Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 4

THE CELTIC MAGAZINE. 297
roborate this. Earl George says that Hector " incited to revenge " by the
foul murder of his ne2:)he\vs, made some attempts to oust the INIacleods
from Gairloch during John of Killin's minority, but was not willing to
engage in a war with such a joowerful chief as Macleod of Lews, while he
felt himself insecure in his other possessions, but after arranging matters
amicably Avith his nejliew of Kintail, and now being master of a fortune and
possessions suitable to his mind and quality, he resolved to avenge the
murder and to " make it pioductive of his own advantage." He sum-
moned all those who were accessory to the assassination of his sister's
children before the Chief Justice. Their Avell-grounded fears made them
absent themselves from Court. Hector, according to another authority,
produced the bloody shirts of the murdered boys, whereupon the mur-
derers were declared fugitives and outlaws, and a commission granted in
his favour for their pursuit, " which he did so resolitly manadge that in
a short tyme he kiled many, preserved some to justice, and forced the
remainder to a compositione adv^antagious to himselfe. . . His successors,
who were both active and prudent men, did thereafter accquire the rest
from their unthrifty neighbours." The greatest defeat that Hector evev
gave to the lyiacleods " was at Bealach Glasleod, near Kintail, where most
of them were taekin or killed." At this fight Duncan Mbr na Tuiighe,
who so signally distinguished himself at Blar-na-Pairc, was present with
Hector, and on being told tliat lour men were at once attacking his son
Dugal, he answered, " Well, if he be my son there is no hazard for that,"
a remark which turned out quite true, fur the hero killed the four Mac-
leods, and came off himself wiithout any serious wounds.*
In acknoAvledgment of the King's favour. Hector gathered his imme-
diate followers in the west, joined his nephew, John of Killin, with his
vassals, and fought, in command of the Clan, at the disastrous battle of
Flodden, from which both narrowly escaped ; but most of their followers
were slain. Sonne time after his return he successfully fought the des-
perate skirmish at Druim-a-chait, already referred to, with only 140
men against 700 of the INIunros, Dingwalls, MaccuUochs, and other tribes,
under the command of \Yilliam Munro of Fowlis, on which occasion Sheriff
Vass of Lochslin was killed at a bush near Dingwall, " called to this day
Preas Sandy Vass," or Alex. Vass's bush, a name assigned to it for that
very cause.t This battle has been already fully described.^
Hector, during his life, granted to his nephew, John of Killin, his
own half of Kintail, Kinellan, Fairburn, Wester Brahan, and other pos-
sessions situated in the Low Country, which, as will be seen hereafter,
brought his son, John Glassich, into trouble. §
Hector Eoy was betrothed to a daughter of the Laird of Grant, but
she died before the marriage was solemnised. He however had a son by
* "Duncan in Lis old days was very assisting to Hector, Garlock's piedecessor,
against the Macleods of Garlocli, for lie, with his son Dugal, who was a strong, prudent,
aud courageous man, with ten or twelve other IvintailnaeD, were alwise, upon ths least
advertisement, ready to go and assist Hactor, whenever, wherever, and in whatever he
had to do, for which cause there has Vieen a fiiaudly correspondence betwixt the family
ofGerlochaud the MacRis of Kintail, which still covtiti\.\es."—Genealogg of the Mac-
Eas.
+ Gairloch MS. History.
t Celtic Magazine, vol. iii. pp. 21718.
§ Gairloch MS,