Red and white book of Menzies

396 THE "RED '& WHITE" BOOK OF MENZIES. [a.d. i 746-1 747.
been with Prince Charlie. For these deeds Campbell became the subject of the
poetic satire and obloquy of the time. The greatest possible strictness was forced
upon the Chief Sir Robert the Menzies. The Government compelled him to make
exact returns to them of who and what were his tenants, in case the seeds of
Jacobitism might take fresh root among his followers, who had to sign the
following form of lease, binding upon him and his, as follows : —
"Paper indorsed, Scroll Clause in the Tacks of Rannoch, 1747. — Obliges the
tenant to bring his cows and horses — on oath, if required — before any person
authorised for their inspection by Sir Robert [Menzies], at two terms in the year,
or oftener, if required, and to give a faithful account of whatever cows or horses he
received into his possession during these terms, stating how he came by them ; to
keep but one cottar betwixt him and the possessor of the adjoining half-merk land,
and that cottar to be of ' the Slismein people,' unless liberty for some other person
were obtained from Sir Robert ; not to give any traveller whatever a night's
quarters without acquainting his neighbour while the stranger was with him, or
within two hours after his departure ; not to keep company with or give quarters
for two successive nights to a known thief or any person of a bad character, under
penalty of £\2 ; to hinder cattle-stealing, and to assist other tenants for a certain
sum every day, so occupied in the recovery of stolen cattle ; and to watch no other
bounds but those of Sir Robert ' Meingeis.' " — Charter Room, Castle Menzies,
No. 230.
It is traditional that after Culloden, the Duke of Cumberland met Chief Sir
Robert Meinzies at the house of the Earl of Breadalbane, who introduced Sir
Robert. When the Duke knew who he was he said that he might thank his stars
that he had spared him his head and Clan Menzies even as much as he did.
The reference in the above tack to the " Slis-mein people " — " Slis-mein "
means, The " Braes of Menzies " in Rannoch, and the people of " Slismein" the
Rannoch Menzies'.
We find one of the Menzies' who had been at Culloden, and who had escaped
to France, entered in the list of those who had received assistance from Prince
Charlie to the amount of Lrs. 400. "Item — To Mr Menzies, 18th March 1748,
400 Lors."
An attempt having been made to deprive Sir Robert Menzies of his rights to
the lordship of Dull shortly after Culloden, he appealed to the Lords of Session,
and was commented upon in the Annual Register of the time, as follows : —
" As to the very ancient title of Abthane, I find Crinan (or Meinan), Abthane
of Dull and the Western Isles (who married Beatrix, the eldest daughter of
Malcolm the Second), was considered as the most powerfull man in Scotland.
It is generally thought that he exercised the office of Chief Justicar over
Scotland. He is thought to have been the King's Steward over the Crown lands