Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

406 MINSTRELSY OF
ject of the following poem, lives in the tradition of the
country, where it is, at this day, a familiar tale, repeated
to every stranger, who, in sailing past, is struck with ad-
miration at the sight of that venerable monument of ;;n-
tiquity. But the authenticity of the fact rests not solely
on tradition. It is recorded, by Crawford, in his ac-
count of the family of Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, and
reference is there made to a genealogy of Slate, in the
possession of the family, as a warrant for the assertion.
The incident took place in 1537-
The power of the Loi-d of the Isles was at that time
sufficiently great to give alarm to the crown. It covered
not only the whole of the Westei'n Isles, from Bute
northwards, but also many extensive districts on the
main land, in the shires of Ayr, Argyle, and Inverness.
Accordingly, in 1535, on the failure of heirs-male of the
body of John, Lord of the Isles, and Ear! of Ross, as well
as of two of his natural sons, in whose favour a particu-
lar substitution had been made, King James the Fifth
assumed the Lordship of the Isles. The right was, how-
ever, claimed by Donald, fifth Baron of Slate, descend-
ed from the immediate younger brother of John, Lord
of the Isles. This bold and high-spirited chieftain lost
his life in the attack on Ellandonan Castle, and was
buried by his followers on the lands of Ardelve, on the
opposite side of Loch Loung.
Thebarony of Ellandonan then belonged to John Mac-
kenzie, ninth Baron of Kintail. Kenneth, third Baron,