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

JOHN, EARL OF GOWRIE. 521
commanded him to arm himself, that he might be
ready to assist him in apprehending a notorious
robber ; and, as a thing necessary for that purpose,
commanded him to be locked into a closet at the
top of the south-west turret ofGowrie House, there
to remain till Mr. Alexander Ruthven should come
to give him further orders. He continued locked
in the closet, he says, about half an hour, which was
till the King had dined, knowing of no other ob-
ject which the Earl had in view than that of ap-
prehending the robber. But it is not credible that
the Earl would act so preposterously ; and Hender-
son must have been of a weaker mind than all other
men, if he had not been sensible of the absurdity
of what was enjoined him, and remonstrated against
it.
2. He says that he ran down the narrow turn-
pike after he had opened the door at the head of
it, for the admission of his Majesty's servants, and
Sir John Ramsay had entered. Ramsay says that
he found the door at the head of the turnpike shut,
and drove it open by using his whole force ; and
that he also saw a man standing behind the King's
back whom he knew not, but who soon disappeared.