +This Roderick, the last direct male representative of the House +of Redcastle, died in 1798, in Jamaica, unmarried, when the +representation of the family devolved upon his uncle, Captain +John Mackenzie, VI. of Kincraig, of whom next. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF KINCRAIG. + +I. COLIN MACKENZIE, second son of Roderick Mor Mackenzie, I. of +Redcastle, who was the first of this family, married Catherine, +daughter of the Rev. John Mackenzie of Tolly, minister of Dingwall +(sasine to her 15th September, 1617), with issue - + +1. Colin, his heir and successor. + +2. Roderick, who married, first, Isabel, daughter of Hector +Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn, and secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of +John Bayne of Tulloch; sasine to him in 1652, and to her in 1656. + +3. Margaret, who in 1638 married, first, Gilbert Robertson, II. of +Kindeace, and secondly, John, eldest son of Hugh Ross of Achnacloich. + +4. Florence, who in 1643 married David Cuthbert, Town-Clerk of +Inverness. + +5. Agnes, who married, first, in 1672, Alexander Bayne of Knockbain, +and secondly, the Rev. John Macrae, minister of Dingwall, author +of the Ardintoul MS. History of the Mackenzies, and of a MS. +Genealogy of the MacRas. + +6. A daughter, who married John Clunes, Cromarty. Colin married, +secondly, a daughter of Innes of Inverbreakie, widow of Murdo +Mackenzie of Towie, with issue - James, who married Catherine Innes. + +He died in 1649, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. COLIN MACKENZIE, second of Kincraig, who married Agnes, +daughter of Duncan Bayne of Delny, with issue - + +1. Colin, his heir and successor. + +2. Duncan, Lieutenant-Colonel Scots Guards, who married, and died +without issue in 1724. + +3. Lilias, who married the Rev. William Mackenzie, minister of +Rosskeen. + +4. Katharine, who in 1680 married, as his second wife, William Grant +of Ardoch, with issue. She was maternal great great-grandmother +of the Rev. Gustavus Aird, D.D., Creich, ex-Moderator of the Free +Church General Assembly, and who has in his possession a copy of +the marriage contract dated as above. + +5. Christian, who in 1681 married William Mackenzie, brother of +Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Ardross. + +6. Florence. + +7. Agnes. + +Colin married, secondly, Christian Munro, widow of William Ross, +Knockgartie (contract of marriage 16th of March, 1680). + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. COLIN MACKENZIE, third of Kincraig, who in 1679 married +Lilias, daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of Scatwell, with issue - + +1. Colin, his heir and successor. + +2. John, who succeeded his brother as V. of Kincraig. + +3. Anne, who married John Mackenzie, brother of Alexander Mackenzie, +I. of Ardross, without issue. + +4. Barbara, who married James Mackenzie, of Tarrel. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. COLIN MACKENZIE, fourth of Kincraig, who married, as her third +husband, Margaret, daughter of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, +without issue. + +He was succeeded by his next brother, + +V. JOHN MACKENZIE, fifth of Kincraig, Captain in Lochiel's Regiment. +He married Christina, daughter of James Menzies of Comrie, without +issue. She died at Kincraig on the 21st of December, 1775. He +was dangerously wounded at Malplaguet in 1709. On the 20th of +December, 1760, he made a disposition of the lands of Kincraig to +Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Redcastle, in trust for his second son +John, then only nine years old. + +John died a few days after, and was succeeded by his remote cousin, + +VI. CAPTAIN JOHN MACKENZIE, sixth of Kincraig, second surviving +son of Roderick Ban, VII. of Redcastle, born there in 1751. He +served in Lord Macleod's Regiment (now 71st Highlanders), and +was wounded at Gibraltar. His descendants, since the death of +Roderick, IX. of Redcastle in 1798 without issue, carried on also +the representation of the main line of that family. He married +Mary, daughter of the Rev. Colin Mackenzie, minister of Fodderty, +with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, Lieutenant 71st Regiment, killed in action at Vittoria, +on the 21st of June, 1813, without issue. + +3. John, who died without issue, on the 20th of August, 1822, off +St. Helena, coming home from Java. + +4. Kenneth Francis, Colonel 64th Bengal Native Infantry, who +married on the 6th of January, 1832, Margaret, daughter of the Rev. +Thomas Taylor, D.D., of Tibbermore, with issue - Captain Roderick +Boyd, H.E.I.C.S., who died at Cheltenham, on the 5th of October, +1867, unmarried Lieutenant Wedderburn Hannah, H.E.I.C.S.; Thomas +Harry, who died young Mary Christina, who married on the 17th +of December, 1849, Colonel Brown-Constable, with issue - twelve +children Margaret Jane, who on the 10th of October, 1850, married +Major-General H. F. Waddington, of Monmouthshire, with issue - six +children, several of whom married with issue; Isabella Fraser, who +died young; and Annie Colina, who on the 31st of October, 1866, +married Thomas H. Knolles, with issue - five children. Colonel +Kenneth Francis died at sea in 1856. + +5. Hector, Major H.E.I.C.S., who died unmarried. + +6. Hugh, late Colonel 2nd Bengal Europeans, who married, first, Anne, +daughter of Thomas Duncan, Advocate, Aberdeen, with issue - Captain +Harry Leith, R.A., who was twice married, with issue; John Hugh, +M.D. Thomas Duncan, Bombay Civil Service, who married on the 25th +of April, 1871, with issue; Mary Janet, who on the 31st of July, +1866, married Surgeon-Major Kilgour, with issue; and Sarah Anne. +Colonel Hugh married, secondly, Edith S. Hastings, Oxfordshire, +also with issue. + +7. Charles Fitzgerald, H.E.I.C.S., who married the Hon. Mrs +Fergusson, daughter of Lord Kirkcudbright, and died, without issue, +on the 5th of September, 1850. + +Captain John had also + +8. Maxwell, a natural son, Lieutenant-Colonel 71st Regiment, +killed at Bayonne in 1813, to whom and his brother Colin a monument +by Chantry is erected in Rosskeen Church. + +9. Mary, who on the 28th of January, 1813, married Major-General +Sir Donald Macleod. + +10. Johanna Charlotte Menzies, who died unmarried in 1794. + +11. Margaret, who married Donald Macintyre, Calcutta, with issue +- (1) Lieutenant-General John Mackenzie Macintyre, Royal (Madras) +Artillery, who, in 1857, married Marianne Margaret, daughter of +Alexander Nisbet Shaw, Bombay Civil Service, with issue - Donald +Charles Frederick, Captain 2nd (P.W.O.) Goorkhas; Alexander William; +Robert Cadell; Isabella Mary, who married George Wade, sculptor, +son of Canon Wade, Bristol; Margaret Faimy, the celebrated prima +donna and Georgina Caroline. (2) Major-General Donald Macintyre, +V.C., who in 1882 married Angelica Alison, daughter of the Rev. T. +J. Patteson, Kinnettles, Forfarshire, with issue - Donald; Francis +Hector Mackenzie; Ian Agnew Patteson; and Alison Margaret. (3) +Colina Maxwell, who, in 1844, married Dr William Brydon, "the last +man" or sole survivor of 13,000 men in the disastrous retreat from +Cabul to Jellalabad in 1842, who died in 1873, with issue - eight +children. (4) Mary Isabella, who in 1849 married General James +Travers, V.C.; and (5) Charlotte Anne. + +12. Jane Petley, who died young. + +13. Isabella, who married, first, Captain Allan Cameron, with issue +and secondly, General Sir Hugh Fraser, K.C.B., of Braelangwell, +with issue - (1) John Fraser of Braelangwell, who married Elizabeth, +daughter of Beauchamp Colclough Urquhart of Meldrum, Aberdeenshire, +with issue - Hugh K. Fraser of Braelangwell, and Annie M. Mackenzie +Fraser; (2) Hugh Fraser, Lieutenant 71st Regiment, who died without +issue; (3) Isabella Forbes Fraser, who married Beauchamp Colclough +Urquhart of Meldrum, with issue - Beauchamp Colclough Urquhart; +and Isobel A. Urquhart, who married Garden A. Duff of Hatton; (4) +Alexander, Captain 10th Regiment, who married a daughter of Major +D'Arcy, with issue. Isabella died in 1852. + +14. Elizabeth Jane, who died unmarried in 1832. + +Captain John's widow died at Park House, Dingwall, on the 4th of +January, 1838. He having died at Kincraig on the 29th of April, +1822, aged 72 years, when he was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VII. RODERICK MACKENZIE, Major H.E.I.C.S., who married in 1836, +Katharine, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, of Millbank, son of +Bailie Hector Mackenzie, of Dingwall, a cadet of Letterewe and +Gairloch, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Katharine, who died unmarried in 1870. + +3. Eliza Jane, who married George Martineau, with issue - George; +William; Alfred; and a daughter Katherine. + +4. Mary Ann, unmarried. + +5. Alice, who married Alexander Edmond, without issue. + +Major Roderick died at Kincraig on the 6th of April, 1853, and was +succeeded by his only son. + +VIII. CAPTAIN RODERICK MACKENZIE, late of Kincraig, who, on +the 5th of February, 1867, married Georgina Adelaide, daughter of +Roderick Mackenzie, IV. of Flowerburn, without issue. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF CROMARTY. + +THIS family, next to the House of Kintail and Seaforth, played +the most important part in the history of the Highlands. They +are descended from Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, Tutor of +Kintail, who in his day took such a conspicuous part in the affairs +of the Clan. His career is noticed at considerable length in +the history of the Seaforth family, and need not here be enlarged +upon. He was the second son of Colin Cam Mackenzie, XI. of +Kintail, by Barbara, daughter of John Grant, XII. of Grant. He +was a brave and resolute man. On a certain occasion he seized +MacNeil of Barra by stratagem, and carried that chief, of whom +Queen Elizabeth had been complaining, to the Court of King James +at Holyrood. When brought into His Majesty's presence MacNeil, +who, much to the surprise of all, was a tall, good-looking man +of reverend aspect, with a long grey beard, proved a match for +the King. When asked by His Majesty what could induce him to commit +so many piracies and robberies on the Queen of England's subjects, +he replied that he thought he was doing the King good service by +annoying "a woman who had murdered his mother." James exclaimed, +"The devil take the carle! Rorie, take him with you again, +and dispose of him and his fortune as you please." On another +occasion, when Sir Roderick was passing through Athole on his way +to Edinburgh, in the interest of his ward, he was stopped and found +fault with by the men of that district for passing through their +country without the permission of their lord. The Tutor dismounted +and sought out a stone, on which he began to sharpen his claymore, +whereupon the Athole men, from a safe distance, asked him what he +was doing? "I am going to make a road," was the ready answer. +"You shall make no road here." "Oh, I don't seek to do so; but +I shall make it between your lord's head and his shoulders if I +am hindered from pursuing my lawful business." On hearing this +retort the Athole men retired, and on reaching their master told +him what had occurred. "It was either the devil or the Tutor of +Kintail," his Lordship replied, "let him have a free path for ever." +That he was severe in his position as Tutor is clear from the +following proverb; still current in Ross-shire: "There are but +two things worse than the Tutor of Kintail - frost in spring and +mist in the dog days." He married Margaret, daughter and co-heiress +of Torquil Macleod, "Torquil Cononach" of the Lewis, Coigeach, +and Assynt, with whom Roderick obtained her father's mainland +possessions, previously, however, in 1605, granted by Torquil to +Kenneth Mackenzie, X. of Kintail, Sir Roderick's eldest brother. +He purchased Milton and Tarbat Ness in Easter Ross from the +Munroes. He had issue by his wife - + +1. John, his heir and successor, afterwards Sir John Mackenzie of +Tarbat. + +2. Kenneth, I. of Scatwell, of whose family presently. + +3. Colin, I of Tarvie, who married Isobel, daughter of Alexander +Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, and widow of John Mackenzie of Lochslinn, +with issue. + +4. Alexander, I. of Ballone, of whom after Scatwell. + +5. James. 6. Charles. Both died unmarried. + +7. Margaret, who married Sir James Macdonald, IX. of Sleat, with +issue - his heir and successor, and others. + +He had also a natural son, the Rev. John Mackenzie, Archdean +of Ross, who, by his wife, Christian, daughter of John Wemyss of +Lathocker, had issue - the Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, first of Avoch, +in 1671 Sub-Chaunter of Ross, and several other children. He died +in 1666. + +In 1609 Sir Roderick was knighted for the part he took, along with +his brother Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, in pacifying +the Lewis and civilising its inhabitants. + +He died in 1628, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +SIR JOHN MACKENZIE of Tarbat, created a Baronet of Nova Scotia +on the 21st of May, 1628. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir +George Erskine of Innerteil, a Lord of Session, with issue - + +1. George, his heir and successor. + +2. John, who died young. + +3. Sir Roderick, who has a sasine as third son in June, 1654. He +was M.P. in 1700 for Cromarty, and in 1703 for the Burgh of Fortrose. +He was subsequently raised to the Bench as Lord Prestonhall, and +married, first, Margaret, daughter of Dr Burnet, Archbishop of +St. Andrews, with issue - Alexander Mackenzie of Fraserdale, who, +in 1702, married Amelia, eldest daughter of Hugh, Xth Lord Lovat, +with issue--several sons and daughters. Alexander's representation +was proved extinct in 1826. Lord Prestonhall married, secondly, +Margaret, daughter of Haliburton of Pitcur, widow of Sir George +Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, without issue. + +4. Alexander, I. of Ardloch, whose representatives became heirs +male to the Cromarty titles. + +5. Kenneth, who married Isobell Auckinleck, with issue--Kenneth, +who died without issue. + +6. James, M.D., who died unmarried. + +7. Margaret, who married, first, Roderick Macleod, XV. of Macleod, +without surviving issue; and secondly, Sir James Campbell of Lawers, +Perthshire. + +8. Ann, who married Hugh, IXth Lord Lovat, with issue. + +9. Isabel, who married Kenneth, third Earl of Seaforth, with issue +- his heir and successor, and others. + +10. Barbara, who married Alexander Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, +with issue. + +11. Catherine, who married Sir Colin Campbell of Aberuchil, with +issue. + +Sir John died in 1654, when he was succeeded by his eldest son, + +I. SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE, created first Earl of Cromarty, who made +a distinguished figure in the history of his country during the +reigns of Charles II., James II., and William III. In 1661, at +the early age of 31, he was made a Lord of Session. He subsequently +held the offices of Lord-Justice-General and Clerk-Register of +Scotland. When Maitland got into favour Sir George shared the +fall of his patron, Lord Middleton, but on the death of the Duke +of Lauderdale he again got into favour, and, until the close of +the reign of King James, he held the principal sway and power +in Scottish affairs. He was accessory, if not the principal, +in putting Spence and Carstairs to the torture of the boot and +thumb-screw after the rebellion of Argyll. In 1685 King James +ennobled him by the title of Viscount Tarbat, Lord Macleod and +Castlehaven. During the reign of William III. his influence +became much diminished, but he afterwards got into power, and, on +the accession of Queen Anne, he again became a Royal favourite, and +was by her in 1703 created Earl of Cromarty, and made Secretary +of State for Scotland. He subsequently resigned this office +and took up his old post of Justice-General, and recompensed Her +Majesty's favours by strongly advocating with voice and pen the +Union between England and Scotland, of which he was the original +proposer. In 1710, after 60 years of the most active public +service, he retired into private life. + +That he possessed ability of a very high order is undoubted, though +as a politician he held very loose and changeable principles. +Sinibert says that "as a judge, he was addicted to the old +practice of considering the litigants rather than their causes"; +and Carstairs goes the length of saying that "he habitually +falsified the minutes of Parliament, and recorded in its name +decisions and orders never really made." In the course of his long +and checkered career he had been a member of so many Ministries +and changed sides so often that it was not to be expected that +he should escape charges of inconsistency. "Some do compare him +to an eel," said Lockhart of Carnwath, "and certainly the character +suited him exactly ... He had sworn all the most contradictory +oaths, and complied with all the opposite Governments since the +year 1648, and was humble servant to them all till he got what +he aimed at, though often he did not know what that was." Almost +every statesman of his time was as changeable as he was, but he +possessed a capacity for business which distinguished few if any of +his rivals. He is admitted on all hands to have been in private +life a gentleman of the most refined habits. He wrote well +on various subjects, his chief productions being Essays on the +Union of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland; on the Gowrie +Conspiracy; and a "Plain Explication" of the Prophecies of Daniel +and St. John. He also wrote the MS. history of his clan, so often +quoted and referred to in this work, and he undoubtedly invented +Colin Fitzgerald. + +His lordship married, first, Anne, daughter of Sir George Sinclair +of Mey, with issue - + +1. Roderick, who died young. + +2. John, who became his heir and successor. + +3. Kenneth, who in 1704 obtained a baronetcy with his grandfather's +patent of creation, as Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, Baronet of Grandvale +and Cromarty. [Sir Kenneth and his younger brother, Sir James +Mackenzie of Royston, were created baronets in the same year, +the patent of the latter being dated 8th of February, 1704. Sir +Kenneth's patent (which is to his heirs male for ever), was dated +29th of April, 1704, and contained the original precedency of the +patent of his grandfather, Sir John, who was created a Baronet +of Nova Scotia in 1628. Sir Kenneth was a member of Parliament +for the County of Cromartie in the reigns of King William and +Queen Anne. He warmly supported the treaty of Union, was one +of the members nominated by the Parliament of Scotland, on 13th +February, 1707, to sit in the United Parliament of Great Britain, +and was chosen member for the County of Cromartie at the general +election in 1710. A new writ for that county was ordered On 22nd +January, 1729, in consequence of his decease, and his eldest son +Sir George, was elected in his place. - "Earls of Cromartie"] He died +in 1729, having married Anne Campbell, with issue - Sir George, +the second Baronet, M.P., who married Elizabeth, daughter of +Captain John Reid, of Greenwich, without issue. In 1741, his +affairs having become embarrassed, Sir George sold Cromarty to +Sir William Urquhart of Meldrum. He died in 1748, and was buried +at Dingwall; his lady having survived him 59 years, and died at +Inverness in 1807, aged 84. Sir Kenneth's other four sons were +Colin; James; Campbell; and Gerard, who all died young or unmarried +and Kenneth, who, in 1748, succeeded his brother Sir George, +as third Baronet, and died unmarried in 1763. His daughter, +Catherine, married Dr Adam Murray, of Stirling. He had several +other daughters, married and unmarried. + +4. James, who on the 8th of February, 1704, was created a Baronet +by Queen Anne as Sir James Mackenzie of Royston, and in 1710 he +was appointed a Lord of Session by the title of Lord Royston. The +Baronetcy being limited to heirs male, and Lord Royston having died +in 1744 without surviving male issue, the title became dormant. He +married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, +with issue - George of Farnese, who in 1743 married Isabella Stuart, +and died before his father, without issue; Anne, who married Sir +William Dick of Prestonfield; and Elizabeth, who married Sir John +Stewart of Grandtully, with issue. + +5. Lady Margaret, who married Sir D. Bruce of Clackmannan, without +issue. + +6. Lady Elizabeth, who married Sir John Brown of Coalstown. + +7. Lady Jean, married Sir Thomas Stewart of Balcaskie. + +8. Lady Anne, who married the Hon. John Sinclair, son of Lord +Murkle, and died in 1740. + +The Earl married, secondly, Margaret, Countess of Wemyss, without +issue. He died in 1714, was buried at Dingwall, and succeeded by +his eldest son, + +II. JOHN MACKENZIE, second Earl of Cromarty. He does not appear +to have taken a prominent part in public affairs, and he kept +out of the Rising of 1715. Notwithstanding the division which +had been made of the family estates to secure suitable provision +for the two Baronetcies, his Lordship still possessed extensive +possessions in the Counties of Ross, Inverness, Elgin, and Fife. +He married, first, Lady Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of the first +Earl of Aboyne, without issue. He afterwards divorced her and +married, secondly, the Hon. Mary Murray, daughter of the third +Lord Elibank, with issue - + +1. Lord George, his heir and successor. + +2. Captain Roderick, who married twice, with issue - Captain +Kenneth of Cromarty, who succeeded to the estates in 1789, and died +without issue male in 1796 and a daughter. + +3. Lord William who died at sea, without issue. + +4. Lord Patrick, who married, without male issue. + +5. Lord Gideon, who died without issue male. + +6. Lady Mary; 7. Lady Anna; 8. Lady Helen; all of whom died +young or unmarried. + +The Earl married, thirdly, Anna, daughter of Hugh, Xth Lord Lovat, +with issue - + +9. Lord James; 10. Lord Hugh; and 11. Lord Norman, all of whom +died young, the latter at sea in 1751. + +12. Lady Emilia, who in 1740 married Archibald Lamont of Lamont, +with issue. + +His Lordship died in 1731, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. GEORGE MACKENZIE, third Earl of Cromarty. He joined Prince +Charles in 1745 and fought at the battle of Falkirk at the head of +400 or 500 of his clan. Afterwards, on the 15th of April, the day +immediately preceding the battle of Culloden, he was taken prisoner, +along with his eldest son, Lord Macleod, and all his officers, at +Dunrobin Castle, by two companies of Sutherlands and Mackays. He +had previously detached himself from the main body of the Highland +army with the view of seizing this castle and repressing the +adherents of the Government in the far North. He was at once sent +to London and imprisoned in the Tower. His vacillating conduct and +uncertain correspondence with Lord President Forbes are notorious, +for he actually wrote to the latter as late as October, 1745, +saying that he was then "stirring actively in the cause of the +Government." He was in due course tried, found guilty of high +treason, and sentenced to death; but was afterwards pardoned through +the bold and urgent entreaties of his Countess. In support of his +own application for mercy, she waited personally on the members +of the Cabinet, and presented a separate petition to each of them +pleading for mercy, and on the Sunday after sentence was passed +upon him, she went to Kensington Palace, dressed in deep mourning, +accompanied by Lady Stair, to make a personal appeal to His Majesty +for the Royal clemency. She was far advanced in pregnancy, and +though a woman of strong mind, who had hitherto exhibited great +fortitude in her distressing position, on this occasion she +completely broke down, and gave way to grief. Taking her stand, +surrounded by her ten young children, in the entrance of the Chapel +through which the King had to pass, she awaited his arrival, and as +he approached she fell on her knees, seized him by the coattails, +presented her petition, and fainted at his feet. His Majesty +immediately seized and raised her, received the petition, and handed +it to the Duke of Grafton, who was present as one of his attendants. +He then requested Lady Stair to conduct the Countess to one of the +apartments. The Dukes of Hamilton and Montrose, the Earl of Stair, +and other courtiers, having subsequently supported her petition by a +personal application to the King, His Majesty, on the 9th of August, +granted the Earl a free pardon, and he was at once set at liberty. +His Lordship lived for several years in seclusion and poverty, +supported mainly by the contributions of his old tenants and +retainers on the forfeited estates. + +He married Isabella, daughter of Sir William Gordon of Invergordon, +with issue - + +1. John, Lord Macleod, his heir. + +2. Lord William, who died young. + +3. Lord George, a Colonel in the 71st Regiment, who died unmarried +in 1788. + +4. Lady Isabella, who married George, VIth Lord Elibank, with +issue, and in 1796 succeeded her cousin, Captain Kenneth, in the +estates. + +5. Lady Mary, who married, first, Captain Clarke, London; +secondly, Thomas Drayton, South Carolina and thirdly, John Ainslie, +Charlestown. + +6. Lady Anne, who married, first, the Hon. Edmond Atkin, of South +Carolina and secondly, Dr John Murray of Charlestown. + +7. Lady Caroline, who married, first, a Mr Drake, of London, and +secondly, Walter Hunter of Polmood and Crailieg. + +8. Lady Jean; and 9. Lady Amelia, both of whom died young. + +10. Lady Margaret, who in 1769 married John Glassford of Douglastown, +Dumbarton, with issue. + +11. Lady Augusta, who married Sir William Murray of Auchtertyre, +with issue. + +The Earl died in 1766, and was succeeded as representative of the +family by his eldest son, + +IV. LORD MACLEOD, Major-General in the army, by whose noble and +patriotic conduct the fortunes of the family were afterwards to +some extent restored. Disdaining to live on the charity of his +friends and as a burden on his father, he joined the Swedish army +as a soldier of fortune worked his way there, was aide-de-camp to +the King, who created him Count Cromarty, and, in 1775, returned +to his native country, after twenty-seven years of distinguished +foreign service, full of fame and honours, with the rank +of Lieut.-General. In 1754 the re-grant of the Lovat estates by +George III. to General Fraser emboldened Lord Macleod to petition +the King for the restoration of the Cromarty ancestral possessions; +but his application at that time failed, although he succeeded +later on. + +When Lord Macleod joined his father against the Government he was +only eighteen years of age, and on account of his extreme youth +he had already obtained an unconditional pardon on the 22nd of +June, 1748. In 1777 he was presented at Court, on which occasion +George III. received him very kindly. In return for this gracious +treatment, first pardoning him, and now so generously receiving +him, his Lordship offered to raise a Highland Regiment. The +offer was accepted, and in a very short time, though without any +property or political connections, he soon raised a fine body +of 840 men among his Highland countrymen. To this number 236 +Lowlanders and 34 English and Irish were added by some of his +friends, making together a full regiment of 1100 men, embodied at +Elgin, and inspected there by General Skene in April, 1778. +Immediately after, Letters of Service were issued in his favour +for raising a second battalion of the same size as the first. +This he soon accomplished, not less than 1800 of the men having +been raised from the possessions of his ancestors - a splendid +set of men with excellent constitutions, and of most exemplary +conduct. He was appointed Colonel of the first battalion, and +his brother, the Hon. Lieut.-Colonel Mackenzie, received the +command of the second battalion. The Regiment was named Macleod's +Highlanders, numbered the 73rd, and is now well known as the 71st +Highlanders. In 1779 Lord Macleod accompanied his Highlanders +to India, and fought at their head in the Carnatic against Hyder +Ah, under Major-General Sir Hector Munro, where they greatly +distinguished themselves, though the regiment was nearly cut to +pieces at the battle of Conjeveram. In 1782 his Lordship attained +the rank of Major-General, and in the following year he returned +home. In acknowledgment of his distinguished services, an Act of +Parliament was passed, on the 18th of August, 1784, by which the +forfeited estates of the Earldom were restored to him, on payment +of L19,000 to relieve them of existing burdens. + +Lord Macleod married in 1786 Marjory, eldest daughter of James, +XVIth Lord Forbes, without issue. She afterwards married John, +fourth Duke of Athole, with issue. The mansion, which had been +almost entirely demolished after the 'Forty-five, was by him rebuilt +and enlarged, and the policies put into good order and properly +attended to. He died on the 2nd of April, 1789, and was succeeded +in the estates by his cousin-german, + +V. CAPTAIN KENNETH MACKENZIE of Cromarty, who died in 1796, +without male issue. He was the last direct male heir, and on his +death the representation of the family, carrying with it the dormant +honours of Cromarty and Tarbat, went into the family of Ardloch. +He was succeeded in the estates by Lord Macleod's eldest sister, + +VI. LADY ISABELLA, who married the sixth Lord Elibank. She +died on the 28th of December, 1801, without male issue, and was +succeeded by her eldest daughter, + +VII. THE HON. MARIA MURRAY, who in 1790 married the Hon. Edward +Hay of Newhall, brother of George, VIIth Marquis of Tweeddale, who +thereupon assumed the name of Mackenzie in addition to his own, +with issue - + +1. John Hay, her heir and successor. + +2. Dorothea, who on the 2nd of July, 1813, married Sir David +Hunter Blair, with issue. + +3. Isabella, who on the 1st of November, 1817, married John Buckle, +with issue. + +4. Georgina Ann, who married James, fifth Earl of Glasgow, without +issue. + +Her only sister, the Hon. Isabella Murray, died unmarried in 1849. + +The Hon. Maria Murray was succeeded by her only son, + +VIII. JOHN HAY-MACKENZIE, who on the 23rd of April, 1828, married +Anne, daughter of Sir Gibson-Craig, Baronet, with issue - + +1. Anne his heir and successor. + +He died at Cliefden on the 9th of July, 1849, and was succeeded by +his only child, + +IX. ANNE HAY-MACKENZIE of Cromarty, who, on the 27th of June, +1849, married His Grace the third Duke of Sutherland. On the +21st of October, 1861, her Grace was, by a new creation, made +Countess of Cromarty, Viscountess Tarbat of Tarbat, Baroness +Macleod of Castle Leod, and Baroness Castlehaven of Castlehaven, +with remainder to her second son, Viscount Tarbat. Thus, should the +old title ever be restored, there would be two Earls, with all the +titles exactly similar, excepting that the holder of the original +earldom would also inherit the Nova Scotia Baronetcy, as well as that +of 1704. + +On the death of the late Duchess of Sutherland, Countess of +Cromartie, in 1888, she was succeeded by her second surviving son, + +X. FRANCIS SUTHLRLAND LEVESON GOWER, as Earl of Cromartie, +in all her other titles, and estates. He was born on the 3rd of +August, 1852, and on the 2nd of August, 1876, married the Hon. Lilian +Janet, second surviving daughter of Godfrey William Wentworth, 4th +Lord Macdonald of Sleat, with issue - + +1. Sibell Lilian, born on the 14th of August, 1878. + +2. Constance, born in 1882. + +The Earl died on the 24th of November, 1893. The limitation of +this earldom being to his heirs male, and on the failure of such +to his heirs, with other remainders over, a question arises as to +whether or not the dignity is now in abeyance between his Lordship's +two daughters and co-heirs. + +As it is possible the old honours may yet be claimed, it may be +interesting to note in a more concise manner the facts concerning +them. The original patent of the Nova Scotia Baronetcy to Sir John +Mackenzie of Tarbat, by Charles I., dated 21st May, 1628, was to +him "suosque haredes masculos quoscunque de tempore in tempus in +posterum per perpetuo," and the re-grant of 29th April, 1704, to +his grandson, Kenneth, second son of George, first Earl of Cromarty, +being confessedly to restore the old Baronetcy - now absorbed in +the Earldom - intact, "as the samen was given to the umquhile Sir +John Mackenzie of Tarbat," was to Kenneth and his heirs male "in +perpetuum," and was therefore granted with the same succession, +presumably to heirs male whomsoever. + +Sir Kenneth Mackenzie of Grandvale and Cromarty, first Baronet +of this re-grant, having died in 1729, the dignity was enjoyed +by his eldest son, Sir George, second Baronet, who died without +issue in 1748, and afterwards by his youngest son, Sir Kenneth, +third Baronet, who died at Tam in 1763, also without issue. At +this Sir Kenneth's death, it is clear that the succession would, +under the patent of 1704, then devolve upon his heir male, George, +the attainted third Earl of Cromarty, who survived all the male +descendants of the patentee, but whose honours, having been +attainted in 1746, had been restored by the pardon granted to him +under the Great Seal on the 20th of October, 1749. Thus was this +Baronetcy absorbed a second time in the Earldom of Cromarty. Nor +does it appear that it was ever assumed by George, the third Earl +(who died in Poland Street, London, on the 29th of September, +1766), nor by his son Lord Macleod, who obtained a pardon dated +the 26th of January, 1748, and with whom, who died without issue, +on the 2nd of April, 1789, ended the direct line both of the +Earldom and of the Baronetcy. + +The succession then opened to his cousin, Captain Mackenzie of +Cromarty, who obtained the estates; but he also died without issue +in 1796, without having assumed either title. + +Taking the term "haredibus masculis," according to the opinion +of John Riddell, the well-known Advocate and author "in the sense +of our law, as an equivalent to heirs male whatsoever," the +representation of the Tarbat Baronetcy would then revert to the +brothers of George, first Earl of Cromarty, the next of whom was +Roderick, Lord Prestonhall. But here again the fatality to heirs +male which has dogged the steps of the Cromarty titles in so +extraordinary a manner, ended the succession in the children of +his son, Alexander of Fraserdale. Riddell, in his opinion upon +the revival of 1826, says, "I certainly saw proof of the male +extinction of the Prestonhall branch several years ago." That is, +in one of the Lovat actions of Fraserdale, or Macleod of Macleod; +and, after that family, the succession of the descendants of +Alexander of Ardloch, fourth son of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, +was proved, in the Service at Tam, on the 30th of October, 1826, +in the person of Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Mackenzie, eldest +son of Colonel Robert Mackenzie of Milnmount, who assumed the +dormant Baronetcies of Tarbat and Royston, and who, dying without +issue on the 28th of April, 1841, was succeeded by his only +brother, Sir James Sutherland Mackenzie, who also died unmarried +on the 24th of November, 1858. Since his death these Baronetcies +have remained dormant, no effort to assume them having been made +by the next heir male, although no doubt it was quite in his +power to do so. + +It is obvious from what has already been said that the representation +of the Earldom of Cromarty, granted to George, Viscount Tarbat, on +the 18th of September, 1703, the succession of which is "haredibus +masculis et tallia" devolves upon the same head as the above-named +Baronetcies. It is not, however, clear whether the pardon obtained +by George, third Earl, is sufficient to remove the attainder, +or whether an Act of Parliament would not be necessary for that +purpose, although the attainted male-blood is long ago at an end. +Since this question was debated, the restoration of the Airlie +and other forfeited peerages have, in a great measure, cleared +the ground, and in the new creation of 1861 the older title and +honours according to the decisions in these cases could be in no +way affected or disturbed. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF ARDLOCH. + + +THE first of this family, on which devolved the representation of +the original Earldom of Cromarty and the Baronetcies of Tarbat +and Royston in the male line, was + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth son of Sir John Mackenzie of +Tarbat, created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1628, by his wife, +Margaret, daughter of Sir George Erskine of Innerteil, a Lord of +Session and Justiciary. Alexander, who has a sasine as fourth son, +dated June, 1654, married Barbara, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, +VI. of Gairloch, and relict of Fraser of Kinneries, with issue - + +1. Roderick, who died young. + +2. John, his heir and successor. + +3. James, of Keppoch, who married Isabella, daughter of Kenneth +Mackenzie, I. of Dundonnel, with issue - (1) Alexander, who married +Henrietta Mackenzie of Fisherfield (sasine 1773); (2) Simon of +Keppoch, who married with issue - Alexander of Kildonan, on record +in 1755; (3) George of Kildonan, who married, first, Ann, daughter +of Roderick Mackenzie of Kernsary, with issue - James. George +died in 1809, aged 109 years; (4) Colin, of Jamaica, who married +Janet, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of Dundonnel, without +issue; (5) Mary, who married Donald, grandson of John Mackenzie, +I. of Gruinard, with issue; (6) Isabella, who married Allan +Mackenzie, of the family of Hilton. James sold Keppoch in 1730. + +5. Barbara, who married Roderick, son of George Mackenzie, II. +of Gruinard, with issue. + +6. Ann, who married William, sixth son of George Mackenzie, II. +of Gruinard, with issue. + +7. Margaret, who died unmarried; and three others who married +respectively, Sinclair of Dunbeath; Gordon of Auchintoul, a cadet +of the Gordons of Embo; and Colin Mackenzie of Kildun. + +He died in 1736, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +II. JOHN MACKENZIE, second of Ardloch, who married Sibella, +daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, I. of Dundonnel, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth. 3. John. Nothing is known of either. + +4. Annabella, and others; issue, if any, unknown. + +John was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third of Ardloch, who married Margaret, +daughter of Robert Sutherland of Langwell, Caithness, twelfth in +descent from William de Sutherland, fifth Earl of Sutherland, by +his wife, the Princess Margaret Bruce, sister and heir of David +II., King of Scotland, with issue - + +1. James, a Major in the army, who married a daughter of Mackenzie +of Fairburn, with issue - one son, who died before his father. + +2. Robert, of Milnmount, Colonel H.E.I.C.S., married first, a +daughter of Mackenzie of Bayfield, without male issue; and secondly, +Katharine, daughter of Colonel Sutherland of Uppat, with issue - Sir +Alexander Mackenzie, Lieutenant-Colonel H.E.I.C.S., who, on the +30th of October, 1826, assumed the dormant Baronetcies of Tarbat +and Royston, as heir male collateral of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, +brother of John, second Earl of Cromarty. On the 17th of August +at Tam, in the same year, he was served nearest and lawful heir +male to George, first Earl of Cromarty. He died, unmarried, +in 1841 (his father, Colonel Robert, having died in 1809), and +was succeeded in the Baronetcies by his next brother, Sir James +Sutherland Mackenzie, who in 1858 also died without issue. Sir +James' sister, Elizabeth, married Lieutenant Sutherland, Royal +Navy, with issue; and his sister, Margaret, married the Rev. +James H. Hughes, Chaplain H.E.I.C.S., Bombay, with issue. On +the death of Sir James the Baronetcies and other dignities of the +Cromarty family reverted to his cousin, the late John Mackenzie, +Lochinver, son of Kenneth Mackenzie, Ledbeg, Assynt, who, however, +never assumed the titles. + +3. George, minister in Caithness, who died at sea, unmarried, in +1825. + +4. Kenneth, of Ledbeg, who married, first, a daughter of Mackenzie +of Elphin, with issue - (1) the late John of Lochinver, heir male +to the Tarbat and Cromarty honours, twice married, without issue; +(2) Robert; (3) James; (4) Charles; and (5) Royston, all of whom +died without surviving issue; (6) Jane; (7) Georgina; (8) Jessie, +who married the Rev. John Kennedy, minister of Redcastle, who died +in 1841, with issue, one of whom was the Rev. John Kennedy, D.D., +late Free Church minister of Dingwall. + +5. Charles Stuart, who died unmarried. + +6. Roderick, who also died unmarried. + +7. John, who died unmarried, abroad. + +8. Murdoch, who married Janet, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie of +Dundonnel, without issue. + +9. Alexander, who married a daughter of Mackenzie of Stronchrubie, +with issue - James, who died in Assynt, unmarried, and two +daughters - Margaret, who married Kenneth Macleod and Anne, who died +unmarried. + +Failing the male succession of this family, which has become extremely +difficult if not impossible to trace now that the representatives +of Kenneth Mackenzie of Ledbeg have failed in the male line, the +dormant honours of Tarbat and Cromarty reverts to the family of +Scatwell. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF SCATWELL. + + +I. KENNETH MACKENZIE, first of this family, was the second son of +Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, Tutor of Kintail, by Margaret, +eldest daughter and co-heiress of Torquil Macleod of the Lewis. +He married, in 1634, Margaret, eldest daughter and co-heiress of +Robert Munro the Black Baron, XX of Fowlis (tocher 15,000 merks), +with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Jean, who married a son of Munro of Lemlair. + +3. Anne, who married MacCulloch of Park, without issue. + +4. Catherine, who married Kenneth Mackenzie, I. of Langwell, with +issue. + +He married, secondly, Janet, daughter of Walter Ross of Invercharron, +relict of Thomas Ross of Priesthill, life rentrix of Priesthill, +Ulladale, etc. (who died on the 17th of March, 1699), with issue - + +5. Roderick, who died young. + +6. Alexander, who succeeded his half-brother John as III. of +Scatwell. + +7. George, who died young. + +8. Kenneth, who succeeded his brother Alexander. + +9. Isabella, who married John Macleod of Contullich, Tutor of +Macleod of Macleod, with issue. + +10. Christian, who married, first, John Gray of Arboll, and +secondly, George Gordon of Ospisdale, without issue. + +He has a sasine of Little Scatwell in 1619, and a charter of +Allangrange, from George, Earl of Seaforth, in 1636. He died at +Lochluichart, of which place he has a sasine in 1634, on the 3rd +of March, 1662, and was buried in St. Clement's Chapel, Dingwall, +when according to the Wardlaw MS. "My Lord Lovat paraded there +with near 100 horse and 500 foot," to do honour to "a gallant and +a great spirit." + +Kenneth was succeeded by his only son by the first marriage, + +II. JOHN MACKENZIE, second of Scatwell, who has a sasine in +1667. He married Anne, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, III. of +Redcastle, with issue - an only child, Lilias, who married Colin +Mackenzie, III. of Kincraig, with issue (sasine to her in 1679). He +died on the 13th of May, 1677, and was succeeded by his half-brother, + +III. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third of Scatwell, who married Janet +Ross of Ulladale, who died in March, 1699. He died on the 18th of +March, 1680, without issue, and was succeeded by his brother, + +IV. SIR KENNETH MACKENZIE, fourth of Scatwell. He was created +a Baronet of Nova Scotia on the 22nd of February, 1703, by Queen +Anne, six weeks after the elevation of his cousin-german, George, +Lord Tarbat, to the Earldom of Cromarty. He was member of +Parliament from 1702 to 1706. Dr George Mackenzie says that "he +was a member of the Union Parliament, and joined those patriots +of the country who stood by the ancient and inalienable privileges +of the nation." In 1688 he acquired by purchase from his relative, +Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh and Mary Haliburton his wife, +the lands of Pittonachty. About the same time he married Lilias +(then only eighteen years old), eldest daughter of Sir Roderick +Mackenzie of Findon, fourth son of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Kilcoy, +who, on the death of her father and mother, and that of her only +brother the year following, was, on the 12th of October, 1693, served +heir of tailzie and provision to her father in the lands of Findon, +which property she brought to her husband. The fortunes of the family +of Scatwell having thus been much improved, in 1696 a dwelling-house +was erected by Kenneth and his wife at Findon, into which they +removed from Lochluichart; and they continued to reside in it until +the erection of the new mansion at Pittonachty by Sir Roderick +Mackenzie, the second baronet, in 1795. The old residence at Findon, +now used as a farm house, still bears the following inscription +on the lintel of the main door: + +"Omnia terrena per vices sunt aliena, +Nunc mea, nunc hujus, +Post mortem nescio cujus, +Null certa domus." + +"K. MK. 16. 96 I. MK." + +By his first wife, Lilias of Findon, who died in childbed on the +21st of October, 1703, Sir Kenneth had issue - + +1. George, who was educated at Oxford, where he remained from +July, 1702, until May, 1704, during which period he cost his father +8192 merks. He is described as "a youth of great hope and spirit," +but he died "of a decay," unmarried, in 1705, in his 21st year. + +2. Roderick, who succeeded as second Baronet. + +3. Alexander, who died in 1711, in his 18th year. + +4. Simon, I. of Scotsburn - who was born on the 16th of May, +1702 - representation extinct, Charles Roderick Mackenzie, the last +male representative of the family having died at Seaford, Sussex, +on the 25th of April, 1893, without issue. + +5. Margaret, who on the 13th of February, 1703, married, first, +Aeneas Macleod of Cadboll (tocher 6000 merks), with issue; and +secondly, Roderick Mackenzie, IV. of Applecross, with issue. + +6. Isabel, who married, first, Kenneth Bayne of Tulloch, without +issue; and secondly, Roderick Chisholm, XXI. of Chisholm, with +issue. + +7. Elizabeth, who married William Mackenzie, III. of Belmaduthy, +with issue - a daughter, who married Fraser of Culduthel. + +8. Margaret, who married James Cuthbert of Farnese, merchant, +Inverness. + +Sir Kenneth married, secondly, in 1707, Christian, eldest daughter +of the Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, minister and Laird of Avoch, without +issue. He married, thirdly, Abigail, daughter of John Urquhart of +Newhall, with issue - + +9. Kenneth, H.E.I.C.S., who died unmarried. + +10. Jean, who married Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of Dundonnel, +with issue, and died in 1786. + +11. Ann, who in 1750 married Thomas Mackenzie, V. of Ord, with +issue. + +12. Lilias, born at Findon on the 22nd of February, 1711. + +In 1728, two years before his death, he mortified a sum of 906 +merks for the education and benefit of the poor in the parish of +Avoch. + +He died in 1730, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +V. SIR RODERICK MACKENZIE, fifth of Scatwell, and second Baronet, +who in 1710 married Janet, (who died 10th February, 1761) daughter +of Ludovic Grant, XVII. of Grant, with issue - + +1. Lewis, his heir and successor. + +2. Captain Alexander, who married, first, his cousin Lilias, +daughter of Simon Mackenzie, I. of Scotsburn, with issue; and +secondly, Janet, daughter of John Mackenzie, III. of Torridon, +with issue. Male representation by both marriages extinct. + +3. Janet, who in 1730 married Sir Alexander Mackenzie, second +Baronet and IX. of Gairloch, with issue. + +4. Elizabeth, who married Colin Mackenzie, III. of Mountgerald +with issue. + +5. Margaret, who married James Cuthbert of Milncraig. + +Sir Roderick died on the 24th of April, 1750, and was succeeded +by his eldest son, + +VI. SIR LEWIS MACKENZIE, third Baronet and sixth of Scatwell. +He was born in 1715, and in 1739 married Isabella, eldest daughter +of Colin Mackenzie, I. of Mountgerald, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, who was born on the 16th of April, 1746, the day on +which the battle of Culloden was fought. He was a merchant in +London, in partnership with Mark Sprot, the then eminent financier, +and married Janet, daughter of J. Sprot, Edinburgh. He died +in 1814 and is buried in Bath Abbey. He has a sasine of Little +Findon in life-rent, dated the 2nd of September, 1771. By his +wife, he had issue - (1) Colin, who died unmarried, in 1841; (2) +Mark, who died unmarried, in 1856; (3) Lewis, Major in the Royal +Scots Greys, who married, in 1820, Nancy, only child and heiress +of Samuel Forrester Bancroft. He died in 1853, with issue - (a) +Lewis Mark Mackenzie, I. of Findon and Mountgerald. He succeeded +to the estate of Findon by deed of arrangement with his cousin, Sir +James John Randoll Mackenzie, sixth Baronet and IX. of Scatwell, +in 1849, and he purchased Mountgerald from Colonel Simon Mackenzie +in 1855. He died unmarried in 1856, and was succeeded, as II. +of Findon, etc., by his next brother (b) Augustus Colin, who also +died unmarried, in 1865; when the only surviving brother (c) Sir +James D. Mackenzie, Baronet, Major half-pay, who, born in 1830, +served in the 79th and 14th Regiments. He is author of the +"Mackenzie Genealogies," published in 1879. Having succeeded to +the property, as III. of Findon and Mountgerald, he married, in +1858, Julia Stanley, daughter of Samuel Clutsam, D.C.L., with +issue - James Kenneth Douglas, born in 1859; Alice Nancy; Julia +Marion; Louisa Augusta; Lilian Geraldine and Evelyn; (d) Earnest +Bancroft, who died unmarried in 1861; (e) Colin, who died young; +(f) Nancy Copley, who married Thomas Antony Lister of Gargrave, +barrister-at-law, with issue - Nancy M. Augusta; (g) and Julia +Louisa, who, in 1824, married Baron Iver Holger Rosenkrantz, +Chamberlain to the King of Denmark and minister at the Court of +Italy (who died in 1873), with issue - four sons. + +3. Lewis, who died in the West Indies, unmarried. + +4. George, Colonel 72nd Regiment, who married Joan, daughter +of John Campbell of Wellwood, Ayrshire, with issue - (1) Lewis, +Captain 72nd Regiment, who married Jane, daughter of William Logan, +with issue - a daughter, Margaret; (2) John Campbell, Lieutenant +5th Regiment, subsequently Sheriff-Substitute of Lanark. He +married, in 1810, Marie Barbier Deshayeux, at St. Jean de Luz, +with issue - George Salvador, Lieutenant H.E.I.C.S., drowned in +the Ganges in 1844; Admiral John Fraser Campbell, who in 1850, +married Annabella, daughter of the Rev. Dr Stirling, minister of +Craigie, with issue; Francois, Major H.E.I.C.S., who married, in +1854, Julia, daughter of John Mercer, of Maidstone, with issue; +Lilias, who died unmarried; and Louisa Georgina, who, in 1843, +married as his second wife, Dr Stair M'Quhae, with issue; (3) +George, who died young; (4) another George, who died unmarried; +(5) Isabel, who died young; (6) Catherine, who died unmarried; +and (7) Jane, who married William Forrester Bow, M.D., with +issue - three sons. + +5. Lilias, who died unmarried, in 1777. + +Sir Lewis was served heir to his father in 1752. His wife died in +1786 at Findon, and he died in 1756, when he was succeeded by his +eldest son, + +VII. SIR RODERICK MACKENZIE, fourth Baronet and seventh of +Scatwell. On the 7th of April, 1764, he married Katharine, daughter +of Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, by Lady Helen Sutherland, daughter +of William, Lord Strathnaver, with issue - + +1. Lewis, Colonel of the Ross and Cromarty Rangers. In 1794, he +married Grace, daughter of Thomas Lockhart of Newhall, and died +without issue before his father, in 1810. + +2. James Wemyss, who succeeded his father. + +3. Helen, who in 1790 died unmarried. + +4. Katharine Morrison, who in 1819 died unmarried. + +In 1795 Sir Roderick built, on his estate of Pittonachty, the +present mansion, to which, with the property, he gave the name of +the adjoining estate of Rosehaugh, and removed his family to it +from the old house at Findon. He also built the present Church +of Urquhart, or Ferrintosh, the old one having become uninhabitable +from the accumulation of interments within it. He died on the +11th of June, 1811, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +VIII. SIR JAMES WEMYSS MACKENZIE, fifth Baronet and eighth +of Scatwell, M.P., and Lord-Lieutenant for the County of Ross. +He resided for a time in Jamaica, and was Paymaster in the army. +He was born on the 10th of August, 1770, and married on the 26th +of March, 1810, Henrietta Wharton, only surviving daughter and +heiress of William Mackenzie, IV. of Suddie, by Margaret, daughter +of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Coul, widow of Captain Robert +Pott of Galallan, without issue; and on the death of her brother, +Major-General John Randoll Mackenzie, of the 78th Highlanders, +at Talavera, in 1809, she brought to Sir James the estate of +Suddie. By her (who died on the 14th of November, 1840) he had +an only child, who on his death in 1843, succeeded his father as + +IX. SIR JAMES JOHN RANDOLL MACKENZIE, sixth Baronet and +ninth of Scatwell, who was born on the 20th of June, 1814, and +married on the 10th of October, 1838, Lady Anne Wentworth +Fitzwilliam, daughter of Charles William Wentworth, fifth Earl +Fitzwilliam, K.G. She died in 1879, without issue. + +Sir James in 1849 obtained a disentail of the Scatwell estates, +and soon after alienated or sold them. Findon went, under a deed +of arrangement, to his cousin, the late Lewis Mark Mackenzie, +grandson of Colin, second son of Sir Lewis Mackenzie, VI. and +third Baronet of Scatwell, and was until recently possessed by +his brother, Sir James Dixon Mackenzie of Findon and Mountgerald, +who on the death of Sir James John Randoll Mackenzie, on the +22nd of February, 1884, without issue, assumed the Baronetcy of +Scatwell, and who, failing the male representation of the Mackenzies +of Ardloch, is heir male also to the Tarbat and Royston Baronetcies, +and to the original Earldom of Cromarty. The estate of Scatwell was +sold to Mr Murray of Polmaise; Lochluichart to Lord Ashburton; +Rosehaugh in 1864, to the late James Fletcher, while that of Suddie +was retained in the hands of the trustees under Sir James John +Randoll Mackenzie's marriage settlement. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF BALLONE. + + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, the first of this family, was fourth son +of Sir Roderick Mackenzie, Tutor of Kintail, by his wife Margaret, +daughter and heiress of Torquil "Conanach" Macleod of the Lewis, +Coigeach, and Assynt, by his wife Margaret, daughter of Angus +Macdonald, VI. of Glengarry. Alexander has a sasine as fourth +son of the lands of Acha-ghluineachan, Lochbroom, in 1635, where +Ballone, now called Inverbroom, is situated, and comprising +Acha-ghluineachan, Achataskaill, Craigour, Strathnasealg, +Arigholach, and other lands. On the 24th of June, 1637, he grants +a disposition of the lands of Achataskaill to Sir John Mackenzie +of Tarbat. He married Agnes, widow of Kenneth Mackenzie, II. of +Inverlael (sasine on marriage contract in 1629), and daughter of +William Fraser, V. of Culbokie, by his wife Christian, daughter +of Alexander Chisholm, XVIII. of Chisholm, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Jean, who married first, in 1663, Simon, second son of the Hon. +Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, and brother of Sir George Mackenzie +of Rosehaugh, with issue - Simon, I. of Allangrange. She married +secondly, in 1667, Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Loggie, without +issue. + +3. Margaret, who married first (sasines 1671 and 1673), Sir +Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, fourth son of Alexander Mackenzie, +I. of Kilcoy, with issue - (1) Alexander, who died young; (2) +Lilias, who married Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, first Baronet and IV. of +Scatwell (marriage contract 6th of July, 1682), with issue. She +was served heir of entail to her brother on the 12th of October, +1693; (3) Isobel, who married her cousin, Simon Mackenzie, I. of +Allangrange (marriage contract 22nd of August 1693), with issue; +(4) Jean, who married John Chisholm, XX. of Chisholm, with issue; +and (5) Margaret, who married Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, first Baronet +and VIII. of Gairloch (marriage contract dated 21st of April, +1696), with issue. Margaret of Ballone married, secondly, Colin +Mackenzie, I. of Mountgerald, without issue. + +Alexander had also a natural son, Colin, who has a sasine of +Kildonan of Lochbroom in 1684, and was Chamberlain to Lord Tarbat. + +He died at Munlochy, in 1645, and was buried in St. Clement's +Church, Dingwall. + +His widow, Agnes Fraser, married thirdly (marriage contract dated +Kingillie, 12th of January, 1650), as his second wife, the Hon. +Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn with issue - Kenneth Mor Mackenzie, +I. of Dundonnel, and two daughters - Isobel and Elizabeth, married +respectively to Murdoch Mackenzie, VI. of Fairburn, and the Rev. +Roderick Mackenzie, minister and laird of Avoch. + +Alexander was succeeded by his only son, + +II. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, second of Ballone, to whom his uncle, +Kenneth Mackenzie, I. of Scatwell, has a retour of Tutory in 1656 +as "nearest agnate-uncle on the father's side," Alexander being +then under age. In 1673 he received a disposition and charter +from his cousin, Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, afterwards first +Earl of Cromarty, followed by a sasine in the same year of the +lands of Ballone, and others. In 1708 he has a charter under +the Great Seal in the superiority of Culinchmeanach, Culinchmore, +Breakach, and Achnacloich. He married Lilias (marriage contract +20th July, 1670, and sasine 1671), daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, +VI. of Gairloch, by his wife, Anna, daughter of John Grant of +Grant, with issue - + +1. Margaret, who married, first, a Mr Cathcart, without issue; and +secondly, George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, with issue - George, +his heir, thirteen other sons and nine daughters, besides six +sons and four daughters he subsequently had by a second wife. +The sixth son was Roderick Mackenzie, tacksman of Tighnafaoilin, +who married Barbara, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of +Ardloch, with issue, among others, Margaret, who married Captain +John Mackenzie, VI. of Ballone. George had also Annabella, who +married Murdoch Mackenzie, merchant, Stornoway, son of Roderick +Mackenzie, III. of Avoch, with issue - two daughters, the eldest +of whom, Jean, married John Tolmie, tacksman of Uiginish, Dunvegan, +Skye, with issue - among others, Annabella, who married her cousin, +Hector Mackenzie, second son of Captain John Mackenzie, VI. of +Ballone. + +He married, secondly, Mary, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of +Fairburn (sasine 18th of February, 1676), by his first wife, a +daughter of Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston, with issue - + +2. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +3. Isabell, who married John Macrae, second wadsetter of Conchra +(sasine 1697), only surviving son of the Rev. John Macrae, Chaplain +to one of Seaforth's regiments at Sheriffmuir, where he was killed +in 1715, leaving issue - three sons and a daughter. + +Alexander died in 1724, aged 80 years, and was buried at Lochbroom, +in a tomb built by himself in 1666, when he was succeeded by his +only son, + +III. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third of Ballone. In 1728 he has a +disposition and ratification of his father's charter of 1673 granted +to him by Lord Tarbat In 1732 he is seised in a wadset of the +lands of Achtaskaillriach in security for a loan of 3000 merks to +the Earl of Cromarty; and in the following year he is seised in +the lands of Culinchmore, Culinchmeanach, Breakach and Achnacloich. + +He married his cousin Barbara, daughter of Kenneth Mor Mackenzie, +I. of Dundonnel (sasine in 1727, long after the marriage), and +niece of Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, first of Badluachrach. Colin was a Captain in the +Jacobite army under the Earl of Cromarty in 1745-46 and commanded +the men of Ballone who were out on that occasion. He was captured +at Dunrobin on the 15th of April, 1746, conveyed to London, +but afterwards, through the instrumentality of the Rev. James +Robertson, the famous "Ministear Laider" of Lochbroom, obtained +his release, and subsequently rewarded his benefactor by marrying +the lady to whom the reverend gentleman was engaged - Mary, daughter +of William Mackenzie of Achilty and Kinnahaird, with issue - (1) +Kenneth, served heir to his father in Badluachrach in 1772; (2) +Alexander, who married Barbara Maclean, with issue - two sons and +a daughter; (3) Donald of Fasna-crionach, who married Kelly Fisher, +Greenock, with issue - a son, Kenneth. + +3. Kenneth, who married, first, Barbara, daughter of Colin Ruadh +Mackenzie, without surviving issue; and secondly, Barbara, daughter +of Roderick, tacksman of Tighnafaoilin, son of George Mackenzie, +II. of Gruinard, with issue - (1) Roderick, who married, first, +Miss MacIver, in the Lewis, with issue - one son and two daughters. +He married secondly in Harris. (2) Kenneth, who died unmarried; +and (3) Barbara, who married Roderick Mackenzie, Mellan Charles, +with issue - Donald, who died unmarried, and Barbara, who married +Simon Mackenzie, Doire-na-Muc, with issue. + +4. Margaret, who married first, James Macrae of Balnain, near +Dingwall, third son (by a second marriage) of the Rev. John Macrae, +minister of Dingwall, without surviving issue; and secondly, in +1749, as his first wife, Colin Chisholm, IV. of Knockfin, with +issue. + +5. Anne, who married Roderick, son of Mackenzie of Achilty, with +issue - four daughters, Annabella, Barbara, Christy, and Isabella, +all married with issue. (See Findon's Tables, sheet 10.) + +6. Catherine, who in 1727, married Simon Mackenzie, II. of +Loggie of Lochbroom, grandson of the Hon. Simon of Lochslinn, with +issue - Annabella, who married Colin Riabhach Mackenzie, third son +of Kenneth Mor Mackenzie, I. of Dundonnel, without issue. + +7. Margaret, who married first, a gentleman at Craigour, without +issue; and secondly Roderick Mackenzie, III. of Kernsary, with +issue (sasine 1742). + +Alexander's wife died in 1768, aged 83 years, survived by over sixty +children and grandchildren at her death. He died before 1752, and +was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth of Ballone, retoured to his father +in 1752. He married Catherine, daughter of George Mackenzie, II. +of Gruinard (sasine in 1742, several years after the marriage), +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Captain John, who succeeded his brother Alexander. + +3. Mary, who married her cousin, Roderick Mackenzie, III. of +Kernsary (sasine in 1762), with issue. + +4. Catherine, who married Colin Knight, in the Lewis, with issue. + +5. Isobel, who married the Rev. Alexander Stronach, minister of +Lochbroom, with issue. + +6. Barbara, who died unmarried. + +7. Alexandrina, who married Alexander Macrae, Strathmore of +Lochbroom, with issue. + +Alexander died in 1755, and was buried in Lochbroom. He was +succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth of Ballone, who was retoured +to his father in 1756. He was at the same time served heir male +in special to his great-grandfather, who died in 1724. He died +unmarried, having been drowned at sea in 1762, when he was succeeded +by his brother, + +VI. CAPTAIN JOHN MACKENZIE, sixth of Ballone, who was retoured +heir to his brother Alexander in 1764. He has a sasine of Ballone +in 1792, but he alienated the estate six years later, in 1798, +to Henry Davidson of Tulloch, whose representatives have since +sold it to Sir John Fowler, Baronet, of Braemore, its present +possessor. Captain John married Margaret, eldest daughter of +Roderick Mackenzie, tacksman of Tighnafaoilin, by his wife, +Barbara, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ardloch (sasine +1770), fourth son of Sir John Mackenzie, first Baronet of Tarbat, +by his wife. Margaret, daughter of the Hon. Sir George Erskine of +Inverteil, brother of Thomas, Earl of Kellie, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Hector, who on the 13th of November, 1826, married Annabella, +youngest daughter of John Tolmie, tacksman of Uiginish, Isle of +Skye, by his wife Jean, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, Stornoway, +and his wife Annabella, daughter of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, +with issue - an only son, John Tolmie Mackenzie, the present male +representative of the family. Hector and his wife first resided in +Liverpool but afterwards at Dunvegan, Skye. In 1841 he emigrated +to Cape Breton, intending to settle there with his family, a +project frustrated by his assassination there a short time after +his arrival. + +3. Barbara, who married Captain Campbell, with issue - a daughter, +Margaret. + +4. Catherine, who married William Mackenzie (of the Gruinard +family.), Ullapool, with issue - (1) John, who married Mary Campbell, +with issue - John William, and Catherine; (2) Isabella; (3) Lilias, +who married John MacPhail, merchant, Ullapool, with issue - the +Rev. George MacPhail, minister of Albert Square Church, Dundee +William; Catherine, who married John Cameron, teacher, Ullapool, +with issue - three sons and three daughters; Isabella, who married +the Rev. Neil Morison, Free Church minister of Barvas, Lewis, with +issue - a son and a daughter; Abigail; and Anne Barbara. Captain +John married secondly, Ann, daughter of George Mackenzie, tacksman +of Ach-na-h-Airde, Coigeach, with issue - + +5. George, who went to Cape Breton, and married Miss Fraser at +St. Anne's there. + +6. Alexander, who also emigrated to North British America, and +entered into business along with his cousin, Roderick Mackenzie, +at St. Francois, a small town on the St. Lawrence. He subsequently +bought a farm in the township of Wickham, and married Sarah +Duncan, of Grantham, with issue - (1) James Mackenzie, solicitor, +Lapeer, Michigan, U.S.A., who married, first, in July, 1867, +Georgina Hunter, of Gardiner, Maine, with issue - one son, Harvard +Hunter, who died young. James married, secondly, in 1875, his +first wife having died in 1868, Amanda Hart, with issue - Harrison +Hart, and Emily Sarah; (2) Roderick Munro; (3) Andrew Duncan; +(4) Norman; (5) Alexander Stronach; and (6) Henry, all living +in 1879. + +7. A daughter, who married William Mackenzie, Dornie of Coigeach, +with issue. + +8. Margaret, who married Alexander Macrae, Strathglass, with +issue. + +9. Georgina, who married Kenneth Maclennan, Coigeach, with +issue - one son, Donald. + +10. Hannah, married William Macdonald in America. + +Captain John died at Coigeach, aged 97, in 1829, and was buried +there, the weather at the time having been too stormy to allow of +his remains being taken for interment to the burial place of his +ancestors. + +He was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest +son, + +VII. JOHN MACKENZIE, shipowner, Stornoway, who married Barbara, +daughter of John MacIver, shipowner, and sister of the late Dr +Alexander MacIver, Stornoway, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. A daughter, who died young. + +3. Lilias, who married Alexander Morrison, rope manufacturer, +Stornoway, with issue - (1) John Mackenzie Morrison, fishcurer +and ship-broker there, and a County Councillor. He married Anne +Isabella, daughter of Captain Alexander Macdonald, shipowner, +Garmouth, with issue - two sons and six daughters; (2) Alexander +Morrison, importer and commission agent, Stornoway, unmarried +(3) Catherine Anne, who married Norman Forbes, contractor, son +of Captain Donald Forbes, shipowner, Stornoway, without issue. +Alexander Morrison died in January, 1881. + +4. Margaret, who married Captain Alexander Macleod, Valtos, Lewis, +without issue. + +5. Anne, who married Hector Mackenzie, Poolewe, with issue - Annabella +Jessie and Helen Anne. + +He was drowned at sea on the Cornish Coast, and was succeeded as +representative of the family by his only son, + +VIII. JOHN MACKENZIE, who married Mary Macphie, with issue - a +son and two daughters, all of whom died young. On his death the +male representation of the family devolved on the only son of his +uncle Hector, + +IX. JOHN TOLMIE MACKENZIE, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, factor for +Macleod of Macleod. He was born on the 16th of June, 1828, and +on the 13th of January, 1857, married Henzell, second daughter of +David Dixon Ferguson, artist (descended from the Perthshire Fergusons +of Dunfallandy), by his wife Mary, daughter of William Sanderson +of Springbank, with issue - + +1. Murdo Tolmie, M.B., North Uist. + +2. John Ferguson. + +3. Hector Hugh, North Uist Estate Office. + +4. David Ferguson. + +5. William MacNeil, Kansas City, America. + +6. George, a student of medicine. + +7. John Tolmie. + +8. Mary, who died young. + +9. Annabella. + +10. Mary, who married the Rev. John Francis Smith, London, with +issue - four sons. + +11. Isabella Barbara. + +12. Margaret MacNeil. + +13. Henzell. + +14. Jean Lilias. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF KILCOY. + + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, first of this family, was third son of +Colin Cam Mackenzie, XI. of Kintail, by his wife Barbara, daughter +of John Grant, XII. of Grant, by Lady Marjory Stewart, daughter +of John, third Earl of Athole. In 1616 Alexander has a charter +of the lands of Kilcoy, dated 18th July. On the 29th of January, +1618, he has a Crown charter of the Barony of Kilcoy. In July, +1634, he was appointed Commissary of Ross, and in the same year, +on the 17th of September, he has a charter from King Charles +appointing him Principal Sheriff of the shire of Inverness. He +married in 1611 (marriage contract dated 15th August) Jean, daughter +of Sir Thomas Fraser of Strichen, Tutor of Lovat, and widow of +Sir James Stewart of Muiren and Kilcoy, with issue - + +1. Colin, his heir and successor. + +2. Thomas, who has a sasine in 1678. + +3. Alexander, I. of Muirton of Kilcoy, who married Marie, +daughter of John Cuthbert of Drakies. He has a sasine of the +lands of Muiren in 1657, and a charter to "Alexander in the Muir" +in 1666. By Marie of Drakies he had issue - (1) Colin, his heir and +successor; (2) the Rev. John, successively minister of Kingussie +and Laggan, in Badenoch; (3) Kenneth; (4) Simon; (5) Isobell; and +(6) Lilias, who married George Leslie (marriage contract dated +24th December, 1697). Alexander was succeeded as II. of Muirton +by his eldest son, COLIN MACKENZIE, W.S., who married Anna, +daughter of Sir James Grant of Moyness (she married secondly, Hugh +Innes, Younger of Rosskeen), with issue - (1) Kenneth, his heir +and successor; (2) Simon, who died abroad; and three daughters. +KENNETH MACKENZIE, his eldest son, succeeded as III. of Muirton, +and married Mary, second daughter of Charles Mackenzie of Cullen, +with issue, a son - ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, IV. of Muirton, who in +1752 excambed the lands of Muirton of Kilcoy for the lands of +Wester Fairburn, then the property of his cousin, Colin Mackenzie, +VI. of Kilcoy. From this time the lands of Wester Fairburn were +renamed Muirton, after the original possessions of this family +in the Black Isle. Alexander, IV. of Muirton, married Margaret, +eldest daughter of James Mackenzie, III. of Highfield, with +issue - (1) James; (2) Colin, M.D., who both died unmarried; and, +according to the traditions of the district, (3) Big Simon, who +emigrated to New South Wales; and (4) Alexander, who went to +England, married there and had issue; (5) Mary, who married as his +first wife, without issue, Roderick Mackenzie, II. of Scotsburn; +(6) Martha, who married Hugh Rose of Cuilich, with issue; +(7) Margaret, who married the "Black" Calder, with issue; (8) a +daughter, who married Alexander Cumming, with issue; and (9) Jean, +who married James Shaw, Bailie of Inverness, who died on the 21st +of January, 1801. Jean and her husband apparently succeeded by +will or purchase to the lands of Muirton of Fairburn, for they were +undoubtedly in a position at their death to leave them to their +eldest son, Alexander Mackenzie Shaw, a minor, only 17 years old +when his father died. The management, however, was left in the +hands of a Mr Fraser, who squandered the funds which should have +been invested for the second son William, a Colonel, H.E.I.C.S. +(married with issue), and ten daughters, who survived their father +and to make up the deficiency, not only Muirton of Fairburn, but +Waternish in Skye and Woodside near Fortrose, also the property +of Bailie Shaw at his death, had to be sold. Muirton was bought +by a Mr Reid, who afterwards resold it to William Mackenzie, W.S., +son of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Portmore. Alexander Mackenzie +Shaw, the Bailie's eldest son, was a Captain in the army, and +married in 1804, Mary Laing, with issue - (1) Gilbert Shaw, who, +born in 1806, was a Judge in Jamaica, and died a few years ago +at Tongland, Kirkcudbrightshire; (2) Gilbert, who died young; +(3) Henry Bridgwater; (4) Alexander, Colonel Madras Infantry; (5) +John; (6) Mary, who died unmarried; (7) Hectorina, who married +Mr Sprott; and (8) Eleanor, who married Mr Seabank. + +4. Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, who married Margaret, daughter +of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, with issue - Alexander, +who died in 1693; Lilias, who married Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, IV. +of Scatwell, with issue; Isobel, who married Simon Mackenzie, I. +of Allangrange, with issue; Jean, who married John Chisholm, XX. +of Chisholm, with issue; and Margaret, who married Sir Kenneth +Mackenzie, VIII. of Gairloch, with issue. Sir Roderick died in +1692. + +5. Isobel, who married Roderick Mackenzie, III. of Redcastle, +with issue. + +6. Jean, who married David Ross, III. of Pitcalnie, Tutor of David +Ross, thirteenth of Balnagown. + +7. Katherine Beatrice, who married first, Duncan Bayne of Tulloch; +and secondly, in 1651, George Munro, Younger of Lemlair. + +8. A daughter, who married Maclean of Borreray. + +He also had three natural daughters who married respectively +Hector Mackenzie IV. of Fairburn (marriage contract dated 11th of +February, 1637); Neil Bayne, in Uist; and the Rev. John, son of +John Roy Mackenzie, IV. of Gairloch. + +Alexander married, secondly, Margaret Dunbar, with issue - a daughter, +Barbara, who died unmarried in 1656. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. COLIN MACKENZIE, second of Kilcoy, who married (contract, +21st March, 1640) Lilias, sister of Sir Alexander Sutherland, Lord +Duffus (sasine 1649), with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Roderick of Dalvennan, Advocate, who married Margaret, sister +of John Cathcart of Castletown, without male issue. He has a sasine +of Allangrange in 1672. + +3. Charles of Cullen, who in 1682 married Florence, daughter of +John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross, with issue - a son, who died +young; Abigail, who married Alexander Mackenzie of Lentran; +Mary, who married Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of Muirton, with issue; +Katharina, who married Roderick Mackenzie, IV. of Redcastle; +Florence, who married Duncan Macrae of Inverinate, with issue; +and Margaret, who married (marriage contract 25th of November, +1719) Alexander Mackenzie, fourth son of Roderick Mackenzie, V. +of Redcastle. Charles Mackenzie of Cullen was Tutor to Donald, +V. of Kilcoy, during his minority and the troublous times of +1715. In that year the Earl of Sutherland addresses a letter, +dated Inverness, 19th November, "To Charles Mackenzie of Cullen +and the Family of Culcowie" demanding payment of L200 sterling +"towards the militia" and "if ffailzie" that their goods and +effects shall be given up to free quarters. He died in 1732. + +4. Thomas, I. of Cleanwaters, who in 1680 married Margaret, +daughter of Matthew Robertson of Davochcarty, with issue - Colin, +who married Florence, daughter of Simon Mackenzie, I. of Torridon, +with issue - a son, Alexander, who married a daughter of William +Mackenzie, II. of Pitlundie, by whom he had one son, who died +young. + +5. John, who in 1683, married Isobel Mackenzie, with issue - two +sons, the second of whom, Charles, married and had a son Alexander, +who succeeded to his cousin Alexander's estate and became IV. of +Cleanwaters. He married, with issue - at least one son - Alexander, +V. of Cleanwaters, who was also tacksman of Muirend from 1770 to +1778. His father, who died before 1759, was tenant of Drumnamarg, +in the Black Isle. + +Colin was succeeded in 1682 by his eldest son, + +III. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third of Kilcoy, who married (marriage +contract 21st of March, 1664) Mary, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, +VI. of Gairloch, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander. + +3. Lilias. + +In 1658 he bought the lands of Allan (now Allangrange) from +Seaforth's trustees, and in 1682 sold it to his uncle, Sir Roderick +Mackenzie of Findon, whose daughter Isobel carried it to Simon +Mackenzie, progenitor of Allangrange. + +Alexander died in 1687, and was succeeded by + +IV. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fourth of Kilcoy, who married (contract, +7th January, 1689) Annabella, daughter of Sir Donald Bayne of +Tulloch, with issue - + +1. Donald, his heir and successor. + +2. John, who died young. + +3. Lilias, who married Donald Dingwall, Provost of Dingwall. + +Roderick died in December 1700, and was succeeded by his eldest +son, + +V. DONALD MACKENZIE, fifth of Kilcoy, who in 1716, married Elizabeth, +daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of Highfield, with issue - + +1. Roderick, who died young. + +2. Colin, who succeeded to Kilcoy. + +3. James, who died young. + +4. William, who married Jean, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, +VIII. of Davochmaluag, without issue. + +5. Alexander, who died in Holland without issue. + +6. Kenneth, Tutor of Kilcoy, who married Janet, daughter and +heiress of Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Baronet, author of +the Peerage and Baronage, with issue - (1) General Sir Kenneth +Mackenzie, who succeeded to his mother's estate of Glenbervie, +and assumed the name of Douglas in addition to his own. (See +Mackenzie-Douglas of Glenbervie.) (2) Donald Mackenzie, who was +born in 1772, and married, in 1809, Anne, daughter of T. Mylne +of Mylnfield, with issue - (a) Colonel Kenneth Douglas Mackenzie, +who was born on the 1st of February, 1811, and married on the 26th +of June, 1861, Mary, second daughter of General Thomas Colomb, +Colonel 97th Regiment. Colonel Kenneth died on the 24th of August, +1873. (b) Anne, who married Donald Maclachlan, 79th Highlanders, +with issue - Donald George Campbell, who died in the Crimea, +unmarried; Kenneth Francis, Captain Royal Artillery. He was born +on the 1st of December, 1845, and on the 9th of January, 1877, +married Amy Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the late John William +Fletcher, of the Bengal Army and of Shifnal, Salop, with +issue - Kenneth Douglas, born on the 25th of March, 1882, and +Gladys Elma; and Ann Campbell. (3) Alexander Douglas Mackenzie +of Burleston, Hants. He married in 1799 Sophia, only daughter +of General Ross Lang, County Roscommon, with issue, one son and +five daughters - (a) Charles Douglas, who was born on the 6th of +July, 1817, and on the 1st of June, 1854, married Jessie, daughter +of Isaac Barker, Cumberland, with issue - Kenneth Ross, Lieutenant +78th Highlanders Charles Douglas, R.N.; Jessie Harriet Isabella; +and Helen Harriet; (b) Anne Douglas, unmarried; (c) Amelia +Georgina, who in October, 1845, married William Prue Jordan, of +London, M.D., with issue, one daughter - Annie Mary Josephine, +married, with issue; (d) Frances Donald, who in 1822 married +Joseph Bristow, without issue; (e) Jessie Barbara, who in 1845 +married the Rev. Charles Cook, Canon of Exeter Cathedral, and +Chaplain to the Queen; and (f) Rachel Catherine Andrews, who in +1842 married the Rev. Robert Montgomery, M.A. of Oxford, with +issue - Jessie Anne Douglas Montgomery. (4) Janet Mackenzie, who +married the Rev. Dr Snodgrass, and died on the 30th of July, +1852, aged 90 years, in New South Wales; (5) Margaret Mackenzie, +who as his second wife married William Chalmers of Glenericht, +with issue - General Sir William Chalmers; (6) a daughter, who +married a Mr Wilson; and (7) Barbara Mackenzie, who married Mr +Keith. + +7. Elizabeth, who married Thomas Mackenzie, IV. of Highfield and +VI. of Applecross, with issue. + +Donald was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +VI. COLIN MACKENZIE, sixth of Kilcoy, who was infeft in the +lands of Kilcoy on the 16th of December, 1742. In 1747 (marriage +contract 28th March) he married Martha, eldest daughter of Charles +Fraser of Inverallochy, by Anne, daughter of Udney of Udney. +Her eldest brother, Charles, on whom the Lovat Estates were +entailed, fell in command of the Clan Fraser at Culloden, and her +second brother, William, who had also succeeded to the property +of Udney, dying in 1792, the representation of the family of +Inverallochy and Castle Fraser devolved upon Martha and her sister +Eliza Fraser (who died without issue in 1814). Through this +marriage, the family of Kilcoy claim to be heirs to the old Earldom +of Buchan, conferred in 1469 upon James Stuart, half-brother of +James II., by the second marriage of his mother, Queen Jane, to +Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn. In 1617 a Crown +charter of Novodamus is granted to the then Countess Mary of Buchan, +who married James Erskine (eldest son of John Earl of Mar) with +the precedence of the former charter to herself and her husband +in life rent and the heirs male of their marriage, whom failing +to his nearest heirs male whatsoever. In 1625 the Earl and Countess +had another charter of the Earldom with the same limitation. In +1633 the charter of 1625, and a decree of 1628 giving the Earldom +of Buchan precedence over those of Eglintoun, Montrose, Cassilis, +Caithness, and Glencairn, were ratified by Act of Parliament. +These charters make the Kilcoy claim quite hopeless, not because +they are not the rightful heirs, but because the Earldom was given +in 1617 by charter to the heirs male of James Erskine, though he +had no more right to it than he had to the throne itself, beyond +having married the Countess Mary of Buchan, now represented by +the Mackenzies of Kilcoy. Nothing can annul a charter but another +Crown charter, and as a matter of fact and justice, the Cardross +Erskines have no more right to represent and sit as the Earls of +Buchan of 1469 than they have to be Kings of Great Britain. By +this lady Kilcoy had issue - + +1. Donald, who died young. + +2. Charles, his heir and successor. + +3. Colin, Lieutenant 71st Regiment, killed in the American War, +without issue. + +4. Alexander, who on succeeding to his mother's property of +Inverallochy, assumed the additional name of Fraser by Royal +license dated the 22nd of July, 1803, and became the well-known +Lieutenant-General Alexander Mackenzie-Fraser of Inverallochy +and Castle Fraser, Colonel of the 78th Regiment, and M.P. for the +county of Cromarty, 1802-6, Ross-shire, 1806-1807, and 1807 until +his death at Walcheren, on the 13th of September, 1809. He +married Helen, sister of Francis Humberston-Mackenzie, last Lord +Seaforth, with issue, two sons - (1) Charles Mackenzie-Fraser, II. +of Castle Fraser, his heir, Captain Coldstream Guards, Colonel +Ross-shire Militia. He served in the Peninsular War with the +52nd Regiment in 1808-9, and was M.P. for Ross-shire 1814-1818. +He was born on the 9th of June, 1792, and died on the 7th of March, +1871, having married on the 25th of April, 1817, Jane, daughter +of Sir John Hay, Baronet of Smithfield and Haystoune, with +issue - (a) Alexander, who died in 1843; (b) John Wingfield, who +died in 1846; (c) Charles Murray, who died in 1846; (d) Francis +Mackenzie, who died in 1849; and (e) Kenneth, who died young in +1836 - all without issue. (f) Frederick Mackenzie-Fraser, now of +Castle Fraser, Aberdeen-shire, late of the Ross-shire Militia, +Lieutenant-Colonel H.M. Reserve Forces. He was born on the 4th +of April, 1831, and married first, on the 24th of April, 1871, +Lady Marie Augusta Gabrielle Berengere Blanche Drummond, elder +daughter of George, fourteenth Earl of Perth and Melfort. She died +in 1874 without issue. He married, secondly, in 1879, Theodora +Lovett, daughter of William Henry Darby of Leap Castle, King's +County, Ireland. (g) Catherine, who died unmarried in 1856; (h) +Mary, who died unmarried in 1847; (i) Eleanor Jane, who died on +the 22nd of October, 1858, having on the 6th of January, 1855, +married, as his second wife, the Right Reverend George Tomlinson, +D.D., first Bishop of Gibraltar, who died on the 6th of February, +1863, and had a son and two daughters - George Charles James +Tomlinson, born on the 16th of April, 1857; Eleanor Fraser; and +Mary Elizabeth; (j) Grace Harriet, who died without issue; and (k) +Augusta Charlotte, who on the 25th of April, 1854, married Robert +Drummond, with issue - Charles and Sybil. (2) Lieutenant-Colonel +Frederick Alexander Mackenzie-Fraser who died in December, 1848, +married first, Emma Sophia, daughter of Hume Macleod of Harris, +with issue (a) Frederick Charles, who died in 1875, leaving issue; +(b) Colin; and (c) Isabella, who died unmarried. He married, +secondly, Georgina Augusta, daughter of Sir Charles Bagot, +Governor-General of Canada. Lieutenant-General Alexander had +also two daughters - (3) Marrianne; and (4) Helen, both of whom +died unmarried. + +5. Anne, who married Alexander Mackenzie, W.S., I. of Portmore, +with issue. + +6. Elizabeth, who died young. + +7. Jean, who in 1766 married Alexander Elphinstone of Glack, +Aberdeenshire, Sheriff-Depute of that county in 1777, with issue - +a son, John, and two daughters - Jane, who in 1787 married John +Mackenzie, VII. of Applecross, and Mary, who died in Edinburgh +unmarried in 1796. + +8. Janet, who died unmarried in 1789. + +9. Martha; and 10. Janet, both of whom died young. + +Colin of Kilcoy died in 1758, and was succeeded by his eldest +surviving son, + +VII. CHARLES MACKENZIE, seventh of Kilcoy, who in 1781 married +Jane Gordon, third daughter of Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston with +issue - an only son, by whom on his death in 1813 he was succeeded as + +VIII. SIR COLIN MACKENZIE, eighth of Kilcoy, created a baronet +on the 15th of March, 1836, with remainder to his second and third +sons, Evan and Colin John. He was Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant +1st Ross-shire Local Militia, and Vice-Lieutenant and Convener +of the county, and claimed the Earldom of Buchan and Barony of +Auchterhouse. He was born on the 22nd of April, 1782, and married +on the 30th of March, 1805, Isabella (who died on the 26th of May, +1874), second daughter of Ewen Cameron of Glen Nevis, with issue - + +1. Charles, his heir and successor, in the entailed estates. He +was born on the 25th of December, 1811, and died unmarried on the +30th of July, 1887. + +2. Evan, who succeeded to the Baronetcy and the unentailed estates. + +3. Colin, died unmarried on the 21st of April, 1868. + +4. Jane, who in 1853 married James Wardlaw, Major 2nd Royal +Lancashire Militia (who died on the 3rd of October, 1867), with +issue - (1) John Colin Wardlaw Captain 34th Regiment. He was born +on the 19th of July, 1856, and married in 1889, Mabel, daughter +of William Bousfield Page, of Carlisle. (2) George Lake, born +on the 19th of April, 1864; (3) James Robert Preston, born on the +22nd of September, 1867; (4) Geraldine Anne Isabella Mary Jane, who +married on the 21st of December, 1876, George Francis Gillanders +of Highfield, with issue - a daughter, Frances Geraldine; (5) +Horatia Georgina Ramsay, who married first on the 19th of July, +1877, William Gordon Cumming Asher, with issue - William Augustus, +born on the 6th of July, 1878, and Isabella Cameron. She married +secondly, Thomas Home, W.S., Edinburgh, with issue; (6) Jane Frances +Harriet, who in 1890 married George Mullen of Springfield, County +Sligo, with issue - a daughter, Jane Horatia Mary. + +Sir Colin died in January, 1845, when he was succeeded in the Baronetcy +and unentailed estates by + +IX. SIR EVAN MACKENZIE, second Baronet of Kilcoy. He was born +on the 15th of August, 1816, and married on the 2nd of November, +1844, Sarah Ann Philomena, daughter of James Parkes, County of +Londonderry, with issue - + +1. Colin Charles, Lieutenant 79th Cameron Highlanders, born on +the 7th of February, 1848, and died unmarried at Gibraltar on the +15th of June, 1880. + +2. Isabella Jane, who became her father's heir and successor. + +3. Edith Millicent. + +4. Eva Mary Marjorie Erskine, who on the 22nd of February, +1872, married Roderick Grogan Mackenzie, V. of Flowerburn, +Lieutenant-Colonel Ross-shire Militia, late 16th Lancers, with +issue. + +5. Sarah Anna Philomena. + +Sir Evan Mackenzie died in 1883, and on the death of his brother, +Charles Mackenzie of Kilcoy, in 1887, the estates and representation +of the family of Kilcoy devolved on Sir Evan's eldest daughter, + +X. ISABELLA JANE, who on the 30th of March, 1869, married Colonel +John Edward Burton (now Burton-Mackenzie), late 91st Highlanders, +second son of the late John Standfast Burton, by Mary Anna, daughter +of David Morgan and niece and heiress of Richard Toulmin North of +Newton Hall and Thurland Castle, Lancashire, with issue - + +1. Evan North, who was born on the 9th of March, 1870. + +2. Colin John Mackenzie, born on the 14th of September, 1871. + +3. Edward Grove, born on the 7th of August, 1876. + +4. Isabella Alicia Eva. + +On succeeding to the estates of Kilcoy, Colonel and Mrs Burton +assumed the name and arms of Mackenzie of Kilcoy, in addition to +those of Burton (recorded in 1633), by Letters Patent from the +Lyon King at Arms on the 7th of December, 1887. + + +MACKENZIE-DOUGLAS OF GLENBERVIE. + + +I. GENERAL SIR KENNETH MACKENZIE-DOUGLAS, first of this +family, was the eldest son of Kenneth Mackenzie, Tutor to Charles +Mackenzie, VII. of Kilcoy, by his wife Janet, daughter of Sir +Robert Douglas, Baronet, of Glenbervie (author of the Peerage and +Baronage of Scotland), and co-heir of her brother, Sir Alexander +Douglas, M.D., the last Baronet of that family, descended from +Archibald, fifth Earl of Angus, whose second son, Sir Robert +Douglas, succeeded in 1591 to his estates of Glenbervie and Kemnay. +The General, who was Colonel of the 58th Regiment, was created a +Baronet on the 30th of September, 1831, and on the 31st of October +following he assumed by Royal license the name of Douglas in +addition to his own. He married on the 18th of December, 1804, +Rachel, only child and heir of Robert Andrews of Hythe, Kent, with +issue - + +1. Robert Andrews, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, Lieutenant 58th Regiment, who was born on the 14th +of July, 1809, and died unmarried in Ceylon in 1830. + +3. Alexander Douglas, an officer in the 58th and 68th Regiments. +He was born on the 22nd of December 1811, and on the 17th of +April, 1834, married Ann, daughter and co-heir of Joshua Rouse, +Southampton, with issue - (1) Rouse Douglas, Captain 96th Regiment, +born on the 29th of December, 1836, and married on the 20th of +December, 1861, Alice, daughter of John O'Neill of Montbello, +County Wicklow, with issue - a son and daughter; (2) Alexander +Douglas, of the Mounted Police, Queensland. He was born on the +7th of February, 1843, and married in 1864, without issue; (3) +Annie Douglas, who on the 31st of March, 1864, married John Croft, +F.R.S.; (4) Mary Elizabeth Mackenzie-Douglas; and (5) Rachel +Adela Douglas. Alexander died in 1848. + +4. Edward, who died unmarried in 1835. + +5. Lynedoch, Lieutenant 97th Regiment. He was born on the 28th +of October, 1818, and on the 26th of July, 1848, married Laura +Susanna, youngest daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald +Campbell, Baronet, G.C.B., with issue - (1) Helen Maria Mackenzie, +who on the 22nd of December, 1874, married Andrew Mitchell Mackenzie, +son of the late Hon. Donald Mackenzie, Senator of the College of +Justice, with issue - Donald Mackenzie, born on the 15th of July, +1878; Lilias Douglas; and Helen Maria Douglas; (2) Laura Augusta +Mackenzie Douglas, who on the 13th of July, 1878, married Donald +Mackenzie, B.A., W.S., eldest son of the Hon. Donald Mackenzie +aforesaid; (3) Jessie Beatrice Mackenzie Douglas, who on the +25th of October, 1873, married as his first wife the Rev. Philip +Richard Pipon Braithwaite, vicar of St. Luke's, Jersey, since +1881, and formerly of Abbotsham, Devon, with issue - William Douglas +Braithwaite, born on the 22nd of October, 1876; Jessie Pipon; and +Mary Mackenzie. Lynedoch Douglas died on the 15th of May, 1859. + +6. Donald Douglas, Captain Royal North Down Rifles. He was born +on the 7th of July, 1821, and on the 5th of August, 1847, married +Emily Jane, fifth daughter of Hugh Kennedy of Cultra, County +Down, with issue - (1) Donald Sholto Mackenzie, born on the 14th +of December, 1849; (2) Kenneth Nigel Mackenzie, Lieutenant Essex +Rifles. He was born on the 1st of November, 1851, and on the +31st of July, 1879, married Emma daughter of Thomas B. Street, of +Friers Place, near Acton, Middlesex; (3) Emily Elizabeth Mackenzie, +who on the 28th of November, 1877, married Colonel Robert Blair +Kennedy, with issue - Kathleen Carlotta Douglas. + +7. Rachel, who on the 23rd of February, 1843, married her cousin, +John Snodgrass, Major 96th Regiment, with issue - (1) John Douglas, +Captain R.A., born on the 21st of April, 1844, and married, with +issue - a son who died young; (2) Rachel Etah; and (3) Edith Mary +Mackenzie. Rachel died on the 15th of January, 1877, her husband, +Captain Snodgrass, having predeceased her on the 27th of January, +1856. + +General Sir Kenneth Mackenzie-Douglas died on the 22nd of November, +1833, when he was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. SIR ROBERT ANDREWS MACKENZIE-DOUGLAS, second Baronet +and Major in the army. He was born on the 25th of April, 1807, +and on the 29th of April, 1835, married his sister-in-law, Martha +Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Rouse, of Southampton, with issue - + +1. Robert Andrews, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth Douglas, who was born on the 17th of October, 1842, and +on the 21st of August, 1867, married at Christchurch, New Zealand, +Caroline Nicholls, with issue - (1) Kenneth, who succeeded as fourth +Baronet; (2) Blanche; and (3) Martha. Kenneth Douglas died on the +25th of January, 1882. + +3. Elizabeth, who on the 6th of August, 1861, married Sir Francis +George Augustus Fuller-Eliott-Drake, Baronet, Captain Royal Horse +Guards, with issue - Elizabeth, who in 1887 married Reginald John +Upton Colborne, third Lord Seaton. + +Sir Robert died on the 1st of November, 1843, when he was succeeded +by his eldest son, + +III. SIR ROBERT ANDREWS MACKENZIE-DOUGLAS, third Baronet, +Captain 57th Regiment. He was born on the 19th of July, 1837. + +He died unmarried in 1884, when he was succeeded in the title and +estates by his nephew, + +IV. SIR KENNETH MACKENZIE-DOUGLAS, fourth Baronet, who was +born on the 29th of May, 1868. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF APPLECROSS. + + +THE immediate progenitor of this family was Alexander Mackenzie +of Coul, so often referred to in the body of this work, and who +so greatly distinguished himself in the wars with Glengarry and +Macleod of the Lewis. He was a natural son of Colin Cam, XI. of +Kintail, by Mary, eldest daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, II. of +Davochmaluag, by his wife, Ann, daughter of Donald Gorm Macdonald. +VII. of Sleat. Alexander was a great favourite with his brothers +Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, and Sir Roderick Mackenzie +of Coigeach. He has a sasine of half the lands of Applecross and +others, as a "natural son of Colin Mackenzie of Kintail," dated 10th +of March, 1582. He has another, in 1607, from Roderick Dingwall +of the lands of Kildun, and one in 1619 of the lands of Pittonachty, +now Rosehaugh, and Castleton. It is said that Alexander when quite +an infant was sent by his mother to his father, Colin of Kintail, +to Brahan Castle, who consulted his wife, Barbara, daughter of John +Grant of Grant, as to what he should do with the little stranger. +Naturally incensed both at her husband's infidelity and the proposed +addition to her family circle, she indignantly replied - "Cuir 'sa +chuil e," that is "put him in the ash-hole, or corner." Realising +the imprudence of further offending her, but being naturally of a +humane disposition, and wishing to act honourably by his innocent +offspring, he took the child away, and on his return told his wife +that he had carried out her proposal and left him in the "Coul." +He secretly sent Alexander to the place then and now called "A +Chuil," or Coul, to be nursed and brought up by a respectable +woman, and thus carried out the letter if not the spirit of his +lady's request, and at the same time performed his duty towards +his afterwards distinguished son, to whom he gave that estate as +his inheritance. + +Kenneth's grandson, John, II. of Applecross, who in 1669, wrote +the well-known Genealogy of his clan, gives the following account +of the progenitor of his family: "He was happy in his youth by +the comeliness of his person, and agility of body, to be looked +upon by Kenneth, Lord Kintail, his brother, and all his followers, +being then engaged in their hottest feuds with the Clan Ranald and +Macleods of Lewis, as the fittest man to command what force his +brother was to make use of on these occasions, wherein he failed +not their expectations, managing that command (which he enjoyed +until the Tutor of Kintail put a period to all these troubles +by the transaction with Glengarry, and utter extirpation of the +Macleods of Lewis) with so much courage and expedition, that albeit +during the whole tract of these broils there passed not any action +of moment wherein he was not signally concerned, yet in all of +them his constant success brought no less honour to himself than +advantage and reputation to his party. This, with his singular +industry and upright dealing in affairs, got him so much of the +love of his brethren, especially Lord Kenneth, who on his death-bed +honoured him with the gift of his own sword in testimony of +his esteem and affection for him, and so much of the respect of +his friends and neighbours, and the good opinion of the country +people, that, without difficulty or the least grudge of any person +whatsoever, he in a short time purchased a considerable estate, +which he still augmented by the same means during the rest of +his life." Among these purchases was Applecross and other lands +which exceeded in extent the lands of Coul, which was bestowed on +him by his father. + +Alexander married, first, Annabella, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, +I. of Fairburn, and relict of Thomas Mackenzie, I. of Ord, with +issue - + +1. Roderick, infeft by his father in the estate and Parony of +Applecross. + +2. Isabel, who as his second wife married Alexander, V. of Gairloch, +with issue. + +3. Marjory, who married the Rev. William MacCulloch of Park, +minister of Fodderty. + +Alexander married secondly, Christian, daughter of Hector Munro +of Assynt, with issue - + +4. Kenneth, first of Assynt and afterwards of Coul. + +5. Alexander, who died unmarried in 1639. + +6. Hector of Assynt, who married a daughter of Hugh Fraser of +Belladrum, with issue. Sasine to him in 1650. + +7. A daughter, who as his second wife married John Chisholm, XVI. +of Chisholm, with issue - his heir and successor. + +8. Another, who married Sir Alexander Innes of Coxtoune. He +has a charter from James VI., dated 28th July, 1617, in favour of +"Alexandro Mackenzie de Coul, et Christianae Munro ejus spousae +terrarum ecclesiasticarum de Uladil, etc.," in Inverness-shire, +and he has a second to him and his second wife, of the lands of +Pittonachty, Wester Haldock, Pitfla, etc., in the same county, +dated 28th June, 1621. He has a third, dated 12th July, 1634, to +"Alexandero Mackenzie de Coul, et Kennetho ejus filio, terrarum +de Urquhart, etc." He was a very prudent man, and besides the +large patrimony bestowed upon each of his children, he left a +large sum of money for pious uses and for the children of several +of his relations. He died in March, 1650, very advanced in years, +at Pittonachty, was buried in a tomb which he caused to be built +for himself at Chanonry, and was succeeded in the lands of Applecross +by his eldest son, + +I. RODERICK MACKENZIE, who shall be described as first of +Applecross - his father having been both of Applecross and Coul. He +married Finguala, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle, +with issue - + +1. John "Mollach" his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, I. of Sanachan, who married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie +of Sand, Gairloch, with issue. + +3. Sibella, who married first, Alexander Macleod, V. of Raasay, +with issue; secondly, Thomas Graham of Drynie, and thirdly, Alexander +Mackenzie, VI. of Hilton, with issue - his heir and successor. + +4. A daughter, who married Lachlan Mackinnon, eldest son of +Mackinnon of Scalpa, Tutor of Mackinnon of Mackinnon, with issue. + +5. A daughter, who married the eldest son and heir of William +Mackenzie, Shieldaig, Gairloch. + +He had the estate of Applecross given him as his patrimony during +the life of his father, whom he predeceased on the 6th of July, +1646, and was buried in his father's tomb at Chanonry. He was +succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. JOHN MACKENZIE, second of Applecross, known as "Ian Mollach," +or Hairy John, who married a daughter of Hugh Fraser of Belladrum, +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor, + +2. Roderick, who married Isabella, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, +VI. of Gairloch, with issue. The descendants of this Roderick +now represent the Old Mackenzies of Applecross in the male line +John Mackenzie, V. of Applecross, having died without issue, +when the estates went by will past his brother Kenneth into the +possession of his sister Mary's eldest son, James Mackenzie, IV. +of Highfield. Several of Roderick's descendants are still alive, +male and female - one of the latter being the widow of the late +Farquhar Macrae, Strome Ferry Hotel (north side), who has had a +fine family - a son and several daughters. + +3. Kenneth, I. of Alduinny, who married a daughter of John +Matheson of Bennetsfield, with issue. + +4. John, called "Ian Og," one of the four famous Johns killed in +1715, serving under his brother Alexander, Lieutenant-Colonel of +Seaforth's 1st Regiment, at Sheriffmuir. He married a daughter +of the Rev. John Macrae, last Episcopalian minister of Dingwall, +with issue; for which, and the issue of Kenneth of Alduinny, see +Findon's Tables. + +5. A daughter, who married Sir Donald Bayne of Tulloch, with +issue. + +6. Catherine, who married Simon Mackenzie, I. of Torridon, with +issue. + +7. Ann, who in 1684 married Charles Mackenzie, I. of Letterewe, +with issue. + +8. Mary, who married Thomas Mackenzie, III. of Ord, with issue. + +9. Florence, who in 1682 married Charles Mackenzie of Cullen, +third son of Colin Mackenzie, II. of Kilcoy, with issue. + +John has a sasine in 1663. He purchased the Baronies of Tarradale +and Rhindoun. In his grandfather's life-time he had a charter +under the Great Seal, "Johanni Mackenzie de Applecross, terrarum +de Lochslyne, Newton de Lochslyne, etc." He was succeeded by his +eldest son, + +III. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third of Applecross. He joined +the Earl of Mar in 1715, and was Lieutenant-Colonel of Seaforth's +1st Regiment, for which he was attainted of high treason, and the +estates forfeited to the Crown. He married, first, Anne, daughter +of Alexander Fraser, Tutor of Lovat, by his wife Sibella (Elizabeth), +daughter of Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, with issue - + +1. Roderick, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, a merchant in Inverness, who married a daughter of +Rose, Merkinch. + +3. Colin, a doctor in Edinburgh, who married Miss Dunbar of +Linkwood. + +4. Sibella, who in 1697 married the Hon. John Mackenzie of +Assynt, second son of Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth, with +issue - Kenneth, who married Frances, his cousin, daughter of Colonel +Alexander, without issue. + +5. Anne, who in 1707 married first Alexander Mackenzie, II. of +Kinachulladrum, with issue - Anne, his only child in life in 1766; +secondly, John MacRae, of Dornie and, thirdly, Colin Mackenzie of +the Gruinard family, a goldsmith in Inverness. + +6. A daughter, who married the Rev. Archibald Macqueen, minister +of Snizort, Skye. + +7. Another married William Mackenzie, of Shieldaig. + +8. Mary, who married Malcolm Macleod, VIII. of Raasay, with +issue - his heir and others. + +Alexander married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Mackenzie, +of Fairburn, with issue - one son, Simon, in the Foot Guards. He +married, thirdly, in 1713, Christian, daughter of Fraser of +Belladrum, with issue - a daughter, who married her cousin, Roderick +Mackenzie of Achavannie son of John Og, killed at Sheriffmuir. + +He was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son, + +IV. RODERICK MACKENZIE, fourth of Applecross, who has a sasine +of Kinachulladrum, of which place he is designed in 1721. In 1724 +he re-purchased the estate of Applecross from the Court of Enquiry +for L3550. He married, first, Anne, only daughter of Alexander +Macdonell, XI. of Glengarry, by his first wife, Ann, daughter of +Hugh Lord Lovat, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, a Captain in Marjoribanks' Regiment, in the Dutch +service, who died unmarried. + +3. Kenneth, a watchmaker in London, died unmarried. On the 17th +of August, 1737, he was entered as an apprentice to Thomas Gordon, +clock and watchmaker, for six years. + +4. Mary, who married James Mackenzie, III. of Highfield, whose +eldest son Thomas, IV. of Highfield, inherited Applecross from his +uncle John. + +5. Anne, who married, first, Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Lentran; +and secondly, as his second wife, Alexander Mackenzie, VIII. of +Davochmaluag, with issue - an only daughter, Anne. + +6. Another daughter who married the Rev. John Maclean, minister +of Kintail. + +Roderick married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Sir Kenneth +Mackenzie, first Baronet and IV. of Scatwell, and widow of Aeneas +Macleod of Cadboll, with issue - an only daughter, Elizabeth, who +married Alexander Chisholm, XXII. of Chisholm, with issue - his heir +and others. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. JOHN MACKENZIE, fifth of Applecross, who married Anne, only +daughter of Sir Colin Mackenzie, IV of Coul, without issue. He +willed the estate of Applecross away from his brother Kenneth +[This John, the last of this family, deprived his brother, Kenneth, +of the property, and passed it in favour of Thomas Mackenzie +of Highfield, his sister's son. In order to set aside the legal +succession, and to prevent his brother, Kenneth, from marrying, he +allowed only L80 yearly for his subsistence during his lifetime, +which small allowance made it inadequate for him to rear and support +a family, so that in all probability this has been the cause of +making the family extinct. After this Kenneth the succession +should have reverted back to Roderick Mackenzie, a descendant +of Roderick, second son of John, II. of Applecross, who went to +Nova Scotia in 1802, or failing the family of this Rory, next +to his brother's family, Malcolm, who died a few years ago in +Kishorn, and failing heirs of that family to the other descendants +of John of Applecross, viz.: Kenneth of Auldinie, and John, killed +at Sheriffmuir in 1715. - "MS. of the Family," written in 1828.] to +the son of his Sister Mary, Thomas Mackenzie, IV. of Highfield, +by whom he was succeeded as + +VI. THOMAS MACKENZIE, sixth of Applecross and IV. of Highfield. +In 1781 he sold the estate of Highfield to George Gillanders, +Commissioner for Seaforth, and about the same time purchased +Lochcarron from Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Delvine, for L10,000 +sterling. It was previously bought from Seaforth by Sir Alexander +for half that sum. He married Elizabeth, only daughter of Donald +Mackenzie, V. of Kilcoy, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. James, who died unmarried, in India. + +3. Colin, who also died unmarried, in India. + +4. Donald, a Captain in the 100th Regiment of Foot. He married +Anna, daughter of James Macleod, IX. of Raasay, with issue - two +sons and six daughters, John; Thomas; and Elizabeth, who died +unmarried Flora Loudon, who married General Sir Alexander Lindsay, +H.E.I.C.S.; Jane, who married James Thomas Macdonald of Balranald, +North Uist, with issue - Alexander, now of Balranald, and others; +Anne, who married Christopher Webb Smith, B.C.S.; Isabella Mary, +who married Dr Lauchlan Maclean; and Maria, who married John +Mackenzie, the famous piper, "Piobaire Ban," with issue. + +5. Thomas, who died unmarried. + +6. Jean, who died unmarried. + +7. Anne, who married Kenneth Mackenzie of Inverinate, brother +to Alexander Mackenzie, XI. of Hilton, with issue - Thomas, who +succeeded as X. of Applecross, and others. Catherine, Mary, and +Elizabeth, died unmarried. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VII. JOHN MACKENZIE, seventh of Applecross and Lochcarron, who +in 1787 married Jane, daughter of Alexander Elphinstone of Glack, +Aberdeenshire, with issue - + +1. Thomas, his heir and successor. + +2. Elizabeth, who succeeded to Applecross; John Alexander; and +Frederick, all died young. + +Thomas made a new disposition of the estates by which, in consequence +of a family quarrel, he cut out his only surviving brother, +Captain Donald and his daughters - two sons having previously died +unmarried - from the succession. The property, under this new +settlement, went, first, to his son and heir, Thomas, and his issue +secondly, failing these, to his daughter Elizabeth; and thirdly, +failing her and her issue, to Thomas, the eldest son of his +sister Anne, who, as already stated, married Kenneth Mackenzie +of Inverinate, W.S.; and failing him and his issue, to the other +children of the same sister. + +Thomas was succeeded by his eldest and only surviving son, + +VIII. THOMAS MACKENZIE, eighth of Applecross, who was for +many years, and until his death in 1827, Member of Parliament for +the County of Ross. He died, unmarried, and was, in terms of the +abovenamed settlement, succeeded by his sister, + +IX. ELIZABETH MACKENZIE, ninth of Applecross. She was in +delicate health when her brother died, and continued so until her +death two years after him, in 1829. She was never served heir, +and, dying unmarried, she was in terms of her brother's settlement +succeeded by her cousin-german, + +X. THOMAS MACKENZIE of Inverinate, W.S., Edinburgh, tenth of +Applecross, who represented the County of Ross in Parliament from +1837 to 1847. He married Mary, daughter of George Mackenzie of +Avoch, with issue - + +1. Kenneth John, his heir and successor. + +2. George Alexander, a merchant in Liverpool, who married +Elizabeth, daughter of John Cay of Charlton, with issue - an only +daughter, Mabel Georgina. He died in 1874. + +3. Thomas, W.S., Edinburgh, who died unmarried. + +4. Francis James, who died, unmarried, in 1875. + +5. Duncan Davidson, who died, unmarried, in 1863. + +6. Margaret. + +7. Anne Jane. + +8. Geddes Elizabeth, who married John Cay, W.S., Edinburgh. + +Thomas sold the estate of Applecross in 1857 to the Duke of Leeds, +and Inverinate to the late Sir Alexander Matheson of Ardross and +Lochalsh. On his death in 1857, he was succeeded as representative +of the family by his eldest son, + +XI. KENNETH JOHN MACKENZIE, who was born in 1819 and died +unmarried in 1868, when he was succeeded as representative of the +family by his next brother, + +XII. GEORGE ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who died in 1874, without male +issue. He was succeeded as representative of the family by his +next brother, + +XIII. THOMAS MACKENZIE, Edinburgh, who died unmarried a few +years ago, the last male of the Highfield Applecrosses, failing +the descendants of Captain Donald, who was disinherited. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF COUL. + + +ALEXANDER MACKENZIE of Coul and Applecross, son of Colin Cam, +XIth Baron of Kintail, by Mary of Davochmaluag, had, among others, +whose names are given under APPLECROSS, + +I. SIR KENNETH MACKENZIE, first designated of Assynt, but in +1649 he has a sasine of Coul. He was a "man of parts," and in +great favour with Charles II., who made him a Baronet by Royal +patent with remainder to the heirs male of his body, dated on the +16th of October, 1673. He was also appointed Sheriff-Principal +of Ross and Inverness, these counties being then one under the +jurisdiction of one Sheriff. + +He married, first, Jean, eldest daughter of Alexander Chisholm, +XIX. of Chisholm, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Simon, I. of Torridon and Lentran, of whom presently. + +3. John, I. of Delvine, of whom after Torridon. + +4. Roderick, who married a daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. of +Davochmaluag. + +5. A daughter, who married Colin Mackenzie, IV. of Redcastle, +with issue. + +6. Agnes, married Sir John Munro of Fowlis, with issue. + +7. Jane, who married Alexander Baillie, IX. of Dunain. + +8. Christian, who married John Dunbar, Younger of Bennetsfield. + +9. Lilias, married John Munro of Inverawe, with issue. + +10. Mary, who as his first wife married Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. +of Davochmaluag, with issue. + +11. Another, who married Gordon of Cluny. + +He married, secondly, a daughter of Thomas Mackenzie of Inverlael, +with issue - two sons, who died young. + +12. Catharine, who married Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Belmaduthy, +with issue. + +13. A daughter, who married Ross of Aldie. + +14. A daughter, who married Evander Maciver of Tour-naig, with +issue. + +15. Another, married MacIver of Tournaig's brother. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, second of Coul, who married +first, Jean, daughter of Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonston, Tutor +of Sutherland, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Colin, who succeeded as IV. of Coul. + +3. Lucy, who married Angus Mackintosh, X. of Kyllachy. + +4. Janet, who in 1695 married Alexander Mackenzie, VII. of Davochmaluag, +with issue - an only daughter, Janet, who in 1715 married Aeneas +Macleod, of Camuscurry, with issue - an only daughter, Mary, +who married John Urquhart of Mount Eagle. + +Sir Alexander married secondly, Janet Johnstone of Warriston, with issue +- William, Simon, and James; and a daughter, Margaret, who married +Andrew Brown of Dolphinton, with issue. + +He had a charter under the Great Seal, in 1681, by which his lands +of Coul and others were, upon his own resignation, erected into one +free barony in favour of himself and his heirs male, holding of +the Crown. He afterwards, in 1702, made a deed of entail by which +all his estates were settled upon heirs male of his own body. He +died shortly after, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. SIR JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Coul, who married first, +Margaret, daughter of Hugh Rose of Kilravock, with issue - an only +daughter, who married Bayne of Delny. He married, secondly, in +1703, Helen, daughter of Patrick Lord Elibank, with issue - two +daughters, one of whom married Sir George Hope of Kirkliston, +Baronet. The other died unmarried. He joined the Earl of Mar +in 1715, was attainted for high treason, and dying without issue +male the titles and estates were assumed by his next brother, + +IV. SIR COLIN MACKENZIE, fourth of Coul, who was Clerk to the +Pipe in the Exchequer, an office which he held during his life. +He married Henrietta, daughter of Sir Patrick Houston of Houston, +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. William of Achilty and Kinnahaird, who married Mary, daughter +of Alexander, VII. of Davochmaluag, with issue - extinct in the male +line. John, the last male representative of the family sailed for +Melbourne in 1850, in the "Owen Glendower," which has never since +been heard of. + +3. Anne, who married John Mackenzie, V. of Applecross, without +issue. + +Sir Colin died in 1740, in the 67th year of his age, and was +succeeded by his eldest son, + +V. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth of Coul. He had a charter, +under the Great Seal, to himself and his heirs male, as heir to +his grandfather, of the whole estate of Coul, in 1742. He married +Janet, daughter of Sir James Macdonald, XIII. of Sleat, Baronet, +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. James, who died unmarried. + +3. Henrietta, married Thomas Wharton, without issue. + +4. Margaret, who married William Mackenzie, IV. and last of Suddie, +with issue. + +5. Stewart, who married William Dallas of Cantray, with issue. + +6. Christina. + +7. Janet. + +Sir Alexander died in 1792, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. MAJOR-GENERAL SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, Bengal Army, sixth of +Coul. He was provincial Commander-in-Chief of Bengal, 1790-1792, +and married in 1778, Catherine, daughter of Robert Ramsay, +with issue - one son, who on his death in 1795, succeeded him as + +VII. SIR GEORGE STEWART MACKENZIE, F.R.S., seventh of Coul. +He was born on the 22nd of June, 1780, and married, first, on the +8th of June, 1802, Mary, daughter of Donald Macleod of Geanies, +with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. William, who succeeded as IX. of Coul. + +3. George, who died unmarried in 1839. + +4. Robert-Ramsay, who succeeded as X. of Coul. + +5. The Rev. John, Free Church minister of Ratho. He was born +in 1813, and married, in 1839, Eliza, daughter of the celebrated +Thomas Chalmers, D.D., without issue. He died in London in 1878. +She died in 1892. + +6. Donald Macleod, Rear Admiral, R.N. He was born in 1815 and +married, in 1865, Dorothea, daughter of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, +G.C.B., without issue. + +7. The Rev. James, who in 1847 married Philadelphia, daughter of +Sir Percival Hart Dyke of Lullingstone, Kent, Baronet, and died +without issue in 1857. + +8. Margaret. 9. Catherine. 10. Mary. All died unmarried. + +Sir George married, secondly, on the 27th of October, 1836, +Catherine, daughter of Sir Henry Jardine of Harwood, with issue - + +11. Henry Augustin Ornano, who, born on the 24th of April, 1839, +married Mary Ann, daughter of Louis Botte, with issue - four sons +and a daughter. + +He died in 1848, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VIII. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, eighth of Coul, an officer in +the Bengal army. He died unmarried on the 3rd of January, 1856, +and was succeeded by his next brother, + +IX. SIR WILLIAM MACKENZIE, ninth of Coul. He was born on the +20th of May, 1806, and on the 16th of August, 1858, married Agnes, +daughter of Ross Thomson, of Ardmore, Derry, and died without +issue on the 21st of December, 1868, when he was succeeded by his +next surviving brother, + +X. SIR ROBERT RAMSAY-MACKENZIE, tenth of Coul, who, born on the +21st of July, 1811, married in September, 1846, Louisa Alexandrina, +daughter of Richard Jones, member of the Legislative Assembly of +Sydney, New South Wales, with issue - + +1. Arthur George Ramsay, his heir and successor. + +2. Mary Louisa, who on the 9th of May, 1871, married Alexander +Archer, of Brisbane, Queensland, without issue. They both perished +in the wreck of the "Quetta" on her way home from Australia. + +3. Katherine Elizabeth. + +4. Louisa Stewart, who on the 26th of February, 1885, married +James G. L. Archer, of Gracemere, Queensland, and Laurvig, Norway. + +5. Frances Philadelphia. + +In 1867 Sir Robert was appointed Premier of the Executive Council +and Colonial Treasurer of Queensland, having previously held the +offices of Colonial Secretary and Treasurer. He died on the 19th +of September, 1873, when he was succeeded by his only son, + +XI. SIR ARTHUR GEORGE RAMSAY-MACKENZIE, eleventh and present +Baronet of Coul. He was born on the 2nd of May, 1866, and is +still unmarried. + + + +THE MACKENZIES OF TORRIDON. + + +I. SIMON MACKENZIE, first of Torridon and Lentran, was second +son of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, first Baronet of Coul, by his first +wife, Jean, daughter of Alexander Chisholm, XIX. of Chisholm. He +has a sasine of the half of Arcan on disposition in 1697. He +married Catharine, daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross. +She has a sasine in 1672 and another in 1694. By her he had +issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. Alexander, I. of Lentran, Tarradale, and Rhindoun, who married, +first, Anne, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, IV. of Applecross (sasine +1745), with issue - (l) Alexander, who died young; (2) Roderick of +Tarradale, a Captain in Marjoribanks' Regiments, killed in America, +without issue; (3) John Mackenzie of Arcan, secretary to the Highland +Society of London, so well known as "John Mackenzie of the Temple," +and intimately connected with the editing and publication of +Macpherson's Gaelic Ossian. He succeeded to the property, but +afterwards sold or alienated it - Rhindoun to the Chisholm Tarradale +to his nephew, Dr Murchison; and Arcan to his sister, Elizabeth, +widow of John Mackenzie of Sanachan. He died unmarried in 1803, +the last male representative of the Lentran Mackenzies. Alexander's +daughters were - (1) Anne, who married Donald Macrae, Camusluinie, +Kintail, with issue; (2) another, who married Alexander Murchison +of Achtertyre, with issue; (3) Janet, who married William Mackenzie of +Strathgarve, with issue; (4) Catharine, who married Colin Green, +Scatwell, without issue; (5) Isabella, who married, first, Colonel +Mackay of Bighouse, Sutherlandshire, without issue; and secondly, +her cousin, John Mackenzie, I. of Delvine, with issue; and (6) +Elizabeth, who married Captain John Mackenzie, III. of Sanachan and +Tullich, Lochcarron, who in right of his wife succeeded to Arcan. +She died without issue. Alexander married secondly Abigail, +daughter of Charles Mackenze of Cullen. She has a sasine in 1715. + +3. A daughter, who married Archibald Macdonald of Barisdale, with +issue. + +4. Anne, who in 1694 married Farquhar Macrae of Inverinate, with +issue. + +5. Catherine, married Roderick Mackenzie of Aulduinny. + +6. Florence, who married Colin Mackenzie, II. of Cleanwaters, +with issue - Alexander. Simon was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. KENNETH MACKENZIE, second of Torridon, who in 1703 married +Ann, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Mary, who married Colin Mackenzie, a Bailie of Dingwall, with +issue - (1) Kenneth, who married Margaret Macdonald, Skye, with +issue - Alexander, who died young in Jamaica; John, Lieutenant 78th +Regiment, who died in India, without issue; and Donald, who died +young. Kenneth had also several daughters - Janet, who married +John Chisholm, Dingwall, where she died, without issue, in 1870, +aged 95; Mary, and Margaret Anne, both of whom died unmarried; +and Alexanderina, who married Captain Munro, 42nd Highlanders. +(2) John, a merchant in Bishopsgate Street, London, who married a +daughter of his partner, Alexander Mackenzie of the Coul family, +with issue - Colin Alexander, known as "the Ambassador," who +died unmarried in 1851; Kenneth, who died young; John, a Colonel +H.E.I.C.S.; Alexander, of Christ Church, Oxford, who died unmarried; +and Caroline, who married Dr William Wald, without issue. (3) +Alexander, who died young. (4) Mary, who married Murdoch Mackenzie, +Bailie of Dingwall, without issue. (5) Anne, who married Andrew +Robertson, Provost of Dingwall and Sheriff-Substitute of Ross, +grandson of Colin Robertson of Kindeace, with issue - Anne, who +as his second wife married Sir John Gladstone, Baronet of Fasque, +with issue, among others - the great statesman, the Right Hon. +William Ewart Gladstone of Hawarden, M.P., who as we write is, +in his eighty fifth year for the fourth time Prime Minister of +Great Britain. (6) Fanny, who married John Mackenzie of Kinellan, +with issue - Colin, who died young; Alexander, who married Mary +Macdonald; Margaret, who married Farquhar Matheson and Mary, +Christy, and Janet, all of whom died unmarried. (7) Betsy, who +married a Mr Simpson; and (8) Elizabeth. + +Kenneth died before 1738 and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Torridon. He fought at Culloden, +and is said to have been "one of the prettiest men in Scotland." + +The following is from a letter by his grandson, the late Bishop +Mackenzie of Nottingham, dated the 10th of September, 1878, in +answer to a request by the author that he should kindly communicate +anything he knew about his more immediate ancestors: + +He led into action the few Mackenzies who fought in that battle. +He was a nephew of Macdonald of Keppoch, one of the seven men of +Moidart, and was personally requested by Lady Seaforth to take up +arms for the Prince, and he attached himself, with the personal +following who attended him, to his uncle's standard. The Macdonalds, +in Strong resentment for having been placed on the left instead +of the right of Charles Edward, refused to charge when ordered +by their commander. Keppoch, uttering the touching exclamation, +"My God! that I should live to be deserted by my own children then +charged, accompanied by my grandfather and his small following. +He soon fell pierced by balls and then, while my grandfather wept +over him, exhorted him to leave the field as the brief action +was already over, and the dragoons were already scattering over +the field in pursuit. + +Some of the Macdonalds placed themselves under their Chief's +favourite nephew, as he is called in Scott's account of the battle. +Tradition says that some of them were disposed to run when they +saw parties of the dragoons approaching them, but that Torridon, +spoke briefly, "Keep together men. If we stand shoulder to +shoulder these men will be far more frightened at us than we can +be of them. But remember, if you scatter, they have four legs +to each of your two, and you will stand singly but small chance +against them." They took his advice, and he led them in fair +order off the field. It is further reported that he was proscribed +after the battle, and that his life was saved by Sir Alexander +Macdonald of Sleat, ancestor of the present Lord Macdonald, who +was one of the Royal Commissioners. Sir Alexander urged that +Torridon was a young and inexperienced man, and not likely to +be dangerous to the Government, on account of the distance and +comparative smallness of his wild Highland estate however, it +is said that he added - "Torridon is a great favourite with the +ladies, and if you "hang Torridon" it is certain that half the +ladies of the country will "hang themselves."" This reasoning is +said to have prevailed and it is certain that the estate descended +to my eldest brother in right of inheritance, without having been +confiscated. + +John, who entertained Prince Charles in 1745, married Isobel, +daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, II. of Dundonnel (sasine in 1741), +with issue - + +1. Kenneth, his heir and successor. + +2. John, who succeeded as V. of Torridon. + +3. Janet, who married, as his second wife, Captain Alexander, +second son of Sir Roderick Mackenzie, second Baronet and V. of +Scatwell, with issue. She died in 1808. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. KENNETH MACKENZIE, fourth of Torridon. He sold the estate +to his brother John. He married Miss Cockerell, daughter of a +solicitor, in London, with issue - + +1. Kenneth Cockerell, who married, with issue - (1) Kenneth +Cockerell, who died without issue; (2) John Scott, of the Manchester +and Liverpool Railway Company, who married and in 1859 died, +leaving issue - an only son, who since died without issue. + +2. Isabella, who died without issue. + +Kenneth was succeeded by his next brother, + +V. JOHN MACKENZIE, fifth of Torridon, who had previously +purchased the estate from him, and whose descendants became the +heirs male of his predecessors, Kenneth's descendants having, as +already shown, become extinct. He married Anne Isabella, daughter +of Isaac Van Dam, West Indies, with issue - + +1. John, his heir and successor. + +2. Anthony Van Dam, who died unmarried in 1824. + +3. Rev. Charles, Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral. + +4. Rev. Henry, consecrated Bishop Suffragan of Nottingham in 1870. +He resigned his Episcopal duties in 1877, but retained the title +of Bishop, and the offices of Arch-dean of Nottingham, and Canon +and Sub-Dean of the Cathedral of Lincoln. He married, first, +Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Ridley, of Demerara, with issue - an +only daughter, Edith, who married the Rev. H. Fellowes. He +married, secondly, Antoinette, daughter of Sir James Henry Turing +of Foveran, Baronet, with issue - a large family of whom 11 survived. +He died in 1878. + +John died in 1820, and was succeeded by his eldest son, + +VI. JOHN MACKENZIE, sixth of Torridon, who married Katharine +Yallop, and died without issue in 1852. He sold the estate to +James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie of Seaforth, and was succeeded +as representative of the family by his eldest surviving brother, + +VII. THE REV. CHARLES MACKENZIE, Prebendary of St. Paul's +Cathedral, who married Henrietta, daughter of Henry Simonds, of +Reading, Berkshire, with issue - + +1. Henry Douglas, who married Miss Suttar, Bathurst, N.S.W., with +issue - Dudley B. Douglas, and two daughters. + +The Rev. Charles had also four daughters. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF DELVINE. + + +I. JOHN MACKENZIE, first of this family, was third son of Sir +Kenneth Mackenzie, first Baronet of Coul, by his first wife, Jean +Chisholm of Chisholm. He married first, his cousin Isabella, +daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Lentran, with issue - one +son, George, who married, and died before his father, without +issue in 1772. He married, secondly, a daughter of Sir Robert +Gordon of Gordonston, with issue - William, who married, and died +in England before his father, without issue. He married, thirdly, +Margaret, daughter of Hay of Alderston, with issue - + +1. Alexander, who on the death of his half-brother George, became +his father's heir. + +2. Kenneth (who died in 1756), Professor of Law in the University +of Edinburgh. He married Grizel Hume, daughter of Browne, I. of +Dolphinton, with issue - two sons and two daughters. The second +son, Andrew, was a W.S., and married a daughter of Campbell of +Achlyne, with issue. The daughters died unmarried. The eldest +son, John, succeeded his father-in-law, and became JOHN MACKENZIE, +II. of DOLPHINTON. He in 1773 married Alice, daughter of Robert +Ord, Lord Chief-Justice of the Exchequer, with issue - five sons, +four of whom - Robert, Kenneth, John, and George, died unmarried. +The second son, Andrew, had a son (with three daughters - Mary, +Grace, and Anne) Kenneth, a Major in the 4th Regiment, who married +a Miss Solomon in America, with issue - four sons and three daughters. +The only surviving son of John succeeded him as RICHARD MACKENZIE, +III. OF DOLPHINTON, who died in 1850. He married Jane, daughter +of Captain Hamilton, 73rd Regiment, with issue - JOHN ORD MACKENZIE, +IV. of Dolphinton, W.S., who married Margaret, daughter of Sir +Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, with issue. Richard had also +three other sons, Kenneth, Richard James, and George. + +3. Thomas, who died young. + +4. John, Chief Clerk of Session, who married Miss Renton of +Lamerton, without issue. + +5. Donald, a Surgeon in the Army, who died unmarried in 1741. + +6. Anne, who married Alexander Robertson of Faskally, with issue, +and died in 1772. + +7. Helen, who married Crawford Balfour of Bingry. + +8. Rebecca, who married John Mackenzie, IV. of Belmaduthy, with +issue; and five other daughters, Janet, Catharine, Mary, Christina, +and Jane, all of whom died unmarried. + +John Mackenzie, I. of Delvine, died in 1731, when he was succeeded +by his second and eldest surviving son, + +II. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, second of Delvine, who married, with +issue - an only daughter, + +III. MARGARET MACKENZIE, third of Delvine, who married George +Muir of Cassencarie, with issue - an only son. She died in 1767, +and was succeeded by her son, + +IV. SIR ALEXANDER MUIR-MACKENZIE, created first Baronet of +Delvine on the 9th of November, 1805. He married in September, +1787, Jane, daughter of Sir Robert Murray of Hillhead and Clermont, +Baronet, with issue - one son, and eight daughters, seven of whom +died unmarried. The eldest, Susan, married in 1817 Robert Smythe +of Methven. He died in 1832, when he was succeeded by his only +son, + +V. SIR JOHN WILLIAM PITT MUIR-MACKENZIE, second Baronet and +fifth of Delvine. He married Sophia Matilda, fifth daughter of +James Raymond Johnstone of Alva, County Clackmannan, with issue - + +1. Alexander, his heir and successor. + +2. Robert-Smythe, late Lieutenant-Colonel, R.A. He was born on +the 27th of November, 1842, and married on the 17th of October, +1872, Anne-Elizabeth-Augusta, daughter of Captain Charles Kinnaird +Johnstone Gordon of Craig, Aberdeenshire, with issue - Robert +Cecil, born in 1876, and Georgina Sophia. + +3. Cecil Cholmeley, Lieutenant Royal Engineers. He was born in +1843 and died on the 2nd of November, 1863, unmarried. + +4. Kenneth Augustus, M.A., C.B., bencher of Lincoln's Inn, Q.C., +barrister-at-law. He was born in 1845, Permanent Secretary to the +Lord Chancellor since 1880, and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery +since 1884. He married in 1874 Amy, daughter of William Graham, +M.P., for Glasgow, with issue - William Montague, and three daughters. + +5. Montague Johnstone, barrister, late Fellow of Hertford College, +Oxford, Recorder of Sandwich. He was born in 1847, and married +in 1888, the Hon. Sarah Napier Bruce, daughter of Lord Aberdare, +with issue - a daughter, Enid. + +6. John William Pitt, Magistrate Indian Civil Service. He was +born in 1855, and married on the 2nd of August, 1876, Fanny Louisa, +second daughter of Lieutenant-General Montague Cholmeley Johnstone, +with issue - two sons and two daughters. + +7. Georgina Mary, who on the 24th of November, 1871, married Sir +Charles Sebright, K.C.M.G., and died on the 24th of January, 1874. + +8. Lucy Jane Eleanora, who on the 20th of October, 1859, married +Bentley, youngest son of William Murray of Monkland, with issue. +She died in 1874. + +9. Susan Anne Eliza, unmarried. + +Sir John died on the 1st of February, 1855, when he was succeeded +by his eldest son, + +VI. SIR ALEXANDER MUIR-MACKENZIE, third and present Baronet of +Delvine. He was Captain in the 78th Highlanders and subsequently +Major in the Highland Borderers Infantry Militia. He was born on +the 26th of July, 1840, and on the 21st of February, 1871, married +Frances Rose, sixth daughter of Sir Thomas Moncrieffe, Seventh +Baronet of Moncrieffe, without issue. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF GRUINARD. + + +I. JOHN MACKENZIE, first of this family, was a natural son +of George, second Earl of Seaforth. He has a charter of Little +Gruinard and other lands in 1669, in which he is described as then +"of Meikle Gruinard." He married before 1655, Christian, daughter +of Donald Mackenzie, III. of Loggie (sasine in that year as his +wife), with issue - + +1. George, his heir, whom his mother describes in a sasine, dated +10th August, 1685, as "George Mackenzie, my eldest lawful son." + +2. Kenneth, who married Frances Herbert, daughter of William, +Marquis of Powis, and widow of Kenneth, fourth Earl of Seaforth, +without issue. + +3. John, a doctor in Inverness five other sons and eight daughters, +all married, several of them with issue. + +John was succeeded by his eldest son, + +II. GEORGE MACKENZIE, second of Gruinard, who has a sasine in +1696, married, first, Margaret, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, +II. of Ballone (marriage contract 1696) with issue - + +1. George, his heir and successor. + +2. Kenneth, who married a daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of +Suddie, with issue. + +3. Colin, a goldsmith in Inverness, who married Anne, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, III. of Applecross, with issue - two daughters. + +4. Simon, who married Mary, daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of +Ardloch, with issue. + +5. Captain Donald of Woodlands, who married Janet daughter of +Sir Alexander Mackenzie, third Baronet and X. of Gairloch, without +issue. + +6. Roderick, who married Barbara, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, +I. of Ardloch, widow of John, third son of Kenneth Mackenzie, II. +of Dundonnel, with issue - four daughters. + +7. William. + +8. Kenneth. + +9. William, Lieutenant R.N., who married Ann, daughter of +Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ardloch, with issue - an only daughter, +Mary Howard, who married Dr Grant, Inverness, with issue - four +sons and seven daughters. + +10. George. + +11. Captain John of Castle Leod, who married Geddes, daughter +of his uncle, Simon Mackenzie. He bought the estate of Avoch with +money left him by Admiral George Geddes Mackenzie, his wife's brother. +By this marriage he had issue - George of Avoch, a merchant in London +(with several other sons and daughters), who married Margaret, +daughter of the Rev. William Mackenzie, minister of Glenmuick, with +issue - (1) Geddes, who in 1812, married Sir Alexander Mackenzie, +the celebrated North American explorer, and discoverer of the +Mackenzie River, with issue - Alexander George of Avoch; George +Alexander; and Geddes Margaret; (2) Margaret, who married Thomas +Mackenzie, X. of Applecross, with issue. + +George had three other sons and nine daughters by this marriage, +making twenty-three in all. He married, secondly, Elizabeth, +natural daughter of President Forbes of Culloden, who has a sasine +of Meikle Gruinard in 1729 "to Elizabeth Forbes, his spouse," +with issue - four sons and six daughters, making the extraordinary +total of thirty-three children, nineteen of whom are known to have +married, many of them into the best families in the north. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Gruinard, who married first in +1713 Catherine, daughter of George Mackenzie, I. of Culbo, third +son of Alexander Mackenzie, II of Belmaduthy, with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. John, of whom nothing is known. + +3. Annabella, who married the Rev. Murdo Morrison, Stornoway, +with issue. + +4. Lilias, who married Rev. James Macaulay, Gairloch. + +5. Isabella, who married Alexander Mackenzie, Little Gruinard, +with issue. + +John married secondly, a daughter of Mackenzie of Sand. + +He was succeeded by his eldest son, + +IV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, fourth or Gruinard, who married Lilias, +daughter or John Mackenzie, I. of Lochend, with issue - + +1. Simon, Captain 78th Regiment, who died before his father, +returning from India, unmarried. + +2. George, who was killed by a fall before his father's death, in +Jamaica, unmarried. + +3. John, who became his father's heir and successor. + +4. Alexander, Colonel in the army, "a most distinguished soldier." +He served with the 36th Regiment throughout the Peninsular War, +and in the course of his service was dangerously wounded in the +neck, lost an eye, and had two horses killed under him. He was +a gallant and distinguished officer, in every sense a thorough +Highlander. He married first, Eliza, daughter of Colonel George +Mackenzie, son of John Mackenzie, I. of Lochend, with issue - (1) +George, a Captain in the 36th (his father's) Regiment, killed while +leading an escalading party at the assault of Burgos, unmarried; +(2) Alexanderina, who married Alexander Grove, M.D., R.N., at +Greenwich Hospital, with issue - three daughters. Colonel Alexander +married, secondly, Eliza, daughter of Captain James Graeme, R.N., +with issue - (3) George, who died unmarried in 1842; (4) Major-General +Alexander Mackay Mackenzie, who became the representative of the +family; (5) William, who died young; (6) Eliza; (7) Lilias, who +married Sir John W. Fisher, M.D., without issue; and (8) Janet, +who married W. F. B. Staples, barrister, with issue. + +5. Catherine, who married the Rev. Donald Mackintosh, Gairloch, +with issue - five daughters, one of whom, Annabella, married Murdo +Macrae, with issue. + +6. Margaret, who died unmarried. + +William, IV. of Gruinard, raised a Company of Highlanders in +1778 for Lord Seaforth's Regiment. Simon, his eldest son, went +to India in command of it, and, as already stated, died on his +return voyage, from the accidental bite of a favourite Arab horse +which he brought along with him when lock-jaw supervened and +caused his death. + +William was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, + +V. JOHN MACKENZIE, fifth of Gruinard, Captain 73rd Regiment, who +married Margaret, daughter of Gun Munro of Braemore, Caithness, +with issue - + +1. William, his heir and successor. + +2. Christina, who married John Campbell, Poolewe, with issue - several +sons and daughters. + +In 1795 he sold the property - which in his time comprised Meikle +Gruinard, Udrigle, and Sand, "with the pendicle thereof called +Little Gruinard" - to Duncan Davidson of Tulloch, whose son re-sold +it to the late Meyrick Bankes of Letterewe. He was succeeded as +representative of the family by his only son, + +VI. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, Captain 72nd Regiment, said to have +been the handsomest man in his day in the Highlands. In 1829 he +unsuccessfully claimed the Chiefship of the clan. (See pp. 351-355). +He married Margaret, daughter of Wilson of Wilsonton, with issue - + +1. John, who died young; and three daughters, two of whom, both +named Mary, died young. The third, Margaret Innes, married Lachlan +Maclachlan, Killinochannich, Argyleshire, without issue. + +Captain William having died without male issue, was succeeded as +representative of the family by his cousin, + +VII. MAJOR-GENERAL ALEXANDER MACKAY MACKENZIE, eldest surviving +son of the distinguished Colonel Alexander Mackenzie, fourth son +of William Mackenzie, IV., and brother of Captain John, V. of +Gruinard. + +He married Marion, daughter of the Rev. William Colville of Newton, +Cambridgeshire, with issue - + +1. John. + +2. Stuart. + +3. Lilias. + +4. Sybil. + +He died in London on the 21st of May, 1879, when a sketch of his +career by the present writer, appeared in "Celtic Magazine," vol. +IV., pp. 321-327. + + +THE MACKENZIES OF FAWLEY COURT AND FARR. + + +I. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, the first of this remarkable family prominently +known in the engineering world, was born at Wester Fairburn, in +the county of Ross, on the 5th of June, 1769, and educated at the +Grammar School, Inverness. He joined an old school-fellow, David +Mackintosh, a native of Cawdor, Nairnshire, as a firm of contractors +and engineers. They constructed several canals in England, and +were very successful. He married Mary, daughter of William Austin, +from her great beauty known as one of the "Lancashire Witches," +with issue - + +1. William, of whom presently. + +2. Alexander, C.E., who was born at Hollinwood, Lancashire, in +1796. He married, with issue - (1) William Seager, who married, +first, a daughter of Thomas Woodhouse, C.E., with issue; and secondly, +a daughter of George Woodhouse, C.E. William was for many years +a civil engineer in the employment of the Russian Government, +and lived for some time at Nyksa in that country. He afterwards +went to Canada, and died in London on the 26th of February, 1887; +(2) Kenneth, C.E., killed in a railway accident near Bordeaux, +in France, unmarried; (3) Richard, C.E., who married his cousin, +Eliza, daughter of John Griffith, and died at Montreal on the +16th of February, 1887; (4) Alexander, CE., who was killed in a +railway accident in Canada, without issue; (5) Mary, who married +Mr Scott, in Canada. + +3. Daniel, who was born in 1799, and died in 1802. + +4. John, who was born on the 1st of November, 1804 went to Virginia +as a planter, and died there, unmarried. + +5. David, born in 1807, and died in 1811. + +6. Thomas, who was born in 1808, and died in 1811, the same day +as his brother, both being buried in the same grave. + +7. Edward, from whom the Mackenzies of Fawley Court, Farr, etc. + +8. Sarah, born in 1797, and died unmarried. + +9. Margaret, who married John Griffith, with issue - (1) Edward +Mackenzie, who settled in the United States, and married a +daughter of Colonel Campbell; (2) William Alexander, who settled +in Canada and married a daughter of Mr Baldwin, Baldwin House, +Boston, United States, without issue. He lives in Quebec. (3) +Mary, who married Slack Davis, MA., of Oxford, barrister-at-law, +a well-known writer and poet in America, where he died on the +31st of March, 1889; (4) Alice, who married Thomas Musgrave, with +issue; (5) Emily Mackenzie, who married Joseph William Painter, +barrister, deceased, with issue - several sons, ranching near Denver, +Colorado; (6) Harriet, who married William Johnson Shaw, of Buenos +Ayres, with issue; and (7) Eliza Ann, who married her cousin, +Richard Mackenzie, C.E., Montreal, above mentioned. + +10. Mary, born in 1814, and married James Barnard, shipowner, +Greenock, without issue. She died in 1875. + +11. Eliza, who married Alexander Duckworth, with issue. + +Alexander died on the 23rd of February, 1836, aged 66 years, +his wife having predeceased him on the 8th of June, 1828. They +were both buried at Blackburn, Lancashire. He was succeeded as +representative of the family by his eldest son, + +II. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, afterwards of Newbie, Dumfries-shire, +and of Auchenskeoch, County of Kirkcud-bright, who was born at +Marsden Chapel on the 20th of March, 1794. He was a celebrated +engineer, first beginning his career under David Mackintosh, his +father's partner. He subsequently practised his profession under +Telford. He made his way very rapidly, taking part in most of the +great engineering works - railways, canals, and bridges - of his +time; and in the Shannon improvements, in connection with which the +Secretary for Ireland complimented him in the highest terms in the +House of Commons. After the introduction of railways he constructed +the great Lime Street tunnel under Liverpool. He afterwards +contracted for and engineered many railways - in some of which +be was partner with John Stephenson and others - in Scotland and +England, including the Glasgow and Greenock line, the London and +Birmingham, the Trent Valley, the Lancaster and Carlisle, the +North Union, the Ormskirk, and the Caledonian railway. He and +Brassey finding they were tendering against one another, in 1841 +joined forces for French railways, and constructed under the +firm name of Mackenzie & Brassey (which consisted of himself, his +brother Edward, and Brassey) the Paris and Rouen and Paris and +Boulogne and Amiens, and several other railways in France, Belgium, +and Spain, notably the Barcelona and Seville, and the Paris and +Bourdeaux lines. Both King Louis Philippe and his successor +Prince Louis Napoleon, then President of the French Republic +and afterwards Emperor, showed him many marks of friendship and +esteem, the latter having decided to make him a Chevalier of the +Legion of Honour just before he died. In 1851, at Tours, at the +opening of the Paris and Orleans Railway, Napoleon, grasping him +by the band, thus addressed him - "I am happy to see you again +so well. I am still happier to have the opportunity of thanking +you, as President, for the great and useful works you have executed +in France. I shall be glad to confer on you the decoration of the +Legion of Honour, and I trust your Government will permit you to +wear a distinction so well-merited." On the same occasion Napoleon +exchanged portraits with him. Mackenzie, however, died very +soon after, before the honour offered him by the President of the +French Republic could be formally conferred upon him. In 1844 he +was a claimant to the Muirton of Fairburn estate, but he does not +seem to have followed it up. + +He married, first, on the 9th of November, 1819, Mary, daughter +of James Dalziel, Glasgow, a native of Rothesay, county of Bute, +without issue. She died on the 19th of December, 1838, aged +49 years. He married secondly, on the 31st of December, 1839, +Sarah, daughter of William Dewhurst of Chorley, Lancashire (she +died in 1866), also without issue. He died on the 20th of October, +1851, when he was succeeded in his estates, and as representative +of the family in this country, by his youngest brother, + +III. EDWARD MACKENZIE, who was born at Witton, Lancashire, on +the 1st of May, 1811, and who, as has been already seen, was one +of the partners of Mackenzie & Brassey. Shortly after the death +of his brother William, from whom he inherited Newbie and other +estates in the county of Dumfries, and Auchenskeoch in the Stewartry +of Kirkcudbright, Edward retired, and in 1853 purchased the Manor +and estate of Fawley, in the counties of Buckingham and Oxford, the +noble mansion-house of which was rebuilt by Christopher Wren in +1684. He was a J.P., D.L., and in 1862, High Sheriff of Oxfordshire +and J.P. for the counties of Buckingham, Dumfries, and Kirkcudbright. +He married first, on the 29th of January, 1839, Mary, daughter +of William Dalziel of the Craigs, Dumfries-shire, a descendant of +the first Earl of Carnwarth, with issue - + +1. William Dalziel, his heir and successor. + +2. Edward Philippe of Auchenskeoch, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright; +the Craigs, Dumfries-shire, and Downham Hall, Suffolk, educated +at Harrow and Oxford. He was formerly a Lieutenant in the 9th +Lancers, and Colonel of the Loyal Suffolk Yeomanry Hussars. In +1882 he was High Sheriff of Suffolk, of which county he is a J.P. +and D.L., as also J.P. for Norfolk and Dumfries. He was born +on the 14th of March, 1849, and married, in October, 1865, Helen +Jane, third daughter of Henry Baskerville, J.P. and D.L., of +Crowsley Park, Oxfordshire, with issue - a daughter, Beryl Marie +Baskerville, who on the 30th of August, 1890, married Colonel +Geoffry Barton, C.B., of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, with issue - Philip +Geoffry, born in 1891. + +3. Austin, educated at Eton, late of Warmanbie, Dumfries-shire, +formerly Lieutenant 3rd Battalion Scots Fusiliers, present Master +of the Woodland Pytchley Hounds, and J.P for Dumfries-shire and +North Hants. He was born on the 10th of October, 1856, and on the +31st of January, 1878, married Lucy, daughter of Major Gustavus +Tuite Dalton of Kell, County Meath, half brother of the third +Marquis of Headfort, without issue. + +4. Keith Ronald, of Gillott's Oxon, who was born on the 17th of +May, 1861, educated at Clifton, and is still unmarried. + +5. Marie Ada, who in 1869 married John William Rhodes of Hennerton, +Berks, formerly Lieutenant 60th Rifles, with issue--John Edward, +Lieutenant 60th Rifles; Breda; Victor; Wilfrid; and Violet. + +6. Claire Evelyn, who in 1866 married Francis Henry of Elmestree, +late 9th Lancers, and now Lieutenant-Colonel Gloucestershire +Yeomanry Hussars, with issue - Gilbert Francis, Lieutenant 9th Lancers +Vivian, Lieutenant Royal Fusiliers; Edward; Mary; Maud; and Olive. + +7. Sarah Rosa, who married John Edward Cooke, with issue--Bertram +Hunter; Montague Edward; aud Mignon. + +8. Alice Edith, who in 1881 married Major Walter Partridge, late +of the 61st Regiment, with issue - two daughters, Edith St. Ives +and Maud. + +9. Aimee Gertrude, who on the 22nd of October, 1872, married Sir +William Robert Clayton, sixth Baronet of Marden Park, without issue. + +10. Mary Maude Janetta, unmarried. + +Edward Mackenzie married, secondly, in 1864, Ellen daughter of +James Mullett, of Tours, France, who survives him, without issue. +He died on the 27th of September, 1880, and was succeeded by his +eldest son, + +IV. WILLIAM DALZIEL MACKENZIE, M.A., Oxford, educated at Harrow, +now of Fawley Court, Bucks; Thetford, Norfolk; Farr, Inverness; +and Newbie, Dumfries-shire. He was born on the 31st of March, +1840, at Eastbank, Renfrewshire, and is a barrister-at-law of +the Inner Temple, and Hon. Major of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire +Hussars. He was High Sheriff of that county in 1873, is a D.L. of +Inverness-shire, and a J.P. of the counties of Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, +Bucks, and Oxford, and was for some time a director of the London and +North Western Railway Company. He married on the 1st of December, +1863, Mary Anna, eldest daughter of the late Henry Baskerville, J.P., +D.L., of Crowsley Park, Oxfordshire, by Mary Anna, daughter of +John Standfast Burton, father of Lieutenant-Colonel John Edward +Burton-Mackenzie, late 91st Highlanders, now of Kilcoy, with +issue - + +1. William Roderick Dalziel, who was born on the 2nd of September, +1864. He is Captain in the 2nd Battalion (Inverness Militia) +Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, and on the 21st of November, +1888, married Maud Evelyn, eldest daughter of General Sir George +Wentworth Higginson, K.C.B., by Florence Virginia Fox, daughter +of the first Baron Castletown, with issue - Douglas William Alexander +Dalzell, born on the 2nd of October, 1889; Kenneth Fitzpatrick, +born on the 13th of June, 1891; and Archibald Edward, who was born +in July 1892 and died in March, 1893. + +2. Edward Baskerville, Second Lieutenant 2nd Battalion Queen's +Own Cameron Highlanders (Inverness Militia), who was born on the +11th of December, 1874. + +3. Mary Gwendoline, who, on the 15th of November, 1887, married +Duncan Davidson of Tulloch, eldest son of the late Duncan Caithness +Reay Davidson, by his wife Georgina Elizabeth, daughter of the late +Dr John Mackenzie of Eileanach, fourth son of Sir Hector Mackenzie, +fourth Baronet and XI. of Gairloch. + +4. Isla Jessie, who on the 23rd of February, 1892, married Harry +Officer Blackwood, Captain 4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, and +son of the late Richard Blackwood of Hartwood, New South Wales, +by a daughter of Sir Robert Officer, K.C.M.G. + +5. Aimee Dorothea. + +6. Kathleen Helen. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's History Of The Mackenzies, by Alexander Mackenzie + diff --git a/3652.zip b/3652.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6cdace1 --- /dev/null +++ b/3652.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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