History of the Clan MacLean from its first settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period

Letters of John Achinross and Sir Lachlan M6r MacLean. 403
gentilmen to vit Hew oneill and art oaeill var brethir gottin be Schaan Vyirvayes namit
Johnne oneill on Katherein m'clayne countissa of ergyill and fader sister to this m°clayne.
Lat nocht ye erle of ergyill nor nane vyir heir in Scotland knaw y' this consait vas mevifit .
by M^clayne qulia is reddy to do hir g. service efter his jjower tlirow zour lo. absence heir
being in Conferance vith Zour servitor george Nycolsone thoclit guid to comvvnicat to
•Zour lo. be yis tre my Maisteris comissioun direct to zour lo. and schew to zoiir lo. said
servand ye sam comissioun vndir ye subscriptioun of my maister. Sa efter puting of my
humill service vnto zour lo. comittis zour lo. to the protectioun of the almyte god.
ffrom Ed. the xxv of Marche 1595
Zor lo. humill servitour
Johnne Achinross servitour
to McClayne of Doward."
State Paper of Scotland, Elizabeth, Vol. 56, No. 26. — "Efter my humill comendationis I
thender maist hartly thankis to zor lo. for the gret fawowr Schawin be zour lo. to my
marchand Johnne Cunynghame burges of Ed^ In sik sart y' zour lo. lies place to com-
aund me as one of zour avyn I hard zour lo. comissioun q'^in I half ens'it at length in
my tre direct to my lord bovves quha vill gif zour lo. inspectioun thairof Sa resting on
new adwertecsment as zour lo. linde occasioun efter puting of my humill service vnto
zour lo. Comittis zour lo. in the protection of god. flfrom Castell Carrik the ferd of
Zulii 1595.
Zo"' Lo. verry lovying freind reddy to be imployit.
Lauchlane Mclane oflf Doward."
[Endorsed] "July 1595
Macklane to me.
To the right vorschipfuU
S' Robert Cecill Knyght
ane of hir maiesties moist
honorable previe counseill."
State Papers of Scotland, Elizabeth, Vol. 56, No. 27. — " My Lord efter my very hartly
comendationis hes ressaint zour lo. tre fra my midland Joh. Cuynghame burges of Ed"'
quha hes schawin to me how ze convoyit him to Sr. Eobert Cecill Knicht one of hir
maiesties maist hono"" privie counseill, quho vith speciall fawour at large conferrit vith
him in suche matteris and to suche effect as he maid me knawin. Undirstande how my
guidvill and dewotiouns haif beyn imbraced. Schew me also that Sr. Robert leit him to
vndirstand that materis of trubill in yreland var alreddy tane vp and obedience offerit
to the qwenis maiestie, noohtyeless thocht me vorthie of thankis for my goodvill offerit
desyrit to know of me quhom I micht stay from passing to yreland fFor anss' I may stay
my self my friende and dependars in the ylis. and also I know yt nane ptenying to ye
erle of ergyill vill pas tliair aganis me nar by my counsell this mekill I may assure and
ans' for. Throw the conferrance yt lies past betwix vs be voilt I haif done mair hes re-
fusit gret offeris maid to me be Donnald gorm m^connill and angus m^connill fawooaree
a assista" of the erle of teirone and for staying of thame from his aide and assistance in
yreland I sustenit sax hunder men lyand in garisoun thir thre monethis only mvif thair
stay and to mak thame to feir the vrak of thair lande throw leiting ye samyn. Bot seing
y' thair appeirit na neid of me in hir hienes service sen y' I vas nocht imployit thairin
as I preparit and luikit for. thocht nocht guid to put me ony langar to extraordinar ex-
penss hes dissolvit this nuber and force and be ye des' of my cousing ye erle of ergyill
am now cuin in his bounde of ergyill g'' I attend on his cuing from cowrt. In this meyn-
tym Donnald gorm m"conniU and angus m'connill seavd y' I haif dissolvit thir forces and
apperantly maenis na thing bot pace ar convenand their forces an purpose to pas to yre-
land and mynde to haif in thair cupanie M'^cloid Lewis, Myeloid Herreis quha ar my