estion as to the
King's company, asked in presence of Hay, a compromising and improbable
question, if Gowrie wished to conceal the visit to Falkland.

Apart, Gowrie put some other questions to Henderson as to how the King
received the Master. Henderson then went to his house; an hour later
Gowrie bade him put on his secret coat of mail, and plate sleeves, as he
had to arrest a Highlander. Henderson did as commanded; at twelve the
steward told him to bring up dinner, as Craigengelt (the caterer) was
ill. Dinner began at half-past twelve; at the second course the Master
entered, Andrew Ruthven had arrived earlier. The company rose from
table, and Henderson, who was not at the moment in the room, heard them
moving, and thought that they were 'going to make breeks for Maconilduy,'
that is, to catch the Highlander. Finding he was wrong, he threw his
steel gauntlet into the pantry, and sent his boy to his house with his
steel cap. He then followed Gowrie to meet the King, and, after he had
fetched 'a drink' (which James says 'was long in coming'), the Master
bade him ask Mr. Rhynd, Gowrie's old tutor, for the key of the gallery,
which Rhynd brought to the Master. Gowrie then went up, and spoke with
the Master, and, after some coming and going, Henderson was sent to the
Master in the gallery. Thither Gowrie returned, and bade Henderson do
whatever the Master commanded. (The King says that Gowrie came and went
from the room, during his dinner.) The Master next bade Henderson enter
the turret, and locked him in. He passed the time in terror and in
prayer.

There follows the story of the entry of James and the Master, and
Henderson now avers that he 'threw' the dagger out of the Master's hand.
He declares that the Master said that he wanted 'a promise from the
King,' on what point Gowrie would explain. The rest is much as in the
King's account, but Henderson was 'pressing to have opened the window,'
he says, when the Master entered for the second time, with the garter to
bind the King's hands. During the struggle Henderson removed the
Master's hand from the King's mouth, and opened the window. The Master
said to him, 'Wilt thou not help? Woe betide thee, thou wilt make us all
die.' {67a}

Henderson's later deposition, at the trial in November, was mainly, but
not without discrepancies, to the same effect as his first. He said that
he prayed, when alone in the turret, but omits the statement (previously
made by