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New Revission:

The Life and times of Lieutenant Laird BrendonPatrick MacRory, Esq. , Count of Regency Sommerset, (Late of the Royal Navy, as you shall soon learn) To Begin I shall begin at the beginning, for that where all good storys should begin.

He was born (well, nothing unusual there, most people are) In late spring in the year of our lord, 1764 in the Reign of His Most Britannic Majesty King George the III, as he has informed us himself in his fathers house in Castle bay, isle of Barra, Outer most island in the outer Hebrides. (you must remember, in those days, it was common to be born, and to dye in ones house and not in some strange building surrounded by strangers) it was late in the evening when he arrived, this he has also informed us, as he been reminded by reliable sources who where present, his own recollection of these early events not being clear. He was fortunate to be born the First child of minor landed Gentry, of AndrewAlexander Immram MacRory and MeaganClair MacRory. The MacRorys descend from the Kings of Norway, and are recognized Sept of both the MacDonalds, Lord of the Isles and the MacNeills.

These where the days of Peace, Britain had won in the world wide conflict known as the Seven Years war, but it was not a total win, France was wounded, not Vanquish.

It also in the years not long pased since the upraising of 45, the Crown still not forgiving the Highland and Islands for there part in trying to restor a Scottish and Catholic King on to the throne. The acts of Proscription of 1747 still in effect and enforced.

Most of his early education was at home, his father bestowed great care and emphasis on the young lads education, practical, philosophical and historical, stressed it importances, as he would do in turn with each of his children, to the best of his means. The skill and learnings of others was employed when it could be. Some time the local Priest, Father Sean Devine, did tutor him, taught the basics of Latin, English, Grammar, mathematics, and of course philosophy and religious instruction, he also lent him books, which is a good thing, for there where so few on this small island. As he got older, Colonel Roderick MacNeil of MacNeil of Barra, the Chief, took an interest in the lads education and from time to time would bring a volume or two from his library in Kisimul Castle and lend it, and ask question on the contents of the last one to make sure BrendonPatrick had read it and understood it.

Also, one of the last of the Jokies would come around, an old mendicant who went by the name of Auld Edie Ochiltree, dressed in patched up cloak of sky blue, addorned by a pewter crest, once issued by the King of Scotland to these wandering sages and he walked with a support of a heavy walking stick (thou I convinced he could as easily held his own and used it for defense) usually usually arrive in the spring, and when asked how long he might stay, he say, maybe a day, maybe a fortnight, I can nye say, only the wind and the Gowpens will determine. He was a Great wandering Bard, as true to his ilk.

In the evenings, we all gather around and listen intently as he recite great epic poems and tales of Great deeds, of travel, of foreign places and long ago history..

He recite tales of the 45 and list the honors of the clans. He could list the kings of Scotland, from the time of MacAlpine on and tell of there deeds. He also new the tales of Antiquity, and could recite Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey as well as talk of the wonders that where Rome, and its leaders. The wars with Cartage and the fall of the Republic, the empire and it Emperors, Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius....

Despite or because of all of this Cerebral training, His father also had him spend time herding the Highland Coos, miking the Goats, collecting eggs from the chickens, etc, as well as the feeding of, cleaning the pens of and time working in the garden of the small farm.

His father also arrange for him to go out with the fishermen in there boats (very hard, cold and dangerous work) spend time in the blacksmith shop, The tannery, the weaver and the baker. He may not have become a master of any of these trades, but he gained a basic skill in each and an understanding.

Life had never been what one would call easy on Barra, it a small, rocky wind sweep island, but as far back as any one could remember and as far back as the tales of those who come before could be retold, it was a good place, the small community worked hard, watch out for each other and was in many ways like a great big family, as in many ways was, as most people saw themselves as related to the Chief himself, maybe distantly, but still. Most needs where taken care of by trade and barter and trust. But since the 45, things had grown hard, the Crown wanted Tax in hard coin, not oaths of algincey. All the land owners needed to now sell or trade product for coin, the renters, long use to sharing part of there crops or labor now needed to earn coin. This created much anxiety and hardship on the island.

At the age of 12, and with the encouragement of the Chief, BrendonPatrick went off to University of Saint Andrews, United Collage, in the town of Fife, Scotland to further his education.

There he study for 2 years, and was introduced to many new ideas from the Enlightenment.

Adam Smith had published the An Inquiry into the Wealth of Nations(1776) and The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), David Hume, A History of England "From the Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution in 1688" (1762)Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776)Reports of Sir Joseph Banks, the Naturalist and Captain James Cooke on the exploration on board HM Bark Endeavor, where there went to O'tahiti, New Zealand, and discovered Tierra Australia Incognito, i.e. the Continate of Australia.

It is said that Barra men have Salt water in there veins, and being a small island, generation of Barra men have made there living, not on land, but instead look to the Sea. And it a rough and tumble sea of the North Seas where they learn there trade. So it should not be surprising that BrendonPatrick should hear the Sirens call of the Sea, especially after growing up, hearing the tales of his Uncle, the tales of the Fishermen and the Seamen home from Sea in port, and now, hearing of Joseph Banks and Captain Cooke and there voyage of exploration.

It is thus, in the 2^nd year in Collage that we fine the cartuer of our tale writing his uncle on assistance in Joining the Royal Navy and preparing to Leave Collage.

His Uncle was fortunate for in the War, he both gained Wealth and position and was now a Captain in the Royal Navy, something which would lead to great benefits for me. At 6 months of Age, my Uncle, who had risen to the rank of Captain during the Seven years War in the Service of the Royal Navy, placed my name on the Ships log as Ships Boy. (a common practice at the time) Thou I never saw a deck of a Ship till He turned 14. Two years latter He was a Midshipman, Ensign at 19 and stood for examination as an officer at 23.
Somerset house, as is well know from the Rants of Lord Thomas Cochrane, 10th. Lord of Dundonold, is not high on promoting Scots as officers nor Catholics, He as both, and unwilling like some to change his religion simply for promotion, So where He showed promise, did well in my duties and was trusted with command, the ranks promotion which should have followed was slow in coming.

In the year of our lord, 1792, we once agin fining ourself at war with France. He was 2^nd on HMS Ferret, a 14 gun sloop of War charged with blockading the Ports of France to which we where allowed to stop and capture French Ships and those of Spain, and the Dutch in the area, which would then be taken to port and sold, the proceeds shared (a very profitable time) In 1798, with the Royal Navy needed to decide to either relinquish the Meditrianian sea to the French, and thereby control of all bordering lands, or to go in and Stop them, Thus He found myself transferred on to HMS Vanguard under a newly appointed Vice-Admerial, who name would become ledgen. Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson. Thus found me in the battle of the Nile, or as the French call it, Bataille d'Aboukir- on August 1st to the 3rd.

On the 10th. Of August, Lietunat Thomas Duval, of HMS Zealus and myself, where sent with a Message of the battle from Admiral Nelson aquainting Govonor-Generalof India, Visacount Wellesly of the situation in Egypt. We traveld by Camel to Aleppo to Basra, where we then caught the British East India company ship Fly to Bombay. (Note, Visacount Wellesly is the Older brother of Sir Aurther Wellesly, who will make a name for himself first in India, then in the Napolonic Wars in Portugul and Spain)

He thrive in this, but in the year 1809, as we where once again at War with France, a severer case of Pneumonia struck me down, nearly killed me, and sent me home, to die or recover. (He obviously recovered, for he has told this to me to write this now, but it was a long, long time to regain his health.) So having recovered and His Doctor advising me that a continued Life at Sea may not be advisable, He settle down to living the Life of a Country Gentlemen, for which He is fortunate to have the now the bounty to enjoy.

He resides these days mainly in a little Cottage over looking the Vast Atlantic Ocean in Fair Head, Co. Antrim, Ireland Antiquity Irish Cost 1790. He also have a Nice Estate in Argyle, Rochester Manor As well as one of the New Georgian style town house over looking the bay in the Fashionable part of Dublin Harbor for when He am in town.

So, with a fortune secured, with a good place to call home, He know fine how Universally accepted by the women of this world the truth of Miss Jane Austens words It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
May be true, But, He would add Good in front of Wife, to be my friend, to share my interest, etc. As is, He is never really sure who is the hunter and who is the hunted, He fear he is am the fox of the day.


1813 turned out to be a very good year, First He was offered the Post of President of the Royal Bank of Antiquity, then I went on to Develop Somerset Regency and Port Austen.
In recognition of my works, Princess Cathryn awarded me the Antiquity Medal of Freedom and made me a Baron of the Realm.


Note from the Personal Secretary of Lieutenant Laird BrendonPatrick MacRory, Esq.
For those who have not figure this out yet, this is a page for my avatar, my persona, for exploring life during the Age of Nelson and the English Regency. He is a Child of the Age of Enlightenment, but all so shaped by the events of his times, in most cases, his and mine ideas are the same, but at times, he dose surprise me with thoughts which are his own.

He experiences are often limited to his times, and effect those thought.

He dose have some of the qualitys of personality of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Col. Christopher Brandon, but he owns much of his background to the life of Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranho, GCB, ODM, the Inspiration for both C.S. Forresters Horatio Hornblower and Patrck OBrains Jack Aubrey. He is less inpatient and more calm in character. He is a Gentlemen, a Loyal friend, and he is more adventuresome and out going than my own.