[2] Maclean had left his wife, Lady Elizabeth Campbell, exposed to certain death on a lonely sea-girt isle.
[2] Donald Mackay was treated well by the king for on the 16 December 1539, after they arrived at Stirling, Mackay obtained a charter under the Great Seal of Scotland for his ancestral lands in heritage: Farr, Armadale, Straye, Rynewe, Kynnald, Golspie, Dirlot, Cattack, Broynach, Kilchalumkill in Strabroa, Davach Lochnaver, Davach Eriboll, the two pennylands of Stromay, the mill of Kinald, the island of Sanday extending to the three pennylands, the lands of Melness and Hope, with the mills, mill-lands, manors etc., formerly belonging to Y Mckay and his ancestors, the father of the said Donald, but in the king's hands by reason of nonentry, and now erected into the free barony of Farr, sasine to be taken at the principal messuage of Farr.
[2] Donald Mackay appears to have remained at court for at least twelve months as on 26 November 1540 he witnessed a charter of lands in Monteith of Perth to Anthony Balfour of Torre Estir.
[2] While at court, Donald Mackay also received a charter from Andrew Stuart, Bishop of Caithness for the church-lands in Durness, Strathnaver to himself and his heirs after him.
[2] The disorderly Scottish army that set out for England under Oliver Sinclair was completely routed at the Battle of Solway Moss.
[2] Historian Angus Mackay explains that Robert Stuart, Bishop of Caithness, supporting the scheme of the English king for his son to marry the infant Mary, Queen of Scots as mentioned above, departed for England to join his brother the Earl of Lennox, and that the bishop made some arrangements with his relatives, including Mackay, for the protection of his castles and church-lands.
[2] On 28 April 1549, the bishop brought together at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, all on equal terms, the Earls of Sutherland, Caithness and Donald Mackay, and they entered into a bond of friendship.
[2] Historian Angus Mackay states that this is an honest account of what had happened based on documents found at Dunrobin Castle and that Sir Robert Gordon has described it with his "usual untruthfulness".