Red and white book of Menzies

126 THE "RED 6* WHITE" BOOK OF MENZIES. [a.d. 1452-1455.
was the name brought into record. It is a compact district in the south-east part
of the then Menzies lordship of Dull, measuring about 6\ miles extreme length
by about 5 miles extreme breadth, with an area of about 32^ miles. The old
church of Grandtully is conjectured to have been built by Saint David Menzies,
so that when residing at Castle Grandtully he could perform the office of pastor to
the people. It was subordinate to Dull, which in turn was subordinate to the
Church of Weem. This old church is built up against the old castle of Grandtully,
and stands near the present road, about 3 miles east of Aberfeldy.
About the year 1455 the young chief, as lord of Disher and Towir, evidently
let a portion of these lands to Colin Campbell of Glenurchy, who, as the tenant
of Angus Menzies, had to pay to him the crown fees then levied on such men.
Sir Angus in turn paid these into the king's exchequer, in which records we find
the following payment by him : —
" Angus Menyeis, his fees, &c, paid by the same in money as accounted by
settlement with Thome Olyfant, Constable of the Castle of Edinburgh, by the
mandate of the lord the king, by letters patent under the Seal, above accounted,
and himself acknowledges receiving such account in full discharge of the fee
of such yearly sum of .£13, 6s. 8d. And for the discharge of Colin Cambell,
Knight, who was commanded to pay yearly to the lord of ' Deschyr' and ' Towyr'
(Sir Angus the Menzies) in full discharge of his fee the yearly rent of £26, 13s. 4d.
I4S5-" "
Connected with the foregoing is a list of the other Menzies lands and
markets for which the young chief of the Menzies' paid dues to the Crown, but
which he held in his own hands unlet to outsiders. This Colin " Cambell " is the
first of the Campbells who came as tenant vassals to the Menzies', and it is
much to be regretted that they were ever allowed to have lands let to them,
as with them came all the internal troubles in the large possessions of Clan
Menzies, which has resulted in the Campbells getting possession of the greater
part of them by various artifices. Nearly all the lands of Bredalbin were up
to this time the possessions of the Menzies'. The fees to the Crown for the other
Menzies lands, paid by Chief Sir Angus the Menzies, are thus recorded : —
" And Angusis of Menyeis has given in full payment his annual fee,
amounting to £6, 13s. 4d., from the markets of the said lands of ' Deschir and
Towyr,' and in full discharge of the annual fee from them, amounting to
£\l, 6s. 8d., and from the markets of ' Glenlyoun,' his fees from the same
annually of 26s. 8d., and from his markets of Forthirgill, ' Fortingall,' the annual
fee from the same of 20s., and the markets of ' Apnadul,' his fee from the same of
lis., and the markets of Strathbraune, his fee from the same for each year of
us., and allocates the accounts of the free lands of 'Cassochy,' which was collected
at this time by Roberto Watsoune, to which nickil hebabet, in good manner, as