nald of the Isles, and Duncan, Arch-Dean of the Isles, for empowering them to enter into a treaty with the most excellent Prince Edward, by the grace of God, King of France and England, and Lord of Ireland. Edward IV., on his part, named Laurence, Bishop of Durham, the Earl of Worcester, the Prior of St. John's, Lord Wenlock, and Mr. Robert Stillington, keeper of the privy seal, his deputies and commissioners, to confer with those named by the Lord of the Isles. The conference terminated in a treaty, by which the Lord of the Isles agreed to become a vassal to the crown of England, and to assist Edward IV. and James, Earl of Douglas, then in banishment, in subduing the realm of Scotland.

The first article provides, that John de Isle, Earl of Ross, with his son, Donald Balloch, and his grandson, John de Isle, with all their subjects, men, people, and inhabitants, become vassals and liegemen to Edward IV. of England, and assist him in his wars in Scotland or Ireland; and then follow the allowances to be made to the Lord of the Isles, in recompense of his military service, and the provisions for dividing such conquests as their united arms should make upon the mainfand of Scotland among the confederates. These appear such curious illustrations of the period, that they are here subjoined:

"Item, The seid John Erle of Rosse shall, from the seid fest of Whittesontyde next comyng, yerely, duryng his lyf, have and take, for fees and wages in tyme of peas, of the seid most high and Christien prince c. marc sterlyng of Englysh money; and in tyme of werre, as long as he shall entende with his myght and power in the seid werres, in maner and fourme aboveseid, he shall have wages of cc. lib. sterlyng of Englysh money yerely; and after the rate of the tyme that he shall be occupyed in the seid werres.

"Item, The seid Donald shall, from the seid fest of Whittesontyde, have and take, during his lyf, yerely, in tyme of peas, for his fees and wages, xx 1. sterlyng of Englysh money; and, when he shall be occupied and intend to the werre, with his myght and power, and in maner and fourme aboveseid,

he shall have and take, for his wages yerely, xl. 1. sterlynge of Englysh money; or for the rate of the tyme of werre

"Item, The seid John, sonn and heire apparent of the seid Donald, shall have and take, yerely, from the seid fest, for his fees and wages, in the tyme of peas, x. 1. sterlynges of Englysh money; and for tyme of werre, and his intendyng thereto, in maner and fourme aboveseid, he shall have, for his fees and wages, yerely xx ↳ sterlynges of Englysh money; or after the rate of the tyme that he shall be occupied in the werre: And the seid John, th' Erle Donald and John, and eche of them, shall have good and sufficiaunt paiment of the seid fees and wages, as wel for tyme of peas as of werre, accordyng to thees articules and appoyntements. Item, it is appointed, accorded, concluded, and finally determined, that, if it so be that hereafter the seid reaume of Scotlande, or the more part therof, be conquered, subdued, and brought to the obeissance of the seid most high and Christien prince, and his heires, or successours, of the seid Lionell, in fourme aboveseid descendyng, be the assistance, helpe, and aide of the seid John Erle of Rosse, and Donald, and of James Erle of Douglas, then, the seid fees and wages for the tyme of peas cessyng, the same erles and Donald shall have, by the graunte of the same most Christien prince, all the possessions of the seid reaume beyonde Scottishe see, they to be departed equally betwix them; eche of them, his heires and successours, to holde his parte of the seid most Christien prince, his heires, and successours, for evermore, in right of his croune of Englande, by homage and feaute to be done therefore.

"Item, If so be that, by th' aide and assistence of the seid James Erle of Douglas, the seid reaume of Scotlande be conquered and subdued as above, then he shall have, enjoie, and inberite all his own possessions, landes, and inheritaunce, on this syde the seid Scottishe see; that is to saye, betwix the seid Scottishe see and Englande, such he hath rejoiced and be possessed of before this; there to holde them of the seid most high and Christien prince, his heires, and successours, as is aboveseid, for evermore, in right of the croune of Englande,

as weel the seid Erle of Douglas, as his heires, and successours, by homage and feaute to be done therefore."-Rymer's Foedera Conventiones, Literæ et cujuscunque generis Acta Publica, Fol. vol. V., 1741.

Such was the treaty of Artornish; but it does not appear that the allies ever made any very active effort to realize their ambitious designs. It will serve to show both the power of these reguli, and their independence upon the crown of Scotland.

It is only farther necessary to say of the castle of Artornish, that it is almost opposite to the bay of Aros, in the Island of Mull, where there was another castle, the occasional residence of the Lord of the Isles.

Note II.

Rude Heiskar's seal through surges dark

Will long pursue the Minstrel's bark.-St. II. p. 12. The seal displays a taste for music, which could scarcely be expected from his habits and local predilections. They will 1 long follow a boat in which any musical instrument is played, and even a tune simply whistled has attractions for them. The Dean of the Isles says of Heiskar, a small uninhabited rock about twelve (Scottish) miles from the isle of Uist, that an infinite slaughter of seals takes place there.

Note III.

dark Mull! thy mighty Sound.-St. VII. p. 16.

The Sound of Mull, which divides that island from the continent of Scotland, is one of the most striking scenes which the Hebrides afford to the traveller. Sailing from Oban to Aros, or Tobermory, through a narrow channel, yet deep enough to bear vessels of the largest burthen, he has on his left the bold and mountainous shores of Mull; on the right those of that district of Argyleshire, called Morven, or Morvern, successively indented by deep salt-water lochs, running up many miles inland. To the south-eastward arise a prodigious range of mountains, among which Cruachan Ben is pre-eminent. And

to the north-east is the no less huge and picturesque range of the Ardnamurchan hills. Many ruinous castles, situated generally upon cliffs, overhanging the ocean, add interest to the scene. Those of Dunolly and Dunstaffnage are first passed, then that of Duart, formerly belonging to the chief of the warlike and powerful sept of Macleans, and the scene of Miss Baillie's beautiful tragedy, entitled the Family Legend. Still passing on to the northward, Artornish and Aros become visible upon the opposite shores, and lastly, Mingarry, and other ruins of less distinguished note. In fine weather, a grander and more impressive scene, both from its natural beauties, and associations with ancient history and tradition, can hardly be imagined. When the weather is rough, the passage is both difficult and dangerous, from the narrowness of the channel, and in part from the number of inland lakes, out of which sally forth a number of conflicting and thwarting tides, making the navigation perilous to open boats. The sudden flaws and gusts of wind which issue without a moment's warning from the mountain glens, are equally formidable. So that in unsettled weather, a stranger, if not much accustomed to the sea, may sometimes add to the other sublime sensations excited by the scene, that feeling of dignity which arises from a sense of danger.

From Hirt

Note IV.

To the green Ilay's fertile shore.-St. VIII. p. 16.

The number of the western isles of Scotland exceeds two hundred, of which St. Kilda is the most northerly, anciently called Hirth, or Hirt, probably from "earth," being in fact the whole globe to its inhabitants. Ilay, which now belongs almost entirely to Walter Campbell, Esq., of Shawfield, is by far the most fertile of the Hebrides, and has been greatly improved under the spirited and sagacious management of the present proprietor. This was in ancient times the principal abode of the Lords of the Isles, being, if not the largest, the most important island of their archipelago. In Martin's time

'some reliques of their grandeur were yet extant. "Loch-Finlagan, about three miles in circumference, affords salmon, trouts, and eels: this lake lies in the centre of the isle. The isle Finlagan, from which this lake hath its name, is in it. It's famous for being once the court in which the great Mack-Donald, King of the Isles, had his residence; his houses, chapel, &c. are now ruinous. His guards de corps, called Lucht-tach, kept guard on the lake side nearest to the isle; the walls of their houses are still to be seen there. The high court of judicature, consisting of fourteen, sat always here; and there was an appeal to them from all the courts in the isles; the eleventh share of the sum in debate was due to the principal judge. There was a big stone of seven foot square in which there was a deep impression made to receive the feet of Mack-Donald; for he was crowned King of the Isles standing in this stone, and swore that he would continue his vassals in the possession of their lands, and do exact justice to all his subjects: and then his father's sword was put into his hand. The Bishop of Argyle and seven priests anointed him king, in presence of all the heads of the tribes in the isles and continent, and were his vassals; at which time the orator rehearsed a catalogue of his ancestors, &c. Martin's Account of the Western Isles, octavo, London, 1716, p. 240, 1.

Note V.

· Mingarry, sternly placed,

O'erawes the woodland and the waste.-St. VIII. p. 16. The castle of Mingarry is situated on the seacoast of the dis trict of Ardnamurchan. The ruins, which are tolerably entire, are surrounded by a very high wall, forming a kind of polygon, for the purpose of adapting itself to the projecting angles of a precipice overhanging the sea, on which the castle stands. It was anciently the residence of the Mac-Ians, a clan of Mac-Donalds, descended from Ian, or John, a grandson of Angus Og, Lord of the Isles. The last time that Mingarry was of military importance, occurs in the celebrated Leabhar dearg, or Red-book of Clanronald, a MS. renowned in the Os