history of the mackenzies-第66章

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is　grandmother　on　the　father's　side。〃　　In　the　same　　document　Kenneth　is　described　as　her　Ladyship's　〃nearest　and　lawful　　heir；〃　conclusively　showing　that　he　was　her　son　John's　eldest　son。　　It　is　thus　fully　established　that　Captain　Murdoch　Mackenzie's　genealogical　　chain　fails　at　the　very　outsetis　broken　in　its　initial　link。　　The　Hon。　　John　　Mackenzie　of　Assynt　had　only　one　son。　　His　name　was　Kenneth；　not　　Murdoch；　and　he　died　without　issue。　　If　any　additional　proof　be　required　to　show　that　the　male　line　of　the　Hon。　John　Mackenzie　of　Assynt　has　long　　been　extinct；　it　will　be　found　in　the　fact　that　on　the　death　of　Earl　Kenneth；　　known　as　〃the　Little　Lord；〃　in　1781；　the　succession　to　the　representation　and　ancient　honours　of　the　family　of　Kintail　and　Seaforth；　devolved　upon　　the　heir　male　of　Colonel　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Assynt；　who　was　the　　fourth　son　of　Kenneth　Mor；　third　earl；　and　a　younger　brother　of　the　Hon。　　John　Mackenzie　of　Assynt；　apart　altogether　from　the　conclusive　parole　　evidence　given　by　very　old　people　at　the　Allangrange　Service　in　　1829。

This　effectually　disposes　of　Captain　Murdo　Mackenzie。

Now　as　to　the　more　plausible　but　equally　baseless　claim　of　Captain　William　Mackenzie　of　Gruinard；　and　his　cousin；　the　late　Major…General　Alexander　Mackay　Mackenzie　of　the　Indian　Army。　　Captain　Murdoch　Mackenzie's　claim　having　failed；　we　must　go　back　another　step　in　the　　chain　to　pick　up　the　legitimate　succession　to　the　honours　of　Kintail　and　　Seaforth。　　Here　we　are　met　on　the　way　by　another　claim；　put　forward　by　　the　late　Captain　William　Mackenzie　of　Gruinard；　in　the　following　letter　　addressed　to　George　F。　Mackenzie；　then　of　Allangrange：

11　Margaret　Street；　Cavendish　Square；　London；　24th　October　1829。

My　Dear　Allangrange；Having　observed　in　the　Courier　of　the　21st　inst。；　at　a　meeting　at　Tain；　that　you　were　proceeding　with　the　Seaforth　　Claims；　I　take　the　earliest　opportunity　of　communicating　to　you　a　　circumstance　which　I　am　sure　my　agent；　Mr　Roy；　would　have　informed　　you　of　sooner；　did　he　know　that　you　were　proceeding　in　this　affair；　and　　which；　I　think　probable；　he　has　done　ere　this；　but　lest　it　might　have　　escaped　his　notice；　I　deem　it　proper　to　acquaint　you　that　on　Mr　Roy　having　　discovered；　by　authenticated　documents；　that　I　was　the　lineal　descendant　　of　George；　Earl　of　Seaforth；　he　authorised　an　English　counsellor　to　make　　application　to　the　Secretary　of　State　to　that　effect；　who　made　a　reference　　to　the　Court　of　Exchequer　in　Scotland　to　examine　the　evidenceMr　Roy　having　satisfied　them　with　having　all　which　he　required　to　establish　my　　claim。　　I　therefore　am　inclined　to　address　you　in　order　that　you　may　be　　saved　the　trouble　and　expense　attending　this　affair。　Indeed；　had　I　known　you　were　taking　any　steps　in　this　business；　be　assured　I　would　have　written　　to　you　sooner。

I　had　not　the　pleasure　of　communicating　with　you　since　your　　marriage；　upon　which　event　I　beg　leave　to　congratulate　you；　and　hope　I　　shall　soon　have　the　pleasure　of　learning　of　your　adding　a　member　to　the　Clan　Kenneth。　　Believe　me；　my　dear　Mac；　yours　most　sincerely；

WM。　MACKENZIE。

This　claim　is　founded　on　a　Genealogical　Tree　in　possession　of　the　present　representatives　of　the　Gruinard　family；　by　which　John　Mackenzie；　　their　progenitor　is　incorrectly　described　as　the　son　of　George　Mackenzie　　of　Kildun；　second　son　of　George；　second　Earl　of　Seaforth。　　It　is　believed　that　the　descendants　of　this　George；　who　was　the　second　George　　designated　of　Kildun；　are　long　ago　extinct；　but　whether　they　are　or　not；　it　　will　be　conclusively　shown；　by　reference　to　dates；　that　John；　I。　of　　Gruinard；　could　not　possibly　have　been　a　son　of　his。　　And　to　the　　indisputable　evidence　of　dates　may　be　added　the　testimony　of　all　the　　Mackenzie　MSS。　in　existence　which　make　any　reference　to　John　of　　Gruinard。　　In　every　instance　where　his　name　appears　in　these　he　is　　described　as　a　natural　son　of　George；　second　Earl　of　Seaforth。

Before　this　Earl　succeeded　he　also　was　known　as　George　　Mackenzie　of　Kildun；　hence　the　error　in　the　Gruinard　Genealogical　Tree。

The　author　of　the　Ancient　MS。；　so　often　quoted　in　the　course　of　this　work；　　was　a　contemporary　of　John；　I。　of　Gruinard；　and　he　states　that　Earl　George　　〃had　also　ane　naturall　son；　called　John　Mackenzy；　who　married　Loggie's　　daughter。〃　　The　author　of　the　Ardintoul　MS。；　who　was　the　grandson；　as　　mentioned　by　himself；　of　the　Rev。　Farquhar　Macrae；　Constable　of　　Ellandonnan　Castle　in　Earl　Colin's　time；　and　who　died　advanced　in　years　　as　far　back　as　1704consequently　a　contemporary　of　John　of　Gruinarddescribing　the　effects　of　the　disastrous　battle　of　Worcester；　says　that　　Earl　　George；　who　was　then　in　Holland；　was　informed　of　the　result　of　the　battle　〃by　John　of　Gruinard；　his　natural　son；　and　Captain　Hector　Mackenzie；　　who　made　their　escape　from　the　battle；〃　that　the　tidings　〃unraised　his　melancholy；　and　so　died　in　the　latter　end　of　September；　1651。〃　　The　Letterfearn　MS。　is　also　contemporary；　for　the　author　of　it　speaks　of　Earl　Kenneth　as　〃now　Earl　of　Seaforth；〃　and　of　George　of　Kildun　in　the　present　tense；　while　he　speaks　of　his　father　in　the　past　tense；　and　he　say's　that　〃He　　（Earl　George）　left　ane　natural　son；　who　is　called　John；　who　is　married　　with　Logie's　daughter。〃　　That　John　of　Gruinard　was　married　to　Christina；　　daughter　of　Donald　Mackenzie；　III。　of　Loggie；　is　proved　by　a　sasine　dated　1655；　in　which　that　lady　is　described　as　his　wife。　　It　may　be　objected　to　these　MSS。　that；　however　probable　it　may　be　　that　they　are　correct；　they　are　not　necessarily　authentic。　　But　there　is　ample　　evidence　of　an　official　and　incontestible　character　on　the　point。　　A　sasine；　dated　6th　of　February；　1658；　is　recorded　in　the　Particular　Register　of　　Sasines　of　Inverness；　vol。　7；　fol。　316；　from　which　the　following　is　an　　extract〃Compearit　personally　John　Mackenzie；　naturall　broyr　to　ane　　noble　Erle　Kenneth　Erle　of　Seaforth　Lord　of　Kintail；　etc。；　as　bailzie　in　that　　part；〃　on　behalf　of　〃the　noble　Lady；　Dame　Isobell　Mackenzie；　Countess　of　　Seaforth；　sister　german　to　Sir　George　Mackenzie　of　Tarbat；　Knight；　future　ladie　to　the　said　noble　Erle。〃　　Another　authentic　document　having　a　most　　important　bearing　on　this　question　was　recently　discovered　in　the　office　of　the　Sheriff…Clerk　of　Tain。　　It　is　a　discharge　by　Patrick　Smith　of　Braco；　　dated　and　registered　in　the　Commissary　Books　at　Fortrose；　on　the　4th　of　　December；　1668；　in　which　the　parties　are　described　as　〃Kenneth　Erle　of　　Seafort；　Lord　Kintail；　as　principal；　and　John　Mackenzie　of　Gruinyard；　　designit　in　the　obligatione　vnder…wrytten　his　naturall　brother；　as　　cautioner。〃　　Further；　George　of　Kildun　married；　first；　Mary　Skene；　　daughter　of　Skene　of　Skene；　in　1661。　This　is　proved　by　a　charter　to　her　of　　her　jointure　lands　of　Kincardine；　etc。　（see　Particular　Register　of　Sasines　　Invss。；　vol。　ix。　fol。　9）。　　He　married；　secondly；　Margaret；　daughter　of　　Urquhart　of　Craighouse。　　The　absolute　impossibility　is　at　once　obvious　of　George　of　Kildunwho　only　married　his　first　wife　in　1661having　had　a　son；　John　Mackenzie　of　Gruinard；　in　a　position　to　have　obtained　a　charter　in　his　favour　of　the　lands　of　Little　Gruinard；　etc。；　in　1669within　eight　　years　of　his　reputed　father's　marriage　to　his　first　wifeand　who　was　　himself　designated　in　that　charter　as　of　〃Meikle　Gruinard；〃　while　it　is　　proved　by　undoubted　official　documents　that　John　of　Gruinard's　wife　had　　lands　disponed　to　her　as　his　wife　in　1655；　that　is；　six　years　before　the　　marriage　of　George　of　Kildun；　John's　alleged　father。　　And　further；　how　　could　John　of　Gruinard's　second　son；　Kenneth；　have　married；　as　be　is　　known　to　have　done；　the　widow　of　Kenneth　Og；　fourth　　Earl　　of　Seaforth；　who　died　　in　　1701；　if　John；　his　father；　had　been　the　son　by　a　second　　marriage　of　George　of　Kildun；　who　married　his　first　wife　in　1661？　　The　　thing　is　absolutely　impossible。

Kenneth　Mor；　third　Earl　of　Seaforth；　who；　according　to　the　　Gruinard　Genealogy；　was　John　of　Gruinard's　uncle；　was　born　at　Brahan　　Castle　in　　1635。　　In　1651　he　is　described　as　〃a　child〃　by　a　contemporary　writer；　who　says　that　the　Kintail　people　declined　to　rise　with　him　in　that　　year　during　his　father's　absence　on　the　Continent；　because　〃he　was　but　a　　child；　and　his　father；　their　master；　was　in　life。〃　Colin；　first　Earl　of　　Seaforth；　died　in　1633；　and　the　author　of　the　Ancient　MS。　says　that　〃Earl　George；　being　then　the　Laird　of　Kildun；　married　before　his　brother's　death；　　the　Lord　Forbes's　daughter。〃　Thus；　George　of　Kildun　could　not　have　been　　born　before　1636　or　1637　at　the　very　earliest；　and　the　date　of　his　first　　marriage；　twenty…four　years　later；　strongly　corroborates　this。　　How　then　could　he　have　had　a　married　son；　John　Mackenzie　of　Gruinard；　whose　wife　undoubtedly　obtained　lands　in　1655；　that　is；　when　Kildun　himself　　was　only　18　years　of　age；　and　when　John；　already　designated　of　Gruinard；　　was；　in　1656；　old　enough　to　be　cautioner　for　Kenneth；　Earl　of　Seaforth？

Proof　of　the　same　conclusive　character　could　be　adduced　to　any　extent；　　but　in　face　of　the　documents　already　quoted；　it　is　obviously　superfluous　to　　do　so。

John　Mackenzie；　I。　of　Gruinard；　could　not　in　the　nature　of　things　have　been　a　son　of　the　second　George　Mackenzie　of　Kildun。　　He　was；　on　the　other　hand；　undoubtedly；　the　natural　son　of　the　first　George；　who　　succeeded　　his　brother　Colin　as　second　Earl　of　Seaforth；　and　it　necessarily　　follows　that　his　representatives　can　have　no　claim　whatever　to　the　　Chiefship　of　the　Clan；　or　to　the　ancient　honours　of　the　family　of　Kintail　and　Seaforth。　　We　shall　now　proceed　to　show　that　these　distinctions　　belong　to　and　are　at　present　possessed　by　the　male　representative　of


THE　　MACKENZIES　　OF　　ALLANGRANGE。


HAVING　disposed　of　the　only　two　serious　claims　made　to　the　Chiefship　of　the　Clan　in　later　times　our　next　step　is　to　show　who　the　present　Chief　is。

To　do　this　we　must　go　back　to　Kenneth；　created　Lord　Mackenzie　of　Kintail　in　1609；　for　there　is　no　male　representative　of　any　later　head　of　the　　House　in　existence；　so　far　as　can　be　ascertained；　between　that　date　and　　this。　　Lord　Kenneth　had　seven　sons

1。　　Colin　Ruadh　or　〃the　Red　Earl；〃　his　heir　and　successor；　who　died；　in　1633；　without　surviving　male　issue。

2。　　John　Mackenzie　of　Lochslinn；　who　married　Isabel；　daughter　of　Alexander　Mackenzie；　V。　of　Gairloch；　and　died　in　1631；　having　been　poisoned　at　Tam；　without　issue　male。　　His　only　daughter；　Margaret；　married　Sir　Norman　Macleod；　I。　of　Bernera；　with　issue。

3。　　Kenneth；　who　died　unmarried。　　Lord　Kenneth；　XII。　of　Kintail；　married　secondly；　Isabel；　daughter　　of　Sir　Gilbert　Ogilvie　of　Powrie；　with　issue

4。　　Alexander；　who　died　unmarried。

5。　　George；　who　succeeded　his　brother　Colin；　as　second　Earl　of　Seaforth；　and　whose　line　terminated　in　Lady　Caroline　Mackenzie；　who　died　without　issue　in　1847；　her　father　Kenneth；　Baron　Ardelve　and　Earl　of　Seaforth　in　the　peerage　of　Ireland；　the　last　male　of　his　line；　having　died　at　　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　in　1781。

6。　　Thomas　Mackenzie　of　Pluscardine；　whose　male　issue　was　　proved　extinct　at　the　Allangrange　Service　in　1829。

7。　　SIMON　　MACKENZIE；　who；　after　the　death　of　his　brother　　John；　was　designated　of　Lochslinn；　and　whose　representative　will　be　shown　to　be　the　present　head　and　heir　male　of　the　ancient　family　of　Kintail　and　Seaforth；　and　Chief　of　the　C