[A1587/5/1]¹

Procedure: trial of Patrick, master of Gray and others for the raid at Stirling Castle

The quhilk day, in presence of the kingis majestie, his nobilitie, counsall and esteatis presentlie convenit, Schir Williame Stewart, bruther germane to the lait chancellare, declairit and affermeid that Patrik, maister of Gray, confessit and declairit to him of lait, amangis uthiris his speichis, that he, togidder with Schir Johnne Maitland of Thirlstane, knycht, secretare, Andro Wod of Largo, comptrollar, Schir Johnne Bellenden of Auchnoull, knycht, justice clark, Walter, priour of Blantyre, kepare of the prevey seill, and Williame Keyth, maister of his hienes gardrope, wer arte, parte and upoun the foirknawlege of the raid and incuming of the noblemen and uthiris of Striviling in the moneth of November the yeir of God j^M v^C four scoir fyve yeiris. Quhilkis personis, being personalie present and heiring the said declaratioun and affirmatioun, tuiching thame maist heichlie in honnour and dewitie, cravit and desyrit maist humlie of his majestie, his saidis nobilitie and esteatis, least thay or ony uthiris suld be perswadit the same onywayes to be of treuth, that thai mycht be presentlie tryit, and to that effect that the aythis and declaratioun of the noblemen and uthiris presentlie convenit quhilkis repairit to Striviling at the tyme foirsaid, togidder with the said Patrik, maister of Gray, allegeit speikare thairof, mycht be presentlie takin, quhairthrow thair innocency or giltynes mycht be knawne and ordour takin with thame as appertenit. The kingis majestie, his saidis nobilitie, counsall and esteatis, finding the desire of the foirsaidis personis to be verie ressonable, requirit Johnne, lord Hammiltoun, Francis, erll Bothuill, lord Halis, Creichtoun and Liddisdale, Johnne, erll of Mar, lord Erskin, and certane uthiris quhilkis come to Striviling at the tyme foirsaid, to declair the veritie; and thay, being all sworne, declairit be thair grite aythis that the foirsaidis personis wes nawayes arte, parte nor upoun the foirknaulege of thair cuming to Striviling, nather had thay nor ony of thame, nor na uthiris being with thame in cumpany, sa fer as thay knew, ony intelligence with thame be letters, messageis nor na uthir maner of way, directlie nor indirectlie, at ony tyme afoir thay wer ressavit to his majesteis favour. Likeas the said Patrik, maister of Gray, being alswa sworne, deponit that he at na tyme maid ony sic confessioun or declaratioun to the said Schir Williame as he presentlie affermis, nather knew he ony sic forme of doing to have bene usit be the saidis personis or ony of thame, bot that thay behavit thameselffs honnest, faithfull and trew to his majestie in this and all uthir thingis, as become thame of dewitie; and forder, that he spak not of the having of ony letter of the said Walter, priour of Blantyre, in ane blak box, that wald disgrace him at his hienes handis, as the said Schir Williame lykewayes affirmed, nather had he ony letter of the said priouris send to him at ony tyme, saulffing ane missive direct, advertissand him of sum evill will and malice borne to him be the lait chancellare, proceding, as he than and yit dois suppone, of ane gudewill towardis him, and that he wald not at ony tyme have wissit ony inconvenient to have fallin oute besyde his majestie. With the quhilk declarationis maid be the saidis noblemen and uthiris foirsaids, his hienes being weill and sufficientlie satisfeit, hes estemit, and presentlie and in all tymes heireftir will and dois esteme, the foirsaidis personis and every ane of thame to be honnest, faithfull, trew, and to have behaved thameselffis in all thingis towardis his majestie to his hienes honnour, contentment and satisfactioun.