ork　and　promote　submission　to　the　Confession　of　Faith　　and　Covenant　over　the　whole　Kingdom。　　On　the　8th　of　June；　1590；　officers　　of　arms　are　ordered　to　arrest　in　the　hands　of　David　Clapen　in　Leith；　or　any　　other　person；　any　money　consigned　in　their　hands；　or　due　by　them　to　Sir　　William　Keith　for　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　〃or　remanent　gentlemen　　and　tenants　of　the　Earldom　of　Ross　for　their　feus　thereof〃　or　that　rests　yet　　in　the　hands　of　Colin　or　such　tenants；　unpaid　or　not　consigned　by　them；　　and　to　discharge　them　from　paying　the　same　to　Sir　William　or　any　other　in　his　name　until　the　King　shall　further　declare　his　will；　under　the　penalty　of　　paying　his　Majesty　the　same　sums　over　again。　　On　the　5th　of　July　in　the　　same　year；　Colin　gives　caution　of　？000　that　William　Ross　of　Priesthill；　　when　released　out　of　the　tolbooth　of　Edinburgh；　shall　keep　ward　in　that　　city　till　he　find　surety　for　the　entrance　of　himself　and　his　bastard　son；　John　　Ross　and　others；　to　appear　before　the　justice　to　answer　for　certain　crimes　　specified　in　letters　raised　against　him　by　David　Munro　of　Nigg　when　　required　upon　fifteen　days'　warning；　and　satisfy　the　Treasurer…depute　for　his　escheat　fallen　to　the　King　through　having　been　put　to　the　horn　at　the　instance　of　the　said　David　Munro。　　He　repeats　the　same　caution　for　the　　same　person　on　the　15th　of　August　following。　　He　is　again　on　record　in　　March；　1591…92；　and　in　June；　1592。　　He　is；　along　with　Simon　Lord　Lovat；　　John　Grant　of　Grant；　Lachlan　　Mackintosh　of　Mackintosh；　Ross　of　　Balnagown；　Hector　Munro　of　Fowlis；　and　others；　chosen　an　assistant　　Commissioner　of　justiciary　for　the　counties　of　Elgin；　Nairn；　and　Inverness；　　in　March　1592…93。　　He　was　appointed　a　member　of　the　Privy　Council　in　June；　1592；　but　he　appears　not　to　have　accepted　the　office　on　that　occasion；　for　on　the　16th　of　February　following　there　is　an　entry　of　the　　admission　of　Sir　William　Keith　of　Delny　〃in　the　place　appointed　by　his　　Majesty；　with　the　advise　of　his　Estates　in　his　last　Parliament；　for　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　by　reason　he；　being　required；　has　not　compeared　nor　accepted　the　said　place。〃　He；　however；　accepted　the　position　soon　after；　for　it　is　recorded　under　date　of　5th　July；　1593；　that　〃Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　being　admitted　of　the　Privy　Council　gave　his　oath；〃　in　common　　form。
  The　great　troubles　in　the　Lewis；　which　ultimately　ended　in　that　extensive　principality　coming　into　the　possession　of　the　House　of　Kintail；　　commenced　about　this　time；　and　although　the　most　important　events　connected　with　　and　leading　up　to　that　great　result　will　principally　fall　to　be　　treated　of　later　on；　the　quarrel　having　originated　in　Colin　Cam's　time；　it　　may　be　more　convenient　to　explain　its　origin　under　the　present。
  Roderick　Macleod；　X。　of　the　Lewis；　　married；　first；　Janet；　a　natural　　daughter　of　John　Mackenzie　of　Killin；　by　whom　he　had　a　son；　Torquil　　Cononach；　so　called　from　his　having　been　brought　up　with　his　mother's　　relations　in　Strathconon。　　Roderick；　by　all　accounts；　was　not　so　　immaculate　in　his　domestic　relations　as　one　might　wish；　for　we　find　him　　having　no　fewer　than　five　bastard　sons；　named　respectively；　Tormod　　Uigeach；　Murdoch；　　Neil；　Donald；　and　Rory　Og；　all　of　whom　arrived　at　　maturity。　　In　these　circumstances　it　can　hardly　be　supposed　that　his　lady's　　domestic　happiness　was　of　the　most　felicitous　and　unmixed　description。
  It　　was　alleged　by　this　paragon　of　virtue　that　she　had　proved　unfaithful　to　　him；　and　that　she　had　criminal　intimacy　with　the　Brieve　（Breitheamh）；　or　　consistorial　judge　of　the　Island。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　was　maintained　that　　the　Brieve　in　his　capacity　of　judge；　　had　been　somewhat　severe　on　the　　Island　chief　for　his　reckless　and　immoral　habits；　and　for　his　bad　treatment　　of　his　lady　and　that　the　unprincipled　villain；　as　throughout　his　whole　　career　he　proved　himself　to　be；　boldly；　and　in　revenge；　turned　upon　and　accused　the　judge　of　committing　adultery　with　his　wife。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　　the　unfortunate　woman；　attempting　to　escape　from　his　cruel　treatment；　　while　passing　in　a　large　birlinn；　from　the　Lewis　to　Coigeach；　on　the　　opposite　side　of　the　coast；　was　pursued　and　run　down　by　some　of　her　　husband's　followers；　when　she；　with　all　on　board；　perished。　　Roderick　　thereupon　disinherited　her　son；　Torquil　Cononach；　grandson　of　John　of　　Killin；　maintaining　that　Torquil　was　not　his　legitimate　son　and　heir；　but　the　fruit　of　his　wife's　unfaithfulness。　＇Most　of　the　MS。　Histories　of　the　family　which　we　have　perused　state　that　Rory　Macleod's　wife　was　a　　daughter　of　Kenneth　a　Bhlair；　but　it　is　impossible　that　the　daughter　of　a　chief　who　died　in　1491　could　have　been　the　wife　of　one　who　lived　in　the　early　years　of　the　seventeenth　Century。　She　must　have　been　Kenneth's　granddaughter；　as　above　described；　a　daughter　of　John　of　Kuhn。　This　　view　is　corroborated　by　a　decree　arbitral　in　1554；　in　which　Torquil　　Cononach　is　called　the　oy　（ogha；　or　grandson）　of　John　Mackenzie：Acts　　and　Decreets　of　Session；　X。；　folio　201。　　The　Roderick　Macleod　who　　married；　probably　as　his　second　wife；　Agnes；　daughter　of　Kenneth　a　　Bhlair；　was　Roderick　Macleod；　seventh　of　Lewis；　who　died　some　time　　after　his　father　early　in　the　sixteenth　century。＇　　Roderick　Macleod　married　　secondly；　in　1541；　Barbara　Stewart；　daughter　of　Andrew；　Lord　Avandale；　　with　issueTorquil　Oighre　or　the　Heir；　who　died　unmarried　before　his　　father；　having　been　drnwned　along　with　a　large　number　of　others　while　on　　a　voyage　in　his　birlinn；　between　Lewis　and　Skye。　　Macleod　married　thirdly　a　daughter　or　Hector　Og；　XIII。；　and　sister　of　Sir　Lachlan　Maclean；　XIV。；　of　　Duart；　by　whom　he　had　two　sonsTorquil　Dubh；　whom　he　named　as　his　　heir　and　successor；　and　Tormod；　known　as　Tormod　Og。　Torquil　　Cononach；　now　designated　〃of　Coigeach；〃　married　Margaret；　daughter　of　　Angus　Macdonald；　VII。　of　Glengarry；　and　widow　of　Cuthbert　of　Castlehill；　　Inverness；　who　bore　him　two　sonsJohn　and　Neiland　five　daughters　　and；　raising　as　many　men　as　would　accompany　him；　he；　with　the　　assistance　of　two　of　his　natural　brothers…Tormod　and　Murdoch…started　for　　the　Lewis　to　vindicate　his　rights　as　legitimate　heir　to　the　island。　　He　　defeated　his　father；　and　confined　him　in　the　Castle　of　Stornoway　for　four　years；　when　he　was　finally　obliged　to　acknowledge　Torquil　Cononach　as　　his　lawful　son　and　successor。　　The　bastards　now　quarrelled　among　　themselves。　Donald　killed　Tormod　Uigeach。　　Murdoch；　in　resentment；　　seized　Donald　and　carried　him　to　Coigeach；　but　he　afterwards　escaped　and　complained　to　old　Rory；　who　was　highly　offended　at　Murdoch　for　seizing　　and　with　Torquil　Cononach　for　detaining　Donald。　　Roderick　ordered　　Murdoch　to　be　apprehended　and　confined　to　his　own　old　quarters　in　the　　Castle　of　Stornoway。　　Torquil　Cononach　again　returned　to　the　Lewis；　　reduced　the　castle；　liberated　　Murdoch；　again　confined　his　father；　and　　killed　many　of　his　followers；　at　the　same　time　carrying　off　all　the　writs　and　charters；　and　depositing　them　for　safety　with　his　uncle；　Mackenzie　of　Kintail。　　He　had　meanwhile　left　his　son　John　（who　had　been　in　the　service　of　Huntly；　and　whom　he　now　called　home）　in　charge　of　the　castle；　and　in　　possession　of　the　Lewis。　　He　imprudently　banished　his　natural　uncles；　　Donald　and　Rory　Og；　out　of　the　island。　　Rory　Og　soon　after　returned　with　a　considerable　number　of　followers；　attacked　his　nephew；　Torquil　Cononach's　son　John；　in　Stornoway；　killed　him；　and　released　his　own　　father；　old　Roderick；　who　was　allowed　after　this　to　possess　the　island　in　peace　during　the　remainder　of　his　life。　　〃Thus　was　the　Siol　Torquil　　weakened；　by　private　dissensions；　and　exposed　to　fall　a　prey；　as　it　did　soon　　afterwards；　to　the　growing　power　of　the　Mackenzies。〃
  In　1594　Alexander　Bayne；　younger　of　Tulloch；　granted　a　charter　of　the　lands　of　Rhindoun　in　favour　of　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　and　his　　heirs　male；　proceeding　on　a　contract　of　sale　between　them；　dated　10th　of　　March；　1574。　　On　the　10th　of　July　in　the　same　year　there　is　〃a　contract　of　　alienation〃　of　these　lands　by　the　same　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　in　　favour　of　Roderick　Mackenzie　of　Ardafillie　（Redcastle）；　his　brother…german；　and　his　heirs　male。　　A　charter　implementing　this　contract　is　dated　　the　20th　of　October　following；　by　which　the　lands　are　to　be　holden　blench　and　for　relieving　Kintail　of　the　feu…duty　and　services　payable　to　his　　superiors。〃　These　lands　are；　in　1625；　resigned　by　Murdoch　Mackenzie　of　　Redcastle　into　the　hands　of　Colin；　second　Earl　of　Seaforth；　the　immediate　lawful　superior　thereof；　for　new　infeftments　to　be　granted　to　Roderick　　Mackenzie；　his　second　lawful　son。　（Writs　and　Evidents　of　Lands　of　　Rhindoun。　Antiquarian　Notes；　pp。　172…73。）
  Colin；　in　addition　to　his　acquisitions　in　Lochalsh　and。　Lochcarron；　〃feued　the　Lordship　of　Ardmeanach；　and　the　Barony　of　Delnys；　Brae　Ross；　　with　the　exception　of　Western　Achnacherich；　Wester　Drynie；　and　　Tarradale；　which　Bayne　of　Tulloch　had　feued　before；　but　found　it　his　　interest　to　hold　of　him　as　immediate　superior；　which；　with　the　former　　possessions　of　the　lands　of　Chanonry；　greatly　enhanced　his　influence。
  Albeit　his　predecessors　were　active　both　in　war　and　peace；　and　precedent　　in　acquiring　their　estate；　yet　this　man　acquired　more　than　all　that　went　　before　him；　and　made　such　a　solid　progress