Papers relating to William, first Earl of Gowrie, and Patrick Ruthven, his fifth and last surviving son

William, Earl of Gowrie, etc. 33
selves, seinge both their landes & life put at bey them w ch
are gredie of both, to make som articlis for ther safetie,
and make narration of them to the King. They are in no
worse case then burgeses."
The Clerke pceded, " You are to be accused, for the kepinge
of your house in most willfull manner, three howers afther'
the sight of the Kf comission." His aunswer was, that the
pticuler commission, written and devised by his ennemie, was
not of suche sufficient force to derogat the lfe of ptection
w ch he had under the King's great ' ' seale, and yet, notw th -
standing, I obeyed it, and I had bin away longe before yf
David Murrey, who was directed by the Kinge to stay the
shipp whill the shipper fownde caution under the peine of ten
thousand pounds that he showld not land me eyther in Ing-
land, Ireland, or Scotland, so that when the wind was faire I
was stayed, and when it was out of the way I was appre-
hended."
Then the Clark pceded, " Item, You are accused, for con-
celinge the treasonable conspiracie, devised as you confes
against the King and Quene his most dearest mother, for
both ther distractions." "I answer, that y e concelinge is no
treason, but the revealinge a benefit. It concerns no man
nor pson in this country."
"Last of all, you are accused of w ch crafte, and confer-
ringe w* one Macklene, a sorcerer." He aunswered smy-
linly,- " What ! I thinke you meane not to mow 1 w* me.
It is knowen I served my God, and feared him. This is no
just accusation, but a malicious slander, and I knowe by
whome devised ; but since it is laid to my charge, I will tell
you the truthe in this matter. Ther cam to me a tefinte of
mine dwelling beside Dunkell, who spake w th a woman, ask-
inge him how did her L. ' Well/ saith he; ' No, no;' saith
shee ; ' ther is some evell don to him not longe since, w ch is,
that the Kings favo r is written from him/ 'By whom?'
said he. ' By the ladie of Arraine,' said the other ; ' and yet,
1 Nowes, in MS.