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M. 


GENEAUOCr  COULECTION 


MEMOIR 


FAMILY     OF     M'COMBIE 


"  Man  is  properly  the  only  object  that  interests  man." — Goethe. 


MEMOIR 


v 


OF    THE 


FAMILY     OF     M'COMBIE 

A  BRANCH  OF  THE  CLAN  M'INTOSH 


COMPILED    FROM 

HISTORY    AND     TRADITION 


WILLIAM    M'COMBIE    SMITH 


WILLIAM    BLACKWOOD    AND    SONS 

EDINBURGH    AND    LONDON 

MDCCCLXXXVIT 


All  R lights  reserved 


^ 

^ 


PREFACE. 

^__^       1135570 


^"^         ^  I  ^HE  first  question  regarding  the  publication 


T 

of  a  new  book  ouQ;ht  to  be,  Does  it  contani 


anything  not  already  known  to  those  likely  to 
read  it  ?  Of  the  present  work  it  may  safely  be 
said  that  much  of  what  it  contains  is  not  already 
known  to  probable  readers.  The  second  ques- 
tion, in  the  event  of  the  first  being  satisfactorily 
answered,  ought  to  be,  Are  the  contents  of  suf- 
ficient interest  or  value  to  warrant  publication  ? 
It  would  be  presumptuous  on  the  part  of  the 
compiler  to  answer  this  question  affirmatively. 
He  may  be  permitted,  however,  to  say,  that  he 
believes  that  what  is  authentic  and  historical  in 
the  life  of  John  M'Comie  of  Porter  is  of  interest 


vi  Preface. 

and  value  as  illustrative  of  the  social  and  political 
life  of  the  seventeenth  century ;  and  that  the 
record  of  the  position  attained  and  work  accom- 
plished by  several  of  his  descendants  in  Aber- 
deenshire, and  the  means  by  which  their  position 
was  attained  and  work  accomplished,  will  be 
found  interesting,  valuable,  and  instructive.  If 
the  traditionary  events  are  of  less  value,  they 
are  still  interesting,  and  their  publication  may 
be  excused  on  the  Q^round  that  most  of  them 
were  likely  soon  otherwise  to  have  passed  irre- 
trievably into  oblivion. 

W.  M'C.  S. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction,   ......         i 


CHAPTER     I. 

Origin  of  the  Clan  M'Intosh — Origin  of  the  family  of 
M'Combie — Called  Clan  M'Thomas,  Acts  of  Parlia- 
ment 1587  and  1594 — Settled  in  Glenshee — Inter- 
marriage with  Farquharsons  —  Bond  of  manrent  to 
Lachlan  Mor,  sixteenth  chief  of  the  M'Intoshes, 

CHAPTER    II. 

John  M'Comie,  the  M'Comie  Mor — Finnegand — Barony 
of  Forter — Personal  history,  traditional— Fight  with 
the  kain-gatherers — Attempt  to  carry  off  M'Comie 
Mor  to  Athole — Fight  with  a  foreign  champion  at 
Blair-Athole  —  Slaughter  of  the  caird  —  M'Comie 
Mor's  putting-stone  and  well — Subdues  a  fierce  bull — 
Supernatural  incidents  :  Knox  Baxter  and  the  water- 
kelpie's  wife — Tests  the  courage  of  his  eldest  son — 


viii  Contents. 

Personal  history,  historical  —  First  a  Royalist,  but 
changes  sides — Litigation  with  Lord  Airlie,  1661 — 
Excepted  from  Act  of  Indemnity,  1662  —  Attends 
summons  of  the  chief  of  the  M'Intoshes,  1665 — Feud 
with  tlie  Farquharsons  of  Broughdearg  —  Raid  of 
Crandart,  1669 — Fight  at  Moss  of  Forfar,  1673 — 
Trial,  M'Comies  v.  Farquharsons ;  Farquharsons  v. 
M'Comies,  1673  —  Death  of  M'Comie  Mor — His 
family,  .  .  .  .  .  .13 


CHAPTER     in. 

Settlement  in  Aberdeenshire — -Donald  M'Comie — Rob- 
ert M'Combie — William  M'Combie,  tenant  -in  Lyn- 
turk — The  M'Combies  a  stalwart  race — Faction  fights 
— Incidents  of  the  '45 — Family  of  William  M'Com- 
bie of  Lynturk  and  their  descendants — His  brothers,        82 


CHAPTER     IV. 

William  M'Combie  of  Tillyfour — His  youth — Becomes 
tenant  of  Tillyfour,  Bridgend,  and  Dorsell — Fond  of 
sport — Begins  his  career  as  cattle-breeder,  1844 — 
Entertained  to  public  dinner  by  the  gentlemen  of  the 
north-east  of  Scotland,  1862 — By  farm-servants  and 
tradesmen  of  the  vale  of  Alford — Second  President 
of  the  Scottish  Chamber  of  Agriculture — Visited  by 
her  Majesty  the  Queen — Publishes  '  Cattle  and  Cat- 
tie-Breeders' — M.P.  for  West  Aberdeenshire — Pur- 
chases Tillyfour — Crowning  success  of  1878 — Deatli 
— Personal  characteristics,     .  .  .  .106 


Contents.  ix 

CHAPTER    V. 

William  M'Combie  of  Easterskene  and  Lynturk — His 
early  years — Succeeds  to  Easterskene,  1824 — Investi- 
gations regarding  the  history  of  his  ancestors — Visits 
to  Perthshire  and  Forfarshire  —  Marriage,  1831  — 
Succeeds  to  Lynturk — Death  of  his  wife,  1835 — And 
of  his  son,  1841 — Easterskene — Lynturk — Easter- 
skene herd — Mr  M'Combie  as  a  farmer  and  land- 
lord —  Public  life  —  Personal  characteristics  —  Con- 
clusion, .  .  .  .  .  .121 

Appendix,  .  .  .  .     149 


THE    FAMILY    OF    M'COMBIE. 


INTRODUCTION. 

T3I0GRAPHY  is  ever  the  most  profitable  and 
interesting  matter  for  both  writer  and 
reader.  The  Hfe  of  the  most  commonplace  man 
or  woman  or  family,  it  has  been  remarked,  were 
it  fully  unfolded,  would  be  full  of  interest,  and  in 
proportion  as  the  individual  or  family  becomes 
conspicuous,  the  interest  increases.  In  some  in- 
stances the  interest  attaching  to  a  family  name 
centres  round  one  individual,  who  appears  as  a 
bright  particular  star,  outshining  all  the  others. 
In  other  cases  the  interest  attaching  to  a  family 
name  is  continued  throughout  many  generations, 
by  a   succession  of  men  who    distinguish  them- 

A 


2  Introduction. 

selves  in  their  day  and  generation  as  not  of  com- 
mon mould.     In  either  case  there  arises,  among 
those   inheriting  the  family  name,  that  pride   of 
ancestry  so  highly  to  be  prized  by  those  whose 
heritage  it  is.     An  honourable  pride  of  ancestry 
is  one  of  the  most  valuable  incentives  to  the  main- 
tenance of  human  worth  and  greatness.      It   is 
from  the  honourable  pride  and   ambition  of  the 
individual   members    of  distinguished  families  to 
maintain  in  undiminished  honour  the  prestige  of 
the  family  name  that  the  permanent  stability  and 
greatness  of  a  nation  arises.     National  pride  in 
the  nation's  history,  and  national  ambition  to  hand 
down   to   posterity   its  honour  and   glory  untar- 
nished, or  even  with  added  lustre,  is  the  outcome 
of  the  combined   efforts   of  the   individuals  and 
families  comprising  the  nation,   animated  by  the 
desire  either  to  maintain  and   add  to  individual 
and  family  renown  already  acquired,  or  to  be  the 
first  to  bring   renown  to  an  individual  or  family 
not  previously  distinguished. 

The    Celtic   population    of    the    Highlands    of 
Scotland    have   always   been  remarkable  for   the 


Introduction.  3 

tenacity  with  which  they  have  maintained  the 
name  and  honours  of  the  various  clans,  with  their 
distinct  branches  or  septs.  This  determination 
has  naturally  led  to  a  desire  to  collect  and  pre- 
serve authentic  records  of  the  lives  of  the  leading 
members  of  whatever  clan  or  family  has  achieved 
an  honourable  position,  and  has  through  suc- 
cessive generations  maintained  that  position  ;  and 
the  object  of  the  present  memoir  is  to  put  on 
record  and  preserve  whatever  has  come  down  to 
the  present  time,  through  history  or  tradition, 
concerning  the  family  of  M'Combie,  a  branch  .of 
the  Clan  M'Intosh. 


CHAPTER    I. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  CLAN  M'iNTOSH  —  ORIGIN  OF  THE  FAMILY  OF 
M'COMBIE  —  CALLED  CLAN  M'THOMAS,  ACTS  OF  PARLIAMENT 
1587  AND  1594  —  SETTLED  IN  GLENSHEE  —  INTERMARRIAGE 
WITH  FARQUHARSONS — BOND  OF  MANRENT  TO  LACHLAN  MOR, 
SIXTEENTH   CHIEF   OF   THE   M'iNTOSHES. 

'  I  ^HE  founder  of  the  Clan  M'Intosh  was  Shaw 
M'Duff,  second  son  of  the  fifth  Earl  of 
Fife,  who  distinguished  himself  in  quelling  a  re- 
bellion among  the  Moray  tribes,  against  Malcolm 
IV.,  about  the  years  1 161-63,  and  whose  descend- 
ants thenceforward  assumed  the  name  M'Intosh 
=  Mac-an-Toiseach  =  son  of  the  foremost  or  chief 
man.  The  Clan  M'Intosh,  of  which  the  family 
of  M'Combie  is  a  branch,  was  in  turn  a  branch 
of  the  still  older  Clan  Chattan,  the  derivation  of 
which  is  uncertain.  The  famous  fio^ht  on  the 
North    Inch   of  Perth,   in    1396,   in  the  reign  of 


Origin  of  the  Family.  5 

Robert  III.,  between  the  Clan  Chattan  and  Clan 
Quhele,  was  fought  by  the  ancestors  of  the  pres- 
ent M'Intoshes,  M'Phersons,  and  Camerons. 

From  Angus  Og,  son  of  Angus,  the  sixth  chief 
of  the  Clan  M'Intosh,  who  died  in  1345,  were 
descended  the  M'Intoshes  of  Glen  Tilt,  who 
afterwards  settled  at  Dalmunzie  in  Glenshee.  It 
was  probably  owing  to  the  settlement  of  this 
branch  of  the  M'Intoshes  in  Glenshee,  that  the 
descendants  of  Adam  M 'William  ^  of  Garvamore, 
in  Badenoch,  a  natural  son^  of  William,^  the 
seventh  chief,  also  settled  in  Glenshee,  Strath- 
ardle,  and  Glenisla. 

This  Adam  M'Intosh,  son  of  William,  the 
seventh  chief  of  the  Clan  M'Intosh,  was  the 
founder  of  that  branch  of  the  clan  which  after- 
wards came  to  be  known  by  the  surname  of 
M 'Thomas  =  son  of  Thomas,  which  in  time 
became  corrupted  into  M'Thomie,  M'Homie, 
M'Omie,  M'Comie,  and  latterly  M'Combie. 
The  surname  M'Intosh  was  used  interchange- 
ably   with     M'Comie     until    the    settlement    in 

1  Appendix,  Note  A.  -  Appendix,  Note  B.  ^  Appendix,  Note  C. 


6  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

Aberdeenshire.  The  family  of  M'Combie  took 
its  rise,  therefore,  as  a  separate  and  distinct 
branch  of  the  Clan  M'Intosh  in  the  latter  half 
of  the  fourteenth  century.  In  the  original  feu- 
charter,^  of  date  9th  September  1571,  the 
M'Combies  are  described  as  being  ab  antiquo 
tenants  and  possessors  of  Finnegand  in  Glen- 
shee. 

In  the  "  Roll  of  the  Landdislordis  and  Baillies  " 
appended  to  the  Act  of  Parliament,  of  date  1587, 
"  for  the  quieting  and  keeping  in  obedience  of  the 
disordourit  subjectis  inhabitantis  of  the  Bordouris, 
Hielandis,  and  His,"  commonly  called  "  The 
General  Band,"  there  is  first  given  "  The  Roll  of 
the  names  of  the  Landislordis  and  Baillies  of 
Landis  in  the  Hielandis  and  lies,  quhair  brokin 
men  hes  duelt  and  presentlie  duellis,"  followed  by 
"The  Roll  of  the  Clannis  [in  the  Hielandis  and 
lies]  that  hes  Capitanes,  Cheiffis,  and  Chiftanes 
quhome  on  thay  depend,  oft  tymes  aganis  the 
willis  of  thair  Landislordis  :  and  of  sum  speciale 
personis  of  branchis   of  the   saidis  clannis."     In 

^  Appendix,  Note  D. 


Called  Clan  M'  Thomas.  7 

the  latter  roll  there  occurs  the  "  Clan  M'Thomas 
in  Glensche." 

In  the  roll  of  the  clans  of  1587,  following  "  Clan 
M'Thomas  in  Glensche,"  are  the  "  Fergussonis, 
Spaldingis,"  without  locality  given,  and  the  "  Mak- 
intoscheis  in  Athoill,"  showing  that  Angus  Og's 
descendants,  together  with  those  of  Adam,  son  of 
the  seventh  chief,  still  held  Glen  Tilt  and  Glen- 
shee  as  their  headquarters. 

In  the  roll  of  the  broken  clans  in  the  Hiofh- 
lands  and  Isles,  in  the  Act  of  Parliament  "  for 
punishment  of  thift,  reiff,  oppressioun,  and  soirn- 
ing,"  of  date  1594,  there  are  included  under 
"many  brokin  men,"  the  "Fergussonis,  Spa- 
dingis,  M'Intosheis  in  Athoill,  M'Thomas  in 
Glensche,"  and  "  Ferquharsonis  in  Bra  of  Mar," 
The  necessity  for  this  second  roll,  so  soon  following 
on  that  of  1587,  is  set  forth  as  follows:  "  Oure 
Soverane  Lord  and  his  estaitis  in  this  present 
Parliament,  considering  that,  nochtwithstanding 
the  sundrie  Actis  maid  be  his  Hienes,  and  his 
maist  nobill  progenitouris,  for  punischment  of  the 
authoris   of  thift,   reiff,  oppression,   and    sorning, 


8  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

and  masteris  and  sustenaries  of  thevis ;  yet  sic 
hes  bene,  and  presentlie  is,  the  barbarous  cruelties 
and  daylie  heirschippis  of  the  wickit  thevis  and 
lymmaris  of  the  clannis  and  surenames  following, 
inhabiting  the  Hielands  and  lies,"  &c. 

In  both  rolls  the  M'Intoshes,  Fergussons, 
Spaldings,  and  M'Thomases  occur  together ;  and 
in  the  '  Geography  of  the  Clans  of  Scotland,' 
by  Mr  T.  B.  Johnston  and  Colonel  J.  A.  Robert- 
son, the  M'Intoshes  are  marked  in  the  map  as  in 
Glen  Tilt  only,  and  the  M 'Thomas  clan  in  the 
head  of  Glenshee,  with  the  Fergussons  lower 
down,  and  the  Spaldings  lowest  down  in  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Blackwater  district,  and  in 
Strathardle  around  Ashintully.  There  is  evi- 
dently something  wrong  in  this  arrangement. 
The  M'Intoshes  were  in  Glen  Tilt  previous  to 
1587;  but  they  were  also  in  Dalmunzie,  in  the 
head  of  Glenshee.  Where  the  Ferofussons  are 
placed  in  the  map,  Finnegand  is  situated,  where 
no  Fergussons  were  at  that  time  nor  since ;  and 
in  1571  the  M'Thomases  had  been  '' ab  antiquo'' 
possessors  of  Finnegand,  and  were  in  possession 


Located  in  Glenshee.  9 

of  it  for  long  after  1594.  The  Spaldings  were, 
until  comparatively  recent  times,  tenants  and  pos- 
sessors in  the  Blackwater  district  of  Glenshee, 
and  in  and  around  Ashintully  in  Strathardle. 
Bearing  in  mind  that  the  M'Intoshes  and 
M'Thomases  were  of  the  same  origin,  and  that 
long  after  this  time  of  1587,  or  even  of  1594,  the 
head  of  the  Clan  M 'Thomas  used  the  surname 
M'Intosh  Interchangeably  with  M'Comie,  there 
can  be  little  doubt  but  that  Glen  Tilt  in  Athole, 
with  the  head  of  Glenshee,  should  be  set  down 
in  a  clan  map  of  the  sixteenth  century  as  held 
by  M'Intoshes,  and  the  district  between  the  head 
of  Glenshee  and  what  is  now  the  Blackwater 
district,  as  held  by  the  branch  of  the  M'Intoshes 
known  by  the  surnames  of  M'Intosh,  M 'Thomas, 
and  M'Comie,  and  below  the  M'Comies,  the 
Spaldings.  The  Fergussons  in  the  map  ought 
to  be  placed  in  the  Glenshee  south  of  Dunkeld, 
held,  in  part  at  least,  by  Fergusson,  Baron  of 
Fandowie,  and  not  in  the  Glenshee  north  of 
Dunkeld. 

It  is  clearly  established,  however,  both  by  the 


lo  The  Family  of  M'Cornbie. 

parliamentary  records  of  Scotland  and  by  char- 
ter, that  the  M'Comies  were  a  distinct  family, 
settled  in  Glenshee  in  the  sixteenth  century. 
The  phrase  ab  antiquo,  in  the  charter  of  1571, 
establishes  a  settlement  long  previous  to  that ; 
and  their  descent  from  William,  seventh  chief  of 
the  M'Intoshes,  points  to  this  settlement  as  being 
probably  in  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  or  begin- 
ning of  the  fifteenth  century. 

In  the  roll  of  1594,  the  M 'Thomases  in  Glen- 
shee are  immediately  followed  by  the  Farquhar- 
sons  in  Braemar,  The  great  hero  of  the  Far- 
quharsons  was  the  renowned  Finla  Mor.  In 
1547,  he  was  standard-bearer  in  the  disastrous 
battle  of  Pinkie,  where  he  was  slain.  It  is  an 
interesting  fact  that  the  great  hero  of  the 
M'Comies,  the  M'Comie  Mor,  was  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  Finla  Mors.  Finla  Mors  first  wife 
was  a  daughter  of  Baron  Reid  of  Kincardine- 
Stewart.  Their  eldest  son,  William,  married  Bea- 
trix Gordon,  daughter  of  Lord  Sutherland,  whose 
daughter  was  married  to  Thomas  M'Intosh  of 
Finnegand.     The  family,  therefore,  had  acquired 


Band  of  Manre7it  to  Chief  of  M'lntoshes.      1 1 

considerable  influence  and  power  in  the  sixteenth 
century ;  and  in  the  words  of  the  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment of  1 587,  was  depending  on  its  own  chief,  "  oft- 
times  against  the  will,"  it  may  be,  of  its  feudal 
superior,  the  Earl  of  Athole.  The  concern  ex- 
pressed by  Parliament  in  the  doings  of  these 
"brokin  men" — that  is,  branches  of  original  clans 
who  had  assumed  independence — naturally  led 
these  to  confederate  themselves.  The  measures 
adopted  by  the  Scottish  Government  after  the 
Act  of  Parliament  of  1587,  had  evidently  been 
ineffectual  in  bringing  these  broken  men  into 
submission  ;  but  the  subject  being  taken  up  again 
so  soon  after,  showed  both  that  the  independent 
branches  were  proving  troublesome  to  their  land- 
lords and  the  Government,  and  that  the  latter 
was  determined  to  bring  them  to  account. 

Accordingly,  in  the  year  following  the  Act  of 
1594,  we  find  the  distant  colonies  of  the  clan  in 
Aberdeenshire  and  Perthshire  granting  a  heritable 
band  of  manrent,  at  Invercauld,  to  Lachlan  Mor, 
the  sixteenth  chief  of  the  M'Intoshes.  In  this 
band,    dated    March    1595,    James    M'Intosh    of 


12  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

Gask,  Donald  Farquharson  of  TuJligarmont, 
John  Farquharson  of  Invercauld,  George,  Lach- 
lan,  and  Finlay  Farquharson,  brothers  to  the 
laird  Donald  (these  four  were  sons,  and  John  of 
Invercauld  a  grandson,  of  Finla  Mor),  Duncan 
M'Intosh  of  Dalmunzie,  and  Robert  M'Homie  in 
the  burn  of  Glenshee,  promise  to  maintain,  fortify, 
and  defend  Lachlan  and  his  heirs,  "as  our  natu- 
rall  cheiff." 


'3 


CHAPTER     II. 

JOHN  M'COMIE,  THE  M'COMIE  MOR  —  FINNEGAND  —  BARONY  OF 
FORTER — PERSONAL  HISTORY,  TRADITIONAL — FIGHT  WITH  THE 
KAIN-GATHERERS — ATTEMPT  TO  CARRY  OFF  M'COMIE  MOR  TO 
ATHOLE — FIGHT  WITH  A  FOREIGN  CHAMPION  AT  BLAIR-ATHOLE 
— SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  CAIRD — M'COMIE  MOR'S  PUTTING-STONE 
AND  WELL — SUBDUES  A  FIERCE  BULL  —  SUPERNATURAL  INCI- 
DENTS :  KNOX  BAXTER  AND  THE  WATER-KELPIE's  WIFE — TESTS 
THE  COURAGE  OF  HIS  ELDEST  SON — PERSONAL  HISTORY,  HIS- 
TORICAL— FIRST  A  ROYALIST,  BUT  CHANGES  SIDES — LITIGATION 
WITH  LORD  AIRLIE,  1661  —  EXCEPTED  FROM  ACT  OF  INDEMNITY, 
1662 — ATTENDS  SUMMONS  OF  THE  CHIEF  OF  THE  M'INTOSHES, 
1665 — FEUD  WITH  THE  FARQUHARSONS  OF  BROUGHDEARG — 
RAID  OF  CRANDART,  1669  —  FIGHT  AT  MOSS  OF  FORFAR,  1673 
— TRIAL,  M'COMIES  V.  FARQUHARSONS  ;  FARQUHARSONS  V. 
M'COMIES,    1673 — DEATH    OF    M'COMIE   MOR — HIS   FAMILY. 

TTROM  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  to  about 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
there  seems  to  have  been  a  period  of  com- 
parative quietude.  The  tranquilHty  of  the  rest 
of  the  country,  from  the  Union  of  the  Crowns  to 
the  beginning  of  the  great  Civil  War,  exerted  its 


14  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

influence  on  the  Highlands  also.  About  the 
beginning  of  this  period  was  born  John  M'Comie, 
the  M'Comie  Mor,  in  whose  lifetime  the  family 
rose  to  its  highest  point  of  influence  and  power  in 
Perthshire  and  Forfarshire,  and  also  sank  to  its 
lowest  ebb,  under  powers  and  circumstances  which 
the  haughty  chief  was  too  proud  to  submit  to, 
and  in  his  old  age  unable  successfully  to  resist. 
History  and  tradition  alike  bear  testimony  to  the 
remarkable  character  of  this  Highland  chief  The 
sagacity  and  indomitable  spirit  that  characterised 
his  mental  qualities  were  not  more  conspicuous 
among  his  contemporaries  than  his  extraordinary 
bodily  strength.  Sir  ^neas  M'Pherson,  in  his 
MS.  history,  makes  mention  of  "John  M'Intosh 
of  Forter,  commonly  called  M'Comie,"  as  among 
"  the  oldest  and  wisest  not  only  of  my  own,  but 
of  all  our  neighbour  families ;  ...  all  men  of 
sense  and  reputation,  and  most  of  them  so  very 
old  that  if  they  were  not  acquainted  with  Finla 
Mor  himself,  they  were  at  least  personally  known 
to  his  children."  John  M'Comie  could  not  have 
been  acquainted  with  Finla  Mor,  but  might  have 


John  M'Comie,  the  M'Comie  Mor.  15 

been  personally  acquainted  with  his  children,  his 
own  mother  being  a  granddaughter  of  Finla  Mor. 

Sir  ^neas  M'Pherson  speaks  of  John  M'Intosh, 
or  M'Comie,  as  of  Forter,  of  which  barony  he 
had  obtained  a  wadset  from  the  Earl  of  Airlie, 
some  time  between  1651  ^  and  1660.  After  enter- 
ing on  possession  of  Forter,  he  built  a  mansion- 
house  on  the  estate  at  Crandart,  where  he  took 
up  his  residence.  Crandart  is  situated  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Isla,  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
north  of  the  old  castle  of  Forter,  which  had  been 
burned  down  by  Argyll  in  1640.  Before  pro- 
ceeding further  with  the  history  of  the  M'Comies, 
it  is  necessary  to  describe  the  main  features  of 
the  lands  held  by  them  in  Perthshire  and  Forfar- 
shire. 

Finnegand,  that  had  been  so  long  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  M'Comies,  lies  wholly  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Shee,  in  the  parish  of  Kirkmichael,  Perth- 
shire. On  the  south-east  corner,  opposite  Dal- 
naglar,  the  land  on  the  side  of  the  Shee  at  its  low- 
est point  is  over  1000  feet  above  sea-level.     For 

1  Appendix,  Note  E. 


1 6  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

about  two  miles  along  the  Shee,  which  from  the 
mansion-house  of  Finnegand  turns  a  little  to  the 
west,  there  is  a  belt  of  arable  land,  consisting  of 
level  haughs  and  gently  sloping  fields,  extending 
from  two  to  three  hundred  yards  from  the  water- 
side ;  then  a  series  of  rounded  heights,  of  no  great 
elevation,  leads  to  the  foot  of  the  range  of  moun- 
tains forming  the  watershed  between  Glenshee 
and  the  glens  with  their  tributary  streams  stretch- 
ing southwards  to  Strathardle.  The  land,  with 
an  easterly  and  north-easterly  slope  and  aspect, 
is  of  moderate  fertility;  and  from  its  height  above 
sea-level  is  better  adapted  for  green  than  white 
crops — grain  crops  being  fully  matured  only  in 
very  favourable  seasons.  At  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  Shee,  the  mountains  rise  rather  abruptly, 
culminating  in  Meall  Odhar  and  Meall  Uaine, 
the  latter  being  2600  feet  above  sea-level.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  the  Shee  from  Finnegand 
lies  Broughdearg,  also  with  its  belt  of  arable  land 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Shee,  and  the  mountains 
forming  the  watershed  between  Glenshee  and 
Glenisla  rising  steeply  behind  it.      The   highest 


Finnegand  and  Barony  of  Farter.  1 7 

point  between  Broughdearg  and  Glenisla  Is  Meal- 
na-letter,  2297  feet  above  sea-level,  which  is  on 
the  boundary-line  between  Perthshire  and  Forfar- 
shire, and  looks  down  towards  the  east  upon 
Crandart.  Farquharson  of  Broughdearg,  it  will  be 
seen,  marched  both  west  and  east  with  M'Comie 
Mor — on  the  west  with  Finnegand,  on  the  east 
with  the  barony  of  Forter,  and  the  large  tract  of 
forest-ground  in  the  extreme  north  of  Glenisla, 
The  result,  with  ill-defined  boundary-lines,  and 
unconquerable  courage  and  unyielding  pride  in 
both  chieftains,  was  disastrous  to  both. 

The  property  of  Dalmunzie,  held  by  the  de- 
scendants of  Angus  Og,  lies  about  two  miles 
north-west  of  Finnegand,  immediately  west  of 
the  Spittal  of  Glenshee,  and  is  still  held  by  a 
M'Intosh.  Glenbeg,  in  which  the  M'Comies  had 
a  shealing,  lies  north  of  the  Spittal  of  Glenshee, 
marching  with  Braemar  on  the  north. 

The  barony  of  Forter,  on  which  the  mansion- 
house  of  Crandart  was  to  become  the  headquar- 
ters of  the  family  of  M'Combie,  is  situated  in  the 
west  of  Forfarshire,  in  the  parish  of  Glenisla,  and 

B 


1 8  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

extends  from  Mount  Blair,  2441  feet,  on  the 
south,  to  Cairn  -  na  -  Glasha,  3484  feet,  on  the 
north.  For  about  four  miles  from  the  eastern 
base  of  Mount  Blair  northwards,  the  Isla  is  the 
eastern  boundary ;  it  then  includes  both  sides  of 
the  Isla,  the  boundary  being  the  watershed  be- 
tween Glencally  and  the  Isla,  over  the  summit 
of  Finalty,  2954  feet.  On  the  north  the  boun- 
dary is  formed  by  the  watershed  between  Canness 
glen  —  Canness  burn  being  the  north  -  eastern 
branch  of  the  Isla  —  and  the  glen  of  the  Doll, 
down  which  rushes  the  Whitewater  to  join  the 
South  Esk,  and  the  watershed  between  Can- 
lochan  glen,  the  burn  of  which  is  the  north-western 
branch  of  the  Isla,  and  Glencallater  in  Aberdeen- 
shire. Between  Canness  and  the  head  of  the 
glen  of  the  Doll  the  highest  summit  is  Tom 
Buidhe,  3140  feet;  between  Canlochan  and  Glen- 
callater the  hiofhest  summit  is  Cairn-na-Glasha. 
On  the  west,  the  broad-crowned  Glas  Maol,  3502 
feet,  near  the  summit  of  which  the  shires  of  Aber- 
deen, Perth,  and  Forfar  meet,  is  the  culminating 
point  of  Forfarshire.     Thence  the  boundary-line 


Barony  of  Forte7\  19 

goes  along  the  top  of  Craig  Leacach,  3238  feet, 
which  descends  in  almost  a  sheer  precipice  to  the 
Brighty  burn,  which  rises  far  up  the  Glas  Maol. 
On  the  western  side  of  Craig  Leacach  is  Glen- 
beg,  which  runs  south  to  the  Spittal  of  Glenshee. 
At  Cairn  Aighe,  2824  feet,  the  boundary -line 
turns  south-eastward  to  Monamenach,  2649  feet, 
about  two  miles  north-north-west  of  Crandart, 
and  thence  in  a  southerly  direction  to  the  height 
overlooking  Dalnaglar  and  the  Balloch,  whence 
it  sweeps  round  south-eastwards  to  Mount  Blair 
again.  The  length  of  this  district,  from  Mount 
Blair  to  Cairn  -  na  -  Glasha,  is  about  ten  miles, 
the  breadth  varying  from  one  to  four  miles. 
The  low-lying  arable  ground  extends  from  the 
Balloch,  1000  feet,  to  Auchavan  and  the  Linns, 
about  1250  feet.  Much  of  this  is  a  friable  fertile 
soil.  Above  the  1250  feet  line,  much  fine  sum- 
mer pasture-land  stretches  up  the  mountain-sides 
to  about  2000  feet.  The  scenery  around  Forter 
is  picturesque ;  above  Forter,  Glenisla  is  narrow, 
the  steep  mountain-sides  closing  in  on  the  narrow 
bottom  of  the  o^len.      Above  the  Tulchan,  Glen- 


20  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

isla  contains  some  of  the  finest  mountain  and 
glen  scenery  in  Scotland.  To  the  left,  going  up 
the  right  bank  of  the  Isla,  Monega  rises  precipi- 
tously to  the  height  of  2917  feet,  its  lower  slope 
for  about  a  mile  below  the  junction  of  Canlochan 
and  Canness  beinor  well  wooded.  In  front,  the 
towering  promontory  that  divides  Canlochan  from 
Canness  rises  grandly  and  abruptly.  The  lower 
part  is  thickly  wooded,  then  the  scarred  rocky 
face,  with  thin  lines  of  trees  struggling  up  wher- 
ever they  can  find  sufficient  soil,  rises  steep  and 
grand  to  the  height  of  nearly  3000  feet.  To  the 
right,  Canness,  a  narrow  gorge,  wooded  on  its 
western  side  for  about  a  mile  from  its  junction 
with  Canlochan,  penetrates  for  about  two  miles, 
first  in  a  north-easterly,  then  in  a  north-westerly 
direction,  towards  the  head-waters  of  Glencallater. 
To  the  left  is  Canlochan,  the  glory  of  Glenisla. 
From  the  north  -  east  shoulder  of  Monega  an 
escarpment  runs  right  round  the  head  of  Can- 
lochan, and  back  to  the  water-parting  between 
Canlochan  and  Canness,  a  distance  of  over  four 
miles,  the  top  of  the  escarpment  the  whole  way 


Barony  of  Fort er.  21 

being  from  a  little  under  to  a  little  over  3000 
feet  above  sea-level.  Where  the  waters  of  Can- 
ness  and  Canlochan  meet,  the  height  above 
sea-level  is  1500  feet;  so  that  there  is  a  preci- 
pitous wall  of  from  1000  feet  to  1500  feet  run- 
ning round  Canlochan,  indented  with  rugged 
and  broken  rocky  gorges.  The  glen  is  about 
two  miles  long,  running  first  in  a  north-westerly 
direction,  then  turninof  almost  due  north  to  Cairn- 
na-Glasha.  From  its  south-eastern  end,  for  about 
a  mile,  it  is  wooded  for  a  considerable  distance 
up  the  precipitous  face.  Beyond  this  the  surface 
is  bare,  with  here  and  there  rocky  faces  rising 
sheer  and  abrupt,  in  the  crevices  of  which  grow 
some  very  rare  alpine  plants,  the  exact  habitat  of 
which  is  known  only  to  a  few  enthusiastic  bot- 
anists, who  keep  their  knowledge  from  ordinary 
mortals  with  jealous  care.  After  passing  the 
Tulchan,  the  eye  discovers  fresh  beauties  at 
every  step.  The  Isla,  winding  through  grassy 
hauQfhs,  the  liorht  rich  orreen  of  the  q-rass  contrast- 
ing  with  the  deeper  and  darker  green  of  the 
larch    wood,    and    both    with    the    purple    of   the 


2  2  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

heather ;  the  rocks  seamed  with  red  scaurs,  jut- 
tinof  at  first  here  and  there  through  the  wood, 
then  rising  sheer  and  abrupt  over  it, — present  a 
picture  of  beauty  and  grandeur  altogether  un- 
rivalled in  Forfarshire,  and  with  few  equals  in 
the  Highlands  of  Scotland. 

Between  the  Brighty — which,  rising  far  up  the 
Glas  Maol,  flows  first  south  by  the  base  of  Craig 
Leacach,  and  then  east  till  it  joins  the  Isla  at  the 
Tulchan — and  the  Isla,  below  the  junction  of  Can- 
ness  and  Canlochan  burns,  there  lies  on  the  west 
side  of  Monega  a  small  ravine  or  gully  called  the 
Glascorrie,  the  burn  from  which  falls  into  the 
Isla,  after  a  south  and  then  south-easterly  course, 
nearly  a  mile  above  the  junction  of  the  Brighty 
and  Isla.  Glen  Brighty  is  black  and  bare,  the 
only  feature  in  the  landscape  that  attracts  the 
eye  being  the  precipitous  face  of  Craig  Leacach, 
destitute  of  vegetation  and  covered  with  loose 
shingle.  Such  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  property 
of  the  M'Comie  Mor  in  Glenisla. 

Coming  now  to  the  personal  history  of  M'Comie 
Mor,  we  shall  first  take  up  the  traditionary  tales, 


M'Coinie  Mor  routs  the  Kain-gatkerers.      23 

which  are  still  preserved,  both  in  Glenshee  and 
Glenisla,  of  his  intrepid  bravery  and  immense 
personal  strength.  The  first  of  these  refers  to  the 
time  he  resided  at  Finneo-and. 

Those  passing  along  the  Highland  road  from 
Blairgowrie  to  Braemar,  may  observe  a  large 
stone  on  the  west  side  of  the  road,  about  opposite 
to  Dalnaglar,  and  about  a  mile  south  from  Finne- 
gand.  This  stone  is  known  by  the  few  Gaelic- 
speaking  people  in  the  district  as  Clach-na- 
Coileach — the  stone  of  the  cock  ;  by  those  who 
speak  Scotch,  as  Cocksteen,  which  originated  as 
follows.  Proprietors  in  Glenshee  —  and  most  if 
not  all  those  in  the  Blackwater  district  —  in  the 
fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  held  their  lands 
by  feu-charter  from  the  then  Earls  of  Athole,  who 
levied  kain — that  is,  so  many  fowls  annually,  as 
a  tax  or  rent — from  every  reeking  house  on  the 
various  properties.  The  term  is  probably  derived 
from  the  Gaelic  ceann,  a  head — as  this  tribute 
would  consist  of  so  many  head  of  whatever  kind 
of  live  stock  the  kain  had  to  be  paid  in.  This 
annual    gathering    of  kain    by  the   Athole    men, 


24  TJie  Family  of  M'Comhie. 

while  M'Comie  Mor  was  in  Finnegand,  had  gone 
on  peacefully  one  year,  from  the  head  of  the  glen 
down  to  a  small  cot  above  Finnegand.  Here  the 
kain-gatherers,  finding  a  poor  widowed  woman — 
a  tenant  of  M'Comie  Mor — heartlessly  took  not 
only  their  lawful  kain,  but  all  her  stock  of  poultry, 
despite  her  most  urgent  entreaties  to  leave  at 
least  some  of  them,  in  pity  for  her  circumstances. 
We  can  easily  conceive  that  the  retainers  of  the 
powerful  Earl  of  Athole  carried  matters  with  a 
high  hand,  as  in  those  times  there  was  practically 
no  redress  of  grievances  except  by  the  strong 
arm.  The  widow's  only  strength  lay  in  tears  and 
entreaties ;  and  finding  these  of  no  avail,  she  be- 
thought her  of  the  strong  arm  of  M'Comie  Mor, 
if  only  he  could  be  persuaded  to  aid  her.  There 
was  no  time  to  lose ;  for  the  kain  -  gatherers 
were  making  their  way  down  the  glen,  and  her 
treasured  poultry  would  soon  be  irretrievably  be- 
yond reach.  In  all  haste  she  set  out  for  Fin- 
negand, with  many  tears  laid  her  complaint 
before  M'Comie  Mor,  and  to  her  great  joy  he 
at  once  consented   to  accompany  her  to  ask  re- 


M'Comie  Mor  7^outs  the  Kain-gatherers.      25 

dress.  We  can  picture  the  widow,  with  heart 
already  lightened — for  who  would  dare  to  refuse 
what  M'Comie  Mor  asked  in  Glenshee  ? — trudg- 
ing along  by  the  side  of  her  stalwart  protector, 
and  relating  all  the  circumstances  of  her  visitors' 
harsh  words  and  still  harsher  deeds.  It  would 
not  be  difficult  to  find  the  kain-gatherers,  as 
their  progress  would  be  accompanied  by  the 
shrill  "  scraichs  "  of  the  captured  cocks  and  hens, 
mingled,  no  doubt,  with  equally  shrill  objurgations 
in  Gaelic  from  irate  goodwives,  whose  ideas  of 
what  should  be  taken  and  what  should  be  left 
would  doubtless  differ  widely  from  those  of  the 
Athole  men.  M'Comie  Mor  and  the  widow  came 
up  with  them  near  the  big  stone,  when  the  former 
explained  the  circumstances  of  the  poor  widow, 
and  asked  that  at  least  part  of  her  poultry  might 
be  returned  to  her,  especially  as  they  had  taken 
more  from  her  than  they  had  a  right  to.  To  the 
widow's  great  surprise  and  renewed  grief,  this 
reasonable  demand  was  met  with  a  decided  re- 
fusal, couched  in  terms  the  reverse  of  polite. 
There  was  nothing  for  it,  then,  but  to  return  to 


26  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

her  cot,  and  put  up  with  her  loss  as  she  best 
could.  But  if  the  widow  was  to  be  content  with 
silent  submission  to  those  with  part  right,  and 
seemingly  whole  might,  on  their  side,  not  so 
M'Comie  Mor.  It  was  bad  enough  to  be  re- 
fused,  but  to  be  spoken  to  with  insolence  on  his 
own  ground,  when  making  a  reasonable  request 
for  one  of  his  own  dependants,  was  intolerable. 
The  civil  request  for  the  restitution  of  part  of  the 
widow's  fowls  became  a  peremptory  command  to 
deliver  up  the  whole.  The  command  meeting 
with  no  better  reception  than  the  request,  was  at 
once  followed  up  by  M'Comie  Mor  drawing  his 
sword  and  attacking  the  leader  of  the  band.  The 
kain-gatherers  at  once  set  down  their  creels,  and 
rushed  to  their  leader's  assistance.  But  he  was 
hors  de  combat  before  assistance  could  reach  him  ; 
and  the  astonished  Athole  men  soon  found  that 
might  as  well  as  right  was  on  the  side  of  the 
widow,  for  wherever  a  blow  from  M'Comie  Mors 
right  arm  fell,  there  fell  an  Athole  man  also.  As 
by  this  time  a  good  few  Glenshee  men  were  arriv- 
ing, who    had   learned    what  was  going  on,   the 


M'Comie  Mor  routs  the  Kain-gatherers.      27 

Athole  men  wisely  gave  way,  M'ComIe  Mor 
then  advanced  and  unceremoniously  cut  open  the 
coops  containing  the  widow's  feathered  treasures, 
whereupon  one  crouse  young  cock  mounted  the 
big  stone,  and  sent  forth  a  shrill,  clear,  and  tri- 
umphant pseian  of  victory.  That  was  a  scene  not 
likely  soon  to  be  forgotten  in  Glenshee  :  the  poor 
widow,  doubtless  but  a  moment  before  in  an  agony 
of  fear  for  the  safety  of  her  chivalrous  champion, 
risking  his  life  against  such  heavy  odds  on  her 
behalf,  now  gladly  pouring  forth  her  thanks,  while 
rejoicing  over  her  recovered  treasures  :  the  crest- 
fallen kain-gatherers  making  off  with  what  kain 
was  still  left  to  them  —  doubtless  strictly  civil 
and  honest  in  their  further  requisitions  while 
in  Glenshee ;  the  stalwart  chief  sheathing  his 
sword ;  and  high  over  all  the  brave  little  chan- 
ticleer, sending  forth  his  notes  of  defiance  to  all 
the  race  of  Athole  kain-gatherers.  The  scene 
was  not  likely  to  be  forgotten,  and  is  not  for- 
gotten ;  for  the  Clach-na-Coileach  still  remains, 
a  mute  but  steadfast  witness :  and  often  is  the 
story  told   in    Glenshee   of  how    M'Comie    Mor 


28  The  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 

supplied  the  much-needed  might  for  the  widow's 
riorht. 

But  the  quarrel  about  the  kain,  as  might  be 
expected,  did  not  end  here.  The  Earl  of  Athole, 
as  superior  of  the  district,  could  not  brook  the 
insult  of  having  his  retainers  routed,  and  his  kain 
withheld  by  a  vassal.  A  well-armed  band  was, 
therefore,  sent  from  Athole  to  Glenshee,  to  bring 
M'Comie  Mor  to  Blair  Athole  dead  or  alive.  In 
due  time  they  reached  Finnegand,  and  surprised 
the  laird  unarmed  in  the  house.  But  M'Comie 
Mor  had  sagacity  and  wit,  as  well  as  strength 
and  courage.  The  Athole  men  having  explained 
their  errand,  he  frankly  admitted  that,  in  the  cir- 
cumstances, he  was  powerless  to  gainsay  them. 
However,  it  was  a  pretty  long  way  to  Blair 
Castle,  and  both  they  and  himself  would  be  better 
of  having  some  refreshment  before  setting  out. 
Orders  were  at  once  given  for  refreshments  to 
be  set  down  in  the  other  end  of  the  house ;  the 
Athole  men  and  the  laird  being  at  this  time  in 
the  kitchen.  While  the  servants  busied  them- 
selves in  preparing  a  substantial  repast,  M'Comie 


M'Comie  Mor  outwits  the  A  thole  Men.      29 

Mor,  by  his  frank  and  genial  bearing-,  soon  put 
the  Athole  men  at  their  ease.  When  It  was 
intimated  that  their  repast  was  ready,  the  laird 
courteously  requested  them  to  lay  aside  their 
arms  and  plaids,  that  they  might  be  at  more 
freedom  while  eating  and  drinking.  As  he  him- 
self was  unarmed,  and  all  distrust  of  their  enter- 
tainer had  vanished  under  the  influence  of  his 
unexpected  affability,  the  Athole  men  piled  their 
arms  in  a  corner  of  the  kitchen  ;  and  removing 
their  plaids,  followed  the  host  to  the  other  end  of 
the  house,  where  they  found  a  profuse  abundance 
of  Highland  cheer  set  forth.  Charmed  by  their 
host's  genial  frankness,  and  softened  by  unlimited 
uisge-beatha,  the  Athole  men  were  now  completely 
at  their  ease,  and  were  doubtless  mentally  con- 
gratulating themselves  on  the  unexpected  ease 
and  pleasure  with  which  they  were  carrying  out 
a  mission,  which  they  had  calculated  would  be 
one  of  no  little  danger  and  difficulty.  When, 
therefore,  their  host  at  length  asked  permission 
to  go  and  give  some  necessary  Instructions  to  his 
family  about  the  management  of  his  affairs  while 


30  TJie  Family  of  M'Combie. 

he  would  be  absent,  rendered  necessary  by  his 
being  so  unexpected  called  away  without  notice, 
the  permission  was  at  once  granted,  without  the 
slightest  feeling  of  mistrust  on  the  part  of  the 
Athole  men.  Accordingly,  M'Comie  Mor  went 
out,  telling  them  he  would  send  word  when  he 
was  ready.  After  waiting  a  short  time,  a  servant 
announced  that  her  master  was  ready.  The 
Athole  men  at  once  proceeded  to  the  kitchen 
to  resume  their  plaids  and  arms,  and  found — 
M'Comie  Mor  standing  fully  armed,  their  plaids 
all  laid  out  on  a  table,  but  not  a  single  gun  nor 
sword  to  be  seen  in  the  corner  where  they  had 
so  imprudently  left  them.  Their  lately  so  genial 
host  then  informed  them  in  a  haughty  tone,  that 
as  they  had  been  sent  for  him,  they  were  at 
liberty  to  try  and  take  him  with  them,  but  that 
he  was  determined  to  defend  his  liberty  to  the 
utmost  of  his  power.  The  dismay  of  the  Athole 
men  may  be  imagined.  Even  had  they  been 
again  armed,  they  knew  full  well  by  this  time 
how  extremely  dangerous  a  task  it  would  have 
been   to   have    overpowered   him ;    as    it  was,   it 


M'Comie  Mors  Fight  with  a  Foreign  Bravo.   31 

would  have  been  but  throwing  their  Hves  away 
to  have  attempted  his  capture.  There  was 
nothing  for  it  then  but  to  resume  their  plaids, 
and  return  unarmed  to  Athole,  and  explain,  as 
they  best  might,  the  ignominious  failure  of  their 
mission. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  M'Comie  Mor  did  not 
expect  that  the  Earl  of  Athole  would  quietly 
submit  to  this  fresh  indignity.  An  unforeseen 
event,  however,  brought  the  matter  to  a  more 
friendly  termination  than  could  otherwise  have 
been  looked  for.  Shortly  after  the  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  carry  off  M'Comie  Mor  to  Athole,  a 
professional  champion  swordsman,  or  bully  as  he 
was  called,  a  gigantic  Italian,  made  his  appear- 
ance at  Blair  Athole,  and  as  usual  challenged  the 
best  man  the  Earl  of  Athole  could  produce  to 
fight ;  and  in  the  event  of  no  one  accepting  his 
challenge,  or  any  one  accepting  it  and  being 
beaten,  he  would  claim,  as  a  right,  a  sum  of 
money,  as  a  sort  of  tribute  earned  by  his 
prowess.  The  payment  of  the  money  was  a 
less  source  of  annoyance  to  one  in  the  position 


32  The  Family  of  M'Coriibie. 

of  the  Earl  of  Athole  than  the  thought  that  in 
all  the  wide  district  of  which  he  was  superior, 
he  could  not  find  a  man  of  sufficient  strength 
and  courage  to  successfully  cope  with  this  foreign 
bravo.  And  in  proportion  also  to  the  disgrace 
of  having  no  man  in  Athole  a  match  for  him, 
would  be  the  glory  to  the  Earl  and  his  vassals 
if  he  could  produce  an  Athole  champion  able  to 
conquer  such  a  redoubted  hero.  In  the  present 
instance,  disgrace  instead  of  honour  appeared 
likely  to  fall  on  Athole  and  Athole  men ;  for  a 
sight  of  the  foreigner,  who  was  of  immense 
size  and  fierce  aspect,  together  with  the  no- 
toriety of  his  extraordinary  skill  as  a  swords- 
man, proved  sufficient  to  deter  the  strongest  and 
bravest  of  the  Athole  men  from  risking  life  and 
limb  in  a  fight  with  him.  In  this  emergency,  the 
Earl  at  last  reflected  that  M'Comie  Mor,  who 
had  recently  lowered  the  prestige  of  the  Athole 
men  as  their  opponent,  was  the  very  man  to 
raise  it  again  as  their  champion.  We  can  easily 
understand  that  at  a  time  when  personal  prowess 
was    of  such   account,   the   Earl's   displeasure  at 


M'Comie  Mors  Fight  ivith  a  Foreign  Bravo.   ^2, 

the  double  indignity  offered  to  his  immediate 
retainers  was  tempered  with  a  feehng  of  satis- 
faction that  he  had  amongst  his  vassals  a  man 
possessed  of  such  unusual  strength,  courage,  and 
sagacity.  It  was  evident,  also,  to  a  prudent  man, 
that  it  would  be  a  more  satisfactory  termination 
to  the  present  quarrel  that  M'Comie  Mor  should 
give  satisfaction  to  the  Earl's  offended  dignity  by 
rendering  a  personal  service  to  him,  than  that  so 
brave  a  man  should  be  subdued  by  mere  force  of 
numbers.  Accordingly,  a  trusted  retainer  was 
despatched  to  Finnegand,  who  was  to  explain  to 
M'Comie  Mor  that  if  he  would  come  to  Blair 
Castle,  and  there  render  a  personal  service  to 
the  Earl  of  an  honourable  nature,  that  in  that 
case  the  Earl  would  look  on  this  as  making  full 
amends  for  the  indignities  inflicted  on  his  re- 
tainers on  their  last  two  visits.  For  some  time 
M'Comie  Mor  was  in  great  doubt  as  to  this 
intimation  being  made  in  good  faith,  and  had  a 
strong  suspicion  that  it  was  merely  a  ruse  to  get 
him  quietly  into  Athole,  where  satisfaction  would 
be   required   of  him  for  the   affair  of  the  kain- 

c 


34  The  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 

gatherers,  and  his  outwitting  the  second  expe- 
dition. Assured  at  length  that  the  Earl's  in- 
vitation was  made  in  good  faith,  he  set  out  with 
the  messenger,  and  arrived  at  Blair  Castle.  But 
here  a  fresh  difficulty  arose.  On  being  con- 
fronted with  the  Italian  champion,  and  the  pur- 
pose for  which  he  had  been  summoned  explained 
to  him,  he  flatly  refused  to  fight  with  any  man 
with  whom  he  had  no  quarrel.  At  this  unlooked- 
for  declaration,  the  hopes  of  the  Athole  men, 
which  had  been  raised  to  a  great  height,  from 
the  account  given  by  the  kain-gatherers  of  his 
extraordinary  strength  and  courage,  and  from  his 
magnificent  personal  appearance,  received  a  rude 
fall.  In  vain  the  Earl  urged  and  entreated  him, 
in  vain  some  of  the  Athole  men  began  audibly  to 
hint  that  the  redoubted  M'Comie  Mor's  courage 
had  vanished  like  their  own  at  the  sight  of  the 
fierce  and  stalwart  Italian.  This  latter  worthy's 
behaviour  soon  brought  about  the  desired  result. 
On  learning  that  the  man  who  was  expected  to 
fight  with  him  refused  to  do  so  on  the  plea  that 
there  was   no  quarrel  between   them,  and  there- 


M'Comie  Mors  Fig  Jit  with  a  Foreign  Bravo.  35 

fore  no  occasion  to  fight,  he  at  once  attributed 
this  to  cowardice,  and  began  to  indulge  in  much 
high-sounding  bravado.  This  having  no  effect, 
he  next  proceeded  to  personal  indignity,  and 
approaching  his  apparently  imperturbable  oppon- 
ent, he  with  one  hand  lifted  his  kilt,  and  with  the 
other — horresco  referens — bestowed  a  sounding 
whack  on  the  astounded  chief's  posteriors.  In 
an  instant,  with  the  peculiarly  graceful  sweep 
that  always  marked  the  drawing  of  his  sword — 
a  peculiarity  which  afterwards  stood  him  in  good 
stead  on  another  occasion — his  sword  was  out  of 
its  scabbard.  The  Italian  immediately  sprang 
back,  and  put  himself  in  position.  The  Athole 
men  now  silent,  in  breathless  suspense  watched 
the  two  gigantic  opponents,  for  there  was  that  on 
the  face  of  M'Comie  Mor  that  showed  it  was 
to  be  a  battle  ct  outrance.  Nor  were  the  spec- 
tators held  long  in  suspense  as  to  the  result.  A 
few  careful  parries,  and  almost  before  they  could 
comprehend  or  believe  what  they  saw,  M'Comie 
Mor's  blade,  with  lightning-like  rapidity  and  ex- 
traordinary force,  was  through  the  Italian's  guard, 

1135570 


36  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

and  his  fiofhtino-  career  in  this  world  was  for  ever 
ended. 

Another  incident  of  his  Hfe  while  at  Finnegand 
marks  both  the  proud  spirit  of  M'Comie  Mor  and 
his  determination  not  to  put  up  with  any  slight  to 
himself  or  family,  and  also  shows  the  lawlessness^ 
of  the  time,  and  the  little  regard  for  human  life. 
One  day  on  coming  home  to  Finnegand,  he  found 
his  wife  and  the  female  servants  in  a  very  excited 
state,  and  on  inquiry  found  that  a  big  strong  caird 
had  called,  and  finding  no  man  about  the  place, 
had  behaved  very  rudely  to  his  wife.  Ascertain- 
ing that  the  caird  had  gone  up  the  glen,  he  took 
two  swords  with  him,  and  immediately  followed 
in  pursuit.  Coming  up  with  him  opposite  Brough- 
dearg,  he  gave  him  his  choice  of  the  swords,  and 
the  result  of  the  fieht  that  followed  between  them 
was  the  slaughter  of  the  caird,  who  was  buried 
where  he  fell,  and  the  place  is  still  known  as 
Imir-a-Chaird,  the  Caird's  ridge  or  field.^ 

After  obtaining  the  wadset  of  the  barony  of 
Forter,  and  building  the  mansion-house  at  Cran- 

^  Appendix,  Note  F.  ^  Appendix,  Note  G, 


M'Comie  Mors  Piitting-Stone.  37 

dart,  M'Comie  Mor  left  Finnegand  and  resided  at 
Crandart,  the  house  of  which  was  built  in  1660. 
By  the  time  he  came  to  reside  there  he  was  past 
his  prime,  and  had  become  less  desirous  of  exert- 
ing his  personal  strength,  it  is  therefore  probable 
that  his  famous  feat  with  the  stone,  which  since 
then  has  been  known  as  M'Comie  Mors  putting- 
stone,  was  performed  while  he  was  yet  a  young 
man  at  Finnegand,  The  place  where  the  feat 
was  performed,  and  the  stone  itself,  and  the  stance, 
are  all  remarkable.  The  source  of  the  Prosen,  a 
right-bank  tributary  of  the  South  Esk,  is  at  the 
west  end  of  the  slope  that  reaches  back  from  the 
summit  of  the  Mayar,  3043  feet,  whose  eastern 
side  rises  abruptly  over  Glen  Prosen.  At  the 
west  end  of  this  slope,  in  two  slight  depressions 
which  spread  out  like  a  V,  are  gathered  the  head- 
waters of  the  Prosen,  a  short  distance  from  the 
source  of  the  Cally,  a  left-bank  tributary  of  the 
Isla,  Between  the  two  depressions  is  a  com- 
paratively level  meadow  of  short  benty  grass,  and 
from  the  surface  of  this  meadow  the  upper  edge 
of   an    earthfast  stone,    about  4  or   5   feet  long, 


38  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

projects  for  about  6  inches  above  the  surface. 
This  projecting  edge  of  the  boulder  forms  the 
stance,  and  about  26  feet  beyond  this  stance 
is  embedded,  in  a  round  hole  in  the  ground,  • 
a  round -shaped  rough -surfaced  stone  of  about 
35  lb.  in  weight,  and  local  tradition  for  over  two 
hundred  years  has  handed  down  the  hole,  in  which 
the  stone  lies  embedded  to  about  half  its  diameter, 
as  the  mark  to  which  M'Comie  Mor  putted  the 
stone  from  the  stone  stance.  On  many  of  the 
surrounding  heights,  pieces  of  ground  as  smooth 
and  level  may  be  got ;  but  so  good  a  natural 
stance  and  natural  putting-stone  is  extremely  rare, 
if  not  altogether  unique,  on  a  mountain-top.  It 
is  easy  to  understand  that  all  the  conditions  and 
materials  being  found  so  handy,  for  such  a  national 
pastime  as  putting  the  stone,  by  the  young  men 
of  the  surrounding  glens,  when  on  hunting  ex- 
peditions or  looking  after  their  flocks,  the  place 
would  soon  become  well  known ;  the  marks  of  noted 
throwers  would  be  pointed  out,  and  every  noted 
putter  would  be  anxious  to  put  a  best  on  record 
down  if  possible.     There  is  nothing  Improbable, 


M'Comie  Mors  Well.  39 

therefore,  in  believing  that  the  mark  put  in  over 
two  hundred  years  ago  by  admiring  contempor- 
aries, and  kept  fresh  by  succeeding  generations, 
points  out  the  exact  spot  to  which  M'Comie  Mor 
putted  the  present  stone  from  the  present  stance. 
Many  athletes  of  the  present  day  have  made  a 
pilgrimage  to  it  when  passing  between  Clova  and 
Glenisla,  and  to  both  them  and  their  forefathers 
stance,  stone,  and  mark  have  ever  remained  the 
same.  What  renders  it  still  more  probable  is, 
that  the  same  stone  could  be  putted  the  same 
distance  by  one  or  two  of  the  leading  athletes  of 
the  present  time.  Most  traditionary  putting- 
stones  of  bygone  heroes  are  of  a  weight,  or  have 
been  putted  a  distance,  that  at  once  stamps  the 
accounts  given  as  absurd  nonsense. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  westmost  arm  of  the 
V,  the  strongest  spring  that  there  gushes  out  is 
known  as  M'Comie  Mor's  well.  From  the  top 
of  the  Mayar,  looking  north,  the  top  of  Benachie, 
beyond  the  vale  of  Alford,  may  be  seen  through 
a  gap,  as  it  were,  among  the  intervening  moun- 
tains.     Perhaps  it  was  a  glimpse  of  distant  Ben- 


40  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

achie  from  this  point  that  led  young  Donald 
M'Combie  in  after-years,  when  the  fortunes  of 
his  family  were  on  the  wane  in  Forfarshire,  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  the  Vale  of  Alford.  Besides 
that  of  the  well-known  putting-stone,  other  tradi- 
tions exist  of  M'Comie  Mors  great  personal 
strength.  Two  stones  used  to  be  pointed  out 
in  Canlochan,  with  which  he  performed  feats 
altogether  beyond  the  power  of  ordinary  men. 
He  is  also  said  to  have  become  possessed  of  a 
bull  in  the  Stormont  district,  which  had  become 
unmanageable  from  its  fierce  temper,  on  very 
easy  terms  from  his  point  of  view.  M'Comie 
Mor  hearing  the  owner  of  the  bull  saying  he 
would  have  to  destroy  him,  as  he  was  become 
unmanageable  and  unsafe,  laughed  at  the  idea  of 
a  man  being  beat  by  a  bull.  The  owner,  said  to 
have  been  Mercer  of  Meikleour,  nettled  at  being 
laughed  at,  said  that  if  M'Comie  Mor  could 
manage  the  bull  unaided,  he  would  get  him  home 
with  him  as  a  present.  This  offer  being  accepted, 
they  proceeded  to  the  enclosure  where  the  fierce 
brute  was  confined,   which  no  sooner  saw  them 


M'Comie  Mor  and  Knox  Baxter.  41 

than  he  rushed  bellowing  to  the  side  of  the  fence. 
M'Comie  Mor,  reaching  over  the  fence,  with  his 
left  hand  seized  the  bull's  right  horn,  then  vault- 
ing over  the  fence,  seized  his  other  horn  with  his 
right  hand,  and  in  a  moment  had  the  now  in- 
furiated brute  on  his  back.  Then  allowing  him 
to  regain  his  feet,  he  immediately  overthrew  him 
a  second  time,  and  this  he  repeated  till  he  was 
thoroughly  subdued,  when  he  was  afterwards 
taken  home  in  triumph  by  his  conqueror.^ 

In  an  agfe  when  witches  were  still  believed  in 
by  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  and  duly  punished  or 
exorcised,  and  the  black  art  had  its  schools  of 
learning,  it  is  quite  natural  that  several  tradition- 
ary incidents  in  M'Comie  Mor's  life  should  con- 
tain supernatural  elements.  There  is  still  pointed 
out  a  large  stone  forming  the  lintel  of  the  lime- 
kiln at  Crandart,  which,  after  baffling  the  efforts 
of  the  old  chief  and  his  sons,  was  placed  there 
by  one  man.  The  story  goes  that  this  man, 
Knox  Baxter,  alias  Colin  M'Kenzie,  by  name, 
who  was  suspected   of  being  possessed  of  black 

^  Appendix,  Note  H. 


42  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

art,  came  to  Crandart  as  M'Comie  and  his  sons 
were  trying  ineffectually  to  get  the  stone  into  its 
place.  Sitting  down  a  little  apart,  he  viewed  un- 
concernedly the  efforts  put  forth,  without  volun- 
teering a  helping  hand.  By-and-by  the  dinner- 
hour  came,  without  the  stone  having  been  got 
into  position.  Having  excused  himself  from 
accepting  the  invitation  given  him  to  dinner, 
the  stranger  was  left  sitting  by  the  kiln-side, 
where  he  was  found  when  they  returned  to  con- 
tinue their  work  at  the  kiln,  but  the  stone  was 
now  in  the  place  where  the  united  efforts  of 
M'Comie  Mor  and  his  sons  had  failed  to  place 
it !  It  is  said  the  old  chief  made  no  comment 
on  this  startling  feat,  but  quietly  divesting 
himself  of  his  coat  with  its  silver  buttons,  he 
handed  it  to  Knox  Baxter  as  a  tacit  acknow- 
ledgment of  the  estimation  he  had  of  his  powers. 
The  old  chief  knew  that  no  man  unaided  could 
have  done  what  had  been  done,  and  deemed  it 
prudent  to  propitiate  his  uncanny  visitor. 

But  a  still  more  exciting  and  uncanny  adventure 
awaited  him.     In  going  through  the  forest  of  Can- 


M'Comie  Mor  and  the  Fairy.  43 

lochan  one  day  he  came  upon  no  less  a  being 
than  the  water-kelpie's  wife,  in  the  weird  and 
secluded  Glascorrie.  Taken  unawares,  this  re- 
doubted fairy  or  elf  had  not  time  to  escape  to 
the  water  before  M'Comie  Mor  had  her  firmly 
in  his  grasp.  But  how  to  get  her  to  Crandart  ? 
He  knew  that  if  he  crossed  running  water  with 
her  she  would  escape  from  him,  do  what  he 
might.  He  therefore  set  out  on  a  long  and  diffi- 
cult route  homewards,  around  the  head-waters  of 
the  Brighty,  along  the  summits  of  Craig  Leacach, 
Cairn  Aighe,  Black  Hill,  and  Monamenach,  then 
cautiously  threading  the  mountain  -  side  above 
Crandart,  and  nearly  losing  his  precious  capture 
while  incautiously  stepping  over  an  almost  in- 
visible streamlet,  he  at  length  landed  her  safely 
at  Crandart.  Arrived  there,  his  unwilling  visitor 
had  to  bargain  for  her  release,  the  condition  being 
that  the  chief  should  have  some  circumstance  re- 
lating to  the  time,  place,  or  manner  of  his  death 
foretold  him.  Thereupon  the  fairy,  taking  him 
to  the  face  of  the  hill  above  Crandart,  pointed 
out  a  large  stone,   and   told   him   he  would  die 


44  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

with  his  head  above  it.  Having  now  acquired 
her  Hberty,  she  departed  to  her  own  haunts 
again,  and  we  may  be  sure  was  careful  never 
to  be  so  incautious  in  her  future  wanderinQ^s  in 
Canlochan.  M'Comie  Mor  took  prudent  pre- 
cautions that  dying  with  his  head  above  the 
stone  pointed  out  by  the  fairy  should  prove 
more  convenient  than  its  then  position  war- 
ranted. He  therefore  caused  the  stone  to  be 
removed  from  the  hillside,  and  built  into  the 
wall  of  his  house  at  Crandart,  so  that  the  head 
of  the  stone  was  under  the  head  of  his  bed, 
whereon  many  years  after  he  died,  with  his  head 
above  the  stone,  as  the  fairy  foretold. 

As  John  M'Comie  advanced  in  life  and  found 
his  personal  strength  diminishing,  he  was  anxious 
that  his  eldest  son  and  successor  might  be  worthy 
of  the  family  name,  but  seems  to  have  had  some 
doubts  on  this  point,  as  although  the  young  man, 
who  was  also  named  John,  had  obtained  the  cog- 
nomen of  Mor,  big,  from  his  stalwart  appearance, 
yet  his  quiet  peaceable  disposition  had  led  the 
old  chief  to  imagine  he  was  too  gentle — had,  as 


]\PCoinie  Mor  tests  his  Eldest  Son.  45 

he  said,  too  much  of  the  Campbell  blood  in  him. 
This,  according  to  M'Comie  Mors  opinion,  was 
not  likely  to  increase  his  courage  ;  he  therefore 
determined  to  put  it  to  the  test,  and  thereby  set 
his  mind  at  rest.  Knowing  that  his  son  would 
be  returning  from  Glenshee  to  Glenisla  one  even- 
ing  about  dusk  by  the  pass  of  Glen  Bainie,  he 
there  lay  in  wait  for  him  at  a  sort  of  natural 
stone  seat,  still  called  M'Comie  Mors  Chair. 
Having  disguised  himself  as  much  as  possible, 
he  trusted  to  the  deepening  twilight  sufficiently 
concealing  his  identity.  No  sooner,  then,  did  his 
son  appear,  than,  without  uttering  a  word  of  chal- 
lenge or  warning,  he  at  once  sprang  up,  drew  his 
sword,  and  attacked  him.  It  has  been  already 
mentioned  that  M'Comie  Mor  was  distinguished 
by  the  peculiarly  graceful  sweep  with  which  he 
drew  his  sword  when  about  to  fight.  His  son 
fortunately  observed  this,  and  at  once  suspected 
both  who  his  adversary  was  and  the  reason  for 
this  unexpected  attack.  Keeping  his  suspicions 
to  himself,  however,  he  at  once  began  to  defend 
himself,  while  demanding  the  reason  of  the  attack. 


46  The  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 

His  demand  meeting  with  no  attention  from  his 
silent  aggressor,  he  gave  all  his  attention  to  the 
matter  on  hand,  and  exerting  his  utmost  skill, 
strength,  and  agility,  he  began  to  press  his  op- 
ponent in  the  most  determined  manner,  and  at 
length  disarmed  him,  and  had  him  completely 
at  his  mercy.  He  then  told  his  exhausted  and 
— for  the  first  time  in  his  life — defeated  assailant, 
that  if  he  wished  to  save  his  life  he  must  at  once 
reveal  his  name,  and  give  his  reason  for  so  un- 
provoked an  attack.  At  the  first  sound  of  his 
father's  voice,  his  son  immediately  began  to 
reproach  him  for  thus  endangering  both  their 
lives,  and  told  him  that  he  could  have  slain  him 
more  than  once  during  the  combat,  and  probably 
would  have  done  so,  had  he  not  suspected  from 
his  manner  of  drawing  his  sword  and  beginning 
the  attack  who  he  was,  and  reminded  him  of 
how  awful  a  thing  it  would  have  been  for  the 
survivor  had  either  of  them  slain  the  other ;  to 
all  of  which  the  old  chief,  highly  elated  by  his 
son's  unquestionable  courage,  strength,  and  skill, 
contentedly  replied  that  all  that  was  of  no  con- 


M'Comie  Mor  forfaulted  as  a  Royalist.       47 

sequence  compared  with  the  now,  to  his  mind, 
clearly  demonstrated  fact  that  his  son  was  a  true 
M'Comie. 

Leaving  tradition,  we  now  come  to  the  histor- 
ical part  of  the  history  of  John  M'Comie,  and  it 
will  be  found  that  it  is  far  more  excitingf  and 
tragical  than  anything  handed  down  by  tradition. 
To  understand  how  the  strange  and  stirring 
events  towards  the  close  of  John  M'Comie's  life 
originated,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  he  had 
entered  into  possession  of  the  barony  of  Forter 
during  the  time  of  the  Commonwealth.  In  these 
unsettled  and  unsettling  times,  such  a  man  as 
John  M'Comie  could  not  remain  inactive.  At 
the  outset  he  had  sided  with  the  King's  party,^ 
and  in  Chambers's  '  History  of  the  Rebellion  in 
Scotland '  we  find,  in  vol.  ii.,  appendix,  under 
date  February  11,  1645,  as  forfaulted  for  "the 
invasione  of  the  Northe,"^  John  M'Colmie.^ 
There  is  no  doubt,  however,  but  that  he 
changed  sides,  and  it  is  probable  this  was  in 
great   measure  owing    to    his    being    married    to 

^  Appendix,  Note  A.  ^  Appendix,  Note  I.  ^  Appendix,  Note  J. 


48  The  Family  of  M'Covibie. 

Elizabeth  Campbell,  granddaughter  of  Donald 
Campbell  of  Denhead,  near  Coupar-Angus,  who 
was  a  son  of  Donald  Campbell,  last  Abbot  of 
Coupar  in  Angus,  and  fourth  son  of  Archibald, 
Earl  of  Argyll.  It  was  doubtless  this  connection 
by  marriage  with  a  scion  of  the  House  of  Argyll 
that  induced  John  M'Comie  to  side  with  the 
Parliament  and  Cromwell  latterly.  This  change 
of  sides  proved  most  disastrous  to  him  and  his 
family,  for  no  sooner  was  the  Restoration  an 
accomplished  fact,  than  the  Royalists,  who  had 
before  feared  and  respected  him,  began  to  harass 
him  in  person  and  property.  Charles  II.  was 
restored  in  May  1660,  entering  London  on  the 
29th  of  May,  and  in  less  than  a  year  afterwards 
the  Scottish  Parliament  passed  an  "  Act  and 
Decreit  in  favour  of  James,  Earle  of  Airlie, 
against  Johne  M'Intosh,  alias  M'Comie,  of  For- 
thar,"  at  Edinburgh,  May  3,  1661.  From 
which  Act  it  appears  that  the  Earl's  father, 
James,  Lord  Ogilvie,  had  raised  letters  of  free 
forestry  for  the  forest  of  Glascorrie,  commonly 
called  Camlochan,  in  the  reign  of  James  VI.,  as 


M'Couiie  Mors  Laivsiiit  ivitli  Lord  Air  lie.     49 

had  also  the  then  Earl  In  the  reign  of  Charles  I. 
Yet,  notwithstanding,  "  The  said  Johne  M'Intosh, 
alias  M'Comie,  upon  ane  secreit  design  to  in- 
croach  upon  the  supplicant's  glen  of  Glascorie, 
comonly  called  Camlochan,  did  eat  the  grass 
of  the  said  forrest,  cut  down  and  destroy  the 
growing  trees,  and  kill  the  roes  and  dears  haunt- 
ing and  feiding  therein  at  his  pleasure."  John 
M'Comie  had  obtained  a  sight  of  these  letters 
and  "  gave  ane  inventar  subscryved  with  his  hand 
for  redeliverie  thereof,  .  .  .  but  flatlie  refused 
so  to  doe."  So  cannot  get  them,  though  "  neid- 
full  to  the  supplicant  and  James,  Lord  Ogilvie,  his 
Sonne."  "And  the  said  John  M'Comie,  defender, 
compeiring  personally  with  Mr  George  M'Ken- 
zie^  his  pro""',  .  .  .  and  alledged  that  he  ought  not 
to  redeliver  the  same  Because  be  verteu  of  ane 
contract  of  alienation  betuixt  the  persewer  and 
defender  The  persewer  is  obleidged  to  deliver  to 
him  the  said  writs  et  quod  frustra  petit  qui  mox 
est  restiturtis.  Whereunto  it  was  replyed  for  the 
said  persewer  that  he  opposed  the  band  and  in- 

1  Appendix,  Note  K. 
D 


50  The  Family  of  M'Conibie. 

ventar  subscryved  with  his  hand  for  redelyverie 
of  the  same,  To  the  which  it  wes  duplyed  for  the 
said  defender,  that  the  yeers  wherein  the  per- 
sewer  had  hbertie  to  redeim  the  said  glen  of 
Glascorie  from  the  defender  not  being  expyred 
the  time  of  the  granting  of  the  saids  inventars, 
as  they  are  now,  he  could  not  be  tyed  be  verteu 
therof  to  deliver  the  same,  his  right  to  the  said 
glen  being  now  irredeimable,  and  the  writs  his 
oune.  All  which  being  set  forth,  His  Maiestie, 
with  advice  and  consent  of  the  saids  estates  of 
Parliament,"  ordained  that  the  letters  of  free 
forestry  be  given  up. 

From  which  it  would  appear  that  the  defence 
of  John  M'Comie  lay,  first,  in  the  fact  that  the 
deed  of  alienation  gave  him  the  right  to  the 
letters,  and  that  it  was  needless  to  give  back  to 
Lord  Airlie  what  he  would  immediately  have  to 
redeliver  again ;  second,  that  the  time  which  had 
been  given  to  the  Earl  of  Airlie  to  redeem  the 
forest  had  expired,  and  that  as  the  engagement 
to  redeliver  the  letters  referred  only  to  the  time 
during  which  the  forest  could  be  redeemed,  the 


M'Comie  Mors  Lawstut  with  Lord  Air  lie.     51 

letters  of  free  forestry  were,  like  the  forest  itself, 
beyond  recall,  and  were  now  the  property  of 
John  M'Comie,  not  of  Lord  Airlie.  In  the  Act 
there  is  no  attempt  to  deny  John  M'Comie's 
statements.  Judgment  was  simply  given  against 
him,  the  reason  for  which  appears  in  certain 
phrases  in  an  "  Act  and  Remit,  James,  Earle  of 
Airlie,  against  Johne  M'Intoshe,  alias  M'Comie,  of 
Forther."  "  Anent  the  supplication  given  in  to 
the  Estates  of  Parliament  be  James,  Earle  of 
Airlie,  and  James,  Lord  Ogilvie,  his  sonne,  against 
Johne  M'Intosh,  alias  M'Comie,  of  Forther,  shew- 
ing That  be  ane  contract  of  alienation  passed 
betuixt  the  supplicant  and  the  said  Johne  M'ln- 
tosh,  anent  the  alienation  to  him  of  the  lands  and 
baronie  of  Forther,  Ther  is  expreslie  reserved 
to  the  supplicant  the  forest  and  glen  of  Glascorie, 
cofnonly  called  Camlochan,  lyand  within  the 
parochen  of  Glenyla  and  Shereffdome  of  Forfar, 
and  bounded  within  the  particular  meiths  and 
marches  mentioned  in  the  said  contract :  Not- 
withstanding of  the  which  reservation,  the  said 
John    M'Intosh,    alias    M'Comie,    haveing  great 


52  The  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 

power  with  the  late  vsiirpers  as  their  intelligencer 
and  favourite,  had  these  severall  years  bygone  en- 
croached within  the  meiths  and  marches  of  the 
said  forrest,  and  had  pastured  yeerly  thereon 
above  fyvescore  oxen  and  twenty  milk  kyne  with 
diverse  horses.  For  remeid  whairof  the  suppli- 
cant intendit  action  of  coofnition  of  marches  and 
molestation  against  the  said  John  M'Comie  be- 
for  the  Shirreff  of  Forfar,  founded  vpon  the  Act 
of  Parliament,  In  which  action  ther  being  diverse 
disputes,  ansuers,  duplys,  and  triplyes  made  for 
either  partie  and  set  doun  in  writ,  The  same 
wes  at  lenth  delivered  to  Mr  David  Nevay, 
Shirreff  of  Forfar,  to  be  advised  be  him,  who 
being  readie  to  pronounce  interloquitur  therein, 
The  said  Johne  M'Comie,  be  his  said  moyen  and 
favotcr  with  the  English  vsurpers,  purchased  ane 
advocation  of  the  said  persute,  and  produced  the 
same  befor  the  said  Shirreff  depute,  thereby  to 
stop  and  discharge  him  from  any  further  pro- 
ceiding  therein,  Albeit  upon  most  false  and  unjust 
grounds.  .  .  .  Since  the  production  of  the  which 
advocation  not  only  the  forsaid  action  and   per- 


M'Comie  Mors  Lawsuit  zvith  Lord  Airlie.     53 

sute  had  sisted  and  sleeped,  Bot  also  the  said 
Johne  M'Comie  had  continewed  yeerly  sensyne 
pasturing  his  goods  and  cattell  vpon  the  said 
forrest,  and  eiting  and  destroying  the  haill  grasse 
thairof,  to  the  supphcants'  great  hurt,  preiudice, 
and  heavie  oppression.  .  .  .  Thereupon  His 
Majestie,  with  advice  and  consent  of  the  saids 
estates  of  ParHament,  having  considered  the  said 
suppHcation,  .  .  .  and  the  said  defender  nor  his 
said  pro""'  had  proposed  no  reasonable  cause  why 
the  desire  of  the  said  petition  ought  not  to  be 
granted," — thereupon  remits  to  Sheriff  to  settle 
marches.  Here  we  have  the  reason  of  the 
summary  settlement  of  the  matters  in  dispute. 
It  is  admitted  that  John  M'Comie  had  had  full 
and  complete  possession  of  the  forest  of  Can- 
lochan  for  years  past,  and  that  he  had  got 
discharge  "from  any  further  proceeding"  anent 
his  right.  But  he  had  got  all  this,  it  was  alleged, 
because  of  his  "moyen  and  favour  with  the 
English  usurpers,"  and  on  account  of  his  "hav- 
ing great  power  with  the  late  usurpers  as  their 
intelligencer   and    favourite."      For   such    a   one 


54  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

against  a  Royalist  nobleman  there  was  little  hope 
of  a  favourable  issue  in  any  court  of  law  of  that 
period,  and  in  Parliament  none  whatever.  That 
Lord  Airlie  placed  his  hopes  of  success  not  on 
a  decision  according  to  law,  but  on  the  political 
feeling  of  the  time,  is  shown  by  his  bringing  the 
matter  in  dispute,  not  before  the  ordinary  legal 
tribunals,  but  before  Parliament.  To  the  Resto- 
ration Parliament  the  matter  would  appear  very 
simple.  Here  is  Lord  Airlie,  one  of  ourselves, 
who,  while  our  party  was  held  in  subjection  by 
the  late  usurpers,  alienated  a  valuable  part  of  his 
property  to  one  in  power  and  favour  with  these 
usurpers.  This  deed  of  alienation  has  become 
irredeemable,  but  Lord  Airlie  says  this  was 
owing  to  the  position  of  the  respective  parties  at 
the  time,  the  usurpers  having  great  power,  the 
Royalists  little  or  no  power.  Lord  Airlie,  there- 
fore, wants  his  property  back  again,  which  we, 
as  the  party  now  in  power,  will  now  give  him, 
putting  aside  all  question  of  the  legality  or  justice 
of  our  decision.^ 

^  Appendix,  Note  L. 


M'Comie  M or  excepted  from  Act  of  Indemnity.  55 

As  showing  still  further  to  what  extent  John 
M'Comie  was  a  marked  man,  and  disliked  by  the 
Government  of  the  Restoration,  we  learn  from  the 
Acts  of  Parliament  of  Scotland,  vol.  vii.  p.  426, 
that  he  was  amongst  the  "  exceptions  from  the 
Act  of  Indemnity,  Sept.  9,  1662,  in  so  far  as 
may  concern  the  payment  of  the  sumes  under- 
written,"—  viz.,  "Johne  Malcolme  of  Forthar, 
1800  pds." 

In  1665  John  Mackintosh  of  Forter  in  Glenisla, 
with  twenty-five  Farquharsons  under  William  of 
Inverey,  and  George  Farquharson  of  Brough- 
dearg  in  Glenshee,  were  among  500  men  who 
attended  the  summons  of  the  chief  of  the 
M'Intoshes,  to  meet  at  the  Kirk  of  Insh.  It 
is  also  worthy  of  note  that  Forbes  of  Skellater 
joined  the  M'Intoshes  at  the  same  muster. 

Broughdearg,  opposite  to  Finnegand  in  Glen- 
shee, and  marching  with  the  barony  of  Forter  in 
Glenisla,  was  held  in  the  time  of  John  M'Comie 
by  Farquharsons.  The  proprietor  about  the  time 
of  the  Restoration  was  Robert  Farquharson,  who 
had  sought  the  hand  of  John  M'Comie's  daughter 


56  The  Family  of  M'Conibie. 

in  marriage,  and  had  been  accepted,  but  had  after- 
wards changed  his  mind,  and  married  Helen 
Ogilvie,  daughter  of  Colonel  Ogilvie  of  Shan- 
nalie.  This  slight  no  doubt  rankled  in  the 
minds  of  the  M'Comies,  and  had  much  to  do 
with  the  bitterness  that  subsequently  existed 
between  the  two  families. 

Some  time  after  the  decisions  in  his  favour,  the 
Earl  of  Airlie  let  the  grazings  of  the  forest  of 
Canlochan  to  Farquharson  of  Broughdearg.  But 
John  M'Comie  was  far  from  acquiescing  in  or 
even  obeying  an  Act  of  Parliament,  when  he 
thought  it  unjust  towards  himself.  Although 
Farquharson  of  Broughdearg  had  got  a  tack  of 
the  grazings,  he  by  no  means  got  possession,  as 
John  M'Comie  continued  to  send  his  stock  to 
the  forest  as  formerly.  Farquharson  of  course 
resented  this,  and  the  bad  feeling  between  the 
two  families  increased,  till  it  found  vent  in  a 
series  of  events,  so  strange,  lawless,  and  exciting, 
that  one  can  scarcely  believe  they  could  have 
taken  place  little  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago 
in  Glenisla  and  Glenshee,  where  to-day  a  serious 


M'Comie  Mors  Fend  wit Ji  Broughdearg.     57 

breach  of  law  or  order  is  rarely  or  ever  heard  of. 
But  we  are  now  on  firm  historical  ground,  as  the 
events  we  are  about  to  narrate  are  all  duly 
chronicled  in  the  Justiciary  Records,  or  Books  of 
Adjurnal,  vol.  xiii.,  1673.  From  this  we  learn 
that,  on  the  ist  of  January  1669,  Robert  Far- 
quharson  of  Broughdearg,  and  his  brothers  John 
and  Alexander,  with  fifty  or  sixty  others,  went 
"  under  cloud  and  silence  of  night "  to  Crandart, 
with  "  swords,  durks,  pistolls,  hagbutts,  targes, 
halberts,  axes,  and  other  weapons,"  and  having 
laid  themselves  in  ambush,  awaited  till  near  break 
of  day,  when  John  M'Comie  having  "had  occa- 
sion to  come  abroad  about  his  lawfull  affaires," 
they  without  giving  him  time  even  to  put  on  his 
clothes,  carried  him  off  to  Broughdearg.  A 
strange  scene  truly,  and  one  little  creditable  to 
the  Farquharsons.  To  surprise  an  old  man,  not 
only  unarmed,  but  only  partially  dressed,  in  the 
dark  at  his  own  door,  was  a  poor  feat  for  fifty  to 
sixty  men,  bristling  with  arms  and  armour  of  all 
kinds.  It  is  also  to  be  observed  that  the  Far- 
quharsons were  the  first  to  use  personal  violence 


58  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

in  the  quarrel.  The  force  employed,  and  the 
mode  of  capture,  both  show  very  forcibly  the 
opinion  the  Farquharsons  entertained  of  M'Comie 
Mors  prowess  even  in  his  old  age.  But  though 
the  old  chief  had  been  thus  entrapped,  his  sons 
were  to  be  reckoned  with.  Accordingly,  John 
M'Comie  was  kept  all  that  day  at  Broughdearg, 
but  at  night  was  removed  to  Tombey,  which  is 
called  in  the  indictment,  "ane  wilderness  and 
desert  place."  It  is  about  a  mile  or  little  more 
westward  from  Broughdearg,  and  has  still  a  good 
deal  of  natural  birch  wood  upon  it,  the  name 
meaning  the  birch  thicket  or  knoll.  Here  on  the 
following  day,  John,  Alexander,  James,  Robert, 
and  Mr  Angus  (Angus  it  will  be  observed 
had  been  at  a  university  and  obtained  his 
degree),  came  to  enter  into  negotiations  for  their 
father's  release,  when  they  also  were  detained  as 
prisoners,  until  the  whole  were  compelled  to  give 
a  bond  for  1700  merks  for  their  liberty.^  In  the 
Farquharsons'  indictment  against  the  M'Comies, 
this  visit  of  the  sons  for  the  release  of  their  father 

^  Appendix,  Note  M. 


M'Comie  Mors  Feud  with  Broiighdearg.     59 

is  set  down  as  a  raid  organised  by  Mr  Angus  for 
the  murder  of  Broucrhdearsf.  Mr  Anofus  is  said 
to  have  collected  twenty  to  thirty  persons,  all 
armed  with  "  swords,  durks,  pistolls,  and  other 
weapons,"  and  knowing  that  Robert  Farquhar- 
son  was  at  Tombey,  they  laid  an  ambush  in  a 
thicket  of  wood,  near  the  house  of  Tombey,  and 
on  the  highway,  waiting  for  several  hours  till  he 
should  come  out,  on  purpose  to  kill  him,  and  that 
they  detained  several  persons  that  passed  by,  lest 
they  should  have  given  Robert  Farquharson 
intelligence  of  the  ambush.  No  mention  is 
made  that  Mr  Angus's  father  was  also  at  Tom- 
bey, in  the  power  of  the  Farquharsons.  To  have 
slain  Robert  Farquharson  outside  the  house  of 
Tombey,  while  their  father  was  inside  it  a 
prisoner  in  the  power  of  the  Farquharsons, 
would  have  been  to  have  ensured  his  father's 
death,  instead  of  procuring  his  life  and  freedom. 
And  that  that  was  their  purpose  is  clearly  proved 
by  the  fact  that  his  release  in  safety  was  pro- 
cured. It  is  also  difficult  to  see  how,  if  the 
M'Comies  had  gone  with  a  force   of  twenty  to 


6o  The  Family  of  ATCombie. 

thirty  men,  they  could  have  been  kept  prisoners, 
apparently  without  any  trouble.  We  can,  how- 
ever, believe  it  quite  probable  that  Mr  Angus 
and  his  brothers  approached  Tombey  with 
caution,  and  also  believe  that  if  chance  had 
thrown  Robert  Farquharson  in  their  way,  they 
would  have  seized  him  and  kept  him  in  their 
power,  as  a  guarantee  for  the  release  of  their 
father  without  ransom.  But  for  the  reason 
already  given,  it  is  manifest  they  would  not,  at 
that  time,  have  made  any  attempt  on  Robert 
Farquharson's  life. 

So  far  the  Farquharsons  had  been  the  ag- 
gressors, and  might  be  supposed  to  be  satisfied 
with  their  success,  and  the  ransom  for  which  they 
held  the  M'Comies'  bond.  Yet,  on  the  14th 
May  of  the  same  year,  the  Farquharsons  and 
their  retainers,  to  the  number  of  thirty-eight,  all 
armed  with  dirks,  pistols,  and  other  weapons, 
went  to  the  lands  of  Kilulock,  then  occupied  by 
Robert  M'Comie,  son  of  John  M'Comie,  and 
sowed  and  harrowed  the  land,  although  it  had 
already   been    sowed    and    harrowed    by    Robert 


M'Coinie  Mors  Feud  with  Brouo-fidearcr,     6i 

M'Comie.  At  first  sight  it  is  difficult  to  see  on 
what  grounds  the  Farquharsons  so  repeatedly,  and 
seemingly  so  wantonly,  attacked  the  M'Comies 
in  person  and  property.  To  understand  this,  it 
is  necessary  once  more  to  consider  the  political 
situation.  During  the  latter  years  of  the  Com- 
monwealth the  M'Comies  had  rapidly  increased 
in  power  and  influence.  John  M'Comie's  mar- 
riage with  a  Campbell  had  still  further  increased 
his  ascendancy.  But  in  1661,  the  very  year  that 
John  M'Comie  began  to  be  harassed  by  his 
enemies,  the  Marquis  of  Argyll  was  executed. 
With  the  Restoration,  John  M'Comie's  Royalist 
neighbours,  and  chief  among  them  the  Ogilvies, 
at  once  began  to  turn  the  changed  fortunes 
of  parties  to  their  own  account.  As  John 
M'Comie's  marriage  with  a  Campbell  was  at 
one  time  a  stepping-stone  to  power,  and  latterly 
a  weight  to  drag  him  down,  so  Robert  Farquhar- 
son's  marriage  to  an  Ogilvie,  which  would  have 
been  a  drawback  to  his  fortunes  in  the  time  of 
the  Commonwealth,  was  now  a  powerful  agency 
for  his  advancement.     Although  the  cause  of  the 


62  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

breaking  off  of  the  marriage  between  Robert 
Farquharson  and  Miss  M'Comie  is  not  men- 
tioned, it  is  highly  probable  that  the  marriage 
had  been  arranged  about  the  time  of  the  fall  of 
the  Commonwealth,  and  that  Farquharson  had 
drawn  back  when  he  saw  the  turn  affairs  were 
likely  to  take,  and  had  chosen  an  alliance  with 
an  Ogilvie  and  Royalist,  as  likely  to  be  far  more 
to  his  advantage.  We  have,  then,  on  the  one 
hand  John  M'Comie  proscribed  by  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Restoration  for  the  part  he  had  taken 
latterly  on  the  side  of  the  Commonwealth  ;  al- 
ready deprived  in  law  of  part  of  what  he  con- 
sidered his  own  property,  by  the  head  of  the 
Ogilvies ;  and  now  attacked  in  person  and  pro- 
perty by  Farquharson  of  Broughdearg,  who  was 
to  enjoy  what  he  had  been  deprived  of.  On  the 
other  hand,  Farquharson,  allied  by  marriage  with 
the  Ogilvies,  and  already,  as  it  were,  rewarded 
for  the  slight  he  had  given  the  M'Comies,  by 
receiving  a  tack  of  the  disputed  forest  of  Can- 
lochan,  would  naturally  think  that  the  M'Comies 
were  now  become  fair  spoil  for  all  who  had  the 


M'Comie  Mors  Feud  with  Broughdearg.     63 

courage  to  attack  them,  and  that  they  would  be 
little  likely  to  resort  to  law  after  their  recent 
experience.  In  these  times  of  civil  war,  those 
on  the  losing  side  were  practically  at  the  mercy 
of  those  on  the  winning  side.  On  the  most 
frivolous  pretexts  their  right  to  property  would 
be  disputed,  or  forcibly  taken  from  them,  and  an 
appeal  to  law  was  almost  certain  to  go  against 
them.  Their  only  hope  lay  in  their  own  ability 
to  defend  themselves  and  their  possessions.  And 
the  Farquharsons  were  soon  to  see  that  M'Comie 
Mor  was  no  longer  to  be  trifled  with.  Old  and 
failed  though  he  was  in  person,  and  knowing  that 
there  was  no  one  now  with  power  to  help  him, 
his  spirit  was  still  undaunted,  and  he  determined 
to  withstand  his  enemies  with  his  own  strength  in 
future,  and  to  make  retaliation  when  he  saw  an 
opportunity.  Accordingly,  we  find  that  the  next 
incident  in  the  feud  was  that  Robert  Farquharson 
narrowly  escaped  with  his  life  in  July  or  August 
1670,  from  the  pursuit  of  James  and  Alexander, 
sons  of  John  M'Comie,  and  Donald  Gerters,  John 
Burns,    and    David    Guthrie,    servants    to    John 


64  The  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 

M'Comie,  within  the  forest  of  Glascorrie  ;  and 
these  not  appearing  to  answer  for  the  crime  at 
the  trial  in  1673,  were  "  denunced  our  Sove- 
raigne  Lord's  rebells,  and  ordained  them  to  be 
putt  to  the  horn,  and  all  ther  movable  goods  and 
gear  to  be  escheat  and  imbrought  to  his  Majesties 
use,  as  fugitives  frae  the  lawes  for  the  crymes 
above  mentioned  —  which  wes  pronunced  for 
doome."  It  was  on  the  occasion  of  Robert 
Farquharson's  meeting  some  of  John  M'Comie's 
servants  in  Glengarmie,  which  lies  to  the  north- 
west of  Broughdearg,  and  south  of  Glen  Brighty, 
that  on  their  telling  their  master  "they  had  let 
the  defunct  gae  without  any  prejudice,"  John 
M'Comie  "  did  either  curse,  upbraid,  or  reprove 
them  for  not  taking  from  him  ane  legg,  ane  arme, 
or  his  lyff,  declairing  that  if  they  had  done  it  he 
should  have  bein  their  warrand."  This  fact, 
brought  out  at  the  trial,  shows  that  M'Comie  Mor 
was  now  thoroughly  roused ;  and  it  is  significant, 
too,  of  the  effect  this  had  on  the  Farquharsons, 
that  we  hear  no  more  of  the  Farquharsons  making 
personal  attacks  on    the  M'Comies,     They  had 


M'Comie  Mors  Feud  zvith  Broughdearg.     65 

evidently  thought  that,  being  now  old,  and  having 
no  one  to  depend  on  for  help  but  his  own  family 
and  dependants,  he  could  be  attacked  with  im- 
punity. Finding  now  their  mistake,  they  would 
doubtless  have  been  glad  to  have  let  the  quarrel 
drop;  and  had  the  M'Comies  given  up  their 
claim  to  free  forestry  in  Canlochan,  there  might 
have  been  no  further  trouble.  But  the  fact  of 
Robert  Farquharson's  being  driven  out  of  the 
forest  showed  that  his  tenure  of  it  was  still  very 
precarious.  Fearing,  however,  any  longer  to 
attack  the  M'Comies  personally,  the  Farquharsons 
seized  some  of  the  M'Comies'  cattle  in  1672, 
whereupon  John  M'Comie  "  persewed  a  spulzie" 
against  Robert  Farquharson  before  the  Sheriff 
of  Forfar,  and  got  letters  of  caption  against  him. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark  here  that  John  M'Comie 
sought  redress  in  a  legal  way.  But  a  new  diffi- 
culty arose,  as  Robert  Farquharson  swore  "  no 
man  should  take  him  alive,"  an  oath  he  made 
good.  Accordingly,  when  Alexander  Strachan, 
the  messenger  of  the  burgh  of  Forfar,  went  to 
take  Broughdearg,  he  had  to  return  baffled.     So 

E 


66  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

matters  stood  when,  on  the  28th  January  1673, 
Robert  Farquharson  went  to  Forfar  "  for  his  own 
defence  of  the  said  persuit"  John  M'Comie  was 
aware  of  Robert  Farquharson's  going  to  Forfar 
on  this  day,  and  is  said  in  the  indictment  to  have 
spoken  to  his  sons  "  thir  words,  or  to  the  lyk 
purpose  :  Goe  to  Forfar ;  arme  yourselves  with 
your  pistolls  and  swords  ;  take  my  servant  with 
you,  and  bring  him  dead  or  alyve.  That  severall 
tymes  befor  that  he  said  he  should  have  his  lyff 
for  the  many  affronts  and  injuries  he  had  done 
him,  tho'  he  should  ware  two  of  his  best  sones  in 
the  querrell ;  and  who  wotild  or  durst  speir  after 
it?''  According  to  the  account  given  by  the 
Farquharsons,  when  they  reached  Forfar,  Robert 
Farquharson  was  informed  that  "  the  Court 
wes  done ;  whereupon,  having  no  other  bussie- 
ness  at  Forfar,  he  returned,  and  wes  in  his 
journey  homewards,"  when  he  was  attacked 
by  the  M'Comies.  John,  Alexander,  James,  and 
Robert,  sons  of  John  M'Comie,  and  J.  Burn, 
T.  Fleming,  D.  Guthrie,  and  D.  M'Intosh,  their 
servants,  had  gone  to  Forfar  to  watch  the  result 


M'Comie  Mo7^'s  Fetid  with  Broughdcarg.     67 

of  the  action  before  the  Sheriff.  It  is  probable, 
therefore,  that  the  Farquharsons  had  returned 
homewards  before  reaching  Forfar,  when  they 
heard  of  the  M'Comies  being  present  in  some 
strength.  Be  this  as  it  may,  when  the  M'Comies 
heard  that  the  Farquharsons  were  on  their  way 
home  again  without  having  put  in  an  appearance 
before  the  Sheriff,  they  got  Alexander  Strachan, 
the  burgh  messenger,  so  that  they  might  act 
legally,  and  went  in  pursuit  of  the  Farquharsons. 
By  the  time  they  had  got  the  messenger,  they 
were  in  some  uncertainty  as  to  where  the  Far- 
quharsons were.  It  is  said  in  the  Farquharsons' 
indictment,  that  at  the  house  of  Torbeg,  "  they 
with  ther  durks  and  swords  stobbed  the  beds  and 
other  places  where  they  imagined  him  (Robert 
Farquharson)  to  have  been  lurking.  .  .  .  Alse  did 
swear  every  persone  they  did  meit,  if  they  had 
seen  Robert  Farquharson."  At  length  they  met 
a  poor  man,  whom  they  threatened  to  kill  if  he 
would  not  tell  :  said  man,  "in  fear  of  his  lyff," 
told  them  the  Farquharsons  were  on  their  way 
to  Loggie.     Being  informed  of  which,  "  the  said 


68  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

Alexander  and  James  M'Comies,  and  the  other 
remnant  persones  above  named,  threw  away  ther 
plaids  and  betook  themselves  to  ther  armes,  and 
in  a  hostill  and  militarie  pouster,  persewed  and 
followed  after  the  saids  Robert  and  John  Far- 
quharsons,  and  the  said  Alexander  ther  brother, 
to  the  lands  of  Drumgley,  where  having  over- 
taken the  said  Robert,  they  most  cruellie  and 
inhumanlie  invadit  and  assaulted  the  saids  Robert 
and  John  Farquharsons,  and  the  said  Alexander 
ther  brother,  and  gave  them  severall  shotts  and 
wounds  in  ther  bodies,  heads,  and  hands,  off  the 
which  the  said  Robert  Farquharson  dyed  im- 
mediatlie  upon  the  place,  and  the  said  John  Far- 
quharson wes  woundit,  and  therefter  dyed  of 
these  wounds  within  days."  This  is  the  account 
of  the  Farquharsons,  which,  be  it  observed,  gives 
no  details  of  the  fight,  the  reason  for  which  we 
can  understand  in  the  light  of  the  details  given 
by  the  evidence  brought  forward  by  the  M'Comies. 
The  evidence  of  the  messenger,  that  should  have 
been  impartial  and  trustworthy,  is  unfortunately 
contradictory  and    unreliable.      There    was    first 


M'Comie  Moi's  Feud  with  Brotighdearg.     69 

produced  "an  execution  of  caption,"  which  he 
wrote  at  "the  desyre  of  the  M'Comies — but  re- 
ceived neither  good  deid  nor  promise  of  good 
deid  at  that  time  for  giving  thereof"  The  exe- 
cution of  caption  was  to  the  effect  that  Robert 
Farquharson,  "  being  chairged  in  his  Majestie's 
name  to  render  him  prisoner  to  me — most  con- 
temptuouslie  disobeyed,  and  made  resistance  by 
drawing  of  ane  sword  against  me  and  my  assist- 
ants, whereupon  I  brack  my  wand  of  peace." 
This  is  in  accordance  with  the  M'Comies'  de- 
fence— viz.,  that  the  messenger  called  on  them 
as  assistants,  and  that  they  were  acting  legally 
in  trying  to  capture  Robert  Farquharson.  The 
letter  next  produced  was  written  to  James  Far- 
quharson of  Laidnathie,  because  David  Fenton, 
in  Loggie,  a  friend  of  the  Farquharsons,  told  him 
the  Farquharsons  were  all  at  Kilimuir,  and  were 
to  take  messenger's  life  unless  he  would  write 
some  such  letter.  The  letter  states,  that  "  I  wes 
not  within  sex  pair  of  butts  when  he  (Robert 
Farquharson)  was  killed,  and  likewise  I  do  declair 
I  never  spoke  with  him  that  day."    Lastly,  we  have 


70  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

what  professes  to  be  the  messenger's  impartial 
account  of  the  matter  as  follows  :  "  As  to  the 
matter  of  fact,  declares  that  he  did  not  speak 
with  Brughderg  that  day,  nor  wes  near  him  be 
the  space  of  sex  or  seven  pair  of  butts  when  he  wes 
killed,  but  cryed  to  him  about  that  distance  to  render 
himself  prisoner,  and  the  M'Comies  also  cryed, 
who  were  running  after  Brughderg ;  does  not 
know  whether  he  heard  either  of  them,  but  cryed 
he  woidd  be  taken  be  none  of  them,  and  ran  through 
a  mosse  and  the  M'Comies  after  him."  In  the 
indictment  by  the  M'Comies  against  the  Far- 
quharsons,  the  account  is  so  circumstantial  and 
graphic,  as  to  carry  conviction  of  its  truth  along 
with  it.  It  is  certain  that  the  messenger,  armed 
with  a  legal  warrant,  cried  to  Robert  Farquharson 
to  surrender ;  it  is  also  certain  that  Robert  Far- 
quharson heard  this,  as  he  replied  that  "  he  would 
be  taken  be  none  of  them."  After  this,  John 
M'Comie,  believing  that  he  was  acting  legally, 
overtook  Robert  Farquharson,  and,  be  it  observed, 
did  not  attempt  to  slay  or  even  injure  him,  but 
merely  "so  secured  him  as  that  he  wes  not  able 


M'Comie  Mors  Fejid  with  Broughdearg.     71 

to  doe  any  present  hurt."  And  here  he  gives 
proof  of  the  mildness  of  disposition  which  led 
his  father  to  doubt  his  courage.  He  wanted  to 
make  sure  that  Robert  Farquharson  should  no 
longer  escape  answering  for  the  seizure  of  his 
father's  cattle ;  but  he  also  wanted  this  to  be 
effected,  if  possible,  without  undue  violence,  and 
without  bloodshed.  While  holdine  Robert  Far- 
quharson,  he  was  of  course  incapable  of  defending 
himself  from  any  other  one  who  chose  to  attack 
him,  and  it  was  while  in  this  position  that  John 
and  Alexander,  brothers  to  Robert  Farquharson, 
"presented  ther  guns,  and  came  so  near  them 
that  the  months  of  ther  guns  toiUched  the  said 
John  his  flank,  and  fyred  upon  him,  and  so 
disinabled  him  that  he  fell  to  the  ground,  and  by 
the  sa7ne  shotts  killed  Robert  Mcintosh,  the  corn- 
p leaner  s  other  son,  dead  to  the  ground ;  and  ther 
being  nothing  to  satiat  ther  inveterat  hatred  and 
malice  but  the  said  John  M'Intosh  lyff  and  his 
sons,  the  said  John  Farquharson  in  Cantsmilne, 

Farquharson  his  son,  Thomas  Creighton  in 

Milntown  of  Glenisla,  came  in  cold  blood  near  to 


72  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

the  Mosse  of  Forfar,  wher  the  said  John  M'Intosh 
wes  yet  alyve  lying  in  his  wounds,  and  ther  with 
ther  durks  and  swo7^ds  stobbed  and  woundit  the  said 
yohn  MTntosh  untill  he  dyed."  More  cowardly 
and  dastardly  butchery — for  it  was  not  fighting — 
was  never  perpetrated.  From  first  to  last  there 
is  no  account  of  any  Farquharson  attacking  a 
M'Comie  in  an  honourable  and  straightforward 
manner  ;  and  now,  after  shooting  John  and  Robert 
M'Comie  almost  in  cold  blood,  they  made  no 
further  stand,  as  it  was  offered  to  be  proved,  on 
their  behalf,  that  the  wounds  of  which  Robert 
Farquharson  died  on  the  spot,  and  John  Far- 
quharson his  brother  died  a  few  days  after,  we^'-e 
received  in  the  back. 

The  bodies  of  the  slain  men  were,  it  is  said, 
brought  home  by  different  routes,  by  the  advice 
of  prudent  counsellors,  lest  there  might  be  a  fresh 
outbreak  between  the  two  families  and  their  ser- 
vants and  adherents,  if  they  should  meet  together 
in  the  then  excited  state  of  their  feelings.  The 
M'Comies  were  buried  in  the  churchyard  of 
Glenisla. 


M'Comie  Mors  Fend  with  Broughdearg.     73 
We  can  form  some  idea  of  the  feelinofs  of  orrief 

o  o 

and  exasperation  that  filled  the  heart  of  John 
M'Comie,  from  the  following  expressions,  cited 
during  the  trial  as  being  used  by  him  after  the 
intelligence  of  what  he  termed  the  murder  of  his 
sons,  reached  Crandart.  It  is  stated  that  "  sev- 
erall  tymes,  when  friends  wer  endeavouring  a 
mediation  betuixt  them,  the  pannall's  expressions 
severall  tymes  wer  that  all  was  to  no  purpose, 
the  sword  behoved  to  decyde  it ;  that  since  the 
murder  he  wished  he  wer  but  twenty  yeeres  of 
age  again,  which,  if  he  wer,  he  should  make  the 
Farquharsons  besouth  the  Cairn  of  Month  thinner, 
and  should  have  a  lyff  for  ilk  finger  and  toe  of  his 
two  dead  sones."  As  to  Mr  Angus,  "  he  houndit 
out "  the  others  to  the  pursuit,  and  said  to  his 
sister,  when  lamenting  the  loss  of  her  brothers, 
"She  had  no  reason  to  lament  for  them,  since 
they  hade  gott  the  lyff  they  wer  seeking." 

The  trial  of  both  parties  took  place  on  various 
days  from  the  2d  to  the  nth  of  June  1673.  On 
the  one  side,  John  M'Comie  of  Forter,  pursuer, 
"  for  himself,  and  in  name  and  behalf  of  the  rem- 


74  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

nant  kin  and  freinds  of  the  saids  John  and  Robert 
M'Intoshes."  The  others  named  on  the  side  of 
the  M'Comies  were,  James,  Alexander,  and  Mr 
Angus,  sons ;  Thomas  Fleyming,  in  DaHnamer, 
John  Burn,  David  Guthrie,  Donald  M'Intosh, 
and  Donald  Gerters,  tenants  and  servants  —  in 
all  ten  persons,  besides  John  M'Comie,  senior. 
On  the  other  side,  Helen  Ogilvie,  relict  of  the 
deceased  Robert  Farquharson  of  Broughdearg ; 
Alexander  Farquharson,  his  brother;  James,  Alex- 
ander, and  John  Farquharsons,  his  uncles,  "for 
themselves,  and  in  name,"  &c.,  were  pursuers. 
The  others  named  on  the  side  of  the  Farquhar- 
sons were:  "John  Barnot,  in  Dunmae ;  Donald 
M'Vadenach,  in  Burghderg;  George  Patton,  ser- 
vitor to  Burghderg;  Thomas  M'Nicol,  also  ser- 
vant; Duncan  M'Coul  of  Kero  ;  Thomas  Creigh- 
ton,  in  Milnetoun  of  Glenila ;  Alexander  Farqu- 
harson, in  Belnaboth ;  John  Farquharson,  in  Bel- 
naboth  ;  John  Farquharson  of  Dunnieday  ;  James 
Farquharson,  in  Milne  of  Ingzeon  ;  William  Far- 
quharson, his  sone ;  John  Farquharson,  in  Cants- 
milne ; Farquharson,  his  sone."     In  all,  in- 


M^Comie  Mors  Ferid with  Broiighdeai'g.     75 

eluding,  as  in  the  case  of  the  M'Comies,  the  two 
slain,  eighteen  persons. 

The  result  of  the  trial  as  regards  the  main 
charges — viz.,  the  deaths  near  the  Moss  of  Forfar 
— was  that  each  of  the  pursuers  abandoned  their 
case,  both  parties  seeing  that  to  follow  the 
double  action  to  the  end  would  only  be  to  bring 
several  of  the  survivors  on  both  sides  under  the 
severest  penalty  of  the  law.  We  have  already 
seen  that  of  those  on  the  M'Comies'  side,  James 
M'Comie  and  Alexander  M'Comie,  his  sons,  and 
Donald  Gerters,  John  Burn,  and  David  Guthrie, 
his  servants,  were  outlawed  as  fugitives.  On  the 
9th  June,  Duncan  M'Coul  of  Kero ;  Thomas 
Creighton,   in   Milnetoun  of  Glenila ;  John   Far- 

quharson,  in  Cantsmilne ; Farquharson,  his 

son,  "  being  ofttymes  called,"  for  their  share  of 
the  raids  of  Crandart  and  Kilulock,  and  the  three 
last  mentioned  for  killing  the  wounded  John 
M'Comie,  and  having  been  duly  summoned, 
and  "  not  enterand  and  compeirand,"  the  Lords 
Commissioners  of  Justiciary  "decerned  and  ad- 
judged   the    haill    forenamed    persones    to    be 


76  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

denunced  our  Soveragne  Lord's  rebells,  and 
ordained  them  to  be  put  to  the  home,  and  all 
ther  movable  goods  and  gear  to  be  escheat  and 
inbrought  to  his  Majesties  use,  as  fugitives  frae 
the  lawes,  for  the  crymes  above  specified — which 
wes  pronunced  for  doome."  ^ 

That  the  Farquharsons  had  now  enough  of  the 
feud  which  they  themselves  had  originated,  and 
been  the  agressors  in,  and  were  now  in  dread  of 
the  old  chief  whom  they  had  thought  to  have 
subdued,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that,  on  the 
same  day  on  which  the  several  actions  were 
abandoned  by  both  parties,  "  Helen  Ogilvie,  re- 
lict of  the  deceast  Robert  Farquharson  of  Brugh- 
derg,  craved  law-burrowes  of  the  said  Johne 
M'Intosh  of  Forther,  and  made  faith  that  she 
dreadit  him  bodylie  harme  and  oppression;"  where- 
upon the  Lords  Commissioners  ordered  him  to 
find  caution.  "  In  obedience  whereof  the  said 
John  M'Intosh,  as  principall,  and  Thomas  Oliver, 
of  Westmiln,  in  Glenila,  and  Thomas  M'Intosh, 
merchant  in  Montrose,  as  cautioner  and  sovertie 

^  Appendix,  Note  N. 


Death  of  M'Comie  Mor.  77 

for  him,  gave  caution,  in  form  according  to  Act  of 
Parliament."  Item,  i6thjune:  "Thomas  Fleym- 
ing,  in  Dalinamer  in  Glenila,  was  set  at  libertie, 
upon  caution  to  appear  on  15  days'  notice."  He 
had  stood  prisoner  with  John  M'Comie  and  his 
son,  Mr  Angus.^ 

And  now,  after  a  long  and  most  eventful  life, 
John  M'Comie,  the  M'Comie  Mor,  died  in  peace, 
in  his  own  house  at  Crandart,  before  12th  Janu- 
ary 1676.-  His  sagacity  and  unconquerable  spirit, 
his  chivalrous  courage  and  extraordinary  personal 
strensfth,  marked  him  out  as  a  true  leader  of  men 
in  revolutionary  times  such  as  those  in  which  he 
lived.  That  he  was  the  most  remarkable  man  of 
his  time  in  the  district  in  which  he  lived,  is  indis- 
putably proved  by  his  traditionary  fame  even  at 
the  present  time.  In  few  districts  in  Scotland  has 
the  memory  of  a  man  who  died  over  two  hundred 
years  ago  been  kept  living  so  vividly  by  tradition, 
as  has  that  of  M'Comie  Mor,  in  Glenshee  and 
Glenisla.  He  was  buried  in  Glenisla  churchyard, 
beside  his  two  sons  who  were  killed  at   Drum- 

^  Appendix,  Note  O.  -  Appendix,  Note  P. 


78  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

gley.  Not  many  years  ago,  the  late  Rev.  Mr 
Simpson,  Free  Church  minister  of  Glenisla,  told 
the  late  Mr  J.  B.  M'Combie,  advocate,  Aberdeen, 
and  great-great-great-grandson  of  M'Comie  Mor, 
that  he  was  present  in  Glenisla  churchyard, 
when,  in  digging  a  grave  in  the  spot  pointed 
out  by  tradition  as  the  burying  -  place  of  the 
M'Comies,  some  immense  bones  were  exhumed, 
which  Mr  Simpson  and  others  who  saw  them 
had  no  doubt  were  those  of  M'Comie  Mor,  or 
one  of  his  sons. 

Of  John  M'Comie's  seven  sons,  John  and 
Robert  were  killed,  as  already  narrated.  James, 
who  was  outlawed  in  1673,  for  not  appearing  to 
stand  his  trial,  on  finding  the  main  action  de- 
parted from  by  both  parties,  returned,  and  had 
doubtless  had  little  trouble  in  eettine  the  sen- 
tence  of  outlawry  reversed.  Accordingly  we  find 
that,  on  the  12th  January  1676,  "Jacobus  M'ln- 
tosh  de  Forther  "  was  served  nearest  lawful  heir 
to  Robert  M'Intosh,  his  younger  brother,  who 
had  been  portioner  of  Gambok,  in  four  acres  of 
arable    land    of   the    town   and  lands  of   Easter- 


M'Comie  Mors  Family.  79 

Denhead,  near  Coupar  -  Angus  (which  he  had 
doubtless  inherited  from  his  mother's  family),  in 
the  field  called  Cottarbank  ;  in  the  piece  of  un- 
laboured ground  at  Corshill ;  and  with  common 
pasturage  in  the  Soidmyre.^  From  the  same 
source^  we  learn  that  Thomas  M'Comie,  son  of 
John  M'Intosh,  alias  M'Comie,  of  Forther,  was 
served  nearest  heir  to  the  foregoing  James,  his 
elder  brother,  on  January  2,  1677.  Of  Mr 
Angus,  the  late  Mr  William  Shaw,  of  Milton  of 
Blacklunans,  in  the  letter  already  quoted  from, 
says  that  James  M'Intosh,  there  referred  to,  "told 
me  that  it  was  an  Angus  M'Comie,  alias  M'In- 
tosh, that  restored  Forter  to  the  Airlie  family  ; 
that  this  is  seen  in  the  process  between  Sir  David 
Wedderburn  of  Ballindean  and  the  Airlies." 
From  the  '  Registrum  Magni  Sigilli,'  lib.  Ixix. 
No.  51,  it  appears  that  there  was  a  charter  under 
the  Great  Seal,  of  date  15th  December  1682, 
granting  to  Alexander  M'Intosh  the  lands  of 
Wester   Innerharitie,    in   the   parish   of   Glenisla, 


1  Inquisitionum  Retornatarum  Abbreviatio,  vol.  ii.  p.  1125,  i8n. 
-  Ibid.,  vol.  ii.  p.  5962. 


8o  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

and  sheriffdom  of  Forfar.  Alexander,  it  will  be 
remembered,  had  been  outlawed  with  James  in 
1673.  There  remains  now  only  the  youngest  son, 
Donald,  from  whom  are  descended  the  well-known 
M'Combies  of  Aberdeenshire,  and  whose  history 
we  now  proceed  to  take  up. 

But  before  doing  so,  let  us  take  a  last  look  at 
Crandart,  where,  on  the  death  of  M'Comie  Mor, 
and  the  subsequent  dispersion  of  his  family, 
the  fortunes  of  the  M'Comies  seemed  for  ever 
wrecked.  Of  the  old  Ha'  of  Crandart  little  re- 
mains. The  outlines  of  the  old  house  can  still  be 
made  out  as  regards  the  ground-plan,  and  the 
sides  of  the  door  and  one  window  of  the  pres- 
ent farmhouse,  and  another  in  the  steading,  with 
their  moulded  corners,  and  the  threshold-stone, 
were  taken  from  the  old  Ha'.  Besides  these 
stones,  there  are  two  stones  with  inscriptions 
still  left  from  the  old  mansion-house.  One  of 
these  is  built  into  the  south  end  of  the  west 
wing  of  the  present  steading  at  Crandart.  On 
it  is  the  following  inscription  : — 


Memorials  of  ]\rCouiie  Mor.  8i 

I'M.        OP        E  .  c  . 

lOI  lOI 

•TIE  .  LORD  .  DEFEND  •  TIIS  •  FAMILI(E). 

l6  60 

The  other  stone  was,  unwarrantably  we  beheve, 
removed  from  Crandart,  first  to  Dal-na-Sneachd, 
across  the  Isla,  and  from  thence  to  Balharry, 
where  it  now  is.     The  inscription  on  it  is — 

I  SHALL  .  OVERCOM  •  INVY  .  VITI 

GODS  .  HELP  •  TO  •  GOD  •  BE  •  AL  • 

TRAIS  •  HONOVR  •  AND  •  GLORIE 


16  I  I  60 

At  Balharry  it  possesses  little  interest  for  any 
one,  and  we  think  it  a  great  pity  it  was  ever 
removed  from  Crandart.  At  Crandart  it  would 
be  in  its  original  home,  and  would  be  a  silent 
memento  of  him  who  placed  it  there — the  hero  in 
tradition  and  history,  of  Glenshee  and  Glenisla, 
M'Comie  Mor. 


82 


CHAPTER    III. 

SETTLEMENT  IN  ABERDEENSHIRE  —  DONALD  M'COMIE — ROBERT 
M'COMBIE  —  WILLIAM  M'COMBIE,  TENANT  IN  LYNTURK  —  THE 
M'COMBIES  A  STALWART  RACE — FACTION  FIGHTS — INCIDENTS 
OF  THE  '45  — FAMILY  OF  WILLIAM  M'COMBIE  OF  LYNTURK  AND 
THEIR    DESCENDANTS — HIS   BROTHERS. 

T  T  is  easy  to  see  that  many  events  from  1660 
to  1673  had  tended  to  exhaust  the  resources 
and  weaken  the  position  of  the  M'Comies.  The 
litigation  with  Lord  Airhe  concerning  the  right 
of  free  forestry  in  Canlochan,  terminating  in  two 
Acts  and  Decrees  of  the  Scottish  Parhament 
in  Lord  AirHe's  favour,  must  have  cost  John 
M'Comie  much  money,  as  he,  in  that  and  the 
subsequent  trials,  employed  the  best  counsel  of 
his  time.  The  loss  of  the  forest  itself  as  a 
grazing  and  hunting  ground,  when  at  last  given 
up,   must    have    caused   a  serious    diminution    of 


Settlement  in  Aberdeenshire.  83 

income.  Then,  again,  the  legal  conflict  with 
Lord  Airlie  was  almost  immediately  followed  by 
the  exaction  of  the  Government  fine  of  £  1 800,  a 
very  large  sum  in  those  times.  Although  there 
are  substantial  grounds  for  believino-  that  the 
bond  granted  to  the  Farquharsons,  under  the 
circumstances  already  narrated,  was  never  paid, 
yet  the  resistance  of  its  payment  must  have 
entailed  very  considerable  law  costs.  All  this, 
followed  by  the  great  trial  in  1673,  must  have 
reduced  the  fortunes  of  the  family  to  a  very  low 
ebb.  We  have  seen  that  the  old  chief  did  not 
long  survive  this  ;  and  the  facts  relating  to  the 
history  of  the  family  for  some  time  afterwards 
are  very  meagre.  There  can  be  little  doubt 
but  that  the  property  was  burdened  by  debt  ere 
this  time,^  and  that  the  surviving  sons  of  John 
M'Comie,  finding  it  impossible  to  make  headway 
longer  at  home,  one  by  one  set  out  in  search  of 
better  fortune.  Of  the  subsequent  fortunes  of 
those  who  remained  south  of  the  Grampians  we 
have  no  authentic  record,  and  the  history  of  the 

^  Appendix,  Note  Q. 


84  The  Fainily  of  APCoiiibie. 

M'Comies  must  now  be  transferred  from  Perth 
and  Forfar  to  Aberdeenshire,  where  the  young- 
est son,  Donald  M'Comie,  settled,  while  still  a 
very  young  man,  towards  the  end  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  The  date  of  the  migration  of 
Donald  M'Comie  from  Glenisla  to  the  vale  of 
Alford  is  not  known  exactly,  but  was  probably 
between  1676  and  1680,  as  by  the  Poll-book 
for  Aberdeenshire  of  date  1696,  we  find  him 
married  to  Janet  Shires,  and  tenant  to  the  yearly 
value  of  ^10  in  a  holding  at  Edindurnoch,  now 
Nethertown  of  Tough.  In  addition  to  his  poll- 
tax  as  tenant,  he  was  taxed  six  shillings  additional 
as  a  tradesman.  From  this  it  is  evident  that  he 
had  been  a  considerable  time  in  Aberdeenshire 
previous  to  1696.  There  can  be  little  doubt  but 
that,  owing  to  the  circumstances  above  mentioned, 
and  from  his  being  the  youngest  son,  he  brought 
little  into  Aberdeenshire  except  a  few  personal 
effects.  There  has  always  been  a  tradition  that 
he  brought  a  few  relics  with  him  from  Crandart, 
which  have,  unfortunately,  not  been  preserved  in 
the  family.      Looking  back  on  the  circumstances 


Donald  APCoviie,  Maws  of  Toiilcy.  85 

of  Donald  M'Comie  in  1696,  they  are  about  as 
unpropitious  as  could  be ;  and  the  subsequent 
slow  but  steady  rise  of  the  family  in  fortune  and 
influence,  through  no  sudden  accession  of  for- 
tune, but  by  steady  unremitting  perseverance  and 
prudence,  is  of  itself  sufficient  proof  that  its  for- 
tunes were  laid  by  a  race  of  men  who,  however 
impeded  they  might  be  by  adverse  circumstances 
for  a  time,  could  rise  superior  to  all  ill-fortune,  if 
unconquerable  will  and  strength  of  purpose  could 
effect  it. 

Of  the  personal  history  of  Donald  M'Comie 
little  has  come  down  to  the  present  time,  his 
life  having  evidently  been  one  of  uninterrupted 
industry,  free  from  any  remarkable  incident. 
From  the  parish  records  of  Tough  we  gather 
that  he  was  frequently  employed  as  a  valuator, 
which  shows  that  he  had  come  to  be  looked 
upon  as  a  man  of  sound  judgment,  and  to  be 
held  in  considerable  reputation.  Before  his 
death  he  became  tenant  in  Mains  of  Tonley, 
in  Tough,  where  he  died  in  17 14.      His  stone ^  in 

^  Appendix,  Note  R. 


86  The  Family  of  M'Covibie. 

the  churchyard  of  Tough  is  amongst  the  oldest, 
if  not  the  oldest  one  in  it  with  an  inscription. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  when  the  people  of 
Tough  were  visited  by  the  cateran,  Donald 
M'Comie  sometimes  got  these  troublesome  vis- 
itors away  with  as  little  loss  as  possible  to  the 
community,  not,  as  his  father,  "big  M'Comie  in 
the  head  of  the  Lowlands,"  used  to  do,  by  the 
terror  of  his  sword,  but  by  his  persuasive  words 
addressed  to  them  in  Gaelic.  In  Glenshee,  the 
early  home  of  his  father,  Gaelic  was  the  ordinary 
language  of  everyday  life,  and  is  still  spoken 
there,  although  we  are  sorry  to  say  it  is  fast 
dying  out.  Donald  M'Comie  was  therefore 
familiar  with  it,  and  all  who  know  the  High- 
landers know  how  their  heart  warms  to  any  one 
who  can  address  them  in  their  own  tongue, 
especially  when  they  meet  with  one  who  speaks 
it  where  they  believe  it  is  unknown.  It  is  not 
difficult  to  understand,  therefore,  how  he  came  to 
have  such  influence  with  the  wild  cateran. 

Donald's  son  Robert  became  tenant  in  Find- 
latrie,  also  in  Tough,  and  overlooking  Lynturk. 
His  life  seems  to  have  been  spent  like  that  of  his 


Robert  J\rCo??ibie,  Findlatrie.  87 

father,  in  peaceful  industry,  which  was  soon  to 
bear  fruit,  as  the  rapid  rise  of  the  family  after 
his  time  is  evidence  that  he  was  laying  a  good 
foundation  on  which  his  descendants  could  raise 
a  lasting  superstructure.  He  married  Isobel 
Ritchie,  daughter  of  Mr  Ritchie,  Farmton  of 
Alford.  One  of  his  sons,  Robert,  was  out  in 
1745,  and  in  1746  escaped  with  difficulty  from 
the  rout  of  Culloden.  After  the  battle  he  was 
overtaken  by  three  dragoons,  of  whom  he  asked 
and  fortunately  obtained  quarter.  Scarcely,  how- 
ever, were  they  out  of  sight  when  a  single  dra- 
goon overtook  him,  and  on  his  refusing  quarter, 
Robert  M'Combie  drew  his  pistol  and  shot  the 
horse,  and  after  a  brief  combat  slew  the  rider. 
After  this  he  managed  to  get  home  in  safety, 
and  after  spending  some  time  in  concealment, 
succeeded  in  orettinor  first  to  Whitehaven  in 
England,  and  subsequently  went  to  the  West 
Indies,  where  his  future  history  is  unknown. 

The  eldest  son  of  Robert  was  William,  grand- 
father of  the  present  proprietor  of  Easterskene 
and  Lynturk.  He  became  tenant  of  Upper  and 
Lower  Farmton  and  Mains  of  Lynturk  in   1748, 


88  The  Family  of  APCoinbie. 

residing  at  Lynturk,  where  his  house  still  remains, 
with  the  date  1762  on  the  lintel  above  the  door. 
It  is  situated  close  to  the  present  mansion-house 
of  Lynturk,  and  the  stones  round  the  doors  and 
windows,  with  their  moulded  corners,  very  like 
those  at  Crandart,  were  taken  from  the  old 
castle  of  Lynturk,  which  was  situated  a  little 
to  the  north-west.  The  present  proprietor  re- 
members seeing  his  grandfather  in  this  house, 
which  is  a  relic  of  great  interest  to  him,  and 
has  been  recently  new-roofed  to  preserve  the 
walls. 

A  most  interesting  fact  in  connection  with  the 
history  of  the  M'Combies  has  been  the  hered- 
itary transmission  uninterruptedly  for  over  500 
years  of  great  personal  stature  and  strength. 
The  seventh  chief  of  the  M'Intoshes,  William, 
from  whom  they  are  descended,  was  a  man  "of 
stature  exceeding  that  of  common  men."  The 
M'Comie  who  got  the  charter  for  Finnegand 
had  the  cognomen  oi Mor  in  1571,  and  although 
John  M'Comie  of  Forter  was  tJie  M'Comie  Mor 
par  excellence  in   legend  and  history,   it  must  be 


A  Stahvart  Race.  89 

remembered  that  his  ancestors  had  the  same  cog- 
nomen before  him,  and  his  son  John,  who  was 
slain  at  the  Moss  of  Forfar,  was  known  as  young 
M'Comie  Mor.  So  little  of  the  personal  history 
of  Donald  and  Robert  has  come  down  to  us, 
that  we  find  no  particular  record  of  their  personal 
appearance ;  but  no  sooner  do  we  come  to  learn 
particulars  of  the  personal  appearance  of  their  de- 
scendants than  this  hereditary  personal  charac- 
teristic is  as  marked  as  ever.  The  late  Georgfe 
Mackie,  slater,  who  was  when  young  a  servant  to 
William  M'Combie  at  Lynturk,  used  to  tell  the 
present  proprietor  of  Lynturk  that  his  grandfather 
at  Lynturk  had  the  largest  bones  of  any  man  he 
ever  met  with,  and  he  had  the  reputation  of  being 
the  strongest  man  of  seven  parishes.  His  son 
Thomas,  the  present  proprietor's  father,  used  to 
be  the  champion  putter  of  the  stone  on  the  links 
of  Aberdeen,  among  the  young  men  of  his  time. 
His  eldest  son,  "the  stalwart  laird"  of  Easter- 
skene,  is  6  ft.  2  in.,  and  very  muscular ;  and  his 
brother,  the  late  Mr  J.  B.  M'Combie,  was  also 
6  ft.  2  in.,  and  of  massive  build.     Their  cousin. 


90  The  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 

the  late  Dr  M'Combie  of  Tillyfour,  was  about  the 
same  height.  James  M'Combie  of  Farmton  was 
a  remarkably  strong  man,  Charles  M'Combie 
of  Tillychetly,  the  father  of  the  present  tenant, 
was  a  powerfully  built  deep-chested  man ;  and 
many  will  remember  the  tall  figure  of  the  late 
editor  of  the  '  Free  Press.'  In  very  few  families 
has  a  personal  characteristic  been  transmitted  in 
so  conspicuous  a  manner  for  such  a  length  of 
time — over  500  years,  dating  fromWilliam,  seventh 
chief  of  the  M'Intoshes. 

William  M'Combie,  when  a  young  man,  was, 
like  his  great  ancestor,  distinguished  for  his 
personal  prowess.  Up  to  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century,  and  In  many  Instances  well  Into 
it,  faction  fights  between  the  Inhabitants  of  dif- 
ferent parishes  or  districts  were  very  common  in 
Aberdeenshire,  and,  we  believe,  all  over  the  coun- 
try. A  remarkable  fight  of  this  kind  took  place 
when  William  M'Combie  was  a  young  man,  on 
the  occasion  of  a  penny,  or,  as  it  was  sometimes 
called,  a  "  siller "  wedding  between  a  Leochel 
man  and  a  Monymusk  woman.     On  this  occasion 


William  M'Conibic,  Lyutiirk.  91 

the  fight  that  took  place  seems  to  have  been 
between  not  only  the  guests  present  from  the 
parishes  of  Leochel  and  Monymusk,  but  also 
those  from  several  neighbouring  parishes,  the 
combatants  ranging  themselves  with  the  bride- 
groom's party  or  the  bride's,  according  to  resi- 
dence west  or  east  respectively  of  Cairn  William_ 
William  M'Combie  was  captain  of  the  Leochel 
or  west  of  Cairn  William  men,  and  a  noted 
fighting  man  named  Thomson  from  Mill  of  Hole, 
Midmar,  captain  of  the  Monymusk  or  east  of 
Cairn  William  men.  The  fieht  was  a  lone  and 
stubborn  one ;  and  a  vivid  idea  of  the  vigour 
with  which  it  was  prosecuted,  and  the  hard 
knocks  going,  is  conveyed  by  the  fact  that  Wil- 
liam M'Combie  sent  his  youngest  brother  Donald 
to  strip  some  neighbouring  houses  of  their  thatch, 
and  bring  the  cabers  to  supply  the  necessary 
weapons  of  war  for  such  of  the  Leochel  men 
and  their  partisans  as  had  the  misfortune  to 
break  their  own  cudgels  on  the  heads  of  their 
opponents.  Victory  is  said  to  have  rested  ulti- 
mately with  the  bridegroom's  party,  in  great  mea- 


92  The  Family  of  M'Corubie. 

sure  owing  to  the  prowess  of  their  captain,  who 
defeated  the  Midmar  champion  in  single  combat. 
On  another  occasion  WilHam  M'Combie  had 
gone  into  a  neighbouring  parish  to  attend  a  ball, 
at  which  there  was  present  a  young  man  with 
whom  he  had  had  a  quarrel,  which  had  not  been 
satisfactorily  settled.  As  the  night  wore  on  he 
observed  this  young  man  consulting  from  time  to 
time  with  several  of  his  associates,  and  being  sus- 
picious of  mischief  being  plotted  against  himself, 
he  kept  a  wary  eye  on  their  movements.  At 
length  observing  some  commotion  in  the  other 
end  of  the  ball-room  from  where  he  was  standing, 
he  noticed  that  his  opponent  and  his  associates 
were  making  their  way  towards  him,  in  a  line 
extending  from  side  to  side  of  the  house,  so  as 
to  prevent  his  escape,  while  the  women  and  the 
more  peaceably  inclined  of  the  dancers  were 
making  a  hurried  exit.  But  like  the  athletic 
miller  of  "Christ's   Kirk  on  the  Green" — 

"  M'Comie  was  o'  manly  mak, 
To  meet  him  was  nae  mows ; 
There  durst  nae  tensome  there  him  tak, 
Sae  noited  he  ther  pows  " — 


vD 


William  M'Comdie,  Lynturk.  9 

for  springing  upwards  he  wrenched  a  caber 
from  the  roof  above  him,  and  using  it  Hke  a 
two  -  handed  sword,  with  terrific  sweeps  right 
and  left  he  cleared  the  ball-room  and  escaped 
without  injury. 

His  strength  and  courage  on  occasions  such 
as  these,  made  him  very  popular  amongst  the 
young  men  of  the  surrounding  district,  a  jDop- 
ularity  that  was  like  to  have  brought  him  into 
some  trouble  in  1745.  The  proprietor  of  Tonley 
at  that  time  was  an  ardent  supporter  of  Prince 
Charles,  and  became  active  in  raising  men  in 
his  behalf.  Well  knowing  William  M'Combie's 
personal  prowess,  and  his  popularity  among  the 
class  of  men  he  wanted  to  join  the  Prince's  army, 
he  was  sure  that  if  he  got  him  to  join,  many 
would  follow  his  example,  while  if  he  held  back, 
many  would  probably  do  the  same  who  would 
otherwise  have  joined.  William  M'Combie's 
father  being  a  tenant  of  Tonley,  the  laird  made 
sure  of  getting  any  of  his  tenant's  sons  he  wanted, 
and  as  we  have  seen,  did  get  Robert,  but  found 
William  determined  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 


94  T^^^<i  Family  of  M'Combie. 

him  or  Prince  Charlie ;  perhaps  the  memory  of 
what  his  family  had  already  suffered  from  taking 
a  side  in  civil  war  had  something  to  do  with  his 
refusal.  Tonley,  finding  persuasion  of  no  avail, 
determined  to  carry  him  off  by  force,  thinking 
that  if  he  were  once  away  and  amongst  the 
others  engaged  in  the  enterprise,  he  would  not 
like  to  turn  back,  Tonley's  wife,  however,  se- 
cretly conveyed  word  to  young  M'Combie  of 
the  design  of  her  husband,  and  when  the  latter 
went  with  a  strong  party  to  carry  him  off,  he 
could  not  be  found.  It  is  said  that  William 
M'Combie  looked  upon  Tonley,  who  had  not 
been  long  in  possession  of  the  estate,  as  a  noviis 
homo  who  was  trying  to  acquire  prestige  for 
himself  at  the  expense  of  others,  and  on  that 
account  was  less  inclined  to  join  him. 

After  entering  on  his  tenancy  at  Lynturk, 
William  M'Combie  came  to  care  less  and  less 
for  distinguishing  himself  as  the  hero  of  such 
scenes  as  we  have  narrated,  and  a  rather  remark- 
able incident  that  happened  to  him  while  there 
had    a    permanent    influence    on    his    after  -  life. 


William  M'Coinbic,  Lyjihirk.  95 

About  this  time  there  were  a  considerable 
number  of  Dissenters  in  the  district  around  Lyn- 
turk ;  and  before  there  was  a  manse  for  their 
pastor,  the  latter  was  for  some  time  lodged 
with  William  M'Combie  at  Lynturk,  although 
he  had  not  at  that  time  joined  himself  to  the 
Dissenters.  One  day  while  William  M'Combie 
was  in  one  of  his  fields,  he  heard  a  voice  pro- 
ceeding from  behind  a  dike  at  some  distance. 
Drawing  near  he  became  aware  that  it  was  his 
lodger  engaged  in  prayer,  and  was  greatly  moved 
on  finding  that  special  entreaty  was  being  made 
for  his  own  spiritual  welfare.  The  result  was 
that  soon  after  he  joined  himself  to  the  Dis- 
senters, and  became  their  leading  member  in 
the  congregation  at  Bufile.  This  connection  has 
been  maintained  by  some  of  his  sons  and  their 
descendants  down  to  the  present  time  in  the  U.P. 
congregation  at  Lynturk,  which  now  represents 
the  Buffle  one. 

William  M'Combie,  after  settling  at  Lynturk, 
married  Marjory  Wishart,  daughter  of  Mr 
Wishart,  merchant,   Banchory,  by  whom   he  had 


g6  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

3.  family  of  seven  sons  and  three  daughters.  The 
sons  were  Alexander,  Robert,  William,  John, 
Thomas,  Peter,  and  Charles.  William's  great- 
grandfather, it  will  be  remembered,  had  seven 
sons  also,  and  as  in  their  time  the  fortunes  of 
the  family  were  at  their  lowest,  so  now,  from 
amongst  the  seven  sons  of  his  descendant,  they 
were  once  more  to  be  restored  to  even  more  than 
their  former  position.  Four  of  the  seven  names, 
it  will  be  observed,  correspond  with  the  names  of 
four  of  the  former  family  of  seven  sons.  The 
names  of  William's  seven  sons,  contracted  in  the 
usual  Scottish  fashion,  formed  a  sort  of  anapestic 
rhythm,  as  follows:  Same,  Rob,  Willie,  Jock,  Tam, 
Pate,  aiid  Charlie,  —  at  one  time  very  popular 
amongst  scholars  in  the  parishes  of  Tough  and 
Leochel,  and  still  remembered  by  many  who 
never  knew,  or  have  forgotten  the  origin  of  it. 
Alexander,  the  eldest  son,  was  a  man  of  great 
size  and  strength  of  body,  but  lacked  energy  of 
mind,  and  was  content  to  reside  with  his  brother 
Robert  at  Upper  Farm  ton,  where  he  lived  and 
died  unmarried. 


William  M'Combie,  Lynturk :  His  Family.    97 

Robert,  the  second  son,  was  tenant  of  Upper 
and  Lower  Farmton,  and  married  a  daughter  of 
Mr  Milner,  Mains  of  Corse.  His  eldest  son, 
WilHam,  became  tenant  in  turn  of  Upper  Farm- 
ton,  and  had  four  sons:  WilHam,  who  died  young; 
Peter  and  James,  both  deceased  ;  and  Robert,  the 
present  tenant  of  Upper  Farmton.  Robert's 
second  son,  James,  became  tenant  of  Lower 
Farmton,  and  had  a  son,  Robert,  who  died  young  ; 
and  a  daughter,  married  to  John  Hunter,  till  re- 
cently farmer  in  Lower  Farmton,  whose  daughter 
is  married  to  Dr  M'Donald  of  Markinch,  Fife ; 
Jessie,  the  sister  of  the  present  tenant  of  Upper 
Farmton,  unmarried  ;  and  Helen,  married  to  Mr 
Duffus,  whose  son  is  now  tenant  of  Lower  Farm- 
ton,  brings  the  family  of  William  down  to  the 
present  time,  and  leaves  them  tenants  of  Lower 
and  Upper  Farmton,  as  his  father  had  been. 
The  daughters  of  the  first  Robert  of  Farmton 
were  Marjory,  married  to  Mr  Smith,  Easter 
Tolmands,  whose  son  is  the  present  tenant  there ; 
and  Penelope,  who  had  no  family. 

William,   the   third   son,  became  tenant  of  the 

G 


98  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

Netherton  of  Tough,  where  his  great-grandfather 
Donald  M'Combie  first  settled,  and  married  a 
Miss  Urquhart.  Their  son  William  was  their 
successor  in  Netherton,  where  he  died  not  many- 
years  ago.  Their  son  Charles  became  tenant 
of  Tillychetly  in  the  parish  of  Alford,  now 
tenanted  by  his  son  Charles.  Their  daughter 
was  married  to  her  cousin  William  in  Upper 
Farmton. 

John,  the  fourth  son,  held  a  situation  in  the 
Customs,  Aberdeen,  the  family  ultimately  settling 
in  London. 

Thomas,  the  fifth  son,  was  born  in  1762,  and 
became  a  merchant  in  Aberdeen,  of  which  he  was 
a  magistrate,  being  several  times  a  bailie  and 
member  of  the  town  council,  and  refused  the 
honour  of  the  provostship.  His  success  in  busi- 
ness enabled  him  to  buy  the  estate  of  Jellybrands 
in  the  end  of  the  last  century,  and  the  estates 
of  Asleid  and  Easterskene  in  the  beo^inninof  of 
the  present  century.  He  was  the  first  of  the 
M'Combies  north  of  the  Grampians  who  suc- 
ceeded   in    regaining    the    position    held    by    his 


Thomas  M'Combie  of  Easter skene.  99 

ancestors  in  Perthshire  and  Forfarshire  as  land- 
owners. It  is  doubtless  owing  to  this  circum- 
stance in  great  part  that  his  eldest  son,  the  present 
proprietor  of  Easterskene  and  Lynturk,  has  been 
looked  upon  as  the  chief  of  the  name,  it  being 
a  well-known  fact  that  the  chieftainship  of  High- 
land clans  did  not  always  go  by  seniority  of  birth 
or  direct  succession.  Thomas  married  Margaret 
Boyn,  daughter  of  Mr  Boyn  of  the  Customs, 
Aberdeen,  by  whom  he  had  a  family  of  three 
sons  and  five  daughters,  of  whom  two  died  young. 
He  died  in  1824,  and  was  succeeded  in  Easter- 
skene by  his  eldest  son  William,  born  in  1802, 
whose  biography  will  be  given  later  on.  Mr 
James  Boyn  M'Combie,  his  second  son,  succeeded 
by  destination  to  the  estate  of  Jellybrands,  and 
had  a  long  and  honourable  career  as  an  advocate 
in  Aberdeen.  He  was  much  esteemed  by  his 
townsmen  of  Aberdeen,  and  but  for  his  retiring 
disposition  would  have  been  brought  more  prom- 
inently into  public  life  than  was  the  case.  As 
it  was,  he  was  Dean  of  Guild  once ;  and  his  pop- 
ularity for  the  provostship  on  one  occasion  was 


loo  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

set  forth  in  song  in  one  of  the  newspapers,  one 
verse  of  which  was  as  follows  : — 

"Oh  wha's  to  be  provost?  wha?  wha? 
Oh  wha's  to  be  provost  ?  wha  ? 
Ye  should  tak  Jellybrands, 
He's  made  to  your  hands; 
He's  a  dungeon  of  wit,  and  of  law,  law. 
He's  a  dungeon  of  wit,  and  of  law." 

He  married  Miss  Helen  Davidson,  daughter  of 
Mr  Davidson  of  Elmsfield,  but  had  no  family. 
He  died  in   1885. 

Thomas,  the  third  son,  inherited  Asleid  and 
Richmond  Hill.  He  married  Miss  Catherine 
Arbuthnot,  daughter  of  Mr  Robert  Arbuthnot 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  and  left  an  only  daughter, 
Nicola,  married  to  Mr  Thomas  Hutchison,  who 
held  a  situation  in  the  National  Debt  Office  for 
many  years  :  issue,  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 

The  daughters  of  Mr  Thomas  M'Combie  of 
Easterskene  were  Barbara,  married  to  Dr  Alex- 
ander Ewing  of  Tartowie,  a  very  successful 
physician  and  surgeon  in  Aberdeen,  whose  only 
surviving  son  is  Major  Alexander  Ewing  of  the 
Army    Pay    Department,    who    married    Juliana 


Peter  M' Combie  of  Lyntztj^k.  i  o  i 

Horatia  Gatty,  a  well-known  author.  Thomas 
M'Combie's  second  daughter  was  Margaret,  mar- 
ried to  Mr  Simpson  Duguid  of  Cammachmore, 
whose  son,  Mr  Peter  Duguid  of  Cammachmore, 
advocate,  married  Miss  Adamson,  daughter  of 
Mr  Adamson,  merchant  and  shipowner,  Aber- 
deen :  issue,  two  sons  and  a  daughter. 

Isabella,  the  third  daughter,  was  married  to 
Mr  David  Blaikie,  of  Blaikie  Brothers,  whose 
only  son  John  married  a  daughter  of  General 
Tweedie  of  East  India  Company's  service  :  issue, 
one  son  and  two  daughters.  The  daughters  we're  : 
Margaret,  married  to  Mr  Patrick  Keith,  of  the 
firm  of  Gladstone,  Wylie,  &  Co. — issue,  two  sons 
and  four  daughters  ;  Helen,  married  first  to  Mr 
Hislop,  Prestonpans,  second  to  Major  Wood,  91st 
Highlanders,  third  to  Mr  Williamson. 

Peter,  sixth  son  of  William  M'Combie,  Lynturk, 
like  his  brother  Thomas,  engaged  successfully  in 
business  in  Aberdeen,  and  early  in  the  present 
century  bought  the  barony  of  Lynturk,  on  which 
his  father  had  been  tenant  so  long,  and  where 
he   and  his   brothers  had  been  born  and  brought 


I02  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

up.  He  married  Miss  Murray,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Mr  Murray,  minister  at  Buffle,  but  left  no  issue, 
his  nephew  Mr  William  M'Combie  of  Easter- 
skene  succeeding  to  the  property. 

Charles,  the  seventh  son,  became  proprietor  of 
Tillyfour,  which,  in  the  hands  of  his  son,  was  to 
become  a  household  word  in  the  agricultural 
world.  He  married  Miss  Ann  Black,  daughter 
of  a  Buchan  farmer  of  good  position,  and  had  a 
large  family,  several  of  whom  died  young.  He 
was  well  known  over  the  north  of  Scotland  as  a 
worthy,  upright  gentleman,  and  a  successful  cattle- 
dealer  on  a  very  extensive  scale.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded as  proprietor  of  Tillyfour  by  his  eldest 
son  Charles,  who,  for  the  long  period  of  forty- 
nine  years,  was  minister  of  Lumphanan.  He 
received  the  degree  of  LL.D.  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Aberdeen,  and  few  men  have  ever  led  a 
more  unblemished  life,  or  approached  nearer  to 
the  ideal  of  a  perfect  Christian  gentleman.  He 
died  at  Lumphanan  in  1874.  He  was  married 
first  to  Miss  Scott,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Robert 
Scott,  minister  of  Glenbucket,   by  whom  he  had 


Charles  M'Combie  of  Tillyfour :  His  Family.  103 

one  son,  deceased ;  second,  to  Miss  Eliza  La- 
mond,  daughter  of  Mr  Lamond  of  Pitmurchie, 
by  whom  he  had  four  sons  and  five  daughters,  of 
whom  only  three  survive,  —  Thomas,  in  Cape 
Colony,  unmarried ;  Isabella,  married  to  the 
Rev.  Mr  Young,  Ellon ;  and  Rachel,  un- 
married. 

William  M'Combie,  the  second  son,  will  be 
noticed  further  on. 

Thomas,  the  third  son,  who  reached  maturity, 
emigrated  to  Australia,  where  he  had  a  pros- 
perous and  honoured  career,  being  elected  a 
member  of  the  Leg^islative  Council  of  Victoria. 
He  came  home  to  settle  in  the  old  country,  but 
did  not  long  survive.  He  left  a  widow  and  two 
daughters,  who  are  both  married.  The  daughters 
of  Charles  of  Tillyfour  who  reached  maturity  were 
Marjory,  married  to  the  Rev.  Mr  Laing,  Aber- 
deen ;  and  Mary,  married  first  to  Mr  P.  C.  Auld, 
the  well-known  artist — issue,  three  sons  ;  second, 
to  the  Rev.  Mr  Forbes,  Oban. 

The  daughters  of  William  M'Combie  in  Lyn- 
turk,  were  Isobel,  unmarried  ;   Helen,  married  to 


104  The  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 

Mr  Dunn,  merchant,  Aberdeen,  who  had  no 
issue  ;  and  Marjory,  married  to  her  cousin,  Wil- 
Ham  M'Combie  in  Cairnballoch,  whose  son  Wil- 
liam had  a  very  successful  career  as  a  journalist 
and  author.  It  was  under  his  management  that 
the  '  Aberdeen  Free  Press '  was  started,  which 
under  his  care  and  editings  attained  a  distina;uished 
position  amongst  the  provincial  press,  which  it  has 
fully  maintained  to  the  present  time  under  his 
successors.  He  was  also  the  author  of  '  Hours 
of  Thought '  and  several  other  well-known  works, 
which  met  with  a  large  share  of  public  favour. 
He  was  a  self-made  man,  having  attained  his 
success  in  life  through  his  natural  talents  and 
perseverance.  He  left  a  large  family  of  sons 
and  daughters,  who  have  also  shown  marked 
ability. 

We  must  now  go  back  again  to  the  time  of 
William  M'Combie,  Lynturk,  and  briefly  notice 
the  other  two  sons  of  Robert  M'Combie,  Find- 
latrie,  Donald  and  Alexander.  Donald  became 
farmer  in  Boghead,  Tough,  and  left  an  only 
daughter,    married   to    Mr   Moses   Copland,   also 


Robert  M'Combie,  Findlatries,  Yoimger  Sons.  105 

farmer  there,  as  were  their  descendants  for  some 
time.  Alexander  was  a  htstar  at  Bandley.  His 
daughter,  Grizel  M'Combie,  was  married  to  Mr 
Alexander  Garden,  in  Bandley,  among  their 
family  being  Mr  George  Garden,  also  in  Bandley, 
and  Colonel  William  Garden  of  the  East  India 
Company's  service.  Mr  George  Garden,  Band- 
ley,  had  a  son,  the  well-known  Dr  William 
Garden,  in  Balfluig,  Alford,  who  had  a  son,  Mr 
Farquharson  Taylor  Garden. 

The  daughter  of  Robert  M'Combie  in  Find- 
latrie,  was  married  to  Mr  Reid,  Cromore,  Craig- 
myle ;  issue,  one  son,  Robert ;  issue,  a  daughter. 


io6 


CHAPTER    IV. 

WILLIAM  M'COMBIE  OF  TILLYFOUR — HIS  YOUTH — BECOMES  TENANT 
OF  TILLYFOUR,  BRIDGEND,  AND  DORSELL — FOND  OF  SPORT — 
BEGINS  HIS  CAREER  AS  CATTLE-BREEDER,  1844 — ENTERTAINED 
TO  PUBLIC  DINNER  BY  THE  GENTLEMEN  OF  THE  NORTH-EAST 
OF  SCOTLAND,  1862 — BY  FARM-SERVANTS  AND  TRADESMEN  OF 
THE  VALE  OF  ALFORD — SECOND  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SCOTTISH 
CHAMBER  OF  AGRICULTURE  —  VISITED  BY  HER  MAJESTY  THE 
QUEEN  —  PUBLISHES  '  CATTLE  AND  CATTLE  -  BREEDERS  '  —  M.P. 
FOR  WEST  ABERDEENSHIRE — PURCHASES  TILLYFOUR — CROWN- 
ING  SUCCESS   OF    1878 — DEATH — PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS. 

^1  riLLIAM  M'COMBIE  of  Tillyfour.  the 
second  son  of  Charles  M'Combie  of 
Tillyfour,  was  born  in  1805.  As  it  was  his 
father's  wish  that  he,  with  his  elder  brother, 
should  enter  one  of  the  learned  professions,  he 
was  sent  to  Aberdeen  University ;  but  the  result 
of  two  sessions  at  Marischal  College  was  so  un- 
satisfactory  that  his  father  took  him  home  and 
set  him  to  work  a  pair  of  horses.      In  after-life, 


William  M'Combie  of  Tilly fou7\  107 

he  often  reg^retted  his  ncQflect  of  education  in 
early  life  ;  and  the  higher  the  position  he  attained, 
the  more  he  felt  the  disadvantages  of  that  neo^lect. 
The  only  good  result  that  came  of  this  neglect 
was  the  benefit  acquired  by  practical  experience 
of  a  ploughman's  work.  This  he  held  to  be  in- 
valuable for  every  one  who  intended  to  follow 
agriculture  in  its  widest  sense  as  a  profession. 
His  ideal  of  the  training  necessary  for  a  farmer's 
life  was,  first,  a  good  education,  especially  in  all 
that  was  likely  to  be  of  practical  use  afterwards, 
laying  particular  stress  on  English  grammar  and 
composition  ;  second,  a  practical  training  in  all 
kinds  of  farm-work — not  a  turn  now  and  then  as 
a  pastime,  but  filling  the  place  of  a  regular  work- 
man for  a  stipulated  time.  After  that  preliminary 
training,  a  man  was  fit  to  enter  on  the  superinten- 
dence of  work,  and  ready  to  acquire  experience 
in  buying  and  selling  stock,  and  to  exercise  his 
judgment  generally  on  everything  pertaining  to 
practical  farming. 

After  two  years'  probation  as  a  ploughman,  the 
future   "Grazier   King"  began  some  dealing  on 


io8  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

his  own  account,  some  details  of  which  are  given 
in  his  *  Cattle  and  Cattle- Breeders.'  Previous  to 
his  father's  death,  he  became  tenant  of  the  home 
farm  of  Tillyfour,  including  Tillyreach  and  Nether- 
hill — a  tenancy  continued  during  the  lifetime  of 
his  brother,  who  had  been  settled  as  minister  of 
Lumphanan  some  time  before  his  father's  death. 
Some  years  afterwards  he  became  tenant  of  Bridg- 
end, on  the  estate  of  Lynturk — a  tenancy  only 
broken  by  his  own  death.  Still  later  he  became 
tenant  of  Dorsell  in  Alford,  which  he  held  until 
he  purchased  Tillyfour.  From  about  1830  he 
was  free  to  follow  his  own  bent  in  regard  to 
cattle,  yet  there  was  no  systematic  attempt  at 
cattle  -  breeding  until  some  fourteen  or  fifteen 
years  afterwards.  Until  this  later  period,  he 
was  rather  of  a  sporting  turn,  and  was  a  good 
shot  and  a  capital  horseman.  His  shooting  he 
continued  occasionally  up  to  about  1856.  As 
a  rider  he  performed  many  astonishing  feats, 
being  always  well  mounted,  and  covering  extra- 
ordinary distances  to  and  from  markets  on  one 
horse  in  one  day.     To  the  last  he  liked  to  see 


William  M'Co7nbie  of  Tilly  four.  109 

a  good  fast  horse,  and  had  many  horses  in  his 
time  well  known  for  their  high  powers  of  speed 
and  endurance.  He  also  engaged  in  coursing  at 
one  time,  and  once  won  and  once  divided  the 
all-aged  stakes  at  Turriff  with  Amy,  whose  por- 
trait held  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  dining-room 
at  Tillyfour.  During  this  period,  1830-45,  with 
the  exception  of  an  odd  beast  now  and  then  sent 
to  Alford  shows,  his  breeding  stock  was  com- 
posed of  ordinary  country  cows  kept  for  dairy 
purposes,  the  lean  cattle  trade  being  still  his  main 
dependence;  and  not  until  1844  or  1845  did  he 
enter  on  the  main  work  of  his  life — the  breeding 
and  improvement  of  the  polled  Aberdeen-Angus 
breed  of  cattle.  From  that  time  onwards  he  de- 
voted the  best  energies  of  his  life  to  that  object. 
With  good  abilities  and  good  opportunities,  a 
man  who  determines  to  follow  out  a  certain  aim 
in  life  is  sure  of  success  if  granted  time ;  and 
William  M'Combie  had  rare  abilities,  good  oppor- 
tunities, and  had  over  thirty  years  of  uninter- 
rupted application  of  his  abilities  and  oppor- 
tunities.     The    result    was   a   success    altogether 


I  lo  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

without  parallel.  When  he  commenced  the 
breeding  of  Aberdeen-Angus  polled  cattle,  the 
breed  had  not  long  been  shown  as  a  distinct 
class  at  shows.  At  that  time  there  were  at  least 
three  breeds  of  cattle — shorthorns  in  England 
and  Scotland,  and  Herefords  and  Devons  in  Eng- 
land— whose  supporters  would  have  derided  the 
idea  of  serious  rivalry  from  the  Scottish  black 
polls  of  Aberdeen  and  Angus,  while  several  other 
breeds  were  at  least  on  an  equality  with  them. 
Yet  in  little  over  twenty  years  from  starting  in 
earnest  to  improve  the  breed,  William  M'Combie 
both  bred  and  fed  a  pure  polled  Aberdeen-Angus 
ox  that  put  completely  into  the  shade  the  best 
shorthorns,  Herefords,  and  Devons  that  Great 
Britain  could  produce ;  and  twelve  years  later,  in 
a  competition  open  to  the  world,  he  took  first 
place  with  the  same  breed,  beating  every  other 
breed  of  note  either  at  home  or  abroad. 

From  the  time  he  entered  on  this  work,  it  be- 
came the  main  business  of  his  life.  He  was 
never  at  rest  long  from  Tillyfour.  When  neces- 
sarily absent  on   business,  he  always  set  out  for 


William  M'Combie  of  Tilly  four.  1 1 1 

home  immediately  it  was  finished.  Every  day 
of  his  life,  if  at  home  and  well,  he  made  his 
rounds  of  his  byres  or  his  fields,  and  saw  every 
beast ;  and  no  eye  was  quicker  in  detecting  any- 
thing amiss  with  any  of  them.  Such  unremitting 
ardour  soon  brought  success,  show-yard  honours 
came  thick  and  fast,  and  what  is  more,  continued. 
The  agricultural  world  began  to  realise  that  this 
was  no  common  man,  making  lucky  hits  now  and 
again,  but  a  man  with  a  genius  for  what  he  had 
taken  in  hand — a  man  making  history  in  his  own 
particular  walk  of  life. 

In  recognition,  therefore,  of  the  work  he  was 
accomplishing,  he  was  entertained  to  dinner  at 
Aberdeen  in  1862  by  about  four  hundred  of  the 
leading  noblemen  and  gentlemen  in  the  north  of 
Scotland  connected  with  agriculture,  under  the 
presidency  of  the  late  Marquis  of  Huntly.  On 
that  occasion  he,  in  a  few  words,  put  before  the 
public  what  had  been  his  aim  in  life,  and  to  what 
extent  he  had  attained  it.  "  I  was  led,"  said  he, 
"by  a  father  whose  memory  I  revere,  to  believe 
that  our  polled  cattle  are  peculiarly  suited  to  our 


112  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

soil  and  climate,  and  that  if  their  properties  were 
rightly  brought  out,  they  would  equal,  if  not  sur- 
pass, any  other  breed  as  to  weight,  symmetry, 
and  quality  of  flesh.  I  resolved  that  I  would 
endeavour  to  improve  our  native  breed.  I  ex- 
erted all  my  energies  to  accomplish  this  purpose. 
For  many  years  I  was  an  unsuccessful  exhibitor 
at  the  Smithfield  Club.  I  went  to  Baker  Street. 
I  minutely  examined  the  prize-winners.  I  di- 
rected my  attention  especially  to  the  points  in 
which  the  English  were  superior  to  the  Scottish 
cattle.  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  had  been 
beaten,  not  because  our  Scottish  breed  was  in- 
ferior to  the  English  breeds,^ — I  saw  that  I  had 
been  beaten  because  I  was  imperfectly  acquainted 
with  the  points  of  the  animals  most  appreciated 
in  Baker  Street.  I  doubled,  I  tripled,  I  quad- 
rupled the  cake  allowed  to  my  feeding  stock.  I 
attained  the  object  of  my  ambition.  English 
agriculturists  always  maintained  that  a  Scot  would 
never  take  a  first  place  in  a  competition  with  a 
shorthorn,  a  Hereford,  or  a  Devon.  I  have 
given  them   reason  for  changing   their  opinion." 


WiUiam  Al'Combi'e  of  Tilly  four.  1 13 

Not  long  after  this  he  was  entertained  to  dinner 
by  the  farm-servants  and  tradesmen  of  the  vale 
of  Alford,  an  honour  which  he  always  looked 
back  upon  with  especial  pride.  In  1865,  when 
the  rinderpest  was  paralysing  stock-breeders  by 
its  ravages,  the  farmers  of  Aberdeenshire,  under 
the  leadership  of  William  M'Combie,  showed  the 
agricultural  world  how  to  grapple  successfully 
with  this  evil,  by  the  stamping-out  process  they 
adopted. 

In  1866  he  succeeded  Mr  George  Hope,  Fen- 
tonbarns,  as  second  president  of  the  Scottish 
Chamber  of  Agriculture.  In  December  of  the 
following  year  his  fortunes  as  a  combined  feeder 
and  breeder  of  the  polled  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle 
reached  a  climax,  when  Black  Prince,  a  pure 
Aberdeen-Angus  ox  bred  and  fed  by  himself, 
was,  Eclipse-like,  "first,  and  the  rest  nowhere," 
both  at  Birmingham  and  London.  So  conspic- 
uous was  he  by  his  superiority  over  all  the  most 
noted  English  breeds,  that  her  Majesty  the  Queen 
expressed  a  wish  to  see  so  notable  an  animal. 
He  was  accordingly  sent  by  Windsor  on  his  way 

\\ 


114  The  Family  of  M'Conibie. 

from  Birmingham  to  London.  Her  Majesty  was 
greatly  struck  with  the  magnificent  black,  and 
Mr  M'Combie  was  so  proud  of  the  honour  done 
to  himself  through  his  champion,  that,  after 
Smithfield,  he  offered  the  Black  Prince  as  a  eift 
to  his  sovereign.  Her  Majesty  of  course  de- 
clined so  large  a  present,  but  graciously  accepted 
the  baron  of  beef  for  her  Christmas  dinner.  The 
after-result  of  this  was,  that  Mr  M'Combie  had 
the  high  honour  of  receiving  her  Majesty  at 
Tillyfour  in  1868.  On  this  occasion  some  400 
polled  cattle  were  spread  over  the  fields  sur- 
rounding the  mansion  -  house  of  Tillyfour,  in 
which  her  Majesty  took  tea  before  setting  out 
on  her  return  to   Balmoral. 

In  1867  'Cattle  and  Cattle-Breeders,'  by  Wil- 
liam M'Combie,  Tillyfour,  was  published.  Few 
men  seemed  more  unlikely  at  one  time  to  have 
turned  author  than  he  was.  '  Cattle  and  Cattle- 
Breeders  '  was,  however,  a  success,  Qroino^  throuo-h 

■'00  o 

three  editions  in  a  few  years.  It  contained  much 
valuable  matter  on  the  breeding,  feeding,  and 
care   of  cattle,    and   some   racy  reminiscences   of 


Williain  APCombie  of  Tilly fottr.  1 15 

the  great  cattle-dealers  in  the  beginning  of  the 
century.  The  style  is  plain  and  unaffected,  being 
just  such  as  a  man  adopts  who,  without  any  pre- 
tensions to  literary  culture,  has  something  to  say, 
and  says  it  in  a  simple,  straightforward  manner. 
For  its  raison  cPelre  the  book  supplied  a  good 
deal  of  information,  not  before  published,  on 
matters  of  moment  to  an  important  part  of  the 
community,  which  is  more  than  can  be  said  of 
most  books. 

Although  now  over  sixty  years  of  age,  and 
held  in  honour  by  all  classes,  from  sovereign  to 
peasant,  William  M'Combie  was  yet  looking  for- 
ward, in  1867,  to  still  further  honours  in  a  new 
field.  When  it  became  certain  that  the  county 
of  Aberdeen  was  to  have  an  additional  member 
of  Parliament  as  soon  as  the  Reform  Bill  of  1867 
became  law,  he  diligently  canvassed  West  Aber- 
deenshire, and  at  the  general  election  in  1868  he 
was  returned  unopposed,  being  the  first  tenant- 
farmer  returned  for  a  Scottish  constituency,  and 
the  second  returned  to  the  House  of  Commons. 
As  a  member  of  Parliament,  he  had  the  ear  of 


J 1 6  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

the  House  of  Commons  whenever  he  spoke  on 
agricultural  questions,  and  the  unwavering  confi- 
dence of  his  constituents.  At  the  general  elec- 
tion  in  1874  he  was  opposed  by  Mr  Edward 
Ross,  more  celebrated  as  a  rifle-shot  than  as  a 
politician.  The  result  was  the  most  decisive 
victory  obtained  by  any  member  returned  at  that 
election,  the  figures  being  —  M'Combie,  2401; 
Ross,   326. 

There  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  but  that  his 
parliamentary  duties,  coupled  with  his  large  farm- 
ing operations,  and  the  management  of  his  famous 
breeding  -  herd,  put  too  great  a  strain  on  his 
powers.  When,  therefore,  after  his  brother's 
death,  he,  in  1875,  purchased  Tillyfour,  it  was 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  he  gave  up  Dorsell, 
the  most  outlying  of  his  farms  from  Tillyfour,  in 
that  year,  and  resigned  his  parliamentary  duties 
in  1876.  On  the  occasion  of  his  retirement,  a 
large  sum  of  money  was  subscribed  for,  and  in- 
vested so  as  to  provide  the  "M'Combie  Prize" 
annually  at  Aberdeen  for  the  best  specimen  of 
the  breed  with  which  his  name  was  so  indissol- 


William  M'Couibic  of  Tilly  four.  1 1  7 

ubly  connected.     Thus  honoured,   and  Hghtened 
of  part  of  his  work,  he  settled  down  more  closely 
to  his  home  affairs,  and  projected  many  improve- 
ments on  the  home  farm  and  estate  of  Tillyfour, 
several  of  which  he  saw  effected.      But  he  was 
failing  fast  in  bodily  strength.      Those  long  reck- 
less rides,  at  all  times  and  in  all  weathers,  when 
in  the  heyday  of  his   youth   and   strength,   were 
having  their  effect  now.      But  before  the  end  he 
was  to  have  one  crowning  honour  and  glory  for 
the  breed  he  had  done  so  much  for.      In  1878,  at 
the  great   Exhibition   at   Paris,  he  won  the  two 
great  prizes   of  the  show   against   all    the  most 
famous  breeds  from  every  country  of  Europe,  his 
group    of   polled    Aberdeen -Angus    cattle    being 
first  both  for  breeding  and  feeding  qualities.      It 
was  a  fitting  close  to  a  g-lorious  career.       Prac- 
tically  there  was  no  further   honour  possible  of 
acquirement  for  the  Tillyfour  herd.     After  this 
he  was  not  long  spared,  and  died,  full,  of  years 
and  honours,  at  Tillyfour  on  February  i,  1880. 

In  this  brief  summary  of  the  chief  events  of 
the   life  of  William   M'Combie  of  Tillyfour,    but 


ii8  The  Family  of  APCombic. 

little  idea  can  be  formed  of  the  man  as  he  lived 
and  moved  at  home  and  abroad.  He  was  con- 
siderably above  the  average  height,  his  personal 
appearance  being  more  indicative  of  strength  and 
vigour  than  of  elegance  or  refinement.  His  head 
was  massive,  with  a  commanding  forehead ;  the 
rest  of  his  features  plain.  The  disposition  which 
led  him  to  neglect  his  education  when  young,  also 
led  him  to  be  less  refined  in  speech  and  manners 
than  most  people  would  have  expected  from  the 
high  position  he  attained  latterly  in  social  life. 
But  his  strength  of  intellect  and  force  of  will  grave 
a  natural  dignity  to  him,  which  did  much  to  over- 
shadow these  defects,  and  no  one  could  see  him 
without  recognising  a  man  born  with  power  to 
overcome  obstacles,  and  to  make  a  name  for  him- 
self. His  neglect  of  education  had  also  much  to 
do  with  his  defects  as  an  orator ;  yet  here,  again, 
his  force  of  character  commanded  attention,  and 
throufjh  the  haltino-  sentences  his  meaninof  would 
come  out  clear  and  forcible  in  a  few  terse,  homely 
words.  Some  of  his  unprepared  speeches,  had 
they  been  printed  verbatim,  would  have  seemed 


William  M'Covibic  of  Tilly  four.  1 19 

not  much  clearer  than  Cromwell's,  yet,  like  him, 
ideas  pregnant  with  meaning  could  be  seen  strug- 
gling through  the  seeming  confusion  and  repe- 
tition. 

As  an  agriculturist  in  the  strict  meaninof  of 
the  word,  he  stood  high.  He  reclaimed  much 
on  Tillyfour  from  heather  and  bog,  pointing 
out  with  satisfaction  fields  great  part  of  which 
he  had  himself  ploughed  for  the  first  time.  He 
dealt  liberally  in  manure,  employed  only  the 
best  seeds,  and  took  many  prizes  both  for  grain 
and  root  crops.  He  was  very  particular  as  to 
having  good  workmen,  and  it  may  safely  be 
said  that  better  ploughed  and  drilled  fields,  or 
better  -  built  stacks,  were  not  to  be  seen  any- 
where than  on  Tillyfour,  Bridgend,  and  Dorsell. 
He  was  an  excellent  judge  of  men,  and  gener- 
ally had  a  good  idea  of  the  worth  of  a  man 
before  he  was  long  in  his  service.  He  had 
also  a  penchant  for  strong  men,  and  was  very 
proud  of  any  of  his  servants  who  had  won  prizes 
at  athletic  sports,  never  failing  to  point  them 
out  to  visitors,  with  a  short  history  of  their  ex- 


I  20  The  Faimly  of  M'Coinbic. 

ploits.  For  a  long  period  his  three  farms  were 
training-schools  for  young  men  who  wanted  to 
push  themselves  on  in  the  agricultural  world, 
and  he  was  ever  willing  to  forward  merit  by 
generous  recommendation.  In  the  latter  part 
of  his  life  he  paid  strict  attention  to  the  duties 
of  religion,  holding  family  worship  nightly  with 
his  immediate  household,  and  on  Sunday  the 
whole  of  the  servants  at  Tillyfour  were  as- 
sembled for  this  purpose.  He  was  by  no  means 
ascetic,  however,  had  a  keen  relish  for  humour, 
and  enjoyed  a  hearty  laugh.  His  outward  de- 
meanour was  somewhat  brusque  and  seemingly 
harsh  at  times,  but  those  who  knew  him  inti- 
mately, knew  that  there  was  much  depth  of  kindly 
feeling  beneath  it.  His  success  in  life  was 
entirely  due  to  his  own  conspicuous  abilities, 
and  untiring  persistence  in  the  course  he  had 
entered  on.  He  was  a  **  powerful,  pushing,  and 
prosperous  M'Combie,"  a  veritable  M'Comie  Mor 
in  his  own  line,  a  benefactor  of  his  time  whose 
name  and  fame  will  lons"  survive. 


I2T 


CHAPTER    V. 

WILLIAM  M'COMBIE  OF  EASTERSKENE  AND  LYNTURK — HIS  EARLY 
YEARS  —  SUCCEEDS  TO  EASTERSKENE,  1824  —  INVESTIGATIONS 
REGARDING  THE  HISTORY  OF  HIS  ANCESTORS — VISITS  TO  PERTH- 
SHIRE AND  FORFARSHIRE — MARRIAGE,  1831  —  SUCCEEDS  TO 
LYNTURK — DEATH  OF  HIS  WIFE,  1835 — AND  OF  HIS  SON,  1841  — 
EASTERSKENE — LYNTURK — EASTERSKENE  HERD — MR  M'COMBIE 
AS  A  FARMER  AND  LANDLORD — PUBLIC  LIFE — PERSONAL  CHAR- 
ACTERISTICS— CONCLUSION. 

TiriLLIAM  M'COMBIE,  eldest  son  of 
Thomas  M'Combie  of  Easterskene,  and 
Margaret,  daughter  of  James  Boyn,  Esq., 
Aberdeen,  was  born  in  Aberdeen  In  1802, 
and  was  made  a  free  infant  burgess  of  the 
city  in  the  same  year,  his  father  being  a 
magistrate  at  that  time,  and  magistrates  when 
in  office  being  entitled  to  have  that  privi- 
lege conferred  on  their  sons  born  during  their 
magistracy.     Vv^hen   a  boy  of  about  five   or  six 


1 2  2  The  Family  of  M'  Coinbie. 

years  of  age,  he  remembers  being  along  with 
his  parents  on  a  visit  to  his  grandfather  at  Lyn- 
turk,  and  seeing  and  talking  to  him  not  long 
before  he  died,  which  was  in  i8o8.  This  was 
in  the  old  house  of  Lynturk,  already  mentioned 
as  having  been  built  by  his  grandfather.  When 
we  remember  that  his  grandfather  was  eighty- 
eight  years  of  age  when  he  died,  and  was  there- 
fore born  only  six  years  after  the  death  of  his 
grandfather  Donald,  who  did  not  live  to  be  a 
very  old  man,  we  see  that  very  little  is  wanting 
from  having  the  history  of  the  stirring  events 
that  took  place  in  the  family  of  the  M'Combies 
in  Glenisla  and  Glenshee  between  i66o  and 
1673,  told  by  a  contemporary,  and  in  several 
cases  an  eyewitness  of  them,  to  his  grandson, 
who  in  turn  could  have  told  them  to  his  grand- 
son, who  is  still  alive.  Or  in  other  words,  only 
a  few  years  were  wanting,  from  the  present  head 
of  the  family  being  the  second  who  could  have 
received  the  history  of  the  raid  of  Crandart  in 
1669  by  direct  oral  communication  from  one 
who  was  witness   of  and   shared  in  the  conster- 


William  M'Coinbic  of  Eastcrskcnc.         123 

nation  and  wrath  in  the  old  Ha'  of  Crandart 
amongst  the  family  of  M'Comie  Mor,  when 
the  dastardly  outrage  became  known  on  that 
eventful  New  Year's  morning.  As  it  is,  it  is 
very  remarkable  that  Mr  M'Combie  is  but  the 
third  to  whom  the  history  of  events  that  took 
place  over  two  hundred  years  ago  may  be  said 
to  have  come,  by  direct  oral  tradition,  from  an 
eyewitness  and  participator  in  them.^ 

Mr  M'Combie  was  educated  in  Aberdeen,  and 
graduated  at  Marischal  College  in  1820.    In  1822 
he  was   one  of  a  number   of   young   gentlemen 
from  Aberdeenshire  who  went  to  Edinburgh  to 
participate    in  the  rejoicings  consequent   on  the 
visit   of  George    IV.   to   Scotland.      In   1824,  on 
the    death    of   his    father,    he    succeeded    to    the 
estate  of  Easterskene,  and  commenced  the  series 
of    improvements    which,    continued    up    to    the 
present    time,    has    wrought    a    change    hard    to 
realise    by   those    unacquainted  with    the   aspect 
of  the    estate    in    1824.       But   while    busy   with 
improvements  at   Easterskene,   there  had  arisen 

1  Appendix,  Note  S. 


124  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

in    his  mind  before  this  time   an   earnest  desire 
to   investigate,  and   if  possible   throw   additional 
light  on,  the   history  of  his   ancestors  in   Perth- 
shire  and    Forfarshire.       Up    to   the   time  when 
Mr  M'Combie  began  his   researches,   the  family 
in  Aberdeenshire   had  litde   but   traditionary  re- 
miniscences   of   the    history    of    their   ancestors. 
The    leading   facts,    such   as   their  being   landed 
proprietors  in  Glenshee  in  Perthshire,  and  latterly 
in  Glenisla  in  Forfarshire,  and  of  the  feud  with 
the  Farquharsons,  and   the   breaking   up   of  the 
family  soon   afterwards,  were   well  known  to  all 
Donald's    descendants    in    Aberdeenshire.       Mr 
M'Combie    remembers    hearing    the    particulars 
of  the    fight    at   the    Moss    of   Forfar   from    his 
father  and  uncles,  long  before  he  knew  that  all 
the    details    were    preserved    in    the    Justiciary 
Records.      His  grandfather  William  used  to  deal 
to  a  considerable   extent   in   cattle — in   fact,  was 
paving  the  way  for  his  still  more  renowned  son 
Charles,    and    grandson    William,    of    Tillyfour, 
in    the    same    line.       His    business    in    that    line 
occasionally    took     him     to     Forfarshire,    where 


William  Al'Coiiihic  of  Eastcrskcne.         125 

he  met  and  in  time  became  acquainted  with 
the  Earl  of  Airhe  of  that  time.  Lord  AirHe 
was  greatly  interested  when  he  became  aware 
that  this  Aberdeenshire  farmer  was  a  great- 
grandson  of  the  famous  M'Comie  Mor  who  had 
obtained  the  wadset  of  the  barony  of  Porter 
from  the  Earl  of  Airlie  in  the  time  of  Charles  I., 
and  had  required  two  Acts  of  the  Scottish  Par- 
liament to  make  him  forego  his  claim  of  free 
forestry  in  Canlochan.  So  interested  was  he 
and  pleased  with  William  M'Combie— who,  like 
so  many  of  the  descendants  of  M'Comie  Mor, 
carried  proof  of  the  genuineness  of  his  descent 
in  his  own  massive  frame — that  he  more  than 
once  intimated  the  pleasure  it  would  give  him 
to  see  the  M'Combies  once  more  settled  in  Glen- 
isla.  All  these  reminiscences  were  eagerly 
gathered  and  treasured  up  in  the  mind  of  the 
young  laird  of  Easterskene.  And  now,  after 
long  years  of  push  and  progress  by  Donald's 
descendants,  there  was  at  length  one  who  had 
at  once  both  the  time,  and  not  only  the  incli- 
nation but  an   enthusiastic   desire,  to  trace  back 


126  The  Family  of  Al'Combie. 

the  history  of  his  ancestors.  In  1827  he 
determined  to  visit  Glenisla  and  Glenshee. 
Mr  Martin,  at  that  time  minister  of  Glen- 
isla, knowing  Mr  M'Combie  to  be  a  descendant 
of  M'Comie  Mor,  had  previously  made  his 
acquaintance,  and  on  Mr  Martin's  invitation, 
Glenisla  manse  was  made  his  headquarters. 
The  two  weeks  he  then  spent  in  wandering 
over  the  upper  end  of  Glenisla  and  of  Glen- 
shee, he  has  always  looked  back  upon  as 
amongst  the  most  interesting  and  pleasant  of 
his  life.  Twice  since  then  he  has  gone  over 
the  same  ground.  In  these  later  expeditions 
he  was  accompanied  at  one  time  by  his  brother, 
Mr  J.  B.  M'Combie — at  another  time  by  Dr 
Taylor,  minister  of  Leochel-Cushnie,  who  was 
well  skilled  in  antiquarian  lore.  At  the  time 
of  Dr  Taylor's  visit,  he  made  out  with  consider- 
able certainty  the  ground -plan  of  the  mansion- 
house  of  Crandart  erected  by  John  M'Comie 
in  1660.  On  each  occasion  Mr  M'Combie  found 
much  to  interest  him,  and  met  with  local  eentle- 
men  willing  to  help  him  in  his  researches.     The 


William  Jll'  Coinbie  of  E aster skcnc.        1 2  7 

late  Mr  William  Shaw,  Finnegand,  entered 
with  great  zeal  into  the  matter,  and  to  him  Mr 
M'Combie  was  indebted  for  many  interesting 
facts  in  the  history  of  the  M'Combies,  both  his- 
torical and  traditional.  The  late  Mr  Thomas 
Shaw,  Little  Forter,  Glenisla,  on  Mr  M'Combie's 
first  visit  was  very  friendly  and  attentive,  and 
by  him  Mr  M'Combie  was  led  to  study  the 
etymology  of  the  Gaelic  names  of  places,  with 
the  result  that  more  than  one  Gaelic  scholar 
has  been  with  difficulty  persuaded  that  Mr 
M'Combie  could  not  speak  Gaelic.  It  is  rather 
strange,  too,  that  Mr  Shaw,  his  first  preceptor 
in  the  etymology  of  Gaelic  names,  was  also  un- 
able to  speak  Gaelic.  Mr  J.  B.  M'Combie  was 
from  the  first  an  active  assistant  in  the  search  for 
documentary  evidence  regarding  the  history  of 
the  family,  and  little  by  little  much  that  hitherto 
rested  on  tradition  in  the  family  was  established 
as  historically  correct.  The  record  of  the  great 
double  trial  M'Comies  v.  Farquharsons,  Far- 
quharsons  v.  M'Comies,  was  a  grand  find;  so 
also  were  the  two  Acts  and  Decreets  of  the  Scot- 


1 28  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

tish  Parliament  settling  the  dispute  between 
Lord  Airlie  and  John  M'Comie  as  to  Canlochan. 
The  search  after  authentic  records  of  his  an- 
cestors was  no  transient  pursuit,  but  has  con- 
tinued throufyhout  a  lone  life. 

In  1 83 1,  Mr  M'Combie  married  Katherine 
Ann  Buchan  Forbes,  eldest  daughter  of  Major 
Alexander  Forbes  of  Inverernan.  This  lady  was 
a  Forbes  by  descent  on  both  sides,  her  mother 
being  a  daughter  of  Duncan  Forbes  Mitchell,  Esq. 
of  Thainston,  second  son  of  Sir  Arthur  Forbes 
of  Craigievar.  In  1832  a  son,  Thomas,  was  born. 
In  the  same  year  was  built  the  present  handsome 
mansion-house  of  Easterskene,  and  a  short  time 
previously  Mr  M'Combie  had  succeeded  to  the 
barony  of  Lynturk,  on  the  death  of  his  uncle 
Peter.  For  about  three  years,  therefore,  from 
the  birth  of  his  son,  it  seemed  as  if  nothing 
was  wanting  to  his  happiness  and  good  fortune. 
But  such  remarkable  felicity  rarely  lasts  long  in 
this  world.  In  1835  the  first  blow  came  In  the 
death  of  his  wife,  and  six  years  later  the  death  of 
his  son  seemed  for  a  time  to  have  left  life  almost 


William  JM'Coinbic  of  Easterskene.         129 

a  blank.  Both  wife  and  son  lie  side  by  side  in 
the  churchyard  of  Skene,  and  the  following  epi- 
taph closed  for  ever  in  this  world  the  record  of 
two  lives,  in  whom  for  a  season  were  placed 
the  brightest  hopes:  "Within  this  enclosure  are 
interred  the  remains  of  Katherine  Ann  Buchan 
Forbes,  the  wife  of  William  M'Combie  of  Easter- 
skene and  Lynturk,  and  daughter  of  Major  Alex- 
ander Forbes  of  Inverernan,  who  died  on  the 
1 6th  day  of  April  1835,  in  the  26th  year  of  her 
age ;  and  of  their  son  Thomas,  who  died  on  the 
15th  of  September  1841,  in  the  loth  year  of  his 
age." 

From  this  period  Mr  M'Combie  gave  his  time 
almost  exclusively  to  the  management  of  his 
estates,  which  we  now  proceed  to  describe.  The 
estate  of  Easterskene  lies  wholly  in  the  parish 
of  Skene,  the  mansion-house  being  about  9  miles 
west  from  Aberdeen,  about  4^  miles  south  of 
the  Don,  and  about  6  miles  north  of  the  Dee. 
The  length  from  north  to  south  is  fully  2  miles, 
the  breadth  from  east  to  west  about  i  ^  mile. 
The  estate  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  lands 

I 


130  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

of  Skene  and  KInellar,  on  the  east  by  the  lands 
of  Achronie  and  Kirkville,  on  the  south  by  the 
lands  of  Cairnie  and  Skene,  and  on  the  west  by 
the  lands  of  Skene.  The  elevation  ranges  from 
under  300  ft.  above  sea-level  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Loch  of  Skene,  to  a  little  over  700  ft.  on 
the  summit  of  the  wooded  height  south-east  from 
Drumstone.  When  Mr  M'Combie  succeeded  to 
the  estate,  much  of  the  low  ground  was  an  unre- 
claimed swamp,  while  much  of  the  higher  ground 
was  a  bare  heather  moor.  Now  it  may  safely 
be  said  that  there  is  not  a  square  yard  of  waste 
ground  on  the  estate,  all  being  either  in  a  course 
of  rotation,  in  pasture,  or  under  wood.  The  farms 
from  south  to  north,  all  with  orood  houses  and 
well  fenced,  are  Lochhead,  South  Bank,  Howe- 
moss,  Millbuie,  North  Bank,  and  Drumstone. 
The  main  road  from  Aberdeen  to  Alford  and 
Strathdon  passes  through  the  south  end  of  the 
estate.  From  this  a  branch  goes  north  to  Kirk- 
ton  of  Skene,  from  near  which  the  east  avenue 
leads  to  the  mar^sion-house.  From  Kirkton  of 
Skene  a  road  joins  the  main  road  near  Lochhead. 


William  M'Combie  of  Easterskene.        1 3 1 

From  the  main  road  again,  another  strikes  north 
by  the  Free  church  and  school,  and  north-west 
by  South  Bank  and  Line  of  Skene.  From  this 
again,  a  Httle  above  the  school,  a  branch  goes 
past  the  home  farm  of  Easterskene,  below  which 
the  west  avenue  strikes  off  to  the  mansion-house. 
This  road  is  continued  past  the  home  farm  by 
Howemoss,  Millbuie,  and  Drumstone,  being  a 
thoroughfare  to  K  into  re  and  the  right  bank  of 
the  Don  eastwards  from  Kintore.  Drumstone, 
on  the  high  ground  on  the  north  of  the  estate, 
receives  its  name  from  the  stone  on  which  the 
laird  of  Drum  rested  on  his  way  to  the  hard- 
fought  battle  of  Harlaw  in  141 1,  and  took  a  last 
look  backwards  to  the  lands  of  Drum,  with  a 
presentiment  that  he  would  never  see  them  again. 
The  stone  forms  a  sort  of  natural  chair,  and  has 
always  been  an  object  of  interest  to  Mr  M'Combie, 
who  many  years  ago  had  "  Drum's  Stone,  Har- 
law, 141 1,"  inscribed  on  it.  Besides  the  farms 
mentioned,  most  of  the  village  of  Kirkton  of 
Skene  is  on  Easterskene,  with  various  tradesmen, 
and  a  blacksmith's  shop  at  Millbuie,  and  a  saw- 


132  The  Family  of  M'Conibie. 

mill  at  Lochhead.  Reserving  notice  of  the  home 
farm  in  the  meantime,  we  come  to  the  mansion- 
house,  a  handsome  building  in  the  Elizabethan 
style,  surrounded  by  beautiful  and  well  -  kept 
policies,  the  whole  having  a  southern  aspect. 
The  situation  is  delightful,  the  view  truly  mag- 
nificent. To  the  south  and  west  the  Loch  of 
Skene,  with  the  woods  of  Skene  and  Dunecht, 
.  make  a  fine  foreground,  backed  by  the  Hill  of 
Fare.  Farther  west,  the  Forest  of  Corennie,  and 
Bennachaille  overlooking  Tillyfour,  and  beyond 
these  the  mountains  overlooking  Cromar,  con- 
spicuous amongst  them  the  massive  crown  of 
Morven  ;  then  to  the  south  the  Grampians,  beyond 
the  valley  of  the  Dee,  with  Mount  Battock  and 
Clochnaben,  and  the  lesser  heights  sloping  gradu- 
ally to  the  North  Sea, — form  a  prospect  of  which 
the  eye  never  wearies.  As  one  emerges  from  the 
woods  surrounding  the  lawn  on  the  west,  the 
Mither  Tap  of  Bennachie,  with  the  wooded 
heights  of  Cairn  William,  are  seen  to  the  north- 
west shutting  in  the  vale  of  Alford.  As  you 
ascend  to   Drumstone   the  prospect  on  all   sides 


William  M'Combie  of  Easterskene. 


JO 


enlarges,  until  on  the  summit  you  command  the 
rich  valley  of  the  Don  stretching  away  by  Kin- 
tore  and  Inverurie,  beyond  which  lies  the  district 
of  the  Garioch.  From  here,  too,  Callievar,  beyond 
the  vale  of  Alford,  the  Tap  o'  Noth,  the  Buck  of 
the  Cabrach,  and  in  the  dim  distance  Ben  Avon, 
are  seen.  To  the  east  and  north-east  the  view 
is  circumscribed  by  the  hills  of  Brimmond,  Elrick, 
and  Tyrebagger ;  but  even  with  this  slight  draw- 
back the  panorama  is  one  of  rare  beauty  and 
grandeur. 

The  barony  of  Lynturk  is  about  24  miles  by 
road  west  of  Aberdeen.  On  the  north  side 
it  is  within  3  miles  of  the  river  Don  in  a  direct 
line,  on  the  south  side  it  is  within  7  miles  of 
the  Dee.  The  length  from  east  to  west  is  fully 
2^^  miles,  the  breadth  from  north  to  south  is  over 
I  mile.  The  surrounding  estates  are  :  on  the 
north,  Carnaveron,  Tillychetly,  and  Tonley ;  on 
the  east,  Tonley  ;  on  the  south,  Tillyfour  ;  and  on 
the  west,  Craigievar,  the  estates  of  Craigievar  and 
Lynturk  forming  the  whole  of  the  parish  of 
Leochel    before    its    union    with    Cushnie.      The 


134  ^-^^^  Family  of  M'Coiubic. 

area  of  both  estates  is  about  2200  acres,  all  of 
which  may  be  said  to  be  either  arable  or  under 
wood,  except  a  small  piece  of  moss.  The 
elevation  varies  from  under  600  ft.  above  sea- 
level  on  the  west  along  the  Leochel  burn,  to 
slightly  over  1000  ft.  on  the  top  of  the  wooded 
height  south  of  the  mansion-house.  A  fringe 
of  unreclaimed  marshy  ground  at  one  time  al- 
most surrounded  the  estate  of  Lynturk  ;  but  now, 
except  the  small  piece  of  moss  between  Upper 
Farmton  and  Little  Lynturk,  the  whole  is  arable 
or  under  wood.  The  farms  are  :  on  the  north. 
Lower  and  Upper  Farmton,  and  two  at  Little 
Lynturk  ;  on  the  west,  the  farm  and  inn  of  Mug- 
garthaugh,  and  Bridgend ;  on  the  south,  Clay- 
mill,  Drumdaig,  and  Buffle  ;  on  the  east,  the 
home  farm  of  Lynturk.  About  half  a  mile  south 
of  the  mansion-house  is  the  school  of  Lynturk, 
endowed  by  the  late  Peter  M'Combie,  Esq.  of 
Lynturk.  The  handsome  U.P.  church  and 
manse,  between  Little  Lynturk  and  Muggart- 
haugh,  was  built  in   place   of  the  old  church   at 


]]HUaiu  I\I'Coinbic  of  Eastcrskene.         135 

Buffle,  where  a  Secession  congregation  existed 
in  the  time  of  WilHam  M'Combie,  the  grandfather 
of  the  present  proprietor.  There  is  also  a  black- 
smith's shop  and  joiner's  shop  east  and  west  of 
Little  Lynturk.  The  estate  of  Lynturk  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  good  road,  with  branches  where 
necessary  to  the  various  farms.  The  greater  part 
of  Lynturk  is  fine  strong  land,  some  of  the  land 
on  Bridgend  so  long  farmed  by  Mr  M'Combie 
of  Tillyfour  being  of  exceptional  fertility,  Mr 
M'Combie  having  reaped  13  quarters  of  oats 
per  acre  one  year  off  the  southern  slope  of  the 
field  on  which  the  stackyard  stands.  There  is 
much  fine  wood  on  Lynturk,  and  a  sawmill  has 
long  existed  in  connection  with  the  home  farm. 
A  good  deal  of  the  home  farm  is  in  pasture, 
there  being  an  annual  let  of  parks.  As  men- 
tioned before,  besides  the  modern  mansion-house 
— a  plain  two-storey  building  set  in  an  amphithe- 
atre of  woods,  plantations,  and  groups  of  fine 
old  trees — there  is  the  house  of  Mr  M'Combie's 
grandfather,  and  another  built  on  the  site  of  the 


136  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

old  castle  of  Lynturk.  On  the  east  side  of 
Lynturk,  on  the  burn  that,  rising  on  the  extreme 
cast  of  Tillyfour,  flows  between  Lynturk  and 
Tonley  for  some  distance,  is  a  small  but  pictur- 
esque cascade  known  as  the  Linn  of  Lynturk, 
in  connection  with  which  there  is  a  traditionary 
Lady  of  the  Linn/  Although  there  are  many 
fine  views  from  various  points  on  Lynturk,  there 
is  nothing  to  compare  with  those  from  Easter- 
skene,  the  wall  of  mountains  encircling  the  vale  of 
Alford  bounding  the  view  almost  on  every  side. 

Returning  to  the  home  farm  of  Easterskene, 
we  find  that  here,  as  at  Lynturk,  part  of  it  is  kept 
in  grass.  Several  of  these  grass  parks  are  let 
annually,  and  have  an  unrivalled  reputation  for 
the  quality  of  the  pasture.  One  field  which  has 
been  over  forty  years  in  grass,  situated  in  the 
corner  between  the  roads  leading  south  and  west 
from  the  Kirkton  of  Skene,  has  been  let  at  the 
extraordinary  rent  of  £c)  per  acre,  which  is  be- 
lieved to  be  the  hiorhest  rent  ever  oriven  in  this 
country  for  a  grazing  not  in  the  immediate  vicinity 

^  Appendix.  Note  T. 


William  M'Combie  of  Easter skene.        137 

of  a  town,  if  indeed  it  has  been  equalled  under 
any  circumstances. 

The  home  farm  of  Easterskene  has  for  between 
forty  and  fifty  years  been  the  home  of  a  herd  of 
polled  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle,  second  in  fame 
in  Aberdeenshire  only  to  that  of  Tillyfour.  The 
Easterskene  herd  was  founded  in  the  beginning  of 
the  forties,  a  prize-winner  at  the  Highland  Society's 
show  having  been  bred  at  Easterskene  as  early 
as  1845.  Since  then  animals  from  the  herd  have 
gained  the  highest  honours,  time  after  time,  at  the 
Highland  Society,  the  Royal  Northern,  and  local 
Agricultural  Societies'  shows.  The  Easterskene 
herd  has  been  conspicuous  especially  for  the 
excellence  of  its  bulls — Alaster  the  Second  hav- 
ing beat  the  celebrated  Fox  Maule  from  Port- 
lethen,  that  Mr  M'Combie  of  Tillyfour  declared 
to  be  "  one  of  the  best  polled  bulls  ever  ex- 
hibited." Caledonian  H.  and  Taurus  were  High- 
land Society  winners  ;  and  Paris  H.,  after  winning 
at  the  Royal  Northern  and  Highland  Society 
shows,  was  sold  before  he  was  two  years  old  for 
150  guineas.     Mr  M'Combie  sent  winners  in  the 


138  The  Family  of  APCombie. 

heifer  classes  at  Highland  Society's  shows  in 
1869,  1873,  and  1875,  while  Mr  M'Combie  of 
Tillyfour  bought  many  prize-winners  from  Easter- 
skene.  So  recently  as  December  1886,  Mr 
M'Combie,  with  his  Black  Beauty  of  Easter- 
skene  heifer,  bred  and  fed  at  Easterskene, 
obtained  first  prize  in  the  polled  cow  or  heifer 
class,  and  prize  as  Champion  Scot  both  at  Bir- 
mingham and  London.  The  herd  is  as  strong 
and  flourishing  as  ever  at  the  present  time,  and  is 
the  oldest  established  herd  of  note  in  Aberdeen- 
shire. 

In  the  manaofement  of  the  home  farm  of  Easter- 
skene,  Mr  M'Combie,  in  both  farming  and  breed- 
ing, has  shown  an  example  that  ought  to  be  fol- 
lowed by  every  landed  proprietor  who  has  the 
welfare  of  his  tenantry,  and  in  a  wider  sense  the 
good  of  his  country,  at  heart.  There  is  no  at- 
tempt at  a  style  of  farming  beyond  a  tenant's 
means,  which  can  only  discourage  men  of  moderate 
capital.  The  bogs  and  heathery  moors  have  been 
reclaimed  by  degrees  at  moderate  cost.  The  fine 
crops  grown  at  Easterskene  are  raised  by  means 


William  M'Combie  of  Easterskcnc.         139 

and  processes  within  the  reach  of  every  intelligent 
enterprising  farmer.  The  fine  breeding  herd  has 
not  been  got  together  by  buying  right  and  left 
fancy  animals  at  fancy  prices,  a  method  resorted 
to  by  many  landed  proprietors,  who  form  herds 
not  by  their  intelligence  and  skill  as  breeders, 
but  by  the  length  of  their  purses,  a  system  gen- 
erally beyond  a  tenant's  means.  The  Easter- 
skene  herd  has  been  formed  from  what  was  ordi- 
nary materials  at  first,  by  careful  management, 
with  the  result  that  although  fancy  animals  at 
fancy  prices  have  gone  out  from  Easterskene,  few, 
if  any,  have  been  brought  in ;  the  method  in 
this  case  being  within  a  tenant's  means,  and  the 
result  of  a  nature  to  encourage  a  tenant  to  follow 
the  method. 

All  this  has  been  done  under  Mr  M'Combie's 
own  immediate  superintendence.  He  knows,  in 
much  the  same  way  as  his  tenants  do,  the  trials, 
difficulties,  fears,  hopes,  and  rewards  of  the  far- 
mer's life.  Farmingr  with  him  has  not  been  taken 
up  in  a  spirit  of  dilettanteisfn,  but  has  been  an 
earnest  practical  pursuit. 


140  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

If,  as  a  practical  farmer,  Mr  M'Combie  has 
been  an  example  to  other  landlords,  much  more 
has  he  been  an  example  to  be  followed  as  a  land- 
lord. No  lawyer  factor,  a  class  who  have  been 
and  are  one  of  the  greatest  evils  in  the  agricul- 
tural life  of  this  country,  not  even  a  land-steward, 
comes  between  Mr  M'Combie  and  his  tenants. 
In  the  rare  cases  where  a  tenant  and  he  cannot 
agree  as  to  the  value  of  a  farm,  an  impartial 
arbiter  is  called  in.  The  result  is  that  only  in 
very  exceptional  cases  is  there  a  change  of  tenant 
other  than  by  succession.  You  look  in  vain  in 
the  newspapers  for  "eligible  farms  to  let  on  the 
estates  of  Easterskene  and  Lynturk."  Where,  as 
in  the  case  of  Mr  M'Combie,  a  landlord  lives  on 
his  estates  in  the  midst  of  his  tenants,  and  knows 
the  life  of  every  tenant,  as  every  tenant  knows 
the  life  of  his  landlord,  a  feeling  of  mutual  trust 
and  friendship  springs  up,  in  which  the  unity  of 
interest  of  landlord  and  tenant  becomes  a  living 
present  fact,  at  work  all  the  year  round,  and  not 
a  remote  abstract  idea  to  be  brought  forth  once  a- 
year  in  after-dinner  speeches  at  agricultural  shows, 


Williavi  ]\rConibic  of  Easterskcne.         141 

and  now  and  again  at  election  times,  or  once  or 
twice  in  a  lifetime  at  marriage  or  coming-of-age 
rejoicings. 

Country  people  see  now  and  again,  often  at  long 
intervals,  a  flag  displayed  from  the  top  of  the 
country  seat  of  the  laird,  by  which  it  is  under- 
stood that  he  is  there  in  person.  This  has  for 
long  been  a  "  sign  of  the  times,"  upon  which 
much  might  be  said,  and  which  is  having  results 
in  these  latter  days.  If  at  Easterskene  the  dis- 
play of  a  flag  was  made  when  the  laird  was  absent 
for  more  than  a  day,  the  sight  of  the  flag  indicat- 
ing his  absence  would  be  rarer  than  that  indicat- 
ing the  presence  of  most  others.  While  thus 
making  his  duties  as  a  landlord  the  main  business 
of  his  life,  Mr  M'Combie  has  given  much  of  his 
time  to  public  duties.  He  has  been  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace  for  the  long  period  of  about  sixty  years, 
and  is  one  of  the  only  two  remaining  freeholders 
of  the  county,  being  enrolled  as  long  ago  as  1825. 
He  was  also  for  many  years  chairman  of  the  pa- 
rochial board  of  Skene,  retiring  only  a  year  or  two 
ago,  much  to  the  regret  of  every  one  on  the  board. 


142  TJie  Family  of  M'Coinbie, 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  Volunteer  movement 
received  his  hearty  support.  Although  when  the 
movement  originated  he  was  about  sixty  years  of 
age — a  time  of  life  when  most  people  are  thinking 
of  retiring  from  active  work — yet,  when  in  his 
sixty-fifth  year,  he  undertook  the  command  of  the 
3d  Aberdeenshire  Rifle  Volunteer  Corps,  and 
held  the  captaincy  until  1870.  He  was  exceed- 
ingly popular  with  his  men  and  brother  officers, 
and  when  nearly  seventy  years  of  age  stood  as 
straight  as  any  in  the  ranks,  and  was  the  tallest 
man  in  his  company  of  nearly  100  volunteers. 

In  private  life  Mr  M'Combie  is  highly  es- 
teemed as  one  of  the  most  amiable  and  hearty  of 
men,  full  of  genial  humour  and  wit.  His  store  of 
anecdotes,  illustrative  of  the  social  life  of  Aber- 
deenshire in  the  end  of  last  century  and  the 
beginning  of  the  present,  is  unrivalled,  and  it  is  a 
great  pity  that  a  collection  of  these  anecdotes  has 
not  been  made  for  preservation,  as  many  of  them 
will  soon  be  altogether  lost,  being  known  to  few 
of  the  present  generation  even  in  the  districts 
where  they  originated.     Mr  M'Combie  has  all  his 


William  APC online  of  Easter skene.         143 

life  been  a  great  reader,  and  the  collection  of 
books  at  Easterskene,  especially  those  relating  to 
Scottish  history,  antiquities,  and  old  lore  in  gen- 
eral, was  declared  by  the  late  Mr  Jervise,  author 
of  the  '  History  of  Angus  and  Mearns,'  &c,,  who 
occasionally  visited  at  Easterskene,  to  be  the  best 
private  collection  he  knew  of.  Mr  M'Combie  is 
an  enthusiast  in  Scottish  music,  and  an  excellent 
judge  of  it,  and  has  a  fine  collection  of  old  strath- 
speys, many  of  them  in  MS.,  and  very  rare.  He 
loves  to  recall  the  powers  of  the  late  Mr  James 
Strachan,  the  famous  Drumnagarrow,  who  used 
to  be  the  leading  player  at  the  Easterskene  balls 
many  years  ago.  Mr  M'Combie  has  all  his  life 
been  a  stanch  supporter  of  athletic  sports,  and 
over  twenty  years  ago  capital  games  were  held 
at  Lynturk  and  Muggarthaugh.  For  a  good 
many  years  past  games  have  been  held  at  Easter- 
skene, where  the  leading  athletes  of  the  present 
time,  Donald  Dinnie,  George  Davidson,  and 
Kenneth  M'Crae,  have  appeared;  and  we  happen 
to  know  that  any  of  them,  when  opportunity  offers, 
would   go  to   Easterskene  in  preference  to  most 


144  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

places,  if  for  nothing  else  than  to  show  their  re- 
spect for  Mr  M'Combie,  as  one  who  has  so  hearty 
an  appreciation  of  and  interest  in  manly  men  and 
manly  sports. 

In  1870,  Mr  M'Combie's  popularity  as  a  land- 
lord and  country  gentleman  received  public  re- 
cognition when  he  was  entertained  to  dinner  by 
his  Lynturk  tenantry  and  the  leading  gentlemen 
of  the  vale  of  Alford.  The  following  account  of 
this  dinner  appeared  in  the  '  Banffshire  Journal ' 
of  February  i,  1870:  "The  chief  of  the  clan 
M'Combie — the  popular  laird  of  Easterskene — 
was  entertained  to  dinner  on  the  21st  ult  by  the 
tenantry  on  his  estate  of  Lynturk,  in  the  vale  of 
Alford.  The  chair  was  occupied  by  the  laird's 
cousin,  Mr  M'Combie,  M.P.  for  West  Aber- 
deenshire, who  is  tenant  in  Bridgend,  the  largest 
farm  on  the  Lynturk  estate ;  and  there  was  a 
great  gathering  of  the  chief  men  of  the  vale. 
The  chairman  referred  to  Mr  M'Combie  as  a 
kind  and  considerate  landlord,  who  lets  his  farms 
at  moderate  rents,  who  keeps  no  head  of  game, 
and   who   lives    among    his    people  as  an   enter- 


William  H/'Conibie  of  Bastci^skene.         145 

prising  improver  of  the  soil,  and  of  the  breeds 
of  cattle  ;  the  winner  of  many  a  prize  in  the 
show-yard  ;  as  a  warm  supporter  of  the  Volunteer 
cause,  having  been  for  a  lengthened  period  the 
captain  of  the  local  volunteers  ;  and  as  a  gentle- 
man of  the  kindest  heart  and  most  agreeable 
manners.  In  these  observations  the  chairman 
did  not  say  a  word  more  than  was  due  to 
Easterskene,  and  the  large  meeting  cordially 
endorsed  the  sentiments.  The  laird  made  a 
suitable  reply,  and  proposed  the  health  of  the 
tenantry  of  Lynturk,  coupled  with  Mr  Hunter, 
Farmton,  who  acknowledged."  In  addition  to 
the  foregoing,  Mr  M'Combie  has  on  more  than 
one  occasion  been  entertained  by  his  Easterskene 
tenantry. 

In  politics  Mr  M'Combie  is  a  Conservative  of 
a  mild  type,  and  were  there  more  of  the  same 
character,  Conservatism  would  not  be  at  so  low 
an  ebb  in  Aberdeenshire.  He  has  never,  how- 
ever, given  much  of  his  time  nor  attention  to 
politics,  nor  been  an  ardent  party-man.  Some 
idea   of    Mr    M'Combie    personally    has    already 


146  The  Family  of  M'Cojiibie. 

been  given  while  mentioning  his  height.  Until 
incapacitated  from  active  outdoor  exercise  by  an 
unfortunate  accident  some  years  ago,  he  might 
have  been  cited  along  with  the  late  Mr  Horatio 
Ross  as  an  example  of  the  remarkable  preserva- 
tion of  strength  in  old  age.  When  his  portrait  by 
Mr  J.  Coutts  Michie  was  exhibited  at  Edinburgh 
in  1885,  it  was  difficult  to  believe  that  the  hand- 
some, vio^orous,  and  alert-lookino-  old  man  was  an 
octogenarian ;  and  one  critic  thought  doubtlessly 
that  he  showed  remarkable  critical  acumen  when 
he  triumphantly  asked,  "Where  are  the  wrinkles?" 
But  the  critic  missed  his  mark,  as  critics  some- 
times do ;  for  although  now  midway  between 
eighty  and  ninety,  Mr  M'Combie's  forehead  is 
marked  with  only  the  faint  outline  of  one  or 
two  wrinkles,  just  as  the  artist  has  faithfully 
delineated  in  the  portrait. 

In  the  difference  between  the  condition  of 
the  estates  of  Easterskene  and  Lynturk  at 
the  present  time,  and  their  condition  when  Mr 
M'Combie  entered  into  possession,  lies  the  result 
of  his   life's   work — a   work   the   value   of  which 


Williaui  IM'Contbic  of  Eastcrskciic,         147 

is  beyond  all  calculation.  It  rests  there  an  ac- 
complished fact,  that  has  already  borne  much 
trood  fruit,  and  will  continue,  as  all  good  work 
ever  does,  to  bear  fruit  in  a  variety  of  ways 
and  for  a  length  of  time  beyond  all  human 
foresight. 

In  bringing  our  brief  memoir  to  a  close,  we 
feel  that  in  looking  back  to  the  solitary  figure  of 
Donald  M'Combie  arriving  poor  and  friendless 
in  the  vale  of  Alford  some  two  hundred  years 
ago,  and  then  looking  at  the  position  of  his 
descendant  and  representative  of  the  present 
day,  while  enjoying  his  otiuiii  atni  dignitate  in  a 
green  old  age  as  the  respected  and  honoured 
proprietor  of  two  fine  estates,  and  the  many 
other  descendants  who  have  brought  respect 
and  honour  on  the  name  of  M'Combie — such  a 
retrospect  cannot  fail  to  be  an  incentive  to  in- 
dividual effort  in  others,  who  may  learn  from  it 
that  prosperity  always  waits  on  energetic  perse- 
verance in  well-doing,  and  invariably  crowns  it 
with  success  sooner  or  later.  When,  again,  we 
compare   the  "life  of  sturt   and  strife"  of  John 


148  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

M'ComIe  of  Forter,  with  the  peaceful  career 
of  his  descendant  at  Easterskene,  we  see  the 
advance  the  nation  has  made  from  revolution, 
imperfect  civilisation,  and  lawlessness,  to  settled 
government,  advanced  civilisation,  and  conform- 
ity to  law. 


149 


APPENDIX. 


NOTE    A,  page  5. 

"I  OWN  that  John  MTntoshe  of  fforter,  comonly 
called  M'Comie,"\vas  a  brave  loyall  gentleman,  and  be- 
haved very  worthily  in  the  King's  service.  But  he 
needs  not  be  excepted  in  this  place  ;  his  predecessor,  as 
he  told  me  and  others  severall  tymes,  was  a  son  of  the 
House  of  Garvamore  in  Badenoch,  where  never  a  MTn- 
toshe treaded  till  this  our  age,  otherwise  than  as  a 
guest  or  passenger ;  so  was  really  Macphersone,  as  all 
the  oy''  M'Intoshes  in  the  south  are,  who  tho  by  ane  un- 
acceptable mistake  they  bear  yr  name,  have  our  nature, 
and  constantly  from  age  to  age  loved  us  better  than 
them.  But  if  he  had  been  a  M'Intoshe  as  he  was  called, 
he  was  neither  at  Glenclova  nor  at  Blaire  Castle,  or  the 
seidge  of  Lethen  and  Burgie,  consequently  that  part  of 
the  history  that  concerns  the  services  of  the  Catana  tribus 
under  the  reign  of  King  Charles  the  first,  cannot  at  all 
be  ascribed  to  the  M'Intoshes,  nor  the  rescue  of  Queen 
Mary,  more  than  this,  except  that  in  contradiction  to 


150  TJic  Family  of  M'Combie. 

comon  sence  and  reason,  and  the  vouched  testimonies 
of  unexceptible  witnesses,  their  bold  assertion  pass  for  a 
sufficient  proofe." — From  Sir  yEneas  M'Pherson^  of  In- 
vereshie's  MS.  Memorial  to  the  Laird  of  Cluny  in  Bad- 
Q.noch.,  penes  M'Pherson  of  Cluny. 

"  The  care  taken  by  the  family  historians  to  record 
the  natural  offspring  of  William,  seventh  laird  of  M'ln- 
tc^h,  is  sufficient  proof  that  they  were  persons  of  note. 
The  manners  of  the  country  and  the  time,  both  equally 
rude,  may  warrant  the  inference  that  the  connection  of 
which  they  were  the  issue  was  sanctioned  by  some  such 
imperfect  rite  as  that  of  handfasting.  The  mother  of 
the  two  elder,  Angus  and  Donald,  appears  to  have  been 
the  daughter  of  the  chief  of  the  tribe  of  the  M'Gillonies 
of  Lochaber,  a  considerable  branch  of  the  Clan  Cameron. 
The  name  of  the  mother  of  the  three  younger  has  not 
reached  us  ;  but  from  the  marriage  of  her  daughter  to 
a  person  who  was  evidently  of  consequence,  we  may 
infer  that  she  was  of  honourable  rank.  Both  her  sons 
seem  to  have  received  lands  from  their  father,  Sorald  or 


^  The  following  notice  of  Sir  /Eneas  M'Pherson  is  given  in  Douglas's 
'Baronage  of  Scotland,'  p.  360,  ed.  1798:  "/Eneas,  afterwards  Sir 
/Eneas,  a  man  of  great  parts  and  learning,  and  highly  esteemed  both  by 
King  Charles  II.  and  King  James  VII.  He  collected  the  materials  for 
the  histoiy  of  the  Clan  M'Pherson,  which  is  thought  a  valuable  MS., 
is  much  esteemed,  and  is  still  preserved  in  the  family.  He  was  made 
Sheriff  of  Aberdeen  by  a  charter  under  the  great  seal  from  King  Charles  II., 
dated  1684.  His  only  son  died  a  colonel  in  Spain,  without  issue."  Sir 
/Eneas  was  the  second  son  of  "William  M'Pherson  of  Inneressie,  who 
married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Farquhardson  of  Wardes  "  (Wardhouse  in 
Aberdeenshire,  which  belonged  to  the  Farquharsons  of  Invercauld).  "  His 
grandfather,  Angus  or  .Eneas  M'Pherson  of  Inneressie,  married  a  daughter 
of  Farquharson  of  Bruickderg  "  (Broughdearg  in  Glenshee). 


Appendix.  151 

Sorlie  ;  and  his  descendants  for  two  generations  pos- 
sessed lands  apparently  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Petty, 
the  favourite  residence  of  their  father.  Of  the  elder, 
the  Latin  History  gives  the  following  account;  'Adam 
MacWilliam  at  first  settled  in  Atholl,  but  afterwards 
removed  to  Garvamore  in  Badenagh  ;  and  from  him  are 
descended  the  Macintoshes  of  Glenshee,  Strathairdle, 
and  Glenisla.'  As  his  father  died  in  1368  at  an  ad- 
vanced age,  and  as  he  was  born  before  his  father's 
second  marriage  (of  which  there  was  issue),  the  date 
of  his  birth  may  be  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  four- 
teenth century  (probably  rather  before  than  after 
1350),  and  it  is  not  likely  that  he  long  survived  the 
year  1400.  Unless  a  further  clue  shall  be  discovered, 
the  endeavour  to  trace  link  by  link  the  descent  of  the 
Macintoshes  of  Glenshee,  Strathairdle,  and  Glenisla 
from  this  common  and  remote  progenitor,  must  be 
abandoned  as  hopeless.  [There  is  no  record  come  down 
to  us  of  the  particular  Thomas  M'Intosh  from  whom 
the  surname  of  M'Combie  originated.  The  first  men- 
tion of  M'Thomas  as  surname  seems  to  be  in  "  Clan 
Chattan's  Band,"  Spalding  Club  Miscellany,  vol.  iv. 
p.  260,  where  Aye  M'Ane  M'Thomas  is  mentioned. 
Thomas  as  Christian  name  has  always  been  kept  up  in 
the  family. — W.  M'C.  S.]  It  is,  however,  vouched  in  the 
most  direct  manner  by  the  family  annalist,  whose  sources 
of  information  and  discriminating  accuracy  leave  no 
room  for  doubt  in  the  matter.  He  is  indeed  to  be  re- 
garded as  so  far  a  contemporary  witness  ;  for  of  the 
documents  from  Avhich  he  compiled  his  work,  it  has 
been  seen  that  one  was  written  within  a  century  of  the 


D- 


Thc  Family  of  M'Coinbie. 


death  of  Adam  M'William,  with  whose  children,  at  the 
farthest  in  the  second  generation,  this  eldest  historian 
of  the  Macintoshes  (who  was  also  the  chief  of  the  clan) 
must  have  been  contemporary.  The  evidence  thus  far 
(that  is,  to  about  the  year  1500)  is  unquestionable  ;  and 
by  the  other  two  historians,  it  is  carried  down  in  the  same 
contemporary  channel  to  the  year  1550.  The  writer  of 
the  Latin  History  wrote  shortly  after  the  year  1679  .<  so 
that  the  period  as  to  which  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
speak  of  his  own  knowledge  is  less  than  a  century  and 
a  half,  a  period  for  which  the  amplest  evidence  of 
family  descent  is  generally  accessible  even  in  the  ab- 
sence of  written  proofs,  and  among  a  people  much  less 
tenacious  of  such  recollections  than  the  Highlanders. 
It  will  be  observed,  also,  that  he  speaks  of  the  families  of 
Glenshee,  Strathairdle,  and  Glenisla  as  still  existing, 
Avhich  gives  additional  weight  to  his  evidence." — From 
'  Notes  (MS.)  on  the  Family  of  Macintosh  or  M'Combie 
of  Forthar  in  Glenisla,  in  the  shire  of  Angus,  descended 
from  the  Family  of  Macintosh  or  of  that  Ilk,  Captains 
of  the  Clan  Chattan,'  by  the  late  Dr  Joseph  Robertson, 
the  eminent  antiquary,  author  of  '  The  Book  of  Bon 
Accord,'  &c.,  written  in  1839,  penes  Mr  William 
M'Combie  of  Easterskene  and  Lynturk.  In  addition 
to  the  notes  by  Dr  Robertson,  the  compiler  desires  to 
express  his  indebtedness  to  the  exhaustive  '  Historical 
Memoirs  of  the  House  and  Clan  of  Mackintosh,'  by  Mr 
Alexander  Mackintosh  Shaw,  for  several  interesting 
facts  in  the  early  history  of  the  M'Combies. 


Appendix.  1 5  3 


NOTE    B,  page  5. 

"  To  any  one  at  all  versant  in  matters  of  genealogy,  it 
will  be  superfluous  to  remark  that  until  a  recent  period  ^ 
illegitimate  birth  was  scarcely  counted  a  spot  in  a  pedi- 
gree. The  instances  are  innumerable  of  lords,  earls,  and 
princes  who  subscribed  and  called  themselves  bastards  ; 
and  there  is  scarcely  a  family  in  the  peerage  of  Scot- 
land in  which,  in  some  instance,  the  succession  has  not 
been  carried  on  by  an  illegitimate  son.  In  1404,  Alex- 
ander Stewart,  a  natural  son  of  the  Wolfe  of  Badenagh, 
acquired  the  Earldom  of  Mar,  which  he  transmitted  to 
his  natural  son,  Sir  Thomas  Stewart."  After  citing 
other  cases  involving  damnatiLin  coitum,  Mr  Robertson 
quotes  from  Feme's  '  Blazon  of  Gentrie,  or  Glorie  of 
Generositie,'  p.  287  (London,  1586):  "  Spurii  qui  ex 
damnato  coitu  procreantur,  ita  ut  tempore  procreationis, 
non  possit  esse  matrimonium,  omni  prorsus  beneficio 
excludantur."  "  It  was,"  he  continues,  "  perhaps  scarcely 
necessary  to  cite  these  examples,  for  the  history  of  the 
chiefs  of  the  Macintoshes  itself  furnishes  a  sufficient 
instance.  In  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  on 
the  occasion  of  a  disputed  succession  to  the  chiefship, 
the  clan  chose  a  bastard  brother  of  a  late  chief  to  be  their 
captain." — Robertson,  'Notes  on  the  Family  of  Mac- 
intosh or  M'Combie.'     (See  also  Skene's  '  Highlanders 

1  A  writer,  indeed,  of  the  reign  of  King  James  VI.  speaks  thus  of  the 
practice  of  his  day  :  "Observandum  hodie  et  hoc  est,  quod  bastardi,  si  a 
parentibus  suis  agnoscantur  pro  liberis  nobilitatem  ea  parte  patris  recipi- 
unt." — Craigii  'Jus  Feudale,'  lib.  ii.  §  21. 


154  ^^i<^  Family  of  M'Coinbic. 

of  Scotland,' vol.  ii.  p.  l8i;   Sir  Robert  Gordon's  'Gen- 
eral History  of  the  Earldom  of  Sutherland,'  p.  lOO.) 


NOTE    C,  page  5. 

"  Hie  Gulielmus  erat  supra  communem  popularem 
staturam  procerus  robustus  sed  minima  camosus(?); 
cratque  suae  familise  primus  qui  Clan  Chattanorum 
ducem  subscripsit." — From  '  De  Origine  et  Incrumento 
Makintoshiorum  Epitome.'  The  Latin  History  of  the 
MTntoshes,  preserved  in  MS.  in  the  Advocates'  Library 
at  Edinburgh. 


NOTE    D,  page  6. 

This  was  a  feu-charter  of  the  four-merk  lands  of 
Finnegand  and  shealing  of  Glenbeg,  lying  in  Glenshee, 
in  the  barony  of  Middle  Downie  and  sheriffdom  of  Perth, 
granted  by  Thomas  Scott  de  Petgorno  in  favour  of 
John  M'Comy  Moir  ;  Janet  Rattray,  his  wife  ;  and  their 
son  and  apparent  heir,  John  M'Comy  Moir,  junior. 
Janet  Rattray  was  a  daughter  of  John  Rattray  of  Dal- 
rulzion,  who  was  one  of  the  witnesses.  The  charter  also 
included  "  astrictis  multuris  omnium  granorum  prefa- 
tarum  terrarum  solitis  et  consuetis  molendino  meo  de 
Innerreddcrtye,"  together  with  the  long  obsolete  right 
of  "  miilicnim  vierchetisr 


Appendix.  1 5  5 


NOTE    E,  page  15. 

The  following  extract  from  the  records  of  the  kirk- 
session  of  Kirkmichael  (Perthshire)  shows  that  the  re- 
moval of  M'Comie  Mor  from  Finnegand  had  not  taken 
place  previous  to  165 1,  and  also  throws  considerable 
light  on  the  Church  discipline  of  the  time  :  "  March  2, 
165 1.  —  Ilk  day  Johne  M'Intoishe  of  ffanneyzeand, 
Thomas  Keill,  and  Alexr.  M'Intoishe  in  Derrow,  his 
tennants,  maid  public  satisfaction  in  sackcloth,  and  gave 
(due)  evidences  of  yr.  repentances  for  deceiving  the 
minister  be  causing  him  baptize  ane  chyld  gottin  in 
fornication,  under  the  notione  of  a  lawll.  chyld." 


NOTE    F,  page  36. 

As  still  further  showing  the  lawlessness  of  times  com- 
paratively not  of  a  very  remote  date,  the  following  inci- 
dent, which  took  place  before  the  time  of  M'Comie  Mor, 
probably  in  Finla  Mor's  time,  before  the  granting  of  the 
charter  for  Finnegand  to  the  M'Comies,  is  of  interest : 
"  On  another  occasion,  some  Highlanders  came  down 
and  killed  a  gentleman  in  Glenshee,  one  M'Omie  or 
M'Homie.  The  Baron  caught  two  of  them,  and  instantly 
caused  them  to  be  hanged  on  birch-trees  in  the  wood  of 
Enochdhu,  Their  graves  are  to  be  seen  there  to  this 
day.  Their  names  were  Donald-na-Slogg  and  Finlay- 
a-Baleia." — From  '  Memoirs  of  the  Family  of  Straloch, 


156  The  Family  of  M'Coiubie. 

in  Strathardle,  commonly  called   Barron   Reid  (Robert- 
son), written  in  1728.' 


NOTE    G,  page  36. 

A  most  remarkable  confirmation  of  this  incident  in 
M'Comie  Mor's  life  took  place  not  many  years  ago.  A 
house  was  to  be  built  on  the  part  of  the  field  where  the 
caird  was  said  to  have  been  buried,  and  to  the  intense 
astonishment  of  those  excavating  the  foundation,  human 
bones  were  turned  up  which  no  one  to  whom  the  tradi- 
tion was  known  doubted  were  those  of  the  unfortunate 
caird.  The  event  created  a  good  deal  of  excitement 
at  the  time  in  Glenshee,  and  was  looked  upon  as  a 
most  remarkable  corroboration  of  a  tradition  which 
some,  in  the  lapse  of  time,  had  begun  to  look  upon 
with   incredulity. 


NOTE    H,  page  41. 

Here,  again,  we  would  point  out  that  none  of  the  feats 
of  strength  attributed  to  M'Comie  Mor  are  incredible, 
as  so  many  traditionary  feats  are.  Only  a  few  years 
ago  a  celebrated  athlete  near  Lochabcr,  in  Inverness- 
shire,  although  at  the  time  past  his  prime,  on  a  bull 
attacking  his  brother,  who  was  lame  and  unable  to 
defend  himself,  at  once  rushed  forward,  seized  the  bull 
by  his  horns,  and  dislocated  his  neck. 


Appendix.  157 


NOTE    I,  page  47. 

In  a  letter  from  the  late  William  Shaw,  Esq.  of  Milton 
of  Blacklunans,  to  William  M'Combie,  Esq.  of  Easter- 
skene  and  Lynturk,  written  from  Finnegand  26th  Feb- 
ruary 1855,  he  says:  "I  promised  to  try  and  find  out 
who  your  great  forefather  took  prisoner  in  the  north. 
James  M'Intosh,  one  of  the  oldest  men  in  our  country, 
says  that  he  has  often  heard  that  it  was  the  laird  of 
Craigievar,  and  thinks  it  was  at  the  Kirkton  of  Alford 
the  battle  was  fought.  He  does  not  know  how  he  went 
there,  only  that  Grahame  (Montrose)  and  M'Comie  were 
great  friends.  This  was  the  more  likely,  as  one  of  the 
lairds  of  Blacklunans,  Robertson,  Baron  of  the  barony 
of  Blacklunans,  and  one  of  Grahame's  vassals,  was  with 
him.  It  was  to  this  man  that  M'Comie  showed  his 
prisoner  after  the  battle,  asking  him  what  he  thought  of 
him.  The  Baron  said,  '  Nae  muckle.'  M'Comie  an- 
swered, '  Had  you  met  him  as  I  did,  you  would  have 
another  tale.  Give  him  his  sword,  and  he  would  drive 
all  the  lairds  of  Blackwater  east  Glack  Pool,' ^  or  the 
watery  hollow,  a  pass  between  Blacklunans  and  Alyth." 
Now,  in  support  of  the  above,  we  have,  first,  the  testi- 
mony of  "James  Ramsay  of  Ogill,"  taken  on  2Sth 
January   1645,  and  published  in  vol.   ii.  p.    167   of  the 

1  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  what  Mr  Shaw  calls  the  Glack  Pool  was 
the  Glack  of  Fulzie,  which  is  shown  in  a  map  in  the  possession  of  Mr 
Charles  M'Kenzie  of  Borland,  of  date  1766,  at  the  depression  in  the 
heights  above  Blacklunans  through  which  the  road  to  Alyth  passed,  and 
by  which  the  routed  lairds  would  flee  in  their  imagined  discomfiture  by 
Craigievar. 


1 5  8  The  Family  of  Al'  Coiubie. 

'  Memorials  of  Montrose  and  his  Times,'  printed  for  the 
Maitland  Club,  1850,  from  the  original  in  the  Montrose 
charter-chest,  that  among  those  with  Montrose  at  the 
Law  of  Dundee,  immediately  after  the  battle  of  Tipper- 
muir  in  1644,  was  "John  M'Colmy."  Mr  Shaw's  infor- 
mant was  not  sure  where  John  M'Comie  took  his 
prisoner,  and  it  was  at  Aberdeen,  not  Alford,  that 
Craigievar  was  taken  prisoner.  Second,  in  '  The  History 
of  the  King's  Majestie's  Affaires  in  Scotland  vnder  the 
Conduct  of  the  Most  Honourable  James  Marquess  of 
Montrose,  in  the  years  1644,  1645,  ^I'^d  1646,'  printed  in 
the  year  1649,  p.  49,  it  is  stated:  "They  [Montrose's 
forces]  tooke  prisoners  one  Forbes  of  Kragevar,  a  knight 
of  great  esteeme  with  the  enemy,  and  another,  Forbes 
of  Boindle."  Sir  William,  as  we  shall  see,  escaped. 
Third,  the  evidence  of  Sir  William  Forbes  of  Craigie- 
var, 25th  January  1645,  on  which  date  "Sir  William 
Forbes  of  Craigievar,  of  the  aidge  of  32  years  or  therby, 
mareit,  being  sworne  and  interrogait  anent  thoiss  whome 
he  did  see  with  the  Erie  Montroiss,  Depones,  that  the 
day  of  the  conflict  at  Aberdein,  the  deponer  being  in 
action  and  service  for  the  weele  of  the  Estaitts  of  this 
Kingdome,  he  was  taken  prisoner  upon  the  feilds  be  sum 
of  the  Irish  rebells  and  thair  associatts,  and  wes  deteand 
prisoner  be  the  space  of  a  month,  efter  whiche  tyme  the 
deponer  wes  permitted  be  the  rebells  to  come  aff  upon 
his  paroill  to  returne  agane,  and  that  the  deponer  come 
sua  aff  at  Auldbar  ;  and  that  a  twentie  days  or  tharabout 
therefter  the  deponer,  for  keeping  of  his  paroll,  went  in 
agane  to  the  rebells  at  Strabogy  ;  and  having  stayed 
two   dayes  or  therabout  he  escaiped,  and  came  aff  at 


Appendix.  159 

Strabogy." — Maitland  Club,  '  Memorials  of  Montrose,' 
p.  167.  We  have  therefore  the  fact  that  John  M'Comie 
was  with  Montrose  prior  to  his  march  and  fight  at  Aber- 
deen, the  tradition  in  Glenshee  that  he  took  prisoner 
the  laird  of  Craigievar  while  with  Montrose  in  the  north, 
and  the  fact  that  Sir  William  Forbes  of  Craigievar  was 
taken  prisoner  by  some  one  in  Montrose's  army  at  Aber- 
deen, and  may  therefore  safely  conclude  that  Sir  Wil- 
liam Forbes  had  to  succumb  to  the  invincible  M'Comie 
Mor. 


NOTE    J,  page  47. 

The  complete  list  is  as  follows:  "James,  Erie  of 
Montrose  ;  Alexr.  M'Donald,  alias  Colkittoches,  sone  ; 
James,  Erie  of  Airlie  ;  Sr.  Thomas  and  Sr.  David  Ogil- 
vies,  his  sones  ;  Jon.  Stewart  of  Auchannachan  ;  Don- 
nald  Glass  M'Ronnald  of  Keppoche  ;  David  Graham  of 
Gorthie  ;  Patrik  Graham,  fiar  of  Inchbrakie ;  John 
M'Colmie  ;  Donald  Ro[ber]tsone,  tutor  of  Strowan ; 
Alexr.  Ogilvie  of  Innerquharitie ;  John  Stewart  of 
Shitrglass. 

NOTE    K,  page  49. 

Mr  George  M'Kenzie,  John  M'Comie's  procurator  in 
his  law  process  with  Lord  Airlie,  was  also  his  leading 
'counsel  in  the  trial  of  1673,  by  which  time  he  was  Sir 
George  M'Kenzie.  He  was  the  son  of  Simon  M'Kenzie 
of  Lochslin,  and  was  born  in  1636.     He  early  showed 


i6o  T/ic  Family  of  M'Combie. 

marked  talent,  and  in  the  same  year  in  which  he  ap- 
peared as  counsel  for  John  M'Comie  against  the  Earl  of 
Airlie,  he  was  one  of  the  counsel  for  the  Marquis  of 
Argyle.  Dryden  terms  him  "  that  noble  wit  of  Scot- 
land, Sir  George  M'Kenzie."  Soon  after  the  Restora- 
tion he  was  appointed  a  justice-depute.  He  was  knighted 
before  1669,  in  which  year  he  represented  Ross  in  the 
Scottish  Parliament.  In  1677  he  was  appointed  King's 
Advocate.  One  of  his  most  distinguished  public  acts 
was  the  founding  of  the  Advocates'  Library  of  Edin- 
burgh.    He  died  in  1691. 


NOTE    L,  page  54. 

"  From  these  proceedings  it  would  appear  that,  firstly, 
John  M'Intosh,  otherwise  M'Comie  or  M'Combie,  held 
Forther  in  virtue  of  a  contract  of  alienation  (probably  a 
wadset  or  redeemable  right)  made  several  years  before 
1661 ;  secondly,  that  to  the  Glen  of  Glascorie  or  Cam- 
lochan  he  had  acquired  an  absolute  or  irredeemable 
right,  from  the  Earl  having  failed  to  redeem  within  the 
stipulated  time  ;  thirdly,  that  M'Intosh  was  a  person  of 
very  considerable  note,  influence,  and  wealth.  Mention 
is  made  of  his  *  great  power,'  '  his  moyen  and  favour,' 
with  the  English  usurpers  ;  and  again  he  is  described 
as  their  partisan,  or  their  'intelligencer  and  favourite.' 
These  expressions  show  that  the  person  to  whom  they 
were  applied  was  of  no  little  importance  ;  and  another 
incidental  statement  brings  out  his  wealth.  It  is  stated 
that  in  this  disputed  glen  of  Glascorie  alone  he  had, 


Appendix.  1 6 1 

besides  divers  horses,  twenty  milch  kine  and  more  than 
a  hundred  oxen.^  The  justice  of  the  decision  may  cer- 
tainly be  suspected  ;  and  it  may  be  safely  concluded 
that  the  '  Restoration  Parliament,'  as  it  was  called, 
found  little  scruple  in  finding  for  a  nobleman  so  emi- 
nent for  his  loyalty,  and  against  a  person  who  had  been 
distinguished  like  M'Intosh  as  a  'favourite'  of  Crom- 
well's Government." — From  '  Notes  on  the  Family  of 
Macintosh  or  M'Combie  of  Forther,'  by  Dr  Joseph 
Robertson. 


NOTE    M,  page  58. 

In  the  Decisions  of  the  Lords  of  Council  and  Session 
from  June  6,  1678,  to  July  30,  171 2,  vol.  ii.  p.  89, 
in  a  case.  Logics  against  Wiseman,  February  14,  1700, 
there  occurs  the  following  passage :  "  Transactions  do 
not  redintegrate  null  invalid  deeds — 8th  December  1671, 
Mackintosh  contra  Spalden  and  Farquharson  ;  and  loth 
January  1677,  Stuart  contra  Whiteford,  where  a  son's 
bond  given  to  liberate  his  father,  unwarrantably  de- 
tained, was  found  null."  Here,  M'Intosh  against  Spal- 
ding and  Farquharson  undoubtedly  refers  to  the  bond 
given  by  John  M'Intosh,  alias  M'Comie's  son  or  sons, 
for  the  liberation  of  their  father  in  1669,  The  Spalding 
is  in   all  probability  Spalding  of  AshintuUy,  fined  in 

^  In  a  marginal  nole  Dr  Robertson  adds  :  "John  M'Intosh  had  in  one 
glen  more  than  120  cattle.  In  1574,  the  whole  bestial  which  belonged  to 
Sir  Walter  Scott  of  Branxholm,  Knight  (the  ancestor  of  the  noble  house 
of  Buccleuch),  was  114  cattle — viz.,  36  ky,  26  stottis,  21  queyis,  26  oxin, 
3  bulHs,  2  stirkis — 1397  sheep,  and  841  hogs." 

L 


1 62  The  Family  of  iVrCouibie. 

1673  for  not  appearing  as  a  witness  on  behalf  of  the 
Farquharsons.  Spalding  had  evidently  received  the 
bond  as  an  equivalent  for  money  from  the  Farquhar- 
sons, and  found  it  valueless.  The  Farquharsons,  there- 
fore, did  not  profit  even  in  a  pecuniary  sense  by  the 
abduction  of  John  M'Comie. 


NOTE    N,  page  'jG. 

On  the  same  day,  "Andrew  Spalding  of  Ashintullie  ; 
David  Spalding,  his  brother ;  John  Robertson  of  Tilli- 
murdo ;  John  M'Gillilvie,  in  Dalinamer ;  and  David 
Rattray  of  Rannagullion,"  for  not  appearing  as  wit- 
nesses at  the  instance  of  the  relict  and  nearest  of  kin 
of  the  deceased  Robert  Farquharson,  were  adjudged  "  to 
be  in  ane  unlawe  and  amerciament  of  ane  hundred 
merks  Scotts." 

NOTE    O,  page  -jj. 

Robert  Farquharson  of  Broughdearg's  descent  from 
Finla  Mor  is  :  Finla  Mor,  Lachlan  Farquharson,  William 
Farquharson,  David  Farquharson,  Robert  Farquharson. 
Alexander  Farquharson,  the  son  of  Robert  Farquhar- 
son who  was  slain  at  the  Moss  of  Forfar,  wrote  what 
rs  known  as  the  Broughdearg  Manuscript,  giving  the 
genealogy  of  the  Farquharsons.  He  was  a  surgeon, 
and  practised  about  Braemar.  It  is  said  that  on  being 
called  on  one  occasion  to  prescribe  for  some  woman 
related  to  the  M'Comies,  he  said  if  he  gave  her  any- 


Appendix.  163 

thing  it  would  be  poison.  The  last  male  representa- 
tive of  the  Farquharsons  of  Broughdearg  was  Thomas 
Farquharson  of  Baldovie,  born  1770,  died  i860.  Robert 
Farquharson,  besides  his  son  Alexander,  had  a  daughter, 
Margaret,  married  to  John  Smith  in  "  Bredfald  at  Bal- 
gais";  also  "a  natural  daughter,  married  to  William 
Baton  of  Brewlands  in  Glenylla." — BrongJidearg  MS. 


NOTE    P,  page  "]-]. 

While  M'Comie  Mor  lived,  the  caterans  gave  the  head 
of  Glenisla  a  wide  berth  in  their  predatory  incursions  ; 
and  on  his  death,  the  one  who  brought  the  news  home, 
on  being  asked,  "  What  news  ? "  joyfully  replied  in 
Gaelic,  "News,  and  good  news!  Blessed  be  the  Virgin 
Mary !  the  great  M'Comie,  in  the  head  of  the  Low- 
lands, is  dead,  for  as  big  and  as  strong  as  he  was." 


NOTE    Q,  page  83. 

A  fact  which  throws  considerable  light  on  the  circum- 
stances of  the  M'Comies  subsequent  to  their  father's 
death  has  recently  come  to  light.  In  tracing  back  the 
history  of  the  M'Kenzie  family,  who  bought  Finnegand 
in  1 71 2,  it  appears  that  at  one  time  the  family  was  at 
Crandart,  and  afterwards  in  Glenbeg,  and  while  in  Glen- 
beg  the  head  of  the  family  lent  money  on  the  land  of 
Crandart  to  a  M'Intosh  in  1687. 


164  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 


NOTE    R,  page  85. 

Both  in  the  Poll -book  and  on  the  gravestone  the 
family  name  is  spelled  so  as  to  pronounce  M'Comie.  In 
the  Poll-book  it  is  once  M'Komy  and  once  M'Comy. 
The  ^  is  a  modern  innovation,  and  was  not  introduced 
until  about  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century.  After 
the  time  of  Donald  we  have  conformed  to  the  modern 
usage,  although  etymologically  it  is  incorrect. 


NOTE    S,  page  123. 

Another  reminiscence  of  Mr  M'Combie's  youth  car- 
ries us  back  to  the  time  of  Culloden.  In  1818  there 
died  a  well-known  man  of  the  name  of  M'Bean,  one  of 
the  class  known  as  gentle  beggars,  at  the  great  age  of 
102,  whose  death  was  chronicled  at  some  length  in  the 
'Aberdeen  Journal'  of  that  time.  Mr  M'Combie  re- 
members having  often  talked  with  him  about  Culloden, 
where  he  charged  with  the  MTntoshes,  who  were  fear- 
fully cut  up.  M'Bean  would  have  been  about  thirty 
years  of  age  when  he  fought  at  Culloden. 


NOTE    T,  page   136. 

The  Rev.  Dr  Taylor,  in  his  account  of  the  parish  of 
Leochel-Cushnie,  in  the  'New  Statistical  Account  of 
Scotland,'  published  in  1843,  writing  of  the  Linn,  says  : 


Appendix.  165 

"  It  is  called  the  Linn  of  Lynturk,  and  has  the  repu- 
tation of  being  haunted  by  the  apparition  of  a  lady  in 
green  or  white  ;  but  the  oldest  living  inhabitant  not 
having  had  ocular  demonstration,  the  colour  of  the 
dress  remains  doubtful.  The  last  instance  of  her  ap- 
pearance which  tradition  has  handed  down  is  the  fol- 
lowing :  The  laird  of  Kincraigie  had  dined  with  his 
neighbour  the  laird  of  Tulloch,  and  as  he  returned 
home  late  at  night,  mounted  on  a  spirited  horse,  and 
attended  by  a  faithful  dog,  he  was  passing  along  the 
brink  of  the  dell  above  the  Linn,  when  suddenly  the 
apparition  seized  the  bridle  of  his  horse,  and  exclaimed, 
'  Kincraigie  Leslie,  I've  sought  you  long,  but  I've  found 
you  now.'  The  dog,  however,  fiercely  attacking  the 
spectre,  it  quitted  the  bridle  for  a  moment,  and  the 
horse  dashed  off  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  while  his  ter- 
rified master  could  see  the  spectre  and  the  dog  tumbling 
down  in  mortal  struggle  to  the  very  bottom  of  the  dell. 
Kincraigie  was  thus  saved,  and  his  generous  canine 
friend  returned  next  day,  showing  evident  marks  of  the 
perilous  strife  in  which  he  had  been  engaged." 


ADDENDUM. 

In  the  Dean  of  Lismore's  '  Book  of  Gaelic  Poetry,' 
edited  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  M'Lauchlan,  there  is  a  poem 
by  "  The  Baron  Ewen  M'Omie,"  on  sickness.  In  a  note 
Mr  M'Lauchlan  says :  "The  editor  has  not  been  able  to 
identify  the  author  of  this  poetical  complaint.  During 
the  existence   of  baronies,  with  their  bailies   or  local 


1 66  The  Family  of  M'Combie. 

judges,  the  number  of  barons  or  baron  bailies  in  the 
Highlands  must  have  been  large.  Of  this  class  was 
most  likely  our  poet"  Taking  into  consideration,  first, 
that  the  M'Omies  were  established  as  a  separate  branch 
of  the  MTntoshes,  considerably  anterior  to  the  date  of 
the  collection  of  these  poems,  and  second,  that  the  physi- 
cian longed  for  is  a  M'Intosh,  there  is  a  strong  proba- 
bility that  the  writer  was  an  ancestor  of  the  present 
M'Combies  ;  but  the  information  is  so  indefinite  as  to 
the  time  when  and  the  place  where  the  poem  was  com- 
posed, that  it  has  been  placed  here  as  an  interesting 
addendum.  The  following  is  the  English  translation  of 
the  poem,  with  the  editor's  notes  : — 

"  Long  do  I  feel  my  lying  here. 
My  health  to  me  is  a  stranger ; 
Fain  would  I  pay  my  health's  full  price, 
Were  mine  the  numerous  spoils. 
A  spoil  of  white-haired  heavy  cows, 
A  spoil  of  cows  for  drink  or  feasting. 
I'd  give  besides  the  heavy  bull, 
If  for  my  cure  I  had  the  price. 
The  herds  and  flocks  of  Mannanan,^ 
The  sword  and  horn  of  MacCumhail, 
The  trumpet  of  Manallan-  I'd  give, 
And  the  quiver  CuchuUin, 


^  An  ancient  Celtic  hero,  from  whom  the  Isle  of  Man  takes  its  name, 
as  well  as  the  district  in  Scotland  called  Slamannan. 

2  The  editor  has  not  been  able  to  obtain  any  acconnt  of  this  person. 
There  is  a  contraction  over  the  second  a  in  tlic  MS.,  which  makes  the 
reading  doubtful. 


Appendix.  167 

Ir,  Evir,  and  Eireamon/ 

And  were  I  to  possess  them, 

The  harp  of  Curcheoil,^  which  hid  men's  grief, 

The  shield  of  the  king  of  Golnor.- 

Lomond's^  ship  of  greatest  fame, 

Had  I  it  upon  the  strand, 

All  I've  seen  I'd  freely  give, 

Ere  as  now  I'd  long  remain. 

Long  to  me  appears  the  coming 

Of  Alexander  Macintosh, 

That  my  disease  he  might  drive  away, 

And  then  I  might  no  longer  lie. 

Lonsf." 


1  The  three  sons  of  Milidh  of  Spain,  from  whom  the  Milesian  races  are 
descended,  according  to  Celtic  story. 

-  The  editor  can  give  no  account  of  these  names.  The  traditions  re- 
specting them  seem  to  have  perished. 

^  A  famous  Celtic  hero,  from  whom  Ben  Lomond  and  Loch  Lomond 
are  said  to  derive  their  names. 


THE     END. 


PRINTED    BY   WILLIAM    BLACKWOOD   AND   SONS. 


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