286 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



Queen of England by his piracies, the ready-witted son 

 of Barra replied that he thought he was doing his Majesty 

 good service by annoying " a woman who had killed his 

 mother ! " This reply was too much for James. Turning 

 to Ruari Mackenzie, who, throughout the interview, had 

 acted as interpreter, he exclaimed : " The devil take the 

 carle ! Rory, take him with you again, and dispose of him 

 and his fortune as you please." Which Rory accordingly 

 did. He restored the estate of Barra to Macneill, reserving 

 the superiority to himself, in recognition of which, Macneill 

 agreed to pay him and his heirs, forty pounds per annum, 

 provide a hawk when required, and on extraordinary 

 occasions, assist his Superior with his men, if so desired.* 



We find the Captain of Clan Ranald soon afterwards 

 casting longing eyes on Boisdale in South Uist, which 

 formed part of the Barra property. By virtue of a charter 

 of 1427, confirmed in 1495, Ruari Macneill's title to Bois- 

 dale was undoubted. Clanranald, however, finding him an 

 inconvenient neighbour, determined, in 1601, to oust him 

 from South Uist. Attacking Macneill in North Boisdale, 

 he drove him out of Uist, forcing him to take refuge in one 

 of the remote islets of Barra. Thus it was that Boisdale 

 passed into the possession of Clanranald, and was included 

 in a Crown charter of the Clanranald properties dated 24th 

 July, i62O.f 



On 1 3th June, 1605, Macneill of Barra was charged with 

 other islesmen to appear before the Comptroller, produce his 

 titles, and find caution for payment of his rents. On 9th 

 January, 1610, a commission was issued to seize him, owing 

 to his refusal to give obedience to the King and Council. 

 He was charged with committing all " kynd of barbaritie " 

 on the poor inhabitants of Barra and of the adjacent isles ; 



* Eraser's Earls of Cromartie, p. xliii. Genealogy of the Mackenzies, p. 9. 



f Clan Donald, Vol. II., pp. 304-5. Hist. MSS. Com., App. to Report IV., 

 p. 482 (175). It is a curious fact that Boisdale continued to be comprised in 

 the estate of Barra after the middle of the seventeenth century. When 

 Sir John Mackenzie in 1627, and Sir George Mackenzie in 1655, were served 

 heirs to the properties of the Cromartie family, including Barra and its perti- 

 nents, the latter embraced Boisdale. In the charters of Boisdale, to the Clan- 

 ranald family, it is described as " Bowistill " and " Benistill " of North Uist. 



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