owr last meitting in the Cannogat that M.A.R. my lo. of Go(wries) brother
had spokin vith me, anent the matter of owr conclusion; and for my awin
part I sall nocht be hindmest; and sensyne I gat ane letter from his lo.
selff, for that same purpose; and apon the resset tharof, onderstanding
his lo. frankness and fordvardness in it, God kennis if my hart vas nocht
liftit ten stagess! I postit this same berare till his lo. to qhome ye
may concredit all yowr hart in that asveill as I; for and it var my very
sowl, I durst mak him messinger therof, I hew sic experiense of his
treuth in mony other thingis: He is ane silly ald gleyd carle, bot vonder
honest: And as he hes reportit to me his lo. awin answer, I think all
matteris sall be concluded at my howse of Fa(stcastell); for I and M.A.R.
conclude that ye sowld come vith him and his lo. and only ane other man
vith yow, being bot only fowr in company, intill ane of the gret fisching
botis, be sey to my howse, qher ye sall land as saifly as on Leyth
schoir; and the howse agane his lo. comming to be quyet: And qhen ye ar
abowt half a myll fra schoir, as it ver passing by the howse, to gar set
forth ane vaf. Bot for Godis sek, let nether ony knawlege come to my lo.
my brotheris eiris, nor yit to M.W.R. my lo. ald pedagog; for my brother
is kittill to scho behind, and dar nocht interpryse, for feir; and the
other vill disswade vs fra owr purpose vith ressonis of religion, qhilk I
can newer abyd. I think thar is nane of a nobill hart, or caryis ane
stomak vorth an pini, bot they vald be glad to se ane contented revenge
of Gray Steillis deid: And the soner the better, or ellse ve may be
marrit and frustrat; and therfor, pray his lo(rdschip) be qwik and bid
M.A. remember on the sport he tald me of Padoa; for I think vith my self
that the cogitacion on that sowld stimulat his lo(rdschip). And for
Godis cawse vse all yowr cowrses _cum discrecione_. Fell nocht, sir, to
send bak agan this letter; for M.A. leirit me that fasson, that I may se
it distroyed my self. Sa till your comming, and ever, committis yow
hartely to Chrystis holy protection. From Gwnisgrene, the last of July
1600.
On the back 'xiij Aprilis 1608 producit be Ninian Chirnesyde (8).'
Also 'Sprott,' 'Fyft. bookit.'
INDEX
ABBOT, Dr. George, present when Sprot was hanged, 177, 226; his pamphlet
containing official account of Sprot's trial and examinations, 178
Abercromby, Robert (the King's saddler), said to have brought James to
Perth to 'take order for his debt,' 83, 84, 159
Agnew, Sir Stair, cited, 241
Analysis of Letter IV, 232-239
Anderson, Rev. Mr., finds the torn letter from Logan to Chirnside, 174;
on Letter IV., 236, 237, 238; on the Logan plot-letters, 241, 242, 243
Angus, Earl of, involves Gowrie's father in a conspiracy with him, 121,
122; under the spells of witchcraft, 198, 199
Anne of Denmark, Queen (wife of James VI), her attributed relations with
the Earl Moray, 2; and with Gowrie and the Master of Ruthven, 3, 133,
134, 138; romantic story of her ribbon on the Master's neck, 132; invites
Gowrie to Court, 133, 134; sorrow for the slaying of the Ruthvens, 5,
133, 138; plots against the Earl of Mar, 138, 139
Arms, Gowrie's, 245 _et seq._
Arnott, Sir John (provost of Edinburgh), on the Logan plot-letters, 243;
at the trial of Logan, 250
Arran (Capt. James Stewart), his influence over James, 119; his treachery
to Gowrie's father, 120-123; receives that nobleman's forfeited estate,
123; driven into retirement, 123
Arran, Earl of, Bothwell's (James Hepburn) proposal to him to seize Mary,
cited, 71
Ashfield, kidnapped by Lord Willoughby, cited, 139
Atholl, Earl of (married to Gowrie's sister Mary), 123; in alliance with
Bothwell and Gowrie against James, 125; manifesto to the Kirk, 125;
letters from James, 134, 135
Auchmuty, John, in attendance on James, 12
* * * * *
BAILLIE, John, of Littlegill, implicated by Sprot with Logan, 202, 203;
denies receiving a letter from Logan, 209
Baldi, Ottavio, his letter to James on the Gowrie emblem at Padua, 246,
247, 251
Balgonie. _See_ Graham of Balgonie.
Barbe, Mr. Louis, on Henderson's and the Master's ride to Falkland, 45;
his view of the notary Robertson's evidence respecting Henderson, 61
note; as to the theory of an accidental brawl, 94; on James and the pot
of gold tale, 95; on Bruce's interrogation of the King, 109; on the
invitation from the King to Gowrie, Atholl, and others to join him at
Falkland, 135
Baron (Gowrie's retainer), in the chamber fight, 87; hanged, 87
Bell, John, Logan's memorandum to him, 174, 195
Beza, Gowrie with, at Geneva, 180
Bisset, Mr., quoted, on the notary Robertson's evidence respecting
Henderson, 61 note
Bothwell, Francis Stewart Earl of, aided by Gowrie's mother and sister
captures James at Holyrood, 124, 125; manifesto to the Kirk, 125; his
list of Scottish Catholic nobles ready for the invasion of Scotland, 128;
other proposals of invasion, 129; vague hints at his aim to change the
dynasty, 140; his whereabouts in 1600, 147 note; on terms with Logan of
Restalrig, 154, 155, 156; charged with practising witchcraft against the
King's life, 198; report as to a secret candidate for James's crown, 251
Bothwell, James Hepburn Earl of, his proposal to Arran to seize Mary,
cited, 71
Bower, James (a retainer of Logan's), custodian of compromising letters
between Logan and Gowrie, 164, 174, 176, 177, 195; bearer of Gowrie's
letter to Logan, 183, 188, 191; letter from Logan, 183, 184; Sprot's
account of Logan and Bower's scheme to get possession of Dirleton, 189;
with Logan at Coldinghame after the tragedy, 195; custodian of Ruthven's
and Clerk's letters to Logan, 202; blamed for the selling of Fastcastle,
204; letter from Logan reproaching him for indiscretions of speech, 211,
212
Bower, Valentine, employed by his father James to read Logan's letters,
213
Bowes, Sir William (English Ambassador), no friend of James's, 96; his
hypothesis respecting the Gowrie tragedy, 96; letter to Sir John Stanhope
on same matter, 97 note
Brown, Professor Hume, on the Logan plot-letters, 241
Brown, Robert (James's servant), part in the Gowrie mystery, 31
Bruce, Rev. Robert (Presbyterian minister), his cross-examination of
James on the Gowrie tragedy, 38; allows that James was not a conspirator,
95; explains to James the reasons for the preachers' refusal to thank God
for his delivery from a 'plot,' 101; sceptical of the veracity of James's
narrative, 102, 103; will believe it if Henderson is hanged, 103, 104,
106, 226; goes into banishment, 105; tells Mar in London he is content to
abide by the verdict in the Gowrie case, but is not persuaded of Gowrie's
guilt, 105; meets the King in Scotland, and tells him he is convinced, on
Mar's oath, that he is innocent, 106; interrogates the King, 107; refuses
to make a public apology in the pulpit and is banished to Inverness, 108,
250; his 'Meditations,' 110 note; asks Lord Hamilton to head the party of
the Kirk, 177; prophecies, 249
Burnet (Burnet's father), on the Gowrie mystery, 249, 250
Burnet, Bishop, quoted, on Gowrie's claims to a Royal pedigree, 249, 250
Burton, Dr. Hill, on James VI, 5; on Logan's plot-letters, 169
* * * * *
CALDERWOOD, Rev. David (Presbyterian minister), on James's narrative of
the Gowrie affair, 36, 37; on the man in the turret, 62; rejects the
story of Craigengelt's dying confession, 104; view of the objections
taken by sceptics to the King's narrative, 111; on Gowrie's entry to
Edinburgh, 130; on the confession of Sprot on the scaffold, 163, 164
note, 227; his interpretation of Sprot's confession, 164; on the Logan
plot-letters, 170, 172, 173
Cant, Mr. (antiquary), on Gowrie House, 18
Carey, Sir John (Governor of Berwick), respecting a treatise in
vindication of the Ruthvens, 81; informs Cecil of James's jealousy of
Gowrie, 130; and of the Court tattle respecting the Queen and Gowrie, 133
Casket Letters, the, cited, 5, 7, 8; in possession of Gowrie's father,
240; disappearance of, 241; probability of forgery, 244
Cecil Papers at Hatfield, the, 158
Cecil, Sir Robert, Queen Elizabeth's minister, 11; communication from
Nicholson respecting Cranstoun and Henderson, 75 note; letter from Carey
respecting a treatise in vindication of the Ruthvens, 81; intrigue with
Bothwell, 147 note; with Border Scots intriguing against James, 159, 160;
Lord Willoughby's offer of a ship if subsidised, 218
Chirnside, Ninian, of Whitsumlaws, 154; Logan's letter to him, 174;
relations with Logan, 197, 199; employed by Bothwell to arrange meetings
with the wizard Graham, 198, 199; in danger after the failure of the
Gowrie plot, 203; Sprot's forged letter of Logan's to be used by him for
blackmailing Logan's executors, 215
Christie, porter at Gowrie House on the fatal day, 21
Clerk, Father Andrew (Jesuit), intriguing against James, 201, 212
Coat of arms, Gowrie's, 245 _et seq._
Colville, John, tells Cecil of Gowrie's summons to be leader of the Kirk,
129; schemes against James, 140, 146, 155; renounces Frank Bothwell, 198
Corsar, John, cited, 211
Cowper, Rev. Mr. (minister of Perth), on Gowrie's views as to secrecy in
plots, 144
Craigengelt (Gowrie's steward), his evidence regarding the Master's ride
to Falkland, 44; observation of the Master while the King dines, 49; at
the dinner, 65, 83, 84; his confession before execution, 103, 104; denial
of receipt of letters from James to Gowrie, 134, 135 note; on the
movements of the Gowries before the tragedy, 136; hanged, 87
Cranstoun of Cranstoun, Sir John, 154
Cranstoun Riddell, Laird of, (Logan's father-in-law), 153
Cranstoun, Thomas (Gowrie's equerry), his share in the transactions at
Gowrie House which brought about the slaughter of the Ruthvens, 20, 21,
23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31; wounded by Ramsay, 74, 85; examined, tortured,
tried, and hanged at Perth, 74, 87, 155; an outlawed rebel and adherent
of Bothwell, 74 note, 155
Cranstoun, Wm. (Bothwellian), 155
Crockett, Willie, one of Sprot's victims, 203; his account of Logan's
Yule at Gunnisgreen, 209
Cromarty, Lord, his defence of James in the Gowrie affair, 223; testifies
to the finding of Sprot's Letter IV, 224, 229
* * * * *
DAVIDSON, Rev. M., cited, 249
Dirleton, Gowrie's stronghold near North Berwick, 42, 43, 145
Doig, Watty, arrests Sprot, 162
Douglas, Archibald, the infamous traitor, 140; his intimacy with Logan,
154, 155, 157
Douglas, Archibald, of Glenbervie, 248
Douglas, Archibald (son of Douglas of Glenbervie), student at Padua, 126,
248
Douglas of Spot, 140, 156
Douglas, Sir Robert, and the Gowrie emblem in Padua, 127, 246, 247, 248,
251
Drummond of Inchaffray, at Gowrie House when the Ruthvens were killed,
19, 24, 43; letter from James, 134, 135
Dunbar, Earl of, his humane treatment of Sprot, 163, 170; Sprot's
confession forwarded to him, 182; in debt to Logan, 211
Dunfermline, Earl of, and the preachers, 102; opposes James's demands for
money, 131; present at Sprot's examinations, 201, 210
* * * * *
EASTER WEMYSS, Laird of, opposes James's demands for money, 131
Elizabeth, Queen, 11; receives, through Preston, James's account of the
Gowrie affair, 96; seeks to purchase the Casket Letters from Gowrie's
father, 240; said to have granted to Gowrie the guard and honours of a
Prince of Wales, 248
Elphinstone (Lord Balmerino), Secretary of the Privy Council, in receipt
of James's narrative of the Gowrie plot, 38; denies discrepancies alleged
by the preachers in the report of the tragedy, 102
Erskine, Sir Thomas, his share in the Gowrie slaughter, 19, 26, 27, 28,
29, 30, 31, 51, 59, 74, 85, 139
Erskine (Sir Thomas's brother), his part in the tragedy, 26, 27, 28, 29
Essex, Earl of, 11, 105
Eviot, Patrick, present at the fight in the death chamber, 29, 30, 60;
proclaimed, 63
* * * * *
FALKLAND Castle, 5, 12
Fastcastle, Berwickshire, the stronghold of Logan, where it is said James
was to have been lodged, 153, 154, 193, 194
Fyvie, President of the Privy Council. _See_ Dunfermline.
* * * * *
GALLOWAY, Rev. Patrick (the King's chaplain), his account of the doors
passed through and locked by the Master on the way to the turret, 53;
proclaims Henderson as the man in the turret, 63; alleges that Gowrie
attempted to involve James in negotiations with the Pope, 104, 128;
reported to have induced Henderson to pretend to be the man in the
turret, 114; at Sprot's examination, 186, 217, 220, 226
Galloway, William, one of Sprot's victims, 203
Gardiner, Mr. S. R. (historian), on the Gowrie mystery, 5
Gibson (Scottish judge), kidnapping of, 145
Goodman, the, of Pitmillie, on the King's knowledge of Henderson, 114
Gowdie, Isobel, accused of witchcraft, 198
Gowrie, Earl of (father of John Earl of, and the Master of Ruthven), one
of the Riccio murderers, 118; in charge of Mary at Lochleven, 118;
pardoned for his share in the Raid of Ruthven, 119; arrested and brought
to trial, 120; foul means by which his conviction was procured, 120-123;
foreknowledge of the Angus conspiracy, 121, 122; nobles charged by him
with treachery, 122; execution, 11, 55, 56, 121; the King's debt to him,
84; after death denounced by James as a traitor, 96; the Casket Letters
in his possession, 240
Gowrie House, situation and topography of, 14-18; Lennox's account of
proceedings at, on the day of the slaughter, 20 _et seq._
Gowrie Inn, 18
Gowrie, John Earl of, his attributed relations with the Queen, 3;
speculations as to his aims and character, 5, 7; and the causes leading
to his death, 5, 7; alleged plot to seize James, 7; his retainers'
evidence thereon, 9; _the Duke of Lennox's account of events_, 13 _et
seq._; James's invitation to Gowrie House to see the treasure, 14;
situation and topography of his house, 15-18; observers' accounts of his
plot said to have been aimed at the King, 20-34; the manner of his death,
31; _the King's own narrative of the Gowrie plot_, 35 _et seq._; his
conduct in the light of that narrative, 42; the circumstance of the man
in the turret, and the plot of gold concealed from him, 41, 42, 49, 50;
Henderson sent by the Master to warn him of the King's arrival, 43;
secrecy enjoined by him on Henderson as to the ride to Falkland, 44;
silent as to his knowledge of the King's approach, 45; makes no
preparation for the King's dinner 46, 49; influence of a disagreement
between him and the Master, respecting the Abbey of Scone, 48, 49; meets
the King and conducts him to Gowrie House, 49; his uneasy conduct while
the King dines, 49, 50; _account of his share in the plot drawn from
Henderson's deposition_, 64; questions Henderson about the King, 65; bids
Henderson put on his secret coat of mail to arrest a Highlander, 65; the
contemporary _Ruthven Vindication_, 80-93; theory of an accidental brawl,
94-98; contemporary clerical and popular criticism, 99 _et seq._; alleged
attempts to entangle James in negotiations with the Pope, 104; grounds
for a hereditary feud between him and James, 118; elected provost of
Perth, 124; at Edinburgh University, 124; in alliance with Bothwell and
Atholl against James, 125; their manifesto to the Kirk, 125; goes with
his tutor Rhynd to Padua, 126; his emblem, and saying regarding it, 127;
extols the conduct of an English fanatic at Rome, 127: reported to have
been converted to Catholicism, 128; his name on Bothwell's list of
Scottish Catholic nobles ripe for the invasion of Scotland, 129;
presented by Elizabeth, in London, with a cabinet of plate, 130; James
jealous of him on his return to Edinburgh, 131; opposes the King's
demands for money, 131, 141; letter of invitation to Court, from the
Queen, 133; letter of invitation to Falkland from James, 134, 135; quits
Strabran for Perth, 136; movements on the morning of the tragedy, 137;
granted exemption for a year from pursuit by creditors, 141; rumour that
he was a candidate for the English throne, 141; motives of revenge urging
him to plot against James, 143; his views as to secrecy in plots, 144;
evidences of his intention to capture James and convey him to Dirleton,
145, 146; letter to Logan, 183, 184; anxious that Lord Home should be
initiated into the conspiracy, 206, 207; his arms and ambitions, 245-251;
emblem at Padua, 247, 248, 256; Tudor descent, 249; pedigree, 248, 249,
250; Bothwell's statement implying that he was a secret candidate for
James's crown, 251
Gowrie, Lady (Gowrie's mother), aids Bothwell in capturing James at
Holyrood, 124, 125; her movements immediately prior to the tragedy, 136;
at Dirleton on August 6, 136; her suit for relief from her creditors, 141
Graham of Balgonie, reports the Master's desire to be alone with the King
while inspecting the treasure, 50; picks up the garter supposed to have
been used to tie James's hands in the turret chamber, 58; verbal
narrative of the King's escape to the Privy Council, 101
Graham, Richard (wizard), accuses Bothwell of attempting James's life by
sorcery, 198, 199
Gray, suspected as the man in the turret, 62
Gray, the Master of, reports Lennox's doubt whether Gowrie or the King
was guilty, 116; his relations with Logan of Restalrig, 156, 157
Guevara, Sir John (cousin of Lord Willoughby), his share in kidnapping
Ashfield, 139; cited, 146, 218
Gunnisgreen, Logan of Restalrig's residence, 162
Gunton, Mr. (Librarian at Hatfield), on Logan's letters, 239, 241
* * * * *
HADDINGTON, Earl of, in possession of records of Sprot's private
examinations, 173, 174; the torn letter, 216, 217; copies of Logan's
letters (I, IV), 224; documents written by Sprot, 241
Hailes, Lord, cited, 62 note; on a contemporary treatise in vindication
of the Ruthvens, 81; his romantic story concerning the Master of Ruthven,
132
Hall, Rev. John, his objection to acceptance of James's narrative, 103;
restored to his pulpit, 105; present when Sprot confessed to forgery of
the Logan letters, 186; at Sprot's examination, 217, 220, 226
Hamilton, Lord, asked to head the party of the Kirk, 177
Hamilton of Grange, at the slaughter of the Ruthvens, 19
Hamilton, Sir Thomas (the King's Advocate), 64; preserves the records of
Sprot's private examinations, 173, 174; at Sprot's examinations, 201,
210; Sprot's model letter delivered to him, 224
Hamilton, Thomas, on the doors passed through by the Master and James to
reach the turret, 52
Hart, Sir William (Chief Justice), his account of Sprot's examinations
and trial, 168, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 220
Hay, George (lay Prior of the Chartreux in Perth), on Henderson and the
Falkland ride, 45; on Henderson's message to Gowrie from the Master, 65;
at Perth on August 5th, 137
Hay, Peter, on Henderson and the Falkland ride, 45
Heddilstane, 196; receipts from Logan to him forged by Sprot, 199;
blackmailed by Sprot, 199
Henderson, Andrew, with the Master of Ruthven at Gowrie House, 43;
accompanies the Master on a mission to James at Falkland, and sent with a
message to Gowrie, 44; enjoined by Gowrie to keep this ride secret, 44,
45; Robertson's evidence respecting his presence in the death chamber,
60, 61; other theories on the same, 61 note; his flight after the affray,
60, 62; proclaimed by Galloway as the man in the turret, 63: reasons for
his flight, 64; examined before the Lords, 64; his narrative of the
events leading to the tragedy, 64; incidents at Falkland, 65; the
Master's message to Gowrie, 65; bidden to put on a coat of mail by
Gowrie, 66; waits on the King at dinner, 65; sent to the Master in the
gallery, 66; locked in the turret by the Master, 66; accordance of his
account of the final scenes in the tragedy with that of the King, 66;
states that he threw the dagger out of the Master's hand, 66;
discrepancies in his later deposition, 67; in his second deposition omits
the statement that he deprived the Master of his dagger, 67; his version
of the words exchanged between the Master and James in the turret
chamber, 68; the question of his disarming the Master, 69; on what was
his confession modelled, 70; clings to the incident of the garter, 70;
the most incredible part of his narrative, 70; perils to him in listening
to treasonable proposals from the Ruthvens, 72; Robert Oliphant's
statement contrasted with his, 75, 77; quarrels with Herries, 77, 78;
Rev. Mr. Bruce's attitude towards his deposition, 103, 104; said to have
been induced by the Rev. Mr. Galloway to pretend to be the man in the
turret, 114; share in the Gowrie affair, 145; questioned by Moncrieff,
145
Henry, Prince (son of James VI and his heir), in the charge of Mar, 138
Heron, Captain Patrick, his career, 76 note; seizes, by commission,
Oliphant's portable property and claps him in prison in the Gate House of
Westminster, 76; compelled to restore Oliphant's property, 77
Herries, Dr., at the King's hunt at Falkland, 12; at Gowrie House when
the Ruthvens were killed, 20, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31; his share in the
affray, 59, 85; wounded by Cranstoun, 74; quarrels with Henderson, 77;
knighted and rewarded, 78; fable of his prophecy to Beatrix Ruthven, 131
Hewat, Rev. Peter, accepts James's narrative, 102, 103; at Sprot's
examination, 186, 217, 220, 226
History of the Kirk of Scotland (MS.), cited, 164
Hogg, Rev. William (minister of Aytoun), on the Logan plot-letters, 243
Home, Lady, aware of Logan's desire to obtain Dirleton, 207, 208
Home, (sixth) Lord, in communication with Bothwell, 129, 130, 152, 205,
206, 207
Home, Lord (Logan's uterine brother), 184, 187, 205; Logan's contempt for
him as a conspirator, 237
Home, William (sheriff clerk of Berwick), on the Logan plot-letters, 243
Horne, John (notary in Eyemouth), on the Logan plot-letters, 243
Horse, King James's, his part in the Gowrie mystery, 22
Hudson, Mr. (James's resident at the Court of England), interviews the
King and Henderson on the transactions in the turret chamber, 67, 69
note; his explanation of the origin of differences between the King's
narrative and Henderson's evidence, 69
Hume of Cowdenknowes (married to Gowrie's sister Beatrix), 124
Hume of Godscroft, on a message from the Earl of Angus to Gowrie's father
in conspiracy, 121, 122
Hume of Manderston, 187
Hume of Rentoun, 196
Hume, Sir George, of Spot, 64
* * * * *