in　the　year　of　God　1477。　　So　I　do　think　that　the　lairds　of　　Balnagowan；　perceiving　the　Earls　of　Ross　decayed；　and　that　earldom；　　fallen　into　the　Lords　of　the　Isles'　hands；　they　called　themselves　Ross　　thereby　to　testify　their　descent　from　the　Earls　of　Ross。　Besides；　all　the　Rosses　in　that　province　are　Unto　this　day　called　in　the　Irish　（Gaelic）　　language　Clan　Leandries；　which　race　by　their　own　tradition　is　sprung　from　another　stock。〃
  In　the　same　work；　p。　46；　we　find　that　the　Earls　of　Ross　were　called　O'Beolans　as　late　as　1333；　for　Sir　Robert　informs　us；　writing　of　the　battle　　of　Halidon　Hill；　that　〃in　this　field　was　Hugh　Beolan；　Earl　of　Ross；　slain。〃　It　is　established　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　reasonable　men　that　the　　Applecross　and　O'Beolan　Earls　　of　Ross　were　one　and　the　same；　and　that　　they　were　descended　from　Gilleoin　na　h'　Airde；　corrupted　in　the　Norse　　Sagas　into　〃Beolan；〃　the　general　designation　by　which　they　were　known；　　until　Earl　William；　the　last　of　his　line；　died　without　surviving　male　issue　　on　the　9th　of　February；　1372；　　when　　the　　title　　devolved　　upon　　his　　　daughter；　Euphemia；　Countess　of　Ross　in　her　own　right；　whose　daughter；　　　Mary；　or　　Margaret；　by　Sir　Walter　　Leslie；　carried　the　earldom　to　Donald　of　Harlaw；　second　Lord　of　the　Isles。　　That　the　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross；　of　whom　Ferquhard　Mac　an　t'Sagairt　was　the　first；　descended　from　the　same　　ancestor；　Gilleoin　na　h'　Airde；　as　the　older　〃Gillandres〃　earl　of　1160；　is　　equally　certain。　　Earl　Gillandres　was　probably　forfeited　for　the　part　he　　took　against　Malcolm　IV。　on　that　occasion；　and　Ferquhard　having　　rendered　such　important　services　to　Alexander　II。　was　restored　probably　　quite　as　much　in　virtue　of　his　ancient　rights　as　the　grandson　of　Ferquhard　　as　on　account　of　his　valiant　conduct　in　support　of　the　crown　in　Moray；　in　Argyle；　and　in　Galloway；　in　　1215；　1222；　and　1235。
  The　surname　Ross　has　in　early　times　been　invariably　rendered　in　Gaelic　as　Gilleanrias；　or　Gillanders；　and　the　Rosses　appear　under　this　　appellation　in　all　the　early　Acts　of　Parliament。　　There　is　also　an　unvarying　　tradition　that　on　the　death　of　the　last　Earl　of　the　O'Beolan　line　a　certain　　Paul　Mac　Tire　was　for　some　years　head　of　the　Rosses；　and　this　tradition　is　　corroborated　by　the　fact　that　there　is　a　charter　on　record　by　Earl　William　　of　the　lands　of　Gairloch　in　1366　in　favour　of　Paul　Mac　Tire　and　his　heirs　by　Mary　Graham；　in　which　the　Earl　styles　Mac　Tire　his　cousin。　　This　grant　was　confirmed　by　King　Robert　II。　in　1372。　　In　　the　manuscript　of　1467　the　genealogy　of　Clann　Gille…Anrias；　or　the　descendants　of　Gillean…Ard…Rois；　　begins　with　a　Paul　Mac　Tire。　　The　clan　whose　genealogy　is　there　given　is　　undoubtedly　that　of　the　Rosses；　and　in　the　manuscript　they　are　traced　　upwards　from　Paul　MacTire　in　a　direct　line　to　Gilleon　na　h'Airde；　the　　〃Beolan〃　of　the　Norse　Sagas；　who　lived　in　the　tenth　century；　and　who　will　be　shown　to　be　also　the　remote　progenitor　of　the　Mackenzies。　　The　Aird　　referred　to　is　said　to　be　the　Aird　of　Ross。
  In　the　manuscript　of　　1467　the　name　Gille…Anrias　appears　in　the　　genealogies　of　both　the　Mackenzies　and　the　Rosses　exactly　contemporaneous　with　the　generation　which　preceded　the　original　grant　to　　〃Ferchair　Mac　an　t'Sagairt〃　of　the　Earldom　of　Ross。　　The　name　GilleAnrias　has　been　rendered　as　the　Gaelic　equivalent　for　Servant　of　Andrew；　　or　St。　Andrew；　and　that；　according　to　Skene；　would　seem　to　indicate　that　　the　first　of　that　name；　if　not　a　priest　himself；　must　have　belonged　to　the　　priestly　house　of　Appercrossan　or　Applecross；　of　which　Earl　Farquhar　　ultimately　became　the　head。　The　dates　exactly　correspond；　and　when；　in　　addition　to　this；　it　is　remembered　that　of　the　earls　who　besieged　Malcolm　IV。　at　Perth　in　1160　one　was　named　〃Gillandres〃　it　seems　fully　　established　that　Ferchard　Mac　an　t'Sagairt　was　descended　from　the　　original　　earls　and　that　he　was　entitled　to　the　earldom　by　ancient　right　on　　the　failure　or　forfeiture　of　the　direct　representative　of　the　old　line；　as　well　　as　by　a　new　creation。　　Although　there　may　have　been　one　or　two　usurpersa　common　event　in　those　turbulent　timesFerquhard　was　undoubtedly　a　　near　relative　and　the　legitimate　successor　of　the　Celtic　〃Gillandres〃　earl　of　　1160。　　He　is　described　in　the　Chronicle　of　Melrose　as　〃Comes　Rossensis　　Machentagard；〃　and　in　Dalrymple's　Annals　of　Scotland　as　〃Mc　Kentagar；〃　　a　designation　which　the　author　describes　in　a　footnote　as　〃an　　　unintelligible　word；〃　though　its　meaning　is　perfectly　plain　to　every　Gaelic…speaking　Celt。
  Ferquhard　founded　the　Abbey　of　Fearn；　in　Easter　Ross；　about　　1230；　and　died　there　in　1251。　　Referring　to　his　position　during　the　first　half　of　the　thirteenth　　century　even　the　Earl　of　Cromartie　is　forced　to　admit　in　his　MS。；　a　copy　of　　which　we　possess；　that　〃it　cannot　be　disputed　that　the　Earl　of　Ross　was　the　　Lord　paramount　under　Alexander　II。；　by　whom　Farquhard　Mac　an　　t'Sagairt　was　recognised　in　the　hereditary　dignity　of　his　predecessors；　and　　who；　by　another　tradition；　was　a　real　progenitor　of　the　noble　family　of　　Kintail。〃　And　this　was　said　and　written　by　an　author；　who；　in　another　part　of　the　same　manuscript；　stoutly　maintains　that　the　king　granted　these　　identical　lands　to　Colin　Fitzgerald　by　a　charter　which；　if　it　was　ever　signed　　at　all；　must　have　been　signed　a　full　generation　before　the　date　which　the　forged　document　bearsthirty　years　after　the　witnesses　whose　names　　attest　it　had　gone　to　their　last　home。
  THE　　O'BEOLAN　　EARLS　　OF　　ROSS。
  It　must　now　be　most　interesting　to　every　member　of　the　Clan　　Mackenzie　to　know　who　these　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross　were　and　all　that　　can　be　ascertained　regarding　themselves　and　their　family　alliances。　Leaving　out　Earl　Gillanders；　of　whom　so　little　is　known；　let　us　begin　with　I。　　FERQUHARD；　　OR　　FARQUHAR　　O'BEOLAN；　〃Mac　an　　t'Sagairt；〃　who；　as　already　stated；　founded　the　Abbey　of　Fearn；　and　died　　there　in　1251。　　By　his　wife；　whose　name　has　not　come　down　to　us；　he　had　issue；　at　least；
  1。　　William；　his　heir　and　successor。
  2。　　Malcolm；　of　whose　life　nothing　is　known。
  3。　　Euphemia；　who　married　Walter　de　Moravia；　Lord　of　Duffus　　from　1224　to　1262。
  4。　　Christina；　who　married　Olave　the　Red；　King　of　Man；　with　issue。　Farquhar　was　succeeded　by　his　eldest　son；
  II。　WILLIAM　　O'BEOLAN；　　EARL　　OF　　ROSS。　　He　obtained　Skye　　and　Lewis　from　Alexander　III。　and　died　at　Earles　Allane　in　1274。　　He　married　Joan　daughter　of　the　first　Red　Comyn；　who　died　in　1273；　and　　sister　of　John；　the　Black　Comyn；　Lord　of　Badenoch　and　Earl　of　Buchan；　　who　married　Marjory；　sister　of　King　John　　Baliol；　with　issuethe　　Red　　　Comyn；　who　was　killed　by　Robert　the　Bruce　in　the　Church　of　Dumfries　in　　1306。　　Another　sister　of　the　Countess　of　Ross　was　married　to　John　　Macdougall；　Lord　of　Lorn；　on　record　1251；　usually　styled　〃　King　Eoin　or　　Ewin。〃　　By　his　wife　Earl　William　had　issue
  1。　　William；　his　heir　and　successor。
  2。　　Dorothea；　who　married　her　cousin；　Torquil　Macleod　II。　of　　Lewis；　with　issue。
  He　was　succeeded　by　his　only　son；　III。　　WILLIAM　　O'BEOLAN；　　EARL　OF　　ROSS；　　who　fought　　alternately　with　Edward　I。　and　Robert　the　Bruce；　and　was　imprisoned　in　　London　1296…97。　　In　1306　he　delivered　up　to　the　English　King；　Robert　　Bruce's　Queen；　Isabella；　his　daughter　Marjory；　his　sister　Mary；　the　brave　Countess　of　Buchan；　and　other　ladies　of　distinction；　who　bad　for　a　time　　found　shelter　and　protection　in　the　Sanctuary　of　St。　Duthus；　at　Tain；　from　　the　English　oppressors　of　their　country。　　In　1309　he　obtained　a　new　grant　of　his　lands。　　By　his　wife；　one　of　the　Grahams　of　Montrose；　he　had　issue
  1。　　Hugh；　his　heir　and　successor。
  2。　　Sir　John；　who　married　his　second　cousin；　Margaret；　daughter　of　Alexander；　Earl　of　Buchan。
  3。　　Isabella；　　who　　married　　Edward　　Bruce；　Earl　of　Carrick；　brother　of　King　Robert　the　Bruce。
  4。　　A　daughter　who；　as　her　second　husband；　married　Malise；　Earl　　of　Stratherne；　with　issuefour　daughters；　the　eldest　of　whom　married　William　St。　Clair；　Baron　of　Roslin；　whose　son　Henry　afterwards　succeeded　in　right　of　his　mother　to　the　earldom　of　Stratherne。
  He　died　at　Delny；　in　Easter　Ross；　in　1323；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　eldest　son；　IV。　　HUGH　　O'BEOLAN；　　EARL　　OF　　ROSS。　　He　received　charters；　of　Strathglass　and　of　the　Isle　of　Skye。　　He　married　first；　in　1308；　　Maud　or　Matilda；　sister　of　King　Robert　the　Bruce；　with　issue
  1。　　William；　his　heir　and　successor。
  2。　　Hugh　Ross　of　Rarichies；　from　whom　the　Old　Rosses　of　　Balnagown；　of　whom　the　last　representative　in　the　male　line　was　the　late　George　Ross　of　Pitcalnie。　　This　Hugh　obtained　the　lands　of　Philorth　in　　Aberdeen…shire；　and　between　1362　and　1372　he　exchanged　them　with　his　　brother；　Earl　Hugh；　for　the　lands　of　North　Argyle；　including　the　Castle　of　　Ellandonnan。　　The　territories　exchanged　included　Strathglass；　Kintail。　　and　　other　lands　in　Wester　Ross。
  3。　　Janet；　who　married；　first；　Monimusk　of　Monimusk　and；　　secondly；　Sir　Alexander　Murray　of　Abercairny。
  4。　　Euphemia　or　Eupham；　who　married；　first；　Randolph；　Earl　of　　Moray；　who　was　killed　at　the　battle　of　Durham；　and　secondly；　her　cousin；　King　Robert　II。；　grandson　of　Robert　the　Bruce　and　first　of　the　Stuart　　dynasty。　　This　marriage　being　within　the　prohibited　degrees　of　　consanguinity　a　special　dispensation　was　obtained　from　Pope　Innocen