CAMPBELL, Neil 2nd of Lochow, Sir ^{1 2}

   Other names for Neil were CAMBEL, Neil of Lochawe, Sir, CAMPBELL, Nigel, Sir,¹ CHAMBEL, Nel, Sir,³ DE CHAMBELLE, Nicholas, Sir ⁴ and MACAILEIN, Niall.⁵

   User ID: K96

  General Notes:

"Other Titles: 3rd of Menstrie, Chief of Clan Campbell, a.k.a: Mac Cailein Mòr 'Son of Colin the Great' Campbell"

from Clan Campbell website




"Sir Neil Cambel of Lochawe, was witness to a donation to the monks at Cambuskenneth by William de Kynmonth, son of Agnes, daughter of William de Kettilston, of the lands of Badindath dated 1282 and is then styled son of Colin Campbell. He gave fealty to King Edward I. on 28 August 1296 and on 13 February 1302, he had a grant from Edward I. for the custody of those lands in Cumberland which had belonged to the late Hubert de Multon until the heir reaches their majority, and also the authority to Margaret, Hubert's widow, to marry him. The fee of his lands was gifted by Edward I., to John de Dovendale who in 1304 petitioned the King requesting that this be extended to include the ward of Sir Neil's infant son until he attains his majority, and which agreed to on 25 October 1305. He was an envoy for Robert de Brus and a safe conduct was issued on 21 August 1309 allowing he and John de Menteith to treat for peace with Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster. He was present at the battle of Bannockburn in June 1314 and was one of the Barons in the Parliament that met at Ayr on 26 April 1315 when the succession of the Crown of Scotland was settled."

from The Red Book of Scotland ¹

  Research Notes:

WIVES OF SIR NEIL CAMPBELL

Secondary sources lack consensus regarding the wives of Sir Neil Campbell of Lochow. There is also disagreement about the identity of the mother of Sir Colin Campbell, Neil's son. The women named as wives are Alice Crawford, Margaret, widow of Hubert de Multon but also another woman named Margaret Cameron, and lastly, with greater agreement, Mary de Brus. Under discussion here are who may have preceded Mary de Brus.

A) MARGARET

(i) Margaret Cameron

The Scots Peerage, volume 1, names two Margarets: Margaret Cameron, and Margaret, widow of Hubert de Multon. Margaret Cameron is little discussed. Of her it says:

"There is a constant tradition that he also married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Cameron of Lochiel, and that a son or grandson of that marriage, Duncan, was the ancestor of the Campbells of Inverawe. At that time there was no family known as Cameron of Lochiel, but there was a Fifeshire family of that name, one of whom subscribed the letter to the Pope in 1320."

The Clan Campbell Society of North America website also lists this Margaret, confusing her with the other Margaret and contradicting itself about possible offspring:

"Married 2nd: He (Neil Campbell) married, secondly, Margaret Cameron between 1303 and 1312, possibly the widow of Hubert de Multon, and had by her issue:

Children by second wife: No issue."

(ii) Margaret du Boys

The Red Book of Scotland names only one wife before Mary de Brus: Margaret, widow of Hubert de Multon and states that she was the mother of Sir Colin Campbell 3rd of Lochow.

Certainly, Hubert de Multon who, according to a post mortem writ, was deceased by 10 July 1300, had a wife named Margaret. The writ states:

"The said Hubert espoused one Ada Brune and begat of her a son William, and they lived together for four years, after which a divorce was made between them by Ralph, sometime bishop of Carlisle, by reason of consanguinity, which was proved before the espousals. The said William is now aged 14. Afterwards the said Hubert married one Margaret du Boys and begat of her a son John, who is 7 years of age. Writ, Karlaverok, 10 July, 28 Edw. I."

Sir Neil Campbell was involved in this family's affairs, for in volume 2 of the Calendar of Documents, in the reign of King Edward I, 1301-2, we read:

"Feb. 13.

1289. The K. having granted to Nigel Cambel knight, the custody of the lands in Cumberland belonging to the heir of the late Hubert de Multon, who held by knight's service of the heir of the late Thomas de Multon of Gillesland, a tenant in capite, till the heir's majority, commands the Chancellor to issue letters under the Great seal to Nigel ; also others empowering Margaret, Hubert's widow, to marry him. Roxburgh. [Privy Seals (Tower), 30 Edw. I. File 4, and Patent, 80 Edw. I. m. 28.]"

Sir Neil Campbell was granted Hubert's lands and the power to marry his widow, so in theory, Sir Neil Campbell could have married Margaret du Boys. He had permission to do so, but the text does not state that he did in fact marry her.

In 1308-9 there is a further reference to Sir Neil, or Nigel, Campbell in the affairs of this family:

"328. Hubert de Multon.

Writ (to the escheator). Whereas it appears by an inquisition made by the escheator of the late King Edward, that the said Hubert, who held the manor of Ishale of the heir of Thomas de Multon of Gillesland, who was then in the king's wardship, married Ada la Brune, lived with her for four years, and begat of her a son William, aged 14 at his father's death, and being divorced from her by reason of consanguinity, afterwards married Margaret du Boys, and of her begat a son John, aged 7 when his father died, and the king understands that Richard le Brun, brother of the said Ada, to whom Nigel de Cambel, who had the wardship by the late king's grant, granted the same wardship, fraudulently permitted the said William his nephew to enter the said manor in contempt of the king Dated 4 Oct. . .

Edw. II. {fragment).

Cumberland. Inq. Thursday the octave of St, Hilary, 5 Edw. II.

Isale. The manor, held as abovesaid by service of 1 mark for cornage.

Richard le Brun, knight, to whom Nigel Cambel granted the wardship of the manor of Isale as aforesaid, granted what he had in the said manor to the said William, who brought a writ of privy seal to the present escheator, that if the said William had entered the manor with the assent of the said Richard, he should not be molested in any way ; so the jury say that the said William entered in this manner, and not without the king's licence or in his fraud or contempt.

C. Edw. II. File 25. (2.)"

So Sir Neil Campbell granted the wardship of the de Multon land to Richard le Brun, without there being any mention of any marriage to Hubert's widow, Margaret. Soon after this Margaret acts for her son. In the Special Collections of The National Archives at Kew there is a petition by Margaret de Multon, widow of Hubert de Multon, addressing the King and Council, dated about 1310 or a little earlier. It requests

"that no livery of seisin in the manors of Isel and Surlingham is granted to William le Brun without notifying her to show what she knows for the estate of the king and her heir who is under age and in the king's wardship. Le Brun, whilst the lands are in the king's hand has sued to have seisin of Hubert de Multon's lands. Le Brun is a bastard fathered by Multon on his cousin Ada le Brun, they having been married knowing their kinship, and having been divorced on proof of this previous knowledge, which the petitioner can prove. This is to the deception of the king and the right heirs."

Margaret's son then was a ward of the king, nor was there any indication that Margaret had remarried. In fact, by granting wardship of the land to Richard le Brun, Sir Neil Campbell may have acted directly contrary to the interests of Margaret's son. Politically, too, Sir Neil Campbell was changing sides. Until 1306, he had remained on the side of the English regime, being rewarded for his service by that administration, but other avenues of income were also available in the form of the Crawford sisters.

B) ALICE

Sir Neil Campbell was gifted by King Edward I the ward and marriage of the two daughters of the deceased Andrew Crawford. It had previously be granted to Robert Keith but Keith had fought against the English monarch and was captured and imprisoned by him in 1300. In 1303 he secured his fredom by submitting to the king. So, in volume 2 of the Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland we find:

"Edward I. 1303 Shortly before Martinmas

1406. Robert de Kethe to the K. When he came to his peace before he gave him leave to hold the ward and marriage of the two daughters Martinmas of Andrew de Crawford, which he had bought Prom Sir John de Balliol then K. of Scotland. Prays him to confirm the same of his grace. Norman French.

(Endorsed) 'The K gave it to Sir Nigel Cambel, but let the auditors deal with him, and if necessary call the Bishop of Dunblane if they can agree. If not, the K. is bound to Robert. The K. conferred the ward on Sir Nigel before Sir Robert's coming to his peace in the first war.'

[Attached is the following in same hand.]

At Dunfermline, about Martinmas, anno xxxi°, the said Robert prosecuted his petition. The K. appointed John de Britannia, Hugh le Despenser, John de Benstede, and . . . . , auditors. The pleas for and against not discussed. For the auditors ex parte Regis prohibited Nigel from marrying the younger daughter till it should be discussed by the Council who should have the ward. But Nigel having married thereafter, was called before the Council for contempt. He asserted that the daughter was not in seisin at the date of the prohibition, and there was no contempt. The case remitted to a jury before the Guardian and Chamberlain, who shall certify the K. [Chancery Miscellaneous Portfolios, No. 41/36.]"

We learn in more about this situation from an entry a few years later, in volume 5:

"523 [1307-8]

Letter from [Robert de Keith] to [blank]. Since the addressee is taking pains to secure the deliverance of Fergus de Ardrossan on good surety, requests that he attempt to obtain the deliverance of the countess of Buchan with the aid of her nephew, [Earl] Duncan of Fife. The writer bought from King John the infant daughters and heirs of Andreu de Craford, and King Edward [I] confirmed the writer in possession of them when he came into the king's peace, and at a full parliament in London ordered Sir John Sendeil, chamberlain of Scotland, and the chancellor of Scotland to allow him to have these children, and to distrain Sir Dovenald Chambel and Sir Nel Chambel by their lands and bodies. Asks that the king permit him to have a letter of gift of the lands of these children, so that they will do his will, as the law of Scotland wills ... He holds these lands by grant of [the king's] father, who is dead. The children's names are Susan and Alyse. The lands are Loudoun, Loncmertenan and Stenstoun in CO. Ayr, and Draffain in co. Lanark. Also, since wardships and escheats are due ... asks the king for £200 of land ... French. [SC 1/37/107] [Badly stained. See vol. ii, no. 1406, vol. iii, no. 51]."

The heiresses Susan and Alyse, still young children, had been bought, that is the control of their estates and their bodies as minors, by Robert Keith from King John. Edward I had, in 1292, chosen John Balliol as King of Scotland in the Scottish succession crisis, then went on to treat Scotland as a vassal state and John as his whipping boy. The Scottish nobles had deprived Balliol of much of his power by 1295 and on July 10 1296 he abdicated after Edward I invaded Scotland. Therefore, if Robert Keith 'bought' the Crawford daughters 'from King John', this would have happened between 1292 and 1296. We know from other sources that Susan Crawford married Sir Neil Campbell's nephew Duncan, son of Donald Campbell, Neil's brother. It would seem from the earlier extract above that Sir Neil Campbell married Alice himself, despite disapproval. Alice could not have been born later than July 10 1296, and possibly a few years earlier, even before 1292, so the couple may have married as early as 1303. ^{3 4 6 7 8 9 10}

Neil married Alice CRAWFORD, daughter of Andrew CRAWFORD and Unknown.¹ (Alice CRAWFORD was born about 1289.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Married 1st: He (Neil Campbell) married, firstly, unknown daughter Crawford, daughter of Andrew Crawford, before 1303.

Children by first wife:

1. Sir Colin Campbell later 3rd Lord of Lochow. b. c 1282 (see Note below), d. b 2 May 1343"

from Clan Campbell website

Note:

The dates provided here are not at all consistent: The birth of Sir Colin Campbell is unlikely to be 1282 if his parents did not marry until about 1303.




"He (Neil Campbell) was witness to a charter confirmed by King Edward I. on 10 October 1296, but which must have been granted about 1290 by Richard de Burgo, Earl of Ulster, to James Stewart, who had married the Earl's sister Egidia, and is designed Sir Nicholas de Chambelle. He was one of the same Earl's knights, when he brought over a contingent from Ireland in 1303 to help King Edward, who granted him the ward and marriage of the two daughters of Andrew Crawford"

from Scots Peerage (vol 1)

Referring to article 'Argyll' in volume 1:

"p. 323, l. 25, delete 'His (Neil Campbell's) only recorded wife is,' and insert 'He married, first, before 1303, the younger daughter of Andrew Crawford (Cal. of Docs. Scot., ii. 1406); and, secondly (Lady Mary Bruce, sister of King Robert)'. "

from Scots Peerage (vol 9 Addenda et Corrigenda)





"Niall (mac Cailein) married Robert de Bruce's sister, Mary Bruce. The date of their marriage is unknown. Niall and Mary had a son, Iain. King Robert granted the couple the lands confiscated from David Strathbogie, almost certainly so that Iain would eventually become the Earl, which is indeed what happened. This was part of a general policy by Robert of redistributing lands and titles to his extended kin. Niall, however, had been married previously to Alyse de Crawford,[9] by whom he had at least two sons, Sir Colin Og Campbell of Lochawe and Dubhghall.

[9] Campbell of Airds, Alastair (15 June 2000). A History of Clan Campbell. Vol. 1: From Origins to the Battle of Flodden. Edinburgh, Scotland: Polygon. ISBN 978-1902930176."

from Wikipedia article ^{1 4 5 11}

Neil next married Margaret?.¹ (Margaret? was born about 1275.)

  Marriage Notes:

" ... he (Neil Campbell) obtained from the same King a grant, dated 13 February 1301-2, of the custody of the lands in Cumberland belonging to the heir of Sir Hubert de Multon, till the heir's majority, with his ward and marriage ; also letters-patent empowering Margaret, Hubert's widow, to marry him, if she will ; but by January 8, 1304, the King had taken back this gift into his own hands, and not only so, but in the same year he gave a charter to John de Dovedale of Sir Nichol Cambel's lands in fee, and ward and marriage of his son and heir, as he is under age, which was confirmed at Westminster on October 24, 1305. No reason was given for this unusual procedure, but Sir Neil must have joined King Robert Bruce at the earliest opportunity, as on June 20, 1306, it is stated that the ward and marriage of Hubert de Multon's heir is in the King's gift, 'by reason of Sir Nigel Cambel, to whom the said custody was formerly granted, having betaken himself to Scotland against the King.' On August 15, 1306, le Roi granta a Mons. Johan Dovedale les terres qui furent a Mons. Nichol Cambel en Escoce." (pages 322 and 323)

In February 1301-2, Margaret, widow of Hubert de Multon was empowered by charter, under the Great Seal of England, to marry Sir Nigel Oambel, and he must therefore have been free to marry at the time. Moreover, John, not Colin, received the grant of the lands and title of Atholl, and he is called the King's beloved nephew, while Colin is not so styled in any charter granted to him by King Robert. It is possible that Sir Neil did actually marry Margaret, widow of Hubert de Multon, and that Colin was her son.

There is a constant tradition that he also married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Cameron of Lochiel, and that a son or grandson of that marriage, Duncan, was the ancestor of the Campbells of Inverawe. At that time there was no family known as Cameron of Lochiel, but there was a Fifeshire family of that name, one of whom subscribed the letter to the Pope in 1320." (page 324)

from Scots Peerage (vol 1)




"Married 2nd: He (Neil Campbell) married, secondly, Margaret Cameron between 1303 and 1312, possibly the widow of Hubert de Multon, and had by her issue:

Children by second wife: No issue." (see Note below)

from Clan Campbell website




"He (Neil Campbell) was present at the battle of Bannockburn in June 1314 and was one of the Barons in the Parliament that met at Ayr on 26 April 1315 when the succession of the Crown of Scotland was settled. He died soon after, having m. firstly, as previously mentioned, in about 1302, to Margaret, the widow of Hubert de Multon, by whom he had issue : 1. Sir Colin Campbell of Lochawe" (see Note below)

from The Red Book of Scotland

Note:

As can be seen from the extracts above, there is disagreement, confusion even, regarding the wives of Sir Neil Campbell of Lochow. Two, three or possibly four wives are referenced. There is also a lack of consensus about who was the mother of Sir Colin Campbell, Neil's son. See the Research Notes for Sir Neil Campbell for a full discussion.

The marriage to Mary de Brus is not in doubt. The marriage to Alice Crawford is likely. Whether Sir Neil Campbell married either of the two Margarets named above must be in doubt. ^{1 4 6}

Neil next married Mary DE BRUS, daughter of Sir Robert DE BRUS 6th Lord of Annandale, Earl of Carrick jure uxoris and Marjorie 3rd Countess of Carrick.¹ (Mary DE BRUS was born about 1273 and died before 22 September 1323 ².)

  Marriage Notes:

"His (Neil Campbell's) only recorded wife is Lady Mary Bruce, sister of King Robert ; they and their son John received from the King a grant of the lands of David, Earl of Atholl. She survived Sir Neil, and married, in 1316, Sir Alexander Fraser, Great Chamberlain of Scotland. But his eldest son Colin at least must have been the child of a previous marriage."

from Scots Peerage (vol 1)




"Mary (de Brus) married, first, Sir Neil Campbell of Lochow, ancestor of the house of Argyll ; and second, about 1316, Sir Alexander Fraser, Great Chamberlain of Scotland, ancestor of the family of Philorth."

from Scots Peerage (vol 2)




"Married 3rd: He (Neil Campbell) married, thirdly, Lady Mary Bruce, daughter of Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, and Earl of Carrick (in right of his wife), by Margaret dtr of Neil, 2nd Earl of Carrick, sister of King Robert I, circa 1312.

Children by third wife:

1. Dougal Campbell, living 1323, had issue:
2. Douglas Campbell
3. Duncan Campbell Macdonnachie of Inverawe, progenitor of the Campbells of Inverawe.
4. John Campbell of Moulin, b. c 1313, d. 19 Jul 1333, created Earl of Atholl ca 1320

Sir Neil Campbell 2nd Lord of Lochow joined Robert the Bruce in 1296 and fought for him in almost every action between Methven and Bannockburn. He was also known as Nigel Campbell. He was appointed Knight of Lochow circa 1285. In 1296 he joined Robert the Bruce in the struggle against the English. Robert the Bruce granted him, his (third) wife and their son John, all of the lands of David de Strathbogie, 11th Earl of Atholl. He lived at Lochow, Argyllshire, Scotland. On 26 April 1315 he was one of the great Barons of Parliament which met to fix the succession to the Crown."

from Clan Campbell website ^{1 2 4}