for many centuries the patterns were loosely associated with the weavers of a particular area, though it was common for highlanders to wear a number of different tartans at the same time. a 1587 charter granted to hector maclean of duart requires feu duty on land paid as 60 ells of cloth of white, black and green colours. a witness of the 1689 battle of killiecrankie describes "mcdonnell's men in their triple stripes". from 1725 the government force of the "highland independent companies" introduced a standardised tartan chosen to avoid association with any particular clan, and this was formalised when they became the black watch regiment in 1739.