Gift of Stephen C. Griffin Class of 1965 HISTOEY OF THE WESTEEN HIGHLANDS AND ISLES OF SCOTLAND. The History OF TKE Western Highlands AND ISLES OF SCOTLAND, From A.D. 1403 to A..D. 10.2 J, WITH A BRIEF INTRODUCTORY SKETCH, Frojii A.D. SO to A.D. 1403. Donald Geegoky, Joint Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland; Secretary to the lona Club; Honorary Member of the Ossianic Society of Glasgow; Honorary Member of the Society of Antiquaries, Neiccastle-on-Tyne ; and Member of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of the North at Copenhagen. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. GLASGOW: THOMAS D. MORISON. 188L mi BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRARY CHESTNUT HiLL MA 0216? TO THE KIGHT HONOURABLE GODFREY WILLIAM LORD MACDONALD, A BARONET OF NOVA SCOTIA: OTHERWISE STYLED, glat^ 1^01X11x11 ixa'ix €xhm, OR glatgonaltr jof Ifac |slcs: IIEIR-MALE OF JOHN, LAST LORD OF THE ISLES; THIS WORK, CONTAINING MANY PARTICULARS OF THE HISTORY OF HIS LORDSHIP ILLUSTRIOUS ANCESTORS, THE LORDS OF THE ISLES, IS, WITH PERMISSION, DEDICATED BY HIS lordship's LIOST OBEDIENT SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. TABLE or CONTENTS. Page Preface, ....... i INTRODUCTION A. D. 80-1493. Object of the Work and of the Introduction, . . 1 The Caledonii and Mseatae, .... 1 The Picti and Attacotti, . .... 2 The Dicaledones and Yecturiones, ... 2 The Irish Scots or Dalriads, .... 2 The Strathclyde Britons and Angles, ... 2 The Scottish Conquest under Kenneth Macalpin, . 3 The Dicaledones, or northern Picts, also called Albanich, 3 The Albanich, the earliest inhabitants of the Hebrides or Western Isles, ..... 3 They are partly displaced by the Dalriads, . . 3 First appearance of the Scandinavians in the Hebrides, . 4 The Hebrides conquered by Harald Harfager, King of Norway, ...... 4 The Yikingr of the Isles, . . . . . 4 Ketil, King of the Isles, ..... 5 Aulaf, Maccus, Gofra, and Ragnal, Kings of the Isles, . 5 Sigurd and ThoriSn, Earls of Orkney, successively con- quer the Isles, ..... 5 Diarmed MacMaelnambo, Godred MacSitric, Fingal, and Godred Crovan, successively Kings of the Isles, . 5 Godred Crovan expelled from the Isles by Magnus Bare- foot, King of Norway, .... 6 Sigurd, son of Magnus Barefoot, made King of the Isles, 6 Lagman, King of the Isles, .... 6 Donald MacTade appointed Pegent of the Isles, . 7 He is expelled by the Islanders, .... 7 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS. Olave the Red, (or Olaf Bitling,) King of the Isles, . 7 Ragnhihlis, his daughter, is married to Somerled, Lord ofArgyle, ...... 7 Mixture of Norse and Celtic blood in the Isles, . . 8, 9 The Fiongall or Norwegians, and Dubhgall or Danes, . 8, 9 Parentage of Somerled of Argyle, ... 10 -Different opinions as to the origin of his family, . . 10 Probability that he was of Irish, and not of Norse descent, 10, 11 Gillibrede of the Cave, . . . . .11 Early life of Somerled, . . . . .12 His rapid rise and great acquisitions, . . . 12 He marries a daughter of the King of the Isles, . . 12 Godred the Black, King of the Isles, . . .13 His tyranny and oppression, . . . .13 Revolt of many of the Islanders, who proclaim Dugall, son of Somerled, King of the Isles, ... 13 War between Godred and Somerled, ... 14 Which is followed by a treaty and a division of the Isles, 14 The South Isles (except Man) ceded to the sons of Som- erled, . . . . . . 14 Renewed hostilities between Godred and Somerled, . 14 Godred flies to Norway, and Man and the North Isles are seized by Somerled, .... 15 Wars of Somerled with Malcolm lY., King of Scotland, 15 Somerled enters the Clyde with a large army, and lands near Renfrew, . . . . .15 Defeat and death of Somerled, .... 16 Man and the North Isles return to Godred, . . 16, 17 The Sons of Somerled, . . . . .17 Division of Argyle and the South Isles among them, . 17 Quarrels between Reginald and Angus, sons of Somerled, 1 7 Angus and his three sons killed by the men of Sky, . 17 Argyle and the South Isles divided between Dugall and Reginald, the surviving sons of Somerled and Ragn- hildis, . . . . . .17 Dugall and Reginald are both called Kings of the Isles, 17 Reginald, son of Godred, a King of the Isles at the same time, ....... 17 Remarks on the import of the word King, as used by the Scandinavians of the Isles, . . . . 17, 18 TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix Pago Origin of the family of Dg Ergadia or MacDiigall, Lords of Lorn, . . . . . ,18 Origin of the family of De Insulis or MacDonald, Lords oflsla, . . . . . .18 Origin of the fomily of De Insulis or MacRuari, Lords of the North Isles, . . . . .18 Representatives of these f;\milies in the reign of Alex- ander III., . . . . . .18 These families held lands both nnder the King of Nor- way and the King of Scotland, . . . 19 Encroachments of the Scots on the Kingdom of the Isles, 19 Projects of Alexander II., and his death, . . 20 Proceedings of Alexander III. against Angus Macdonald, Lord of Isla, ...... 20 Expedition of Haco to rej^ress the aggressions of the Scots, 20 He establishes the authority of Norway over all the Hebrides, 20 His invasion of Scotland, his repulse, and death, . 20 Vigorous measures of Alexander III. against the Islanders, 20 Death of Magnus, the last King of Man and the Isles, . 20 Treaty between Alexander III. and Magnus, King of Norway, 21 The Hebrides or Western Isles ceded to Scotland by Norway, 21 Allegiance of the Islandei'S transferred to the King of Scotland, 21 Position of the descendants of Somerled before and after the cession of the Isles to Scotland, . . . 22 They attend the Scottish Parliament in 1284, as vassals of Scotland, ...... 23 At this time, there was no Lord of the whole Isles; the Lordship, as known in later times, embracing nearly all the possessions held, independently of each other, in 1284, by the MacDugalls, MacDonalds, and Mac- Puaries, . . .... 23 Forfeiture of the Lord of Lorn, and acquisitions of the Lords of Isla and the North Isles, in the reign of Robert L, 24 Wise policy of King Robert, .... 25 Forfeiture of the Lord of the North Isles, . . 25 Death of King Robert, . . . . .26 And of Angus Gig, Lord of Isla, .... 26 John of Isla, son of Angus Gig, joins Edward Balliol, who confers upon him many lands, ... 26 Return of David II. from France, . . . 26 X TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page When the Lord of Isla is forfeited, ... 26 He is pardoned and restored, .... 27 And the Lord of the North Isles is likewise restored to his estates, ...... 27 Origin of the Macians of Ardnamurchan, . . 26, 27 Eanald MacRiiari of the North Isles is assassinated by the Earl of Ross, . . . . .27 His sister, Amie, wife of John of Isla, becomes his heir, 27 John of Isla, thus acquiring the North Isles, in addition to his former possessions, assumes the style of Lord OF THE Isles, ... . . .27 The heiress of the MacDngalls carries Lorn Proper (to which her father had been restored) to the family of Stewart, 28 Intrigues of the Court of England with the Lord of the Isles,. ...... 28 Turbulence and disaffection of the Lord of the Isles, . 28 He is again reconciled to David IL, ... 28 Marriages and issue of John, first Lord of the Isles, . 29 His eldest son, by his second wife, (Margaret,) daughter of King Robert IL, becomes his heir, to the exclu- sion of the sons of the first marriage, . ; 29, 30 State of the Isles at the death of the first Lord, . . 30 Donald, second Lord of the Isles, succeeds, . . 30 He marries Mary Leslie, afterwards Countess of Ross, in whose right he was properly first Earl of Ross of his family, . . . . . . 31, 32 His disputes with the Regent Albany — The Battle of Harlaw, ...... 31 He is acknowledged as Lord of the Isles by all the Island- ers, and even by his brothers of the half-blood, . 31 Disputes between Godfrey and Ranald, the surviving sons of the first marriage of John first Lord of the Isles, 31 Origin of the Clan Ian Yor of Isla and Kintyre, and of the Macdonalds of Keppoch, ... 32 Intrigues of the Islanders with England, . . 32 Death and issue of Donald, Lord of the Isles, . . 33 Alexander, third Lord of the Isles and second Earl of Ross, ...... 33 Is at first in great favour with King James I., . • 33 But soon rebels, ...... 34 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XI rago tlllLl OiUl VJUlXH^j . . . . • 34 35 35 W^l"> r^iTo +Tno T.m'rl of TqIpo onn rutinA/'' n'f.liPT* <^nir>TtJ fiyp fV llv^l C? LllL/ XjUI vl yJi. uJlC ioJCo, ciliLl U.lcHlJ' UOlld V^lilClio, cXl O OC/XZit>Llj ...... 35 Sninfi r\f "wTi r»TYi qto /^Yfjpn f Pfl inrl /rf.lipvc: i mTM'i C!r»nr»n 35, 36 Ijibersition of tlio Lord of tliG Isles, 36 Rnd. l)uriis tlie town of Inverness. 36 37 kjlil L CllLiCl , clllLl il U. lllXlicl' Lill^ 0 Ll »JJ.iilioioXVJIi VI LIJU XJcti 1 yJL JLtVJoo, 37 TTa TO! iTYinvi c! An Pf] in T'ln+'^llnn (Iqo+Ip J-AC Xo Xlll IJX XoUXXCU. XXX -L tlXX tClXXUXX Vy'douXr/j ... 37 ^Pli p 'Rr^'\7ol "fV*v/^pc; in X,r^r*l"» nl"»PT* qt'P Triii'fprl Vk\r I^rinnl/l J-XiU XVKjy clL lUH^KSQ XIX XJU(./IJ tl UCX tlx O XUlltCU. kjy XyUXXcA/XlL Ballocli of Islii, ..... 37, 38 Anfl flip "Flfii'l of C^nif.lmpciQ iss Ivillprl X^lXVL l/XLv/ -L-JCtX X V^'X V^CtX UXXXXV-OO i-O xVXXXC'l^l, ... 38 ^Pli p T^mn* TnoT»^^liPc; "fri T^nnQ'fo'fTVtoo'P onrl "f'l'^p t*p1^p1c! -LXJt- J-VXXiy XiXclx vXXCO J.-' LlXio LclXX LlctgOj clXXLl l/IxL< XCUCXO I.LX0 UCX oU, ...... 38 I'liit'i Tnnnv of* f.liPin 'itp 9pi7prl nnrl pxppnf.Pf] J-' LIU XXXCX-XXy wX L/XXvT'XXJL cXLO ioC/lZiOV-L lvXJL\.t V^^VV^V^ LI . . 38 \ lipflfl 9fiirl to 1">P +,li{if, nf* T)r>m1rl T>nllnp1i cipnt frnm llKjdiKXy OclXLl VjKJ tJXD VllCXjV yji. JLy \JXlc\XLl XJcIaXXJK^II y oL'XX U XX^^XXl Tvplaiirl ■fn +TiP TCinrv -Ll CXrtXXi.1 LKJ tXXe AVXXJ^j .... 38 1 niQ n r*'\\7"P'\7'PV la r^n^r 0 q'^to "f 0 r>"Pn"» T^at A'^/'niPn 1 Prinolrl -l-XlXOj XXUVVcVUXj Xo UXXXj' cl liLX dtdyL/illj Uy NVIxH-'XX XJULiciHX riollripn pcpccnpcj flip i"»m*C!nif. rcPlncj pnpmipcj -UclXXUUXX CBLydUCo l/XXtJ IJLlIoLlXu UX XI Lia ClXoLLxXt-Oj . . 39 TT /■!■»• rPT^^^^'P A Ipvonrlpi* T/nTrl rvf* Tinplv;il"iP"i» "nn + pvnol XUiXCXUllIt; Ux .Cl^XlyA.CvXXlXCX J JUUXCl UX JLJUL-Xicl Uox J J^JduCXXiclX nnpTp Cif tlip TT'qt'I a'T "Rn X^t^XX L_/X VCLXXlt/O ^-i.a, .... 39 Tip iiimiQnpQ "flip l!lan iHinnpi^nn ■fViT +1tpit •Tru^mpv rlpapv- XLO IJ llXXXoXXCo LXXt/ \JxajLl wXi lI 1x1 CX U iX XUl Lilt^ll X\JX llXUl LlCot/L" fi nn OT n i m LxLIXX KJl. 11 XXJi, 40 X IIP ( Ilfm f) n pon'f.vivp ■/"O PC!r>iYiP liicj vpnrrPiinpp XXXV-- VyXu-XX vyXXcL t iJilXX l^^JJXuiXVO L\J Covycij^il- XXXo V CXl^CcllXOCj . |-Tp pn+.pvc! m+A q f.^PQCAnol^lp Ipon-np ■w^i'fli tlip TTovIa aT xxo ^^xxi/cxo xixi/v^ d/ ox odouxitiuxt; xt/ti^utj vvxiixx uixv:; -lUcXixo ux Don o"! at? Qnrl nrfiwrovrl 40 1 /pnt.h fin fl itjQnp at "f.np Tflavl a^" TJaccs -X^^tXvLl iAjLLKX Xoollvi; KJl. uliU XJcll 1 ux iVUoO, ... 40 4 1 .Tolin foiTrf.li nnrl Inct T.ATrl A-f +Vip TqIpc onrl +liiTrl TTofl tJ KJUlly XUUllill clIlU. Iclbu J-JOxU. Ox XIJc Jbiebj cllltl LllllU. XL/dli OT rJosiQ Qnpppprlc yJ*- Xl/VJoo, OLlL/t^CCUoj ..... 41 t: X His brothers, Celestine Ijorcl of Ijochalsli, and Hugh Lord of Sleat, ..... 41 Power and ambitions projects of William, Earl of Douglas, ...... 41,42 -*vi.x XjtiJjJjlli \Ji: WXi J. Xlili X ► J, Kenewed league betvveen tlie Earls of Douglas, Ross, and Crawford, ...... 42 The King niarclies against the Douglases in the absence of the Earl, who had ffone to Rome, 42 The Earl of Ross rebels, and seizes the royal castles of Inverness, Urquhart, and Ruthven in Badenocli, . 43 The Earl of Douglas returns from Rome, and is assassi- nated by the Kinsr, ..... 43 The Douglases rise in arms, but are defeated by the Royal troops, ..... 44 James, Earl of Douglas, retires to the Isles, 44 He is well received by Ross, who sends an expedition under Donald Rallocli to ravage Ayrshire, A.rran, o "n r1 rsiTfo cllIU. JUILL'C, ...... 44- JJJA.\^^OOwO yjl. l.XX\7 -LOXCvi.XlA\7X .... 45 Ross, ...... 45 Ross is appointed one of the Wardens of the Marches, . 45 He is present at the sielPAri AT 1 iP'X'iTia n v> A A'fnpvc; liAlrl AiTi" XTXdL/lcOLl Ul XJCWlb clllLl ULllclb bUlll IIUILI OllU, . . Tlie rebellion is at lengtli suppressed, . . . Tbatiq Irl Tinr^n la ^lO'OiTi i tyi y^t*i C! ati prl . X-'UilctlU. X/U.Uii lb ctgdill XLlipi loUllCLlj . ■> . 109 10^ i^An CPA n pn ppc! at +,1tp 1^^"P vpnplliAn V/'V^XXoCLJ LlcXX^-^Co yJX UXXC JctttT X C JJdXXL'XX, . . . 1 03 Tlie King endeavours to promote a knowledge of tlie law of Scotland in tlie Isles, . . . . Oreat increase of power to the Earl of Huntlv, 1 Of=» Gradual improvement of the Isles under James I^.j 1 O^J 1 /^Tl rl IT 1 AT* AT T Ii P '\TOV1AnC! Tl*l APQ 1 Tl "f" 11 P PVl A /~\T rkld >»P1 nPTl VyOIlCllLiiOll Ui Ullc VclllOllb LllUfcSb 111 l/llO cHU. OI lllS rclgUy . 1 Of? X vO T'Vip Itaiiqp A'P TiApIihIqIi Xllt;? XXULloO wX XJWOXltl-loll, . • • • 1 OS nn n p ilmTi TTmcifpiTi XXIC/ V^XcliXX XX Ll xo tcixx, • • • • 107 The Clan Ian Yor, . . . . 108 The Macdonalds of Keppoch, 108, 109 The Clan Ranald of Moydert, 109, 110 The Clan Ian of Ardnamurchan, . 110 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Xvii Page The Clan Ian of Glen CO, .... 110 The Macleans and Clan Chameron, . 110, 111 The Macleods of Lewis, . . . .111 The Mackenzies and Macleods of Rasay, . . Ill Popularity of James IV. with the Highlanders, . . 112 Battle of Flodden, and death of James IV., . . 112 Curious anecdote connected with the battle of Flodden, 112, 113 CHAPTER II. A.D. 1513-1542. Confusion in Scotland after the death of James IV., . 114 Insurrection of Sir Donald of Lochalsh, . . . 114 Who is supported by Maclean of Dowart and Macleod of Dunvegan, ...... 114,115 The Earl of Argyle sent against the insurgents, . . 115 Farther measures of the Privy Council against them, . 115,116 Macian of Ardnamurchan supports the government, . 116 Strength of the insurgents, . . . .116 Some of them submit, and their example is followed by Lochalsh, . . . . .116,117 Lochalsh projects a new insurrection, . . . 117 Apparently owing to the intrigues of English agents, . 117,118 He expels Macian from Ardnamurchan, and seizes the Castle of Mingarry, ..... 118 His violence disgusts his followers, who desert him, . 118,119 Offers of Argyle, of the Macleans of Dowart and Lochbuy, and of Macleod of Harris, to the Privy Council, 119-122 The Earl of Huntly and the Clanchattan, . . 123 Two brothers of Sir Donald of Lochalsh are executed, . 123 Maclean of Dowart takes the oath of allegiance, . . 123 Feud between Lochalsh and Ardnamurchan, . . 124 In which the latter and two of his sons are killed, . 125 Argyle advises the forfeiture of Lochalsh, . . 125 And takes a protest regarding it, . . .125 Death of Sir Donald of Lochalsh, being the last male of that house, . . . . . .126 Comparative tranquillity of the Isles, . . . 126 2 XVlll TABLE OF CONTENTS. Increase of power of Argyle and the Campbells, . Renewed disorders in the Isles, and their causes, Dowart exposes his Avife on a rock, And is assassinated by Campbell of Calder, James Y. escapes from the hands of Angus and the Douglases, ...... Change of the policy of government regarding the Isles, Feud between the Macdonalds of Sleat and Macleods of Harris, ..... Disturbances in the South Isles, . Argyle employed against the South Islanders, A herald sent by the Privy Council to treat with Alex ander of Isla, .... The herald makes an unfavourable report. Further preparations for an expedition to the Isles, Nine of the principal Islanders treat with the King, Who resolves to proceed in person to the Isles, . And makes great preparations with that object, . Alexanderof Isla comes to Court, and is received into favour, Maclean of Dowart likewise submits. The King gives up his intention of going to the Isles, Offers of Argyle and Murray against the Islanders, These Earls proceed to the Isles, . General submission of the Islanders, Terms given to Alexander of Isla, The Privy Council begin to distrust Argyle, Insidious conduct of that nobleman, Accusations preferred by Alexander of Isla against him^ and offers of service by that chief, . Argyle recalled and committed to prison, Alexander of Isla is sent to Ireland, at the head of a body of men, by James V., . The King attends to the education of the son of that chief. The West Highlands and Isles continue quiet for several years, ..... Present position of the Clanhuistein of Sleat, Insurrection of Donald G-orme of Sleat, . He ravages Trouterness, and invades Kintaill, . And is killed before the Castle of Elandonan, James V. proceeds to the Isles with a large naval force, Page 126,127 127 128 128 129 129 130,131 132 132 133 133 133,134 133,134 135 135 136 136 136 136,137 137 137,138 138 139 140 140,141 142 142 143 143 144 145 145 145,146 146,147 TABLE OF CONTENTS. xix Page And miikes all the great chiefs prisoners, . .147,148 Some of whom are liberated, on giving hostages for their good conduct, . . . . .148 "Whilst others are detained in confinement, . . 148 Koyal garrisons placed in the Isles, . . .149 TheLordshipof the Isles inalienably annexed to the Grown, 149 Death of James V., and consequences of that event, . 150 CHAPTER III. A.D. 1542-1560. State of parties in Scotland after the death of James Y., 151,152 Intrigues of Henry YIIL, .... 152 Singular political changes. The Earls of Arran and Lennox change sides, .... 153 Consistency of the Earls of Huntly and Argyle, . . 154 Second escape from prison of Donald Dabli of the Isles, . 154 The captive chiefs and hostages liberated by the English party, in order to assist Donald Dubh in embarrassing Argyle and Huntly, . . . . .155,150 Donald Dubh and the Islanders invade the Earldom of Argyle, . . . . . . 15G OjQTers made by the Kegent Arran to Donald Dubh, but rejected, . . ' . . . . 156,157 James Macdonald of Isla, alone of the Islanders, supports the Regent, . . . . . .157 Disturbances in the North. Feud between the Clanranald and the Erasers, . . . . .157 Origin of this feud, . . . . .157,158 The Clanranald invade the lands of the Erasers and Grants, 159 Huntly, vi^ith the Erasers and Grants, marches against them, and invades Lochaber, . . .159 The Clanranald and their allies retire on his approach, . 159 Huntly and the Grants return by Glenspean and Badenoch, 1 60 Lord Lovat and the Erasers return by the Great Glen, . 160 They are intercepted by tlie Clanranald, . . .160 Battle of Kinloch-lochy, in which Lovat and nearly all his followers are slain, . . . .101,162 XX TABLE OF CONTENTS. Huntly again invades Locliaber and wastes tlie lands of the rebels, ...... The Earl of Lennox, with an EnglisJi armament, enters the Clyde, and commits great devastations, 164 He intrigues with the Islanders, .... Failing in the main object of his expedition (the capture of Dumbarton Castle), he returns to England, Battle of Ancrum Muir, .... By the influence of Lennox, the Islanders enter into treasonable correspondence with England, . Proclamation of the Scottish government against Donald Dnbh and his followers, The Islanders threatened with forfeiture, Donald Dubh, now styling himself Lord of the Isles sends commissioners to the English court, . Names of his barons and council of the Isles, Four thousand Islanders proceed to Knockfergus, And take an oath of allegiance to England, They engage to forward the views of Henry VIIL, Description of these Hebridean troops, . Treaty between the commissioners of the Lord of the Isles and Henry VIIL, Preparations for an invasion of Scotland from Ireland, , The absence of the Earl of Lennox causes the postpone ment of the expedition. The Islanders return to Scotland — their dissensions, Lennox a second time enters the Clyde, hoping to seize Dumbarton Castle, .... But is again foiled and forced to retire to Ireland, Donald Dubh of the Isles dies at Drogheda, He is sumptuously interred by Lennox, . James Macdonald of Isla, changing his politics, is chosen to succeed him, .... But is only partially supported by the Islanders, Several of whom are reconciled to the Regent Arran, James Macdonald enters into communication with the Privy Council of Ireland and the Court of Eng- land, ....... His proposals, and demand of a pension, . Heniy VIIL ceases to intrigue with the Islanders, Pago 163 -167 167 167 168 169 169 170 170 170 170 170 171 171 172,173 173,174 174 174 175 176 176 176 177 177 177 177,178 178 178,179 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Xxi Pago Lochiel and Keppocli apprehended and executed for high treason, . . . . . .179 Most of the other Avestern chiefs submit to the Regent, . 179 Disputes between Argj^le and James Macdonald, . 180 Settled by the mediation of the Regent, . . .180 Battle of Pinky, ...... 180 Many of the Islanders absent from the army, . . 181 Causes of their backwardness, .... 181 Influence of Mary of Guise, the Queen-mother, . . 181 "Who endeavours to re-introduce the policy of James V. in regard to the Islanders, . . . .181,182 The Regent, by her advice, holds courts at Aberdeen and Inverness, ...... Proceedings against the Clanranald and Clanchameron, . The Queen-mother assumes the Regency, The Earls of Huntlyand Argyle ordered to proceed against the Clanranald and the ISTorth Islanders, Their want of success, ..... Causes of Huntly's failure, Inquiry into Huntly's conduct, .... He is disgraced and punished by the Queen Regent, The forfeiture of the late William Macintosh, captain of the Clanchattan, is rescinded, .... Argyle sent against Macleod of Lewis, who submits, Athole prevails on John Moydertach, captain of the Clan- ranald, to surrender himself to the Regent, . Escape of John Moydertach, .... The Queen Regent holds justice courts at Inverness, Severity of her measures, .... John Moydertach flies to the remote Isles, Progress of the Reformation, as far as regards the High- lands and Isles, . . . . .186,187 The fifth Earl of Argyle becomes a great Protestant leader, 187 The Queen Regent, to weaken Argyle, intrigues with James Macdonald of Isla, . . . .187 But eventually fails of success, and Macdonald joins the Protestants, . . . . . .188 Death and character of the Queen Regent, . . 188 182 182 183 183 183 184 184 184 184 185 185 185 186 186 186 xxii TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER lY. A.D. 1561-1585. Page General remarks on tlie state of the Higli lands and Isles, 189 Feud between the Macleans of Dowart and Coll, . 190 Feud between tlie Macleans of Dowart and the Macdonalds of Isla and Kintyre, . . . . .191 Proceedings of tjio Privy Council in this feud, . . 191,192 Death of James Macdonald of Isla, in a battle in Ulster with the O'Neills, ..... 192 Retrospect of the History of the Clandonald in Ulster, up to the death of James Macdonald, . . 192-200 Rebellion of Shane O'K eill. Earl of Tyrone, . . 200 He is killed by the Clandonald in Ulster, . . 201 His successor, Torlogh Luineacli O'Neill, kills Alexander Oig, brother of James Macdonald, . . . 201 The Clandonald of Isla and Kintyre weakened by their losses in Ireland, ..... 201 Opposition of Argyle and Murray to the marriage of Queen Mary with Darnley, ..... 201 They rebel, but arc forced to fly to England, . . 201,202 Proclamation regarding the trade in cattle and other com- modities with the West Highlands and Isles, . 202 Dissensions in the Clanchameron, and murder of Donald Dubh, captain of that tribe, .... 202,203 Argyle extends his influence over the Clandonald of the North Isles, and the Clanleod of Harris, . . 203 Retrospect of the history of these clans, pointing out the circumstances which favoured Argyle's projects, 203-207 Queen Mary deposed. Effects of that event on the Pligh- lands and Isles, ..... 207 Vigorous measures of the Regent Murray, . . 208 He suppresses a feud between the Clanchattan and the Macdonalds of Keppoch, .... 208 And another dispute between the Macdonalds of Sky and the Mackenzies of Kintaill, . . . .209 Causes of the latter feud, .... 209 Retrospect of the history of the Siol Torquil or Macleods of Lewis, . ' 209,210 Massacre of the Macleods of Easay, 211 Feud between tlie Mackenzies and the Macleods of Lewis, 212 In which the Macdonalds of Sky support the latter, 212 Principal partisans of the contending tribes, 213 E.e2:encies of the Earls of Lennox and Mar, 213 Regency of the Earl of Morton, .... 213 Farther dissensions in the Siol Torquil, . 213,214 Quarrel between the Earls of Argyle and Athole, 214,215 "Which is suppressed by the interference of the E-eo-ent, . 215 Arffyle and Athole unite ao-ainst Morton, who is at lenscth deprived of the Regency, .... 215 Influence of Captain James Stewart, afterwards Earl of Arran, ...... 215 Complaints by Glengarry and others aojainst the Earl of Argyle, for oppression, .... 216 Violent conduct of Lauchlan Mor Maclean, the young chief of Dowart, ..... 217 He renews the feud between his family and the Mac- donalds of Isla, 218 Temporary reconciliation between these tribes, . 218 Feud between the chiefs of Glengarry and Kintaill, 218,219 Renewed dissensions in the Siol Torquil, 219,220 History of the Clandonald in Ulster, since the death of James Macdonald of Isla, 221-227 Sorley Buy Macdonald, ancestor of the Earls of An- trim, ...... 221-227 Act of Council in favour of Angus Macdonald of Isla, . 227 Several great chiefs in the Isles summoned before the Privy Council, . . . . . 227 Continuation of the history of the Clanchameron, 228,229 Fall of James Stewart, Earl of Arran, 229 James YI. assumes the Government, 229 CHAPTER Y. A.D. 1585-1595- The feud between the Macdonalds and Macleans again breaks out, ...... 230 xxiv TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page Causes of its renewal, .... .230,232 Mutual treachery of Maclean and Macdonald, . . 232,233 Progress of the feud, .... .233,235 Barbarity of the Macdonalds, .... 234 Mutual ravages of the contending clans, . . . 235 Tribes involved in this feud on either side, . . 235,236 Measures taken by the government for suppressing this feud, ....... 236 Important act of Parliament, commonly called the General Bond, . . . . . .237 Angus Macdonald of Isla is outlawed, . . . 237 Whilst Lauchlan Mor Maclean is received into favour, . 237 Treachery of Maclean to J ohn Macian of Ardnamurchan, 238 Massacre of many of the Clan Ian, . . . 238 The Macleans invade the lands of the Clan Ian, and are assisted by some Spanish troops, . . . 239 The Macleans besiege the Castle of Mingarry, but are forced to raise the siege, .... 240 The Macdonalds employ English auxiliaries, . . 240 Suspension of hostilities between the Macdonalds and Macleans, ...... 240 The chiefs of Dowart, Isla, and Sleat, are entrapped by the government, and thrown into prison, . . 240,241 Lauchlan Mor Maclean and Angus Macdonald are brought to trial, and submit themselves to the King's mercy, 241 Observations on the policy of James VL, . . 241,242 Embarrassments and cupidity of that Monarch, . . 242 Maclean and Macdonald pardoned on paying a fine to the King, . . . . . .242 And on agreeing to certain conditions imposed on them, 243,244 Murder of the bonny Earl of Murray, . . . 244 And of J ohn Campbell of Calder, . . . 245 These murders the resvilt of one plot, . . . 245 Origin and progress of this plot, and names of the con- spirators, ..... 245-251 Ardkinlass is suspected of the murder of Calder, . 251 He refuses to plot against the Earl of Argyle, . . 251 Whose life is attempted by poison, . . . 252 Ardkinlass has recourse to witchcraft, ... . 252 Partial discovery of the plot, .... 252 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XXV Page Some of the inferior agents executed, . . .252 Ardkinlass and Macdongall of Dunolly are thrown into prison, but escape punishment, . . .252 Confessions of Ardkinlass and of Margaret Campbell, . 253 General feeling against the Chancellor Thirlestane, as concerned in these murders, . . . 253 Further inquiry stifled by undue influence, . . 253 Effects of the murder of the Earl of Murray and Campbell ofCalder, ...... 254 The Macintoshes take part against Huntly, . . 254 Who courts the Macpliersons, .... 255 Feud between the Stewarts of Appin and Campbells of Calder, 255 The Island chiefs fail to perform the conditions imposed upon them, ...... 255 They are summoned before the Privy Council, and threat- ened witli forfeiture, ..... 255 Proceedings in Parliament against them, . . 256 The Earls of Huntly, Angus, and Erroll, and the chiefs of Do wart and Isla, forfeited by Parliament, . . 256 The forfeited Earls rise in arms, . . . .256,257 The Earl of Argyle sent against them, . . . 257 Battle of Belrinnes or Glenlivat and defeat of Argyle, .257,259 Treachery and death of Campbell of Loclinell, . . 258 Gallant behaviour of Maclean of Dowart as one of Argyle's officers, . . . . . .259 The King proceeds in person against the rebel Earls, . 259 Who are forced to disband their followers and fly abroad, 260 MacRanald of Keppoch submits to Argyle, . . 260 Macdonald of Sleat and Macleod of Harris lead some forces to assist the rebel O'Donnell in Ulster, . 261 Tyrone offers to procure the expulsion of these auxiliaries 261 But rebels himself in the following year, . . . 261 The Scottish Privy Council forbid assistance to be given to the Irish rebels, . . . . .262 XXV i TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTEK YL A.D. 1595-1(^03. Page Endeavours of the Kinoj to increase liis revenue from tlie Isles, 263 Proclamation for an expedition to the Isles, by the King in person, ...... 264 Effects of this proclamation on the Islanders, . . 264 Position of the Siol Torquil, . . . .204,265 The King gives up his intention of going to the Isles, . 265 And orders the Commendator of Pittenweem against the Clandonald of Isla and Kintyre, . . .265 Further preparations for this expedition, . . 266,267 Which is delayed for several months, . . . 267 The King writes to James Macdonald of Dnnluce {son of Sorleij Buy), ...... 268 Some of the royal forces proceed to Kintyre, . . 268 Offers by the Macdonalds of Isla to the Privy Council, . 268 The Commendator of Pittenweem holds a Court in Kintyre, 268 And receives the submission of the inhabitants of that district, ...... 269 Feud between the Macleans of Dowart and Coll, . 269 Act of Privy Council in fovour of the latter, . . 270 Kenewed dissensions in the Siol Torquil, . . 270 One party of which tribe is supported by the Mackenzies, 271 Torquil Dubh Macleod of the Lewis is apprehended and executed, ...... 271 ISTeill Macleod, a bastard, takes the command of the Lewis, 271,272 Feud between the Mackenzies of Gerloch and the Siol Yic Gillichallum of Hasay, . . . .272 Various plans for curbing the Clandonald of Isla, . 272 Conditions required from, and agreed to, by Angus Mac- donald of Isla, ..... 272,273 Claims of James Macdonald of Dunluce, . . .273 That chief is invited to Scotland, and arrives at Edin- burgh on a visit to the King, . . . 273 His claims are rejected by the Scottish Privy Council, 274 He is knighted by James YL, who grants to him some lands in Kintyre, ..... 274 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XXvii Page Maclean of Dowarfc and Macdonald of Isla prepare to pro- ceed to Ireland with a body of men, . . 274 Apprehensions of tlie Irish Privy Council, . .274,275 Probable views of Angus Macdonald in this measure, . 275 The projected enterprise of the Islanders is given up, . 275 Act of Parliament rc(piiring the chiefs in the Highlands and Isles to exhibit their charters, . .275,276 Undue severity and real object of this Act, . . 276 Act of Parliament for erecting three new royal burghs in the Highlands and Isles, .... 277 A Council of ten appointed to deliberate on the state of the Highlands and Isles, . . . .277 Forfeitures in consequence of the Act first above mentioned, 278 The Isle of Lewis and other lands granted to a company of Lowland adventurers, .... 278 The terms of their contract with government, . . 279 The proceedings of government too precipitate, . . 279 And a strong party thus formed in the North Isles against the adventurers, ..... 280 Sir James Macdonald sent from court to treat with his father Angus Macdonald of Isla, . . . 280 Violent and unnatural conduct of Sir James, . . 281,282 The King proposes to make an expedition in person to Kintyre, . . . . . .282 Preparations for this expedition, .... 282 The King again declines to go to the Isles, and names the Duke of Lennox in his place, . . . 283 Probable causes of the King's backwardness, . . 283 The expedition seems to have totally failed, . . 283 Penewal of the feud betv/een the Macdonalds and Mac- leans, ..... .284,285 Battle of Locligruinart in Isla between Sir James Mac- donald {son of Angus) and Sir Lauchlan Mor Mac- lean, ....... 285 Defeat and death of Maclean, . . . .285 His son and successor invades and ravages Isla, encounter- ing and defeating the Macdonalds, . . . 285 Lauchlan Mor Maclean seems to have been the aggres- sor in this feud, ..... 286 Commission of Lieutenandry over the whole Isles and Xxviii TABLE OF CONTENTS. Paso. Highlands of Invcvness-slnre granted to Lennox and Huntly, ...... 28G Ptcal objection of tliis commission to assist the Lewis ad- venturers, ...... 287 But it seems to have produced little efiect, . . 287 Offers of Sir James Macdonald regarding Kintyre and Isla, . 288 They are approved of by the Privy Council, . . 288 But lead to no satisfactory result, . . . 288 This failure the result of the intrigues of Argyle and Calder, 289 Progress of the Lowland adventurers in the Lewis, . 2D0 They are opposed by the natives, . . .21^1 With whom at length they make an agreement, . .291,292 Confessions of one of the Lewismen, . . . 292 Mackenzie of Kintaill is apprehended in consequence, and committed to prison, . .... 292 But escapes without a trial, through his influence with the Chancellor, ..... 292 The Kinga third time projects going to the Isles in person, 292 And makes great preparations accordingly, . . 293 But a third time abandons his intention, . . . 293 Lennox made Lieutenant over the South Isles, . . 293 And Huntly over the Xorth Isles, . . . 293,294 Instructions to the Lieutenants and powers conferred upon them, ...... 294 These commissions produce no effect, . . . 294 Eeud between the Macdonalds and Macleods in Sky, . 295,290 The Privy Council interfere, . . . .290 And a reconciliation is afterwards effected between the chiefs of Sleat and Harris, .... 297 Progress of the adventurers of the Lewis, . . 207 They quarrel with Neill Macleod, . . . 297 Who defeats a party of them, . . . .298 Tormod Macleod assumes the command of the island, . 298 And, encouraged by the Mackenzies, attacks the colonists, and forces them to capitulate, . , . 298 Terms of the capitulation, .... 299 The colonists, after evacuating the Lewis, make prepara- tions to return, . . . . .299 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Xxix P.lgO But are forced to delay the recovery of the island for atime, 299 Renewal of the feud between Glengarry and the Macken- zies, ....... 300 ]Mutual ravages of these clans, . . . .300,303 The eldest son of Glengarry is drowned in the Kyles of Sky, ....... 301 The Eaid of Kilchrist and barbarity of the Glengarry men, 302 These disputes are at length amicably settled, . . 303 James YI. ascends the throne of Great Britain, . . 303 His preparations for that event cause him to neglect the Highlands and Isles, .... 303 Immediate consequences of this neglect, . . . 303,304 The expedition to the Lewis again delayed, . . 304 CHAPTER Y II. A.D. 1603 -i6io. Apprehension and imprisonment of Sir J ames Macdonald, 305 Argyle presents him before the Privy Council, . . 306 He is committed to the Castle of Blackness, . . 30G But, attempting to escape, is removed to Edinburgh Castle, 305 Hector Maclean of Dowart promises to deliver up the Castle of Dowart, ..... 30G Lord Scone commissioned to proceed to Kintyre, to receive the submission of the Islanders, . . . 306 Many of the chiefs summoned to meet him there, . 306,307 They are threatened witli forfeiture if they disobey, . 307 Proclamations for supporting Lord Scone in the execution of his commission, ..... 306 Offers made by Angus Macdonald of T^jla, at Glasgow, . 307 Lord Scone holds a court in Kintyre, . . . 308 His proceedings in that district, .... 308 Further proceedings of the colonists of the Lewis, . 309 Tormod Macleod yields to the terms proposed by them, . 309 But, on his going to court, the colonists become jealous of him, ...... 310 And procure his imprisonment in Edinburgh Castle, . 310 Tlie colonists are still annoyed by Keill Macleod, . 310 XXX TABLE OF CONTENTS. rage Lord Scone reports his proceedings, . . . 310 The result is unfavourable to Angus Macdonald, . 310 Argyle seeks a grant of Kintyre, and confers with Lord Scone on the subject, . . . .310,311 Sir James Macdonald again attempts to escape, and is again frustrated, . . . . . 311 Angus Macdonald's hostage escapes from Dumbarton Castle, . . . . . .311 Kintyre and Jura granted to the Earl of Argyle, . 311 The Macdonalds of Kintyre and Isla rise in arms and threaten Galloway and Carrick, . . . 312 Argyle is appointed Justiciar and Lieutenant over tlie South Isles, . . . ' . . .312 Limitations of his commission, .... 312 The Castle of Dunyveg in Isla holds out against liim, . 313 It is proposed to employ the Marquis of Huntl}^ against the North Isles, except Sky and Lewis, . . 313 Discussions between the King, the Privy Council, and Huntly, on this subject, . . . .313 The extirpation of the North Islanders seriously pro- posed by the King, . . . . .314 And agreed to by Huntly, . . . .314: Rent offered by Huntly for the Isles proposed to be granted to him, . . . . .314 His offers submitted to the King, . . . 314 The proceedings of the Presbyterians against Huntly cause his commission against the North Isles to bo suspended, . . . . . .315 The Lewis adventurers weary of their undertaking, . 315 And forsake the Island, ..... 31G The Lord of Kintaill secretly procures a grant of the Lewis, . . . . . . 31G But is forced to resign it, on a complaint by tlic adven- turers, . . . . . . 31G The Lewis, by consent of the adventurers, granted ancv/ to three individuals only, . . . . 31G Petitions of Sir James Macdonald to the Privy Council, ...... 316 He attempts to open a correspondence with the King and the Duke of Lennox, . . . .317 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XXXi Page He joins Lord Maxwell in an attempt to escape from Eclinbiirgli Castle, . . . . .317 Maxwell escapes, but Sir James, after getting out of the Castle, is retaken, . . . . .317 Instructions issued for Lis trial, .... 317 He is examined by the Privy Council, . . . 317 His trial is postponed in the meantime, . . . 318 Great preparations for a new expedition to the Isles, . 318 Commission to Lord Ochiltree and the Bishop of the Isles, to confer with Macdonald of Isla and Maclean of Do wart, . . . . . .318 Instructions to these Commissioners, . . . 319 Angus Macdonald charged to deliver up the Castle of Dunyveg, . . . . . .319 Further preparations for the expedition to the Isles, . 319,320 The Bishop of the Isles sent to consult with the King, . 320 Lord Ochiltree appointed Lieutenant over the Isles, . 321 Counsellors appointed to assist him, . . . 321 The King's instructions as to Sir James Macdonald, . 321 Lord Ochiltree proceeds to the Isles, . . . 322 And is joined by forces from Ireland, . . . 322 Proceedings of the Eoyal forces, .... 332 Ochiltree holds a court at Aros in Mull, . . . 322 Where the principal Islanders meet him and make their submission, ...... 323 He entraps and carries ofi' most of these chiefs with him, 324 They are confined in Dumbarton, Blackness, and Stirling, 324 Ochiltree reports his proceedings to the Privy Council, . 324 Humble petitions of the imprisoned Chiefs, . . 325 Commissioners appointed for the improvement of the Isles, 325 Instructions from the King to these Commissioners, . 325 These measures the commencement of a real improvement in the Isles, ...... 326 The Commissioners communicate v/ith the different Chiefs, 32(> And report the result of their deliberations to the King, 326 Sir James Macdonald is brought to trial and condemned to death, ...... 326,327 But the execution of the r-entence is suspended, . . 328 Probable causes of this apparent lenity, . , . 328 The King d'rects a survey of the Isles to be made, . 329 XXxii TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page Tlie Commissioners for the Isles modify tlie King's plan, 329 Directions given to the Bishop and the chiefs in conse- quence, ...... 329 The Bishop holds a court at Tcolmkill, . . . 330 Which is attended by all the island chiefs, . . 330 Who unanimously pass and bind themselves to observe nine important statutes, .... 330,333 Details of the Statutes of Icolmkill, . . .333 Effects of these Statutes on the descendants of those who enacted them, . . . . .333 Keport made by the Bishop to the Privy Council, . 333 He is deputed to present the Report to the King, . 334 Measures taken by the Privy Council in consequence of this report, ...... 334 A proclamation interfering with the trade of the Isles is annulled, ...... 334 Sir George Hay and Sir J ames Spens prepare for a new colonization of the Lewis, .... 334,335 But, owing to the intrigues of Mackenzie of Kintaill, are unsuccessful, . . . . .335 And forced to quit the Island, .... 335 They sell the Lewis to Kintaill, .... 335 Who, having thus acquired a legal title to that island, speedily reduces it to obedience, . . . 336 Fate of the survivors of the Siol Torquil, . 336-338 The representation of this tribe devolves on Macleod of Basay, ...... 338 0 CHAPTER YIII. A.D. 1610-1615. The King approves of the Statutes of Icolmkill, . 339 Proceedings of the Privy Council in consequence, . 339 The Bishop of the Isles is appointed Steward and Justice of all the Hebrides, ..... 340 And Constable of the Castle of Dunyveg, . . 340 Temporary tranquillity of the West Highlands and Isles, 340,341 The Siol Torquil and the Mackenzies, . . .341 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XXXlll Page TlnA r^lnnplmmPT'nn fiTifl niaTn'nnnlfl of* TjOpIviIiov 341 JL/XOO^JJLO-LWi.XO XXL KJXXK^ K^XLVXXKjXXLA^XXXK^X KfXXy m • 342 .342-345 TiApliipl r»lific!f,i<3pc< liiq vpfVn pfiOW pl^■n'^^np^^ 345 Tiopliipl nnrl follnwpv^? nrnplfliinpfl voTdpIs I J 1 f 1 . 1 1 1 1 cvlXV-l XXXij xyjxxyj 11 \^x *j ij X LC\xixx\^\^i. x\jKfK^x that, during the two centuries after the inva- 80-3CO. Agricola, A.D. 80, Scotland was in- habited by two nations only — the Caledonii, and the Mceatae. Of these, the Caledonii alone inhabited the Highlands; and, indeed, all modern Scotland north of the Friths of Forth and Clyde. After the third century, the names of Caledonii and Mseatac disappear, and we 4 PICTS — DALRIADS. find the Romans terming their northern opponents Pidi and AttacoUi. Historians seem now to have agreed that the Picts were^ in fact, the Caledonians under a new name ; that they were a Celtic race ; and that, until the sixth century, they continued to be the sole nation north of the Friths — being divided into two great branches — the Dicaledones inhabiting the more mountainous and more rugged districts north and west of the Grampian range, and the Vectiinones inhabit- ing the more level districts between the Grampians and the German Ocean. Thus the former corresponded to the Highlanders of the present day, whilst the latter possessed the Lowlands, from the plains of Moray on the north to Fife and Strathearn on the south. In the beginning of the sixth century, a new people ' was added to the inhabitants of Scotland, north of Forth and Clyde — for, at that period, the Irish Scots, frequently called the Dalriads, effected a settlement in the western districts of the Highlands. At this time, the country south of the Friths was occupied by the Strathclyde Britons; but the subsequent conquest of Northumberland and the Lothians, by the Angles, be- fore the close of the sixth century, added that nation to the inhabitants of the south of Scotland. During the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries, the history of Scotland presents nothing but a succession of conflicts between these four nations, which produced but little permanent change in their relative situations. In the ninth century, however, a re volution to ok place, A. D. 843. ^^^^ nature of w^iich it is almost impossible to determine, from the unfortunate silence of all the older authorities, whilst the fables of the later histo- rians are quite unworthy of credit. But it is certain, SCOTTISH CONQUEST. 3 that the result of this revolution was the nominal union of most of the tribes under Kenneth MacAlpin, a King of the Scottish or Dalriadic race, and the conse- quent spread of the name of Scotland over the whole country. However this important event might affect the population of the rich and fertile Lowlands, it seems perfectly clear, that the Dicaledones, or Picts, who formed the bulk of the Highland population in these earh^ times, were secured from any sweeping change, by the rugged nature of the country they inhabited. In these Dicaledones, therefore, VvC see the ancestors of the great mass of the modern Highlanders, excepting those of Argyleshire ; among whom, in all probability, the Dalriadic blood predominated. The name of Alhanich^ which, as far back as we can trace, is the proper appellation of the Scottish Highlanders, seems to prove their descent from that tribe which gave to Britain its earliest name of Albion^ and which may, therefore, be considered as the first tribe that set foot in this island. The earliest inhabitants of the Western Isles or Ebudes (corruptly Hebrides), were probably a portion of the Albanich, Caledonians, or Picts. In some of the southern islands, particularly Isla, this race must have been displaced or overrun by the Dalriads on their first settlement 3 so that, at the date of the Scottish Conquest, the Isles, like the adjacent mainland, were divided between the Picts and Scots. The change produced in the original population of the Western Isles, by the influx of the Scots — a cognate Celtic race — was, how- ever, trifling, compared with that which followed the first settlements of the Scandinavians in the Isles, towards the end of the ninth century. 4 CONQUEST OF THE ISLES From the chronicles both of England and Ireland, it appears that these northern pirates commenced their ravages in the British Isles a hundred years before this time, and many of them were thus well acquainted with the Western Isles prior to their effecting a permanent settlement in them. An important revolution in Norway led to this settlement. About the year 880, the celebrated Ilarald Ilarfager established himself as the first King of all Norway, after bringing into subjection a number of the petty kings of that countiy. Many of the most violent of Harald's oppo- nents sought to escape his vengeance, by leaving their native land, and establishing themselves in the Scottish Isles, from the numerous harbours of which they after- wards issued in piratical fashion, to infest the coasts of Norway. King Harald was not of a nature to allow such insults to pass unpunished. He pursued A D SSS the pirates to their insular fastnesses, and not only subdued them, but added the Isles to the crov;n of Norway. In the following year, the Vikingr of the Isles revolted and renewed their piratical expeditions; but were speedily reduced to obedience by Ketil, a Nor- \ D s ^"^'^gi^i^ rank, despatched by Harald to the Isles for that purpose. Ketil, how^ever, having ingratiated himself with the principal Islanders, soon declared himself King of the Isles, independent of Norway, and held this rank for the rest of his life. According to the Norse Sagas, all the race of Ketil vrere either dead, or had left the Isles, about the year 900; and, for nearly forty years after this date, the history of the Isles is very obscure. Aulaf MacSitric, son of the Danish King of North- umberland, and called by the historians, Rex i^ri- r,Y THE SCANDINAVIANS. 5 marum insularum,^'^ fouc:ht at the irreat battle ^ ' ' ' Qf Brunanburg; and, on his death, he seems to have been succeeded by Maccus MacArailt Mac- Sitric, probably his nephew, who was contemporary with, and is said to have been brought under subjection by Edgar, the greatest of the Anglo-Saxon Kings. Gofra MacArailt, King of the Isles, died, according to the Irish annalists, in 989 ; and, in the following * year, the Hebrides were conquered by Sigurd, the second of that name. Earl of Orkney, who placed as his deputy, or Jarl, over them, an individual named Gilli. Sigurd seems to have lost his Hebridean conquests after a time, as we read of a Ragnal MacGofra, King of the Isles, who died A.D. 1004. On his death, . 1004. Sigurd had resumed possession of the Isles, which he held at the time of the celebrated battle of Clunatarf, in Ireland, in which he \ *' " was killed. Twenty years later, the Hebrides ■ ^vere conquered by Earl Thorfin, the son of Sigurd, from which we may infer that, in the interval, they had been independent. Thorfin possessed the Isles till his death, after which they seem to have formed part of the dominions of Diarmed MacMaelnambo, a potent Irish prince, who died A.D. 1072. The next King of the Isles that we can trace, is God- red, the son of Sitric (supposed to have been one of the Irish Ostmen), who reigned in the Isle of Man. To him succeeded his son, Fingal, who, after a des- perate struggle, was dispossessed of his kingdom by cir. A. D. Ji^nother Godred, the son of Harald the ^^77- Black. This Godred, surnamed Crovan, or the White Handed, is the undoubted ancestor of that G GODllED CllOVAN — MAGNUS BAREFOOT. dynasty of Kings of Man and the Isles which termi- nated by the death of Magnus^ the son of Olave, A.D. 1265. Godred Crovan was first known as a leader of the Norwegians under Harald Hardrada^ King of Norway^ at the battle of Stainford Bridge^ where the latter was defeated and slain by Harald^ of England. Escaping from England, Godred seems to have fled to the Isles, where lie gradually formed a party strong enough to enable him to expel Fingal from the Isle of Man. But his conquests \Yere not confined to the Isles ; he likewise subjugated Dublin (which had for nearly tw'o centuries been the seat of a principality, formed by the Scandinavian Vikingr) and a great part of Lcinster. He was, besides, very successful in war against the Scots, whose King, at this time, vv\as Malcolm III., commonly called Malcolm Canmor. For a length of time the claim^s of Norway to the dominion of the Isles had been neglected \ but they were now revived, and triumphantly re-established by King Magnus Bare- foot, \vho, at the head of an imposing force, subjugated the Isles, and, expelling Godred Crovan, .io9o- pij^^g^ Qjj^ throne his own son, Sigurd. Godred died two years afterwards, in the island of Isla, leaving three sons, Lagman, Harald, and Olave. On the death of Magnus Barefoot, who fell in an expedition against Ulster, Sigurd, becom- ing King of Norway, returned to his native dominions, when the Islanders, apparently with Sigurd's consent, took for their King, Lagman, the eldest son of Godred Crovan. This Prince, after a reign of seven years, the most important event of which w\as an unsuccessful rebellion against him by his brother Harald, abdicated LAGMAN — OLAVE THE KED. 7 his throne^ and, assuming the cross, went on a pil- grimage to Jerusalem, where he died. On this, the nobility of the Isles applied to Murchard O'Brien, King of Ireland, to send them a Prince of his own blood to act as Eegent during the minority of Olave, the surviving son of Godred Crovan. In compliance with this request, the Irish King sent to the Isles a certain Donald MacTade, who ruled for two years, but made himself so obnoxious by his tyr- anny and oppression, that the insular chiefs rose against him with one accord, and forced him to fly A. D. I II''. ^' to Ireland, whence he never returned. Olave, son of Godred Crovan, soon afterwards ascended the throne, which he filled for forty years. His reign was peaceful ; but he conducted himself so as to preserve his kingdom from aggression. This Olave is, by the Norse writers, surnamed Bitting or Kilning, from his diminutive stature ; whilst, in the Highland traditions, he is called OlavQ the Red. He was the father of Godred the Black, who succeeded him ; and one of his daughters, Ragnliildis^ was married to Somerled, Prince or Lord of Argyle, from which marriage sprung the dynasty so well known in Scottish history as the Lords of the Isles. From whatever race, whether Pictish or Scottish, the inhabitants of the Isles in the reign of Kenneth MacAlpin were derived, it is clear that the settlements and wars of the Scandinavians in the Hebrides, from the time of Harald Harfager to that of Olave the Red, a period of upwards of two centuries, must have produced a very considerable change in the population. As in all cases of conquest, this change must have been most perceptible in the higher ranks, owing to the natural 8 ^nXTUr.E OF NORSE AND tendency of invaders to secure their new possessions, where practicable, by matrimonial alliances ^Yith the natives. That, in the Hebrides, a mixture of the ( 'eltic and Scandinavian blood v^as thus effected at an early period, seems highly probable, and by no means inconsistent with the ultimate prevalence of the Celtic language in the mixed race, as all history sufficiently demonstrates. These remarks regarding the population of the Isles, apply equally to that of the adjacent main- land districts, V\hich, being so accessible by numerous arms of the sea, could hardly be expected to preserve the blood of their inhabitants unmixed. The extent to which this, mixture was carried is a more dimcult ques- tion, and one which must be left, in a great measure, to conjecture ; but, on the whole, the Celtic race appears to have predominated. It is of more importance to knovv which of the Scandinavian tribes it was that infused the greatest portion of northern blood into the population of the Isles. The Irish annalists divide the piratical bands, which, in the ninth and following cen- turies, infested Ireland, into two great tribes, styled by these writers, Ftongall, or white foreigners, and Duhli- galU or black foreigners. These are believed to repre- sent, the former the Norwegians, the latter the Danes ; and the distinction in the names given to them, is supposed to have arisen from a diversity either in their clothing or in the sails of their vessels. These tribes had generally separate leaders ; but they were occa- sionally united under one king; and^ although both bent, first on ravaging the Irish shores, and afterwards on seizing portions of the Irish territories^ they fre- quently, turned their arms against each other. The Gaelic title of RigJi FldongalU or King of the Fion- CELTIC BLOOD IN THE ISLES. 9 gall, so frequently applied to the Lords of the Isles, seems to prove that Olave the Eed, from whom they were descended in the female line, was so styled, and that, consequentl}^, his subjects in the Isles, in so far as they w^ere not Celtic, were Fiongall or Norwegians. It has been remarked by one w^riter, whose opinion is entitled to weight,^ that the names of places in the exterior Hebrides, or the Long Island, derived from, the Scandinavian tongue, resemble the names of places in Orkney, Shetland, and Caithness. On the other hand, the corresponding names in the interior Hebrides are in a diiferent dialect, resembling that of which the traces are to be found in the topography of Sutherland; and appear to have been imposed at a later period than the first-mentioned names. The probability iS;, however, that the difference alluded to is not greater than might be expected in the language of two branches of the same race, after a certain interval; and that the Scan- dinavian population of the Hebrides was, therefore, derived from two successive Norwegian colonies. This view is further confirmed by the fact that the Hebrides, although long subject to Norway, do not appear to have ever formed part of the possessions of the Danes. Having thus traced, as briefly as possible, the origin of the inhabitants of the Western Highlands and Isles, as we find them early in the twelfth century, it remains, in the second place, to trace the rise, progress, and fall of the great family of de Insulis, or Macdonald, Lords of the Isles. The origin of Somerled of Argyle, the undoubted founder of this noble race, is involved in considerable ^ Chalmers' Caledonia, Vol. I., p. 2GG. 10 SOMERLED OF ARGYLE. obscurity. Of his father, Gillebrede, and his grand- Mher, Gilladomnan, we know little but the names. According to the seannachies or genealogists, both Irish and Highland, Gilladomnan was the sixth in descent from a certain Godfrey MacFergus, who is called, in an Irish Chronicle, Toshach of the Isles, and W'ho lived in the reign of Kenneth MacAlpin. There is a tradition that this Godfrey, or one of his race, w^as expelled from the Isles by the Danes,^ which, if cor- rect, may apply to the conquest of Harald Harfager, who, in all probability, dispossessed many of the native chiefs. But the Celtic genealogists do not stop short with Godfrey MacFergus. Through a long line of ancestors, they trace the descent of that chief from the celebrated Irish King, Conn Chead Cliath^ or Conn of the Hundred Battles. Such is the account of Somer- led's origin, given by those who maintain his Scoto-Irish descent. Others have asserted that he was undoubtedly a Scandinavian by descent in the male line. His name is certainly a Norse one; '- but then, on the other hand, the names of his father and grandfather are purely Cel- tic; whilst the intermarriages that must have taken place between the two races in the Isles and adjacent coasts, make it impossible to found any argument on the Chris- tian name alone. Somerled is mentioned more than once in the Norse Sagas, but never in such a way as to enable us to affirm, with certainty, what the opinion of the Scan- dinavian writers was as to his origin. He appears to have 1 MS. History of the Macdonalds, by Iliigli Macdonald, a Seaunacbic of the end of the 17th century. 2 The Norse Somerled^ and the Gaelic Somliairle, are both rendered into the Enghsh, Saimiel. HIS ORIGIN. 11 been known to them as SimiarUcU Ilaiilidr,'^ and the impression produced by the passages in which he is mentioned, is rather against his being considered a Norseman. It is possible^ however, as lie Avas certainly descended from a noted individual of the name of God- frey, that his ancestor may have been that Gofra Mac- Arailt, King of the Isles, who died in 989. But, on the whole, the uniformity of the Highland and Irish tradi- tions, which can be traced back at least four hundred years, 2 leads to the conclusion that the account first given of the origin of Somerled is correct. It is from tradition alone, as it appears in some of the genealogical histories of the Macdonalds, that any par- ticulars of the early life of Somerled can be gathered ; and it is obvious, that information derived from a source so liable to error, must be received with very great cau- tion. We are told that Gillibrede, the father of Somer- led, was expelled from his possessions, and that, with his son, he was forced to conceal himself, for a time, in a cave in the district of Morvern, whence he is known in tradition as Gillibrede na^n UaimJi, or Gillibrede of the Cave. From certain circumstances, obscurely hinted at, it wwld seem that Gillibrede, after the death of Malcolm Canmor, had, with the other Celtic inliabitants of Scot- land, supported Donald Bane, the brother of Malcolm, in his claim to the Scottish throne, to the exclusion of Ed- ^ HauUdr, in its strict sense, implies, that tlie person who bore the epithet was a cultivator of the soil, and not of noble birth. But it was very commonly applied as a nickname to kings and nobles, so that no inference as to the rank or status of Somerled can be drawn from the use of the word in the present instance. 2 Genealogical MS. (in Oaelic) of the 15th century, printed in Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, Vol. I., p. 60. 12 lUSE AND MARRIAGE OF SOMERLED. gar, Malcolm's sou. Consequently, on the final triumph of the Anglo-Saxon party, Gillibrede would naturally be exposed to their vengeance in exact proportion to his power, and to the assistance he had given to the other party. Of this chief we hear no more; nor are we infi^rmed of the extent of his possessions, or where they lay, but they are believed to have been on the mainland of Argyle. Somerled, when young, was, through an accident, which is minutely detailed by tradition, drawn from his obscurity, and placed at the head of the men of Morvern, collected at the time to resist a band of Norse pirates, who threatened to ravage the district. On this occasion Somerled, by his courage and skill, defeated these fierce marauders; and, soon after, fol7 lowing up this success, recovered his paternal inheritance, and made himself master of so large a portion of Argyle, that he thenceforth assumed the title of Lord or Regulus of Argyle, and became one of the most powerful chiefs in Scotland. Tliere is every reason to believe that, by his talent and bravery, be had now^ raised himself to a higher rank than his father, or any of his immediate predecessors held. It appears by no means improbable, • too, that Somerled, aware of his own power and resources, contemplated the conquest of a portion, at least, of the Isles, to which he may have laid claim through his remote ancestor, Godfrey. On these, or similar grounds, Olave the Red, King of Man and the Isles, was natu- rally desirous to disarm the enmity, and to secure the support of the powerful Lord of Argyle, whose marriage cir. A.D. '''^'ith Ragnhiidis, the daughter of Olave — the lirst authentic event in the life of Somerled — seems to have answered this purpose. Of this marriage, which is lamented by the author of " The Chronicle of TYRANNY OF GODRED THE BLACK. 13 Man," as the cause of the ruin of the whole kingdom of the Isles, the issue was three sons — Dugall, Reginald, and Angus. 1 Olave the Red, after a peaceful reign of forty years, Vv^as murdered in the Isle of Man, by his ' nephews, the sons of Harald, who had been brought up in Dublin, and had made a claim to half the kingdom of the Isles. Godied the Black, who was in Norway at the time of his father's death, returned to the Isles without delay, and being received with joy by the Islanders as their King, apprehended and exe- cuted the murderers. Early in his reign, he was invited by the Ostmen of Dublin to rule over them, and was thus led into wars in Ireland, in which he was success- fal; but, on his return to Man, thinking that no one could resist his powder, he conducted himself so tyranni- cally, that he speedily alienated the affections of many of the insular nobility; — one of the most pov^^erful of these, Thoriin, the son of Ottar, addressed himself to Somerled, and demanded from him his son, Dugall, then a child, the nephew of Godred, whom he proposed to make King of the Isles. The ambitious Lord of Argyle readily entered into the views of Thorlin, wdio, with his partisans, carrying Dugall through all the Isles, except apparently Man itself, forced the inhabitants to acknowledge him as their king, and took hostages from them for their obedience. One of the chief islanders, Paul by name, escaping secretly, fled to tiie court of Godred, and made him aware of what had just taken place. Roused by the emergency, the king collected 1 I follow here the Orkneyinga Saga, p. 3S3, which is very explicit, and is a better authority than the Chronicle of Man. The kttcr adds a fourth son, Olave. 14. AVAnS BETWEEN SO:»IERLED a lavgo fleet, with he proceeded against the rebels, who, under the guidance of Somerled, with a fleet of eighty galleys, did not decline the encounter. After a bloody but indecisive action, a treaty ' * was entered into, by which Godred ceded to the sons of Somerled what were afterwards called, in Scottish geography, the South Isles, retaining for him- self the North Isles and Man. The point of Ardna- murchan formed the division between the North and South Isles, so that, by this treaty, Bute, Arran, Isla, Jura, Mull, and several smaller islands, as well as the district of Kintyre (which, singularly enough, has always been reckoned among the South Isles), ^ although nominally ceded to the sons of Somerled, were, in reality^ added to the possessions of that warlike chief, who naturally acted as guardian for his children during their minority. From this time, says the chronicler, may be dated the ruin of the Kinsfdom of the Isles. The allegiance of all the Isles to Norway seems still to have been preserved. T\YO years after this treaty, Somerled invaded Man with a fleet of fifty-three ships, and laid the ' ' ^ ' whole island waste, after routing Godred in battle. AVhether this invasion was in consequence of 1 The origin of this was a stratagem of Magnus Barefoot. After that prince had invaded and conquered the Isles, he made, an agreement with Malcolm Canmor, by which the latter was to leave Magnus and his successors in peaceable possession of all the Isles which could be circumnavigated. The King of Xorway had himself drawn across the narrow isthmus between Kintyre and Knapdale, in a galley, by which he added the former district to the Isles. This anecdote has been doubted by some, but it appears in Magnus Berfaet's Saga, a contemporary work ; and it is certain that, as late as the commencement of the seventeenth century, Kintyre was classed by the Scottish government as one of the South Isles. AXD GODRED THE BLACK. 15 any infringement of the treaty by Godred, or whether j it arose from the insatiable ambition of Somerled, is I uncertain; but the power of Godred was so much I broken, that he was compelled to visit Norway to seek / assistance against his rival ; nor did he return to the / Isles till after Somerled's death, from which it may be / inferred that the latter had succeeded in extending his / sway over the whole Isles. / Malcolm IV. w^as now King of Scotland. Toy this prince, Somerled had early made himself ob- noxious, by espousing the cause of his nephews, the sons of Wymund or Malcolm MacHeth, a claimant of the earldom of Murray, whom it suited the Scottish government for the time to detain in prison as an im- postor, but whose claim now seems, on minute inquiry, to have been vv'ell founded.^ Owing to the additional power which he acquired from the late events in the Isles, Somerled was enabled, on one occasion, to bring his contest with the Scottish King to a close by a treaty, which was considered so important as to form an epoch from which royal charters were dated.^ From some cause, which our historians do not sufficiently explain, this ambitious lord was, ere long, induced again to declare war against Malcolm, and, assembling a numer- ous army from Argyle, Ireland, and the Isles, he sailed up the Clyde with one hundred and sixty galleys, and landed his forces near Eenfrew, threat'ening, as some of ^ ^ ^ the chroniclers inform us, to make a conquest * of the whole of Scotland. Here, according ^ On the first appearance of Malcolm MacHeth, Somerled gave him his sister in marriage, which shows the opinion he entertained of the justice of Malcolm's claims. 2 Sir James Dalrymple's Collections, p. 425, IG DEATH OF SOMERLEI). to the usual accounts, Somerled was slain, with one of his sons,^ and his great armament dispersed, with much loss, by a very inferior force of the Scots. Bat, from the well-known character of this celebrated chief, there seems great reason to believe that tradition is correct, when it states that he was assassinated in his tent by an individual in whom he placed confidence, and that his troops, thus deprived of their leader, returned in haste to the Isles. In their retreat, they, probably, suffered much from the Scots, who, if not privy to the assassination, must have soon learned the disaster that had befallen the invaders. From the same traditionary source we learn that the King of Scotland sent a boat, with the corpse of Somerled, to Icolmkill, at his own charge; but modern inquiries rather lead to the con- clusion that he was interred at the Church of Sadale, in Kintyre, where Reginald, his son, afterwards founded a monastery. Somerled, according to tradition, was " a well-tempered man, in body shapely, of a fair piercing eye, of middle stature, and of quick discern- ment." ^ Besides the three sons of his marriage with the daughter of Olave the Bed, Somerled had other sons, who seemed to have shared with their brothers, according to the then prevalent custom of gavel-kind, the main- land possessions held by the Lord of Argyll; whilst the sons, descended of the' House of Man, divided amongst them, in addition, the South Isles, as ceded by Godred in 1156. The Me of Man, and any other conquests made by Somerled in the Isles, from 1158 to his death 1 The son's name was Gillecolane (Gillecallum or Malcolm). — Hailes' Annals, ad annum 116-1. 2 Hugh Macdonald's MS. THE SONS OF SOMERLED. 17 in 1164, did not remain with his family, but fell again under the authority of Godred the Black, their proper ruler, with whose descendants they remained till the final cession of the Isles to Scotland, a century later. In the division of the South Isles, Mull, Coll, Tiree, and Jura, seem to have fallen to the share of Dugall ; Isla and Kintyre to that of Reginald; and Bute (which, from its position, was peculiarly exposed, to the aggres- sions of the Scots) to Angus. Arran was, perhaps, divided between the two latter, and may have been the cause of the deadly quarrel which, we know, existed between them ; for, in 1192, the Chronicle of Man mentions a battle between Reginald and Angus, in which the latter obtained the victory. Eighteen years later, we learn, on the same authority, that Ang^is was killed, with his three sons, by the men of Skyc ; after which, it is probable, that Argyle and the South Isles were exclusively divided between Dugall and Reginald, the latter of whom bestowed Bute and part of Kintyre upon his son Roderick, or Ruari^, who became the founder of a distinct family, which afterwards became very powerful in the Isles. Both Dugall and Reginald were called Kings of the Isles at the same time that Reginald, the son of Godred the Black, was styled King of Man and the Isles ; and, in the next genera- tion, we find, in a Norse chronicle, mention of three Kings of the Isles, of the race of Somerled, existing at one time.^ It is evident, therefore, that the word king, as used by the Norwegians and their vassals in the Isles, was not confined, as in Scotland, to one supreme ^ Anecdotes of Olave the Black, edited by Jolmston. This chronicle informs us that the Sudureyan Kings^ of the family of Somerled, wp.re very untrue to King Haco. 5 IS THEIR DESCENDANTS. ruler, but tliat it had with them an additional meaning, corresponding either to *prince of the blood-royal or to magnate. Many seannachies or genealogists, in later times, being ignorant of, or having overlooked this dis- tinction, have, by means of the expression King of the Isles, been led to represent those whom they style the direct heirs or successors of Somerled, through his son Eeginald, and who alone, according to them, bore the royal title, as holding a rank very different from that which they actually held. It would occupy too much space here to enter mi- nutely into the history of the immediate descendants of Somerled prior to the great expedition of Haco, King of Norway ; — suffice it to say, that from King Dugall sprung the great House of Argyle and Lorn, patro- nymically Macdugall,^ which, at the time of Haco's expedition, was represented by Dugali's grandson, Ewin, commonly called King Ewin, and sometimes, erroneously, King John. From King Reginald, on the other hand, sprang two great families, that of Isla, descended from his son Donald, and therefore patro- nymically styled Macdonald- and that of Bide, de- scended from his son Euari, already mentioned, and therefore patronymically styled Macruari.^ At the date of Haco's expedition, we find that the family of Isla was represented by Angus, the son of Donald (the Angus Mor of the Seannachies); that of Bute by Euari himself and his sons, Allan and Dugall. It appears that most, if not all of the descendants of So- 1 This family used generally the territorial surname of " Ergadia,^^ or "of Argylc." ^ Both the Macdonalds and Macruaries used the territorial surnames of " iZe Yla,'' or " of Isla," and " de Insulis^'" or " of the Isles." TUE SCOTS ACQUIRE BUTE. 19 merled, had, for a century after his death, a divided allegiance, holding part of their lands, those in the Isles, from the King of Norway ; their mainland domains heing, at the same time, held of the King of Scotland. The latter, whose power was now gradually increasing, could not be expected long to allow the Isles to remain dependent on Norway, without makiijg an effort to conquer them. The first footing obtained by the Scots in the Isles was^ apparently, soon after the death of Somerlcd, when the Steward of Scotland seized the Isle of Bute. That Island seems after this to have changed masters several times, and, along with Kin- tyre, to have been a subject of dispute between the Scots and Norwegians, whilst, in the course of these quarrels^ the family of the Steward strengthened their claims, by marriage, in the following manner. We have seen that Angus MacSomerled (who is supposed to have been Lord of Bute), and his three sons, were killed in 1210 ; nor does it appear that Angus had any other male issue. James, one of these sons, left a daughter and heiress, Jane, afterwards married to Alexander, the son and heir of Walter, the High Steward of Scotland, who, in her right, claimed the Isle of Bute, and, perhaps, Arran also.^ This claim was naturally resisted by Buari, the son of Reginald, till the dispute was settled for a time by his expulsion, 1 la the traditions of the Stewarts, this lady's grandfather is called Angus Mac/Zo/7>, which, as I conceive, is an error for Angus MacSorlie — the latter being the way in which MacSomerled (spelt MacSomhairle) is pronounced in Gaelic. That there was, about this time, a matrimonial alliance between the house of Stewart and that of Isla, is probable from a dispensation in 1342, for the marriage of two individuals of these families, as being within the forbidden degrees. Andrew Stewart's " Hist, of the Stewarts," p. 433. 20 EXPEDITION OF HACO. and the seizure of Bute and Arran by the Scots. Their success here encoura2;ed the latter to further encroachments, and it is well known that Alexander II. died on the coast of Argyleshire, while leading an expedition against the Isles. Although this event suspended for a time the projects of the Scots, they were by no means forgotten, but, on the contrary, were resumed in the course of a few years. Early in the reign of Alexander III., Angus, the son of Donald, and Lord of Isla, was closely pursued by ' that King, because he would not consent to become a vassal of Scotland for the lands he held of Norway. The complaints of Huari of Bute, and the other Islanders, to the Norwegian court, of the aggres- sions of the Scots, led to Haco's celebrated expedition, in which, without difficulty, he made himself master of such of the Isles as had been conquered bv A. D 126'? * the Scots, and restored Bute to Ruari, who had long been in Norway, seeking assistance from him^ and had accompanied him on this expedition. These triumphs were, however, of short duration. The Norwegians, not content with re-establishing their au- thority in the Isles, proceeded to ravage the neighbour- ing districts of Scotland, and, while thus occupied, at a late season of the year, suffered severely from storms, which, joined to a check they received at Largs, in an attempt to make a descent on Ayrshire, caused them to retire to the Orkneys, where Haco soon after died. Alexander III. immediately took advantage of this circumstance, and resumed his projects against the ^ ^ ^ Isles with such success, that, on the death of ^" Magnus, King of Man (a descendant of God- red the Black), Magnus of Norway, the successor of CESSION OF THE ISLES TO SCOTLAND. 21 Haco, was induced to cede all the Western Isles to Scotland. One of the articles of the important treaty by which this cession was made, provided that a certain annual sum should be paid by Scotland to Norway, in consideration of the latter yielding up all claim to the Isles. Another declared that such of the subjects of Norway as were inclined to quit the Hebrides, should have full liberty to do so, with all their effects, whilst those who preferred remaining, v;ere to become sub- jects of Scotland. To this latter class, the King of Norway, in fulfilment of his part of the treaty, addressed a mandate, enjoining them henceforth to serve and obey the King of Scotland, as their liege lord; and it was further arranged, that none of the Islanders were to be punished for their former adherence to the Norwegians.^ 1 The preceding portion of this introductory sketch has been drawn up with great pains, from the best authorities to which I have had an opportunity of referring ; and much has ,been done to rectify the chronology. Want of space has prevented my quoting these authorities more minutely. I may here mention, generally, the authorities I allude to: — ^^Caledonia, Vol. I., and the Roman authors there referred to ; the early Scottish Chronicles, printed in the Appendix to Innes's Critical Essay, and elsewhere ; the early Irish Chronicles, or Annals, printed in the Scriptores Kerum Hiber- nicarum ; the Scriptores Rerum Danicarum ; the Orkneyinga Saga ; Magnus Berfaet's Saga; Chronicle of Man; Anecdotes of Olave the Black; Expedition of King Haco in 1263; Rymer's Foedera Angliae ; the Saxon Chronicle ; Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis ; Dr. Macpherson's Dissertations ; Mr. Dillon's Observations on the Norse Account of Haco's Expedition, in the Archaeologia Scotica, Vol. II. ; Lord Hailes' (Sir David Dalrymple's) Annals ; Duncan Stewart's History of the Stewarts, &c., &c. I must here acknow- ledge the valuable assistance which I have received from my colleague and friend, William F. Skene, Esq., not only in the researches which were rendered necessary by my undertaking the present THE ISLANDERS BECOME During tliese transactions, the position of the descend- ants of Somerled was rather singular. Ewin of Lorn, who, in 1240, had refused to join the Scots, attached himself, in 12 Go, to Alexander HI. ; but, at the same time, honourably resigned into the hands of Haco all that he held of the crown of Norway. On the other hand, Angus of Isla, who had previously been made to give hostages to Alexander, was, on the arrival of Haco in the Isles, forced to join the Norwegians in person. Iluari of Bute and his sons were devoted partisans of Haco. The treaty of cession seems to have been acted on, in. a liberal manner, by the Scottish king. Ewin of Lorn was, of course, restored to the lands he had for- merly held of Norway, and further rewarded for his services. Angus of Isla, having determined to remain in the Isles, became, according to the treaty, a vassal of Scotland for his lands there, and was allowed to retain, under a single king, all that he had formerly held under two. Lastly, the sons of Ruari, although forced to resign Bute, had lands assigned to them (on their agreeing to remain subjects of Scotland) in that portion of the Isles which had belonged to the King of Man. Hence this family came to be styed Macruaries of the North Isles; and. on the death of Dugall, called Rex Hehudum, one, of the brothers,^ Allan, the survivor, united, in his person, the posses- sions of both, to which afterwards he appears to have added the Lordship of Garmoran, on the mainland. The Isles of Skye and Lewis were conferred upon the work, but in all tlie historical inquiries which I have had occasion to make for several years past. 1 I^ngebeck, Scriptores Rerum Danicarum, vol. III., p. 109. SUBJECTS OF SCOTLAND. 23 Earl of Ross,^ no part of these islands, or of Man, Arran, and Bute, being granted by Alexander III. to the descendants of Somerled. Of these descendants, there were, in 1285, three great noblemen, all holding extensive possessions in the Isles, as well as on the mainland, who attended in that Scottish Parliament by which the crown was settled^on the Maiden of Norway. Their names were, Alexander de Ergadia of Lorn (s6n of Ewin of Lorn), Angus, the son of Donald, and Allan, the son of Ruari.^ From the nature of the treaty in 1266, it is obvious that these individuals were vassals of the King of Scotland for all their possessions, a\id not merely for what they held on the mainland, as some have supposed. It is further clear, that, at this time, none of the three bore the title of Lord of the Isles, or could have been properly so considered; and it is equally certain, that the first individual whom w^e find assuming the style of Lord of the Isles, in its modern signification, possessed all those Isles, and very nearly all those mainland estates, which, in 1285, were divided among three powerful noblemen of the same blood. But of this hereafter. From the preceding remarks, it will readily be perceived that the boasted independence of the modern Lords of the Isles is without historical foundation. Prior to 1266, the Isles were subject to Norway; at that date, the treaty of cession transferred them to Scotland; and, ever since, they have remained subject to the latter crown, notwithstanding successive rebellions, instigated in every case by the government of England, in order to embarrass the Scots. 1 Robertson's Index to Missing Scottish Charters, p. 124, No. 26. 2 Rymer's Foedera, II. 266. 24 THE INTEKREGNUM; AND THE In the series of struggles for Scottish independence, which marked the close of the thirteenth and the open- ing of the fourteenth centuries, the Lords of Lorn, who were closely connected by marriage with the Coniyn and Balliol party, naturally arrayed themselves in opposition to the claims of Bruce. On the other hand, the houses of Isla and of the North Isles supported, with all their power, the apparently desperate fortunes of King Robert I.;^ and thus, when he came to be firmly seated on the throne, had earned the gratitude of that Prince, in the same proportion as the family of Lorn^ by the inveteracy of their hostility, had provoked his resentment. On the forfeiture of Alexander, Lord of Lorn, and his son and heir John, their extensive territories were granted by Bruce to various of his supporters; and, amongst others, to Angus Oig, i.e., Junior, of Isla, and to Boderick or Buari MacAlan, the bastard brother and leader of the vassals of Christina, the daughter and heiress of Alan MacRuari of the North Isles.- The Isles of Mull (the possession of which had, for some time past, been disputed betwixt the Lords of Isla and Lorn), Jura, Coll, and Tiree, with the districts of Duror and Glenco, fell, in this way, to the share of Angus Oig. Lorn Proper, or the greatest part of it, was bestowed on Roderick MacAlan, to whom his sister Christina gave, at the same time, a large por- tion of her inheritance in Garmoran and the North Isles.^ The Lordship of Lochaber, forfeited by one of the powerful family of Comyn^ seems to have been divided between Angus Oig and Roderick. The former 1 Barbour's Bruce; Fordun a Goodal, II., p. 23:t. Angus of Isla joined the party of Bruce as early as 1286 ; Tytier's Scotland, I. 65. 2 Robertson's Index, p. 2, No. 61, 52, 54; p. 26, No. 23. 3 Charter in Haddington's MS. Collections, Adv. Library. REIGN OF ROBERT BRUCE. 25 likewise obtained, in this reign, the lands of Morvcrn^ and Ardnamurchan, which seem previously to have been in the hands of the crown. But while Bruce thus re- warded his faithful adherents, he was too sensible of the weakness of Scotland on the side of the Isles, not to take precautionary measures against the possible defec- tion of any of the great families on that coast, who might with ease admit an English force into the heart of the kingdom. He procured from Angus Oig, w^ho was now, apparently, the principal crown vassal in Kintyre, the resignation of his lands in that district, which were immediately bestowed upon Bobert, the son and heir of Walter the High Stew^ard, and the Princess Marjory Bruce. ^ At the same time, the fortifications of the Castle of Tarbert, between Kintyre and Knapdale, the most important position on the coast of Argyleshire, were greatly enlarged and strengthened, and the custody of this commanding post was committed to a royal garrison.^ Following out the same policy in other places, the keeping of the Castle of Dunstaffnage, the principal messuage of Lorn, was given by Bruce, not to Roderick MacAlan, the ^^High Chief of Lorn," but to an individual of the name of Campbell, who was placed there as a royal constable.* Towards the end of Bruce's reign, Roderick MacAlan, ^ ^ of Lorn and the North Isles, was forfeited of all his possessions, for engaging in some of the plots which, at that period, occupied the attention ^ The district now called Morvern was, in former times, it would appear, known as Kenalban, or the promontory of Alban or Scotland. ~ Robertson's Index, p. 26, No. 32. 3 High Treasurer's Accounts, temp. Rob. I. * Robertson's Index, p. 14. 26 JOHN OF ISLA. and called forth the energies of that celebrated King.^ On this occasion, it is probable that iVngus Oig, whose loyalty never wavered, received further additions to his already extensive possessions; and before King Robert's death, the house of Isla v>^as already the most powerful in Argyle and the Isles. Angus Oig and his munificent patron died about the same time ; but John of Isla, the son and heir of the former, was far from exhibiting the same devoted loyalty to the House of Bruce which had characterised his father. When the star of Edward Balliol was in the ascen- dant, John of the Isles was induced to join that party, owing, in some measure, to his prospect of losing many of the lands granted to his father by Robert Bruce, even if he should remain neuter in the struggle which was going on. To secure so important an adherent, Balliol, besides granting to him nearly the whole of the territories which Angus Oig had possessed at his death, gave, in addition, the lands of Kintyre and Knapdalc, and the Isles of Skye and Lewis, which the expected forfeiture of the High Steward and his rela- tions, and of the Earl of Ross, was to place at the disposal of the pseudo-King.^ On the return of David II. from France, after the final discomfiture of Balliol and his supporters, John of the Isles was naturally exposed to the hostility of the Stew- ard and the other nobles of the Scottish party, by whose advice he seems to have been forfeited, when many of his lands were granted to one of his relations, Angus Mac- Ian, progenitor of the house of Ardnamurchan.^ This 1 Robertson's Index, p. 28. " Rymer's Foedera, IV., 711. ^ Ch. in Haddington's Collections, Adv. Library. FIRST LORD OF THE ISLES. 27 grant did not, however, take effect ; and such was the resistance offered by John and his kinsman, Ecginald or Ranald, son of Iloderick MacAlan (who had been restored, in all probability, by Balliol, to the lands for- feited by his father), and so anxious was David at the time to bring the whole force of his kingdom together in his intended wars with England, that he ' at length pardoned both these powerful chiefs, and confirmed to them the following possessions : — To John, he gave the Isles of Isla, Gigha, Jura, Scarba, Colonsay, Mull, Coll, Tiree, and Lewis, and the districts of Morvern, Lochaber, Duror, and Glenco ; to Ranald, the Isles of Uist, Barra, Egg, and Rum, and the Lord- ship of Garmoran, being the original possessions of his family in the north.^ By this arrangement, Kintyre, Knapdale, and Skye, reverted to their former owners, and Lorn remained in the hands of the Crown, whilst it is probable that Ardnamurchan was given as a compen- sation to Angus Maclan. Soon after this time, Ranald MacRuari ' ' was killed at Perth, in a quarrel between him and the Earl of Ross, from whom he held the lands of Kintail. As he left no issue, his sister, Amie^ the wife of John of Isla, became, in terms of the above-men- tioned grant from David IL, his heir; and her husband, uniting her possessions to his own, assumed henceforth the style of Dominus Insiilarum, or Lord of the Isles." 1 Eobertson's Index, p. 100. The Lordship of Garmoran (also called Garbhchrioch) comprehends the districts of Moydert, Arasaig, Morap, and Knoydert. - The first recorded instance of this style being used by John of Isla is in an indenture with the Lord of Lorn, 1354. — Appendix to "Hailes' Annals of Scotland," 2nd edition. This indenture, a very remarkable deed, does not appear either in the first or third edition of these annals. 28 JOIIX, LORD OF THE ISLES. Thus was formed the modern Lordship of the Isles, comprehending the territories of the Macdonalds of Isla, and the Macruaries of the North Isles, and a great part of those of the Macdngalls of Lorn; and although the representative of the latter family was nominally restored to the estates of his ancestors on the occasion of his marriage with a niece of the King,^ yet he was obliged to leave the Lord of the Isles in possession of such portion of the Lorn estates as had been granted to the latter by David in 1344. The daughter and heiress of John de Ergadia, or Macdugall, the restored Lord of Lorn, carried Lorn Proper to her husband, Robert Stewart, founder of the Hosyth family, by whom the Lordship was sold to his brother, John Stewart of Inner- meath, ancestor of the Stewarts, Lords of Lorn.'- After the reconciliation of David II. and John of Isla in 1334, we can trace various attempts, on the part of the English government, to w^ithdraw the latter from his allegiance, all of which seem to have failed.^ In the later years of David's reign, the Lord of the Isles was again in rebellion; nor was he reduced to obedience without much difficulty. The records of the period, however, show that his turbulence at this time was not the result of English intrigue, but connected with a general resistance, on the part of the Highlanders, to some of the fiscal measures of the Scottish government.* The second reconciliation of the Lord of the Isles with David 11. took place in 1369, a year before the death of that King; and, from this time till his death, in the reign of Kobert II., he conducted himself as a loyal and obedient ^ Robertson's Index, p. 30. ^ Inventory of Argyle Writs, title Lorn. 3 Eymer's Foedera, Y., 530, 849. Rotuli Scotios, I., G77. ^ Ancient Book of Record, quoted by Mr. Tytler, Vol. II., p. 169. I HIS MARRIAGES. 2D subject. Having thus given a brief sketch of the public history of John, first Lord of the Isles, under the reigns of David II. and Robert II., it now becomes necessary to allude to his private history during the same period. He married, as we have mentioned, Amie Macruari, heiress of that family ; ^ and his sons by this marriage were John, Godfrey, and Ranald. The eldest of these sons was dead before 1369, leaving issue, Angus, who did not long survive. Of the others we shall afterwards have occasion more particularly to speak. Notwith- standing that he had, in right of Amie his wife, succeeded to such extensive possessions, the Lord of the Isles divorced that lady/ and married, secondly, the Lady Margaret, daughter to Robert, High Steward of Scot- land. Of this marriage there were likewise three sons — viz., Donald, John, and Alexander. We cannot fix precisely the date of this second marriage; but it must have taken place in the reign of David II., as Donald, the eldest son, was named as a hostage by his father in 13G9. It is probable that the Lord of the Isles, and his father-in-law, the Steward, had come to a secret understanding before the marriage, on which they afterwards acted, when, at the death of David, the Steward ascended the throne by the title of A D. 1370. . Robert II, Certain it is, that, after that event, the destination of the Lordship of the Isles was altered, so as to cause it to descend to the grandchildren of the ^ The dispensation for this marriiige was dated in 1337 ; Andrew- Stewart's History of the Stewarts, p. 446. 2 It seems clear, from the unvarying tradition of the country, that the Lady Amie had given no grounds for this divorce. She dwelt on her own estates till her death ; and is said to have built the Castles of Elanterim in Moydert, and Borve in Benbecula. 30 DONALD, SECOND LORD OF THE ISLES, King.i Aware that his right to Garmoran and the North Isles ^Yas annulled by the divorce of his first wife, the Lord of the Isles, disregarding her claims, and trusting to his influence w'ith the King, his father-in-law, procured a royal charter of the lands in question, in which her name w^as not even mentioned. Godfrey, the eldest son of the Lord of the Isles, by his first wife, resisted these unjust proceedings — maintaining his mother's prior claims, and his own as her heir; but Rauakl, his younger brother, being more pliant, was rewarded by a grant of the North Isles, Garmoran, and many other lands, to hold of John, Lord of the Isles, and his heirs.- Such was the state of affairs in the Lordship of the Isles at the death of the flrst Lord. He A. D. 1380. ^.^^ ^^.^ ^^^^ castle of Ardtornish, in Mor- vern, and was buried in lona, with great splendour, by the ecclesiastics of the Isles,^ whose attachment he had obtained by liberal grants to the Church, and who evinced their gratitude, by bestowing on him the appel- lation, which tradition has handed down to our days, of " the good John of Isla." ^ Donald, the eldest son of the second marriage, became, on his father's death, second Lord of the Isles, and in that capacity was, most undoubtedly, feudal superior and actual chief of his brothers, w^hether of the full or of the half blood. He married Mary Leslie, 1 This appears from various charters in the public records, soon after the accession of Robert 11. 2 Reg. of Great Seal, Rot. III., No. 18. 2 Macvurich's MS. in Gaelic, commonly, but erroneously, called the Red Book of Clanranald. See Dean Monro's Genealogies, written in the sixteenth cen- tury. CLAIMS THE EAKLDOM OF KOSS. SI who afterwards became Countess of Eoss, and his con- test with the Regent Duke of Albany, regarding that Earldom, in the course of which the battle A. D. 141 1. Harlaw was fought, is too well know^n to require repetition here. It is only necessary to remark, that the whole array of the Lordship of the Isles followed him on that occasion, and that he was not weakened by any opposition, on the part of his elder brothers or their descendants, which certainly might have been looked for. Ranald, the youngest, but most favoured son of the first marriage of the good John, was, as the seannachies tell us, old in the govern- ment of the Isles at his father's death." After that event, he acted as tutor or guardian to his younger brother, Donald, Lord of the Isles, to whom, on his attaining majority, he delivered over the Lordship, in presence of the vassals, contrary to the opinion of the men of the Isles," ^ who, doubtless, considered God- frey as their proper Lord. On the death of Ranald, who did not long survive his father, his children, then young, were dispossessed by their uncle Godfrey, who assumed the style of Lord of Uist (which, with Gar- moran, he actually possessed), but never questioned the claims of Donald to the Lordship of the Isles.^ If the opinion of the Islanders w^as, at first, really in favour of Godfrey, the liberality of Donald seems soon to have reconciled them to the rule of the latter; at least, there is no trace, after this time, of any opposi- tion among them to Donald, or his descendants. As 1 Macvurich's MS. 2 Charter by Godfridus de Insula, Dominus de Uist, to the monastery of Inchaffray, in 1388; dated, " apud castrum nostrum de Elantyrim : " Chartulary of Inchaffray. 32 HIS BROTHERS. the claim of " Donald of Harlaw," to the Earldom of E.OSS, in right of his wife, was, after his death, virtually admitted by King James I., and as Donald himself was actually in possession of that Earldom, and acknow- ledged by the vassals in 1411, he may, without impro- priety, be called the first Earl of Hoss of his family. To his brothers of the fall blood, he gave ample terri- tories, as his vassals; and each of them became the founder of a powerful family. The eldest, John Mor, or John the Tanister, as he was called, was the proge- nitor of a numerous tribe, called the Clandonald of the South, or the Clan Ian Mhor of Isla and Kintyre, where their hereditary possessions lay. Alexander, or Allaster Carrach, the youngest of the brothers, was styled Lord of Lochaber ; and from him descended the Macdonalds of Keppoch, or, as they are sometimes styled, the Clanranald of Lochaber. After the death of John, Lord of the Isles, we discover various indica- tions that the intrigues of the English court with the Scottish Islanders had been resumed; and it is not altogether improbable, that it was a suspicion of these treasonable practices which caused the Regent, Robert of Albany, to oppose the pretensions of Donald, Lord of the Isles, to the Earldom of Ross.^ But, although English emissaries were, on various occasions, des- patched, not only to the Lord of the Isles himself, but to his brothers, Godfrey and John — and two of the brothers even appear to have visited the English court — we cannot, at this distance of time, ascertain how far these intrigues were carried. Donald, second Lord of 1 Rymer's Foedera, YIII., 146, 418, 527. Rotuli Scotia, II., 94, 155. ALEXANDER, EARL OF ROSS. S3 the Isles, had issue, by the heiress of Ross, Alexander, cir. A. D. successor, and Angus, afterwards Bishop 1420. ii^Q Isles; and, dying in Isla, he was interred at lona with the usual ceremonies.^ The history of Alexander, third Lord of the Isles, and second Earl of Ross, of his line, is given, with tolerable accuracy, by the writers of the period ; as his high rank, and his relationship to the sovereign, give him a prominent place in the annals of the reign of James 1. The policy of this King was, in every respect, opposed to that of the family of Albany; and, conse- quently, when the Earldom of Ross, which had been procured by Duke Robert for his son, John, Earl of Buchan, fell to the crown, by the death of ' that nobleman,^ King James at once restored it to the heiress of line, the mother of the Lord of the Isles. In the following year, Alexander, Lord of the ^ ^ Isles, and Master of the Earldom of Ross, ' sat upon the jury which condemned to death Murdoch, Duke of Albany, his sons, and the aged Earl of Lennox;^ but he did not long retain the favour which, at this time, he seems to have enjoyed. To understand, however, the position in which the Lord of the Isles was placed when we first find him at variance with the King, it is necessary to turn, for a \Yh\h, to the history of some of the branches of the family of the Isles. ^ Macvurich's MS. ^ John Stewart, Earl of Buchan and Ross, was killed at the battle of Verneuil in France, in 1424. 3 Bower's Continuation of Fordun's Scotichronicon ; Edit, Hearne, IV., p. 1271. The historian styles hira loosely Earl of Ross, in 1425 .; but, from a charter granted by him two years later, we find that his proper style, at this time, was " Magister Comitatus Rossife." — Reg. of Great Seal, XIII., 188. 6 SIOL GOREIE AND CLANEANALD. It has been mentioned that Godfrey, Lord of TJist, on the death of his younger brother, Ranald, asserted successfully his claim to the North Isles and Garmoran, from which he had been unjustly excluded by his father. Both Godfrey and Ranald left male issue, who must naturally have been opposed to each other, like their fathers; but the meagre notices which we possess of the domestic feuds in the Highlands and Isles at this period, do not enable us to trace the progress of these dissensions. We may readily conceive, however, that, where so rich a prize was in dispute, much blood would be shed, and many atrocities committed. The issue of Godfrey, or the Siol Gorrie, as they were called, must, for a time, have acquired a superiority over the Clanranald — so the descendants of Ranald were styled ; at least, under the year 1427, we find mention made, by a contemporary historian, of Alexander MacGorrie of Garmoran, described as a leader of two thousand men.^ But, in addition to the causes of disturbance arising from the rival claims of two families so closely connected with the Lord of the Isles^ there were other circumstances which tended to involve that nobleman in feuds which his disposition led him to settle by the sword, rather than by an appeal to the laws. A certain John Macarthur, of the family of Campbell, and a leader of note in the Highlands, seems to have revived about this time a claim which one of his ancestors had acquired to a portion of Garmoran and the North 1 He is generally called by our historians, "MacRuari," -which sur- name he seems to have assumed from his father's maternal ancestors ; or, which is most probable, "MacRorie," as it is frequently written, may be an error for "MacGorrie." Kugh Macdonald states distinctly in his MS. that Gorrie had a son, Allaster. PARLIAMENT AT INVERNESS. 35 Isles;! and it is not difficult to conjecture what recep- tion such pretensions would meet with from the Lord of the Isles and his warlike vassals. The event, how- ever, that seems to have had most effect in throwing the Highlands and Isles into confusion, was the murder of John, Lord of Isla and Kintyre, uncle to the Lord of the Isles, by an individual called James Campbell. The latter is said to have received a commission from the King to apprehend John of Isla ; but it is added, that he exceeded his powers in putting that chief to death.- When we consider the lawless state in which even the more accessible parts of Scotland were found by King James, owing to the weakness and incapacity of the Regent Murdoch, Duke of Albany, we can easily conceive how the circumstances above alluded to should have raised disturbances in the Highlands and Isles, which it might require all the energy of the King to suppress. Determined to restore order, and to enforce A, D. 1427. the laws, James held a Parliament at Inver- ness, to which the Lord of the Isles, who is described as the principal disturber of the public peace, and the other great Highland chiefs, were summoned. On their arrival at Inverness, they were, to the number of forty, seized by a stratagem of the King, and committed to separate prisons. Some, whose crimes were most noto- rious, were immediately brought to trial, condemned, and executed; and of this number were Alexander 1 Charter by Christina, daughter of Alan (MacRuari) to Arthur, son of Sir Arthur Campbell, knight, early in the fourteenth century, of the lands of Moydert, &c. This charter is quoted for the witnesses' names in a MS. History of the Macnaughtons in the Advocates' Library. 2 Hugh Macdonald's MS. so SEVERITY OF JAMES I. MacGorrie of Garmoran, and John Macarthur. At the same time, James Campbell was hanged for the murder of John of Isla, as if to show the impartiality of the Sovereign. Others, whose guilt w^as not at first so apparent, were detained in prison for some time, and then executed; but the greater number, and among them the Lord of the Isles, were liberated without more severe punishment than was implied in their imprisonment for various periods, according to the mag- nitude of their offences.^ The Lord of the Isles, by his conduct after his liberation, showed that he felt deeply the indignity he had suffered. The death of his mother^ had now made him Earl of Eoss; and soon after his return from prison, he summoned together his vassals, both of Ross and the Isles; wasted ' the Crown lands near Inverness, at the head of a force of ten thousand men; and then burned the town of Inverness to the ground. No sooner had information of this inroad reached the King, than, with his characteristic promptitude, he prepared to vindicate his insulted authority. Leading in person some troops 1 Bower a Hearne, lY., pp. 1283-4. Chronicle of the Earls of Ross, printed in the Miscellanea Scotica. Among the other chiefs mentioned, are, "il/a/j MaJcan,^^ that is, MacMahon or Mathewson of Lochalsh, leader of one thousand men ; and a certain Kcvncth Moire^"^ ■whom I conjecture to have been the chief, for the time, of the Mac- kenzies, although omitted in the MS. histories of that family, probably from his leaving no issue. 2 In 1429, the Countess of Ross, being charged with encouraging her son in his violent proceedings, was arrested and confined at Incli- colm, in the Frith of Forth, where she is said to have remained fourteen months a prisoner. Bower a Hearne, IV., p. 1226. This is hardly reconcilable with a charter, dated 24th October, 1429, in which her son styles himself Earl instead of Master of Ross. Sutherland additional case, cap. v., p. 30. REBELLION AND HUMILIATION OF ROSS. 37 hastily collected, he succeeded, by forced marches, in coming up with the rebels, who were then in Lochaber, at a time when he was least expected. On the appear- ance of the royal banner, the Clanchattan and Clan- chameron, two potent tribes that supported the Earl of Eoss, went over to the King, who, following up his advantage, attacked and routed the rebels, pursuing them so hotly that their leader was glad to sue for peace. James, however, sternly refused to enter into a negotiation with his rebellious subject^ on any other footing than that of an unconditional surrender ; and returned to his capital, after giving strict orders to his officers, that every effort should be made to apprehend the fugitive Earl. The latter, at length, driven to despair by the activity of his pursuers, adopted the resolution of throwing himself on the mercy of his Sovereign. Upon the eve of a solemn festival, this haughty nobleman presented himself before the King, who, and the Queen and Court, were assembled in the church of Holyrood. He was clothed only in his shirt and drawers ; he held his naked sword by the point in his hand, and, with a countenance and manner in which destitution and misery ^vere strongly exhibited, he fell upon his knees, and, surrendering his sword^ implored the royal clemency. His life was spared, but he was committed to close ward in the Castle of Tan- tallon, under the charge of William Earl of Angus.^ A D I - While the Earl of Iloss was still in prison, the Royal forces which, under the Earls of Mar and Caithness, occupied Lochaber, in order to overawe the clans of the west, were surprised and routed by a body of the latter, under a leader named Donald Balloch. This 1 Bower a Ilearne, IV., p. 1286. Chronicle of the Earls of Ross. 58 EEXEWED REBELLION IN THE ISLES. chief was the cousin-german of the Eaii of Eoss ; being the son of that John of Isla who, as formerly men- tioned, was murdered by James Campbell. The news of the battle of Inverlochv, in which the Earl of Caithness, and many of the royal troops, were killed, and the Earl of Mar was severely w^ounded, was re- ceived with great indignation by the King, who imme- diately prepared to punish the aggressors. Having procured from his Parliament a land tax, to defray the expenses of the expedition, he soon made his appear- ance at the Koyal Castle of DunstalTnage, in Lorn, with the avowed intention of proceeding to the Isles, to inflict exemplary punishment on Donald Balloch and his followers. That chief, after ravaging the lands of . the Clanchattan and Clanchameron, had quitted Lochaber, and, on the approach of the King, fled to Ireland.^ The other leaders of the insurgents, dread- ing the determined character of James, came to meet him at Dunstaffnage, eager to make their submission, and to throw the whole blame of the insurrection upon Donald Balloch, whose power, as they affirmed, they had not dared to resist. By their means, a number of the most noted robbers in the West Highlands and Isles were seized and led to immediate execution ; and tlie peace of that part of the country secured ' ' for some time to come, by the activity and determination of the King.^ On the return of James to Edinburgh, a head, said to be that of Donald Bal- loch, was sent to him by Hugh Buy O'Neill, an Irish 1 It may be noticed here that Donald Balloch inherited, through his mother, Margery Bisset, the territory of the Glens in Antrim. 2 Tytler's Scotland, III. 277-9. Buchanan, b. X.. c. 33-36; Chronicle of the Earls of Boss. Hugh Macdonald's MS. EOSS PARDONED AND RESTOEED. 39 chief of Ulster; and it was generally believed at the Scottish Court that the ringleader of the late insurrec- tion was now no more. But, as Donald Balloch certainly survived King James many years, it is obvious that the sending of the head to Edinburgh was a stratagem devised by the crafty Islander, in order to check further pursuit. It is only necessary to mention further, in connection with this brief rebellion, that Alexander of Lochaber, uncle of the Earl of Eoss, seems to have been deprived of his lands for assisting Donald Balloch; and that Ross, as superior of the lands, was compelled by the King to bestow them upon the captain of the Clanchattan, Malcolm. Macintosh. As Ross^ after a captivity of about two years in the Castle of Tantallon, received in this year a free pardon in Parliament for all his crimes,^ it is probable that he w^as not considered in any w^ay answerable for the insurrection of Donald Balloch and its conse- quences. From this time, to the death of James I., he seems to have continued loyal, duly appreciating, as we may suppose, the lenity shown to him by a prince celebrated for the unbending rigour of his government. In the minority of James II., the Earl of Ross held the important office of Justiciar of Scotland, ' north of theForth; ^ an office which he probably obtained from Archibald, Earl of Douglas and Duke of Touraine, Lieutenant-General of the kingdom. In what manner Ross exercised this office is uncertain ; but it was, perhaps, under colour of it that he wreaked 1 Bower a Hearne, lY., p. 1288. 2 Charters in the Ch. Chest of Innes, a.d. 1438; the Ch. Chest of Urquhart of Cromarty, 1439 ; and the Chartulary of Aberdeen, . 1442. 40 ROSS JOINS WITH DOUGLAS AND CRAWFORD. his vengeance on the chief of the CLinchameron, who had deserted him in 1427. The latter, in order to save his life, was now forced to fly to Ireland, where he remained for many years, whilst his forfeited lands were bestowed, by the Earl of Ross, upon John Garve Maclean, founder of the family of Coll.i The Clan- chattan were more fortunate in making their peace with their offended superior, and most unaccountably suc- ceeded in retaining the lands formerly possessed by Alexander of Lochaber, from Angus his son. The Earl of Ross being the most powerful nobleman in the north of Scotland, was necessarily in frequent communi- cation with the Earl of Douglas and the other leading nobles of the realm, and thus became involved in their intrigues. Plis loyalty to the son of James I. yielded to the temptations held out to him; and, in 1445, he entered into a secret and treasonable league with the Earls of Douglas and Crawford.^ The details of this instrument have not been preserved; but there is little doubt that the confederate nobles had agreed, as the first step in their designs, to the dethronement of James II. But, before any overt acts of treason were com- mitted in consf^quence of this conspiracy, the Earl of Ross died at his castle of Dingwall. By A. D 14^9 ^ ' his countess, Elizabeth, daughter of Alex- ander Seton, Lord of Gordon and Huntly, Alexander, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles, had issue, John his successor. He had likewise two other legitimate 1 MS. Histories of tlie families of Lochiel and Coll. Hugh Mac- donald's MS. - 7tli March, 1445, Sir James Balfour's Annals, I. 173. He was buried at the Chanonry of Eoss, 8th May 1449. Chronicle of the Earls of Koss. HIS ISSUE. 41 sons (but whether by the same mother or not is uncer- tain), Celestinc, Lord of Lochalche, and Hugh, Lord of Sleat; of whom, and their descendants, we shall afterwards have occasion to speak, ^ When John, Earl of Ross, succeeded to ' the titles and estates of his family. King James II. was actively employed in weakening the power and usurped authority of William, eighth Earl of Douglas, man}^ of whose adherents, and, particularly, the Livingstons, with which family the young Earl of Hoss was connected by marriage,-^ were seized and executed, for various treasonable acts committed by 1 1 call these sons legitimate, notwithstanding that Celestinc is called "filius natiiralis''^ by Earl Alexander (Ch. in Ch. Chest of Macintosh, 1447), and "frater carnaZw " by Earl John (Reg. of Great Seal, VI., 116, 1463); and that Hugh is likewise called "frater crtrrtafe" by Earl John (Ch. in Westfield Writs, in the possession of Alex. Dunbar, Esq., of Scrabster, 1470). They are, however, both called "frater," without any qualification, by Earl John (E.eg. of Great Seal, VI. 116; XIIl. 186). The history of Celestine and Hugh and their descendants, as given in the present work, sufRciently shows that they were considered legitimate, and that, consequently, the words "naturalis" and "carnalis," taken by themselves, and without the adjunct " bastar(Ii(. commotions in the highlands. [1593. another opportunity of attempting to advance himself to the Earldom. The murder of the Earl of Murray was the cause of serious commotions in many parts of the North Highlands, whilst that of Calder had a similar effect in the west. In the north, the Macintoshes and Grants, who were of Murray's faction, eagerly endeavoured to revenge his death by hostile inroads into various parts of Huntly's estates. Huntly retaliated, by causing the Clanchameron to invade and plunder Badenoch, where the principal part of the Clanchattan's lands lay; and by sending the Clanranald of Lochaber, under Keppoch, their chief, to waste and spoil the lands of Strathspey belonging to the Grants.^ In this way a great portion of the Highlands was thrown into confusion by the instigation of those who should have been the foremost to preserve order. Alexander MacRanald of Keppoch seized the Castle of Inverness for Huntly; but was afterwards forced by Macintosh to evacuate it for want of pro- visions before September, 1593, with the loss of one of his sons, and of an ofiicer named Gothred or Gorrie Dubh, who were taken and hung ; and Macintosh then concluded an agreement with the Magistrates of Inver- ness for holding the town against Huntly.^ He like- wise entered into a league with Argyle in this year ; and Huntly, fearful of losing all the influence which, as Lords of Badenoch, he and his predecessors exercised over the Clanchattan, began now to court the Mac- phersons, and to sow jealousies between them and the ^ Sir K. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 217; MS. History of Camerons ; Latin History of Macintoshes ; MS. History of Gordons, by W. K, p. 183. - Latin History of Macintoshes. ^ Ibid. 1593.] COMMOTIONS IN THE HIGHLANDS. 255 Macintoshes. The Macphersons readily entered into Huntly's views; and, under his protection, became in time powerful enough to disclaim any dependence upon Macintosh as captain and chief of the Clanchattan, and even to dispute, although without success, the right of that chief to the high station which his family had held for centuries. In Argyle, besides the dissensions in the clan Campbell, the assassination of Calder caused a feud between the Stewarts of Appin and the Camp- bells of Calder's house, the effects of which were long felt. Nor was it only on the mainland that the conse- quences of the events we have narrated were perceived. The three island chiefs who had been liberated on security for their performance of certain conditions, and for their future good behaviour, by the efforts of the Barons of Calder and Ardkinlass, felt themselves in a great measure freed by late events from the reponsibility under which they lay. They not only failed to perform the conditions imposed upon them; but, on the contrary, distinguished themselves hy open and avowed dis- obedience to the Government. They were, therefore, summoned to appear before the Privy Council on the 14th day of July, in order to fulfil these conditions; and, in the event of their non-appearance on that day, the pardons granted to them were to be declared null, and immediate steps threatened to be taken for the for- feiture of their lands and goods, and the execution of the hostages given by Angus Macdonald — Maclean never having presented hostages, according to his promise.^ These proceedings of the Privy Council were ratified by the Parliament held in June, 1592, ^ Record of Privy Council, 8th June, 1592. 250 rr.ocEEDiNGS of tpie government. [1593. when the three estates promised to assist his Majesty with their " bodies, counsel, and whole force to make his authority be obeyed by his subjects, and to cause the treasonable and barbarous rebels of the Hielandis and His to be punished and repressed, as they have worthily deserved."^ In pursuance of this engage- ment, there were produced in Parliament, a year after- wards, summonses of treason duly executed against Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg and the Glens, Donald Gorme of Sleat, John Maclan of Ardnamurchan, and others their associates, for certain crimes of treason and lese-majesty committed by .them.- For the present, however, the proceedings against the Earls of Huntly;, Angus, and Erroll^ and the other Catholics who were accused of plotting with Philip of Spain for the resto- ration of the Catholic religion in Scotland, prevented the King from prosecuting his plans for the improve- ment of the Isles with the necessary vigour. In June, 1594, the three Catholic Earls, * along with Sir Patrick Gordon of Auchin- doun, were forfeited by Parliament; and a similar sentence was, at the same time, pronounced against Maclean of Dowart and Macdonald of Dunyveg, who still remained contumacious." Huntly and his asso- ciates having drawn together in arms, and forcibly liberated some Catholics imprisoned by the magistrates of Aberdeen, commission was given by the King to the 1 Acts of Pari, of Scotland, III. 5G1. - Ibid, IV. 4. Johnston's MS. History of Scotland, fo. 620. Birrel's Diary. Moysie's Memoirs, p. 118. Historic of King James the Sext, p. 330. The forfeiture of Macdonald of Sleat is asserted by some writers, whilst others are silent regarding it. 1594.] REBELLION OF HUNTLY AND ERROLL. 257 young Earl of Argyle (now in his eighteenth year), the Earl of Athole, and the Lord Forbes, to march against the rebels, and reduce them to obedience. It may be remarked that both Argyle and Athole had Huntly at feud for the slaughter of the Earl of Murray, for which cause it is probable they were selected on this occasion. Argyle having raised an army of six or seven thousand men, partly among his own vassals, and partly among other clans — particularly the Macleans, Macneills, Mac- gregors, Macintoshes, and Grants — marched into Bade- noch, and laid siege to the Castle of Ruthven, which was gallantly held out for Huntly by the Macphersons. Failing in his endeavours to possess himself of this strength, he then proceeded through the hills towards Strathbogie, with the intention of carrying fire and sword through Huntly's lands in that quarter. On his arrival near Glenlivat, Argyle found that Huntly and ErroU were in the vicinity with fourteen or fifteen hun- dred men.^ This force was principally cavalry ; but there were also Highlanders in Huntly's army, particu- larly of the Clanchameron and Clanranald of Lochaber, and the Macphersons. Trusting to the superiority of his numbers, the Earl of Argyle did not avoid a combat, although advised to do so until joined by Lord Forbes, who was at no great distance with eleven hundred men. But he acted upon the defensive, and took up a strong position, which he thought his opponents would find it impracticable to force. Huntly and ErroU, however,, 1 Argyle himself "had in his company to the number of sax thowsand men, weill provided with muscatis, bowis, arrowis, and twa-handit swordis; of the quhilk nomber there ware fyftene hun- dreth muscateirs and hagbutters." — Historie of King James the Sext, p. 338. 20 258 TKEACHEKY AND DEATH OF LOCHNELL. [1594. were followed by a number of gallant gentlemen, well Mounted and armed, and not to be deterred by the mere strength of a position from attacking even a superior force of comparatively undisciplined High- landers. They were further encouraged to make the attempt by a communication received from Archibald Campbell of Lochnell, commander of one of the divi- sions of Argyle's army. This ambitious baron — whose previous machinations for the destruction of his chief and his own advancement to the Earldom had not yet come to the knowledge of Argyle — thought the present an excellent opportunity of accomplishing his long- cherished views. He therefore sent a private message to Huntly, desiring him to attack the Highlanders, and promising, in the course of the engagement, to aid him with the division under his command. He likewise suggested that some pieces of artillery which accompanied Huntly's army should be fired at Argyle's banner; hoping thus both to get rid of that nobleman by an apparent chance shot, and to discourage the faithful Highlanders, who were many of them unacquainted with the use of artillery.^ The advice of Lochnell was followed ; but the result was unexpected. As Huntly approached to the attack of the position occupied by the Highlanders, the guns were fired with fatal effect at the yellow standard of Argyle. The Earl himself escaped, in a miraculous manner, without hurt, whilst the deadly missiles struck down in their progress his treacherous kinsman Lochnell (who, by an extraordi- nary chance, thus fell a sacrifice to his own villanous stratagem), a brother of the latter, and a gallant war- rior of the Macneills, son of the chief of Barra. 1 Calderwood's MS. Church History, Advocates' Lib., XI. 422. .J 1594.] DEFEAT OF ARGYLE AT GLENLIVAT. 259 During the confusion caused by this incident Huntly commenced the attack, and, after a severe conflict, and sustaining a heavy loss, succeeded in routing Argyle's forces, who, from the strength of their position, and the mountainous nature of the country, which impeded pursuit, escaped with a loss comparatively trifling. The conduct of Lauchlan Maclean of Dowart^ who was one of Argyle's officers in this action, would, if imitated by the other leaders, have converted the defeat into a victory. That chief acted the part of a brave and skilful soldier, keeping his men in their ranks, and employing with good effect all the advantages of his position. It was his division which inflicted the prin- cipal loss on the rebels ; and, at the close of the action, he retired in good order with those under his com- mand.^ It is said that, after the battle, he offered, if Argyle would give him five hundred men in addition to his own clan, to bring the Earl of Huntly prisoner into Argyle's camp. This proposal was rejected; but having come to the ears of Huntly incensed him greatly against Maclean, whose son afterwards, according to tradition, lost a large estate in Lochaber through the animosity of that powerful nobleman.^ The triumph of the Popish Earls for their success at Glenlivat was but of short duration. The King, who was at Dundee when the Earl of Argyle himself brought intelligence of his discomfiture, lost no time in proceed- ing to the disturbed districts with a force sufficient to ^For various accounts of the battle of Glenlivat, and the cir- cumstances connected with it, see Sir R. Gordon's History of Suther- land, p. 226; Anderson's MS. History of Scotland, III., fo. 265; MS. History of Gordons, by W. R.; Moysie's Memoirs, pp. 119, 120; Historic of King James the Sext, p. 338 ; Calderwood, ubi supra. 2 MS. History of Macleans. 260 HUNTLY AND ERROLL BANISHED. [1594. awe the malcontents, who did not venture to appear in the field against the Eoyal banner. The Castles of Strathbogie and Slaines, belonging to Huntly and Erroll, and other fortresses belonging to the insurgents, were demolished ; whilst the barons and gentlemen who followed the banners of these noblemen were forfeited, and their estates divided among the royalists. In order to escape the penalties of treason loudly ' denounced against them by the Presbyterians, who now formed the bulk of the nation, Huntly and Erroll were compelled to fly abroad, whilst Angus lurked as a fugitive in the wilds of Douglasdale.^ Indeed, were it not that James wished to avoid irritating the English Catholics, and thus impeding his ascent to the throne of England on the death of Queen Elizabeth, the Scottish Catholic Earls would, in the excited state of the nation at that time, have been brought to the block. But the King was noways anxious himself to proceed to such extremities. In the meantime, the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Argyle were employed to reduce Huntly 's vassals to obedience; and, in pursuance of his commission, the latter sent deputies to Huntly's lands. These deputies were at the Castle of Auchin- doun in November, 1595, when, among others, Alex- ander MacRanald of Keppoch, an old vassal of the Earl of Huntly in Lochaber, gave his bond of service to the Earl of Argyle, and delivered to the deputies one of his sons as a hostage for his obedience ; in return for which he claimed protection and maintenance from Argyle in all the lands and possessions to which he laid claim. 2 It is probable that similar steps were taken 1 Moysie's Memoirs, p. 120-122. 2 Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, I., p. 200. 1595.] REBELLION IN ULSTER. 261 with Allan Cameron of Locliiel and the other western Highlanders who had assisted Huntly at the battle of Glenlivat. During the brief rebellion we have just noticed, two powerful chiefs in the Isles, Donald Gorme Macdonald of Sleat, and Roderick Macleod of Harris (the well known Ruari Mor of tradition), employed themselves in another direction. They led, each of them, five hundred Hebridean warriors to the shores of Ulster, to assist Red Hugh O'Donnell, the chief of his ancient race, who was at this time in rebellion against the Queen of England. Landing in Lough Foyle, between Kinel Conel and Kinel Owen, and being informed that O'Donnell was then besieging Enniskillen, they sent a messenger to him to notify their arrival, and to announce that, if he did not come to meet them as he had promised, they would instantly return to their own country. On receiving this intelligence, O'Donnell immediately left Enniskillen with a few attendants, in order to welcome his allies, the bulk of his army being left to continue the siege. He met the Islanders accordingly, and entertained them for three days and three nights ; after which, Donald Gorme bade him farewell and returned to the Isles, leaving his brother in command of his clans- men. Macleod of Harris remained in person with his followers.^ Before the Scots had been long in Ireland, we find Hugh, Earl of Tyrone, promising to the Lord Lieutenant to do his best to cause O'Donnell dismiss immediately the Scottish auxiliaries.^ In the following year, however, Tyrone himself was joined with O'Don- ^Life of Red Hugh O'Donnell, written in Irish, by Peregrine O'Clery, and translated by the late Edward O'Reilly, Esq. - Harleain M.S., ; Leland's Ireland, II. 329. 262 ACT OF SCOTTISH PRIVY COUNCIL. [1595. nell ; and, on the application of the English ambassador in Scotland, Macdonald of Sleat and Macdonald of Dunyveg were charged by the Privy Council not to assist the Irish rebels.^ 1 Kecord of Privy Council, 18th June, 1595. 2G3 CHAP. VL FROM THE SUPPRESSION OF THE REBELLION OF THE CATHOLIC EARLS, TO THE DEPARTURE OP KING JAMES VL FOR ENGLAND.— 1595— 1603. The rebellion of the Catholic noblemen * being now suppressed, the King found himself more at leisure to attend to the improvement of the Isles, and the expected increase to the Royal revenue from that portion of his dominions. Early in 1 5 9 6, James A. D. 1596. — i^r^^ remained as a hostage for his father, Angus Macdonald of Duny veg, during the last four years— received a licence to visit his father and his clan, in the hope that he might prevail on the former to make his submission and fulfil the conditions formerly prescribed to him.i That chief, and others of similar rank in the Isles, still delayed to enter into the views of their sovereign and his councillors, although some of them were in treaty with the Lords of Exchequer. In order, therefore, to compel their submission, and avoid further delay in a matter of such importance to the revenue, the King, by the advice both of the Privy Council and of the Estates of Parliament then sitting, 1 Notes from Exchequer Rolls, in Haddington's MS. Collections, Advocates' Library. 264 PROJECTED EXPEDITION TO THE ISLES. [1596. resolved to proceed against the Islanders in person. A proclamation to this effect was accordingly issued in the month of May, by which all Earls, Lords, Barons, and freeholders, worth above three hundred merks of yearly rent, and the whole burgesses of the realm, were summoned to meet his Majesty at Dunbarton, on the first day of August, well armed, and with forty days' provisions, and likewise provided with vessels to carry them to the Isles. Disobedience to this summons was to infer loss of life, lands, and goods.^ The effects of this proclamation were soon evident. Maclean and Macdonald of Sleat immediately repaired to Court, and, upon making their submission, and satisfying the demands of the Exchequer, by agreeing to augment their rents, and to make certain other concessions required of them, were received into favour, and restored against the acts of forfeiture under which they had lain for two years.^ Roderick Macleod of Harris, and Donald (MacAngus) Macranald of Glengarry, made their sub- mission about the same time.^ The Lewis was now held by Torquil Dubh Macleod, whose title was dis- puted by his elder brother, Torquil Connanach. The origin of this dispute has been traced in a former chapter ; and it seems about this time to have broken 1 Record of Privy Council, 22nd May, 1596 ; Acts of Parliament, IV. 97. 2 Record of Privy Council, 15th June, 1596 ; Reg. of Privy Seal, LXIX., f o. 17, 152 ; Original Papers in General Register House, connected with the submission of Donald Gorme. At this time the Lords of Exchequer recognised Donald Gorme as the heir of Hugh of Sleat, his grandfather's great-grandfather. Ibid, and MS. Advocates' Library, M. 6, 15. 3 Balcarras Papers, Advocates' Library, Vol. VI., No. 70; Reg. of Privy Seal, LXVIII., fo. 127. 1596. J OBSTINACY OF THE CLAN IAN VOR. 265 out with renewed violence. As each of the claimants, however, professed his willingness to agree to the terms proposed by the Exchequer- — hoping thus to obtain a recognition of his right as heir of the estate — the Siol Torquil was withdrawn from the list of disobedient clans.^ Of all the great chiefs in the Isles, Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg alone remained contumacious. The displeasure of the King was marked, in the first instance, by his granting to Maclean a lease of the Rinns of Isla, so long disputed between that chief and the Macdonalds.^ At the same time preparations con- tinued to be made for the expedition to the Isles, which, through the submission of most of the other tribes, dwindled down into an expedition against the Clandonald of Kintyre and Isla. As the time for proceeding to the Isles drew near, the King found that it would be more convenient and less dangerous for him to remain at some place near the Highland coasts, until it should be reported by his lieutenant and Commissioner, whether or not his Majesty's presence was necessary. The person chosen to lead the expedition on this occasion was Sir William Stewart of Houston, Knight, Commendator of Pitten- weem, who received, accordingly, in the month of June, a commission of lieutenandry and justiciary, with the fullest powers.^ One of the principal points to which his attention was directed, was to obtain possession of and garrison the principal castles in the West Highlands and Isles ;^ a step the necessity for which seems in most cases to have been obviated by the submission of the chiefs previous to the setting out of the expedition. A 1 Balcarras Papers, ubi supra. 2 Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 237. 3 Record of Privy Council, 30tli June, 1696. * Balcarras Papers, ubi supra. 266 rREPARATIONS AGAINST THAT TRIBE [1596. difficulty ill procuring the necessary funds seems to have delayed the expedition much beyond the day originally fixed. Early in August, we find that the necessary fi)rces foT accompanying the Lieutenant were not yet raised. A proclamation was now issued, which, in consideration of the near approach of harvest, and other weighty causes, allowed those called out by the first proclamation to compound for their personal service in the following manner. Each county might escape the burden of personal service, by sending twenty horsemen and thirty footmen to meet the King at Dunbarton, on the 20th August, or else pay the King £24 for every horseman and £12 for every footman that might be wanting of these numbers. The whole burghs of the realm were allowed to compound, by sending 500 men, one-third armed with muskets, one-third with pikes and corselets, and the remaining third with hackbuts and headpieces ; or by paying £12 for every man of the 500 that should fail to appear. The burghs were like- wise charged to furnish three ships of middling size, well supplied with ammunition. The inhabitants of the shires of Berwick, Roxburgh, and Selkirk, and the burghs in these shires, were specially exempted from this service against the Isles, so that they might attend to the peace of the Borders. The inhabitants of Inver- ness-shire, and the town of Inverness, were licensed to remain at home on this occasion ; but were directed to hold themselves in readiness for similar service in the spring of the following year. Finally, the whole inha- bitants of the sheriffdoms of Tarbert and Bute were peremptorily ordered to give their personal service, and were not permitted to compound either in men or money. 1 Kecord of Privy Council, 2nd August, 1596. 1596.] UNDER A ROYAL LIEUTENANT. 267 Another proclamation authorised the Commendator of Pittenween to levy soldiers for the service in the Isles to the amount of one thousand men, and to appoint officers over them.^ A third proclamation charged the Islesmen to remain quiet at home ; assuring them, not- withstanding false reports to the contrary, that his Majesty did not intend to proceed to extremities against any of them, except such as continued in open and avowed rebellion. They were further assured that such sinister reports of his Majesty's intentions could only proceed from wicked persons, who envied their future " happie estate and felicitie, as the success " (of his Majesty's experiments), "with God's grace, sail evi- dentlie declare, in sic sorte, as, within few yeirs, they sail be able to compare their estate to the maist happie estate that has occurrit in man's memorie."'^ Want of money, however, and a growing dislike, on the part of the people, to these harassing raids, as they were called, to which every slight disturbance in the kingdom made them liable, and of which an unusual number had occurred during the present reign, still fur- ther delayed this long talked of expedition. Towards the end of September, among other measures for rais- ing money, it was proposed to borrow four thousand pounds from the Duke of Lennox. That nobleman was further requested to go in person to the Lennox, and cause two hundred of his vassals to accompany the Lieutenant to Kintyre. The Earl of Argyle likewise was earnestly required to give his concurrence to the Lieutenant, and to send two hundred men to Kintyre, under his kinsman, Campbell of Auchinbreck. A let- 1 Kecord of Privy Council, ord August, 1596. 2 Ibid. 268 FURTHER PREPARATIONS. [1596. ter was also writtea by the King to James Macdonald of Dunluce (son of Sorley Buy Macdonald, and conse- quently cousin of Angus Macdonald, against whom all these preparations were directed), promising him high reward if he gave such assistance to the Lieutenant in this service as should be required of him.i Early in October, Lord Blantyre, High Treasurer, was in the west, superintending the progress made by the Commen- dator of Pittenweem in the preparations for the expedi- tion to Kintyre ; and, from a letter addressed by the , Treasurer to the Secretary of State, it appears that the sum of seven thousand merks was still wanting to ena- ' ble the expedition to sail.^ On the 22nd of October, the Lieutenant was still in Glasgow^, from which, however, he had despatched some of his forces to Kintyre, to ascertain whether Angus Macdonald meant to oppose the Royal troops.^ Li the meantime, James Macdonald had returned to Edinburgh ; and, appearing before the Privy Council, in the name and by the authority of his father, made submission both for his father and himself to the King's will, promising that they would fulfil what- ever conditions should be prescribed to them by his Majesty, to the uttermost of their power. For himself he likewise promised to remain with the King, and on no account to proceed to the Isles without licence.* This submission came too late to prevent the Lieutenant, who had heard a report that the Clandonald were gathering in arms, from proceeding to Kintyre, where he held a court on the first of November. Here Angus Macdonald and his followers came to make their per- ^ Balcarras Papers, No. "^f. ~ Ibid, No, V. 3 Ibid, No. 74. ^ Record of Privy Council, 8th October, 1596. 1596.] SUBMISSION OF THE CLAN IAN VOR. 269 sonal submission to the King's representative. A roll was made of the tenants of Kintyre, of the lands occu- pied by them individually, and of the waste and unoc- cupied lands ; and, on his departure, the Lieutenant took with him hostages from the principal chieftains in the district.! These he presented to the Privy Council, by which all his proceedings were approved.^ It appears, by a letter from James Macdonald of Dunluce to the King, that Angus Macdonald had made to him, before the Lieutenant's arrival in person, great promises if he would aid in expelling the King's troops from Kin- tyre.^ All these offers were, however, refused by the wary Lord of Dunluce; and Angus Macdonald, de- prived of support, was obliged to submit as the other chiefs had done. While Macdonald of Isla thus found his life and fortunes once more at the disposal of the King, his former antagonist, Maclean of Dowart, was nearly losing the advantages he had gained by a more timely submission. Taking advantage of the death of Hector Maclean of Coll, and the minority of Lauchlan, the son and successor of that baron, he had renewed the ancient feud between the families of Dowart and Coll, by seizing, without any just cause, the castle and island of Coll, and the other estates of that family, from which he expelled all their adherents. Lauchlan Mac- lean of Coll having now reached majority, appealed to the Privy Council against this oppression and injustice ^ Original Record of this Court, preserved in General Register House. From this document, it appears that, out of 139 merk lands in North Kintyre, 36j were waste ; and out of 205 merk lands in South Kintyre, 45 were waste. - Record of Privy Council, 11th November, 1596. 3 Original Letter in Balcarras Papers, dated 26th October, 1596. 270 DISSENSIONS OF THE SIOL TOKQUIL. [1596. on the part of Dowart ; and the result was an order on the latter to deliver up, not only the Castle of Brekach in Coll, but all his own castles and fortalices, to Sir William Stewart, King's Lieutenant of the Isles, or such as he should appoint to receive them, upon twenty-four hours' warning. He was further required to restore to Coll, within thirty days, all the lands of which he had so unjustly deprived him, and to abstain from molesting him or his tenants ; a penalty of ten thousand merks being imposed upon Dowart if he should fail in any of these particulars.! In the North Isles, the Macleods of Lewis were once more involved in those dissensions which eventually ruined this ancient clan. The Isle of Lewis was still held by Torquil Dubh, while the mainland estates of the family remained with Torquil Connanach, whose claim to the whole, however, had been recently acknow- ledged by Government.- The latter had lost both his sons ; and, having married his eldest daughter to Ruari Mackenzie, brother of the Lord of Kintaill, now threw himself entirely into the hands of the Mackenzies, to whom, in the end, he conveyed the barony of Lewis, as far as writings could accomplish this object.^ His competitor, Torquil Dubh, had married a sister of Macleod of Harris, and, strengthened by this alliance, proceeded to ravage the lands of Cogeache and Loch- broom ; and openly announced his intention of keeping by force what he had hitherto possessed. As this young chief was very popular with his clan, and was followed by seven or eight hundred men, he was enabled to set 1 Record of Priv}^ Council, 11th November, 1596. 2 Reg. of Privy Seal, LXVIIL, fo. 298. 3 Sir ^ Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 274. 1597.] MURDER OF TORQUIL DUBH. 271 his rival for some time at defiance in spite of the power of the Mackenzies. At length his enemies, who seem to have been taken by surprise by the vigorous measures of Torquil Dubh, made A. D. 1597. ^ complaint against him to the Privy Council, of which body, unfortunately for him, the Lord of Kintaill was a member. In this complaint the " Usur- per of the Lewis" was represented as having been guilty of barbarous and unheard of cruelty, sparing neither man, woman^ nor child, in his destructive pro- gress, and recklessly slaying all the cattle he could find, so as to lay the lands in question absolutely waste. ^ Being summoned to answer to this charge, Torquil Dubh naturally enough hesitated to trust himself in the power of a court where one of his enemies had so much influence. He was therefore denounced a rebel ; and being soon afterwards treacherously seized, along with several of his followers, in the Lewis, by the Breve or Celtic judge of the island (who acted at the instigation of Mackenzie and Torquil Connanach), they were delivered into the hands of Mackenzie, by whom, without further ceremony, they werebeheaded in the month of July, 1597. Instead of benefiting the conspirators, by smooth- ing the way for the succession of Torquil Connanach to the Lewis, this severity only irritated the remaining adherents of Torquil Dubh, amongst whom the most conspicuous was his bastard brother Neill. As Tor- quil Dubh had left three young sons — whose cause was supported not only by their uncle, Neill, who now took 1 Record of Privy Council, 11th February, 1596-7. Letter, Ken- neth Mackenzie of Kintaill to the King, dated 3rd January, 1596-7 ; copied by Dr. George Mackenzie into his MS. History of the family. 272 ANGUS MACDONALD COMES TO COURT. [1597. the command of the Isle of Lewis, but by the Mac- leans and Macleods of Harris — the final success of the Mackenzies, and of the competitor whose claims they supported, appeared nearly as distant as before.^ At this time, too, the Mackenzies attempted to seize the whole lands of Gerloch, which led to a renewal of the ancient feud between them and the Siol Vic Gillechallum of Rasay and Gerloch. 2 The chief effect of these perpetual dissensions was to hurry the adoption of the crude but well meant plans of the King for the improve- ment of the Highlands and Isles. Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg, whose late submission to the King's Lieutenant has been noticed, came to Edinburgh early in this year to hear the King's will declared 'as to the particular terms on which he was to receive a pardon. Two plans seem to have been sug- gested for curbing the power of this restless chief. One was to deprive him, by his own consent, of all his possessions in Isla, and to confine him and his tribe within Kintyre, making provision at the same time for a Hoyal garrison, or some equivalent check, in the latter district." The other proposal, which was that attempted to be carried into effect, was to deprive him of his lands in Kintyre and of any claim he might have to the Einns of Isla, thus confining him and his clan to the other parts of Isla.^ In order to test his sincerity, Macdonald was required, before anything could be done in his favour — First, To find security for the arrears of his Crown rents, which had been allowed to 1 Sir K. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 270. 2 ibid, p. 277. 3 Balcarras Papers, No. 77. ^ Letter, Mr. John Skene to Secretary Lindsay, 28th April, 1597. — Balcarras Papers. 1597.] INTRIGUES OF MAC DONALD OF DUNLUCE. 273 accumulate to a serious amount; Next, To remove his clan and dependers from Kintyre and the Rinns of Isla; and, Lastl?/, To deliver his Castle of Dunyveg in Isla, before the 20th of May, to the person v^hom the King should send to receive it.^ These preliminary conditions he subscribed and promised to observe, and was thereupon liberated, to give him an opportunity of fulfilling them.^ His son, Sir James Macdonald of Knockrinsay (who had lately received the honour of knighthood), remained at Court, as a sort of hostage for his father; soon after whose departure a claim of an unexpected nature was made by James Macdonald of Dunluce to all the estates formerly held by Angus Macdonald. In the letter which, as we have seen, the Lord of Dunluce addressed to the King at the time of Sir William Stewart's expedition to Kintyre, after magnifying his own services, and indulging in much of that fulsome flattery to the monarch which charac- terised this reign, he hinted at his own claims as heir to the lands of Kintyre and Isla, held by his cousin Angus, on the ground, as he alleged, of the illegitimacy of the latter (supra, p. 269). Having received from the King answers of a favourable tenor, Dunluce readily accepted an invitation to visit the Court of Scotland; and he and his train, on their arrival at Edinburgh, were received with great distinction. Dunluce himself is described by several Scottish writers of the period as a man of handsome appearance and dignified manners; and, although ignorant of the Lowland tongue, he speedily became a great favourite at the Scottish Court. While ^ Balcarras Papers, VI., No. 77. - Letter to Secretary Lindsay above quoted. Haddington's Col- lections. 21 274 OFFERS OF MACLEAN AND MACDONALD [1597. in Edinburgh, his claim to the estates of Kintyre and Isla was formally brought before the Privy Council; but as it was founded on an erroneous allegation — namely, the bastardy of Angus Macdonald — it was speedily dismissed by the advisers of the Crown. At the very moment when Dunluce's claim was read in council, the Earl of Argyle^ who professed to espouse the cause of Angus Macdonald, happened to enter the council chamber and take his seat; and it was remarked that Dunluce made no sign of respect to that powerful nobleman. To make up in some measure for his dis- appointment, he received from the King the honour of knighthood, as an eques aiirattis, by the style of Sir James Macdonald of Dunluce, together with a grant of thirty merk lands in Kintyre; and on his departure from Edinburgh, he was saluted with a volley from the Castle guns.^ Towards the end of this year, Maclean of Dowart and Macdonald of Isla, having patched up a hollow truce, made preparations for proceeding together, with a force of two or three thousand of their vassals, into Ulster, under pretence of assisting the Queen of England against Hugh Earl of Tyrone, whose rebellion at this time presented a formidable appearance. The Irish Privy Council viewed this union between two chiefs of such power, whose enmity had so lately borne the most implacable character, as proceeding either from the intrigues of the Earl of Huntly, who, as a Catholic, bore no good will to Queen Elizabeth, or from a plot ^ Said Letter to Secretary Lindsay. Reg. of Privy Seal, LXIX., fo. 101. BirreFs Diary, ad tempus. MS. History of Scotland, (Anon.), Advocates' Library. Anderson's MS. History of Scotland, III., fo. 282. 1597.] TO SERVE AGAINST TYRONE. 275 laid by Tyrone himself, who, they conceived, calculated on the Islanders as his friends from the moment they should arrive in Ulster.^ When we consider, however, the position in which Macdonald now stood at home, and that Danluce, who had so latel}^ attempted a grievous injury, and one not to be forgiven, against him, was one of Tyrone's supporters at this time — while we may feel unable to account for the alliance between Macdonald and Maclean, we can have no difficulty in believing that the former was sincere in his intention of supporting the Queen in this struggle; for his services, if really useful, would not only conduce to forward his interests with King James, at whose mercy he now lay, but w^ould also give him a title, on the suppression of Tyrone's rebellion, and the expected forfeiture of his adherents, to claim restoration to those Irish estates formerly wrested from him by his uncle, Sorley Buy, the flither of Sir James Macdonald of Dunluce. It is probable that the representations of the English ambassador at the Scottish Court caused the projected expedition of the Islanders to be given up; for we do not find, from the writers on Irish history, that the warriors whose arrival the Privy Council of Ireland seemed to expect with so much alarm, ever quitted their native shores. In the Parliament held at Edinburgh in December, 1597, an act was passed of a most important nature, in reference to the Highlands and Isles; and the effects of it were soon apparent. The preamble of this act bears, that the inhabitants of the Highlands and Isles had not only neglected to pay the yearly rents, and to perform the services due from their lands to the Crown, 1 Summary Report of the State of Ireland, 5tli November, 1597. Cotton MS., Titus, B. XIII. 276 IMPORTANT ACT OF PARLIAMENT. [1597. but that they had likewise, through their " barbarous inhumanity," made the Highlands and Isles, naturally so valuable from the fertility of the soil and the rich- ness of the fisheries, altogether unprofitable either to themselves or to their fellow-countrymen. The natives of these districts are further described as neither culti- vating any ''civil or honest society" among themselves, nor admitting others to traffic with them in safety. It was, therefore, by this act, made imperative upon all landlords, chieftains, leaders of clans, principal house- holders, heritors, and others possessing^ or pretending right to, any lands in the Highlands and Isles, to pro- duce their various title-deeds before the Lords of Ex- chequer upon the 15th day of May, 1598. They w^ere further enjoined, at the same time, to find security for the regular payment of their rents to the Crown, and for the peaceable and orderly behaviour of themselves and of those for whom, by the law, they were bound to answer, particularly in regard to those individuals desirous of trading in the Highlands and Isles. The penal part of this act, however, was the most important. Disobedience to any of the injunctions above detailed was made, by a very harsh exercise of the highest powers of Parliament, to infer absolute forfeiture of all the titles, real or pretended, which any of the recusants might possess to lands in the Highlands and Isles.^ Taking into consideration both the loss of title-deeds — which, in the unsettled state cf the country, must have been a very common occurrence — and the difficulty which many even of the most powerful chiefs could not fail to experience in finding the requisite bail for their peaceable and orderly behaviour, as well as that of 1 Acts of Parliament, IV. 138 ; Collect, de Rebus Albanicis, I. 158. 1597.] HEAL CAUSES O^^ THIS ACT. 277 their vassals and tenants — it is evident that this act was prepared with a view to place at the disposal of the Crown^ in a summary manner, many large tracts of land; affording thus an immediate opportunity to the King to commence his favourite plans for the improvement of the Highlands and Isles. It is not much to the credit of James that the State papers relating to these projects show clearly that they sprung, as has been already hinted at, not from the higher motives which have made some monarchs the bene- factors of mankind, but from the necessity of replen- ishing an exchequer which had been drained chiefly by his private extravagance, and by his excessive liber- ality to unworthy favourites. Another act of Parlia- ment for the erection of three Royal burghs — one of them in Kintyre, the second in Lochaber, and the third in the Lewis — received, at this time, the sanction of the legislature.^ The state of the country for many years did not permit this design to be carried into full effect; but the suggestions now made seem eventually to have led to the erection of Campbellton, Fortwilliam, and Stornoway, the first only of which was made a Eoyal burgh. In order to secure good advice to the King, in regard to the establishment of these burghs and his other projected improvements, a council of ten was appointed, whose special attention was to be directed to the affairs of the Highlands and Isles, and without the advice of five of whom nothing could be done therein. The chief of these counsellors were, Mr. John Lindsay of Balcarras, Secretary of State, and Sir William Stewart, Commendator of Pittenweem.^ Some mem- ^ Acts of Parliament, IV. 139 ; Collect, de Rebus Albanicis, I. 159. - Eecord of Privy Council, 4th May, 1598. 278 ESTATES FORFEITED IX CONSEQUENCE. [1598. bers of this council came soon to have a deep personal interest in the improvement of the Isles; but their united exertions failed, after a great loss both of men and means, to produce any permanent advantage. The first mentioned of these acts was not A. D. 1598. g^^^gj,^^ remain a dead letter. The record of the proceedings in Exchequer, on the 15th of May, 1598, has not come down to us; so that it is by no means easy to ascertain how many chiefs or proprietors failed to appear. This much is certain, that the Isles of Lewis and Harris, and the lands of Dunvegan and Glenelg, were declared to be at the King's disposal. The three last estates belonged to Huari Macleod of Harris by unexceptionable titles; but it is probable that he in- curred the penalties of the act, from thinking it unneces- sary to appear. The abilities of this chief enabled him, although with, much difficulty, and after the lapse of many years, to w^ard off the effects of this summary pro- cess of forfeiture. The Macleods of Lewis w^ere less fortunate. Their island, the largest of the Hebrides, and the district of Trouterness in Sky, in w^iich Mac- donald of Sleat had but lately been received as King's tenant, were granted to a company of Lowland adven- turers — the object of whose association was to coloniso and improve their acquisitions in the Hebrides accord- ing to the plans suggested by the King. The principal adventurers were — the Duke of Lennox; Patrick, Com- mendator of Lindores; William, Commendator of Pit- tenweem ; Sir James Anstruther, younger, of that Ilk ; Sir James Sandilands of Slamanno; James Leirmontli of Balcolmy; James Spens of Wormestoun; John Fer- ret of Fingask; David Home, younger^ of Wedder- burne; and Captain William Murray. By the terms of 1598.] PLAN FOR COLONISING THE LEWIS. 279 a contract between these individuals and the Govern- ment, ratified by Parliament, they were, in consideration of the great expenses to be incurred by them, and the improvements which they were expected to make, freed from any payment of rent for seven years. At the end of this time, an annual grain-rent of one hundred and forty chalders of bear, for the lands and Isles of Lewis, Rona-Lewis, and Ilanshand, was to commence; whilst, for the lands of Trouterness, they were to pay yearly a money rent of four hundred merks, being tw^enty merks more than the rent stipulated to be paid by Macdonald of Sleat when he procured a lease of Trouterness in 1596/ About the same time the lands of Harris, Dun- vegan, and Glenelg, were granted to the same parties;^ but as the efforts of the Lowlanders were first directed to the colonising of the Lewis, and were ultimately un- successful even in that island, all the other lands seem to have escaped the experiments to which the Lewis was subjected, and, on the final discomfiture of the adven- turers, to have returned to the old proprietors. The proceedings of the Government in this matter, it must be allowed, were too precipitate. Had the Lewis alone been granted to a Lowland company, the dissen- sions of the natives made success very probable; and the only serious opposition to be calculated upon was that which the Lord of Kintaill might be expected to offer. But when grants were likewise made to these 1 Acts of Parliament, IV. 160. The contract was dated 28th June, 1598. 2 Keg. of Privy Seal, LXXIX., fo. 252. Allan Cameron of Lochiel appears also to have incurred forfeiture of his lands at this time, which afterwards gave him much trouble. MS. History of Camerons. 280 ERROR OF THE GOVERNMENT. [1598. Lowlanders of the estates belonging to Macleod of Har- ris, and of a large district occupied, under a very recent lease, by Macdonald of Sleat, a powerful party was at once created in the North Isles, whose interest it clearl}^ was to frustrate and discourage the adventurers by every means in their power. These chiefs could not Ml to perceive that the success of the adventurers in the Lewis would enable the latter to seize, with greater facility, all the other lands to which Parliament had given them a claim. That they should deprecate such an event was perfectly natural; and it will appear, accordingly, that the enterprise of the Lowlanders at length fliiled, owing to the obstacles secretly but perseveringly thrown in their way by the three great northern chiefs, Macleod of Harris, Macdonald of Sleat, and Mackenzie of Kintaill. Mean- time, however, the preparations of the adventurers for their settlement in the Lewis were carried on with great spirit and at no small expense.^ Whilst such measures were in progress for the civili- sation of the North Isles, the state of the South Isles again called loudly for the interference of Government. Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg had been liberated early in 1597, as we have seen, in order to test his sin- cerity, by his performance of certain conditions (supra, p. 273). A considerable time having elapsed without the fulfilment of these conditions, his son. Sir James Macdonald, w^as permitted to go from Court to visit him in Kintyre — it being supposed that the influence of Sir James would insure his fathers obedience. The result of this step did not, however, answer the expectations of those wdio advised it. The reader will 1 Anderson's MS. History of Scotland, III., fo. 295. 1598.] STATE OF THE SOUTH ISLES. 281 remember that, when Sir William Stewart was preparing to invade Kin tyre, in November, 1596, Angus Macdonald had sent his son to make his submission to the King and Council. At that time, under the impression that ' his son might obtain better terms than himself, Angus had made over to the latter all his estates, stipulating only for a proper maintenance for himself and his wife during their lives.^ This, as being the act of a man already deprived by forfeiture of all his former rights, was of course not recognised ty the Privy Council ; and it is probable that Angus soon repented the facility with which he had stripped himself of his possessions, when he found that this act was productive of no direct benefit to himself or his tribe. The transaction, how- ever, was not forgot by Sir James, who, led away by evil advisers, as well as by the natural violence of his temper, and presuming on the favour with which he had been treated at Court, now endeavoured to take the estate into his own hands, and deprive his father of all influence. A quarrel among the Macallasters of Loupe favoured his designs, and seems to have suggested to him the idea of procuring his father's death, as if by accident. The young Laird of Loupe, Gorrie Mac- allaster, who had succeeded to the estate when a minor, had lately, since he was come of age^ a serious dispute with his tutor or guardian, in the course of which he killed the latter. The sons of the tutor took refuge with their chief, Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg; whilst the Laird of Loupe, who eagerly sought their lives, pro- cured the support of Sir James Macdonald on the arrival of the latter in Kintyre. Understanding that the 1 Record of Privy Council, 8th October, 1596. 282 VIOLENCE OF SIR JAMES MACDONALD. [1598. tutor's sons were with Angus Macdonald, at his house of Askomull in Kintyre, Sir James and his associates, to the number of two or three hundred armed men, surrounded the house in the dead of night, and on the refusal of the Macallasters to surrender themselves prisoners, the house was immediately set on fire. Although perfectly aware that his father and mother were in the house, Sir James savagely refused to let the fire be extinguished ; and at length his father, endeavouring to make his escape, was made prisoner, after being severely burnt and suffering many indigni- ties from Sir James' servants. He was then carried to Smerbie in Kintyre, and confined there in irons for several months. The other inmates of the house like- wise fell into the hands of Sir James, and were treated with various degrees of severity; but he does not appear to have caused any of them to be put to death.^ Sir James now took the command of his clan, and neglect- ing his promises to the King, conducted himself with such violence in his new capacity, that in the month of June, 1598, it became necessary to issue a proclamation for another lloyal expedition or raid to Kintyre. The burden of this expedition was placed on the shires of Dunbarton, Bute, and Renfrew; the bailliaries of Carrick and Cunningham, the Lower Ward of Clydesdale, and the burghs of Dunbarton, Glasgow, Ayr, Irvine, Ren- frew, Rothesay, and Paisley. The King was to meet the array of these shires and burghs at Dunbarton on the 20th of August, and to proceed in person at their head to Kintyre.^ Early in August, Sir James Mac- donald had contrived to procure from the King a letter 1 Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, III., p. 5. - Record of Trivy Council, oOth June, 1598. 1598.] COMMISSION TO THE DUKE OF LENNOX. 283 approving of his late proceedings in Kintyre, and parti- cularly of his apprehension of his father;^ but it was not, therefore, thought advisable to give up the expedi- tion to Kintyre. On the contrary, a new proclamation was issued at this time, the chief object of which was to remove the doubts generally entertained as to the King^s intention of going in ^person on this expedition ; and his Majesty even went so far as to name the particular vessel in which he was to sail, and to give directions for its being properly manned' and furnished for the voyage.- When the time came, however, for the departure of the expedition, the doubts of the lieges were justified, by the appointment of the Duke of Lennox as Lieutenant over the Isles. In the Duke's commission it was specially provided that it should not be in his power to show favour to any of the Islanders, unless by the advice of his Majesty, and of the coun- cillors formerly named for the affliirs of the Isles.- This change in his Majesty's intentions seems to have been caused by news received, in the course of the month of August, of a conflict between the Macdonalds and Mac- leans, in which the chief of the latter was slain. Even after all the preparations which were made, and the nomi- nation of the Duke of Lennox to be Lieutenant of the Isles, it is doubtful if the expedition ever left Dunbarton ; and, indeed, the approach of harvest had probably pre- vented a sufficient force from assembling at that town. The immediate cause of the conflict between the Mac- donalds and Macleans was as follows. Sir Lauchlan Maclean of Dowart had succeeded in 1 Criminal Trials, III., p. 9. - Record of Privy Council, 5th and 6th August. • ^ Ibid, 2r)th August. 284 BATTLE OF LOCHGRUINART IN ISLA. [1598. procuring from the King a grant of part of the island of Isla, forfeited by his old rival Angus Macdonald. Taking advantage of the dissensions of the Clandonald, and calculating on the youth and inexperience of his nephew, Sir James, he levied his vassals and proceeded to Isla, in order to expel the Macdonalds, and put himself in possession of his new acquisitions in the island. Sir James Macdonald was not, however, dis- posed to yield to the pretensions of Maclean, and had already collected a number of his clan in Isla to oppose his uncle's proceedings. The mutual friends of both parties, desiring to spare the effusion of blood, laboured to effect a mediation between them. A meeting was accordingly agreed to be held at Lochgruinart, in Isla, to arrange their differences, to which place the rival chiefs repaired, each with a considerable number of their followers, but the Macdonalds were inferior in force. To the pressing entreaties of the mediators, Sir James Macdonald yielded so far as to offer his uncle the half of the island for his life (denying at the same time the validity of the title on which Maclean founded • his pretensions), provided he would agree to hold it, as his predecessors had held the Einns of Isla, for their personal service to the Clandonald. Moreover, Sir James offered to refer their disputes to the decision of any impartial persons Maclean might choose to name ; and, in case of their differing, to the decision of the King. But Maclean, much against the opinion of his friends, who advised him to accept these offers, w^ould hear of nothing but an absolute surrender, on the part of Sir James, of all title or claim to the island. Upon this, both parties resolved to settle the dispute by the sword. They encountered at the head of Lochgruinart, 1598.] DEATH OF LAUCHLAN MOR MACLEAN. 285 and a desperate conflict ensued. Sir James in the beginning of the action caused his vanguard to make a detour, as if they intended a retreat, but really with the object of gaining the top of an eminence near at hand, which Sir Lauchlan was also desirous to possess. By this stratagem Sir James succeeded in gaining the height first, from which he charged the Macleans with great vigour, and, forcing their van back upon their main body, threw the whole into confusion, and finally routed them. Sir Lauchlan Maclean, with fourscore of his kinsmen and two hundred common soldiers, were killed ; and his son, Lauchlan Barrach Maclean, being dangerously wounded, made his escape with difficulty, with the survivors, to their boats. Sir James Macdonald was himself severely wounded, and, for a time, his recovery was doubtful; whilst thirty of his followers were killed and sixty wounded.^ According to the family history of the Macleans, Hector, the son and successor of Sir Lauchlan, obtained a commission of fire and sword, as it was called, against Sir James Macdonald and his tribe. He and his clan then invaded Isla, accompanied by Macleod of Dun vegan, Cameron of Lochiel, Mackinnon and Macneill of Barra, with their followers. They encountered the Macdonalds at a place called Bern Bige, attacked and defeated them, and afterwards ravaged the whole island, in 1 Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 237. The MS. His- tory of the Macleans gives a somewhat different account of this affair, throwing the chief blame upon the Macdonalds. Anderson's History of Scotland and Birrel's Diary agree in the censure of Sir James Macdonald ; but the information of Sir R. Gordon seems to have been more minute, and probably therefore more correct than that of the other authorities. The battle of Lochgruinart was fought on the 6th August, 1598. . 286 COMMISSION TO LENNOX AND IIUNTLY. [1598. revenge for tlie slaughter of the Macleans at Loch- gruinart. As, however, no commission appears in any of the records of the time, it would rather seem that the revenge taken by the Clanlean and their confederates proceeded from their own private councils, and had not the sanction of the Government in any shape/ It is not a little remarkable that, a year after the battle of ' Lochgruinart, we find Sir James Macdonald treating with the King's Comptroller regarding the lands of Isla and Kintyre, and making offers which were approved of by the Privy Council. When along with this, we consider the still more remarkable fact that the indict- ment on which Sir James was condemned to death in the year 1609, makes no allusion to the slaughter of Sir Lauchlan Maclean and his kinsmen, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that Maclean was the aggressor, and that Macdonald was considered by the authorities as having fought in self-defence. A new commission of Lieutenandry over the whole Isles and Highlands of Inverness-shire, was • i:)99. July, 1599, granted to the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Huntly, the latter of whom had lately been restored to favour. A special charge was given to both Lieutenants to assist, by every means, and with all their forces and power, the " gentle- men venturers and enterprisers of the conquest of the Lewis, towards the perfect settling and establishing of that island under their obedience." The preamble of this commission gives a shocking picture of the state of the Islanders at this time, charging them with the grossest impiety and the most atrocious barbarities. ^ This is corroborated by the MS. History of the Camerons. 1599.] OBJECTS OF THIS COMMISSION. 287 One clause, however, points out, although unintention- ally, the offence which appeared most heinous in the eyes of a needy monarch and his grasping courtiers, and leaves some room to suppose that the rest of the pre- amhle may have been exaggerated, to give more colour to the harsh measures now in progress. The words of this clause are — ^^And besides all their other crimes, they rebelliously withhold from his Majesty a great part of the patrimony and proper rent of the Crown, deprive the country of the benefit which might redound thereto, by the trade of fishing, and of other commodities which these bounds render. And now, at last, a great part of them have banded, conspired, and daily practise, by force and policy, in their barbarous and rebellious form, to disappoint his Majesty's service in the Lewis." A council of northern Earls and Barons was appointed by the Commission, by whose advice the Lieutenants were to be guided in the execution of their office. This Commission was plainly intended to assist the Lowland adventurers in their enterprise against the Lewis; and it deserves to be noticed, that it gave express power to the Lieutenants to punish with military execution, not only the avowed opponents of the enterprise, but those who should be found to impede it indirectly. It is uncertain to w^hat extent this Commission was acted upon.^ In the month of August, Sir James Macdonald appeared in presence of the King's Comptroller at Falkland, and made certain offers, embracing, as he affirmed, the most certain method of establishing the Royal authority within, the bounds of Kintyre and Isla. 1 Record of Privy Council, 9th July, 1599. 288 OFFERS OF SIR JAMES MACDONALD. [1599. He ofTered to cause his whole tribe and dependers eva- cuate Kintyre, leaving those lands wholly at the King's disposal ; and he, at the same time, engaged for him- self and his clan, not only to refrain from molesting the new tenants who should be placed in that district, but, on the contrary, to support and defend them to the utmost of his power. He also agreed that the Castle of Dunyveg in Isla should be placed in the hands of a governor and garrison appointed by the King, and that sixty merk lands in its vicinity (from which he offered to remove the present tenants) should be assigned for the maintenance of the garrison. Sir James then required the remaining lands of Isla (estimated to extend to three hundred merk lands) to be granted to him in heritage for the annual feu-duty of £2 for every merk land, or £600 in all, the title-deeds to contain the same clauses as those granted to the Islesmen by James IV. Besides this rent, he offered to pay to his father, where- ever the King should appoint the residence of the latter, a yearly pension of one thousand merks, or about six hundred and seventy pounds. For the performance of all these offers he proposed to give his brother as a hostage, and to support him in a becoming manner as long as he should continue in captivity. These offers being submitted by the Comptroller to the Privy Coun- cil, received the approbation of that tribunal ; and the Comptroller was authorised to treat with Sir James Macdonald for his perform.ance of them in every point, and regarding the heritable grant of the lands of Isla sought by the latter.^ Much obscurity rests upon the causes which prevented this matter from being brought ^ Record of Privy Council, 6tli September, 1599. 1599.] HE IS THWARTED BY ARGYLE. 289 to a satisfactory conclusion. There is reason to believe that the influence of the Earl of Argyle and John Camp- bell of Calder was already, if not earlier, secretly used in thwarting the endeavours of Sir James Macdonald to reconcile himself and his clan to the Government. It is not to be supposed that this chief, unless under the in- fluence of interested advisers, would have abandoned, as he seems very soon to have done, the favourable position in which he was now placed. That Argyle and Calder were deeply interested will afterwards appear ; and the marriage of Sir James Macdonald to Calder's sister, which took place about this time, must have, at first, disposed him to receive with unsuspecting confidence the coun- sels of that crafty baron. It would appear that Argyle took the part of Angus Macdonald, Sir James's flither, in order to embarrass Sir James as much as possible in his arrangements with the Government. Calder, on the other hand, by professing to support his brother-in-law, seems to have urged the young chief to acts of violence which led to his ruin. Certain it is, that, in after life, Sir James blamed Argyle and Calder as the prime movers of all the severities exercised against him and his clan. It was the opinion, too, of one of the con- temporary officers of state for Scotland — a man of much sagacity and experience— that the frequent insurrections in the South Isles which occurred in the first fifteen years of the seventeenth century w^ere encouraged, if not originated, by Argyle and the Campbells for their own purposes.! In the following pages undoubted evidence will be found of such underhand proceedings, Letter, Sir Alexander Hay to Mr. John Murray of Lochmaben, then, in London, dated 21st December, 1615 ; Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library. 22 290 THE LOWLANDEES COLONISE LEWIS, [1599. on the part of the Earl of Argyle, in one of the most prominent of these insurrections. Leaving for a while the affairs of the South Isles, which gradually become more interesting, we proceed to trace the progress of the Lowland adventurers who proposed to colonise the Lewis. Their contract with Government was ratified, as we have seen, by Parliament in June, 1598, and their preparations were commenced without loss of time. It seems probable that they went no further in that year than merely preparing for their expedition ; but, in October of the following year, fortified, in some measure, by the com- mission granted in July to the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Huntly, they actually proceeded to the Lewis with a force of five or six hundred hired soldiers, besides gentlemen volunteers, and artificers of all sorts. The late season of the year at which the adventurers arrived in the island was very injurious to them ; for the cold weather, and want of proper shelter and pro- visions, caused many, soon after their arrival, to die of the flux.^ None of the authorities of the period men- tion why the expedition should not have sailed at least six months earlier than it did ; and we are, therefore, led to conclude that the delay was caused either by actual opposition of a formidable nature being threatened, or by reports circulated by Mackenzie and the other hostile chiefs that such opposition was intended.^ Under all these disadvantages the colonists commenced build- ing in a convenient place, and at length completed what Sir Eobert Gordon calls " a pretty town," where 1 Moysie's Memoirs, p. 165. 2 This is confirmed by a passage in Anderson's MS. History of Scot- land, III., fo. 295. 1600.] JiUT ARE OPPOSED BY THE NATIVES. 291 they encamped. The natives of the island, under Neill and Murdoch, the two surviving bastard sons of Ruari Macleod, the last undisputed Lord of Lewis, made considerable opposition, to which they were probably incited by Mackenzie. Leirmonth of Balcolmy, being on his way from the Lewis to Fife with his own vessel, was intercepted near the Orkneys by Murdoch Macleod, who is said to have received his instructions from the Lord of Kintaill. Many of his crew were slain, and he himself was detained a prisoner in the Lewis for six months, after which he was liberated by his captor on promise of a ransom. This, however, the unfortunate Laird of Balcolmy never lived to pay, having died in the Orkneys on his way home of disease brought on by the harsh treatment he had suffered in his captivity. About this time, luckily for the adventurers, Neill Macleod quarrelled with his brother, who had not only a principal share in the exe- cution of Torquil Dubh Macleod a few years before, but continued to support the treacherous Breve and his kin, the Clan Vic Gilvore, as they were called, by whom Torquil Dubh had been apprehended and delivered to Mackenzie. In following up this dispute, Neill appre- hended his brother and several of the Breve's kindred^ and immediately put all his prisoners, his brother excepted, to death. The adventurers, hearing of this, offered to Neill Macleod that, if he would deliver his brother up to them, as one of the chief obstructors of their enterprise, they would both give to himself a por- tion of the island, and assist him further to revenge the death of Torquil Dubh. The Islander accepted these terms, delivered up his brother Murdoch to the colonists, and went with them to Edinburgh, taking along with 292 PREPARATIONS FOR A THIRD [IGOO him the heads, ten or twelve in number, of those of the Clan Vic Gilvore, whom he had lately put to death. On this occasion Neill received a pardon for his offences; and the colonists returned to the Lewis, their prospects much improved b}^ their alliance with the most powerful man in the island. In the meantime, Murdoch Macleod was executed at St. Andrews; and, in conse- quence of some confessions made by him, and of com- plaints by the adventurers, the Lord of Kintaill was apprehended, and committed prisoner to Edinburgh Castle. This artful chief, however, contrived to escape without a trial by the help of his friend the Lord Chancellor ; nor did the risk he had run cause him at all to relax in his endeavours to frustrate the colonisa- tion of the Lewis, as we shall presently have occasion to see.i The commission of lieutenandry lately granted to the Duke of Lennox and the Earl, now Marquis, of Huntly over the North Highlands and Isles, had failed to pro- duce any effect, owing, no doubt, to the difficulty of bringing a feudal army from the rest of Scotland together in the harvest months. It is evident, too, that the Lowland militia were becoming impatient of the fre- quent calls upon them to suppress petty insurrections in the Isles. These difficulties suggested to the King, for the third time, the project of going in person to the Isles, as experience had shown that this was the best w^ay to overcome the growing dislike, on the part of the people, to so oppressive a feature of the feudal system. The fighting men of a great part of Scotland were 1 Sir E. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 270-1. Moysie's Memoirs, p. 165. Dr. George Mackenzie's History of the Mackenzies. Letterf earn MS. 1601.] ROYAL EXPEDITION TO THE ISLES. 298 accordingly summoned, by proclamation, dated the 2nd of April, to meet his Majesty, part of them at Dunbar- ton, on the 10th of July, and the remainder at Kintyre, two days later. The boatmen of the Clyde and adja- cent coasts were ordered to have their vessels ready by that time, to convey the army, with its Royal leader, to the scene of operations. ^ In the course of two months, however, it was found out that the burghs already ordered to send their quotas to the expedition, could not furnish a sufficient number of ships or men io insure Ms Majesty'' s safety^ and a new proclamation was issued affecting all the burghs of the realm. ' Even this last summons failed either to bring together a suf- ficient force, or to overcome the natural timidity of the monarch; for a third proclamation, in the month of July, announced the total abandonment of the intended expe- dition, on the alleged ground of the inability of the lieges, from poverty, to equip themselves properly for the service.^ The ridicule attending this renewed exhi- bition of his pusillanimity seems effectually to have deterred James from again proposing an expedition "in proper person " to the Isles. ^ ^ ^ The next year witnessed another abortive attempt to reduce the Isles and adjacent Highlands to obedience by means of commissions of lieutenandry. The Lieutenants named were Lennox and Huntly. The commissions now granted to these noblemen differed materially from those they had re- ceived in 1599; for, besides that the South or Argyle- shire Isles were included and placed under the immediate charge of Lennox, w^hilst the North Isles (excepting 1 Record of Privy Council, 2iid April, 1600. 2 Ibid, 6th June, 1600. ^ i^^^^^ 14^^ Jdy, 16OO. 294 COMMISSIONS TO LENIS'OX AND HUNTLY. [1601. the Lewis) were committed to the guardianship of Huntly, it was provided that the Lieutenants should try what their own private power and resources could effect in the first instance. Should it then become necessary to call out more than their own vassals, they were required, in doing so, to take the advice of the same counsellors nominated in their former commissions. The Lieutenants were also enjoined, as before, to assist the colonists, so that the latter might be the better able to pay their rent to the King, which would (jreatly augment his Majesty's rents. The powers given to the Lieutenants were very ample, enabling them to summon, and, in case of resistance, to take by force all such castles and fortalices as they should consider necessary to the suc- cess of their proceedings ; and to pursue the rebellious Islesmen, and the Highlanders of the mainland who should take nart with them, with fire and sword. Par- dons were, at the same time, promised for all slaughters that might happen to be committed by them or their followers in carrying their commissions into effect. To encourage these powerful noblemen to enter with energy on the duties imposed upon them, it was declared that, if they accomplished the pacification of the Isles, taking proper security for the payment of his Majesty's rents, they should be deemed worthy of a great reward. And if all this were effected by their own power and resources, without any military service or other burden upon the country at large, an immediate recompense was promised to them.^ Notwithstanding the induce- ments held out, there appears no trace of any active steps taken by Lennox or Huntly towards the subjec- tion of the rebellious Islesmen. ^ Ivecord of Privy Council, IGtli June, 1601. IGOl.] FEUD IN SKY. 295 The attention of the Government was at this time occupied, apart from the civilisation of the Lewis and Kintyre and the general measures proposed for the improvement of the Isles, by a sudden quarrel, followed by much bloodshed and various desolating inroads, between the two great chiefs in the Isle of Sky, Donald Gorme Macdonald of Sleat, and Kuari Macleod of Dunvegan. Donald Gorme had married Macleod's sister ; but, owing to some jealousy, or other cause of displeasure conceived against her, he repudiated that lady. Macleod, being informed of this, was highly offended, and sent a message to Donald Gorme^ desir- ing him to take back his wife. This the latter refused; and, on the contrary, set about procuring a legal divorce, in which he succeeded, and immediately afterwards mar- ried a sister of Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintaill. Mac- leod, in the first transports of his resentment at this indignity, assembled his clan and carried fire and sword through Macdonald's district of Trouterness, in Sky. The Clandonald, in revenge, invaded Harris, which island they laid waste in a similar manner, killing many of the inhabitants, and carrying off the cattle. This retaliation roused the Macleods to make a foray upon Macdonald's estate of North Uist; and, accordingly, they sailed from Sky towards that Island ; and, on arriv- ing there, the chief sent his kinsm.an, Donald Glas Macleod, vvith forty men, to lay waste the island^ and to bring off from the church of Kiltrynad the cattle and effects of the country people, which, on the alarm being given, had been placed there for safety. In the execu- tion of these orders Donald Glas was encountered by a celebrated warrior of the Clandonald, nearly related to their chief, called Donald Maclan Vic James, who 296 MACDONALDS AND MACLEODS. [1601. had only twelve men with him. The Macdonalds behaved with so much gallantry on this occasion, that they routed their opponents, and rescued the cattle, Donald Glas and many of his men being killed. The chief of Dunvegan, seeing the ill success of this detach- ment, and suspecting that a larger force was at hand, returned home, meditating future vengeance. These spoliations and incursions were carried on with so much inveteracy, that both clans were brought to the brink of ruin; and many of the natives of the districts thus devas- tated were forced to sustain themselves by killing and eating their horses, dogs, and cats. At length, in the year 1601, while Ruari Macleod was absent, seeking assistance from the Earl of Argyle against his enemies, the Macdonalds invaded Macleod's lands in Sky in considerable numbers, wishing to force on a battle. The Macleods, under Alexander, the brother of their chief, took post on the shoulder of Benquhillin (a very high and rugged mountain or ridge of hills in Sky), and did not decline the contest. After a fierce and obstinate combat, in which both parties fought with great bravery, the Macleods were over- thrown. Their leader, with thirty of their choicest warriors, fell into the hands of the victors ; and two of the chief's immediate relations, and many others, were slain. ^ The Privy Council now interfered to prevent further mischief. The Marquis of Huntly, and the Earl of Argyle, and all others, were prohibited from giving assistance to either of the contending parties ; whilst the chiefs themselves were ordered to disband their forces and to quit the island in the meantime. Mac- leod was enjoined to give himself up to the Earl of 1 Sir 11. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 244. IGOl.] THE COLONISTS OF THE LEWIS. 297 Argyle, and Macdonald to surrender himself to Huntly; and both were strictly charged, under the penalty of treason, to remain with these noblemen till the contro- versy between them should be settled by the King and Council.! A reconciliation was at length effected between these chiefs, by the mediation of Angus Mac- donald of Isla, Maclean of Coll, and other friends; after which, the prisoners taken at the battle of Ben- quhillin were released, and ever after these clans re- frained from open hostility, and submitted their disputes to the decision of the law.^ There is great reason to believe that this reconciliation was hastened by their dread of the progress of the colonists of the Lewis, after the latter had strengthened themselves by their alliance wdth Neill Macleod, the bastard. The settlement of the Lewis now met with a severe and unexpected check. The leaders of the adventurers who returned to the island with Neill Macleod, after procuring his pardon, and delivering up his brother Murdoch to justice, were the Commendator of Pitten- Aveem, the lairds of Wormestoun, Fingask, Balcolmy, and Airdrie. Their situation at this time was so promising, that they were induced to limit the exemption from rent, which by their contract was to last for seven years, to two years from the commencement of their undertak- ing." Soon after their return, however, some injury done by Spens of Wormestoun to Neill Macleod em- broiled them once more with the latter. Wormestoun laid a plot to entrap Macleod, but that leader having 1 Record of Trivy Council, 29th June, lltli and 22nd August, 1601. " Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 245. 3 Record of Trivy Council, 26th March, 1607. 298 THE COLONISTS OF THE LEWIS EXPELLED. [1601. a similar design against Wormestoun, was upon his guard, and as soon as a party sent to apprehend him were at a sufficient distance from their camp, he at- tacked and routed them, with the loss of sixty of their number.i Mackenzie of Kintaill, who, since the agree- ment made between Neill Macleod and the colonists, had almost despaired of frustrating the enterprise, was no sooner informed of this quarrel than he hastened to profit by it. He had detained in captivity, for several years, Tormod, the younger brother of Torquil Dubh, and only surviving legitimate son of old Ruari Macleod of the Lewis. Although ordered by the Privy Council, in April, 1600, to produce his prisoner before them, he had evaded compliance, and still detained Tormod Macleod in custody without a warrant. Suddenly changing his plan, on hearing of the quarrel between Neill and the adventurers, Mackenzie restored this young man to liberty, and sent him into the Lewis, promising him, secretly, great assistance if he would attack the settlers in concert with his uncle. On his arrival in the island, Tormod was received with open arms by Neill Macleod and all the old followers of the family of Lewis, by whom he was at once acknowledged as their lord and master. Encouraged by the support he received from his clan and the other natives of Lewis, and guided by the advice and experience of Neill Macleod, who had so long been their leader, the young chief attacked the camp of the adventurers, forced it, burned the fort, killed many of their men, and at length forced the principal gentlemen to capitulate wdth him on the following conditions: — First^ They were 1 Sir II. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 271 ; Letterfearn MS. IGOL] TERMS OF THEin CAPITULATION. 299 to obtain from the King a remission to the Macleods for all their bypast offences; Secondly, They promised ne.ver to return to the Lewis, and agreed to give up their title to that island to Tormod Macleod; Lastly, For the per- formance of these conditions they were obliged to leave Sir James Spens, and his son-in-law, Thomas Mony- penny of Kinkell, as hostages. i In order to obtain the ^ ^ ^ liberation of the hostages, who wwe detained * for eight months by the Islanders, a remis- sion w^as readily granted,'- and it is probable that the adventurers pretended to surrender their legal rights by a formal deed ; but when their object was attained by the release of these gentlemen, no further attention w^as paid to the capitulation. Notwithstanding their promise never to return, they seem only to have waited till their hostages were out of danger before taking- immediate steps for a reconquest of the island and its restless inhabitants. Accordingly, in the month of July proclamation w^as made, summoning the fighting men in most of the northern counties to meet a Royal lieu- tenant, probably the Marquis of Huntly, at Inverness, on the 20th of September, then to proceed against the rebels of the Lewis." On the approach of harvest, however, this proclamation was recalled, and " the raid of the Lewis was delayed till the spring of the follow- ing year."^ The feud between the Mackenzies and the Clan- ranald of Glengarry, regarding their lands in V/ester 1 Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 272; Dr. George Mackenzie's MS. History of the Mackenzies ; Letterfearn MS. - Dr. George Mackenzie's MS. Record of Privy Council, 17th July, 1602. 4 Ibid, 15th September, 1G02. 300 RENEWAL OF THE FEUD BETWEEN [1602. Eoss, was now renewed with great violence. On this occasion Glengarry appears to have been the aggressor ; a position in which he was placed, partly by the craft of his opponents, partly by his own ignorance of the laws. The result was, that the Lord of Kintaill procured a commission of fire and sword against Glengarry and his men, by virtue of which he invaded the district of North Morar, belonging to Glengarry, which he devas- tated in the cruel manner then practised, and carried off all the cattle.^ The Macdonalds did not fail to reta- liate by predatory excursions, in one of which they plun- dered the district of Applecross, which had always before been considered as a sanctuary. On another occasion, a large body of Macdonalds had landed on the coast of Lochalsh, vowing to burn and destroy all Mackenzie's lands as far as Easter Ross ; but their leader, Allaster MacGorrie, in whom they had great confidence, having separated himself with but few attendants from his main body, was surprised by sooie of Mackenzie's followers and killed. This loss so disheartened the Macdonalds that they returned home without performing any action of conse- quence. Meantime, the Lord of Kintaill* went to Mull to visit Maclean, by whose means he hoped to prevent the Macdonalds of Isla from givino- assistance to their relations in the north. In his absence, Angus Mac- donald, the young chief of Glengarry, desirous to revenge the death of his kinsman, MacGorrie, had col- lected all his followers, and proceeding northwards to Lochcarron (in which the Macdonalds now only held the Castle of Strone, with a small garrison), he loaded 1 Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 248 ; Record of Privy Coimcil, 9th September, 1602. 1G02.] GLENGAKRY AND THE MACKENZIES. 301 his boats with the plunder of that district, after burning all the houses within reach, and killing many of the inhabitants. The inhabitants of Kintaill and Loch- alsh having been drawn together in the absence of their chief, and encouraged by the example of his lady, posted themselves at the narrow strait or kyle which separates Sky from the mainland, intending to annoy the Macdonalds as much as possible on their return. Night had fallen before the Macdonalds made their appearance ; and some of Mackenzie's vassals, taking advantage of the darkness, row^ed out in two boats towards a large galley of the enemy, which was then passing the kyle. Being allowed to approach within a very short distance, they suddenly attacked the Macdonalds with a volley of musketry and arrows. The latter, in their alarm crowding to one side of the galley, already heavily laden with their plunder, it overset, and the whole crew w^ere precipitated into the water. Such of them as contrived to reach the ' shore were imanediately despatched by the Kintaill men; and among the slain was the young chief of Glengarry himself, whose boat it was that the Mackenzies had happened to attack. The rest of the Macdonalds, hearing the alarm, and discovering their loss, returned on their own route as far as Strathordell in Sky, where they left their boats; and, proceeding on foot through the island to Sleat, they crossed from that district to Morar. Finding that Mackenzie was not yet returned from Mull, they sent a large party to take post in an island near which he must pass, so that they might have an opportunity of intercepting him, and thus re- venging the death of their young chief This party was only one night in the island when the chief of 302 THE KAID OF KILCHRIST. [1002. Kintaill came past in Maclean's great galley, com- manded by the captain of Carneburg. At this time it was low ebb, and the boats of the Macdonalds were aground; but in order to detain them as long as pos- sible, the captain, suspecting whose vessels they were, pretended that he was going to land on the island. The stratagem took effect; for the Macdonalds, not to deter him from landing, retired from the shore and concealed themselves among the rocks; when suddenly he hoisted his sails, and bore away from the island, and was soon out of reach of pursuit. When Mackenzie came to Kintaill, he observed a number of dead 'bodies lying on the shore, and was soon informed of the suc- cess which his vassals had met with. He then collected his men, and laid siege to the Castle of Strone, which was in a short time surrendered to him, on which he caused it to be blown up, that it might no longer be a stronghold against him and his successors. After this, the Clanranald of Glengarry, under Allan ^' Macranald of Lundie, made an irruption into Brae Ross, and plundered the lands of Kilchrist and other adjacent lands belonging to the Mackenzies. This foray was signalised by the merciless burning of a w^hole congregation in the church of Kilchrist, while Glengarry's piper marched round the building, mocking the cries of the unfortunate inmates with the well-know^n pibroch, which has been known, ever since, under the name of Kilchrist, as the family tune of the Clanranald of Glengarry.^ Some of the Macdonalds chiefly con- cerned in this outrage were afterwards killed by the Mackenzies; but it is somewhat startling to reflect that ^ Letterfearn MS. ; Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 248 ; Reg. of Privy Seal, XCIV. 142. 1C03.] UNION OF THE CROWNS. 303 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. Eventually, the disputes between the chiefs of Glengarry and Kin- taill Avere amicably settled by an arrangement which gave the Eoss-shire lands, so long the subject of dis- pute, entirely to Mackenzie; and the hard terms to which Glengarry was obliged to submit in this private quarrel, seem to have formed the only punishment in- flicted on this clan for the cold-blooded atrocity dis- played in the memorable raid of Kilchrist.^ We now approach the time when King James quitted his native country of Scotland to commence his reign as Sovereign of Great Britain. His attention was latterly so much occupied in preparing for his peaceable acces- sion to the throne of England, that the disorders in every part of the Highlands and Isles were allowed to increase to a serious height. This is evident from the number of complaint^ made to the Privy Council by the Lowlanders adjacent to the Highland line, who suffered severely from predatory bands of Highlanders. The necessity of quieting the districts nearest to the Low- lands must have contributed to withdraw the attention of the Government from the more remote clans. So feeble, however, were the measures pursued for this object, that it was not until the Clangregor, already under the ban of the law, had made an irruption into the Lennox, and, after defeating the Colquhouns and their 1 Sir R. Gordon, ubi supra. The author of the Letterfearn MS. informs us that, in the discussions before the Privy Council, the Mac- kenzies proved Glengarry "to have been a worshipper of the Coan, which image was afterwards brought to Edinburgh and burnt at the Cross." 304 CONSEQUENCES OF THIS EVENT. [1C03. adherents at Glenfrune with great slaughter, had plun- dered and ravaged the whole district, and threatened to burn the town of Dunbarton, that the Government was roused to adequate exertions. This happened in February, 1603, two months before the King set out for London; and, as all the power of the Earl of Argyle and his clan, and of many other Highland chiefs, was required to carry into effect the proscription of the Clan- gregor, it is not surprising that the Islesmen should for some time have enjoyed a respite from Commissions of Lieutenandry, and similar acts of the Royal authority, indicating his Majesty's paternal anxiety for their refor- mation.^ In particular, the expedition announced to proceed against the rebels of the Lewis, in order to put the adventurers again in possession of that island, was, owing to these causes, delayed for upwards of two years. James, however, was no sooner firmly seated on the English throne, than his projects for the improvement of the Isles, and at the same time, of his Scottish Crown rents, again occupied his attention, with a better prospect of success than formerly, from the increased resources now at his command. The progress which he made, after becoming King of Great Britain, in reducing the Isles and adjacent Highlands to peace and obedi- ence, will be detailed in the succeeding chapters. 1 In the Vindication of the Clanranald of Glengarry, App., p. x. there is printed, from the Glengarry Ch. Chest, a warrant, dated 11th May, 1602, to Donald MacAngus of Glengarry, giving him power to press any Scottish vessels in the Isles, to assist him in passing " upon the malefactors and broken men of the Isles, perturbers of the quietness thairof for thair apprehension, &c.," he having previously received a commission for that purpose. The records, so far as the author's information extends, do not allude to this commission to Glengarry ; nor does it appear to have been carried into effect in any shape. 305 CHAP. VIL FROM THE DEPARTUEE OF JAMES VI. FOR ENGLAND TO THE ACQUISITION OF THE ISLE OF LEWIS BY THE LORD OF KINTAILL.— 1603— 1610. The first event of consequence that occurred in the Isles after the departure of the King for England^ was the apprehension and imprisonment of Sir James Macdonald. The proceedings of this restless young chief^ from the year 1599 (when he made certain offers to the King's Comptroller^ which were approved of by the Privy Council) to 1603^ are involved in obscurity. He had before that time liberated his father from the unnatural bondage in which the latter was held; but he seems to have been loath to surrender the power which for some time he had enjoyed in Kintyre and Isla, more particularly as he was popular with his clan on account of his victory over the Macleans at Lochgruinart. Some time in the year 1603, his father having received informa- tion that Sir James meditated another plot against him, caused the latter to be apprehended; and after detaining him some time as a prisoner, delivered him to Campbell of Auchinbreck, who placed him in the hands of the Earl of Argyle. Hitherto, the Government had, from the causes alluded to in the last chapter, 23 30G sill JAMES MACDONALD IMPRISONED. [1604. neglected to interfere in this matter; but after Sir James had been in the private custody of Argyle for several months, the Earl was ordered to exhibit him \ D 6 ^^f^^^ Privy Council. This he did early in 1604, at Perth, when Macdonald was com- mitted prisoner to the Royal Castle of Blackness. From this prison, with the assistance of some of his clansmen, Sir James planned his escape, and would have succeeded but for the disclosure of his intention by some one in the secret, whereupon he was removed to Edinburgh Castle.^ Here we shall leave him for a while. About this time, Hector Maclean of Dowart, who, among other offences, had failed to pay the Crown rents for his possessions, was obliged to give security to the Privy Council that his Castle of Dowart should be delivered up to any person whom the King and Council should authorise to receive it, on twenty days' warning.^ In the following summer Lord Scone A. D. 1605. g-j, David Murray), Comptroller of Scotland, was directed to repair to KintjTe to receive the obedience of the principal men of the clans in the South Isles, with surety for the payment of his Majesty's rents and duties. Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg, Hector Maclean of Dowart, and all the principal chiefs and gentlemen in the Isles, south of the point of Ardna- murchan — together w ith Cameron of Lochiel, Mac- ranald of Keppoch, Macian of Ardnamurchan, Macian 1 Deposition of Sir James Macdonald, lotli Jan., 1608, and in- dictment against him, 13th May, 1609, in Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, III., pp. 10, 7. Eental Books of Earldom of Argyle, and High Treasurer's Accounts, ad tempus. 2 Record of Privy Council (old abstract in library of Skene, the original Record for the period being lost), 26th August, 1604. 1605.] COMMISSION TO LORD SCOXE. 307 of Glenco, Stewart of Appin, Macdonald of Largie, and Macallaster of Loupe on the mainland — were sum- moned to appear personally before Lord Scone at Loch- kilkerran (now Campbellton), in Kintyre, on the 20th day of Julyp to give their obedience, to find sureties for the payment of his Majesty's rents, and to bring with them and exhibit the title-deeds to all lands claimed by them in the Highlands and Isles. If any of them should fail to obey the proclamation, their title-deeds were at once to be declared null and void, and power was given to the Comptroller to pursue them with fire and sword as rebels to the King. That this might not be considered merely as an empty threat, the fighting men of the western shires and burghs were summoned to attend at Lochkilkerran, well armed, and with forty days' pro- visions, to support the authority of the Comptroller. Kobert Hepburn, Lieutenant of the King's Guard, was sent to the Isles to receive from their respective owners the Castles of Dunyveg in Isla, and Dowart in Mull ; and in order to prevent the escape of the Islanders, the inhabitants of Kintyre and the West Isles were ordered, by proclamation, to deliver all their boats to this officer, being at the same time prohibited from using boats without his special licence.^ The Council sat at Glasgow while these acts were passed ; but the increasing unwillingness of the Low- landers to be burdened with such expeditions operated on this, as on former occasions, to retard, if not to frus- trate the plans of the Government. Angus Macdonald met the Comptroller in Glasgow, and presented to him certain offers (now lost) to be forwarded to the King ; ^ Record of Privy Council (Skene Abstract), June, 1605. Had- dington's Collections. SOS SCONE HOLDS A COUr.T IN KINTYRE. [1G05. but nothing more was accomplished at this time.^ A new commission, with most ample powers, was given to Lord Scone early in August, to enable him to carry his former commission into effect.- It was not, how- ever, till the month of September that this nobleman reached Kintyre, when he held a court similar to that held in the same place by the Commendator of Pitten- weem in 1596. This court, after all these preparations, was only attended by Angus Macdonald and his relations and vassals in Kintyre, particularly the Macallasters, Macneills, Mackays, and Maceacherns ; nor does it appear that Lord Scone was able either to compel the attendance of the more distant chiefs or to punish them for their contumacy. He made a roll of the King's lands in Kintyre, and of the occupiers of such of the lands as were not waste ; and it is worthy of remark, that, in the nine years which had elapsed since a like roll was made by the Commendator of Pit- tenweem, the waste lands had considerably increased.^ He succeeded also in procuring from Angus Macdonald payment of all the arrears of rent due by that chief, both for his lands in Kintyre and in Isla; and, on his departure, he took with him as a hostage for the future obedience of Angus, Archibald Macdonald of Gigha, a natural son of the latter, who was confined in the Castle of Dunbarton.^ 1 Offers and Letter of Angus Macdonald in 1606, which mention the former offers alluded to in the text. — See Pitcabn's Criminal Trials, III. 365-6. - Eecord of Privy Council (Skene Abstract), 8th August, 1605. ^ Out of one hundred and fifty-one and a half merk lands in North Kintyre, sixty-two were now waste ; and out of two hundred and three merk lands in South Kintyre, fifty-one were waste. — See supra, p. 269. * Original Eecord of Lord Scone's proceedings preserved in 1605.] PROGRESS OF THE LEWIS COLONISTS. 309 In the summer of this year, the Lewis adventurers, armed with commissions of fire and sword and other high powers, and assisted hy some of his Majesty's ships, made another, attempt to possess themselves of that island, from which they had been excluded by Tormod Macleod and his followers since the year 1601. The chiefs of the North Isles were ordered to deliver up their castles to such heralds or officers as should be sent to receive them, that they might be garrisoned in his Majesty's name; and in the event of their refusal, warrant was given to the colonists to besiege and take the castles by force. All proprietors of galleys and other vessels in the North Isles and adjacent mainland, w^ere ordered to deliver them up at Lochbroom to the adventurers, who were empowered to seize the boats of such as should disobey. Lastly, the other Highlanders and Islanders were strictly forbidden to hold communi- cation of any kind with the rebels of the Lewis.^ Having in virtue of their commission summoned together a considerable force from the neighbouring districts, the adventurers landed in the Lewis, and im- mediately sent a message to Tormod Macleod, offering, if he would submit to them, to convey him to London, where they would not only obtain his pardon from the King, but suffer him, through his friends, to sue for his Majesty's favour, and for some means of subsistence. Much against the advice of his brother Neill, Tormod declined to risk a battle against the colonists and their forces, and yielded to the terms proposed. His brother, however, with those who adhered to him, still held out. Gen. Keg. House. Letter, Privy Council to the King, 16th March, 1607 ; Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library. 1 Record of Privy Council (Skene Abstract), July, 1G05. 310 IXTPJGUES OF THE EAP.L OF ARGYLE. [1C06. According to their promise the adventurers sent Mac- leod to London, where, after a time, he made such progress in convincing his Majesty of the injustice of the grant to the Lowlanders of what was properly the inheritance of his nephews, that the colonists began to take alarm lest he should procure its recall. They there- fore used all their influence against him; and some of them being members of the Royal household, they pre- vailed so far that he was sent dovv'n to Edinburgh and imprisoned in the castle, v;here he lay for ten years. Meantime the colonists settled in the Lewis for a time, but were continually annoyed by the attacks of Neiil Macleod and those who supported him.^ In July, 160 6, the Privy Council appointed a committee of its members to meet Lord Scone and hear the offers made through him by the Southern Islanders for their obedience, and for the more sure payment of his Majesty's rents."' The result of this conference seems to have been unfavourable to the Islanders; for we find that Angus Macdonald could neither obtain from the Council any answers to his repeated petitions, nor w^as he permitted to go to Court to lay his case before the King."' It was undoubtedly the influ- ence of the Earl of Argyle that guided the Council in slighting these offers, and in the measures afterwards pursued with regard to the South Isles, as it had now been, for some time, his principal aim to procure for himself the King's lands of Kintyre. Accordingly, having proposed himself as a tenant for these lands, he ^ Sir E. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 274. Letterfearn MS. History of Mackenzies. 2 Record of Privy Council (Skene Abstract), 81st July, 1606. 3 Offers and Letter of Angus Llacdonald, dated 8th Sept., 1606. Criminal Trials, III. 365-6. « IGOO.] HE ACQUIRES KINTYRE AND JURA. oil had various conferences with Lord Scone on the subject. In the month of November matters were so far ar- ranged between these noblemen, that Argyle agreed to take in feu, besides the lands of Kintyre, as many of the King's lands in the Isles as Lord Scone should require him to accept, paying the same yearly rent as was fixed in the reign of King James Y.; and bound himself to let none of these lands to persons of the name of Macdonald or Maclean,, without his Majesty's licence.^ About this time, Sir James Macdonald, being informed of Argyle's proceedings, made an attempt to escape from Edinburgh Castle; but being un- successful, he was put in irons to prevent any future attempt of that kind.-^ Soon afterwards Archibald Mac- donald of Gigha, the hostage for the obedience of Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg, made his escape from Dun- barton,^ an occurrence which was eagerly laid hold of by the enemies of the Clandonald of Kintyre and Isla to increase the general odium against tbit unfortunate tribe. The King having signified his appro- A. D. 1607. ^^^^ agreement between the Comptroller and the Earl of Argyle, a charter was now" granted to the latter of the lands in North and South Kintyre, and in the Isle of Jura, which had formerly belonged to, and were forfeited by, Angus Macdonald;* and thus did ^ Original Conditions required of Argyle, with his Answers, dated in Nov., 1606, and preserved in the Gen. Reg. House. 2 Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, III. 7. ^ Letter, Privy Council to the King, 16th March, 1607; Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library. 4 Eeg. of Privy Seal, LXXVI., fo. 88. The feu-duty, payable chiefly in kind, for this grant was very considerable ; but a large por- tion of it was permanently remitted to Argyle by Parliament in this year, for his services against the Clangregor. — Acts of Par., TV. 379. 312 DISCONTENT OF THE CLAN IAN VOR. [1607. the legal right to the lands of Kintyre pass from a tribe which had held them for many hundred years. The danger which was threatened to the Clandonald by the terms on which the Earl of Argyle had acquired their ancient inheritance, caused the tribe to draw together in arms under their chief, Angus Macdonald, who now began to despair of obtaining any favourable terms from the Government. Information was brought to the Council, in July, 1607, that the Clandonald and their rebellious associates had lately assembled a number of men in galleys, intending to " invade and pursue his Majesty's good subjects by sea and land, wherever they might find an advantage." If such an intention was really announced, the object was evidently to prevent the men of the western Lowland shires from leaving those districts to follow a Royal commissioner to the Isles; and this object was so far attained, that the inhabitants of Galloway and Carrick were ordered to keep themselves in readiness to defend their own shores from the Islanders; and the Earl of Argyle, who was soon after appointed Justiciar and Lieutenant over the South Isles, was only empowered to call out the militia of Argyle and Tarbert to assist him.^ As the sheriff- dom of Tarbert, now merged in that of Argyle, was composed of Kintyre and the South Isles, the effect of this limitation was, that the Earl undertook this service with the assistance of his own vassals and friends on the mainland of Argyle alone, since he could not look for much assistance among the very people whom he was sent to reduce to obedience. As the governor, for the time, of the Castle of Dunyveg disobeyed a mandate 1 Kocord of Privy Council, 31st July and 12th Aug., 1G07. 1G07.] COMMISSION TO HUNTLY. 313 of the Privy Council^ ordering him to deliver that fort- ress to Argyle/ it would appear that that nobleman was not prepared, with such slender means, to attempt a task so formidable as a siege of that place, more parti- cularly as his commission was only to endure for six months. This, therefore,; forms another to be added to the list of abortive attempts at the improvement of the Isles, which characterise so great a portion of the reign of James VL At the same time that the Earl of Argyle received this commission over the South Isles, it was directed by the King that the Marquis of Huntly should be employed to reduce all the North Isles, except Sky and the Lewis ; and, in consequence, there ensued various conferences on the subject between that powerful noble- man and the Scottish Privy Council. The Kings intention was that the Marquis on succeeding in the duty imposed upon him, should receive a grant of the Isles in question, to be held of the Crown in fee farm, for the payment of a certain rent. It was supposed, and justly^ that the service would be followed out with more alacrity on this principle, than if Huntly were employed as a mere officer of the Crown, with no pro- spect of individual advantage. At first, however, the Privy Council could not come to terms with the Mar- quis, but submitted his offers with their remarks to the consideration of his Majesty. In a short time the King's pleasure was signified to the Council, that certain conditions, sent direct from the Court, should be proposed for the Marquis' acceptance. It is scarcely credible that such conditions should have emanated from a King of 1 Reg. of Privy Seal, LXXVIII., fo. 31. 814 THE KIXG AND HUNTLY PROJECT THE [1607. Great Britain in the seventeenth century ; and yet there seems no reason to doubt that, if not originally suggested by James himself, they certainly received his approval. They were as follow: — That the Marquis should under- take the service upon bis own private means alone — that he should conclude it within a year, and have no exemption from paying rent but for that space — that he should end the service^ not hj agreement tvith the country feo])le^ hit try exiirioating them — that he should take all the North Isles, except Sky and the Lewis, in feu from the King, as being in his Majesty's hands by forfeiture of the present possession, or other- wise — and that he should pay for these Isles such a rent as should be fixed by the Comptroller of Scotland, according to the principles observed in the rental of the South Isles. The Marquis of Huntly, to his shame be it recorded, accepted nearly all these conditions, under- taking to end the service^ ly extiridation of the har- harous people of the Isles, within a year. He declined, however, to leave the fixing of the rent or feu-duty to the Comptroller, but offered to pay four hundred pounds a-year, of which three hundred were to be for Uist, and the remaining hundred for the other isles specified. This rent the Council refused to accept, as being " a very mean dewtie" for the isles which were to be granted to Huntly, but left this point to the decision of the King as the party chiefly concerned.^ Before, however, this difference was finally settled, and the vassals of Iluntly let loose to massacre the barbarous ^ Record of Privy Council from 2r)th ]\Iarch to SOtli April, 1607. Letter, Huntly to the King, dated 26tli Marcli ; and Letters, the Trivy Council to the King, dated 26th March, 1st Mtiy, and 19th June, 1607; in Denmylne ^IS,, Advocates' Library. 1607.] EXTIRPATION OF THE ISLANDERS. 315 Islesmen, the jealousy entertained by the Presbyterians of any increase to the power of the Marquis, who w^as an adherent of the Church of Home, caused this enter- prise to be abandoned altogether. When Huntly appeared before the Privy Council on the 23rd of June, to hear the final determination of the King regarding the amount of rent to be paid for his grants in the Isles, he was, on a complaint by the more violent of the Presbyterians, ordered by the Council to confine himself within the burgh of Elgin, and a circuit of eighteen miles round it; and while in this durance he was enjoined to hear the sermons of certain Presbyterian divines, that so he might be reclaimed from his errors.^ This acci- dent — for it does not bear the appearance of a scheme concerted to save the Islanders — seems alone to have prevented the reign of James VI. from being stained by a massacre which, for atrocity and the deliberation with which it was planned, would have left that of Glenco far in the shade. But whether the interference of the Presbyterians was accidental or intentional, the Islanders of that day owed nothing to their prince, whose character must for ever bear the stain of having, for the most sordid motives, consigned to destruction thousands of his subjects. About this time the Lewis adventurers, having sus- tained many annoyances from the persevering hostility of Neill Macleod, who seems to have been assisted by Macneill of Barra, the captain of Clanranald, and Macleod of Harris,"' began to weary of their undertaking. ^ Record of Privy Council, 23rd June, 1607. - Record of Privy Council (Skene Abstract), 13th March, 31st July (original), 30th Sept., 1606, and 13th August, 1607. Acts of Parlia- ment, IV. 278-281. 316 INTRIGUES OF KINTAILL. [1607. Of the original partners, many had for some time withdrawn, some had died, others had spent all their property, and of the remainder, some had more impor- tant affairs to call them elsewhere. Thus reduced, and dispirited by the constant attacks made upon them, they forsook the island and returned to their homes. The Lord of Kintaill, who had all along wrought to this end, now began to stir in the matter. By means of his friend the Lord Chancellor, he passed under the great seal a gift of the Lewis to himself, in virtue of the resignation made formerly in his favour by Torquil Connanach Macleod. The surviving adventurers, how- ever, were not so unmindful of their own interests as to suffer this transaction to pass unchallenged. They complained to the King, who was highly incensed at the conduct of Mackenzie, and forced him to resign his right thus surreptitiously obtained. The island being once more, by this step and the consent of the adventurers, at the disposal of his Majesty, he granted it anew to three persons only — viz., James, Lord Bal- merino, Sir George Hay of Netherliff, and Sir James Spens of Wormestoun.^ We shall afterwards have occasion to see the result of an attempt made by these gentlemen to effect the settlement of the Lewis. After Sir James Macdonald had been put in irons, on his unsuccessful attempt to escape from the Castle of Edinburgh, he made many fruitless applications to the Privy Council for his enlargement. To these applications no answer was returned ; nor would the Council even take them into consideration, unless by a special warrant from the King, which they well knew ^ Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 273-4 ; Letterfearn MS. ; History of Mackenzies. 1G07.] SIR JAIilES MACDONALD TRIES TO ESCAPE. 317 Sir James^ in his present situation, had no prospect of obtaining. Failing in making any impression on those at the head of affairs in Scotland, he attempted to open a correspondence with the Duke of Lennox and the King; but his letters were, in all probability, intercepted — at least, no notice was taken of them. ^ In this state of uncertainty^ and anxious to counteract as soon as possible the projects of the Earl of Argyle, Macdonald, in December, 1607, readily joined in a scheme set on foot by the Lord Maxwell, then his fellow prisoner, for escaping from their present durance. The plan was ably conceived and boldly executed. Maxwell made his escape ; but Sir James, having injured his ancle by leaping from the wall while encumbered with his fetters, was retaken near the West Port of Edinburgh, and consigned to his former dungeon. ^ The " treasonable breaking of ward," as this very natural attempt to escape was styled by the Crown lawyers, was represented in such a light to the King, that instructions were imme- diately issued for the trial of the unfortunate chief As a preliminary step, rendered neces- sary by the forms of the Scottish criminal law^. Sir James Macdonald was examined by the Lord Advocate regard- ing the crimes for which he was to be brought to trial. At this examination he justified his imprisonment of his father by producing a letter from the King approving of that act as good service ; but he denied that he had set fire to the house of Askomull. As to the breaking out of Edinburgh Castle, he avowed that he had done so ; 1 The Letters are preserved among the Denmyhie MS., Advocates' Library. 2 Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, in., pp. 7, 11. 3 Record of Privy Council, 11th Jan., 1608. 318 niEPAllATIOXS FOR A NEW [1G08. but denied having hurt with his own hand any of the keepers^ some of whom were severely wounded. i For some reason which does not appear in any of the State papers of the time, the trial of Sir James Macdonald was now postponed until the month of May, 1609. The King, having experienced the inutility of trusting to the Scottish militia alone for the furtherance of his projects in the Isles, now determined to employ, in addition, some regular troops and ships of w^ar from Ireland. In the month of March, 1608, this intention was announced to the lieges in Scotland by a proclama- tion, which (as a sufficient number of troops could not be spared from the Irish garrisons) summoned, to the aid of those intended to be sent, the militia of the shires of Dunbarton, Argyle, Tarbert, Ayr, Renfrew, and Galloway, directing them to meet at Isla, on the first of June, with the forces from Ireland. No lieu- tenant w^as yet named to have the chief authority over the expedition ; but it was contemplated, at this time, that there should be two of these officers — one for the South, another for the North Isles. Another proclama- tion was made at the same time, forbidding the chiefs on the mainland opposite the Isles to harbour or give supplies to any of the Islesmen, under the highest penalties. The Scottish Privy Council seem to have neglected nothing which might tend to facilitate the execution of an enterprise implying so much cost and such lengthened preparations. They granted a commission to Andrew, Lord Stewart of Ochiltree, and Andrew Knox, Bishop of the Isles, to meet and confer with Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg and Hector Maclean of Dowart, and to receive offers from these 1 Criminal Trials, III. 11. 1G08.] EXPEDITION TO THE ISLES. 319 chiefs. A mouth later, this commission was renewed, with the addition of Sir James Hay of Beaulj', Comptroller to the Commissioners, who were required to report the result of their conference on or before the 20th of May. Very minute instructions were given by the Council as to the terms to be demanded from the Islanders by the Commissioners. These terms compre- hended — First.^ Security for his Majesty's rents; Secondly ^ Obedience to the laws by the chiefs and all their fol- lowers; Thirdly J Delivery by the chiefs of all "houses of defence, strongholds, and crannalzs^^ to be placed at the King's disposal; Fourthly^ Renunciation by the chiefs of all jurisdictions which they claimed, heritably or other- wise, and submission to the jurisdiction of sheriffs, bailies, justices, or other officers appointed by the Crown ; Fifthly^ That they should be satisfied with such lands and possessions, and under such conditions as the King might appoint; Sixthly, That their whole birlings, lymphads, and galleys should be destroyed, save those required for carrying to the mainland his Majesty's rents paid in kind, and other necessary purposes ; Seventhly, That they, and such of their kinsmen as could afford it, should put their children to school, under the directions of the Privy Council ; Lastly^ That they should ahstain from using guns, bows, and two-handed swords, and should confine themselves to single-handed swords and targes. A mandate was issued to Angus Macdonald, his son, Angus Gig, and all others, keepers of the Castle of Dunyveg, charging them to surrender that fortress to the officer bearer of the mandate, within twenty-four hours after his arrival. At the same time, a new pro- clamation was made, adding to the militia formerly summoned to meet at Isla on the 1st of June the 820 FURTHER PREPARATIONS. [1C08. array of Edinburgh and the other southern counties, and of Stirling, Fife, Kinross, Perth, Clackmannan, and Forfarshires. This proclamation proceeded on the ground that the service in the Isles would be a great burden on those formerly charged to undertake it ; and that, as the whole country would benefit equally by the success of the enterprise, every county should bear its portion of the burden. This change having rendered delay necessary, the day of meeting at Isla was now postponed from the 1st of June to the 1st of July/ The above proclamations of the Privy Council were, in the month of May, approved of by Parliament ; after an attempt, on the part of the Government, to procure a sum of money from the estates in lieu of their personal service had failed. The Parliament declared they were ready to serve his Majesty according to the proclamation; but refused to tax themselves.^ The preparations for the service in the Isles seemed now to proceed with great vigour. Vessels were ordered to be in readiness to transport the Lowland militia to the Isles ; the enlisting of soldiers for foreign service was forbidden during the continuance of the present service ; and the burghers of the west were ordered to prepare a number of boats, well furnished with biscuit, ale, wine, beer, and other victuals, for the support of the army, to whom these provisions were to be sold at a reasonable rate for ready money. The Bishop of the Isles was sent by the Council to the King to ascertain finally his Majesty's resolutions on certain important points, and particu- larly in regard to a recommendation of the Council, 1 Kecord of Privy Council, from 8th March to 14th April, 1608. 2 Acts of Parliament, lY. 404. 1608.] LORD OCHILTREE NAMED AS LIEUTENANT. 321 that only one lieutenant should be employed against all the Isles. A body of five hundred soldiers was ordered to be levied as a guard to the Lieutenant, and the sum of ten thousand merks was allotted for their monthly pay and transport.^ Upon the return of the Bishop from Court, it appeared that Lord Ochiltree was the person chosen by the King to act as Lieutenant over the Isles, as being a noble- man of whose "^' fidelity, courage, and magnanimity," his Majesty had had sufficient proof. The King wrote very fully in answer to the queries proposed to him, enjoining particularly the appointment of a council to assist Lord Ochiltree, and that the Bishop should be at the head of this body- the other members of which, with one exception, were to be chosen from, among the gentlemen summoned to attend the Lieutenant on the service. The remaining counsellor was to be named by the Comptroller, the better to attend to all matters concerning the augmentation or more sure payment of the King's rents in the Isles." Full power was conferred upon Ochiltree to treat with all or any of the Islanders? and encourage them to obedience, according to certain directions laid down, by which the King's opinion was to be taken in each case. Such castles and strengths in the Isles as the Lieutenant and his council should think fit, were to be garrisoned by him — all the others were to be demolished. Provision was made for a body- guard of thirty men to the Bishop at the public cost, on account of the poverty of his see ; and while the King remitted to the consideration of the Privy Council the most proper course to be taken with regard to Sir 1 Record of Privy Council, 21st May to 9th June, 1608; various Letters among Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library, ad tempus. 24 322 OCHILTREE PROCEEDS TO THE ISLES. [1608. James Macdonald, he gave at the same time strict in- junctions for the safe custody of this restless and daring chiefs The further preparations for this insular expe- dition were not completed till early in the month of August, when Lord Ochiltree, with the Scottish division of the forces, was joined off the island of Isla by some vessels and troops from Ireland under Sir William St. John, and the armament was, at a later period, still further increased by the arrival of an English galley and another vessel, the latter of which carried a batter- ing train with its necessary ammunition. The Castle of Dunyveg, in Isla, was delivered to the Lieutenant by Angus Macdonald without hesitation, along with the Fort of Lochgorme in the same island. The latter was instantly demolished ; but a garrison of twenty-four men was placed in the former. On the 14th of August the armament sailed from Isla, and on the 15th, after a very tempestuous voyage, reached the Castle of Dowart in the Sound of Mull. This fortress having been sum- moned in the regular manner, was surrendered by its proprietor, Hector Maclean of Dowart, to Lord Ochil- tree, by whom it was garrisoned and furnished on the 17th. Ochiltree had previously proclaimed, that as Royal Lieutenant he would hold a court at the Castle of Aros in Mull, to which all the chiefs in the Isles were summoned, and at which he proposed, among other things, to carry into effect in Mull that part of his com- mission relating to the destruction of the lymphads, birlings, and Highland galleys. But in the meantime, having ascertained that this would be attended with great injustice to the Islanders, unless the galleys and other 1 Record of Privy Council, 14th June to 9th July, 1608. 1608.] SUBMISSION OF THE ISLANDERS. 323 vessels on the adjacent coasts of the mainland were likewise destroyed, so as to secure the Isles from moles- tation on the part of their neighbours, he .wrote to the Council for further instructions on this point, requesting also permission to deal with the mainland castles as he should think proper.^ The powers he requested were immediately granted to him, under a reservation which saved from destruction the boats and vessels belonging to "obedient subjects.'^ ^ At Aros the following Isles- men assembled to attend the Lieutenant's court — viz., Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg; Hector Maclean of Dowart^ Lauchlan, his brother; Donald Gorme Mac- donald of Sleat; Donald MacAllan, captain of the Clanranald; Ruari Macleod of Harris; Allaster, his brother; and Neill Macllduy, and Neill MacRuari, two gentlemen in Mull, followers of Maclean of Dowart; who all, if we may believe the report of Lord Ochiltree, placed themselves at his disposal without condition or promise.^ It appears, however, from a contemporary author, that this report cannot altogether be depended on. According to this writer, Ochiltree conferred at length with the Islanders, "giving them fair words, promising to be their friend, and to deal with the King in their favour." Having taken very strict order with Angus Macdonald for his future obedience, he suffered that chief to depart home. But not finding the others so ready to accede to all his proposals, the Lieutenant, by the advice of his chief counsellor, the Bishop of the 1 Letter from Lord Ochiltree to the Privy Council, dated at Dowart, in Mull, 18th August, 1608; Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library. 2 Record of Privy Council, 1st September, 1608. 3 Ibid, 6th October, 1608. 324 OCHILTREE KIDNAPS THE CHIEFS. [1608. Isles, invited them to hear a sermon preached by that prelate on board the King's ship, called the Moon^ and afterwards prevailed upon them to dine with him on board. Ruari Macleod of Harris alone refused to enter the vessel, suspecting some sinister design. When dinner was ended, Ochiltree told the astonished chiefs that they were his prisoners by the King's order, and weighing anchor, he sailed direct to Ayr, whence he shortly proceeded with his prisoners to Edinburgh, and presented them before the Privy Council,^ by whose orders they were placed in the several Castles of Dun- barton, Blackness, and Stirling. In the report of his proceedings which Ochiltree on this occasion gave in to the Privy Council, he assigned the lateness of the season as an excuse for his not having proceeded against Mac- neill of Barra and Macleod of Lewis, intimating at the same time that the former of these chiefs w^as a depender upon Maclean of Dowart, who would answer for his obedience. He stated, likewise, that he had, in com- pliance with a letter from the Comptroller, restored to Maclean the Castles of Dowart and Aros, upon the promise of that chief to surrender them when required ; that he had taken surety for the delivery of the Castle of Mingarry in Ardnamurchan ; and that he had broken and destroyed all the galleys and other vessels he could fmd in those parts of the Isles which he visited.- The imprisonment of so many powerful chiefs at one time afForded to the King a fairer opportunity than he had yet enjoyed of improving the condition of the Isles, in conformity with his long cherished projects ; nor was 1 Chronicle of the Kings of Scotland, printed by the Maitland Club, p. 176 ; Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, I. 113, 111. 2 Record of Privy Council, 5th October, 1G08. 1608.] PLANS FOR IMPROVING THE ISLES. 325 he backward in availing himself of it. The Islanders, also, finding themselves in his power, presented most humble petitions, submitting themselves entirely to his pleasure, making many offers in order to procure their liberation, and taking credit for having come willingly with the Lieutenant to give their obedience before the Privy Council/ A number of Commissioners, selected from the nobility, the prelates, and the officers of state, were appointed to receive the offers of the Islesmen, and to consult and deliberate upon all matters connected with the civilisation of the Isles and the increase of his Majesty's rents. The chief of these Commissioners were, the Archbishop of Glasgow, the Bishop of the Isles, Lord Ochiltree, and Sir James Hay of Kingask, Comptroller; and they entered upon the discharge of their duties under very minute instructions from the King, which expressly provided that, in every case, the result of their deliberations should be submitted for the approval of his Majesty. From these instructions we find that, although James was actively engaged in expel- ling most of the Irish inhabitants from Ulster, and in granting their lands to settlers from England and Scot- land, yet he now hesitated to treat, w^ith like severity, the same Scottish Islanders whom in the preceding year he had actually proposed to extirpate. His chief object now seems to have been to curtail the power of the great proprietors, by procuring from them the voluntary surrender of considerable portions of the estates which they claimed as their inheritance.- In 1 Original Petition of Donald Gorme, Maclean of Do wart, and the captain of Clanranald (MS., Adv. Lib., A. 2, 4, No. 17), dated 10th November, 1608. Eecord of Privy Council, February, 1609. 2 Koyal C'ommission and Instructions for settling the affairs bf 32G DELIBERATIONS AS TO THE ISLES. [1608. this, as in many of his projects, which sounded well in theory, James w^as disappointed; but other suggestions made by him at this time, favoured as they were by circumstances, and followed up with zeal by the Com- missioners, were productive of so much benefit, that from this time we may trace a gradual and permanent improvement of the Isles and adjacent Highlands. In the early part of the year 1609, many communications took place between the Com- missioners for the Isles and the chiefs of the Islanders, as well those who remained in prison as those who were still at large. The offers made by the chiefs were carefully considered by the Commissioners; and the result of the deliberations of the latter was submitted to the King by the Bishop of the Isles, who went to Court as their representative. In case of resistance on the part of any of the Islanders to such measures as might be finally determined on by the Government, the most effectual means were taken to deprive them of shelter or support from the proprietors on the mainland, by bind- ing the latter, under heavy penalties, to oppose the rebels.^ At the same time, in order probably to strike terror into those chiefs who were supposed to meditate resistance, Sir James Macdonald, who had lain so long in prison, was brought to trial, and condemned to death. The crimes charged against him were, first^ his setting fire to the house of AskomuU, and making prisoner of the Isles, dated 6tli December, 1608, and recorded in the Books of Privy Council, 6tli February, 1609. 1 Record of Privy Council, 6th February to 12th May, 1609. On the latter day, Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg, having presented himself before the Privy Council, was committed to ward in the Castle of Blackness. 1609.] TRIAL OF SIR JAMES MACDONALD, 327 his father, which was alleged to he "maist high and manifest treasoun ; " and, secondly^ the treasonable attempts made by him, at different times, to break ward," or escape from prison. In regard to the first charge, he denied the fire-raising, and produced a war- rant from the King approving of his conduct in appre- hending his father. This warrant, however, Sir James afterwards withdrew, and declined to use. He then protested that no evidence taken against him by the Earl of Argyle should be admitted at this trial, on the ground that the Earl had seized his estate, and was his enemy, and the enemy of his clan. Nevertheless, Sir James was convicted, on the evidence of his father and mother, not delivered in court, but transmitted in writing to the Lord Advocate by the Earl of Argyle, himself the supreme criminal judge in Scotland, from whom the Justice Depute who tried the case held his commission. The second charge — that of breaking ward — Macdonald admitted, with the exception of the allegation, that, in his last attempt to escape, he had wounded severely some of his keepers ; but the evidence of the latter clearly established his guilt in this particu- lar. A verdict of guilty was returned, by a jury com- posed of Lowland gentlemen of landed property, through their chancellor or foreman. Lord Ochiltree ; and after an imprisonment of nearly six years. Sir James was sentenced to be beheaded as a traitor, and all his lands and possessions were declared forfeited to the Crown/ He was then conveyed back to his former dungeon in the Castle of Edinburgh, where, instead of suffering the penalty of his treason, he was allowed to 1 Criminal Trials, III., p. 5-10. 328 HE IS CONVICTED BUT NOT EXECUTED. [1G09. linger under sentence of death for six years longer, until, at length, his escape put it out of the power of the Government to bring him to execution. It is not difficult to account for the lenity thus shown towards an individual described in the indictment against him as a monster of barbarity from his ^^outh upwards, and actually convicted of many treasonable crimes. Allu- sion has been made to a warrant or letter from the King, approving of Sir James Macdonald's conduct in regard to the apprehension and imprisonment of his father, Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg (supra, p. 282). That such a warrant existed, there can be no doubt; and that it would not have represented his Majesty in the most favourable point of view, is very probable ; but the precise terms of it are' now unknown. It seems clear, however, that the King and his advisers dreaded the publication of it. Hence, in return for the com- plaisance of the prisoner in withholding from the jury a document of this delicate nature, Macdonald, in all probability, received an assurance that it was not intended to carry into effect the capital part of his sentence. Hopes of an ultimate pardon, too, may have been held out ; and, on the other hand. Sir James must have been well aware, that^ to persist in exposing the King, would necessarily take away the only chance of life yet left to him, by preventing the exercise of the Royal prerogative of mercy. But in whatever manner we may account for the fact, certain it is that Macdonald was not executed according to his sentence, and that he lay in prison until he effected his escape in 1615, when he once more exerted, although for a short time, a powerful influence over the Islanders, as will appear more fully in the course of the present work. 1G09.] PROJECTED SURVEY OF THE ISLES. 329 The Bishop of the Isles, who had, early in the present year, been sent by the Commissioners of the Isles to Court, in order to communicate the result of their deliberations to the King, returned in the end of June, bearing instructions as to the course which, after a review of the whole subject, his Majesty considered the most proper to be followed. This was, that the Bishop of the Isles and the Comptroller should, in the present summer, visit and survey the Isles, being accompanied, both in their voyage thither and in their return, by Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg and Hector Maclean of Dowart, who were to be liberated for this purpose. The other chiefs and gentlemen already in prison were to remain in prison till the return of the Commissioners from their survey ; and to procure the attendance of as many of the remaining chiefs as possible before the Privy Council, the Bishop and Comptroller were to be empowered to give letters of safe conduct to such as would promise to come to Edinburgh. The Commis- sioners for the Isles, however, availed themselves of a discretionary power given to them by the King, in regard to the proposed survey, so as to alter materially the plan suggested by his Majesty. The Bishop of the Isles was deputed to proceed as sole Commissioner on this service ; and all the chiefs and gentlemen now in prison were liberated, on finding security to a large amount, not only for their return to Edinburgh by a certain fixed day, but for their active concurrence, in the meantime, with the Bishop in making the projected survey. Three thousand pounds were allowed to the latter for his expenses ; and in case any of the Islanders should, after the offer of a safe conduct, still refuse to come before the Privy Council, the Bishop was armed 880 IMPORTANT MEETING AT ICOLMKILL. [1G09. with full power to compel their obedience by the assist- ance of the well-disposed chiefs and their followers.^ The Bishop set sail on his mission about the middle of July, and so complete were the arrangements made, that, before the end of that month, almost all the prin- cipal Islesmen met him in the celebrated Island of Icolmkill or lona, and submitted themselves to him, as the Royal representative, in the most unreserved manner.^ Determined to take advantage of this unanimity, the Bishop held a court, in which, with the consent of the assembled chiefs, nine statutes of the utmost importance for the improvement of the Isles were enacted ; and the obedience of the natives to these statutes insured, as far as this could be done, by the bonds and solemn oaths of their superiors. The Statutes of Icolmkill " deserve the particular attention of the lover of Highland history. The first statute proceeded upon the narrative of the gross ignorance and barbarity of the Islanders, alleged to have arisen partly from the small number of their clergy, and partly from the contempt in which this small number of pastors was held. To remedy this state of things, it was agreed that proper obedience should be given to the clergy — (whose number, much diminished by the Eeformation, it was proposed to increase) — that 1 Kecord of Privy Council, June, 1609. ■'■ 2 The chiefs and gentlemen who met the Bishop at this time were — Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg ; Hector Maclean of Dowart ; Donald Gorme of Sleat ; Ruari Macleod of Harris ; Donald MacAllan Vic Ian of Ilanteram (captain of the Clanranald) ; Lauchlan Maclean of Coll ; Lauchlan Mackinnon of that Ilk ; Hector Maclean of Loch- buy; Lauchlan and Allan Macleans, brothers-german to Dowart; GiUespick Macquarrie of Ulva; and Donald Macfie in Colonsay. — Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, I. 119. Record of Privy Council, 27th July, 1610. 1C09.] STATUTES OF ICOLMKILL. 331 their stipends should be regularly paid — that ruinous churches should be rebuilt — that the Sabbaths should ; be solemnly kept ; and that in all respects they should observe the discipline of the Eeformed Kirk, as esta- blished by Act of Parliament. By one of the clauses of this statute marriages contracted for certain years tuere declared illegal ; a proof that the ancient practice of handfasting still prevailed to a certain extent. The second statute ordained the establishment of inns at the most convenient places in the several Isles ; and this not only for the convenience of travellers, but to relieve the tenants and labourers of the ground from the great burden and expense caused to them through the want of houses of public entertainment. The third statute was intended to diminish the number of idle persons, whether masterless vagabonds or belonging to the households of the chiefs and landlords; for experience had shown that the expense of supporting these idlers fell chiefly upon the tenantry in addition to their usual rents. It was therefore enacted that no man should be suffered to reside within the Isles who had not a sufficient revenue of his own ; or who, at least, did not follow some trade by which he might live. With regard to the great households hitherto kept by the chiefs, a limit was put to the number of individuals of which each household was to consist in future, according to the rank and estate of the master ; and it was further provided that each chief should support his household from his own means, not by a tax upon his tenantry. The fourth statute provided that all persons, not natives of the Isles, who should be found sorning, or living at free quarters upon the poor inhabitants (an evil which seems to have reached a great height), should be tried 332 STATUTES OF ICOLMKILL. [1G09. and punished by the Judge Ordinary as thieves and oppressors. The fifth statute proceeded upon the nar- rative that one of the chief causes of the great poverty of the Isles, and of the cruelty and inhuman barbarity practised in their feuds, was their inordinate love of strong wines and aquavite, which they purchased partly from dealers among themselves, partly from merchants belonging to the mainland. Power was, therefore, given to any person whatever to seize, without payment, any wine or aquavite imported for sale by a native merchant ; and if an Islander should buy any of the prohibited articles from a mainland trader, he was to incur the penalty of forty pounds for the first offence; one hundred pounds for the second ; and for the third, the loss of his whole possessions and movable goods. It was, however, declared to be lawful for an individual to brew as much aquavite as his own family might require ; and the barons and wealthy gentlemen were permitted to purchase in the Lowlands the wine and other liquors required for their private consumption. The sixth statute attributed the "ignorance and in- civilitie " of the Islanders to the neglect of good educa- tion among the youth; and to remedy this faulty enacted that every gentleman or yeoman possessed of sixty cattle should send his eldest son, or, if he had no male children, his eldest daughter^ to school in the Lowlands, and maintain his child there till it had learned to speak, read, and write English. The seventh statute forbade the use of any description of fire arms, even for the destruction of game, under the penalties contained in an Act of Parliament passed in the present reign, which had never yet received obedience from the Islanders, ^- owing to their monstrous deadly feuds." The eighth 1609.] EFFECTS OF THESE STATUTES. 333 statute was directed against bards and other idlers of that class. The gentry were forbidden to encourage them ; and the bards themselves were threatened, first with the stocks and then with banishment. The ninth statute contained some necessary enactments for en- forcing obedience to the preceding acts. Such were the statutes of Icolmkill; for the better observance of which, and of the laws of the realm and Acts of Parliament in general, the Bishop took from the assembled chiefs a very strict bond.^ This bond, moreover, contained a sort of confession of faith on the part of the sub- scribers, and an unconditional acknowledgment of his Majesty's supreme authority in all matters both spiritual and temporal, according to his "most lovable act of supremacy." It is a fact which may appear startling to many, but it is not the less evident on that account, that the first traces of that overflowing loyalty to the house of Stewart for which the Highlanders have been so highly lauded, are to be found in that generation of their chiefs whose education was conducted on the high church and state principles of the British Solomon. There is no room to doubt that the chiefs who followed Montrose in the great civil war were actuated by a very different spirit from their fathers • and it is well worthy of notice that this difference was produced in the course of a single generation, by the operation of measures which first began to take effect after the year 1609. In the month of September the Bishop appeared before the Lords Commissioners for the Isles in Edin- burgh, and presented a report of his proceedings ; but, 1 Record of Privy Council, 27th July, 1610. The statutes and bond were dated the 23rd and 24th August, 1609. See also Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, L, p. 115-120. 834^ ACT AS TO THE TRADE IN CATTLE. [1609. as he proposed immediately going to Court to wait upon his Majesty, the Report was returned to him in order to be shown to the King. In the meantime, until his Majesty's pleasure should be signified, the necessary measures were taken by the Lords Commissioners for securing a general attendance of the Islanders before them in the month of February following. This term was afterwards prolonged till the end of June, on the ground that the King had not as yet resolved what course to take for settling the affairs of the Isles. At the time the Bishop of the Isles returned from his survey a complaint was made to the Lords Commissioners by Maclean of Dowart, Macdonald of Isla, and other chiefs, against an oppressive proclamation, by which the inhabit- ants of the mainland of Argyle were prohibited from purchasing cattle, horses, or other goods, within any of the \Y estern Isles. It does not appear by whom this pro- clamation was issued; but as it was calculated to hurt his Majesty's revenue from the Isles, which the tenants could only pay by disposing of their produce to dealers from the mainland, it was immediately annulled by the Lords Commissioners as unlawful, and all the lieges were strictly prohibited from interfering with the trade of the Isles.^ We have seen that about the year 1608 the Isle of Lewis had been granted anew to three persons — Lord Balmerino, Sir George Hay, and Sir James Spens. The trial and conviction of Balmerino for high treason in March, 1609, effectually precluded that nobleman from taking any active share in the enterprise of colonising 1 Record of Privy Council, 28tli September, 1609, to 15th March, 1610. Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, I. 153. 1609.] FAILURE OF THE LEWIS COLONISTS. 335 the island; but Hay and Spens made very extensive preparations for availing themselves of the Eoyal grant. With their own forces, and assisted by many of the neighbouring Highlanders, they invaded the Lewis, not only to set on foot their colony, but to apprehend, if possible, Neill Macleod, who still held out and opposed their designs. Neill was secretly encouraged by Mac- kenzie of Kintaill^ who, however, escaped suspicion by sending his brother (afterwards the Tutor of Kintaill) to aid the colonists. Having shipped some victuals in Ross for the supply of the colonists, Mackenzie secretly procured the vessel to be seized, on her passage to the Lewis, by Neill Macleod; expecting that the adventurers, trusting to these provisions and disappointed, would be forced to abandon the island. This expectation was fulfilled; for Sir George Hay and Sir James Spens being unsuccessful in appre- hending Neill, and lacking victuals for their followers, were forced to quit the island and disband their forces, leaving, however, a small garrison in the fort of Stor- noway, until they should send a supply of men and provisions. The fort was very soon after their departure surprised and burned by Neill Macleod, and the garrison taken prisoners. These he sent home safely to Fife : and thus ended the last attempt made by the Low- landers to colonise the Lewis. Disgusted with their want of success. Sir George Hay and Sir James Spens were easily prevailed on to sell their title to the Lord of Kintaill, who likewise suc- ceeded in obtaining from the King a grant of the share in the island forfeited by Lord Balmerino.^ Having 1 Sir K. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 274 ; Keg. of Privy Seal, LXXIX., fo. 91 ; Letterfearn MS. 336 KINTAILL ACQUIRES THE LEWIS. [IGIO. now at length acquired a legal right to the Lewis, Mackenzie lost no time in asserting his claims. He procured from the Government a commission of fire and sword against the Lewismen ; ^ and, landing in the island with a large force of his clan and followers, speedily reduced the Islanders to obedience, with the exception of Neill Macleod and a few of his followers. As the Siol Torquil never after this succeeded in making head in the Lewis, it may be proper here to notice briefly the fate of such of the leaders of that unfortunate tribe as still survived. Neill Macleod, the bastard, with his nephews, Mal- colm, William, and Ruari (sons of Euari Oig), and about thirty others, retired to an insulated rock, called Berrisay, on the west coast of Lewis, where they main- tained themselves for nearly three 3''ears.^ Being then forced to evacuate this strength by the Mackenzies, Neill retired to Harris, where he remained for a while in secret, but at length surrendered himself to Buari Macleod of Harris, whom he entreated to take him to the King in England. This the chief of Harris under- took to do; but when at Glasgow with his prisoner, preparing to embark for England, he was charged, under pain of treason, to deliver Neill Macleod to the Privy Council at Edinburgh, which he accordingly did ; and, at the same time, gave up NeilFs son, Donald. Neill was brought to trial, convicted, and executed, and 1 Kecord of Privy Council, 19th July, 1610. - While dwelling on this rock, Neill Macleod, hoping to make his peace with the Government, captured a pirate vessel, commanded by a Captain Love, who with his crew was afterwards hanged. — Criminal Trials, III. 100. Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, I. 48, 49. Letter- fearn ISIS. 1610.] EUIN OF THE SIOL TORQUIL. 337 died ^-very christianlie " in April, 1G13. Donald, his son, being banished out of Scotland, went to England and remained there three years, under the protection of Sir Robert Gordon, Tutor of Sutherland. From Eng- land he afterwards went to Holland, where he died. After the death of Neill Macleod, the Tutor of Kintaill apprehended and executed Ruari and William, two of the sons of Ruari Oig Macleod. Malcolm, the third son, was apprehended at the same time, but made his escape, and continued to harass the Mackenzies with frequent incursions, having allied himself to the Clan- donald of Isla and Kintyre, in whose rebellion under Sir James Macdonald, in 1615, Malcolm MacRuari Macleod took a prominent part. On the suppression of this rebellion, he retired to Flanders, whence, in 1616, he made a visit to the Lewis, and there killed two gentlemen of the Clankenzie. He then joined Sir James Macdonald in Spain, and remained there till the return of that chief to Britain in 1620. On this occa- sion, Malcolm Macleod accompanied Sir James; and of his further history we only know that, in 1622 and in 1626, commissions of fire and sword were granted to Lord Kintaill and his clan, against "Malcolm Mac- Ruari Macleod."! Tormod Macleod, the last surviving legitimate son of old Ruari Macleod of the Lewis, was imprisoned, as we have seen, in Edinburgh Castle, in 1605 (supra, p. 310). Here he remained for ten years, when the King gave him liberty to go to Holland, to the service of Maurice, Prince of Orange ; and he died in. that country. His elder brother-german, Torquil Dubh, executed by th^ Mackenzies in 1597 (supra, p. 271), left ^ Record of Privy Council^44th November, 1622 ; 28th N"ovember, 1626. 25 338 RUIN OF THE SI 01. TORQUIL. [1610. issue by his wife, a sister of Ruari Macleod of Harris, three sons, Ruari, AVilliam, and Torquil. The second of these seems to have died soon; and although the others ate mentioned by Sir Robert Gordon as youths of great promise at the time he wrote his account of the Siol Torquil, they appear to have both died Vv^ithout lawful issue to inherit their claims to the Lewis, which has now remained for upwards of two centuries, without challenge, in the possession of the Mackenzies.i The representation of the ancient and powerful family of Macleod of Lewis devolved, on the extinction of the main stem, on Gillechallum Oig Macleod, or MacGille- challum of Rasay, whose father, Gillechallum Garve, is mentioned, in a charter dated 1572, as heir-male of the family of Lewis, failing issue male of the body of Ruari Macleod, then chief of the Siol Torquil/^ 1 Sir K. Gordon's History of Sutherland, pp. 270-6. Criminal Trials, III. 244-7. Kecord of Privy Council, 19th eTuly, 1610, 2nd March, 1613, and 9th February, 1615. I.etterfeara MS. 2 Keg. of Great Seal, Lib. XXXIII., No. 31. This Gillechallum Garve it was, who, when a child, escaped by accident, when many of his family were massacred. — Supra, p. 212. 839 CHAP. VIII. FKOM THE ACQUISITION OF THE LEWIS BY THE LORD OF KIN- TAILL, TO THE SUPPRESSION OF THE GREAT REBELLION OF THE CLANDONALD OF ISLA.— 1610-1615. The King having signified to the Scottish Privy Council his approval of the Bishop's proceedings, and given certain general instructions for the furtherance of the work so well begun, six of the principal Islanders assembled in Edinburgh, on the 28th of June, to hear his Majesty's pleasure declared to them. Maclean of Dowart, Macdonald of Sleat, Macdonald of Dunyveg, Macleod of Harris, the cap- tain of Clanranald, and Mackinnon of Strathordell, were those who now presented themselves before the Council ; and to them was joined Cameron of Lochiel, or (as he is styled in the record) Allan Cameron Mac- landuy of Lochaber. The first step taken by the Government was to compel these chiefs to give sureties to a large amount for their reappearance before the Council in May, 1611. The next, was to cause them to give their solemn promise that they should concur with and assist the Kings Lieutenants, Justices, and Commissioners, in all matters connected with the Isles ; that they should all live together in future in peace, love, and amity ; and that they should follow out any questions that might arise among them according to 340 PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL. [1611. the ordinary course of law and justice. At the same time a particular feud between the captain of Clan- ranald and Lochiel/ Avas composed by these chiefs " heartily embracing one another, and chopping hands together/' in the presence of the Council, and promis- ing to submit their disputes to the decision of the law. A month later, in conformity with his Majesty's instruc- tions, the Bishop of the Isles received a commission for life, as Steward and Justice of all the North and West Isles of Scotland (except Orkney and Shetland), with the homage and service of the King's tenants in these bounds, and all fees and casualties pertaining to the offices conferred upon him. All former commissions of Lieutenandry over the Isles were recalled, and all heritable jurisdictions, real or pretended, which might interfere with the exercise of the Bishop's commission, were suspended. This prelate was likewise made con- stable of the Castle of Dunyveg in Isla, which it was arranged should be delivered over to him, or those having his warrant, on the 10th of August, by the gar- rison which Lord Ochiltree had placed in it two years before.^ The immediate result of all these pro- ceedings was, that, during the year 1611, the West Highlands and Isles were almost entirely free from disorders or rebellions. The struggle between the Mackenzies and Macleods for the Island of Lewis was not yet at an end; but it was evident that the force of the latter clan was now broken, and that Euari Mac- kenzie of Cogeach, the Tutor of Kintaill (on whom, by 1 This feud seems to liave regarded the lands of Knoydert. 2 Record of Privy CounciJ, 8th May to 27th July, 1610; Keg. of Privy Seal, LXXIX., fo. 78. 1612.] TEMPORARY TRANQUILLITY. 341 the death of his elder brother and the minority of his nephew, the command of the Mackenzies had lately devolved), had little difficulty in keeping the island under subjection. The ancient feud between the Mac- leods of Rasay and the Mackenzies of Gerloch, regard- ing the lands of Gerloch, which, in the last year, had displayed itself by mutual incursions, was brought to a sudden close by a skirmish, in which Gillechallum Oig, Laird of Rasay, and Murdoch Mackenzie, a younger son of the Laird of Gerloch, were slain, in the month of August, 1611. From this time the Mackenzies seem to have possessed Gerloch without interruption from the Macleods.^ The Clanchameron and the Clan- ranald of Lochaber, under their respective chiefs, Allan Cameron of Lochiel and Alexander MacRanald of Keppoch, instead of waging war with each other, or with the captain of the Clanchattan, were employed to assist the Earl of Argyle in suppressing a serious insurrection of the Clangregor.^ Several gentlemen of the families of Lochiel and Keppoch refused, how- ever, to engage on this service;^ which, indeed, if carried into effect with good will by the Highland clans employed, would have speedily ended in the utter ruin of the name of Macgregor. The year 1612 was likewise a year of comparative tranquil- 1 Sir K. Gordon's History of Sutherland, pp. 276-278. Letter- fearn MS. 2 Record of Privy Council, and Treasurer's Accounts, ad tempus. MS. History of Camerons, which narrates fully the means employed by Argyle to procure the assistance of Lochiel in this service. 3 Record of Privy Council, 25th February, 1612. Many of the Clanchattan also, particularly the Macphersons, assisted to protect the Clangregor at this time. Ibid., 27th September, 1611. 342 CLAIMS OF AllGYLE TO LOC'JIIEL. [lGl;l lity in the West Highlands; but the following year was marked by several commotions. The most important of these was caused ^* by dissensions among the Camerons, which originated in the following manner. The Earl of Argyle, in examining, about the year 1608, his charter chest, discovered the title-deeds which, in the reign of James Y., Colin, third Earl of Argyle, had acquired to the lands of Lochiel, through Sir John Campbell of Calder, who had purchased the claim which Maclean of Lochbuy possessed to these lands (supra, p. 126). The successors of the third Earl had hitherto allowed this claim to lie dormant, and it had in fact been for- gotten until the evidence of it vras accidentally dis- covered as above-mentioned. The seventh Earl of Argyle, eager to extend the influence of his famil}', more particularly where this could be done at the expense of his rival, the Marquis of Huntly, to whose party the Clanchameron were attached, proceeded at once to avail himself of his recently discovered claim to the superiority of the lands of Lochiel. Having, in order to obviate any difficulties that might arise, pro- cured from Hector Maclean of Lochbuy, for a small sum of money, a surrender of any title that chief might be found to have to the lands in question, Argyle easily succeeded in obtaining a new charter from the King in his own favour.^ He then instituted the usual legal process for removing Allan Cameron of Lochiel and his clan from that part of their possessions, much to the astonishment of Allan, who had never been led to suspect any defect in the title-deeds under which ^ Reg. of Privy Seal, LXXVJI., fo. 6-3. 1613.] HE IS OPPOSED BY HUNTLY. 843 he and his immediate predecessors had occupied the lands. Hastening to Edinburgh to take advice touch- ing this unexpected suit, Lochiel there met with the Earl of Argyle, who prevailed on him to submit the question to the decision of the lawyers of both parties. That decision was in favour of the Earl, from whom by agreement Lochiel then took a charter of the lands in dispute, to be held by him as a vassal of Argyle. The Marquis of Huntly, who was then superior of a great part of Ijocbaber, and from whom Lochiel held Mamore and other lands, w^as highly offended that Argyle should so easily have obtained a footing in that district ; and he endeavoured, by all means, to prevail on Lochiel to violate the agreement he had lately entered into. To this demand, Lochiel would on no account consent; qualifying his refusal, however, by many protestations that, although he now held that por- tion of his estates under the Earl of Argyle, yet that his so doing should not affect his obedience and service to the Marquis of Huntly, but that he should continue as loyal to that nobleman's family as he and his predecessors had formerly been. This answer was far from satisfac- tory to the Marquis, who secretly resolved upon Lochiel's ruin; and as the easiest way to accomplish his object, he sought to renew the dissensions which had, in the minority of the present chief, caused so much bloodshed in the Clanchameron (supra, p. 228). The Gamerons of Erracht, Kinlochiel, and Glennevis, and their sup- porters, were easily induced to embrace an offer of the Marquis to become his immediate vassals in those lands which Lochiel had hitherto held from the family of Huntly. Accordingly, the Marquis' eldest son, the Earl of Enzie, proceeding to Lochaber with a body of 344 DISSENSIONS IN THE CLANCHAMERON. [1613. his vassals, put his adherents among the Clanchameron in possession of the lands of which, by the mere will of the Marquis, Lochiel was now deprived. On the de- parture of the Earl of Enzie, Lochiel appointed a meeting with his hostile kinsmen, at which he pretended that he was perfectly aware that they had been com- pelled by force to enter into the Marquis' plans; and he therefore requested them to restore the lands to him, when be doubted not he would be able to satisfy the Marquis. At first they made a verbal promise to agree to Lochiel's demands; but when he desired them to subscribe a writing to that effect, they declined, and pressed him to go with them to the Marquis, with whom they engaged to reconcile him; after which they were to restore his lands. "Lochiel," says our authority, "like ane auld subtile fox, perceiving their drift, and being as careful to preserve his head as they were to twine (separate) him from it,'' promised to take the matter into consideration, and parted from his refrac- tory clansmen on apparently good terms. He then made another journey to Edinburgh, to consult with his legal advisers as to the most proper course he should pursue to recover his lands again. While in that town he received intelligence that his enemies in the clan had appointed a meeting, to resolve by what means they might have his life, and so secure themselves in their new possessions. Upon this he hastened to Lochaber, sending private notice to such as still adhered to him, to meet him at a certain place, on the day appointed for the assembling of the opposite faction, and within a short distance of the spot selected for the meeting of the latter. The chief supporters of Lochiel on this occasion seem to have been the Camerons of Callart, 1G13.] LOCHIEL CHASTISES HIS OPPONENTS. 345 Strone, and Letterfinlay. Placing the most of his followers in ambush, Lochiel approached the rendezvous of his opponents with six attendants only, and sent to demand a conference with a like number of the other party. His enemies seeing Lochiel with so small a force, and thinking he had only just arrived in the country, and had had no time to collect his adherents, thought this a favourable opportunity for getting rid of him, and accordingly made towards their chief and his attendants^ resolving to take the lives of the whole party. The wary Lochiel retreated, so as to lead his pursuers past the wood w^here the ambush lay, and then, on a given signal, they w^ere attacked both in front and rear, and routed, with the loss of twenty of their prin- cipal men killed (of whom AUaster Cameron of Glen- nevis was one), and eight taken prisoners. The rest were suffered to escape ; and Lochiel then replaced himself in possession of the disputed lands, teaching, as our authority quaintly observes, "ane lessone to the rest of his kin that are alyve, in what forme they shall carrye themselves to their chief hereafter." ^ On the news of this proceeding — which even the historian of the family allows was more necessary than justifiable — reaching the Privy Council, Lochiel and his followers were proclaimed rebels, a price was set upon the heads of the leaders, and a commission of fire and sword was given to the Marquis of Huntly and the Gordons ^ Original State Paper in Gen. Eeg. House, titled James Primrois' Information anent the His and Hielandis, Sept., 1613." (Primrose was then Clerk to the Privy Council.) Record of Privy- Council, December, 1613 ; July, 1617. Reg. of Privy Seal, LXXXIL, fo. 285. 846 FEUD IN THE ISLE OF JUERA. [1613. for their pursuit and apprehension.^ The Clancham- eron, or at least that division of it which had followed Lochiel in the late quarrel, continued for several years in a state of outlawry ; but through the influence of the Earl of Argyle, it seems to have suffered less than the Clangregor in circumstances nearly similar.^ The next commotion, in point of importance, which occurred in the west in this year, proceeded from a dispute among the Macneills of Barra. Ruari Mac- neill, the chief of that clan, had several sons by a lady of the family of Maclean, with whom, according to an ancient practice not then altogether disused in the Isles, he had handfasted^ instead of marrying her. Having afterwards married a sister of the captain of the Clan- ranald, his nearest neighbour, his sons by that lad}^ were generally considered as his only legitimate sons, to the exclusion of the senior family. The latter, how- ever maintained their prior claims, until forced, by the influence of the captain of the Clanranald, to 3deld to their younger brothers. The eldest son of the senior family having been concerned in an act of piracy com- mitted on a ship of Bourdeaux, was apprehended by Clanranald in the Isle of Barra and conveyed to Edin- burgh, where he died before being brought to trial. In revenge of this, his brothers-german, assisted by Maclean of Dowart, seized Neill Macneill, the eldest son of the junior family, and nephew of Clanranald, and sent him to Edinburgh to be tried as an actor in the piracy of the Bourdeaux ship above mentioned. Of this, however, ^ Record of Trivy Council, December, 1613 ; and Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library, ad tempus. - MS. History of the Camerons. IGIS.] STATE OF THE SOUTH ISLES. 347 he was found innocent, and liberated through the influ- ence of his uncle. Meantime, the surviving sons of the first family, thinking that their father was too partial to their brothers, seized the old chief and placed him in irons. Being charged, by the usual legal process, to exhibit their father before the Privy Council, theyrefused, where- upon, being proclaimed rebels, commission was given to the captain of Clanranald against them. They are described as great "lymraars," who never professed his Majesty's obedience, which induced the Council the more readily to arm Clanranald (who, indeed, was the only chief who could conveniently undertake the service) with this commission.^ Clanranald seems to have used the powers committed to him in such a way as to secure the peace- able succession of his nephew to the estate of Barra on the death of the old chief, which happened soon after.^ The South Isles still continued tranquil. Angus Macdonald of Dunyveg, the old chief of Isla, was now dead, and a lease of that island, or the greater part of it, had been granted to Sir Banald Macdonald (after- wards first Earl of Antrim), son of the well-known Sorley Buy^ and brother of Sir James Macdonald of Dunluce. It is worthy of remark, that Sir Eanald, hav- ing endeavoured to introduce various Irish laws and customs among his tenants in Isla, met with such oppo- sition from the natives, on the ground of these laws being ^' foreign and strange," that he was at length ^ " James Primrois' Information anent the His and Hielanclig, September, 1G18," above quoted. Record of Privy Council, 27th July, 1610, 6th December, 1611, 14th January, 1G13. Gen. Reg. of llornings. Vol. LIIL, 15th July, 1629. - Gen. Reg. of Deeds, Vol. CCCCXXVII., 1st June, 1630. Reg. of Privy Seal, LXXXI., fo. 233. Charter in Ch. Chest of Barra, dated 16th May, 1622. 348 STATE OF THE SOUTH ISLES. [1613. compelled, by an order of the Privy Council, to forego all such projects/ The difference existing at this period between the Irish customs and those of the Hebrides, while the language of the people was almost identical, must have arisen from the greater progress made by the feudal system in the Highlands and Isles than in Ireland. Some months later. Sir Ranald MacSorley (as he was generally styled) was in treaty with the Scottish Privy Council,- probably for an heri- table grant of Isla ; but the renewal of the disorders in that island, which we shall speedily have to narrate, cut short this negotiation. Donald Gorme of Sleat, Ruari (now Sir Ruari) Macleod of Harris, Hector Maclean of Dowart, and Donald MacAllan, captain of the Clanranald, are mentioned as having settled with the Exchequer in this year, and as continuing in their obedience to the laws.^ It was feared, however, that a contemplated grant, by the King, to Sir James Campbell of Lawers, of the lands of Morvern, claimed by the Macleans, would force that clan into rebellion. But, in that event, provision was made that Lawers and his chief, the Earl of Argyle, should reduce the Macleans to obedience at their own charge, or else that the lands should be given up, to be again at the disposal of his Majesty.* This transac- tion appears never to have been completed. 1 " James Primrois' Information/' above quoted. Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, I., p. 160. 2 Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library, 8th June, 1613. 3 James Primrois' Information." Record of Privy Council, January to July, 1613. ^ Orig. jNlemorial concerning the Highlands, in the handwriting of Sir Thomas Hamilton, preserved in the General Register House, and 4ated 13th April, 1613. 1614.] DUNYVEG SEIZED BY THE MACDONALDS. 349 In the spring of the year 1614^ the Castle of A. D. 1614. jQ^^y^gg — ^iiich, for upwards of three years, had been held by a small garrison placed in it by the Bishop of the Isles, and which, from over security, w^as carelessly guarded — was surprised and taken by a bastard son of the late Angus Macdonald, named Ranald Oig, and three or four of his associates. The report of this event being carried to Angus Oig, the younger brother of Sir James Macdonald of Isla, who was then living within six miles of the castle, he immediately sent round the fiery cross to collect the country people to assist him to recover the castle for the King. He then gave it in charge to his kinsman, Coll MacGillespick, commonly called Coll Keitache^ or Left-handed, to besiege Eanald Oig, who, with his party, evacuated the castle and escaped by sea, after a siege of six days, when the place was immediately occupied by Coll Macgille- spick.^ Ranald was afterwards apprehended in Isla by Angus Oig ; and when pressed to say who had advised him to the enterprise of taking the castle from the Bishop's garrison, told a very improbable story, by which he endeavoured to lay the blame upon one Donald Gorme, a bastard son of Sir James Macdonald. But it was observed that he destroyed a letter which he had previously kept concealed in his sleeve, and which, although he declared it to be of no importance^ he yet at the same time admitted was a letter not to he seen. For some time the castle remained in the hands of Angus Oig, who professed his readiness to restore it to the Bishop on receiving a remission for any offences 1 Information given to the Privy Council by Sir James Macdonald, 29th April, 1614, compared with the declarations of Angus Oig and others ; Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library. o.'SO DUNYVEG HELD AGAINST THE BISHOr. [1614-. committed by him and his supporters. It was said that at this time he actually offered the castle to the former garrison, who refused to receive it.^ Sir James Macdonald of Isla now presented a petition to the Privy Council, showing the distress and misery he had endured for many years past, and desir- ing to be liberated, and to be allowed to reside in any place the King might appoint, until an opportunity should occur of employing him in his Majesty's service. He offered surety for his appearance before the Council whenever summoned, and for his not going to Kintyre or Isla without licence. As Sir James was still under sentence of death, never having received a pardon, the Privy Council, declined interfering, until they had ascertained his Majesty's pleasure.'' Before an answer could have been received from Court, circumstances occurred which must have influenced many of the Privy Counsellors in Sir James' favour. Information was received from the Bishop of the Isles, who had gone to Isla to procure the surrender of Dunyveg from the Clandonald, that Angus Oig not only refused to deliver up the castle, but had provided it for a siege. Suspi- cion was thus excited that both Angus and his brother. Sir James, were privy to the original design of surpris- ing the castle. All the papers of the latter were seized suddenly by a warrant from the Council, and Sir James himself placed in strict confinement ; but on examining these papers, it appeared that ever since the surprise of the castle. Sir James had been advising his brother to give it up. A letter from Angus Oig to the Council; ^ " Information " above cited, Denmylne MS., Adv. Lib. ^ Letter, Council to the King, 2nd June, 1G14 ; Denmylne MS. 1614.] BISHOP KNOX AGAIN VISITS ISLA. 351 whicli Sir James had not yet had time to forward, was also found, offering to restore Dunyveg to the Bishop, provided his own conduct in apprehending his bastard brother were approved of On a consideration of all these circum- stances, the Privy Council, in order to test the loyalty of Angus Oig, issued a mandate for his immediate delivery of the castle to the Bishop. The latter was armed at the same time with a commission of fire and sword, and a proclamation for the concurrence of the lieges, if he should find it necessary to attempt the recovery of the place by force.^ The Clandonald, however, still remained in possession of Dunyveg in the month of August, when the Bishop, who had come to Edinburgh to consult with the Council, set out on another journey to Isla, carrying with him a conditional pardon to Angus Oig and his adherents, provided they gave up the for- tress at once. Such was the backwardness of those appointed to assist the Bishop, owing to the fast approach of harvest, that he was not able to land in Isla till the 19 th September. He had previously, while in Arran making his preparations, sent messengers to Isla with the pardon ; but the Clandonald refused to surrender the castle, unless to himself personally, and upon receiving in writing a promise of his friendship to them in future. As the Bishop had formerly incurred much blame for keeping so insufficient a garrison in this important place, he was now anxious to redeem his fault, and, against his better judgment, he proceeded to Isla with a very insufficient force. He had with him only seventy men, of whom fifty were soldiers hired at his own expense, and the remaining twenty were vassals of Sir 1 Minutes of Council Proceedings, Denmylne MS., Advocates Library, 9th June, 1614. 352 THE LISHOP FAILS TO RECOVER DUNYVEG, [1614. Aulay MacAulay of Ardincaple. Of the great chiefs in the Isles, Donald Gorme of Sleat was the only one who gave the Bishop any support ; but as he was on his way home from Edinburgh, after transacting business with the Privy Council, he had with him only a small personal escort. It was thought, however, that his influence with the Clandonald of Isla would facilitate the surrender of Dunyveg, and prevent further incon- venience. Before leaving Arran, the Bishop despatched the chief of Sleat and Sir Aulay MacAulay to warn Angus Oig of his approach ; and, on his way to Isla, he was joined by many of the Clandonald, who professed their readiness to support him. On the morning of the 21st of September, however, the Bishop was suddenly deserted by his new allies ; and at the same time the chiefs of Sleat and Ardincaple returned from Dunyveg, bearing an absolute refusal on the part of the garrison to surrender the place. The Bishop was now placed in a situation of peculiar difficulty. His force was too small to attempt anything against the Clandonald, who were hourly increasing in numbers; and he dreaded the bad effects that might arise from his quitting the island without effecting his purpose, and as if driven from it. But his deliberations were cut short by the promptitude of his opponents, who contrived to seize and destroy his boats, four in number^ and thus made it impossible for him to quit the island without their assistance. In these circumstances, the Bishop was compelled to enter into a treaty with Angus Oig, by which he promised to use his utmost endeavours to pro- cure for that individual a seven years' lease of the Crown lands of Isla (then possessed by Sir Ranald Mac- Sorley), for the rent of eight thousand merks. He 1614.] AND IS COMPELLED TO GIVE HOSTAGES. S5o also engaged to procure his Majesty's licence for trans- ferring the Castle of Danyveg, in property, to Angus Oig; and to do his best to obtain a pardon to the Clandonald for all crimes committed prior to the date of this treaty. To secure the performance of these conditions, the Bishop was forced to leave in the hands of Angus Oig his son, Mr. Thomas Knox, and his nephew, John Knox of Ranfurlie, as hostages. The Clandonald, on their part, promised to preserve the hostages from danger; and although the Bishop might happen to fail in procuring performance of the above conditions, yet if they should be satisfied that he had exerted himself to the utmost, they agreed to liberate the hostages on payment of a ransom. They likewise engaged to repay such sums of money as the Bishop should be found to have expended in procuring the above-mentioned lease and pardon, in the event of his ultimate success.^ Matters being thus arranged for the time, the Bishop was left at liberty to depart; but, before doing so, he wrote to the Council, representing the danger his relatives were in, and how treacherously he had been deceived by the "pestiferous" Clandonald, He added, that he proposed remaining in Isla till some- thing could be done for the relief of his son and nephew. The conclusion of his letter deserves particular notice, as it serves to throw light on the secret history of the late events in Isla. "The Clandonald," says the 1 Record of Privy Council, lltli August and 26th October, 1614; Letters, Bishop of the Isles to Lord Binning, 4th August and 23rd September ; and Letters, Lord Binning to the Bishop and the Court, 8th, 5th, and 28th September; also. Contract between the Bishop and the Clandonald, dated at Dunyveg, 22nd September, 1614 ; all preserved among the Deumylne MS., Advocates' Librarv. 26 354 DOUBLE DEALING OF ARGYLE. [1614. Bishop, ^^have built a new fort in a loch, which they have manned and victualled. Angus Oig, their captain, affirms, in the hearing of many witnesses, that he got directions from the Earl of Argyle not to surrender the castle, and that he (the Earl) should procure for Angus the whole lands of Isla, and the house of Duny- veg." 1 When Angus Oig was afterwards examined in Edinburgh, by the Lord Advocate and other officers of state, preparatory to his trial for high treason, he was asked, "upon his great oath, if he knew that any great man in the kingdom had anything to do with the busi- ness of Ma, in any shape?" To this question, Angus replied, that, soon after the taking of the castle, he had received a message from a gentleman named Malcolm Macneill, uncle to the Laird of Taynish, bearing that Macneill, being lately in company with the Earl of Argyle when the taking of Dunyveg was the subject of conversation, heard the Earl say, "that he was afraid Angus Oig and his friends would give up the castle ; and that, if they did so, it would turn to their utter wreck." Macneill then asked the Earl if he might acquaint Angus Oig with what had passed; to which Argyle replied, that he might do so without danger, and that he (the Earl) had spoken as he did on purpose that his words might be repeated to Angus.^ A person of the name of Graham, who was afterwards employed by the Lord Chancellor to procure the liberation of the Bishop's hostages, stated that, in conversation with Angus Oig, the latter declared that he never meddled with the Castle 1 Letter, the Bishop to Lord Binning, dated 23rd September, 1614. — Denmylne MS. 2 Third Declaration of Angus Oig, dated 23rd May, 1615. — Denmylne MS. 1614.] DOUBLE DEALING OF ARGYLE. 355 of Dunyveg of his own accord, "but that he was induced thereto by the Earl of Argyle, and that he would justify this with his sword against the Earl." ^ It would hence appear that Argyle, afraid of the Clandonald at last coming to terms with the Government and procuring a new grant of Isla, had, by various artful representations, induced that unfortunate tribe to rush into anewrebellion. This view of iVrgyle's policy is further corroborated by a passage in a letter written by an acute Scottish states- man to Court, in which he says, "By many it is thought that if good will did second the duty which they (Argyle and others employed in the Isles) are bound to do, these frequent Island employments would not occur so often. For when these employments are so profitable in present pay, and a preparative for making suit at Court for service done, how easy a matter it is to have some of these unhallowed people, with that unchristian tongue, ready to furnish fresh work for the tinker; and the matter so carryed as that it is impossible to depre- hend (detect) the plot." ^ Far from assisting the Bishop of the Isles in obtain- ing performance of the conditions he had promised to the Clandonald, the Privy Council lost no time in pre- paring to reduce the rebels by force. Having received from John Campbell of Calder an offer of a feu-duty or perpetual rent for Isla, far beyond what any substan- tial person of his rank had ever offered before, they prevailed on him to accept of a commission against Angus Oig and his followers. This commission Calder undertook to prosecute at his own expense, provided 1 Declaration of George Graham, 16th June, 1615. — Denmylne MS. 2 Letter, Sir Alexander Hay, Clerk Register, to Mr. John Murray, dated 21st December, 1615. — Denmylne MS. HoG THE CMIPBELLS SEEK A GIFT OF ISLA. [1614. the artillery and ammunition necessary for battering the Castle of Dunyveg were furnished at the public cost.^ The project of bestowing Isla on the Campbells was very ill received by the Clandonald^ who began, in con- sequence, to treat the hostages with great severity. It was the opinion of the Bishop that the proposed grant, if carried into effect, would be the source of much trouble and great expense; more than all the Crown rents of the Isles, for many years, would suffice to pay. In the course of the Prelate's remonstrance against the grant to Calder, he observes — "Neither can I, nor any man who knows the estate of that country (the South Isles), think it either good or profitable to his Majesty, or this realm, to make the name of Campbell greater in the Isles than they are already; nor yet to root out one pestiferous clan, and plant in another little better." Instead of this, the Bishop advised a new plantation of honest men to be made in Isla, similar to what was then in progress in the forfeited lands of Ulster ; and recom- mended that this colony should be protected by a strong force, to be drawn from the North of Ireland and West of Scotland. In his anxiety to procure the liberation of his relatives, he openly counselled the employment of deceit in the dealings of the Government with the rebels of Isla, whom he characterised as a "false generation and bloody people;" and whom he appears to have thought it perfectly allowable to fight with their own weapons.- ^ Letter, the Privy Council to the King, dated 1st October, 1614. — Dcnmylne MS. Archibald Campbell, brother to Lawers, and a confi- dential agent of the Earl of Argyle, was very active in pressing Calder's suit for a grant of Isla. - Letters from the Bishop to Court, 11th and 23rd October, IGU.— Dcnmylne MS. 1614.] OFFERS OF SIR JAMES MACDONALD. 357 Roused by the intrigues of the Campbells, Sir James j\racclonald once more sent from his prison in Edinburgh Castle to the Privy Council offers, for the performance of which he named as sureties (each under the penalty of five thousand merks) the Earl of Tullibardine, Lord Burley, Sir Ranald MacSorley, the Lairds of Macintosh and Grant, and John Campbell of Calder. The appearance of the latter as one of the proposed sureties is not a little singular ; but it is to be considered that he was brother- in-law to Sir James Macdonald, and had probably succeeded up to this period in deceiving the latter as to his real viev/s. Macdonald's offers were as follow: — First, He offered a yearly rent of eight thousand merks for the Crown lands of Isla, and desired only a seven years' lease to try his obedience and that of his clan. But if the King should prefer keeping Isla in his own hands Sir James engaged, Secondly^ To make the island worth ten thousand merks a-year, and to transport himself, his brother, and his clan, to Ireland, or wherever the King should appoint, on receiving a year's rent of Isla to buy land with. He made other offers relative to the recovery of Dunyveg without expense, and the apprehension of those concerned in the taking of that place from the Bishop, which need not here be more particularly detailed. Lastly^ He engaged, in the event of all his other offers being rejected, that if his Majesty would liberate him upon finding such sureties or giving such hostages as he might be able to do, he would remove himself, his brother, and all his clan out of the King's dominions^ seeking no conditions of lands or money; all that he required being a free par- don for past offences, a letter of recommendation to the States of Holland, and liberty to raise men in 358 COMMISSION TO CAMPBELL OF CALDER. [1614. Scotland for the service of the States if employed by them.^ No attention was paid to these offers ; but, on the contrary, the preparations for despatching Campbell of Calder to the Isles were hastened. Towards the end of October he received, after many communications between the King and Council, a commission of Lieu- tenandry against Angus Oig Macdonald, Coll Mac- Gillespick, and the other rebels of Isla. At the same time arrangements were made for bringing from the north of Ireland two hundred veteran soldiers and six cannon to meet Calder and his forces at Isla, so as to insure the taking of the Castle of Dunyveg. Very minute instructions were given to the Koyal Lieutenant, particularly for the proper victualling of his own men and the forces from Ireland ; but he was urged, if pos- sible, to complete the service before the arrival of the latter, so as to save expense. He v;as also instructed to use all possible care and dexterity to get the Bishop s hostages out of the hands of the rebels. The usual proclamations enjoining the lieges to assist the Lieu- tenant, and forbidding them to harbour or supply the rebels, were issued at the same time. A free pardon was offered to all of the Clandonald who were not con- cerned in the taking of the castle, on their quitting Angus Oig within twenty -four hours after the procla- mation being made. Pardon was also offered to any of the rebels who should either set one or both of the hostages at liberty, or give up to the Lieutenant an associate of equal rank with himself. A remission was even offered to Angus Oig, provided he gave up the ^ Original offers, cir. October, 1614. — Denmylne MS. 1614.] INTRIGUES OF THE CHANCELLOR. 359 castle^ the hostages, and two of his associates of his own rank/ Whilst Calder was collecting his forces, and the troops of Ireland were preparing to embark, the Earl of Dunfermline, Chancellor of Scotland, set on foot an intrigue for procuring the release of the son and nephew of the Bishop of the Isles, who still remained in the hands of the Glandonald. This he did, by his own admission, without consulting with his colleagues of the Privy Council. The individual employed by the Chancellor was a Ross-shire man named George Graham of Eryne, familiar with the Gaelic language, and who had, besides, some acquaintance with the leader of the rebels. Having received his instructions, Graham set off for Isla; and on his arrival there in the month of November, had an interview with Angus Oig Macdonald, whom he prevailed on, by producing his instructions, and by making free use of the Chancellor's name, and giving many promises on his behalf to the rebels, to deliver up to him both the castle and the hostages. Angus Oig was by similar trickery induced to believe that if he obeyed the wishes of the Chan- cellor, Graham had power to stop all proceedings on the part of the King's Lieutenant, whose arrival in Isla was daily looked for. Having gained his object, the liberation of the hostages, Graham, by way of assurance 1 Record of Privy Council and Denmylne MS., 21st to 26th October, 1614. At this time Archibald Campbell, brother to Lawers, was appointed Preferrer of Suits to his Majesty from such rebels in the Isles and Highlands as were desirous to obtain remissions, but con- ceived themselves precluded by legal causes from doing so, in order that such persons might not be forced to continue in rebellion. — Ibid. This Archibald Campbell was Prior of Strathfillan and Bailie, under Argyle, of the district of Kintyre. 360 DECEITFUL CONDUCT OF THE [1614. that the Chancellor would perform the promises made in his name, and in virtue of his alleged instructions redelivered the castle to Angus Oig, to be held by him as the regular constable until he should receive further orders from the Chancellor. Angus was very unwilling to have more to do with the castle, but was at last persuaded by the Chancellor's subtle emissary to un- dertake the charge. On his asking what course he should pursue if, contrary to Graham's assurances, he should be summoned by the Royal Lieutenant to sur- render the place, he received from Graham strict in- junctions to hold it out at all hazards, till he should hear from the Lord Chancellor. At this time a herald was expected to summon the castle in form, previous to the commencement of the Lieutenant's operations. So anxious was Graham (and we may therefore presume his emplo3^er also) that the rebels should commit them- selves by violent measures, that he advised them to put the herald to death rather than suffer him to approach the castle. This crime he well knew would have authorised the Lieutenant to put all the garrison to the sword. On the approach of the herald, Graham, de- sirous of preventing any conference between him and the Clandonald, tried to persuade that official to turn back; but failing in this, he returned to the castle before the herald could reach it, and prevailed upon Angus Oig to disobey the summons. Not content with this, he caused Coll MacGillespick to treat the herald very roughly, and conducted himself throughout in a very violent and abusive manner, particularly towards the herald and the Prior of Ardchattan, by whom the latter was accompanied. Graham then took his departure along with the hostages, leaving the deluded 1614.] chancellor's emissary, GRAHA^r. 361 Islanders to their fate. Hearing, on his journey^ of the near approach of Calder's forces, he sent a written order to Angus Oig, renewing, as if in the Chancellor's name, the injunctions formerly given to retain the castle at all hazards. These injunctions his dupes, prejudiced as they were at this time against the Campbells, too readily followed.^ There can be no doubt whatever that the Chancellor w^as the author of this notable plan to procure the liberation of the hostages, and at the same time to deprive the Clandonald of the benefit of the pardon promised to them on this account. There are grounds for a suspicion that the Chancellor himself desired to obtain Tsla,- although it is probable that he wished to avoid the odium attendant on the more vio- lent measures required to render such an acquisition available. He therefore contrived so as to leave the punishment of the Clandonald to the Campbells, who were already sufficiently obnoxious to the western clans, whilst he himself had the credit of procuring the liberation of the hostages. About the end of November/ Campbell of Calder 1 This accouut of Graham s proceedings is drawn from the origi- nal minutes of the evidence taken on the subject in the months of May and June, 1615 ; from letters of the Chancellor to Court, dated 9th December, 161-1 ; 16th Marcli and 30th April, 1615 ; all preserved among the Denmylne MS. ^ Graham certainly talked in this v/ay. See particularly the evi- dence taken regarding Graham's conduct, 14th and 15th June, 1615. — Denmylne MS. s On the 21sfc of this month, a charter passed the Great Seal, granting -to John Campbell of Calder, and his heirs male, heritably, in feu farm, "the yle and landis of Ylay and Kynnis, and middle waird of Ylay, llyntassan, as weill rentallit of befoir as unrentallit." This charter was ratified by Parliament in 1621. Acts of Parlia- ment, TV., p. 675. 362 APPROACH OF THE ROYAL FORCES. [1614. arrived with his forces in the neighbourhood of Duny veg, and remained for fourteen days encamped on two small islands, waiting for the arrival of the troops and cannon from Ireland. Finding his provisions considerably diminished, while nothing had as yet been done towards the reduction of the island^ he returned to Duntroon on the mainland, to procure a further supply, and to be in readiness to join the armament from Ireland as soon as he should hear of its arrival. In the middle of December, two days after Calder had sailed for Dun- troon, Sir Oliver Lambert, commander of the Irish forces, accompanied by Archibald Campbell, bailie of Kintyre (who had gone to Ireland to expedite the sailing of the Irish division of the expedition), cast anchor in the Sound of Isla. He had with him his Majesty's ship called the Phoenix, a pinnace called the Moon, a hoy to carry the ordnance, and a Scottish bark with provisions and these vessels carried a con- siderable number of soldiers. It was not till the 16th of December that Sir Oliver Lambert heard where Calder was, and he then despatched a messenger to inform the latter of his arrival. Meantime, having heard something of Graham's proceedings, and being uncertain what Calder had done in consequence. Sir Oliver, by the advice of Archibald Campbell, sum- moned the Castle of Dunyveg. This being done, Sir Oliver received a letter from Angus Oig Macdonald, bearing that had he not received a warrant from the Lord Chancellor and Council of Scotland to keep the castle for them, he would have obeyed Sir Oliver's summons. He offered to show his warrant to any person authorised by the General, and protested that if he were attacked by the forces under Lambert's com- 1G14-15.] THE CASTLE OF DUNYVEG SUMMONED. 363 mand, he would complain to the Privy Council. To this Sir Oliver replied, that he could not believe that the King would have sent such an expedition at that season of the year to reduce a place already in his subjection; but in order to ascertain the truth of Mac- donald's assertions, he sent for a copy of the warrant referred to by the latter. In return he received a copy of Graham's alleged instructions, which seemed fully to authorise the detention of the castle; but being satisfied that Graham had no proper authority for what he had done,^ Sir Oliver resolved to proceed with the siege as soon as he should be joined by Calder. This junction, however, was not effected, owing to violent tempests and contrary winds, until the 5th of January. ^ ^ ^ On the 6th of that month, Calder landed ' ^ in Isla with two hundred men, and the next day his force was augmented by one hundred and forty more. On the 9th and succeeding days, he proceeded, to invest the castle and land the ordnance. The rebels now began to be alarmed, and several deserted from the castle, and were pardoned on condition of their doing service against those who still held out. Ranald Mac- James (uncle of Angus Oig), who commanded the fort and island of Lochgorme, surrendered his post to the Lieutenant on the 21st, and, along with his son, received a conditional assurance of his Mnjesty's favour. On the 27th of January the cannon were all landed, and the battery was prepared to open on the morning of the 1st of February. During the landing of the cannon and erecting of the battery, the Royal forces were fired 1 Graham's proceedings gave great offence both to Calder and Sir Oliver Lambert; particularly the former. Denmylne MS., ad tempus. DUNYVEG BESIEGED AND TAKEX. [1615. upon several times by the rebels, but owing to the fire being ill directed, the loss inflicted was trifling. Captain Crawford, one of Sir Oliver Lambert's officers, was wounded in the leg, and died in consequence soon after- wards; and one of Calder's men w^as killed on the spot. Soon after the battery opened its fire on the castle, a perceptible effect was produced on the garrison. They sent, in the course of the day, various messages to the Lieutenant; but their propositions not being satis- factory, the firing was kept up all that day. On the next day, the battery still playing, Angus Oig had an interview with the Lieutenant, when it was explained to him that he had been deceived by Graham ; and he then promised to surrender with as many as chose to follow him. But he had no sooner returned to the castle than, persuaded, as there is reason to believe, by Coll MacGillespick, he again absolutely refused to surrender. The battery was again opened, and at length, after many fruitless attempts to procure better terms, Angus and a certain number of his principal followers surrendered without conditions. Coll Mac- Gillespick and others contrived to escape, by night, in a boat with some difficulty; but their vessel turning leaky, they were obliged to run ashore in Isla, where six of them were afterwards apprehended and executed, Coll himself making his escape. On the third of February, Calder, having taken possession of the castle, held a justice court, in which fourteen of the rebels were tried and condemned to death, execution follow- ing instantly upon the sentence. Six of those who had held the fort of Lochgorme were also condemned. Angus Oig himself, and a few who were supposed to be privy to all his proceedings since the first seizure of 1615.] INVESTIGATION BY THE PRIVY COUNCIL. 365 the castle, were reserved for examination by the Privy Council. The forces of the rebels were entirely dis- persed ; and man}^ images connected with the Catholic form of worship were destroyed by the zeal of Archi- bald Campbell, who describes the island, at this time, as having no religious instructors but one poor man that had been left by the Bishop. It appears that Calder received but little assistance from the country people, who should, in terms of the proclamation, have joined him; and that neither boat nor bark came from the western burghs with provisions, notwithstanding the directions of the Council on that head.^ The service being thus concluded, Angus Gig and the other prisoners were brought before the Privy Coun- cil to be examined, not only regarding the original pro- moter of the first seizure of the castle, but as to the treaty between them and Graham. On the first point, the declarations of the prisoners went, as has been for- merly noticed, to fix the blame upon Argyle whilst their evidence on the second created a strong feeling against the Chancellor. Both charges, however, seem to have been smothered. The Chancellor denied most solemnly having given Graham any other instructions than merely to procure the release of the hostages. He 1 Report made to the Earl of Somerset, by Archibald Campbell, of the progress of this expedition. — Denmylne MS., 8th February, 1615. Said MS., 14th and 16th December, 1614. * Supra, p. 354. About this time, the King, writing to Secretary Binning regarding George Graham, who had been sent to England for examination, on a complaint against him by Campbell of Calder, says — " Whereas the said Angus Oig hath promised to reveale an important secrete upon some great man, if he may have assurance of his life ; " and urges the Secretary to ascertain the secret, if possible, without giving any promise or condition to Angus Oig. :^66 THE CLANDONALD BECOME PIRATES. [1615. denied also having authorised him to offer any condi- tions to the rebels ; but a careful perusal of all the doc- uments connected with this affair leaves no doubt that the Chancellor was much more deeply implicated in Graham's dishonourable practices than he chose to con- fess. As for Graham himself, he prevaricated so grossly, and his statements were so much at variance, not only with the evidence of the rebels, but with that of Camp- bell of Calder and many other gentlemen of honour and credit, that no belief was given to his account of what had taken place. ^ During the months of February, March, April,, and May, Coll MacGillespick and others of the Clandonald who had escaped from Isla, together with Malcolm Mac- Ruari Macleod, one of the last survivors of the Siol Torquil, infested the w^estern coasts, and committed various acts of piracy. In April, a commission of fire and sword against Coll MacGillespick and his asso- ciates was given to eight of the principal chiefs in the Isles ; and one of his Majesty's ships, with a pinnace, seem to have been employed to assist in this service. ^ But while the Lords of the Privy Council were occu- pied in giving directions for the suppression of these pirates, and in tracing the origin of the late rebellion in Isla, they were astounded by the intelligence that Sir James Macdonald had made his escape from prison, and was on his way to the Isles, where his appearance could ^ Denmylne MS., May and June, 1615. Graham actually received from the Chancellor 1000 merks for his services ; which sum was repaid to his Lordship by a Royal warrant, before the nature of the transaction had become public. 2 Record of Privy Council, February to April, 1516. Denmylne MS., ad tempus. 1615.] ESCAPE OF SIR JAMES MACDONALD. 367 not fail to prove the signal for fresh disturbances. It was alleged, on this occasion, by the Council, that Sir James dreaded the result of the inquiry in which they were then engaged ; and that his flight proved that he was really the instigator of the late rebellion.^ But Sir James, in various letters written about this time, denied the imputation, and gave, as a reason for his flight, that he had heard, from the best authority, that Calder, when at Court making a report of his proceed- ings in Isla, had obtained a secret warrant, charging the Council, on sight of it, to order Sir James to instant execution on his old sentence. Sir James also stated, that he learned this from relations and friends of the Laird of Calder, and he mentioned the names of his informants. Knowing, as he then did. the inveteracy of Calder, who had so lately executed many of the Clandonald, he resolved once more to attempt an escape, as the only chance for his life.- In his escape, Sir James Macdonald was assisted by Allaster MacRanald of Keppoch, by the eldest son of the latter, and the eldest son of the captain of Clanranald. The enterprise appears to have been very skilfully con- ducted. The fugitives crossed the Frith of Forth in a small boat, from Newhaven to Burntisland, and directed their course 'thence to the Highlands of Perthshire. On the 24th of May, a commission was given to the Marquis of Huntly and the Earl of TuUibardine for the apprehension of Sir James and his companions; and letters were sent with great despatch to these noblemen, urging them to intercept the fugitives in their passage through Athole or Lochaber. A reward of two thousand 1 Record of Privy Council, 23rd and 24th May, 1615. 2 Numerous Letters preserved in Denmylne MS., ad tempus. HE REACHES THE ISLES IX SAFETY. [1615. pounds was, at the same time, offered for Sir James, dead or alive.^ Archibald Campbell, whom we have seen exerting himself so much against the Clandonald in Isla, was ordered to track and pui-sue Sir James and his party ; and he followed them so closel};, by the wood of Mcthven and by Murthlie, to Athole, that, had he been certain of their route, he might have intercepted them at the east end of Loch Eannoch. At this time, the Earls of Athole and Tullibardinc, coming from another direction, were actually in sight of Sir James ; but that chief having been warned of their approach, escaped with the gentlemen of his party on foot to the w^oods, leaving their horses and clothes behind. Some of their servants were apprehended, but were after- wards liberated by Tullibardinc. A company of Kep- poch's clan now met their chief and Sir James Mac- donald, and conducted them from Rannoch through Lochaber free of all risk of immediate apprehension. From Lochaber, Sir James and Keppoch proceeded to JMorar and Knoydcrt, and thence to Sleat in Sky, where they had a lengthened conference with Donald Gorme. This chief did not join them openly himself, but a number of his men of Sleat followed Sir James, who sailed to the south in a large boat which he procured in that district. At the Isle of Eigg he met with Coll Mac- Gillespick, and such of the Clandonald as followed that pirate leader. The reception given to Sir James by his clansmen |'was very enthusiastic. He and those who had come with him stood in a place by themselves, 1 Record of Privy Council, 24tli IVIay, 1615. Caldorwood in liis IMS. Church History (Advocates' Library), says, "It was thought Sir James Macdonald escaped not without the privity of those who had credit." 1615.] PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL. 369 whilst Coll MacGillespick's men marched round them, firing volleys of small arms for half an hour ; and after- wards every individual came forward and shook hands with the chief. From Eigg, being now about three hundred strong, Sir James and his followers sailed in the direction of Isla, having previously slaughtered a great number of cattle in the former island, to insure themselves a good supply of provisions. About this time many of the Clanian of Ardnamurchan are said to have joined Sir James ; and the rebellion assumed every day a more formidable appearance.^ Meantime the Privy Council were not idle in taking steps to repress this insurrection, before the rebels could have time to do much mischief; but various causes contributed to thwart their intentions. Of these the most important was the absence of the Earl of Argyle, who, being much pressed by his numerous creditors, had lately gone to England without any prospect of an immediate return. His brother, Colin Campbell of Lundy, declined, without a special warrant from the Earl, to undertake the responsibility of keeping the Earldom of Argyle clear of the rebels, or of preventing such of the vassals as were friendly to the Macdonalds from joining Sir James. The Lairds of Calder and Auchinbreck,2 two of the principal gentlemen of the name of Campbell, were so involved in the embarrass- ments of their chief, that at this time they dared not 1 These particulars regarding the escape of Sir James Macdonald, and his progress towards Isla, have been drawn from letters of the Earl of Tullibardine, Sir Ruari Macleod, Archibald Campbell, and Sir James himself, all preserved in that valuable collection, the Dun- mylne MS., Advocates' Library. See also Criminal Trials, III., pp. 12-22. - Sir Dougal Campbell of Auchinbreck. 27 370 PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL [1615. repair to Argyleshire. Indeed, Auchinbreck was actually imprisoned in Edinburgh on account of his engage- ments for Argyle. In these circumstances, the Privy Council wrote to the King, requesting that his Majesty would either order the Earl of Argyle to return instantly to Scotland, to take the command of his clan and vassals, "as being the special person of power and friendship in the Highlands;" or to authorise one of his principal kinsmen to act for him. Calder undertook to keep the island of Isla and the Castle of Dunyveg out of the hands of Sir James Macdonald and his fol- lowers; and in the event of their coming to Isla, engaged to use his own force against them, before applying to the King for assistance. A reward of five thousand pounds was now offered for the apprehension of Sir James ; whilst five thousand merks each were offered for Keppoch and his son, and Coll MacGillespick; and three thousand merks each for Malcolm Macleod and Ranald Oig, the bastard brother of Sir James. All harbouring of, or dealing with the rebels, or giving them information, was strictly prohibited. Having received an answer from Court to their application regard- ing the Earl of Argyle, the Privy Council conferred for several days with the principal gentlemen of the Campbells, who had been summoned to Edinburgh. ^ As they were still ignorant of Sir James Macdonald's motions since he quitted the Isle of Eigg, and never suspected that he would venture into Isla — where there were a number of Calder's men, besides the garrison of Dunyveg — the Council and their advisers were chiefly 1 These were the Lairds of Lundy, Calder, Auchinbreck, and Lawers ; the captain of Craignish, and Colin Campbell (of Aber- ruchiU), brother to Lawers. 1615.] FOR THE SUPPEESSION OF THE REBELS. 371 occupied by their efforts to place the whole of the Isles and adjacent mainland, from Sky southwards to Kintyre, in a posture of defence, so as to deter the rebels from landing. Instructions were accordingly given to the Lairds of Anchinbreck and Ardkinlass for the defence of Argyle Proper, Knapdale, and Kintyre, with three hundred men; to the Laird of Lochnell and Mr. Don- ald Campbell of Barbreck-Lochow, for the defence of Lorn, with all Calder's vassals not employed in Isla, and one hundred and fifty men out of Lorn and Glen- urchy; to the Lairds of Dowart, Lochbuy, Coll, and Mackinnon^ for the defence of the coasts from Lorn to the point of Ardnamurchan, with two hundred men ; to the Earl of Enzie, for the defence of the coast of Lochaber, with one hundred men; and, finally, to the captain of the Clanranald, Macleod of Harris, and Macdonald of Sleat, for the defence of their own estates, each with two hundred men. The ship and pinnace formerly prepared to act against Coll MacGillespick, were now ordered to pursue the rebels by sea; and the chiefs above mentioned were ordered to communicate with the commander of these vessels as frequently as possible. All the forces called out were enjoined to be at their appointed stations by the 6th of July, furnished wii^i forty days' provisions, and with a sufficient number of boats, to enable them to act by sea if necessary. The Marquis of Hamilton, and the Sheriff of Bute, were, at the same time, ordered to keep the Isles of Arran and Bute clear of the rebels, and to concur with the Argyleshire forces when required.^ Scarcely had these orders and instructions been 1 Record of Privy Council, 8th to 22nd June, 1G15. Denmylne MS., 20th to 22nd June. At this time, Colin Campbell of Lundy, 372 DUNYVEG SEIZED BY SIR JAMES. [1615. issued, when intelligence arrived from Isla which dis- concerted all the arrangements that had been made. Sir James Macdonald and his followers, after leaving the Isle of Eigg, proceeded to the south, their destina- tion and intentions being equally unknown to the Privy Council. About the 18th of June, Sir James arrived at the Isle of Colonsay with several hundred men, and there killed a number of cattle for provisions. While here, he built a fort on a small island in a fresh-water loch. Four or five days later he landed in Isla, and having placed a body of men in ambush about the Castle of Dunyveg, he contrived, by the assistance of a crafty native of the island, to draw the constable of the castle,^ with twelve of the garrison, out of the fortress, and into the ambuscade. Macdonald's men made their appearance sooner than was intended; and, upon seeing his danger, the constable attempted to gain the castle. About one-half of his escort succeeded in reaching the inner gate, and closing it against the Clandonald; but the constable and the rest were overtaken and slain, and Sir James established himself in the outer court. Hav- ing soon afterwards made himself master of the gar- rison's supply of water, and taken one of the interior fortifications, the place was surrendered to him next morning.^ It does not appear that Sir James com- and Sir John Campbell of Calder, received a licence to go to Court, to consult with Argyle regarding his debts, and their liabilities for him : but they were bound, under a penalty of £l,000 each, to return to Scotland on or before the 25th of July. 1 The Constable was Alexander Macdougall, brother to the Laird of Raray. " In a letter to the Earl of Crawford, dated 3rd July, Denmylne MS., Sir James states his loss in this affair to have been one man and a boy killed, and two men slightly wounded. 1615.] ARGYLE RECALLED FROM COURT. 373 mitted any excesses on this occasion. On the contrary he liberated the Prior of Ardchattan and his two sons, although near kinsmen of the Laird of Calder, who were in the castle when it was taken; and he seems to have been satisfied with causing all Calder's followers to quit the island and return to Lorn. After placing a garrison in Dunyveg, Sir James Macdonald divided his force into two bodies; one of which, under himself, was intended to proceed to the Isle of Jura^ and the other, under Coll MacGillespick, to Kintyre, for the purpose of encouraging the ancient followers of his family to rise in arms and assist him. At this time the rebels were about four hundred strong, chiefly North Islesmen.^ Immediately on receiving this intelligence, the Privy Council wrote to the King, strongly urging him to send the Earl of Argyle home with all haste, to act as Lieutenant against the rebels. It was argued that this was more particularly incumbent on Argyle and his clan, seeing that the principal cause of the present disturbances, as alleged by the Clandonald, was the giving of Kintyre and Isla to the Earl and his relation, Calder. Besides when they received these grants, it had been settled that they were to keep their new acquisitions in subjection without more expense to Government. As artillery could not be conveniently carried from Edinburgh to the Isles, the King was requested to give directions for cannon and ammunition to be shipped on board the vessels already destined to act against the rebels, and which were at present under 1 Letter, Hector Macneill of Taynisli to Lord Binning, 26th June, and Letter, Sir James Macdonald to the Earl of Crawford, 3rd July, 1615; Denmylne MS. 374 COMMISSION TO AUCHINBRECK. [1615. the orders of the Deputy of Ireland.^ All the lieges within the sheriffdoms of iVrgyle and Tarbert, were charged by proclamation to join the forces formerly appointed to be in readiness under Campbell of Auchin- breck. That baron being liberated from prison, received a commission as Lieutenant against the Clandonald^ with the chief command over the other gentlemen employed; but the duration of his commission was limited to the arrival of Argyle, which was expected by the 6th of August.^ Angus Oig Macdonald, and several of his followers, were tried and condemned for high treason on the ord of July, and executed on the 8th of that month. Their fate excited great com- miseration, which was mingled with a feeling of indig- nation that no steps were taken to punish the villanous conduct of the Chancellor's emissary, Graham.^ Soon after his escape, Sir James Macdonald addressed a number of letters, exculpatory of himself, to various persons of rank, with whom, when at Court as a hostage for his father, and afterwards during his long imprison- ment at Edinburgh, he had formed an acquaintance. Among his correspondents, with several of whom he appears to have been on intimate and even affectionate terms, we find the Marquis of Hamilton, the Earls of Crawford, Caithness, and TuUibardine, and the Bishop of the Isles. His letters are not those of a barbarian, such as his indictment describes him; but, on the con- ^ Letter, the Council to tlie Iving, and Minutes of Council proceed- ings, 30th June, 1615; Denmylne MS. 2 Record of Privy Council, oOth June, 1615, and Minutes of Council proceedings, same date, in Denmylne MS. 3 Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, III. 364. Calderwood's MS. Church History, Advocates' Library. 1615.] SIR JAMES MACDONALD'S LETTERS. 375 trary^ indicated a mind well cultivated for the period. He seems to have had very good natural abilities, and, during his long confinement, to have become somewhat of a student. Even in his flight to the Highlands, when his mind must have been occupied with matters of more pressing interest. Sir James Macdonald contrived to carry with him a small library ; the loss of which, when he was so nearly surprised in Athole, caused him great vexation. Most of his letters breathe a spirit of implacable hostility against the Campbells, whom he characterises as a race that craves ever to fish in drumlie (muddy) waters and he repeatedly declares that he will die sooner than see them possess Isla. At the same time, he wrote an humble petition to the Council, soli- citing their favourable intercession on his behalf with the King — offering all the duty of the most loyal sub- ject — and beseeching them not to drive him to despe- ration by any hasty or violent measures. It appears that all Sir James' letters were sent by him to the Earl of Tullibardine, to be forwarded to their respective destinations. That nobleman, however, conceived him- self bound to forward the whole to the Privy Council, who declined, so long as Sir James continued in the Isles along with avowed rebels, to communicate his petitions to the King, or to hold any communication whatever with him.^ This resolution was come to before the Council had heard of the taking of Dunyveg from Calder's garrison, and was, of course, persevered in after that event ; so that various letters, written by Sir James to explain his conduct in seizing the castle, 1 Letter, Lord Binning to the Earl of Tullibardine, 13th June, 1615; Denmylne MS. 37G PROGRESS OF THE REBELLION. [1615. failed to produce any relaxation of the severe measures in progress against him. ^ After the Castle of Dunyveg had fallen into the hands of the Clandonald, Sir James added to the fortifications of the island of Lochgorme a hawn of turf of great breadth, at which one hundred and twenty men laboured every day till it was completed. At this time the rebels made many unsuccessful attempts to seize Hector Mac- neill of Taynish, chief of the southern Clanneill ; who, although he and his ancestors followed the Macdonalds while the latter were Lords of Kin tyre, had, since the year 1607, become a vassal of the Earl of Argyle, to whom, on the present occasion, he faithfully adhered. Malcolm Macduphie or Macfie of Colonsay, who had likewise, of late years, been compelled to hold his lands of Argyle, followed a different course, and joined Sir James Mac- donald, as the individual to whom, from the old connec- tion between their families, his service was properly due. Donald Gigach Maclan, the principal man in J ura, like- wise joined the Clandonald ; and the accession of these two chieftains augmented the force of the rebels by sixty- four men. From communications made by the Prior of Ardchattan and Archibald Campbell, his son, to the Secretary of State, it appears that the people of Argyle and Lorn refused to proceed against the rebels till the arrival of a Royal lieutenant ; and that, in the middle of July, there were only forty men in arms for the protection of that part of the country against the Clandonald and their abettors. Sir James, deeming the Castle of Dunyveg untenable, was directing all his attention to the fortifi- 1 The letters referred to in the text, written by Sir James Macdonald in June and July, 1615, are preserved in the Denmylne MS. See also Criminal Trials, III., pp. 12-21. 1615.] PROGRESS OF THE REBELLION. 377 cation of the isle of Lochgorme, and another strength called Dunand, whilst his forces were increasing every day, and the men of Kintyre were now rising in arms to join him. Various reports were in circulation, which, in the absence of their chief, tended much to diminish the zeal of Argyle's vassals. For instance, it was confidently said that Sir James Macdonald had entered into a special bond of friendship with Donald Gorme of Sleat, the captain of the Clanranald, and Ruari Macleod of Harris; and that Hector Maclean of Dowart, if not actually engaged in the rebellion, had announced that, if he was desired to proceed against the Clandonald, he would not be very earnest in the service. These dis- heartening reports were confirmed to a certain extent by Ardchattan's spies, who declared to him that vassals of the three first mentioned chiefs formed a considerable part of Sir James' force ; whilst Maclean's brother had already taken part with the rebels in expelling Calder's men from Isla.^ A proclamation was hereupon issued by the Council, calling out the militia of the shires of Ayr, Renfrew, Dunbarton, Bute, and Inverness, in addition to those of Argyle and Tarbert formerly summoned ; and commis- sion was given to the Marquis of Hamilton and Paul Hamilton, captain of Arran, for keeping the Clandonald out of that island. The King had now determined to send the Earl of Argyle down as Lieutenant, not only to suppress the insurrection of Sir James Macdonald, but also to take order for the final pacification of all the Western Isles. His Majesty, after giving various 1 Letters, Hector Macneill of Taynish to Lord Binning, 4tli and 29th July ; and Letters, the Prior of Ardchattan and his son to the same, 15th, IGth, and 29th July, 1615 ; Denmylne MS. 378 COJVEVIUNICATIONS FEOM THE KING. [1615. necessary directions^ declared it to be his will that the forfeitures of all those in Argyle and Kintyre, who should be proved to have intercommuned with or assisted the rebels, should belong to the Earl. The number of men, and the amount of stores and money to be allowed to the Lieutenant, and the prices to be paid by the army for provisions, were left to the discretion of the Council. Four days later, the King wrote again to the Council, to say that the Earl of Argyle was on his way to undertake the service in the Isles, and directing them to require of him that, as far as possible, the spoiling of the country might be avoided ; and that, in the pursuit of the rebels, no cattle, or other goods, should be taken forcibly by the Earl or his forces, unless from those who had actually taken part with the Clandonald. Such of the rebels as might be taken alive were to be tried by a jury ; and such of the tenants of Isla as had fled for fear of the Clandonald were to be restored to their posses- sions. Generally, the Earl was to be instructed so to proceed, '^that civil manners and customs might be established in these Isles, and all their old barbarous customs utterly abolished."^ Having finished his fortifications in Isla, and placed his bastard son, Donald Gorme, as keeper of Dunyveg in the meantime, and until a siege should be threatened. Sir James Macdonald and his followers proceeded to Kintyre, where the King's castle at Kinloch (Campbel- ton) had previously been taken possession of by a detachment of twenty-four men, sent from Isla for that purpose. The rebels landed in Kintyre, four hundred strong, including all the " special men " of Isla, Macfie 1 Letters, the King to the Privy Council, dated 24th and 28th July, and recorded in the Books of Council, 4th August, 1615. 1615.] THE CLANDONALD ENTER KINTYRE. 370 of Colonsay, Donald Gigach of Jura^, Allaster Mac- Ranald of Keppoch, and a body of North Islesmen. Sir James now sent the fiery cross through the district of Kintyre, summoning all Argyle's vassals to come and take new charters of their lands from him. He was " very gladly received " by many of the Kintyre men; and moving northwards^ towards the end of July, took up a position within a few miles of Tarbert, announcing his determination to reach that place about the 30th of that month. Sir Dougal Campbell of Auchinbreck collected with difficulty three hundred men to oppose the rebels if they should venture out of Kintyre ; but his numbers were too few to admit of his attacking them. He wrote to the Chancellor, repre- senting the state of the country in alarming terms, and requesting a renewal of his commission (which was now about to expire) until the arrival of Argyle, whose appearance was anxiously expected. He dwelt parti- cularly on the backwardness of the men of Argyle and Lorn in joining him. Auchinbreck's commission was renewed accordingly; and the Privy Council, after thanking him for his diligence, enjoined him to be wary in hazarding an action with the rebels, and to confine his attention, in the meantime, to preventing them from overrunning Argyleshire. The Council likewise ordered the Lairds of Ardkinlass and Lochnell to join Auchinbreck without delay, with the men of Cowal and Lorn; and the immediate concurrence of Maclean of Dowart and his clan was ordered, if it should appear necessary.-^ Such good use, however, 1 Letters, Hector Macneill and the Prior of Ardchattan's son to Lord Binning, 29th July; Letter, Auchinbreck to the Chancellor, 880 ARGYLE BLAMED FOR HIS DELAY. [1615. did Auchinbreck make of what forces he had, and so ill-concerted were the plans of his opponents, that, although unmolested, and allowed to strengthen them- selves in Kintyre, they w^ere, in fact, cooped up in that district the whole of August, and until Argyle was ready to attack them, early in September. On the 5th of August, Secretary Binning wrote in strong terms to the Earl of Argyle, censuring the continued delays of that nobleman in a matter of such vital im- portance. In this letter. Binning stated that although the Council were well assured of Auchinbreck's fidelity, yet they could not but be anxious regarding the charge committed to that baron, on account of his own sickness, of the disloyalty of many of the Highlanders, and also through the boldness and subtlety of the rebels, too able to keep their advantage of him."-^ The King in his last letter to the Council had, by the advice of Argyle, named a certain number of the Council to be directors and advisers to his Lordship in the execution of his commission of Lieutenandry. The choice of these directors had been left to the Earl, in order, as his Majesty elegantly expressed it, that he and his advisers might not draw the cat-harrow, and so either hinder or undoe our said service." Lord Binning disapproved of the appointment of directors at all; and Argyle afterwards found cause to regret that he had not followed the Secretary's advice. On the 16th of August, Argyle, on his way from the south, had an interview with Lord Binning at Innerwick, and thence proceeded to Edin- 30th July ; and Letter, the Privy Council, to Auchinbreck, 4th August, 1615 ; Denmylne MS. Eecord of Trivy Council, 4th August ; Crimi- nal Trials, III. 23. ^ Denmylne MS. ; Criminal Trials, III. 24. 1G15.] HE IS APPOINTED LIEUTENANT. 381 burgh to consult with the Privy Council. After many conferences, the following arrangements were made, on the 22nd of August, for the suppression of the rebellion in the west. Four hundred hired soldiers were allowed to Argyle, at the rate of four thousand eight hundred pounds monthly pay for that force, including officers. The Earl engaged that these troops were to muster at Castle Sweyn, in Knapdale, on the 2nd of September, from which day their pay was to commence. The following were the prices fixed upon to be paid by the Royal forces for provisions : — Twelve pounds Scots for an ox, two pounds for a stone of butter, one pound for a sheep, and a like sum for a stone of cheese. It was also arranged that there should be a daily communica- tion between the Lieutenant and the Privy Council. Two hundred pounds weight of gunpowder, with the usual proportion of lead and lint, were to be furnished immediately to the soldiers by the Lord Treasurer, that the service might not suffer by any unforeseen delay in the arrival of the ships from L^eland. A letter was written to the Lord Deputy of Ireland, requesting him to give orders that none of the rebels should be allowed to land in that country. The great chiefs in the Isles were enjoined to give their hearty concurrence in the service, according as they should be required by the Lieutenant; and the commission of lieutenandry given to the Earl of Argyle extended over Argyle, Tarbert, and the whole West and North Isles, and elsewhere in Scotland, in pursuit of the rebels, if they should fly from these districts. Among other clauses, it contained one giving him power to take some good and solid order how the whole West Isles of this kingdom may be retained and holden under obedience.^' Finally, the 382 ARGYLE ENCAMPS AT DUNTROON. [1615. usual proclamations were issued ^ prohibiting any sort of intercourse with the rebels — offering pardon, on certain conditions, to such as should immediately make their submission — and charging all his Majesty's true lieges to concur with and assist the Lieutenant. Matters being thus arranged, Argyle set out from Edinburgh for his own country, satisfied by the Coun- cil in all he desired regarding the service he had undertaken.^ Having made his preparations, the Earl collected his forces early in September at Duntroon, on Loch Crinan, with his vessels in two divisions, one upon the west, the other upon the east side of the continent, and within a few miles of each other. He first caused the proclamation of pardon, to such as should desert the rebels, to be made; and whilst the time prescribed was passing, he, by his spies, examined Sir James Mac- donald's camp, which was on the west coast of Kintyre, near to the Isle of Cara.^ The force of the rebels was found to be nearly one thousand men, with a number of vessels, most of which were at anchor in Cara. Having ascertained these points, and the time for com- mencing his operations being arrived, Argyle detached two companies of the hired soldiers, under John Mac- Dougal of Raray, and Mr. Donald Campbell of Bar- breck-Lochow, with Sir John Campbell of Calder, the Lairds of Lochnell and Macdougall, and their followers, making, in all, a force of seven or eight hundred men, 1 Letters, Lord Binning and Earl of Argyle to the King, 16th August; and the Chancellor to Mr. John Murray of Lochmaben, 31st August ; Denmylne MS. Record of Privy Council, 22nd August, 1615. - This camp was within ten miles of Tarbert by land. 1615.] HE PROCEEDS TOWARDS KINTYRE. 383 ■whom he sent by sea on the west coast, with directions to sail straight for the place where Sir James' vessels lay, and, if possible, surprise them by night. Should they fail in this, they were directed to encamp at the point of Ardrissak, to wait the Lieutenant's coming to the east side of Kintyre with the two other companies of hired soldiers, under Captain Boswell, and Robert Campbell, captain of Dunoon, with Colin Campbell of Kilmichael, the Lairds of Ardkinlass, Lament, and Mac- Lauchlan, and their followers, forming in all a similar force of nearly eight hundred men. Argyle arrived at Tarbert in the evening of the same day he left Duntroon; and was then joined by Auchinbreck, with those under his command. Sir James Macdonald, at this time, uncertain of Argyle's movements, had sent his uncle, Ranald, with three or four hundred men, to stop the passage from Tarbert on the east; whilst Coll MacGillespick, with sixty men and three boats, was sent from Cara to West Tarbert, to reconnoitre. Upon learning the near ap- proach of the division commanded by Argyle himself, the rebels retreated as they had advanced ; Coll MacGille- spick carrying with him Colin Campbell of Kilberry, and three or four of his followers, whom he made prisoners, having found them at some distance from their camp.^ On his way to rejoin Keppoch and his son, and Sorley Mac James (bastard son of the late Sir James Mac- donald of Dunluce), who had been left in charge of the vessels at Cara, Coll MacGillespick was informed that the Laird of Calder and those with him had ^ Kilberry and his followers seem to have been sent out to recon- noitre the rebels. 384 RETREAT OF THE REBELS. [1615. arrived in the Isle of Gigha. Being incredulous on this point, he pursued his course so near to that island that it was with difficulty he made his escape, by landing on the coast of Kintyre, and abandoning his boats, still, however, carrying his prisoners with him. He was so hotly pursued, that fifteen or sixteen of his men were killed. In the meantime, another party of Calder's division set out to attack the rebels in Cara ; but some of the Laird of Largie's men having given the rebels warning, by beacons, of the approach of their enemies, they took to flight with precipitation. Keppoch fled towards Kintyre, whither he was pursued by Mr. Donald Campbell and Lochnell, to the very south end of that peninsula, and escaped very narrowly with the loss of his vessels and some of his men ; and Sorley Mac James towards Isla, who in his retreat was pursued by Calder to within shot of the Castle of Dunyveg. The opera- tions on the east side of Kintyre were not less success- ful ; and Sir James Macdonald perceiving his followers to be much disordered^ forsook his camp and took to flight. The Laird of Ardkinlass, with four hundred men, was now directed by Argyle to proceed by land to the south end of Kintyre, to assist Calder's division in the pursuit of the rebels, with strict injunctions to follow them to Isla if they had fled in that direction. Ardkinlass and his party encamped for a night on the spot previously occupied by Sir James; and while there received certain information that Sir James had gone to the Isle of Rachlin. This caused a change in Argyle's plans, who now, with his entire division, crossed over to Jura, and encamped on the coast of that island, where he was soon afterwards joined by the ships of war from Eng- 1615.] SIR JAMES ENDEAVOUES TO TllEAT. 385 land.^ About the same time he received intelli- gence from his spies that Sir James had come over from Eachlin to Isla, and collected his scattered fol- lowers to the number of five hundred men, with whom he encamped in the Rinns of Isla, near to a small Island, called Ouersay. Upon this Argyle, with all possible diligence, transported his forces to Isla, where he was joined by the division under Calder, and landed them at the harbour called the Lodoms, being allowed to encamp himself strongly without molestation from the rebels. Sir James finding it impossible either to resist the Lieutenant's forces, or to escape with his galleys to the North Isles, which was then his principal object, sent a messenger to the Earl^ desiring a truce for four days, promising, before the expiry of that time, to surrender himself without conditions. To this request, Argyle yielded conditionally, providing Sir James gave up the two forts he held within twenty-four hours ; otherwise, the proposal of a truce would be looked upon in no other light than a scheme for obtaining time^ in the hope of a south wind arising in the meantime, which would give the rebels an opportunity of escaping as they intended. Sir James, finding himself now much straitened, urged Coll MacGillespick, who at this time had the command of both the forts, to give them up to Argyle ; but this Coll flatly refused to do. The Earl having received Sir James' answer, that he could not give up the forts, and being, at the same time, secretly assured by Coll MacGillespick 1 These consisted of two vessels under Captains Wood and Monk, and a hoy which carried a battering train. 28 38() THE REBELS FORCED TO DISPERSE. [1615. that the latter was willing to surrender them, sent Campbell of Calder, Captain Boswell, and other offi- cers, at night, with a force of one thousand men, by sea, with orders either to surprise Sir James in his camp, or to seize his vessels. Sir James, however, through beacons set by the natives on the 0 of Isla, received intimation of the intended attack in time to make his escape, along with Keppoch, Sorley MacJames, and forty followers, to an island called Inchdaholl, on the coast of Ireland. It is said that, as the party were going into their boats, some of the principal tenants of Isla earnestly besought Sir James to remain, declaring that, as they had hazarded all for him, and knew there would be no mercy shown to them, they would all die at his feet. Sir J ames was dissuaded from following this course, as was reported by Keppoch; and he now left the Hebrides and his devoted clansmen, never to return. Those of his men who did not escape with him fled to the hills during the night. The next day, Coll MacGillespick surrendered the two forts and his prisoners, upon assurance of his own life and the lives of some few of his followers; conditions Avhich Argyle did not hesitate to grant, con- sidering the lateness of the season, the sickness of many of the soldiers, and the scarcity of provisions. Coll, likewise, in order to testify his abhorrence of his former behaviour, became an active partisan against his former associates, and crowned his treachery by apprehending and delivering to Argyle Macfie of Col- onsay, one of the principal leaders of the rebels, and eighteen others. This conduct soon had many imi- tators. Macfie himself, and another leader, named John Maclan Vor, who had also been taken prisoner, received a temporary assurance of their lives during 1615.] THE REBELLION IS SUPPRESSED. 387 Argyle's stay in the country, on condition of their doing his Majesty service against the remaining rebels. But on his Lordship's departure, not daring to leave such "remarkable ringleaders'' behind him without good assurance of their loyalty, he caused them to be presented before the Privy Council. After receiving the Castle of Dunyveg and fort of Lochgorme, Argyle succeeded in apprehending ten of the principal inha- bitants of Isla who had taken part with Sir James. These were instantly brought to trial and executed, in virtue of his Lordship's commission. Having delivered the forts in Isla to Sir John Camp- bell of Calder and executed nine more of the principal rebels, Argyle proceeded to Kintyre, where there were still a number of men in arms of those who had joined Sir James from this district. Some of the chief of these he apprehended soon after his arrival; and by the severity of his measures^ and the number of persons he executed, seemed determined effectually to prevent any chance of a future insurrection in Kintyre. He left Isla for Kintyre near the end of October, and was still in Kintyre on the 10th of November, at which time he dismissed two out of the three King's ships that had assisted him in his operations, retaining the vessel called the Bran, under the command of Captain Wood. In the meantime, he was employed in ascertaining the movements of such of the rebels as had escaped, and in sending parties after them. Sir James was ascertained to be with his son, Donald Gorme, and two followers, concealed by some Jesuits in Galway in Ireland, by whose means he effected his escape to Spain, in spite of parties sent after him both by Argyle and the Lord Deputy of Ireland. Sorley Mac James, with a small body 388 SIR JAMES ESCAPES TO SPAIN. [1G15. of men — among whom were Malcolm Macleod and Eanald Oig, Sir James Macdonald's bastard brother — was sheltered by his relations in the Glens and Eoute in the county of Antrim. Keppoch and his sons were now in Lochaber, having been sent back to Scotland by Sir James, with some of the Macallasters and Mackays of Kintyre, who had accompanied him in his flight from Isla. The service was not concluded until the middle of December (at least, the hired soldiers were not dismissed till that time), having occupied upwards of three months.^ The escape of so many of the principal rebels seems to have given the Council great dissatisfaction. Lord Binning, writing to Archibald Campbell in the month of October says — " Since Sir James and his son, with MacRanald (Keppoch) and his son, and Glengarry's son,- and MacSorley are all escaped, and Coll pardoned, I know not what ringleaders these are whom ye write ye are to bring in So long as the heads are all to the fore, the rebellion will never be thought quenched. Wherefore, I know my Lord will have such care as 1 The detail of the proceedings has been drawn from two reports to the Privy Council— one by Argyle himself, the other by his con- fidential agent, Archibald Campbell— recorded in the books of Council, 24tli November, and 21st December, 1615. Also from letters, Argyle to Binning, 13th and 29th October, and 7th Novem- ber; Archibald Campbell to Binning, 20th October; and Captain Wood to Binning, 2nd November, 1615; Denmylne MS. See also Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, III. 26. 2 This young man had been made prisoner by Sir James and Keppoch in their flight from Edinburgh; had been carried along with them as a hostage for his father, that the latter should do- nothing against Sir James ; and latterly, being released, had taken open part with the rebels. 1615.] ARGYLE REPORTS HIS PROCEEDINGS 389 agreeth with his own honour and his Majesty's expec- tation."^ In the commencement of November, Argyle was directed by the Council to dismiss his hired soldiers, as they conceived he had now no further use for them.-^ But being of a different opinion, he, at his own risk, retained them on service a month and a half longer — his reasons for which he gave in a letter to Lord Binning, in which he expressed his assurance, that when he came to make a report of his proceedings, the Council would approve of what he had done. In this letter the following remarkable passage occurs : — " My Lord, I thank God that the suppression of this rebel- lion was in time; for, on my credit, if it had been twenty days longer protracted, few of my countrymen, betwixt Tarbert and Inverary, had proven good subjects : much less could there have been any good expected of further remote places, where there was no true obe- dience to his Majesty at all."^ On the 24th of November, an interim report of Argyle's proceedings was given in by Archibald Camp- bell, in name of the Earl of Argyle, at which time Macfie of Colonsay was presented before the Council. About a month afterwards, Argyle in person made a full report to the Council. His conduct generally was approved of, except in the retaining of the hired soldiers after the commencement of November; and the Earl was thus obliged to pay from his own resources upwards of seven thousand pounds, being the pay of these troops 1 Dated cir. 16th October; Denmylne MS.; Criminal Trials, III. 23. 2 Record of Privy Council, 4th November; Letter, Binning to Argyle, 25th October, 1615. 3 Dated 7th November, Denmylne MS. AllGVLE PtErORTS HIS PROCEEDINGS. [1615. for a month and a half. In making his report, Argyle warmly recommended Captain Wood to the notice of the King and Council, for his services in the late expedition.^ Thus terminated the last great struggle made by the once powerful Clandonald of Isla and Kintyre, to retain from the grasp of the Campbells these ancient posses- sions of their tribe. 1 Ivecord of Privy Council, 2:l:th Xovember, and 21st December, 1615. 391 CHAP. IX. FROM THE SUPPRESSION OF THE GREAT REBELLION OF THE CLANDONALD, TO THE DEATH OF JAMES VI.— 1615— 1625. The insurrection in the South Isles being now crushed in the manner above described, the attention of the Privy Council was directed to the apprehension of such of the leaders as had escaped, and were still lurking in the Highlands or Isles. The Mar- quis of Huntly, and Lauchlan Macintosh of Dunnauch- tane, were summoned to give their advice to the Council regarding the steps necessary to be pursued. A com- mission was given in the month of January to Lord Gordon (Huntly 's eldest son), for the seizure of Mac- Eanald of Keppoch and his son, now supposed to be in Lochaber; and proclamation was made, charging the inhabitants of Perthshire above Dunkeld, of Banffshire above Carroun, of Inverness-shire (except the vassals of Lord Kintaill, who were employed in the Lewis), and of Mull, Morvern, and Tiree, to assist Lord Gordon in the service committed to his charge. At the same time, a reward of five thousand merks was offered for Keppoch or his son, alive or dead.^ In March following, the Privy Council, in the absence of the Earl of Argyle, 1 Record of Privy Council, 14th and 16th January, 1616. 392 PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL. [1616. who had again gone to Court, ordered his brother, Campbell of Lundy, to appear before them in a few weeks, to receive instructions for the suppression of some of the rebels (led by Malcolm MacRuari Macleod, and the bastard son of the late Sir James Macdonald of Dunluce), who still infested the Isles. A commission to Lundy, Auchinbreck, and Ardkinlass, for this purpose was prepared ; but the former refused to undertake it, and in the month of June he received a licence to go to Court to confer with Argyle on the subject. It seems to have been considered by the Council that Lord Gordon was not very active in the service against Keppoch ; for a second commission against the latter was directed to the Marquis of Huntly, as well as to his son, accompanied by a charge, in the King's name, to these noblemen to undertake the execution of it. In the month of July Lundy returned from England, and still refused the duty attempted to be imposed upon him, stating that he had given, both to the King and to the Earl, satisfactory reasons for his conduct; and adding that his brother might be expected in Scotland in a short time to dis- charge the service himself With this answer the Council were obliged to remain contented.^ At this time Macleod of Harris, the captain of Clan- ranald, the Macleans of Dowart, Coll, and Lochbuy, and the Laird of Mackinnon, made their appearance before the Privy Council. This formality had been interrupted by the rebellion in the last year; and very strict measures were now taken to insure the obedience of these chiefs in future. They were obliged to bind 1 Record of Privy Council, 29th IMarch, 28tli May, 13th June, and Gth July, 1G16. 1616.] ANNUAL APPEARANCE OF THE CHIEFS. 393 themselves mutually, as sureties for each other, to the observance of the following conditions: — First, That their clans should keep good order, and that they themselves should appear before the Council, annually, on the 10th of July, and oftener if required and on being legally summoned. Secondly, That they should exhibit annually a certain number of their principal kinsmen, out of a larger number contained in a list given by them to the Council. Do wart was to exhibit four; Macleod, three; Clanranald, two; and Coll, Lochbuy, and Mackinnon, one of these chieftains, or heads of houses, in their clans respectively.^ Thirdly, That they were not to maintain in household more than the following proportions of gentlemen, according to their rank: viz., Do wart, eight; Macleod and Clanranald, six; and the others three each. Fourthly, That they were to free their countries of sorners and idle men having no lawful occupation. Fifthly, That none of them were to carry hackbuts or pistols, unless when employed in the King's service; and that none but the chiefs and their house- hold gentlemen were to wear swords, or armour, or any weapons whatever. Sixthly, That the chiefs were to reside at the following places respectively: viz., Mac- leod at Dunvegan, Maclean of Dowart at that place, Clanranald at Elanterim, Maclean of Coll at Bistache, Lochbuy at Moy, and Mackinnon at Kilmorie. Such of them as had not convenient dwelling-houses corre- sponding to their rank at these places were to build without delay, "civil and comelie" houses, or repair 1 At this time Clanranald gave up the names of his brothers, Ranald, John, and Ruari; and Mackinnon gave up those of five of his clan, as disobedient persons, for whom they disclaimed being answerable. 394< CONDITIONS IMPOSED UPON THE CHIEFS. [1616. those that were decayed. They were likewise to make *^policie and planting" about their houses; and to take mains, or home-farms, into their own hands, which they were to cultivate, " to the effect they might be thereby exercised and eschew idleness."' Clanranald, who had no mains about his Castle of Elanterim, chose for his home-farm the lands of Hobeg in Uist. Seventhly, That at the term of Martinmas next, they were to let the remainder of their lands to tenants, for a certain fixed rent, in lieu of all exactions. Eighthly, That no single chief should keep more than one birling, or galley, of sixteen or eighteen oars; and that in their voyages through the Isles they should not oppress the country people. Ninihly, That they should send all their children above nine years of age to school in the Lowlands, to be instructed in reading, writing, and speaking the English language; and that none of their children should be served heir to their fathers, or received as a tenant by the King, who had not received that education. This provision regarding education was confirmed by an act of Privy Council, which bore that " the chief and principall cans quhilk hes procurit and procuris the continuance of barbaritie, impietie, and incivilitie within the Yllis of this kingdome, hes proceidit from the small cair that the chiftanes and principall clannitmen of the Yllis hes haid of the educatioun and upbringing of thair childrene in vertew and lerning; who, being cairles of thair dewties in that poynte, and keiping thair childrene still at home with thame, whair they see nothing in thair tendir yeiris bot the barbarous and incivile formes of the countrie, thay ar thairby maid to apprehend that thair is no uther formes of dewtie and civilitie keept in any uther pairt of the cuntrie ; sua 1G16.] CONDITIONS IMPOSED UPON THE CHIEFS. 395 that, when thay come to the yeiris of maturitie, hardlie can thay be reclamed from these barbarous, rude, and incivile formes, quhilk, for lack of instructioun, war bred and sailed in thame in their youthe: whairas, if thay had bene sent to the inland (the low country) in thair youthe, and trainit up in vertew, lerning, and the Inglische tongue, thay wald haif bene the bettir pre- pairit to reforme thair countreyis, and to reduce the same to godliness, obedience^ and civilitie." Lastly^ The chiefs were not to use in their houses more than the following quantities of wine respectively: viz.,Dowart and Macleod, four tun each; Clanranald, three tun; and Coll, Lochbuy, and Mackinnon, one tun each; and they were to take strict order throughout their whole estates that none of their tenants or vassals should buy or drink any wine. A very strict act of the Privy Council against excess of drinking .accompanied this obligation of the chiefs. It proceeded on the narrative that "the great and extraordinary excesse in drinking of wyne, commonlie usit among the commonis and. tenantis of the Yllis, is not only ane occasioun of the beastlie and barbarous cruelties and inhumanities that fallis oute amangis thame, to the offens and displeasour of God, and contempt of law and justice; but with that it drawis nomberis of thame to miserable necessitie and povartie, sua that they are constraynit, quhen thay want from their awne, to tak from thair nichtbours." Maclean of Dowart, and his brother Lauchlan, having delayed to find the required sureties, were committed to ward in Edinburgh Castle, whence the former was liberated in a short time, and allowed to live with Acheson of Gos- furd, his father-in-law, under his own recognisance of £40,000, and his father-in-law's for 5000 merks, that S9G CONDITIONS IMPOSED UPON THE CHIEFS. [1616. he should remain there until permitted by the Council to return to the Isles. Dowart's brother was not liber- ated till the following year, when his own bond was taken for the conformity of himself and his son Hector to the obligations imposed upon the other Islanders in July, 1616. His dwelling-place was to be at Ardna- cross in Mull; and he was allowed to keep two gentle- men in his household. Donald Gorme of Sleat, having been prevented, by sickness, from attending the Council with the other chiefs, ratified all their proceedings, and found the required sureties, by a bond dated in the month of August. He named Duntullim, a castle of his family in Trouterness, as his residence ; and six house- hold gentlemen, and an annual consumption of four tun of wine, were allowed to him; and he was annually to exhibit to the Council three of his principal kinsmen.^ These proceedings being communicated by the Council to the King, were approved of by his Majesty; who, at the suit of the Islanders, ordered that the chiefs, and some of their immediate relations, might have licence to use fire-arms for their own sport within a mile of their dwellings.^ In the following year. Sir Ruari Macleod ' ^ of Harris, Sir Donald Gorme of Sleat (nephew and heir-male of the late Donald Gorme), Sir Donald MacAllan Vic Ian, captain of the Clan- ranald, Sir Lauchlan Mackinnon of Strathordell, Hector Maclean of Lochbuy, Lauchlan Maclean of Coll^ and Lauchlan Maclean, brother to Dowart, made their appearance before the Council in the month of 1 Record of Privy Council, 11th, 17tli, 26tli July, 22nd August, 2nd September, 1616; 22nd March, 1617. - Ibid., 18th September, 1616. 1617.] EXACTION OF CALPS ABOLISHED. 397 July.i About this time, in consequence of great abuses and oppression, the practice of taking calps in the Highlands and Isles was abolished in the same way as it had been suppressed by James IV. in Galloway upwards of a century before.- The calp was an ac- knowledgment of vassalage or dependence on a chief; and consisted in the best horse, ox, or cow of a vassal, which, on his decease, was claimed by his superior. The conflicting claims of different chiefs and landlords caused, in many instances, great oppression — four or five calps being sometimes taken from one family on the occasion of a single death. This led to the abolition of the practice. The chiefs of Keppoch and Lochiel still continued outlaws ; the former for his concern in the rebellion of Sir James Macdonald ; the latter for having, in addition to his former offences, lately interrupted Macintosh when the latter was going to hold courts at Inverlochy, as heritable Steward of Lochaber.^ When Lochiel was forfeited for not producing his title-deeds in 1598, the disputed lands of Glenluy and Locharkaig were claimed by Macintosh ; and Lochiel had, to save him- self from the consequences, entered into a contract with the latter, by which he agreed to take from that chief one-half of the disputed lands in mortgage for the sum of six thousand merks; and to hold the other half under Macintosh, for the personal service of himself and ^ Record of Privy Council, ad tempus. Macleod had been knighted in 1613. The dates of the knighthood of the other chiefs are more uncertain, although probably all were knighted after Macleod. - Acts of Parliament, IV. 548. 3 Record of Privy Council, June 10, July 31, 1617. 398 STATE OF LOCHABEK. [1618. the tenants of the lands. This contract was to endure for nineteen years ; and very severe penalties were im- posed upon him who should infringe it. This it was which kept Macintosh from acting against Lochiel when the latter became an outlaw for the slaughter of his clansmen in 1613. Now, however, Macintosh maintained that Lochiel by his late lawless proceedings had forfeited all benefit from the above-mentioned con- tract ; and he accordingly prepared to carry into effect the acts of outlawry against the latter which were in force.^ Finding himself unable, in present circum- stances, to make head against the Clanchattan, Lochiel was forced to make up his quarrel with the Marquis of Huntly. This he did by surrendering to the Marquis' eldest son the superiority of many lands in Lochaber ; in which lands his own eldest son, John Cameron, and several of his clan were now received as vassals of the house of Huntly. By this sacrifice Lochiel obtained the support of Huntly against Macin- tosh, whom the Marquis cordially hated. ^ MacRanald of Keppoch and his sons still continued outlaws ; and, in the month of July a commission of fire and sword against them was granted to Macintosh. In the exe- cution of this service Macintosh gave olfence to Lord Gordon, who procured the recall of the commission against Keppoch, and received authority himself to act against the latter's eldest son, Ranald — Keppoch him- self, and his second son^ Donald Glas, having by this time contrived to make their escape and join Sir James 1 MS. History of Camerons. Ibid. Reg. of Great Seal, L. 144. 1618.] AKGYLE BECOMES A CATHOLIC. 399 Macdonald in Spain/ Here, strange to say, the fugi- tive Macdonalds were soon after joined by their arch enemy, the Earl of Argyle, whose personal history after the year 1615 is a striking instance of the mutability of human affairs. In 1616 Argyle had gone to Court to make his per- sonal report of the expedition led by him against Sir James Macdonald in the end of the preceding year. At that time he seems to have been in great favour ; for an Act of Parliament was soon after passed dissolv- ing from the Crown the Lordship of Kintyre, granted to him in 1607, and settling it on James Campbell, Argyle's son by Dame Anna Cornwallis, his second wife." This lady, whom Argyle married when at Lon- don in the year 1610, was a Catholic; and she gradu- ally drew her lord over to profess the same faith with herself — although, for some years, his conversion was kept secret.^ On pretence of going to the Spa for the benefit of his health, Argyle received from the King permission to go abroad in 1618; his Majesty presum- ing that the Scottish Privy Council would, before his departure, have taken order for the good conduct of all the vassals and tenants of the Earldom of Argyle. This, however, had been neglected ; and, moreover, it was reported, and truly, that the Earl instead of going to the Spa had gone to Spain ; that he had there made open defection from the true religion ; and that he had entered into very suspicious dealings with the banished rebels. Sir James Macdonald and Allaster MacRanald of Keppoch. The King upon this wrote to the Scottish 1 Record of Privy Council, 9th July, 21st October, 1618. 2 Acts of Parliament, IV. 559. 3 Douglas' Peerage (Edit, by Wood), I. 94. 400 STATE OF THE EARLDOM OF ARGYLE. [1618. Privy Council recalliDg the licence given to Argyle to go abroad ; and directing that nobleman to be sum- moned to appear before the Council in the month of February, 1619, under the pain of treason/ In the meantime various efforts were made to make the ^•barons and gentlemen of Argyle" answerable for the good rule of the Earldom. The result was, that in December, 1618, twenty of these barons and gentlemen appeared in presence of the Council, and made the following arrangement for effecting the desired object : — Campbell of Lundy undertook the principal charge ; and under him, the Lairds of Lochnell, Auchinbreck, Ardkinlass, and Kilberry were to answer for the districts of Lorn, Argyle Proper, Cowal, and Kintyre, respec- tively. Lochnell, in his district, was to be assisted by the Macdougalls of DunoUy and Raray, Stewart of Appin, the captain of Dunstaffnage, ^h. Donald Camp- bell of Barbreck-Lochow, and Robert Campbell of Glenfalloch. Auchinbreck was to have the assistance of the Lairds of Duntroon, Barbreck-Craignish, and Craignish — all Campbells. The Lairds of Elangreg and Otter (likewise Campbells) were to support Ard- kinlass; and Macdonald of Largie, the Macallasters of Loupe and Tarbert, Hector Macneill of Taynish, and Hector Macneill of Carskeay were to assist Kil- berry. The latter was to be put in possession of Argyle's Castle of Kinloch (Kilkerran) in Kintyre, to enable him the better to keep that district under obedience.- 1 Record of Privy Council, Ttti Xovember, 1618. Mem. of Council proceedings, Denmylne MS., ad tempus. " Record of Privy Council, 17th December, 1618. 1619.] ARGYLE DISGRACED AND FORFEITED. 401 The Earl of Argyle, having failed to make A. D. 1619. j^.^ appearance on the appointed day, was declared a traitor, by an act which inveighs bitterly against his hypocrisy and dissimulation. 1 He did not venture to return to Britain during the reign of James VI., nor, indeed, until the year 1638 ; and he died in London, soon after his return in that year. While abroad the Earl of Argyle distinguished himself in the military service of Philip III. of Spain against the States of Holland.^ From the time of his going abroad, he never exercised any influence over his great estates in Scotland; the fee of which had, indeed, been previously conveyed by him to his eldest son, Archibald, Lord Lorn, afterwards eighth Earl of Argyle.^ The fall of Argyle necessarily produced a reaction in favour of the Macdonalds, whose estates had gone to benefit him and his clan. Sir James Macdonald and the chief of Keppoch were recalled from Spain by King James ; and, on their arrival in London, the former received a pension of one thousand merks sterling, and the latter a pension of two hundred merks of the same money. The Kins; wrote A. D. 1621 to the Scottish Privy Council in favour of both these chiefs, sending, at the same time, ample remissions for all their offences, to be passed under the seals of Scotland. To this, however, the Council made many objections, urging the danger of permitting chiefs of such note to be at liberty to go to the High- ^ Record of Privy Council, 4th February, 1619, 2 Peerage, I. 94. 3 Letter, Council to the King, 2nd February, 1619 ; Denmylne MS., Advocates' Library. 29 402 pahdon of sir james macdonald. [1621. lands before proper security had been found for their obedience. Sir James Macdonald's remission passed the sealsj however, in the month of October ; but some arrangement seems to have been made by which he was debarred from visiting Scotland. He died at Lon- don in the year 1626, without issue to revenge his wrongs and those of his clan on the Campbells. At the same time that Sir James Macdonald received his pardon, Keppoch appeared before the Privy Council, trusting to a six months' protection he had obtained from the King. He proposed visiting Lochaber, but was directed by the Council to remain in Edinburgh until he found sufficient security for his obedience to the laws.^ He seems at length to have satisfied the Council and obtained his pardon ; for we find him afterwards settled in Lochaber, in peaceable possession of his estate. Early in this year, Allan Cameron of Lochiel, and John, his son, w^ere outlawed for not appearing before the Council, to find security, as the Islanders had done, for their future obedience. In the month of Julv, com- mission was given to Lord Gordon against Lochiel and his clan, who are described as almost the only persons in the Highlands and Isles who now remained disobe- dient; and proclamation was made, charging all the men of Badenoch and Lochaber, between sixty and sixteen years of age (except only Sir Lauchlan Macintosh him- self), to concur with Lord Gordon in the execution of his commission. The same nobleman was commissioned to apprehend or slay Ranald Macranald, the eldest son 1 Sir R. Gordon's History of Sutherland, p. 238. Reg. of Privy Seal, XCVII. 109. Letters, Council to King, 7th June, 1621 ; 21st and 28th March, 1622; and Protection to Keppoch, 12th October, 1621— all in Denraylnc 1G21.] PROCEEDINGS AGAINST LOCHIEL. 403 of Keppoch, who had contrived to conceal himself in Lochaber ever since the year 1615.^ It appears that these commissions were not vigorously acted upon; and, indeed, Lochiel and Keppoch being both vassals of Lord Gordon, it is probable he undertook the service in order to prevent the interference of Macintosh, or some other chief who, like him, was disposed to push matters to ex- tremities against both the Clanchameron and the Clan- ranald of Lochaber. In the following year, Macintosh went to Court, and, by his repre- sentations, procured, in the month of June, a commis- sion against Lochiel, directed to himself and twenty- two other chiefs and gentlemen of note throughout the whole Highlands and Isles. The imminent danger which now appeared to threaten Lochiel was averted by the sudden death of Macintosh, which gave an oppor- tunity to Lochiel's friends, particularly the Laird of Grant, to interest themselves on his behalf- By their means Lochiel was induced to submit his disputes with the family of Macintosh, the chief cause of all his trou- bles, to the decision of mutual friends. The lands of Glenluy and Locharkaig w^ere, by these arbiters, adjudged to belong to Macintosh, who was, however, to pay to Lochiel certain sums of money in compensation of the claims of the latter. Lochiel, although he pretended to acquiesce in this decision, yet delayed the completion of the transaction in such a way that the dispute was not finally settled till the time of his grandson, the cele- brated Sir Ewin Cameron of Lochiel. ^ Meantime, he ^ Record of Privy Council, Jan., Feb., March, and July, 1621. - Record of Privy Council, 18th June, 30th July, 17th December, 1622. Douglas' Baronage, p. 352. 3 MS. History of Camerons. 404 ACTS FOR CIVILISING THE ISLES. [1622: obtained a pardon for his offences, and his sentence of outlawry was recalled.^ Since the year 1617, the Islanders had continued (with the exception of Hector Maclean of Dowart) to make their annual appearance before the Privy Council with tolerable regularity. In July, 1619, the time for their yearly appearance was, at their own request, altered from July to February ; but, in 1621, it was again altered to July, owing to the uncertainty of the w^eather in spring.^ In the following year. Sir Ruari Macleod of Harris^ Sir Donald Gorme of Sleat, John MacDonald, captain of the Clanranald (son of the late Sir Donald MacAllan), and the lairds of Coll, Lochbuy, and Mackinnon, made their obedience to the Privy Council, as usual, when several acts of importance relating to the Isles were passed. By the first of these they were bound to build and repair their parish churches to the satisfaction of the Bishop of the Isles ; and they promised to meet the Bishop at Icolmkill, whenever he should appoint, to make the necessary arrangements in this matter. The Bishop, at this time, promised to appoint a qufilified Commissary for the Isles — complaints having been made on this head. By another act, masters of vessels w^ere prohibited, under the penalty of confiscation of the article, to carry more wine to the Isles than the quantity allowed to the chiefs and gentlemen by the act of 1617. The pre- amble of this act assumes, that one of the chief causes which retarded the civilisation of the Isles, was the 1 MS. History of Camerons; and Original Bond of Caution for Lochiel, dated 21st September, 1623, and preserved in General Register House. - Record of Privy Council, ad tempus. 1622.] THE CLAN IAN OF AKDNAMURCHAN. 405 great quantity of wine imported yearly: — ^* With the insatiable desyre quhairof the saidis Ilanderis ar so far possest, thatj when thair arryvis ony schip or uther Teschell there with wines, thay spend both dayes and nif2;hts in their excesse of drinking sa lang as thair is anie of the wyne left; sua that, being overcome with drink, thair fallis oute many inconvenientis amangis thame, to the breck of his Majestei's peace," &c. By a third act, Macleod, Sir Donald Gorme, Clanranald, and Mackinnon, were bound not to molest those en- gaged in the trade of fishing in the Isles, under heavy penalties.^ The last serious insurrection in the West A. D. 1625. jjjgiji^^^^g jgigg which occurred in the reign of James VI., was that of the Clan Ian of Ard- namurchan, in the year 1625, arising out of the following circumstances. Archibald, fourth Earl of Argyle, had acquired the superiority of Ardnamurchan and Sunart, by resignation of Mariot, daughter and heiress of John Macian of Ardnamurchan.^ The heirs-male of the family of Macian continued, however, to possess the estates, without acknowledging the Earl of Argyle as their superior for a considerable period. Allaster MacDonald Vic Ian of Ardnamurchan is mentioned in the minority of Queen Mary, and John Macian of Ardnamurchan occurs in the early part of the reign of her son (supra, pp. 170, 238). John Oig Macian, son of the last mentioned John, when on the point of marry- ing a daughter of the house of Lochiel, about the year 1 Record of Privy Council, July, 1G22. 2 Inventory of Argyle Writs. Reg. of Privy Seal, XVII., fo. 38 ; XXIV., fo. 29. This lady had married Robert Robertson of Strowan, who consented to her resignation of Ardnamurchan. 40G HISTORY OF THIS TRIBE. [1G25. 1590^ was assassinated by his uncle^ who was his next heir, and wished to obtain possession of the estate. The murderer did not long escape the punishment due to his crime; for, notwithstanding that he was supported by Sir Lauchlan Maclean of Dowart, he was soon after killed in a skirmish with the Camerons. This happened in the district of Morvern; and the grave of Mac Yic Ian, as tradition calls the murderer, who is said to have been a warrior of gigantic size and great prowess, is still shown in the churchyard of Keill in Morvern.^ In 1602, John MacAUaster Vic Ian of Ardnamurchan, now the heir of the family, entered into a contract with the Earl of Argyle. By this agreement, Macian be- came bound to exhibit to the Earl the title-deeds of Ardnamurchan, and to resign the lands to the Earl. On this being performed, Argyle engaged to receive Macian as his vassal in the lands, to be holden for payment of one merk of feu-duty. This shows that, hitherto, the Macians had possessed upon their old titles from the Crown, without regard to the conveyance of the superiority to the fourth Earl of Argyle by Mariot Macian, the heiress. Argyle likewise engaged to protect and defend Macian and his clan in the same way as his other vassals.^ It does not appear that this contract, so favour- able to the Macians (for Argyle's claim to the superiority was legally good, independent of the proposed resigna- tion), was ever fulfilled, at least on the part of the Earl. It is clear that the title-deeds were delivered up ; but 1 jMS. History of Camerons. The author of this MS. calls the murdered chief erroneously Donald ; but I find Jolin Oig Macian of Ardnamurchan mentioned in an authentic document, A.D. 1595. — Collectanea de Rebus Albanicls, I. 200. - Inventory of Argyle '^Vrits. 1G25.] THEY AKE EMBROILED WITH ARGYLE. 407 the history of the Macians after this period, leads to the conclusion, either that Argyle had not acted in good faith, or that the Macians, by some insurrection or sinai- lar lawless proceeding, had forfeited the benefit of the laws. Dying before 1611, this John Macian of Ard- namurchan left a son, Allaster, in whose minority the clan was led by a certain Donald Macian, probably uncle of the minor, styled Tutor of Ardnamurchan.^ In 1612, a commission was granted by Archibald Earl of Argyle, to Mr. Donald Campbell of Barbreck-Lochow, "to take and receive the castle and place of Mingarry (in Ardnamurchan), and, upon the Earl's expenses, to put keepers therein ; " with power to the Commissioner to summon before him all the tenants and inhabitants of Ardnamurchan, and generally to manage that terri- tory in fixing and collecting with regularity the rents to be paid to the Earl, and punishing, by expulsion or otherwise, the refractory tenants." This Mr. Donald Campbell was a natural son of that Sir John Camp- bell of Calder, killed in 1592, by an assassin employed by Ardkinlass and others of the name of Campbell (supra, p. 251). He was originally bred to the Church, and became Dean of Lismore ; but he was of too rest- less a disposition to confine himself to his ecclesiastical duties. He first distinguished himself by the zeal with which he endeavoured to bring to justice all those con- cerned in his father's murder.^ The talents and acti- vity of Mr. Donald Campbell recommended him to the notice of his chief, the Earl of Argyle, by whom he was 1 Reg. of Privy Seal, LXXX. 162. " Original in Charter Chest of Airds. 3 This is proved by many documents in the Charter Chest of Airds. 408 SEVERITIES OF MR. DONALD CA:MPRELL. [1625. commissioned, as above, to reduce the district of Ard- iiamurchan to obedience. He afterwards received from the Earl a lease of Ardnamurchan, and made him- self very obnoxious to the natives by his severities. In the end of 1615, or very nearly in the following year, John Macdonald Vic Ian, a son probably of the Tutor of Ardnamurchan, and a principal tenant in the district, went to Edinburgh to seek, on behalf of the Clan Ian, an audience of the Earl of Argyle, or his brother, Campbell of Lundy. Having failed in his object, through the absence of the Earl and his brother, he returned to the Highlands bearing with him a strong letter of recommendation from William Stirling of Auchyle, a confidential agent of Argyle, to Mr. Donald Campbell. In this letter, the following passage oc- curs: — "It is not without reason and some foirknow- ledge in preventing further inconvenience, I have written to you 5 which, I am assured, ye will consider out of your own wisdom. I hope ye will press to win the people (of Ardnamurchan) with [kyndness] rather nor extremitie, speciallie at the first." ^ In July, 1616, the Tutor of Ardnamurchan incurred the forfeiture of two thousand merks, for not appearing before the Privy Council at that time;^ and it may be conjectured that Mr. Donald Campbell lost no time in enforcing the sentence against Macian. By some error or deceit on the part of Argyle or his agents, a lease of Ardnamurchan had been granted to Sir Donald MacAllan of Moydert, captain of the Clanranald, several years before the expiry of the lease granted to Campbell. In the month of May, 1618, John MacDonald, captain of the Clan- ^ Original Letter in Ch, Chest of Airds, dated 16th January, 1616. - Record of FtIxj Council, ad tcmpas. 1625.] HIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CLAN IAN. 409 ranald, son of the late Sir Donald, united with the Clan Ian, who acknowledged him as their chief, and expelled Campbell and his adherents from Ardnamurchan. This dispute was in the following year submitted to the decision of Sir George Hay (afterwards Earl of Kin- noull) and Sir George Erskine of Innerteil, who found that Campbell's lease was the best in law, and there- fore ordered him to be repossessed in the disputed lands; compensation being made to the captain of Clanranald for the grassum, or fine at granting of the lease, paid by his father.^ In 1620, some of the princi- pal men of the Clan Ian — with Macleod of Harris, the captain of the Clanranald, and Maclean of Coll as their sureties — bound themselves to Mr. Donald Camp- bell for the dutiful obedience of the Clan Ian to the house of Argyle, and for their being peaceable tenants to Campbell, and paying him all rents and damages that might be found due to the latter.^ Two years later we find Campbell stating to the Privy Council that Allaster Macian of Ardnamurchan had lately assembled his clan, and declared to them his intention of recovering the old possessions of his family, by law if possible ; and should that fail him, had expressed his determination to resort to force, in which he made his clan swear to assist him. Macian, however, making his appearance before the Privy Council, this accusa- tion was referred to his oath, when he distinctly denied the truth of it.^ 1 Record of Privy Council, 10th November, 1618; 29th and 31st July, 1619. 2 General Kegister of Deeds, Vol. CCCCXXVl., sub. 15th January, 1630. 3 Record of Privy Council, 23rd July, 1622. 410 THE CLAN IAN AGAIN REBEL. [1625. It is probable, however, that this young chief, whether instigated by his clan, or provoked by the severities of the Campbells, did afterwards resort to force against the latter. In 162-1 the Clan Ian vv^ere again in rebellion; and in September of that year Macleod of Harris, Clanranald, and Maclean of Coll, as having formerly become answerable for the Clan Ian, were charged to exhibit the leaders of that tribe before the Privy Council in January following. Having failed to do this, these chiefs were denounced rebels, according to the usual forms of Scottish law. At this time the Clan Ian had seized, manned, and armed an English vessel, and had betaken themselves, to the number of five or six score, to a piratical life. In April, 1625, the Archbishop of Glasgovv' and Sir William Livingston of Kilsyth were commissioned to go to the burgh of Ayr, to provide a ship and a pinnace, properly manned and victualled, for the pursuit of the Clan Ian. At the same time a com- mission of fire and sword and of justiciary against them was given to Lord Lorn and the Lairds of Calder, Auchinbreck, Lochneli, and Ardkinlass, or any three of them, Lord Lorn always being one. In the month of May a Scottish and a Flemish ship, which had been seized by the Clan Ian, were retaken by Captain John Osburne for the King. From various letters concerning this insurrection which are still preserved, it appears that the pirates of the Clan Ian were for a time the terror of the whole west coast of Scotland, from Isla north- wards. Being hotly pursued from Sky (whither they had probably gone in pursuit of some merchant vessels), by Sir Ruari Macleod of Harris and a body of his clan, they landed in Moydert, the captain of Clanranald's country, and hid themselves in the woods there. Soon 1625.] THE REBELLION SUPPRESSED. 411 afterwards Lord Lorn and his forces arrived at Ardna- murchan, and meeting with Macleod and other chiefs engaged in the service^ speedily suppressed the insur- rection, and killed or banished the rebels. From this time we never meet with the Clan Ian of Ardna- murchan as a separate and independent tribe ; as any survivors of them seem, for security, to have identified themselves with the Clan ran aid. The services of Lord Lorn were approved of by the Privy Council, and he received the thanks of that body accordingly.^ Mr. Donald Campbell, originally tenant of Ardnamurchan, became now heritable proprietor under Lorn of that district and Sunart, for which he paid an annual feu- duty of two thousand merks. Before the month of January, 1629, he had been created a Baronet, and during the reign of Charles L was well known as Sir Donald Campbell of Ardnamurchan. He left no sur- viving male issue ; but his title is now enjoj^ed by the present Sir John Campbell of Airds and Ardnamurchan, the descendant and representative of George Campbell of Airds, nephew to Sir Donald.'- Of the old Macians, the last trace I have found is a bond, dated at Edin- burgh, 22nd April, 1629, by Alexander Macian, son and heir of the late John Macian of Ardnamurchan, to Robert Innes, burgess of the Chanonry of Ross, for the 1 This account of the proceedings against the Clan Ian is taken from the Record of Privy Council, 22nd September, 1G24 ; 27th January, 21st April, 31st May, and 28th July, 1625 ; and from Letters, Campbell of Calder, the Archbishop of Glasgow to Lord Melros (afterwards Earl of Haddington); from Macleod of Harris to Mr. Donald Campbell — all preserved in the General Register House, Edinburgh ; and from the Council to the King, preserved in the Denraylne MS., dated in the months of April, May, and July, 1625. - Documents in Charter Chest of Airds. 412 MACDONALDS OF SLEAT. sum of forty thousand pounds Scots.^ From this it may be inferred that Macian had received, or was about to receive^ compensation for his claims on Ardnamurchan. Having now brought the general history of the West Highlands and Isles down to the period proposed in the outset of the present work, I shall conclude by adding such particulars regarding the various tribes of whom I have treated, as may serve to illustrate their position with regard to each other during the reign of Charles I, and his successors. The House of Lochalsh had in 1 625 been for about a century extinct in the male line; and while the represen- tation of this family, through a female, had devolved upon Donald Mac Angus of Glengarry, its possessions, for the most part, were in the hands of the Mackenzies, whose chief, Colin, Lord Kintaill, was in 1623 dignified with the title of Earl of Seaforth. The House of Sleat which, for several generations after the last forfeiture of the Lord of the Isles, had to struggle with numerous difficulties, and barely succeeded in retaining its possessions from the grasp of the Siol Tormod, was in 1625 in a very prosperous condition. In that year Donald Gorme Oig of Sleat (nephew and heir of the last Donald Gorme, who died in 1616, being the son of the latter's brother, Archibald), after having concluded in an amicable manner all his dis- putes with the Siol Tormod, and another controversy in which he was engaged with the captain of Clan- ranald, was created a baronet of Nova Scotia by Charles I. The present Lord Macdonald, his heir-male and 1 General Register of Deeds, Vol. CCCCXVII. MACDONALDS OF COLONSAY. 413 representative, is the twelfth baronet of the family. In addition to Sleat, Trouterness, and North Uist, Lord Macdonald now possesses the estate formerly held by the Mackinnons in Sky (with the exception of one small property held by Mr. Macallaster of Strathaird), which was purchased in the reign of George III. by his Lordship's grandfather. We have seen in a preceding chapter the total ruin of the principal house of the Clan Ian Vor. It now only remains to glance at the position of the surviving cadets of that powerful tribe. The first of these we shall notice is the family of Colonsay. The grandfather of Coll Keitache MacGillespick Macdonald of Colon- say was Coll, a brother of James Macdonald of Dunyveg and the Glens, and of Sorley Buy Macdonald, father of the first Earl of Antrim. Some years previous to the breaking out of the great civil war, Coll MacGil- lespick was expelled from Colonsay by the Campbells, with whom he had a quarrel. His family was dispersed, and one of his sons, the well-known Allaster MacCoU Keitache, having gone to Ireland, returned to the Highlands in 1644 at the head of the Irish troops sent to assist the Scottish Royalists by the Marquis of Antrim. Allaster acted as Lieutenant- General to the celebrated Marquis of Montrose, and received from that leader the honour of knighthood. Although brave to a fault, and, therefore, well qualified to lead irregular troops like the Highlanders, Sir Allaster Macdonald allowed his desire of revenging the wrongs of his family upon the Campbells, to divert him from the proper objects of the war. He was thus a principal cause of the disaster which befel the Hoyal arms at Philiphaugh — having previously withdrawn many of the Highlanders 414 MACDONALDS OF SANDA AND LARGIE. from Montrose's camp, to assist him in his private feuds in Argyleshire ; a service in which the western clans were all very ready to engage. Being driven from the Isles by General Leslie, and having lost all his followers, Sir Allaster went to join the Royalists in Ireland, and was soon afterwards killed in battle there. His father, old Coll MacGillespick, being left once more in charge of the Castle of Dunyveg, was entrapped into a surren- der by Leslie, and was handed over to the Campbells, by whom this restless Islander was at length executed. He was hung from the mast of his own galley, placed over the cleft of a rock near the Castle of Dunstaffnage. Dr. Macdonnell, who resides at Belfast, is believed to be the representative of this branch of the Clan Ian Vor. Of the Earls of Antrim descended from Sorley Buy we have already spoken (supra, p. 227). This noble family is now extinct in the direct male line ; and the title of Antrim is enjoyed by the heir of line of the family. The next branch of the Clan Ian Vor we have to notice is that of Sanda in Kintyre, whose ancestor was Angus Ilach, paternal uncle of James Macdonald of Dunyveg and the Glens, and of Sorley Buy. The representative of this family contrived to save his estate at the time of the forfeiture of Kintyre by James VI. From him descended in a direct line the late Sir John Macdonald Kinnear, whose eldest son is the present representative of the Macdonalds of Sanda. The origin of the Macdonalds or Clanranaldhane of Largie has already been noticed (supra, p. 63). The chieftain of this branch likewise succeeded in preserving his estate from forfeiture under James VL In the direct male line this family has been for some time extinct — the estate having gone by marriage to the family of MACDONALDS OF KEPPOCH. 415 Lockliart of Lee and Carnwath. The Macdonalds of Sanda and Largie were actively engaged in supporting both Montrose and Dundee. The Clanranald of Lochaher, or Macdonalds of Gar- ragach and Keppoch, were one of the most active clans on the Royal side in the great civil war. Soon after the Restoration, the prosperity of this family received a severe check from the barbarous murder of the young chief of Keppoch, Alexander Macdonald Glas, and his brother, two young men who had received a liberal education, and were exerting themselves for the improve- ment of their estates. They fell under the daggers of some of their own discontented followers ; and although their murder was amply avenged by their kinsman. Sir James Macdonald of Sleat, yet the family did not soon recover from the blow. Coll Macdonald of Keppoch vanquished the Macintoshes, with whom he was at feud regarding the lands he occupied, in the last clan battle that was ever fought in the Highlands. The scene of this conflict was on a height called Mulroy, near the house of Keppoch (for the Macintoshes had invaded Lochaber in the prosecution of the quarrel), and it took place immediately before the Revolution in 1688. Keppoch afterwards joined Dundee, and fought at Kil- liecrankie ; and he likewise joined the banner of the Earl of Mar, and was present at the battle of Sheriff- muir in 1715. His son, Alexander Macdonald of Keppoch, entered eagerly into the rebellion of 1745, and fell gallantly leading on his clan, when the hopes of the Jacobites were finally extinguished at Culloden. There are still numerous cadets of this family in Lochaber ; but the principal house, if not yet extinct, has lost all influence in that district. 4] 6 THE CLANRANALD OF MOYDERT. During the seventeenth century, the Clanranald of Garmoran continued to prosper and increase. Donald MacAllan, captain of the Clanranald in the latter part of the reign of James VL, had several brothers. From Ranald, one of these, descended the family of Benhecula, which, on the failure of Donald's descendants, succeeded to the barony of Castletirrim and the captainship of the Clanranald, and is now represented by the present Eanald George Macdonald of Clanranald. The Mac- donalds of Boisdale are cadets of Benbecala, and Staff a is a cadet of Boisdale. From John, another of these brothers, descended the family of Kinlochmoidart, which is now extinct in the direct male line, the estate being possessed by Colonel Robertson Macdonald, in right of his wife, the heiress of this family. From John Gig, uncle of the above-mentioned Donald MacAUan, descended the Macdomlds of Glenaladale, The head of this family, John Macdonald of Glenaladale, being obliged to quit Scotland about 1772, in consequence of family misfortunes arising out of the rebellion of 1745, sold his Scottish estates to his cousin (who is represented by the present Angus Macdonald of Glenaladale), and emigrating to Prince Edward's Island, with about two hundred followers, purchased a tract of forty thousand acres there, on which his heir-male now resides, while the two hundred Highlanders have increased to three thousand. In that remote colony, the language, man- ners, and customs of the Highlanders, as in several districts of Upper Canada, are preserved in greater purity than in the mother country. The family of Knoydart, mentioned in the Introduction (supra, p. 66), fell into decay about 1611, the lands of Knoydart having previously come into the hands of Lochiel, by KNOYDART, MORAR, AND GLENGARRY. 417 whom they were granted to Donald MacAngus of Glen*- garry, to hold of Lochiel and his successors. The superiority of Knoydart was afterwards acquired from Lochiel by the Marquis of Argyle. The old family of Morar, mentioned in the Introduction (supra, p. 66), soon became extinct ; and the position of the more modern chieftains of Morar, as heirs-male of Allan Mac- Ruari, chief of the Clanranald in the reign of James IV., has already been noticed (supra, p. 158), and need not here be repeated. The estate of Morar has passed into other hands, but the family still exists in the male line. The family of Glengarry, notwithstanding its losses in Ross-shire, continued to prosper in other quarters. Angus, or ^neas, the head of this family, was, at the Restoration, elevated to the Peerage by the title of Lord Macdonnell and Aros, for his services to the cause of the Stewarts. This nobleman, presuming on his Peerage, endeavoured to get himself recognised as chief of all the Macdonalds, in which, however, he failed. He left no male issue, and his title, being limited to heirs-male of his body, died with him. The late Alexander Ranaldson MacdonnelP of Glengarry,, 1 As some persons attach great importance to the mode of spelling the name " Macdonald," it may be proper to observe here that, until of late, the spelling of Highland names was so lax as to deprive of all weight any argument resting on so uncertain a foundation. It could easily be shown that, on many occasions, the Glengarry and Keppoch families, who have now adopted Macdonnell^ fre- quently used Macdonald. The most proper way of spelling the name, according to the pronunciation, was that formerly employed by the Macdonalds of Dunyveg and the Glens, who used Mac- connell. Sir James Macdonald, however, the last of this family in the direct male line, signed Makdonall. I have adopted Mac- donald throughout this work, as being the spelling most generally recognised. 30 418 CLAN IAN OF GLKNCO, AND CLAN ALLASTER. styling himself also of Clanranald, revived the claims of his predecessor to pre-eminence among the Macdonalds; but with no better success — as that honour, by the general opinion of the Highlanders, belongs to the chief who receives from them the title of MacDlionuill na/7i Eilean, or Macdonald of the Isles ; in other words, to Lord Macdonald. The principal families descended of the house of Glengarry, were the Macdonnells of Barris- dale, Greenfield, and Lundie. Of these, the first still occupies its original seat of Barrisdale in Knoydart. It is needless to expatiate here on the devotion which all the branches of the Clanranald have uniformly displayed towards those whom they considered their rightful sovereigns. They engaged in every attempt for the restoration of the Stewarts, and suffered severely in con- sequence ; but after all their sufferings and losses, they still form a numerous and gallant tribe, as attached to the house of Hanover as they ever were to the House of Stewart. Of the Clan Ian of Glenco little remains to be said. The name recalls the dreadful massacre of Glenco, by which it was endeavoured to annihilate this tribe. In spite, however, of the massacre, and of their later suffer- ings as Jacobites, several families of Macdonalds still possess lands in the vale where their ancestors so long resided. The final ruin of the Clan Ian of Ardna- murchan has been detailed in the present chapter ; and the name of this ancient tribe is now onlv to be found in the fast fading traditions of the West Highlands. The Macallasters of Loupe continued to possess their lands in Kintyre, until the estate was sold by Colonel Somerville Macallaster, the present heir-male of the old family of Loupe. Many of the name are still to be found in Kintyre and the neighbouring districts. THE CLANGILLEAN OF DOWART. 419 The family of Maclean of Dowart, which, in the Teign of James VI, was the most powerful in the Hebrides, had before the end of the seventeenth cen- tury lost nearly all its great possessions, and was almost deprived of influence. The seeds of the decay of this important family were sown in the reign of Queen Mary, when the great feud between the Macleans and Macdonalds first broke out. In the reigns of James VI. and Charles I., many debts had accumulated against the barony of Dowart, which enabled the Marquis of Argyle and his successors to establish a claim to that estate; and this claim the Macleans, owing to their exertions in favour of the Stewarts, never had an oppor- tunity of shaking off. Sir Lauchlan Maclean of Mor- vern, immediate younger brother of Hector Maclean of Dowart, and grandson of Lauchlan Mor (supra, p. 285), was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia by Charles I. On the death of his elder brother, Sir Lauchlan suc- ceeded to the estate of Dowart; and, on the failure of the male issue of Sir Lauchlan, some generations later, the Baronetcy devolved on Allan Maclean of Brolos, descended from Donald, a younger brother of the first Baronet of Dowart. Sir Allan's heir-male, who now bears the title, is Lieut. -General Sir Fitzroy Maclean of Morvern, eighth Baronet. From Lauchlan Oig Maclean, a younger son of Lauchlan Mor of Dowart, sprung the family of Torlusk in Mull. The estate of Torlusk is now held by the heiress of line, Mrs. Clephane Maclean, and will eventually pass to that lady's grand- son, the second son of the present Marquis of North- ampton. During the seventeenth and eighteenth cen- turies, the Macleans of Lochhuy, Colly and Ardgoiir, more fortunate than those of Dowart, contrived to pre- 420 THE CLANLEOD OF LEWIS. serve their estates nearly entire as regarded the pro- perty ; although compelled, by the power and policy of the Marquis of Argyle, to renounce their holdings from the Crown, and to become vassals of that powerful nobleman and his successors. There were numerous flourishing cadets of all the principal families of the Macleans, too numerous to be noticed in detail in the present brief sketch. The principal of these were — the Macleans of Kinlochaline, ArdtornisJi^ and Drim- nin, descended from Dowart ; of Tapiil, and Scallas- dak, descended from Lochbuy ; of Isle of MiicJc, descended from Coll ; and of Borrcra in North Uist, and TrcssinisJi, descended from Ardgour. All the Macleans were zealous partisans of the Stewarts, in whose cause they suffered severely ; more particularly at the battle of Inverkeithing, in 1652, when this clan lost several hundred men, and a large proportion of officers. Of the Siol Torqiiil, or Macleods of Lewis, the principal surviving branches during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were the families of Easay and Assint. The latter property came into the hands of the Mackenzies, who expelled the Macleods towards the end of the seventeenth century; but the family continued to exist, notwithstanding its misfortunes and losses, and was long represented by the late venerable Donald Macleod of Geanies, Sheriff of Eoss-shire, whose grandson is now the head of this branch. The Macleods, formerly of Cambuscurry, now of Cadholl, are cadets of those of Assint. The present heir-male of the old Macleods of Lewis, and chief of the Siol Torquil, is John Macleod, now of Rasay. The Siol Tormod, or Macleods of Harris, Dunve- gan, and Glenelg, continued to possess these extensive THE CLANLEOD OF MAURIS. 421 estates until near the end of the eighteenth century; but the estates of Harris and Glenelg have now passed into other hands. The principal cadets of this power- ful tribe were the families of Bernera, Talisker, Griser- nish, and Hamer, descended from Sir Norman, Sir Eoderick, Donald, and William Macleods, younger sons of Sir Iluari Mor. Besides these, however, there were many other most respectable families of the name settled in Sky, and also in Harris and Glenelg, where some of them still remain. From the family of Bernera sprung that of Luskinder, of which the late Sir William Macleod Bannatyne, formerly one of the Sena- tors of the College of Justice, was a cadet. The author takes this opportunity of paying a tribute of respect to the memory of that lamented gentleman, who, during a public life of seventy years (for he died at the advanced age of ninety-one), was ever distinguished by his zeal in all matters tending to benefit the Highlands and Isles. He early turned his attention to the history of the principal Highland families, and to the peculiar manners and customs of the Highlanders ; in the eluci- dation of which his progress was so great, at a time Avhen, from political causes, these subjects were gener- ally neglected, as to make it matter of regret that he never thought proper to communicate his knowledge to the world. To Sir William Macleod Bannatyne, the author of the present work was indebted for much curious information and many valuable suggestions. The Clanchamcron, from the time of the submis- sion of Allan Cameron of Lochiel to the Government (supra, p. 403), continued to prosper ; and, with some trifling exceptions, the various branches of this tribe still enjoy their ancient possessions. The celebrated 422 THE CLANCHA3HER0N AND CLANCHATTAN. Sir Ewin Cameron, commonly Ewin Dubh of Lochiel, succeeded, about the year 1664^ in making a satisfjxc- tory arrangement of the long standing feud with the Macintoshes, by which, in consideration of a sum of money paid by him, he was left at length in peaceable possession of the disputed lands of Glenluy and Loch- arkaig. This family, like many others^ was constrained to hold its lands from the Marquis of Argyle and his successors. The Clanchameron took an active part in all the rebellions in favour of the house of vStewart ; and the chivalrous character of the '* gentle Lochiel,'^ who led his clan in 1745-6, has left an impression which will not readily be forgotten. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Clanchattan was a flourishing clan; and the present Alexander Macintosh, captain and chief of Clanchat- tan, besides his estates in Badenoch, still possesses the lands in Lochaber so long disputed between his ances- tors and the Macdonalds of Keppoch. The Macjplier- sons, or ClanviiricJi, have, during the same period, succeeded in establishing themselves as a separate clan from the Macintoshes, although not without a struggle. At the head of the Clanvurich is the present Ewen Macpherson of Cluny, commonly called Cluny 3Iac- johersoUy who styles himself also chief of Clanchattan. It is, however, well known and easily proved that the title of captain and chief of Clanchattan has been en- joyed by the family of Macintosh for at least four hundred years. The Clanchattan (under which term I compre- hend the Macintoshes and their followers) and the Clanvurich have both distinguished themselves as zealous and gallant supporters of the claims of the house of Stewart. THE CLANNEILL OF BARRA AND GIGHA. 423 The history of the Clanneill of Bayra^ owing to its remote situation, offers little of interest during the seven- teenth and eighteenth centuries; nor have there sprung from this ancient stock any branches of importance. Lieut.-Colonel Roderick Macniel, the present repre- sentative^ possesses Barra and the adjacent Isles^ which can be distinctly traced to have been held by his ances- tors for upwards of four hundred years; and tradition carries their possession much farther back. The Clanneill of GigJia multiplied much more rapidly. The direct line of the old family, who were certainly in possession of Gigha more than four hundred years ago, failed in the person of Neill MacNeill of Gigha, in the latter part of the reign of Queen Mary. Neill of Gigha, the father of this individual, and man}^ gentlemen of the tribe, were killed in a feud with Allan Maclean of Torlusk, commonly called Alein ncjCn So^^, prior to the year 1542. Torlusk afterwards disputed, but without success, possession of Gigha with James Macdonald of Isla, to whom Neill, the son, had sold the property. On the extinction of the direct male line Neill MacNeill Vic Eachan of Taynish became heir- male of the family; and his descendant, Hector Mac- neill of Taynish, purchased from the Macdonalds the Isle of Gigha, in the end of the reign of James VI., or early in the reign of Charles 1. Hector's descendants possessed the estates of Gigha and Taynish until the reign of George III., when they were sold. The family however, still exists in the male line, being represented by Daniel Hamilton Macneill of Raploch in Lanark- shire; and while the present work is passing through the press, the Island of Gigha has been purchased by Cap- tain Alexander Macneill, younger, of Colonsay. Next THE CLANFINNON AND CLAXQUARRIE. to the family of Taynish, the principal cadets of the old Macneills of Gigha were those of Galloclielly^ Carslceay. and Tirfergus. From Malcolm Beg Mac- neill, a younger son of John Oig of Gallochelly, in the reign of James VI., sprung the Macneills of AricJionan, a younger son of which family acquired from the family of Argyle the Isle of Colonsay, which is now possessed by his descendant, the present John Macneill of Colon- say. Torquil, a younger son of Lauchlan MacNeill Buy of Tirfergus, acquired the estate of Ugadale by marriage with the heiress of the MacKays in the end of the seventeenth century. Many cadets of the Clan- neill of Gigha have settled in the North of Ireland, where several flourishing families of the name are still to be found. The Machinnons, after engaging both in the rebel- lion of 1715 and in that of 1745, lost all their property, partly by forfeiture, partly by sale; and there is now no proprietor of the name holding any part of their ancient possessions either in Mull or Sky. There are still, however, many gentlemen of the name resident in the Highlands, particularly in the last mentioned island. The honour of being heir-male of this ancient family is disputed between William Alexander Mackinnon, M.P. for Lymington, and Lauchlan Mackinnon of Letter- fearn; nor is the evidence relied on by either party conclusive on this head. The old Maccjiiarries of Ulva appear to have been for some time extinct. The principal cadet of this house was Macquarrie of Ormaig, a family which is likewise believed to be now extinct. Some branches of the Maceachcrns still remain in Kintyre. The estate of Ugadale, the ancient inheritance of the THE MACKENZIES AND MACDOUGALLS. 425 MacJcai/s in Kintyre, passed by marriage, as above mentioned, to a younger son of Macneill of Tirfergus, in the end of the seventeenth century. From the accession ef Charles I. to the death of Queen Anne, the power of the 3Iacken^ies, under the Earls of Seaforth and Cromarty, was, next to that of the Campbells, the greatest in the West Highlands. The forfeiture of the Earl of Seaforth in 1715, and of the Earl of Cromarty in 1745, weakened that power greatly ; yet the Mackenzies are still one of the most numerous and wealthy tribes in the Highlands. The estates of the noble families above mentioned are both, with some exceptions, now held by heiresses — the Hon. Mrs. Stewart Mackenzie of Seaforth, and the Hon. Mrs. Hay Mackenzie of Cromarty ; but neither of the titles have been restored. George Falconer Mackenzie of Allangrange appears to be heir-male of the Earls of Seaforth; and Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Tarlat, descended from Alexander Mackenzie of Ardloch, to be heir-male of the Earls of Cromarty. The principal branches of the house of Seaforth, after Allangrange, were those of Gruinard, Kilcoy, Applecross, Coul, Assint, Eedcastle, Suddy, Achilty, Fairburn, Devachmaluak, Gerloch, and Hilton. The principal branches of the house of Cromarty, after Ardloch, were those of Pres- tonhallj Scatweil, Balone, and Kinnock. The Macdougalh of Diinolly suffered much in the great civil war, being stanch Royalists ; and, at a later period, their estate was forfeited for joining in the rebellion of 1715. Being restored on the eve of the rebellion of 1745, the Macdougalls w^ere prevented from engaging in that unfortunate attempt ; and the estate of Dunolly is now held by Captain Macdougall of 426 THE STEWARTS AND CAMPBELLS. Macdougall, R.N., who appears to be the heir-male of Dugall, mentioned in the Introduction as the eldest son of Somerled. The principal families sprung from the house of Dunolly were those of Gallanach and Soi^aha. The history of the Macdougalls of Rarau, the earliest cadets of the house of Lorn, is very obscure during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is believed, however, that this family is now represented by Coll Macdougall of Ardincaple. The Steivarts of Appin engaged in all the attempts made by the Highlanders in favour of the house of Stewart. The principal family has been extinct for some time, and their estate has passed into other hands. But there are still many branches of this tribe remain- ing in Appin. The chief cadets of Appin were the families of Ardshiel, Invernahyle, Auchnacone, Fasna- cloich, and Balachulish. It now only remains to glance at the progress made by the Campbells during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Marquis of Argyle, commonly called Gillespick Gruamach, increased the influence of his family more than any of his predecessors. He suc- ceeded in establishing claims to a great part of the estate of Dowart, and he caused all the other Macleans, and also the Clanchameron, the Clanranald of Garmo- ran, the Clanneill of Gigha, and many other tribes, to become his vassals, although they previously held their lands of the Crown. Ilis son, the ninth Earl of Argyle, consolidated the power thus acquired ; and, as the forfeitures of this Earl and his father were both rescinded, the family of Argyle, after the Revolution of 1688, found itself possessed of more influence than any family in Scotland. This influence was, as formerly. CONCLUSION. 427 supported by the willing services of many powerful families of the name, whose distinguishing titles have been sufficiently indicated in the course of the present work, and do not require to be repeated here. Having now fulfilled the task which, on undertaking this work, he imposed upon himself, the author takes his leave ; trusting that he will be found to have succeeded in clearing away some of the clouds v/hich formerly obscured the history of the West Highlands and Isles. THE END. INDEX. Aberdeen, 182, 184, 256. ; Abertarf, 160. Acheson of Gosfurd, 395. Agricola, 1. Aig, son of the Laird of (seems error for Dunyveg), 193. Airdrie, Laird of, 297. Albanich, The, 3. Albany, J ohn Duke of, Regent to Jam cs v., 116, 117, 122, 123, 125, 138. Murdoch, Duke of, 33, 35. Robert, Duke of, Regent to James L, 31, 32, 33. Albion, 3. Alexander III. , King of Scotland, 20, 21, 22. Anne, Queen of Great Britain, 425. Angles, The, 2. Angus, Earls of, 44, 129, 131, 132, 152, 168, 256, 260. Angus, William Earl of, 37. Angus, son of Somerled, 13, 14, 17, 19. Ancrum Muir, Battle of, 168. Antrim, County of, 61, 226. Antrim, Earls of, see Isles. Anstruther of that ilk. Sir James, younger, 278. Apnadull, 134. Appin, 103, 229, 426. See Stewarts of Appin. Arasaig in Garmoran, 27. Ardgour, 71. Ardmanach in Ross, Castle of, 56, 57. Ardnacross in Mull, 396. Ardnamurchan, 25, 27, 67, 118, 125, 239, 405, 406, 407, 408, 411, 412. For Macians of Ardamurchan, see Isles. 1 Ardnamurchan, The Point of, separat- | ingthe Northern from the Southern Hebrides, 14, 122, 306, 371. Ardrissak, Point of, 383. Ardtornish, Castle of, in Morvern, 30, 47. Argyle, Barons of, 400. Argyle, Bishops of, Neill Campbell, 246. Lauder, 45. Argyle, Countess of, Annas Keith, widow of Regent Murray, 246, 248. Argyle, Earldom of, 234, 246, 247, 248, 249, 251, 258, 369, 399. Argyle, Campbells, Earls of, 83, 248. Archibald, 2nd Earl, 85, 92, 94, 95, 96, 98, 100, 101, 103, 104, 106, 107, 112, 115, 128. Archibald, 4th Earl, 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 145, 154, 155, 156, 157, 166, 167, 168, 171, 173, 175, 178, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 187, 196, 205, 405. Archibald, 5th Earl, 187, 188, 192, 200, 201, 203, 205, 206, 207, 222. Archibald, 7th Earl, 234, 236, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 257, 258, 259, 260, 267, 274, 289, 290, 296, 297, 304, 305, 306, 310, 311, 312, 313, 317, 327, 341, 342, 343, 346, 348, 354, 355, 356, 359, 365, 369, 370, 372, 373, 374, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 399, 400, 401, 406, 407, 408. Archil3ald, Lord Loru, Marquis 430 INDEX. of, and Sth Earl, 401, 410, 411, 419, 420, 422, 426. Archibald, 9th Earl, 426. Colin, 1st Earl, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 73, 84, 85. Colin, 3rd Earl, 115, 116, 119, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 129, 132, 133, 134, 135, 139, 141, 342. Colin, 6th Earl, 214, 215, 216, 217, 219, 223, 229, 245, 248. Arc;yle, Family of (Campbell), 83, 84, 127, 139, 142, 172, 187, 203, 409, 424, 426. Argyle, or de Ergadia, territorial sur- name of the Macdugalls, Lords of Lorn. See Lorn. Argyle Proper, district of, 201, 255, 334, 371, 376, 378, 379, 400. Justice Air of, 100. Arcjyleshire, 141, 143, 201, 202, 293, 312, 318, 370, 374, 377, 379, 381, 414. Armada, The Spanish, 239. Aros in Mull, Castle of, 322, 323, 324. Arran, Earl of, 101. James Hamilton, Earl of, Regent of Scotland, Duke of Chatelher- ault, 103, ]46, 147, 148, 151, 152, 153, 156, 157, 165, 169, 171, 172, 175, 177, 180, 181, 182, 183, 187, 205. Arran, Captain James Stewart, Earl of, 215, 229. Arran, Isle of, 14, 17, 19, 100, 127, 132, 134, 164, 198, 351, 352, 371. Askomull in Kintyre, 282, 317, 326. Assint in Sutherland, 73, 102. See Macleod and Mackenzie. Attacotti, 2. Athole, 53, 214, 367, 368, 375. Athole, Countess of, 53, 54. Earls of, 50, 52, 53, 54, 185, 186, 201, 202, 214, 215, 244, 257, 368. Athole, The Eaid of, 53, 54. Auchindoun, Castle of, 260. Aulaf MacSitric, King of the Isles, 4. Avandale, Andrew, Lord, 210. Ayr, a Bursess of, 140. Ayr, Burgh of, 100, 134, 135, 282, 324, 410. Ayr, Shire of, 318, 377. Badenoch, 43, 77, 78, 98, 103, 105, 160, 216, 254, 257, 402, 422. Bagnall, an English officer in Ireland, 195. Ballamonyn in Ulster, 226. Balliol, Edward, pseudo-Kingof Scot- land, 26. Balliol party in Scotland, The, 24, 84. Balmerino, James, 1st Lord, 316, 334, 335. Balquhidder, 134, 216. Ban, a river in Ulster, 194, 226. Banffshire, above Carron, 391. Baunatyne of Karnes, 63. Barra, Isle of, 27, 79, 346, 347, 418, 423. See Maciueill. Barrisdale in Knoydert, 418. Barton, Eobert, 101. Beaton, Cardinal, 146, 151, 152, 153, 154, 156, 175, 179. Beauly, Priory of, in the Aird, 162. Benbecula, Isle of, 29, 60, 66. Benderaloch in Lorn, 250. Beam ore in Mull, 235. BenquhiUinin Sky, Battle of, 296, 297. Bern-bige in Isla, Battle of, 285. Berrisay, near Lewis, Eock of, 336. Berwickshire, 266. Binning, Sir Thomas Hamilton, Lord, afterwards Earl of Melros and Had- dington, 348, 353, 354, 365, 37.3, 375, 376, 377, 379, 380, 382, 388, 389, 411. Bishop, Thomas, 168. Bisset, Margery or Mary, heiress of the Glens in Antrim, 38, 61, 192. Bistache in Coll, error for Brekache, which see. Blackness, Castle of, 219, 306, 324. Blackwater, Battle of, in Ireland, 226. Blair in Athole, 110. Blairnepark in Eoss, Battle of, 92. Blantyre, Lord, 268. Blar-na-leine, Battle of. See Kinloch- lochy. Bloody Bay in Mull, Battle of, 52, 53, 65, 69, 73, 74, 79. Boisdale in South Uist, 79. For Macdonalds of Boisdale, see Isles. Boquhan, Lands of, 251. Borders, 237, 266. Borve in Benbecula, Castle of, 29. Boswell, Captain, 383, 386. Bothwell, Earl of, 160, 161. Francis Stuart, Earl of, 244. Bourkes in Connaught, 198. Bowes, !Mr. Thomas, ambassador from Queen Elizabeth to James VI. , 244. Boyse, a river in Ulster, 193, 194, 226. Bracadale in Sky, 74. Braes of Lochaber, 160. Brae Eoss, 302. Bran, ship of war, 387. INDEX. 481 Breadalbane, 134, 201. Brekache in Coll (Bistache), Castle of, 269, 270, 393. Brereton, Andrew, leader of English troops in Ireland, 194. Breve or Celtic Judge of the Lewis, The, 210, 213, 271, 291. Bristol, 164. Britons, The Strathclyde, 2. Brodick in Arran, Castle of, 44, 164. Broke, Fdchard, 164. Brosse, Sienr de la, 153. Bruce, Lady Mary, sister of Robert I., 84. Bruce, Princess Marjory, 25. Buchanan, Laird of, 93, 112. Buchan and Ross, .John Stewart, Earl of, 33. Burleigh, Cecil, Lord, 224, 225. Burley, Lord, in Scotland, 357. Burntisland, 367. Burrowmuir of Edinburgh, 90. Bute, Family of (Stewart), 149. Bute, Isle of, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 45, 116, 127, 154, 164, 166, 371. *Bute, Justice Air of, 100. Bute, Sheriff of, 371. Bute, Shire of, 266, 282, 377. Caithness, Bishop of, 175, 176. Caithness, County or Shire of, 48, 60. 105. Caithness, Allan Stewart, Earl of, 37, 38, 62. Caithness, Earl of, 374. Caledonii or Caledonians, 1, 2. Camerons of Callart, 344. of Erracht, 343. of Erracht, Ewin, 202, 203, 228, 229. Camerons of Glennevis, or MacSorlies, 77, 202. Cameron of Glennevis, Allaster, 343. Cameron of Kinlochiel, 343. Cameron of Kinlochiel, John, 202, 203, 228, 229. Camerons of Letterfinlay, or MacMac- tins, 77, 345. Camerons of Lochiel, Captains of the Claochameron : — Allan MacCounell Duy (Reg. Ja. III.), 76. Allan Mac Ian Duy (Reg. Ja. VI.), 203, 228, 229, 248, 261, 279, 285, 306, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 397, 402, 403, 416, 421. Allan MacOchtry (Reg. Rob. II.), 75. Donald Dubh (Reg. Ja. L), 75, 76. Donald Dubh MacDonald Vic Ewin (Reg. Maria), 183, 202, 203. Ewin Allanson (Reg. Ja. IV, and Ja. v.), 77, 91,92, 97, 99, 115, 127, 159, 178, 179,202, 203,208. Ewin Beg Donaldson (Reg. Ma- ria), 182. Sir Ewin Dubh (Reg. Car. IL), 64, 403, 422. John (father of Sir Ewin), 398, 402. Camerons of Strone, or Macgillonies, 77, 345. Cameron, Donald, a bastard son of Ewdn Beg of Lochiel, 228, 229. See Clanchameron. Campbells, Earls of Argyle. See Argyle. Campbells, The, S3, 84, 85, 128, 132, 136, 139, 216, 234, 247, 255,289, 356, 357, 361, 370, 375, 390, 402, 410, 413, 414, 425, 426. Campbell, Lady Agnes, wife of James Macdonald of Dunyveg and the Glens, 187, 207, 225. Campbell, Archibald, son to the Prior of Ardchattan, 376, 377, 379. Campbell, Arthur, son of Sir Arthur, 35. Campbell, Sir Arthur, 35. Campbell, Lady Elizabeth, wife of Lauchlan Cattanach Maclean of Do wart, 128. Campbell, James, 35, 36, 38, 62. Campbell, .John Mac Arthur, 34, 36. Campbell, Lady Katherine, wife of TorquilMacleodofthe Lewis, 73, 96. Campbell, Margaret, widow of John Gig Campbell of Cabrachan, 247, 25b, 252, 253. Campbell, Neill, Bishop of Argyle, 246. Campbell of Aberuchill, Colin, 370. Campbell of Airds, George, 411. Campbell of Airds and Ardnamur- chan. Sir John, Baronet, 411. Campbell of Ardchattan, Alexander, called Prior of, 360, 372, 376, 377. Campbell of Ardkinlass, Sir James, 246, 247. .John (Reg. Ja. VI.), 244, 247, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 255, 371, 379, 383, 384, 392, 400, 407, 410. Campbell of Ardnamurchan, Sir Do- nald, Baronet, formerly Mr. Don. Campbell of Barbreck-Lochow, 371, 382, 384, 400, 407, 408, 409, 411. 432 INDEX. Campbell of Aucliinbreck, Archibald, ' 135. Duncan, younger, 20G. Dougal, afterwards Sir Dou- gall, 246, 247, 805, 369, 370, 371, 374, 379, 3S0, 392, 400, 410. Campbell of Barbreck-Craignish, 400. Campbell of Barbreck-Lochow. See Campbell of Ardnamurchan. Campbell of Cabrachan, John Oig (Reg. Ja. VI.), 247, 250, 252, 253. Campbell of Calder, Sir John, 1st Laird (Reg. Ja. V.), 126, 127, 128, 132, 141, 342. John, 3rd Laird (Reg. Ja. VL), 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 257, 407. Sir John, 4th Laird (Reg. Ja. VL), 289, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 375, 377, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 410. Campbells of Calder, The, 212, 255. Campbell, Captain of Craignish, 370. 400. Campbell, Robert, Captain of Dunoon, 383. Campbell, Captain or Constable of Dunstaffnage, 25, 400. Campbell of Duntroon, 400. Campbell ofElangreg(Ilangerig), 400. Duncan, 135. CampbeU of Gleufallocb. Robert, 400. Campbell of Glenurchy, Duncan (Reg. Ja. V. ), 135. ^ — Duncan (Reg. Ja. VL), 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 253. Campbell, son of Glenurchy, 229. Campbell of Inveraw, Dougal Mac- conachy, 217. Campbell of Kilberry, Colin, 383, 400. Campbell of Kilmichael, Colin, 383. Campbell, James, Lord Kintyre, 399. Campbell of Lawers, Sir James, 348, 356, 359, 370. Campbell of Lochnell, Archibald (Reg. Ja. VL), 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 253, 258. , Alexander (Reg. Ja. VL ), 371. 379, 382, 384, 400, 410. Campbells of Lochnell, The, 249. Campbell of Lochow, Sir Duncan, 1st Lord Campbell, 84. ,Sir Xeill(Reg. Rob. L), 84. Campbell of Loudoun, Sir Hew, 247, 253. Campbell of Lundy, Colin, 249, 309, 370, 371, 392, 400, 408. Campbell of Otter, 400. Campbell of Skipnish, 120, 135, 141. Campbell, Prior of Strathfillan, Ar- chibald, brother to Campbell of La w- ers,356, 359, 362, 365, 368, 369, 388. Campbellton, Burgh of, 277. Campbellton, Castle of, in Kintyre, 93, 99, 378, 400 Canna, Isle of, 239. Cara, Isle of, 382, 383, 384. Carneburg (Kerneburg), a castle on one of the Treshinish Isles near Mull, 69, 80, 101, 115, 126. Carrick. Bailliary of, in Ayrshire, 132, 134, 167, 226, 282, 312. Carrick, Castle of, in Cowal, 253. Carrickfergus. See Knockfergus. Car J'-, Governor of Dunluce, 225. Castle Sweyn in Knapdale, 79, 84, 381. Charles L, King of Great Britain, 411, 412. 419, 423, 425. Chatelherault, Duke of. See Arran. Chisholm of Comer, Wiland, 114. Clackmannanshire, 320. * Clan Allaster, or MacAllasters of Kintyre. 63, 68, 235, 281, 308, 388, 418. See MacAllaster. Clanchameron or Camerons, 37, 38, 40, 56, 60, 68, 70, 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 95, 103, 110, 127, 143, 178, 182, 202, 203, 215, 228, 229, 254, 257, 341, 342, 343, 344, 346, 402, 406, 421. 422, 426. See Cameron. Clanchattan or Macintoshes, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 56, 64, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 75, 77, 78, 79, 103, 123, 143, 208, 228, 254, 255, 257, 341, 398, 415, 422. See Macintosh. Clandonald, North. See Clanhuistein. Clandonald, South. See Clan Ian Vor. Clandonald, all the Macdonalds or de- scendants of the House of the Isles, collectively, 69, 74, 79, 83, 311, 417. Clandonald in Ulster, 192, 193, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201,221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227. See Isles, and Clan lau Vor. Clanduffie, or Macfies of Colonsay, 68, 81, 235. See Macfie. Claneachern, or Maceacherns of Kil- lelan, 63, 68, 81, 308, 424. See Maceacheru. Claneboy, a district in Ulster, 200, 221, 222, 225. Clanfinnon, or Mackinnons, 80, 177, 236, 413, 424. See Mackinnon. INDEX. 433 Clangillean, or Macleans, 51, 60, 68, 69^ 70, 71, 72, 76, 95, 110, 128, 132, 143, 177, 191, 192, 201, 217, 218, 228, 230, 231, 233, 234, 235, 236, 238, 239, 240, 257, 274, 283, 284, 285, 286, 301, 305, 348, 426. See Maclean. of Coll, 70, 71, 77, 269. See Maclean of Coll. of Dowart, 69, 80, 81, 101, 111, 143, 203, 269, 419. See Mac- lean of Dowart. of Lochbuy, 60, 70, 111, 143. See Maclean of Lochbuy. Clangre^or, or Macgregors, 250, 257, i 303, 304, 311, 344, 346. | Clanguarie, or Macquarries, 81, 177, j 236, 424. See Macquarrie. j Clangun, 60. j Clanhuistein, or Macdonalds of Sleat, called also Clandouaid North, and Clandonald of Sky and North Uist, 61, 81, 94, 102, 106, 107, 108, 110, 130, 131, 144, 146, 191, 203, 204, 206, 209, 213, 230, 231, 235, 295, ■ 296. See Isles. Clan ran,orMaciansof Ardnamurchan, 59, 67, 110, 125, 178, 235, 238, 239, 369, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 418. See Isles. Clan Ian Abrach,orMacians ofGlenco, 59, 96, 110, 418. See Isles. Clan Ian Vor, or Macdonalds of Tsla and Kintyre. called also Clandonald South, 32, 59, 61, 62, 63, 68, 80, 81, 82, 108, 120, 132, 178, 191, 192, 199, 200, 201, 218, 221, 222, 223, 224, 228, 230, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 238, 239, 240, 265, 268, 269, 274, 283, 284, 285, 300, 311, 312, 337, 351, 352, 353, 355, 356, 357, 359, 360, 366, 367, 368, 369, 372, 373, 374, 376, 377, 378, 390, 413, 419. See Isles. Clankenzde or Mackenzies, 52, 56, 57, 82, 83, 92, 111, 112, 146, 183, 209, 210, 211, 212, 21.3, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 336, 337, 338, 340, 341, 412, 420, 425. See Mackenzie. Clanleod, or Macleods collectively, 51, 68, 72. See Clanleod of Harris and Clanleod of Lewis. Clanleod, or Macleods of Harris, Dun- vegan, and Glenelg, called also Siol Tormod, 72, 73, 74, 81, 130, 144, 177, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 236, 272, 295, 296, 412, 420. See Macleod of Harris, Dun vegan, and Glenelg. Clanleod, or Macleods of Lewis, called also Siol Torquil, 72, 73, 74, 131, 144, 145, 177, 181, 185, 210, 211, 219, 220, 221, 235, 265, 278, 336, 338, 340, 366, 420. See Macleods of Lewis, Rasay, and Assiut. Clanneill, collectively, 51, 68. SeeClan- neillof BarraandClanueillofGigha. Clanneill, or Macneills of Barra, 79, 177, 236, 257, 346, 347, 423. See Macneill of Barra. Clanneill, or Macneills of Gigha,63,79, 235, 308, 376, 423, 424, 426. See Macneill of Gigha. Clanranald, or Macranalds of Garmo- ran ; or of Moydert, Morar, Knoy- dert, and Glengarry, 34, 56, 59, 60, 63, 65, 66, 94, 107, 109, 134, 147, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 178, 182, 183, 218, 235, 239, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 411, 416, 417, 418, 426. See Isles. Clanranald of Lochaber, or Macranalds of Keppoch, called also Macdonalds, and Sliochd Allaster Vic Angus, 32, 56, 59, 63. 64, 78, 108, 109, 208, 254, 257, 341, 415, 422. See Isles. Clanranaldbane, or Macdonalds of Lar- gie, a branch of the Clan Ian Vor, 63, 108. See Isles. Clanricarde, Richard Earl of, 198. Clanvurich, or Macphersons, 254, 255, 257, 341, 422. Clan Vic Gilvore in Lewis, 291, 292. Clerache, Bean, a vassal of Lord Lovat, 161, 162. Clyde, Frith of, 1, 153, 293. Clydesdale, Lower Ward of, 282. Coan, The (an image used in witch- craft), 303. Cogeache, District of, 73, 102, 214, 270. Coll, Isle of, 17, 24, 70, 71, 79, 191, 217, 269, 270. Colonsay, Isle of, 27, 372, 424. Colquhoun, Chamberlain of the Isles (Reg. Ja. V. and Maria), 169, 174. Colquhouns, The, 303. Col win, John, an Historical Writer,. 232. Comyn, The Family of, 24, 77, 84. Congregation, Lords of the, 187, 188. Conn of the hundred battles, King of Ireland, 10. Con nan. River in Ross- shire, 56. Connaught, 198. Cornwallis, Dame Anna, Countess of Argyle, 399. Corpach in Lochaber, 71. Cowal, 253. 31 434 INDEX. Cowal, District of, 100, 379, 400. Crawford. E?.rls of. 40, 42, 44, 50, 52, OS, 372, 873, 374. Crawford, Captain, 364. Creichiuor, Lands of, ia Sutherland, 59. Craiganairoid in Morvern, 125. Craignish in Argyle, 132. Crofts, Sir James, 195. Cromarty, Mackenzie Earl of, 425. Culloden, Battle of, 415. Cumrays (Cumbraes), 44, 198. Cunningham, Bailliary of, in AjTsliire, 132, 134, 167, 282. Dalriads, The, 2, 3, Darnlev, Henry Lord, 73. David 11. , King of Scotland, 26, 27, 28, 29, 67, 72, 73, 84. De Ergadia, or of Argyle. Territorial surname of the descendants of Dugal son of Somerled. See MacDugall and Lorn. De Insnlis, or of the Isles. Territorial surname of the descendants of Eegi- nald son of Somerled. See Macdo- nald and Ish s. Diarmed Mac Maelnarabo (an Irish Prince), King of the Isles, 5. Dicaledones, The, 2, 3. Dingwall, 100, 105. Dingwalls, The, 82. Dingwall of Kildun, 218. Dingwall, Castle of, 40, 49, 117. Donald Bane, King of Scotland, 11. Donald Gorme (a vassal of the Lord of the Isles, 1^81), 57. Donald MacTade (an Irishman), Ee- gent of the Isles, 7. Donibirsel in Fife, 244. Don alas. Castle of, 42. Dousilasdale, 2G0. Douglases, The, 45, 46, 129. Douglas, Sir George, brother of Earl of Angus, 165. Douglas, Archibald, Earl of and Duke of 'J ouraine, 39, 40. Douglas, James, ninth Earl of, 44, 45, 47. Douglas, Sir John, of Balvany, 42, 44, 47. Douglas, William, eighth Earl of, 41, 42, 43. Doune in Menteith, Woods of, 250. Dowart in Mull, Barony of, 419, 426. Dowart, Castle of, 69, 217, 231, 233, 234, 306, 307, 322, 324, 393. Dowdall, Archbishop of Armagh, 198. Drogheda, 176, 221. Drumchatt, in Eoss, Skirmish of, 92, Dubhgall, The. or I'anes, 8, 9. Dublin, 175, 177, 201, 221, 226. Dufferin (l )uffrevn), or White's Coun- try in UIster/l95, 222. Dugall, King of the Isles, son of So- merled, 13, 17, 18, 426. Ancestor of the Lords of Lorn and the Mac- dugalls. Duirinisli in Sky, 74. Dunand, a fort in Isla, 377. Dunaverty, Tastle of, in south Kin- tyre, 89, 99, 149. Dunbar, Castle of, 207. Dunbars, The, 41. Dunbar of Westfield,Sir Alexander,41. Dunbarton, Burgh of, 100, 133, 134, 148, 165, 166, 264, 266, 282, 283, 292, 304. Dunbarton, Tastle of, 153, 164, 165, 168, 175, 308, 311, 324. Dunbarton, Justice Air of, 100. Dunbarton, Shire of. 132, 282, 318, 377. Dunconnell. Castle of, in Scarba, 69. Dundalk, 193. Dundee, Burgh of, 259. Dundee, Viscount of, 415. Dunfermline, Alexander Seton, Earl of, and Chancellor of Scotland (Beg. Ja. VL), 354, 359, 360, 361,362, 365, 366, 379, 382. Dunkeld, Bishop of, 251. Dunkerd. Castle of, in Garveloch Isles, 69. Dunluce, Barony of, 197. Duuluce, Castle of, 225, 226. Dunluce, Viscount of. See Isles. Dunolly, Lands of, 425, See Mac- dougall. Dunoon in Cov/al, Castle of, 166. Dunoon, Village of, 166. Dunseverig in Ulster, 226. Dunskaich in Sleat, Castle of, 115. Dunstaffnage in Lorn, (^astle of, 25,38, 87, 229, 414. See Campbell. Duntroou in Argyle, Castle of, 362, 382. Duntullim in Trouterness, Castle of, 396. Dun vegan in Sky, Lands of, 74, 203, 206, 278, 279. Dunyveg in Isla, Castle of, 63, 149, 232, 273, 288, 307, 312, 313, 319, 322, 340, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 370, 372, 373, 375, 376, 378, 384, 385, 386, 387, 414. Durham, Laurence, Bishop o^ 47. INDEX. 435 Dnror in Lorn, District of, 24, 27, 70, 95, 100, 126. Earls, Scottish Catholic (Reg. Ja, VI.), 256, 257, 258, 259, 200. Edgar, King of Scotland, 11, 12. Ediuburgh Castle, 1)1, 93, 103, 112, 135, 188, 243, 292, 306, 310, 311, 316, 317, 327, 337, 357, 395. Edinburgh, City, 90, 134, 135, 143, 148, 164, 214, 275, 291, 303, 310, 324, 329, 343, 344, 346, 354, 370, 373, 374, 380, 402, 404. * Edinburgh, Shire, 320. Edinburgh, West Port of, 317. Edward Balliol, pseudo-King of Scot- land, 26. 72. Edward IV., King of England, 47, 49. Eiffg, Isle of, 27, 239, 368, 369, 370, 372. Elandonan in Kiutaill, Castle of, 08, 101, 145, 146, 177, 209. Elanlochgorme in Isla, Fort of, 233, 322, 363, 364, 376, 377, 385, 386. Elanterim in Moydert, Castle of, 29, 31, 65, 393, 394. Elder, John, a Highland Priest, author of a curious letter to Henry VIII., 156. Elgin, 179, 315. Elizabeth, Queen of England, 222, 223, 224, 226, 244, 261, 274, 275. Endand, Kings of, 226. English Catholics, 260.' English mercenaries employed by Macdonald of Isla, 240, 241. English vessel seized by pirates of the Clan Ian, 410. Enniskillen, 261. Enzie, George Lord Gordon, Earl of, eldest son to the first Marquis of Huntly, 343, 344, 371, 391, 392, 398, 402, 403. Erroll, Earl of, 256, 257, 259, 260. Erskine, M r. George, advocate,247,253. Erskine, Sir George, of Innerteil, 409. Evre, Sir Palph, 168. Exchequer, Lords of, in Scotland (Heg. Ja. VI.), 263, 264, 265,^276, 278.' Falkland in Fife, 287.- Feruacostrie in Sutherland, Lands of, 59. Fifeshire, 146, 244, 320, 335. Fingal MacGodred, King of the Isles, 5, 6. Fiongall, The, or Norwegians, 8, 9. Fiongall," King of the (one of the ap- pellations of the Lords of the Isles), 8. Flemish ship seized by pirates of the Clan Ian, 410. Floddcn, Battle of, 93, 104, 108, 112, 124. Florida, The, a vessel of the Spanish Armada, 239. Forbes, Lord, 257. Forfarshire, 135, 146, 320. Forret of Fingask, John, 278, 297. Forth, Frith of, 147, 367. Fort- William, 277. Francis I. , King of France, 153. Fraser of Foyers, James, 162. Erasers, The, 161, 162, 179, 208. See Lovat. Galloway, District of, 167, 312, 318, 397. Galway in Ireland, 387. Garbhchrioch. See Garmorau. Garmoran, or (iarbhchrioch, Lordship of, comprehending Moydert, Ara- saig, Morar, and Knoydert, 24, 27, 30, 34, 60, 65, 66, 94. See Clan- ranald of Garmoran. Garragach in Brae Lochaber, 64. General Bond, The (vulgar name for an Act of the Scottish Parliament, 1587), 237. George III., King of Great Britain, 413, 423. Gerloch in Eoss, District of, 73, 111, 112, 272, 341. See MacKenzieand Siol Vic Gil lech a Hum. Gigha, Isle of, 27, 191, 207, 384, 423. See Clanneill and M acneill of Gigha. Gilladomnan,grandfatherofSbmerled, 10. Gillechallum. See Siol Vic Gille- challum. Gillecolane, son of Somerled, 16. Gilli, Jarl of the Isles, 5. Gillibrede of the Cave, father of Somerled, 10, 11, 12. Glammis, Master of, 247. Glasgow, Archbishop of, 325, 410. Glasgow, City, 60, 134, 268, 307, 336. Glasgow Muir, Battle of, 165. Glasgow University, 205. Glen arm. Monastery of, in Antrim, 197. _ Glencairn, Earl of (Reg. Maria), 153, 155, 165, 167, 168 (Reg. Ja. VL), 243. Glenco, 24, 27, 67, 70, 95, 100, 126. Glenco, Massacre of, 315, 418. Glenelg, 73, 203, 206, 278, 279, 42L Glenfrune, Battle of, 304. GlenUvat, Battle of, 257, 258, 259, 261. 43G INDEX. Glenluy in Lochaber, 75, 77, 78, 103, : 227, 397, 403, 422. Glenmoriston, 159. Glennevis, 77. I Glens in Antrim, The, 3S, Gl, 6.3, 90, 108, 193, 197, 199, 200, 222, 224, 225, 388. See Isles. ' Glenspean in Lochaber, 160. i Glenurchy in Lorn, 371. Godfrey, Lord of t'^ist. See Isles. | Godfrey MacFergus, Toshach of the i Isles, 10. I Godred Crovan, King of the Isles, 5, 6. i Godred MacSitric, King of the Isles, 5. j Godred the Black, King of the Isles, i 7, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20. ■ Gofra MacArailt, King of the Isles, 5, ' 11. Gothred, or Gorrie Dubh, 254. Gorme, Gormeson. See Isles. Gorrie. See Siol Gorrie. ■ Gordon. Alexander Seton, Lord of, j and of Huntly, 40. I Gordon, Alexander, Lord of, A.D. 1500, I 95. Gordon, George, Lord, son of the first Marquis of Huntly. See Enzie. Gordon, Lords of, 79. See Huutly. Gordon, Sir Patrick, of Auchindoun, 256. Gordon, Sir Robert, Tutor of Suther- land, 337, 338. Gordons, The, 244, 248, 345. Graham of Eryne, George, 354, 355, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 374. Graham, Mr. John, advocate, 247. Grant of Bellintone, Archibald, 248. Grant of Freuchy, Laird of Grant, John (Reg. Ja. V.), 114. Grant, Laird of {Reg. Maria), 159, 160, 162. Grant of Freuchy, John (Eeg. Ja. VI.), 248, 357, 403. Grant of Monymusk, 248. Grant of Rothiemurchus, Patrick, 248. ' Grants, The, 159, 248, 254, 257. ' Griban in MuU, 80. i Haco, King of Norway, 17, 18, 26, | 22. I Haddington, Earl of. See Binning. Hamilton, Marquis of, 371, 374. Hamilton, Paul, Captain of Arran, 377- Hanover, House of, 418. Harald, King of England, 6. Harald Harc&ada, Kmg of Norway, 6. Harald Harfager, King of Norway, 4, Harald, son of Godred Crovan, King of the Isles, 6 Harald the Black, 5. Harlaw, Battle of, 69, 75. Hart, Robert, a Pursuivant (Reg. Jac. v.), 133. Harris, Isle of, 73, 203, 206, 278, 279, 295, 336, 421. Hay, Sir Alexander, Clerk Register of Scotland, 289, 355. Hav, Sir George, afterwards Earl of Kinnoull, 4U9. Hay of Netherliff, Sir George, 316, 334, 335. Hay of Beauly and Kingask, Sir James, Comptroller to James VI., 314,319, 321, 325, 329. Hebrides, or Western Isles of Scotland . See Isles. Hebrides, The Northern. See North Isles. Hebrides, the Southern, See South Isles. Henderson, William, Dean of Holy- rood, 143. Henry VIII. , King of England, 152, 153, 154, 156, 164, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 175, 176, 178. Hepburn, Robert, Lieutenant of the King's Guard. 307. Hertford, Earl of, 174. Hobeg in Uist, 394. Holyrood, Church of, 37- Holland, States, 357, 358, 401. Home, Alexander, Lord. 117. Home. David, younger of Wedderburn, 278.' Home, William, brother to Alexander, Lord Home, 117. Huntly, Countess of, 184. Huntly, Alexander Setou, 1st Earl of and Lord of Gordon. 40. Alexander, 3rd Earl of, 97, 98, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 117, 123, 125, 130. George, 2nd Earl of 50, 52, 56, 57, 96. George, 4th Earl of 146, 154, 155, 156, 157, 159, 160, 161, 163, 168, 171, 173, 175, 178, 179, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 187 203, 205, 20S, 220. George, 6th Earl of and 1st Mar- quis, 236, 244, 248, 249, 250, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 274, 286, 287, 290, 292, 294, 296, 297, 299, 313, 314, 315, 342, 343, 344, 345, 367, 391, 392, 398. INDEX. 437 Huntly, Earls of, 79, 247. See Gor- don and Enzie. liuutly, House of, 398. Icolmkill or lona, Isle of, 16, 30, 330, 404. Icolmkill, Statutes, 3.30,331, 332, 333. Ilanshand, or Shant Isles, near Lewis, 279. Tlyntassan near Isla, 361. Inchconnell, Castle of, in Locliow, 53, 55, 85, 96. Inchdaholl, an island near the coast of Ireland, 386. Innerkip in Ayrshire, 44. lunerwick. 380. Innes, Robert, Burgess of the Chan- onry of Eoss, 411. i Insulis. See De Insulis and Isles, lona. See Icolmkill. | Inver, a river in Antrim, 193. j Inverary, 143, 389. | Inverkei thing, Battle of, 420. Inverlochy in Locbaber, Battle of, A.D. 1431, 38, 62, 75. Inverlochy in Lochaber, Castle of, 53, 99, 105, 106, 228. Inverness, Burgh of, 35, 36, 48, 54, 55, 56, 65. Inverness Castle, 43, 47, 56, 105, 354. Inverness, Justice Air of, 100. Inverness, Sheriffship, 105. Inverness-shire, 48, 100, 105, 266, 286, 377, 391. Ireland, Chancellor of, 195. Ireland, Deputy or Lord Lieutenant of, 261, 374, 381, 387. Irvine, Burgh of, 134, 282. Isay, Isle of, in Waterness, 212. Isla, Old House of, afterwards Lords of the Isles. See Isles. ' Isla, Modern House of, Lords of Duny- j veg and the Glens. See Clan Ian y or and Isles. Isla, Isle of, 6, 14, 17, 18, 27, 32, 53, ; 54, 62, 67, 69, 90, 94, 148, 149, 191, I 230, 233, 238, 272, 273, 274, 284, ' 286, 287, 288, 307, 308, 318, 319, | 320, 322, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, \ 359, 360, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, ' 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 375, | 377, 378, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, : 410. Isla, 0 of, 386. Isla, Rinns of, 191, 232, 265, 272, 273, 284, 361, 385. Isla, Sound of, 362. Islanders, Islesmen, or Hebrideans, 75, 83, 84, 88, 90, 91, 92, 95, 96. 97, 98, 101, 103, 104, 113, 115, 120, 126, 132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 142, 143, 145, 146, 149, 171, 172, 173, 174, 176, 177, 180, 181, 187, 244, 261, 264, 267, 274, 275, 294, 304, 307, 309, 312, 315, 319, 321, 322, 323, 325, 326, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 339, 396, 402, 404, 405. Islanders, The South, 310. Isleborg, Castle of, 69. Isles, Barons and Council ofthe,46,170. Isles, Bisho])ric of the, 172. Isles, Bishops of the, Angus, son of Donald, second Lord of the Isles, 33. Andrew Knox, 318, 320, 321, 323, 324, 325, 326, 329, 330, 333, 334, 339, 340, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 365, 374, 404. Isles, Family of the (the heads of which were, first. Lords of Isla, and after- wards Lords of the Isles and Earls of Ross), 1, 9, 18, 19,73, 74, 75,84, 172. Lords of Isla. Angus Mor, son of Donald Mac- Reginald, 18, 20, 22, 23, 67. Angus Gig, son of Angus Mor, 24, 25, 26, 66, 75. Donald, son of Reginald Mac- Somerled, King of the Isles, 18. •John Mac Angus Gig, 26, 27, called also the G ood John of Isla. See John, first Lord of the Isles. Lords of the Isles and Earls of Ross. Alexander, third Lord, and second Earl of Ross, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 59, 60, 70, 75, 76, 78, 79. Angus (bastard son and heir of entail of John, last Lord, but died before his father), 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 65, 74, 84, 97. Donald, second Lord, and first Earl of Ross of his family. 29, 30, 31, 32, 61, 69, 80. Donald Dubh (son of Angus the bastard), pseudo-Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross (Reg. Ja. IV., Ja. V. et Maria), 53, 54, 55, 84, 85, 96, 97, 98, 99, 102, 4S8 INDEX. 103, 108, 126, 143, 144, 154, : 155, 156, 162, 167, 168, 169, i 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 1 176, 177, 178. i Sir Donald Galda of Loclialsh, [ pseudo-liord of the Isles (Reg. Ja. V . ) , 1 1 5. See below, under House of Lochalsh. James Mac Alexander Macdonald of Dnnyveg and the Glens, pseudo-Lord (E-eg. Maria), 177, 178. See below, under House of Isla and Kintyre. John of Isla, commonly called the Good John, first Lord, 20, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 72, 78, 80, 109. See John Mac Angus Oig, Lord of Isla. John, fourth and last Lord, and third and last Earl of lioss, 33, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55, I 56, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, i 67, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 1 78, 83, 84, 86, 87, 89, 107, 130, I 412. Isles Family, Branches of the, as un- der: — House of Ardnamurchan, or Maclans. j Alexander, or x\llaster of A. (Reg. Ja. IIL), 60, 157. ! Alexander of A. (Reg. Maria), \ 134, 170. Alexander MacDonald Vic Ian of A. (Reg. Ja. VI.), 405, 407, 409, 410, 411, 412. 1 Angus, son of John Macian of A. ! (Reg. Ja. v.), 125. \ Angus of A., son of John Spran- gaich (Reg. Da. IL), 26, 27, 67. Donald, Tutor of Ardnamurchan (cir. 1612), 407, 408. Fynvola, wife of Hugh, Lord of Sleat, 00. John of A. (Reg. Ja. IV. et V.), 67, 90, 92, 95; 96, 101, 108, 110, i 116, 117, 118, 121, 122, 124, ! 125,405. I John Sunoirtich, son of John Mac- \ ianof A. (Reg. Ja. V.), 125. ' John of A. (Reg. Ja. VI., cir. j 1590), 238, 239, 240, 256, 405. j John Oig of A. (Reg. Ja. VL), 405. ' I John MacAllaster Vic Ian of A. , (1602-6), 306, 406. John MacDonald \'ic Ian ?n A. (1615), 408. John Sprangaich, son of Angus Mor of Isla, and founder of the Clan Ian of Ardnamurchan, 67. Mariot, heiress (Reg. Ja. V. et Maria) of A., 405,^ 406. Mac Vic Ian, Usurper of A., 406. See Clanian of Ardnamurchan. House of Garmoran and the North isles; or, MacBuaries. Allan, son of Ruari MacRednald Vic Somerled, IS, 22, 23, 24, (Reg. Alex. IIL) Amie, daughter, and eventually heiress of Roderick or Ruari, bastard son of the above Allan, and first wife of John, first Lord of the Isles (Reg. Da. IL), 31, 64, 65. Christina, daughter and heiress of the above Allan, 24, 35. Dugall MacRuari, King of the Isles, 18, 22. Family of MacRuari, IS, 22, 27, 28, 73. Ranald MacRuari, brother of the above Amie (Reg. Da. II. ), 27. Roderick or Ruari Slac Allan, bas- tard brother of the above Chris- tina (Reg. Rob. I.), 24, 25. House of Glenco, or Afadans. John Abroclisoun (Reg. Ja. IV.), 67. John Fraocli, founder of the Clan- ian of Glenco (Reg. Da. II. ), 06, 67. Macian of Glenco ( 1 605) , 306. ' See Clan Ian of Glenco. House of Glengarry, or Nacranalds [now Macdonnells). Alexander Ranaldson of G. (Reg. Ja. V. et Maria), 114. 126, 147, 170. Angus MacAllaster of G. (Reg. Ja. VL), 211, 216. Angus, younger of Glengarry, son of Donald Mac Angus, 300, 301. Angus or .^Eneas of G., Lord Mac- donnell and Aros, 417. Col. Alexander Ranaldson Mac- donneU of Glengarry and Cian- ranald, 417. INDEX. 439 Donald MacAngus of G. (Reg. i Ja. VI.), 218, 219, 264, 300, 302, 303, 304, 412. John Macranald of G. (Reg. Ja. III. et Ja. LV.), 66. Family of Glengarry, 417, 418. Macdonnella of Barrisdale, Cadets of G., 418. Macdonnells of Greenfield, Cadets of G., 418. Macdonnells of Lundie, Cadets of G., 418. AUau Macranald of Lundie (A. ■ D. 1603), 302. : A son of Uouald MacAugus of ! G. (1615), 388. i See Clanranald of Garmoran. ! House of IsJa and Kintyre ; or, j Macdonalds of Dunyvefj and ' the Glens, and their Cadets. i Alexander of Isla, son of Sir John Cathanach (He^. Ja. V.), 93, 108, IK), 124, 125, 132, 133, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 149, 194, 308, 311. Alexander Gig MacAlexander, brother of James of Isla (Keg. Maria), 199, 200, 201. Sir Alexander, or Allaster Mac- Coll K eitache,son of Macdonald of Colonsay, and Lieutenant- General to the Marquis of Mon- trose (1645), 413. Alexander MacSorley Buy, 226, Angus Mac Alexander, brother to James and Alexander Gig, 170, 171. Angus Ilach, younger son of Sir John Cathanach, and tirst of the house of Sanda, 414. Fam- ily of Sanda, 415. Angus MacJames of Isla (Reg. Ja. VI.), 200. 218, 222, 225, 227, 228, 230, 231, 232, 233, 2.34, 235, 236, 237, 241, 242, 243, 244, 2.35, 256, 262, 263, 265, 269, 272, 273, 274, 275, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 288, 289, 297, 305, 306, 307, 308, 310. 311, 312, 318, 319, 322, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 334, I 339, 347. ! Angus Gig MacAngus, son of the preceding, 319, 349, 350, 351, 352, .353, 354, 355, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 374. Archibald MacAngus of Gigha (Reg. Ja. VI.), natural son of Angus MacJames, 308, 311. Coll MacAlexander, brother of James of Isla, and progenitor of the Macdonalds of Colonsay (Reg. Maria), 195, 413. Coll Keitache MacGillespick Vic Coll of Colonsay (Reg. Ja. VI. et Car. I.), 349, 358,^ 360, 364, 366, 368, 369, 370, 371, 373, 383, 385, 386, 388, 413, 414. Coll MacJames. brother of Angus of Isla(Heg. Ja. Vi.), 234. Doctor Macdonnell, Belfast, de- scended from the family of Co- lonsay, 414. Sir Donald Balloch Maclan Vor of Isla (Reg. Ja. II. et Ja. III.), 37, 38, 39, 44, 45, 47, 48, 62, 63, 64, 76, 88. Donald Gornie, bastard son of Sir James MacAngus of Isla (Reg. Ja. VI.), 349, 378, 387, 388. Donald Gorme son of James Mac- Alexander of Isla (Reg. Ja. VI.), 225. Donald MacRanald Bane of Lar- gie, 63, 99, 101. Family of Largie, 414, 415. James MacAlexander Vic Tan Cathanach of Isla (Reg. Ma- ria), 142, 143, 1-19, 157, 167, 171, 177, 178, 180, 187, 191, 192, 195, 197, 199, 200, 201, 205, 200, 207, 221, 413, 414, 423. Sir James MacAngus of Knock- rinsay , afterward sof Isla,grand- son of the preceding, 232, 233, 263, 268, 273, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 289, 305, 306, 311, 316, 317, 318, 322, 326, 327, 328, 337, 349, 350, 351, .357, 366, 367, 368, 309, 370, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 397, 398, 399, 401, 402, 417. Sir James MacSorley Buy of Dun- luce in Antrim, 226, 227, 268, 269, 273, 274, 275, 347, 383, 392. Sir John Cathanach (Mac Ian Vic Donald Balloch) of Isla (Reg. Ja. IV.), 47. 48, 62, 63, 60, 67. 87, 88, 89, 90, 92, 108, 120, 124. 440 INDEX. John Mor of Is! a, 2nd son of John first Lord of the Isles, by Lady Margaret Stewart, ancestor of the Clan Ian Vor of Isla and Kintyre (Reg. Eob. III. and Ja. I.), 29, 32, 35, 36, 38, 61, 62, 63, 192, 193. Laird of Lar^ie, (1605.) 307, (1615.) 384, (1618.) 400. Eauald Bane Maelan Vor, first of the family of Largie (Reg. Ja. XL et Hi ), 47, 63. Eanald MacColi Vic Alexander (Keg. Ja. VI.), cousin-german of Angus of Isla, 232. Ranald Mac James Vic Alexan- der, brother of Angus of Isla (Reg. Ja. VI.), 232, 234, 363, 383. Sir Ranald MacSorley Buy, Vis- count of Dunluce, and first Earl of Antrim, 226, 227, 347, 348, 352, 357, 413. Ranald, second Earl and first Marquis of Antrim, 413, 414. Ranald Oig. bastard son of Angus of Isla (Reg. Ja. VL), 349, 370, 388. Sorley Buy MacAlexander Vic Ian Cathanach, father of first Earl of Antrim. 199, 200, 221, 222, 223, 225, 226, 268, 275, 347, 413, 414. Sorley Mac James, bastard son of Sir James MacSorley Buy of Dunluce, 383, 384, 386, 387, 392. See Clan Ian Vor. House of Keppoch and Garragach in Lochaber; or Macranalds {now Macdonnells). Alexander or Allaster Carrach, Lord of Lochaber, 3rd son of John 1st Lord of the Isles and of Lady Margaret Stewart ( Reg. Ja. I.), 29, 32, 39, 40, 63, 64, 78, 108. Alexander or Allaster Mac Angus Vic Allaster Carrach of Kep- poch (Reg. Ja. III.), 64. Alexander MacColl, of Keppoch (killed 1746), 415. Alexander MacDonald Glas Vic Allaster of Keppoch, murdered (Reg. Car. II ), 415. Alexaiideror Allaster MacRanald Vic Ranald of Keppoch (Reg. Ja. VL), 254, 260, 306, 341, I 367, 368, 370, 379, 383, 386, 388, 391, 392, 397, 398, 399, 401, 402. x\ngus Mac Allaster Carrach of Keppoch (Reg. Ja. II.), 40, 77. Coll MacAllaster Buy of Kep- poch (Reg. Ja. VII. et Geo. L), 415. Donald Glas MacAllaster Vic Angus of Keppoch (Reg. Ja, IV.), 109. Donald Glas of Keppoch, second son of Allaster MacRanald (Reg. Ja. VL), 398. Donald MacAngus Vic Allaster, Carrach of Keppoch (Reg. Ja. HI. et IV.), 64, 90, 92, 108. Family of Keppoch, 32, 108, 417. John MacDonald Vic Angus of Keppoch (Reg. Ja. IV.), 108, 109. Mariot, daughter of Agnus Mac- Allaster Carrach, and wife of Allan Camei'on of Lochiel, 77. Ranald MacAllaster Vic Ranald, younger of Keppoch (Reg. Ja. VL), 367, 370, 383, 388, 391, 398, 402. Ranald MacDonald Glas of Kep- poch (Rea. Maria), 64, 159, 179, 203, 208. See Clanranald of Lochaber, House of Knoydert, or 2Iacranalds. Allan Macranald of K. (Reg. Ja. IV.), 66. Angus Ranaldson of K. (Reg. Maria), 170. Family of Knoydert, 416. See Clanranald of Garmoran. House of Lochalsh, or Macdonalds. Sir Alexander of Lochalsh (Reg. Ja. IV.), son of Celestine, 55, 56, 57, 59, CO. 66, 78, 87, 88, 92, 93, 106, 108, 124. Celestine, Lord of Lochalsh, brother of John, last Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, 41, 55, 56, 59, 76. Sir Donald Galda of Lochalsh, son of Alexander (Reg. Ja. v.), 106, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, 218. Family of Lochalsh, 126, 412. . INDEX. 441 Margaret, sister of Sir Donald of Lochalsh, 218. House of Loupe, or Macallasters. Alexander or Allaster, son of Donald MacEeginald, Lord of Isla, and ancestor of the Clan Allaster, 68. Angus MacAllaster of the Loupe, son of John Dubh (Reg. Ja. v.), 68. Charles MacAllaster, Steward of Kintyre (Reg. Ja. III.), 68. John Dubh of Loupe (Reg, Ja. IV.), 68. Gorrie MacAllaster, of Loupe (Reg. Ja. VI.), 281, 307. Col. Somerville MacAllaster of Loupe, 418. Tutor of Loupe (Reg. Ja. VI.), and his sons, 281. MacAllaster of Loupe, 68, 400. MacAllaster of Tarbert, (58, 400. See Clanallaster. Old House of Morai-, or Macranalds. Angus Macranald of Morar, 66. Family of Morar, 417. See Clanranald of Garmoran. Modern House of Morar, or Macra' nalds (now Macdonalds). Dougall MacEanald Bane Vic Allan, Ancestor of this family, 157, 158. Family of Morar, 417. See Clanranald of Garmoran. | House of Moydert or Clanranald ; j Macranalds and Macallans (noio Macdonalds) and its Cadets. Alexander or Allaster MacAllan Vic Ruari, Captain of Clan- 1 ranald(Reg. eJa. V.), 157, 158. Allan MacRuari Vic Allan, Cap- tain of Clanranald (Reg. Ja. IIL et Ja. IV.), 65, 66, 67, 90, 92, 110, 157, 158. Angus Macdonald of Genaladale, 416. Sir Donald MacAllan Vic Ian Moydertach, Captain of Clan- ranald (Reg. Ja. VL), 315, 323, 325, 330, 339, 340, 346, 347, 348, 349, 367, 371, 377, 392, 393, 394, 39G, 404, 408, 409, 416. John MacAllan Vic Ian Moyder- tach, first of Kinlochmoydert, 393, 416. John MacDonald Vic Allan, Cap- tain of Clanranald (Reg. Ja. VI. et Car. I.), 404, 405, 408, 409, 410, 412. John Moydertach MacAllaster, Captain of Clanranald, bastard son of Alexander MacAllan Vic Ruari (Reg. Ja. V. et Maria), 134, 147, 158, 160, 163, 170, 179, 182, 185, 186, 187, 208. John Macdonald of Glenaladale (Reg. Geo. IIL), 416. John Oig Mac Ian Moydertach Vic Allaster, first of Glenala- ^ dale, 416. Family of Benbecula, 416. Family of Boisdale, 416. Family of Glenaladale, 416. Macdonald of Stafifa, 416. EanaldBane MacAllan Vic Ruari, Captain of Clanranald (Reg. Ja. IV.), 102, 107, 110, 130, 157, 158. Ranald Galda MacAllan Vic Rua- ri, of Moydert, younger half brother of the above Ranald Bane, 157, 158, 159, 160, 162. Ranald, son of the first marriage of John first Lord of the Isles, and ancestor of the Clanranald of Garmoran, 29, 30, 31, 34, 65. Ranald MacAllan Vic Ian Moy- dertach, first of Benbecula, .393, 416. Col. Robertson Macdonald of Kinlochmoydert, 416. Roderick or Ruari MacAllan Vic Ranald, Cajitain of Clanranald (Reg. Ja. II.), 63. Roderick or Ruari MacAllan Vic Ian Moydertach, 393. Roderick or Ruari MacAllaster, brother of John Moydertach, Dean of Morvern and Bishop elect of the Isles (Reg. Maria), 172. See. Clanranald of Garmoran. House of North Uist and Garmoran, or MacGorrles. Allaster MacAllaster Vic Gorrie of Garmoran (Reg. Ja. II.), 65. Allaster or Alexander MacGorrie 442 INDEX. Vic Ian of Garmoran (Reg. Ja. I.), 31, 36, 65. Godfrey or Gorrie, Lord of North Uist and Garmoran, son of the firstmarriage of John first Lord | of the Isles, and ancestor of the Siol Gorrie, 129, 30, 31, 32, 34, ; 64, 65. i Gorrie, a descendant of the pre- I ceding (Reg. Ja. IV.), 109. See Siol Gorrie. i i House of Skat, or Macdonalds. \ Alexander IMacConneU Gallach, brother of Donald Gruamach ofSleat, 146. Archibald, or Gillespick the Clerk, sonof Donald Gallach, and Cap- tain of Clanhuistein, 146, 170. Archibald or Gillespick Dubh, bastard son of Hugh of Sleat, and Captain of Clanhuistein, 107, 130. I Archibald, son of Donald Gorme- son of Sleat, and father of Sir Donald Gorme Oig of Sleat, 412. Donald Gallach of Sleat (Reg. Ja. IV.), son of Hugh, 60, 107, 131. Donald Gorme of Sleat (Reg. Ja. v.), son of Donald Gruamach, 144, 145, 177. Donald G orme Mor of Sleat (Reg. Ja. VI.), son of Donald Gorme- son, 227, 230, 231, 232, 233, 236, 241, 243, 244, 256, 261, 262, 264, 278, 279, 280, 295, 296, 323, 325, 330, 339, 348, 352, 368, 371, 377, 396, 412. Sir Donald Gorme Oig of Sleat (son of Archibald).ne[>hewand heirof Donald Gorm Mor (Reg. Ja. VI. i et Car. I.), 396, 404, 405, 412. i Donald Gormeson of Sleat, son of Donald Gorme (Reg. Maria et \ Ja. VI.), 146, 177, 183, 202, 206, 2U7, 209, 212, 213, 230. Donald Maclan Vic James (Reg. Ja. VI.). 295. Donald Gruamach of Sleat, son of Donald Gallach (Reg. Ja. : v.), 131, 134, 144. ^ i Family of Sleat, 177, 412. | Hugh, Lord of Sleat, brother of ■ John last Lord of the Isles, 41, \ 60, 61, 65, 106, 131, 230, 264. | Huisteia MacGillespick Cleraclie I (Reg. Ja. VI.), 230. j Sir James Macdonald of Sleat (Reg. Car. II.), 415. James of Castle Games, son of Donald Gruamach, 216. John MacJames of Castle Games, 216. John, eldest sou of Hugh of Sleat (Keg. Ja. IV.), or John Huchonson of Sleat, 60, 61, 90, 107. Lord Macdonald, 60,412,413,418. Macdonald Terreaghe (Reg. Ja. VI.), 230, 233. See Clanhuistein. Isles, Kings of the : — Aulaf MacSitric, 4. Diarmed MacMaelnambo, 5. Dugall MacRuari Vic Reginald Vic Somerled, 18, 22. Dougall MacSomerled, 13, 17, IS. Ewin Mac Duncan Vic Dugall Vic Somerled, 18, 22. Fingal MacGodred, 5, 6. Godred Crovan, 5, 6. Godred the Black, 7, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20. Godred MacSitric. 5. Gofra MacArailt, 5, 11. Ketil, 4. Lagman, 6. Maccus MacArailt MacSitric, 5. Magnus MacOlave, 6, 20. Olave the Red, or Olave Bitling, 6, 7, 9, 12, 16. Ragnal MacGofra, 5. Reginald MacGodred, 17. ' Reginald MacSomerled, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18. Sigurd (Earl of Orkney), 5. ThorKn (Earl of Orkney), 5. Isles, Jarl of the, Gilli, 5. Isles, Ladies of the — Elizabeth Seton, Countess of Ross, 40. Mary Leslie, Countess of Ross in her own right, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36. Isles, Angus of the, son of John, who was a son of the first marriage of John, first Lord of the Isles, 29. John of the, father of the pre- ceding, 29. John of the, bastard son of John, last Lord of the Isles, 51. Flora of the, sister to John last Earl of Ross, 78. Margaret of the (Reg. Ja. III.), sister or daughter of the last Lord of the Isles, 52. INDEX. 443 Isles, Margaret of the, daughter of John, first Lord of the Isles, 60. Isles, Lords of the ((generally), 79, 85, 8(i, 139, 146, 147. For the indi- vidual Lord, see Isles, Family of the. Isles, Lords Commissioners for im- proving the (Reg. Ja. VL), 325, 320, 329, 333, 334. Isles, Lordship of the, 50, 51, 53, 55, 57, 58, 74, 79, 81, 87, 88, 94, 95, 103, 111, 129, 139, 143, 144, 149, 187. Isles (Ylis), Monsieur de, 117. Isles, North, or the Hebrides north of the Point of Arduamurchan, 14, ! 22, 24, 28, 30, 34, 99, 102, 106, 107, 129, 130, 131, 137, 203, 270, 280, 292, 293, 309, 313, 314, 318, 385. !See Barra, Benbecula, Canna, Eigg, Harris. Lewis, Muck, Easay, Rum, Sky, Uisfc. Isles, North, Justiciar of the, 99. Isles, Regeut of the, Donald Mac- Tad e, 7. Islemen, North, 373, 379. Isles, South, or the Hebrides south of the Point of Ardnamurchan, 14, 17, 100, 106, 107, 130, 131, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 148, 218, 236, 237, 280, 290, 293, 306, 310, 312, 313, 314, 318, 347, 356, 391. See Arran, Bute, Colonsay, Coll, Gigha, Isla, Jura, Kintvre, Man, Mull, Scarba, Tiree. Isles, South, Justiciar of the, 100. Isles, Tenants of the, 88, 133. Isles, Toshach of the, Godfrey Mac- Fergus, 10. Isles, The Western, of Scotland,or He- brides. See Arran, Barra, Benbe- cula, Bute, Canna, Colonsay, Coll, Eigg, Gigha, Harris, Isla, Jura, Kintyre, Lewis, Man, Muck, Mull, Easay, Eum, Scarba, Sky^ Tiree, Uist. James I., King of Scotland, 33, 35, 30, 37, 38, 39, 40, 62, 65, 75. James II., King of Scotland, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46. James III., King of Scotland, 49, 50, 51. James IV., King of Scotland, 58, 59, 62, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 100, 101, 104, 106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 114, 124, 139, 154, 180, 288, 397, 417. James V., King of Scotland, 108, 113, 114, 122, 123, 125, 127, 128, 129, 131, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 145, 140, 147, 148, 149, 150, 152, 155, 158, 181, 182, 180, 209, 311, 342. James VL, King of Scotland, 227, 229, 230, 232, 234. 230, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 256, 259, 260, 263, 265, 267, 268, 269, 272, 273, 274, 275, 277, 278, 282, 283, 284, 287, 288, 292, 293, 294, 299, 3^3, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 339, 340, 342, 348, 350, 353, 356, 357, 358, 359, 363, 365, 370, 373, 374, 375, 377, 378, 380, 382, 387, 389, 390, 392, 393, 394, 396, 399, 401, 402, 405, 410, 411, 414, 416, 419, 423, 424. James of Bute, son of Angus Mac- Eorie (MacSorlie?), 19. Jane, daughter and heiress of James of Bute, 19. Jura, Isle of, 14, 17, 24, 27, 67, 69, 70, 230, 233, 311, 373, 370, 384. Keill in Morvern, 406. Kenalbau or Morvern, 25. Kenlochew. See Kinlochew. Kenneth Moire (Qu. Chief of the Mackenzies, Reg. Ja. I.), 36. Keppoch in Lochaber, 415. Kilchrist in Ross, Pibroch of, 302. Kilchrist in Ross, Raid of, 302, 303. Killicrankie, Battle of, 415. Kilmorie in Strathaird, Sky, 393. Kiltrynad, Church of, in Uist, 295. K inel Conel on Lough Foy le, in Ulster, 261. Kiuel Owen on LoughFoyle, in Ulster, 261. Kingussie in Badenoch, 105. Kinlochew (Kenlochew), in Ross, 112, 145, 146. Kinloch-lochy in Lochaber, Battle of I (A.D. 1544), called also Battle of i Blar-na-leine, 161, 162, 163, 179. I Kinross-shire, 320. I Kintaill in Eoss, 27, 83, 135, 145, 148, 301, 302. Kintaill, Lords of See Mackenzie. Kintaill, Men of, 146. Kintyre, District of, 14, 17, 25, 2&, 27, 32, 50, 51, 02, 63, 81, 82, 85, &4, 100, 136, 137, 138, 141, 148, 167, 178, 198, 235, 207, 268, 269, 272, 273, 274, 277, 280, 281, 282, 283, 286, 287, 288, 293, 295, 305, 306, 444; INDEX. 307, 308, 310, 311, 312, 350, 359, 371, 373, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 382, 384, 387, 390, 400, 414, 418, 424. Kintyre, Lordship of, 399. Kintyre, North, 149, 308, 311. Kintyre, South, 149, 308, 311. ! Kintyre, Waste lands of, 269, 308. Knapdale, District of, 14, 25, 26, 27, .lO, 51, 69, 79, 84, 88, 94, 100, 148, .371, 381. Knepoch in Lorn, 251. Knockfergus, or Carrickfergus, in Ul- ster, 170, 171, 172, 195, 196, 198, 221, 222. Knox of Ranfurlie, John (A.D. 1614), 353, 354, 358, 359. Knox, Mr. Thomas, son to Andrew, Bishop of the Isles (A.D. 1614), 353, 354, 358, 359. Knoydert in Garmoran, District of, 27, 340, 368, 416, 417, 418. Kyle in Ayrshire, Bailliary of, 132, j '134, 167. Kyle of Sky, 301. Lady's Eock, near Lismore and Mull, 128. Lagebread in Eoss, Battle of (Eeg. Ja. III.), 52. Lagmau, King of the Isles, 6. Lambert, Sir Oliver, 362, 363. i Lament, The Laird of, A.D. 1615, I 383. ' Latoun, Sir Brian, 168. Tjarach tigh Mhic Dhouuill, 146. Lauder, Bishop of Argyle, 45. i Leirmonth of Balcolmy, .James, 278, 291, 297. I Leith, 164. Lennox, Duncan, Earl of (Reg. Ja. L), 33. Lennox, Earldom, or District of, 166, 267, 303. Lennox, Ludovick, Second Duke of (Reg. Ja. VL), 260, 267, 278, 283, 286, 287, 290, 292, 317. Lennox, Matthew, Earl of, Eegent to James VI., 152, 153, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 176, 177, 178, 179, 194, 213. Leod, Progenitor of the Clanleod, 72. Leslie, General, 414. Lewis, Barony of, 131. Lewis, Estate of, 144. Lewis, Isle of, 22, 26, 27, 72, 73, 96, 111, 147, 210, 220, 270, 272, 277, 278, 279, 280, 286, 287, 290, 291, 292, 294, 295, 297, 298, 299, 304, 309, 310, 313, 314, 316, 334, 335, 336, 337, 391. Lewis, Lowland Colonists or Adven- turers of (Reg. Ja. VI.), 278, 279, 280, 286, 287, 290, 291, 292, 297, 298, 304, 309, 310, 315. Lindores, Patrick, Commendator of, 278. Lindsay, Alexander, a pilot (Eeg. Ja. v.), 147. Lindsay of Balcarras, John, Secretary of State for Scotland to James VI., 272, 273, 274, 277. Lismore, Isle of, 128. Livingston, Sir James (Eeg. Ja. III.), 43.^ Livingston of Kilsyth, Sir William, 410. Livingstones, The, 41. Lochaber, Lordship or District of, 24, 27, 32, 37, 38, 53, 54, 56, 64, 66, 67, 70, 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 95, 96, 97, 98, 100, 103, 105, 109, 115, 163, 203, 229, 260, 277, 343, 344, 367, 368, 371, 388, 391, 397, 398, 402, 403, 415, 422. Lochaber, The Braes of, 70. Lochaber, Lord of. See Isles. Lochalsh in Eoss, District of, 59,218, 300, 301. Locharkaig in Lochaber, Lands of, 75. 77, 78, 103, 228, 397, 403, 422. Lochbroom in Eoss, District and Loch of, 59, 218, 270, 309. Lochcarron in Eoss, 59, 218, 219, 300. Lochcrinan in Argyle, 382. Lochgruinart in Isla, Battle of, 284, 285, 286, 305. Lochiel in Lochaber, Lands of, 59, 70, 76, 77, 95, 110, 126, 342. Lochkilkerran in Kintyre, 100, 307. See Campbellton. Lochkilkerran, Castle of, 93, 99. See Campbellton. Lochlochy in Lochaber, 160, 161. Lochmaben, Castle of, 42. Lochow, Barony of, 249. Lochrannoch, 368. Lochransa in Arrau, 132. Lodoms, a harbour in Isla, 385. Loghill in Ulster, 226. London, 309, 310, 399, 401, 402. Long Island, 9. See Barra, Ben be - cilia, Harris, Lewis, and Uist, which form the Long Island. Lorn, District or Lordship of, 24, 38, 83, 84, 100, 126, 201, 202, 245, 250, 251, 371, 373, 376, 379, 400. Lorn, Lords of, territorially surnamed INDEX. 445 de Ergadia or of Arc/yle; and patro- nymically MacDnqall, from l)ugall son of Somerled, 18, 24, uineach, successor to Shane O'Neill, 201, 222, 223, 224. O'Neills, The, 200. O'Neills of Claneboy, 193. See Ty- rone. INDEX. 451 Orange, Maurice, Prince of, 337. Oransay, Isle of, 93. Orkney, Bishop of (Robert Maxwell), 147, 186. Orkney, Earls of — Sigurd, 5. Thorfin, 5. Orkney, Isles of, 60, 147, 291, 340. Ormond, Earl of (in Ireland), 194, Orinond and Ossory, Earl of, 173, 175, 17G. Ormond, Hugh Douglas, Earl of, in Scotland, 44. Osburne, Captain John, 410. Oversay, Isle of, 385. Paul, a Nobleman in the Isles, 13. Paisley, Burgh of, 282. Paisley Monastery, 58. Park, or Blairnepark, Battle of, 56, 57, 92. Perrot, Sir John, Deputy of Ireland, 225 226. Perth,' City, 75, 110, 130, 185, 209, 306. Perth, Justice Air of, 100. Perthshire, 135, 320, 367; above Dun- keld, 391 ; Highlands of, 367. Philip TI., King of Spain, 256. Phihp III., King of Spain, 401. Philiphaugh, Battle of, 413. Phoenix, a Man of War, 362. Picti, or Picts, 2, 3. Piers, Captain, an English officer in Ireland, 201, 224. Pincarton in Stirlingshire, Lands of, 249. Pinkj^ Battle of, 180. Pittenween, Sir William Stewart, Commendator of, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 272, 273, 277, 278, 281, 297, 308. Presbyterians, 260, 315. Primrose, James, Clerk of Scottish Privy Council, 345, 347, 348. Prince Edward's Island, 416. Quinish in Mull, District of, 71. Eagnhildis, Daughter of Olave the Ked, King of the Isles, and wife of Somerled of Ar2;yle, 7, 12. Eachlin, Isle of, 198, 384, 385. Pvagnal MacGofra, King of the Isles, 5. Eannoch in Perthshire, 368. Kasay, Isle of, 73. Keginald MacGodred, King of Man and the Isles, 17. Keginald MacSomerled, King of the Isles, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18. Penfrew, Burgh of, 134, 282. Renfrewshiie, 132, 134, 282,318, 377. Robert Bruce, or Robert I., King of Scotland, 24, 25, 26, 75, 77, 82, 84. Robert II., King of Scotland, 29, 30, 58, 61, 75. Robert III., King of Scotland, 75, . Robertson of Strowan, Robert (Reg, Ja. v.), 405. Roderick or Ruari of Bute, son of Reginald MacSomerled, and ances- tor of the MacKuaries of the North Isles, 17, 18, PJ, 20, 22. Rona- Lewis, Isle of, 279. Rose of Kilravock, Hugh, elder (Reg. Ja. IV.}, 56, 57. Rose of Kilravock, Hugh, younger (Keg. Ja. IV.), 56, 57, Roses of Kilravock, The, 82. Roseneath, 132, 251. Ross, Bishop of, 180, 188, Ross, Countess of, Mary Leslie, Lady of the Isles, 30, 31, 33, Ross, Eai4 of, surnamed Ross, 26, 27. Ross, Earls of. Lords of the Isles, 106. See Isles. Ross, Earldom of, 50, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57, 74, 82, 83, 88, 92, 216, Ross, Easter, SOO. Ross, Sherift'of, iOO. Ross, Shire of, 48, 105, 145, 148, 303, 335, 417. Ross, Wester, 115, 299, 300. Rosses, The, 82, Rothsay, Burgh, 100, 282. Rothsay, Castle, 164. Route, The, a district in Antrim, 199, 221, 222, 223, 225, 388. Roxburgh Castle, 46. Roxburghshire, 26 o. Rum, Isle of, 27, 239, Ruthven in Badenoch. Castle of, 43, 179, 257. Sadale, Monastery of, in Kintyre, 16. Sadler, Sir Kalph, 155, 188. Sandy (Sanda), Isle of, near Kin- tyre, 178. Saudilands of Slamanno, Sir James, 278. Savage of the Arde in Ulster, 193. Scandinavians, 3. Their connection with the Isles, 4 to 21, both inclusive. Scarba, IsJe of. 27, 69, 70. Scone, David, 1st Lord, 306, 307, 308, 310, 311. Scotland, East Coast of, 147. Northern Shires, 135, 147. INDEX. Southern Shires, 135, 320. West C'oast of, 410. Western Shires, 147, 312. Scots, The Irish, or Dalriads, 2, 3. Scottish ship, A, taken by pirates of the Clan Ian, 410. Selkirkshire, 266. Sheriffmuir. Battle of, 415. Shetland, 340. Sidney, Sir Henry, Deputy of Ire- land, 196, 199, 201, 221, 222, 223. Sigurd, Earl of Orkney, 5. Sigurd, Kiug of the Isles, son of Mag- nus Barefoot, 6. Siol Gorrie, The, 34, 59, 64, 65. See Isles. Siol Vic Gillechallum of Rasay and Gerloch, 111, 272, 341, 420. Sky, Isle of, 17, 22, 26, 27, 60, 61, 72, 73, 74, 83, 104, 107, 130, 145, ! 146, 147, 210, 230, 231, 235, 295, 296, 301, 313, 314, 368, 371, 410, | 413, 421. 424. | Slaines Castle, 260. | Sleat, a district in Sky, 60, 107, 131, ' 147, 204, 3U1, 368, 413. i Sleat, Sound of, 148. | Sliochd a Bhrathair Shean, 109. | Sliochd Allaster Vic Angus of Kep- \ poch, 64. j See Clanrauald of Lochaber. j Sliochd Gillemhantich, 109. Smerbie in Kintyre, 282. Solway, Battle of, 152. Somerled, Prince of Argyle, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. 15, Id, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 6S, 426. Somerset, Earl of (Reg. Ja. VI.), 365. Somerset, Duke of, Protector of Eng- land, ISO. Spa, The, 399. Spanish mercenaries employed by the Macleans, 239, 241. Spens of Wormestoun, Sir James (Reg. J3. VI.), 278, 297, 298, 299, 316, 334, 335. St Andrews Castle, 179. City, 292. St Anthony, Church of, in or near Edinburgh, 90. St Bride, Chapel of, in Atholc, 53. St John, Sir William, 322. St Ledger, Lord Anthony, Viceroy of Ireland, 196. Stewart of Appin : — Dougal, 83, 108. Duncan (Keg. Ja. IV.), 95, 96, 97. Duncan (Reg. Ja. VI.), 307, 400, John (Reg. Ja. VI.), 249, 250. Stewart of Ardshiel. 426. Stewarts of Athole, 215. Stewart of Auchnacone, 426. Stewarts of Appin, 83, 103, 127, 255, 426. Stewart of Balachulish, 426. Stewart, Coustable of Dunyveg (Reg. Ja. v.), Archibald, 149. Stewart of Duror, Allan (Reg. Ja. v.), 127. Stewart of Fasnacloich, 420. Stewart of Grantullie, Thomas, 248. Stewart of InnermcathandLom, John, 28. Stewart of Invernahyle, 426. Stewart of Rosyth and Lorn, Robert, 28. Stewarts, Lords High Steward of Scotland : — Alexander, 19. Robert, 25, 26, 29. See King Robert II. Walter, 19. Walter (Reg. R(jb. I.), 25. Stewart. Lady Martiaret (daughter of Robert II.), Lady of the Isles, 29, 61, 63. Stewart, Barbara, daughter of Lord Avandale, and wife of Ruari Mac- leod of Lewis (Reg. Maria), 210. Stewart, House of, 19. Stewart, Royal House of, 333, 417, 418, 419, 420, 422, 426. Stillington, Mr. Robert, 47. Stirling Castle, 324. Stirlincrshire, 320. Stirling, Town, 93, 136, 138, 173, 252. Stirling of Auchyle, William, 408. Stirling of Glorat, 165, 175. Stornoway in Lewis, Burgh, 277. Stornoway Castle, 102, 220, 335. Strathbogie, 257. Strathbogie Castle, 260. Strathconnan in Ross, 56, 209. Stratherrick, Inveruess-shiro, 160. Strathordell (Mackiunon's country), • in Sky, 80, 301. Strathspey, 100, 254. Strone Castle, in LochcaiTon, Ross- shire, GO, 76, 98, 101, 120, 219, 300, 302. Sunart, a district in Arcyleshire, 02, 66, 67, 405, 411. Surrey, Earl of, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 193, 194. Sussex, Earl of, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 196, 197, 198, 199. INDEX. 453 Sutherland of Duffus, 248. Sutherlandshire, 59, 147. Tain, Bur<;h of, 100, lOo. Tantallon Castle, 37, 39. Tarbert, between Kintyre and Knap- dale, 25, 100, 379, 382, 383, 389. Tarbert, Castle of, 25, 68, 88, 89, 94. Tarbert, Sheriffdom of, 100, 260. 312, 318, 374, 377, 381. Tarbert, West, 383. Taynish in Knapdale, 423. Thirlestaiie, Chancellor Maitland, Lord, 245, 249, 250, 253. Thorfin, Earl of Orkney, 5. Thorfin, son of Ottar, a Hebridean noble, temp. Soraerled, 13, 14. Tiree, Isle of, 17, 24, 27, 111, 122, 132, 191, 235, 391. Teinlipeil, Inch of, near Tiree, 120. Tobermory in Mull, 52, 80, 239. Torlusk, in Mull, 238, 419. Torwood, The, 93, 112. Touraine, Archibald Earl of Douglas and Duke of, 39, 40. Treshinish, Isles of, 80. Trouterness in Sky, 74, 107, 122, 130, 131, 144, 145, 146, 147, 204, 207, 278, 279, 295, 396, 413. Tullibardine, 1st Earl of (Reg. Ja. VI.), 357, 367, 368, 369, 374. Tyrone, Earls of, 200, 201, 226, 261, 262, 274, 275. Uist, Isle of, 27, 60, 65, 66, 94, 314. Uist, North, 61, 131, 204, 207, 295, 413. I Ulster, 62, 63, 142, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 198, 199, 201, 222, 224, 225, 261, 274, 275, 325, 356. Ulva, Isle of, 81. Upper Canada, 416. Urquhart Castle, 43, 114, 159. Urquhart, Lands of, 159. Urquhart, Sheriff of Cromartj', Sir Alexander, 56. Urquharts, The, 82. Vecturiones, The, 2. Vikingr of the Isles, The, 4. Wales, Edward, Prince of (afterwards Edward V.), 152. j Walsingham, Sir Francis, 224. 1 Warbeck, Perkin, 92. Waterness in Sky, 73, 212. White of Dufferin in Ulster, John, 195. Wick in Caithness, 105. Williamson, Kenneth, an Hebridean Student of Law (Reg. Ja. IV.), 104. I Wolsey, Cardinal, 194. Wood, Captain, 385, 387, 388, 390. Wymund MacHeth, Earl of Murray, 15. THE END. BKIX AND BAIN, PKISTERS, GLASGOW. ? 3 9031 DA 880 *H6 G66 1881 G reJi^o r y v Dona 1 d v d * 1836 * The history of the Western Hisih lands and Isles of Bapst Library Boston College Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02167