Mackenzie of Kintail, ancestor to the noble family of Seaforth."
This is an undoubted error for it will be seen that John, not Kenneth
was chief at the time of Flodden. It was he who joined the Royal
army, accompanied by his brave and gallant uncle, Hector Roy of
Gairloch and it is established beyond dispute that though almost
all their followers fell, both John and Hector survived and
returned home. They, however, narrowly escaped the charge of Sir
Edward Stanley in rear of the Highlanders during the disorderly
pursuit of Sir Edward Howard, who had given way to the furious and
gallant onset of the mountaineers.

John was made prisoner, but afterwards escaped in a very remarkable
manner. When his captors were carrying him and others of his
followers to the south, they were overtaken by a violent storm
which obliged them to seek shelter in a retired house occupied by
the widow of a shipmaster. After taking up their quarters, and,
as they thought, providing for the safe custody of the prisoners,
the woman noticed that the captives were Highlanders; and, in
reference to the boisterous weather raging outside, she, as if
unconsciously, exclaimed, "The Lord help those who are to-night
travelling on Leathad Leacachan." The prisoners were naturally
astonished to hear an allusion, in such a place, to a mountain so
familiar to them in the North Highlands, and they soon obtained an
opportunity, which their hostess appeared most anxious to afford
them, of questioning her regarding her acquaintance with so
distant a place; when she told them that during a sea voyage she
took with her husband, she had been taken so ill aboard ship that
it was found necessary to send her ashore on the north west coast
of Scotland, where, travelling with only a maid and a single guide,
they were caught in a severe storm, and she was suddenly taken