men seem to have been almost extirpated. The race of Dingwall were
actually extinguished, one hundred and forty of their men having
been slain, while the family of Fowlis lost eleven members of their
house alone, with many of the leading men of their clan. ["Among
the rest ther wer slain eleven Monroes or the House or Foulls,
that wer to succeed one after another; so that the succession of
Foulls fell into a chyld then lying in his cradle." - Sir Robert
Gordon's History 0f the Earldom of Sutherland, p. 36.]

An interesting account of this skirmish and the cause which led to
it is given in one of the family manuscripts. It says Euphemia
Leslie, Countess Dowager of Ross, lived at Dingwall. She would
gladly have married Alexander of Kintail, he being a proper handsome
young man, and she signified no less to himself. He refused the
offer, perhaps, because he plighted his faith to Macdougall's
daughter, but though he had not had done so, he had all the reason
imaginable to reject the Countess's offer, for besides that she
was not able to add to his estate, being but a life-rentrix, she
was a turbulent woman, and therefore, in the year 1426, the King
committed her to prison in St. Colin's Isle (Dingwall), because
she had instigated her son, Alexander Earl of Ross, to rebellion.
She invited Kintail to her Court in Dingwall to make a last effort,
but finding him obstinate she converted her love to hatred and
revenge, and made him prisoner, and either by torturing or bribing
his page, he procured the golden ring which was the token between
Mackenzie and Macaulay, the governor of Ellandonnan, who had strict
orders not to quit the castle or suffer any one to enter it until
he sent him that token. The Countess sent a gentleman to Ellandonnan
with the ring, who, by her instructions, informed Macaulay that his
master was, or shortly would be, married to the Countess of Ross,