We soon after find him rewarded
by a charter in his favour, dated 7th January 1463, confirming
him in his lands of Kintail, with a further grant of the "5 merk
lands of Killin, the lands of Garve, and the 2 merk lands of
Coryvulzie, with the three merk lands of Kinlochluichart, and 2
merk lands of Ach-na-Clerich, the 2 merk lands of Garbat, the merk
lands of Delintan, and the 4 merk lands of Tarvie, all lying within
the shire and Earldom of Ross, to be holden of the said John and
his successors, Earls of Ross." This is the first Crown charter
in favour of the Mackenzie chief of which any authentic record
exists.
Alexander continued to use his great influence at Court, as well
as with John Lord of the Isles, for the purpose of bringing about
a reconciliation between his Majesty and his powerful subject
during the unnatural rebellion of Angus Og against his father.
The King, however, proved inexorable, and refused to treat with
the Earl on any condition other than the absolute and unconditional
surrender of the earldom of Ross to the Crown, of which, however,
he would be allowed to hold all his other possessions in future.
These conditions the island chief haughtily refused, again flew to
arms, and in 1476 invaded Moray, but finding that he could offer
no effectual resistance to the powerful forces sent against him
by the King, he, by the seasonable grants of the lands of Knapdale
and Kintyre, secured the influence of Colin, first Earl of Argyll,
in his favour, and with the additional assistance of Kintail,
procured remission of his past offences on the conditions previously
offered to him and resigning for ever, in 1476, the Earldom of
Ross to the King, he "was infeft of new" in the Lordship of the
Isles and the other possessions which he had not been called upon
to renounce.
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