Gairloch in North-West Ross-Shire: Its Records, Traditions, Inhabitants, and Natural History, with a Guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree, and a Map and IllustrationsDixon, John H. (John Henry)
History
Gairloch in North-West Ross-Shire: Its Records, Traditions, Inhabitants, and Natural History, with a Guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree, and a Map and Illustrations
Dixon, John H. (John Henry)
Gairloch (Scotland) -- Guidebooks; Gairloch (Scotland) -- History; Ross and Cromarty (Scotland) -- History
In 1550 Kenneth, lord of Kintail, still suspicious of the intentions of
John Glassich, sent for him to Brahan, where he came with only one
attendant, Iain Gearr, probably one of the MacRaes who had settled in
Gairloch. Kenneth, after charging John Glassich with designs against
him, caused him to be apprehended. Seeing this, Iain Gearr drew his
two-handed sword and made a fierce stroke at the lord of Kintail, who
sat at the head of the table, and whose skull would have been cloven
asunder had he not ducked his head under the table. Iain Gearr was
instantly seized by Mackenzie's men, who threatened to slay him on the
spot, but the chief, admiring his fidelity, strictly charged them not to
touch him. When Iain Gearr was asked why he had struck at the lord
himself, instead of at those who had seized his master, he boldly
replied, "I see no one else whose life is worth that of my own chief."
The sword made a deep gash in the table, and the mark remained until
Colin, first earl of Seaforth, had the piece cut out, saying that he
"loved no such remembrance of the quarrels of his relations."
John Glassich was removed to Eileandonain Castle, where they say his
death was occasioned by poison administered to him in a mess of milk
soup, prepared by the wife of MacCalman, a clergyman, and
deputy-constable of the fort. His body was sent to the people of
Strathglass, who buried him in Beauly priory, where the Gairloch
baronets are interred in the present day.
It was in the days of John Glassich that Donald Gorm of Sleat, in Skye,
made an expedition against Kintail, taking advantage of the absence of
Mackenzie of Kintail. The latter had opposed the pretensions of Donald
Gorm to the earldom of Ross. In the month of May 1539 Donald Gorm
crossed over to the mainland. He first came to Kenlochewe, which, though
part of Gairloch in the present day, still belonged at that time to the
lord of Kintail. Here the Macdonalds destroyed all before them, and
killed Miles, or Maolmuire, son of Fionnla Dubh MacGillechriosd MacRae,
at that time governor of Eileandonain Castle. The remains of a monument
erected on the spot where Maolmuire MacRae was killed were to be seen in
1704. Donald Gorm was himself killed soon afterwards, when attacking
Eileandonain Castle, by a barbed arrow fired at him by a nephew of
Maolmuire MacRae.
During the feeble rule of John Glassich the M'Leods strove to regain
Gairloch, but were kept in check by the clansmen, including some of the
valiant MacRaes.
John Glassich married Agnes, daughter of James Fraser of Foyness, and
had three sons, viz., Hector, Alexander, and John, known as John Roy
Mackenzie.
Hector, the eldest son of John Glassich, succeeded his father. During
his minority the estates were given in ward to John, fourth of the
Stewart earls of Athole. Hector came of age in 1563. His death occurred,
probably by violence, in September 1566.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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