MACEWENS AND MACSWEENS
NIALL D. CAMPBELL

IN 1904 a small volume was published at Glasgow by John Mackay of the Celtic Monthly Office, dealing with the Clan Ewen, which, small as it was, was the expansion of a series of articles from the pen of the late Mr. R. S. T. MacEwen to the Celtic Monthly. But nothing is more strange in perusing the little volume, and the remarks of Skene on which much of it is based, than to note the manner in which the most important clue to the whole history of this ancient race, though staring both authors in the face, has wholly eluded them, and their researches would have had far greater value had they but realised that the MacEwens and the Mac Suibhnes or Mac Sweens were one and the same race, sprung from one common stock.

Concerning the origin of the MacEwens or, as they are known in Gaelic and Irish, the Clann Eoghain na h-Oitrich (derived from their seat at Ottir in Cowall, Argyll) there appears to be no doubt from a comparison with the old Scottish and Irish clan pedigrees that a certain Aodh Alain (that is Hugh the Splendid), ignorantly misspelt Dedalan, and termed Buirche or clumsy in the Transactions of the Iona Club, was the common ancestor of the chief clans of Cowall, viz. the MacLachlans, the Lamonts, and the MacNeills of Kintyre (but not the Barra family who appear to have sprung from a totally different stock).

On consulting the Irish authorities it will be found that so far from 'Buirche' (1) meaning clumsy it is a part of Ireland from which Aedh the fair or his fathers came from. Such are some of the confusions brought in by a Scot writing of an Irish race.

Now Aedh Alain was the son of Anradan, son of Flaithbertaigh, son of Murcertach, an Ulster chief, slain 26th March 941, son of Donald of Armagh, King of Ireland, ob. 978, son of Niall Glundubh (black-kneed), who was High King of Ireland, slain by the Danes in 917 on 17th October, and his yet remoter ancestor was King Conn of the Hundred Fights.

Keating, in speaking of this king, speaks of his daughter Sadbh, who married Conaire I., King of Ireland. Their sons were the three famous brothers known as the three Cairbres. The eldest of them was known as Cairbre Righ Fhada (or Riada); and Keating, p. 248, says from him sprang the Cineal Guaire, Magh Agnamhuin (this I cannot identify), 'Magh Eogain Magh Boithrioch' (now these names are clearly a mistake of our author for Mac Eoghain na h`Oitrich); he then proceeds, 'Magh Giolla Eoin (Maclean) and Magh Giolla Laghmhain, etc., all races in Scotland.' By this last he of course means the Clan Lamont. Such, then, are the confusions of an Irish writer when dealing with a Scottish place-name.

Now this Aedh Alain (died 1047) had three sons. (Skene thinks that they cannot have been sons, and that some generations must have dropped out, but this is because he did not realise that the Scottish Seanachies had left out the Aedh Athcamh, Chief of Tyrone, who was the grandfather of Aedh Alain, the father of the three sons.)

These three sons were Giollachrist, Niall, and Dunslebhe.

From Lachlan, the son, or perhaps grandson, of Giollachrist, sprang the MacLachlans, lords of that ilk, whose stronghold lay in Strathlachlan, with whom it is not proposed to deal in the present article.

From Niall is said to have sprung the MacNeills of Kintyre.

From Dunslebhe (now pronounced Donlevy in Ireland) or Dunsleve sprang the Lamonts, who descend from Fearchar, son of Dunsleibhe. From Dunsleve's other son Swene, Suibhneach, or Suibhne, erroneously called Ewen ih the opening paragraph of the work I refer to, sprang the MacSwenes of Castle Swene, the ancient Key to Knapdale (2) and the MacEwens of Ottir in Cowall.

It is easy to see how the names Mac Ewen and Mac Swene got confused together and used.

The writer's attention was first called to the matter by noticing how 'Suibhneach,' son of Dunsleibhe, was in the Irish pedigrees termed the ancestor of Mac Sweeney and Mac Ewen. The fact is that the early Mac Ewens of Ottir were called Mac Suibhne, but that a descendant Iain or Ewen eventually, having been unable to recover Knapdale, of which he had been deprived for siding with the English king against King Robert the Bruce, settled on the Cowall side of Loch Fyne, and his posterity took his name.

Now the line of old chiefs of the Mac Suibhnes -- this name has suffered many mutations at the hands of copyists, appearing as Severan -- is as follows: --

1. Suibhne, whose son was

2. Dugal (who had a brother Maolmuire, who in the Irish pedigrees is stated to have first assumed this surname and to have had a son Moroch Mor, vivens 1267).

3. Iain (son of Dugal), whose brothers were Torrealnanogh and Murquocgh.

4. Giollaesbuig, vivens circa 1315.

5. Eoghan.

6. Eoin Mac Eoghain a quo McEwen of Ottur, vivens 25th August 1355.

7. Balthuir (Walter) McEoghan.

8. Swene or Suffne McEwen, Lord of Ottir, who, on the feast of St. John the Baptist, 24th June, 1431, at Inverchaolan, (3) granted his lands of Stroynemayte and Barlaggan in the lordship of Oittyr for yearly payment of 4s. Scots to Duncan, the son of Alexander, and to Duncan, son of the said Duncan. These individuals may have been Campbells, but as they are called affiniti to the granter, who latinises his name as Suineus Eujenii Dominus de Oittyr, it is possible that they were Mac Ewens. Amongst the witnesses to this interesting Charter, now in the archives st Inveraray Castle, is a certain Iain, son of William Mac Ewen. The granter's seal is lost, so we do not know what arms he bore.

On 20th March 1432, King James I., by a charter under his Great Seal, dated at Perth, confirmed to 'Suffinus Eugenii,' that is, Swene McEwen, all and whole his Barony of 'Ottir-in-werane,' lying in Cowale shire of Argyll, which had been resigned by Sween into the King's hands. Failing heirs male to Suibhne, the Barony was to pass to Celestine Cambel, (4) son and heir of Duncan Cambel of Lochaw and his heirs whomsoever (original at Inveraray). On 7th June 1432 a moat interesting agreement was entered info at the Ottir by this Gillaspy (alias Celestine) Cambel, son and heir to Duncan Cambel, lorde of Lochawe, on the one part and Suffne McEwyn 'larde of ottir in weran' on the other part, which is written in the Scots vernacular. From its terms it appears that the Lord of Ottir was married, but had not yet been blessed with an heir, for he pledges himself 'that quhat tyme that God wil that the said Suffne gets ane ayr mail lachfully with his lachful spusit wyfe that he oblyssis him. . to pay to the said gillsspy cambel his ayris . . . on a day betuix the sonis rysyng and the gangyng to or otherwas at the said gillaspy cambelis wil thre score of marks . . . and fyve and twenty sufficeand marts and that to be paid owthir at the ottirweran, or at Inche chonil or at Innerayra' or else to give him the two Larragis and the lands of Killala, in the Barony of Ottir in tack for yearly payment of half a mark mail at Whitsunday and Martinmass if asked for. And if Suffnes male heir died before he begot another that the agreement would remain valid and Suffne should give gillaspy the first offer of the land if leased in wadset. To this deed both parties 'has gyfyn thar bodely athis the haly ewangelis thuichid,' etc. The Lord of the Ottir's seal is lost, but the deed which is at Inveraray is in a fine state of preservation.

It is clear that Suibhne eventually died without children, and the Lord of Lochaw duly succeeded to the said Suibhne.

Dealing with the Mac Sween chiefs in order: --

SUIBHNE I.

This is undoubtedly the Suibhne Ruadh (or red haired) who is mentioned in all the older pedigrees of the house of Argyll as being Tosach of Knapdale and the builder of the great castle which still bears his name, which frowns down in ruinous grandeur on the shores of Loch Sween. In these MS. genealogies, which are themselves the gradual compilation of a race of hereditary bards and seanachies who were Mac Ewens, it is stated that Sir Cailein Cambell called maol maith (the good bald Colin), Lord of Lochow, married a daughter of Suibhne Ruadh, by whom he became the father of Iver and Taus, the respective ancestors of the Clan Iver and Clan Tavish, and that he subsequently, in order to make a more powerful alliance, repudiated her, and that this was the origin of a long feud between the Mac Sweens and the Campbells. Suibhne took his daughter back and married her to MacLachlan, giving a tocher to her of all his lands in Glasrie, subsequently possessed by the Clan Lachan, viz. Dunaad, Dunamuick, Auchenschelloch, Shervain and Breinchylies. This Colin of Lochow is said to have been slain at Dunstaffnage in 1222. Suibhne had at least two sons.

1. Dufgall (5) or Duggall succeeded, and, as lay patron of the church of St. Colman Elo of Kilcalmonel in Kintyre, described as near his castle of Schypinche, now Skipness granted it on Palm Sunday, 1261, to the monks of Paisley for the repose of the souls of his two wives, Juliana, then dead, and Johanna (perhaps still living), his own soul and those of his ancestors and successors, and his body he gave to be buried in the Abbey of Paisley (Paisley Charters). He is also a witness, 19th January 1262, as 'son of Sewen' (ibid.), and witnesses an undated charter by Laumann, son of Malcolm, to the monks of Paisley.

2. Maelmure, who in 1262, occurs as the father of two sons, viz. :--

1. Murchard, who is a witness, 19th January 1262, to a charter by Walter Stewart, Earl of Menteith (Paisley Charters), in which (6) he is undoubtedly the Moroch Mor of the Irish pedigrees of 1267. And there is an interesting notice of him in 1265 in the Annals of Loch Ce, and 1267 in the Annals of the Four Masters, where he is stated to have been captured by Domhnall, son of Maghnus O'Conchobhair, and surrendered into the hands of Walter de Burgh, Earl of Ulster, and that 'he died in prison,' presumably in Ireland.

2. Dunsleve, who is also a witness to the Paisley Charter, 19th January 1262. He is probably the ancestor of the Mac Dunsleves or Mac Dunlaiffs in Argyll, who, though never very numerous, appear at intervals for centuries. In 1647, many of them having shortened their name to M'onlea, had become followers of the Mac Dougalls and were slain at Dunaverty Castle. (Argyll Papers.)

The above Duggall left at least one son Iain or Eoin, and Duggall is said in the Craignish Pedigrees to have had a daughter married to Dugald Cambell, first Lord of Craignisch. (Argyll Genealogies.)

Iain, as son and heir of Duggall, gave his consent to his father's charter to the monks of Paisley in 1261 on Palm Sunday, which gift was confirmed by Walter, Earl of Menteith. He is also a witness on 19th January 1262. (Paisley Charters.)

In October 1301 he, as 'son of Suffne', went with Sir Hugh Bissett and Angus of Islay to Bute and Kintyre with a fleet in King Edward's service, and in the same month Iain himself writes to King Edward to say that he had visited his own lands of Knapedale which King Edward had given him by letters patent, and had found John of Argyll and Sir John Menteith in armed possession of it with a vast force of men. (Original in Public Record Office.)

This Iain, grandson of Suibhne, left at least three sons, of whom Iain or Ewen, the eldest and rightful Lord of Knapdale, lost his lands for siding against King Robert the Bruce, who granted them to John of Menteith. We thus find the English King Edward 11. taking upon himself to try to restore the fortunes of the Mac Suibhnes who were attached to his cause, as the following extracts from still extant documents prove: --

'22nd July 1310. Donatio terrae de Knapdale facta Johanni de Ergadia et fratribus suis si poterint eam eripere emanibus Scotorum.

'Rex omnibus ad quos, etc., Salutem. Ut Johannes filius Swieni de Ergadia et Terrealnanogh at Murquocgh fratres sui Johanni de Meneteth inimico et rebelli nostro ceterisque inimicis nostris in partibus Scotie exinde amplius exosos se reddant, concessimus eisdem Johanni, Terrealnanogh et Murquocgh totam terram de Knapdale cum omnibus suis pertinentibus in Ergadia quae quondam fuit antecessorum dictorum Johannis, T. et M. habendam, sibi et heredibus suis de nobis et heredibus nostris pro servitia inde debita, at consueta imperpetuum si eam de manibus inimicorum nostrorum poterint recuperare. Et hoc omnibus quorum interest notum esse volumus per presentes. In cujus, etc. Test. Reg. apud West[minster] xxii die Julii. Per ipsum Regem.' (Rotuli Scotiae, vol. i. p. 90.)

The meaning of this is that King Edward grants Knapdale to Iain Mac Swien of Argyll and to young Charles and Murdoch (or Morich) his brothers, in order that they may make themselves more hateful to the king's foe and rebel John of Menteith, and the rest of the King's enemies in Scottish parts, which lands of Knapdale formerly belonged to the said Iain`s ancestors, and the deed discreetly adds, 'if they are able to recover them from the hands of our enemies.'

This is evidently the writ thus referred to in another authority: --

'Anno 4 Edward II. Rotulus Scotiae. Membrana 14 Westminster.

'De terra de Knapdale concessa Johanni filio Simenei de Ergadia et Terrealnanegh et Murquocgh patribus suis.' (Ayloffes Ancient Charters, p. 120.)

Celtic designations and Christian names have for centuries continued to puzzle the Saxon! The name Toirdelbach occurs frequently in the old Irish Annals, and is the form which through various mutations, has become Charles. The younger Moroch or Murdoch was clearly named after his kinsman Moroch Mor, of 1267 (vide supra) who was cousin-german to Iain, son of Duggall, son of the first Swene or Syfyn, Lord of Knapdale.

On 12th March 1314 we find the following grant, the importance of which has hitherto wholly eluded historians: --

'Grant to the Kings Vallet Dungal de Gyvelestone and his heirs for his good service to his father [Edward I.] and himself [Edward 11.], of Suny Magurkes lands in Knapedale and Glenarewale in Scotland, forfeited by the treason of John de Menetathe a Scot. Westminster.' (Patent Rolls 8th year of Edward II., p. 2, m. 25.)

This is the first mention of what is now Glendaruel in Cowall, Argyll. As to the identity of this Suny (or Suibhne) magurke, it is obvious that mac moroch or mac murdoch is meant, and he must either have been the son of Moroch Mor of 1267 or a son of the Moroch of 1310. As to the identity of Dungal de Gyvelestone, nothing has been discovered by the writer nor is there any place-name resembling it in Argyll, but it may be suggested that Galstoun in Ayrshire is meant. He was clearly a Celt anyway, and in no way related to Sir Arnald de Gavaston, a Gascon knight, who was buried at Winchester in May 1302 (Carlton Ride Records), who has been surmised to have been probably the father of Peter de Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall, who married the niece of Edward II., and was killed in 1312.

Though the Mac Suibhnes or Mac Ewens thus lost their connection with the lands and barony of Ottir, it is clear that branches of them flourished on no longer as vassals in capite of the Crown, but as such of the Campbells of Argyll.

For instance, on 27th January 1519, at Ardchattan Priory, Sownye M'condoche M'queyn, Ewen M'condoche M'queyn, John M'alister M'condoche give their bond of Manrent to Sir Iain Campbell of Calder. Here we distinctly perceive the connection between the Suibhnes and M'queyns and the use by them of Ewen as a Christian name. (Vide Thanes of Cawdor, p. 133.) M'queyn eventually got yet further distorted into MacQueen, which continued about Kerry, Cowall, and the Isle of Bute for some time.

In 1594, when Sir Iain Campbell (seventh) of Ardkinglass was being again tried (7) for the atrocious murder of Sir Iain Campbell of Calder, the tutor and guardian of the youthful Archibald, seventh Earl of Argyll, there is an interesting mention of one of these MacQueens who was a warlock minister and was held apparently in high repute as a wizard. It occurs in the wonderfully complete notes taken at the trial when inquiry was made as to how far witchcraft had been indulged in by the Laird of Ardkinglass. (8) Margaret Campbell, the relict of Iain oig Campbell of Cabrachan, brother-german to the Laird of Lochnell (which Iain was one of Ardkinglass's tools and accomplices), made a lengthy confession (9) full of the most astounding statements about witches in Lorne, one of whom had learnt her charms from 'auld Mac Eller of Cruachan', who in his turn had learnt them 'at the Pryoress of Icolmkill.' Inter alia the deponar confessed that about September 1593 'Ardkinglass demandit of her gief the witches quhilk sche employit usit to name God or Christ in their practises, to quhom it wes ansurit be the Deponar, that it wes the forme that the witches namit God in thaise words. Then Ardkinglass said to the Deponar that he had ane man called Patrick Mac Queine a minister quhae wes afar better Inshanter nor any of thame and usit not in his practises to name God, and that Patricks werk of witchcraft and Inshaintment wes very often hinderit and stayit be the rest of the witches because in thair werk theye namit God and thairefore Ardkinglass commandit hir to discharge all the witches frae that tyme furth. And farder Ardkinglass confessit to the Deponar that Patrick Mac Quine [sic] wes so skillit in his craft that he culd mak up and big ane castle betwix the sons [sic for sunset] gangand to and the contrair [viz. sunrise]. And farder Ardkinglass declarit to the Deponar that Patrick Mac Quiene foirtauld him that baith him and Glenurqhye suld be tane and yeit betyme suld escheap be Patrick his moyen, and farder Ardkinglass schew to the Deponar, that gief Patrick wer to be tane and he had sae meikle laisir as to invocate upon seven Divils quhilk waitit upon him, he wald haif power thaireby to escheap and theye suld keip the skaithe that cam to pursue him and that Patrick Mac Quiene gaif to Ardkinglass tokens of his skill. He foirtauld that my Lady Argyll suld bring furth ane lass for hir first Birthe, and ane lad nixt and that my Lord suld lyne ane field in the quhilk the next best in the bair heid suld fall, (10) and farder that Ardkinglass tauld to the Deponar that Mac quene had uther ministeris companiones with him in his craft, and furder geif Patrick wes sufferit to use his craft bot seven yeirs unchallengit that he suld cause my Lord Argyll repent his proceedings and that he suld drive him from place to place and suld not suffer

my Lord to tak rest quhill he brocht him to the end of his lyffe quhilk suld be in the lawlands, and upon the Cassay [Causeway] of Edinbrught. And fardar geif he wes sufferit to perseveir in his doing he suld mak the haill name of Campbell in Argyll to fall, the Houses of Ardkinglass and Glenurqhye onlie exceptit, and that in the end the haill suld be pairtit betwix theye twa, and that theye suld differ amang thameselffis extreamlie for the haill leivings of the Campbell, and that the sword suld end the matter amangst thame.'

As to the identity of this necromantic minister there is no doubt he is the Patrick M'Queine, son of Patrick oig M'Queine, who was minister of the church of St. Mary, Rothesay, in the year 1589. Kingarth in Bute was also under his care, and the parish of Kilmhiccoarmick in Knapdaill was also added in 1591. He continued in 1593 and was subsequently settled at Monzie over the borders of Perthshire. (Vide Fasti Eccles. Scot., part v. p. 29.)

He is also named in a bond dated at Finlarg, 21st June 1597 (Black Book of Taymouth, p. 235), so evidently he ultimately lived under the Laird of Glenurquhie's protection, the latter having also been implicated according to Ardkinglass's confession in the said murder of the Laird of Calder.

No seal of the Mac Ewens or Mac Sweens has as yet been found, at least none has survived on the writs at Inveraray in the Argyll Charter Chest. As a result there is no evidence to show what the true arms of this ancient clan were. Various Ewen, Ewing, and Ewinson coats are named in the History of Clan Ewen, before mentioned, but they are so varied that it appears to me that the families bearing them need not have had any connection with each other.

A few of this ancient race of Mac Sween are still to be found in Argyll. At Crinan an undoubted descendant, Sween Mac Sween, is now living, and he could no doubt give his ancestry back for four or five generations.

Lastly, the name Suibhne does not appear to be necessarily, originally, or exclusively Norse, as it occurs in the Irish Annals long before the inroads of the Northmen, and one or two of the early abbots of Iona bore this very name, yet their pedigrees show an undoubted Celtic descent. It is at the same time true that the Norse had for centuries in use the name of Swein, Swegen, or Swane, etc. It was, in fact, a name like Ivar, Ibhar, Iver, or Ibher, which is common to the Celtic and Norse races. The Celtic Ibhars have been influenced in all probability by the famous Bishop Ibhar, of whom one reads in the records of the Patrician Apostolate.

Feast of St. Columba, 9th June 1911.

(1) Aeda Alain i Buirche mic Anradan mic Flaithbertaigh mic Mercertach mic Domnall mic Murcertach mic Neill Glundubh. 'A strange sign was manifested in Boirche in the time of Fischna, son of Aed Ron,king of Ulster. (dnnalr of Tigsntaeh, kD. 743.) (Boirche is the Morne mountains near Dublin.) It is likewise deer from the Irish Records that from Donneleibhe, son of Aodha dthlamoh, sprang those great races of Mac Suibhnes in the north of Ireland, which early ramified into three great sept~ vis. Mac Suibhne Fanat, from whom .spnmg Mag Swyny Dtutath and Mac S~ny Badhains

(2) This is the title given to an article in the Celtic Review upon 'Castle Sween,' but in it the writer has made no attempt to elucidate the history of the ancient race who once held it.

(3) The hitherto lost dedication of this ancient parish church to the great virgin abbess Saint Brigid has recently been discovered by the writer, who fonnd it so named in two old writs.

(4) It was for this same Celestine's soul that Sir Duncan Cambell, first Lord Cambell, afterwards founded the noble collegiate Church of Kilmun, for he died in early manhood during his father's lifetime.

(5) Also in February 1262, on the 20th day of the Feast of St. Hilary, there is a charter by Dugall McSuine to Walter Stewart, Earl of Menteith, of the lands of Skipnish, Keileslait, and others to be holden of the said Dugall, with the privileges of a free barony with sock sack tholl theme infangtheiff and for service to the king of two parts of ane souldier in his majesties armies and that for all other service and duty to be exacted furth of the said lands. (Argyll Inventory)

(6) The grant which 'Dugall, son of Syfyn' made to the Monastery of SS. James and Mirin of Paisley and to the monks there serving God is confirmed. To it 'Dugell, son of Sewen' is himself a witness.

(7) The first trial took place in 1591.

(8) The writer hopes some day to print the whole trial as it is full of curious and vividly told facts. The original MS. is, or was, in the Airds Charter Chest, and a transcript has long been in the Argyll Charter Chest, made for Lady Charlotte Campbell in about A.D. 1820, and the writer has made two further transcripts verbatim.

(9) Dated at Armadie Castle on 5th October 1595 in presence of Niel Campbell, Bishop of Argyll.