history of the mackenzies-第6部分

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ois；〃　　as　one　of　the　six　Celtic　earls　who　besieged　King　Malcolm　at　Perth　in　　1160。　　Skene　is　also　of　opinion　that　this　Gillandres　represented　the　old　　Celtic　earls　of　Ross；　as　the　clan　bearing　the　name　of　Ross　are　called　in　　Gaelic　Clann　Ghilleanrias；　or　descendants　of　Gillandres；　and　may；　he　　thinks；　have　led　the　revolt　which　drove　Malcolm　Mac　Heth　out　of　the　　earldom。　The　same　King；　two　years　after　the　incident　at　Perth；　gave　the　　earldom　of　Ross　to　Florence；　Count　of　Holland；　on　that　nobleman's　　marriage　with　His　Majesty's　sister　Ada；　in　1162；　but　the　new　earl　never　　secured　practical　possession　＇Celtic　Scotland；　Vol。　III。；　pp。　66…67。＇　　He　is；　　however；　found　claiming　it　as　late　as　1179；　in　the　reign　of　William　the　　Lion。

The　district　of　Ross　is　often　mentioned　in　the　Norse　Sagas　along　with　the　other　parts　of　the　country　then　governed　by　Maormors　or　Jarls；　　and　Skene　in　his　earlier　work　says　that　it　was　only　on　the　downfall　of　　those　of　Moray　that　the　chiefs　of　Ross　appear　prominent　in　historical　　records；　the　Maormors　of　Moray　being　in　such　close　proximity　to　them　　and　so　great　in　power　and　influence　that　the　less　powerful　Maormor　of　　Ross　held　only　a　comparatively　subordinate　position；　and　his　name　was　in　　consequence　seldom　or　never　associated　with　any　of　the　great　events　of　　that　early　period　in　Highland　history。　　It　was　only　after　the　disappearance　　of　those　district　potentates　　that　　the　chiefs　appear　under　　the　appellation　　of　Comites　or　Earls。　That　most；　if　not　all；　of　these　earls　were　the　descendants　of　the　ancient　maormors　there　can　be　little　doubt；　and　the　　natural　presumption　in　this　instance　is　strengthened　by　the　fact　that　all　the　　old　authorities　concur　in　asserting　that　the　Gaelic　name　of　the　original　　Earls　of　Ross　was　O'Beolana　corruption　of　Gilleoin；　or　Gillean；　na　h‘Airdeor　the　descendants　of　Beolan。　　〃And　we　　actually　find；〃　says　the　same　authority；　〃from　the　oldest　Norse　Saga　connected　with　Scotland　that　　a　powerful　chief　in　the　North　of　Scotland　named　O'Beolan；　married　the　　daughter　of　Ganga　Rolfe；　or　Rollo；　the　celebrated　pirate　who　became　　afterwards　the　celebrated　Earl　of　Normandy。〃　　If　this　view　is　well…founded　the　ancestor　of　the　Earls　of　Ross　was　chief　in　Kintail　as　early　as　the　　beginning　of　the　tenth　century。　　We　have　seen　that　the　first　Earl　of　Ross　recorded　in　history　was　　Malcolm　Mac　Heth；　to　whom　a　precept　is　found；　directed　by　Malcolm　IV。；　　requesting　him　to　protect　the　monks　of　Dunfermline　and　defend　them　in　　their　lawful　privileges　and　possessions。　　The　document　is　not　dated；　but　　judging　from　the　names　of　the　witnesses　attesting　it；　the　precept　must　have　been　issued　before　1162。　　It　will　be　remembered　that　Mac　Heth　was　one　of　　the　six　Celtic　earls　who　besieged　the　King　at　Perth　two　years　before；　in　　1160。　　William　the　Lion；　who　seems　to　have　kept　the　earldom　in　his　own　　hands　for　several　years；　in　1179　marched　into　the　district　at　the　head　of　his　　earls　and　barons；　accompanied　by　a　large　army；　and　subdued　an　　insurrection　fomented　by　the　local　chiefs　against　his　authority。　　On　this　occasion　he　built　two　castles　within　its　bounds；　one　called　Dunscath　on　　the　northern　Sutor　at　the　entrance　to　the　Cromarty　Firth；　and　Redcastle　in　　the　Black　Isle。　　In　the　same　year　we　find　Florence；　Count　of　Holland；　complaining　that　he　had　been　deprived　of　its　nominal　ownership　by　King　　William。　　There　is　no　trace　of　any　other　earl　in　actual　possession　until　we　　come　to　Ferquard　or　〃Ferchair　Mac　an　t'　Sagairt；〃　Farquhar　the　son　of　the　Priest；　who　rose　rapidly　to　power　on　the　ruins　of　the　once　powerful　Mac　　Heth　earls　of　Moray；　of　which　line　Kenneth　Mac　Heth；　who；　with　Donald　　Ban；　led　a　force　into　Moray　against　Alexander　　II。；　son　　of　William　　the　　Lion；　　in　1215；　was　the　last。　　Of　this　raid　the　following　account　is　given　in　　Celtic　Scotland；　Vol。　I。　p。　483：

〃The　young　king　had　barely　reigned　a　year　when　be　had　to　　encounter　the　old　enemies　of　the　Crown；　the　families　of　Mac　William　and　Mac　Eth；　who　now　combined　their　forces　under　Donald　Ban；　the　son　of　　that　Mac　William　who　bad　been　slain　at　Mamgarvie　in　1187；　and　Kenneth　　Mac　Eth；　a　son　or　grandson　of　Malcolm　Mac　Eth；　with　the　son　of　one　of　　the　Irish　provincial　kings；　and　burst　into　the　Province　of　Moray　at　the　bead　　of　　a　large　band　of　malcontents。　　A　very　important　auxiliary；　however；　now　　joined　the　party　of　the　king。　This　was　Ferquhard　or　Fearchar　Macintagart；　　the　son　of　the　‘Sagart'　or　priest　who　was　the　lay　possessor　of　the　extensive　　possessions　of　the　old　monastery　founded　by　the　Irish　Saint　Maelrubba　at　Applecross　in　the　seventh　century。　　Its　possessions　lay　between　the　district　　of　Ross　and　the　Western　Sea　and　extended　from　Lochcarron　to　Loch　Ewe　　and　Loch　Maree；　and　Ferquhard　was　thus　in　reality　a　powerful　Highland　　chief　commanding　the　population　of　an　extensive　western　region。　　The　　insurgents　were　assailed　by　him　with　great　vigour；　entirely　crushed；　and　　their　leaders　taken；　who　be　at　once　beheaded　and　presented　their　heads　to　the　new　king　as　a　welcome　gift　on　the　15th　of　June；　when　he　was　knighted　　by　the　king　as　a　reward　for　his　prompt　assistance。〃

The　district　then　known　as　North　Argyle　consisted　chiefly　of　the　possessions　of　this　ancient　monastery　of　Appercrossan　or　Applecross。　Its　inhabitants　had　hithertoalong　with　those　of　South　Argyle；　which　　extended　from　Lochcarron　to　the　Firth　of　Clydemaintained　a　kind　of　　semi…independence；　but　in　1222　they　were；　by　their　lay　possessor；　Ferchair　　Mac　an　t'Sagairt；　who　was　apparently　the　grandson　or　great…grandson　of　　Gillandres；　one　of　the　six　earls　who　besieged　Malcolm　IV。　at　Perth　in　　1160；　brought　into　closer　connection　with　the　crown。　　The　lay　Abbots　of　　which　Ferquhard　was　the　head　were　the　hereditary　possessors　of　all　the　　extensive　territories　which　had　for　centuries　been　ruled　and　owned　by　this　old　and　powerful　Celtic　monastery。　　As　a　reward　for　his　services　against　　the　men　of　Moray　in　1215　and　for　the　great　services　which；　in　1222；　he　　again　rendered　to　the　King　in　the　subjugation　of　the　whole　district　then　　known　as　Argyle；　extending　from　the　Clyde　to　Lochbroom；　he　received　　additional　honours。　　In　that　campaign　known　as　〃the　Conquest　of　Argyle；〃　　Ferquhard　led　most　of　the　western　tribes；　and　for　his　prowess；　the　Celtic　earldom；　which　was　then　finally　annexed　to　the　Crown　and　made　a　feudal　　appanage；　was　conferred　on　him　with　the　title　of　Earl　of　Ross；　and　he　is　so　　designated　in　a　charter　dated　1234。　　He　is　again　on　record；　under　the　same　　title；　in　1235　and　1236。　　Regarding　an　engagement　which　took　place　be…tween　Alexander　II。　and　the　Gallowegians；　in　1235；　the　Chronicle　of　Melrose　says；　that　〃at　the　beginning　of　the　battle　the　Earl　of　Ross；　called　　Macintagart；　came　up　and　attacked　the　enemies　（of　the　King）　in　the　rear；　　and　as　soon　as　they　perceived　this　they　took　to　flight　and　retreated　into　the　　woods　and　mountains；　but　they　were　followed　up　by　the　Earl　and　several　　others；　who　put　many　of　them　to　the　sword；　and　harassed　them　as　long　as　　daylight　lasted。〃　In　Celtic　Scotland；　Vol。　II；　p。412；　it　is　stated　that　the　　hereditary　lay　priests　of　which　he　was　the　chief　〃according　to　tradition；　bore　the　name　of　O'Beollan〃；　and　MacVuirich；　in　the　Black　Book　of　Clanranald；　says　that　from　Ferquhard　was　descended　Gillapatrick　the　Red；　　son　of　Roderick；　and　known　traditionally　as　the　Red　Priest；　whose　　daughter；　at　a　later　date；　married　and　carried　the　monastery　lands　of　　Lochalsh　and　Lochcarron　to　the　Macdonalds　of　the　Isles。

In　one　of　the　Norse　Sagas　the　progenitor　of　Ferquhard　is　　designated　〃　King；〃　just　the　same　as　the　great　Somerled　and　some　of　his　descendants　had　been　called　at　a　later　date。　　Referring　to　Helgi；　son　of　　Ottar；　the　Landnamabok　Saga　records　that　〃he　made　war　upon　Scotland　　and　carried　off　prisoner　Nidbjorga；　the　daughter　of　King　Bjolan；　and　of　　Kadliner；　daughter　or　Ganga　Rolf；〃　or　Rollo；　who；　as　already　stated；　afterwards　became　the　celebrated　Earl　of　Normandy。　　Writing　of　Alexander；　third　Earl　of　Ross　and　Lord　of　the　Isles；　　Hugh　Macdonald；　the　Sleat　historian；　says　that　

〃He　was　a　man　born　to　much　trouble　all　his　life　time。　First　he　took　　to　him　the　concubine　daughter　of　Patrick　Obeolan；　surnamed　the　Red；　　who　was　a　very　beautiful　woman。　　This　surname　Obeolan　was　the　surname　　of　the　Earls　of　Ross；　till　Farquhar；　born　in　Ross；　was　created　earl　by　King　　Alexander；　and　so　carried　the　name　of　Ross　since；　as　best　answering　the　　English　tongue。　　This　Obeolan　had　its　descent　of　the　ancient　tribe　of　　Manapii；　of　this　tribe　is　also　St。　Rice　or　Ruffus。　Patrick　was　an　Abbot　and　　had　Carlebay　in　the　Lewis；　and　the　Church　lands　in　that　country；　with　18　　mark　lands　in　Lochbroom。　He　bad　two　sons　and　a　daughter。　　The　sons　were　called　Normand　and　Austin　More；　so　called　from　his　excessive　strength　and　corpulency。　　This　Normand　had　daughters　that　were　great　　beauties；　one　of　whom　was　married　to　Mackay　of　Strathnavern　one　to　　Dugall　MacRanald；　Laird　of　Mudort；　one　to　MacLeod　of　Assint；　one　to　　MacDuffie；　and　another；　the　first；　to　Maclean　of　Bororay。　Patrick's　　daughter　bore　a　son　to　Alexander；　Lord　of　the　Isles　and　Earl　of　Ross；　who　was　called　Austin　（Uisdean　or　Hugh）　or　as　others　say；　Augustine。　　She　was　twice　before　the　King；　as　Macdonald　could　not　be　induced　to　part　with　　her；　on　occasion　of　her　great　beauty。　The　King　said；　that　it　was　no　wonder　　that　such　a　fair　damsel　had　enticed　Macdonald。〃　＇Collectanea　de　Rebus　　Albanicis；　pp。　304…305。＇

It　is　not　intended　here　to　discuss　whether　Hugh　of　Sleat　and　his　elder　brother　Celestine　of　Lochalsh　were　illegitimate　or　not。　They　were　so　　called　by　their　father；　Earl　Alexander；　and　by　their　brother；　Earl　John。　　The　　first　describes　Celestine　as　〃filius　naturalis〃　in　a　charter　preserved　in　the　　　Mackintosh　charter　chest；　dated　1447；　and　Earl　John　calls　his　brother　　Austin　or　Hugh　〃frater　carnalis〃　in　two　charters；　dated　respectively　1463　and　1470。　　This　goes　far　to　corroborate　the　Sleat　historian；　who　was　not　the　least　likely　to　introduce　illegitimacy　into　his　own　favourite　family　　unless　the　charge　was　really　true。　　It　is　instructive　to　find　that　Celestine　　succeeded　to　all　the　lands　of　the　monastery　of　Applecross　in　Lochalsh；　　Lochcarron；　and　Lochbroom。　These　lay　abbots　are　also　said　to　have　held；　　under　the　old　Earls　of　Ross；　the　Sleat　di