Books and other items printed in Gaelic from 1871 to 1900 > Gaelic bards, and original poems

NOTES ON THE POEMS.
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who, in 1510, was married to Sir John Campbell, second
son of Archibald, second Earl of Argyll. By this
opulent marriage Cawdor passed into the hands of the
Campbells. The names of the Knights of Duart and of
the Thanes of Cawdor often appear in old documents
passed under the seal of the MacDonalds of Islay, who
till the forfeiture of “Johannes de Yla comes Rossie et
dominus insularum,” John of Islay, Earl of Ross and Lord
of the Isles in 1475, were the Overlords of the counties of
Nairn, Inverness, <kc. The first Campbell of Islay was
Sir John Campbell, great-grandson of Lady Muriel and
of the first Sir John Campbell of Cawdor. The Sir James
MacDonald mentioned by Pattison in his note on Lachlan
Mbr was the son of Angus MacDonald of Dim Naomhaig.
He was a celebrated and able chief whose printed letters
indicate thought and culture. He was long kept a prisoner
in Edinburgh Castle, in order that his enemies might have
time to destroy every vestige of his power in Islay and
in Kintyre. His aged father, Angus, was compelled by
the King and his Council, instigated by the Campbells,
to write a Renunciation of Islay at Edinburgh, January
1, 1612. These illegal proceedings were considered null
and void by his soldierly son Sir James. On May 24,
1615, Sir James MacDonald of Islay escaped from
Edinburgh Castle, and hastening to put himself at the
head of his clan, dashed through Atholl and Rannoch,
crossed to Islay, surprised the Castle of Dim Naomhaig
and subdued the island. He wrested Islay from the
grasp of the Knight of Cawdor, who, with the help of
Sir Oliver Lombard’s cannon, coerced Islay to show signs
of obedience. The natives were delighted. They felt
proud of the military prowess of their beloved Chief.
He then sent out the Fiery Cross and arrayed under his
banner his brave followers in his hereditary territory of
Kintyre. But the King, the Council, Argyll and the
Campbells marshalled their forces and speedily crushed
the rising power of the lawful heir, Sir James MacDonald,