Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

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service, however, which they did, was to lay waste
Bute and Arran. On the death of David Bruce, in
February, 1371, he was succeeded by his nephew,
Robert, the Lord-high-steward, afterwards King
Robert II., from whom the noble family of Bute is
lineally descended. Robert III., son to the former,
fixed his residence in the castle of Rothesay during
the latter part of his life, and died there on the 29th
of March, 1406. James V. had also resolved to
make this place a residence, and took some steps
towards putting the castle into proper order for his
accommodation ; but the troubles of his reign, and
his death, which happened at an early period of
his days, prevented this place from again becoming a
royal residence. The island suffered much after-
wards from factions which disturbed the public
peace, or from the inroads of neighbouring clans.
Cromwell in his time garrisoned the castle of Rothe-
say ; and to this island the unfortunate Archibald,
Earl of Argyle, came with his army in May, 1685,
when he bad engaged in concert with the Duke of
Monmouth to invade the kingdom. The Earl brought
with him from Holland three small ships laden with
arms for 5,000 men, 500 barrels of gunpowder, a
number of cannon, and other implements of war. He
ordered his ships and military stores to an old castle
which stood on the small rock of Eilan-greg, near
the mouth of Loch Riddan, opposite to the north
end of Bute. There he deposited his spare arms
and ammunition under the protection of his ships
and the garrison of 180 men. At this time the inha-
bitants of Bute were plundered of almost their whole
moveable property. After Argyle had been about ten
days in Bute, having received notice that a great
body of forces, with three ships of war and some
frigates, were coming to attack him, he hastily re-
treated. The naval armament arrived, and pro-
ceeded on the 15th of June to Loch Riddan, where
the Earl's frigates immediately struck to them, and
the castle also surrendered. After removing the
"arms and stores into the king's ships, the naval com-
mander caused the castle to be blown up. The Earl's
army, after leaving Bute, thought only how to get
to their respective homes. Argyle himself was
taken prisoner at Inchinnan on the 17th of June, and
being conveyed to Edinburgh, was there beheaded.
Soon after, a brother of Argyle's surprised the castle,
and burnt it.
BUTESHIRE, a county composed of the islands
of Arran, Bcte, the Cumbraes, and Inchmar-
nock. See these articles separately described.
There are five parishes and one royal burgh within
this shire. Population, in 1801, 11,791; in 1831,
14,200. Assessed property, in 1815, £22,541.
Houses, in 1831, 2,134. Above 200 males, upwards
of 20 years of age, were employed as weavers in
the county of Bute in 1831. There were also 590
males employed in retail trade or in handicraft The
number of parochial schools, in 1834, was 10 ; of
schools not parochial, 30 : total number of scholars,
2,354. The county returns one member to parliament.
Parliamentary constituency, in 1839, 380. The
sheriff and small-debt courts are held at Rothesay.
BUTT OF LEWIS, the northern extremity of
The Lewis. It is in N. lat. 58° 35'.
BUTTERDEAN, a village in the shire of Ber-
wick, and parish of Oldhatnstocks ; 6 miles west by
north of Press.
BUTTERSTONE LOCH, a small lake in the
parish of Cluny, in Perthshire, adjoining to the loch
of the Lows, on the road from Dunkeld to Blair-
gowrie, 3 miles north-east of Dunkeld.
BYREBURN-FOOT. See Canoby.
BYRES, in the shire and parish of Haddington, a
barony which belonged for many centuries to the
noble family of Lindsay, ancestors of the present
Earl of Crawford, from whom it was acquired about
the beginning of the 17th century by the Earl of
Haddington. It is now the property of the Earl ox
Hopetouu. It is 3 miles north-north-west of Had-
dington. The Earl of Haddington is baron of Bin-
ning and B'.res.
THE CHURCHYARD OF BALQUHIDDER.