Gairloch, originally the possession of the Earls of Ross, and confirmed to them by Robert Bruce in 1306 and 1329 was subsequently granted by Earl William to Paul MacTire and his heirs by Mary Graham, for a yearly payment of a penny of silver in the name of blench ferme in lieu of every other service except the foreign service of the King when required. In 1372 Robert the II. confirmed the grant. In 1430 James I. granted to Nele Nelesoun (Neil son of Neil Macleod) for his homage and service in the capture of his deceased brother, Thomas Nelesoun, a rebel, the lands of Gairloch.
["Origines Parochiales Scotiae," vol. ii, p. 406]
Although Hector was in possession of Crown charters to at least two-thirds of the lands of Gairloch he found it very difficult to secure possession of them from the Macleods and their chief, Allan MacRory, the former proprietors. This Allan had married, as his first wife, a daughter of Alexander, VI. of Kintail, and sister of Hector Roy, with issue - three sons. He married, secondly, a daughter of Roderick Macleod, VII. of Lewis, with issue - one son, Roderick, subsequently known as Ruairidh Mac Alain, author of an atrocious ma.s.sacre of the Macleods of Raasay and Gairloch at Island Isay, Waternish, Isle of Skye, erroneously attributed in the first edition of this work to his grandfather, the above-named Roderick Macleod of Lewis. Allan of Gairloch was himself related to the Macleods of Lewis, but it is impossible to trace the exact connection. Two brothers of Macleod of Lewis are said, traditionally, to have resolved that no Mackenzie blood should flow in the veins of the future head of the Gairloch Macleods, and determined to put Allan"s children by Hector Roy"s sister to death, so that his son by their own niece should succeed to Gairloch, and they proceeded across the Minch to the mainland to put their murderous intent into execution.
Allan MacRuairidh, the then Macleod laird of Gairloch, was personally a peacefully disposed man, and lived at the "Crannag," of which traces are still to be found on Loch Tolly Island, along with his second wife, two of his sons by the first marriage, and a daughter.
The brothers, having reached Gairloch, took up their abode at the old "Tigh Dige," a wattled house, surrounded by a ditch, whose site is still pointed out in one of the Flowerdale parks, a few hundred yards above the stone bridge which crosses the Ceann-an-t-Sail river at the head of Gairloch Bay. Next day the murderous barbarians crossed over to Loch Tolly. On the way they learnt that Allan was not then on the island, he having gone a-fishing on the Ewe.
They at once proceeded in that direction, found him sound asleep on the banks of the river, at "Cnoc na Mi-chomhairle," and without any warning "made him short by the head." Then retracing their steps, and ferrying across to the island where Allan"s wife, with two of her three step-children were enjoying themselves, they, in the most cold-blooded manner, informed her of her husband"s fate, tore the two boys - the third being fortunately absent - from her knees, took them ash.o.r.e, and carried them along to a small glen through which the Poolewe Road now pa.s.ses, about a mile to the south of the loch, and there, at a spot still called "Creag Bhadain an Aisc," the Rock at the place of Burial, stabbed them to the heart with their daggers, and carried their bloodstained shirts along with them to the Tigh Dige. These shirts the stepmother ultimately secured through the strategy of one of her husband"s retainers, who at once proceeded with them to the boys" grandfather, Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, at Kinellan or Brahan.
Hector Roy started immediately, carrying the bloodstained shirts along with him as evidence of the atrocious deed, to report the murder to the King at Edinburgh. His Majesty on hearing of the crime granted Hector a commission of fire and sword against the murderers of his nephews, and gave him a Crown charter to the lands of Gairloch in his own favour dated 1494. The a.s.sa.s.sins were soon afterwards slain at a hollow still pointed out between Porthenderson and South Erradale, nearly opposite the northern end of the Island of Raasay, where their graves are yet to be seen, quite fresh and green, among the surrounding heather. [Mackenzie"s "History of the Macleods," pp. 342, 343.]
One of the family historians says that this was the first step that Hector Roy got to Gairloch. His brother-in-law, Allan Macleod, gave him the custody of their rights, but when he found his nephews were murdered, he took a new gift of it to himself, and going to Gairloch with a number of Kintail men and others, he took a heirschip with him, but such as were alive of the Siol "ille Challum of Gairloch, followed him and fought him at a place called Glasleoid, but they being beat Hector carried away the heirschip. After this and several other skirmishes they were content to allow him the two-thirds of Gairloch, providing he would let themselves possess the other third in peace, which he did, and they kept possession till Hector"s great-grandchild put them from it." [Ancient MS.]
The Earl of Cromarty, and other MS. historians of the family fully corroborate this. The Earl says that Hector, incited to revenge by the foul murder of his nephews, made some attempts to oust the Macleods from Gairloch during John of Killin"s minority, but was not willing to engage in war with such a powerful chief as Macleod of Lewis, while he felt himself insecure in his other possessions, but after arranging matters amicably with his nephew of Kintail, and now being master of a fortune and possessions suitable to his mind and quality, he resolved to avenge the murder and to "make it productive of his own advantage." He summoned all those who were accessory to the a.s.sa.s.sination of his sister"s children before the Chief Justice. Their well grounded fears made them absent themselves from Court. Hector produced the b.l.o.o.d.y shirts of the murdered boys, whereupon the murderers were declared fugitives and outlaws, and a commission granted in his favour for their pursuit, "which he did so resolutely manage that in a short time he killed many, preserved some to justice, and forced the remainder to a composition advantageous to himself. His successors, who were both active and prudent men, did thereafter acquire the rest from their unthrifty neighbours." The greatest defeat that Hector ever gave to the Macleods "was at Bealach Glasleoid, near Kintail, where most of them were taken or killed." At this fight Duncan Mor na Tuaighe, who so signally distinguished himself at Blar-na-Pairc, was present with Hector, and on being told that four men were together attacking his son Dugal, he indifferently replied, "Well, if he be my son there is no hazard for that," a remark which turned out quite true, for the hero killed the four Macleods, and came off himself without any serious wounds. [Duncan in his old days was very a.s.sisting to Hector, Gairloch"s predecessor, against the Macleods of Gairloch, for he, with his son Dugal, who was a strong, prudent, and courageous man, with ten or twelve other Kintailmen, were alwise, upon the least advertis.e.m.e.nt, ready to go and a.s.sist Hector, whenever, wherever, and in whatever he had to do, for which cause there has been a friendly correspondence betwixt the family of Gairloch and the MacRas of Kintail, which still continues." - "Genealogy of the MacRas."]
The ma.s.sacre of Island Isay followed a considerable time after this, and its object was very much the same as the murder of Loch Tolly, although carried out by a different a.s.sa.s.sin. Ruairidh "Nimhneach" Macleod, son of Allan "Mac Ruairdh" of Gairloch, and nephew of the Loch Tolly a.s.sa.s.sins, determined not only to remove the children of John Mor na Tuaighe, brother of Alexander Macleod, II. of Raasay, by Janet Mackenzie of Kintail, but also to destroy the direct line of the Macleods of Raasay, and thus open up the succession to John na Tuaighe"s son by his second wife, Roderick Nimhneach"s sister, and failing him, to Roderick"s own son Allan.
By this connection it would, he thought, be easier for him to attain repossession of the lands of Gairloch, from which his family was driven by the Mackenzies.
Roderick"s name appears as "Rory Mac Allan, alias Nevymnauch,"
in a decree-arbitral by the Regent Earl of Murray between Donald Macdonald, V. of Sleat, and Colin Mackenzie, XI. of Kintail, dated at Perth, the 1st of August, 1569, in terms of which Macdonald becomes responsible for Roderick and undertakes that he and his kin shall "desist and cease troubling, molesting, harming or invasion of the said Laird of Gairloch"s lands and rowmes, possessions, tenants, servants, and goods, while on the other hand Kintail shall see to it that Torquil Cononach shall cease to do the same in all respects to Macdonald"s lands." In 1586 Roderick is described as "of Lochgair," but another person is named in the same doc.u.ment as "Macleud, heritor of the lands of Gairloch," which proves that Roderick Nimhneach was not the actual proprietor of even the small portion of that district which was still left to his family. He was the second son, and one of the objects of the ma.s.sacre on Island Isay was to cut off his father"s only surviving son and heir by his first wife - a daughter of Mackenzie of Kintail - who escaped the previous ma.s.sacre on the Island of Loch Tolly.
With the view of cutting off the legitimate male representation of his own Macleod relatives of Gairloch and of Raasay, he invited all the members of both families, and most of them accepted the invitation. Roderick on their arrival feasted them sumptuously at a great banquet. In the middle of the festivities he informed them of his desire to have each man"s advice separately, and that he would after-wards make known to them the important business which had to be considered, and which closely concerned each of them. He then retired into a separate apartment, and called them in one by one, when they were each, as they entered, stabbed with dirks through the body by a set of murderous savages whom he had engaged and posted inside the room for the purpose. Not one of the family of Raasay was left alive, except a boy nine years of age, who was being fostered from home, and who had been sent privately by his foster-father, when the news of the ma.s.sacre became known, to the laird of Calder, who kept him in safety during his minority. He afterwards obtained possession of Raasay, and became known as Gillecallum Garbh MacGillechallum. Macleod of Gairloch"s sons, by Hector Roy"s sister, were all murdered. Roderick took his own nephew to the room where, walking with his brutal relative, he heard one of his half-brothers cry on being stabbed by the a.s.sa.s.sin"s dirk, and saying "Yon"s my brother"s cry." "Hold your peace," Rory replied, "yonder cry is to make you laird of Gairloch; he is the son of one of Mackenzie"s daughters." The boy, fearing that his own life might be sacrificed, held his tongue, "but afterwards he did what in him lay in revenging the cruel death of his brothers and kinsmen on the murtherers." [Ancient MS.]
In acknowledgment of the King"s favour, Hector gathered his followers in the west, joined his nephew, John of Killin, with his va.s.sals, and fought, in command of the clan, at the disastrous battle of Flodden, from which both narrowly escaped but most of their followers were slain. Some time after his return home he successfully fought the desperate skirmish at Druim-a-chait, already referred to, pp. 114-118, with 140 men against 700 of the Munros, Dingwalls, MacCullochs, and other clans under the command of William Munro of Fowlis, on which occasion Sheriff Va.s.s of Lochslinn was killed at a bush near Dingwall, "called to this day Preas Sandy Va.s.s,"
or Alex. Va.s.s"s bush, a name a.s.signed to it for that very cause.
[Gairloch MS.]
Hector, during his life, granted to his nephew, John of Killin, his own half of Kintail, the lands of Kinellan, Fairburn, Wester Brahan, and other possessions situated in the Low Country, which brought his son John Gla.s.sich afterwards into trouble.
[Gairloch MS.]
Hector Roy was betrothed to a daughter of the Laird of Grant - probably Sir Duncan, who flourished from 1434 to 1485 - but she died before the marriage was solemnised. He, however, had a son by her called Hector Cam, he being blind of an eye, to whom he gave Achterneed and Culte Leod, now Castle Leod, as his patrimony. Hector Cam married a daughter of Mackay of Farr, ancestor of Lord Reay, by whom he had two sons Alexander Roy and Murdo. ["These were both succeeded by the son of Alexander, a slothful man, who dotingly bestowed his estate on his foster child. Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach, in detriment to his own children, though very deserving of them, Captain Hector Mackenzie, late of Dumbarton"s Regiment, and also a tribe in the Eastern circuit of Ross, surnamed, from one of their progenitors, Mac Eanin, i.e., the descendants of John the Fair." - "Gairloch MS." Another MS. gives the additional names of - "Richard Mackenzie, vintner in Edinburgh, grandson of Alexander Mackenzie of Calder, Midlothian; Duncan Mackenzie, an eminent gunsmith in London; and James Mackenzie, gunsmith in Dundee."
It also adds that of the successors of the Mac Eanins in Easter Ross, were "Master Alexander Mackenzie, an Episcopal minister in Edinburgh; and preceptor to the children of the present n.o.ble family of Cromarty, whose son is Charles Mackenzie, clerk to Mr David Munro of Meikle Allan."] Alexander married a daughter of John Mor na Tuaighe MacGillechallum, a brother of Macleod of Raasay, by whom she had a son, Hector, who lived at Kinellan, and was nicknamed the Bishop. This Hector married a daughter of Macleod of Raasay, and left a large family, one of the daughters being afterwards married to Murdo Mackenzie, V. of Achilty, without issue.
Hector Cam"s second son, Murdo, married a daughter of Murdoch Buy Matheson of Lochalsh, with issue - Lachlan, known as "Lachlainn Mac Mhurchaidh Mhic Eachainn," who married a daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, III. of Achilty, with issue - Murdoch, who married a daughter of Alexander Ross of Cuilich and Alastair, who married a daughter of William MacCulloch of Park.
Hector Roy, after the death of Grant of Grant"s daughter, married his cousin Anne, daughter of Ra.n.a.ld MacRa.n.a.ld, generally known as Ra.n.a.ld Ban Macdonald, V. of Moydart and Clanra.n.a.ld. Her brother Dougal was a.s.sa.s.sinated and his sons formally excluded from the succession, when the estate and command of the clan were given to his nephew Alexander, "portioner," of Moydart, whose son, John Moydartach afterwards succeeded and became the famous Captain of Clanra.n.a.ld Gregory says, however, that "Allan, the eldest son of Dougal, and the undoubted heir male of Clanra.n.a.ld, acquired the estate of Morar, which he transmitted to his descendants. He and his successors were always styled "MacDhughail Mhorair," that is MacDougal of Morar, from their ancestor Dougal MacRa.n.a.ld." This quite explains the various designations by which these Moydart and Clanra.n.a.ld ladies who had married into the Gairloch family have been handed down to us. Anne was the widow of William Dubh Macleod, VII. of Harris, Dunvegan, and Glenelg, by whom she had an only daughter, who, by Hector Roy"s influence at Court, was married to Rory Mor of Achaghluineachan, ancestor of the Mackenzies of Fairburn and Achilty, after she bad by her future husband a natural son, Murdoch, who became progenitor of the family of Fairburn. By this marriage with Anne of Moydart and Clanra.n.a.ld Hector Roy had issue -
1. John Gla.s.sich, his heir and successor.
2. Kenneth of Meikle Allan, now Allangrange, who married a daughter of Alexander Dunbar of Kilbuyack, and widow of Allan Mackenzie, II. of Hilton, with issue - (1) Hector, who married an a.s.synt lady, with issue - Hector Og, who was killed at Raasay, in 1611, unmarried; and three daughters, the eldest of whom married, as her second husband, John, son of Alastair Roy, natural son of John Gla.s.sich, with issue - Bishop Murdoch Mackenzie of Moray and Orkney, and several other sons. Hector"s second daughter married "Tormod Mac Ean Lleaye" - Norman, son of John Liath Macrae - who, according to the traditions of the country, took such a prominent part against the Macleods at that period - and a brother of the celebrated archers Domhull Odhar and lain Odhar mic Ian Leith, of whose prowess the reader will learn more presently. The third daughter married Duncan, son of John, son of Alastair Roy, son of John Gla.s.sich, II. of Gairloch. (2) Angus, who married, with issue - Kenneth, who left an only daughter, who married her cousin, Murdo Mac Ian, son of Alastair Roy.
3. John Tuach of Davochpollo, who married with issue - a son, John, who died without lawful issue.
4. Dougal Roy, who inherited Scatwell, and was killed in a family feud in 1550, and
Three daughters, who married respectively, Bayne of Tulloch, John Aberach Mackay, and Hugh Bayne Fraser of Bunchrew, a natural son of Thomas, fourth Lord Lovat, killed at Blar-na-Leine, ancestor of the Frasers of Reelick.
He had also a son, John Beg, who was according to some authorities illegitimate, from whom descended several Mackenzies who settled in Berwick and Alloa.
Hector Roy died in 1528. On the 8th of September in that year, a grant is recorded to Sir John Dingwall, "Provost of Trinity College, beside Edinburgh, of the ward of the lands of Gairloch, which pertained to the umquhile Achinroy Mackenzie." He was succeeded by his eldest lawful son,
II. JOHN GLa.s.sICH MACKENZIE, who, from the above quoted doc.u.ment, appears to have been a minor at his father"s death. His retour of service cannot be found, but an instrument of sasine, dated the 24th of June, 1536, in his favour, is in the Gairloch charter chest, wherein he is designated "John Hector-son," and in which he is said to be the heir, served and retoured, of his father, Hector Roy Mackenzie, in the lands of Gairloch, and the grazings of Glasletter and Coirre-nan-Cuilean. He is said to have objected to his father"s liberality during his life in granting, at the expense of his successors, to his nephew, John of Kuhn, so much of his patrimonial possessions. According to the Gairloch MS.
already quoted Hector gave him his own half of Kintail, as well as Kinellan, Fairburn, Wester Brahan, and "other possessions in the Low Country besides." John thought these donations far too exorbitant, and he "sought to retrench them by recovering in part what with so much profusion his father had given away, and for that, a feud having ensued betwixt him and his Chief, he was surprised in his house by night, according to the barbarous manner of the times, and sent prisoner to Iland Downan, and there taken away by poison in A.D. l550. His brother Dugal, who sided with him, and John (Beg), his natural brother, were both slain in the same quarrel."
[Gairloch MS. Another MS. says that his other brother, John Tuach, was a.s.sa.s.sinated the same night.]
A bond, dated 1544, has been preserved, to which John Gla.s.sich"s name, along with others, is adhibited, undertaking to keep the peace, and promising obedience to Kenneth, younger of Kintail (Kenneth na Cuirc), as the Queen"s Lieutenant. [Spalding Club Miscellany, vol. iv. p.213.] John"s obedience does not appear, however, to have been very complete. Kintail having, according to another authority, received information of John Gla.s.sich"s intention to recover if possible part of the property given away by his father, sent for him to Brahan, where he went, accompanied by a single attendant, John Gearr. The chief charged him with these designs against him, and John"s denials proving unsatisfactory, Kintail caused him to be apprehended. John Gearr, seeing this, and feeling that his master had been treacherously dealt with, drew his two handed sword and made a fierce onslaught on the chief who sat at the head of the table, but smartly bowed his head under it, or it would have been cloven asunder. John Gearr was instantly seized by Mackenzie"s guards, who threatened to tear him to pieces, but the chief, admiring his fidelity, charged them not to touch him. John Gearr, on being questioned why he had struck at Mackenzie and took no notice of those who apprehended his master, boldly replied that he "saw no one else present whose life was a worthy exchange for that of his own chief." John"s sword made a deep gash in the table, and the mark, which was deep enough to admit of a hand being placed edgeways in it, remained until Colin, first Earl of Seaforth, caused the piece to be cut off, saying that "he loved no such remembrance of the quarrels of his relations."
John Gla.s.sich, it would appear, was not unduly circ.u.mspect at home, or a very dutiful and loyal subject to his King. In 1547 his estate was forfeited for refusing to join the Royal Standard, and the escheat thereof granted to the Earl of Sutherland, as will be seen by the following letter in favour of that n.o.bleman:
"A letter made to John, Earl of Sutherland, his heirs, a.s.signs, one or more, the gift of all goods moveable and unmoveable, debts, tacks, steadings, corns, and obligations, sums of money, gold, silver, coined and uncoined, and other goods whatsoever which pertained to John Hectors - son of Gairloch, and now pertaining to our Sovereign Lady by reason of escheat through the said John"s remaining and biding at home from the "oist" and army devised to convene at Peebles, the 10th day of July instant, for recovering of the house of Langholm furth of our enemies" hands of England, in contrary to the tenour of the letters and proclamations made thereupon, incurred therethrough the pains contained thereuntil, or any otherwise shall happen to pertain to us our Sovereign by reason foresaid with power, etc. At Saint Andrews the 23rd day of July, the year of G.o.d, 1547 years." [Reg. Sec. Sig., xxi. fol.
316.]
There is no trace of the reversal of this forfeiture. It does not, however, appear to have affected the succession. Indeed it is not likely that it even affected the actual possession, for it was not easy even for the Earl of Sutherland, though supported by the Royal authority to wield any real power in such an out-of-the-way region in those days as John Gla.s.sich"s possessions in the west.
It has been already stated that, in 1551, the Queen granted to John Mackenzie, IX. of Kintail, and his heir, Kenneth na Cuirc, a remission for the violent taking of John Gla.s.sich, Dougal, and John Tuach, his brothers, and for keeping them in prison, thus usurping "therethrough our Sovereign Lady"s authority." None of them is spoken of in this remission as being then deceased, though tradition and the family MS. history have it that John Gla.s.sich was poisoned or starved to death at Ellandonnan Castle in 1550. [One of the family MSS. says that by his marriage "he got the lands of Kinkell, Kilbokie, Badinearb, Pitlundie, Davochcairn, Davochpollo, and Foynish, with others in the Low Country, for which the family has been in the use to quarter the arm of Fraser with their own.
This John, becoming considerably rich and powerful by those different acquisitions, became too odious to and envied by John, Laird of Mackenzie, and his son Kenneth then married to Stewart, Earl of Atholes daughter, that they set upon him, having previously invited him to a Christmas dinner, having got no other pretence than a fit of jealousy on account of the said Earl"s daughter, bound him with ropes and carried him a prisoner to Islandownan, where his death was occasioned by poison administered to him in a mess of milk soup by one MacCalman, a clergyman and Deputy-Constable of the Fort."] It is, however, probable that Kintail considered it wise to conceal John"s death until the remission had been already secured. Only six weeks after the date of the "respitt" John Gla.s.sich is referred to in the Privy Council Records, under date of 25th July, 1551, as the "omquhile (or late) John McCanze of Gairlocht," his lands having then been given in ward to the Earl of Athole, "Ay and till the lawful entry of the righteous heir or heirs thereto, being of lawful age." [Reg. Sec. Con., vol. xxiv., fol. 84.]
Although Hector obtained a charter of the lands of Gairloch in 1494, the Macleods continued for a time to hold possession of a considerable part of it. According to the traditions of the district they had all to the east and south-east of the Crasg, a hill situated on the west side of the churchyard of Gairloch, between the present Free and Established Churches. At the east end of the Big Sand, on a high and easily defended rock, stood the last stronghold occupied by the Macleods in Gairloch - to this day known as the "Dun" or Fort. The foundation is still easily traced. It must have been a place of consider-able importance, for it is over 200 feet in circ.u.mference. Various localities are still pointed out in Gairloch where desperate skirmishes were fought between the Macleods and the Mackenzies. Several of these spots, where the slain were buried, look quite green to this day.
The "Fraoch Eilean," opposite Leac-na-Saighid, where a naval engagement was fought, is a veritable cemetery of Macleods, ample evidence of which is yet to be seen. Of this engagement, and of those at Glasleoid, Lochan-an-Fheidh, Leac-na-Saighid, Kirkton, and many others, thrilling accounts are still recited by a few old men in the district; especially of the prowess of Domh"ull Odhar Mac Ian Leith, and the other Kintail heroes who were mainly instrumental in establishing the Mackenzies of Gairloch permanently and in undisputed possession of their beautiful and romantic inheritance.
John Gla.s.sich married Janet Agnes, daughter of James Fraser of Phoineas, brother of Hugh, sixth Lord Lovat (with whom he got the Barony of Inchlag, etc.), with issue -
1. Hector, his heir and successor.
2. Alexander, who succeeded his brother Hector.
3. John, who succeeded Alexander.
4. A daughter, who married John Mackenzie, II. of Loggie, with issue.
John Gla.s.sich"s widow married, secondly, Thomas Chisholm, XV. of Chisholm, without issue male.
He had also two natural sons before his marriage, Alexander Roy and Hector Caol.
Alexander Roy had a son John, who lived at Coirre Mhic Cromaill in Torridon, and who had a son, the Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie, Chaplain to Lord Reay"s Regiment in the Bohemian and Swedish service, under Gustavus Adolphus. He was afterwards minister of Contin, Inverness, and Elgin, and subsequently Bishop of Moray and of Orkney in succession. His family and descendants are dealt with under a separate heading - MACKENZIES OF GROUNDWATER.
Hector Caol left a numerous tribe in Gairloch, still known as Clann Eachainn Chaoil, and said to be distinguished by their long and slender legs.
John Gla.s.sich, who was a.s.sa.s.sinated in 1550, as already stated, at Ellandonnan Castle, was buried in the Priory of Beauly, and succeeded by his eldest lawful son,
III. HECTOR MACKENZIE. He has a sasine, dated the 6th May, 1563, [Gairloch Charter Chest,] in which he is described as "Achyne Johannis MacAchyne," and bearing that the lands had been in non-entry for 12 years, thus carrying back the date of his succession to 1551, when the estate was given in ward to John, fourth of the Stewart Earls of Athole. Hector died - probably killed, like his brother - without issue, on the 3rd of September, 1566, and was buried at Beauly, when he was succeeded by his next lawful brother,
ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who has a retour, dated the 2nd of December, 1566, [Ing. Retour Reg., vol. i., fol. 22, and "Origines Parochiales Scotiae,"] as heir to "Hector his brother-german," in the lands of Gairloch, namely, "Gairloch, Kirktoun, Syldage, Hamgildail, Malef.a.ge, Innerasfidill, Sandecorran, Cryf, Baddichro, Bein-Sanderis, Meall, Allawdall, with the pasturage of Glaslettir and Cornagullan, in the Earldom of Ross, of the old extent of L8;" but not to any of the other lands which Hector Roy left to his descendants. Alexander did not long possess the estates, for he died - to all appearance a.s.sa.s.sinated - a few weeks after he succeeded, without making up t.i.tles. It is, therefore, not thought necessary to count him as one of the Barons of Gairloch.
It is probable that the brothers, Hector and Alexander, met with the same violent death as their father and uncles, John Gla.s.sich, John Tuach, and John Beg and by the same authors. This is according to tradition, and an old MS., which says that their mother Agnes Fraser fled with John Roy "to Lovat and her Fraser relatives,"
adds as to the fate of his brothers that "In those days many acts of oppression were committed that could not be brought to fair tryales befor the Legislator." "She was afterwards married to Chisholm of Comar, and heired his family; here she kept him in as concealed a manner as possible, and, as is reported, every night under a brewing kettle, those who, through the barbarity of the times, destroyed his father and uncles, being in search of the son, and in possession of his all excepting his mother"s dower. He was afterwards concealed by the Lairds of Moydart and of Farr, till he became a handsome man and could put on his weapon, when he had the resolution to wait on Colin Cam Mackenzie, Laird of Kintail, a most worthy gentleman, who established him in all his lands, excepting those parts of the family estate for which Hector and his successors had an undoubted right by writs."
Hector was succeeded by his next brother,
IV. JOHN ROY MACKENZIE, John Gla.s.sich"s third son, who was at the time a minor, although his father had been dead for 15 or 16 years; and the estate was given in ward by Queen Mary in 1567.
She "granted in heritage to John Bannerman of Cardeyne, the ward of the lands and rents belonging to the deceased Hector Makkenych, of Gairloch, with the relief of the same when it should occur and the marriage of John Roy Makkenych, the brotherand apparent heir of Hector." ["Origines Parochiales Scotiae" p. 406, and Reg.
Sec. Sig., vol. x.x.xvi. fol. 6.] In 1569, John, being then of "lauchful age," is served and retoured heir to his brother-german, Hector, in the lands of Gairloch [Ing. Retour Reg., vol. i., fol. 22, and "Origines Parochiales Scotiae."] as specified in the service of 1566, pa.s.sing over Alexander, no doubt because he never made up t.i.tles. This retour of 1569 gives the date of Hector"s death as 30th September, 1566. In 1574 John has a sasine which bears that the lands had been seven and a half years in non-entry, taking it back to the date of Hector"s death, three months before the gift of the ward to John Bannerman. He, in the same year, acquired half the lands of Ardnagrask from Lord Lovat, partly in exchange for the rights he inherited in Phoineas from his mother, and he is described by his Lordship in the disposition as "the son, by her first husband, of his kinswoman Agnes Fraser."
From this it may be a.s.sumed that John Gla.s.sich"s widow had during her life made over her own rights to her son or that she had in the meantime died.