He defeats the Earl of Buchan at Inverury
From this last station, as their royal charge began slowly to recover his strength, the Scots returned to Inverury; while the Earl of Buchan, with a body of about a thousand men, advanced to Old Meldrum, and Sir David de Brechin pushed on with a small party, and suddenly attacked and put to flight, some of Robert's soldiers, carelessly cantoned in the outskirts of the town. Bruce took this as a military affront, and instantly rising from his litter, called for his horse and arms. His friends remonstrated, but the king mounted on horseback, and although so weak as to be supported by two men on each side, he led on his soldiers in person, and instantly attacking the Earl of Buchan with great fury, routed and dispersed his army, pursuing them as far as Fivy, on the borders of Buchan. Brechin fled to Angus, and shut himself up in his own castle of Brechin, which was soon after besieged and taken by the Earl of Athole, whose father had been executed in England. Into Buchan, the territory of Comyn, his mortal enemy, Bruce now marched, and took ample revenge for all the injuries he had sustained, wasting it with fire, and delivering i it over to unbridled military execution, Barbour informs us, that for fifty years after, men spoke with terror of the harrying of Buchan; and it is singular that, at this day, the oaks which are turned up in the mosses, bear upon their trunks the blackened marks of being scathed with fire.The army of the king now rapidly increased, as his character for success and military talent became daily more conspicuous. His nephew, Sir David de Brechin, having been pardoned and admitted to favour, joined him about this time with his whole force, and pursuing his advantage, he laid siege to the castle of Aberdeen. Edward was now at Windsor, and, alarmed at such progress, he despatched an expedition to raise the siege of Aberdeen, and commanded the different seaports to fit out a fleet, which should co-operate with his landforces. But these preparations were too late; for the citizens of Aberdeen, who had early distinguished themselves in the war of liberty, and were warmly attached to the cause, encouraged by the presence of the royal army, and assisted by some of its best leaders, assaulted and carried the castle by storm, expelled the English, and levelled the fortifications with the ground.