"Alexander, by the Grace of God, King of Scots, to all honest men
of his whole dominions, cleric and laic, greeting: Be it known to
the present and future that I, for the faithful service rendered to
me by Colin of Ireland, in war as well as peace, therefore I have
given, and by this my present charter I concede to the said Colin
and his successors, the lands of Kintail to be held of us in free
barony with ward to render foreign service and fidelity. Witnesses
(as above.) At Kincardine, 9th day of January, in the year of the
reign of the Lord the King, the 16th."

The Kincardine at which this charter is alleged to have been signed
is supposed to be the place of that name situated on the River
Dee; for about this time an incident is reported to have occurred
in the Forest of Mar in connection with which it is traditionally
stated that the Mackenzies adopted the stag's head as their coat
armour. The legend is as follows:

Alexander was on a hunting expedition in the forest, near Kincardine,
when an infuriated stag, closely pursued by the hounds, made
straight in the direction of the King, and Cailean Fitzgerald, who
accompanied the Royal party, gallantly interposed his own person
between the exasperated animal and his Majesty, and shot it with
an arrow in the forehead. The King in acknowledgment of the Royal
gratitude at once issued a diploma in favour of Colin granting him
armorial bearings which were to be, a stags head puissant, bleeding
at the forehead where the arrow pierced it, to be borne on a field
azure, supported by two greyhounds. The crest to be a dexter arm
bearing a naked sword, surrounded by the motto "Fide Parta, Fide
Acta," which continued to be the distinctive bearings of the
Mackenzies of Seaforth until it was considered expedient, as