yeilds, and sent his uncle Robert Sutherland, with a company of men, to assist him. Thereupon Robert Sutherland and John Reawighe Macky did invade Strathoickell and Strath-Charron with fire and sword; burnt, spoiled, and laid waste divers lands appertaining to the Rosses. The Laird of Balnigowne (then chief of the Rosses in that shire) hearing of his invasion, he gathered all the forces of Ross, and met Robert Sutherland and John Reawighe at a place called Aldicharrishe. Their ensued a cruel and furious combat, which continued a long space, with incredible obstinacy; much blood was shed on either side. In end, the inhabitants of Ross, being unable to endure or resist the enemy's forces, were utterly disbanded and put to flight. Alexander Ross, Laird of Balnigowne, was there slain, with seventeen other landed gentlemen of the province of Ross, besides a great number of common soldiers. The manuscript of Ferne (by and attour Balnigowne) nameth these following among those that were slain, Mr. William Ross, Angus Macculloch of Terrell, John Wans, William Wans, John Mitchell, Thomas Wans, Houcheon Wans.

The Skirmish of Daill-reawighe

THE year of God 1516 Y Roy Macky of Strathnaver dying, there arose civil dissention in Strathnaver, betwixt John Macky (the son of Y Roy) and Neill Na-werighe (the said Y Roy his brother); John Macky excludes his uncle Neill (who was thought to be the righteous heir) and taketh pos

session of Strathnaver. Neill, again, alledging that his nephews John and Donald were bastards, doth claim these lands, and makes his refuge of John Earl of Catteyness, of whom he did obtain a company of men, who were sent with Neill his four sons to invade Strathnaver. They take the possession of the country from John Macky; who, being unable to resist their forces, retires himself to the Clanchattane to seek their support, and leaves his brother Donald Macky to defend the country as he might. Donald, in his brother John his absence, surprized his cousin-germans under silence of the night at Daill-reawighe, and killed two of his cousins (the sons of Neill Na-werighe) with the most part of their company; whereupon John Macky returned home, and took peaceable possession of the country. Thereafter Neill Na-werighe came and willingly rendered himself to his nephews John and Donald, who caused apprehend their uncle Neill, and behead him at a place called Clash-ne-gep in Strathnaver.

The Conflict of Toran-Dow.

ADAM GORDON, first of that surname Earl of Sutherland, having married Elizabeth Sutherland heretrix of that county, took journey towards Edinburgh, the year of God 1517, to dispatch some affairs there, which did concern the settling of his estate, leaving the commandment of the country, in his absence, to Alexander Sutherland (base brother to his wife Elizabeth) and to John Murray of Aberscors; which John Macky of

Strathnaver understanding (having now appeased his civil discords at home, by the death of his uncle Neill) he takes this occasion, in the very change of surnames in Sutherland, to try if he could gain any thing by spoiling that country; and thereupon assembled together all the forces of Strathnaver, Assint, and Eddirachilis, with all such as he could purchase out of the west and north-west isles of Scotland, he invades the country of Sutherland with all hostility, burning and spoiling all before him. The inhabitants of Sutherland do speedily conveen together with all the parts of the country; and so, under the conduct of Alexander Sutherland, John Murray and William Mackames, they rencounter with John Macky and his company at a place called Torran-dow, beside Rogart in Strath-fleit, where there ensued a fierce and cruel conflict. The Sutherland-men chased John Macky his van-guard, and made them retire to himself where he stood in battle-array; then did he select and chuse a number of the ablest men in all his host, and with these he himself returned again to the conflict; leaving his brother Donald to conduct the rest, and to support him as necessity should require. Whereupon they do begin a more cruel fight than before, well foughten on either side. In end, after long resistance, the Sutherland-men obtained the victory; few of these that came to renew the fight escaped, but only John Macky himself, and that very hardly. Neill MaceanMacangus of Assint was there slain, with divers of his men. There were 216 of the Strathnaver-men left dead in the field, besides those that died in the

chace. There were slain of Sutherland-men 38. Not long thereafter John Macky sent William and Donald, two brethren, with a company of men, to invade John Murray, with whom they met at a place called Loch-Salachie in Sutherland; after a sharp skirmish, both the chieftains of the Strathnaver-men were slain, with divers of their men, and the rest put to flight: neither was the victory pleasing to John Murray, for he lost, there, his brother, called John Roy-Murray. Thus continued the inhabitants of these countries infesting one another with continual spoils, untill the year of God 1522, that Alexander Gordon (Earl Adam his eldest son) overthrew John Macky at Lairg, and forced him to submit himself to Earl Adam; unto whom John Macky gave his band of manred and service, dated the year of God 1522.

The Conflict of Aldine-beh.

DONALD MACKY of Strathnaver (having succeeded his brother John) taketh the occasion upon the death of Adam Earl of Sutherland (who left his grandchild, John, young to succeed him) to molest and invade the inhabitants of Sutherland. He came, the year of God 1542, with a company of men, to the village of Knockartoll, burnt the same, and took a great prey of goods out of Strathbrory. Sir Hugh Kennedy of Griffen-mains dwelt then in Sutherland, having married John Earl of Sutherland's mother, after the death of his father Alexander Master of Sutherland. Sir Hugh Kennedy being advertised of Macky his

coming into Sutherland, he advises with Hutcheon Murray of Aberscors, and with Gilbert Gordon of Garty, what was best to be done. They resolve to fight the enemy; and so having gathered a company of men, they overtook Macky, unawares, beside a place called Aldine-beh, where they invade him suddenly; having passed his spies unseen. After a little skirmish, the Strathnaver-men fled, the booty was rescued, and John Macean-Macangus, one of their chieftains, was slain, with divers of the Strathnaver-men. Donald Macky, nevertheless, plaid the part of a good soldier; for in his flight, he killed, with his own hand, one William Sutherland, who most eagerly pursued him in the chace. The inhabitants of Sutherland and Strathnaver (in regard of Earl John his minority) did thus continually vex one another, untill this Donald Macky was apprehen ded, and imprisoned in the castle of Foulis in Ross, by commandment of the Queen-Regent and the Governor, where he continued a good while in captivity.

The Conflict of Gar-warie.

THE Queen-Regent having gotten the government of Scotland from the Earl of Arran, she made her progress into the north, and so to Inverness, the year of God 1555. Then was Y Macky (the son of Donald) summoned to compear before the Queen at Inverness, for that he had spoiled and molested the country of Sutherland during Earl John his being in France with the Queen-Regent,