The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

282 THE HIGHLANDERS [part ii
invasions were generall}- succeeded by a peace, the}- were not
productive of any advantage to his nephews. One of these
youths, named Donald, was, in the year 1 1 56, discovered lurking
in Gallowa}-, where he was secured, and imprisoned along with
his father in Rokesburgh Castle. In the following year Malcolm
appears to have come to terms with Wimund, who, upon being
realeased from prison, resumed the cowl, and retired to the
monastery of Biland, in Yorkshire.
But there still remained one of the sons of Wimund at
liberty, whose name was Kenneth, and who, undeterred by the
fate of his father and brother, resolved to make another attempt
for the recovery of his inheritance ; and taking advantage of the
insurrection of the Scottish earls in favour of William of
Egremont, he easily succeeded in exciting the Moravians once
more to revolt. The unexpected success with which Malcolm
crushed the conspiracy enabled him likewise,
after a violent
struggle, effectually to subdue these restless assailants ; and in
order to prevent the recurrence of farther insurrections upon the
part of the Moravians, he resolved to reduce their strength by
removing many of the hostile clans, and peopling the districts
with strangers. The inhabitants of the northern portion were
principally either driven out or removed to the crown lands of
Braedalbane, in Perthshire, and the conquered district was
bestowed upon the Norman families of Bisset, Thirlstane, and
Lauder. A great part of the present county of Elgin was
likewise depopulated, and strangers introduced, among whom
was the Flemish family of Innes, while the whole earldom was
bestowed upon the earl of Mar.
By these measures the Moravians were so completel}-
crushed, that during the remainder of this and the following
reign, they did not again attempt to disturb the peace of the
countr\-. Kenneth in the meantime having made his escape
after his defeat by Malcolm, and hopeless of obtaining farther
support in Scotland, took refuge in Ireland, and solicited
assistance from the Irish. He was there joined by Donald
Macwilliam, who claimed the throne of Scotland in right of his
great-grandfather, Duncan, Malcolm Kenmore's eldest son, and
having collected a numerous body of Irish followers, the two
adventurers proceeded to invade Scotland, and made an inroad