Biography of John Comyn 3rd Lord Baddenoch 1269-1306

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. [1296] Having thus entered into a treaty with the king of France and his people, the Scots immediately raised their horns and prepared themselves for battle. By public proclamation, they decreed that all persons holding lands, possessions, or revenues in the kingdom of Scotland must appear armed and ready to resist the king of England and to carry out whatever further actions the king of Scotland, with the counsel of the twelve peers, might determine. Since many Englishmen and nobles who held lands there, remaining faithfully in allegiance to the king of England, refused to attend this gathering, their lands were given to others who were to hold and defend them by common agreement. These nobles, like all the English in general, were from that point considered public enemies and were expelled from the kingdom if they had not already voluntarily departed. Among them was Lord Robert de Brus (age 52), son of the Robert de Brus the Fourth mentioned above. Because he refused to attend on the appointed day, his land, namely Annandale, was given to Lord John Comyn of Buchan (age 27) to possess and defend as his own. Having taken possession of it, he immediately seized and carried off all the tithes of that region, belonging to us, for the fortification of Lochmaben Castle, without payment and by force. Our king, meanwhile, remaining firm in his intention that aid should be sent to him, was at last scornfully answered and deceived. They [the Scots] said that neither their king nor themselves were bound to him in any way, nor were they obliged to obey his requests or commands, especially since they had obtained from Pope Celestine the benefit of absolution from the oath of fealty and homage which had been unjustly extorted from their king by force. When the king heard this, he was astonished; and recognizing their rebellion, he issued a command to them as his vassals that, even if they refused to bring him aid, they should at least not allow his enemies, the French or Flemings, to enter their land. And if they wished to remain faithful to him, they should deliver three named castles, Berwick, Roxburgh, and Edinburgh, into his custody until the end of the war with France. But they utterly refused this last request, answering the first by saying, "Our land is free and exempt from all servitude. We do not acknowledge ourselves in any way bound by the commands of the king of England. Indeed, we will admit French or Flemish merchants, or others from wherever they come, freely and without any distinction of persons."

Inito itaque foedere cum rege Franciæ et suis, mox erexerunt cornua et se ad pugnam paraverunt, convenientesque statuerunt ex edicto quod omnes et singuli qui terras, possessiones, seu redditus aliquos in regno Scotia tenerent, sub forisfactura earundem venirent præparati cum armis ad resistendum regi Angliæ, et ad faciendum ulterius quod de consilio XII parium rex ipse discerneret faciendum; et quia Anglici multi et nobiles, qui terras ibidem habebant, utpote in fide regis Angliæ fideliter permanentes, ad illud colloquium venire noluerunt, ideo terræ illorum datæ sunt aliis qui ex ordinatione communi eas tenerent et defenderent. Illi etiam nobiles, sicut et cæteri Anglici universi, extunc tanquam hostes publici censebantur, et ejiciebantur a regno qui prius sponte non recesserant. Inter quos dominus Robertus de Bruys, filius Roberti quarti de quo supra meminimus, quia ad diem illum venire contempserat, data est terra sua, scilicet Vallis Anandiæ, domino Johanni Comyn de Boughan, ut eam in dominio possideret et defenderet tanquam suam; quam cum esset ingressus mox omnes decimas nostras ejusdem patriæ ad munitionem castri de Loghmaban absque ullo pretio fecit cariari et violenter retinuit. Rex vero noster dum in primo proposito permaneret ut sibi auxilium mitteretur, et illusus esset, et ei tandem proterviter hoc modo responsum est. Dixerunt enim nec regem illorum nec se teneri in aliquo, nec precibus ejus vel præceptis obsequendum, præcipue cum a fidelitate sua et homagio illicito, quod a rege eorum extorserat per potentiam, a Coelestino papa absolutionis beneficium fuerant consecuti. Quod cum audisset rex miratus est, et eorum seditione cognita, ipsis tanquam fidelibus suis præcipiendo mandavit ut quamquam auxilium sibi ferre negarent, hostes tamen suos Francos vel Flandrenses non admitterent in terram suam; et si in fide sua manere vellent, tria castra nominata, scilicet Berewyk, Rokesburgh et Edensburgh suis, saltem usque ad finem guerræ regi Franciæ, retinenda liberarent. Quod quidem ultimum facere contempserunt, ad primum respondendo dicentes, "Terra nostra libera est et ab omni servitute quieta, nec præcepto regis Angliæ fatemur in aliquo nos astrictos; immo mercatores Francos vel Flandrenses, seu alios undecumque venientes, absque ulla personarum distinctione admittemus ad votum."

John of Fordun's Chronicle. 113. League of King Bohert with John Comyn

So, in order that he might actually give effect to what he had gladly set his heart upon, for the good of the commonwealth, he humbly approached a certain noble, named John Comyn (who was then the most powerful man in the country), and faithfully laid before him the unworthy thraldom of the country, the cruel and endless tormenting of the people, and his own kind-hearted plan for giving them relief. Though, by right, and according to the laws and customs of the country, the honour of the kingly office and the succession to the governance of the kingdom were known to belong to him before any one else, yet, setting the public advantage before his own, Robert, in all purity and sincerity of purpose, gave John the choice of one of two courses: either that the latter should reign, and wholly take unto himself the kingdom, with its pertinents and royal honours, for ever, granting to the former all his own lands and possessions; or that all Robert's lands and possessions should come into the possession of John and his for ever, while the kingdom and the kingly honour were left to Robert. Thus, by their mutual advice as well as help, was to be brought to maturity the deliverance of the Scottish nation from the house of bondage and unworthy thraldom; and an indissoluble treaty of friendship and peace was to last between them. John was perfectly satisfied with the latter of the aforesaid courses; and thereupon a covenant was made between them, and guaranteed by means of sworn pledges, and by their indentures with their seals attached thereto. But John broke his word; and, heedless of the sacredness of his oath, kept accusing Robert before the king of England, through his ambassadors and private letters, and wickedly revealing that Robert's secrets. Although, however, Robert was more than once sounded thereupon by the aforesaid king, who even showed him the letters of his adversary who accused him, yet, inspired by God, he always returned an answer such that he over and over again softened the king's rage by his pleasant sayings and skilful words. The king, however, both because he was himself very wily and shrewd, and knew full well how to feign a sham friendship, and also because Robert was the true heir of the kingdom of Scotland, looked upon the latter with mistrust, - the more so because of John's accusations. So, because of his aforesaid grounds for mistrust, Edward bade Robert stay always at court; and he delayed putting him to death - or, at least, in prison - only until he could get the rest of this Robert's brothers together, and punish them and him at once, in one day, with sentence of death.