cries from the
window, he and his brother had tried to seize Gowrie, who had been with
the party of Lennox and Mar. If James was in peril, within Gowrie's
house, they argued, naturally, that Gowrie was responsible. Not drawing
sword or dagger--daggers, indeed, they had none--the two Erskine brothers
rushed on Gowrie, who was crying 'What is the matter? I know nothing!'
They bore him, or nearly bore him, to the ground, but his retainers
separated the stragglers, and one, a Ruthven, knocked Sir Thomas down
with his fist. The knight arose, and ran into the front court, where Dr.
Herries asked him 'what the matter meant.' At this moment Erskine heard
Ramsay cry 'Come up here,' from the top of the narrow dark staircase, he
says, _not_ from the window; Ramsay may have called from both. Erskine,
who was accompanied by the lame Dr. Herries, and by a menial of his
brother's named Wilson, found the bleeding Master near the foot of the
stair, and shouted 'This is the traitor, strike him.' The stricken lad
fell, saying, 'Alas, I had not the wyte of it,' and the three entered the
chamber where now were only the King and Ramsay. Words, not very
intelligible as reported by Erskine (we consider them later), passed
between him and the King. Though Erskine does not say so, they shut
James up in the turret opening into the chamber where they were, and
instantly Cranstoun, the Earl's equerry, entered with a drawn sword,
followed by Gowrie, with 'two swords,' while some other persons followed
Gowrie.

Where had Gowrie been since the two Erskines tried to seize him in the
street, and were separated from him by a throng of his retainers? Why
was Gowrie, whose honour was interested in the King's safety, later in
reaching the scene than Erskine, the limping Dr. Herries, and the serving
man, Wilson? The reason appears to have been that, after the two
Erskines were separated from Gowrie, Sir Thomas ran straight from the
street, through the gateway, into the front court of the house, meeting,
in the court, Dr. Herries, who was slow in his movements. But Gowrie, on
the other hand, was detained by certain of Tullibardine's servants, young
Tullibardine being present. This, at least, was the story given under
examination by Mr. Thomas Cranstoun, Gowrie's master stabler, while other
witnesses mention that Gowrie became involved in a struggle, and went
'back from' his house, further up or down the street. Young
Tullibardine, present at thi