306                  GENEALOGICAL COLLECTIONS [VOL. I

Præfecto nostro (speciali a nobis donato potestate) adminis-
trandis, aut copiis, ab Hiberniâ, rerum nostrarum illic fælicius
peragendarum gratiâ, mittendis paratissimi sitis. Tibique
persuadeas nos, vivis, tuæ promptitudinis in nobis, allatâ
quandocunque ansâ, auxiliandis, effectis. Te, ne, præmemorati
Comitis, aut cujuslibet alterius, nutibus subjiciaris, liberare
quam propere operam daturos. Vale, Datum a nostrâ Aulâ
Dunelmensi 2 Maii 1639.

Hoc eodem Anno, Makintoshii agros Lochabrienses Arga-
theliæ Marchio, igni ferroque penitus devastavit, non modò quod
Ronaldus Macdonald in Keppoch (primarius horum agrorum
possessor), Rei Regiæ sedulo promovendæ omne adhibuerat
studium, verùm etiam et quoniam Makintoshius, cui in dictos
agros hæreditarium jus erat, neque, Fœderatorum factioni
adversus Regem, sese adjungere, neque, hosce suos agros
Argatheliæ Marchioni (cujus animus, eosdem in suam redigere
ditionem usque anhelebat) vendere nullatenus pertrahi poterat,
plerorumque etiam (neque improbabilis) sententia erat depopu-
latos ex industriâ fuisse agros, ut, sc. Domino Makintoshio
inutiles redditi, minoris constarent.

INJURIÆ illæ, Lochabriensibus, ab Argatheliæ Marchione,
ejusque Tribû (Campbellis), illatæ, non diu inultæ fuerant.

lieutenant (specially empowered by us), or to the forces to be
sent thither from Ireland, for more effectually forwarding our
affairs: and be assured that we, whensoever occasion shall offer by
the lively effects of your promptitude in helping us, will afford you
the means, as speedily as possible, to free yourself, so that you
shall no longer be subject to the will of the aforementioned earl
or of any other whatsoever. Farewell. Given from our court at
Durham, 2nd May 1639.'

In this same year the lands of Mackintosh in Lochaber were
harried with fire and sword by the Marquis of Argyll, not only
because Ronald Macdonald in Keppoch (the principal owner of
these lands) gave all his care earnestly to promote the cause of
the king, but also because Mackintosh, to whom pertained the
heritable right of the said lands, would not join himself to the
faction of the Covenanters against the king, nor could he be
persuaded by any means to sell these lands to Argyll (whose desire
was to have them brought into his power). And also it was
the opinion of many (and not without probability) that the lands
were then wasted on purpose that, having been rendered useless
to the laird of Mackintosh, they should be of less value.

These injuries done by the Marquis of Argyll and his clan (the