zie, daughter to Rovie McKenzie of Davoch-maluack. His first patrimonie was his sword and bow, quherewith he did such worthie service, that he conqueist first the love of his chieffe and broyer, the lard of Kintail, wyt the love of all his countreymen; so as his broyer made choise of him to be his mareschall of all his armie in all ye wares he had wyt Glengarrie and McLeod of the Lewis. He commanded sexscore of the prettiest men that ware in his broyer's armie, and especiallie the Clanwurchie were under his command, quho served him as under officers to discharge the dutie of marischall. His dutie wes, that in ye armies marching to ye enemies land, he should still guard the rier; and as the armie rested in ther camp, he still went in expeditiones to bring them hership[1] and provision, quhilk herschips were distributed as he liked, with the consent of the superior. His own pert of the hership was ilk cow quhose ear wes longer then hir horn, ilk black cow that had not a white spott in her bodie, ilk white cow that hald not a black spott in her bodie, and ilk horse that wes wytin three years; and his under officers had all the hedes of all the cowes that were killed in the camp. But sometimes he distributed his part of the herships amongst the best deshervin of the shouldiers, quhilk made the shouldiers so desperat quich were under his command, that they resolved ayer to die or be victorious quhenever they ingadged. He had power to fine all the shouldiers that did not goe right in ther cloathes and armes, and wytall to decern all the contravershies; quhilk place he managed so fortunatlie, that he was sent in all expeditiounes, and in everie expeditioune he wes victorious. His good service gott him the reall affectioune of his breyer, so that his breyer, in his death-bed, left him his own sword, quhilk was the gretest merit a kinsman could haive, to have the sword of such a braive conqueror, as a testimonie of faithfull service."
The situation appears to have been lucrative; for he adds, "Ane estate from his brother he needed not; ffor befor his broyer's death, by his oune prudent managment of ye benefit of ye impleyment he had, and of quhatever fell to his hand, he conqueist to himself a reasonable estate, quhilk he dailie augmented during the rest of his worthie dayes. He married to his first wife Annabel MMcKenzie, daughter to Murdo MMcKenzie of Fairburn, and relich," &c. &c. &c.
The place was not hereditary; at least the historian, himself a male descendant and grandson of the marshal, does not affirm that it was ever again held by any of his kindred.
(To be continued.)
ACCOUNT OF MR RUTHVEN'S IMPROVED PRINTING PRESS.
As one of the objects of this Magazine is to disseminate useful knowledge, we cannot attain the end in view with better effect than by giving some account of a most important improvement in the mechanical part of printing, by Mr John Ruthven, printer, of this place. This very ingenious mechanician having diligently studied his profession for upwards of twenty years, observed that there were numerous defects in the construction of the printing presses commonly employed, the principle of which is unaltered from the time of the invention of printing. The excessive and dangerous labour occasioned to the workmen, and the very imperfect adaptation of the press to many purposes, were the most obvious defects; to remedy which, by any improvement of the original machine, Mr Ruthven found, after diligent study, to be quite impracticable;—he therefore resolved on attempting something new; and after much labour, he has succeeded in producing not only a highly useful press, but in giving a most beautiful application of a combination of levers, for the production of parallel motion, with a degree of power hitherto unequalled.
For the better understanding of the account we propose to give, it will be well to premise a few observations on the printing-press commonly used.
The screw has hitherto been the power employed to produce pressure, while the types were placed on a moveable carriage, which was moved, after the ink had been applied, under the surface for pressing. In consequence of this, the power has always been limited,—the radius of the lever which moves the screw being confined. It is also a consequence that not more
- ↑ "Herschip, Heirschip, Heiriscip, the act of plundering, devastation.—Booty, prey, &c." Jameson.
