!BIOGRAPHY: Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Baronet, THE BARONAGE
OF SCOTLAND, Edinburgh, 1798, p. 378.
XIV. Sir Roderick Macleod of that ilk, commonly called Rory More, of
Great Roderick. He was man of a noble spirit, and much esteemed by king
James VI, who conferred the honour of knighthood upon him.
He was infeft in the whole estate of the family, as heir to his brother
William, upon a precept from the chancery, dated in September 1596.
In December 1597, an act of parliament was passed, whereby all the
chieftains and landholders in the highlands were ordered to produce their
title-deeds before the lords of exchequer, under the pain of forfeiture,
&c. Sir Roderick did not think proper to comply, for which reason a gift
of his estate was granted to James lord Balmerino, Sir James Spens of
Woolmerston, and sir George Hay, afterwards viscount duplin, whereupon
they took infeftment accordingly; but sir Roderick being a man of great
address, as well as of excellent parts, "accommodated matters with all
his neighbors, and entered into bonds of friendship with the Macdonalds
of Slate and clan Ronald, Mackinnon of that ilk, &c. &c. and at last
obtained a remission from the king, dated 4th May 1610.
In July thereafter, he purchased from Kenneth Mackenzie, 12th baron of
Kintail, the lands and barony of Vaterness, which had been given off as a
patrimony to Torquil, progenitor of the Macleods of Lewes, and which
afterwards came to the Mackenzies by their forfeiture, as will be more
particularly observed in the memoirs of that family. And in part
payment of the price thereof he disponed to the baron of Kintail, the
two-penny land of Troterness, with the office of bailiary thereof: Also,
on the 19th of said July, he acquired right to the foresaid gift of his
estate, and thereon, and his own resignation, obtained a new charter
under the great seal, containing an entail of the whole lands and barony
of Dunvegan, Glenelg, &c. in Inverness-shire, to and in favors of himself
and the heirs-male of his body, remainder to Alexander Macleod of
Meginish his brother-german, and the heirsmale of his body; remainder,
to William alias Macwilliam Macleod of Meidle, heir-male of Tormod,
second son of John, No. X. of these memoirs, before-mentioned, and the
heirs-male of his body; whom all failing, to his own nearest lawful
heirs-male whatever. This charter is dated 4th April 1611; upon which
he was infeft 22d October thereafter.
Sir Roderick was likewise, upon the 11th February 1614, in virtue of a
precept from the chancer, infeft in the lands of Slate, Troterness, &c. as
heir to his uncle William, and in February 1618, he disponed these lands
to sir Donald Macdonald of Slate, &c.
The king''s favour for him continued as long as he lived, as appears from
several kind and friendly letters to him from his majesty, which are
still preserved in the family.
He had also, under his majesty''s hand and privy seal, a particular
license to come up to England to court at any time he pleased, without
trouble or molestation, dated 16th June 1616.
He married Isabel, daughter of ______ Macdonald of Glengary, by whom
he had five sons and six daughters.
1. John, his heir.
2. Roderick, afterwards sir Roderick, progenitor of the Macleods of
Talisker.
3. Norman, afterwards sir Norman, of whom the Macleods of Bernera,
Muiravenside, &c. are descended.
4. William Macleod, of Hammer, &c.
5. Donald Macleod of Grisernish, &c.
[As there are descendants still subsisting of all these four younger
brothers, we shall give an account of them in their proper order, under
their separate titles, immediately after this.]
Sir Roderick''s 1st daughter, Margaret, was married to Eachin More,
eldest son and apparent heir of Eachin-Oig Maclean of Dowart, without
issue.
2. Mary, married to sir Lauchlan Maclean of Morven.
3. Moire, or More-Voire, married to John Mudortach captain of clan
Ranald.
4. Janet, married to John Macleod of Rasay, known by the appellation
of John Garve.
5. Florence, married to Donald MacSween.
6. ______, married to Lauchlan Maclean of Coll, and had issue.
Sir Roderick died in the beginning of the year 1626, and was succeeded
by his eldest son, John Macleod.
!BIOGRAPHY: Rev. Dr. Donald MacKinnon, and Alick Morrison, MACLEOD
CHIEFS OF HARRIS AND DUNVEGAN, Edinburgh, The Clan MacLeod Society,
1969, pp. 23-24. Alick Morrison, THE CHIEFS OF CLAN MACLEOD, East
Kilbride, Scotland, 1986.
He was known as Ruaridh Mor, ''not so much from his size or stature of
his body--which was not remarkably large--as from the strength of his
parts'', [BANNATYNE MANUSCRIPT] and was probably the most
distinguished Highland Chief of his time. He was in London, seeing King
James, in 1613, and was knighted. He married, probably about 1598,
Isabel, daughter of Donald MacDonald, 7th of the MacDonalds of Glengary,
by his second wife, Margaret, daughter of Allan MacDonald, 9th of
Clanranald, [CLAN DONALD, III, pp. 310-11] with issue. It is probably her
effigy which stands in the courtyard of Dunvegan Castle. By Isabel, Sir
Roderick had a family of five sons, known as Coignear Mhac Uasal
Iseabail (Isabel''s five noble sons), and six daughters. Isabel herself
before her marriage had been one of the maids of honour to Anne of
Denmark, Queen of James VI, and was known in Skye as Iseabail Mhor
Nighean Mhic ''ic Alasdair. [CLAN DONALD, III, pp. 310-11] Sir Roderick
provided for his sons by giving them land for ''two lives''. Canon Roderick
MacLeod writes that Sir Roderick was a ''clear-sighted statesman'', and
as such ''stands out preeminent among the distinguished Chiefs who have
ruled over the clan''. [THE MACLEODS OF DUNVEGAN, p. 140] He died in
1626 at Fortrose, where he was buried, having had issue....
As already stated, Sir Roderick Mor MacLeod died in 1626, and was
succeeded by his eldest son.
!BIOGRAPHY: Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Baronet, THE BARONAGE
OF SCOTLAND, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1798, p. 386.