they came to; his name was Cornel; he was a distinguished officer, and thought to be the principal champion of Scotland; he took three or four of our baggage horses. Angus the son of Allan Du, being the hindmost of his party, was riding upon horseback without either saddle or pilleon, with a long gun tied before him; but had not been accustomed to fight upon horseback; he eyed this bold warrior; lighted off his horse; set his gun upon a large stone, and shot the hero of the red apparel, who fell under his horse's feet, with all his silver, crape, and finery; his men gave a sorrowful cry when they saw their principal hero fall. The enemy did not molest them any more that day, nor, the day following; but the retreat continued, Montrose endeavouring to weary them out in that manner, and to oblige part of their army to separate from the main body, in hope that he would in that event be enabled to give them battle, for his men were much fatigued, and in want of victuals and sleep. Coming at night to Kilsyth, after a night march, they encamped in the adjacent hills; but upon morning of the next day, they perceived the great army of the covenanters in pursuit of them. Here the royal army had no other choice, but either to break up their camp without flesh or bread to eat, or fight that great army. Upon which they immediately called a council of all the great men and officers to consult ahout their safety, whether they were still to retreat or fight the great army that was in pursuit of them. Montrose requested to have the opinion of the common soldiers and the whole army, which was immediately complied with; and the common soldiers gave it as their opinion, that it

the

would be much better for them to fight, although attended with danger, than to be constantly retreating before the enemy day and night. Upon which Montrose sent a trum→ peter to the enemy to inform them, that he was ready to give them battle, upon which they gave a great shout for joy, and immediately went in order of battle; they placed three thousand musket and pikemen in three. divisions in the front, and eleven thousand in battalions behind these. It may be easily supposed, what a hardship it was for such a small army of royalists, consisting only of four thousand foot, and five hundred horse, to encounter them, bare-footed, with their shirt tails tied between their legs, the cavalry having their shirts above their garments. This brave heroic band marched to the attack in the face of the enemy's cannon and musketry, with great courage and caution. The attack was begun by an excellent Irish and Scottish regiment of Gaels; Major Lauchlan going before them directed by Sir Alexander Macdonald; other two regiments were ordered to their relief, namely, Maclean's and Donald the son of John Muidartach's gallant regiments; but, Maclean's men were nearer the ene-, my, and were sooner in order than Clanronald. When Major Lauchlan was hard put to, Sir Alexander Macdonald sent him immediate relief; but there happened to arise some difference between Donald the son of John Muidartach, and Donald son of Hector Og son of Gileon, (i. e. Maclean) about precedency; meantime, the clan Ronald made their way to the attack through the Macleans. Donald's men, and Patrick Caoch Magregor's men, made but one regiment; they gained the

trenches, and Donald was the first man that leaped over them; his men followed, and by the rushing on of the rest of the army who followed the clan Ronald, the great army of the covenanters were routed; they continued a great part of the day pursuing the enemy. After the battle of Kilsyth they encamped at Hamilton, and the keys of the great castle were sent to us from Edinburgh, and all Scotland submitted to us. What induced me to write this much was, that those who have written upon these wars have taken little or no notice of the Gael, (the Highlanders,) who were the principal actors in it, and did all that was done on the king's side. After the battle of Kilsyth, Montrose marched with part of the army to the south, intending to go to England to relieve the king, who was sorely pressed by the English; but he was defeated at Philiphaugh, and had it not in his power to assist the king.

Sir Alexander Macdonald went from the camp at Hamilton to Cantyre, which he cleared of the enemy, the Campbells, and drove them out of it, and took in Dunaverty as a place of strength. Donald, son of John of Muidart, went home. Montrose, after the battle of Philiphaugh, came with his small party to the north, and remained in it for some time. John Muidartach and his son went to Isla with their men, and drove away all the Campbells from

it.

About this time the Earl of Antrim came to Cantyre, in order to take the army over to Ireland; he sent for Montrose who came to him

immediately; they both agreed thatMontrose should go abroad to solicit assistance from foreign powers, in order to relieve the king. After Montrose returned from abroad, he was dishonourably destroyed by the covenanters, together with the Marquis of Huntly, and many other great men of the king's loyal subjects. A good many of the gentry of the isles flocked in to the Earl of Antrim, such as the Macleans and the clan Ronald, intending to set an army on foot for the king; meantime the Earl of Antrim received an order from the king to disband the army, for he was then in the hands of his enemies, the parliament of England and Scotland, who wrought to one another's hands against him. The Earl of Antrim disbanded the army, and went back to Ireland. Alexander Macdonald remained in Cantyre, in Dunaverty,* a strong fort, and in Isla. The rest of the Gael went home to protect their own country. Sir David Lesly came unexpectedly upon those in Cantyre and Isla, without their having the least suspicion of their being in that country, or in that part of the kingdom, until they came to Larg, where Sir Alexander and his men were spread over the country, where they were totally routed.

Young Ronald son of Alexander son of Angus Uaibrach, was taken prisoner, and put to death at Inverary + with 300 others, by Argyle's covenanters, some time thereafter. Alexander escaped to Ireland, where he was killed at Knoc an Dos, with many more of the Macdonalds, in that battle fought against

Murrogh O'Brian, in the year 1647. [There is a poem by Cathil Macvu rich, (not translated) interleaved in betwixt the former part, and what follows of the civil wars.]

John Muidartach son of Donald son of Allan, went home with those who remained of his men, after he was forsaken by all the rest, and after Montrose and the Marquis of Huntly were put to death. He alone stood out, and those who were alive of his men continued with him. There came a message to him from the rulers of the kingdom, with offer of terms of peace, which he accept ed.

He sent Donald to Ireland with some of the Scots gentry, but he himself remained at home to keep the country, and to defend it from the enemy. Donald set off from Uist in a good low-country ship, and a long Highland one, with three hundred good soldiers, in 1648. From Uist they sailed to the sound of Mull, to Colonsay, and the sound of Isla, where they fell in with a large ship full of barley, which they captured; they took another ship, but found nothing in her; they left her there, and sailed for Ireland; were overtaken on their way by a storm which separated them; some of them reached the sea of Kealbeg. Donald and those who were along with him, landed at the bay of Ardmigalagan, and sent back the ship to Scotland. He went from thence to Acha, to his friends, when there was a garrison favourable to them; from thence they went to the county of Cavan, where they met Philip Orwell, the lord of that country; they went from thence to the Mull of Meath, where Donald left his men quartered, and went to Kilkenny, where the council of Ireland sat, and

where he and his men got orders to join the council's army, under the command of General Preston, and where Alexander, the Earl of Antrim's son, was, and those who re mained with the Scots army, toge ther with those of the Macdonalds who went over with Sir Alexander Macdonald; that regiment consisted of fifteen hundred chosen men, Donald the son of John Muidartach, being lieutenant-colonel, and Angus the son of Alexander Macdonald of Largs and Cantyre, being the first captain. This army was famous for some time, and much esteemed by their valour in taking of great towns, until they were at last defeated in the county of Rebui (King's county) where there were a great number of the Cavanchs of Ireland along with them, who as soon as they came to the places they were acquainted with in their own country, nigh a wood, fled and left them in the lurch, the enemy rushing in upon them at the same time, soon dispersed them. Donald, young Laird of Clanronald, and Angus, Laird of Glengary, were taken prisoners, and sent to Kil kenny, where they remained until the Marquis of Antrim found means to release them. Glengary came out sooner than Clanronald; he went over seas to the king, and left Donald in prison, until more money was given for his ransom by the Duchess of Buckingham, the Marquis of Antrim's lady. He came out of prison to Lochgarman, where a ship belonging to the Marquis of Antrim carried him to the Kyle of Staly in Uist; the son of Alexander, Laird of Largs, came along with him, and were joyfully received by their friends. His attendants came soon thereafter in a ship which they procured from Ireland. These were

Murcho Macneil of Bara, a tall handsome man; Alexander son of John son of Allan of Bualog; Donald son of Allan; Donald Mog son of Donald son of Lauchlan son of Murdoch; John son of Brian son of Murdoch; John son of Fagalach M'Beath; Angus son of Alexander, son of Macgodfrey; John the son of Brian Macvuirich, and others came another route. After Donald came home, he and his father, John Muidartach, defended their country until they obtained peace. Their invincible loyalty was the cause of their having been greatly in debt, which became a great burden both upon themselves and their posterity.

John Muidartach died at Erisca, in Uist, 1670, and was interred in Tomor, leaving one son, Donald,

and three daughters, Mor Lady Coll, Catharine Lady Bara, and Ann Lady Benmaol. Donald lived sixteen years after his father's death, and these he spent in peace; sometimes, at court, much esteemed, and sometimes at home.

He died at Cannay in 1686, the same year that King Charles the Second died, and his body was interred in Tomor, in the same grave with his father. He left two sons and three daughters, namely, Allan the Laird, and Ronald Mor, Janet, Mary, and Mora, Mora daughter to Sir Rodrick Mor, Macleod being their grandmother by the father's side.

Great was the loss sustained to the Hebrides by the death of this, Donald, as every one alive doth testify.

"Sir, I received yours about an hour ago, that is, about eight o'clock at night. J. Hay had sent me the conditions agreed to in relation to Mary's marriage, but not quite so full as your letter had them. I hope Lord Hugh will do well enough. As for my carriage let none of my friends seem to doubt it; for that does but make enemies watchful; and when malice cannot find a real ground of complaint, and one loses labour in making observations, it makes where it wants. I'll assure you there shall be no cause of disquiet to my friends, or of fear from what the worst of my enemies can find to object. I can not beat people away from me; but I desire none to come to me, and my train north consists but of six on horseback, and my wife her woman and myself in the coach; if a quarrel be made of that splendar, it is a poor ground of one. As to my Lord Melville's affair the matter of fact is this to the best of my memory. One day in the Treasury-Chamber my Lord Tarbat told me that albeit the master of Melville was secured in his father's estate, yet to shun debate, and to give my Lord Mel

ville freedom of returning, he being a melancholy sickly man, and desirous of being at home, he was willing to give somewhat to any body who would procure a remission to them, &c. and proposed the matter to me as to be received privately, and never to be heard of. I told my Lord Tarbat that never having received money from any body but from the king, I would not begin with my Lord Melville; he (at least his children) had that relation to my family that I would get him his remission for nothing. My Lord Tarbat said, that I must not do him that injury, for he was to have a share of what was to be given, and therefore entreated me to take my share and named the 30001. one half to be paid at the passing of the remission, the other at the ratifying it in parliament. I told my Lord that if it was given, I would have it as from the king, which occasioned the letter mentioned. And for the 2001. the master knew very well it was not for my behoof. Speak with my Lord' Tarbat, and see if he remembers the matter to have passed in this fashion, that if he remembers it better