Chiefship of Clan Chattan

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Chille-comain " — Malcolm, son of Gilbert, son of the
Parson of Fort-Augustus. Parallel, and not a whit differ-
ent from the name Macpherson, are the other ecclesiastical
clan names : — M'Taggart, M' Vicar, M'Chlery or Clerk,
MAnaspy and M'Nab, who, however, claim descent of the
Lay Abbots of Glendochart. These are all names, really,
of the 15th and 16th century ; it is, in fact, rare for sur-
names to go beyond 1400. What is the inference from
this 1 Simply this, these are really sons of parsons,
priests, and others in holy orders irregularly " espoused "
to wives and having families ; nay, further, transmitting
the Church lands to their descendants in too many cases.
This was notably the case in the Reformation epoch. Of
course the Macphersons say their ancestors received a
dispensation from the Pope ; but that idea is too ridiculous
to be maintained. Did the ancestors of the M'Phersons
outside their clan — the Bute M'Phersons of 1500 — also
obtain dispensations 1 Did the other clerical families also
obtain such dispensations 1 Not a bit of it. Macphersons'
claim to the Chiefship of Clan Chattan fails even on this
ground alone. Ever since Bishop Gregory came to rule
Moray in the early 1 2th century, no parson of his diocese
could legitimately marry, much less could Muireach, if he
lived so near the time of St. David the King, as he is
represented to have done. There could have been no lay
" parson " of Kingussie, for parsons commenced only with
Bishop Gregory and the new Episcopal departure then
introduced. The whole thing is a fabrication, and a poor
one at best.
As a matter of fact, no " parson" existed in Kingussie
before 1400 or thereabouts. Kingussie was in charge of
a vicar the very first time it is mentioned in the Regis
trum of Moray, and in 1226 it is made a "prebend"
of the Elgin Cathedral, held by one of the canons.