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

JOHN, EARL OF GOWRIE. 143
The Queen, it must be owned, was in this in-
stance imprudent, and ought not to have given
away to a young man the present she had received
from her husband. But it would be wrong to ac-
cuse her of any criminal intrigue with Mr. Ruth-
ven. He had been piously educated by Principal
Rollock ; and his sister, the Lady Beatrix Ruth-
ven, the Queen's confidant, was a lady of the
strictest virtue.
But an incident of such a kind could not long
be concealed, and was spoken of among the cour-
tiers. A true account of it seems to have reached
the ears of the King ; for he altered his behaviour
to Mr. Alexander Ruthven, who, finding that his
Majesty was displeased with him, begged and ob-
tained permission to go to the Earl his brother,
whether he should be yet in Atholl, or already
come to Perth.
A plot, it may be said, was now ripening by
the King, and by two or three of his confidential
servants, against the two brothers. Calderwood
relates, what may be reckoned a premature inti-
mation of it, given by Dr. Sir Hugh Hemes to
Lady Beatrix Ruthven. That gentleman was so