ation gladly accepted. After supper the
Captain "passed to the King's chamber to see what was doing, who was
then lodged in the castle," probably to get the word for the night. It
is curious to think of the unconscious officer, so little aware of what
was about to befall, going from the chamber of the captive to that of
the King, where the little Court would be assembled at their music or
their "tables," or where perhaps James was taking counsel over the
leafage of a capital or the spring of an arch--and thence returning when
all the rounds were made, the great gates barred and bolted, the
sentries set, to the Prince in his prison, who was a finer companion
still. Alexander plied the unsuspecting Captain with his wine, spiced or
perhaps drugged to make it act the sooner, and along with him a warder
or two who were in constant attendance upon the royal prisoner. A prince
to drink with such carles! "The fire was hett, and the wyne was strong":
and the united influence of the spiced drink and the hot room soon
overcame the revellers, all but Alexander and his trusty man, who had
taken care to refrain. In Dumas the gaoler was but gagged and bound: but
in Scotland life went for little, and some of the authorities say that
when the Prince saw the drunkards in his power, "he lap from the board
and strak the captane with ane whinger and slew him, and also stiked
other two with his own hand." He had been informed that he was to die
the next day if he did not escape that night, which was some excuse for
him.[2] When the men were thus disposed of, in one way or another, the
Prince and his servant, "his chamber chyld," stole out with the rope to
"a quiet place" on the wall. Coming out into the dark freshness and
stillness of the night after that stifling and horrible room, seeing the
stars once more and the distant glimmer of the sea, and feeling freedom
at hand, it was little they would reck of the gaolers, always an
obnoxious class. One would imagine that it must have been on the most
precipitous side of the castle rock where there were few sentinels and
the exit was easy, though the descent terrible. The faithful servant
tried the rope first but found it too short, and fell, breaking his
thigh. With what feelings Alexander must have stolen back to get his
sheets with which to lengthen the rope, pushing through the smoke,
almost despairing to get off in safety! One is relieved to hear that he
took his crippled attendant on his back