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es he divides the clans into five different tribes in the following order：（1） The descendants of Conn of the Hundred Battles； （2） of Ferchar Fata Mac Feradaig； （3） of Cormaig Mac Obertaig； （4） of Fergus Leith Dearg； and （5） of Krycul。 In the third of these divisions he includes the old Earls of Ross； the Mackenzies； the Mathesons； and several other clans； and to this classification he adheres； after the most mature consideration； in his later and greater work； the History of Celtic Scotland。
THE REAL CELTIC ORIGIN。
It is now most interesting to know who the ancient Earls of Ross； from whom the Mackenzies are really descended； were。 The first of these earls of whom we have any record is Malcolm Mac Heth to whom Malcolm IV。 gave Ross in 1157； with the title of Earl of Ross； but the inhabitants rose against him and drove him out of the district。 Wyntoun mentions an Earl 〃Gillandrys；〃 a name which we believe is derived from the common ancestor of the Mackenzies and Rosses； 〃Gilleoin…Ard…Rois；〃 as one of the six Celtic earls who besieged King Malcolm at Perth in 1160。 Skene is also of opinion that this Gillandres represented the old Celtic earls of Ross； as the clan bearing the name of Ross are called in Gaelic Clann Ghilleanrias； or descendants of Gillandres； and may； he thinks； have led the revolt which drove Malcolm Mac Heth out of the earldom。 The same King； two years after the incident at Perth； gave the earldom of Ross to Florence； Count of Holland； on that nobleman's marriage with His Majesty's sister Ada； in 1162； but the new earl never secured practical possession ＇Celtic Scotland； Vol。 III。； pp。 66…67。＇ He is； however； found claiming it as late as 1179； in the reign of William the Lion。
The district of Ross is often mentioned in the Norse Sagas along with the other parts of the country then governed by Maormors or Jarls； and Skene in his earlier work says that it was only on the downfall of those of Moray that the chiefs of Ross appear prominent in historical records； the Maormors of Moray being in such close proximity to them and so great in power and influence that the less powerful Maormor of Ross held only a comparatively subordinate position； and his name was in consequence seldom or never associated with any of the great events of that early period in Highland history。 It was only after the disappearance of those district potentates that the chiefs appear under the appellation of Comites or Earls。 That most； if not all； of these earls were the descendants of the ancient maormors there can be little doubt； and the natural presumption in this instance is strengthened by the fact that all the old authorities concur in asserting that the Gaelic name of the original Earls of Ross was O'Beolana corruption of Gilleoin； or Gillean； na h‘Airdeor the descendants of Beolan。 〃And we actually find；〃 says the same authority； 〃from the oldest Norse Saga connected with Scotland that a powerful chief in the North of Scotland named O'Beolan； married the daughter of Ganga Rolfe； or Rollo； the celebrated pirate who became afterwards the celebrated Earl of Normandy。〃 If this view is well…founded the ancestor of the Earls of Ross was chief in Kintail as early as the beginning of the tenth century。 We have seen that the first Earl of Ross recorded in history was Malcolm Mac Heth； to whom a precept is found； directed by Malcolm IV。； requesting him to protect the monks of Dunfermline and defend them in their lawful privileges and possessions。 The document is not dated； but judging from the names of the witnesses attesting it； the precept must have been issued before 1162。 It will be remembered that Mac Heth was one of the six Celtic earls who besieged the King at Perth two years before； in 1160。 William the Lion； who seems to have kept the earldom in his own hands for several years； in 1179 marched into the district at the head of his earls and barons； accompanied by a large army； and subdued an insurrection fomented by the local chiefs against his authority。 On this occasion he built two castles within its bounds； one called Dunscath on the northern Sutor at the entrance to the Cromarty Firth； and Redcastle in the Black Isle。 In the same year we find Florence； Count of Holland； complaining that he had been deprived of its nominal ownership by King William。 There is no trace of any other earl in actual possession until we come to Ferquard or 〃Ferchair Mac an t' Sagairt；〃 Farquhar the son of the Priest； who rose rapidly to power on the ruins of the once powerful Mac Heth earls of Moray； of which line Kenneth Mac Heth； who； with Donald Ban； led a force into Moray against Alexander II。； son of William the Lion； in 1215； was the last。 Of this raid the following account is given in Celtic Scotland； Vol。 I。 p。 483：
〃The young king had barely reigned a year when be had to encounter the old enemies of the Crown； the families of Mac William and Mac Eth； who now combined their forces under Donald Ban； the son of that Mac William who bad been slain at Mamgarvie in 1187； and Kenneth Mac Eth； a son or grandson of Malcolm Mac Eth； with the son of one of the Irish provincial kings； and burst into the Province of Moray at the bead of a large band of malcontents。 A very important auxiliary； however； now joined the party of the king。 This was Ferquhard or Fearchar Macintagart； the son of the ‘Sagart' or priest who was the lay possessor of the extensive possessions of the old monastery founded by the Irish Saint Maelrubba at Applecross in the seventh century。 Its possessions lay between the district of Ross and the Western Sea and extended from Lochcarron to Loch Ewe and Loch Maree； and Ferquhard was thus in reality a powerful Highland chief commanding the population of an extensive western region。 The insurgents were assailed by him with great vigour； entirely crushed； and their leaders taken； who be at once beheaded and presented their heads to the new king as a welcome gift on the 15th of June； when he was knighted by the king as a reward for his prompt assistance。〃
The district then known as North Argyle consisted chiefly of the possessions of this ancient monastery of Appercrossan or Applecross。 Its inhabitants had hithertoalong with those of South Argyle； which extended from Lochcarron to the Firth of Clydemaintained a kind of semi…independence； but in 1222 they were； by their lay possessor； Ferchair Mac an t'Sagairt； who was apparently the grandson or great…grandson of Gillandres； one of the six earls who besieged Malcolm IV。 at Perth in 1160； brought into closer connection with the crown。 The lay Abbots of which Ferquhard was the head were the hereditary possessors of all the extensive territories which had for centuries been ruled and owned by this old and powerful Celtic monastery。 As a reward for his services against the men of Moray in 1215 and for the great services which； in 1222； he again rendered to the King in the subjugation of the whole district then known as Argyle； extending from the Clyde to Lochbroom； he received additional honours。 In that campaign known as 〃the Conquest of Argyle；〃 Ferquhard led most of the w