The Death of Sir Lauchlan Maclean, the year 1598, ib. TOUCHING THE DESCRIPTION OF SUTHERLAND. OUR Scottish writers have hitherto erred in descriving the situation of Sutherland; for it hath Caithness toward the east and north-east; Strathnaver toward the north; Assint toward the west; Ross toward the south and south-west; and the German sea toward the south, south-east, and east. Sutherland, in the Irish language, is called Cattey, and the people Cattigh. Cattey did contain sometime all the region lying betwixt Tayne and Dungesby, being divided in the midst by a mountain called Mond, or Ord, which runneth from the south sea to the north sea: and the country which is now called Catteyness, was first so named, as the ness or promontory of Cattey stretching itself eastward from the hill Ord. This is the opinion of one Andrew, Bishop of Catteyness. And in the old English writers, (such as Hoveden, Walsinghame, and others) it is always written Cattey A ness so that Boethius faileth in drawing the etymology of Catteyness from Catus (the proper name of a man) and ness; which doubtless proceeded from the ignorance of the Irish language. CONFLICTS. The Conflict of Drumilea. ABOUT the year of God 1031, in the days of Malcolm the second, King of Scotland, the Danes and Norwegians, under the conduct of Olanus and Enetus, seated themselves in the north parts of Scotland, and took the castle of Nerne, where they became very strong; from thence they sent divers, companies of soldiers into the neighbouring provinces, not only to prey, but likewise to seat themselves there, as they should find occasion and opportunity. Olanus did then send a strong company to invade the provinces of Ross and Sutherland, and to destroy the inhabitants; which Alane Thane of Sutherland perceiving, he assembled his countrymen, and the inhabitants of Ross, with all diligence; and fought a battle at Creigh in Sutherland, against the Danes and Norwegians, who had then come from Nerne in Murray, and had landed in the river of Portnecouter, which divideth Ross from Sutherland. After a long and doubtful fight, the Danes were overthrown, and chased to their vessels. The monument whereof remains there, unto this day, at a place called Drumilea before Creigh. The Conflict of Enbo. ABOUT the year of God 1259 the Danes and Norwegians did land at the ferry of Unes, with a resolution to invade Sutherland and the neighbouring provinces; against whom William Earl of Sutherland made resistance, and encountered with them betwixt the town of Dornoch and the ferry of Unes, at a place called Enbo. After a sharp conflict the Danes are overthrown, their General slain, with many others, and the rest chased to their ships in memory of which a monument of stone was there erected, which was called Ri-Chroishe, that is, the king, or general, his cross; which, together with divers burials, is there to be seen at this day. The Conflict of Beallegh-ne-Broig. ABOUT the year of God 1299 there was an insurrection made against the Earl of Ross by. some of the people of that province, inhabiting the mountains, called Clan-Iver, Clan-tall-wigh, and Clan-Leawe. The Earl of Ross made such diligence that he apprehended their captain, and imprisoned him at Dingwall; which so incensed the Highlanders, that they pursued the Earl of Ross's second son at Balnegowen, took him, and carried him along prisoner with them; thinking thereby to get their captain relieved. The Monroes and the Dingwalls, with some others of the Earl of Ross his dependers, gathered their forces, and |