the ruin of Logan's heirs by forfeiture.
He did not do this himself, but he gave forged letters, for money, to men
who were in debt to the dead Logan's estate, and who might use the
letters to extort remission of what they owed.

On July 15, Sprot was examined before Dunfermline, Dunbar, Hart, the
King's Advocate (Sir Thomas Hamilton), and other gentlemen. He said
that, about July 6, 1600, Logan received a letter from Gowrie, which, two
days later, Bower showed to him at Fastcastle. This is the harmless
Gowrie letter, which Sprot now quoted from memory, as it is printed in
Hart's official account.

Now begins a new puzzle, caused by Sprot's dates. Of these we can only
give a conjectural version, for the sake of argument. Logan received a
letter from Gowrie about July 6, 1600. He returned a reply, by Bower,
but when did Bower start with the reply? Let us say on July 9. Bower
returned, says Sprot, 'within five days,' with 'a new letter' from
Gowrie. That would bring us to July 14, but in Letters I and II, dated
July 18, Logan is informing his unknown correspondent, and Bower, of the
receipt of 'a new letter' from Gowrie. Why inform Bower of this, if
Bower was the bearer of the new letter? But the 'new letter' mentioned
in Letters I and II was brought by a retainer of Gowrie. In any case,
supposing by way of conjecture that Bower returned from Gowrie about July
15, he spent the night, says Sprot, with Logan at Gunnisgreen, and next
day (July 16) rode to Edinburgh with Bower, Boig of Lochend, and Matthew
Logan. In Edinburgh he remained 'a certain short space,' say four days,
which would bring us to July 20. Needless to say that this does not fit
Letter II, Logan to Bower, July 18, and Letter I, Logan to the Unknown,
Fastcastle, July 18.

After Logan's return from Edinburgh (which, according to Sprot, seems to
be of about July 20) Sprot heard Logan and Bower discuss some scheme by
which Logan should get Gowrie's estate of Dirleton, without payment.
Bower said nothing could be done till Logan rode west himself. He
discouraged the whole affair, but Logan said, in the hearing of several
persons, that he would hazard his life with Gowrie. Lady Restalrig
blamed Bower for making Logan try to sell the lands of Fastcastle (they
were not sold till 1602), of which Bower protested his innocence. This
was _after_ Logan's return from Edinburgh (say July 20; that is, say five
days after Logan's return, say July 25). Bo