Note 97 — LECTURE VI. (November 2, 1881.) LAKE-DWELLINGS, HILL-FORTS, AND EARTH-HOUSES.

That the use of such strongholds in the lochs of Scotland and Ireland continued in historic times is abundantly attested. In the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, under the date of 14th April 1608, one of the articles proposed to Angus M’Coneill, of Dunnyvaig, and Hector M’Clayne, of Dowart, for reducing them and their clans to obedience is:—“That the haill houssis of defence, strongholdis, and cranokis in the Yllis perteining to thame and their forsaidis sail be delyverit to His Majestie.” Three-legged pots of brass, and ewers of the forms in use from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century and later, have been found in several of the Scottish Crannog sites. The Irish Annals contain frequent notices of the taking of Crannogs. For instance:—"A.D. 1436. The Crannog of Loch Laoghaire was taken by the sons of Brian O’Neill. On their arrival they set about constructing vessels to land on the Crannog in which the sons of Brian Oge then were; on which the latter came to the resolution of giving up the Crannog to O’Neill and made peace with him."—Annals of the Four Masters.