m　not　to　touch　him。　　John　Gearr；　on　being　questioned　why　he　　had　struck　at　Mackenzie　and　took　no　notice　of　those　who　apprehended　his　　master；　boldly　replied　that　he　〃saw　no　one　else　present　whose　life　was　a　　worthy　exchange　for　that　of　his　own　chief。〃　　John's　sword　made　a　deep　　gash　in　the　table；　and　the　mark；　which　was　deep　enough　to　admit　of　a　hand　being　placed　edgeways　in　it；　remained　until　Colin；　first　Earl　of　Seaforth；　　caused　the　piece　to　be　cut　off；　saying　that　〃he　loved　no　such　remembrance　of　the　quarrels　of　his　relations。〃
  John　Glassich；　it　would　appear；　was　not　unduly　circumspect　at　home；　or　a　very　dutiful　and　loyal　subject　to　his　King。　　In　1547　his　estate　　was　forfeited　for　refusing　to　join　the　Royal　Standard；　and　the　escheat　　thereof　granted　to　the　Earl　of　Sutherland；　as　will　be　seen　by　the　following　　letter　in　favour　of　that　nobleman：
  〃A　letter　made　to　John；　Earl　of　Sutherland；　his　heirs；　assigns；　one　　or　more；　the　gift　of　all　goods　moveable　and　unmoveable；　debts；　tacks；　　steadings；　corns；　and　obligations；　sums　of　money；　gold；　silver；　coined　and　　uncoined；　and　other　goods　whatsoever　which　pertained　to　John　Hectorsson　of　Gairloch；　and　now　pertaining　to　our　Sovereign　Lady　by　reason　of　　escheat　through　the　said　John's　remaining　and　biding　at　home　from　the　　‘oist'　and　army　devised　to　convene　at　Peebles；　the　10th　day　of　July　instant；　　for　recovering　of　the　house　of　Langholm　furth　of　our　enemies'　hands　of　　England；　in　contrary　to　the　tenour　of　the　letters　and　proclamations　made　thereupon；　incurred　therethrough　the　pains　contained　thereuntil；　or　any　　otherwise　shall　happen　to　pertain　to　us　our　Sovereign　by　reason　foresaid　　with　power；　etc。　　At　Saint　Andrews　the　23rd　day　of　July；　the　year　of　God；　1547　years。〃　＇Reg。　Sec。　Sig。；　xxi。　fol。　316。＇
  There　is　no　trace　of　the　reversal　of　this　forfeiture。　　It　does　not；　　however；　appear　to　have　affected　the　succession。　　Indeed　it　is　not　likely　that　it　even　affected　the　actual　possession；　for　it　was　not　easy　even　for　the　　Earl　of　Sutherland；　though　supported　by　the　Royal　authority　to　wield　any　　real　power　in　such　an　out…of…the…way　region　in　those　days　as　John　　Glassich's　possessions　in　the　west。　It　has　been　already　stated　that；　in　　1551；　the　Queen　granted　to　John　Mackenzie；　IX。　of　Kintail；　and　his　heir；　　Kenneth　na　Cuirc；　a　remission　for　the　violent　taking　of　John　Glassich；　　Dougal；　and　John　Tuach；　his　brothers；　and　for　keeping　them　in　prison；　thus　usurping　〃therethrough　our　Sovereign　Lady's　authority。〃　　None　of　them　is　　spoken　of　in　this　remission　as　being　then　deceased；　though　tradition　and　　the　family　MS。　history　have　it　that　John　Glassich　was　poisoned　or　starved　to　death　at　Ellandonnan　Castle　in　1550。　＇One　of　the　family　MSS。　says　that　by　his　marriage　〃he　got　the　lands　of　Kinkell；　Kilbokie；　Badinearb；　　Pitlundie；　Davochcairn；　Davochpollo；　and　Foynish；　with　others　in　the　Low　　Country；　for　which　the　family　has　been　in　the　use　to　quarter　the　arm　of　　Fraser　with　their　own。　This　John；　becoming　considerably　rich　and　　powerful　by　those　different　acquisitions；　became　too　odious　to　and　envied　by　John；　Laird　of　Mackenzie；　and　his　son　Kenneth　then　married　to　　Stewart；　Earl　of　Atholes　daughter；　that　they　set　upon　him；　having　　previously　invited　him　to　a　Christmas　dinner；　having　got　no　other　pretence　than　a　fit　of　jealousy　on　account　of　the　said　Earl's　daughter；　bound　him　　with　ropes　and　carried　him　a　prisoner　to　Islandownan；　where　his　death　was　occasioned　by　poison　administered　to　him　in　a　mess　of　milk　soup　by　one　　MacCalman；　a　clergyman　and　Deputy…Constable　of　the　Fort。〃＇　　It　is；　　however；　probable　that　Kintail　considered　it　wise　to　conceal　John's　death　until　the　remission　had　been　already　secured。　　Only　six　weeks　after　the　　date　of　the　〃respitt〃　John　Glassich　is　referred　to　in　the　Privy　Council　　Records；　under　date　of　25th　July；　1551；　as　the　〃omquhile　（or　late）　John　　McCanze　of　Gairlocht；〃　his　lands　having　then　been　given　in　ward　to　the　　Earl　of　Athole；　〃Ay　and　till　the　lawful　entry　of　the　righteous　heir　or　heirs　　thereto；　being　of　lawful　age。〃　＇Reg。　Sec。　Con。；　vol。　xxiv。；　fol。　84。＇
  Although　Hector　obtained　a　　charter　of　the　lands　of　Gairloch　in　1494；　the　Macleods　continued　for　a　　time　to　hold　possession　of　a　　considerable　part　of　it。　　According　　to　the　traditions　of　the　district　they　　had　all　to　the　east　and　south…east　of　　the　Crasg；　a　hill　situated　on　the　　west　side　of　the　churchyard　of　　Gairloch；　between　the　present　Free　　and　Established　Churches。　　At　the　　east　end　of　the　Big　Sand；　on　a　high　　and　easily　defended　rock；　stood　the　　last　stronghold　occupied　by　the　　Macleods　in　Gairlochto　this　day　　known　as　the　〃Dun〃　or　Fort。　　The　　foundation　is　still　easily　traced。　　It　　must　have　been　a　place　of　consider…able　importance；　for　it　is　over　200　　feet　in　circumference。　Various　　localities　are　still　pointed　out　in　　Gairloch　where　desperate　　skirmishes　were　fought　between　　the　Macleods　and　the　Mackenzies。　　　Several　of　these　spots；　where　the　　slain　were　buried；　look　quite　green　　to　this　day。　The　〃Fraoch　Eilean；〃　　opposite　Leac…na…Saighid；　where　a　　naval　engagement　was　fought；　is　a　　veritable　cemetery　of　Macleods；　　ample　evidence　of　which　is　yet　to　　be　seen。　　Of　this　engagement；　and　　of　those　at　Glasleoid；　Lochan…an…Fheidh；　Leac…na…Saighid；　Kirkton；　and　many　others；　thrilling　accounts　　are　still　recited　by　a　few　old　men　in　　the　district；　especially　of　the　　prowess　of　Domh'ull　Odhar　Mac　　Ian　Leith；　and　the　other　Kintail　　heroes　who　were　mainly　　instrumental　in　establishing　the　　Mackenzies　of　Gairloch　permanently　and　in　undisputed　　possession　of　their　beautiful　and　romantic　inheritance。
  John　Glassich　married　Janet　Agnes；　daughter　of　James　Fraser　of　Phoineas；　brother　of　Hugh；　sixth　Lord　Lovat　（with　whom　he　got　the　Barony　of　Inchlag；　etc。）；　with　issue
  1。　　Hector；　his　heir　and　successor。
  2。　　Alexander；　who　succeeded　his　brother　Hector。
  3。　　John；　who　succeeded　Alexander。
  4。　　A　daughter；　who　married　John　Mackenzie；　II。　of　Loggie；　with　issue；
  John　Glassich's　widow　married；　secondly；　Thomas　Chisholm；　XV。　　of　Chisholm；　without　issue　male。
  He　had　also　two　natural　sons　before　his　marriage；　Alexander　Roy　and　Hector　Caol。
  Alexander　Roy　had　a　son　　John；　who　lived　at　Coirre　Mhic　　Cromaill　in　Torridon；　and　who　had　　a　son；　the　Rev。　Murdoch　　Mackenzie；　Chaplain　to　Lord　　Reay's　Regiment　in　the　Bohemian　　and　Swedish　service；　under　　Gustavus　Adolphus。　　He　was　　afterwards　minister　of　Contin；　　Inverness；　and　Elgin；　and　　subsequently　Bishop　of　Moray　and　　of　Orkney　in　succession。　　His　　family　and　descendants　are　dealt　　with　under　a　separate　headingMACKENZIES　　OF　　　GROUNDWATER。
  Hector　Caol　left　a　numerous　tribe　in　Gairloch；　still　known　as　Clann　Eachainn　Chaoil；　and　said　to　be　distinguished　by　their　long　and　slender　　legs。
  John　Glassich；　who　was　assassinated　in　1550；　as　already　stated；　at　　Ellandonnan　Castle；　was　buried　in　the　Priory　of　Beauly；　and　succeeded　by　　his　eldest　lawful　son；
  III。　　HECTOR　　MACKENZIE。　　He　has　a　sasine；　dated　the　6th　May；　　1563；　＇Gairloch　Charter　Chest；＇　in　which　he　is　described　as　〃Achyne　　Johannis　MacAchyne；〃　and　bearing　that　the　lands　had　been　in　non…entry　　for　12　years；　thus　carrying　back　the　date　of　his　succession　to　1551；　when　the　estate　was　given　in　ward　to　John；　fourth　of　the　Stewart　Earls　of　Athole。
  Hector　diedprobably　killed；　like　his　brotherwithout　issue；　on　the　3rd　of　　September；　1566；　and　was　buried　at　Beauly；　when　he　was　succeeded　by　　his　next　lawful　brother；
  ALEXANDER　　MACKENZIE；　who　has　a　retour；　dated　the　2nd　of　　December；　1566；　＇Ing。　Retour　Reg。；　vol。　i。；　fol。　22；　and　Origines　　Parochiales　Scotiae；＇　as　heir　to　〃Hector　his　brother…german；〃　in　the　lands　　of　Gairloch；　namely；　〃Gairloch；　Kirktoun；　Syldage；　Hamgildail；　Malefage；　Innerasfidill；　Sandecorran；　Cryf；　Baddichro；　Bein…Sanderis；　Meall；　Allawdall；　with　the　pasturage　of　Glaslettir　and　Cornagullan；　in　the　　Earldom　of　Ross；　of　the　old　extent　of　？；〃　but　not　to　any　of　the　other　lands　　which　Hector　Roy　left　to　his　descendants。　　Alexander　did　not　long　possess　the　estates；　for　he　diedto　all　appearance　assassinateda　few　weeks　after　　he　succeeded；　without　making　up　titles。　　It　is；　therefore；　not　thought　　necessary　to　count　him　as　one　of　the　Barons　of　Gairloch。
  It　is　probable　that　the　　brothers；　Hector　and　Alexander；　　met　with　the　same　violent　death　as　　their　father　and　uncles；　John　　Glassich；　John　Tuach；　and　John　　Beg　and　by　the　same　authors。　　This　　is　according　to　tradition；　and　an　old　　MS。；　which　says　that　their　mother　　Agnes　Fraser　fled　with　John　Roy　　〃to　Lovat　and　her　Fraser　relatives；〃　adds　as　to　the　fate　of　his　brothers　　that　〃In　those　days　many　acts　of　　oppression　were　committed　that　　could　not　be　brought　to　fair　tryales　　befor　the　Legislator。〃　　〃She　was　　afterwards　married　to　Chisholm　of　　Comar；　and　heired　his　family；　here　　she　kept　him　in　as　concealed　a　　manner　as　possible；　and；　as　is　　reported；　every　night　under　a　　brewing　kettle；　those　who；　through　　the　barbarity　of　the　times；　　destroyed　his　father　and　uncles；　　being　in　search　of　the　son；　and　in　　possession　of　his　all　excepting　his　　mother's　dower。　　He　was　　afterwards　concealed　by　the　Lairds　　of　Moydart　and　of　Farr；　till　he　　became　a　handsome　man　and　could　　put　on　his　weapon；　when　he　had　the　　resolution　to　wait　on　Colin　Cam　　Mackenzie；　Laird　o