!SOURCE: George Crawfurd, Esq., THE PEERAGE OF SCOTLAND, Edinburgh,
1716, p. 229ff.
!BIOGRAPHY: Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Bart., THE PEERAGE OF
SCOTLAND, Vol. 2, Second Edition, John Philip Wood, Esq., Editor,
Edinburgh, 1813, p. 9.
IX. Alexander, Lord of the Isles, succeeded his father, and was, with
his mother Lady Margaret, who assumed th etitle of Countess of Ross,
arrested by King James I. when he held a parliament at Inverness, in
spring 1427, that monarch wishing to humble him, as his predecessors
had asserted an independency dangerous to Scotland, and had treaed with the
English Kings as sovereign princes. The Lord of the Isles was soon released
[Alexander de Yle, Lord of the Isles, gave the island of Barra to Gillcownan
Rodrici Murchardi Macneill, by charter, dated 23d June 1427.
Mag. Sig. L. xiii. No. 152.]; but his mother was detained in prison probably
as an hostage for her son, who, however, in 1429, raised a body of men,
and burnt the town of Inverness; the King overtook him in Lochaber, and
totally defeated the invader, 23d June 1429. Reduced to despair, the
Lord of the Isles sent an embassy to entreat peace, which being refused,
he resoved to throw himself on the King''s mercy. For this purpose he
came privately to Edinburgh, and on the 27th of August 1429, attired
only in his shirt and drawers, he, before the high altar of Holyrood
church, upon his knees, presented his drawn sword to the King, in
presence of the Queen and nobles. His life was spared, in consideration
of his humble submission; but he was committed to Tamtallan castle,
under the charge of the Earl of Angus; and his mother, the Countess of
Ross, was sent to the island of Inchcolm, in the Frith of Forth. She
appears to have died the same year, when her son assumed the title of
Earl of Ross, as Alexander de Isle, Comes Rossiae, on the 24th October
1429, granted a precept to Alexander Sutherland of Dunbeath. A free
pardon was granted to the Earl of Ross, in a parliament held at Perth,
1431. After the death of James I. he had the office of Justiciary of
Scotland benorth of the Forth, as, in a charter in the possession of Innes
of Innes, dated 22d February 1438, the Earl of Ross is called Justiciarius
Scotiae ex parte boreali aquae de Forth. He granted a charter of the
lands of Kilravock to John Ross, 22d June 1440; and died in the end of
1448, or beginning of 1449. By his wife, Elisabeth, only daughter of
Alexander Seton, Lord of Gordon and Huntly, he had issue.