Red and white book of Menzies

a.d. 1 497-1 500.] THE VENERABLE CHIEF. 139
known as the " Wolf of Badenoch " from his savageness. By the marriage of
Janet Menzies of Garth with Duncan the fifth son of the Wolf, there was a son
named Neil Stewart, who, on the death of his father, claimed the estates of Garth,
Rannoch, &c, all in Fortingall, in right of his mother, Janet Menzies. On
the other hand, Sir Robert the Menzies claimed the return of the whole barony of
Fortingall, now parish of Fortingall, as heir male and lord superior over the
lands in right of their return to male heirs of the main line of the Menzies' of
Menzies, from whom they came, and at the same time the lordship of Dull. The
latter was first acknowledged on the 16th of January 1500, when Sir Robert the
Menzies got a renewal of the old charters of his ancestors to the lands and barony
of Camsernay and other lands of the Menzies'. The charter reads as follows : —
"At Stirling, 16th January 1500, James IV. The king grants for good
services and for possession the property under the Crown conceded to ' Robert
Menzeis' the Menzies, and heritably to his heirs and assignees, the 20s. lands
of Eddcrroull, the 4 merk lands of Cammysamay, the 1 merk lands of Toticro, and
surrounding parts of said lands of Cammysamay ; the 20s. lands of Nethir-Newane,
which ' Donald Makqueil ' inhabited ; the 5 merk lands of Tigermack, 2 merk
lands of Tomtkeogle, extending to the annual rental of £10 ; lands of old extent
in his lordship of Apnadull and shire of ' Perth,' united and incorporated into the
free barony of Cammysamay, confirmed by threefold possession of the said
lands, viz., £30, named in full possession." — Register of the Great Seal,
p. 544-2566.
The renewal to Sir Robert of charters for the ancient possessions of the
Menzies' seemed to stir up the jealousy of the young Neil Stewart, who had
claimed on the death of his father (31st January 1499) the old estates of the
Menzies' of Garth. His precept of entry is dated 3rd November 1500. Stewart
seems to have inherited the fierce nature of his grandfather the Wolf of Badenoch,
and he has often been confounded with him, receiving the appellation of Cuilean
Curta, or, The Wolf, by the Highlanders. He inherited from his father the spirit
of revenge, which was fanned by Duncan Campbell of Glenurchy.
Following on this charter Sir Robert the Menzies soon afterwards regained,
and had confirmed by charter, possession of a large part of the district of Fortingall,
which had been his ancestors' by lordship ever since the country had been divided
by Malcolm Canmore, 1061. These were the lands of the Rannoch, and the
grant of this latter charter brought the feud to a height. Prior to this time the
north side of Loch Rannoch was inhabited by some of the most peaceful
inhabitants of Scotland, and the region had given no trouble to the Crown under
the lordship of the Menzies' until many of the broken men, driven out of other
parts of the Highlands, became followers under Neil Stewart, " The Young Wolf."
At this time King James IV., investigating into the condition of the country, visited