Red and white book of Menzies

120 THE "RED & WHITE" BOOK OF MENZIES. [a.d. 1451.
Alexander Hume of that Ilk, Knight ; James, Lord Hamylton, Knight ; Sir
William Meldrum, Knight ; William of Lawdre of Halton, Thomas of Cranstone
of that Ilk, Andrew Ker of Aldtoneburn, James of Dowglas of Ralston, Knight ;
John Rosse, Knight, George of Hoppringill, Alexander of Hoppringill, David
Hoppringill, William Balye, George of Haliburton, Marc of Haliburton, Alane
of Lawdre, Charles of Murrafe, Thomas Bell, Thomas Grahame, James of Dunbar,
Robert Heris, William Grierson, JOHN THE Menzeis, James Dowglas, John of
Haliburton, Maister Adam of Auchinlek, Maister John Clerc, Thomas Ker, James
Ker." — Cat. Docs, re Scot., p. 250, vol. iv.
Upon the receipt of this passport, Douglas began to make every preparation
to display his power with all pomp in the foreign countries through which he
would pass to attend the great jubilee at Rome. He also received a grant from
King James II. of a safe-conduct, of which there is also a long entry in the
Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, recording the grant of this safe-conduct to Douglas,
Sir John the Menzies and others, as follows. Abridged translation : — " Safe-
conduct for Earl Douglas and others, 12 May 1451. — The king by these patents
grants for one year's duration, subscribed a safe and secure conduct for the protec-
tion and defence of his envoys ; " here follows a long list of names, among which is
the name of " John Menzies," and a long entry. — Rotiili Scotice, p 346, vol. ii.
Sir John the Menzies accompanied the Earl of Douglas to Flanders, from
thence to Paris ; and there at the Court of France they were received with great
distinction. They then proceeded to visit the Supreme Pontiff during the brilliant
season of the jubilee. Their visit appears to have astonished the polite and
learned Italians, " as much by its foreign novelty as by its barbaric pomp." —
Tytler's Scotland. From this it would seem that the Highland chiefs had appeared
in their national garb (the Highland dress). We can imagine Chief Sir John the
Menzies in his full dress — red and white tartan — with his pipers and Highland
attendants ; Grahame in his dark green with white lines checking ; and Ross
with his tartan of red ground with green and dark blue checks. The picturesque
" kilt " must have astonished the Romans as much as if some northern Greeks had
invaded them. Their return was, however, hastened by disturbances at home.
On the return of Sir John the Menzies he had the greater part of his estates
created into one large barony under the title of the Barony of Weem. The
following is a copy of this document from the Charter Room of Castle Menzies,
No. 24 : — " Charter by King James the Second to John Menzies of Ennach of
the lands of Weme, Abbirfallybeg, Glassy, the lands of the thanage of Crannyk,
&c, in the shire of Perth, in one free barony ; also the office of ' teschondorouship '
of Artholony, which the said John had personally resigned into the king's hands,
Edinburgh, to be erected into one free and entire barony, to be called the Barony
of Weme. To be held by the said John and his heirs, doing yearly three suits