In this family search 'thing' I haave taken to reading everything I can
on Scottish history. In J. D. Mackie's book, "History of Scotland", in
the reign of James VI/I, "As Argyll had been used overmuch in the south,
so the Earl of Caithness had to be given extensive powers to preserve
order in the north." In other words, the two chiefs were the policemen
for the king. From the same source, is the statement that, "In Orkney
Patrick, son of an illegitimate son of james V...) carried fuedal
tyranny to such a height that the name of Earl Patrick became the byword
for oppresion. In 1609 he was arrested, but his natural son Robert,
raised the standard of revolt. In 1612 the lands of Orkney were
permanently annexed to the crown......The matter ended with the
execution of father and son in 1615". ---And I thought Orkney always
part of the Sinclair's lands. Since Dr. Mackie's book is more general
than specific on any clan, there are only tidbits of any one clan's
history. I have also read somewhere recently that the Sinclairs were
not a "clan" as generally thought of. Sally
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