Chapter I: SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE, created first Earl of Cromarty, who made

a distinguished figure in the history of his country during the reigns of Charles II., James II., and William III. In 1661, at the early age of 31, he was made a Lord of Session. He subsequently held the offices of Lord-Justice-General and Clerk-Register of Scotland. When Maitland got into favour Sir George shared the fall of his patron, Lord Middleton, but on the death of the Duke of Lauderdale he again got into favour, and, until the close of the reign of King James, he held the principal sway and power in Scottish affairs. He was accessory, if not the principal, in putting Spence and Carstairs to the torture of the boot and thumb-screw after the rebellion of Argyll. In 1685 King James ennobled him by the title of Viscount Tarbat, Lord Macleod and Castlehaven. During the reign of William III. his influence became much diminished, but he afterwards got into power, and, on the accession of Queen Anne, he again became a Royal favourite, and was by her in 1703 created Earl of Cromarty, and made Secretary of State for Scotland. He subsequently resigned this office and took up his old post of Justice-General, and recompensed Her Majesty's favours by strongly advocating with voice and pen the Union between England and Scotland, of which he was the original proposer. In 1710, after 60 years of the most active public service, he retired into private life.

That he possessed ability of a very high order is undoubted, though as a politician he held very loose and changeable principles. Sinibert says that "as a judge, he was addicted to the old practice of considering the litigants rather than their causes"; and Carstairs goes the length of saying that "he habitually falsified the minutes of Parliament, and recorded in its name decisions and orders never really made." In the course of his long and checkered career he had been a member of so many Ministries and changed sides so often that it was not to be expected that he should escape charges of inconsistency. "Some do compare him to an eel," said Lockhart of Carnwath, "and certainly the character suited him exactly ... He had sworn all the most contradictory oaths, and complied with all the opposite Governments since the year 1648, and was humble servant to them all till he got what he aimed at, though often he did not know what that was." Almost every statesman of his time was as changeable as he was, but he possessed a capacity for business which distinguished few if any of his rivals. He is admitted on all hands to have been in private life a gentleman of the most refined habits. He wrote well on various subjects, his chief productions being Essays on the Union of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland; on the Gowrie Conspiracy; and a "Plain Explication" of the Prophecies of Daniel and St. John. He also wrote the MS. history of his clan, so often quoted and referred to in this work, and he undoubtedly invented Colin Fitzgerald.

His lordship married, first, Anne, daughter of Sir George Sinclair of Mey, with issue -

1. Roderick, who died young.

2. John, who became his heir and successor.

3. Kenneth, who in 1704 obtained a baronetcy with his grandfather's patent of creation, as Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, Baronet of Grandvale and Cromarty. [Sir Kenneth and his younger brother, Sir James Mackenzie of Royston, were created baronets in the same year, the patent of the latter being dated 8th of February, 1704. Sir Kenneth's patent (which is to his heirs male for ever), was dated 29th of April, 1704, and contained the original precedency of the patent of his grandfather, Sir John, who was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1628. Sir Kenneth was a member of Parliament for the County of Cromartie in the reigns of King William and Queen Anne. He warmly supported the treaty of Union, was one of the members nominated by the Parliament of Scotland, on 13th February, 1707, to sit in the United Parliament of Great Britain, and was chosen member for the County of Cromartie at the general election in 1710. A new writ for that county was ordered On 22nd January, 1729, in consequence of his decease, and his eldest son Sir George, was elected in his place. - "Earls of Cromartie"] He died in 1729, having married Anne Campbell, with issue - Sir George, the second Baronet, M.P., who married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain John Reid, of Greenwich, without issue. In 1741, his affairs having become embarrassed, Sir George sold Cromarty to Sir William Urquhart of Meldrum. He died in 1748, and was buried at Dingwall; his lady having survived him 59 years, and died at Inverness in 1807, aged 84. Sir Kenneth's other four sons were Colin; James; Campbell; and Gerard, who all died young or unmarried and Kenneth, who, in 1748, succeeded his brother Sir George, as third Baronet, and died unmarried in 1763. His daughter, Catherine, married Dr Adam Murray, of Stirling. He had several other daughters, married and unmarried.

4. James, who on the 8th of February, 1704, was created a Baronet by Queen Anne as Sir James Mackenzie of Royston, and in 1710 he was appointed a Lord of Session by the title of Lord Royston. The Baronetcy being limited to heirs male, and Lord Royston having died in 1744 without surviving male issue, the title became dormant. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, with issue - George of Farnese, who in 1743 married Isabella Stuart, and died before his father, without issue; Anne, who married Sir William Dick of Prestonfield; and Elizabeth, who married Sir John Stewart of Grandtully, with issue.

5. Lady Margaret, who married Sir D. Bruce of Clackmannan, without issue.

6. Lady Elizabeth, who married Sir John Brown of Coalstown.

7. Lady Jean, married Sir Thomas Stewart of Balcaskie.

8. Lady Anne, who married the Hon. John Sinclair, son of Lord Murkle, and died in 1740.

The Earl married, secondly, Margaret, Countess of Wemyss, without issue. He died in 1714, was buried at Dingwall, and succeeded by his eldest son,