original　possessors　of　　the　district；　and　ultimately　extended　their　influence　more　widely　over　the　　whole　provinces　of　Wester　and　Central　Ross。
  The　genealogists　further　say　that　this　chief　waited　on　the　King　during　his　visit　to　Inverness　in　　1312。　　＇The　MS。　histories　of　the　Mackenzies　give　the　date　of　Robert　Bruce's　visit　to　Inverness　as　1307；　but　　from　a　copy　of　the　〃Annual　of　Norway；〃　at　the　negotiation　and　　arrangement　of　which　〃the　eminent　Prince；　Lord　Robert；　by　the　like　grace；　noble　King　of　Scors　（attended）　personally　on　the　other　part；〃　it　will　be　seen　that　the　date　of　the　visit　was　1312。See　Invernessiana；　by　Charles　Fraser…Mackintosh；　F；S。A。　Scot。；　pp。　36…40。＇　　This　may　now　be　accepted　as　correct；　as　also　that　　he　fought　at　the　head　of　his　followers　at　the　battle　of　　Inverury；　where　Bruce　defeated　Mowbray　and　the　Comyn　in　　1303。　　After　　this　important　engagement；　according　to　Fenton；　〃all　the　nobles；　barons；　towns；　cities。　garrisons；　and　castles　north　of　the　Grampians　submitted　to　Robert　the　Bruce；〃　when；　with　good　reason；　the　second　chief　of　Clan　　Kenneth　was　further　confirmed　in　the　favour　of　his　sovereign；　and　in　the　　government　of　Ellandonnan。
  The　Lord　of　the　Isles　had　in　the　meantime；　after　his　capture　in　Argyle；　died　while　confined　in　　Dundonald　Castle；　when　　his　brother　and　　successor；　Angus　Og；　declared　for　Bruce。　　Argyll　and　Lorn　left；　or　were　　driven　out　of　the　country；　and　took　up　their　residence　in　England。　　With　　Angus　Og　of　the　Isles　now　on　the　side　of　Bruce；　and　the　territories　of　　Argyll　and　Lorn　at　his　mercy　in　the　absence　of　their　respective　chiefs；　it　　was　an　easy　matter　for　the　King；　during　the　varied　fortunes　of　his　heroic　struggle；　defending　Scotland　from　the　English；　to　draw　largely　upon　the　　resources　of　the　West　Highlands　and　Isles；　flow　unmolested；　particularly　　after　the　surprise　at　Perth　in　the　winter　of　1312；　and　the　reduction　of　all　　the　strongholds　in　Scotlandexcept　Stirling；　Berwick；　and　Dunbarduring　the　ensuing　summer。　　The　decisive　blow；　however；　yet　to　be　struck　　by　which　the　independence　and　liberties　of　Scotland　were　to　be　for　ever　　established　and　confirmed；　and　the　time　was　drawing　nigh　when　every　　nerve　would　have　to　be　strained　for　a　final　effort　to　clear　it；　once　for　all；　of　　the　bated　followers　of　the　tyrant　Edwards；　roll　them　back　before　an　　impetuous　wave　of　Scottish　valour；　and　for　ever　put　an　end　to　England's　　claim　to　tyrannise　over　a　free…born　people　whom　it　was　found　impossible　　to　crush　or　cow。　　Nor；　in　the　words　of　the　Bennetsfield　manuscript；　〃will　we　affect　a　morbid　indifference　to　the　fact　that　on　the　24th　of　June；　1314；　　Bruce's　heroic　band　of　thirty　thousand　warriors　on　the　glorious　field　of　　Bannockburn　contained　above　ten　thousand　Western　Highlanders　and　men　　of　the　Isles；〃　under　Angus　Og　of　the　Isles；　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　（who　led　five　hundred　of　his　vassals）；　and　other　chiefs　of　the　mainland；　of　whom　　Major　specially　says；　that　〃they　made　an　incredible　slaughter　of　their　　enemies；　slaying　heaps　of　them　around　wherever　they　went；　and　running　　upon　them　with　their　broadswords　and　daggers　like　wild　bears　without　any　　regard　to　their　own　lives。〃　　Alluding　to　the　same　event；　Barbour　says
  Angus　of　the　Is'es　and　Bute　alsae；　And　of　the　plain　lands　he　had　mae　Of　armed　men　a　noble　route；　His　battle　stalwart　was　and　stout。
  General　Stewart　of　Garth；　in　a　footnote；　Sketches　of　the　　Highlanders；　says　that　the　eighteen　Highland　chiefs　who　fought　at　　Bannockburn　wereMackay；　Mackintosh；　Macpherson；　Cameron；　　Sinclair；　Campbell；　Menzies；　Maclean；　Sutherland；　Robertson；　Grant；　　Fraser；　Macfarlane；　Ross；　Macgregor；　Munro；　Mackenzie；　and　Macquarrie　　and　that　〃Cumming；　Macdougall　of　Lorn；　Macnab；　and　a　few　others　were　　unfortunately　in　opposition　to　Bruce；　and　suffered　accordingly。〃　　In　due　　time　the　Western　chiefs　returned　home；　where　on　their　arrival；　many　of　them　found　local　feuds　still　smoulderingencouraged　by　the　absence　of　　the　natural　protectors　of　the　peopleamidst　the　surrounding　blaze。　　John　lived　peaceably　at　home　during　the　remainder　of　his　days。　　He　　married　Margaret；　daughter　of　David　de　Strathbogie；　XIth　Earl　of　Atholl；　　by　Joan；　daughter　of　John；　the　Red　Comyn；　last　Earl　of　Badenoch；　killed　　by　Robert　the　Bruce　in　1306。　　He　died　in　1328；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　　only　son；
  III。　　KENNETH　　MACKENZIE；
  Commonly　called　Coinneach　na　Sroine；　or　Kenneth　of　the　Nose；　from　the　　size　of　that　organ。　　Very　little　is　known　of　this　chief。　　But　he　does　not　appear　to　have　been　long　in　possession　when　he　found　himself　serious　　trouble　and　unable　to　cope　successfully　with　the　Earl　of　Ross；　who　made　　determined　efforts　to　re…establish　the　original　position　of　his　house　over　　the　Barons　of　Kintail。　　Wyntoun　says　that　in　1331；　Randolph；　Earl　of　　Moray；　nephew　of　Robert　the　Bruce；　and　at　that　time　Warden　of　　Scotland；　　sent　his　Crowner　to　Ellandonnan；　with　orders　to　prepare　the　castle　for　his　　reception　and　to　arrest　all　〃misdoaris〃　in　the　district；　fifty　of　whom　the　Crowner　beheaded；　and；　according　to　the　barbarous　practice　of　even　much　　later　times；　exposed　their　heads　for　the　edification　of　the　surrounding　　lieges　high　upon　the　castle　walls。　　Randolph　himself　soon　after　arrived　　and；　says　the　same　chronicler；　was　〃right　blithe〃　to　see　the　goodly　show　of　　heads　〃that　flowered　so　weel　that　wall〃a　ghastly　warning　to　all　　treacherous　or　plundering　〃misdoaris。〃　　From　what　occurred　on　this　　occasion　it　is　obvious　that　Kenneth　either　did　not　attempt　or　was　not　able　　to　govern　his　people　with　a　firm　hand　and　to　keep　the　district　free　from　plunderers　and　lawlessness。
  It　is　undoubted　that　at　this　time　the　Earl　of　Ross　succeeded　in　gaining　a　considerable　hold　in　the　district　over　which　he　had　all　along　　claimed　superiority；　for　in　1342　William；　the　fifth　and　last　O'Beolan　Earl；　　is　on　record　as　granting　a　charter　of　the　whole　ten　davochs　of　Kintail　to　Reginald；　son　of　Roderick　of　the　Isles。　The　charter　was　granted　and　dated　　at　the　Castle　of　Urquhart；　witnessed　by　the　bishops　of　Ross　and　Moray；　　and　confirmed　by　David　II。　in　1344。　＇Invernessiana；　p。56。＇　　From　all　this　it　　may　fairly　be　assumed　that　the　line　of　Mac　Kenneth　was　not　far　from　the　breaking　point　during　the　reign　of　Kenneth　of　the　Nose。
  Some　followers　of　the　Earl　of　Ross　about　this　time　made　a　raid　to　　the　district　of　Kenlochewe　and　carried　away　a　great　herschip。　Mackenzie　　pursued　them；　recovered　a　considerable　portion　of　the　spoil。　and　killed　　many　of　the　raiders。　　The　Earl　of　Ross　was　greatly　incensed　at　Kenneth's　　conduct　in　this　affair；　and　he　determined　to　have　him　apprehended　and　　suitably　punished　for　the　murders　and　other　excesses　committed　by　him。
  In　this　he　ultimately　succeeded。　　Mackenzie　was　captured；　chiefly　through　the　instrumentality　of　Leod　Mac　Gilleandraisa　desperate　character；　and　a　　vassal　and　relative　of　the　Earland　executed　at　Inverness　in　1346；　when　the　lands　of　Kenlochewe；　previously　possessed　by　Kintail；　were　given　to　　Mac　Gilleandrais　as　a　reward　for　Mackenzie's　capture。
  On　this　point　the　author　of　the　Ardintoul　manuscript　says；　that　the　　lands　of　Kenlochewe　were　held　by　Kenneth　Mackenzie　〃and　his　predecessors　by　tack；　but　not　as　heritage；　for　they　had　no　real　or　heritable　　right　of　them　until　Alexander　of　Kintail　got　heritable　possession　of　them　from　John；　Earl　of　Ross；〃　at　a　much　later　date。　Ellandonnan　Castle；　　however；　held　out　during　the　whole　of　this　disturbed　and　distracted　period；　　and　until　Kenneth's　heir；　who　at　his　father's　death　was　a　mere　boy；　came　　of　age；　when　he　fully　avenged　the　death　of　his　father；　and　succeeded　to　the　　inheritance　of　his　ancestors。　　The　garrison　meanwhile　maintained　　themselves　on　the　spoil　of　the　enemy。　　The　brave　defenders　of　the　castle　　were　able　to　hold　their　own　throughout　and　afterwards　to　hand　over　the　stronghold　to　their　chief　when　he　arrived　at　a　proper　age　and　returned　　home。
  The　Earl　of　Cromarty；　who　gives　a　very　similar　account　of　this　period；　concludes　his　notice　of　Kenneth　in　these　terms〃　Murdered　thus；　his　estate　was　possessed　by　the　oppressor's　followers；　but　Island　Donain　　keeped　still　out；　maintaining　themselves　on　the　spoyle　of　the　enemie。　　All　　being　trod　under　by　insolince　and　oppression；　right　had　no　place。　　This　　was　during　David　Bruce's　imprisonment　in　England；〃　when　chaos　and　　disorder　ruled　supreme；　at　least　in　the　Highlands。
  Kenneth　married　Finguala；　or　Florence；　daughter　of　Torquil　　Macleod；　II。　of　Lewis。　by　his　wife　Dorothea；　daughter　of　William；　second　O'Beolan　Earl　of　Ross　by　his　wife；　Joan；　daughter　of　John　the　　first　Red　　Comyn；　and　sister　of　John　the　Black　Comyn；　Lord　of　Badenoch　and　Earl　　of　Buchan；　with　issue；　an　only　son；
  IV。　　MURDOCH　　MACKENZIE；
  Usually　called　〃Murchadh　Dubh　na　h'　Uagh；〃　or　Black　Murdoch　of　the　Cave；　from　his　habits　of　life；　which　shall　be　described　presently。
  Murdoch　　was　very　young　when　his　father　was　executed　at　Inverness。　During　　Kenneth's　absence　on　that　occasion；　and　for　some　time　afterwards；　　Duncan　Macaulay；　a　great　friend；　who　then　owned　the　district　of　　Lochbroom；　had　charge　of　Ellandonnan　Castle。　　The　Earl　of　Ross　was　　determined　to　secure　possession　of　Murdoch；　as　he　previously　did　of　his　　father；　and　Macaulay　becoming　apprehensive　as　to　his　safety　sent　him；　　then　quite