Red and white book of Menzies

178 THE "RED cV WHITE" BOOK OF MENZIES. [a.d. 1548-1550.
on the Isle of Loch Tay, 3 1st August 1 548 ; where Alexander, as the lord of the place,
signs first, "Alexander Menzeis of Rannoch," and is followed by other seven witnesses.
On the 24th of July 1549 Alexander Menzies and his cousin Johne Meinzeis of
Comry of that Ilk were witnesses to a very peculiar document of the Campbells,
where Glenurchy makes sure of the main chance; and as it throws light on the way
by which they came to possess some of their lands, we herewith give it : —
"I.Kathryn Neyn Angus W'Allestar,the relict of wmquhil Lauchlan M'Olcallum,
binds . . . me of my own free motife . . . that I shall abid at the counsall of . . .
my maister, Johne Campbell of Glenurquhay, and . . . that I shall nocht mary nor
in lamenry tak na man without I get the said Johne Campbellis consent thairto,
and sichlike I shall not put nor tennend nor subtenand in my pairt of the landis of
Achacha, lying in Benthirlocht, within the Lordschip of Lome and Shireffdom of
Ergile, without that they be brocht in presence of the said Johne Cambell, and
thereafter they be admitted by him ; and if so be that I . . . fail in ony point of the
premisses . . . oblige's myself to renounce . . . all . . . title . . . that I [may] have
heid or may have ... to the Landis of Achaca and Barnamuk ... to the said
Johne Campbelle . . . and for the mair security ... by the extensioun of my right
hand, has sworn upon the holy evengelist to stand ... to the same, at Glenurquhay,
the xxiiii day of July, the year of God ane thousand fyfe hundretht and fourty-nyn
yeiris, befor thir witnes — Alexander Menzes of Rannocht, Johne M'Nab of Bourian,
Johne 'Meinzeis' of Comry of that Ilk, Duncan M'Ane M'Evyn, Johne M'Douquhy,
Roy Duncan M'Gilleura, Sir Malcum M'Gillequhounil, Sir Dowgall M'Kellar,
Johne Campbell of Iniyrlevir, Johne Leiche, Johne M'Evyn, Johne M'Lespy, officer
of Glenurquhay, and Johne Clerk, Johne Mallcomson . . . Katrin Neyin Anngus
W'Allester, with my hand leid at the pen be Johne Clerk M'Ane Wallich, 1549." —
Black Book of Tay mouth, pp. 184, 186, 187.
On the 22nd May 1550, Sir Alexander Menzies was witness to a bond of man-
rent between Colin Campbell of Glenurchy, John MacCouche, and his son, at the
Castle of Glenurchy — his signature is Alexander "Menyes of Rannocht."
At this time the Menzies' had as tenants on their lands of Wester Morenish, at
the west end of Loch Tay, a family of MacGregors, who had been there for many
years. These lands the covetous Colin Campbell of Glenurchy being anxious to
lease, and finding that Sir Alexander the Menzies could not be induced to break
the bond of peace and friendship existing between the MacGregors and himself —
Campbell was therefore compelled to cover up his designs and make a good
face to the MacGregors, so as to induce them to assign to him their rights as
tenants of these lands, and transfer possession of the tacks MacGregor held from
Sir Alexander Menzies to Colin Campbell. Here is the assignation : —
" Alexander M'Patrik V'Condoqhuy is become of his own free will a faithfull
servant to Collyne Campbell of Glenurchquay, and his ayris, for all the dais of his