General Notes

John Comyn (d 1274), justiciar of Galloway, was the son of Richard Comynand hephew of the powerful Walter Comyn, earl of Menteith, and the hardlyless important Alexander Comyn, earl of Buchan. In 1248 he is mentionedas present at the courts of Alexander II at Berwick and Stirling. He alsoattested several Melrose charters during the latter part of the samereign. In 1250 he granted to the monks of Melrose the right of passagethrough his lands of Dalswinton and Duncol in Nithsdale. In this valleyand in Tyndale his property chiefly lay; so that he was a powerful man onboth sides of the border. In Scotland he fully shared in the posperity ofhis house during the early years of the reign of Alexander III. In closeassociation with his two uncles, he took a prominent part in thegovernment of the regency between 1249 and 1255, and fell like them inthe latter year, when the personal intervention of Henry III transferredpower to a new regency, better affected towards the English sovereign.Next year the jury of Corbridge presented him for levying new tolls onKing Henry's men on his Northumberland estates. In 1257 he shared withhis uncles in the capture of the young king at Kinrose, which resulted intheir return to power. In 1258 he appears, with the new title of justiceof Galloway, as joining in the confederation of the Scottish nobles withLlewelyn of Wales against Henry III. But on peace being restored betweenHenry and the Comyns he became in 1260 one of those to whom Henry sworethat he would not necessarily detain his daughter, the Queen of Scots,about to visit his court for confinement. In August of the same year hereceived license from Henry to go through England to Canterbury andthence beyond sea. In January 1262 he again received a safe-conduct fromthe English king, and during his stay at Henry's court obtained aconfirmation of King David's grants to his great-grandfather of hisTyndale estates; a grant of 50l for expenses during his residence atcourt; and license to hunt in the royal forests during his return home.So completely was his former policy reversed that in 1268 he, along withJohn Baliol and Robert Bruce, led a band of Scottish troops to help Henryagainst the revolted barons. He was present at the capture of Northamptonby Henry, and in 1264 was captured at Lewes and confined in gaol inLondon. The triumph of Henry in 1265 brought him signal benefits, grantsof lands for his laudable services, limited rights of hunting in theking's forests, and of free warren over his Lincolnshire estates, towhich was added leave to crenellate his new manor house at Tyrsete inNorthumberland. In 1268 some of his retainers were slain by citizens ofYork, and his favour with Henry and Alexander procured a successfultermination of the feud thence arising. The city agreed to pay him 300lcompenstation, and to perpetually maintain two priests to pray for thesouls of the slaughtered servants upon the bridge over the Ouse, wherethe affray had occurred. The end of his life was not eventfull. He diedin 1274.

Comyn is described by Fordun as 'a man prone to robbery and rashness.'Wyntoun, who calles him 'Red John Comyn,' speaks of him as 'a knycht ofgret renown.' He was twice married, and left a large family, who afterhis death could not settle his heritage without dispute. William, hiseldest son, who died early, engaged in an ineffectual struggle to obtainthe earldom of Menteith. Of the two sons named John, the elder becamelord of Badenoch and claimant to the Scottish throne. Alexander andRobert, the two youngest, were both taken prisoners at Dunbar, whileRobert was slain with the Red Comyn at Dumfries. His four daughters allmarried into noble houses. [Dictionary of National Biography IV:914-915]