admitted　at　all；　as　it　bears　　the　most　palpable　marks　of　having　been　a　forgery　of　a　later　time；　and　one　by　no　means　happy　in　its　execution。　　How　such　a　tradition　of　the　origin　of　　the　Mackenzies　ever　could　have　arisen；　it　is　difficult　to　say　but　the　fact　of　　their　native　origin　and　Gaelic　descent　is　completely　set　at　rest　by　the　　Manuscript　of　1450；　which　has　already　so　often　been　the　means　of　　detecting　the　falsehood　of　the　foreign　origins　of　other　clans。〃
  Cosmo　Innes；　another　high　authority；　editor　of　the　Orgines　Parachiales　Scotia；　the　most　valuable　work　ever　published　dealing　with　　the　early　history　of　Scotland；　and　especially　of　the　Highlands；　came　to　a　similar　conclusion；　and　expresses　it　even　more　strongly　than　Dr　Skene。
  At　　pages　392…3；　Vol。　II。；　he　says　〃The　lands　of　Kintail　are　said　to　have　been　　granted　by　Alexander　III。　to　Colin；　an　Irishman　of　the　family　of　Fitzgerald；　　for　services　done　at　the　battle　of　Largs。　The　charter　is　not　extant；　and　its　　genuineness　has　been　doubted。〃　In　a　footnote；　this　learned　antiquarian　　gives　the　text　of　the　document；　in　the　same　terms　as　those　in　which　they　　have　been　already　quoted　from　another　source；　and　which；　he　says；　is　　〃from　a　copy　of　the　17th　century。〃　　〃If　the　charter　be　genuine；〃　he　adds；　〃it　is　not　of　Alexander　III。；　or　connected　with　the　battle　of　Largs　（1263）。
  Two　of　the　witnesses；　Andrew；　Bishop　of　Moray；　and　Henry　de　Baliol；　Chamberlain；　would　correspond　with　the　16th　year　of　Alexander　II。〃　He　　further　says　that　〃the　writers　of　the　history　of　the　Mackenzies　assert　also　　charters　of　David　II。　（1360）　and　of　Robert　II。　（1380）　to　‘Murdo　filius　　Kennethi　de　Kintail；'　but　without　furnishing　any　description　or　means　of　　testing　their　authenticity。　　No　such　charters　are　recorded。〃
  This　is　emphatic　enough　and　to　every　unprejudiced　mind　　absolutely　conclusive。　　The　sixteenth　year　of　the　reign　of　Alexander　II。　　was　1230；　for　he　ascended　the　throne　in　1214。　　It　necessarily　follows　that　the　charter；　if　signed　at　all；　must　have　been　signed　thirty…three　years　before　　the　battle　of　Largs；　and　thirty…six　years　earlier　than　the　actual　date　written　　on　the　document　itself。　　If　it　had　any　existence　before　it　appeared　in　the　　Earl　of　Cromartie's　manuscript　of　the　seventeenth　century；　it　must　have　　been　written　during　the　lives　of　the　witnesses　whose　names　attest　it。
  That　　is；　according　to　those　who　maintain　that　Colin　Fitzgerald　was　the　　progenitor　of　the　Mackenzies；　thirty…one　years　before　that　adventurer　ever　　crossed　the　Irish　Channel；　and　probably　several　years　before　he　was　born；　if　he　ever　existed　elsewhere　than　in　the　Earl　of　Cromartie's　fertile　　imagination。
  But　this　is　not　all。　　It　has　long　been　established　beyond　any　possible　doubt　that　the　Earls　of　Ross　were　the　superiors　of　the　lands　of　　Kintail　during　the　identical　period　in　which　the　same　lands　are　said　to　　have　been　held　by　Colin　Fitzgerald　and　his　descendants　as　direct　vassals　of　　the　Crown。　Ferchard　Mac　an　t…Sagairt；　Earl　of　Ross；　received　a　grant　of　　the　lands　of　Kintail　from　Alexander　II。　for　services　rendered　to　that　　monarch　in　1222；　and　he　is　again　on　record　as　their　possessor　in　1234；　　four　years　after　the　latest　date　on　which　the　reputed　charter　to　Colin　　Fitzgerald；　keeping　in　view　the　witnesses　whose　names　appear　on　the　face　　of　it；　could　possibly　have　been　a　genuine　document。　　Even　the　most　　prominent　of　the　clan　historians　who　have　so　stoutly　maintained　the　　Fitzgerald　theory　felt　bound　to　admit　that；　〃it　cannot　be　disputed　that　the　Earl　of　Ross　was　the　Lord　paramount　under　Alexander　II。；　by　whom　Farquhard　Mac　an　t…Sagairt　was　recognised　in　the　hereditary　dignity　of　his　　predecessors；　and　who；　by　another　tradition；〃　Dr　George　Mackenzie　says；　　〃was　a　real　progenitor　of　the　noble　family　of　Kintail。〃　　That　the　Earls　of　　Ross　continued　lords　paramount　long　after　the　death　of　Colin　Fitzgerald；　　which　event　is　said　to　have　taken　place　in　1278；　will　be　incontestibly　　proved。
  But　meantime　let　us　return　to　the　Origines　Parochiales　Scotiae。　There　we　have　it　stated　on　authority　which　no　one　whose　opinion　is　worth　　anything　will　for　a　moment　call　in　question。　The　editor　of　that　remarkable　　work　says：　　〃In　1292　the　Sheriffdom　of　Skye　erected　by　King　John　Baliol；　included　the　lands　of　the　Earl　of　Ross　in　North　Argyle；　a　district　which　　comprehended　Kintail　and　several　other　large　parishes　in　Ross　（Acts　of　　Parliament　of　Scotland；　Vol。　1。　p。　917）。　　Between　1306　and　1329　King　　Robert　Bruce　confirmed　to　the　Earl　of　Ross　all　his　lands　including　North　　Argyle　（Robertson's　Index；　p。　16；　No。　7；　Register　of　Moray；　p。　342）。　in　　1342；　William；　Earl　of　Ross；　the　son　and　heir　of　the　deceased　Hugh；　Earl　　of　Ross；　granted　to　Reginald；　the　son　of　Roderick　（Ranald　Rorissoune　or　　MacRuaraidh）　of　the　Isles；　the　ten　davochs　（or　pennylands）　of　Kintail　in　　North　Argyle　（Robertson's　Index；　p。　48；　No。　1；　p。　99；　p。　100；　No。　1）。
  The　　grant　was　afterwards　confirmed　by　King　David　II。　（Robertson's　Index）。　　　About　the　year　1346　Ranald　was　succeeded　by　his　sister　Amie；　the　wife　of　　John　of　Isla　（Gregory　p。　27）。　　Between　the　years　1362　and　1372；　William；　　Earl　of　Ross；　exchanged　with　his　brother　Hugh　of　Ross；　Lord　of　Phylorth；　　and　his　heirs；　his　lands　of　all　Argyle；　with　the　Castle　of　Ellandonnan；　for　　Hugh's　lands　in　Buchan　（Balnagown　Charters）。　　In　1463　the　lands　of　　Kintail　were　held　by　Alexander　Mackenzie　（Gregory；　p；　83）；〃　when　the　　Mackenzies　obtained　the　first　authentic　charter　on　record　as　direct　vassals　　from　the　Crown。
  During　the　whole　of　this　periodfor　two　hundred　yearsthere　is　no　trace　of　Colin　Fitzgerald　or　any　of　his　descendants　as　superiors　of　the　　lands　of　Kintail　in　terms　of　Alexander　III。's　reputed　charter　of　1266；　the　　Mackenzies　holding　all　that　time　from　and　as　direct　vassals　of　their　　relatives；　the　Earls　of　Ross；　who　really　held　the　position　of　Crown　vassals　　which；　according　to　the　upholders　of　the　Fitzgerald　theory；　had　that　theory　　been　true；　would　have　been　held　by　Colin　and　his　posterity。　　But　neither　he　　nor　any　of　his　reputed　descendants　appear　once　on　record　in　that　capacity　during　the　whole　of　these　two　centuries。　　On　the　contrary；　it　has　now　been　　proved　from　unquestionable　authentic　sources　that　Kintail　was　in　　possession　of　the　Earls　of　Ross　in；　and　for　at　least　two　generations　before；　　1296；　that　King　Robert　the　Bruce　confirmed　him　in　these　lands　in　1306；　　and　again　in　1329；　that　in　1342　Earl　William　granted　the　ten　davochs　or　　pennylands　of　Kintailwhich　is　its　whole　extentto　Reginald　of　the　Isles；　　that　this　grant　was　afterwards　confirmed　by　David　II。；　and　that　between　　the　years　1362　and　1372　the　Earl　of　Ross　exchanged　the　lands　of　Kintail；　including　the　Castle　of　Ellandonnan；　with　his　brother　Hugh　for　lands　in　　Buchan。
  These　historical　events　could　never　have　occurred　had　the　　Mackenzies　occupied　the　position　as　immediate　vassals　of　the　Crown　　contended　for　by　the　supporters　of　the　Fitzgerald　theory　of　the　origin　of　the　clan。　It　is　admitted　by　those　who　uphold　the　claims　of　Colin　Fitzgerald　　that　the　half　of　Kintail　belonged　to　Farquhar　O'Beolan；　Earl　of　Ross；　after　　what　they　describe　as　the　other　half　had　been　granted　by　the　King　to　Colin　　Fitzgerald。　　But　as　it　is　conclusively　established　that　the　ten　pennylands；　　being　the　whole　extent　of　Kintail　were　all　the　time；　before　and　after；　in　possession　of　the　Earls　of　Ross；　this　historical　myth　must　follow　the　rest。
  Even　the　Laird　of　Applecross；　in　his　MS。　history　of　the　clan；　written　in　　1669；　although　he　adopts　the　Fitzgerald　　theory　from　his　friend　and　　contemporary　the　Earl　of　Cromartie；　has　his　doubts。　After　quoting　the　　statement；　that　〃the　other　half　of　Kintail　at　this　time　belonged　to　　O'Beolan；　whose　chief；　called　Farquhar；　was　created　　Earl　of　Ross；　and　　that　his　lands　in　Kintail　were　given　by　the　King　to　Colin　Fitzgerald；〃　he　says；　〃this　tradition　carries　enough　of　probability　to　found　historical　credit；　　but　I　find　no　charter　of　these　lands　purporting　any　such　grounds　for　that　the　first　charter　of　Kintail　is　given　by　this　King　Alexander　to　this　Colin；　　anno　1266。〃　　That　is；　Alexander　III。　　But　enough　has　been　said　on　this　part　of　the　subject。　　Let　us；　　however；　briefly　quote　two　well…known　modern　writers。　　The　late　Robert　　Carruthers；　LL。D。；　Inverness；　had　occasion　several　years　ago　to　examine　　the　Seaforth　family　papers　for　the　purpose　of　reviewing　them　in　the　North　British　Quarterly　Review。　　He　did　not　publish　all　that　he　had　written　on　the　subject；　and　he　was　good　enough　to　present　the　writer；　when　preparing　the　first　edition　of　this　work；　with　some　valuable　MS。　notes　on　the　clan　　which　had　not　before　appeared　in　print。　　In　one　of　these　notes　Dr　　Carruthers　says
  〃The　chivalrous　and　romantic　origin　of　the　Clan　Mackenzie；　　though　vouched　for　by　certain　charters　and　local　histories；　is　now　believed　to　be　fabulous。　It　seems　to　have　been　first　advanced　in　the　17th　century；　when　there　was　an　absurd　desire　and　ambition　in　Scotland　to　fabricate　or　　magnify　all　ancient　and　lordly　pedigrees。　　Sir　George　Mackenzie　of　　Tarbat；　the　Lord　Advocate；　and　Sir　George　Mackenzie；　the　first　Earl　of　　Cromartie；　were　ready　to　swear　to　the　descent　of　the　Scots　nation　from　　Gathelus；　son　of　Cecrops；　King　of　Athens；　and　Scota　his　wife；　daughter　of　Pharao