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

34 Observations on the Trial and Death of
if he will have remedie for it, it may be done.' The servant
shewinge me this, I refused plainly, and if the woman were
here surelie I should be more willinge she were burnt then
anie other. Yf there be anie witches, or witchcraft, I thinck
it be nerer the court."
The Jurie being called, everie one bie ther names, suche as
Huntley, whom he refused throughe his nonage, Argile, Crau-
fourth, 1 Arrayne, Montrosse, Eglington, Glincarne, Marschall,
Lords Oglebie, Salton, M r of Elphingstone, & the E. of Til-
libane, everie one giving their othes severally that they gave
no councell to the Kinges Advocat to accuse him. Then it
befell that th'Erle of Arraine should speake, who, rising upon
his fete, said, — " Thoughe yo r Lp thinck the name of a sud-
dert infamous, yet it is not so. I thinck it a great praise
that I have bin one. As for that commission which was
written to app r hend you, I confesse I wrote it at my M r . his
desire ; for his Ma Ue estimirige more of me then of the comon
sorte, and reposinge greter trust, he imployed me to wright
this commission for divers respectf .
" I confesse my L. my father's house hathe bene behold-
inge to you, yet I speacke in the face of God, that I loved
you better then myselfe, for when you hade 2 to do against my
L. Olephante, 3 I so far advanced yo r cause, that I did con-
terfect the King's hand-writtinge ;" so, after this declaracon,
he gave his othe he counselled not the Advocate to accuse
him.
The Clark redinge over these six articles (of fower wherof
he was condempned, viz. the 2, 3, 4, 5,) the LL S whent to the
inner howse, but, at their risinge, the Erie was spoken unto
by the Erie of Gowrie, who desired him to remember of
former years. 4 The other answered, The cause was not alike ;
for he cam not to his howse as traitor, " althog, my L., you
1 Cramforth in MS. 2 Haue, in MS.
3 For the circumstances of Gowrie's quarrel with Lord Oliphant
see Calderwood, iii. 479, ed. Wodrow.
4 Forren, in MS.