MacDonald 5

John Mhor 'Iain Mhor Tanistair' MacDonald of Duniveg and Glyns d 1427 Dunyvaig Castle in Scotland was the seat of the Earl of Antrim, chief of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg. It is situated on the east side of Lagavulin Bay on the Isle of Islay built in the 13th century. Dunluce Castle was the seat of MacDonald Earl of Antrim, in Ireland where he headed the Clan MacDonnell of Antrim.

Visitors since 22nd March 2009: It is really something to sing and dance about. Dig up those old bones and get them dancing!

m Margery Bisset dau of Sir Hugh Bisset of the Glyns, Antrim

1.

Sir Ronald or Donald Balloch b c1407, d 1476 the 2nd chief led the clan when they fought and won at the first Battle of Inverlochy 1431. This was in support of their cousin Alexander MacDonald who was chief of Clan Donald, 3rd Lord of the Isles and the current Earl of Ross. They fought against the Royal forces of the Earl of Mar who was supported by Clan Cameron and Clan MacKintosh.

m x O'Neill dau of Con O'Neill of Edenduffcarrick

A.

John Mor 'of the Isles' a 1472 The third Chief, Sir John Mor with his heir John Cathanach and three grandsons were apprehended through the treachery of the Macdonald of Ardnamurchan and were executed in Edinburgh for treason. However MacIian of Ardnamurchan who had also betrayed Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh and was himself killed in 1518 by those who he had betrayed.

m Sabina O'Neill dau of Felim 'Bacach' O'Neill

i.

Sir John McIan 'Cathanach' MacDonell of Antrim

m Sheela Savage

a.

Alexander MacIan 'Cathanach' of Islay son of Sir John and heir of Dunnyveg Castle according to the note of July 23, 1529 "The King called upon the Justice-Clerk to receive James MacConnell, the son of Alexander of Dunnyveg, to relax them from our home." Alexander Konnel of Dunnyveg died at Sterling while on a visit to the King in 1538 and was buried in the High Church of the town. Evidently the name was spelled quite differently depending on the recorder, who probably would not dare to ask any of the fierce clansmen to spell their names as literacy was hardly as common as their willingness to draw a sword.

m Katherine MacDonell dau of John MacIan MacDonell

1

Donald McConnell who according to Irish manuscripts had the surname Malak or Malaicht, that is, cursed. The reason given for this sinister epithet was that he was cursed by his mother before birth, because her husband Alexander Konnell had killed her five brothers in vengeance for the treachery wrought upon his family by her father MacIain of Ardnamurchan. She is reported to have prayed her unborn offspring should never see the light of day and as a result Donald was born blind. For this reason, he was not considered as a successor to his father as Chief of the Clan.

2

James MacDonald of Antrim a 1565 On the death of James MacDonald the 6th chief of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg and Antrim, the Antrim Glens were seized by one of his younger brothers called Somerled or Sorley Boy MacDonnell known also as Sorley Buy. "The King called upon the Justice-Clerk to receive James MacConnell, the son of Alexander of Dunnyveg, to relax them from our horne."

m Agnes Campbell dau of Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll

A

Angus MacDonald, lord of Kintyre d before 1613 Much quarrelling took place between Angus MacDonald, 8th of Dunnyvaig and his eldest son, Sir James MacDonald this was largely due to the intrigues of the Clan Campbell. Sir James MacDonald led the clan who fought and won at the Battle of Gruinart Strand on the Isle of Islay in 1598 against an invasion force of the Clan MacLean who were led by their notorious chief Sir Lachlan Mor MacLean of Duart who was killed.

m Finvola MacLean sister of Lauchlan MacLean of Dowart

i

Sir James MacDonald dsp 1626 Further intrigue by the Clan Campbell brought the downfall of the Clan Donald of Dunnyveg and by 1620 Sir James MacDonald had lost control of Islay and Kintyre.

3

Coll MacDonnell of Murlough and Kilmore d 05.1558, 3rd son from whom the house of Colonsay is descended. He lived at Kinbane Castle. He brought Dunluce Castle and the surrounding land into the family through his marriage to Eveleen McQuillan. The MacQuillan family was a powerful family that had controlled the lands north of the Glens of Antrim since some time in the 14th century when they took over the land from the de Mandevilles. In 1551, the tall dark Colla warded off a great English attack on Rathlin Island . He was feared and admired all along the Irish coast for fierce and successful raiding. He fought off another major English attack led by Lord Deputy Sussex in 1556, but suffered wounds from which he died.

m Eveleen McQuillan dau of _ McQuillan, lord of Dunluce

A

Gillespie MacDonnell of Iona and Collinsay

m _ dau of O'Cahan or O'Kane of Loughlinch

i

Coll Kittagh Kitto MacDonnell d 1647

m _ McDonell dau of _ McDonell of Sanda

a

Sir Alexander MacDonnell d 13.11.1647, Montrose's Lt. General

m _ McAlester of the family of Loup

1

Coll MacDonnell of Kilmore

m Anne McGee dau of _ McGee of Murlough

A

Alexander MacDonnell of Kilmore a 1738

m1 _ McDonnell dau of _ McDonnell of Knappin

i

Michael MacDonnell 3rd son

m Elizabeth Ballintry dau of A. Steward Ballintry

a

James MacDonnell of Belfast and Murlough

m1 Elizabeth Clarke dau of J. Clarke of Belfast

1

Sir Alexander MacDonnell, Bart b 1794, dsp 1875

m 1826 Barbara Montgomery d 1865, dau of Hugh Montgomery of Berwarden

2

John MacDonnell d 20.01.1892 had issue

m 1826 Charity Dobbs dau of Rev. Robert Conway Dobbs, son of Conway of Castle Dobbs

3

Katherine Anne MacDonnell

m Andrew Armstrong of Kilsharvan

ii+

other issue d unm - Alexander, Randall

m2 Anne McVeagh dau of Elease McVeagh of Dinnadoon

iv

John MacDonnell of Kilmore d 25.12.1803

m Rose Savage dau of George Savage of Down

a

Randal MacDonnell of Kilmore and Brackney had issue

m Mary MacElheran dau of Archibald MacElheran of Glassmullin, granddau of Archibald McDonnell of G.

2

Archibald McDonnell of Glassmullin ancestor of McDonnells of Glassmullin

m Anne Stewart dau of _ Stewart of Redbay Castle

4

Sorley Buie MacDonnell/ of Antrim or Sorle McConnell as he signed his name in a submission in 1586 d 1589 On the death of James MacDonald the 6th chief of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg and Antrim, the Antrim Glens were seized by this younger brother, Somerled or Sorley Boy MacDonnell known also as Sorley Buy. In 1565 under Sorley Boy MacDonnell the Clan Donald of Antrim and Dunnyveg fought the Battle of Glentasie against Shane O'Neill in Ireland. Sorley Buy swore allegiance to James IV of Scotland

m Mary O'Neill d 1590, dau of Con O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone

A

Sir Randal MacDonnell, was made 1st Earl of Antrim by Elizabeth I d 10.12.1636

m 1604 Alice O'Neill a 1663, dau of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, by Joanna O'Donnell

i

Randal MacDonnell, 2nd Earl, Marquess of Antrim b 1609, dsp 03.02.1682

m1 04.1635 Katharine Manners, Baroness de Ros d 10.1649, dau of Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland

m2 before 20.03.1655/6 Rose O'Neill a 1689, dau of Sir Henry O'Neill of Shane's Castle

ii

Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of Antrim b 1615, d 06/12.1699

m1 Elizabeth Annesley dsp 04.09.1672, dau of Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey

m2 Helena Burke d 07.10.1710, dau of Sir John Burke of Derrymaclaughna by Mary Bourke

a

Randal MacDonnell, 4th Earl of Antrim b 1680, d 19.10.1721

m Rachel Skeffington d 14.04.1739, dau of Clotworthy Skeffington, 3rd Viscount Massereene

1

Alexander MacDonnell, 5th Earl of Antrim b 22.07.1713, d 13.10.1775

m1 10.04.1735 Elizabeth Pennefather dsps 18.03.1736/7, dau of Matthew Pennefather by Catherine, dau of Sir Randal Beresford, 2nd Bart

A

daughter b 07.02.1736, d infant

m2 02.01.1739 Anne Plunkett d 15.01.1755, dau of Charles Patrick Plunkett of Dillonstown, son of Matthew, 7th Lord Louth

B

Randal William MacDonnell, 6th & 1st Earl, Marquess of Antrim b 04.11.1749, d 29.07.1791

Randal was recreated Earl of Antrim with remainder to his daughters and their male issue.

m 03.07.1774 Letitia Morres d 07.12.1801, dau of Hervey Morres, 1st Viscount Mountmorres, widow of Hon. Arthur Trevor

i

Anne Catherine MacDonnell, Countess of Antrim b 12.08.1775, d 30.06.1834

m1 25.04.1799 Sir Henry Vane-Tempest, 2nd Bart d 01.08.1813

They had one daughter.

m2 24.05.1817, sp? Edmund Phelps, later McDonnell b c1780, d 30.05.1852

ii

Letitia Mary MacDonnell b 12.08.1775, d unm

iii

Charlotte MacDonnell, later Countess of Antrim b 12.08.1779, d 26.10.1835

m 18.07.1799 Mark Robert Kerr b 12.11.1776, d 09.09.1840, Vice Admiral, son of 5th Marquess of Lothian

Their eldest surviving son became 4th Earl of Antrim of the new creation.

C

Rachel MacDonnell

m 13.08.1777 Joseph Sanford

D

Elizabeth Helena MacDonnell d 1796

m 22.08.1777 James Callander, later Campbell Lt. Colonel

m3. 05.07.1755, sp Catherine Meredyth bur 27.09.1794, dau of Thomas Meredyth of Newtown by Catharine Baldwin, widow of James Taylor

2

Helena MacDonnell d unm 06.1783

b

Mary MacDonnell

m Henry Wells of Bambridge

iii

Anne MacDonnell d before 22.10.1676

m1 Christopher Nugent, Lord Delvin b 1604, dvp 10.07.1625

m2 before 18.01.1626/7 William Fleming, Lord Slane d c1643

iv

Mary MacDonnell a 08.1661

m1 1625 Luke Dillon, 2nd Viscount b 03.1610, d 13.04.1629

m2 Oliver Plunkett, 6th Lord Louth b c03.1608, d c1679

v

Sarah MacDonnell

m1 Neill Oge O'Neill of Killyleagh

m2 Donough O'Conor of Sligo

m3. Donald MacCarthy More

vi

Katherine MacDonnell

m Edward Plunkett, younger of Dunsany dvp 05.1668

vii

Rose MacDonnell

m George Gordon Colonel

viii

Margaret MacDonnell d unm 13.03.1623

B

Sir James MacDonnell 3rd son?

BP1934 suggests that Sir James dsp but BEB1841 MacDonnel of Moye reports that he had a family as follows.

m Mary O'Neil dau of Hugh MacPhelim O'Neill of the Claneboye family

i

Sir Alexander MacDonnell, 1st Bart of Moye or Moyanne co. Antrim d 1634

m Evelyn Magennis dau of Sir Arthur Magennis, 1st Viscount Iveagh

a

Sir James MacDonnell, 2nd Bart of Moye or Moyanne

m Mary O'Brien dau of Sir Donough O'Brien of Dough

1

Alexander MacDonnell dvp Knocknoness 13.11.1647, Lt. General of Munster

m Elizabeth Howard dau of Henry, Earl of Arundel

A

Randal MacDonnell d young

2

Sir Randall MacDonnell, 2nd Bart of Moye or Moyanne

Randal was attainted & his title forfeited for his support of King James.

m 1686 Hannah Roche sister of David Roche

A

Mary MacDonnell

m Christopher O'Brien of Ennystymon

B+

other issue - James d unm 24.05.1728, Randal of Cross d unm 1740, John Richard, Henrietta d unm

3

Sarah MacDonnell

m Francis Echlin, later Stafford, of Clanowen

4

Honora MacDonnell

m John O'Neill of Ballyballan

5

Anne MacDonnell

m Daniel Magennis Colonel

6

daughter

m _ O'Flaherty of Ballynahinch

C

daughter apparently of this generation

m Peter Hill, Sheriff of Co. Down provost marshall

D+

other issue - Alexander dsp, Eneas/Angus

5

Alice MacDonnell

m Sir Moses Hill Provost Marshal of Ulster

6

Mary MacDonnell or MacDonald

m Hector Mor MacLean of Dowart d 1568

7

daughter

m Gillaspeck MacDouell of Lescale

8

daughter probably of this generation

m John Shane Dhu or Black John Macnaghtan a 1580

9

Angus McConnell who was known as Angus the Haughty. he was apparently active in the clan wars, as seen by a reprive: Dated at Holyrood House, April 16, 1587, is the decree relative to the imprisonment of Lachlan MacLean and Angus MacDonald. It remits the great crimes of Angus McConeill of Dunnyveg and Glennis and his accomplices, " and causit satisfie all things that mycht stay thair intendit rigour agains Lauchlane McClayne of Dowart, then detainit in maist strait captivitie," and the eight hostages placed in Angus's hands should be delivered to Archibald, earl of Argyle, or any of his tutors who should convey the same to the king, and all parties commanded to live in quietness.* The ballad of The massacre of Glencoe and the Campbells of Glenlyon gives an impression of how savage these feuds became. So it is likely that he and his supporters were deported in the first waves of resettlement under King James to the plantations in Ireland. He was slain in a conflict with Shane O'Neil in 1565,

10

Alexander Oig or Alistair Og McConnell as his name is signed to a letter to Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1557. He was killed in battle with Turlough Luinneach O'Neal in 1566. d 1556,

11

Donald Gorme d before 1554 Donald [or Donnell] Gorm McConnell who left a son Donald. This is possibly the same above mentioned eldest son who did not become heir because of his blindness.

12.

Brian Carrach McConnell who was killed in battle in Ireland in 1568.

b.

daughter apparently of this generation

m Donald Galloch Macdonald, 3rd of Sleat d 1506

c.+

5 sons including Angus Ilach

2.

Ranald Bane, 1st of Largie in Kintyre

A.

Donald MacRanald Bane, 2nd of Largie d c1517

i.

Marion of Cartynoale

B.

Alexander MacDonald, 3rd of Largie d before 1531

i.

Donald MacDonald, 4th of Largie d c1550

a.

John MacDonald, 5th of Largie a 1556, dsp

b.

Alistair MacDonald

1

Hector MacDonald, 6th of Largie dspl c1590

partner unknown

A

James MacDonald a 1594

2

John MacDonald

A

Archibald 'Gilleasbrig MacMcAlister' MacDonald, 7th of Largie d by 1627

i

Alexander McConnell? MacDonald, 8th of Largie

a

Angus MacDonald, 9th of Largie a 1647, 1661

generation missing?

1

John MacDonald, 10th of Largie d by 1784

m Elizabeth McLeod dau of John McLeod of Muiravonside

A

Elizabeth MacDonald of Largie and Muiravonside d 01.08.1787

m 17.08.1762 Charles Lockhart, later MacDonald of Largie d 1796

Sources: BLG1952 Maxwell Macdonald formerly Moreton-Macdonald of Largie, BP1934 Antrim
Additions from www.dsolar.com/mcconnel/mcco5.html,
www.archive.org/stream/massacreofglenco00gilfrich/massacreofglenco00gilfrich_djvu.txt,
http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofclanmac00macl/historyofclanmac00macl_djvu.txt
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_MacDonald_of_Dunnyveg
From A Highland History, by the Earl of Cromartie, 174 to :
JAMES VI OF SCOTLAND SUCCEEDS TO THRONE OF
ENGLAND--CALM BEFORE THE STORM—THE END OF
THE MACLEOD HOUSE OF LEWIS—THE FIFE ADVENTURERS—FURTHER EXPANSION OF CLAN KENNETH
Chronological Table
150 James VI conveys certain areas in the Western Isles to the Mercantile Company known as the Fife Adventurers.
1599 Velazquez born.
1600 Sir Charles Blunt, Earl of Mountjoy appointed by Queen Elizabeth Lord Deputy of Ireland, eventually with an army of 20,000 men he defeated the great Irish patriot and leader Red Hugh O'Neill. Becomes Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and by his sympathy and refusal to sanction religious persecution proves himself a good friend of Ireland, later made Earl of Devonshire, but died 16o6.
16o3 Union of Crowns. James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England.
1606 Rembrandt born. Conjunction of Presbyterian and Episcopalian government of the Kirk of Scotland.
1608 Milton horn.
shop The Statutes of Icolmkill Iona passed. Commencement of the Plantation of Ulster.
1610 Birth of Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty, the scholarly and eccentric Royalist. Was educated at Aberdeen and Padua Italy. He produced a pedigree for his family starting with 'Adam the Protoplast, whom God did create out of red earth'. Claimed to have held estates of Cromarty Black Isle goo years before the Incarnation, other forbears shown being : Seth, Methuselah, Noah, etc. together with all the wives. The Pedigree takes us to Armenia, Gaul, and Achaia, while in 2139 B.C. the name Ourochartos—fortunate and well beloved—introduces Urquhart. During 1958 B.C. an ancestor in the House of Abraham attended the destruction of Soddom and Gomorrah while another Urquhart married the Pharaoh's daughter, who discovered Moses in the bull-rushes. The line continues and the family arrive in Scotland, during the loth century B.C., where they married with both Pictish and Scottish Royal Houses.
The main line of this ancient family died out with Col. James Urquhart, Political Agent for King James VIII, in 1741. Sir Thomas Urquhart's many literary works include: The Jewel, a very delightful work; The Logopandecteison, a treatise on the Universal Language—a quite impossible one, as it contained '25 consonants and to vowels, 4 varieties of numbers, I it genders, to tenses, 7 moods, Is parts of speech' and 'every word in it hath at least to several synonyms, and the more syllables than be in any one word of the language the manyer several meanings'. His translation of Rabelais in 1653 is now recognized as being the most perfect translation from any one language to any other. A terrifying mathematical treatise called The Trissotatres he dedicated to his clearly loved mother.
The Urquhart Estates on the Black Isle consisted of the Burgh of Cromarty and the Castle; Kinbeachie; Braelangwell; Newhall; and Monteagh. After 1741 the representatives of this family were the Urquharts of Meldruns its Moray, an estate obtained through the marriage of John Urquhart of Craigfintry, Tutor of Cromarty with Elizabeth Seton heiress of Meldrum.
1612 Birth of James Graham Marquis of Montrose--poet and leader of men.
1616 Bishop Spottiswoode puts into effect Knox's Educational Scheme: or Parish Schools. Jamesone of Aberdeen painting.
1618 Start of Thirty Years War.
c. 1620 Birth of the great Gaelic poet Ian Lost John MacDonald. Died c. 17 x 6.

Queen Elizabeth of England died in 1603, just in time to save her reputation as the most successful Tudor, but leaving a country, to her successor James VI of Scotland, whose Elizabethan greatness had passed; its politics impregnated with corruption, and its poorer inhabitants in ever increasing misery, a condition not improved by the long persecution of Catholic and Dissenter by a none too firmly settled Church of England. The new Sovereign who had struggled so hard, and one may add stooped so low to gain this inheritance, though perhaps the boy, usually the virtual prisoner of Regent or opposition Noble, never learnt the true facts of his mother's tragic life, was faced with a task which might have daunted any man let alone a Stewart unblessed with the personal charm which graced the majority of his race. Yet in spite of English antagonism and resentment the reign of James brought peace to a Scotland, once again brought to desperate poverty and by the chaos that had existed, with a few gaps, since James IV had died on Flodden Field.
But Scotland was from now on to suffer from the effects of Absentee Kings, though for the first quarter of this bitter century a definite revival of civilization marched hand in hand with peace in Scotland, exemplified both in art and architecture. Serious trouble nearly developed when with good intentions James attempted in 1616 to speed up certain of the Scottish Bishop Spottiswoode's recommen¬dations regarding the establishment of order in public worship, recommendations which were generally accepted, except by a fanatic few, as both reasonable and desirable. James' clumsy efforts to deal with a thorny subject in the way he did show how far he had drifted away from the understanding of his Scottish subjects, who differed and and still differ so fundamentally from their English neighbours.
Yet James, though anything but an attractive personality, was no fool and knew when he had blundered so that by the end of his reign in 1625 the two Kingdoms were at peace; the era of clan feuds, so rife since James V's day, were over, the subsequent battles being those of political and denominational origin. But it was only a breathing space before the real struggle was to start, a fight to the death between two systems of government, Monarchy and Oligarchy; a fight which was to end with a victory for the latter, and the sale of the monarchy by the lay and ecclesiastical aristocracy of England, to William of Orange, an event transformed by Whig propagandists into a blow for Democracy.
To return to Ross; the Island of Lewis had become a bedlam of warring claimants for the Chieftainship of Siol Torquil; Roderick the last of his race to die in possession of Lewis left two legitimate sons, Torquil Conanach, connected through his mother with the House of Kintail, and consequently a prot6ge of Kenneth Lord Kintail now a member of the Privy Council, and Torquil Dubh. In addition Roderick left three bastards Torquil Dow, Niel and Murdoch, all with claims for which they were prepared to fight when not engaged in acts of piracy any sltips that ventured near the island. Lord Kintail like others before and since was obsessed with the desire to gain possesion of this fascinating island which through. the ages exerts a strange magnetism on its would-be exploiters. At length in 1596 the opportunity appeared, Torquil Dow the acting Chief, embarked seven or eight hundred of his followers in galleys, crossed to the mainland and raided Coigach the property of his uncle Torquil MacLeod of Coigach, something of a fight occurring round the mouth of the Garvey River betwenn Inverpolly and Achnahaird. Not content with this Torquil cotinued on into the Strath of Lochbroom and in so doing played into I: in 1.1il's hands as lioclihroon I now lay within the Mackenzie territories.

My Lord Kenneth seeing the Lewis nearing his grasp, seized his pen and wrote the following somewhat self-righteous letter to his King: `May it please Your Majesty—Torquil Dow of the Lewis, not content¬ing himself with the avowit misknowledging of your Hienes authority wherebe he has violet the promises and compromit made before your Majesty, now lately on the 25th December last, has taken upon him, being accompanied with 700 or 800 men, not only of his bylands neist and adjacent, to prosecute with fire and sword by all kind of good order, the hail bounds of Strath-Coigach, pertaining to MacLeod, his elder brother Uncle, likewise my Strath of Lochbroom, quilks Straths, to your Majesties great dishonour, but any fear of God himself, hurt and skaith that lie hath wasted with fire and sword in such barbarous manner that neither man, wife, bairn, horse, cattle, corn nor bigging building has been spared, but all barbarously burnt and destroyit, quilk barbarity and cruelty, seeing he was not able to perform it but by the assistance and furderance of his neighbouring Ylesmen, MacLeods of Skye therefore beseeches your Majesty by advice of Council, to find some sure remeid wherebe sick cruel tyrannie may be resisted in the beginning. Otherway nothing to be expected for but daily increasing of this malicious forces to our utter ruin, quha possesses your Majesty's obedience, the consideration, quherof and inconveniences quhilk may theiron ensue. I remit to your Hienes guid consideration of whom taking my leif with maist humble commendations of service, I commit your Majesty to the holy protection of God Eternal. At the Canonry of Ross, the 3rd day of January, 1596.—Your most humble and obedient subject, Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail.'
But Kenneth had to wait as others beside himself had been bitten by the alure of the mythical gold mine lying between the Minch and Atlantic Ocean.
June 1598 saw a very arbitrary Act of Parliament passed in Edin¬burgh which amounted to the confiscation of certain properties in the Western Isles, with the result that Lewis, Harris, Dunvegan in Skye and Glenelg on the mainland were forfeit and declared at the disposal of the Government. Behind all this lay the desire of certain people to exploit the fishings, as well as more mythical riches, of these areas, by `planting' a mercantile company with colonists, starting with the Lewis; much as was done by James in Ulster with repercussions still giving headaches to many. The interested gentlemen concerned were the Duke of Lennox; Patrick Commendator of Lindores; William Commendator of Pittenweem; Sir James Anstruther, younger of that Ilk; Sir James Sandilands of Slamanno; James Learmont of Balconie; James Spens of Wormiston; John Forret of Fingask; David Hume, younger of Wedderburn; and Capt. William Murray.
The contract between these men and the Government, taking into consideration the initial expense of the enterprise, gave the company a rent-free charter for seven years after which they were to pay annually to the Crown a grain rent of 140 Chalders of Beir. This was not the `sure remid' that our Kenneth had in mind, but had to suffice for the time, especially as he had been ordered by the Crown to establish some kind of order in the Lewis before the advent of the colonists. This in some measure was done, Torquil Dow and many of his clique being captured with the connivance of Eochan Morrison the Breitheamh of the Lewis, who being the representative of law and order in the Island was not averse to seeing it re-established.
Torquil the eldest legitimate son of the late chief was the next to -fall into the Kintail net, but by this time Kenneth was fully aware of the plantation plans so that instead of handing over Torquil to the Privy Council decided to entertain this gentleman at Eilean Ronan Castle as in the event of certain eventualities he might prove very useful indeed. Mackenzie undoubtedly desired to add Lewis to the House of Kintail, but we must also give him credit, for realizing that nothing but disaster would result from this ridiculous mercantile experiment, but as a member of the Privy Council he dared not openly go counter to the wishes of that body; so instead he opened nego¬tia Lions with the exiled MacLeods. The initial blunder of a series committed by the 'Fife Adventurers', was the time of year chosen for their first settlement—October of 1599, so that the weather shortly became a good ally to the outlawed brothers Niel and Murdoch who vigorously opposed the settlement. At sea a ship under Learmont was captured by Murdoch MacLeod who demanded a useful ransom for this gentleman's person, but never got it as his captive died in Orkney on his way to procure the necessary money.
Meanwhile the luckless colonists and their accompanying troops establislied at South Beach, Stornoway-----now a Royal Burgh—suffered continual raids, though they gained a short respite by a desperate quarrel between Niel and Murdoch which ended with Niel siding with the adventurers and betraying his brother who was apprehended, sent to St. Andrews and indue time hanged, but not before he had exposed some of Kintail’s torturous policy. This resulted in Kenneth becoming an unwilling guest in Edinbhurgh Castle but his friendship with the Chancellor Lord Dunfermline soon soon rectified this temporary setback.
Treachery and betrayal though soon to become normal politics were qualities at which the ordinary Highlander looked askance, so that the
Lewismen, who quite happily had watched the fraternal quarrel with sword and dirk, began to quit: the unattractive Niel and offer their help to Torquil, still at Eilean Donan. Kenneth Mackenzie who had been watching events from a politically safe distance, saw that the time had come to play his trump card and release Torquil with his
blessing, to harass the Fifers. Torquil and Niel came to an under¬standing, the colonists were attacked and forced to capitulate, the terms being that they procure full pardon for the MacLeods, surrender all titles to Torquil, never return to Lewis and leave Spens of Wormiston and Moneypenny of Pitmilly as hostages.
By 1602 a Remission was granted to the MacLeods, but a new expedition with powers of fire and sword set out in the spring of 1605, one of the leaders being William MacWilliam Chief of Clan Gunn, who informed Tormond that if he would yield, they would transport him to London when the King would listen to his explanation of affairs and grant him favour. This indeed appeared to be the case as Torquil while in London put forward a good case, which alarmed the govern¬ment in Scotland for obvious reasons, forcing them to great exertions in order to prevent Torquil's return to Lewis. Eventually the unfortu¬nate Chief was lodged in Edinburgh Castle where he remained till 1616, when he was released on condition of exile to Holland where he joined the household of Maurice Prince of Orange for the remainder of his days.
Niel was still putting up an effective opposition, having secured valuable allies in MacNiel of Barra, MacDonald of Clan Ranald, and MacLeod of Harris, so that two years later the remnants of the colonists left Lewis utterly defeated. Kenneth with an eye to the main chance brought pressure to bear on the Lord Chancellor and obtained Lewis as a gift, but once again unkind fate took a hand, the original adven¬turers interfering by passing on their rights to certain gentlemen, namely James Elphinstone, Lord Balmerino, Sir James Spells, and Sir George Hay of Nethercliff, later Lord Kinnoul. Balmarino in 1609 was convicted of treason, leaving the others to embark for Lewis with a strong force only to meet with defeat by Niel MacLeod and the sinister influence of Kintail who himself kept in the background. This
Iluence was exercised through his brother Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Castle Leod who on his brother's orders had attached himself to t he adventurers' head-quarters in Stornoway.
The first definite blow, a foul one, which was to prove fatal to the expedition was delivered by Kintail; the garrison of Lewis was running
short of provisions so appealed to Kenneth who immediately sent off a ship with a cargo of meal and supplies, but took care secretly to .11 Iv advise Niel of the fact, thus making sure of the non-arrival of the cargo,
at least to its official destination. The effect was immediate, Hay and Spens threw up the sponge and retired to Fife leaving a party, with a promis of speedy succour, to guard the camp, but shortly afterwards the garrison was overrun and captured, being allowed to follow their masters to Fife on swearing on oath that they would never return. Thus ended the first of a series of schemes to 'civilize' the Island of Lewis, though unlike a more recent effort, the Fife Adventurers were sufficiently honest to make it abundantly dear that their sole motive was personal enrichment; even if it entailed a partial extermination of the Lewismen.
The Fifers were gone for good, but Kenneth was not yet Lord of Lewis, though the goal was coming in sight, as by strictly legal means he obtained, first Balmerino's confiscated share as a gift, then bought for cash Spens' share, while by bartering certain woods in Gairloch required by Hay for iron smelting purposes, he got the final third, all of which was followed very soon after by a Charter under the Great Seal. Thus Lewis became Mackenzie property in theory but it remained to Rorie of Castle Leod to make it so in fact for the next 23o years. Before following the methods by which the acquisition was made a reality let us take a look at the gentleman who was to do the trick.
Rorie was already well known as an excellent organizer, a valiant fighter and successful general, but still more for a quality, unusual at this time in the Highlands, a hatred of disorder or anything resembling anarchy. His picture by Jamesone is not a good one but shows us a strong, shrewd and serious face, but unfortunately does not show his famous two handed sword which few others could wield. That he could be ruthless we shall see, but he was also to show a generosity to a conquered foe, and people in distress, for other motives than those of self interest; a characteristic sufficiently uncommon during the i7th century to be remarkable.
His first appearance in history, was due to an escapade more noisy than serious: it appears that at Chanonry in April 1602 considerable alarm was caused to Master George Munro son of the Archdeacon of Ross, and Donald Thornton who had entrusted the upbringing and education of his daughter Janet Thornton to Master George. The villains of the piece were our 'Rorie Maccanzie of Cultiloid, Kenneth Maccanzie of Killechrist' and an unknown Mackenzie lover. They and others were seen holding frequent consultations regarding the pro¬posed abduction of Janet, which was carried out on 26th April by Killechrist and twenty-five others armed with `Gunns, pistolettis, and uther forbidden weapons'. The lady was removed from the Chancellor House Chanonrie quite successfully, no-one suffering any bodily harm and all quite obviously with the consent and active co-operation of Janet. The case was brought before the Privy Council where an unperturbed Rorie appeared to answer the charge for himself as well as on behalf of Kenneth of Killechrist, flatly denying the charge of abduction which was forthwith dropped by the pursuers, who however reserved the right to raise another action before the Judge Criminal; Intl tins is the last reffirenee to the ease in the Privy Council
It ell
Jumping ahead once more to 16th July 1610; the government were castigating the Lewis as cane infamous byke of lawless and insolent lyrnmaris, under the command of the traytor Niel Maccloud' and to implement their dislike they presented Kintail with a commission of Fire and Sword to be used unsparingly in that distressed island. But Niel was to pull just one more trick out of the bag, by posing as a virtuous upholder of law and order; this he proceeded to demonstrate by double-crossing his ally Peter Lowe an English pirate, who had been giving trouble to the government for some time past, and presenting the pirate, complete with crew and ship to the Council as a peace offering. Proceedings were stayed while Patrick Grieve of Burntisland took delivery of the gift the human portion of which soon graced the gallows.
The delay did not last long and it is doubtful whether Rorie gave to it much heed as in 1611 Kenneth Lord Kintail died leaving a young son Colin to succeed him, which placed all responsibility on the broad shoulders of the boy's uncle Rorie, now Tutor of Kintail and Captain of Clan Mackenzie. As we shall see, never was a young Chief better served, for when he came of age the Tutor was able to hand him one of the largest and best ordered estates and Clan territories in Scotland, at peace with all its neighbours. The following year Rorie married Margaret MacLeod the heiress of Coigach who in a few years time was to be the sole survivor and representative of the MacLeods of Lewis, so that after the addition of Coigach to his own property the Tutor is usually referred to as Sir Rorie MacKenzie of Coigach. The headquarters of this area was the Manor and Fortalice of Ullapool, while a small Louse still exists at Achillibuis where Rorie and Margaret passed their honeymoon.
Ou 28th May 1612 it is recorded that there was no part of the Isles in reballion but the Lewis, for which unusual peace Rorie was responsible; this was followed by a new Commission of Fire and Sword to 'Rorie Mackenzie of Coigach Tutor of Kintail; Colin Mackenzie of Killin; Murdo Mackenzie thair brother; Alexander Mackenzie of tCouill; and Alexander Mackenzie of Davochmaluach; for reducing the said lymarris to his majesties obedience. 'Rorie collected a powerful force effecting a landing with his 'lynfaddis long ships, gayleys, birlings, and boatis', making the old and very strong castle in Stornoway Bay his headquarters. Niel MacLeod was up against an efficiency he had not met with among the Fifers, a powerful force quickly drove him into a corner on the strongly fortified islet of Bierisay off Loch Roag, where Niell's garrison was small consisting of himself, three nephews, Torquil Blair with four sons and forty Islesmen, but the position was almost impregnable against any normal hform of attacvk. So Rorie decided to use another method, or the threat of a method, to terminate the course of this wearysome struggle, he collected the wives and lit Indies of the besieged from their villages placing them on a rock, covered at high tide, within sight and hearing of the beleaguered garrison. We do not know whether Rorie would have let them drown or not and never shall; one can only say that judging from what we know of Rorie's character it seems very unlikely that he would have allowed these poor folk to perish—also he was a very good psychologist; lie threat was enough and Niel's forces slipped away.

But although Niel himself escaped for the moment he had reached I lie end of his turbulent road as he and his son Donald were betrayed by their relative Rory MacLeod of Dunvegan, who presented them in person to the Council, for which inglorious feat he was knighted, but yet had to find security for his own behaviour to the tune of 10,000 Merks. Niel was hanged, his son being banished from Scotland and the House of Kintail came to Lewis, to stay for over two centuries. The Tutor immediately appointed a new Breitheamh Maclver, Morison having died violently at the hand of Ian Begg MacDhomhnall MhicHuisdain, a MacLeod of Assynt, who made up for his small NI a I ure by his valour and married the widow of his victim; Rorie then arranged for the baptizing of a large number of people who had feat hed their fortieth year; legitimized the children of those who had noi been able to get married by the Church; and legalized the union Illilny others who had been living together for the same reason.

The necessity for the above gives some indication of the general
of anarchy which had existed in Lewis since the days of Roderick hicLeod, the last strong Chief, and it is probable that the majority welcomed the cessation of continual internal and external strife. But I ill 1622 there remained an anti-Mackenzie party loyal to the MacLeod dynasty, headed by Malcolm Macrorie MacLeod exiled in Islay, but 11i« was the last symptom to cause some trouble before Lewis became a loyal part of the Mackenzie heritage as well as the home of many NIA4 lienzie Hunks. The old Lewis possessions in the Gairloch¬T, 1 scoot., so long disputed, belonged now indisputably to Kintail while the Raasay raids against the western coasts of Ross were effectively terminated by the complete defeat of this branch of Siol Torquil at the battle of Lochan Fheidh in Glen Torridon, the Island of Raasay being occupied fy Rorie who however only intended this as a warning. E.1?s,iv was soon returned to its chief with the proviso that if and when required by the House of Kintail the island was to provide a 12 oared Birlinn for service.
The same year, realizing what a bone of contention it would prove the Tudor sold back to Sir Roy Mór Dunvegan, Waternish in Skye which the late Lord Kintail hall bought from die File Adventurers. The Glengarry dispute was finally settled while from the Butt of Lewis to Tiree the sword, good sense and humanity of the Tutor had imposed peace for the first time for many a long year.
The year 1611 saw the proscription of Clan MacGregor and the ruthless harrying of this unlucky Clan by Clan Campbell and the government, but in spite of the heavy penalties involved Ross to its lasting honour gave sanctuary to large numbers of Clan Gregor, a fact witnessed by the fines levied on nearly every family in Ross.
Sir Rorie Mackenzie of Coigach and Castle Leod heads the list at L400o st. for his act of humanity; Rory Mackenzie of Redcastle goon Merks; Gillechallum Machutchioun in Logie Cononside £66. 13. 4.; William Bain, Lister Dyer in Dingwall Lt.; Master John Mackenzie, minister of Dingwall £1333. 6. 8.; Robert Ross in Little Farness Ltoo.; John Munro, Lemlair Too Merks.; John Robertson in Dingwall too Merks.; Alexander Roy MacMillan, Dingwall 5o Merks.; Alasdair Bain of Logie Conon Mains moo Merks.; David Ross, heir to Balnagown £1000.; Ay MacBean, MacRob, in Knockanauld Knock- balm Dingwall 200 Merks.; John Maclane Vic Bayne in Caldwell Blackwells Too Merks.; James Innes of Innearbreakie Invergordon 1,-t000.; Patrick Macinteir of Balnaspic £20.; Donald Macjamie Macgaw £20.; Angus Macjamie Macgaw L20.
These excessive sums were to be paid within fifteen days on pain of rebellion and escheat of goods so Rorie petitioned on behalf of all, for more time which was grudgingly granted even to Rorie, who by his actions had sufficiently shown his loyalty, and who indeed was the mainstay of the government in the north. Yet we read `ane missive from his Majesty anent the continuation granted to the Tutor of Kintail—Master John his son and Rory Mackenzie of Redcastle, for payment of their fynes and direction given accordingly that no new emitinuation sal he grantit'.
By 1616 Roderick Rorie Mackenzie the Tutor of Kintail, knighted 14 his services in the west, had completed his major alterations to
Leod, building on the great gabled roof, in place of the flat one, .11 the same time quartering his wife's arms, as the representative of i lie MacLeod House of Lewis, with his own blazon over the entrance, where they still exist. An older Mackenzie armorial stone slab which this replaced lay for centuries outside but has now been built into the stone wall of the entrance hall. Beside Coigach he had added to his patrimony of Castle Leod, by purchase from James Dunbar, the lands of Tarbat, which included Portmahomach and the Castle of Ballone in Easter Ross, while in this area the Castle of I owl, Slyn had also become a Mackenzie possession, which had falllen to the Makensies of Red Castle on the demise or the Vass Vaux line. This also was shortly to become part of the Cromartie heritage. In 1512 King James IV had given a re-grant of Loch Slyn to John Vaus who had signed it to

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