The Raid of Holyrood was an attack on

Holyrood Palace The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly known as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood has s ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

on 27 December 1591 by

Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell (c. December 1562 – November 1612), was Commendator of Kelso Abbey and Coldingham Priory, a Privy Counsellor and Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He was a notorious conspirator who led several uprisings aga ...

in order to gain the favour of

King James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 M ...

. Bothwell subsequently staged a raid at

Falkland Palace Falkland Palace, in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a royal palace of the Scottish kings. It was one of the favourite places of Mary, Queen of Scots, who took refuge there from political and religious turmoil of her times. Today it is under th ...

, and in July 1593 made another attempt at Holyrood.

Background

Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell was a nephew of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

. He fell from the favour of James VI and was accused of witchcraft during the

North Berwick witch trials The North Berwick witch trials were the trials in 1590 of a number of people from East Lothian, Scotland, accused of witchcraft in the St Andrew's Auld Kirk in North Berwick on Halloween night. They ran for two years, and implicated over 70 peopl ...

. Expelled from court, he broke into

(twice) and tried to capture

(once) and planned to enter

Dalkeith Palace Dalkeith Palace is a country house in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. It was the seat of the Duke of Buccleuch, Dukes of Buccleuch from 1642 until 1914, and is owned by the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust. The present palace was built 1701–1711 ...

, either to regain the King's favour or to kidnap him. Bothwell could count on a number of loyal followers amongst the Scottish lairds. Despite his following, he was forced into exile and died in Naples in 1612.

First raid on Holyrood, December 1591

Sir James Melville of Halhill, a gentleman in the household of

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...

, the courtier

Roger Aston Sir Roger Aston (died 23 May 1612) of Cranford, Middlesex, was an English courtier and favourite of James VI of Scotland. Biography Aston was the illegitimate son of Thomas Aston (died 1553), Thomas Aston (died 1553). Scottish sources spell his n ...

, and the English ambassador Robert Bowes, described the first raid on Holyrood Palace. Bothwell came with sixty followers after supper on Monday 27 December 1591, including the lairds James Douglas of Spott, Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie, John Colville, and Archibald Douglas (a son of the

Earl of Morton The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton. ...

). Douglas of Spott went to release some of his servants that were imprisoned in the gatehouse or "porter lodge" on suspicion of the murder of the old laird of Spott. The space was originally a workshop for a glazier, Thomas Peebles and

James V James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...

had converted it into a workshop for mending the royal tapestries. Now it was a prison where one man, Sleich of Cumlege in the Merse, had been tortured with the "

boot A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearl ...

", a device for crushing the legs, on Christmas Day. Spott's action raised the alarm more quickly than Bothwell's party wanted. The king and his courtiers barricaded themselves inside the palace helped by Harry Lindsay of Kinfauns, while Andrew Melville of Garvock and Sir James Sandilands brought help from outside. James VI and

retreated to the tower of the palace, while most of the court were still at supper in the great hall. Accorded to Roger Aston they "ram-forst the dores" against Bothwell's men until help came from the people of Edinburgh. Bothwell's men tried to break through with hammers and burn doors. The

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

John Maitland of

Thirlestane Thirlestane Castle is a castle set in extensive parklands near Lauder in the Borders of Scotland. The site is aptly named Castle Hill, as it stands upon raised ground. However, the raised land is within Lauderdale, the valley of the Leader Wat ...

was besieged in his chamber. Harry Lindsay defended the queen's door. Both the King and Queen were in the tower secured with an iron yett. A shot from the chancellor's chamber window killed Robert Scott, a brother of the Laird of Balwearie, and another raider was hit on the backside. The courtiers fought back with "staffs and other invasive weapons". Taking advantage of the darkness, Bothwell's men retreated through the stables. Seven of Bothwell's men were captured and hanged. Anne of Denmark successfully pleaded with James VI for the lives of some, especially John Naysmyth.

The Schaw twins

Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie was shot and injured in the hand by John Schaw, a gentleman of the equerry. John Shaw, who had recently been awarded a property confiscated from Euphame MacCalzean, and his twin brother Patrick were fatally injured in the struggle in the stable. Their sister Marjory was awarded a royal pension. The twins were commemorated in a poem by

Alexander Montgomerie Alexander Montgomerie (Scottish Gaelic: Alasdair Mac Gumaraid) (c. 1550?–1598) was a Scottish Jacobean courtier and poet, or makar, born in Ayrshire. He was a Scottish Gaelic speaker and a Scots speaker from Ayrshire, an area which w ...

, the ''Epitaph of Jhone and Patrik Shaues'' which compares John and his twin brother Patrick to

Castor and Pollux Castor and Pollux (or Polydeuces) are twin half-brothers in Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri or Dioskouroi. Their mother was Leda, but they had different fathers; Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, the king of ...

By CASTOR and by POLLUX you may boste,
Deid SHAWIS ye live, suppose your lyfis be loste.

Suspicions

It was said that during the raid Margaret Douglas, Countess of Bothwell, waited in a house nearby in the

Canongate The Canongate is a street and associated district in central Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. The street forms the main eastern length of the Royal Mile while the district is the main eastern section of Edinburgh's Old Town. David ...

with jewels and money, ready to receive the captive queen. She left secretly in the night in fear after the retreat. The Privy Council later banished her from the King's presence, declaring that,

the said Erllis wyffe, quha, as is knowne, hes bene a griter mellair in thir treassounable actionis and counsellis then become a woman; bot, howsoevir his Majestie, in respect of hir sex and present conditioun, thocht nocht convenient to deal so hardlie with hir at this tyme as she had worthelie deservit, yit meanit nocht nor nawayes allow that she sould remane ewest his persone or repair to his presens
Or in modern spelling: the said Earl's wife, who, as is known, has been a greater dealer in these treasonable actions and counsels than becomes a woman; but, however his Majesty, in respect of her sex and present condition regnancy thought it not convenient to deal so hardly with her at this time as she had worthily deserved, yet means not in any way to allow that she should remain near his person or repair to his presence.

Suspicion fell on the

Duke of Lennox The title Duke of Lennox has been created several times in the peerage of Scotland, for Clan Stewart of Darnley. The dukedom, named for the district of Lennox in Dumbarton Dumbarton (; , or ; or , meaning 'fort of the Britons (histo ...

because one his retainers, William Stewart, took part in the Raid and fled. Chancellor Maitland distrusted Lennox' offer of a refuge during the Raid. A list of fifty suspected to have been at the Raid of Holyrood includes the Earl's half-brother Hercules Stewart, Robert Hepburn in Hailes, John Ormiston in Smailholm, and John Gibson, the grieve of Crichton, who was taken to the gallows but reprieved. James VI made a proclamation against the masked riders, conspirators who "rydis missellit" with their faces covered and disguised.

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

wrote to

in French to congratulate her on escaping Bothwell's "wicked miserable enterprise" and that she should encourage James VI to punish the offenders and be as vigilant as her father,

Frederick II of Denmark Frederick II (1 July 1534 – 4 April 1588) was King of Denmark-Norway, Denmark and Norway and Duke of Duchy of Schleswig, Schleswig and Duchy of Holstein, Holstein from 1559 until his death in 1588. A member of the House of Oldenburg, Fre ...

had been. In England,

Christopher Hatton Sir Christopher Hatton (12 December 1540 – 20 November 1591) was an English politician, Lord Chancellor of England and a favourite of Elizabeth I of England. He was one of the judges who found Mary, Queen of Scots guilty of treason. Early ...

heard that Bothwell had intended to kill the Chancellor, John Maitland. James VI would now try more seriously to capture Bothwell, and promised his confiscated goods and lands to the Duke of Lennox, to secure his support.

Raid of Falkland, June 1592

On 28 June, between one and two o'clock in the morning, Bothwell, with 300 followers, attempted to capture Falkland Palace and the king. Forewarned, the king and queen and his immediate courtiers withdrew to the tower and locked it from within. Bothwell's main assault was at the back gate near the tennis court. The defenders fired on his supporters from the tower. Melville of Halhill alleged that some who liked Bothwell loaded their guns with paper, while Bothwell refrained from using the explosive petards he had brought to blow the gates open. Bothwell gave up and left with the horses from the royal stables. The English border reiver Richie Graham of Brackenhill and his companions including Thomas Musgrave of

Bewcastle Bewcastle is a large civil parish in the Cumberland unitary authority area of Cumbria, England. It is in the historic county of Cumberland. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 411, reducing to 391 at the 2011 Census. ...

sacked Falkland town, taking horses, clothing, and money. On 29 and 30 June proclamations were issued for Bothwell's pursuit and the arrest of his accomplices, including James Scott of Balwearie, Martine of Cardone, and Lumsden of Airdrie. An Edinburgh burgess, George Marjoribanks, described the Raid of Falkland in his journal:

after the forfaltour of the said Earl of Bothwell, he with his complices came to Falkland quher
here Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...
the King wes for the tyme, of purpois for to have taken the King from sick uchas then hade courte and governiment of him, and witheld hes nobility from him. Bot they could get the King taken, in respecte of the strenth of the place.

According to James Melville of Halhill, he and his brother had a warning of the plot to take the King and Queen at Falkland. They advised the royal couple to ride north to Ballinbreich Castle on the

River Tay The River Tay (, ; probably from the conjectured Brythonic ''Tausa'', possibly meaning 'silent one' or 'strong one' or, simply, 'flowing' David Ross, ''Scottish Place-names'', p. 209. Birlinn Ltd., Edinburgh, 2001.) is the longest river in Sc ...

for greater safety. This counsel was overruled and the Melville brothers were told to ride south to summon reinforcements to Falkland. They discovered that Bothwell was close by and sent a servant, Robert Athlek, back to Falkland. His story was not believed. On his way back from Falkland he encountered Bothwell's forces on the

Lomond Hills The Lomond Hills are a group of hills on the border of Fife and Kinross-shire in central Scotland, including East Lomond, West Lomond, and also Bishop Hill. At , West Lomond is the highest point in the Lomonds as well as the highest point in Fif ...

in the dark. He was believed when he came back a second time, and so the royals moved into the gatehouse tower for extra security. James VI returned to Edinburgh, and wrote to

on 5 July about the raid at Falkland. He would hunt down the perpetrators, and asked her to pursue fugitives in England and the English subjects who were present. He asked her to send money to help, as a payment of the annuity or subsidy which he received from her.

Second raid of Holyrood, July 1593

On Tuesday 24 July 1593, the Earl of Bothwell in disguise, helped by Marie Ruthven, Countess of Atholl, smuggled himself into Holyroodhouse and forced himself into the King's presence, in his bedchamber. The Countess of Atholl had access to a back gate which led to her mother, Dorothea Stewart, Countess of Gowrie's house. It was said that Bothwell hid behind the tapestry or hangings until the best moment. Some accounts say the King was in his "retiring place" or "secret place", with his valet William Murray. According to

John Spottiswoode John Spottiswoode (Spottiswood, Spotiswood, Spotiswoode or Spotswood) (1565 – 26 November 1639) was an Archbishop of St Andrews, Primate of All Scotland, Lord Chancellor, and historian of Scotland. Life He was born in 1565 at Greenbank in ...

, James VI saw Bothwell's drawn sword, and said, "Strike Traitor! and make an end of thy work, for I desire not to live any longer". Bothwell kneeled and offered his sword to the king so he could behead him if he wished. James declined. Soon numerous Bothwell supporters also entered the room. William Keith of Delny and the

Earl of Mar There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. Th ...

offered some resistance. Bothwell told his version of this dialogue to William Reed in

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...

. When James saw Bothwell, he said "Francis, thou will do me no ill!". Bothwell kneeled and offered his sword. The Duke and the Earl of Atholl came in the room and spoke on Bothwell's behalf, "May it please your grace, this is a noble man of your own blood, who would be loth to see you take any ill, and be ready always to venture his life with you. Your Grace is to take things in hand now which cannot be well done without the assistance of this man who you may be assured of". According to Bothwell, the king forgave him, saying, "Francis, you ask us pardon, for what would you have pardon?" as if his entrance to the palace had been no offence. The Provost of Edinburgh, Alexander Home, came to the palace to help, but the king said things were fine and Bothwell told him to get packing. Various noblemen were present and Lord Ochiltree offered to fight Bothwell over the issue of the killing of his brother Sir William Stewart in 1588. There was no fighting. The king accepted Bothwell's protestations of loyalty and an agreement for his pardon from charges of treason was reached. Bothwell was never returned to favour and went into exile. Two Danish ambassadors, Niels Krag and

Steen Bille Steen Bille (1565–1629) was a Danish councillor and diplomat. He was the son of Jens Bille and Karen Rønnow, and is sometimes called "Steen Jensen Bille". His father compiled a manuscript of ballads, Jens Billes visebog. As a young man Bille ...

, who had come to inspect the queen's jointure settlement and land rentals, were in Edinburgh during the raid. They were lodged in the

at John Kinloch's house close to the palace. They recorded events in a Latin journal of their embassy. James VI had to explain the circumstances of Bothwell's appearance at Holyrood to them in a meeting with the Privy Council in the

Tolbooth A tolbooth or town house was the main municipal building of a Scotland, Scottish burgh, from medieval times until the 19th century. The tolbooth usually provided a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail. The tolbooth was one of th ...

. The Danish ambassadors had another audience with James VI in the palace garden on 25 July. The English ambassador Robert Bowes thought that Marie Ruthven, Countess of Atholl was a dependable ally of

and opposed to the faction of the

Earl of Huntly Marquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing marquessate in Scotland, and the second-oldest in the British Isles; only the English ma ...

, and in October 1593 he advised that Elizabeth should send her a jewel as a token of support. The king's favourite, Sir George Home, was now lodged in the house by Holyrood, for extra security. Some unjustly accused Anne of Denmark of trying helping Bothwell reach the king. Maureen Meikle, 'A meddlesome princess: Anna of Denmark and Scottish court politics, 1589-1603',

Julian Goodare Julian Goodare is a professor of history at University of Edinburgh. Academic career Goodare studied at the University of Edinburgh in the 1980s, afterwards engaged as a postdoctoral fellow. He lectured at the University of Wales, and at the Univ ...

& Michael Lynch, ''The Reign of James VI'' (East Linton: Tuckwell, 2000), pp. 133-4.

References

{{Reflist 16th century in Edinburgh Court of James VI and I Conflicts in 1591 Judicial torture in Scotland 1590s conflicts 1591 in Scotland 1592 in Scotland 1593 in Scotland James VI and I Military history of Edinburgh Holyrood Palace