From early times the war-cry and motto of the Menzies clan has been
“Geal ’us dearg a suas,” “Up with the red and white,” and this has
been held to refer to the tartan; but, as other hues are found in old
specimens, it is at least probable that both phrase and design may be
traced to the heraldic shield of the chief, which is argent, a chief
gules, the colours of the tartan as commonly known. In the hunting
pattern here reproduced the only change is the substitution of green
for red in the ground, and red for white in the stripes. The pattern
of Menzies tartan, signed and sealed by the chief of that day, in the
collection formed by the Highland Society of London in 1816-17, is an
arrangement of red, green, blue, and white, and an example of last
century date in the Editor’s collection is identical in sett. The use
of the red and white Menzies tartan as a design for hose was common
throughout the Highlands, as the ancient portraits of various families
prove, and this use of the sett is probably of earlier date than its
special adoption as the Clan Menzies wear.
[Illustration: XXVIII. MENZIES: HUNTING]