been　accused　of　no　other　crime　than　the　natural　　forwardness　of　youth；　and　having　escaped　from　his　confinement　in　　Edinburgh　Castle。
  It　is　admitted　on　all　hands　that　Kenneth　Og　was　killed；　as　above；　in　1497；　and　he　must；　thereforehis　father　having　died　in　1491have　ruled　　as　one　of　the　Barons　of　Kintail；　though　there　is　no　record　of　his　having　　been　formally　served　heir。　　He　was　not　married；　but　left　two　bastard　sonsone；　known　as　Rory　Beag；　by　the　daughter　of　the　Baron　of　Moniack；　and　　the　other　by　the　daughter　of　a　gentleman　in　Cromar；　of　whom　are　　descended　the　Sliochd　Thomais　in　Cromar　and　Glenshiel；　Braemar；　the　　principal　families　of　which　were　those　of　Dalmore　and　Renoway。　＇〃In　his　　going　to　Inverness；　as　I　have　said；　to　meet　the　King；　he　was　the　night　　before　his　coming　there　in　the　Baron　of　Muniag's　house；　whose　daughter　　he　got　with　child；　who　was　called　Rory　Begg。　　Of　this　Rory　descended　the　　parson　of　Slate；　and　on　the　same　journey　going　along　with　the　King　to　　Edinburgh　he　got　a　son　with　a　gentleman's　daughter；　and　called　him　　Thomas　Mackenzy；　of　whom　descended　the　Mackenziesin　Braemar　　called　Slyghk　Homash　Vic　Choinnich。　　That　is　to　say　Thomas　　Mackenzie's　Succession。　　If　he　had　lived　he　would　be　heir　to　Mackenzie　　and　Macdonald　（Earl　of　Ross）。〃Ancient　MS。＇　　He　was　succeeded　by　his　eldest　brother　by　his　father's　second　marriage　with　Agnes　or　Anne；　daughter　of　Hugh；　third　Lord　Lovat；
  IX。　　JOHN　　MACKENZIE　　OF　　KILLIN；
  Known　by　that　designation　from　his　having　generally　resided　at　that　place。
  He　was；　as　we　have　seen；　the　first　son　of　Kenneth；　seventh　Baron　of　　Kintail；　by　his　second　wife　Agnes；　or　Anne　of　Lovat；　and　his　father　being　never　regularly　married；　the　great　body　of　the　clan　did　not　consider　John　his　legitimate　heir。　　Hector　Roy　Mackenzie；　his　uncle；　progenitor　of　the　　House　of　Gairloch；　a　man　of　great　prudence　and　courage；　was　by　Kenneth　　a　Bhlair　appointed　tutor　to　his　eldest　son　Kenneth　Og；　then　under　age；　　though　Duncan；　an　elder　brother　by　Alexander's　first　wife；　had；　according　to　custom；　a　prior　claim　to　that　honourable　and　important　trust。　　Duncan　　is；　however；　described　as　one　who　was　〃of　better　hands　than　head〃…　more　　brave　than　　prudent。　　Hector　took　charge；　and　on　the　death　of　Kenneth　Og　　found　himself　in　possession　of　valuable　and　extensive　estates。　　He　had　　already　secured　great　popularity　among　the　clan；　which　in　the　past　he　had　often　led　to　victory　against　the　common　enemy。　　He　objected　to　John's　　succession　on　the　ground　that　he　was　the　illegitimate　son　of　Lovat's　　daughter；　with　whom　his　father；　Kenneth；　at　first　did　〃so　irregularly　and　unlawfully　cohabit；〃　and　John's　youth　encouraging　him；　it　is　said；　＇MS。　　History　by　the　Earl　of　Cromartie。＇　　Hector　proposed　an　arrangement　to　　Duncan；　whom　he　considered　the　only　legitimate　obstacle　to　his　own　　succession；　by　which　he　would　transfer　his　rights　as　elder　brother　in　　Hector's　favour；　in　return　for　which　he　should　receive　a　considerable　　portion　of　the　estates　for　himself　and　his　successors。　　Duncan　declined　to　　enter　into　the　proposed　agreement；　principally　on　the　ground　that　the　　Pope；　in　1491；　the　year　in　which　John's　father　died；　had　legitimised　　Kenneth　a　Bhlair's　marriage　with　Agnes　of　Lovat；　and　thereby　restored　the　children　of　that　union　to　the　rights　of　succession。　　Finding　Duncan　　unfavourable　to　his　project；　Hector　declared　John　illegitimate；　and　held　　possession　of　the　estates　for　himself；　and　the　whole　clan；　with　whom　he　　was　a　great　favourite；　submitted　to　his　rule。　＇Though　we　have　given　this　　account　on　the　authority　of　the　MS。　histories　of　the　family；　it　is　now　　generally　believed　that　Duncan　was　dead　at　this　period；　and　that　his　son　　Allan；　who　would　have　succeeded；　failing　John　of　Killin's　legitimacy；　was　a　minor　when　his　father　died。＇
  It　can　hardly　be　supposed　that　Lord　Lovat　would　be　a　disinterested　spectator　of　these　proceedings；　and　in　the　interest　of　his　sister's　children　　he　procured　a　precept　of　clare　constat　from　James　Stewart；　Duke　of　Ross；　　＇After　the　forfeiture　of　the　ancient　Earls　of　Ross；　the　district　furnished　　new　titles　under　the　old　names；　to　members　of　the　Royal　family。　　James　　Stewart；　second　son　of　King　James　the　Third；　was　created　in　1487　Duke　of　　Ross；　Marquis　of　Ormond；　Earl　of　Ardmanach；　and　Lord　of　Brechin　and　　Navar。　　The　Duke　did　not　long　hold　the　territorial　Dukedom　of　Ross。　　On　　the　13th　of　May　1503；　having　obtained　the　rich　Abbey　of　Dunfermline；　he　　resigned　the　Dukedom　of　Ross　into　the　hands　of　the　King。　　The　Duke　　reserved　for　his　life　the　hill　of　Dingwall　beside　that　town　for　the　style　of　Duke；　the　hill　of　Ormond　（above　Avoch）　for　the　style　of　Marquis；　the　　Redcastle　of　Ardmanach　for　the　style　of　Earl；　and　the　Castle　of　Brechin；　　with　the　gardens；　&c。；　for　the　name　of　Brechin　and　Navar。　　The　Duke　of　　Ross　died　in　1504。　　It　was　said　of　him　by　Ariosto；　as　translated　by　Hoole 　/*〃The　title　of　the　Duke　of　Ross　he　bears；　No　chief　like　him　in　dauntless　mind　compares。〃*/
  The　next　creation　of　the　title　of　the　Duke　of　Ross　was　in　favour　of　　Alexander　Stewart；　the　posthumous　son　of　King　James　the　Fourth。　The　　Duke　was　born　on　the　30th　April　1514；　and　died　on　the　18th　December　　1515。　　In　the　reign　of　Mary　Queen　of　Scots；　John；　Earl　of　Sutherland；　　acquired　from　Mary；　the　Queen　Dowager；　a　certain　right　in　the　Earldom　of　　Ross；　which　might　ultimately　have　joined　in　one　family　both　Sutherland　　and　Ross。　　Lord　Darnley；　on　the　prospect　of　his　marriage　with　Queen　　Mary；　was　created　Earl　of　Ross；　a　title　by　which　he　is　little　known；　as　it　　was　only　given　to　him　a　short　time　before　he　obtained　the　higher　titles　of　　Duke　of　Albany　and　King　of　Scotland。Fraser's　Earls　of　Cromartie。＇　and　Archbishop　of　St　Andrews；　in　favour　of　his　grandson；　John；　as　heir　to　the　estates。　　The　document　is　〃daited　the　last　of　Apryle　1500　and　seasin　　thereon　16　Mey　1500　be　Sir　John　Barchaw　and　William　Monro　of　Foulls；　　as　Baillie　to　the　Duk。〃　＇MS。　History　by　the　Earl　of　Cromartie。＇　　This　　precept　included　the　Barony　of　Kintail；　as　well　as　the　lands　held　by　　Mackenzie　off　the　earldom　of　Ross；　for；　the　charter　chest　being　in　the　　possession　of　Hector　Roy；　Lovat　was　not　aware　that　Kintail　was　held　　direct　from　the　Crown；　but　notwithstanding　all　these　precautions　and　legal　　instruments；　Hector　kept　possession　and　treated　the　entire　estates　as　his　own。
  Sir　William　Munro　of　Fowlis；　the　Duke's　Lieutenant　for　the　forfeited　earldom　of　Ross；　was　dissatisfied　with　Hector's　conduct；　and　　resolved　to　punish　him。　　Munro　was　in　the　habit　of　doing　things　with　a　　high　hand；　and　on　this　occasion；　during　Hector's　absence　from　home；　he；　　accompanied　by　his　Sheriff；　Alexander　Vass；　went　to　Kinellan；　where　　Hector　usually　resided；　held　a　court　at　the　place；　and　as　a　mulct　or　fine　took　away　the　couples　of　one　of　Hector's　barns　as　a　token　of　his　power。
  When　Hector　discovered　what　had　taken　place　in　his　absence；　he　became　　furious；　and　sent　a　messenger　to　Fowlis　telling　him　that　if　he　were　a　man　of　courage　and　a　〃good　　fellow〃　he　would　come　and　take　away　　the　　couples　of　the　other　barn　when　their　owner　was　at　home。
  Munro；　greatly　offended　at　this　message；　determined　to　accept　the　bold　challenge　conveyed　in　it；　and　promptly　collected　his　vassals；　including　the　Dingwalls　and　the　MacCullochs；　who　were　then　his　dependants；　to　the　number　of　nine　hundred；　and　with　this　force　started　for　　Kinellan；　where　he　arrived　much　sooner　than　Hector；　who　hurriedly　　collected　all　the　men　he　could　in　the　neighbourhood；　anticipated。　　Hector　had　no　time　to　advise　his　Kintail　men　nor　those　at　a　distance　from　　Kinellan；　and　was　consequently　unable　to　bring　together　more　than　one　　hundred　and　forty　men。　　With　this　small　force　he　wisely　deemed　it　　imprudent　to　venture　on　a　regular　battle；　but　decided　upon　a　stratagem　　which　if　it　proved　successful；　as　he　anticipated；　would　give　him　an　　advantage　　that　　would　　more　than　counterbalance　the　enemy's　superiority　of　numbers。　　Having　supplied　his　small　but　resolute　band　with　provisions　　for　twenty…four　hours；　Hector　led　them　secretly；　during　the　night；　to　the　top　of　Knock…farrel；　a　place　so　situated　that　Munro　must　needs　pass　near　its　north　or　south　side　in　his　march　to　and　from　Kinellan。　　Early　next　　morning　Fowlis　marched　past　on　his　way　to　Kinellan；　quite　ignorant　of　　Hector's　position；　and　expecting　him　to　have　remained　at　home　to　　implement　the　purport　of　his　message。　　Sir　William　was　allowed　to　pass　　unmolested；　and　imagining　that　Hector　had　fled；　he　proceeded　to　demolish　　the　barn　at　Kinellan；　ordered　its　couples　to　be　carried　away。　　Broke　all　the　　utensils　about　the　place；　and　drove　out　all　the　cattle；　as　trophies　of　his　　visit。　　In　the　evening　he　returned；　as　Hector　had　conjectured；　carrying　the　　plunder　in　front　of　his　party；　accompanied　by　a　strong　guard；　while　he　　placed　the　rest　of　his　picked　men　in　the　rear；　fearing　that　Hector　might　pursue　him；　little　thinking　that　he　was　already　between　him　and　his　destination。　　On　his　way　to　Kinellan；　Munro　bad　marched　through　Strathpeffer　　round　the　north　side　of　Knock…farrel；　but　for　some　cause　he　returned　by　　the　south　side　where　the　highway　touched　the　shoulder　of　the　hill　on　　which　Hector's　men　were　posted。　　He　had　no　fear　of　attack　from　that　　quarter；　and　his　men　feeling　the