520 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1904.

IV. AN ACCOUN E ABERAOH-MACKATH F TO Y BANNER EXHIBITEW NO , D E NATIONATH N I L MUSEUM REVY B .. MACKAY.A , WESTERDALE MANSE, HALKIKK.

The earliest reference to the Aberach-Mackay Banner of which we have any knowledge, meantime, is in the article on Tongue parish in e Firstth Statistical Account, written abou e tEev th 179 . y b 2Wm . Mackenzie, and is as follows :— " There is a cave in tlie rock upon which the Castle [Varrich, near Tongue] is built called Leabuidh Evin Abaruich, i.e. John of 's bed, whither he is said to have retired in times of danger. A family of Mackays is descended fro mreportee ar him d an , d stil havo t l thein ei r possessio s bannernhi , with the motto wrought in golden letters, Biodh treun—Biodh treun, i.e. Be valiant." The writer of this article was inducted minister of Tongue in 1769, and laboure n thai d t parish s deattilhi l n 1834i h t beforbu ;s hi e settlement at Tongue he was minister at Achness on from 1766 to 1769, as we are informed by his descendant, James Macdonald, Esq., W.S., Edinburgh s lond intimatHi gan . e acquaintance wite th h Mackays both on Strathnaver—where he had a daughter married and settled—and at Tongue, Lord 's seat, coupled with his taste for family lore, as we gather from Sage's Memorabilia Domestica, give considerable weight to his passing reference to the Aberach-Mackay banner. When he says that the banner of John Aberach was then e possessioth reporten s descendantsi t hi relatine b f bu no s o d t gwa e h , whas traditionallwa t y believed durin e latteth g e 18trth h half o f century, viz., that this e bannebattle-flath s wa r f Joho g n Aberacho wh , Mackaye th e battld th le f Druim-nan-Cout o sa e n 143i pd becam an 3 e progenitoe th e Aberach-Mackaysth f o r e banne Th s occasione. ha r da Gaelic proverb known throughou norte th tf Sutherlandho dailn i d y an , use among Strathnaver people at the present day. When a Strathnaver man would expres n Gaelisi e ideth ca conveye e Englisth n di h saying hills,e th invariable s "h a d ol "s a y use phrase th s e cho seann i bratachr ABERACH-MACKAY BANNER. 521 e Aberacth s a n hAbraehd ol na banner) s (a e banne Th . r whics i h shown to be very old by this Gaelic proverb, is made to date from the earlie e 15trth hal hf o f centur e traditioth n i y n recorde Eeve th .y db Win. Mackenzie; while both prover d traditioan b n agre n sayini e g that it was the flag of the Aberach-Mackays. Housee th d Clan n I an f Mackay, o publishe n 1829i d e historiath , n relates1 thaAberace th t h " family-colours " wer e possessioe th the n i n n Aberachn oa f , residin t Thursoga , e Highlandercalleth y b d s Hutfheon na Brataicli (Hugh of the banner). Both in the body of the book and e genealogicath n i l account e showh , s that thi e lineas th Hug s l wa h descendant of Neil Williamsoii Mackay, who was killed at Thurso in 1649. He also states that the said Neil obtained possession of the said family colours, which rightfully pertaine s unclhi o edt Murdo Mackay, the Aberach chieftain, and that in consequence of this act of usurpa- tion d feelin ba s ,engendere wa g d between uncl d nephewan e t thabu , t s descendanthi Neid an l s continue retaio t d bannee th n r henceforward. From thi t appearsi s thae banneth t r descended linea,lly from fatheo t r son, and was always possessed by the Aberach chieftain for the time being until shortly before 1649, when it passed into the possession of Neil Mackay. This also agrees with traditions among Strathnaver people presenth t a e t day. offee e followinW th r g explanatio e transferencth f no e banneth f o e r from the family of Murdo the chieftain to that of Neil his nephew. The Eeay family and its adherents supported the falling cause of Charles I. and Charles II., while the family and its adherents adopte opposite dth winnind ean gresula sides f thiA o t . s unfortunate fatad an l policy estate th , Donaldf eo , Lord Eeay, becam impoverisheo es d that the lands of Strathnaver and others were appreysed for debt, and charters over them were obtained by adherents of the house of Suther- Aberach-Mackayse th and.t Bu c claimeo wh , uppee dth r hal f Stratho f - naver as theirs in virtue of the grant2 obtained by their progenitor

1 History House e o th fCland an of Mackay, . 288p . 2 Vide Earldom of Sutherland, p. 66. 522 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1904.

fro eldes mhi r brother Neil Vass about 1437, energetically resistee dth filching of what they considered their property. In this struggle Neil Mackay, nephew of the chieftain, was the leading spirit so long as he lived afted s fal an ,1649n hi ri l e conflicth , continues wa ts sons. hi y 1db In these circumstances it was but natural that Neil and his sons should possess.themselves of the banner, as they were the virtual leaders of the Aberach-Mackays. But it is also quite likely that this caused some friction between them and the family of the chieftain. The writer of this paper was born and brought up at the foot of Strathnaver, was intimately acquainted with old people who had been driven from the heights of the Strath in consequence of the " Sutherland clearances " in the second decade of last century, and was frequently an interested auditor of their tales and traditions. Many of them never read the History of the House and Clan of Mackay, but they were unanimou n sayini s g thae Aberach th a tbanner d d thaha an s, t this banne safels wa r y preserve t Thnrsda o durin e seventiegth f laso s t century. Of this they had no doubt at all. To one of these old people, William Mackay, army pensioner, Dalcharn, muse w , t make more particular reference. William Mackay was born in Strathnaver in 1797, joined the 78th or Boss-shire Highlanders in 1823, and after an army service of twenty- two years, settle t Dalcharda 1845n ni , wher diee e h 1893n di . Donald Mackay , e saifatheth d f o Williamr , marrie s firshi ts a n dwif An e Mackay, siste f Hatcheono r a Brataich,n t Willia bu a chil s f o dmwa Donald's second marriage. As William, the pensioner was a near neigh- bour of ours, we knew him intimately; and he often used to tell us that for two years before he joined the army he resided at Whitefield, near Thurso, with his kinsman, commissary Donald Macleod, a first cousin of Hutcheon na Brataich. During these years, between 1821 and 1823, Hutcheon Brataic.lia n welcoma s wa honoured ean d visito t Whitefieldra , bannee th William d w t differena r an sa tol e , h dus s a , t times n 184I . 2

r furtheFo 1 r particular f thio s s strugglr Genealogicaou e se e l Accoune th f o t Aberach-Mackay Booke Th n si o f Mackay. ABERACH-MACKAY BANNER. 523

William returned home on furlough, called at Thurso by the way, and was again shown the banner by Hugh Angus Mackay, nephew of Hutcheon na BrataicJi, in whose possession it then was. When in 1881 Hugh Angus, the said nephew, died at Thurso unmarried, William the pensione vers wa ry anxiou securo st e banneeth d solicitean r r helou dp o thit t si passe t endbu d, shortly afterwards inte possessioth o f o n Alexander Mackay, assessor for the county of . The assessor die t Thursoda , 15th January 1895, leavin issueo gtowardn d an , close sth e of 189 e administratorth 7 s estathi f eo s hande e banneth d r over into the custody of the Society, who in turn deposited it for preservatio e Edinburgth n i n h Antiquarian Museum, whert i e now rests. Eeve Th . Wm. Mackenzie, writin 179gn i 2 from information gathereo dn doubt whe labouree nh t Achnesda s between 176d 1769an 6 , gavs hi e testimon alreads ya ythue quotedar se warranteW . concludinn di g that the banner was treasured by the Aberachs about the middle of the eight- eenth century as the genuine flag of John Aberach, and dating back to the first half of the fifteenth century. In 1829 the historian of the HOUSK and Clan of Mackay states that this banne e possessio s th the n wa ri n f o n Hutcheon na Brataich at Thurso, and in more recent times the testimony of William the pensioner links us back to that of the historian. Among other traditions William the pensioner told us that this banner was carried nearld an , Aberache y th lost y b fierca , n si e encounter which they had on Strathnaver with the Sliochd Ean Ruaidh, another family of the Clan Mackay. This we take to be the battle above Syre, to which Sir Robert Gordon refers in his Earldom of Sutherland; and as it was in reveng slaughtee th f eo f Williao r Mackayg mBe , kille t Durnesda s about 1579, it must have happened in that or in the following year. If this traditio e genuinenb t i carrie, s bacu s o tht k e chieftain Neil Mac-Ean Mac-William, grandfathe killes wa t f ThursoJSTeia do o r wh ld great an , - great-grandso f Johno n Aberach y pedigre shale givw ke W ea no l. f o e the possessors of the Aberach-Mackay banner from the progenitor of the family downwards. 524 PKOCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MA , 9 1904Y .

KEY PEDIGREE OF THE POSSESSORS OF THE ABERACH BANNER. . JohI n Aberaoh Maokay, fought- iu 143 t Drnim-Nan-Cou3a p

I . Wm II , foughDu . t at— John Hector Aldycharish 1487

HI. Win., k. at Loch— Donald, also k. Salchie 1517 at Loch Salchie

I I IV. John, witnessed a Sas. — Thomas Gavin Niel of Langdale 1548

I V. Neil MacEan Mac William, witnessed- aSas. 1571

I . MurdoVI , marriage con- Robert Niel William Mor— tract dated 1615 I A quo the chieftains

VII. Niel Williamson, k. - John t a Thurso 1649

VIII. Robert Niel son,— Niel Hugh John Donald criminal letters taken out against 1667

IX. Niel MacRobert of Glib-— Wm.' Mor John Wm. MacRobert rig, witnesse a dSas . of Arnabnll 1709

X. Robert MacNiel in— Kinloch . 176c , 0

I XI. Hutcheo Brataica nN n hi Robert— Captain Angus n 182i Tlmrso 0 98 e ag ,

XII. Hugh Angus Mackay, t Thursda . o 1881 ABERAOH-MACKAY BANNEK. 525

bannee f whitTh o s i re silk—henc name th e e Bratach Bhan (white banner whicy b )sometimes i t hi s known—an tatterea n i s di d condition. It is very evidently a fragment of its former self. Its length is only abou s inchesbreadt6 it 3 t d an ,h abou inches—0 2 t o smala to siz r l efa for a battle flag. It will be observed that the shield and crest are not now correctly relatehoiste th r leatheo o ,t d r strip, sewn along whas i t reproductioe th flae n th gi f o p to n show e froth mphotograps a n a h given in fig. 1. As related to the hoist, the shield now lies unnaturally on s sidit ee lio insteath n d rampanf facino dan , it g t whic t i carrieh s i s mad appea o t a elio s na r passant. Evidentl e leatheth y r hoisd ha t become detached when the flag got tattered, and was then by misadven- ture sewn to the wrong side. If we imagine the hoist attached to what is shown as the left side of the flag in fig. 1, the shield and crest will appear correctly placed e fla th ;g6 inche 3 wil e b ls broad , allowinor , g for frayed margins, perhaps 38 inches; while its length may have extended to 60 or 70 inches. Sir J. Balfour Paul, Lyon King of Arms a lette n i , r dated 14th March 1899, writes:—

t i bannera s f "I e principath , l armorial representes i charg t i n en o a n di unusual manner t i doe e t flag face hoiss th no a s th ,ef , o whict usuae th s hi l practicee bottoth t f it.mo bu ,"

e thin have W w k e explaine t cami presenw o t e dho t this unusual, d unnaturalan , appearance e proceedH . s :—

charge "Th e referre s evidentli o t d y intende lioa r n fo drampant ; round lione t th soma , e distanc followined froan t m i e shap a shieldgth f o e , have time thio beeon tw ne t linena s representing opiniony m n e outei , d th , an r inner members of a double treasure. On the top horizontal line of this tres- sure d projectinan , g outward e fivs ar froe , ornamentamit l floreated objects, the centre one of which has a corresponding projection on the inner side of the tressure ; in the middle of the vertical line down each side at the bends where base th e begin pea e convergo st th k t a itselfa peak d o t e an , ther similae ear r objects all projecting both on the outer and inner sides of the tressure. What these objects are intended to represent is difficult to decide definitely : some of them might possibl e classeyb s thistlesa d , som s fleur-de-lysea t nonbu , e of them possess such characteristics as would enable one to put them down dis- tinctly as one or the other. . . . The whole flag is evidently the work of some one unacquainted with the principles of heraldic design." 526 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1904.

e desigTh s rudeli n y examination e a seeexecutedb y y nb ma s f a ,o n fig. 1,! and the Lyon King is guarded in expressing his opinion, as be- come occupyine son s higghi venture h w office t o thinebu t , k that what he states so guardedly is an undoubted fact. The shield is traced out double lineo th f tw so e e tressureth y b , surrounde thistley db fleurd san -

Aberace Th Fig . 1 .h Mackay Banner. (Fro mphotograph.a )

de-lys, and carries the lion rampant. The heraldic significance of the double tressure and fleur-de-lys is royal descent. This is shown by the following extract of grantl by King George I. to the , dated 14th July 1718:— Vide Sutherland Book, vol. iii . 220p . . 1 ABERACH-MACKAY BANNER. 527

" George B. Whereas it has been humbly represented to us that our right trust well-beloved yan d cousin John, Ear f Sutherlando l linealls i , y descended from William, Ear Sutherlandf o l Ladd an , y Margaret Bruce, second daughter to Robert the First, King of .... therefore .... and in con- sideration of the nobleness of his blood, as being descended not only from the ancient thane d Earlsan f Sutherlando s t fro e royabu , mth l familf o y Scotland s isa , aforesaid herebe w , y authoris d orde r ean Lyo ou r n Kint ga Arms .... to add to the paternal coat of arms of the said John, Earl of Sutherland, the double tressure circonfleurdelize."

It is now well known that the only son of the marriage between William, Ear f Sutherlando l Ladd an , y Margaret Bruce, died unmarried, and that the family of Sutherland is descended of the second wife, Joanna t intBu o . this mattefurthero g e e nee t w W r no d. have r genealogicashowou n i n l accoune Aberach-Mackayth f o t s that Johf Anguo n u Macka s D Aberacseconso s hi a y s b yd hwa wife a , daughter of Alexander Macdonald of Keppoch, and a great-grand- daughter of King Eobert II. It was probably because of this royal descent that John Aberac t sucpu h a hcharg e upo s bannernhi e Th . son f Anguo s Mackayu sD , although nativee theth nf o srud e nortf o h Scotland, wert whollno e y unacquainted wite heraldrth h f thao y t period. Niel, the eldest son of Angus Du Mackay by his first marriage, was for ten years in the south a hostage of the king, and spent some of that time on the , while John Aberach is said to have been fostered in Lochaber, and may have sojourned at the semi-royal court of kinsmas hi Islese Lore th n th f .do However rudely tjie designe th n so banner may be executed, the son of Angus Du had some knowledge of heraldry, and gave expression to what he thought he was entitled to on this flag. Let the reader look again at the flag as represented in fig. 1, and it will be seen that there is a crest above the shield. The execution is e representatioth crude t bu , s meani n r " a han fo t d erased" wite th h fingers extended. Roun hane dth d run legende sth , "Verk visld yan tent to ye end." Across the palm of the hand are the Gaelic words, Be tren (Be valiant), as the Rev. William Mackenzie recorded about s accoun 179e hi paris th n 2i f f Tongueo tho . John Macka f Herrisyo - 528 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1904.

dale, author of An Old Scots Brigade, etc., states in the Celtic Monthly f Juno e 1893 that Hugh Angus Mackay e lasth t, Aberach hereditary bannerman, told him that his father alway understood and 'reahande palworde e th dBidh s th th f m a o n so treun valiant)e (B f O . cours Mackar eM y wrote these words adoptin modere gth n Gaelic spelling. The final letter n of t r e n is not well-formed, and this has led some modern students to read it treu (true), but it was intended for tren (valiant), and so understood by the Aberach-Mackays. As is well known among Strathnaver people, Be tren (Be valiant) is the slogan of Mackay, which became Latinised into manu forti, the motto of Mackay since the family was dignified. Indeed, it seems to us Gaelid ol thae c th tmott s neateoi pithied an r r tha modere nth n Latin e manuoneTh . wit a hanh d seems superfluousu o t s , whil e worth e d forti adequately expresses the idea of "be valiant." As this was not the banner of the principal family of Mackay, now represented by the Lords of Eeay, but of the Aberach-Mackays who wer e oldesth e t cadet lin f thao e t family e naturallw , y expec o fint t d some difference betwee principae arme th n th f so l famile thad th f yan o t cadet. The armorial bearings of Donald, first , were as follows:— Arms.—Azure o cheverouua betwee, or , n three bear's heads, couped, argent, muzzled, gules roebuck'a , s head, erased, betwee hando tw n s holding daggers, all proper. Crest.—A right hand holding up a dagger, pailways, proper. Motto.— Manu forti. Supporters.—Two men in military liabits with muskets, in a centinel posture, proper. Before this famil dignifies e persoywa th n i dn of- Donald, first Lord Keay, who was created Lord Eae 20th June 1628, the arms were " argent over three mullets, azure a han, d naked, proper.. J r Si " Balfour Paul, Lyon Kinga lette n i ,r date h Novembe6t d r 1899, writes:— mucm a " hI obligeReve . Mackath A .y db y r pointinentre Si th n t yi gou James Balfou arme ' Macka th f f so o r f Strathnaveo y r 1503, s consistina ' f go ' argent over three mullets azure hana , d naked proper.' Thi s givesi - im n ABEEACH-MACKAY BANNEB. 529

mediately befor ' eMacka f Strathnaveryo Lorw nno d s assignei Eeay, o wh 'd the present arms of the Baron. The presumption is that they altered their arms on the creation of the Peerage, and tins view is rather supported by Nisbet, who, iu giving the arms, says that ' since that family was dignified' their achievement was, etc." That is to say, according to the Balfour MS., the crest of Mackay of Strathuaver in 1503 was "a hand naked" without a dagger, just as is represented on the banner. Bat such a charge is also found on at least two 'Mackay tombstones know . a representatio Figus s i o n2 t . e th f o n

Fig . Ston2 . e with armorial bearing t Kirktonsa , Strathhalladale.

Kirkton (Strathhalladale) stone. It bears the initials, A. M. K., of Angus Mackay, secon f Bighouseo d e datth e d 163an ; 0 indicates that it was erected over the tomb of his first wife, Jane Elphingstone, niece of Lord Elphingstone dieo than di wh , t e ston years founTh wa e.n i d 1894 among the ruins of Kirkton Chapel, and is now fixed on the pillar cemetere oth f y e shielgateTh s peculiarl.i d y divided inthalveo tw o s a horizonta y b l line. Abov e horizontath e e dexteth n li r lined an , division, there is a roebuck's head pierced by an arrow, exactly similar to the emblem to be seen on the Tongue stone (fig. 4). In the sinister 4 3 VOL. xxxviii. 580 PROCEEDING E SOCIETY , 19049 TH Y F .O S MA ,

division ther three ear e bear's heads. Belo horizontae wth r therba l s i e a " hand," with fingers extended, resembling the crest on the banner, and flanke whay db bladeso t appeartw e b . o st Thes e flanking daggery sma indicat e transitioth e n fro ma "nake d hand a "han o t " d holdina g s shortldagger,wa t i y r befor"fo e this that Donald Macka s createywa d Lord Keay. d churcWithiol e f Durnese ruinho th th n f o s s ther stona s ei e over the tomb of Donald MacMurdo Maclan Mor, of which a representation s e givei sai Th dn figi n Donal. .3 grandso a s dwa f lao nn Mor—the

Fig. 3. Tombstone at the old Church of .

illegitimate son of John Mackay of Strathnaver, who signed a bond of friendship wit e Earh th f Sutherlan o l n d1518—ani a Macleod t dno , as. is erroneously stated in the House and Clan of Mackay. There was a. family of Macleods in called Sliochd lan Mhor, but this was "Donald MacMurdo Maclan Mor, chieftai e Slaighth n f Woiro nEa t -

in Strathnaver," according to Sir Robert Gordon.1 Now Sir Eobert, for- 1 Vide Earldom of Sutherland, . 254p . ABEKACH-MACKA1 53 Y BANNER.

reasons of his own, would never allow that Durness and Edderachilis formed part of the country of Strathnaver—he was wrong in this, but we need not discuss that matter here—so that the Sliochd Ean Woir, of which Donald was chieftain, could not possibly be the Assyrit Macleods, as this trib s saii eo havt d e bee a nStrathuave r one. Besidese th , account which Sir Robert gives of Donald MacMurdo Maclan Mor and his adherents clearly indicates that he was a Mackay. Angus Mac- Kenneth Mac-Alister s slai t wa Hopna o ewh ,abou - t de 1605a s ,wa penden saie th d f Donald,o t laid d1an clai sommo t e land Strathfleetn so . As John Macka f Strathnaveryo e fatheth , f lao rn Mor grana t f ,go o t these Strathfleet lands fro Eare mth f Sutherlan o l s a d n 1518,dha i d an 2 a dependent Aliste e grandfatheth r Anguf o r s Mac-Kenneth Mac-Alister, we are justified in concluding that the latter Alister, who clung to these lands, still depended 011 a descendant of the house from which his ancestors got their claim to them. laii Mor, the son of John Mackay of Strathnaver, had at least five sons, viz., " Neil M'Ane Moir, Rory M'Ane Moir, Murdoch M'Ane Moir, John M'Ane Moir d Tormaan , t M'Ane Rorys Moir.e seconwa th , t mentionen I "so d above th en i d extract, 8 who held Borve Castle on the coast of Farr for lye Du Mackay of Strathnaver during its siege in 1554. Murdoch M'Ane Moir, the third mentioned, wras the father of Donald MacMurdo MacEan Mor, who is buried at Durness. The shield over Donald's tomb,4 as shown in fig. 3, bore, along with other charges, " a hand " with extended fingers and a stag's head. daggero Thern e ar es associated wit e "handth h " here, becaus n 161i t ereache ye e hav 9t w no ed wha have w t e already called the transition period. In 1619 it was simply "a hand" just as on the banner n 163i ; e han th 0 daggerso s flankei d tw y d afteb dan ; r that

1 Vide Earldom of Sutherland, . 253pp . 2 Vide Reay Papers. Vide Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i. p. 352.

e stonTh 3 e which cover s gravhi s e bear e followinth s g inscription, sai havo dt e 4 been compose Donaldy db , first Lord Reay frolicsoma n i , e moment: "Donald Mae-Murchou heir lyis lo: Vas il to his freind, var to his fo : True to his maister in veird and vo." PROCEEDING SE SOCIETY , O19049 TH F Y . MA ,

period ths a ,e tombstone e Mackath f so y country prove hane th , d holdsa dagger. crestee Th de fla th s hanclearli g n o d y e Mackayth o als s s i od an , motto, Be treim, which always was the slogan of the clan. Indeed, the peculiar use of the word treun by Strathnaver people in daily con- versation strikes one from other parts of the Highlands at once. Every- thing superlative they describe as treun. A fine day is la treun, a good hors whole eth eachn e eo ar e gamutroun o th s e treun, f W d o d .an strongly inclined to believe that the frequent use of this vocable may be ascribed to the place which it found in their war-cry. Of the legend lound the crested hand we can give no explanation.

Fig. 4. Stone built into the wall of Tongue House.

The charge on the shield, a lion rampant surrounded by the double tressur fleur-de-lysd ean s altogethei , r different from e principa thath f o t l family of Mackay. In crest and motto they practically agree, in shield they are far apart. On the Tongue stone, however, which is represented by fig. 4, the shield is supported by two lions surmounted by pendant thistles. This ston buils ei t int e wal oth f Tongu o l e House beard an , s the initals, D. M. E., of Donald Master of Reay, who built the hous n i 167e d bee8ha afte nt i rcompletel y destroye y fireb d . saie dTh Donald t surviv, Masteno d father's di ehi f Reay o ro swh , death, ABBRACH-MACKAY BANNER. 533

was fostered among the Aberachs, and probably out of compliment to this family adopte e supporterth s ds shiela hi lions e f dso th , surmounted by thistles, whic Aberace foune th ar hn o dh e cannoflagW . t imagine any other reaso r diverginfo n g froe "th marme d men" whics hi h grandfather, father successord an , s used. As the Aberach chieftains never recorded arms at Herald's Office t theno pu e rtombstonesn fla mo th g s know, a alon us r fa o nt es a ,tell s what they too e libert kth y say f ma usingt thi o y,e theBu sw .y have a better title to carry " the double tressure circonfleurdelize " than the hous f Sutherlando e , notwithstandin e granth g f Kino t g George I., already referre. to d The tinctures which characteris e armoriath e l bearing f thso e Lords of Eeaargentd azuree othen an i yar , r o ,or r, words blue, gold whitd an , e; an e colourd th thes e n whici ar se e desige Aberacth hth n no h banner is worked. The flag or Bratach Bhan is white. The body of the design is in blue thread, the outwards are in gold now considerably faded. The lion and outer portion of the floreated objects round the double tressur e strongllooe d th ear e wrisan f e th d bar th n an t y so e bluear o s , the letters, but the extended fingers are in gold. There are no red judgen ca e , w althoug threads a e design r th fa n si ho s , ther littla s ei e red iu the bearings of the Reay family. With this exception the Aberach tincture exactle sar y e principathosth f eo l famil f Mackayo y . Thoug e banne hf th littl o s i er value fro n artistima c poin f viewo t t i , claims to be one of the oldest clan banners now existent in Scotland, and we are glad that it is safely preserved in the Edinburgh Antiquarian Musuem.