The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. IX] OF SCOTLAND 363
of it by the Duke of Albany, then governor of Scotland,
" whereat," says Sir Robert Gordon, " Donald of the Isles took
such indignation and displeasure, that raising all the power of
the Isles, he came into Rosse and spoiled the country, which
Angus Dow Mackay of Farr endeavoured to defend, because
that Donald had molested some friends which he had in that
province. He met the lord of the Isles at Dingwall, where he
fought a cruel skirmish against him. In end, Donald overthrew
Angus Dow, took him prisoner, and killed his brother
Rory Gald Mackay, with divers others." In another part of
his work, alluding to the same conflict. Sir Robert Gordon
says, " Donald of the Isles having detayned Angus Dow a
while in captivitie released him and gave him his daughter in
marriage, whom Angus Dow carried home with him into
Strathnaver, and had a son by her called
'
Neill Wasse,' so
named because he was imprisoned in the Basse." Shortly after
this Angus Dow appears to have brought the attention of the
energetic James upon him, in consequence of an incursion
which he had made into Caithness. The inhabitants of
Caithness had resisted his inroad, and a battle had been fought
at Helmsdale between the parties,
"
when ther wes much
slaughter on either syde." In consequence of this Angus was
included in the summons to attend the parliament at Inverness
in 1427, and feeling that it would not have been prudent to
disobey that order, he was arrested with the other Highland
chiefs, on which occasion Fordun has transmitted his name to
us in the following passage, " Ibi arrestavit Angus Duff, alias
Macqye, cum quatuor filiis suis ducem quatuor millium de
Strathnaveri." Angus obtained his liberty from the king, but
his son was detained as a hostage, and committed to the prison
of the Bass for security.
After this period, the history of the Mackays consists almost
entirely of constant incursions into Caithness, together with
the usual feuds in which the Highland clans were at all times
engaged, and they do not appear to have maintained the
power and influence which they possessed under Angus Dow,
but with diminished territories to have assumed a somewhat
lower station in the scale of the Highland clans. The first
crown charter obtained by the Mackays of their extensive