oinni　or　Mac　Kenny；　which　ultimately　came　to　be　spelt　Mac　Kenzie；　Z　in　those　days　　having　exactly　the　same　value　and　sound　as　the　letter　V；　and　the　name；　　although　spelt　with　a　Z　instead　of　a　Y　would　be　pronounced　Mac　Kenny；　　as　indeed　we　pronounce　in　our　own　day；　in　Scotland；　such　names　as　　Menzies；　Macfadzean；　and　several　others；　as　if　they　were　still　written　with　the　letter　Y。　　The　two　letters　being　thus　of　the　same　value；　after　a　time　came　to　be　used　indiscriminately　in　　the　word　Kenny　or　Kenzie；　and　the　　letter　z　having　subsequently　acquired　a　different　value　and　sound　of　its　　own；　more　allied　to　the　letter　S　than　to　the　original　Y；　the　name　is　　pronounced　as　if　it　were　written　Mackensie。
  Kenneth　was　the　son　and　heir　of　Angus；　the　direct　representative　of　　a　long　line　of　ancestors　up　to　Gilleoin　na　li'Airde；　the　common　progenitor　　of　the　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross；　the　Clann　Ghille…Andrais；　who　about　the　　end　of　the　fourteenth　century　called　themselves　Rosses；　and　of　the　　Mackenzies。　　The　close　connection　by　blood　and　marriage　between　the　　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross　and　Kenneth's　family　before　and　after　this　period　　has　been　already　shown；　but　the　ancient　ties　of　friendship　had　at　this　time　　become　　somewhat　strained。　Kenneth　succeeded　to　the　government　of　　Ellandonnan　Castle；　which　was　garrisoned　by　his　friends　and　supporters；　　the　Macraes　and　the　Maclennans；　who；　even　at　that　early　date　in　large　　numbers　occupied　Kintail。　　Kenneth；　in　fact；　was　Governor　of　the　Castle；　　and　was　otherwise　becoming　so　powerful　that　his　superior；　the　Earl；　was　getting　very　jealous　of　him。
  At　this　time　the　first　Earl　William　laid　claim　to　the　superiority　of　　the　Western　　Isles；　which　he　and　his　father；　Ferchair　Mac　an　t'Sagairt；　　were　chiefly　instrumental；　among　the　followers　of　Alexander　III。；　in　　wresting　from　the　Norwegians；　and　he　was　naturally　desirous　to　have　the　　government　of　Ellandonnan　Castle　in　his　own　hands；　or　under　the　charge　　of　some　one　less　ambitious　than　Kenneth；　and　on　whom　he　could　implicitly　rely。　　Kenneth　was　advancing　rapidly　both　in　power　and　influence　　among　his　more　immediate　neighbours；　who　were　mainly　composed　of　the　　ancient　inhabitants　of　the　district；　the　Mac　Beolains；　who　occupied　Glenshiel　and　the　south　side　of　Loch　Duich　as　far　as　Kylerhea；　the　Mac　　Ivors；　who　inhabited　Glen　Lichd；　the　Cro　of　Kintail；　and　the　north　side　of　　Loch　Duich；　while　the　Mac　Tearlichs；　now　calling　themselves　Mac　　Erlichs　or　Charlesons；　occupied　Glenelchaig。　These　aboriginal　natives　　naturally　supported　Kenneth；　who　was　one　of　themselves；　against　the　　claims　of　his　superior；　the　Earl；　who　though　a　pure　Highland　Celt　was　less　　known　in　Kintail　than　the　Governor　of　the　Castle。　　This　only　made　the　　Earl　more　determined　than　ever　to　obtain　possession　of　the　stronghold；　　and　he　peremptorily　requested　the　garrison　to　surrender　it　and　Kenneth　to　him　at　once。　The　demand　was　promptly　refused；　and　finding　that　the　　Governor　was　resolved　to　hold　it　at　all　hazards　the　Earl　sent　a　strong　detachment　to　take　it　by　storm。
  Kenneth　was　readily　joined　by　the　surrounding　tribes；　among　　whom　were；　along　with　those　whose　names　have　been　already　given；　the　brave　Macaulays　of　Lochbroom；　who　were　distantly　related　to　him。　By　　the　aid　of　these　reinforcements　Kenneth　was　able　to　withstand　a　desperate　and　gallant　onset　by　the　Earl　and　his　followers；　who　were　defeated　and　　driven　back　with　great　slaughter。　This　exasperated　the　enemy　so　much　that　he　soon　after　returned　to　the　charge　with　a　largely　increased　force；　at　the　　same　time　threatening　the　young　governor　with　the　utmost　vengeance　and　　final　extirpation　unless　he　immediately　capitulated。　　But　before　the　Earl　was　able　to　carry　his　threats　into　execution；　be　was　overtaken　by　a　severe　　illness　of　which　he　very　soon　after　died；　in　1274。　　His　son；　the　second　Earl　　　William；　did　　not　persevere　in　his　father's　policy　against　Kintail；　and　it　　was　not　long　before　his　attention　was　diverted　into　another　channel。　　On　　the　death　of　Alexander　III。；　in　1286；　the　affairs　of　the　nation　became　　confused　and　distracted。　　This　was　rather　an　advantage　to　Kenneth　than　　otherwise；　for；　in　the　general　disorder　which　followed　he　was　able　to　　strengthen　his　position　among　the　surrounding　tribes。　　Through　a　　combination　of　native　prudence；　personal　popularity；　and　a　growing　power　　and　influence　heightened　by　the　eclat　of　his　having　so　recently　defeated　the　powerful　Earl　of　Ross；　he　succeeded　in　maintaining　good　order　in　his　　own　district；　while　his　increasing　influence　was　felt　over　most　of　the　　Western　Isles。
  Kenneth　married　Morna　or　Morba；　daughter　of　Alexander　　Macdougall　of　Lorn；　〃de　Ergedia；〃　by　a　daughter　of　John　the　first　Red　　Comyn；　and　sister　of　John　the　Black　Comyn；　Earl　of　Badenoch。　　He　died　in　1304　and　was　buried　in　Icolmkill；　when　he　was　succeeded　by　his　only　　son；
  II。　　JOHN　　MAC　　KENNETH；　　OR　　MAC　　KENZIE；
  The　　first　of　the　race　called　Mac　Kenny　or　Mac　Kenzie。　　Dr　George　Mackenzie；　already　quoted；　says　that　〃the　name　Coinneach　is　common　to　　the　Pictish　and　Scottish　Gael；〃　and　that　〃Mackenzie；　Baron　of　Kintail；　　attached　himself　to　the　fortunes　of　the　heroic　Robert　the　Bruce；　　notwithstanding　MacDougall's　（his　father…in…law）　tenacious　adherence　to　　the　cause　of　Baliol；　as　is　believed；　in　resentment　for　the　murder　of　his　　cousin；　the　Red　Comyn；　at　Dumfries〃；　while　the　Earl　of　Cromartie　says　　that　he　〃not　only　sided　with　Robert　Bruce　in　his　contest　with　the　Cumins　　but　that　he　was　one　of　those　who　sheltered　him　in　his　lurking　and　assisted　　him　in　his　restitution；　‘for　in　the　Isles；'　says　Boethius　‘he　had　supply　from　　a　friend；　and　yet　Donald　of　the　Isles；　who　then　commanded　them；　was　on　　the　Cumin's　side；　and　raised　the　Isles　to　their　assistance；　and　was　beat　at　　Deer　by　Edward　Bruce；　anno　　1308。'〃　　All　this　is　indeed　highly　probable。
  After　Bruce　left　the　Island　of　Rachrin　he　was　for　a　considerable　time　lost　sight　of；　many　believing　that　he　had　perished　during　his　wanderings；　from　the　great　hardships　which　he　necessarily　endured　in　his　　ultimately　successful　attempts　to　escape　the　vigilant　efforts　and　search　of　　his　enemies。　　　That　Bruce　found　shelter　in　Ellandonnan　Castle　and　was　　there　protected　for　a　considerable　time　by　the　Baron　of　Kintailuntil　he　　found　opportunity　again　to　take　the　field　against　his　enemieshas　ever　　since　been　the　unbroken　tradition　in　the　Highlands；　and　it　has　always　been　　handed　down　from　one　generation　to　another　as　a　proud　incident　in　the　　history　of　the　clan。　　The　Laird　of　Applecross；　who　wrote　his　manuscript　history　of　the　Mackenzies　in　1669；　follows　the　earlier　family　historians。　　　　　He　says　that　this　Baron　of　Kintail　〃did　own　the　other　party；　and　was　one　of　　those　who　sheltered　the　Bruce；　and　assisted　in　his　recovery。　　I　shall　not　say　　he　was　the　only　one；　but　this　stands　for　that　assertion　that　all　who　were　considerable　in　the　Hills　and　Isles　were　enemies　to　the　Bruce；　and　so　　cannot　be　presumed　to　be　his　friends。　　The　Earl　of　Ross　did　most　　unhandsomely　and　unhumanly　apprehend　his　lady　at　Tain　and　delivered　　her　to　the　English；　anno　1305。　　Donald　of　the　Isles；　or　Rotholl；　or　rather　Ronald；　with　all　the　Hebrides；　armed　against　the　Bruce　and　were　beat　by　　Edward　　Bruce　in　Buchan；　anno　1308。　　Alexander　of　Argyll　partied　（sided　　with）　the　Baliol；　his　country；　therefore；　was　wasted　by　Bruce；　anno　1304；　and　himself　taken　by　him；　1309。　　Macdougall　of　Lorn　fought　against　the　　Bruce；　and　took　him　prisoner；　from　whom　he　notably　escaped；　so　that　　there　is　none　in　the　district　left　so　considerable　as　this　chief　（Mackenzie）　　who　had　an　immediate　dependence　on　the　Royal　family　and　had　this　　strong　fort；　which　was　never　commanded　by　the　Bruce's　enemies；　either　　English　or　Scots；　and　that　his　shelter　and　assistance　was　from　a　remote　　place　and　friend　is　evident　from　all　our　stories。　　But　all　their　neighbours　being　stated　on　a　different　side　from　the　Mackenzies　engendered　a　feud　　betwixt　him　and　them；　especially　with　the　Earl　of　Ross　and　Donald　of　the　　Isles；　which　never　ended　　but　with　the　end　of　the　Earl　of　Ross　and　　lowering　of　the　Lord　of　the　Isles。〃　　That　this　is　true　will　be　placed　beyond　　question　as　we　proceed。
  It　may；　indeed；　be　assumed　from　subsequent　events　in　the　history　of　these　powerful　families　and　the　united　testimony　of　all　the　genealogists　　of　the　Mackenzies；　that　the　chief　of　Kintail　did　befriend　Robert　the　Bruce　　against　his　enemies　and　protected　him　in　his　castle　of　Ellandonnan；　in　　spite　of　the　commands　of　his　immediate　superior；　the　Earl　of　Ross；　and　the　　united　power　of　all　the　other　great　families　of　the　Western　Isles　and　　Argyle。　　And　in　his　independent　stand　at　this　important　period　in　the　　history　of　Scotland　will　be　found　the　true　grounds　of　the　local　rancour　　which　afterwards　prevailed　between　Mackenzie　and　the　Island　Lord；　and　which　only　terminated　in　the　collapse　of　the　Earls　of　Ross　and　the　Lords　　of　the　Isles；　upon　the　ruins　of　which；　as　a　reward　for　proved　loyalty　to　the　　reigning　monarch；　and　as　the　result　of　the　characteristic　prudence　of　the　race　of　MacKenneth；　the　House　of　Kintail　gradually　rose　in　power；　subsequently　absorbed　the　ancient　inheritance　of　all　the　original　possessors　of　　the　district；　and　ultimately　extended　their　influence　more　widely　over　the