Holyrood-house 20th january 1603

Extracts from the records of the Privy Council of Scotland
Sederunt-Chancellor; Mar; Uchiltrie; Elphingstoun; Fyvie; Neubottle; Spynie; Treasurer; Halirudhous; Tracquir; Conservator; Elimosinar. Inasmuch as, "upoun occasioun of the rebellioun and dissobedyence professit and avowit within the bounds of Angus be a nowmer of undeutifull and disloyall subjectis," who seem to be "upoun some unhappy practize and course for troubling of the present estate", his Majesty intendis in propir persone to repair to the saidis boundis and thair to remane quhill the intendit rebellioun be setled and the authouris thairof accordinglie tane ordour with and puneist,"-there is order to charge "all and sindrie erllis, lordis, baronis and landit gentlemen, valiant tuentie chalderis of v ictuall or tua thousand merkis of yeirlie rent, within the boundis of the schirefdomes of Fy ffe, Kinros, Perth, Forfair and Kincairdin, togidder with the inhabitantis of the burrowis within the saidis boundis," to meet his Majesty, “ weill bodin in feir of weir, with tuentie day is v ictuallis and provisioun," as follows:-"The saidis inhabitantis to burgh and land within the sherefdomes of Fy ffe, Kinros, Perth and Forfair, to convene and meit his Majestie at the burgh of Dundee upoun the ny nt day of Februair nixt to come, and the saidis inhabitantis to burgh and land within the sherefdome of Kincairdin, to meit his Majestie in Brechin upoun the tent day of the said moneth of Februair nixt to come," under the pain of tinsall of ly ffe, landis and guidis." Sederunt-Cancellarius; Cassillis; Mar; Lev ingstoun; Newbotle; Fyv ie; Thesaurarius;
Secretarius; Blantyre; Murdocairny ; Kinlos; Advocatus; Dunkeld; Clericus Justiciarie; Custos Secreti Sigilli; Tracquair; Clericus Registri; Elimosinarius. The Lords, with consent of Mr. Alexander Kinros, procurator for Johnne, Earl of Gowry, and Dame Dorathie Stewart, Countess of Gowry, and of Williame Drummond of Pitcairnis, procurator for Patrik, Lord Drummond, continue the action pursued by the said earl and countess against the said lord to 22nd May next. His Majesty being “myndit, God willing to repair sehortlie to the burrowis of Perth, Dundie, and Montrois, and to mak his residence thair, and in sum utheris partis thairaboute, a certane space, for doing of sindrie effairis appointit to be treated on in these placeis, and seing occasioun will sumty mes present to his Majestie to visite the feildis and tak his pastyme in hunting for his bettir recreatioun the tyme of his Majesteis thair being, and willing thairfoir that in the meanty me, quhill his Hienes cuming to the saidis partis, all utheris forbeir to use ony hunting within ony parteewest thairunto, quhairthrow his Majestie be not frustrat of the contentment and plesour of his Hienes pastymes and huntingis," there is order to the lieges, by open proclamation at the market crosses of Perth, Dundie, and Monros, not to hunt within four miles of the said burghs till his Highness shall remove furth of the bounds of Angus and Perthshire, pain of incurring the King's wrath and of being punished as "contempnaris and v iolateris” of this proclamation. Sederunt-Cancellarius; Fyvie; Thesaurarius ; Secretarius Advocatus; Computorum Rotulator; "Forsamekle as it is laitlie cum to the knawlege of the Lordis of his Hey nes Prevey Counsale of ane lait intendit treasoun, be umquhile Johne, Erll. of Gowrie, and Mr. Alexander Ruthv en, his brother germane, aganis the persone of his Majestie, quhome God preserv e, and becaus his Hey nes, praisit be God, be his michtie hand, by all expectatioun, is sav it and preservit: thairfore, willing that thankis be gev in to Almichtie God, the onlie instrument of that preserv atioun, and in consideratioun of the small boundis of any of the perroche kirkis within this burgh to contein the multitude, the saidis Lordis hes thairfore thocht meitest, be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat croce of this burgh, to notifie the said happie deliverance of oure Sov erane Lord fra the said perrill and danger, with the death of the saidis tratouris, sua worthelie deserv it, and thairfore requireing thame, as it is the pairt of all hiss deutifull subjectis, to rander thankis to God for his said deliverie, and in taikin of thair joy caus the haill bellis within the burgh to be rung, and at nycht caus mak banefy reis, alswele within this burgh as within the Cannoingait and v illage of Ley th, efter the accustomat forme observit in the ly ke caissis, for the uttering of the joy of his Majesteis happie deliverance; and hes ordanit Mr. Dav id Lindsay to prais God within the kirk for the same, and ordanis the people to accumpany him to that effect." The fam ous and my sterions incident in hav ing ridden to Perth,- and been receiv ed into Gowrie House there, with only a few of Conspiracy " had occurred at Perth on the his courtiers in attendance, had been lured alone into one of the room s of the house, and attacked. dregged about, and nearly murdered, where, prov identially, his v oice at one of the fr om the King to the Council, had reached windows had alarmed the courtiers outside, Edinburgh from Falkland before ten o'clock and they had rushed in by different staircases, on the m orning of the 6th. Substantially, it slain the two brothers. and sav ed his Majesty unhurt. This was the substance of the story as it was bruited abroad in Edinburgh and the m orning, had been induced by Mr. Alexander Ruthven, a y ounger brother of the Earl of thence reported that day in letters sent to Gowrie, to ride with him hastily to Perth, England. All the other details, as they are where Mr. Alexander said he had a suspicious now to be read in accounts of the Gowrie fellow, with a large pot of foreign gold in Conspiracy, were gathered gradually. A col- his possession, ly ing under arrest for his lection of these details, am ounting to what Majesty 's inspection, and that his Majesty, may be called the com plete contemporary having been educated at the Univ ersity of narrativ e put forth in print by his Majesty 's command about a m onth after the occurrence, Rollock, he had been abroad for fiv e y ears, will be found in Calderwood, v i 27 -76 ; but it is to he rem em bered that additional infor- where in Italy, and trav elling in France and mation, supposed to throw much new light on Switzerland; in which last country he had the affair, cam e out unexpectedly eight y ears afterwards. For the m ost m odern digests of the story, as m odified by this m inute later had returned to Scotland in May 1600, not information, the reader m ay be referred to three m onths before this catastrophe, having Ty tler's History of Scotland and to Burton's. passed through London on his way, and been Both these authorities are perfectly conv inced receiv ed there with marked attention by of the reality of a conspiracy of som e kind Queen Elizabeth. The reputation with which against the King by the two Gowrie brothers; he returned was that of being a y outh of and Ty tler -whose particular construction of exceptional gifts and prom ise, deeply tinctured the affair seem s to be that the original inten- with a passion for those occult studies and tion of the two brothers, andof their secret speculations m natural magic which con - confidant Logan of Restalrig , was to bring sitiuted the chem ical and phy siological science about a politicalrev olution by kidnappmg of his tim e, but who had nevertheless pre- the King in Perth, conv ey ing him down the serv ed intact his fidelity to the Protestant Tay, and so by sea to Logan's im pregnable faith, and to the Presby terian form of it, house of Fastcastle, ov erhanging the German through all the tem ptations of his residence Ocean on the Berwickshire coast -is so sure abroad. Nothing m ore likely , it was thought, that there was a real conspiracy in this or in than that he would act a distinguished part som e other form that he sum s up by say ing, in the politics of his nativ e country , and “He who doubts must be t oo desperate in his nothing m ore certain than that, if he did so, scepticism to be reached by any ev idence it would be in the path of popular and Pres- whatev er." At our present date, however, by terian leadership which was pointed out to when nothing had y et been heard of Logan him by the traditions of his fam ily, and espe- of Restalrig in connexion with the affair, cially by the example of his father, the Earl of Gowrie of Ruthv en Reid celebrity, that connexion, and when all that the Edin- burgh people had to judge by was the strange such m em orable circum stances in 1584. story of the pot of gold, &c., reported from cam e afterwards to be of so much conse- unnatural. That som ething extraordinary quence. Though the present Earl had been had happened in Gowrie House at Perth, and but eight y ears of age at the tim e of his that the two y oung brothers had been left father 's execution, was not that fact the corpses there, was too certain ; but had there deepest thing in his m em ory, and had not he been a conspiracy , and, if so, had it been on and all the rest of the Gowrie fam ily been their side? The reasons for this scepticism are brought up by their m other, the still liv ing stated m inutely and connectedly by Calder- Countess-Dowager of Gowrie, in a kind of wood, at pp. 66-75 of his account as abov e. religious belief that their father's death had They were founded partly on the wild nature of the story in general, partly on certain rev enge take only the legitimate form of a discrepancies in the relations of different political leadership rev iving the m em ory of witnesses, but chiefly on the characters and his father and the principles of the Ruthven antecedents of the two brothers. -They were Raid Association, or m ight it not, on oppor- tunity, take som e m ore daring and desperate nobility , handsom e, amiable, and unusually form ? So far as had appeared by his public accom plished, the Earl only twenty -three conduct since his return to Scotland, there years of age, and his br other Alexander only had been nothing illegitimate in his inten- tions. He had been a good deal about Court; an object of much Public interest. After distinctly to the opposition party in the diately on the receipt of the news and of his recent Convention of Estates at Holyrood, Majesty 's letter, and required at once to and had acted a rather signal part in that collect their oongregations for publication of Convention by his speech against the King 's the facts and thanksgiving to God for his demand for large supplies for a forcible and Majesty 's deliv ery, had declined to do so till immediate assertion of his Majesty 's right to they had further ev idence of the truth of the English succession (ante p. 122, footnote), there had been nothing v ery peculiar in that, nothing to distinguish him from others of the Majesty 's letter was read to them , containing nobility and barons, including Lord Presi- a command for such proclamation and thanks- dent Fyv ie-Little wonder that, in these giv ing, and though Dr. Dav id Lindsay , circurnstances, people about Edinburgh were m inister of Leith, arriv ing from Falkland at greatly perplexed, as well as greatly shocked, the m om ent, added his assurances as to the by the dreadful news which cam e from Perth verity of the reported facts, they remained on the 6th of August 1600. The theory pro- firm in their refusal. If the Earl and his pounded for public belief then was that the brother had been guilty of the alleged treason, y oung Earl had, after all, been plotting a Ma - then, saud the clergy, none would be readier chiavellian revenge on the King personally, than they to doom their nam es to eternal had drawn his y ounger brither into the plot, infamy; but m eanwhile the m atter seem ed and had lured his Mjesty to Gowrie House dubious, and they must forbear. TheCouncil, in such a wild-brained fashion for the purpose accordingly, had to commute the King's order of either kidnapping or m urdering him .But for a distributiv e thanksgiv ing by all the could that theory be at once adopted. The clergy of the city in their respectiv e churches into the present order for a publication of the facts to a gathered multitude at the unrevealed, nothing kept back on the Kings market-cross with a general ringing of bells, side, that. m ight have accounted for a sudden to be followed by bonfires at night. The ser- scuffle between him and them without any vices at the m arket cross were, in fact, con - treasonable prem editation on their part ! ducted by Mr. Dav id Lindsay in the presence Such a suspicion, strenuously maintained ev en of the Council. " fter he had made an yet in som e quarters (see a long Note on the harrangue for the purpose," say s Calderwood, subject in v ol. iii. of Dr. Russell's edition of “ the people discov ered hads, praised Spottiswoode's Ristory, published in 1 851; and God; the bells rang ; the cannons of the see also Mr. Andrew Bisset's Essay s on His- Castell were shorr betweene three and foure torical Trulh, published in 1 871), haunted efter noone ; and bonfires were sett out before many minds at the tim e, and, abov e all, the Edinburgh clergy. Hence, indeed, the peculiar thought the Counsell had been satisfied. form of the present Council order. For,though This note may help to explain som e of the the order itself is silent on the subject, the succeeding entries relating to the Gowrie Con - Edinburgh clergy, hav ing been sent for by spiracy . Ev ery one of these is giv en in Chancellor Montrose and the Council imme- Sederunt-Lennox; Cancellarius; Mar; Thesaurarius; Secretarius; Computorum Rotulator; “Forsasmekle as umquhill Johnne, Erll of Gourie, and Mr. Alexander Ruthven, his brother, hav eing maist traterouslie conspirit and div isit the death and distrouctioun of the Kingis Majestie, and in the actuall executioun of thair horrible and monstrous practize aganis his Hey nes roy all persone thay being baith maist worthelie slane and his Majestie deliverit and relev it of that danger, thay be thair saidis tressonable practizeils have incurrit the pane of forfaltour of all thair landis and heritageis, and the samy n, be the prev ilege of his Majesteis crowne, lawis of this realme, and Actis of Parliament, will fall and become in his Majesteis handis, and aucht and sould be annext to his Hey nes propertie: and thairfore ordanis letters to be direct to officeris of airmes, schireffis in that pairt, chargeine, thame to pas and in his Hey nes name and authoritie fens and arreist all and sindrie mailleis, fermes, rentis, teyndis, and dewteis of quhatsomov ir landis, heritageis, takis, steidingis, baroneyis, kirkis, rowmes, and possessionis, pertening to the said umquhill Erll, and Mr. Alexander Ruffiv en, his brother, to remane undir arreistment at his Majesteis instance, unmellit, intrometit with or disponit in onywy se, ay and.quhill his Majestie, with avise of his Counsale, tak ordoure be forme of justice anent the imbringing of the same to his Hey nes use, or utherwyse as his Majestie sail direct and appoint: certefeing thame quha sall dispone or put away ony pairt of the saidis maillis, fermes, and dewteis that not onlie sall they be compellit to mak double pay ment thairof to his Hey nes, bot they salbe repute, haldin, and estemit as assistairis and moyennaris for the saidis tressonable tratouris and thair compliceis, and salbe persewit and punist thairfore with all rigour and extremitie.” Sederunt -Chancellor; Glasgw; Treasurer; Melros; Lothiane; Lauderdaill; Carnegye; Privy Seal; Justice Clerk; Clerk Register; Advocate; Kilsy th; Innerteeill; Ridhous; Curryhill; Forasmekle as, unquhill Johnne Erll of Gowrie, and Mr. Alexander Ruthiven, his brother, being in the actuall executioun of a maist horrible and traterous conspiracie aganis the Kingis Majesteis roy all persone within the said Erllis awin ludgeing within the burgh of Perth, it hes pleisit God maist miracoulouslie to deliver his Majestie fra thair intendit treasoun, and to turne thair traterous practizeis upoun thameselffis, quha hes worthelie sufferit death as they wer in the actuall persute of his Majesteis persone: quhairfore necessar it is that the corpis of the saidis umquhill Erll and Mr. Alexander be keipit and preservit quhill forder ordure be tane in the matter as appertenis: and thairfore ordanis letters to be direct to offiv ers of armes, shereffis in that pairt, chairgeing thame to pass, command and charge the baillies of the burgh of Perth to preserve and keip the corpis, and body is of the saidis umquhill Erll and Mr. Alexander. unburey it, ay and quhill they undirstand forder of his Hey nes will and pleasour thairanent, as they will ansuer to his Majestie upoun thair obedience at thair heichest charge and perrell." “Forasmekle as, unquhill Johnne Erll of Gowrie, and Mr Alexander Ruthven, his brother, hav ing maist traterouslie div isit and conspyrit the death and distructioun of the Kingis Majestie, oure Soverane Lord, be sic a detestable and horrible manner as hes nor bene hard of in na kingdome or age, it hes pleisit Almichtie God, quha evir hes had a cair ouer his Majesteis persone, maist miracoulouslie to deliver his Heynes of that monstrous and disperat treasone, and in justice to punische the saidis treasonable tratouris and conspiratouris, quha hes alreddy sufferit a pairt of the punischement worthie of thair deserv ingis: yit his Majestie, with av ise of his Counsale, being my ndit to tak forder tryall in this mater, and finding that it can nawy se stand with his Majesteis honnour, suirtie of his Heynes persone, that ony personis of ather sex, man or woman, of the name of Ruthven salbe sufferit to have acces or presence at his Majesteis courte, or in ony uther pairt quhair his Majestie or the Quene, his darrest bedfellow, do resorte or repair, -thairfore ordanis letters to be direct to command and charge all and sindrie personis, man and woman, of the name of Ruthven, presentlie attending and awaiting upoun his Majestie or the Quene his darrest spous, that they, within the space of fourty aucht houris efter the publicatioun heirof, remove and depairt fra the placeis of thair Hey nes residence, and that they nor na utheris of the said name of Ruthven presume nor tak upoun hand to resorte or repair at ony tyme heirefter within the space of ten myllis to thair Majesteis personis, undir the pane of deid: certefeing thame that salbe apprehendit in contravening of this present proclamatioun, or that salbe tryit to have contravenit the same in ony point, that they salbe immediatlie sercheit, socht and apprehendit, and the pane of deid salbe execute upoun thame without fav our or mercy ." The Kingis Majestie and Lordis of Secrete Counsale, in respect of the lait traterous and horrible treasone dev isit and intendit to have bene execute aganis his Hey nes maist noble persoun be umquhill Johnne, Erll of Gowry, and Mr. Alexander Ruthven, his brother, fra the quhilk it hes pleasit Almichtie God maist miracoulouslie to deliver and releve his Hey nes, ordanis letters to be direct to officeris of armes, shereffis in that pairt, chargeing thame to pas and, in his Hey nes name and authoritie, command and charge the hav airis, keipairis and detenairis quhatsumevir of the said umquhill Erllis castellis, touris, and fortaliceis of Ruthven, Strabrane, and ludgeing within the burgh of Perth, to rander and deliv er the same, with the guidis and geir being thairintill upoun inventair, to his Majesteis thesaurair in his Hey nes name, or sic as the said thesaurair sall appoint and direct with sufficient pouer and commissioun to ressav e the same, and that they remove thameselffis and thair serv andis furth thairof within six houris nixt efter the charge, undir the pane of tressoun: with certificatioun to tbame, and they failyie, they salbe repute, haldin, persewit, and demanit as tratouris, and the proces and dome of forfaltour salbe led aganis thame, conforme to the lawis of this realme and Actis of Parliament." " Forsamekle as, be the lait traterous and maist detestible treasoun and conspiracie div isit be umquhill Johnne, Erll of Gowry, and Mr. Alexander Ruthven, his brother, aganis the Kingis Majestie oure Soverane Lordis awin persone, fra the quhilk it hes pleisit Almichtie God maist miracoulouslie to deliver his Heynes quhen the saidis treasounable tratouris wer in the verie actuall executionn of thair precogitat and foirthocht treasone, the haill landis, lordschippis, baroney ies, rowmes, and possessionis pertening to the saidis treasonable tratouris ar fallin and become in his Majesteis handis, and ar at his Hey nes gift and dispositioun be the previlege of his crowne,lawis of this realme and Actis of Parliament; and his Majestie being my ndit to do nathing rashelie and uanadvisedlie, outhir be appointing of factouris and chalmerlenis to the rentis and lev ingis of the saidis tratouris, or be making of unproffitable gifftis and dispositionis of ony pairt of the same: thairfore his Majestie promittis, in the word of a prince, that thair salbe na factouris, chalmerlanis, nor intromettouris appointed be his Hey nes to ony pairt of the rentis and lev ingis of the saidis traitouris bot be the advise and consent of his Majesteis thesaurair and comptroller, to quhais charge and office the same properlie appertenis, and, forder, that his Majestic sall mak na dispositioun, rycht, title, or uther securetie be write or promeis of ony landis, lordschippis, barony is, officeis, beneficeis, tey ndis or utheris casualiteis pertening of befoir to the saidis tressounable tratouris and conpiratouris, bot be the avise of the Lordis of his Majesteis Privy Counsale and na utherwyse.” Sederunt-REGE PRESENTE-Lennox; Cancellarius; Angus; Mar; Setoun; Horne; Uchiltrie; Fyvie; Neubottle; Thesaurarius; Blanty re; Secretarius; Kinlos; Dunkeld; Advocatus; Halyruid- hous; Clericus Justiciarie; Privy Seal; Collector; Comptroller; Clericus Registri; Tracquar - “Forsamekle as, the death and distrouctioun of the Kingis Majestie oure Soverane being of lait maist traterouslie conspirit be umquhile Johnne, Erll of Goury, and Mr. Alexander Ruthv en, his brother, and they being in the very actuall executioun of thair intendit treasoun within the Erllis awin ludgeing within the burgh of Perth, quhairunto they had craved his Hey nes for that effect upoun the fy ft of this instant, it pleisit God, quha ev ir hes cairfullie watcheit ouer his Hey nes persone, maist miracoulouslie and wounderfullie; by all expectatioun, to deliver and freith his Majestie of that imminent danger and perrell, with the dew punischement of the saidis tressonable tratouris and conspiratouris; for the quhilk happie and blissed deliv erie as his Majestie and all deutifull and loving subjectis hes gude caus to continew thankfull to God, sua his Majestie, be av ise of his Counsale, hes concludit and resolved that his Hey nes, in per-petuall memorie of the said happie deliverie, sall mak ane speciall dispositioun and mortificatioun to the puir of the sowme of ane thowsand pundis yeirlie furth of the reddiest of the fruitis, rentis and dewteis of the Abbey of Scone, quhilk is now become and fallin in his Majesteis handis: ly ke as his Hey nes hes remittit the forme and maner of the said mortificatioun, and how the same sowme salbe imployed, to the Lordis of his Hey nes Prevey Counsale." “Forsamekle as all and sindrie landis, lordschippis, baroneyis, rowmes, officeis and possessionis, qukilkis pertenit of befoir to umquhill Johnne Erll of Goury , and Mr. Alexander Ruthven, his brother, ar now fallin and becomein in his Majesteis handis be the lait traterous and horrible conspiracie div isit and intendit be thame aganis the sacred and roy all persone of his Majestie, and his Majestie and Lordis of his Secrete Counsale considering how that his Hey nes hes bene and is ly ke to be gretlie impascheit and preist be inoportune suteairis to mak present dispositioun of the forfaltouris and eschettis of the saidis personis, thay nather yit being forfaltit nor ony consideratioun tane of his Hey nes awin necesseteis nor of the qualitie and quantitie of the thing craved and worthynes of the cravair, quhairthrow, be the suddane and unadvised satisfeing of the desyreis of the saidis importune suteairis and craveairis, the dew circumstanceis not wele considerit, his Majestie may be gretlie interest and prejugeit: thairfore his Majestie, with av ise of the Lordis of his Secrete Counsale, hes resolved and concludit that his Majestie sall mak na gift nor promeis of ony gift, infeftment, dispositioun or presentatioun of ony landis, heritageis, beneficeis, guidis, or officeis, pertening to the said umquhill Erll and his said brother, quhill his Majesteis nixt Parliament,-at quhilk tyme his Majestie and his Counsale hes now thocht meit and concludit that the thrie gentilmen quha undir God wer the authouris of the preservatioun of his Majesteis ly ff and deliverie of his Hey nes fra the horrible treason intendit aganis him salbe honorablie rewairdit according to thair worthie deserv ingis be the full authoritie and consent of Parliament, and that the caussis quhairby they have deservit the said rewaird salbe be specialie ingrossit and insert in thair infeftmentis,-.and that efter the said Parliament his Majestie sall mak na gift, infeftment or dispositioun of ony of the saidis landis, heritageis, rowmes, officeis, possessionis, and guidis without the avise and consent of the Lordis of his Hey nes Prevey Counsale, and that efter gude consideratioun had of the materis craved, the v aliditie thairof, and the deserving and meriteis of the personis craveand: certefeing all and sindrie personis that sall impesche, importoune, preis or urge his Majestie utherwy se that, besy dis the denyall of thair suittis, thay sall incur his Heynes wraith and indiggnatioun: dischargeing heirby all the keipairis of his Majesteis registeris and seillis of all passing or expeiding throw the same registeris and seillis of ony infeftment, giftis or dispositionis aganis the meaning and tennour of the present act, and of thair officeis in that pairt." The King had returned to Edinburgh Lindsay, a ceremonious sitting of the King in from Falkland, by way of the Firth of Forth state at the market cross of Edinburgh, and another sermon and thanksgiving there, with a narrative of the incidents of the Gowrie there was a great volley of cannon and hacque- Conspiracy, by Mr. Patrick Galloway, another buts in welcome, followed by a sermon of courtly preacher. See the discourse in Cal- thanksgiving in Leith Church by Mr. David “Forsamekle as, umquhill Johnne, Erll of Gowry, and Mr. Alexander Ruthv en, his brother, hav eing maist traterouslie divisit and conspirit the death and distructioun of the Kingis Majestie, oure Soverane Lord, be sic a detestable and horrible maner as lies not bene hard of in ony kingdome or age, it pleisit almichtie God, quha ev ir hes had a cair of his Hey nes persone, maist miracoulouslie and wounderfullie to deliver his Majestie of that detestable treasoun; efter the quhilk happie deliverie and thankis gev in thairfore be his Hey nes to God, his Majestie imediatlie be writ acquentit the Lordis of his Hey nes Prevey Counsale alswele of the said intendit treasoun as of the said happie deliv erie and desyrit thame to command the ministeris; of Edinburgh to have convenit thair severall flokis in thair awin kirkis, and thair publietlie to have intimat to the people the said treasoun and to have gev in thankis to God for the said deliverie of his Majesteis noble persone: Ly ke as, the saidis Lordis hav eing convenit befoir thame Maisteris Robert Bruce, James Balfoure, Mr. William Watsoun, and Mr.Johnne Hall, ministeris of Edinburgh, upoun the sext day of August instant, and the saidis Lordis hav eing at lenth oppynnit up unto thame the haill forme, maner, and circumstanceis of the said treassoun, quhilk wes alsua affermit in thair presence be a honnest and famous gentilman quha wes present and a ey -witnes at Perth with his Majestie, and for thair farther satisfactioun the saidis Lordis having produceit and schawin to thame his Hey nes awin missive and write in this mater, and thairfore, according to his Hey nes directioun, having instantlie delt and trav ellit with the saidis ministeris, and haveing commandit thame to have repairit to thair pulpettis and kirkis, and to have certifeit the people of the said tressoun, and to hav e thankit God for the said happie deliv erie, the saidis ministeris maist undewtifullie, mistrusting his Majestie and the undoutit treuth of this horrible treasoun, refuisit to obey his Hey nes and the saidis Lordis: For the quhilk thay , and Mr. Waltir Baleanquell, minister, quha wes absent the said first day be ressoun of his seiknes, being now callit and compeirand befoir his Majestie and a grete nowmer of his Hey nes Prev ey Counsale, and his Majestie and his Counsale haveing hard thair pretendit excuissis, and finding thame still constant in thair distrust and doubt he thair wilfull and obstinat refusaill v it to assuir and certifie the people of the said intendit treasoun aganis his Majestie nochtwihsatnding the constant and trew reporte and declaratioun quhilk thay have hard, alswele of certane of his Majesteis nobilitie, quha wes present with his Majestie at Perth, as be the Lordis of his Hey nes Prevy Counsale and be his Hey nes awin minister: The Kingis Majestie and Lordis of Serete Counsale thairfore findis, decernis, and declaris that the saidis Mr. Robert Bruce, Mr. Waltir Balcanquell, Mr James Balfoure, Mr. William Watsoun, and Mr. Johnne Hall, hes, maist undeutifullie behavit thameselffis to his Majestie in, the matter abonewritten, and that they ar not worthie to be sufferit to speik or preiche publictlie to his Hey nes peopill at ony tyme heirefter; and thairfore his Majestie and the saidis Lordis hes dischargeit, and, be thir presentis dishargeis, the saidis fyve ministeris of all preiching or speiking publictlie to his Heynes subjectis in ony pairt of this realme at ony tyme heirefter, undir the pane of deid; and forder ordanis and commandis thame to remove and depairt furth of the burgh of Edinburgh within fourty aucht houris efter the dait heirof, and on nawyse to resorte or repair in ony pairt within the space of ten myllis to the said burgh of Edinburgh heirefter, undir the said pane of deid: and ordanis intimatioun to be maid heirof be oppin proclamatioun at the mereat croce of Edinburgh, quhairthrow nane pretend ignorance of the same." “Anent the charge gevin be vertew of oure Soverane Lordis letters to George Craigingelt, Hew Moncreiff, Andro Hendirsoun, chalmerlane of Scone, Patrik Ev iot, brother to the Laird of Bowsie, Hary and Alexander Ruthvenis, brether to Mr. William Ruthven, to have comperit personalie befoir the Kingis Majestie and Lordis of Secrete Counsale this day, v iz., the twelft day of August instant, to have answerit to sic thingis as sould have bene inquirit of thame at thair comeing and layd to thair charge, tuicheing the lait reasounable conspiracie div isit aganis his Hey nes royall persone be the umquhill Johnne, Erll of Gowry, and Mr. Alexander Ruthven, his brother, undir the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne, with certificatioun to thame and they failyeit letters sould direct simpliciter to put thame thairto,-lyke as at mair lenth is contenit in the saidis letters, executionis and indorsationis thairof. Quhilkis being callit and the saidis personis not compeirand, the Kingis Majestie and Lordis of Secrete Counsall ordanis letters to he direct to denunce thame." George Craigingelt was steward or master Andrew Readerson being the m ost im portant of the household in the Gowry , family , and of all on the King 's side.though the whisper had witnessed a g ood deal of the fatel fray in ran am ong the obstinately sceptical that Gowrie House, and distinguished him self in the latter part of the fray by appearing for the defence of the Earl with a drawn two-handed com e forward in that character. -Am ong other sword, and guarding therewith the back gate persons sought out and brought to account or examination in connexion with the con - Ev iot were likewise persons in the serv icee cf spiracy were Mr. Thomas Cranstoun,brother of the y oung Earl, and had m ade tbem slev es con- Sir John Cranstoun of that Ilk, a John Mac- spicuous in his defence. Andrew Henderson, duff or Baron, Mr. William Rhynd, and Jam es the Earl's cham berlain, had declared him self Wemy ss of Bogie. Cranstoun had stood by to be the my sterious man in arm our, who had the Earl when he was killed, and had struck been posted in the turret-chamber in Gowrie out and been wounded, in his defence. Baron, House to await the King's com ing and had an officer of the Earl's, had taken a m inor part witnessed the whole of the scuffle there between the King and Mr. Alexander Ruthven, but had was the Earl's tutor, and had been with him been so paraly sed by fear and surprise that he since his boyhood, and had accom panied him was unable to stir him self at first for the in his travels ; and what was wanted from him was ev idende as to the Earl's private habits Ruthven were relatives of the Gowrie fam ily, and usual topics of conv ersation. Sim ilar who had taken part in the defence of the ev idence was wanted from Wemy ss of Bogie, Earl,-the latter apparently the "Alexander a y oung man of about twenty -six y ears of Ruthven of Forgun" of whom it was reported age, who had been a good deal in the Earl's that, when the Earl was dead, he called up to society since his return to Scotland, and had the King " Com e doun, thou son of Signior heard him talk of strange chem ical and phy si- Dav ie: thou hast slain an honester m an nor ological secrets he had learnt in Italy. The thy self. " Though none of these appeared on ev idence of this last had, in part at least, the present occasion, the ev idence of som e been already taken at Falkland before sev en of them was obtained afterwards, -that of Sederunt-ut in die subsequente. “Anent the chairg gev in be vertew of our Soverane Lordis letteris to Androw Johnestoun, burges of Perth, to hav e comperit personallie befoir the Kingis Majestie and Lordis of Secret Counsell this present day, viz., the nyntein day of Augast instant, to have answerit to sic thingis as sould have bein inquyrit of him at his cumming and layd to his chairg, tuiching the lait tresonable conspiracie devysit and intendit to have bein execut aganis his Hienes royall persoun be umquhill Johne, Erll of Gowrie, and Maister Alexander Ruthven his brother, under the paine of rebellioun and putting of him to the horn with, vertificatioun to him and he faily eit letteris sould be direct simpliciter to put him thairto -ly ke as at mair lenth is contenit in the saidis letters, executionis and indorsationis thairof. Quhillkis being callik and the said Androw not comperand, the Kingis Majestie and Lordis of Secret Counsell thairfoir ordanis letteris to be direct chairging officeris of armes to pas and denunce the said Androw rebell." Sederunt- -PRESENTE REGE---Lennox; Cancellarius; Athoill ; Thesaurarius; Secretarius; Dunkeld; Advocatus; Computorum Rotulator; Spot; Murdocairny ; Halhill “Forsameikill as the Kingis Majestie, with advyce of the commissioneris of the Generall Assemblie, hes appointit ane solemne and publict thanks gev ing to be maid and keipit in all the kirkis of this realme, upoun the last Tuy sday of September nixt and the Sabbothe nixt and immediatlie following thairefter, for, his Hienes miraculous preservatioun and delyverie frome the treasonable and cruell inv asioun of his Majesteis ly fe, attempted at Sanct Johnestoun be umquhill Johne, Erle of Gowrie, Maister Alexander Ruthven, his brother, and thair associattis: lyk as his Majestie and the saidis commissioneris hes fund guid and concludit that the haill Prov inciall Assembleis salbe haldin in the thrid Tuysday of September, to the effect that the maist convenient forme for the honour of God and steiring up of his Majesteis subjectis to thankfulnes in everie province may be condiscendit upoun and keipit with uniformitie: thairfoir ordanis letteris to be direct to mak publict intimatioun heirof be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat croces of the heid burrowis of this realme, quhairthrow nane pretend ignorance, and to command and chairge the haill ministeris to keip the saidis Assembleis cairfullie, and all his Majesteis subjectis to convein the saidis dayis and keip the ordour to be prescryvit, as thay will ansuer to his Majestie upoun the contrarie, and will gif his Hienes a testimonie of thair trew affectioun to his Majestie and the quyetnes of his estait." The purpose of this visit nf the Wing and King's side and that he had gone to Perth to Court to Glasgow seems to have been to kill the Earl (see Calderwood, vi.'h77-82). On Saturday the 23rd of August Mr. Thomas generally on the great subject of the Gowrie Conspiracy . There were, of course, speeches and part in the Gowrie treason, for their Glasgow city authorities; and on the very several shares in the fray at Gowrie House day of this council entry Mr. Patrick (see footnote ante, p. 150), -not one of them having confessed to any knowledge preached a sermon on the subject in his Majesty ’s presence in one of the Glasgow Henderson and Mr. William Rhynd were
pulpits, full of details, and directed especially still under examination ; and the torture of against that malicious interpretation of the the boot had been applied to Rhynd. Facts which insisted that the plot was on the Sederunt-PRESENTE REGE; Mar; Fleming; Thesaurius; Computorum Rotulator; Spott “Forsameikle as, Maister Robert Bruce, Maister James Balfour, Maister Williame Watsoun, Maister Walter Balcanquell, and Maister Johne Hall, sumtyme ministeris of Edinburgh, hav ing maist undeutifullie behavit themselffis to the Kingis Majestie in thair obstinat and wilfull refuisall to gif thankis to God for our lait happie delyverie fra the tressoun and con-spiracie intendit aganis his Majestie, and be thair distrusting of the undoutit treuthe of that mater, and fostering of the people in the lyk distrust and dout, and for the same thay being convenit befoir his Majestie and his Counsell, and thair offence being judgit to hav e merit maist seveir and schairp, punischment, y it the Kingis Majestie, according to his Hienes accustomat lenitie and mercy, forbering that rigour and extremitie quhilk the saidis personis worthelie merit, be his Majesteis decreit maist favorablie pronuncit aganis them, dischairgit them onlie of speiking or preiching publictlie to the people, or repairing within ane certane space to the burgh of Edinburgh: nochtwithstanding quhairof, as his Majestie is credibelie informed, the saidis personis not onlie still continewis in thair infidelitie and blindnes, maliciouslie and wilfullie refuising to acknawleg the certane treuth of this mater, bot, to his Majesteis forder contempt, they hant and resorte in all pairtis of this cuntrie, dispersing mony untrew bruitis and rumouris aganis his Hienes, practising be all meanis to fosterand interteny his Majesteis subjectis in the ly k wilfull errour and blindnes with thameselffis, and to lay upoun his Majestie the burding of that quhilk niaist traterouslie wes devysit - and intendit aganis his Hienes awin persoun: The Kingis Majestie ordanis thairfoir letteris to be direct chairging the persons abonewrittin to compeir personallie befoir his Majestie and Lordis of his Hienes Secret Counsell at Striv iling, or quhair it sal happin his Majestie to be for the tyme, upoun the dayis respective following, -that is to say the said Maister Williame Watsoun upoun the nynt of September nix to cum, the saidis Maisteris Waiter Balcanquell and Johne Hall upoun the tent day of the said moneth of September, and the saidis Maister Robert Bruce and Maister James Balfour upoun the ellevint day of the same moneth of September,-to underly sic forder punischment as his Majestie and Lordis of his Hienes Counsell sall injoyne unto them, under the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne." Sederunt-PRESENTE- REGE--Cancellarius; Mar; Thesaurarius; Blantyre; Kinlos; Computorum Rotulator; Spot; Clericus Registri. “The quhilk day in presence of the Kingis Majestie and Lordis of his Secret Counsell compeirit personallie Maister Walter Balcanquell, Maister Williame Watsoun, and Maister Johne Hall, ministeris, conforme to the chairg execut aganis them to that effect, and of thair awin frie motiv e confessit and declairit that they wer now fullie and throuchlie persuadit and assurit of the treuthe of the treasonable and unnaturall conspiracie devysit and intendit to have bein execut aganis his Hienes at Perth upoun the fy ft of August last be umquhill Johne, Erle of Gowrie, and Maister Alexander Ruthven, his brother, and that sein thair removing fra the burghe of Edinburgh thay had not directlie nor indirectlie delt nor travellit, be publict reasoning or privat conference, to put ony of his Hienes subjectis in distrust or doubt of that mater, and that they wald in publict manifest and declair thair said persuasioun and assurance of this mater, and move his Majesteis subjectis to do the ly k and gif thankis to God for the same. With the quhilk declaratioun his Majestie and Counsell. being advysit, and considering that thair former distrust and dout gaif occasioun of the ly k doubting to utheris, his Majestie thairfoir and the saidis Lordis decernis and ordanis that the saidis personis, for a pruife of thair amendment and dewtifull behav iour in tyme cumming, and for satisfactioun of his Hienessubjectis quha, be thair errour and blindnes, hes bein careit with ony sinister opinion or doubt of the said mater, sall repair and addres themselffis with all guidlie diligence to the townis following, v iz., the said Maister Walter Balcanquell to Tranent, Dalkeith, and Mussil burgh, the said Maister Williame Watsoun to Dunbar and Dunce, and the said Maister Johne Hall to Dumfermline Sanctandrois, and Perth, and thair, in the ordinar kirkis thairof, and upoun ordinir preiching day is, that thay preich to the people, and in thair sermonis that thay mak ane publict and manifest declaratioun of thair awin assurance and persussioun of the treuth of the said treasoun intendit be the said umquhill Erle and his brother, and crave God and his Majestie pardoun for thair ouer lang slawnes and doubting thairof, and thairwithall to move all men to gif thankis to God for his Majesteis delyverie, and schairplie to rebuik all sic personis quha continewis doutfull heirin; and that thay report to his Majestie ane testimoniall of the minister and eldaris of the townis and kirkis foirsaidis of thair conformitie to the premissis, that thairefter his Majestie may tak fordek ordour with thame as salbe thocht expedient." “Forsameikle as, umquhill Johne, Erle of Gowrie, and Maister Alexander Ruthven, his brother, hav ing maist unnaturallie and treasonablie conspyrit the death and distructioun of the Kingis Majestie, our Soverane Lord, and in the actuall executioun of thair intendit treasoun they being baith worthelie slaine and his Majestie delyverit of that dangeir within the said umquhill Erlis awin ludging within the burgh of Perth, and his Hienes luiking for na forder danger or invasioun at that ty me: nocht-withstanding, it is of treuth that his Hienes wes of new assailyeit and persewit be a grit nowmer of the communitie and inhabitantis of the burgh of Perth, all in armes, quha env ironed his Majesteis hous on all pairtis assegeit and persewit his Hienes within the same, uttering maist irreverent and undeutifull speiches aganis his Majestie, his nobilitie, and certane of his servandis and guid subjectis quha accumpaneit his Hienes for the tyme, and could nawayis be moved to forbeir thair tumultuous and insolent behav iour, bot did quhat in them lay, be crying for fyre and poulder, and ry nning with jestis at the yettis of the said hous, to have blawin up the yettis of the said hous and to have exponed in hasard the ly fes of his Majestie and his guid subjectis: Quhilk attempt being sa publict and manifest, and assisted with sa grit a force of the inhabitantis of the said burghe and of certane of speciall rank and credit within the same, his Majestie can tak him to nane bot to the magistratis and counsell of the said burgh, quha representis the body of the same; and thairfoir ordanis letteris to be direct chairging the bailyeis of the said burgh, representing the haill bodie of the same, to compeir personallie befoir his Majestie and his Counsell at Linlithgow upoun the saxtein day of September instant, to answer to the premissis and to the contempt and indignitie done to his Majestie in manner foirsaid, and to underly sic ordour as salbe tane thairanent, under pane of rebellioun." Pr ov ost of Perth and v ery popular with the hand, pacifeing them, causing the bailliffes townsm en, the outbreak referred to in the and the rest of the honest m en of the toun to text had been v ery natural. The official account of the affair, published by his. having declared the whole form e of that Majesty 's command, m entions it thus :- strange accident, he comm itted the hous and "The tumult of the toun, hearing of the bodeis of the am id traitours-brethreis, to their slaughter of the said Erle of Gowrie, their keeping untill his Majesties further pleasure prov eist, and not knowing the m aner therof, were knowne." Specim ens have been pre- not being on the counsell of his treasonable serv ed of som e insulting speeches about the attempt, continued for the space of two or King and his "Green Coats" used by the three houres therafter; untill his Majestie, Perth people in the tumult-see Pitcairn's by out speaking out to them at the windowes, Sederunt-ut in die predicto: una cum, Secretario et Advocato. “The quhilk day, Maister Robert Bruce, minister, comperand personallie befoir his Majestie and Lordis of his Secret Counsell, conforme to the chairge execut aganis him to that effect, and his Hienes and the saidis Lordis finding, be the said Maister Robertis awin declaratioun maid in thair presence, that he still continewis doubtful and nocht throuchlie resolv it of the treasounable and unnaturall conspiracie devysit and intendit to have bein execut aganis his Hienes persoun be umquhill John, Erll of Gowrie, and his brother, at Perth upoun the fy ft of August last nochtwithstanding the lang and guid experience and the manifauld pruiffis quhilk his Majestie ever hes gevin of his Hienes clemencie in the haill proceidingis of his Majesteis governement, and that his Majestie of his awin naturall dispositioun hes ever bein mair inclynit to pitie nor to punisch quhen just occasioun of offence hes bein offerit, -the Kingis Majestie and Lordis of Secret Counsell having deulie considerit of the said Maister Robertis constant doubting and irresolutioun, and under standing that the same can nawayis proceid frome ane sinceir and deutifull hairt toward his Majestie, and that sic distrust and doubting in materis importing his Majestie and the haill cuntrey sua heichlie may produce na small dangeris and perrillis to his Hienes heirefter: thairfoir, and for eschewing of all sic dangeris and perrillis, his Majestie and the saidis Lordis findis that it can nawyse stand with his Hienes suirtie and honour that ony sic distrustfull personis salbe sufferit to remaine within this cuntrey, and thairfoir decernis and ordanis the said Maister Robert Bruce to remove and depairt furth of this realme betuix and the aucht day of October nix to cum, and on nawavis to returne agane within the same, nor yit repair within the realme of England, without his Hienes licence had and obtenit to that effect, under the pane of deid; and in the meantyme, quhill his depairtur, that he remaine in the place of Airthe for making of his prov isioun and furnisching, and that he addres himself to the said place this present day ; and ordanis the maser of Counsell to pas and mak intimatioun heirof to the said Maister Robert, that he pretend na ignorance thairof." Sederunt-Cancellarius ; Fyv ie ; Uchiltrie ; Secretarius Thesaurarius; Ros; Haly ruidhous; Kinlos; Comptroller; Advocatus; Collector; Clericus Justiciarie; Custos Secreti Sigilli; Clericus “forasmeikle as it becometh all oure Soverane Lordis subjectis in generall, and everie ane of thame in particular, be ane graitfull remeberance and solemne declaratioun of the inward joy of thair hairtis, to acknawlege ony singular benefeit quhilk thay ressave at the handis of God be humble and earnest prayeris and thanksgeving to his Majestie for the same; and his Hienes acknawleging and hav ing in memorie that inestimable favour and singular benefeit of God bestowit upoun his Majestie, and cousequentlie upoun the haill body of this realme, be that miraculous and extraordinar delyverie quhilk his Majestie ressavit fra the horrible and detestable murthour and parrieid attemptit aganis his Hienes persone be the traitour Gowrie and umquhill Maister Alexander Ruthven, his brother, and thair compliceis, upoun the fy ft day of August last bipast: his Majestie can not forget to continew thankfull to God for the same, and doubtis not bot that all guid and lov ing subjectis, quha in his Majestie ar copartneris of the said benefeit, ar moved with the lyk thankfull dispositioun in prayeris and thankisgev ing. Ly ke as, upoun the consideratioun heirof, the Estaitis of Parliament convenit at Edinburgh, in the moneth of November last, statute and ordanit that in all ty me and ageis to cum [citation of Act 1600 c. 3, printed in Acts iv . p. 213, whereby the 5th August was appointed an annual day of thanksgiv ing for the escape of his Majesty from the Gowrie Conspiracy ]. And, least the mynd and will of his Hienes saidis Estaitis, throw default of dew publicatioun of the said Act, sould be unknawin to ony of his Majesteis guid subjectis, quha, being exceidinglie rejoy sit and desyrous to mak the same notour to all the warld, sould laik a sufficient warrand to utter thair thankfull dispositioun baith towardis God and his Majestie, and to celebrat the said day in maner abovewritten, his Majestie ordanis letters to be direct to mak publicatioun of the said Act to all and sindrie his Hienes liegeis and subjectis, alsueill to burgh as land, be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat croceis of the heid burrowis of this realme and utheris placeis neidfull, and to command and chairge all his Hienes saidis liegeis to keip the said fy ft day of August yeirlie solemne fra all sort of handy labour, wark and serious occupatioun quhilk onnywy se may distract thame fra the forisaid exercise of thankisgev ing to God; and, to this effect, that thay be admonischit the Sabboth preceiding the fy ft day of August nix to cum be thair pastouris to assist the preiching and publict thankisgev ing during the tyme of sermone; quhilk his Majestie ordanis to be in landwart afoir none, and baith afoir none and efter none in all burrowis townis; and that they spend the rest of the said day in all civill and lauchfull glaidnes, as thay sall find thameselffis best disposed, provyding thay use na exces, sclanderous or insolent behaviour; and that all his Majesteis magistratis, noblemen, baronis and burrowis, of ilk estait and degrie of personis, utter and declair be thair behaviour within the boundis of thair commandement, or quhair it sall happin thame to be the said day, thair thankfulnes toward God and rejoy sing for his Hienes happie preserv atioun wrocht sa miraculouslie be Goddis divy ne prov idence the day foirsaid: certefeing all and sindrie personis that sall do in the contrair heirof, ather be absenting thame selffis fra thair kirkis the tyme of sermone and thankiegev ing or in the rest of thair behav iour during the said haill day, not uttering be thair actionis taikins of joy and cheirfull remem-berance of the said benefeit, that thay salbe repute and haldin as unthankfull to God, unworthie of sa grit a benefeit, and suspect to have bene awaris of the detestable attempt foirsaid." Forsameikle as the Kingis Majestie tuik some pains and travellis, at his last being in the cuntrey of Angus and sensy ne, to repres and punische the v iolent and maisterfull enormiteis and oppressionis quhairwith his Hienes guid subjectis within thir boundis wet distressit and, grevit be a nowmer of wicked and insolent personis, of quhome some hes been apprehendit and underlyne thair deservit punischment, y it, becaus the occasioun presentit not to his Majestie at that ty me to remaine sa lang in thir boundis as the setling of the same under his Hienes peace and obedience to his Majesteis lawis requyrit, his Majestie thairfoir resolvit and promeist to returne and cum bak againe in this present seasone, and to remaine in thir boundis quhill the enormiteis and insolenceis quhilkis hes ben sa frequent and commoun within the same be repressit, and the contempt of the law be horning and uthirwayis be abolischeit, sua that his Hienes peceable and guid subjectis may heirefter repois in suirtie of thair lyveis and guidis, and that his Majesteis lawis may ressave, the awne force and executioun. And thairfoir his Majestie ordanis officiaris of armes to pas to the mereat croceis of Dundie, Forfar, Brechin and Montrois, and thair be oppin proclamatioun to wairne all his Majesteis subjectis quha hes ony complaintis to mak, outher upoun reifis, stouth, maisterfull and v iolent oppressionis, or upoun the contempt of his Majesteis lawis be horningis, deforcementis or utherwyes, that thay gif in thair complaintis to the clerkis to be presentit to his Majestie with all diligence, and thay sal hav e justice ministrat unto thame as accordis, and that sic personis as for feir of the partie dar not mak thair complaintis, that thay quyetlie informe his Majestie, some of his Counsall or domesticquis, of thair saidis complaintis, and thay salbe accordinglie tane ordour with, to thair contentment and satisfactiouin." Sederunt-REGE PRESENTE-Lennox; Cancellarius; Thesaurarius; Secretarius; Haliruidhous; Recitation of the Act of Parliament appointing the 5th August to be a day of thanksgiving for ev er for the deliverance of his Majesty from the “horrible and detestable" Gowrie conspiracy (Acts of Parl- 1600, iv. p. 213).-"Quhilk Act, albeit all honnest-hairted subjectis, alsweill of the ministrie as utheris, hes glaidlie and cheirfullie imbracit, and thairby hes utterit the grit contentment and joy quhilk thay apprehend be Majesteis said delyverie, y it it is of treuth that the personis of the ministrie underwrittin, -thay ar to say, etc. [their names are not recorded] hes not only publictlie in thair presbytereis and, ordinarie meiting ressonit aganis the said thankisgev ing and preiching upoun the fy ft day of August this present yeir, bot with that thay altogidder refuisit to convene with thair flockis in thair awne kirkis the said day, and thair to preich and thank God conform [to] the said Act of Parliament, gevand thairby ane oppin testimonie, alsweill to thair awne congregationis as to utheris, of the hid and secrete malice quhilk, aganis his Majesteis deservingis, thay beir to his Hienes, and of the grit miscontentment and greif quhilk thay have apprehendit and consav it be ressoun that his Majestie eschaped the tressoun foirsaid. And, besydis, thay hav e tane upoun thame the undoing and abrogatioun, sa fer as in thame lay, of ane law maid and establischit with full consent of the haill body of this realme, and, without reverence of his Majestie or feir of the law, hes manifestlie v iolat the same, to the evill example of utheris undewtifull and unhonnest-hairted personis to do the ly k, without reweid be provydit. Thairfoir ordanis letters to be direct chairgeing the personis foirsaidis to compeir personallie befoir his Majestie and Counsall at Falkland upoun the aucht day of September nix to come, to ansuer to the premissis and to underly sic ordour as salbe tane thairanent, under the paine of rebellioun."' Calderwood's notice of this Act of Council fy ft day of August, being by Act of Parlia- (v i. 159-160) shows that nothing of im - portance happened in consequence:-"The without anie constitutioun of the Kirk m ade \contd thereanent, was neglected by sindrie ministers James found himself weill. resolved; wherof of Fife. They were summouned publictlie at mercat croces to compeere before the King held him daylie in remembrance. The King, understanding by Mr. Patrik Galloway what proclamatioun was foule and fearfull. Mr. was his resolutioun, called him and the rest, James Melvill resolved to declyne after the old manner if they were brought before the rnissioners [of the Church], none of the Counsell [i.e to deny the authority of the Council in an ecclesiastical matter]; which two spokin for the fashioun, they were dis- Sederunt-Chancellor; Mar; Uchiltrie; Elphingstoun; Fyvie; Neubottle; Spynie; Treasurer; Halirudhous; Tracquir; Conservator; Elimosinar. Inasmuch as, "upoun occasioun of the rebellioun and dissobedyence professit and avowit within the bounds of Angus be a nowmer of undeutifull and disloyall subjectis," who seem to be "upoun some unhappy practize and course for troubling of the present estate", his Majesty intendis in propir persone to repair to the saidis boundis and thair to remane quhill the intendit rebellioun be setled and the authouris thairof accordinglie tane ordour with and puneist,"-there is order to charge "all and sindrie erllis, lordis, baronis and landit gentlemen, valiant tuentie chalderis of v ictuall or tua thousand merkis of yeirlie rent, within the boundis of the schirefdomes of Fy ffe, Kinros, Perth, Forfair and Kincairdin, togidder with the inhabitantis of the burrowis within the saidis boundis," to meet his Majesty, “ weill bodin in feir of weir, with tuentie day is v ictuallis and provisioun," as follows:-"The saidis inhabitantis to burgh and land within the sherefdomes of Fy ffe, Kinros, Perth and Forfair, to convene and meit his Majestie at the burgh of Dundee upoun the ny nt day of Februair nixt to come, and the saidis inhabitantis to burgh and land within the sherefdome of Kincairdin, to meit his Majestie in Brechin upoun the tent day of the said moneth of Februair nixt to come," under the pain of tinsall of ly ffe, landis and guidis." “Forasmekle as, albeit the moist detestable and horrible treasoun conspyrit be the traytour Gowry and his brother aganis the sacred persone of oure moist gratious Soveray ne be evident and manifest to the consceienceis of all his Majesteis guid subjectis, and that his Majestie hes gev in moist cleir testimoneis for removing of distrust of all these quha, by curiositie, privat affectioun, or prepoisterous opinionis, wer caryed and led in that mater, nevirtheless, Maister
Robert Bruce, minister, apprehending a maist sinister distrust and opinioun of his Majesties
sinceritie in that mater, notwithstanding of all the evidenceis quhilkis in reasoun mycht have
gev in unto him contentment thairin, he hes continewalie sensyne not onlie remanit constant
and resolute in his distrust, bot be his behav iour and conferrenceis in privat and publict
meltingis and assembleis he utteris and publictlie avowis his said distrust, drawing thairby
away simple and ignorant personis to harkin unto him and in some measour to favoure his
opinioun. For the quhilk he being moist justlie and worthelie banischit this realme and found
unwirthie of the ayre of his native cuntrey, y it oure moist gratious Soveray ne, quha in his
actionis, especialie with these of the ministerie, hes evir kythit himself amoist element and
mercifull Prince, seiking rather by fair [and] gentill meanis to move thame to be conformable
then be exe[cutio]un of the law to punische thair offences, recallit him, [hoping] that at lenth
he sould have acknawlegit his errour [and given] unto his Majestie satisfactiouw And now, his
Majestie [persaving] cleirlie that nather proces of ty me nor na uther [thing can] move the said
Mr Robert to frame his opinionis [to the treut]h and to procure his Majesteis obedience, bot
that he, interteny ing a maist frequent resorte alswele of memberis of the ministerie as of uther
people towardis him, in all thair meittingis mellis in the effairis of his Majestie and his estate,
sometyme discoursing upoun the proceidingis of his Majesteis Counsale, and somety mes
censuring the doingis of the ministerie, foistering thairby factionis and div isioun in the Kirk
and privat grudgeis and miscontentment aganis the present governament, his Majestie
thairfore hes moist just caus to tak ordoure with him and to exyle him the haill boundis of his
Majesteis dominionis. And yit, his sacred Majestie following his accustumat dispositioun and
inclinatioun, quhilk hes evir tendit to pitye and not to punisch, and abstening fra that rigour
and extremitie quhilk the said. Mr Robert maist worthelie merites, and nev irtheles willing to
remove the occasioun quhairby he may pervert sic of his Majesteis subjectis as repairis to him,
his Majestie hes commandit that he be wairdit within the burgh of Invernes quhill it sall pleis
his Majestie to gif forder directioun towardis him according as he sall find hisbehaviour.
Thairfore the Lordis of Secrite Counsale ordanis letters to be direct chairgeing the said Mr
Robert Bruce to pas and entir his persone in waird within the said burgh of Invernes, thair to
remane upoun his awne expenssis ay and quhill he be fred and relevit be his Majestie and his
Counsale, within ten dayis nixt efter chairge, under the pane of rebellioun."


The main steps in the history of Mr
continued to preach. In July, Chancellor Bruce's troubles with the King on account of Seaton [i.e., Dunfermline] sent for Mr Bruce, his scepticism in the matter of the Gowrie and told him he had a command from the King Conspiracy may be traced in v ol. v i., by (no doubt at the instigation of theComm ission m eans of the index, as far as to the tim e of ers) to discharge him from teaching; y et, he the King's rem ov al to England. At that tim e said, he would not use his authority, only re- Mr Bruce had been left in Scotland, still con- quested him to desist preaching eight or ten siderably under the King 's frown, still sev ered day s, that he m ight get a new answerer from fr om his Edinburgh pastorship, and with no Court." With this request Mr Brace had com- definate hm e oroccupation but at large on plied; but his conscience had immediately re- his good behaviour. Through the rest of the buked him for doing so; and “that sam e week, year 1603, it appeen from Wodrow’ssketch when he went hom e, he preached to my Lord of his life (prefixed to the Wodrow Societie Elphinstone and his lady in the garden, for edition of Bruce’s Serm ons) he " had nothing the Lord had v isited them with the pesti- but peace" liv ing partly at his house of lence." The same story is told in Calder- wood, v i. 278-9. It is ev ident that, just opportunity ; and, early in 1604, he had re- about the tim e of the prosecution of so many ceiv ed an invitation to settle in m inisterial m inisters for their concern in the attempted duty in Glasgow, but had declined it, regard- Aberdeen Assem bly, the King remem bered ing his relation to Edinburgh as still subsist- Mr Bruce and the probability of a new exer- ing by right. In the course of that y ear he tion of his anti-prelatical influence in con- was again in trouble with those ”Conim is- nection with that affair. Hence the present sinners of the General Assem bly," who man- order for his rem oval to the far north and aged the Kirk in the King 's interest, nom inally seclusion in Inv erness. "Upon the 27th of on the old score of his offence in the Gowrie August," say s Calderwood (v i. 291 -2), 1 , Mr affair, but really for m ore general reasons; Robert Bruce entered in Innernesse, and tooke and "February 27 , 1605," say s Wodrow, instrum ents of his entrie; where he remained “the Comm issioners summ oned him to hear foure y eere, teaching ev erie Sabbath before and see him self rem ov ed from his function in noone, and ev erie Wednisday, and read the Edinburgh. He com peared; and, after long prayers ev erie other night at ev en." He had a reasoning with them , they inhibit him to long life of farther v icissitudes still before preach. He appealed to the Assem bly and still Letter from the Council to Mr Robert Bruce, requiring from him, by his Majesty ’s order, a resolution in writing on the subject of the Gowrie Conspiracy “Traist freind, eftir oure verie hairtlie commendationis: -Amang sindrie directionis come heir frome his Majestie it hes pleasit his Heynes in particular to remember that your resolutioun in the mater of Gourie be craved, as by that article of his Majesteis directioun whiche is sett doun in the wordis following you may persav e: It is oure pleasour that our Counsall sall with diligence direct thair letters to Mr Robert Bruce to crave of him, his resolutioun in the mater of Gowrye, which we wald be glad to see under the hand of the said Mr Robert Bruce. And, seing this mater is y itt recent in his Majesteis memorie and that his Majesty wald be glad to haif satisfactioun be your resolutioun thairanent, these ar thairfoir to requeist and desire you effectuuslie that with this beirare you will returne unto us in write under your hand your opinioun and resolutioun in the mater foirsaid, to the effect we may send the same up to his Majestie, and that you will sett the same doun in als cleir and sensible termes as to your awne opinioun and judgement may best stand with his Majesteis contentment and satisfactioun. Wherin as you sall do unto us a singulair pleasour, so we doubt not bot his Majestie will the moir fav ourablie judge of you and your actionis heirefter. And sua, expecting your ansuer in wryte with the beirare, committis you to God.-Sic subscribitur: A. Cancellarius, Lotheane, Secretair, Haliruidhous, Sir T. Hamiltoun, Jo. Prestoun, R. Cokburne, J. Cokburne, Clericus Registri."
“Forasmekle as, albeit the moist detestable and horrible treasoun conspyrit be the traytour
Gowry and his brother aganis the sacred persone of oure moist gratious Soveray ne be evident
and manifest to the consceienceis of all his Majesteis guid subjectis, and that his Majestie hes
gev in moist cleir testimoneis for removing of distrust of all these quha, by curiositie, privat
affectioun, or prepoisterous opinionis, wer caryed and led in that mater, nevirtheless, Maister
Robert Bruce, minister, apprehending a maist sinister distrust and opinioun of his Majesties
sinceritie in that mater, notwithstanding of all the evidenceis quhilkis in reasoun mycht have
gev in unto him contentment thairin, he hes continewalie sensyne not onlie remanit constant
and resolute in his distrust, bot be his behav iour and conferrenceis in privat and publict
meltingis and assembleis he utteris and publictlie avowis his said distrust, drawing thairby
away simple and ignorant personis to harkin unto him and in some measour to favoure his
opinioun. For the quhilk he being moist justlie and worthelie banischit this realme and found
unwirthie of the ayre of his native cuntrey, y it oure moist gratious Soveray ne, quha in his
actionis, especialie with these of the ministerie, hes evir kythit himself amoist element and
mercifull Prince, seiking rather by fair [and] gentill meanis to move thame to be conformable
then be exe[cutio]un of the law to punische thair offences, recallit him, [hoping] that at lenth
he sould have acknawlegit his errour [and given] unto his Majestie satisfactiouw And now, his
Majestie [persaving] cleirlie that nather proces of ty me nor na uther [thing can] move the said
Mr Robert to frame his opinionis [to the treut]h and to procure his Majesteis obedience, bot
that he, interteny ing a maist frequent resorte alswele of memberis of the ministerie as of uther
people towardis him, in all thair meittingis mellis in the effairis of his Majestie and his estate,
sometyme discoursing upoun the proceidingis of his Majesteis Counsale, and somety mes
censuring the doingis of the ministerie, foistering thairby factionis and div isioun in the Kirk
and privat grudgeis and miscontentment aganis the present governament, his Majestie
thairfore hes moist just caus to tak ordoure with him and to exyle him the haill boundis of his
Majesteis dominionis. And yit, his sacred Majestie following his accustumat dispositioun and
inclinatioun, quhilk hes evir tendit to pitye and not to punisch, and abstening fra that rigour
and extremitie quhilk the said. Mr Robert maist worthelie merites, and nev irtheles willing to
remove the occasioun quhairby he may pervert sic of his Majesteis subjectis as repairis to him,
his Majestie hes commandit that he be wairdit within the burgh of Invernes quhill it sall pleis
his Majestie to gif forder directioun towardis him according as he sall find hisbehaviour.
Thairfore the Lordis of Secrite Counsale ordanis letters to be direct chairgeing the said Mr
Robert Bruce to pas and entir his persone in waird within the said burgh of Invernes, thair to
remane upoun his awne expenssis ay and quhill he be fred and relevit be his Majestie and his
Counsale, within ten dayis nixt efter chairge, under the pane of rebellioun."


The main steps in the history of Mr
continued to preach. In July, Chancellor Bruce's troubles with the King on account of Seaton [i.e., Dunfermline] sent for Mr Bruce, his scepticism in the matter of the Gowrie and told him he had a command from the King Conspiracy may be traced in v ol. v i., by (no doubt at the instigation of theComm ission m eans of the index, as far as to the tim e of ers) to discharge him from teaching; y et, he the King's rem ov al to England. At that tim e said, he would not use his authority, only re- Mr Bruce had been left in Scotland, still con- quested him to desist preaching eight or ten siderably under the King 's frown, still sev ered day s, that he m ight get a new answerer from fr om his Edinburgh pastorship, and with no Court." With this request Mr Brace had com- definate hm e oroccupation but at large on plied; but his conscience had immediately re- his good behaviour. Through the rest of the buked him for doing so; and “that sam e week, year 1603, it appeen from Wodrow’ssketch when he went hom e, he preached to my Lord of his life (prefixed to the Wodrow Societie Elphinstone and his lady in the garden, for edition of Bruce’s Serm ons) he " had nothing the Lord had v isited them with the pesti- but peace" liv ing partly at his house of lence." The same story is told in Calder- wood, v i. 278-9. It is ev ident that, just opportunity ; and, early in 1604, he had re- about the tim e of the prosecution of so many ceiv ed an invitation to settle in m inisterial m inisters for their concern in the attempted duty in Glasgow, but had declined it, regard- Aberdeen Assem bly, the King remem bered ing his relation to Edinburgh as still subsist- Mr Bruce and the probability of a new exer- ing by right. In the course of that y ear he tion of his anti-prelatical influence in con- was again in trouble with those ”Conim is- nection with that affair. Hence the present sinners of the General Assem bly," who man- order for his rem oval to the far north and aged the Kirk in the King 's interest, nom inally seclusion in Inv erness. "Upon the 27th of on the old score of his offence in the Gowrie August," say s Calderwood (v i. 291 -2), 1 , Mr affair, but really for m ore general reasons; Robert Bruce entered in Innernesse, and tooke and "February 27 , 1605," say s Wodrow, instrum ents of his entrie; where he remained “the Comm issioners summ oned him to hear foure y eere, teaching ev erie Sabbath before and see him self rem ov ed from his function in noone, and ev erie Wednisday, and read the Edinburgh. He com peared; and, after long prayers ev erie other night at ev en." He had a reasoning with them , they inhibit him to long life of farther v icissitudes still before preach. He appealed to the Assem bly and still Deposition of George Sprott upon the scaffold in the m atter of the Gowrie
conspiracy
“George Sprott, notar in Eymouth, being brocht to the scaflold and place of executioun, he, in publict audience of the haill people, at the foure nukeis of scaffold ratifeit his formar depositionis anent his knowlege and concealing of Restalrigis guyltynes of Gouryis treasoun; for the whiche he humblie craved God and his Majestie forgifnes, being most sorie and grevit that he had offendit God and the Kingis Majestie in concealing suche a vylde, detestable, and unnaturall treasoun be the Erll of Goury and Laird of Restalrig aganis his naturall King, so goode and so godlie a prince, who hes ev ir bene sa gratious to his subjectis and to this haill yland, -protesting that, y f he had a thousand lyveis to rander and wer able to suffer ten thousand deathis, it is not sufficient satisfactioun and recompence for his sa foull and horrible offens, and that God had preservit him frome mony great perrellis when his ly fle wes in extreame danger to bring him to this publict declaratioun of that detestable and horrible fact in testifeing of the treuth, as he said publictlie in presence of all the people in thir wordis following, -‘to my awne schame, the schame of the Dev ill, and glorie of God, for satisfactioun of the conscienceis of all these y f ony be that hes or can mak ony doute of the treuth of this so cleir a mater.' And he acknowlegeis that his hanting with Restalrig, who wes a man without religioan and subject to mony other vyceis, and his ingyreing of himself in thir maters efter the first sicht of Restalrigis letter writtin to Goury, and his continuall beiring of company with Restalrig and Laird Bour, who wer irreligious and without feir of God, broght him frome one sy n to another, and consequentlie upoun this grevous sine, for the whiche, most justlie, worthelie, and willinglie, he is now to rander his ly ffe; and he desirit all the people present to be war of evill company, and namelie of the company of these who ar voyd of religioun; and he desirit that this his declaratioun myght be insert in his proces; as alsua he desirit the ministeris of Godis worde to publishe this his declaratioun to thair flokis frome thair pulpettis, and tooke every one of thame who wer present be the hand with thair promeis to do the same, say ing unto thame that this wes the most glorious day that evir his ey i did sie. And with these wordis he prostratis himselff and fallis upoun his kneis in presence of the haill people, and maid a verie pithie prayer, begy nning in this forme as follows:'O Fader (how sould I call the Fader that am so unworthie to be callit thy sone?), I haif wanderit astray ly ke a lost scheepe, and thow of thy mercy hes broght me home unto the, and hes preserv it my ly fe frome mony dangeris untill this day, that I my ght reveill these hid and secreit mistereis to my awne shame and thy glorie; and thow hes promissit that, whensoev ir a sinner frome his hairt will repent and call to the with unfenyeit repentance, that thow will heir him and gif him mercy.' And so he contine wit a goode space in a most fervent prayer, to the great admiratioun and rejosing of all the people, and in a better forme and maner nor ony of all the beholdaris and heiraris can be able to sett doun in wryte, the same not being writtin in the present tyme, becaus thair was no place of writting upoun the scaffold in respect of the prease and multitude of people. And, going up the ledder, he desirit libertie to sing the saxt psalme, and requeistit the people to accompany him in singing thairof; whiche being grantit, and he being at the ladder head, the same wes tane up and soung be himself with a v ery loude and my ghtie voce, and wes assisted with above the nomber of fyve hundreth pernonis, who with tearis accompanyed him in singing that psalme. After the ending whereof he repeitit and ratifeit his said formiar depusitioun; and, with that recommending him soule to God, he wes cassin ov er and so endit his mortall ly lfe. -ln witnes quhairof we undirsubscryvaris, who for the most parte wer all of us upoun the scaffold with him, and remanit with him untill the ty me of his death, and otheris of us in so convenient placeis neir to the scaffold that we did heir all that wes spokin be him, half subscryvit thir presentis with our handis.-Sic subscribitur: Glasgow; B. Galloway ; A. Brechin; Balfour of Barley; Haliroodhous; Jo. Prestoun; Clericus Registri; Pa. Schairp; Mr P. Galloway ; Jo. Hall; Walter Balcanquell; Mr P. Hewatt; Mr H. Bly ith; Charlis Lummisden; Richard Dobie, baillie of Edinburgh; Williame Speir, baillie; James Anislie baillie of Edinburgh :-Tenet cum principali, J. Prymrois,"

Source: http://www.ninetradesofdundee.co.uk/files/city%20history/1545-1691%20Privy%20Council/1603%20Gowrie%20consipracy.pdf