Prior to this Mackenzie refused to give her up to her lawful guardian, James Macdonald of Dunyveg and the Glens. In 1563 we find him on the jury, with James, Earl of Moray, and others, at Inverness, by whom John Campbell of Cawdor was served heir to the Barony of Strathnairn. ["Invernessiana," p.229.] Kenneth was advanced in years before he came into possession, and took, as we have seen, an active and distinguished part in all the affairs of his clan during the life of his long-lived father. He seems after his return from Inverness, on the occasion of meeting Queen Mary there, to have retired very much into private life, for, on Mary's escape from Lochleven Castle he sent his son Colin, then quite a youth attending his studies at Aberdeen, at the head of his vassals, to join the Earl of Huntly, by whom Colin was sent, according to the Laird of Applecross, "as one whose prudence he confided, to advise the Queen's retreat to Stirling, where she might stay in security till all her friends were convocate, but by an unhappy council she refused this advice and fought at Langside, where Colin was present, and when by the Regent's [The Earl of Moray, appointed to the office after Mary's defeat.] insolence, after that victory, all the loyal subjects were forced to take remissions for their duty, as if it were a crime. Amongst the rest Mackenzie takes one, the only one that ever any of his family had and this is rather a mark of his fidelity than evidence of failure, and an honour, not a task of his posterity." It would have been already seen that another remission had been received at an earlier date, for the imprisonment and murder of John Glassich, son and successor to Hector Roy Mackenzie of Gairloch, in Ellandonnan Castle. Dr George Mackenzie says that Kenneth apprehended John Glassich and sent him prisoner to the Castle, where he was poisoned by the constable's lady, [This lady was Nighean Iamhair, and was spouse to John MacMhurchaidh Dhuibh, the Priest of Kintail, who was then chosen constable of Ellandonnan for the following reason: A great debate arose between the Maclennans and the Macraes about this important and honourable post, and the laird finding them irreconcilable, lest they should kill one another, and he being a stranger in the country himself, Mackenzie, on the advice of the Lord of Fairburn, elected the priest constable of the castle. This did not suit the Maclennans, and, as soon as Mackenzie left the country, they, one Sabbath morning, as the priest was coming home from church, 'e sends a man in ambush in his road who shot him with an arrow in the buttocks, so that he fell. The ambusher thinking him killed, and perceiving others coming after the priest that road, made his escape, and he (the priest) was carried to his boat alive. Of this priest are all the Murchisons in thise countries descended." - Ancient MS.] whereupon "ane certain female, foster-sister of his, composed a Gaelic rhyme to commemorate him."