History of the life and death of John, Earl of Gowrie

14& THE LIFE AND DEATH OF
time before had presented to the Queen. He did
not continue his walk, but went back in bad hu-
mour to the palace. He was, however, noticed by
one of the Queen's ladies, who was in another part
of the garden, and suspected what the King had
seen. This lady, I do not hesitate to say, was the
Lady Beatrix, Mr. Ruthven's sister. She ran to
the place where her brother was lying, and, having
snatched the ribbon from his neck, carried it to
that part of the palace where she knew the Queen
then was.
She found the Queen, who was in the sixth
month of her pregnancy of King Charles I. sitting
at her toilet. She threw the ribbon on the table
before the Queen, and requested her immediately
to put it into a drawer, the reason for which she
soon would see. Scarcely had the lady retired by
one door of the chamber, when the King entered
by another, and demanded of the Queen that she
would shew him the ribbon which he lately had
given her. With great calmness she took it from
the drawer, and put it into his hands. He exa-
mined it for some time, and then returned it; and,
in going away, muttered a vulgar imprecation, say-
ing, " Evil take me, if like be not an ill mark. ,,