Largs。
  After　the　defeat　of　Haco　the　King　sent　detachments　to　secure　the　West　Highlands　and　Isles；　and　to　check　the　local　chiefs。　　Among　the　leaders　sent　in　charge　of　the　Western　garrisons　was；　according　to　the　　supporters　of　the　Irish…origin　theory；　Colin　Fitzgerald；　who；　under　the　　patronage　of　Walter　Stewart；　Earl　of　Menteith；　was　settled　in　the　　Government　of　the　Castle　of　Ellandonnan；　the　well…known　stronghold　of　　the　Mackenzies；　in　Kintail；　situated　on　a　small　rocky　island　at　the　junction　　of　Lochalsh；　Loch　Duich　and　Loch　Long。　Colin's　jurisdiction；　it　is　said；　extended　over　a　wide　district；　and　he　is　referred　to　in　the　fragment　of　the　　Record　of　Icolmkill；　already　quoted；　as　he　〃of　whom　we　have　spoken　at　　the　battle　of　Largs；　and　who　afterwards　conducted　himself　with　firmness　　against　the　Islanders；　and　was　left　a　governor　among　them。〃　　Sir　George　Mackenzie；　first　Earl　of　Cromartie；　who　will　be　proved　later　on　to　have　　been　the　inventor　of　the　Fitzgerald　theory；　says　in　a　MS。　history　of　the　　clan；　that　Colin　〃being　left　in　Kintail；　tradition　records　that　he　married　the　　daughter　of　Mac　Mhathoin；　heritor　of　the　half　of　Kintail。　　This　Mhathoin；〃　　he　continues；　〃is　frequently　identified　with　Coinneach　Gruamach　Mac　　Mhathoin；　Cailean's　predecessor　as　Governor　of　Ellandonnan　Castle。　　The　　other　half　of　Kintail　belonged　to　O'Beolan；　one　of　whose　chiefs；　Ferchair；　　was　created　Earl　of　Ross；　and　his　lands　were　given　to　Cailean　Fitzgerald。〃
  It　will　be　proved　by　incontestible　public　documents　still　in　existence；　that　　these　identical　lands　were；　except　that　they　once　for　a　time　exchanged　　them　with　a　relative　for　lands　in　Buchan；　uninterruptedly　possessed　by　the　　Earls　of　Ross；　the　descendants　of　this　Ferchair；　or　Farquhar；　for　two　　centuries　after　the　battle　of　Largs。　　While　the　Earl　of　Cromartie　and　other　clan　historians　accept　the　　Fitzgerald　origin　by　marriage　with　a　daughter　of　Kenneth　Matheson　of　　Lochalsh；　the　Mathesons　maintain　that　the　first　Mackenzie；　or　Mac　　Choinnichthe　actual　progenitor　of　the　clanwas　a　son　of　their　chief；　Coinneach　Gruamach；　and　that　the　Mackenzies　are　thus　only　a　sept；　or　　minor　branch　of　the　Mathesons。　It　must　in　fairness　be　admitted　that　the　　latter　contention　is　quite　as　near　the　truth　as　the　Fitzgerald　theory　and　it　　must　have　already　occurred　to　the　reader；　how；　if　the　Fitzgerald　origin　of　the　Mackenzies　had　been　true；　has　it　come　about　that　the　original　patronymic　of　Fitzgerald　has　given　way　to　that　of　Mackenzie？　　It　is　not　　pretended　that　it　was　ever　heard　of　after　Colin　himself。　This　difficulty　occurred　even　to　the　Earl　of　Cromartie；　and　this　is　　how　he　attempts　to　dispose　of　it。　　Cailean；　he　says；　had　a　son　by　the　　daughter　of　Kenneth　Mac　Mhathoin；　or　Matheson；　whom　he　named　Coinneach；　or　Kenneth；　after　his　father…in…law　Kenneth　Matheson；　Cailean　　himself　was　killed　in　Glaic　Chailein　by　Mac　Mhathoin；　who　envied　him；　　and　was　sore　displeased　at　Colin's　succession　to　Matheson's　ancient　　heritage；　Colin　was　succeeded　by　his　son　Kenneth；　and　all　his　descendants　were　by　the　Highlanders　called　〃Mac　Choinnich；〃　or　Kenneth's　son；　　taking　the　patronymic　from　Mac　Mhathoin　rather　than　from　Cailean；　　whom　they　esteemed　a　stranger。　Of　the　two　theories　the　Matheson　one　is　　by　far　the　more　probable；　but　they　are　both　without　any　real　foundation。　　The　Fitzgerald　theory　has；　however；　until　recently；　been　accepted　　by　all　the　leading　Mackenzie　families　and　by　the　clan　generally。　　It　has　　been　adopted　in　all　the　Peerages　and　Baronetages；　and　by　almost　every　writer　on　the　history　and　genealogy　of　the　Cabar　feidh　race。　　The　main　if　not　the　only　authority　of　any　consequence　in　favour　of　this　Irish　origin　is　the　charter　alleged　to　have　been　granted　by　Alexander　　III。　to　Colin　in　1266；　of　which　the　reputed　original　runs　as　follows：
  ‘Alexander；　Dei　Gracia；　Rex　Scottorum　omnibus　probis　hominibus　tocius　terre　sue　clericis　it　laicis；　salutem　sciant　presentes　et　futuri　me　pro　　fiddi　seruicio　michi　navato　per　Colinum　Hybernum　tam　in　bello　quam　in　　pace　ideo　dedisse；　et　hac　Presenti　carta　mea　concessisse　dicto　Colino；　et　ejus　successoribus　to/as　terras　de　Kintail　Tenendas　de　nabis　et　　successoribus　nostris　in　liberam　baronium　cum　g　ua　rdia　Reddendo　　servicium　fo　rinsecum　et　fidelitatem　Testibus　Andrea　episcopo；　　Moraviensi。　Wa　ltero　Stewart。　Hen　rico　de　Balioth　Camerario。　Ama/do　de　　Campania。　Thoma　Hostiario；　vice…comite　de　Innerness。　Apud　Kincardine；　　IX　die　Jan。。　Anno　Regni　Domini；　Regis　XVI。〃
  This　is　a　literal　translation　of　the　document。〃Alexander；　by　the　Grace　of　God；　King　of　Scots；　to　all　honest　men　　of　his　whole　dominions；　cleric　and　laic；　greeting：　Be　it　known　to　the　　present　and　future　that　I；　for　the　faithful　service　rendered　to　me　by　Colin　of　Ireland；　in　war　as　well　as　peace；　therefore　I　have　given；　and　by　this　my　　present　charter　I　concede　to　the　said　Colin　and　his　successors；　the　lands　of　　Kintail　to　be　held　of　us　in　free　barony　with　ward　to　render　foreign　service　　and　fidelity。　Witnesses　（as　above。）　At　Kincardine；　9th　day　of　January；　in　the　year　of　the　reign　of　the　Lord　the　King。　the　16th。〃
  The　Kincardine　at　which　this　charter　is　alleged　to　have　been　signed　is　supposed　to　be　the　place　of　that　name　situated　on　the　River　Dee；　for　　about　this　time　an　incident　is　reported　to　have　occurred　in　the　Forest　of　Mar　in　connection　with　which　it　is　traditionally　stated　that　the　Mackenzies　　adopted　the　stag's　head　as　their　coat　armour。　　The　legend　is　as　follows：
  Alexander　was　on　a　hunting　expedition　in　the　forest；　near　Kincardine；　when　an　infuriated　stag；　closely　pursued　by　the　hounds；　made　straight　in　　the　direction　of　the　King；　and　Cailean　Fitzgerald；　who　accompanied　the　　Royal　party；　gallantly　interposed　his　own　person　between　the　exasperated　　animal　and　his　Majesty；　and　shot　it　with　an　arrow　in　the　forehead。　　The　　King　in　acknowledgment　of　the　Royal　gratitude　at　once　issued　a　diploma　　in　favour　of　Colin　granting　him　armorial　bearings　which　were　to　be；　a　　stags　head　puissant；　bleeding　at　the　forehead　where　the　arrow　pierced　it；　to　　be　borne　on　a　field　azure；　supported　by　two　greyhounds。　　The　crest　to　be　a　dexter　arm　bearing　a　naked　sword；　surrounded　by　the　motto　〃Fide　Parta；　　Fide　Acta；〃　which　continued　to　be　the　distinctive　bearings　of　the　　Mackenzies　of　Seaforth　until　it　was　considered　expedient；　as　　corroborating　their　claims　on　the　extensive　possessions　of　the　Macleods　of　　Lewis；　to　substitute　for　the　original　the　crest　of　that　warlike　clan；　namely；　　a　mountain　in　flames；　surcharged　with　the　words；　〃Luceo　non　uro；〃　the　　ancient　shield；　supported　by　two　savages；　naked；　and　wreathed　about　the　　head　with　laurel；　armed　with　clubs　issuing　fire；　which　are　the　bearings　　now　used　by　the　representatives　of　the　High　Chiefs　of　Kintail。　　The　incident　of　the　hunting　match　and　Colin　Fitzgerald's　gallant　　rescue　of　Alexander　III。　was　painted　by　West　for　〃The　last　of　the　　Seaforths〃　in　one　of　those　large　pictures　with　which　the　old　Academician　　employed　and　gratified　his　latter　years。　　The　artist　received　？oo　for　the　noble　painting；　which　is　still　preserved　in　Brahan　Castle；　and　in　his　old　age　he　expressed　his　willingness　to　give　the　same　sum　for　it　in　order　to　　have　it　exhibited　in　his　own　collection。
  The　first　notice　of　the　reputed　charter　to　Colin　Fitzgerald　is　in　the　　manuscript　history　of　the　Mackenzies；　by　George；　first　Earl　of　Cromartie；　already　quoted；　written　about　the　middle　of　the　seventeenth　century。　　All　the　later　genealogists　appear　to　have　taken　its　authenticity　for　granted；　and　　quoted　it　accordingly。　　Dr　Skene；　the　most　learned　and　accurate　of　all　our　　Highland　historians；　expresses　his　decided　opinion　that　the　charter　is　　forged　and　absolutely　worthless　as　evidence　in　favour　of　the　Fitzgerald　　origin　of　the　clan。　　At　pages　223…25　of　his　Highlanders　of　Scotland；　he　　says
  〃The　Mackenzies　have　long　boasted　of　their　descent　from　the　great　Norman　family　of　Fitzgerald　in　Ireland；　and　in　support　of　this　origin　they　　produce　a　fragment　of　the　Records　of　Icolmkill；　and　a　charter　by　　Alexander　III。　to　Colin　Fitzgerald；　the　supposed　progenitor　of　the　family；　　of　the　lands　of　Kintail。　At　first　sight　these　documents　might　appear　　conclusive；　but；　independently　of　the　somewhat　suspicious　circumstance　　that　while　these　pages　have　been　most　freely　and　generally　quoted；　no　one　has　ever　seen　the　originals；　and　the　fragment　of　the　Icolmkill　Record　　merely　says　that　among　the　actors　in　the　battle　of　Largs；　fought　in　1263；　was　‘Peregrinus　et　Hibernus　nobilis　ex　familia　Geraldinorum　qui　proximo　anno　Hibernia　pulsus　apud　regni　benigne　acceptus　hinc　usque　in　curta　　permansit　et　in　praefacto　proelio　strenue　pugnavit；'　giving　not　a　hint　of　his　　having　settled　in　the　Highlands；　or　of　his　having　become　the　progenitor　of　　any　Scottish　family　whatever　while　as　to　the　supposed　charter　of　　Alexander　III。；　it　is　equally　inconclusive；　as　it　merely　grants　the　lands　of　　Kintail　to　Colin　Hiberno；　the　word　‘Hiberno'　having　at　the　time　come　into　general　use　as　denoting　the　Highlanders；　in　the　same　manner　as　the　word　　‘Erse'　is　now　frequently　used　to　express　their　language；　but　inconclusive　as　it　is；　this　charter；〃　he　continues；　〃cannot　be　admitted　at　all；　as　it　bears　　the　most　palpable　marks　of　having　been　a　forgery　of　a　later　time；　and