Roger de Kirkpatrick

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Sir Roger de Kirkpatrick of Closeburn was a Scottish gentleman, and an associate of Robert the Bruce. His birth and death dates are unknown. He was probably born at, and lived at, the Kirkpatrick stronghold of Closeburn Castle.

Robert the Bruce quarrelled with John "the Red" Comyn, in Greyfriars church in Dumfries, over the succession to the throne of Scotland. The Bruce desired that they unite against the English claimant Edward I and, upon the Comyn's refusal to do so, lost his head and desperately wounded the Red Comyn with his sword.

He rushed from the church and encountered his friend Sir Roger Kirkpatrick outside. Bruce told him him what had happened and said, "I doubt I have slain the Comyn," whereupon Kirkpatrick answered, "I mak sikker," ("I'll make sure," or "I make sure") and rushing into the church, dispatched the "traitor to Scotland," as well as his uncle Sir Robert Comyn, who had come to the rescue of his relative.

Kirkpatrick and Bruce were chased three nights by Comyn's followers but were never caught. Later, when Bruce was crowned king of Scotland in 1306, he granted his own arms to Kirkpatrick. Upon the escutcheon he also placed three pillows to denote the three nights they slept in the woods while fleeing. "I mak sikker" became the family motto