But when they were come
south the Queen asked who were the ablest men they saw there. They
answered all they did see lived like princes, except Her Majesty's
great courtier and counsellor Mackenzie. So tells her all their
usage in his house, and that he slept with his doggs and sat with
his hounds, wherat the Queen leugh mirrily (whatever her thoughts
was of M'Kenzie) and said 'It were a pity of his poverty, ffor he
is the best and honestest among them all.' The Queen thereafter
having called all the gentry of Ross to hold their lands of the
Crown in feu, Mackenzie got (by her favour and his pretended
poverty) the easiest feu, and for his 1000 merks more than any of
the rest had for three." [Ancient MS.]
John had a natural son named Dugall, who lived in Applecross, and
married a niece of Macleod of Harris, by whom he had a son and
one daughter. The son, also named Dugall, was a schoolmaster
in Chanonry, and died without issue. The daughter was married
to Duncan Mackenzie, Reraig, and after his death to Mackintosh
of Strone. Dugall, the elder, was killed by the Mathesons at
Kishorn. John had also a natural daughter, Janet, who married
first Mackay of Reay, and secondly, Roderick Macleod, X.
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