The Scottish Naturalist. 



167 



may be interesting, however, to state that the immediate cause 

 was the treachery of David Strathbogie, grandson (by a daughter) 

 of the Red Comyn, who was killed in Greyfriars' Church, Dumfries, 

 by Robert the Bruce. Strathbogie, or, as he afterwards named him- 

 self, " Davy Comyn," seeing that there was no chance of his line 

 of heirs succeeding to the Crown, meantime made peace with the 

 followers of Bruce, and received back the earldom of Athole and 

 other lands. Being rich, and again placed in a position of influ- 

 ence, he took advantage of his power to make friends, and won 

 over many of the nobility. He took care to appoint his most 

 intimate acquaintances into all places of importance under his 

 jurisdiction, and placed Sir Robert Menzies in charge of the peel 

 and castle of Kinnord. When his plan was ripe he mustered 

 3000 followers at Athole, marched north, and laid siege to Kil- 

 drummy Castle, which, however, withstood his attack. During 

 the assault Christian Bruce, sister of the late King Robert Bruce, 

 then residing in the Castle, managed to despatch a messenger to 

 Sir Andrew Murray, her husband, who at that time was Regent. 

 Murray, on receiving the bad news, hurried north with an army. 

 Earl Davy, learning of the Regent's approach, and fearing a sur- 

 prise, raised the siege at the Castle, and was making his way 

 south to Athole when met by Murray near Kinnord. Athole 

 took up his position on Culblean, about a mile west from Loch 

 Kinnord ; Sir Andrew Murray skirted the wood by two paths dur- 

 ing the night. These were pointed out by John Gordon of Craig, 

 who was very anxious to secure a victory for the Regent. Athole 

 was outgeneralled and surprised at daybreak. His army was 

 entirely defeated and himself killed. Tradition further states that 

 the main body retreated, and were pursued towards the Hill of 

 Mortlich, and that many of them were slain there at the top of a 

 small stream, called to this day the " Bleedy Burn." Thus ended 

 the conflicts between the Bruces and Comyns ; but it is worthy of 

 remark that, had the battle been decided the other way, in all 

 probability the House of Stuart would never have ascended the 

 throne, so important was the result of this day's fighting to the 

 destinies of the nation. 



The Castle Island still continued to be a place of importance. 

 In the year 1504, James IV., who sometimes travelled under 

 peculiar circumstances, visited and stayed two nights at the Castle 

 of Kinnord, in a journey to and from the shrine of Saint Duthoc, 



