H i s t o r y .
der Sir John Hajtings, in 1306, when it was furprized by the paj
tizans of Robert Bruce, and the garrifon put to the fword. ||
was demolilhed in 1456 by the Earl of Rofs, in the reign of 7®,
II. is faid to have been rebuilt by. James V. and to have been gjJ
rifoned in the time o f Cromwel’s ufurpation. Few are the record
preferved of thefe diftant places, therefore very wide mull tj
their hiftoric gaps.
Arrau, or properly Arr-inn, or the ifland of mountains, feemi
not. to have been noticed by the antients, notwithftanding it nwf
have been known to the Romans, whofe navy, from the time.|
Agricola, had its ftation in the Glota Alftmrium, or. the Firth &
Clyde: Camden indeed makes this- ifland the Glota o£ Antonine, biij
no fuch name ocurs in his itinerary;' i t therefore was- beftowed-o^
Arran. b.y fome o f his commentators..
By the immenfe cairns, the vaft monumental ftones, and tmnj
reliques of druidifm, this ifland muft have been confiderable il
very antient times. Here are ftill traditions of the hero Fin$
or Fin-mac-coul, who is.fuppofed here to have enjoyed the pi»
fures of the chace ; and many, places, retain his-nameibutlcai
difcover nothing but oral, hiftory that- relates to the ifland,. till ii
time of. Magnus., the barefooted,. the Norwegian victor, who pro*
bably included Arran in his conquefts of Cantyre. *. If he did
not: conquer that ifland, it-: was certainly included among thofe
that Donald Aane was to cede; for it. appears that Acho\, *
of the fucceifors of Magnus, in 1263, laid clame to Arran, Btli;
and the Cumrays,. in conlequence of that promife: the two 0
Torfaus+ 71.. 4 Buchanan, lib. vii. c. 62..
FI E B R I .R E S.
l-fubdued, but the defeat he met with at Largs foon obliged him
| S 7 wafth?proUpeeftrty of the crown : Robert Bruce retired here
I f f his diftreffes,. and met with proteftion from his faithful ill numbers of them followed his fortunes ; and, after the
(¡Lie of Bamockbourn he rewarded feveral, fuch as the Mac-cooks,
U kinnons, Mac-brides, and Mac-louis, or Fullertons, with different
larters of lands in their native country. All thefe are. now ab-
forbed by this great family., except the Fullertons and a Stuart,
Lfcended from a fon of Robert III. who gave him a fettlement here,
lithe time of the Dean of the Ijles, his defcendent poffefied caftle
I man; and he and. his.bluid,. fays the dean ,_are the befi men m that
■The manner in which Robert Bruce difcovered his arrival to his
fends, is fo defcriptive of the flmplicity of the times that it
lerics notice, in the very words of the faithful old poet, hiftor.an
qf that great prince :
T h e K ing then blew his horn in b y ;
And g a rt his men th a t were him by,
Hold them ftill in privitie.:
And fyn again his horn blew h e :
James of Dowglas heard him blow,
And well the blaft foon can he k n ow :
And faid furelie yon is the K in o ,
I ken him well by his blowing:
T h e third time therewith als he blew,
And then Sir Robert BoyJe him knew,.
And ftid , yon is the K in g b u t dreed,
Go we will forth to him good fpeed. • Barbours