THIS family is descended from Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, by his second wife Margaret, daughter of Roderick Macdonald, III. of Moydart and Clanranald, the famous "Ruairidh MacAlain," by Margaret, daughter of Donald Balloch of Islay, son of John Mor Tanastair (by his wife Marjory Bisset, heiress of the Seven Lordships of the Glens in Antrim), second son of John, first Lord of the Isles, by his wife Lady Margaret Stewart, daughter of King Robert II. and brother of Donald, second Lord of the Isles and first Earl of Ross. [For Alexander, VI. of Kintail's first and second wives see pp. 81-83.] By this lady the sixth Baron of Kintail had one son -
I. HECTOR ROY MACKENZIE, better known among his countrymen as "Eachainn Ruadh." He has been already noticed at considerable length at pp. 113 to 132 in his capacity as Tutor or Guardian to his nephew, John of Killin, IX. of Kintail, but he played such a prominent part in the history of his time that it will be necessary to give his history at much greater length under this head. It has been conclusively shown that Kenneth a' Bhlair, VII. of Kintail, died in 1491, and that his only son by his first wife, Kenneth Og, killed in the Torwood by the Laird of Buchanan in 1497, outlived his father and became one of the Barons of Kintail, although there is no record of his having been served heir to the family estates. It has been said that Duncan of Hilton, Kenneth a Bhlair's eldest brother, predeceased him, and that consequently Hector Roy succeeded, as a matter of course to the legal guardianship of his nephew, Kenneth Og, VIII. of Kintail, he being the eldest surviving brother of the late Chief, who died in 1491. But this has not been sufficiently established, although it is quite true that Duncan's name does not appear after his brother's death in 1491, in any of the manuscript histories of the clan, or in any known official document. The author of the Ardintoul MS. states distinctly that Duncan was dead, and that Hector, John of Kuhn's younger uncle, "meddled with the estate." The Earl of Cromarty says that "Hector Roy, being a man of courage and prudence, was left Tutor by his brother to Sir Kenneth, his own brother-uterine, Duncan being of better hands than head. This Hector, hearing of Sir Kenneth's death, and finding himself in possession of an estate, to which those only now had title whose birthright was debateable, namely, the children begot by Kenneth the third, on the Lord Lovat's daughter, with whom he did at first so irregularly and unlawfully cohabit." The objection of illegitimacy could not apply to Duncan, or to his son Allan, and it is difficult to understand on what ground Hector attempted to obtain personal possession of the estates, unless it be true, as confirmed to some extent hereafter, that he was himself joint-heir of Kintail; for it is undoubted that Allan, Duncan's eldest son, who was entitled to succeed before Hector, was then alive. There is no official evidence that Hector Roy was at any time appointed Tutor to John of Kuhn until an arrangement was made between themselves, in terms of which Hector was to act as such, and to keep the estates in his own bands until his nephew came of age.
There is no doubt that Hector was in possession of extensive estates of his own at this period. When the Lords of the Association, a factious party of the nobility, took up arms against James III., Alexander of Kintail despatched his sons, Kenneth and Hector, with a retinue of 500, to join the Royal standard; but Kenneth, hearing of the death of his father on his arrival at Perth, returned home at the request of the Earl of Huntly; and the clan was led by Hector Roy to the battle of Sauchieburn, near Stirling but after the defeat of the Royal forces, and the death there in 1488 of the King himself, Hector, who narrowly escaped, returned to Ross-shire and took the stronghold of Redcastle, then held for the rebels by Rose of Kilravock, and placed a garrison in it. He then joined the Earl of Huntly and the clans in the north who were rising to avenge the death of His Majesty but meanwhile orders came from the youthful King James IV., who had been at the head of the conspirators, ordering the Northern chiefs to lay down their arms, and to submit to the powers that be. Thereupon Hector, yielding to necessity, submitted with the rest, and he was "not only received with favour, but to reward his previous fidelity and also to engage him for the future the young King, who at last saw his error, and wanted to reconcile to him those who had been the friends of his father, made him a present of the Barony of Gairloch in the western circuit of Ross-shire by knight-service after the manner of that age. He likewise gave him Brahan in the Low Country, now a seat of the family of Seaforth, the lands of Moy in that neighbourhood, Glassletter (of Kintail), a Royal forest which was made a part of the Barony of Gairloch. In the pleasant valley of Strathpeffer, Castle Leod, part of Hector's paternal estate, afterwards a seat of the Earl of Cromarty; Achterneed near adjacent, also Kinellan, were likewise his, and so was the Barony of Allan, now Allangrange, a few miles southwards. In the Chops of the Highlands he had Fairburn the Wester, and both the Scatwells, the great and the lesser. Westward in the height of that country he had Kenlochewe, a district adjoining Gairloch on the east, and southward on the same track he had the half of Kintail, of which he was left joint-heir with his brother Kenneth, chief of the family." [Manuscript history of the Gairloch family. Another MS. says that Hector's possessions in Kintail were "bounded by the rivers Kilillan and Cro."]
The original Gairloch charters are lost, but a "protocol" from John de Vaux, or Vass, Sheriff of Inverness, whose jurisdiction at that time extended to Ross and the other Northern counties, is conclusive as to their having existed. This document, its orthography modernised, is in the following terms:
To all and sundry to whom it effeirs to whose knowledge these present letters shall come, John de Vaux, burgess of Dingwall and Sheriff in this part, sends greeting in God everlasting, to you universally I make it known that by the commands of our Sovereign Lords Letters and "precess" under his white wax directed to me as Sheriff in that part, and grants me to have given to Hector MacKennich heritable state and possession of all and sundry the lands of Gairloch, with their pertinents, after the form and tenour of our Sovereign Lord's charter made to the foresaid Hector thereupon, the which lands with their pertinents extends yearly to twelve merks of old extent, lying between the waters called Inverewe and Torridon within the Sheriffdom of Inverness, and I grant me to have given to the foresaid Hector heritable state and possession of all and sundry the foresaid lands with their pertinents, saving other men's rights as use and custom is, and charge in our Sovereign Lord's name, and mine as Sheriff, that no man vex, unquiet, or trouble the said Hector nor his heirs in the peaceable brooking and enjoyment of the lands foresaid under all pain and charges that after may follow: In witness of the which I have appended to these my letters of sasine my seal at "Allydyll" (? Talladale) in Gairloch, the 10th day of the month of December, the year of God, 1494, before these witnesses - Sir Dougall Ruryson, Vicar of Urquhart, Murchy Beg Mac Murchy, John Thomasson, Kenneth Mac-anleyson, Donald Mac-anleyson, Dugald Ruryson, and Duncan Lachlanson servant, with others divers.
The next authentic document in Hector's favour is a precept by the King to the Chamberlain of Ross commanding that functionary to obey a former precept granted to Hector of the mails, etc., of Brahan and Moy, in the following terms:
Chamberlain of Ross we greet you well - Forasmuch as we directed our special letters of before, making mention that we have given to our lovite Hector Roy Mackenzie the mails and profits of our lands of Brahan and Moy, with arriage, carriage, and other pertinents thereof, lying within our lordship of Ross for his good and thankful service done and to be done to us, enduring our will, and that it was our will that he should brook and enjoy the said lands with all the profits thereof enduring our will, and so the tenants now inhabitants thereof brook their tacks and not remove therefrom, the which letters, as, we are surely informed, you disobeyed in great contemption and littling of our authority Royal; Herefor we charge you now as of before that ye suffer the said Hector to brook and enjoy the same lands and take up and have all mails, fermes, profits, arriage, carriage, and due service of the said lands, and that the tenants and inhahitants thereof to answer and obey to him and to none others till, we give command by our special letters in the contrary, and this on no wise you leave undone, as you will incur our indignation and displeasure. These our letters seen and understood, deliver them again to the bearer to be kept and shown by the said Hector upon account of your warrant before our Comptroller and auditors of our Exchequer at your next accounting, and after the form of our said letters past of before given under our Signet, at Edinburgh, the 5th day of March, 1508, and of our reign the twentieth year.
JAMES R.
It will be seen from these documents that Hector had at this time large possessions of his own; and the dispute between him and his nephew, John of Killin, already fully described, probably arose in respect of Hector's rights to the half of Kintail, which his father is said to have left him jointly with his eldest brother, Kenneth, VII. of Kintail. Hector kept possession of Ellandonnan Castle until compelled by an order from the Privy Council to give it up in 1511 to John of Killin, and it appears from the records of the Privy Council that from 1501 to 1508 Hector continued to collect the rents of Kintail without giving any account of them; that he again in 1509 accounted for them for twelve months, and for the two succeeding years for the second time retained them, while he seems to have had undisturbed possession of the stronghold of Ellandonnan throughout. No record can be found of his answer to the summons commanding him to appear before the Privy Council, if he ever did put in an appearance, but in all probability he merely kept his hold of that Castle in order to compel his nephew to come to terms with him regarding his joint rights to Kintail, without any intention of ultimately keeping him out of possession. This view is strengthened by the fact that John obtained a charter under the Great Seal granting him Kintail anew on the 25th of February, 1508-9 [Reg. of the Great Seal, vol. xv, fol. 89.] - the same year in which Hector received a grant of Brahan and Moy - probably following on an arrangement of their respective rights in those districts also from the fact that Hector does not appear to have fallen into any disfavour with the Crown on account of his conduct towards John of Kintail; for only two years after Kuhn raised the action against Hector before the Privy Council, the latter receives a new charter, dated the 8th April, 1513, [The original charter is in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] under the Great Seal, of Gairloch, Glasletter, and Coirre-nan-Cuilean "in feu and heritage for ever," and he and his nephew appear ever after to have lived on the most friendly terms.
Gairloch, originally the possession of the Earls of Ross, and confirmed to them by Robert Bruce in 1306 and 1329 was subsequently granted by Earl William to Paul MacTire and his heirs by Mary Graham, for a yearly payment of a penny of silver in the name of blench ferme in lieu of every other service except the foreign service of the King when required. In 1372 Robert the II. confirmed the grant. In 1430 James I. granted to Nele Nelesoun (Neil son of Neil Macleod) for his homage and service in the capture of his deceased brother, Thomas Nelesoun, a rebel, the lands of Gairloch. ["Origines Parochiales Scotiae," vol. ii, p. 406]
Although Hector was in possession of Crown charters to at least two-thirds of the lands of Gairloch he found it very difficult to secure possession of them from the Macleods and their chief, Allan MacRory, the former proprietors. This Allan had married, as his first wife, a daughter of Alexander, VI. of Kintail, and sister of Hector Roy, with issue - three sons. He married, secondly, a daughter of Roderick Macleod, VII. of Lewis, with issue - one son, Roderick, subsequently known as Ruairidh Mac Alain, author of an atrocious massacre of the Macleods of Raasay and Gairloch at Island Isay, Waternish, Isle of Skye, erroneously attributed in the first edition of this work to his grandfather, the above-named Roderick Macleod of Lewis. Allan of Gairloch was himself related to the Macleods of Lewis, but it is impossible to trace the exact connection. Two brothers of Macleod of Lewis are said, traditionally, to have resolved that no Mackenzie blood should flow in the veins of the future head of the Gairloch Macleods, and determined to put Allan's children by Hector Roy's sister to death, so that his son by their own niece should succeed to Gairloch, and they proceeded across the Minch to the mainland to put their murderous intent into execution.
Allan MacRuairidh, the then Macleod laird of Gairloch, was personally a peacefully disposed man, and lived at the "Crannag," of which traces are still to be found on Loch Tolly Island, along with his second wife, two of his sons by the first marriage, and a daughter. The brothers, having reached Gairloch, took up their abode at the old "Tigh Dige," a wattled house, surrounded by a ditch, whose site is still pointed out in one of the Flowerdale parks, a few hundred yards above the stone bridge which crosses the Ceann-an-t-Sail river at the head of Gairloch Bay. Next day the murderous barbarians crossed over to Loch Tolly. On the way they learnt that Allan was not then on the island, he having gone a-fishing on the Ewe. They at once proceeded in that direction, found him sound asleep on the banks of the river, at "Cnoc na Mi-chomhairle," and without any warning "made him short by the head." Then retracing their steps, and ferrying across to the island where Allan's wife, with two of her three step-children were enjoying themselves, they, in the most cold-blooded manner, informed her of her husband's fate, tore the two boys - the third being fortunately absent - from her knees, took them ashore, and carried them along to a small glen through which the Poolewe Rnow passes, about a mile to the south of the loch, and there, at a spot still called "Creag Bhadain an Aisc," the Rock at the place of Burial, stabbed them to the heart with their daggers, and carried their bloodstained shirts along with them to the Tigh Dige. These shirts the stepmother ultimately secured through the strategy of one of her husband's retainers, who at once proceeded with them to the boys' grandfather, Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, at Kinellan or Brahan. Hector Roy started immediately, carrying the bloodstained shirts along with him as evidence of the atrocious deed, to report the murder to the King at Edinburgh. His Majesty on hearing of the crime granted Hector a commission of fire and sword against the murderers of his nephews, and gave him a Crown charter to the lands of Gairloch in his own favour dated 1494. The assassins were soon afterwards slain at a hollow still pointed out between Porthenderson and South Erradale, nearly opposite the northern end of the Island of Raasay, where their graves are yet to be seen, quite fresh and green, among the surrounding heather. [Mackenzie's "History of the Macleods," pp. 342, 343.]
One of the family historians says that this was the first step that Hector Roy got to Gairloch. His brother-in-law, Allan Macleod, gave him the custody of their rights, but when he found his nephews were murdered, he took a new gift of it to himself, and going to Gairloch with a number of Kintail men and others, he took a heirschip with him, but such as were alive of the Siol 'ille Challum of Gairloch, followed him and fought him at a place called Glasleoid, but they being beat Hector carried away the heirschip. After this and several other skirmishes they were content to allow him the two-thirds of Gairloch, providing he would let themselves possess the other third in peace, which he did, and they kept possession till Hector's great-grandchild put them from it." [Ancient MS.]
The Earl of Cromarty, and other MS. historians of the family fully corroborate this. The Earl says that Hector, incited to revenge by the foul murder of his nephews, made some attempts to oust the Macleods from Gairloch during John of Killin's minority, but was not willing to engage in war with such a powerful chief as Macleod of Lewis, while he felt himself insecure in his other possessions, but after arranging matters amicably with his nephew of Kintail, and now being master of a fortune and possessions suitable to his mind and quality, he resolved to avenge the murder and to "make it productive of his own advantage." He summoned all those who were accessory to the assassination of his sister's children before the Chief Justice. Their well grounded fears made them absent themselves from Court. Hector produced the bloody shirts of the murdered boys, whereupon the murderers were declared fugitives and outlaws, and a commission granted in his favour for their pursuit, "which he did so resolutely manage that in a short time he killed many, preserved some to justice, and forced the remainder to a composition advantageous to himself. His successors, who were both active and prudent men, did thereafter acquire the rest from their unthrifty neighbours." The greatest defeat that Hector ever gave to the Macleods "was at Bealach Glasleoid, near Kintail, where most of them were taken or killed." At this fight Duncan Mor na Tuaighe, who so signally distinguished himself at Blar-na-Pairc, was present with Hector, and on being told that four men were together attacking his son Dugal, he indifferently replied, "Well, if he be my son there is no hazard for that," a remark which turned out quite true, for the hero killed the four Macleods, and came off himself without any serious wounds. [Duncan in his old days was very assisting to Hector, Gairloch's predecessor, against the Macleods of Gairloch, for he, with his son Dugal, who was a strong, prudent, and courageous man, with ten or twelve other Kintailmen, were alwise, upon the least advertisement, ready to go and assist Hector, whenever, wherever, and in whatever he had to do, for which cause there has been a friendly correspondence betwixt the family of Gairloch and the MacRas of Kintail, which still continues." - "Genealogy of the MacRas."]
The massacre of Island Isay followed a considerable time after this, and its object was very much the same as the murder of Loch Tolly, although carried out by a different assassin. Ruairidh "Nimhneach" Macleod, son of Allan "Mac Ruairdh" of Gairloch, and nephew of the Loch Tolly assassins, determined not only to remove the children of John Mor na Tuaighe, brother of Alexander Macleod, II. of Raasay, by Janet Mackenzie of Kintail, but also to destroy the direct line of the Macleods of Raasay, and thus open up the succession to John na Tuaighe's son by his second wife, Roderick Nimhneach's sister, and failing him, to Roderick's own son Allan. By this connection it would, he thought, be easier for him to attain repossession of the lands of Gairloch, from which his family was driven by the Mackenzies.
Roderick's name appears as "Rory Mac Allan, alias Nevymnauch," in a decree-arbitral by the Regent Earl of Murray between Donald Macdonald, V. of Sleat, and Colin Mackenzie, XI. of Kintail, dated at Perth, the 1st of August, 1569, in terms of which Macdonald becomes responsible for Roderick and undertakes that he and his kin shall "desist and cease troubling, molesting, harming or invasion of the said Laird of Gairloch's lands and rowmes, possessions, tenants, servants, and goods, while on the other hand Kintail shall see to it that Torquil Cononach shall cease to do the same in all respects to Macdonald's lands." In 1586 Roderick is described as "of Lochgair," but another person is named in the same document as "Macleud, heritor of the lands of Gairloch," which proves that Roderick Nimhneach was not the actual proprietor of even the small portion of that district which was still left to his family. He was the second son, and one of the objects of the massacre on Island Isay was to cut off his father's only surviving son and heir by his first wife - a daughter of Mackenzie of Kintail - who escaped the previous massacre on the Island of Loch Tolly.
With the view of cutting off the legitimate male representation of his own Macleod relatives of Gairloch and of Raasay, he invited all the members of both families, and most of them accepted the invitation. Roderick on their arrival feasted them sumptuously at a great banquet. In the middle of the festivities he informed them of his desire to have each man's advice separately, and that he would after-wards make known to them the important business which had to be considered, and which closely concerned each of them. He then retired into a separate apartment, and called them in one by one, when they were each, as they entered, stabbed with dirks through the body by a set of murderous savages whom he had engaged and posted inside the room for the purpose. Not one of the family of Raasay was left alive, except a boy nine years of age, who was being fostered from home, and who had been sent privately by his foster-father, when the news of the massacre became known, to the laird of Calder, who kept him in safety during his minority. He afterwards obtained possession of Raasay, and became known as Gillecallum Garbh MacGillechallum. Macleod of Gairloch's sons, by Hector Roy's sister, were all murdered. Roderick took his own nephew to the room where, walking with his brutal relative, he heard one of his half-brothers cry on being stabbed by the assassin's dirk, and saying "Yon's my brother's cry." "Hold your peace," Rory replied, "yonder cry is to make you laird of Gairloch; he is the son of one of Mackenzie's daughters." The boy, fearing that his own life might be sacrificed, held his tongue, "but afterwards he did what in him lay in revenging the cruel death of his brothers and kinsmen on the murtherers." [Ancient MS.]
In acknowledgment of the King's favour, Hector gathered his followers in the west, joined his nephew, John of Killin, with his vassals, and fought, in command of the clan, at the disastrous battle of Flodden, from which both narrowly escaped but most of their followers were slain. Some time after his return home he successfully fought the desperate skirmish at Druim-a-chait, already referred to, pp. 114-118, with 140 men against 700 of the Munros, Dingwalls, MacCullochs, and other clans under the command of William Munro of Fowlis, on which occasion Sheriff Vass of Lochslinn was killed at a bush near Dingwall, "called to this day Preas Sandy Vass," or Alex. Vass's bush, a name assigned to it for that very cause. [Gairloch MS.]
Hector, during his life, granted to his nephew, John of Killin, his own half of Kintail, the lands of Kinellan, Fairburn, Wester Brahan, and other possessions situated in the Low Country, which brought his son John Glassich afterwards into trouble. [Gairloch MS.]
Hector Roy was betrothed to a daughter of the Laird of Grant - probably Sir Duncan, who flourished from 1434 to 1485 - but she died before the marriage was solemnised. He, however, had a son by her called Hector Cam, he being blind of an eye, to whom he gave Achterneed and Culte Leod, now Castle Leod, as his patrimony. Hector Cam married a daughter of Mackay of Farr, ancestor of Lord Reay, by whom he had two sons Alexander Roy and Murdo. ["These were both succeeded by the son of Alexander, a slothful man, who dotingly bestowed his estate on his foster child. Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, in detriment to his own children, though very deserving of them, Captain Hector Mackenzie, late of Dumbarton's Regiment, and also a tribe in the Eastern circuit of Ross, surnamed, from one of their progenitors, Mac Eanin, i.e., the descendants of John the Fair." - "Gairloch MS." Another MS. gives the additional names of - "Richard Mackenzie, vintner in Edinburgh, grandson of Alexander Mackenzie of Calder, Midlothian; Duncan Mackenzie, an eminent gunsmith in London; and James Mackenzie, gunsmith in Dundee." It also adds that of the successors of the Mac Eanins in Easter Ross, were "Master Alexander Mackenzie, an Episcopal minister in Edinburgh; and preceptor to the children of the present noble family of Cromarty, whose son is Charles Mackenzie, clerk to Mr David Munro of Meikle Allan."] Alexander married a daughter of John Mor na Tuaighe MacGillechallum, a brother of Macleod of Raasay, by whom she had a son, Hector, who lived at Kinellan, and was nicknamed the Bishop. This Hector married a daughter of Macleod of Raasay, and left a large family, one of the daughters being afterwards married to Murdo Mackenzie, V. of Achilty, without issue. Hector Cam's second son, Murdo, married a daughter of Murdoch Buy Matheson of Lochalsh, with issue - Lachlan, known as "Lachlainn Mac Mhurchaidh Mhic Eachainn," who married a daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, III. of Achilty, with issue - Murdoch, who married a daughter of Alexander Ross of Cuilich and Alastair, who married a daughter of William MacCulloch of Park.
Hector Roy, after the death of Grant of Grant's daughter, married his cousin Anne, daughter of Ranald MacRanald, generally known as Ranald Ban Macdonald, V. of Moydart and Clanranald. Her brother Dougal was assassinated and his sons formally excluded from the succession, when the estate and command of the clan were given to his nephew Alexander, "portioner," of Moydart, whose son, John Moydartach afterwards succeeded and became the famous Captain of Clanranald Gregory says, however, that "Allan, the eldest son of Dougal, and the undoubted heir male of Clanranald, acquired the estate of Morar, which he transmitted to his descendants. He and his successors were always styled 'MacDhughail Mhorair,' that is MacDougal of Morar, from their ancestor Dougal MacRanald." This quite explains the various designations by which these Moydart and Clanranald ladies who had married into the Gairloch family have been handed down to us. Anne was the widow of William Dubh Macleod, VII. of Harris, Dunvegan, and Glenelg, by whom she had an only daughter, who, by Hector Roy's influence at Court, was married to Rory Mor of Achaghluineachan, ancestor of the Mackenzies of Fairburn and Achilty, after she bad by her future husband a natural son, Murdoch, who became progenitor of the family of Fairburn. By this marriage with Anne of Moydart and Clanranald Hector Roy had issue -
1. John Glassich, his heir and successor.
2. Kenneth of Meikle Allan, now Allangrange, who married a daughter of Alexander Dunbar of Kilbuyack, and widow of Allan Mackenzie, II. of Hilton, with issue - (1) Hector, who married an Assynt lady, with issue - Hector Og, who was killed at Raasay, in 1611, unmarried; and three daughters, the eldest of whom married, as her second husband, John, son of Alastair Roy, natural son of John Glassich, with issue - Bishop Murdoch Mackenzie of Moray and Orkney, and several other sons. Hector's second daughter married "Tormod Mac Ean Lleaye" - Norman, son of John Liath Macrae - who, according to the traditions of the country, took such a prominent part against the Macleods at that period - and a brother of the celebrated archers Domhull Odhar and lain Odhar mic Ian Leith, of whose prowess the reader will learn more presently. The third daughter married Duncan, son of John, son of Alastair Roy, son of John Glassich, II. of Gairloch. (2) Angus, who married, with issue - Kenneth, who left an only daughter, who married her cousin, Murdo Mac Ian, son of Alastair Roy.
3. John Tuach of Davochpollo, who married with issue - a son, John, who died without lawful issue.
4. Dougal Roy, who inherited Scatwell, and was killed in a family feud in 1550, and
Three daughters, who married respectively, Bayne of Tulloch, John Aberach Mackay, and Hugh Bayne Fraser of Bunchrew, a natural son of Thomas, fourth Lord Lovat, killed at Blar-na-Leine, ancestor of the Frasers of Reelick.
He had also a son, John Beg, who was according to some authorities illegitimate, from whom descended several Mackenzies who settled in Berwick and Alloa.
Hector Roy died in 1528. On the 8th of September in that year, a grant is recorded to Sir John Dingwall, "Provost of Trinity College, beside Edinburgh, of the ward of the lands of Gairloch, which pertained to the umquhile Achinroy Mackenzie." He was succeeded by his eldest lawful son,
II. JOHN GLASSICH MACKENZIE, who, from the above quoted document, appears to have been a minor at his father's death. His retour of service cannot be found, but an instrument of sasine, dated the 24th of June, 1536, in his favour, is in the Gairloch charter chest, wherein he is designated "John Hector-son," and in which he is said to be the heir, served and retoured, of his father, Hector Roy Mackenzie, in the lands of Gairloch, and the grazings of Glasletter and Coirre-nan-Cuilean. He is said to have objected to his father's liberality during his life in granting, at the expense of his successors, to his nephew, John of Kuhn, so much of his patrimonial possessions. According to the Gairloch MS. already quoted Hector gave him his own half of Kintail, as well as Kinellan, Fairburn, Wester Brahan, and "other possessions in the Low Country besides." John thought these donations far too exorbitant, and he "sought to retrench them by recovering in part what with so much profusion his father had given away, and for that, a feud having ensued betwixt him and his Chief, he was surprised in his house by night, according to the barbarous manner of the times, and sent prisoner to Iland Downan, and there taken away by poison in A.D. l550. His brother Dugal, who sided with him, and John (Beg), his natural brother, were both slain in the same quarrel." [Gairloch MS. Another MS. says that his other brother, John Tuach, was assassinated the same night.]
A bond, dated 1544, has been preserved, to which John Glassich's name, along with others, is adhibited, undertaking to keep the peace, and promising obedience to Kenneth, younger of Kintail (Kenneth na Cuirc), as the Queen's Lieutenant. [Spalding Club Miscellany, vol. iv. p.213.] John's obedience does not appear, however, to have been very complete. Kintail having, according to another authority, received information of John Glassich's intention to recover if possible part of the property given away by his father, sent for him to Brahan, where he went, accompanied by a single attendant, John Gearr. The chief charged him with these designs against him, and John's denials proving unsatisfactory, Kintail caused him to be apprehended. John Gearr, seeing this, and feeling that his master had been treacherously dealt with, drew his two handed sword and made a fierce onslaught on the chief who sat at the head of the table, but smartly bowed his head under it, or it would have been cloven asunder. John Gearr was instantly seized by Mackenzie's guards, who threatened to tear him to pieces, but the chief, admiring his fidelity, charged them not to touch him. John Gearr, on being questioned why he had struck at Mackenzie and took no notice of those who apprehended his master, boldly replied that he "saw no one else present whose life was a worthy exchange for that of his own chief." John's sword made a deep gash in the table, and the mark, which was deep enough to admit of a hand being placed edgeways in it, remained until Colin, first Earl of Seaforth, caused the piece to be cut off, saying that "he loved no such remembrance of the quarrels of his relations."
John Glassich, it would appear, was not unduly circumspect at home, or a very dutiful and loyal subject to his King. In 1547 his estate was forfeited for refusing to join the Royal Standard, and the escheat thereof granted to the Earl of Sutherland, as will be seen by the following letter in favour of that nobleman:
"A letter made to John, Earl of Sutherland, his heirs, assigns, one or more, the gift of all goods moveable and unmoveable, debts, tacks, steadings, corns, and obligations, sums of money, gold, silver, coined and uncoined, and other goods whatsoever which pertained to John Hectors - son of Gairloch, and now pertaining to our Sovereign Lady by reason of escheat through the said John's remaining and biding at home from the 'oist' and army devised to convene at Peebles, the 10th day of July instant, for recovering of the house of Langholm furth of our enemies' hands of England, in contrary to the tenour of the letters and proclamations made thereupon, incurred therethrough the pains contained thereuntil, or any otherwise shall happen to pertain to us our Sovereign by reason foresaid with power, etc. At Saint Andrews the 23rd day of July, the year of God, 1547 years." [Reg. Sec. Sig., xxi. fol. 316.]
There is no trace of the reversal of this forfeiture. It does not, however, appear to have affected the succession. Indeed it is not likely that it even affected the actual possession, for it was not easy even for the Earl of Sutherland, though supported by the Royal authority to wield any real power in such an out-of-the-way region in those days as John Glassich's possessions in the west. It has been already stated that, in 1551, the Queen granted to John Mackenzie, IX. of Kintail, and his heir, Kenneth na Cuirc, a remission for the violent taking of John Glassich, Dougal, and John Tuach, his brothers, and for keeping them in prison, thus usurping "therethrough our Sovereign Lady's authority." None of them is spoken of in this remission as being then deceased, though tradition and the family MS. history have it that John Glassich was poisoned or starved to death at Ellandonnan Castle in 1550. [One of the family MSS. says that by his marriage "he got the lands of Kinkell, Kilbokie, Badinearb, Pitlundie, Davochcairn, Davochpollo, and Foynish, with others in the Low Country, for which the family has been in the use to quarter the arm of Fraser with their own. This John, becoming considerably rich and powerful by those different acquisitions, became too odious to and envied by John, Laird of Mackenzie, and his son Kenneth then married to Stewart, Earl of Atholes daughter, that they set upon him, having previously invited him to a Christmas dinner, having got no other pretence than a fit of jealousy on account of the said Earl's daughter, bound him with ropes and carried him a prisoner to Islandownan, where his death was occasioned by poison administered to him in a mess of milk soup by one MacCalman, a clergyman and Deputy-Constable of the Fort."] It is, however, probable that Kintail considered it wise to conceal John's death until the remission had been already secured. Only six weeks after the date of the "respitt" John Glassich is referred to in the Privy Council Records, under date of 25th July, 1551, as the "omquhile (or late) John McCanze of Gairlocht," his lands having then been given in ward to the Earl of Athole, "Ay and till the lawful entry of the righteous heir or heirs thereto, being of lawful age." [Reg. Sec. Con., vol. xxiv., fol. 84.]
Although Hector obtained a charter of the lands of Gairloch in 1494, the Macleods continued for a time to hold possession of a considerable part of it. According to the traditions of the district they had all to the east and south-east of the Crasg, a hill situated on the west side of the churchyard of Gairloch, between the present Free and Established Churches. At the east end of the Big Sand, on a high and easily defended rock, stood the last stronghold occupied by the Macleods in Gairloch - to this day known as the "Dun" or Fort. The foundation is still easily traced. It must have been a place of consider-able importance, for it is over 200 feet in circumference. Various localities are still pointed out in Gairloch where desperate skirmishes were fought between the Macleods and the Mackenzies. Several of these spots, where the slain were buried, look quite green to this day. The "Fraoch Eilean," opposite Leac-na-Saighid, where a naval engagement was fought, is a veritable cemetery of Macleods, ample evidence of which is yet to be seen. Of this engagement, and of those at Glasleoid, Lochan-an-Fheidh, Leac-na-Saighid, Kirkton, and many others, thrilling accounts are still recited by a few old men in the district; especially of the prowess of Domh'ull Odhar Mac Ian Leith, and the other Kintail heroes who were mainly instrumental in establishing the Mackenzies of Gairloch permanently and in undisputed possession of their beautiful and romantic inheritance.
John Glassich married Janet Agnes, daughter of James Fraser of
Phoineas, brother of Hugh, sixth Lord Lovat (with whom he got the
Barony of Inchlag, etc.), with issue -
1. Hector, his heir and successor.
2. Alexander, who succeeded his brother Hector.
3. John, who succeeded Alexander.
4. A daughter, who married John Mackenzie, II. of Loggie, with issue.
John Glassich's widow married, secondly, Thomas Chisholm, XV. of
Chisholm, without issue male.
He had also two natural sons before his marriage, Alexander Roy and Hector Caol.
Alexander Roy had a son John, who lived at Coirre Mhic Cromaill in Torridon, and who had a son, the Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie, Chaplain to Lord Reay's Regiment in the Bohemian and Swedish service, under Gustavus Adolphus. He was afterwards minister of Contin, Inverness, and Elgin, and subsequently Bishop of Moray and of Orkney in succession. His family and descendants are dealt with under a separate heading - MACKENZIES OF GROUNDWATER.
Hector Caol left a numerous tribe in Gairloch, still known as Clann Eachainn Chaoil, and said to be distinguished by their long and slender legs.
John Glassich, who was assassinated in 1550, as already stated, at Ellandonnan Castle, was buried in the Priory of Beauly, and succeeded by his eldest lawful son,
III. HECTOR MACKENZIE. He has a sasine, dated the 6th May, 1563, [Gairloch Charter Chest,] in which he is described as "Achyne Johannis MacAchyne," and bearing that the lands had been in non-entry for 12 years, thus carrying back the date of his succession to 1551, when the estate was given in ward to John, fourth of the Stewart Earls of Athole. Hector died - probably killed, like his brother - without issue, on the 3rd of September, 1566, and was buried at Beauly, when he was succeeded by his next lawful brother,
ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who has a retour, dated the 2nd of December, 1566, [Ing. Retour Reg., vol. i., fol. 22, and "Origines Parochiales Scotiae,"] as heir to "Hector his brother-german," in the lands of Gairloch, namely, "Gairloch, Kirktoun, Syldage, Hamgildail, Malefage, Innerasfidill, Sandecorran, Cryf, Baddichro, Bein-Sanderis, Meall, Allawdall, with the pasturage of Glaslettir and Cornagullan, in the Earldom of Ross, of the old extent of L8;" but not to any of the other lands which Hector Roy left to his descendants. Alexander did not long possess the estates, for he died - to all appearance assassinated - a few weeks after he succeeded, without making up titles. It is, therefore, not thought necessary to count him as one of the Barons of Gairloch.
It is probable that the brothers, Hector and Alexander, met with the same violent death as their father and uncles, John Glassich, John Tuach, and John Beg and by the same authors. This is according to tradition, and an old MS., which says that their mother Agnes Fraser fled with John Roy "to Lovat and her Fraser relatives," adds as to the fate of his brothers that "In those days many acts of oppression were committed that could not be brought to fair tryales befor the Legislator." "She was afterwards married to Chisholm of Comar, and heired his family; here she kept him in as concealed a manner as possible, and, as is reported, every night under a brewing kettle, those who, through the barbarity of the times, destroyed his father and uncles, being in search of the son, and in possession of his all excepting his mother's dower. He was afterwards concealed by the Lairds of Moydart and of Farr, till he became a handsome man and could put on his weapon, when he had the resolution to wait on Colin Cam Mackenzie, Laird of Kintail, a most worthy gentleman, who established him in all his lands, excepting those parts of the family estate for which Hector and his successors had an undoubted right by writs." Hector was succeeded by his next brother,
IV. JOHN ROY MACKENZIE, John Glassich's third son, who was at the time a minor, although his father had been dead for 15 or 16 years; and the estate was given in ward by Queen Mary in 1567. She "granted in heritage to John Bannerman of Cardeyne, the ward of the lands and rents belonging to the deceased Hector Makkenych, of Gairloch, with the relief of the same when it should occur and the marriage of John Roy Makkenych, the brotherand apparent heir of Hector." ["Origines Parochiales Scotiae" p. 406, and Reg. Sec. Sig., vol. xxxvi. fol. 6.] In 1569, John, being then of "lauchful age," is served and retoured heir to his brother-german, Hector, in the lands of Gairloch [Ing. Retour Reg., vol. i., fol. 22, and "Origines Parochiales Scotiae."] as specified in the service of 1566, passing over Alexander, no doubt because he never made up titles. This retour of 1569 gives the date of Hector's death as 30th September, 1566. In 1574 John has a sasine which bears that the lands had been seven and a half years in non-entry, taking it back to the date of Hector's death, three months before the gift of the ward to John Bannerman. He, in the same year, acquired half the lands of Ardnagrask from Lord Lovat, partly in exchange for the rights he inherited in Phoineas from his mother, and he is described by his Lordship in the disposition as "the son, by her first husband, of his kinswoman Agnes Fraser." From this it may be assumed that John Glassich's widow had during her life made over her own rights to her son or that she had in the meantime died.
It is found from the old inventory, already quoted, that there was a charter of alienation by Hugh Fraser of Guisachan, dated the 29th of May, 1582, from which it appears that John Roy in 1574, acquired Davochcairn and Davochpollo, in Strathpeffer, from this Hugh Fraser, and that in the first-named year he obtained from him also the lands of Kinkell-Clarsach and Pitlundie, in terms of a contract of sale dated the 26th of January, 1581. The charter is confirmed by James VI. in 1523. It appears from his daughter's retour of service [Ing. Retours Reg., vol. viii., fol. 284b.] that Gairloch's eldest son, John, died in 1601. He had been infeft by his father in Davochpollo and Pitlundie, and married Isabel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie II. of Fairburn, by whom he had a daughter, also named Isabel, who married Colin Mackenzie of Strathgarve, brother to Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, and first of the Mackenzies of Kinnock and Pitlundie. Colin of Strathgarve entered into a lawsuit with Alexander V. of Gairloch, probably in connection with this marriage, "to cut him out of his Low Country estate." ["Colin of Kinnock, who entered a lawsuit against Alexander Mackenzie of Gairloch, meaning to cut him out of his low country estates, and being powerfully supported by Mackenzie of Fairburn and Mr John Mackenzie of Tolly, minister of Dingwall, a plodding clergyman, kept him sixteen sessions at Edinburgh; the last year of which Gairloch and his brother Kenneth seeing Lord Kintail insulted by the Earl of Glencairn, who was supported by most of those on the street, put on their armour and came directly to his assistance, and rescuing him from imminent danger brought him to their lodging. No sooner was the tumult over than they embraced very cordially, and the whole matter in debate was instantly taken away, aud Gairloch got a present of 600 merks to finish the Tower of Kinkell, of which his father (John Roy) only built three storeys." - "Gairloch MS."] In 1657 she mortgaged Davochpollo and Pitlundie to her cousin, Kenneth VI. of Gairloch; and her successor, John Mackenzie of Pitlundie, completed the sale to him, which brought the property back again to the Gairloch family. [Papers in the Gairloch Charter Chest.]
Under date of 11th August, 1587, the following complaint by James Sinclair, Master of Caithness, and James Paxtoun, his servant, against John Mackenzie of Gairloch appears in the Records of the Privy Council - While they "were in a peaceable and quiet manner," in March last, in the Chanonry of Ross, within the house of William Robson, the following persons, viz.: John Mackenzie of Gairloch, Hector Mackenzie in Fairburn, Meikle John Mackenzie, his son, Thomas MacThomais Mac Keanoch's son, Donald Macintagairt, Mr John Mackenzie, son of Murdo Mackenzie of Fairburn, Mr Murdo Mackenzie, parson of Lochcarron, Duncan Mackenzie, John Beg Mackenzie's son, Duncan MacCulloch of Achanault, David Aytoun, master stabler to Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, Finlay Roy, Stewart to the said Colin, William Barbour, burgess in the Chanonry, with convocation of the lieges, to the number of 300, "bodin in feir of weir," and hounded on by the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch, "had come to the said William Robson's house, wherein the said complainers were, and had without any occasion of offence, assegeit the said house and used all means and engines for apprehending of the said James Sinclair and his said servant." Further, "seeing they could not goodly recover the said house," they "cried for fire, and had not failed most treasonably to have risen fire within the same had not the said complainer delivered the said James Paxton in their bands, whom they immediately conveyed and led to the castle of Chanonry pertaining to the said Colin, and kept and detained him captive therein for the space of two hours or thereby." After such detention of the said James "they granted liberty to him to pass home, and the better to cloak their cruel and unmerciful decree, which openly they durst not put to execution, they secretly hounded out a great number of cut-throats to have beset the same James's way and to have bereft him of his life, which they not failed to have done had not God otherwise prevented their doings." Moreover, "at that same time they reft and took away from the said complainers their horses, saddles, and other gear worth five hundred merks." John Mackenzie of Gairloch, master and landlord of the foresaid persons, having been charged to appear personally and enter them this day "to have answered and underlaid punishment for the premises," according to the general band, but making no such appearance or entry, while the complainers appear personally, the Lords order the said Mackenzie of Gairloch to be denounced rebel.
In 1606 John Roy received a charter of resignation in favour of himself in life-rent, and of his son, Alexander in fee, erecting Gairloch into a free barony and in 1619 he obtained another charter, [These charters are in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] under the Great Seal, by which Kinkell is included in the barony and constituted its chief messuage. He built the first three stories of the Tower of Kinkell, "where his arms and those of his first wife are parted per pale above the mantelpiece of the great hall." [Gairloch MS.]
The son of Roderick MacAllan "Nimhneach" of Gairloch, in the absence of young MacGillechallum Garbh of Raasay, who, under the care of the Laird of Calder escaped the massacre of Island Isay, possessed himself of Raasay and took up his quarters in Castle Brochail, the ancient residence of the Chiefs of Macleod, of which the ruins are still to be seen on the east side of the island. Seeing this, Donald Mac Neill, who previously sent young Macleod of Raasay to the protection of Calder brought back the rightful heir, and kept him, in private, until an opportunity occurred by which he could obtain possession of the castle. This he soon managed by coming to terms with the commander of the stronghold, who preferred the native heir to his relative of the Gairloch Macleods. It was arranged that when Mac Neill should arrive at the castle with his charge, access should be given to young Raasay. The commander kept his word, and MacGillechallum Garbh was soon after proclaimed laird.
In 1610 a severe skirmish was fought at Lochan-an-Fheidh, in Glen Torridon, between the Mackenzies - led by Alexander, since his brother's death in 1601, the apparent heir of Gairloch - and the Macleods under John MacAllan Mhic Rory, then the only surviving direct male representative of Allan Macleod of Gairloch and grandson probably of Rory Nimhneach. John Tolmach, John's uncle was also present, but he succeeded in effecting his escape, while John MacAllan and seventeen or eighteen of his followers were taken prisoners. Many more were killed and a few who escaped alive with John Tolmach were pursued out of the district. The slain were buried where they fell, and the graves can still be seen, the nettles which continue to grow over them at the present day indicating the position of the last resting-place on the field of battle of these Macleod warriors, on the west side of the Sgura Dubh, above Glen Torridon, a little beyond the Gairloch estate march.
Shortly after this engagement another attempt was made by the Macleods to regain the lands of Gairloch, the history of which is still a prominent and interesting feature in the local traditions of the parish. The affair is called "Latha Leac-na-Saighead." Mr John H. Dixon gives a good version of it, as related to him by Roderick Mackenzie, locally known as Ruairidh an Torra - an intelligent man of about ninety who only died two years ago - in his interesting on the history and traditions of the parish of Gairloch. According to Roderick's version, as given by Mr Dixon, many of the Macleods, after they had been driven from Gairloch, settled in Skye. A considerable number of the younger men were invited by their chief to pass Hogmanay night in the Castle of Dunvegan. In the kitchen there was an old woman known as Mor Bhan, who was usually occupied in carding wool, and generally supposed to be a witch. After dinner the men began to drink, and when they had passed some time in this occupation, they sent to the kitchen for Mor Bhan. She at once joined them in the hall, and having drunk one or two glasses along with them, she remarked that it was a very poor thing for the Macleods to be deprived of their own lands in Gairloch, and to have to live in comparative poverty in Raasay and the Isle of Skye. "But," she said to them, "prepare yourselves and start to-morrow for Gairloch, sail in the black birlinn, and you shall regain it. I shall be a witness of your success when you return."
The men trusted her, believing she had the power of divination. In the morning they set sail for Gairloch - the black galley was full of the Macleods. It was evening when they entered the loch. They were afraid to land on the mainland, for they remembered that the descendants of Domhnull Greannach (a celebrated Macrae) were still there, and they knew the prowess of these men only too well. The Macleods therefore turned to the south side of the loch, and fastened their birlinn to the Fraoch Eilean, in the well-sheltered bay opposite Leac-nan-Saighead, between Shieldaig and Badachro. Here they decided to wait until morning, then disembark, and walk round the head of the loch.
But all their movements had been well and carefully watched. Domhnull Odhar Mac lain Leith and his brother Ian, the celebrated Macrae archers, recognised the birlinn of the Macleods, and determined to oppose their landing. They walked round the head of the loch by Shieldaig and posted themselves before daylight behind the Leac, a projecting rock overlooking the Fraoch Eilean. The steps on which they stood at the back of the rock are still pointed out. Donald Odhar, being of small stature, took the higher of the two ledges, and Ian took the lower. Standing on these they crouched down behind the rock, completely sheltered from the enemy, but commanding a full view of the island, while they were quite invisible to the Macleods, who lay down on the island. As soon as the day dawned the two Macraes directed their arrows on the strangers, of whom a number were killed before their comrades were even aware of the direction from which the messengers of death came. The Macleods endeavoured to answer their arrows, but not being able to see the foe, their efforts were of no effect. In the heat of the fight one of the Macleods climbed up the mast of the birlinn to discover the position of the enemy. Ian Odhar observing this, took deadly aim at him when near the top of the mast. "Oh," says Donald, addressing John, "you have sent a pin through his broth." The slaughter continued, and the remnant of the Macleods hurried aboard their birlinn. Cutting the rope, they turned her head seawards. By this time only two of their number were left alive. In their hurry to escape they left all the bodies of their slain companions unburied on the island. A rumour of the arrival of the Macleods had during the night spread through the district, and other warriors, such as Fionnla Dubh na Saighead, and Fear Shieldaig, were soon at the scene of action, but all they had to do on their arrival was to assist in the burial of the dead Macleods. Pits were dug, into each of which a number of the bodies were thrown, and mounds were raised over them which remain to this day, as any one landing on the island may observe.
In 1611, Murdoch Mackenzie, second surviving son of John Roy Mackenze, IV. of Gairloch, accompanied by Alexander Bayne, heir apparent of Tulloch, and several brave men from Gairloch, sailed to the Isle of Skye in a vessel ld with wine and provisions. It is said by some that Murdoch's intention was to apprehend John Tolmach, while others maintain that his object was to secure in marriage the daughter and heir of line of Donald Dubh MacRory. The latter theory is far the more probable, and it is the unbroken tradition in Gairloch. John Macleod was a prisoner in Gairloch, was unmarried, and easily secured where he was, in the event of this marriage taking place. By such a union, failing issue by John, then in the power of John Roy, the ancient rights of the Macleods would revert to the Gairloch family, and a troublesome dispute would be for ever settled, if John Tolmach were at the same time captured or put to death.
It may easily be conceived how both objects would become combined but whatever the real object of the trip to Skye, it proved disastrous. The ship found its way - intentionally on the part of the crew, or forced by a great storm - to the sheltered bay of Kirkton of Raasay, opposite the present mansion house, where young MacGillechallum at the time resided. Anchor was cast, and young Raasay, hearing that Murdoch Mackenzie was on board, discussed the situation with his friend MacGillechallum Mor MacDhomhnuill Mhic Neill, who persuaded him to visit the ship as a friend, and secure Mackenzie's person by stratagem, with the view of getting him afterwards exchanged for his own relative, John MacAllan Mhic Rory, then a prisoner in Gairloch. Acting on this advice, young Raasay, with Gillecallum Mor and twelve of their men, started for the ship, leaving word with his bastard brother, Murdoch, to get ready all the men he could, to go to their assistance in small boats as soon as the a]arm was given.
Mackenzie received his visitors in the most hospitable and unsuspecting manner, and supplied them with as much wine and other viands as they could consume. Four of his men, however, feeling somewhat suspicious, and fearing the worst, abstained from drinking. Alexander Bayne of Tulloch, and the remainder of Murdoch's men partook of the good cheer to excess, and ultimately became so drunk that they had to retire below deck. Mackenzie, who sat between Raasay and MacGillechallum Mor, had not the slightest suspicion, when Macleod, seeing Murdoch alone, jumped up, turned suddenly round and told him that he must become his prisoner. Mackenzie instantly started to his feet, in a violent passion, laid hold of Raasay by the waist, and threw him down, exclaiming, "I would scorn to be your prisoner." One of Raasay's followers, seeing his young chief treated thus, stabbed Murdoch through the body with his dirk. Mackenzie finding himself wounded, stepped back to draw his sword, and, his foot coming against some obstruction, he stumbled over it and fell into the sea.
Those on shore observing the row, came out in their small boats and seeing Mackenzie, who was a dexterous swimmer, manfully making for Sconsar, on the opposite shore, in Skye, they pelted him with stones, smashed in his brains and drowned him. The few of his men who kept sober, seeing their leader thus perish, resolved to sell their lives dearly; and fighting like heroes, they killed the young laird of Raasay, along with MacGillechallum Mor, author of all the mischief, and his two sons. Young Bayne of Tulloch and his six inebriated companions who had followed him below, hearing the uproar overhead, attempted to come on deck, but they were all killed by the Macleods as they presente themselves through the hold. Not a soul of the Raasay men escaped alive from the swords of the four who had kept sober, ably supported by the ship's crew.
The small boats now began to gather round the vessel and the Raasay men attempted to get on board but they were thrown back, slain, and pitched into the sea without mercy. The shot and ammunition having become exhausted, all the pots and pans, and other articles of furniture on board were hurled at the Macleods, while the four abstainers plied their weapons of war with deadly effect. Having procured a lull from the attempts of the enemy, they commenced to pull in their anchor, when a shot from one of the boats killed one of them - Hector MacKenneth, "a pretty young gentleman." The other three seeing him slain, and being themselves more or less seriously wounded, cut their cable, hoisted sail, and proceeded before a fresh breeze, with all the dead bodies still lying about the deck. As soon as they got out of danger, they threw the bodies of young Raasay and his men into the sea, that they might have the same interment which their own leader had received, and whose body they were not able to search for.
It is said that none of the bodies were ever found, except that of MacGillechallum Mor, which afterwards came ashore, and was buried, in Raasay. The Gairloch men carried the bodies of Bayne of Tulloch and his companions to Lochcarron, where they were decently interred.
The only survivors of the Rausay affair were John MacEachainn Chaoil, John MacKenneth Mhic Eachainn, and Kenneth MacSheumais. The first named lived for thirty years after, dying in 1641; the second died in 1662; and the third in 1663 - all very old men. Amongst the slain was a son of Mackenzie of Badachro, who is said to have signally distinguished himself. The conduct of the Mackenzies of Gairloch was such on this and previous occasions that they deemed it wise to secure a remission from the Crown, which was duly granted to them in 1614, by James VI. [Mackenzie's "History of the Macleods," pp. 361-366.] The document, modernised in spelling, is as follows:
James R. - Our Sovereign Lord understanding the manifold cruel and barbarous tyrannies and oppressions so frequent within he Highlands and Isles, of that (part of) his Highness's Kingdom of Scotland, before his Majesty's departure furth of the same, that one part of the inhabitants thereof being altogether void of the true ear of God, and not regarding that true and loyal obedience they ought to his Majesty in massing and drawing themselves together n troops and companies, and after a most savage and insolent form committing depredations, rieves, "slouthis," and cruel slaughters against the most honest, godly, and industrious sort of people dwelling within and bewest the said bounds, who were a ready prey to the said oppressors, so that the said honest and peaceable subjects were oft and sundry times, for defence of their own lives, their wives and children, forced to enter into actions of hostility against the said limmers and broken men who oft and diverse times invaded and pursued them with tire and sword, reft and spuilzied their whole goods, among whom his Majesty, understanding that his Highness's lovites and true and obedient subjects, John Mackenzie of Gairloch, Alexander, Kenneth, Duncan, and William Mackenzie, his sons, dwelling within the Highlands most 'ewest' the Isles of Skye and Lewis, who many and sundry times before his Majesty's going to England, has been most cruelly invaded and pursued with tire and sword by sundry of the said vagabonds and broken men dwelling and resorting in the Skye and Lewis and other bounds of the Highlands where they dwell, and has there-through sustained many and great slaughters, depredations and heirschips, so that in the very action of the said invasions and hostilities pursued against them, the said persons in defence of their own lives, their wives' and children's, and of their goods, have slain sundry of the said invaders and limmers, taken others of them and thereafter put them to death, to the great comfort of his Majesty's good, honest, and true subjects who were subject to the like inr, invasions and tyrannies of the said vagabonds and fugitives, and settling of his Majesty's peace within the bounds and his Majesty being noways willing that the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch and his said sons' forawardness in their own defence, and withstanding of the foresaid open and violent hostilities and tyrannies of the said broken men which has produced so much and good benefit to his Majesty's distressed subjects, shall suffer any hurt, prejudice, or inconvenience against the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch and his said sons, which his Highness by these letters decrees and declares to have been good and acceptable service done to his Highness and the country: Therefore, his Majesty, of his special grace, mercy, and favour, ordains a letter to be made under his Highness's Great Seal in due form to the said John Mackenzie of Gairloch, Alexander, Kenneth, Duncan, and William Mackenzie, his sons, remitting and forgiving them and everyone of them all rancour, hatred, action, and crime whatsoever that his Majesty had, has, or anywise may lay to the charge of the said John Mackenzie or his said sons, or any of them, for the alleged taking and apprehending, slaying or mutilating of the said vagabonds and broken men, or any of them, or for art and part thereof, or for raising of tire against them, in the taking and apprehending of them, or any of them, at any time preceding his Majesty's going to England and of all that has passed or that may pass thereupon, and of every circumstance thereanent and suchlike. His Majesty, of his especial grace, taking knowledge and proper motive, remits and forgives the said persons, and everyone of them, all slaughters, mutilations, and other capital crimes whatsoever, art and part thereof committed by them, or any of them, preceding the day and date hereof (treason in our said Sovereign Lord's own most noble person only excepted), with all pains and executions that ought and should be executed against them, or any of them for the same, exonerating, absolving, and relieving the said John and his said sons, and all of them of all action and challenge criminal and civil that may be moved thereupon to their prejudice for ever: Discharging hereby all judges, officers, magistrates, administrators of his Majesty's laws, from granting of any proofs, criminal or civil, in any action or causes to be moved or pursued against the said John Mackenzie or his sons foresaid for anything concerning the execution of the premises: Discharging them thereof and their officers in that employed by them, and that the said letter he extended in the best form with ill clauses needful and the precepts he directed orderly thereupon in form as effeirs. Given at Theobald's, the second day of April, the year of God, 1614 years. [Original in the Gairloch Charter Chest.]
John Roy purchased or rented the tithes of his lands, which appear to have led him into no end of disputes. The Rev. Alexander Mackenzie was appointed minister at Gairloch - the first after the Reformation - and in 1583 he obtained a decree from the Lords of the Privy Council and Session ordaining the teind revenue to be paid to him. At the Reformation Sir John Broik was rector of the parish; after which it was vacant until, in 1583, James VI. presented this Alexander Mackenzie to "the parsonage and vicarage of Garloch vacand in our Souerane Lordis handis contenuallie sen the reformatioun of the religioun within this realme by the decease of Sir John Broik." [Reg. Sec. Sig., vol xlix, fol. 62.] In 1584 the Rev. Alexander Mackenzie let the teinds to John Roy for three lives and nineteen years more, for an annual payment of L12 Scots. In 1588 the Crown granted a similar tack for a like payment. In 1612 the Rev. Farquhar MacGillechriost Macrae raised an action against John Roy and his eldest surviving son Alexander for payment of the teind. A certain Robert Boyd became cautioner for the teind of 1610; but the action went on for several years, and was apparently won by the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, who, in 1616, lets the teind of Gairloch for nineteen years to Alexander Mackenzie, Fiar of Gairloch, for L80 Scots yearly. Alexander thereupon surrenders the tithes of the lands of Letterewe, Inverewe, Drumchorc, and others to Colin Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, who on his part, as patron of the parish, binds himself not to sanction the set of these tithes to any other than the said Alexander and his heirs. [Papers in the Gairloch Charter Chest.]
John Roy married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Angus Macdonald,
VII. of Glengarry, by his wife, Janet, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie,
X. of Kintail, by Lady Elizabeth, daughter of John, second Earl
of Athole, with issue -
1. John, who married, as already stated, Isabel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Fairburn, with issu - an only daughter, also named Isabel, who, as his second wife, married Colin Mackenzie of Kinnock, with issue—an only son, who sold back his mother's jointure lands of Davochpollo and Pitlundie in 1666. John died before his father, in 1601, at Kinkell, and was buried at Beauly.
2. Alexander, who succeeded to the estates.
3. Murdoch, killed, unmarried, at Raasay in 1611.
4. Kenneth, I. of Davochcairn, who married, first, Margaret, daughter of James Cuthbert of Alterlies and Drakies, Inverness, with issue, whose male representation is extinct. He married, secondly, a daughter of Hector Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn, also with issue, of whose present representation nothing is known. Kenneth died at Davochcairn in 1643, and was buried at Beauly.
5. Duncan of Sand, who married a daughter of Hugh Fraser of Belladrum, with issue - (1) Alexander, who succeeded him at Sand; (2) John, who married a daughter of the Rev. George Munro, minister of Urquhart, and resided at Ardnagrask; (3) Katharine, who married, first, a son of Allan Macranald Macdonald, heir male of Moydart, at the time residing at Baile Chnuic, or Hiltown of Beauly, and secondly, William Fraser of Boblanie, with issue. (4) A daughter, who married Thomas Mackenzie, son of Murdoch Mackenzie, IV. of Achilty and (5) a daughter, who married Duncan MacIan vic Eachainn Chaoil. Duncan died at Sand, from the bite of a cat at Inverasdale, in 1635, and is buried at Gairloch.
Alexander, who succeeded his father at Sand (retour 1647), married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie of Kernsary, fifth son of Colin Cam, XI. of Kintail, by his wife, Barbara, daughter of John Grant, XII. of Grant. Murdoch married the eldest daughter of John Mackenzie, III. of Fairburn, by whom he had, in addition to the daughter who became the wife of Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, an only lawful son, John, killed in 1645 at the battle of Auldearn in command of the Lewis Mackenzie Regiment, whereupon the lineal and sole representation of the Kernsary family reverted to the descendants of Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, through Mary, his wife, by whom he had issue - two sons and two daughters. He was succeeded, in 1656, by the eldest son, Hector, who also succeeded his uncle John in Ardnagrask. He married Janet Fraser, with issue - John Mackenzie, who died in 1759, and left a son Alexander, who got a new tack of Ardnagrask for forty years, commencing in May, 1760; [Gairloch Papers.] and married Helen Mackenzie, daughter of Donald, great-grandson of Murdo Mackenzie, V. of Hilton (by his wife, Jean Forbes of Raddery), by whom he had a large family of five sons and six daughters. The eldest son, John Mackenzie, a merchant and Bailie of Inverness, was born at Ardnagrask in 1762, and married Prudence, daughter of Richard Ord, Merkinch, Inverness, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John, third son of Alexander, VII. of Davochmaluag, with issue - five sons and two daughters. Three of the sons died without issue, one of whom was John, a merchant in Madras. Another, Alexander, married Maria Lascelles of Blackwood, Dumfries, with issue - John Fraser Mackenzie, who married Julia Linton, with issue; Alexander, who married Adelaide Brett, Madras, with issue and four daughters, Margaret, Jane, Frances, and Maria, of whom two married, with issue.
Bailie John's second surviving son, the Rev. William Mackenzie, married Elizabeth Maclaren, with issue - John Ord, who married, without issue; James, who married, with issue; Richard, who married Lousia Lyall, with issue Henry, of the Oriental Bank Corporation; Gordon, of the Indian Civil Service; and Alfred, of Townsville, Queensland; also Louisa, Isabella, Maria, and Williamina, all married, the first three with issue.
Bailie Mackenzie's daughters were - Elizabeth, who married
Montgomery Young, with issue; and Jane, who married Provost
Ferguson, of Inverness, with issue - John Alexander, who married,
with issue; Mary, who married the late Walter Carruthers of the
Inverness Courier, with issue; and Agnes Prudence, who married the
Rev. G. T. Carruthers, one of Her Majesty's Chaplains in India.
6. William Mackenzie of Shieldaig, who married a daughter of the Rev. Murdo Mackenzie, minister of Kintail, with issue - (1) Murdoch, who married Mary, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, I. of Applecross, with issue - Roderick, who, in 1727, married Margaret Mackenzie, with issue - William Mackenzie, on record in 1736; (2) Duncan, who married a daughter, by his second marriage, of Hector Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn; (3) John, who married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie in Sand; (4) Kenneth, who married a daughter of Hector MacIan vic Eachainn Mackenzie; (5) Hector; (6) Roderick; (7) Alexander, the last-named three unmarried in 1669; (8) a daughter, who married Alexander Fraser of Reelick, with issue; (9) a daughter, who married Hector "Mac Mhic Alastair Roy"; (10) a daughter, who married Murdo "Mac Ian Mhic Eachainn Chaoil," a son of one of the Raasay heroes; (11) a daughter, who married Hector Mackenzie, Chamberlain in Lochcarron; (12) a daughter, who married the Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Lochalsh; and (13) a daughter, unmarried in 1669. He had also a natural son, John Mor "Mac Uilleam," who married a natural daughter or Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle.
7. A daughter, who married Fraser of Foyers.
8. Katherine, who married Hugh Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan.
9. Another Katherine, who married Fraser of Struy.
10. Janet, who married, first, George Cuthbert of Castlehill,
Inverness (marriage contract 29th June, 1611); and secondly Neil
Munro of Findon marriage contract dated 5th of February, 1627).
[Both marriage contracts are in the Gairloch Charter Chest.]
11. A daughter, who married Alastair Mor, brother of Chisholm of Comar.
John Roy married, secondly, Isabel, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie,
I. of Fairburn, with issue -
12. Captain Roderick of Pitglassie, who served in the army of the Prince of Orange, and died, unmarried, in Holland, in 1624.
13. Hector of Mellan, who married, first, the widow of the Rev. John Mackenzie of Lochbroom, without issue and secondly, a daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Achilty, with issue, five sons - Alexander, who married a daughter of "Murdo Mc Cowil vic Ean Oig"; Murdo, who married a daughter of Murdo Mackenzie of Sand and three others unmarried in 1669.
14. John, a clergyman, who married a natural daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Kilcoy, with issue - four sons and two daughters. He died at Rhynduin in 1666, and is buried at Beauly.
15. Katherine Og, who married Fraser of Belladrum, with issue - from whom the Frasers of Achnagairn and Seafield.
16. Isabel, who married first, Alastair Og Macdonald [The marriage contract is in the Gairloch Charter Chest, dated 23rd Jan. 1629. This gentleman, in the month of November, 1625, killed a man in Uist named Alexander Mac Ian Mhic Alastair, for which he received a remission from Charles I., dated at Holyrood, the first of August, 1627, and which Macdonald appears to have deposited in the Gairloch Charter Chest on his marriage with Isabel of Gairloch.] of Cuidreach, brother-german to Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat, and ancestor of the Macdonalds of Cuidreach and Kingsburgh, Isle of Skye. She married, secondly, Hugh Macdonald of Skirmish.
John had also a natural son, Kenneth Buy Mackenzie, by a woman named Fraser, who married a daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Achilty; and two natural daughters, one of whom married Donald Bain, Seaforth's Chamberlain in the Lewis, killed in the battle of Auldearn in 1645; the other, Margaret, in 1640, married Alexander, "second lawful son" of John Mackenzie, IV. of Hilton.
He died at Talladale in 1628, in the 80th year of his age; was buried in the old churchyard of Gairloch, and succeeded by his eldest surviving son,
V. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who was advanced in years at his father's death. He was most active in the duties pertaining to the head of his house during the life of his father, for it was he who led the Mackenzies of Gairloch against the Macleods in their repeated incursions to repossess themselves of their estates, "He was a valiant worthy gentleman. It was he who made an end of all the troubles his predecessors were in the conquering of Gairloch from the Shiel Vic Gille Challum. [Applecross MS.] Very little is known of him personally, his career having been so much mixed up with that of his father. By the charter of 1619 he was infeft in the barony as fiar, and he immediately succeeded on his father's decease. In 1627, while still fiar or feuer of Gairloch, he obtained from his son-in-law, John Mackenzie of Applecross (afterwards of Lochslinn), who married his daughter Isobel, a disclamation of part of the lands of Diobaig, previously in dispute between the Lairds of Gairloch and Applecross. In the Gairloch Charter Chest there is a feu charter of endowment by John Mackenzie of Applecross, in implement of the contract of marriage with his betrothed spouse, Isobel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, younger of Gairloch, dated 6th of June, 1622. After John of Lochslinn's death, she married, secondly, Colin Mackenzie of Tarvie and there is a sasine in favour of Margaret, second lawful daughter of this Colin of Tarvie by Isobel of Gairloch and spouse of Matthew Robertson of Davoch-carty, in implement of a marriage contract.
A little piece of scandal seems, from an extract of the Presbytery Records of Dingwall, of date 3rd of March, 1666, to have arisen in connection with this pair - Matthew Robertson and Margaret Mackenzie. "Rorie McKenzie of Dochmaluak, compearing desyred ane answer to his former supplication requiring that Matthew Robertson of Dochgarty should be ordained to make satisfaction for slandering the said Rorie with alleged miscarriage with Matthew Robertson's wife. The brethren considering that by the witness led in the said matter there was nothing but suspicion and jealousies, and said Matthew Robertson being called and inquired concerning the said particular, did openly profess that he was in no wayes jealous of the said Rorie Mackenzie and his wife, and if any word did escape him upon which others might put such a construction, he was heartily sorry for it, and was content to acknowledge so much to Rorie Mackenzie of Dochmaluak, and crave pardon for the same, which the brethren taking into their consideration, and the Bishop referring it to them (as the Moderator reported), they have, according to the Bishop's appointment, ordered the said Matthew Robertson to acknowledge so much before the Presbytery to the party, and to crave his pardon in anything he has given him offence. The which being done by the said Matthew Robertson, Rory Mackenzie of Dochmaluak did acquiesce in it without any furder prosecution of it," and we hear no more of the subject.
In 1637 Alexander proceeded to acquire part of Loggie-Wester from Duncan Bayne, but the matter was not arranged until 1640, during the reign of his successor.
Alexander married, first, Margaret, third daughter of Roderick Mor Mackenzie, I. of Redcastle, by his wife, Finguala or Florence, daughter of Robert Munro, XVth Baron of Fowlis, with issue-
1. Kenneth, his heir and successor.
2. Murdo of Sand, "predecessor to Sand and Mungastle," [There is great confusion about the families of the various Sands which we have not been able to clear up. The following is from the public records: In 1718 on the forfeiture of the Fairburn estate, "Alexander" Mackenzie of Sand appeared and deponed that "Murdoch" Mackenzie of Sand, his father, had a wadset of Mungastle and certain other lands from Fairburn. In May 1730 "Alexander" Mackenzie of Sand purchased Mungastle for 3000 merks from Dundonell, who had meantime become proprietor of it. In January 1744 "Alexander" Mackenzie of Sand, son of the preceding Alexander, was infeft in Mungastle in place of his father. In 1741 the above Alexander (the younger) being then a minor, and John Mackenzie of Lochend being his curator, got a wadset of Glenarigolach and Ridorch, and in 1745 Alexander being then of full age, apparently purchased these lands irredeemably. In March 1765 Alexander Mackenzie of Sand, with consent of Janet Mackenzie, his wife, sold Mungastle, Glenarigolach, etc. One of the witnesses to this deed of disposition is Alexander Mackenzie, eldest son to Alexander Mackenzie, the granter of the deed.] who married the eldest daughter of John Mackenzie, III. of Fairburn, with issue-a daughter, Margaret, who married Colin Mackenzie, I. of Sanachan, brother to John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross.
3. Hector, "portioner of Mellan," and a Cornet in Sir George Munro's regiment, who married a daughter of Donald Maciver, with issue-three sons and a daughter, Mary - of whom under MACKENZIES OF DAILUAINE.==
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