84 Tue CastLE oF DumFRIEs. 
esquires started for Scotland, as is evidenced by the following 
account ;— 
“To the same Sir James, for his own wages and those of his 
three esquires, riding into Scotland immediately after the death of 
Sir John Comyn, about the recapture of the Castles of Dumfries, 
Caerlaverock, Tibbers, and Durisdeer, and elsewhere in Scotland, 
by the order of our lord the king and of the lord bishop of 
Coventry and Lichfield, the Treasurer, and for collecting and re- 
ceiving farms and dues in the aforesaid parts and elsewhere in 
Scotland, and for fortifying the aforesaid castles and for paying 
the wages both of the men-at-arms and foot soldiers dwelling 
within the aforesaid fortifications, and to others, from the 24th 
day of February in the present 34th year, until the 19th day of 
November, in the same year ending, for 269 days, each day being 
reckoned, himself receiving for himself and his esquires 5s a day, 
£67 5s.’’ The terms of this account make it appear that Bruce 
had possessed himself of several other castles simultaneously, or 
nearly so, with that of Dumfries, after the slaughter of Comyn, a 
circumstance which seems to infer premeditation and preparation. 
Bruce could hardly, without a large following, and some 
pre-arrangement, hope to take by storm the Castle of Dumfries, 
strengthened as it had been by Edward. It is said the justiciary 
court was sitting. He may have got access as of right, and 
without challenge, no breath of the deed done having reached the 
place, which was distant a mile from the church. To 
succeed in this way a race had to be run against rumour. Bruce 
seized the fleetest horse, and won the race. An incident in the 
capture was the taking of Edward’s constable, Sir Richard 
Siward. He was imprisoned in his own castle of Tibbers, then 
held for Bruce by Sir John de Seton. 
Edward had his revenge. The Castle of Dumfries was 
retaken by Gilbert M‘Dowall and men of Galloway on the 3rd day 
of March, from the men of Robert de Bruce, who had held it for 
a space of three weeks. Tibbers also fell to the English, and Sir 
John de Seton was in turn made prisoner. He was indicted 
by .Edward, “as taken in Richard Siward’s castle of Tibbers, 
which he, John, was holding against the king, for Robert de Bruce 
a traitor, and for aiding the said Robert in killing John Comyn in 
the church of the Friars Minors of Dumfries, in contempt of God 
and most Holy Church, and against the king’s peace, on Thurs- 
