History of the Mathesons

36 THE MATHESONS.
been most creditable, and in consonance with the laudable and
patriotic feelings and ambition which made them anxious to
own the original heritage of their ancestors. We shall have
more to say on this subject further on, in its proper place ; mean-
while we proceed to show the descent of the present family step
by step from the old stock — the ancient and original Mathesons
of Lochalsh.
The reader would have observed [page 15] that MURDOCH
MATHESON, known as " Murchadh Buidhe," or Murdoch with the
yellow hair, had a son RODERICK who succeeded his father at
Fernaig, and from whom the Mathesons of Bennetsfield, already
dealt with. He had also a second son, Dugald Matheson, to
whom his father bequeathed the lands of Balmacarra. Dugald
married, and had three sons, the first two of whom were twins,
1. MURDOCH, who inherited Balmacarra, and appears in the
Valuation Roll of the County of Ross in 1644 as owner of lands
in the parish of Lochalsh, to the value of ;£ioo Scots per
annum. He afterwards alienated these lands to Seaforth, and
paid rent for them, and ultimately, in consequence of a quarrel
with his superior, he was forced to leave Lochalsh, and for a
time settle in Skye. After his second marriage, however, inter-
cession was made for him by his wife's relatives, and he was
allowed to return to Balmacarra as a tenant under Seaforth,
again paying rent for his original patrimony. He first married
Christian Maclennan, with issue — two children, Dugald, who is
described as " Chamberlayne of Lochalsh," and Christian.
Dugald appears to have married Christian, daughter of the Rev.
Donald Clerk, minister of Lochalsh, and had issue. We have
not succeeded in tracing Dugald's children by Christian Clerk,
but on the 15th of February 1676, Murdoch is required by the
Sheriff of Tain to show cause why he had not paid certain sums
which were provided for Dugald's heirs under his first marriage
contract, dated the 27th of April 163 1. Murdoch married,
secondly, a daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, IV. of Davoch-
maluag,* after which he was permitted to return to Lochalsh. By
this lady Murdoch had issue — one son, Alexander (whose only
issue was a natural son Kenneth), and two daughters, Agnes,
* At page 13, this lady is described as a sister of Roderick Mackenzie, fourth
instead of fifth of Davochmaluag,