Borve Castle, Sutherland

[1] The Mackays failed to appear in front of Mary of Guise, the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and as a result John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland, chief of Clan Sutherland was ordered to destroy the castle.

Hugh Kennedy of Girvanmains, the Earl's stepfather (or Stepbrother), embarked 50 men of war and the royal gunner Hans Cochrane with a cannon.

He was supplied with food from the lands of Helena Sinclair, the widow of Donald Mackay of Strathnaver.

So Earl John assembling all his forces, entered into Strathnaver, sack-ing and spoiling before him in a hostile manner, and possessed all the places of doubt, lest, as Hollinshed sayeth, any hole might be left for them to pass away from thence.

But when Earl John perceived that Iye MacKay would not abide and fight him, he besieged the strong castle and fort called Borwe, the principal strength of that country, not two miles distant from Far.