you such' (information) 'as I have received out of Scotland this
morning on both sides, both on the King's part and the Earl's part, that
you may read them both together.'

Now we possess a manuscript, 'The Verie Maner of the Erll of Gowrie and
his brother their Death, quha war killit at Perth, the fyft of August, by
the Kingis Servanttis, his Majestie being present.' This paper is
directed to 'My Lord Governor,' and, as Carey was acting for 'My Lord
Governor,' Lord Willoughby, at Berwick, he received and forwarded the
document to Cecil. This is the Vindication, at least I know no other,
and no printed copy, though Nicholson writes that a 'book on the Ruthven
side was printed in England' (October 28, 1600).

The manuscript is in bad condition, in parts illegible; acids appear to
have been applied to it. The story, however, from the Gowrie side, can
be easily made out. It alleges that, 'on Saturday, August 1' (really
August 2), the lame Dr Herries came, on some pretext, to Gowrie's house.
'This man by my Lord was convoyed through the house, and the secret parts
shown him.'

Now there was no 'secret part' in the house, as far as the narratives go.
The entry to the narrow staircase was inconspicuous, but was noticed by
Ramsay, and, of course, was familiar to Gowrie and his men. On Tuesday,
the fatal day (according to the Ruthven Vindication), Gowrie's retainers
were preparing to go with him 'to Lothian,' that is to Dirleton, a castle
of his on the sea, hard by North Berwick. The narrator argues, as all
the friends of the Ruthvens did, that, if Gowrie had intended any
treason, his men would not have been busy at their houses with
preparations for an instant removal. The value of this objection is
null. If Gowrie had a plot, it probably was to carry the King to
Dirleton with him, in disguise.

[Picture: Dirleton Castle]

The Master, the apology goes on, whom the King had sent for 'divers times
before, and on August 5,' rode early to Falkland, accompanied by Andrew
Ruthven, and _Andrew Henderson_. None of James's men, nor James himself,
as we have remarked, saw Henderson at Falkland, and modern opponents of
the King deny (as the aforesaid Mr. Panton does) that he was there. Here
they clash with 'The Verie Manner' &c. issued at the time by Gowrie's
defenders. It avers that the Master, and his two men, did not intend to
return from Falkland to Perth. They meant to sleep at Falkland on the