Alexander Alisdair Crotach MacLeod

Alexander Alisdair Crotach MacLeod


MacLeod Clan

MacLeod Clan Crest: A bull's head between two flags.

MacLeod Clan Motto: Hold Fast.

History of Clan MacLeod:
Olaf the Black was the Norse King of Man and the Isles who lived in the early 13th century. Leod was his younger son who, around 1220, married the daughter and heiress of MacRaild on Skye. She brought him Dunvegan Castle, and, when his father died, he inherited the islands of Lewis and Harris. Following the defeat of King Haakon of Norway at the Battle of Largs in 1263, Leod found himself virtually in control of the Hebrides.

Leod had four sons. Tormod, the eldest, inherited Dunvegan and Harris, becoming Chief of these lands and adopting the name MacLeod of Dunvegan (“Siol Tormod”). Torquil, Leod's second son, (“Siol Torquil”) inherited Lewis and Raasay, and in due course came into possession of Assynt, Cogeach and Gareloch on the mainland.

The MacLeods of Dunvegan supported Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Independence and followed the Lords of the Isles at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411. Fortunately, MacLeod managed to remain in favour throughout the Crown's attempts to subdue the Highland Chiefs, largely through the efforts of Alasdair Crotach who, in 1542, after a long dispute with the MacDonalds of Sleat, secured the title to Trotternish in the north of Skye.

The MacLeods of Dunvegan fought for the Royalist Cause at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 and over 500 MacLeod Clansmen were killed making it impossible for them to participate effectively in either the 1715 or 1745 Jacobite Uprisings. When Prince Charles Edward Stuart arrived in Scotland, the Dunvegan MacLeods, convinced that he was lacking the necessary resources and men to succeed, refused to join him.


Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland‎ - Page 130
by Society of Antiquaries of Scotland - Scotland - 1885

Alexander Maeleod of Dunvegan, better known as Alaster Crotach, or Humpbacked, had in 1498 a charter from King James IV. of the lands commonly called Ardmanach, in Herag of the Lewis, which had belonged hereditarily to his father William Macleod, and had been held by him in capite of John, the late Lord of the Isles, by reason of whose forfeiture they were then in the king's hands. The reddendo of the charter is the ordinary service of ward and relief, together with the attendance of a galley of twenty-six oars and two galleys of sixteen oars when required, the king reserving the eyries or falcons' nests within the said lands. The inscription assigns the erection of the elaborately ornamented tomb to the year 1528, and hence it would appear that it must either have been erected in honour of William Macleod by his son Alexander, or alternatively by Alexander (son of William) in his own lifetime for himself. Alaster Crotach was alive in 1539, for in that year he had a charter of the lands and barony of Glenelg, which Hugh Fraser of Lovat had then resigned. He is mentioned as dead in a document, dated 10th January 1546-7, which conveys to the Earl of Argylo a gift of the ward of the lands which belonged to umquhile Alexander Macleod of Dunvegan. Alaster Crotach was succeeded by his eldest son William, who died without male issue in 1553, leaving an infant daughter Mary, sole heir to the old hereditary possessions of the Seill Tormod or Macleods of Harris. These possessions included the lands of Harris, Dunvegan, Minganish, Bracadale, Duirinish, Lyne- dale, and Glenelg, but he was also the vassal of the Crown in the lands of Trouterness, Sleat, and North Uist, which made these extensive estates a male fief.(Alaster Crotach had obtained a charter of the bailiary of these lands 15th June 1498 ; but a fortnight after, on 28th June, another charter made the same grant to Torquil M'Lcod of Lewis. In 1528 Alexander, the laird of Harris, brought an action before the Lords of Council against John MacTorchill M'Leod and others, for dispossessing them of the bailiary of Trouterness and lands annexed to that office.) The contention which arose over the succession in consequence, and the subsequent fortunes of the heiress Mary Macleod, as one of the four Maries, famous in the Court of Mary Queen of Scots, are matters of history, and need not be further referred to, as we are at present more specially concerned with the history of the fabric itself. Buchanan states that the church of Rowdill was built by Alexander Macleod of Harris—the Alaster Crotach already mentioned, who first appears in possession of Harris in 1498, and was dead in 1546. The " personage of Roidill in Hereis" appears among " the teinds and personages pertaining to the Bishop," in the rental of the Bishopric of the Isles and Abbacy of Icolmkill drawn up in 1561. The writer of the notice in the Old Statistical Account states that the church had fallen into a ruinous condition, and was repaired in 1784 by an Alexander Macleod, then of Harris


I found a book that says the galley ship on Alexander's tomb was a seventeen room galley. (The Safeguard of the Sea: A Naval History of Britain, 660-1649‎ - Page 167
by N. A. M. Rodger - History - 1999)

An article in The Celtic monthly, says that Alaisdair built one of the towers of Dunvegan castle.



Transactions‎ - Page 62
by Gaelic Society of Inverness - Scottish Gaelic philology - 1900

Alexander Macleod, who was well known as " Alastair Crotach," or " Hump-backed," on the death of his father, was acknowledged by the clan as their Chief. He had already distinguished himself by his valour, and is said to have been learned for the age. During the time of the seventh Chief, a large party of Macdonalds landed at Ardiveg, in Skye, with the view of laying waste the country of the Macleods, and were commanded by Eachainn MacDhomhnuill, son of the Chief of Clan Ranald. William Macleod was absent from home, but his son, Alexander, hastily collected all
the men he could, and went to meet the Macdonalds, who had encamped close to their galleys. A fierce battle ensued, in which Alexander Macleod was wounded in the back by the stroke of the battle-axe wielded by Eachainn MacDomhnuill, who had singled out the young Chief for combat. Alexander fell, but drew his antagonist along with him, and slew him with his dirk, and carried off his head as a trophy of his prowess. The stroke, however, which he had himself received had severed the dorsal muscles, and as his wound was not properly attended to, it caused his back to bend, and hence he obtained the name " Crotach." In this engagement the Macdonalds were completely routed, and lost the greater part ol their men and ten of their lymphads, or galleys. Heaps of their bones and skulls were until lately, and are perhaps still, to be seen on the field where the action took place. At another time, after Alastair Crotach had become Chief, the Macleods, both of Lewis and Harris, collected their forces with a view of invading the lands of the Macdonalds, but the latter, under the command of Donald Gruamach, landed in Skye with a force superior in numbers to any that the Macleods could collect, and laid waste Minginish, Bracadale, and Durinish to the very gates of Dunvegan. Alastair Crotach hastened from Harris, and landed at Glendale, where the Macdonalds met him. The Macleods drew up on the brow of a hill, with a river in front, which made it difficult for the Macdonalds to attack them. There they remained for two days, until the arrival of a great body of the clan, under the command of Donald Mor of Meidle, who was a bastard brother of Alastair Crotach. A fierce engagement ensued, in which the Macleods were sorely pressed. Donald Mor was slain, with several hundreds of the clan ; the rest were dispirited and wavering, when, it is said, the Wizard Flag was displayed in the midst of the Macleods by order of Alastair Crotach's mother, who was present. The combat was renewed with redoubled fury and immense slaughter on both sides. A party of the Macdonalds, under the command of Allan of Moidart, rushed into the midst of the Macleods, and cut off from the rest of the clan the Chief and the select band who guarded the banner. At this moment Muracha or Murdo Mackaskill cut down Donald Gruamach, and, carrying his head on a spear, ordered the pipers of the Macleods to play the Macdonald's Lament. The sound of the ill-omened music struck a panic into the Macdonalds, who gave way on all sides. Allan of Moidart did all he could to rally them, but in vain, and such was the slaughter, says the " Seanachies," .that the ravens which stood on " Creggan na Fitheach" (as a rock on the field of battle was afterwards called) drank the blood and ate the flesh of the Macdonalds, who lay in heaps around, without descending from their elevation. Allan of Moidart engaged Mackaskill single- handed, and killed him, as well as his three brothers, and then retreated with the remnant of his followers to Loch Eynort, where their galleys awaited them.

The most fierce and savage warfare was carried on by the clans against each other, and none more so than those between the Macleods and Macdonalds, especially of Moidart (the Clan Ranald). Every species of revolting cruelty was practised by both parties against the followers and friends of the other, nor was it possible for any of the vassals to meet without coming to blows.

On one occasion a large boat or galley was driven into Loch Stockinish, in Harris, and the crew of twenty-four men were received with apparent hospitality by one Alastair Dubh Macleod, who lived there. Whilst at supper, one of the men happened to reveal their names to be Macdonald, and, as they were of the Clan Ranald, Alastair Dubh left the house unobserved, and set fire to their boat and let it drift out to sea. He then roused out of their beds six other men who lived near him, and returning with them to his house, he told the Macdonalds to depart, for, as a vassal of Macleod, he could not harbour them. They rose to depart, but the door was so low and narrow that only one could pass out at a time, and Alastair Dubh's men, who were stationed on each side of the door outside, despatched with their battle-axes each Macdonald as he left the house. Their heads were cut off, the whole strung on to one rope, and thus carried to Donald Breac Macleod, who was Steward of Harris for Alastair Crotach, and their bodies were thrown under a rock, where their bones long remained exposed to view. Alastair Dubh got the name of " Alastair Dubh nan Ceann" from this barbarous act. Several of his descendants were to be found in Lewis and Harris.

This act was shortly afterwards retaliated by the Macdonalds, who seized a birlinn belonging to Alastair Crotach, in which were a cousin of the Chief, called Donald Glas, together with 36 of his men, and they were taken to Ardvullin, in South Uist, where Donald Glas was put in irons, with a heavy weight attached to a chain round his neck, and was so detained for six years, whereby he was disabled for ever after; the whole of his crew were starved to death in a dungeon, where, it is said, they actually ate one another, casting lots so long as more than one remained alive.

When King James approached Skye, in 1540, Alastair Crotach retired to the Castle of Pabbay, Harris, where he remained until the King's departure.

It is said that Alastair Crotach, several years before his death, resigned nearly all his authority to
his son, William, who was anxious to secure, if possible, the succession to his daughter, Mary, as
and her children, to the prejudice of his two brothers, Donald Glas and Tormod, to both of whom he behaved unkindly. Donald went as an adventurer to Ireland, and Tormoid entered the service of the King of France, where he obtained a distinguished command, and continued to reside with his family for many years, until circumstances, to be related hereafter, induced him to return home.

On the birth of Mary's son, Dugald, a fleet of galleys was despatched by William Macleod to Argyleshire to convey her and her child, as well as her husband, to Dunvegan, where they were all received by the whole clan in great state.

He gave the estate of Harris to his daughter and her husband for their maintenance 'during his own life, and made his daughter give up her rights in favour of her son, retaining only Harris as her dower or portion during her own life.

Mary and her husband, Duncan Campbell, went to live in Harris for the remainder of the life of the latter, who, however, died many years before William Macleod.

Alastair Crotach, who was still living, could not tolerate the idea of the succession going to young Campbell, and endeavoured to prevail upon his sons, who were at enmity, to become friends, but without success; so, before his death, he named William his heir, and, failing his heirs, his second son, Donald, and, failing Donald's male heirs, his third son, Tormod, and his heirs. This destination was only verbal, but in those days it was considered of equal validity to a written and formal instrument. Alastair Crotach, in the midst of their dissension, retired to Rodel, where he remained during the rest of his life, and died. This monastery had been founded at a very early period by the monks of lona, but had fallen into decay, and Alastair Crotach largely endowed it with land, in Harris, which it enjoyed until the Reformation, which did not extend to these parts until a century after the time of John Knox. He also repaired and completed the church, which is still extant, and has a tower covered with many ornaments of stone, similar to those found in other parts of Scotland, built in the reigns of James III., IV., and V., and is no bad specimen of the architectural skill of that age. He also built two other beautiful small churches, which are dependent on this monastery, one at Wia and the other at Scarpa, but both are now in ruins. He prepared a code of regulations for the college of pipers in Skye, to which he gave liberal grants of hind, retained by them until the time of the seventeenth Chief.

Alastair Crotach's household was on a scale of great magnificence for the age and country, and he had several harpers, bard, and seanachie, and a bodyguard, whose duty it was to teach each man of the clan how to use the sword or the axe and targe. He was learned enough to translate into Gaelic some of the Psalms of David, which were afterwards published by the Rev. John Morrison, of Ness. On account of his prudence and sagacity, he was often made the arbitrator between the most powerful Chiefs of the Highlands and Isles in their feuds and quarrels. He was a brave soldier, and skilled in all the arms then in vogue. His broadsword or claymore, with which he performed many valiant deeds, few could now wield. He was accounted one of the best swordsmen of his time, and in his leisure hours he used to teach his young kinsmen the most approved modes of fencing, rewarding the best pupils with suits of armour and other prizes. He took great delight in the education of his grandson, who was afterwards the famous Rory Mor, who always resided with him, and into whose mind he instilled his own good sense and many admirable qualities, which were then as rare as they were useful. Indeed, the latter years of Alastair Crotach's life were as useful and exemplary as his early days were turbulent and reckless.

His memory is still revered in the Isles as the friend of the poor, the rewarder of merit, and the best sample of a really great and good Chief.

Alastair Crotach did not marry until he was over 50 year^ of age, because during his mother's life he would not make any other woman mistress of his house. After her death he wanted to marry, but thought himself too old and ugly for any young woman to accept, for although he was tall and strong, he had hard features and a forbidding aspect, and, as already stated, was bent in his back. Cameron of Lochiel, however, told him that he had ten daughters, of whom he might take his choice, but Alastair would not have any woman against her will. When the ladies were questioned, they all, from the first to the ninth, refused him, but the tenth, the handsomest of them all, said she preferred bravery, wisdom, and power to a smooth face without any other recommendation; so she accepted Alastair, and lived happily with him for a long time, and died an old woman long before he did, as he lived to be over 100 years old. Alastair Crotach died at Rodel, when, according to his own wish, he was buried by the side of his wife, whose virtues and good qualities were set out on her tombstone, in Latin, in the church there.

The first act of his successor, William Macleod, after his father's death, was to propose to the clan, who assembled at Rodel at the old Chief's funeral, to acknowledge Dugald Campbell as his heir and successor. Some of the clan agreed, but most of them refused to admit any right of succession through a female, a thing hitherto unknown amongst them. The meeting broke up, after a turbulent discussion, without coming to any definite decision, but William resolved to disinherit his brothers and to secure the succession to his grandson. He- therefore gave the wardenship of Pabbay to Kenneth Campbell, and that of Dunvegan to Torquil Macsween, another of Campbell's adherents. He also put many Campbells into his " luchd- taighe," or bodyguard, and put trust only in those who declared in favour of his grandson. He also entered into an alliance with Donald Gorm Macdonald of Sleat, to whom he made over all his old rights to Sleat and Troterness for a sum of money, and appointed him the Taoitear of his grandson, in case of his own death before young Campbell came of age. He further accumulated a large sum of money, which he remitted before his death to his grandson, in Argyleshire, to enable him the better to secure the succession. These acts so completely alienated the affections of the clan from William that he shut himself up in the Castle of Dunvegan for the short remainder of his life, which he passed in gloom and solitude. He died in 1552-53, a few days after receiving the news of his daughter's death, which occurred at Barra on the very day that she was to embark for Dunvegan, whither her father had invited her on the death of her second husband, Macneil. William Macleod's body was removed by the clan from Dunvegan to Rodel, where it was buried, and a monument was afterwards erected over his remains by his nephew, Sir Roderick (Rory Mor) Macleod.

Tormod MacLeod and his son Roderick Rory MacLeod

A genealogical and heraldic history of the commoners of Great Britain and ...
By John Burke

Tormod Macleod, of Macleod, who in July, 1580, was infeft in the whole estate. He was the son of Alexander Alisdair Crotach MacLeod.
This laird m. first, Giles, daughter of Hector Maclean, of Duart, by whom he had issue,
I. William
II. Roderick
III. Alexander, of Minginish, from whom Alexander Macleod, of Fer- rinnilea, William Macleod, of Ose, and Lieut. Norman Macleod.

I. Margaret, m. to Donald Macdonald, of Slate. The feuds which subsisted between the Macleods and Macdonalds arose from the bad treatment of the lady by her husband.

II. ______ , m. first, to Macleod, of Lewis ; and, secondly, to Macdonald, of Ben- beaila.

Tormod wedded, secondly, a daughter of the Earl of Argyll, and had by her a daughter, Jannet, who became the wife of Maclean, of Coll. Macleod was a man of courage and conduct, and an adherent of the unhappy Mary, of Scotland. He died in March, 1584, and was s. by his eldest son,

William Macleod, of Macleod, who was served heir 31st July, 1585. He m. Janet, daughter of Lachlan McIntosh, of Dunachten, and dying in October, 1590, without issue, was s. by his brother, Roderick

Sir Roderick Macleod, of Macleod, commonly Rory more, or great Roderick, who received the honour of knighthood from King James VI. and was infeft in the whole estate as heir to his brother in September, 1596. This laird appears to have been involved in much difficulty, but his address and courage bore him eventually through. An act of parliament having passed, l0th December, 1507, obliging, under pain of forfeiture, all the chieftains and other landholders in the Highlands and Isles, to produce the title- deeds of their estates before the lords of the exchequer, to be considered by them previously to the 25th day of May following, and Sir Roderick refusing compliance, King James conferred his whole estate, with the exception of Trotterness, Slate, and Uist, upon James Lord Balmerinock, Sir James Spence, of Wolmerston, and Sir George Hay, of Nether Cliff, afterwards Viscount Duplin, equally between them, on which these gentlemen, taking out a charter under the great seal, were infeft, and Sir George Hay acquired right to Balmerinock's and Wolmerston 's shares. At the same time, to augment his embarrassment, Sir Roderick was on bad terms with Sir Roderick McKenzie, of Coigach, tutor of Kintail, ancestor of the earls of Croroartie, then a privy councillor and a man of considerable power and influence, who, aware of the fiery disposition of Macleod, affronted him in presence of the council, that he might commit some act which should render him amenable to the law ; — the desired effect was produced;—

Macleod knocked M'Kenzie immediately down, and thus subjected himself to capital punishment: at this period too his country was invaded by the Macdonalds of Slate, while himself and a large number of his clan were in the island of Mull; and although the invaders were gallantly opposed by Alexander Macleod, of Minginish, with so many of the clan as he could collect together, the Macdonalds, after a bloody skirmish in Guillen, carried away a spreath; in retaliation, when Sir Roderick returned, |he made an inroad into Trotterness, and burned and destroyed the whole country. He had also at this time deadly feuds with the family of Clankanald. He was however long and greatly befriended by the Earl of Argyll, and, on the 7th July, 1606, engaged himself by contract to resign bis barony of Glenelg into the king's hands in favour of that nobleman, on his lordship's becoming bound to grant to him (Sir Roderick) and his heirs male a charter of that barony, to be held of Argyll and his heirs by service of ward, marriage, and relief; he subsequently accommodated matters with Sir Roderick M'Kenzie, and entered into bonds of friendship with Macdonald, of Slate, Macdonald, of Clankanald, and Mackinnon; and at length, on the 4th May, 1610, obtained from James a remission. On the 18th July, in the same year, he purchased from Kenneth, Lord Mackenzie, of Kintail, the barony of Vaterness, disposing to Kintail of the Twopenny land of Trotterness, and the office of bailliary of the whole lands of Trotterness. On the 19th of the same month he obtained from George Hay, Viscount Duplin, a disposition of the whole estate, and on these titles, with his own resignation, he acquired from the crown a new charter, dated 4th April, 1611, of Vaterness and his other estates, containing a novoda- mus taxing the ward, and erecting the whole into a barony, to be called the barony of Dunvegan, in favour of himself and the heirs male of his body, remainder to his brother german, Alexander Macleod, of Minginess, remainder to William Macleod, alins Macwilliam Macleod, of Meidle, the heir male of Tormod, second son of John, sixth laird of Macleod, remainder to his own nearest and lawful heirs male whatsoever ; and upon this charter he was infeft 22nd October, 1611. On the 16th September, 1613, he was served heir in special to William Macleod, his uncle, in the lands of Trotterness, Slate, and North Uist, and was infeft in them llth February, 1614. Those lands he desposed of, in February, 1618, to Sir Donald Macdonald, of Slate. Sir Roderick became a great favourite with King James VI. who, on the 18th May, 1610, wrote to him a letter requiring his assistance in an affair to be communicated to him by the Earl of Dunbar, which his majesty says, " he shall not fail to remember, when any occasion fit for your good shall be offered." In 1613 the king conferred the honour of knighthood on him, and in the June of that year he wrote three several letters from Greenwich, recommending Macleod and his affairs, in the strongest terms, to the privy council of Scotland. On the 16th June, 1616, his majesty granted to Sir Roderick a license, under his hand and seal, to come out of Scotland to court whenever he should think convenient, without being liable to any challenge or pursuit for so doing. Sir Roderick died in the beginning of 1626, leaving issue by his wife, Isabella, daughter of Macdonald, of Glengary, five sons and five daughters, viz.

i. John, his successor.

ii. Roderick, of Talliskir.*

ill. Normand, of Berneray.

iv. William, of Stammer,

v. Donald, of Grishernish.

i. Margaret, m. to M'Lean, of Duart.

n. Mary, m. to — M'Lean, brother of Duart, and her son succeeded to the estate.

in. Moire, commonly called Moire Voire, m. to John Musdortich, captain of Clankanald, which marriage terminated the feuds between the two families.

iv. Janet, m. to John Macleod, of Ra- say.

v. Florence, m. to Donald M'Sween.

It is remarkable that this chieftain was a proficient in Latin, had travelled on the Continent, and spoke French with fluency, yet could neither utter nor understand the Scotch or English dialect. His eldest son and heir,

John Macleod, of Macleod, surnamed John More, from his great size, was confirmed in the whole family estate, 9th November, 1626, on a precept from the Chancery, and was subsequently under a decree of the Privy Council of Scotland, compelled to resign his barony of Glenelg in the king's hands, in favour of the Earl of Argyll, (son of the nobleman with whom his father had entered into the contract,) and to take a charter of it, holding of his lordship, paying twenty thousand merks for taxing the ward, marriage and relief, by which tenure it is yet held of die house of Argyll. This laird was a staunch Royalist, and opposed the measures of the Covenanters from the commencement, for which conduct he received a letter of thanks from King Charles I. dated at Durham 2nd May, 1639. He continued firm in his allegiance, to the hour of his death, which happened in September, 1649. He was remarkable for his goodness and piety, and took so much pains to civilize the country, that he acquired the appellation of Lot in Sodon. He m. Sibella, daughter of Kenneth, Lord M'Kinzie, of Kintail, and haa issue,

Roderick,
John,

successive lairds.

Mary, m. first, to Sir James Macdonald, of Slate, and secondly, to Muir, of Rowallan.

Marion, m. to Donald Macdonald, captain of Clankaland, and was mother of Allan, captain of Clankaland, who fell at Sheriff Mnir.

Giles, m. first, to Sir Allan M'Lean, of Duart, and secondly, to Campbell, of Glendaruel.

Sibella, i». to Thomas Fraser, of Beaufort, and was mother of Simon Fraser, the last Lord Lovat, (see p. 207).

Margaret, m. to Sir James Campbell, of
Laarg.

The eldest son,

Roderick Macleod, fifteenth laird of Macleod, was served heir in special to his father 22nd November, 1665,




* This gentleman, Roderick Macleod, of Tal- liskir, on the death of his elder brother, John, who succeeded his father, and became fourteenth laird of Macleod, was appointed tutor to his nephew, Roderick Macleod, the fifteenth laird, John's son and heir, then in minority. On the arrival of Charles II. in Scotland, in 1650, and the issue of his Majesty's proclamation, commanding all his subjects to repair to the Royal Standard with as many men as they could levy, Roderick immediately raised a regiment, seven hundred strong, of his clan and followers, and appointed hi» brother Nonnand, of Bernere, lien- tenant-colonel, who cheerfully obeyed the royal summons, and after remaining some time with the king's army, received orders to complete his corps by a levy of three hundred men more. This he accomplished ; but being in want of arms, he obtained an order on John Bunkle, then commissary, to supply him. The commissary, however, refused to comply, unless Tulliskir would pass his bond for the value, which, rather than prejudice the service, was passed. This bond was afterwards assigned to William M'Cullocb, who used utmost diligence upon it against Talliskir, during the Usurpation. These proceedings were at last suspended; and Colonel Macleod relieved from the claim by act of parliament, in 1661. At the head of this regiment, himself and his brother attended the King to the fatal field of Worcester, where almost every man of the corps was either killed, or taken prisoner, and transported to the plantations. The colonel had a narrow escape, and after concealing himself a short time in England, got in disguise to Scotland, where he became active in encouraging a spirit of loynlty among the Highland clans; the best affected of whom met at Glenelg on the 21st April, 1653, and agreed on raising a body of two thousand men for the King's service, and to apprise his Majesty of Great Britain, the King of Denmark, the Princes* Royal, and the States of Holland, with their resolution. This mission was entrusted to Lieutenant- Col. Normand Macleod, to be carried to Xing Charles, who conveyed in return a most flattering letter from the exiled monarch to his brother Talliskir. When, subsequently, the royal cause entirely failed, Colonel Macleod lived privately at dome until the Restoration, when the King, in consideration of his faithful services, conferred upon him the honour of knighthood. Sir Roderick m. first, a daughter of Donald, first Lord Kie ; and secondly, Mary, daughter of M'Kin- non, of that ilk : by the latter he had John, Magnus, who died a youth, and a daughter Isabel!, m. to Donald M'Lean, of Coll. She .;. about the year 1675. His son John was m. to Janet, only daughter of Alexander Macleod, of Grishemish, and had a son and heir, Donald, who m. Christian, daughter of John Macleod, nnd left issue. John, of Talliskir, lieut.-colonel in the service of the States of Holland; Magnus, on officer in Col. Campbell's regiment of Highlanders ; Roderick, professor of philosophy in the king's college of Aberdeen . Normand, captain-lieut. in the regiment of light-armed infantry in America, and one of the superintendants of the Indians. Janet, m. to Hugh M'Lean, of Coll; and Isabel), the wife of Hector M'Lean, of Islecomonk.

*Normand Macleod, of Berneray, third son of Sir Roderick, concurred most heartily during his nephew's minority in all the measures adopted by bis eldest brother, Sir Roderick, the tutor of Macleod. He was at the battle of Worcester, in the rank of lieut.-colonel of his brother's regiment, and being taken prisoner there, was detained in custody for eighteen months, during which period he was tried for his life on the supposition of being a Welchman, from the affinity, the surnames of Ap Lloyd and Macleod; but being well known to the Scots army, bis identity was easily established, when there was an end to the case, and the prisoner remanded. It was then proposed to him to subscribe the oath called the tender, and his liberty was offered to him ; but peremptorily refusing, his incarceration was prolonged, and his treatment rendered more severe; but being a man of abilities, address, and enterprise, he at length effected his escape, and joined his friends in the Highlands, attended the council of war already mentioned, and was deputed to convey the result of the proceedings to King Charles. He was afterwards active in the many attempts made to re-establish the King's affairs in Scotland, and when General Middleton was no longer able to keep the field, but obliged to retire to the Western Isles, Lieut.-colonel Macleod conducted him to his own house at Berneray, where he remained in security, until provided with means, by his gallant host, to make his escape beyond sea. After the Restoration, be received, with his brother, the honour of knighthood, but got no other reward, except through the Earl of Middleton be obtained the forfeited estate of a certain Highland family, which took place in consequence of a correspondence discovered between its chief and the usurpers. Sir Normand m first, Margaret, only child of John M'Kenzie, of Lochslin, second son of Kenneth, Lord Kintail, by whom he had an only son, John Macleod, of Contulich, who wedded Isabella, eldest daughter of Kenneth M'Kenzie, of Scatwell, and had a numerous issue, of whom the eldest son, John Macleod, of Muirnvonside, was father of Alexander Macleod, advocate, and Klizabeth, the wife of John Macdonald, of Largie, and the second son, Donald Macleod, of Bernera, had, by his first marriage, Norman Macleod, of Unish, and Captain Alexander Macleod, of the Lord Mansfield Indiaman, with several daughter*; and by his second marriage, John Macleod. Sir Normand espoused, secondly, Catherine, eldest daughter of Sir James Macdonald, of Slate, by whom he had

William, of Laskindir, father of Alexander, of Laskindir, of Roderick, clerk to the signet; of Margaret, m. to Ronald Macdonald, of Clankaland, and Alice, the wife of Roderick M'Neill.

Marion, m. to Donald M'Lean, of Colt. m. to Alexander Macleod, of R»-

say, and afterwards to Angus M'Donell,

of Scotherin.

MacLeod Wikipeida