Red and white book of Menzies

42 THE "RED <S~ WHITE" BOOK. OF MENZIES. [a.d. i 296-1 297.
Menzies ever signed the Ragman Roll, and that Sir Alexander the Menzies, their
chief, unflinchingly suffered so much for his patriotic principles and for the
liberties of Scotland.
From the Tower of London Sir Alexander the Menzies and his other friends
accompanied Edward I. and his army to Flanders, where he was waging war
against the French. It was at this point that Sir William Wallace burst upon the
scene, and became the champion of Scotland and her freedom. The son of
Sir Alexander the Menzies — Sir Robert of Menzies — smarting under the
confiscation of whatever lands that lay in the power of the English to lay hold
of, opposed their progress, and, notwithstanding that the English had overrun
the greater part of Scotland, the Clan Menzies in their Highland fastness were
able to hold their ground in spite of their enemies. The young chief, Sir
Robert Menzies, must have given considerable assistance to Wallace, on the
outbreak of the patriots, against the yoke of England. And it is also traditional
that another Menzies — thought to have been the brother of Sir Alexander,
who is called in old deeds " John [Menzies] of Glenurchy," who flourished at
this time, 1297 — also gave aid to the cause of Wallace. Tradition also says
that Wallace visited the Menzies country and castle very frequently ; and here,
it is said, in the then difficult of access Appin-na- Meinerich, a considerable
force of Clan Menzies mustered under their young chief, Sir Robert, joined
the army of Sir William Wallace, and fought under him at the battle of Stirling
Bridge, which took place on the 11th September 1297, where Wallace, with
the patriotic clans, gained a great victory over the English, and this was followed by
the capture of many of the most important strongholds and castles in Scotland.
On the news of this great victory reaching Edward I. in Flanders, he at once
arranged a peace and returned to England, where, by his orders, a large army had
been raised and was awaiting him. It would seem that, in his haste to punish
the Scots, he had allowed some of his prisoners to get away, and Sir Alexander
the Menzies evidently made good his escape. On Edward arriving in England
he at once pushed into Scotland at the head of his army, and encountered
Wallace at Falkirk, where the Scottish army suffered a defeat. After the battle of
Falkirk Sir William Wallace led a wandering life for some time, and it is traditional
that he got shelter from his friend and fellow-patriot in arms, Sir Alexander the
Menzies, at Castle Menzies, on whose lands he had safety. Indeed, traditions
linger still in the " Vale of the Menzies," or Strathtay, of his having spent a
considerable time among his friends of the siol na Maynus, and also in other
parts of their lands, particularly towards the north of the present parish of
Fortingall, in the Rannoch part of the Menzies country. Marshall says : — " The
feet of the immortal Wallace trod the soil of Rannoch, which he passed through in
returning to the south from his expedition to the West Highlands. On the