History of the clan Mackenzie

24 HISTORY OF THE MACKENZIES.
be regarded as a veiy serious error in the circumstances."
When the upholders of the Fitzgerald origin are obliged to
make such admissions and apologies as these, their case
must be considered as practically given up ; for, once admit,
as is here done, that the charter is of Alexander the Second
(1230), even if genuine, it cannot possibly have any reference
to Colin Fitzgerald, who, according to his supporters, only
came over from Ireland about 1261 ; and it is simply absurd
to maintain that a charter granted in 1230 can be a reward
for valour displayed at a battle fought in 1263 ; and Mr
Fraser, having given up that point, was in consistency bound
to give up Colin Fitzgerald. Mr Fraser further informs us
that the charters of 1360 and 1380 are not now known to
exist. " But the terms of them as quoted in the early
histories of the family are consistent with either theory of
the origin of the Mackenzies, whether descended from Colin
Fitzgerald or Colin of the Aird."
Another very significant fact to which no attention has
been hitherto directed by any writer is that from 1263 down
to 156S — a period of three centuries — not a trace of the
name Colin is to be found in any of the family genealogies.
Cailean Cam, who became chief in the latter year, is the
first of the name. He was, on the mother's side, descended
from the houses of Athole and Argyll ; and being a second
son, he was, no doubt, according to the prevailing custom,
named after some of her numerous relatives of that name.
Is it at all probable, if Colin Fitzgerald had really been
the progenitor of the family, that his name would have
been totally ignored for 300 years in the face of the invari-
able practice among the other Highland families to honour
the names of their ancestors by continuing them in the
family names ? Keeping all this in view, we have no hesi-
tation in commencing the general History of the Clan Mac-
kenzie with the first of the name.
I. COINNEACH.
KENNETH, according to our view and the MS. of 1450,
was the eldest son of Angus, a scion, and near relative