Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 13

History of the Macleods. 33
son, the Breitheamh, or Celtic Judge of the Island.
Torquil Oighre, after he arrived at manhood, was,
about 1566, drowned, during his father's life, while on
a voyage in his birlinn from the Lewis to the Isle of
Skye. He also died without any male issue.
Roderick Macleod married, thirdly, a sister of Lauchlan
Maclean of Duart, with issue, two sons —
3. Torquil Dubh, whom he declared his heir, and who, for a
time, maintained possession of the Lewis. He married
a sister of Sir Rory Mor Macleod of Harris and Dun-
vegan, with issue, three sons— Roderick, William, and
Torquil, all of whom are said to have died without
legitimate issue. Torquil Dubh himself was, as we
have seen, killed by his elder brother, Torquil
Conanach, in July, 1597.
4. Tormod, who entered the service of Maurice, Prince of
Orange, where he died without legitimate male issue,
when the male representation of the Macleods of
Lewis devolved upon the family of Raasay.
It would have been observed that Old Roderick, the date of
whose death we are unable positively to fix, had also five bastard
sons — Tormod Uigeaeh, Murdoch, Neil, Donald, and Rory Og,
all of whom took a leading part in the final struggle of the
Macleods for their ancient rights to the great Island principality
of the Lewis.
We shall next give the account of these proceedings, pre-
served in the oldest manuscript history of the Mackenzies in
existence. Though it may possibly be considered a little partial
in some of its details, it will be found exceedingly interesting,
and well worth quoting in this connection.