National Library of Scotland B000487377 Cmutee lEnstortfal ^roof£» respecting THE GAEL OF ALBAN. * * / The PASS at KIIAICBANKIE and tiie fire BEWIGLOE'S T.r S- A K I nrminim. T.flirTjilrjpi CONCISE HISTORICAL PROOFS RESPECTING || E £ 1 0 f |U 6 m ; Oli, HIGHLANDERS OF SCOTLAND, AS DESCENDED OF THE CALEDONIAN PICTS, WITH THE ORIGIN OF THE IRISH SCOTS, OR DALRIADS, IN NORTH BRITAIN, AND THEIK SUPPOSED CONQUEST OVER THE CALEDONIAN PICTS, EXAMINED AND REFUTED. ALSO THE language nf the Caledonian pets, SHORT NOTICES REGARDING THE HIGHLAND CLANS, WITH EXPLANA TOR Y NOTES, MAP, ILL USTRA TIONS, AND DESCRIPTIONS, OF THE COUNTRY OF THE GAEL. DY JAMES A. ROBERTSON, F.S.A., Scot. EDINBURGH: WILLIAM P. NIMMO, ST JAMES’S SQUARE. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO., LONDON. Crawford £f M'Cabc, Printers, 7 George Street, Edinburgh. HE Highlanders of Scotland are unques- tionably a most interesting race of people, the true descendants of the ancient Cale- donians; and though their early history has been greatly obscured by some pretended historians, and continues to be so even to this day, where- by readers are misled, yet the true narration of ancient facts respecting them, is independent of all the vain prejudice of those who would represent them, and their language, to be merely derived from the insignificant colony of Irish Scots which came into Argyleshire in the sixth century, where still remain their descendants, properly the only Scots in Scotland. With this in view, the writer submits the present small work, which is not dictated with a desire merely to VI contradict others, but to point out and estab- lish the truth, without any intention to depre- ciate previous writers. This he has endeavoured to do in a charitable spirit, when obliged to notice manifest errors (and for this the writer has always given the proofs and reasons), or when forced, in maintaining the liberty of opinion, to express decided opposite view's to some who have not founded their assertions on proper evidence. The necessary researches on the ancient historical points herein treated of were commenced four years ago, and have been continued ever since, and originally were intended as a continuation of a small work the author wrote on the ancient Earldom of Atholl, which embraces the whole North Highlands of Perthshire. The investigations have led to the present volume, which has no pretensions to anything but a desire to place the true early history of the origin, etc., etc., of his country- men, the Highlanders of Scotland, on an un- deniable trustworthy foundation, supported by proofs and authorities, and to refute the un- founded claims of some grasping Irish writers, as also the false assertions of some Scottish ones. Much pains has been taken to make the proofs concise upon the subjects brought for- ward, at the same time, to be sufficiently com- prehensive. A careful perusal will best enable the reader to judge on this point; and the ex- planatory notes being read along with the text is essential to the full understanding of what is wished to be known. There has been no attempt made otherwise than to convey to the reader as much strictly accurate, historical, and antiquarian information as possible, and there- by lead to the true understanding of the earlv history of the descendants of the noble race of the. Caledonian Gael. Upon the subject of their language, it is hoped that some of the Highland clergymen, or others, may follow that subject in a similar manner, as the writer has endeavoured to do. The descriptions of the illustrations of the country of the Gael of Alban will be found in a chapter together, though they are themselves placed in different parts of the work. This collection of proofs from the earliest times may, it is also hoped, prove useful to future writers who wish to go into greater detail, and that some interest may be felt in the Pictish Gael, who have been by many hitherto looked upon as quite an unknown people, and as the Rev. Isaac Taylor1 says, ‘disappear rmjsteriously,'' as also the supposed destruction of their language, the greatest marvel of its kind that ever passed for truth. The writer had not the opportunity to notice, in the proper place (on the dress of the Caledonian Gael), the embellishment that ap- pears on the binding. It is the most faithful representation of the ancient Highlanders’ dress that can be given to the reader. It is derived from two different sculptured stones, namely, from that of Dull, Perthshire, which is de- scribed page 232, and it is a fac-simile of the countenance, bonnet, and shield of one of the figures thereon. The arrangement of the ‘ Breacan-an-fheilidh,’ that is, ‘ the belted plaid,’ or full dress of the ancient Gael or Highlanders, is a faithful copy from another ancient sculptured stone found at St Andrews. Both these sculptures are to be seen in the 1 See the Rev. Isaac Taylor’s ‘ Words and Places,’ 2d edition, 1865, page 245. IX Museum of the Antiquaries of Scotland, Edin- burgh, open to the public, and wherewith the embellishment can be compared. The Map also, it is hoped, along with a most copious index, and very full table of contents, may prove useful to the reader. The writer also expects hereafter to be enabled to bring out a short Supplement to this small work, containing further ancient historical and antiquarian information, interest- ing not only to the Highlanders, but also to all Scotchmen. 118 Princes Street, Edinburgh, 5t7t July 1865. CHAPTER I. PAGE Introductory — Statement of the subjects to be treated of and proved ..... 1 CHAPTER II. Roman Invasion of Caledonia began in a.d. 78— Campaigns of Agricola to a.d. 85—Roman walls built—War carried on by the Romans under the Emperors Commodus and Severus—The Caledo- nian Gael nobly resist, and Severus retires and builds his Wall—a.d. 296, name of Piets given by Roman writers to the Caledonians—Piets and Caledonians proved to be identical—Events to a.d. 360 9 "' Xll dlonti'nts. CHAPTER III. PAGE a.d.360, the Scots first named, and appeared in North Britain, proved to be natives of Ireland—Proof that the Scots returned to their own country, Ireland—Roman war continued south of the Forth from a.d. 360 to a.d. 380—Proofs that the Scots belonged to Ireland alone, and that it was called Scotia from many ancient writers—a.d. 409, Roman Emperor Constantine slain—De- parture of the Romans—Arrival of the Saxons . 19 CHAPTER IV. True period of the first arrival of the Irish Scots Colony in Argyleshire proved to have been in a.d. 506—Proofs and Authorities given—Events up to a.d. 560 . .... 32 CHAPTER V. The introduction of Christianity into North Britain, and its proper date—The error of a pretended mission of Palladius to Scots in North Britain a.d. 431 pointed out—Unsupported assertions as to the period of Christianity being in present Scotland shown—Arrival of Columba—His mis- sion and success—Martyrdom in Kintyre, the country of the Irish Scots, of a Christian mission- dkntents. X1U ary named Constantine, in or about a.d. 590— Proof thereby of the majority of the inhabitants being heathen, ...... 46 CHAPTER VI. Situation and extent of country of the various races in North Britain in the seventh century—Events to the end of that century—Early in the eighth century (a.d. 733) the Irish Scots Colony in Argyleshire attacked, defeated, and placed under subjection, by Angus M‘Fergus, king of the Pictish Gael—King Angus placed a prince of his own family to rule the Dalriad country a.d. 749—Death of this great king of the Piets a.d. 761—Events to a.d. 794 when the Danes first appear—Events from a.d. 802 to 842, 59 CHAPTER VII. The pretended conquest of the Caledonian Piets (the real ancestors of the Highlanders) in a.d. 843 by the Colony of Irish Scots of Argyleshire —Examined and Refuted by most numerous authorities both modern and ancient—Historical events from that period and other proofs to 1158 given, 76 XIV Contents CHAPTER VIII. PAGE The Language of the Piets—Proved to be the same as the present Highlanders of Scotland—Nume- rous proofs from names of places in the Lothians or south of Scotland, whence the Piets had been wholly dispossessed by A.i). 547—Yet their lan- guage remains in these names they left behind them—Which also correspond with others in the Highlands—And also are identical with the language of the Highlanders of this day, . 118 CHAPTER IX. The language of the Piets continued—Conclusive proofs against a new language or Gaelic brought in at the time of the fabulous conquest of Ken- neth MacAlpin in a.d. 843—There being British names of places in Scotland, no proof they were given by the Piets—No British or Welsh names north of the Moray Firth or in the Islands of Skye, Lews, Harris, etc., etc., yet all this terri- tory was originally and for centuries Pictish— Proof also of the Piets’ language being the same as the present Highlanders from Ossian’s Poems —Numerous proofs of names of places given prior to Christianity—All in the Gaelic of the present day, . .138 (Contents. XV CHAPTER X. PAGE The Poetry of the Gael of Alban, with examples from Ossian and others—the National Dress of the Highlanders—Proved to be so from the most remote times, as also their Arms—and by a con- nected series of proofs brought down to the sup- pression of the Dress last century—The original Pipe Music of the Highlanders—With proofs, .