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of Culnafkie in Rofs.

36

A Short Account of the BETHUNES, &c.

Bethune of Culnafkia, and his people in Rofsfhire, are of a much longer standing than the Bethunes in Sky, if we may believe their own accounts, for they say their right and title to the lands (1.) Bethune of Culnaskia, is above five hundred years old, (1.) There is a valiant little clan in Kintail, part of Seaforth's country, called by a Patronymick, M'Kraes, who when Ferquhard, father of Kenneth Bethune of Leabost resided in that country, profeffed themselves to be Bethunes, tho' they were unwilling to take the name or subscribe themfelves fo, for fear of giving umbrage to the M'Kenzies, on whom they depended, and who had folicited them in a very earnest and preffing manner to call themfelves McKenzies. The beft genealogifts of this tribe are ftill of the fame opinion with refpect to their being originally Bethunes. And probably they riginally Be- firft to this country from the island of Sky, (2.)

M'Kiaes in Kintail, o

(2) Maes

came at

thunes.

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but gave him all manner of encouragement to take up his refidence among his people in his own territories. The third and last Doctor Angus was fo much convinced of this, that he fent to the eldest branch of the Sutherland Bethunes, a gun, fword and target, as an evidence of his regard for them, and that they were defcended of his family, and as a teftimony of his defire to cultivate a friendship (1) The Be and correspondence with them, (1.)

thunes of Sutherland and Caithness.

It is not to be doubted, but feveral are defcended of the Bethunes of Sky, whofe names have not been recorded in the preceding account; of whom fome may be in England, ethers in Ireland and foreign plantations.

Sky

It is certain however, there were Bethunes in before Peter Peter came to that country, families of good cheem and repute, but could give no account how or when they arrived thither. They are now almest extinét, (2.).

(2) There were Bethunes in Sky before

Others of the name of Bethune came to this Island after the Doctor had taken up his refidence Dr Peter came in it, who were able and careful physicians. A few to the island. of them are still in that country. One of them called Neil, not finding proper education at home, went to the Scotch College in Paris, to which James Bethune last Archbishop of Glasgow, of the Popish persuasion, had been an eminent benefactor, and there he continued until he came over in the year 1715, and joined with those that were engaged at Sheriff-muir. After which he went to Spain, where some years ago, he got a regiment. And the last time he wrote to his friends in the North, he told (3.) Neil Bethem he was in expectation of being made a gene- a regiment in ral, (3.)

thune, who got

Spain.

Bethune

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BETHUNES,

In other Places of the NORTH-COUNTRY, befides thofe in the Ifland of SKY.

memoirs

H

AVING in this manner finifhed the of the Bethunes of the ifland of Sky, their connections and defcendents. It will not be improper to give fome account of the Bethunes in other places of the North Country.

The Bethunes of Moydart, Morven and Lochaber, derive their defcent from a fecond fon of Doctor Peter, which indeed is very probable, tho' that fon be not recorded in the manufcript account of the family, for he might have gone from Sky to that country, and continued there on account of his relation and connection with the laird of Moydart's (1) The Be- family, (1.)

thunes of Moy. dart, Morven, & Lochaber.

The Bethunes of Sutherland and Caithness, derive their original from a brother of the fecond Doctor Angus, that wrote the Lilly of Medicine, and who went to that country after the death of his uncle Ferquhard junior, that died in the uninhabited island; and for whom the Earl of Sutherland had fuch a regard, that he would not allow him to return to the place of his nativity the island of Sky, but

fupporters

The Bethunes of the island of Sky, are intitled to bear the fame coat of arms, the excepted, with Bethune of Balfour their chief, with an annulet or ring for a difference, fince they are defcended of a fifth fon of that family.

And as this is the cafe with respect to the Bethunes of the island of Sky, fo with respect to their defcendents.

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32

An Hiftorical and Genealogical

3

Ecclefiafticus, c.
xiv. v. 18.

Ecclefiaftes, c. i.
V. 4.

The fon of Sirach in the book of Ecclefiafticus,
has a thought much to the fame purpose.
66 As
of the green leaves on a thick tree," fays he,
"fome fall, and fome grow, fo is the generation
of flesh and blood; one cometh to an end, and a-
(1.) Book of nother is born, (1.)" And Solomon, who has
carefully studied the feveral stages of human life,
and the various events to which mankind are fub-
jected, and on this account was fully convinced of
the vanity of all things here below, observes,
"That one generation paffeth away, and another
generation cometh, but the earth abideth for ever,
(2.) Book of (2.)" that is, continues and endures, in order to
receives back thofe bodies which come out of it:
For no generation can abide as the earth doth, but
follows the foregoing, as the next that comes after
fhall follow it unto their graves.
"Duft we are,
(3) Book of and to duft we must return, (3.)" Our bodies,
Genefis, c. iii. a few years ago were only embryoes, will
foon be reduced to earth and bones. And the
earth, though more durable and lasting than our
bodies, fhall, at length be diffolved, "
nay, the
heavens themselves," as the Apostle Peter has ex-
prefsly foretold," fhall pafs with a great noise,
(4.) Second and the elements fhall melt with fervent heat, (4.)"
Epistle of Peter,
c. 3. v. 10.

which

V. 10.

But our fouls, like God, after whofe image they are made, remain for ever. Certainly then, it is the duty of the people of every tribe and family, to fecure in the first place the interefts of their fouls, and to ftudy to procure the favour of God, which includes every bleffing, every advantage, (5) The Con- and can never never have an end, (5.)

clufion.

The

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