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(2) Ferquhard, from John

7th defcendent

Be

thune 5th laird of Balfour.

8

An Historical

and Genealogical

young. Donald the fecond fon, was loft at fea. He was a young man, and unmarried. And,

Angus, who had the appellation of the fair, the (1.) Angus the fixth and youngest fon (1), married a daughter of fcendent from Campbell of Ronfay in the long by whom John Bethune, he had two fons, Ferquhard and Donald.

Fair, de

ifland,

5th laird of Balfour.

Donald the youngest, had two fons, John and Ferquhard. Ferquhard the fecond fon died unmarried. John the eldest fon, had only one son, called likewife John, who went to the West Indies in the year 1729,

Ferquhard the eldest fon (2), was a well looked courageous man, and yet of a quiet and peaceable temper. No less than seven hundred from Sky, were engaged at the unfortunate battle of Worcefter, September 3. 1651, who were almost all killed or taken prifoners. Here Ferquhard just now mentioned, behaved gallantly and procured great fame. On which account, Sir Norman M'Leod of Bernera, third son of Sir Roderick M'Leod of that Ilk, who had the command of the regiment from that island, conceived fuch an high opinion of him, as made him continue always firiendly to him, and his son after him.

His relations advised him, to go in fuit of a daughter of M'Lean of Coll; but in his way to wait on her, seeing a young gentlewoman of the firname of Cuy, whose father was then one of the principal men under M'Leod in Glenelg, he fancied her rather than Coll's daughter, for in his opinion, she was the most pretty and handsomeft of the two. This choice greatly difobliged his friends and relations; and the reafon was, they judged he would have fewer friends by her than the other, though indeed, fhe had confiderable

connexions,

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bitants of that corner, he had taken up his refidence among them. This is the only hint we find in the manufcript account of the Bethunes of Sky, that Doctor Peter might have been Pitlochy's eldest fon, or fucceeded to that estate by the death of an elder brother.

John the fecond fon, and Angus the fair, the youngest, had gone to Mull to wait on Sir John M'Lean of Dowart, about business; and it happened the very next day after their arrival in the ifland, that Sir John was engaged to fight with the M'Donalds of Lairg. Since this was the cafe, the two brothers would not be diffuaded from joining them in the engagement, in which, alas! John was killed. It was reported in Sky, that Angus the fair was likeways found among the flain, which gave occafion to the elegy that was made on him, in which were defcribed with great propriety and elegance, his beauty, courage, and valour. He had two fons both children when he fell. The eldest Peter was a phyfician. He died without fucceffion. The other Duncan had a fon called Christopher, who had a fon named John. And John had two fons, Duncan and Peter (1).

(1) Manufcript History of the

Angus the third fon, called the strong, on ac- Bethunes of the count of his being reckoned one of the strongest Island of Sky. men in the north of Scotland in his time; was loft in the ferry betwixt Sky and Glenelg, in a very stormy, and tempeftuous day. He was a young man, and had never married.

Ewan or Eugene, the fourth fon, died likeways young and unmarried.

Niel the fifth fon, had but one fon, named Ferquhard, who had two fons, Angus and Donald. Angus the eldest had a fon called John, who died . young.

G

An Hiftorical and Genealogical

He was faid to have the gravity of the Divine, as well as skill of the Physician.

fe

He had a fon called Angus, who likeways appeared as Doctor of Medicine. He was the (1.) The 2d Cond Doctor Angus of the family (1). He got a Dr Angus, 5th liberal education, and wrote a fyftem of phyfic, John Bethune, entitled, The Lilly of Medicine, which

defcendent from

he

finished

four.

sth laird of Bal- at the foot of Montpelier, after he had studied phyfic twenty-eight years. The fyftem is yet extant in manuscript, and contains many curious difcoveries concerning the nature of difeafes, and their cures. It is in the Irish character, and abounds with contractions. He defigned it wholly for the use of the Highlands. However it seems of no use in the prefent age. None of his pofterity since the death of Mr John Bethune Minister of Braccadale, is able to read it. Nor could he indeed, without the aid of one from Ireland, who knew well the Irish character, and the contractions History of the (2.) Manufcript belonging to it (2). Bethunes of the

This fecond Doctor Angus, the fifth defcendent Iland of Sky. in a male-line from John Bethune fifth laird of Balfour, and Marjory third daughter of David Bofwel of Balmuto, had fix fons. Ferquhard, John, Angus called the Strong, Ewan or Eugene, Neil, and Angus called the fair, all handfome ftately men, more inclined to the military than to the gown, or the study of phyfic, which none of them could be prevailed upon to purfue. And this the M'Donalds, and M'Leods took much amifs ; they upbraided them as degenerated from their forefathers, particularly Doctor Peter their first predeceffor in that country, who, though, as they said he had an estate of his own in the fouth, yet for the good of mankind, especially the inhabitants

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doubtless, they had daughters, yet there is no mention made of them.

This Peter had a fon, Angus, Doctor of Medicine, (1.)

(1.) Angus Bethune, 3d de

He was a prudent man and of good efteem in the fcendent from John Bethune country, and tho' the M'Donalds and M'Leods, 5th laird of Balthe most powerful clans in that country, were often four. at variance, yet he was loved and much careffed by both fides.

-Quis talia fando,

Temperet a lacrymis? (3).

He had two fons, Ferquhard fenior, and Ferquhard junior.

The latter profeffed Medecine, He was of a frank and chearful temper, and much loved and careffed by all, particularly his patients. He died a young man unmarried, and the way and manner of his death was this: He had been fent for by the Earl of Sutherland, to attend his Countess in a dangerous illness. When he was returning home in a ten oared boat, after she was recovered, it happened to land in an island, which was not inhabited. Here the Doctor and his crew, proposed to stay a little and refresh themselves; but alas! the boat being not well faftned to the fhore, went off with their provifions aboard, and twenty days thereafter came into Dunrobin the Earl's feat, whole and entire. The Earl immediately sent out fome able hands in queft of them; but before they could poffibly reach the island, all of them had died for want of food; and they found the Doctor lying on his breast within an old chapel, with a book under his face, in which he had wrote (2) Manufcript History of the an account of their dreadful disaster (2). Bethunes of the Inland of Sky.

(3.) Virg. Æn. lib. ii. lin. 6 et 7.

His elder brother Ferquhard fenior (4), was a (4.) Ferquhard grave judicious man, and of good skill in phyfic. from John Sth

defcendent

He laird of Balfour.

4

An Historical and Genealogical

(1) Beter Bethune 2defcend

He had a fon called Peter

get

(1.), who being a fa ent of John 5th mous phyfician, was called to Argylefhire to pracJaird of Balfour. tife his fkill there, and from thence received an invitation to the Ifle of Sky from the lairds of M'Donald and McLeod. The Doctor, upon condition to fettle in the country, was promised as much land as he inclined to poffefs, rent free; but neither he, nor any of his pofterity, could lands to purchafe heritably, nor to wadset or be impignorated. The lairds give to their fons, except the heirs, only money for their patrimony, and a tack or leafe of fome of the beft poffeffions for rent, allowing in the payment of it the interest of their money. It was also promised on the Doctor's fide, that one of his pofterity, particularly the eldest fon of the family, if he had a turn for it, fhould be educated as a physician, without any expence to him or his fucceffors, whilst any of them continued in that country and inclined to the ftudy of phyfic or medicine. By these encouragements, he was prevailed (2.) Manufcript on to take up his refidence in Sky (2.), which is Hiftory of the far from being a difagreeable place. It extends Island of Sky. 42 miles in length, and from 20 to 4 in breadth. It is fruitful both in cattle and victual, and abounds with the best fishes of all kinds.

Bethunes of the

(3.) Douglas's Peerage, page 360.

Whether he was Pitlochy's eldest son, or not, is uncertain. He married a daughter of M'Donald laird of Moydart, captain of Clanronald, defcended of Reginald, son of John Lord of the Ifles, who was of the seventh generation of the family. This Reginald, got from his father a confiderable eftate, in which the lands of Moydart were included, which was confirmed to him by a charter under the Great Seal," apud Arnelle, primo die Januarii 1370." (3.)

There is nothing kept in record of the marriages of his pofterity for fome generations, and though,

doubtlefs,

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