THE CHARTERS TO THE CHIEFS. 109 



Humpback). Macleod of Harris was a trusted friend of 

 the King throughout his career, while Torquil of Lewis 

 who was married to Catharine, sister of the Earl of Argyll 

 had powerful influence at his back to secure for him a 

 share of the Royal plums. To Alexander Macleod, James 

 granted by charter dated i$th June, 1498, " Ardmanach in 

 herag de Lewis " (Harris) also two unciates of the lands of 

 Trotternish and the Bailliary of that district, these lands 

 being at the disposal of the Crown by the forfeiture of 

 John of the Isles.* To Torquil Macleod of Lewis, he 

 granted by charter dated 28th June, 1498, certain lands in 

 Skye, including eight merks of Trotternish, together with 

 the office of Bailie. This grant was made to Torquil and 

 his heirs by Catharine of Argyll, failing whom they were 

 to revert to the Crown.* By a charter dated 3rd August, 

 1498, lands in Uist (inter alia) were granted to Ranald 

 MacAllan of Moidart, " for services rendered in peace and 

 war by land and sea " to the King ; and two days after- 

 wards, Ranald received a further grant of territory in Uist, 

 resigned in his favour by John, son and heir of Hugh of 

 Sleat.* On the same date (5th August), the King granted 

 a charter of lands (inter alia) in Benbecula to Angus 

 Reochson Macranald.* These properties in Uist and 

 Benbecula had belonged to Hugh of Sleat, having been 

 held by him from his brother, John, dim Lord of the 

 Isles. 



And thus the chiefs of the Long Island rose to greatness 

 on the ruins of the Lordship of the Isles. As subsequent 

 events show, they failed to appreciate the advantage of 

 holding from the Crown, preferring the Superiority of their 

 native kinglets to that of the Sovereign of Scotland. One 

 of the attempts at pacification made by the King at 

 Kilkiaran was to settle a long-standing feud between the 

 Clan Ranald and the Clan Huistein of Sleat over their 

 properties in Garmoran and the Long Island. In 1495, 

 Hugh of Sleat was confirmed by the Crown in the posses- 



* Reg. Mag. Sig. (1424-1513), Nos. 2,420, 2,424, 2,437-9. 



K 



