Raid of Holyrood
The Raid of Holyrood was an attack on Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh on 27 December 1591 by Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell in order to gain the favour of King James VI of Scotland. Background. Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell was a nephew of Mary, Queen of Scots. He fell from the favour of James VI and was accused of witchcraft during the North Berwick witch trials. Expelled from court, he broke into Holyrood Palace (twice) and tried to capture Falkland Palace (once) and planned to enter Dalkeith Palace, 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, the courtier Roger Aston, 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). 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 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 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 Anne of Denmark 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 John Maitland of Thirlestane 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. Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie was shot and injured  in the hand by John Schaw, a gentleman of the equerry. John Shaw, or both of the Schaw twins were fatally injured in the struggle in the stable and they were commemorated in a poem by Alexander Montgomerie, the "Epitaph of Jhone and Patrik Shaues" which compares John and his twin brother Patrick to Castor and Pollux.By CASTOR and by POLLUX you may boste,Deid SHAWIS ye live, suppose your lyfis be loste. It was said that during the raid Margaret Douglas, Countess of Bothwell, waited in a house nearby in the Canongate 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 presensOr 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 [pregnancy], 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 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 wrote to Anne of Denmark in French to congratulate her on escaping Bothwell's "wicked miserable enterprise" and that she should encourager James VI to punish the  offenders and be as vigilant as her father, Frederick II of Denmark had been. 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 sacked the 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. 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. Accounts say the King was in his "retiring place" or "secret place". According to John Spottiswoode, 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 offered some resistance. 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, who had come to inspect the queen's jointure settlement and land rentals, were in Edinburgh during the raid. They were lodged in the Canongate 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. 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 Elizabeth I and opposed to the faction of the Earl of Huntly, 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.