Lairds of Glenlyon

THE LAIRDS OF GI.ENI.YON. 1 45
abuse of words to call persons " kindly tenants " who appear
to have squatted on these lands, and perhaps violently dis-
possessed others without asking the concurrence or wishing
to know the will of the Crown. Length of sufferance had
given security, and the frequent change of over-lords and
bailies as well as revocation of Crown lands at the end of
each minority, or on the occasion of civil commotions, bred
an undue contempt for royal charters, and an overweening
trust in coir-a-chlaidheamh, "right of tlie sword ; " and thus
the M'Gregors allowed the time to escape when the pre-
cious " paper rights " might have been easily obtained, and
subjected themselves in time coming to over-lords, who sat
too secure in the saddle for being pulled down by any op-
position offered by a broken and landless race, and who
were determined and knew how to enforce their charter
privileges to the last iota.
We gather from the Black Book that the "right chiefs " be-
came extinct before 1 500. For a long period the head men
of the different branches of the clan contended, as it would
appear, for pre-eminence. It was only after the excesses of
private men of the clan brought disgrace upon the whole
name, and the formidable combinations of the Campbells,
Stewarts, Menzieses, &c, under colour of punishing the
perpetrators of these excesses, warned the M'Gregors that
they were all on the brink of ruin, that " John Dubh " of
Glenstrae was reluctantly acknowledged chief. The house
of Roro appears to have claimed the honour on account of
priority of descent, while .he house of Glenstrae advanced
the plea of proximity of blood. The Dean of Lismore and
the curate of Fortingall agree in their notice of John of
Glenstrae's death. It is to be borne in mind that the dean
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