Ralph, educated at Oxford, captured with his elder brother Robert, and his 2 younger brothers Alexander and John at the Scots victory at the Battle of Bannockburn 24 June 1314, was ransomed at crippling cost to his father. Witnessed his elder brother "The Peacock of the North" Robert's death in June 1319 at the hands of Sir James Douglas (known as "The Good" by the Scots, but also, especially by the English, as the "Black Douglas" from his dark complexion) outside the walls of Berwick Castle in single combat, a contest arranged in revenge for the killing by Neville and his brothers the previous Dec of Richard FitzMarmaduke.