146 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



hereditary enemy, the Earl of Argyll. Lindsey of Pits- 

 cottie states that the right wing of the Scottish army was 

 commanded by the Earl with " West Highlanders," while 

 on the left were " Macleod, Macgregor, and the Islesmen." 

 The Macleod here mentioned was the head of the Siol 

 Tormod no doubt Alastair Crotach, who died in the 

 same year, and was buried in the monastery of Rodil in 

 Harris. We are expressly informed that Ruari Macleod 

 of Lewis was absent from the battle. This is surprising, 

 in view of the fact that he and some of his dependents 

 among them William, son of Hugh Morison the Brieve 

 of Lewis had received a remission for treasonable assis- 

 tance given to " Mathew formerly Earl of Lennox." About 

 the same time (1546), Macneill of Barra obtained a remis- 

 sion for assisting the English in burning the Islands of 

 Bute and Arran. 



In 1551-2, a well-meant attempt was made by the 

 Regent at the instigation of the Queen-Dowager, to 

 prevent a recurrence of the disorders which had in the 

 past periodically broken out in the Highlands and Isles. 

 With this object in view, the chiefs were invited to meet 

 the Regent at the Justice Courts which he held at Aber- 

 deen and Inverness.* Most of the leaders of the recent 

 rising were quite willing to agree to the conditions laid 

 down by the Regent, but some proved stubborn. On 

 2nd June, 1554, a commission was granted to the Earls 

 of Huntly and Argyll " to pas with fyre and sword to the 

 utter extermination of the Clanrannald, Donald Gorme, 

 Macloyde of the Lews and thair complices that sends not 

 and enters thair pledges as they ar chairged."f Argyll 

 was provided with a ship and artillery to batter Stornoway 

 Castle and the strongholds of the Clan Ranald and the Clan 

 Huistein. The Earl proceeded to Lewis and laid siege to 

 the castle, but the walls of the old building successfully 



* One Patrick Davidson was paid ten pounds by the King's Treasurer on 

 23rd July, 1551, to go to Lewis "to charge McCleude of the Lewis and 

 Hucheon of the Lewis (the Brieve) to come to my Lord Governor (the Earl 

 of Arran) at the aire of Inverness." 



t Register of the Privy Council, Vol. XIV., p. 12. 



