Finding Duncan unfavourable to his project, Hector
declared John illegitimate, and held possession of the estates for
himself; and the whole clan, with whom he was a great favourite,
submitted to his rule. [Though we have given this account on the
authority of the MS. histories of the family, it is now generally
believed that Duncan was dead at this period, and that his son Allan,
who would have succeeded, failing John of Killin's legitimacy, was
a minor when his father died.]
It can hardly be supposed that Lord Lovat would be a disinterested
spectator of these proceedings, and in the interest of his sister's
children he procured a precept of clare constat from James Stewart,
Duke of Ross, [After the forfeiture of the ancient Earls of Ross,
the district furnished new titles under the old names, to members
of the Royal family. James Stewart, second son of King James the
Third, was created in 1487 Duke of Ross, Marquis of Ormond, Earl
of Ardmanach, and Lord of Brechin and Navar. The Duke did not
long hold the territorial Dukedom of Ross. On the 13th of May
1503, having obtained the rich Abbey of Dunfermline, he resigned
the Dukedom of Ross into the hands of the King.
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