Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 11.djvu/468

 narrative may perhaps lend some colour to his story.

The horror with which this murder was heard is reflected in the chronicles of the age. When the news reached Edward at Whitsuntide he swore a solemn oath of vengeance (, p. 408). About Michaelmas he had an inquiry made as to all Bruce's associates in this crime, and had executed Sir Christopher Seton before the close of the year ( p. 456). On Passion Sunday (12 March 1307) all the accomplices in the murder were solemnly excommunicated by the papal legate in Carlisle Cathedral (Chron. of Lanercost, p. 206), and Edward's last expedition was viewed by the king himself as partaking somewhat of the nature of a crusade (, p. 408).

John Comyn the younger seems to have succeeded to his father's estates not earlier than 13 Nov. 1299, the date of what is probably the last document in which he is called 'John Comyn the son' (, ii. 859; cf., i. 162). He is, however, described in the same or a similar way by historians at a later period. He left a son, John Comyn, who was brought up with Edward's own children on his father's death, and accompanied Edward II to Bannockburn, where he was slain (Chron. of Lanercost, 226;, doc. 1790). He was connected by marriage with the lords of Lorne, and to his murder may be partly ascribed their enmity to Bruce (, iii. 1. 48 and note). He married Johanna, daughter of William de Valence, earl of Pembroke, and cousin to Edward I (, Documents, docc. 724, 976). His third daughter married Alexander, lord of Lorne (see Lord of the Isles, canto i. and the note based on Winton).

 COMYN, JOHN, third of his family, and constable of Scotland (d. 1313?), was the son of Alexander Comyn, earl of Buchan [q. v.], and his wife, Elizabeth de Quincy. He succeeded to the title and estates at his father's death in 1289, being then over thirty years of age (Cal. Doc. Scot. vol. ii. No. 369). In 1290 he was at the parliament of Brigham among the magnates confirming the treaty of Salisbury. Next year he was one of those who authenticated the petitions of the competitors to the Scottish throne, and swore fealty to Edward. In 1292 his fidelity was rewarded by license to dig for lead in the Calf of Man, for his castle of Crigeltone in Galloway, and in 1293 he received from Edward the grant of a yearly fair and weekly market for his manor of Whitwick in Leicestershire. In that year he attended at the English court. In 1294 he was summoned to perform military services in Gascony both for his English and Scottish estates (Parl. Writs, i. 547), and in the same year his heavy relief of 120, which he had several times been allowed to postpone, was still not paid, and he was permitted to settle it by moieties. But in 1296 he adhered to King John's resistance to Edward, and led an expedition to the north of England, which besieged but failed to capture Carlisle (, bk. viii. line 2000 sq.;, i. 328; , p. 156; Chron. Lanercost, 161, 162, Bannatyne Club). In July the collapse of the Scottish opposition led to his submission to Edward at Montrose, with Balliol and the other chief nobles of Scotland. He was now compelled to take up his residence in England, south of the Trent. In June 1297 he swore to serve King Edward against France. In July, however, he was allowed to return to Scotland, where he employed his great influence against the formidable rising of Wallace. He personally assisted in putting down the insurrection in Moray. His hostility to Wallace was embittered by the latter having compelled the chapter of St. Andrews to quash the election of his brother, William Comyn, in favour of William Lamberton, who succeeded in permanently securing the bishopric (, p. 338). But after Falkirk Buchan again became hostile to England. In 1299 he was present at the great meeting of insurgent magnates at Peebles. In alliance with his cousin, the Red Comyn of Badenoch [q. v.], he almost came to blows with Robert Bruce and his old foe Bishop Lamberton. But in the end it was agreed that Comyn of Badenoch, Bruce, and the bishop should be guardians of Scotland. The union of the Bruces and the Comyns was a strong one. In 1300