!SOURCE: Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS: THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN,
Section V, "The MacLeods of Assynt", Edinburgh, Associated Clan MacLeod
Societies, 1976, p. 18.
Neil MacLeod... was the Tutor of the Estate during the minority of
Angus, the son of John Riabhach. According to Sir Robert Gordon in his
monumental "Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland", "When
John Riabhach died about 1575, he left the government of his cuntry and
children unto his brother Neill". The Geanies Papers go further than this
with the claim that John Riabhach, finding that his son, John of Oldney,
"was not old enough" and tha tthe other son, Angus, was impotent in one
leg, and that his four sons were bastards, disponed the entire estate to
Neil, his brother. It is probably safer to accept Sir Robert Gordon''s
statement for he knew Donald Ban, son of Neil. Neil had certainly very
great authority as Tutor to Angus, the lineal heir of John Riabhach, who
was still a minor. Neil apparently dealt harshly with his younger
brother, Houcheon, (Uisdean) whom he excluded "from all command or
government in the country"; and much blood would flow because of this
omission. Houcheon took action: he captured Neil and forced im to
accept certain terms before allowing him freely to depart. Neil now
entertained "a grudge against his brother in his hart". Craftily he invited
Houcheon and his son, Donald, to the Castle of Ardvreck, seized them and
summarily put them to death. For this outrage Neil the Tutor was seized
by Torquil Cononach of Coiigeach, who handed him over to the Scottish
Privy Council. He was executed in Edinburgh in 1581.
Neil the Tutor was married twice (1) to a daughter of Pulrossie, with
issue.
Neil married (2) Margaret, daughter of Donald, brother of MacLeod of
Lewis, by whom he had further issue.