204 A SCOTTISH BLOOD-FEUD 



The child thus born in Doun Castle became James, Earl 

 of Moray, and his mother was splendidly endowed by her 

 royal paramour with the lands and castle of Darnaway. 

 The ethics of this transaction will not bear very close 

 analysis, perhaps, but here comes the least creditable part 

 of it. The king quietly annexed the lands of Crawford- 

 Lindsay, the gift of Bell- the- Cat to his betrothed, on 

 the plea that they had been conveyed without the royal 

 licence, and when the proud Douglas presumed to claim 

 the hand of his bride he was promptly clapped into prison 

 in Dunbarton Castle. That, at least, is the only reason 

 that can be surmised for his sudden imprisonment at 

 this time. 



Now the bearing of all this on the fortunes of the house 

 of Kennedy is not difficult to trace. David, the brother 

 of Janet, was created first Earl of Cassilis, and, like almost 

 every other man of note in Scotland, fell with his king 

 on Flodden Field. 



Even misfortunes seem to serve the interests of fortune's 

 favourites. In 1527, Gilbert, the second earl, was waylaid 

 on the sands of Prestwick and slain by Hugh Campbell 

 of Loudoun, Sheriff of Ayr. In atonement for this murder 

 Campbell's lands were forfeited and bestowed upon Gilbert, 

 the third earl: thus extending and strengthening the 

 influence of a family already very powerful. 



But it was in the person of Gilbert, the fourth earl, that 

 the power of this puissant house culminated. The extent 

 of his lands and fiefs was succinctly described in a popular 

 rhyme of the day. 



"Twixt Wigtoun and the toun o' Ayr 



Portpatrick and the Cruives o' Cree, 

 Nae man need think for to byde there 

 Unless he ride wi' Kennedy.' 



