General Notes

REFN: 2900AN
REFN: P2901
Thomas Randolph (Earl of Moray)
? - 1332
Regent to the young Kin g David II, son of Robert the Bruce (1329).
Randolph had fought with Bruce ag ainst Edward II at Bannockburn.
Immediately prior to Bannockburn, Randolph re captured Edinburgh Castle
from the English by climbing its walls at night.
F ather of Black Agnes, Countess of Dunbar.
RANDOLPH, THOMAS, EARL OF MORAY.—Thi s ancient Scottish paladin, who
occupies so prominent a part in the wars of R obert Bruce, was sister’s
son of that great sovereign. He first appears among the adherents of good
King Robert, when the latter commenced his desperate a ttempt to win the
crown of Scotland, and make it worth wearing. In this way h is name, as
Thomas Randolph, knight of Strahdon, occurs in the list of that i ntrepid
band who crowned his uncle at Scone; and in the disastrous skirmish s oon
after, near Methven, he was one of the prisoners who fell into the hands
of the English. As the insurgent Scots were regarded as rebels against
thei r liege lord, Edward I., the usual laws of war were dispensed with;
and thus, either with or without trial, the noblest and best of Scotland
were consigne d to the dungeon or the gallows. The worst of these
alternatives would probab ly have been the fate of Randolph, in
consequence of his near relationship to Bruce, had not the brave Adam De
Gordon, who was a favourite with the Englis h king, interceded in his
behalf. Randolph’s life in consequence was spared, but it was only on
condition that he should swear fealty to Edward; and to th is he submitted
with that facility so characteristic of the knightly fidelity of the
middle ages. He swore that he would be Edward’s man, and the deadly e nemy
of all his enemies (including, of course, his own uncle and kindred), an d
thus was transformed in a trice from a Scottish patriot into a friend and
servant of the oppressor. If anything can apologize for such
tergiversation, it might be the difficulty of deciding at times with
which party the right r emained; and many may have thought, with Sir Roger
De Coverly, that much migh t be said on both sides—especially when they
had a gallows in view.
Randolph having thus changed his party, appears to have fought for it
with a courage that did not belie his future renown. He was even among
that band, headed by Aymer De Valence and John of Lorn, that chased
Robert Bruce among the wilds o f Galloway with blood-hounds, and nearly
succeeded in capturing or slaying hi m. On this occasion, Sir Thomas
pursued the chase so eagerly, that he took hi s uncle’s standard-bearer
prisoner, along with the royal banner. But this unw orthy alienation was
not to continue much longer, and an event occurred by wh ich Randolph was
to be recovered to his country and his true fame. At this ti me Sir James
Douglas, renowned far and wiDe by his terrible vengeance upon th e
English, who had garrisoned the castle of his fathers, was intrenched
amo ng the depths of Ettrick Forest, and making it good by prowess and
stratagem against every assailant. This was a tempting adventure for
Randolph, and acco rdingly, accompanied by Sir Alexander Stewart of
Bonkill, and Sir Adam Gordon —Anglicized Scots, like himself—he set off
upon the enterprise, and encamped for the night at a solitary house on
the Lyne-water, a tributary stream that falls into the Tweed a little
above Peebles. Douglas, however, whom no enemy ever caught asleep,
happened to be in the neighbourhood; and on approaching t he house, he
overheard some one within exclaiming "the devil!" with true mili tary
emphasis. Guessing from this token that the building was tenanted by
s tout soldiers, he made a sudden assault, scattered the surprised
inmates, and captured Stewart and Randolph, whom he conducted to his
master next morning. The meeting between the king and his renegaDe nephew
was characteristic of s uch a party-changing period. "Nephew," said Bruce