Series 3 > Highland papers

AN ACCOUNT OF THE NAME OF McLEA 103
the said lands of Linsaig to Dugald Campbell of Glen-
saddell, and after the family of Argyle and Glensaddell
had possest the lands of Linsaig for the space of Forty
years or thereby, Archibald McLea says to his eldest son,
Donald McLea, Purchase and buy you the Lands of Lin¬
saig from Dugald Campbell of Glensaddell, and that he
would give him a thousand merks to help him. Where¬
upon Donald McLea, the said Archibald McLea’s eldest
son, bought it again from Dugald Campbell of Glensaddell,
and got a Charter of confirmation of the purchase from
Argyle who always had a great favour for Donald McLea
of Linsaig, as also the late Duke of Argyle as shall be
told in . . ^
Here ends the original manuscript, the rest of it being
lost, and Dr. McLea says he could never find it. But
from what is here related the following conclusions
may be drawn, namely,
That the McLeas came originally from Ireland, alongst
with the McDonalds. That their chief place of settlement
was in the district of Cowal in Argyleshire. That they
were Cadets, or rather followers, of the McDougalls of
Lorn. That McLea of Linsaig in the parish of Kilfinan in
Cowal seems to have been the chief or Head of the Clan,
That the Livingstons and McLeas claim alliance to one
another, accounting their names synonymous, That McLea
is an Irish or Gallic word, some Gallic Interpreters render¬
ing it in English, ‘ The living son,’ from which Livingston
is derived, and others render it ‘ the Physician’s Son.’
But there are no arms in Heraldry for McLea properly
so termed, so that the arms of Livingston seem to be those
that fall to be adopted for the name, and in order to com¬
bine therewith the other interpretation of the word,
Physician’s son (by which the McLea’s of Linsaig distin¬
guished themselves in the figures of their Gravestones),
1 On 26 December 1634 Archibald M'Enlay, eldest son and heir of
Donald Moir Maconlay, obtained from Lord Lome a precept for infefting
him in the 6 merk land of Lindsaig. On 4 January 1647-8 Katharine
Uchiltree, spouse to Donald Mor M'Onlay, was infeft in Lindsaig on precept
by Archibald, Marquis of Argyll.