Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Book of Clanranald (Author: [unknown])

p.149

section 1

[The Macdonald History]

The Age of the World at the time the Sons of Milé came into Ireland 3500 [1700 B.C.]

Here are the names of the sons of Milé of Spain, viz., Ir and Eremon and Eber the Fair, Arannan, Colpan of the Sword, and Emergin White-knee, the poet; he was poet and historian and judge to them, and the first Gaelic author. We do not find descendants but of three of them, viz., Ir and Eremon and Eber the Fair, the fourth race being that of Ith son of Breogan, viz. uncle of the children of Milé. The descendants of these four obtained the sovereignty of Ireland, but only three or four of the race of Lugaid, son of Ith, obtained the sovereignty of Ireland. The race of Ir, son of Milé, are called Ultonians and Clan Rugraid; the race of Eber the Fair are called Momonians (Munster-men) and the men of the south, such as the Clan Carthy and the race of Brian (O'Briens); from the race of Eremon are the Connaught-men, the Lagenians (Leinster-men) and the Scottish kings.

Irial Prophet, son of Eremon, was king; Ethrial, son of Irial, it was through whom the race of Eremon continued one tribe till the time of the reign of Ugainé, the Great, who was son of Eochaid the Victorious, son of Duach Lagrach, son of Fiacha Tolgrach, son of Muredach Bolgrach, son of Simeon the Freckled, son Aedan the Grey, son of Nuada Finnfáil, son of Giallcad, son of Olill All-fair, son of Sirna Long-lived, son of Dian, son of Deman, son of Rothectach, son of Maen, son of Angus Much-swined, son of 'Fiach Labranne, son of Smirgall, son of Enboth, son of Tigernmas (Death-lord), son of Follach, son of Ethrial, son of Irial Prophet, son of Eremon. And two tribes were made of the tribe of Eremon from the time of Ugainé the Great, that is, the tribe of Cobach Cael m-breg and the tribe of Loegaire Lorc. And although Ugainé the Great had 25 sons, none of them had crown or kingdom save the race of two of them, viz., the descendants of Cobach Cael m-breg and the race of Loegaire Lorc. Of the race of Loegaire Lorc was the first King Fergus that came to Scotland, that is, Fergus, son of Ferchar, son of Feradach, son of Loegaire Lorc, son of Ugainé the Great. That was the first king that came over Scotland of the Scots or Gaels. There was but one king over the Gaels until Fergus came to Scotland about 300 years before the Birth of Christ, and others say it was four hundred.

The greater number of the kings of Scotland and Ireland are of the race of Cobach Cael m-breg: two tribes were made of the


p.151

race of Cobach Cael m-breg in the case of Angus Turmech of Tara, son of Eochaid Broad-joint, son of Olill Bent-teeth, son of Connla Hard-wiled, son of Iron Bright-wise, son of Melge Praise-worthy, son of Cobach Cael m-breg. Angus Turmech had two sons, viz., Enna Aignech and Fiacha Sea-man. Of the race of Enna Aigneach are the descendants of Conn the Hundred-battled; of the race of Fiacha Sea-man are the kings of Scotland. Conn the Hundred battled was the son of Felim Law-some, son of Tuathal the Legitimate, son of Fiacha Finnola, son of (Feradach Fionnfectnaigh or F. Fair-righteous, son of) Crimthan Nianair, son of Lugaid of the Red Stripes, son of the Three Finns (Fair-ones) of Emania, sons of Eochaid Feidlech, son of (Finn, son of Finnlogha, son of) Roignen the Red, son of Esamin of Emania, son of Blathact, son of Labrad Lore, son of Enna Aignech.

Conn had a son, to wit, Art; Art had a son Cormac; Cormac had a son Cairbre. The two sons of Cairbre Liffeachuir (of the Liffey) were Fiacha Fire-shower and Eochaid Dublen. The race of Fiacha Fire-shower were Muredach Tirech and Eochaid Muigmedon (Slave-middled). Eochaid Muigmedon had five sons, who had descendants, viz.: — Niall of the Nine Hostages, Brian, and Fiachra. Of Niall Nine-hostaged are descended the Clan Neill (O'Neills) of Ireland; from Brian, son of Eochaid Muigmedon, are many of the men of Connaught; from Fiacha, father of Dathi mac Fiachra, are sprung many tribes in Connaught and Ulster.

The children of Eochaid Dublen, son of Cairbre Liffeachuir, son of Cormac, were three sons, who were called the three Collas — Colla Uais, Colla Da crioch, and Colla Meann;2 their baptismal names were Caireall, Aodh, and Muredach, as says the poet —

    1. Caireall, the first name of Colla Uais;
      Aodh, of Colla Meann of great vigour;
      Muredach, of Colla Da chrioch;
      They were imposed on them from rebelling.

Colla Uais, son of Eochaid Dublein, assumed the sovereignty of Ireland in the year of the age of Christ 322; and he was four years in the sovereignty of Ireland when Muredach Tirech opposed him with a powerful army, and gave battle to the three Collas, and expelled them to Scotland, where they obtained extensive lands, for Oilech, daughter of the king of Scotland, was their mother. In the time when Cormac Finn was in the sovereignty over Scotland, 362 (326), they spent some time in Scotland, until a war broke out between Muredach Tirech, king of Ireland, and the Ultonians, viz., the Clanna Rughruidhe; and he invited the


p.153

sons of his father's brother, that is, the three Collas, to Ireland to assist him against the Clann Rughruidhe and the adjoining districts. They responded to the king of Ireland, and waged a fierce war against the Clanna Rughruidhe; and Fergus Foga, king of Ulster, and his three sons, fell by them; and they took possession of the province of Ulster, and of the Oilltrian (Full-third) of the province of Connaught, and many other possessions which were inherited by their race in succession from the kings of Ireland.

As to Colla Uais, after he had terminated that war he returned back to Scotland, and left all those possessions to his brothers; and having spent fifteen years there, he went on a free visit to Ireland, and died at Tara of the kings, anno Domini 335.

Colla Uais had four good sons, namely Eochuid and Fiachra Tort, and Feradach and Maine. All the Clann Donald in Scotland and in Ireland are of the race of Eochuid. The Turtruighe and Fir Luirg are of the race of Fiachra Tort. The Fir Li and Fir Lacha are of the race of Feradach. The race of Maine is not known to us.

A goodly race, descended from Colla Da chrioch, flourished in Ireland, namely Maguire, chief over the country of Fermanagh; Mac Mahon, chief over the country of Monaghan; O'Hanlon, and O'Kelly, and many others.

I have seen nothing written of the race of Colla Meann, except such holy men of them as went into the Church. Many of the holy people of Scotland and Ireland were descended from the three Collas.

Here is the direct line of descent from Colla Uais. Eochaid was begotten of Colla Uais; Carran was begotten of Eochaid; Erc was begotten of Carran; Maine was begotten of Erc; Fergus was begotten of Maine; Godfrey was begotton of Fergus; Niallgus was begotten, of Godfrey. The genealogy of Macdonald of Clann Cellach; Flannagan, son of Tadhg, son of Fermara, son of Tadhg, son of Lochlann, son of Art, son of Fianacht, son of Donald, from whom are the Clann Donald of Clann Cellach, son of Colgan, son of Cellach, son of Tuathal, son of Maolduin, son of Tuadan, son of Tuathal, son of Daiminn, son of Carbre, son of Dom Airgid, son of Niallgus. Suibne was begotten of Niallgus; Mergach was begotten of Suibne; Solomon was begotten of Mergach; Gill-Adamnan was begotten of Solomon. It is from this Gill-Adamnan descended the Clann Donald of Ros Laogh, from a brother of Giolla Bride, son of Gill-Adamnan; and it was Gill-Adamnan who erected Mainistir-na-Sgrine, in Tir Iarach, in the county of Sligo, in the province of Connaught, and his name is there. (And be it known to you that the constant title borne by the clann of this tribe, from Ragnall, son of Somerled, up to Colla Uais, was


p.155

O'Colla and Thane of Eargaoidheal). Giolla Bride, son of Gill-Adamnan, son of —— , and from him, the Thanes of Argyle, having been among his kindred in Ireland, that is, from the Clann Colla, which are the Manchuidh and Mathdamnaidh, viz., the tribes of Macguire and Macmahon, it happened that this tribe held a meeting and conference in Fermanagh, on the estate of Macguire, and among the matters to be transacted was that Giolla Bride should get some estate of his own country, since he had been in banishment from his inheritance, by the power of the Danes and Norwegians. When Giolla Bride saw a large host of young robust people in the assembly, and that they were favourable to himself, the favour he asked of his friends was that so many persons as the adjacent fort in the place could hold should be allowed to go to Scotland with him, in the hope that he might obtain possession of his own inheritance and portion of it.

Giolla Bride proceeded with that party to Scotland, where they landed. They made frequent onsets and attacks on their enemies during this time of trouble, for their enemies were powerful and numerous at that time. All the islands from Man to Orkneys, and all the border land from Dumbarton to Caithness, in the north, were in the possession of the Danes; and such of the Gael of those lands as remained were protecting themselves in the woods and mountains; and at the end of that time Giolla Bride had a good son, who had come to maturity and renown.

It happened that the small party who were followers of Giolla Bride and Somerled were in the mountains and woods of Ardgour and of Morven, and they were surprised there by a large force of Danes and Norwegians. All the soldiers and plundering parties which Somerled had gathered round him, and he arranged them front and rear. Somerled put them in battle order, and made a great display of them to his enemies. He marched them three times before them in one company, so that they supposed there were three companies there. After that he attacked them, and they were defeated by Somerled and his party, and he did not halt in the pursuit till he drove them northward across the river Sheil, and a part escaped with their king to the Isles; and he did not cease from that work till he cleared the western side of Scotland of the Danes, except the islands of the Norwegians, called Innsigall; and he gained victory over his enemies in every field of battle. He spent part of his time in war and part in peace, until he marched with an army to the vicinity of Glasgow, when he was slain by his page, who took his head to the king in the year of our Lord 1180 (1164). His own people assert that it was not to make war against the king that he went on that expedition, but to obtain peace, for he did more in subduing the king's enemies than any war he waged against him.


p.157

Somerled had a good family, viz., Dugal and Ranald, and the Gall mac Sgillin, this man being so named from whom are descended the Clann Gall in the Glens. Bethog, daughter of Somerled, was a religious woman and a Black Nun. It is she that erected Teampall Chairinis, or the Church of Cairinis, in Uist. Dugal, son of Somerled, took the chiefship of Argyll and Lorn. Ranald and his race went to the Hebrides and Kintyre, where his posterity succeeded him.

Ranald, king of the Isles and Argyll, was the most distinguished of the Foreigners or Gael for prosperity, sway of generosity, and feats of arms. Three monasteries were erected by him, viz., a monastery of Black Monks (Benedictines) in Iona, in honour of God and Columba; a monastery of Black Nuns in the same place, and a monastery of Gray Friars at Saddle in Kintyre, and it is he also who founded the monastic order of Molaise.

Be it known to you that Ranald with his force was the greatest power which King Alexander had against the King of Norway at the time he took the Islands from the Norse, and after having received a cross from Jerusalem, partaken of the Body of Christ, and received unction, he died, and was buried at Reilic Oran in Iona in the year of our Lord 1207. And it was some time after this that Ranald, son of Godfrey, king of the Norwegians, was treacherously killed by Olave, son of Godfrey, in the year of our Lord 1229. From this forth the rightful inheritance of the Isles came to Ranald, and his race after him, for the daughter of Olave the Red, son of Godfrey, was the mother of Ranald, son of Somerled. This daughter of Olave was the lawful heir of her father and of her two brothers, viz., Ranald and Olave the Black.

Messages came from Tara in Ireland that Donald, son of Ranald, should take the government of Innsigall and of the greater part of the Gael. He had good children, viz., Angus Mor, the heir, and Alexander, from whom descended the Clann Domhnaill Renna, Mac William of the province of Connanght, and the Clann Sheehy of Munster, who are sprung from Siothach an Dornan, son of Eachuin, son of Alexander.

Angus Mor, son of Donald, son of Ranald, took the place of his father, and it was in his time that the war of the Baliols and the Bruces broke out. The tribe of Dugald, son of Somerled, took the side of the Baliols, and the race of Ranald, son of Somerled, the side of Robert Bruce, and all the garrisons from Dingwall in Ross to the Mull of Kintyre were in the possession of MacDugald during that time, while the tribe of Ranald were under the yoke of their enemies.

Angus Mor had good children, viz., Angus Og, the heir, and John, from whom sprang the Clann Eoin of Ardnamurchan, and


p.159

Alexander, from whom descended the Clann Alasdair; and Angus na Conluighe, from whom are sprung the Clann Donchaidh and Robertsons; and much may be written about this Angus Mor which is not here. He died in Isla in the year of our Lord 1234 (1294).

Angus Og, son of Angus Mor, son of Donald, son of Ranald, son of Somerled, the noble and renowned high chief of Innsigall. He married the daughter of Cuinnbhuighe O'Cathan. She was the mother of John, son of Angus, and it is with her came the unusual retinue from Ireland, viz., four-and-twenty sons of clan families, from whom sprang four-and twenty families in Scotland. Angus had another son, viz., John Og an Fhraoich, from whom descended the Clann Eoin of Glencoe, who are called the Clann Domhnall an Fhraoich (of the heather). This Angus Og died in Isla, and his body was interred in Iona in the year of our Lord 1306 (1326).

John, son of Angus Og, succeeded his father in the chief government of the Isles. He had good children, viz., three sons by Anna, daughter of Rorie, son of Ailin, high chief of Lorn, and one daughter Mary, and that Mary was the wedded wife of Hector Maclean, Lord of Duart; and Lachlan was his brother, the laird of Coll, and she was interred in Iona, in the church of the Black Nuns.

The eldest sons of John were Ranald, Godfrey, and Angus; however, he did not marry the mother of these men from the altar, but came to the resolution of marrying her at the time of her death, for she was a sufficient wife for him; but his advisers opposed him regarding it, for it appeared to them that he could get no suitable match if an heir was made from his first progeny, although he was young and vigorous. Therefore he made a provision for his son Ranald, and that was all the land which extended from Fort-Augustus in Abertarff to the river Sheil, and from the river Sheil to the Belleith in the north, Eig and Rum, and the two Uists. And after that he proceeded to the mouth of the river of Glasgow, and had threescore long-ships with him, and he married Margaret, the daughter of Robert Stuart, whom we call King of Scotland, but the real person was Robert, Earl of Fife, that is the brother-german of old Robert Fearingiora, that is the king, and he was governor of Scotland. And she bore to John three good sons, viz., Donald of Isla, the heir, and John Mor the Tanist, and Alaster Carrach, the third son. John had another son, viz., Marcus, from whom descended the Clann Donald of Cnoic-an-chluith in Tirone in Ireland. This John enjoyed a long life. It is he that made donations to Iona in his own time, and it is he also that covered the chapel of Isle Eorsag and the Chapel of Isle Finlagan, and the Chapel of Isle Suibne (island in Loch


p.161

Sween), with all their appropriate instruments for order and mass and the service of God, for the better upholding of the monks and priests this lord kept in his company; and it is he that erected the monastery of the Holy Cross a long time before his death; and he died in his own castle of Ardtornish, while monks and priests were over his body, he having received the body of Christ, and having been anointed, his fair body was brought to Iona, and the abbot and the monks and vicars came to meet him, as it was the custom to meet the body of the king of the Hebrides, and his service and waking were honourably performed during eight days and eight nights, and he was laid in the same grave with his father in the church of Oran in the year of our Lord 1380.

Ranald, the son of John, was High Steward over the Isles at the time of his father's death, being in advanced age and ruling over them. On the death of his father he called a meeting of the nobles of the Isles and of his brethren at one place, and he gave the sceptre to his brother at Cill Donan in Eigg, and he was nominated Macdonald and Donald of Isla, contrary to the opinion of the men of the Isles. A man of augmenting churches and monasteries was this Ranald, son of John, son of Angus Og, from whom the name of Clann Ranald has been applied to this race. He bestowed an Unciata of land in Uist on the monastery of Iona for ever, in honour of God and of Columba. He was governor of the whole of the Northern Coastland and of the Isles, until he died in the year of the age of Christ 1386, in his own manor of Castle Tirim, having left a family of five sons.

We shall now treat of Donald of Isla, son of John, son of Angus Og, the brother of Ranald, how he took the lordship with the consent of his brethren and the nobles of the Isles, all other persons being obedient to him, and he married Mary, daughter of the Earl of Ross, and it is through her that the earldom of Ross came to the Macdonalds. He was styled Earl of Ross and Macdonald, and High Chief of the Isles. There are many exploits and deeds written of him in other places. He fought the battle of Garrioch or Harlaw against Duke Murdoch in defence of his own right and of the earldom of Ross, and on the return of King James the First from the captivity of the King of England, Donald of Isla obtained the king's goodwill and confirmation of Ross and the rest of his inheritance, and Duke Murdoch and his two sons were beheaded.

He (Donald) was an entertainer of clerics and priests and monks in his companionship, and he gave lands in Mull and in Isla to the monastery of Iona, and every immunity which the monastery of Iona had from his ancestors before him; and he made a covering of gold and silver for the relic of the hand of


p.163

Columba, and he himself took the brotherhood of the order, having left a lawful and suitable heir in the government of the Isles and of Ross, viz., Alexander, son of Donald. He afterwards died in Isla, and his full noble body was interred on the south side of the church of Oran.

Alexander, his son, succeeded his father in the earldom of Ross and lordship of the Isles. He married Margaret Livingston, daughter of the Earl of Linlithgow; she was mother of John, who was called John of Isla, son of Alexander of Isla, son of Donald of Isla.

Angus Og, son of John, who was called the heir of John, married the daughter of the Earl of Argyll, and a disagreement arose between him and his father about the division of his territory and land, in consequence of which a war broke out between the chiefs of the Isles and the tribe of Macdonald, the tribe having joined Angus, and the chiefs having joined John. And the affair having been thus carried on, John went to Argyll and gave him all that lay between the river Add and Altna Sionnach at Braigh Chinntire (that is, the lands of Knapdale), for going with him before the king to complain of his son. Shortly afterwards this Angus Og had a large entertainment with the men of the North at Inverness, when he was murdered by Mac I Caibre, his own harper, who cut his throat with a long knife.

His father lived a year after him, and all the territories submitted to him, but, however, he restored many of them to the king. The daughter of Argyll, the wife of Angus, was pregnant at the time he was killed; and she was kept in custody until she was confined, and she bore a son, and Donald was given as a name to him, and he was kept in custody until he arrived at the age of thirty years, when the men of Glencoe brought him out by a Fenian exploit. On his coming out of custody he came to the Isles, and the nobles of the Isles rallied round him.

During the time that Donald Dubh had been in custody there was a great struggle among the Gael for power, so that Mac Ceaain of Ardnamurchan almost destroyed the race of John Mor, son of John of Isla, and of Kintyre. John Cathanach, son of John, son of Donald Balloch, son of John Mor, son of John, son of Angus Og, Lord of the race of John Mor, and John Mor, son of John Cathanach, and John Og, son of John Cathanach, and Donald Balloch, son of John Cathanach, were treacherously taken prisoners by Mac Ceaain on the island of Fionnlagan in Isla; and he conveyed them to Edinburgh, and a gallows was erected for them at that place which is called Boroughmuir, and they were executed, and their bodies buried in the church of Saint Francis, which is called New Church at the time. There were none left


p.165

of the children of John Cathanach but Alexander, son of John Cathanach, and Angus of Isla, who were hiding in the Glens in Ireland. And it is related of Mac Ceaain that he expended much wealth of gold and silver in making axes for the purpose of cutting down the woods of the Glens, in the hope that he might be able to banish Alexander, son of John Cathanach, out of the Glens and out of the world. It happened at length that Mac Ceaain and Alexander made an agreement and a marriage contract with each other. Alexander married his daughter, and she bore a good family to him.

In a similar manner a misfortune came over the Clann Donald of the north side, for after the death of John of Isla, Earl of Ross, and the killing of Angus, Alexander son of Gillespie, son of Alexander of Isla, took possession of the Earldom of Ross and of the northern Oirir entirely, and married the daughter of the Earl of Moray. However, some of the men of the northern side came, when the Mackenzies and others rose up in opposition to Alexander, and fought a battle against him, which they call Blar na Pairce.

Alexander had no men left but such as he had of the men of Ross. Alexander came to the coast after that to seek for a force in the Isles, and he embarked in a long-ship to the southern coastland to see if he could find a few remaining of the race of John Mor. Mac Ceaain observed him, and followed him on his track to Oransay of Colonsay, and entered the house upon him, where Alexander, son of Gillespie, was killed by Mac Ceaain and by Alexander, son of John Cathanach.

This matter remained so for a space of time, until Donald Gallda, son of Alexander, son of Gillespie, came of age; and he came from the Lowlands by the direction of the Earl of Moray, until he came to the Isles; and he brought Macleod of Lewis with him, and a good number of the nobles of the Isles. They went out on the Point of Ardnamurchan, and there they met Alexander, son of John Cathanach, and he and Donald, son of Alexander, made a compact and agreement with each other; and they together attacked Mac Ceaain at a place called Creagan Airgid, and he and his three sons and many of his people were slain there.

Donald Gallda was nominated Mac Donald of this side of the Point of Ardnamurchan, and the men of the Isles submitted to him; but he did not live after that but seven or eight weeks. He died at Cearnabog in Mull, leaving no family or heir; but three sisters he had, viz., the three daughters of Alexander, son of Gillespie. A settlement was made on those daughters in the northern coastland, but they gave up Ross. Alexander, son of Gillespie, had a natural sou, of whose descendants there is some


p.167

account, viz., John Cam, son of Alexander, from whom are sprung the men of Achnacochine in Brae Lochaber, and Donald Gorm, son of Ranald, son of Alexander Dubh, son of John Cam.

With regard to Donald Dubh, son of Angus, son of John of Isla, son of Alexander of Isla, son of Donald of Isla, son of John of Isla, son of Angus Og, viz., the lineal lawful heir of the Isles and of Ross, on his release from confinement he came to the Isles, and the men of the Isles gathered about him; and he and the Earl of Lennox made an agreement to raise a large army for the purpose of his getting into possession of his own property; and a ship came to them from England to the Sound of Mull, with money to help them in the war. The money was given to Mac Lean of Duart to divide among the leaders of the army; they did not get as much as they desired, and therefore the army broke up. When the Earl of Lennox heard that, he dispersed his own army, and made an agreement with the king. Macdonald then proceeded to Ireland to request a force to carry on the war, and on his way to Dublin he died at Drogheda of a fever of five nights, without leaving a son or daughter as his offspring.

Race of Ranald, son of John, son of Angus Og.

Allan, son of Ranald, the heir; and his mother was the daughter of the Earl of Athole. From this Allan the race of Allan are called; and from Donald, son of Ranald the Tanist, the race of Donald, son of Ranald, are named; John, from whom are called the race of John, son of Ranald. Angus Riach (Brindled), from whom are descended the race of Angus Riach; and from Dugall are sprung the race of Dugall.

The age of the Lord the year that this Allan, son of Ranald, died, in the Castle Tirim, was 1419; and his body was interred in the same grave with his father, in the Cemetery of Oran in Iona.

The age of the Lord 1420 was the year in which Donald, son of Ranald, deceased. He was steward of Lochaber, and died in Lochaber, and his body was brought to Iona, and was interred in the same grave with his father and his brother in Relig Oran.

Rory, son of Allan, son of Ranald, assumed the lordship of his father, and of his grandfather, and the daughter of Stuart of Appin was his mother. Allan had another son named John, from whom are descended the race of John, son of Allan.

Anno domini 1440. Angus Riach, son of Ranald, died. He was Lord of the Garbhthrian of Clanranald, having taken upon him a Friarship of the Order of Mary in the church of Iona. He was buried in the same grave with his father in Relig Oran, anno domini 1481. This is the year in which Rory, son of Allan, laird of Clanranald, died. His body was brought to Iona, and he was buried in the same grave with his father. A.D. 1426, Dugall, son of Ranald,


p.169

died at his manor in Reispoll; and his body was brought to Iona, and was buried along with his brothers in Relig Oran; A.D. 1460; in this year died a powerful, bold-warlike lord of the Clanranald, viz., Alexander, son of Donald, son of Ranald, on the island of Abas; and his body was brought to Iona, and was buried in the same bed with his father in Relig Oran. In the same year the King of Scotland died by the shot of a big gun which broke his leg, while he was directing it on the Castle of Roxburgh — that is, James the Second. In the same year died Alexander, son of Alexander, son of Godfrey, son of Ranald, son of John, laird of the northern end of Uist. In the same year Orkney was plundered by Hugh, grandson of Donald. In the same year John, son of Lachlan Maclean, was killed by the Clan Chattan in Ardgour.

Rory had a good son named Allan, son of Rory, and the daughter of Macdonald of the South Oirir was his mother, namely, Margaret, daughter of Donald Ballach, son of John Mor. Rory had other sons, namely, Duncan Garbh, and the daughter of the Laird of Coll was his mother; he had other illegitimate children, viz., Farquhar and John.

Allan assumed lordship, and well worthy of a property was that Allan, for he put his terror and fear over enemies and over many of this part of Scotland. He enjoyed a long life, and left a good progeny after him, Ranald Ban, the heir, and Alexander, who were the two sons of the daughter of Mc Ian of Ardnamurchan. Another family, namely, Allan Riach, son of Allan, John Beag, son of Allan, John Bronnach, son of Allan, John Molach, son of Donald, son of Allan; James, son of Allan; and Ranald Gallda, son of Allan, son of Rory, the youngest son that Allan had, and the daughter of Fraser of Lovat was his mother. This Allan, after having been before the King, and having received a settlement of his estate from King James the Fourth, A.D.1509, died at Blair-Athole, and his body was interred in the monastery of that town:

    1. A thousand years and nine added to it
      Five hundred years to be related
      From the time of Him who redeemed every country
      To the death of Allan, son of Rory.

Ranald Ban, son of Allan, assumed the lordship after his father, and he was good in it; for exalted was his position and great was his sway, and good were the laws and regulations of his country during the short time he lived. But having gone before the King to settle finally the affairs which his father was not able to effect, he died in the town of Perth, A.D. 1514, the year that King James


p.171

the Fourth was killed in battle. Ranald left his son in the lordship, namely, Dugall, son of Ranald. But I shall leave it to another certain man to relate how he spent and ended his life.

[Follows in Red Book an elegy on Allan and Ranald].

Alexander, son of Allan, assumed the lordship after the death of Dugald, son of Ranald. He spent his own turn; he died at Castle Tirim. Alexander had a good family, viz., John Moydartach (of Moydart), Angus, Rory Roy, and Donald of Lochan, the first children he had by Dorothy: John Ard and Allan Oyar and Rory Parson were the children he had by the daughter of Norman Mac Gillipatrick: Farquhar, the son of Alexander, had for his mother the daughter of Farquhar Mackintosh.

John Moydartach, son of Alexander, assumed the lordship. He was a fortunate man in war and in peace, in so much that he often spread terror over the territories through fear of him upon Lowlanders and upon Gaels. He gained a battle over Fraser of Lovat at Loch Lochy Head, which is called Blar Lenie (Battle of the Shirts), about the year of the age of Christ 1545. This John Moydartach enjoyed a long life, and there was a troubled time in his period, for the kingdom of Scotland was divided into factions amongst themselves, and the writers find it easy to speak heavily of every person who was not of the same faction with themselves; and I hear that they are so treating of John Moydartach, and particularly Buchanan; but ask Sir George how he likes to speak of the Princess to whom John Moydartach should be loyal; but whoever dispraises the head, it is not usual for him to praise the members. But concerning John Moydartach, he spent the end of his life godly and mercifully. He erected a church at Kilmarie in Arasaig, and a church at Kildonan in Eig; and he left funds to erect a chapel at Howmore in Uist, where his body was buried in the year of the age of Christ 1574.

Allan, son of John Moydartach, assumed the lordship. He was a generous, open-hearted, hospitable man, and was affable, sensible, and desirous to establish and maintain a good name. It is he that pledged his word that he would not promise anything in his inebriety which he would not also promise in his sobriety; therefore it was customary with him after a drinking or potation, in order to keep his word of promise with his servant men and attendants, to ask them if they remembered he had promised to give anything that he did not fulfil.

These are the other sons that John Moydartach had, namely, John Og, Donald Gorm, and Rory Og, the children of the daughter of the laird of Knoydart. Rory Dubh, Ranald, John Dubh, and Angus, the children of the daughter of Niall, son of Charles. Age of the Lord the year that Allan, son of John Moydartach,


p.173

died, i.e., 1590. His body was interred in the island of Fionan.

Allan had a good family, viz., Allan Og, and the daughter of Macleod of Harris was his mother; he was his first son. After her he took unto him the daughter of Maclean of Duart, and had a good family by her, viz., John of Strome. He was accidentally killed by his own servant man with a stone, while they were at play, shooting with a sling at Strome, Lochcarron, for it is there he was being fostered with the laird of Strome and of Glengarry. Angus, son of Allan, who assumed the lordship after the death of his father, did not live but a short time, he having been put to death by Angus Og, son of James, while he was a prisoner with him at Dunyveg. Donald, son of Allan, assumed the lordship after him, and there was every goodness during his time; and he died at Castle Tirim, in the year of the age of Christ 1617, and Ranald, son of Allan, died in Canna in the year 1636; his body was interred at Howmore. In the same year Ranald Og, son of Donald, son of Allan, died, and his body was brought to the island of Fionan in this year. John, son of Allan, departed this life at Canna, and his body was brought to Uist, and was buried at Howmore. In the same year Donald Gorm, son of Angus, son of Allan, died in Uist, and his body was buried at Howmore; excessive the number of nobles of Clan Ranald who died in that year.

John Moydartach, son of Donald, son of Allan, assumed the lordship after the death of his; and his mother was Mary, daughter of Angus, son of James, viz., the head chief of Iona and Kintyre, governor of Gigha and Colonsay. The other two sons of Donald were Ranald Og, whom we have mentioned before, and Alexander Og; they died without issue.

[Follow Elegies, which see section 9ff].

There you have the elegy for those four noblemen, namely, Ranald, son of Allan; Ranald, son of Donald, son of Allan; Donald Gorm, son of Angus, son of Allan; and John, son of Allan. Each of these men left issue, except Ranald Og, son of Donald, son of Allan.

Ranald, son of Allan, a good man according to the times in which he lived; he was hospitable and generous, thrifty and friendly. He took unto him as his first wife the daughter of Ranald, son of James, i.e., Tanist of South Oirear, and she bore him a good son, Angus Mor, son of Ranald. He put her away, and she was afterwards married to Coll Mac Gillespie. She was the mother of the Clann Coll, namely, Gillespie, Ranald and Alaster, and a good family of daughters, who were married to good gentlemen. Ranald, son of Allan, after having put away the daughter of Ranald, took Fionnsgoth Burke, a lady of the Burkes of the Province of Connaught, in the County Mayo, and she


p.175

bore three sons for him, namely, Alexander, Rory, and Farquhar. He put away Fionnsgoth, and married Margaret, the daughter of Norman Macleod of Harris, the wife whom Norman Og Macleod of Lewis had. She bore a family to the son of Allan, namely, Allan Og, son of Ranald. That good wife died from him. After her he took Mary, the daughter of Gillespie of Medhe Connaill, and she bore a son to him, namely, Donald Gorm, son of Ranald, and he put her away. After all these he married Margaret, the daughter of Angus, son of James, and her issue were made heirs of Benbecula and of Ardnish. She bore him a good family, namely, Ranald Og, the heir, and John Og, Angus, Ranald, and Rory.

Donald, son of Angus, son of Allan, had a family; Donald, who was killed at Philiphaugh in the army of the Marquis of Montrose, and Alexander, whose mother was Janet, the daughter of Donald, son of Allan. He himself, his wife, and household were drowned while coming from Coll to Muck. Donald, son of Angus, had another natural family.

John, son of Allan, had a good family by Julia, the daughter of Norman Og Macleod of Lewis, namely, Donald, who was drowned on the coast of Uist the year after his father's death. Alexander assumed the heirship after him; John Dubh and Rory and other natural children. Rory, son of Allan, had a family, namely, John Og, who succeeded him, and other children.

I treat of certain affairs which have happened during my own time. Charles I., son of James VI. of the Stuart family, was King at my earliest recollection. Here are some of the Chiefs who were over the Gael, under the King at that time, viz., Ranald Og, son of Ranald of Arran, Marquis of Antrim, over the Route, and over the Glinns, in Ireland; and Archibald Caoch, son of Archibald Gruamach, son of Archibald Dun, viz. Marquis of Argyll. Sir Lachlan Maclean, laird of Duart. John Moydartach, son of Donald, son of Allan, Captain of the Clanranald, and laird of Moydart and Uist. John, son of Rory Mor Mac Leod of Harris. Sir Donald Gorm, son of Gillespie Macdonald, lord of Sleat and Troterness, a great courtier with King Charles; and Niall of the Castle, Mac Neill of Barra. Lachlan, son of John Balbh Mackinnon of the Strath. John Garbh, son of Gilliecalum of Raasay; John Garbh, son of John Abrach, laird of Coll; Murdoch Maclean of Lochbuy. Donald of Strome, son of Angus, son of Alaster, laird of Glengarry and Knoydart, who was an old hero at the time of my earliest recollection, and his grandson a young man in confinement at Edinburgh, and after that was Lord Macdonald, namely, Angus, son of Alaster, son of Donald. And Allan, son of Donald Dubh, was Chief over Clan Cameron, and his grandson was a young man, namely, Ewan, son of John, son of Allan, who lives yet. And


p.177

George Donn Mackenzie Og, Earl of Seaforth and Chief of the Mackenzies. And Donald Dubhail Mackay, grandson of Magnus, viz., Lord Reay, and Chief of the Mackays; and many other good men who were chieftains at that time. But nothing is here written except of the people whom I have seen myself, and from my own recollection am acquainted with a part of their deeds.

It is easy for you, however, to obtain information about the troubles of the times from the common language in which they are writing in the kingdom. But this, however, I remember that the Scots were the soonest to begin this war of the three kingdoms, and not the English or Irish. For after having made a Covenant or Union against the King and English for the purpose of setting aside the bishops and appointing presbyters in their stead, they sent for all the Scottish officers in the other kingdoms beyond the sea, and they made commander in chief of Alexander Leslie, an old soldier, who had been for a long time fighting in foreign countries. That army marched into England; it was the first army set on foot in the time of King Charles, and it is against him it was. The kingdoms were put into commotion from that out, which happened, according to date, in the year 1639. And in the heat of these transactions the Marquis of Antrim, Ranald Og, son of Ranald of Arran, sent a party of armed men from Ireland to Scotland by order of the King, and gentlemen of his own kin along with them, namely, Alaster, son of Colla, son of Gillespie, Colonel James, son of Somerled, son of James of the Bann, and other gentlemen. They took shipping at the town of Hac, in the month of July, in the year 1644. They did not take harbour or land until they came to the Sound of Mull, and they laid siege to the Castle of Kinloch Alan, took it, and left a garrison in it. They proceeded from thence to the Castle of Mingarry, which they took after great trouble, and a party of his people were left in it. Alaster, son of Colla, and the party marched on foot to Kyle-rea. The ships sailed to Loch Eiseord, in the Strath, to Sir Donald, for the King and the Marquis of Antrim's orders were for him to take the command of the army, and to take every man who would rise with them, but Sir Donald died half a year before that.

Alaster, son of Colla, offered the command of the army to Sir James Macdonald, but Sir James refused it, for he thought the army too small, since the whole kingdom was against him, they having only fifteen hundred men, so that Alaster came to the resolution of returning back to Ireland, since the King's orders were not obeyed by them. At that time, three large ships of war belonging to the Scottish Parliament sailed round from Leith, and came to the mouth of Loch Eiseord, while Alaster's ships lay in the loch; they fought them, but Alaster's ships were taken, which


p.179

obliged Alaster to remain in the kingdom into which he had (come,) whether he liked it or not.

He marched off from thence over Kyle-rea and over the mountains of Cuaich, from thence they proceeded to Glengarry and encamped in it, where they got plenty of beef for their army, but few of the people joined them. From thence they went to Badenoch, encamped in it, and threatened the men of that country that if they did not join the King's army they would burn and spoil the country. The order was shown to them, and by the order they were joined by Clan Vurich of Badenoch, who were led by a captain and good chieftain of their own blood, namely, Ewan Og, son of Andrew, son of Ewan, who brought 300 men of his own kin with him into the King's army, who were very steadfast in the army while the war continued. They were joined by Clan Finlay of Braemar with a chief of their own kin, namely, Donald Og, son of Donald, son of Finlay. From thence they marched to Athole, and the Earl of Montrose met them at Blair-Athole, in the character of a timber merchant, and a little bag hanging from his neck, having come from England with the King's commission of general of the army, and Alaster, son of Colla, to be his major general, and they received him joyfully. The most of the men of Athole joined them, the Clan Duncan, and the Stewarts of Athole; that was in the beginning of harvest. From thence they marched to the Lowlands, where a great army of Covenanters met them near Perth, consisting of eight thousand men, while their own army consisted only of two thousand foot; but, however, they gained a victory over them; none of them escaped but such as the swiftness of horses carried away from them. They took Perth, and they were wealthy and rich after that battle of Perth. Fifteen days only intervened between the fighting of that battle and another battle which was fought at Aberdeen against the Covenanters, where they received a severe repulse and a forcible and fiercely clamorous fight. The success of those two battles raised the courage and spirit of the Gael from that forth, in so much that they did not turn their backs to the enemy, either on even terms or under a disadvantage.

Mac Cailin, Earl of Argyle, happened to have been a leader of the Presbyterian faction and a great supporter of the Covenanters against the king; he came to Ardnamurchan, and laid siege to the Castle of Mingarry, but did not succeed in taking it.

John Moydartach came from Castle Tirim to that camp of Mac Cailin, at the request of Mac Cailin, for Mac Cailin hoped that John Moydartach and the Clanranald would join him in his own army against the king's army. He did not remain long in the camp when he returned, and raised all the men of Uist, Eig,


p.181

Moydart, and Arasaig, and the first thing they did was the spoiling of Suinart, leaving neither cow nor sheep in it that they did not carry away to the plains of Castle Tirim; and he sent his son Donald with a part of that prey to the garrison who were in Castle Mingarry. Meantime Alaster Mac Colla came down from Montrose to give relief to Castle Mingarry; and Alaster and Donald, son of John Moydartach, met each other there, and they were glad to see each other, for that was their first acquaintance with one another. From thence they came to Castle Tirim, and after having left an exchange of garrison in Castle Mingarry, John Moydartach and themselves proceeded to Arasaig and to Morar, and they sent a message to Macleod requesting him to come and join the king's army according to his law, but he refused them; and they came to Knoydart, where they met Angus, the grandson of Alaster, and they requested him to join them, but he did not join them at that time. However, Donald Gorm, his father's brother, joined them, and the greater part of the men of Knoydart and of Glengarry. They went forth from the head of Loch Nevis by Clachard to Lochaber and to the Brae, and Donald Glas, the grandson of Ranald, and the men of the Brae joined them, and the Stewarts of Appin came to them there, and the Clan Ian of Glencoe, and the men of Glen Nevis, and all those to the east of Lochy of the Clan Cameron. From thence they went to Badenoch, and over the range of Drumachter, and to Blair in Athole, where they met the Marquis of Montrose, who was very thankful for that collected army sent to him by John Moydartach to do service for their earthly king. A council was held in that place in order to consider where they should spend the winter. The general supposed that they should spend the winter in the Lowlands, but all of them thought the country of the Gael the best place for the safety of the army. Montrose consented to that, on the assurance that the army would get victuals and accommodation in it, for which purpose Angus, son of Allan Dubh, was invited before the council; he was a gentleman of the men of Glencoe. Montrose put the question to Angus. Was he not acquainted with the countries of Mac Cailin, or could the army get victuals or encampment in them in winter? Angus answered his lordship, and said that there was not a town under the lordship of Mac Cailin but was known to him, and that if stanch horses, and fat cattle as victuals to feed upon, in them would answer their purpose, that they would procure them for them. That answer pleased the Marquis, and they unanimously prepared to go to Argyle. The army marched from the Brae of Athole, and they went to the Menzies in Appin, which they burnt, and from thence they went to the head of Loch Tay, and burnt both

p.183

sides of it. The Clans Gregor and Mac Nab came to them to assist the king's army. John Moydartach and his own party and the men of the Brae were sent in a separate direction from the other part of the army to make a preying throughout the country, so that Montrose did not meet him until they came to Killmartin in Glassary. From that single preying expedition they brought in a thousand cows to the camp of Montrose. In short, all the territories of Mac Cailin were spoiled and burnt on that occasion, and eight hundred four score and fifteen men were killed in those countries without battle or skirmish having taken place in them. The army marched from Argyle over Connel of Lorn, traversing every country until they came to Inverlochy in Lochaber.

Mac Cailin was not idle, for he sent to the laird of Auchinbreck to come to him from Ireland, for that man had been in Ireland since the beginning of the war, on the Earl of Antrim's estate, and having its large towns in his possession, with a standing army in them. The Marquis [Mac Cailin] himself went to Edinburgh to complain to the Council of Scotland that Montrose or Alaster did not wait for him to give them battle, upon which they sent with him a regiment of five hundred soldiers as an assistance and force. The laird of Auchinbreck came from Ireland to them, and he was seized with fury and rage on finding his estate burnt and plundered before him. He gathered the Clan Campbell numerously and extensively mustered, and they went in the track of that army of Montrose and of Alister, son of Colla. When Montrose arrived at Inverlochy, Sir Lachlan Maclean came to them there, and Angus, son of the son of Alister, laird of Glengarry; but the men of Mac Alister's son were always in that army. Having marched from Inverlochy, they had not gone far when news came to them that Mac Cailin and his large army had ccme to Inverlochy, and that they had burnt the Braes of Lochaber. The army of King Charles returned from Fort-Augustus in Abertarff, at that time commanded by the Marquis of Montrose, their general, and Alister, son of Colla, son of Gillespie, major-general, and these nobles of Clanranald and Macdonalds, namely, John Moydartach, son of Donald, son of Allan, and his son Donald, and Angus, son of Alaster, son of Donald, son of Angus, laird of Glengarry, along with their own kindred and friends, and the three Irish regiments of the true men of the people of the Earl of Antrim, led on by their own commanders, namely, Colonel James, son of Somerled, son of James of the Bann, son of Somerled Buighe, and Ranald Og, son of Alexander, son of Alexander, son of Angus the Proud, and Magnus, son of the Giolla Dubh Mac Cathan, foster brother to the Earl of Antrim. Maclean, Sir Lachlan, had only about twelve men of his people to attend him. There was a good man there of the nobles


p.185

of Scotland, namely, Lord Ogilvie, and his son, a good man, i.e., Sir Thomas. They marched from Fort-Angustus over Laircthuirard, and into Glenroy and over the Spean, where they were met by a party of the enemy, and they killed the most of them, and such of them as escaped brought intelligence to the camp. Saturday evening was coming on them when they arrived before their enemy. Mac Cailin's army went on their guard, and the sentries of both armies were firing at each other during the night. Mac Cailin himself took to his ship, and he left the laird of Auchinbreck to face the fight. At the very beginning of morning the battalions were put into arrangement and order, being Sunday, the Festival day of Bridget, and the first day of Spring, A.D. 1645. A party was sent out from the King's army, headed by Magnus, son of the Giolla Dubh O'Cathan, and another party was sent from Mac Cailin's army to oppose them, headed by Gillespie, son of Gillespie Og, laird of the Bingingeadhs. The two parties having given fight to each other, it was not long until that part of the army of Mac Cailin gave way; having been forcibly driven back on its own main body, the main army became confused, they were roughly handled and defeated. The greater part of the army were killed, and a very great number of them were drowned at Bun Nevis. The laird of Auchinbreck, the laird of Caradale, and the Provost of Kilmun were killed. The laird of Barrbreck, the young laird of Caradale, [and] Mac Iomhair of the Pingin Mor were taken prisoners. All those of the kindred of Mac Cailin that were not killed on that day were taken prisoners. The loss of the King's army was Thomas Lord Ogilvie, Captain Brain, and six soldiers.

Montrose marched to the north with the King's army, and Mackenzie, Earl of Seaforth, came to them and pledged his word that he himself and his people along with him would join the King's army to aid it; he collected and gathered his people from Lewis and from every other country which he possessed. As to Montrose, he spent the spring in the north strengthening his own army; and the Gordons, with Lord Gordon, the son of the Marquis of Huntly, came to congratulate them, and they were pleased with it. About that time the army of the Scottish Parliament came from the south, and Mackenzie, with his own army came from the Coast of the men of Lewis and the northern borders. What Mackenzie himself and his people did was to join the army of the Parliament and break his word with Montrose and the King's army.

While Montrose and the King's army lay at Auldearn, Lord Gordon with his good force of horse and foot being with him, Nathaniel Gordon came to them from the advanced guards and


p.187

informed them that the enemy were near them: that man was a good knight and a fortunate warrior; Gordonach Caoch was another name for him. The trained and well-armed battalions of the Gael were arranged in order opposite the enemy, and the right hand side was given to the dread knight Gordon and to his lord, and the command of the body of the battalion to the active, arrogant Marquis Montrose. Sir Alaster, the red-armed horseknight, i.e., the brave and courageous son of Colla Ciotach, son of Gillespie, son of Colla, son of Alaster, son of John Cathanach, took the left wing of the army to him against the right of the enemy, and while Alaster was arranging his party, a gentleman from Lord Gordon came with a message to him, and spoke in this manner: —
‘Mac Donald, we have heard that there was an agreement and friendship between our ancestors, and that they did not strike a blow against one another, whatever strife might have been between the other Scots and them; neither was the fame of any other tribe for valour greater than theirs; therefore, by way of renewing the agreement, I would wish to receive a favour from you, and that is an exchange of foot on the first day of my service to my earthly King, viz., you taking my foot forces and you sending me your foot.’

That affair was quickly performed by Alaster, son of Colla. He sent ten and four score of the veteran soldiers, who were often tested in great dangers in many places; and there came in their stead three hundred foot of the men of Bog of Gight, Strathbogy, and the Braes, who were not accustomed to skirmishing, hard conflict, or the loud, harsh noise of battle. Although that was a bad exchange for Alaster, it was good for his men, for they were never in an battle or skirmish which was cheaper [safer] for them than it. It seemed to them that the cavalry of the Gordons had no duty to perform but to defend the foot from every danger. Alaster drew up his men at the place where they had come to, and found that there remained with him of his own men but ten and two score of his gentlemen; he put five and twenty of these in the first rank, and five and twenty of them in the last rank, and drew up his three hundred foot of the Gordons in their midst, and marched before them. The men who opposed them were the regiment of the laird of Lawers, well trained men, and the gentlemen of Lewis along with them. The clamour of the fight began as is usual in every field of battle, which the foot who were behind Alaster, son of Colla, could not well endure, for some of them would not hear the sough of an arrow or the whistling of a ball without bowing their heads or flying about. Alaster's defence then was to go backward, beckoning to his party with his hand to be of good courage and march quickly, while his gentlemen were


p.189

entirely engaged in keeping their companies in their order, but they failed to do so; I knew men who killed some of the Gordons' foot to prevent their flight, which when the enemy perceived they prepared to attack them and to make the charge. Alaster ordered them to gain the enclosure which they had forsaken before, but they were attacked with pikes and arrows, and many were slain on every side of the enclosure before the party got into it. Alaster's sword broke, and he got another sword into his hand, and he did not himself remember who gave it to him, but some persons supposed that it was his brother-in-law, Davidson of Ardnacross, that gave him his own sword. Davidson, Fear Doirche Mackay, and other good gentlemen, fell at that time at the entrance of the enclosure, who were waiting to have Alaster in before them. As soon as Alaster got into the garden, he set all those in it in fighting order to give relief to those of his party who were outside; one of them was Ranald, son of Donald, son of Angus Mac Ceanain of Mull. I do not omit to set down this small part of his deeds. He happened to have been walking among the Gordons, and it was not the same side of the garden that he took and the other party of Alaster's gentlemen who were walking among the Gordons, when he felt the Teapar having been put on his shoulders. He turned his face to the enemy, his sword was at his breast, his shield on his left hand, and a hand-gun in his right hand. He pointed the gun at them, and a party of pike men who were after him halted. There happened to be a narrow passage before them, and on that account there was not one of his own party that had been after him but went before him; there was a great slaughter made among the Gordons' foot by the bowmen. It happened at that time that a bowman was running past Ranald and he shooting at the Gordons; he looked over his shoulder and saw the halt which Ranald brought the pikemen to, and he turned his hand from the man who was before him, and aimed his arrow at Ranald, which struck him on the cheek, and he drove a fist's length of it out through the other cheek. Then Ranald fired the shot but not at the bowman; he threw the gun away and put the hand to his sword, while his shield arm was stretched out to defend himself against the pikes; he made an effort to get the sword, but it would not draw, for the cross hilt whirled about and the sword did not come out; he tried it the second time, but it did not come; he tried it the third time by holding the scabbard of the sword with the hand of the shield which he put under his arm, and it was drawn out, but five pikes pierced him between the breast and the chin on account of that process; however, not one of the wounds they then inflicted on him was an inch deep. Having been engaged for some time cutting

p.191

off the pikes, some of which stuck in the boss of the shield, he set his back to the garden to defend himself, and he was forcibly eudeavouring to go to the door. The pikemen became deterred on account of the great number of them that were being cut off, except one man, who was striking at him desperately and severely, for it seemed to that man that if he conld preserve his pike from being cut off, his combatant man should fall by him. Ranald was then listening to Alaster complaining of the Gordons for the bad exertion they were making to rescue himself out of the place in which he was; but he (Ranald) was advancing towards the garden door, step by step, and when he considered to be near the door he gave a high quick spring away from the pikeman, he turned his back to him, with his face to the door, and stooped his head; the pikeman followed him, and stooped his own head under the door. Alaster was at that time watching them; he gave the pikeman a stroke, and although he might have been inclined to return back again quickly, what happened was that the young man's head was knocked against Ranald's shins from the stroke which Alaster gave him; his body fell in the door and his head in the garden. When Ranald straightened his back and looked behind him at the door, it was then he saw his companion. The arrow which was stuck in Ranald was cut and pulled out of him, and he got the use of his tongue and power of speech, which he did not expect.

It may be easily conjectured that the rest of the king's army was not idle all this time, viz., the active, intellectual, and courageous Marquis of Montrose; the brave, heroic, active, gallant, warlike Lord Gordon, along with his gentlemen; and others of the bold and warlike Clan of the Mac Donalds, and of the truly fierce, very brave, powerfully spirited band of the Clanranald, and they faced the enemy manfully and bravely without the fear or terror of strokes or shots. Montrose their general, being with his army, stood on a high hill, and saw the great danger and jeopardy in which Alaster was, and what he did was to call out loudly to encourage the gentlemen and the army who were within hearing of him, and said, ‘It is a great shame for us that one man should always carry off our fame from us by conquering every enemy before us: there is Alaster gaining the victory over the party that were opposed to him in the battle; therefore lead on this army in good order, zealously and quickly.’ This order of the chief general was carefully responded to, so that every horseman pressed his heels to the flanks of his horse, and every footman's step moved on vigorously, light-footedly, anxiously, and nimbly; and in that charge they went among the enemy, when the enemy's forces were routed and were driven among the foot.


p.193

As to Alaster, he perceived the great standard of the king advancing to the rear of the regiment who were fighting against him there. He put his party in order to bring them out of the garden to fight, and a horseman came from Montrose to him concerning that. Alaster brought his men out of the garden as many as were serviceable, for seventeen of his gentlemen were disabled, who could not come out, besides those of them that were killed. He set his men in fighting order, and attacked the enemy the second time, and Montrose attacked them on the other hand, and that regiment of the laird of Lawers fell, and the greater part of the men of Lewis along with them in their ranks. They were pursued in the rout, and such of them as escaped were saved at Inverness, and it was with difficulty that Mackenzie escaped on horseback after losing his men and his honour.

Many were the warlike feats performed on that battlefield by the Macdonalds and the Gordons, without mentioning its casualties and great slaughter, as Montrose had stated in treating of that day in another place, that he himself saw the greatest feats performed and the greatest slaughter by six men that he had ever seen performed by himself or by any other person since; and of these six were Nathaniel Gordon, Ranald Og, son of Alaster, son of Alaster, son of Angus Uaibhreach, and Lord Gordon himself, and three others whoever they are. It was in the beginning of summer this battle of Auldearn was fought, in the year 1645. After fighting the battle they rested for some time in the estate of the Lord Marischal, who was a Covenanter and an enemy of theirs.

Alaster, son of Colla, came to the Coast to raise men among the Gael, and to seek for Maclean and John Moydartach there. The Scottish Parliament raised an army, commanded by General Baillie, and accompanied by Mac Cailin. They had intelligence that Alaster was at the Coast, and they resolved to give Montrose battle before Alaster and the rest of the Gael should come to aid him, and so it happened. They met at Alford, namely, General Baillie and Mac Cailin, and the army of the Scottish Parliament numerously and completely mustered. And those of the king's army along with Montrose were Lord Gordon, with his excellent and well-equipped cavalry of the Gordons; and Angus, the grand-son of Alaster, laird of Glengarry at that time; and such of the Clanranald as were with him, and the men of Badenoch, and a party of the men of Athole. When the armies came in sight of each other, both sides put themselves into a defiant and very active position of fighting. A party of the men of Badenoch were sent from the king's army to give a warning of the skirmish, and to begin the fight; and another party was sent against them


p.195

from the army of the Parliament. Then one of the Covenanters spoke to his own army and said —
‘It is customary with the men who are opposed to you to begin the attack before you; let them not have that lead to-day, but attack them briskly and courageously.’ Another man in the king's army, namely. Lord Gordon, said — ‘Let none of you be afraid that I shall not bring you Baillie by the neck from the midst of his party.’ It was then that these two armies made a strong and very violent rush directly against each other, and their march was so quick that the forces of the two armies encountered each other, before the parties who had been sent out from them to skirmish fired a shot at each other. And what they did was to turn the muzzles of their guns against the main forces of their armies, and give them the contents that were in them; and from them came the unlucky shot by which Lord Gordon fell, while he was putting his hand in the sword belt which was round General Baillie. By this time the armies were in close conflict with each other, the cavalry seizing each others' heads with their left hands and striking one another on the heads with their pistols, and the foot forces did not know what to do for the raging of the horse. Alaster, son of Ranald, son of Allan, is a witness to that, for he and Allan Og, the grandson of Alaster, were the officers of the Clanranald in that battle, and the grandson of Alaster himself was in the troop guarding Montrose. Alaster, son of Ranald, says that he himself was for a time and the point of his sword to earth, not knowing on whom he would strike a blow, not knowing a friend from a foe. They continued in that manner until the active officer Major Lidas called out in the English language to withdraw all the horse, and every horseman who heard that command brought out his own horse from among the foot. From that forth every man was at liberty to use his hand and his blade as best suited him, and the cavalry of the Covenanters were not allowed to return to the charge, but were closely pursued and continuedly killed; they were so mortified at the fall of Lord Gordon that they ordered that no quarter should be given to any man that day. Not a man of Montrose's cavalry returned from the chase until their horses became fatigued; and the laird of Glengarry was in pursuit of the Marquis of Argyle until his horse became fatigued under him, and always within seeing distance of him, and the Marquis changed three horses that day fleeing from him, and escaped by the swiftness of his steeds.

As to Alaster, son of Colla, he came from the Coast and from the Rough Bounds with a great number of men, namely, all the young men that John Moydartach had at home of his country and kin, and commanded by Donald his son: and the Clan Maclean


p.197

from Mull, and the Stewarts of Appin, and the Clan Gregor and others. When they reached Montrose's camp they were joyfully and gladly welcomed by Montrose and all the rest. Each party of them were separately presented to the general, and the party of the son of John Moydartach, i.e., Donald, was brought forward. That man was a harmless, bashful, affable, unpresuming man in the presence of his friends, but powerful and undaunted before his enemies, and was in the twentieth year of his age at that time. A conversation happened that night in the general's tent between the general and the major-general, namely, Alaster, son of Colla; and Montrose said that it was not much help for the Captain of Clanranald without having brought in a large prey to the King's army, which should have been sent with his son to him; Alaster answered that he had sent that with him. Alaster went out of the tent, and came to the lodging in which Donald was, and said unto him — ‘Donald, my son,’ said he, ‘make ready your men to bring a spoil to the camp, and have them prepared to proceed tomorrow morning, and none shall go with you but your own men and those to guide you to the country to which you will be ordered.’ They received their orders the following morning, and they brought great spoils to the camp in a short time, which pleased Montrose and all the army, and Donald and his men made more preys than any others in the entire army. Some of the reasons why those spoils fell to his lot more than other people were that many of the other Gael who were sent to collect spoils carried away the spoils they raised to their own country without the permission of the general. The son of John Moydartach would not do any such thing, nor would he allow indeed any of his men to go away from him with a prey or spoil; another reason is that it was not easy for the men of Isles that belonged to his party to come with spoils to their own country from the Low Country. On these accounts it fell to his lot to send the great bulk of the spoils to the camp during the quarter of that summer, for he carried away a great spoil from the estate of Lord Marischal, from Angus, and it is he that preyed the Mearns.

When they were engaged on that spoil they met an honourable old man who was telling them stories and historical affairs, and along with the other stories he told them, he said that the Mearns had not been spoiled since the time it was spoiled by Donald of Isla, the year he fought the battle of Garioch or Harlaw against Duke Murdoch; ‘and I suppose, young man, that you are descended of him, if you be the captain of Clanranald.’

About this time the Parliament of Scotland met together, and they observed that it was a shame and a scandal to them that a small armed party of Gaels should harass the kingdom. They


p.199

therefore collected the whole forces of the kingdom, as many as were fit to bear arms, and that large army of Scotland marched after Montrose and the Gael; their nobles and their officers, their marching kerns and their marines, so that there were five thousand mariners along with them who never fought on land before that time. When the small army of the King of Britain and of the Gael knew that, they formed a means of watching for themselves to protect them from country to country, and a retreat on them every day; and escaping with difficulty perseveringly and stealthily.

One day as they were urgently retreating and escaping with difficulty from Methven Wood was the day on which the greatest army they ever saw was pursuing them; John Moydartach's son and his men happened to be in the rear, the major general being at his post along with them, constantly skirmishing with the enemy. There was one bold horseman before the rest who constantly attacked them, so that there was not a ford or river they came to but that horseman gave them great trouble, and it seemed to his men and to himself that he was the chief champion of Scotland; Colonel was his name and his office; he took three or four baggage horses from them that day. Angus, the son of Allan Dubh, was in the rear of his own party, on horseback without a pillion or saddle, having a long gun across his lap before him; it was not on horseback he was accustomed to fight but on foot. He thought he heard the horseman coming once or twice, and at one time that he came after him. Angus dismounted, and let his own horse go away from him. He quickly set his gun on a stone and fired a shot, and the man of the red coat fell under his horse's feet, with satin trappings and silver lace; his men gave a great cry lamenting him; he was stripped and left there, and the enemy did not press them more boldly than that on that day or the day following. They continued in that state for thirteen or fourteen days without any rest, but always retreating, Montrose using his best ingeniuity to see if he could weary out the great army which pursued him, hoping that by some of them separating from them he would be enabled to give them battle, but the soldiers were fatigued from want of food and sleep. Coming nigh to Kilsyth, after a night's march, they pitched a camp and stronghold in that place. At early morning of the following day what should they see but the great army, both horse and foot. The king's army had no choice but to leave the camp without eating flesh or bread, if they had them, and prepare themselves for fighting or retreat. Having marshalled the army, their nobles and officers held a council to determine whether they should give battle or retreat. Montrose requested to have the


p.201

opinion of the soldiers and of the whole army on the case. The whole army unanimously replied that it would be better to give battle, even with the greatness of its danger, than to be constantly pursued by day and night. Montrose sent a trumpeter to the great army to inform them that they should have a field of battle to fight with them. When the great army heard that their gladness was so great that they gave loud shouts of delight and joy, and they were dressed into rank and order. Three thousand pike and musket men were placed on three bulwarks in the front, and eleven thousand men were drawn up in battalions in the rear of these, and you may suppose what a hardship it was for a small force to encounter them at that time. The defending, hard-hearted, clean armed army of the Gael were arranged, and their numbers were four thousand foot and five hundred horsemen, appearing barefooted, every one of them having his tunic between his legs, and the cavalry having white shirts over their garments.

These heroic, very fierce bands marched to the attack in the face of the musketry and great guns. The fight began by an excellent regiment of Irish and Scottish Gaels who were expert at shooting, and inured to fighting, and Major Lachanain before them, and Alaster, son of Colla, directing and encouraging them. There were two other regiments to give relief to Alaster and to the party that went down first, viz., the regiment of Maclean and the regiment of Donald, son of John Moydartach, but Maclean's men were nearer the fight as regarded their order than the Clanranald, but the heat of the fight was so great upon Major Lachanain that Alaster, son of Colla, ordered him immediate relief; some difference happened then to arise between Donald, son of John Moydartach, and Donald, son of Hector Og Maclean, about the precedency of engaging, but, however, the Clanranald made their way in front of the Clan Maclean, and rushed at the walls on which their enemy were. Donald, son of John Moydartach, with his men, and Patrick Caoch Mac Gregor and his men in one regiment with the Clanranald. The assault was then made simultaneously by the fortunate army of the King of Britain, and the first man of them that leaped the enemy's wall was that son of John Moydartach, followed by his men; they were driven back in a routing defeat among the great army which was behind them, and all pursued them impetuously and fiercely, and the entire of the great army were routed, and were pursued during the day, cutting them down and slaughtering them. After the battle was ended they encamped at Hamilton, and the keys of the great Castle came to them from Edinburgh, and all Scotland submitted to them.

I had many stories to write on the events of the times if I


p.203

undertook to do it, but what induced me to write even this much was, when I saw that those who treated of the affairs of the time have made no mention at all of the Gael, the men who did all the service.

As to the Marquis of Montrose, he marched with a part of his army intending to go to England to relieve the King, who was sorely pressed by the English at that time, but he was defeated at Philiphaugh, and was not able to give assistance to the King.

Alaster, son of Colla, came from the camp at Hamilton to Kintyre, and cleared it for himself, and he drove out of it the Clan Campbell, and he erected Dunaverty as a place of strength. Donald, son of John Moydartach, came from the camp of Hamilton to his own country. Montrose proceeded to the North from the defeat of Philiphaugh with all those that survived of his men, and they continued so for some time. Montrose was in the north part of Scotland, and Alaster, son of Colla, in Kintyre, spoiling Argyle and Cowal and the territories; and John Moydartach in the Rough Bounds near the shore. John Moydartach and his son Donald went to Islay, and their own forces with them, and they drove out of it all the Clan Campbell that were in it.

About this time the Earl of Antrim came from Ireland to Kintyre to enquire after the army that he himself had in it, and he sent for those that were with Montrose, and they came to him at once. In consequence of this Montrose left the kingdom to solicit assistance from other kings and princes to aid King Charles. On his return from that journey, he was dishonestly destroyed by the Parliament of Scotland by the Covenanters, together with the Marquis of Huntly, and many other nobles who were on the side of the King.

A good many of the gentry of the Hebrides flocked to the Earl of Antrim, such as the Clan Maclean and the Clanranald, intending to set an army on foot again on behalf ot the King; meantime the King's order came to the Earl of Antrim to disband the army, for the King was at that time in the hands of his enemies, viz., the Parliament of England and Scotland united against him. The Earl of Antrim disbanded the army, and he himself went to Ireland.

Alaster, son of Colla, remained in Kintyre, and made a stronghold in it and in Islay. The other Gaels who were on the side of the King went about to their own lands to protect them against the enemy. They were at length surrounded by a large army. Sir David Leslie and Mac Cailin came to Kintyre, without any notice being obtained of the time they would come till they came to Largie, where Alaster and his men were separated asunder. Alaster's party were dispersed; Ranald Og, son of Alaster, son of


p.205

Angus Uaibhreach, was taken prisoner, and was put to death at Inveraray some time after that.

Alaster, son of Colla, went to Ireland, and he was killed at Cnoc-na-n-Dos, with many other gentlemen of the Clan Macdonnell, in the battle which Murchadh O'Brien gave them in the year 1647.

This great army of David Leslie, and Mac Cailin along with them, came to Islay and to Mull, and all submitted to them except John Moydartach alone and those who joined him.

[Follows Eulogy on Donald of Moydart. See Elegies, &c.]

With regard to John Moydartach, son of Donald, son of Allan, laird of Clanranald, being forsaken by all after Montrose and the Marquis of Huntly had been put to death, and such as lived of the gentry who were on the King's side had been banished to strange foreign countries, he alone stood out from the (Rulers of the) Kingdom; and the few that lived of the party on the King's side were gathering round him. Messages were constantly sent to him from the Rulers of the Kingdom requesting him to make peace with them, but he did not accept them. However, he sent his son Donald to Ireland, and all those who remained with him of the men of Ireland, and some of his Scottish gentlemen along with them, and he himself and the rest of his men remained to defend his inheritance.

As to Donald, he set off from Uist in a rigged low-country frigate which he had, and in a long Gaelic ship, with about 300 soldiers, composed of veterans, in the year 1648. From thence they went to the Sound of Mull, to Colonsay, and to the Sound of Islay, where they fell in with a large ship, which they captured with her full cargo of barley corn; they took another ship on the sea, found nothing in her, and they let her away. They sailed for Ireland, they were overtaken by a storm on the coast, so that their ships were separated. Some of them reached the harbour of Killybegs in Donegal. Donald and those who were along with him landed on the point of Magilligan in County Derry, and they sent back the ships to Scotland. He went to Achagh Dacharad, where there was a garrison favourable to them. From thence they went to the County of Cavan, where they met Philip O'Reilly, chief of that country, and a friend of theirs. They went from thence to Mullingar, and he left his men quartered in that town, and he himself went to Kilkenny, where the Council of Ireland were sitting. He received orders for himself and his men to join the Council's army under the command of General Preston. That is the army in which was Alexander, the Earl of Antrim's son, and those who lived of the Scots and Irish of the Mac Donnells and their friends, who went over with Alaster,


p.207

son of Colla, to Ireland. This regiment had not less than fifteen hundred chosen gentlemen in it, Donald, son of John Moydartach, being lieutenant-colonel of it, and Angus, son of Alexander, laird of Largie in Kintyre, being first captain.

For some time this army were esteemed and honoured for their taking of great towns from the enemy, until they broke away from the army of Preston, but were overtaken in the county Riabhach. They had a large number of Irishmen with them of the Cavenaghs, who acted as their guides, and when these came to the places they were acquainted with in their own country, and on a border of a wood which was near them, they fled and left all there, so that the enemy rushed in among them and dispersed them. Donald, laird of Clanranald, and Angus, laird of Glengarry, were taken and sent prisoners to Kilkenny; they remained there for some time in prison until the Marquis of Antrim found means to release them. The grandson of Alaster came out sooner than the son of John Moydartach, and he went over sea to the king, and left Donald in prison, where he remained for some time until more money was given for his ransom by the Duchess of Buckingham, namely, the married wife of the Marquis of Antrim. He then went to Wexford; a ship was sent for him by the Marquis of Antrim to convey him to land at Caolas Sdàlaigh in Uist, and Angus, the grandson of Alaster, laird of Largie, came along with him, and his friends were joyful at his return to them. His gentlemen soon came after him in a ship which they took on the Irish coast, namely, Murcha, son of Mac Neill of Barra, a great, handsome man, accomplished and well educated; Alexander, son John, son of Allan of Buaill Og; Donald Gorm, son of Allan; Donald Roy, son of Donald, son of Lachlan Mac Vurich; John, son of Donald of Benbecula; Angus, son of Alexander, son of Godfrey. John, son of Brian Mac Vurich, and another part of the men, came another way for themselves.

After Donald returned from that expedition he and his father spent their time in defending their country until they obtained peace from the rulers of the kingdom; their enemies, however, held them in debt which increased upon them during that time; this left themselves always in distress, and also their posterity.

Anno Domini 1670, the year in which John Moydartach died at Eriskay, in Uist, and his body was interred in Howmore, leaving one son, viz., Donald, and three daughters, Mor, Lady of Coll, Katherine, Lady of Barra, and Anna, Lady of Benbecula. Donald, son of John Moydartach, — sixteen years intervened between the death of his father and his death. He spent these sixteen years in affairs of peace, sometimes attending at Court, full of respect and honour through the excellence of his disposition


p.209

and good behaviour, and sometimes at home to pay debts. He died in Canna in the year 1686, the same year that King Charles II. died; the body of Donald was interred at Howmore, in the same grave with his father. He left two sons and three daughters, namely, Allan, the laird, and Ranald; Mor, Janet, and Mary were the daughters. Mor, the daughter of John Macleod, was their mother; and Mor, the daughter of Rory Mor Macleod, was the mother of their father, i.e., Donald. Great was the sadness and excessive gloom which the death of this good man brought over the Isles, as is shown in his elegy.

[Follow elegies on Donald and on Allan, which see].