A History of the Scottish Highlands
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In these circumstances, gress through the Isles. On its reaching Donald Macleod seized, apparently with the Skye, Alexander Macleod of Dunvegan was consent of his clan, the estates which legally also constrained to embark in the royal fleet. belonged to his niece, the heiress; and thus, With the other captive chiefs they were sent in practice, the feudal law was made to yield to Edinburgh, and only liberated on giving to ancient and inveterate custom, Donald did hostages for their obedience to the laws. not enjoy these estates long, being murdered Alexander the Humpback, chief of the in Trotternish, by a relation of his own, John Harris Macleods, died at an advanced age in Oig Macleod, who, failing Tormod, the only the reign of Queen Mary. He had three sons, remaining brother of Donald, would have William, Donald, and Tormod, who all suc- become the heir male of the family. John ceeded to the estates and authority of their Oig next plotted the distruction of Tormod, family. He had also two daughters, the elder who was at the time a student in the univer- of whom was thrice married, and every time sity of Glasgow; but in this he was foiled by to a Macdonald. Her first husband was the interposition of the Earl of Argyll. He James, second son of the fourth laird of Sleat. continued, notwithstanding, to retain pos- Her second was Allan Maclan, captain of the session of the estates of the heiress, and of Clanranald; and her third husband was Mac- the command of the clan, till his death in donald of Keppoch. The younger daughter 1559." The heiress of Harris was one of became the wife of Maclean of Lochbuy. Queen Mary's maids of honour, and the Earl of William Macleod of Harris had a danghter, Argyll, having ultimately become her guardian, Mary, who, on his death in 1554, became she was given by him in marriage to his under a particular destination, his sole heiress kinsman, Duncan Campbell, younger of in the estates of Harris, Dunvegan, and Auchinbreck. Through the previous efforts Glenelg. His claim to the properties of Sleat, of the earl, Tormod Macleod, on receiving a Trotternish, and Xorth Uist, of which he was legal title to Harris and the other estates, the nominal proprietor, but which were held renounced in favour of Argyll all his claims by the Clandonald, was inherited by his next to the lands of the Clandonald, and paid 1000 brother and successor, Donald. This state of merks towards the dowry of his niece. He things placed the latter in a very anomalous also gave his bond of service to Argyll for position, which may be explained in Mr himself and his clan. Mary Macleod, in Gregory's words:—"The Siol Tormod," he consequence, made a complete surrender to says, 4 " was now placed in a position, which, her uncle of her title to the lands of Harris, though quite intelligible on the principles of Dunvegan, and Glenelg, and Argyll obtained feudal law, was totally opposed to the Celtic for him a crown charter of these estates, dated customs that still prevailed, to a great extent, 4th August, 1579. Tormod adhered firmly throughout the Highlands and Isles. A to the interest of Queen Mary, and died in female and a minor was the legal proprietrix of 1584. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the ancient possessions of the tribe, which, by William, under whom the Harris Macleods her marriage, might be conveyed to another assisted the Macleans in their feuds with the and a hostile family; whilst her uncle, the Macdonalds of Isla and Skye, while the Lewis natural leader of the clan according to ancient Macleods supported the latter. On his death custom, was left without any means to keep in 1590, his brother, Roderick, the Rory Mor up the dignity of a chief, or to support the of tradition, became chief of the Harris clan against its enemies. His claims on the Macleods. estates the Clandonald of the Estates possessed by were I In December 1597, an act I had been passed, by which it was made 1 History of Ihc Highlands and teles, p. 204. : imperative upon all the chieftains and land- II. 2 B 194 HISTOEY OF THE HIGHLAND CLANS. lords in the Highlands and Isles, to produce cate what he conceived to be his rights. In their title-deeds before the lords of Exchequer his pretensions he was supported by the on the 15th of the following May, under the Mackenzies. Eoderick was apprehended and pain of forfeiture. The heads of the two detained four years a prisoner in the castle of branches of the Macleods disregarded the act, .Stornoway. The feud between the Macdonalds and a gift of their estates was granted to a •and Mackenzies was put an end to by the number of Fife gentlemen, for the purposes of mediation of the Eegent Moray. Before be- colonisation. They first began with the Lewis, ing released from his captivity, the old chief in which the experiment failed, as narrated in was brought before the Eegent and his privy the General History. Eoderick Macleod, on council, and compelled to resign his estate his part, exerted himself to get the forfeiture into the hands of the crown, taking a new of his lands of Harris, Dunvegan, and Glenelg, destination of it to himself in liferent, and removed, and ultimately succeeded, having after his death to Torquil Connanach, as his obtained a remission from the king, dated 4th son and heir apparent. On regaining his May, 1610. He was knighted by King liberty, however, he revoked all that he had James VI., by whom he was much esteemed, done when a prisoner, on the ground of coer- and had several friendly letters from his cion. This led to new commotions, and in majesty; also, a particular license, dated 16th 1576 both Eoderick and Torquil were sum- June, 1616, to go to London, to the court, at moned to Edinburgh, and reconciled in pre- any time he pleased. By his wife, a daughter sence of the privy council, when the latter of Macdonald of Glengarry, he had, with six was again acknowledged as heir apparent to daughters, five sons, viz., John, his heir; Sir the Lewis, and received as such the district of Eoderick, progenitor of the Macleods of Cogeach and other lands. The old chief some Talisker; Sir Norman of the Macleods of time afterwards took for his third wife, a Bernera and Muiravonside; William of the sister of Lauchlan Maclean of Dowart, and had Macleods of Hamer; and Donald of those of by her two sons, named Torquil Dubh and Grisernish. Tormod. Having again disinherited Torquil The history of the Siol Torquil, or Lewis Connanach, that young chief once more took Macleods, as it approached its close, was most up arms, and was supported by two illegiti- disastrous. Eoderick, the chief of this branch mate sons of Eoderick, named Tormod Uigacli in 1569, got involved in a deadly feud with and Murdoch, while three others, Donald, the Mackenzies, which ended only with the Eory Oig, and Neill, joined with their father. destruction of his whole family. He had He apprehended the old chief, Eoderick married a daughter of John Mackenzie of Macleod, and killed a number of his men. Kintail, and a son whom she bore, and who All the charters and title deeds of the Lewis was named Torquil Connanach, from his re- were carried off by Torquil, and handed ovc r sidence among his mother's relations in Stratk- to the Mackenzies. The charge of the castle connan, was disowned by him, on account of of Stornoway, with the chief, a prisoner in it, the alleged adultery of his mother with the was committed to John Macleod, the son of breve or Celtic judge of the Lewis. She Torquil Connanach, but he was attacked by eloped with John MacGillechallum of Easay, Eory Oig and killed, when Eoderick Macleod a cousin of Eoderick, and was, in consequence, was released, and possessed the island in peace divorced. He took for his second wife, in during the remainder of his life. 1541, Barbara Stewart, daughter of Andrew On his death he was succeeded by his son sister of Lord Avondale, and by this lady had a son, i Torquil Dubh, who married a Sir likewise named Torquil, and surnamed Oighre, I Eoderick Macleod of Harris. Torquil Dubh, or the Heir, to distinguish him from the other as we have narrated in the former part of Torquil.