Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

254 THE CELTIC MAGAZINE.
popular among tlie cliiefs descended of the family of the Isles, who further
alleged that he liad impaired his estate by improvident grants of land to
the Macleans, Macleods, Macneills, and other tril)es. Thus, the vassals
of the Lordship of the Isles came to be divided into two factions — one
comprehending the clans last mentioned, who adhered to the old lord, the
other consisting of the various branches of the Clandonald who made
common cause with the turbulent heir of the Lordship. In these circum-
stances Angus not only behaved with great violence to his father, but he
involved himself in various feuds, particularly with the Mackenzies.''*
The Sleat Seannachaidh, Hugh Macdonalvl, gives the following version
of the feuds and family quarrels which took place between John of the
Isles and his son Angus Og. He describes the father as " a meek, modest
man, brought up at Court in his younger years, and a scholar, more fit
to be a churchman than to command so many irregidar tribes of peoj^le. i
He endeavoured, however, still to keep them in their allegiance by be- I
stowing gifts to some and promoting others with lands and possessions ;
by this he became prodigal and very expensive. ... He gave the
lands of Morvairn to Maclean, and many of his lands in tlie north to
others, judging by these means to make them more faithful to him than
they were to his father. His son, Angus Ogg, being a bold, forward man,
and high minded, observing that his father very much diminished his
rents by his prodigality, thought to deprive him of all management and
authority. Many followers adhered to him. His father being at Isla, he
went after him with a great party, forced him to change seven rooms to
lodge in, and at last to take his bed, during the whole of the night under
an old boat. When he returned to his house in the morning he found
his son sitting with a great crowd about him. MacFinnon rising up,
desired Macdonald to sit down ; who answered that he would not sit till
lie would execute his intention, which was to curse his son. So leaving
Isla with only six men, he -went to the mainland and to Inveraray, and
having waited without till one of the Argyll gentlemen came forth in the
morning, who, observing i\Iacdonald, went in immediately and told Argyll
of the matter, who could scarcely believe him, saying, if he was
there he would certainly send some person to inform him before
hand. With that he started up, and going oi;t, finds Macdonald, and
having saluted him and brought him in, he said, I do not wonder at your
coming here ; but I am surprised you did not warn me before your
arrival and that your retinue is so small. That is little, said INIacdonald,
to the revolutions of the times, and thou shall be the better of my com-
ing ; and so, after dinner, he bestowed on him the lands of Knapdale, 1 1
Eilisleter, from the river Add to the Eox-burn in Kintyre, 400 merks I (
lands, and desired Argyll to convey him to Stirling, where the King was j ■
at tliat time, and for his son's disobedience he woidd resign all his estates | i
to the king. So they went to Stirling, and from thence to Air, in com- 1 J
pany with the King, when John resigned all into his hands, excepting \ (
the barony of Kinloss in Murray, of ]Cinnaird in Buchan, and of Cairn- j 'I
donald in the West, which he retained to support his own grandeur \ i
during his lifetime. Angus Ogg Macdonald, his son, followed his former j t
courses, came to Inverness, and demolished the castle. When his brother | ^
* Gregory's Western High'ands and Isles, pp. 51 52. j .