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XI.—Observations on the Trial and Death of William Earl of Gowrie,a.d. 1584, and on their Connection with the Gowrie Conspiracy, a.d. 1600. By John Bruce, Esq. F.S.A.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2012
Extract
In King James's singular narrative of the Gowrie Conspiracy, his majesty states, that Alexander Ruthven, younger brother of John Earl of Gowrie, having conducted him into a chamber of Gowrie House, which the king calls “a little studie,” suddenly “locked too the studie doore behinde him,” and at that instant, changing his countenance, put his hat on his head, and drew a dagger from the girdle of Andrew Henderson, a servant of the Ruthvens who had been previously stationed in the little study, clad in armour, to await his majesty's coming. His majesty goes on to relate, that young Ruthven held the point of Henderson's dagger to the king's breast, declaring that he “behoved to be in his will, and to be used as he list.” The king adds, “that Ruthven swore many bloody oaths that if the king cried one word, or opened a window to look out, that dagger should presently go to his heart.” He then adds, and it is the first word which seems to have been uttered in explanation of the cause of this singular outrage, that Alexander Ruthven affirmed “that he was sure that now the king's conscience was burthened for the murthering of his father.” The king replied (according to his own account) with singular coolness and self-possession. He “begun to dilate” (these are the words of his narrative) “how horrible a thing it was for his assailant to meddle with his majesty's innocent blood, assuring him it would not be left unrevenged, since God had given him children and good subjects, and if there [were] neither, God would raise up stocks and stones to punish so vile a deed.” After this oration upon regicide, which, considering the character of the king, and the circumstances of tremendous personal peril in which he was suddenly placed, is not very likely to have been uttered exactly in the way stated, the king proceeded to notice the allusion which had been made by Alexander Ruthven to the death of his father, “protesting before God,” his majesty says, “that he had no burthen on his conscience” on that account, “both in respect that, at the time of his father's execution, his majesty was but a minor of age, and guided at that time by a faction which over ruled both his majesty and the rest of the country; as also, that whatsoever was done to his father, it was done by the ordinary course of law and justice.”
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References
page 144 note a The Earle of Gowries conspiracie against the Kings Maiestie of Scotland. At Saint Johnstoun vpon Tuesday the fift of August, 1600. 4to. Lond. 1600. sig. B. 3.
page 144 note b Hist. Scotland, ix. 352.
page 144 note c Vol. ii. p. 293. Johnston's History is preserved in the library of the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, and is referred to by Pitcairn in the following manner, “Jac. V. 2. 2, fol. 633 b.”
page 145 note a Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, ii. 178.
page 145 note b These letters are printed in Pitcairn, ii. 282.
page 145 note c Grey Steel is the beautiful romance which is referred to by Percy, and analysed by Ellis, under the title of Eger and Grime. The Grey Steel of the romance is a doughty and all but unconquerable knight. The romance is printed in Mr. David Laing's Early Metrical Tales, 8vo. 1826. In a note at p. xix. that gentleman states, that the letters from which I have quoted above “have all the appearance of being gross fabrications.” No reason is given for this statement, nor can I conjecture any. It is certainly not the opinion of Mr. Pitcairn, who discovered the original letters in the general register office, in Edinburgh, and printed them with great care. I have reason, also, to know that it is not the opinion of other eminent Scottish antiquaries.
page 146 note a Since this was written I have found that No. 3 of the papers alluded to was printed in 1827, in vol. i. of the Miscellany of the Bannatyne Club, p. 89. As the impression of the Bannatyne publications is limited to the number of the club, and the paper in question is necessary for the proper understanding of my observations, I have not thought this previous private printing of a small impression a sufficient reason for its withdrawal.
page 147 note a Caligula, B IX. fol. 278.
page 148 note a Vol. XVIII. p. 271.
page 148 note b Knox's Works, ed. Laing, ii. 6 and 406.
page 151 note a Melville's Memoirs, p. 281, ed. Bannatyne.
page 152 note a Melville's Memoirs, p. 281, ed. Bannatyne.
page 152 note b Caligula, C VIII. fol. 22,
page 153 note a Murdin, p. 591.
page 153 note b Melville's Memoirs, p. 291.
page 154 note a Melville's Memoirs, p. 314.
page 155 note a Hume's Hist, of Douglas and Angus, ii. 318, edit. 1748.
page 156 note a Hume's Hist. of Douglas and Angus, ii. 318, edit. 1748; Spottiswood's Hist, of Church of Scotland, 331,332.
page 156 note b Caligula, C VIII. fol 4.
page 157 note a Caligula, C VIII. fol. 19.
page 157 note b Ibid. fol. 1 and fol. 4.
page 157 note c Ibid. fol. 6.
page 157 note d Melville, p. 326.
page 158 note a Caligula, C VIII. fol. 9 and fol. 11. Moysie's Mem. p. 48.
page 159 note a Caligula, C VIII. fol. 12, 14, 16.
page 159 note b Ibid. fol. 16, 17, 18.
page 159 note c Near Linlithgow; a part of the spoils which Arran had obtained from the ruin of the Hamiltons.
page 160 note a Caligula, C VIII. fol. 40.
page 160 note b There are copies of the papers Nos. I. and II., of about the same date as the Cotton. MS., in the Harleian MS. 291, fol. 94 and 96.
page 160 note c Caligula, C VIII. fol. 37b.
page 161 note a Trust to.
page 162 note a Indictment.
page 162 note b Loss.
page 162 note c The, in MS.
page 163 note a So in MS.
page 163 note b Confesseth in MS.
page 163 note c This date is unquestionably inaccurate. Gowrie was removed from Edinburgh to Kinneil on Saturday, the 25th April, 1584; and from Kinneil to Stirling on the Thursday following, being the 30th April. On “the fourth day thereafter,” as appears from this paper, and on a Monday, as appears from No. III. he was put on his trial and executed. It was therefore on Monday, the 4th May, 1584. In confirmation of these calculations it may be mentioned that Easter Day fell in that year on the 19th April.
page 164 note a Relationship.
page 164 note b Authentically.
page 164 note c Tho, in MS.
page 165 note a Divide, in MS.
page 165 note b Nowes, in MS.
page 165 note c Cramforth, in MS.
page 166 note a Haue, in MS.
page 166 note b For the circumstances of Gowrie's quarrel with Lord Oliphant see Calderwood, iii. 479, ed. Wodrow.
page 166 note c Forren, in MS.
page 166 note d Sain, safe.
page 166 note e My, in MS.
page 166 note f Troughe, in MS.
page 167 note a Umquwhile, the late.
page 167 note b See note c, page 144.
page 167 note c Baillies.
page 170 note a But the noble mè, repeated in MS.
page 170 note b he, in MS.
page 171 note a Hist. Ch. Scotland, p. 331.
page 172 note a Hist. Ch. Scotland, p. 332.