"
That John of Gruinard was married to Christina, daughter of Donald
Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, is proved by a sasine dated 1655, in
which that lady is described as his wife.
It may be objected to these MSS. that, however probable it may be
that they are correct, they are not necessarily authentic. But
there is ample evidence of an official and incontestible character
on the point. A sasine, dated 6th of February, 1658, is recorded in
the Particular Register of Sasines of Inverness, vol. 7, fol. 316,
from which the following is an extract - "Compearit personally John
Mackenzie, "naturall" broyr to ane noble Erle Kenneth Erle of
Seaforth Lord of Kintail, etc., as bailzie in that part," on behalf
of "the noble Lady, Dame Isobell Mackenzie, Countess of Seaforth,
sister german to Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, Knight, future
ladie to the said noble Erle." Another authentic document having a
most important bearing on this question was recently discovered in
the office of the Sheriff-Clerk of Tain. It is a discharge by
Patrick Smith of Braco, dated and registered in the Commissary Books
at Fortrose, on the 4th of December, 1668, in which the parties are
described as "Kenneth Erle of Seafort, Lord Kintail, as principal,
and John Mackenzie of Gruinyard, designit in the obligatione
vnder-wrytten his "naturall" brother, as cautioner.
Pages:
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569