!SOURCE: William Matheson, "The MacLeods of Lewis," TRANSACTIONS OF
THE GAELIC SOCIETY OF INVERNESS, Vol. LI (1978-1980), Inverness,
Scotland, 1981, pp. 320-337 (327).
TORQUIL (from whom Sìol Torcaill), first of the MacLeods of Lewis.
The Lewis shennachie already quoted on the drowning of the Nicolsons
described him as the conciliator between the Morisons and the
MacAulays after a battle fought between the two clans near Barvas.
Torquil MacLeod received (c. 1343) a charter from David II of four
davochs of land in Assynt, together with the castle, for the service of a
galley of twenty oars. This must have been to confirm possession of
that part of his inheritance situated in the kingdom of Scotland, as
opposed to Lewis, which was within the Lordship of the Isles, and
therefore not in the gift of the Crown.
!SOURCE: Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Baronet, THE BARONAGE OF
SCOTLAND, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1798, p. 384.
"IV. Torquil, fourth baron of Lewes, who succeeded him, and got a
charter under the great seal, from king David Bruce, ''Torquilo Macleod
de Lewes, terrarum baronia de Assynt, cum fortalicio, etc., etc.
"He married Margaret Nicolson, with whom he got a considerable
accession to his estate, and by her he had two sons.
"1. Roderick, his heir.
"2. Normond, progenitor of the Macleods of Assynt, of whom under their
proper title.
"He died in the reign of king Robert II, and was succeeded by his eldest
son."
!SOURCE: John Burke, Esq., A GENEALOGICAL AND HERALDIC HISTORY OF
THE COMMONERS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, Vol. II, Baltimore,
Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1977, pp. 175-178.
!BIOGRAPHY: BURKE''S LANDED GENTRY, Eighteenth Edition, Vol. II, London,
Burke''s Peerage Limited, 1969, pp. 416-417.
!BIOGRAPHY: John Burke, Esq., HISTORY OF THE COMMONERS OF GREAT
BRITAIN AND IRELAND, Vol. IV, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co.,
1977, pp. 584-592. Torquil, fourth Baron of Lewis, who received a
charter from David II, confirming to him the lands of Assynt. He married
Margaret Nicholson, by whom he got a considerable accession to his
estate, and had a son.
He died in the reign of Robert II, and was succeeded by his son,
Roderick.
!CAVEAT: Burke''s has the son "Norman" or "Tormod" as the son of
Roderick, Vth of the Lewes, rather than here as the son of Torquil, IVth
of the Lewes, as stated by Douglas of Glenbervie. Until proven
otherwise, we are assuming Burke''s to be right.
!SOURCE: Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS: THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN,
Section IV, "The MacLeods of Lewis", Edinburgh, Associated Clan MacLeod
Societies, 1974, p. 2.
According to Douglas, Torquil MacLeod received a charter of Assynt
from David II. Skene pointed out that in this charter, Torquil is not
designated "of Lewis". Gregory, however, claimed that at the time,
Torquil held Lewis as a vassal of the House of Isla. There is thus no need
to doubt that Lewis was actually possessed by the Chiefs of Siol
Thorcuil and their clan at this time. Torquil is said to have married
Margaret MacNicol (or Nicolson), heiress to the lands of Assynt. Torquil
had issue, probably a son Malcolm.
!SOURCE: Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS: THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN,
Section IV, Revised Edition, "The MacLeods of Lewis", Edinburgh,
Associated Clan MacLeod Societies, 1990, p. 2.
King David II granted in the mid-1340s a charter of four davochs of
land and the castle of Assynt in Sutherland to a Torquil Macleod in return
of the usual feudal services. it is reasonable to identify this Torquil
MacLeod as the Macleod chief in Lewis who held his lands there not from
the king, but from the Lord of the Isles. [The Book of Dunvegan (I) p. 275;
E. W. Robertson, pp. 48, 99, 100.] In practical terms the grant meant that
the same man had control of the sea lane of the North Minch.