History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

HOUSE OF DOUGLAS, 95
vassal, as his grandfather had proof, in Baliol's father. But
what doth he more? he leaves Cuming to guide the affairs in
Scotland; there is another point. He makes him viceroy in
Scotland for Baliol, and Baliol in effect prisoner in England.
Of which course Edward of England is the author; let it be
so, who will purge Cuming of having been a counsellor, a
suggestor of information for his own advancement? He being
a man thatdid ever hunt after preferment, which he made
the scope of his actions, and compass by which he ever sail-
ed; being also of an aspiring mind, and of a fickle and var-
ious disposition and nature. However it be, this is another
division in that society between the Edwards, the usurping
king. And thus much of the state of their faction.
Concerning the other party that stuck to the lawful Kino-
Robert Stewart, that afterwards was king, had escaped Baliol's
ambush: being but fifteen years of age, and by the help of
his friends, was conveyed to the castle of Dumbarton, where
he was received by Malcolm Fleming captain thereof. Now
both the Edwards being absent, and he having a particular
spleen against Cuming, who possessed his private inheritance;
the said Robert, with the help of Colin or Duncan Campbell
in Argyle, from whom he obtained an aid of 400 men, had
taken the castle of Dunholm in Kyle, and destroyed the Eng-
lish garrison there, whereupon the men of Bute, which was
his private inheritance, had taken arms, slain Allan Lyle
their captain and sheriff, who was placed there by Baliol and
Cuming, and were come home very joyful to their old mas-
ters the Stewarts. Upon this Thomas Bruce Earl of Carrick
with his friends and neighbours of Kyle and Cunningham,
and William Karrudise of Annandale, who had ever refused
the English yoke, coming forth out of the place where they
had lurked, resorted to him also. John Randulph Earl of
Murray was returned from France, and did encourage' them
with hopes of foreign help of Jeffrey or Godfrey Ross (sher-
iff of Ayr) had drawn Kyle, Carrick and Cunningham to be
of the party; Renfrew was also returned to the Stewarts. By
their example the dependants of Andrew Murray had drawn