[3] William had been issued with a letter of safe conduct and joined the King for feasting before Lent.

[5] James denounced his brother's murderers, took up arms against the king, and withdrew his allegiance by disavowing his oath.

[4] He and his brothers attacked Stirling a month later,[6] driving a horse through the town with the safe conduct letter given to William attached to its tail.

[5] The King responded by leading a series of raids into Douglas territories in July.

In 1457, he accompanied an English raid into the west marches of Scotland and a seaborne attack on Kirkcudbright.

[10] James was employed by King Edward IV in 1461 to negotiate a league at Ardtornish with the western highlanders[9] in order to take the nine-year old's kingdom for England.