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。〃 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。〃 Further； George of Kildun married； first； Mary Skene； daughter of Skene of Skene； in 1661。 This is proved by a charter to her of her jointure lands of Kincardine； etc。 （see Particular Register of Sasines Invss。； vol。 ix。 fol。 9）。 He married； secondly； Margaret； daughter of Urquhart of Craighouse。 The absolute impossibility is at once obvious of George of Kildunwho only married his first wife in 1661having had a son； John Mackenzie of Gruinard； in a position to have obtained a charter in his favour of the lands of Little Gruinard； etc。； in 1669within eight years of his reputed father's marriage to his first wifeand who was himself designated in that charter as of 〃Meikle Gruinard；〃 while it is proved by undoubted official documents that John of Gruinard's wife had lands disponed to her as his wife in 1655； that is； six years before the marriage of George of Kildun； John's alleged father。 And further； how could John of Gruinard's second son； Kenneth； have married； as be is known to have done； the widow of Kenneth Og； fourth Earl of Seaforth； who died in 1701； if John； his father； had been the son by a second marriage of George of Kildun； who married his first wife in 1661？ The thing is absolutely impossible。
Kenneth Mor； third Earl of Seaforth； who； according to the Gruinard Genealogy； was John of Gruinard's uncle； was born at Brahan Castle in 1635。 In 1651 he is described as 〃a child〃 by a contemporary writer； who says that the Kintail people declined to rise with him in that year during his father's absence on the Continent； because 〃he was but a child； and his father； their master； was in life。〃 Colin； first Earl of Seaforth； died in 1633； and the author of the Ancient MS。 says that 〃Earl George； being then the Laird of Kildun； married before his brother's death； the Lord Forbes's daughter。〃 Thus； George of Kildun could not have been born before 1636 or 1637 at the very earliest； and the date of his first marriage； twenty…four years later； strongly corroborates this。 How then could he have had a married son； John Mackenzie of Gruinard； whose wife undoubtedly obtained lands in 1655； that is； when Kildun himself was only 18 years of age； and when John； already designated of Gruinard； was； in 1656； old enough to be cautioner for Kenneth； Earl of Seaforth？
Proof of the same conclusive character could be adduced to any extent； but in face of the documents already quoted； it is obviously superfluous to do so。
John Mackenzie； I。 of Gruinard； could not in the nature of things have been a son of the second George Mackenzie of Kildun。 He was； on the other hand； undoubtedly； the natural son of the first George； who succeeded his brother Colin as second Earl of Seaforth； and it necessarily follows that his representatives can have no claim whatever to the Chiefship of the Clan； or to the ancient honours of the family of Kintail and Seaforth。 We shall now proceed to show that these distinctions belong to and are at present possessed by the male representative of
THE MACKENZIES OF ALLANGRANGE。
HAVING disposed of the only two serious claims made to the Chiefship of the Clan in later times our next step is to show who the present Chief is。
To do this we must go back to Kenneth； created Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609； for there is no male representative of any later head of the House in existence； so far as can be ascertained； between that date and this。 Lord Kenneth had seven sons
1。 Colin Ruadh or 〃the Red Earl；〃 his heir and successor； who died； in 1633； without surviving male issue。
2。 John Mackenzie of Lochslinn； who married Isabel； daughter of Alexander Mackenzie； V。 of Gairloch； and died in 1631； having been poisoned at Tam； without issue male。 His only daughter； Margaret； married Sir Norman Macleod； I。 of Bernera； with issue。
3。 Kenneth； who died unmarried。 Lord Kenneth； XII。 of Kintail； married secondly； Isabel； daughter of Sir Gilbert Ogilvie of Powrie； with issue
4。 Alexander； who died unmarried。
5。 George； who succeeded his brother Colin； as second Earl of Seaforth； and whose line terminated in Lady Caroline Mackenzie； who died without issue in 1847； her father Kenneth； Baron Ardelve and Earl of Seaforth in the peerage of Ireland； the last male of his line； having died at the Cape of Good Hope in 1781。
6。 Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine； whose male issue was proved extinct at the Allangrange Service in 1829。
7。 SIMON MACKENZIE； who； after the death of his brother John； was designated of Lochslinn； and whose representative will be shown to be the present head and heir male of the ancient family of Kintail and Seaforth； and Chief of the Clan。 This SIMON married； first； Elizabeth； daughter of the Rev。 Peter Bruce of Ferrar； D。D。； Principal of St。 Leonard's College； St。 Andrews； and son of Bruce of Fingask； by Elizabeth； daughter of Alexander Wedderburn of Blackness； with issue five sons and one daughter； Jane； who married Robert Douglas of Katewell； in the parish of Kiltearn； Ross…shire； and secondly； Sir James Grant of Moyness。
The eldest of Simon's five sons was the famous SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE of Rosehaugh； Lord Advocate for Scotland； whose history is so well known that it would serve no good purpose to give only such a brief account of it as could be given in the space here available。 He wrote several works of admitted literary merit； his Institutes being to this day considered a standard legal authority。
He left an autobiography in MS。 which was published by his widow in 1716。
The estate of Rosehaugh； where he always took up his residence while in the Highlands； was； in his time； profusely covered with the Dog Rose； a fact which first suggested to the famous lawyer the idea of designating that property by the name of 〃Vallis Rosarum；〃 or Rosehaugh。 Sir George married first； Elizabeth； daughter of John Dickson of Hartree； with issue（1） John； （2） Simon； （3） George； all of whom died young and unmarried； （4） Agnes； who in 1705 married Sir James Stuart Mackenzie； first Earl of Bute； with issue； whose descendants； now represented by the Earl of Wharncliffe； succeeded to his Ross…shire estates； but since sold by them； though still retaining the name and arms of the family。 （For the succession see Retour of James Marquis of Bute； January； 1721）； （5） Elizabeth； who married； first； Sir Archibald Cockburn of Langton； with issue； and； secondly； the Hon。 Sir James Mackenzie of Royston； Baronet； with issue George （who married but died before his father； without male issue）； and two daughtersAnne； who married Sir William Dick of Prestonfield； and Elizabeth； who married Sir John Stuart of Grandtully； with issue。
Sir George