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. 405
come fordvart, and be ye vay tuik landing in ane lytill yle on ye coist of o' gret yle of
Mull, callit the Callow, thair to rest the nycht tym, being very all the day be sey. My
Maister heirand of thair landing qlk vas in the evenyng neir ye nycht, tuik purpois to
psew thame in the mornyng and to use sik coast and bardie convoy as he ducht, first
to be maister of their veschellis qlk vas galayes, birlingis, and boitlis, than to half na
dout of thame selfis for gif ony defence vard be offerit be thame, his haill men vard
conveyn to thair psuit. As he dwysit and tuik the interpryis in hand, sa god of his
mychtie power hes concludit, and all the said nuber tane captives the principallis q''of
ar thir as followes. — The capitain of Clanrenill and thre of his fader brether, the laird
of Kneydort, the laird of ardinvich, Donnald gormes broder, and mony principallis and
gentilmen of quhom he hes detenit and comittit to vard in his castellis as lyckit him,
on quhom he has spairit na yrnes to mvis thame the bpttir to tak els in patience and
hes ferriit the rest out of his land to the maynlad of Scotland narrest their duellingis.
I knew, that this vas to be interprisit aflfoir my vritting to my guid lord zour maister as
also vthir turnes y' is in hande and in virking. Many vaid nocht vryit bauldly thairof
except of one thing to comfort zour maister and vtheris o' guid freinde thair, that my
M' vas bissie, qlk now 1 may say is sein and hard of, as I vait. ze vill heirof in court to
o' hono'. ze sail misknow the same. My maister is acqwentit vith thir prattle onsettis
vithout respect to nuber findand vantage, for diwers tymes he plaid this dance heir
aganis his enemeis. I assuir zow thir men y'artane and in captivitiear the maist douttit
and abil men in ye ylis and all thayis quho knawis thame vill say ye same. Lat zo' guid
M'. and Sr. Robert confort thame vith this guid luke done be ane vailzeat man of veir
and ane man of honor in begynnyng of hir maiesties service, and as hir hienes and
counsell lyikis to employ him vith ye grace of god he sail schaw guidvill to accomplische
all y' ever ve vritt. I continew the rest qlk aucht to follow and begin the mater in vritt
and vthirvayes, to ye visedome of sik honorabill psonis thair quhamto ye mater apper-
tains, as I did vryitt in my formar tre to z' guid M' according to quhais ans'' is god villing
ve sail do on o' pt. for thir materis being of gret importance vaid be condiscendit on and
concludit be vritt qlk my maister linkis for as is contenit in my forme Ire to z' guid M'".
The rest of hir maiesties vnfriende heir and assistaris of ye erle and odonili vill raige
aganis my M"', bot ve vndirstand throw the guid confort y' god of his miehtie power hes
gevin vs in this veyaige sik speciall men being in hande and o' avyn habilitie thairvith
that thay man on force o'' sie all y' is done heir in Scotland, and as o"' service beis desyirit
in yreland man o' sie vs to do the vrak of ye erle and of odonili also, qlk I hoip in god
salbe done to ye confort and honor of all sik honorabill and vorschipfull pi-onis quhair-
vith ve ar in doing and quhom to the mater apperteins. fFor all the guddis ressavit be
yir Scottismen angus McConnill and Donald gorm and their assistaris from ye erle and
Odonili, this mornyg veyaige sail mak thame to render na service nor confort to ye erle
thairfair q' of I vill assuir z" and sa the dess' of Sr. Robert and zour guid M"' is obtein-
perit followis ni.\t thair doing to my m''. The pclamatioun vas pclamit heir for staying
of all furnising from thir psonis, as ye heir in court ye allowance and miscontment heirof
mak me acqwentit thairwith qlk ve regaird nocht only his hienes guid and princlie
countenance to vs being except for thayis quha ar in hande man rest quhair they ar,
and I think his Maiestie sould esteym of this as of guid service, spair nocht to send this
Ire to zo' M' for farder informatioun of thayis y' ar thair. l(,at this Ire haif my dewtie of
service rememberit to the right vorschipfull Sr. robert cecill and zo" to zo' guid M' nocht
forgetting my comendacionis to zour self comittis zow all in the protectioun of god.
fFrom Dumbertane the last of Julii.
[Endorsed] " To my loving brother jlnd
guid ffreind
George Nycolsoun."
26
Zo'' loving broder and guid ffreind.
Johnne Achinros."