History Of The Mackenzies [89]
could have been the wife of one who lived in the early years of the seventeenth Century. She must have been Kenneth's granddaughter, as above described, a daughter of John of Kuhn. This view is corroborated by a decree arbitral in 1554, in which Torquil Cononach is called the oy (ogha, or grandson) of John Mackenzie:--Acts and Decreets of Session, X., folio 201. The Roderick Macleod who married, probably as his second wife, Agnes, daughter of Kenneth a Bhlair, was Roderick Macleod, seventh of Lewis, who died some time after his father early in the sixteenth century.] Roderick Macleod married secondly, in 1541, Barbara Stewart, daughter of Andrew, Lord Avandale, with issue--Torquil Oighre or the Heir, who died unmarried before his father, having been drnwned along with a large number of others while on a voyage in his birlinn, between Lewis and Skye. Macleod married thirdly a daughter or Hector Og, XIII., and sister of Sir Lachlan Maclean, XIV., of Duart, by whom he had two sons--Torquil Dubh, whom he named as his heir and successor, and Tormod, known as Tormod Og. Torquil Cononach, now designated "of Coigeach," married Margaret, daughter of Angus Macdonald, VII. of Glengarry, and widow of Cuthbert of Castlehill, Inverness, who bore him two sons--John and Neil--and five daughters and, raising as many men as would accompany him, he, with the assistance of two of his natural brothers-Tormod and Murdoch-started for the Lewis to vindicate his rights as legitimate heir to the island. He defeated his father, and confined him in the Castle of Stornoway for four years, when he was finally obliged to acknowledge Torquil Cononach as his lawful son and successor. The bastards now quarrelled among themselves. Donald killed Tormod Uigeach. Murdoch, in resentment, seized Donald and carried him to Coigeach; but he afterwards escaped and complained to old Rory, who was highly offended at Murdoch for seizing and with Torquil Cononach for detaining Donald. Roderick ordered Murdoch to be apprehended and confined to his own old quarters in the Castle of Stornoway. Torquil Cononach again returned to the Lewis, reduced the castle, liberated Murdoch, again confined his father, and killed many of his followers, at the same time carrying off all the writs and charters, and depositing them for safety with his uncle, Mackenzie of Kintail. He had meanwhile left his son John (who had been in the service of Huntly, and whom he now called home) in charge of the castle, and in possession of the Lewis. He imprudently banished his natural uncles, Donald and Rory Og, out of the island. Rory Og soon after returned with a considerable number of followers; attacked his nephew, Torquil Cononach's son John, in Stornoway, killed him, and released his own father, old Roderick, who was allowed after this to possess the island in peace during the remainder of his life. "Thus was the Siol Torquil weakened, by private dissensions, and exposed to fall a prey, as it did soon afterwards, to the growing power of the Mackenzies."
In 1594 Alexander Bayne, younger of Tulloch, granted a charter of the lands of Rhindoun in favour of Colin Mackenzie of Kintail and his heirs male, proceeding on a contract of sale between them, dated 10th of March, 1574. On the 10th of July in the same year there is "a contract of alienation" of these lands by the same Colin Mackenzie of Kintail in favour of Roderick Mackenzie of Ardafillie (Redcastle), his brother-german, and his heirs male. A charter implementing this contract is dated the 20th of October following, by which the lands are to be holden blench and for relieving Kintail of the feu-duty and services payable to his superiors." These lands are, in 1625, resigned by Murdoch Mackenzie of Redcastle into the hands of Colin, second Earl of Seaforth, the immediate lawful superior thereof, for new infeftments to be granted to Roderick Mackenzie, his second lawful son. (Writs and Evidents of Lands of Rhindoun. Antiquarian Notes, pp. 172-73.)
Colin, in addition to his acquisitions
In 1594 Alexander Bayne, younger of Tulloch, granted a charter of the lands of Rhindoun in favour of Colin Mackenzie of Kintail and his heirs male, proceeding on a contract of sale between them, dated 10th of March, 1574. On the 10th of July in the same year there is "a contract of alienation" of these lands by the same Colin Mackenzie of Kintail in favour of Roderick Mackenzie of Ardafillie (Redcastle), his brother-german, and his heirs male. A charter implementing this contract is dated the 20th of October following, by which the lands are to be holden blench and for relieving Kintail of the feu-duty and services payable to his superiors." These lands are, in 1625, resigned by Murdoch Mackenzie of Redcastle into the hands of Colin, second Earl of Seaforth, the immediate lawful superior thereof, for new infeftments to be granted to Roderick Mackenzie, his second lawful son. (Writs and Evidents of Lands of Rhindoun. Antiquarian Notes, pp. 172-73.)
Colin, in addition to his acquisitions