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74 HIGHLAND PAPERS
among themselves and with the Kings of Scotland and
Ireland which may fall to be mentioned (of which little
will fall to be named) which is hard for us to reconcile,
because of the darkness of the account we have of these
antient tymes and of the differences of Chronologers
among themselves, as also that we want the history of the
antient Irishes in Ireland (on which much hereof doth
depend) yet these things being Circumstances or Ignorance
of them is no Imputation on the following account.
Sthly observe that the writer had no helps at the wryting
hereof except the tree of the following Geanealogie done be
one Neill McEun as he had the same from Athairn McEun
his father, as they had the same from their predecessors,
for many ages were Imployed in a lyne of generations
to keep records of such genealogies, 1 as also some small
account left by Mr. Alexr. Colvin who was better read in
the histories of Scotland and in the particular papers
belonging to the family under consideration. Together
also with some few notes the writer gathered out of Pedro
Mexia 2 a Spaniard who writes of the original of diverse
nations in his book called APXAIO-IIAOTT02 archaioploutos
or Treasur of antiquities all which observes may
serve as sufficient Apology for the shortness and Imperfection
of the following account.
Although the common and ordinary account of the
genealogie 3 of the name of Campbell or Claim oduibhn doth
1 The MacEwens were the hereditary seannachies of Argyll. They are said
to have held Kilchoan on Loch Melfort. In another MS. in the Advocates'
Library (34.5.22), substantially the same as that now printed, and referred to
' in these notes as MS. B, the genealogical tree is described as done by Neil
I M'Ewen as he received the same from Eachern M'Ewen, his father, as he had
I the same from Artt M'Ewen, his grandfather, and his predecessors.'
' 2 A Spanish historical writer, 1496-1552 (see Didot, Noztvelle Biographic
Gt'/it?ra/e, vol. xxxv. p. 267).
3 This less ambitious genealogy of the Campbells is to be found in a MS.
in the Advocates' Library (Gaelic MS. No. 1), which was partly printed in the
Coliectanea de Rebus Albanuis. As Dr. Skene found some difficulty in reading
this MS. he was unfortunately permitted to subject it to some chemical process,
from which it has never recovered. On the other hand, a pedigree also given in
the Collectanea (p. 360), and said to be taken from a MS. dated 1550, traces the
descent of MacCailein through Gomer and Japheth and Noah up to ' Enos mic
Set Mic Adaim mic De'