At
the dead of night, followed by a band of borderers, he occupied the
court of the palace of Holyrood, and began to burst open the doors
of the royal apartments. The nobility, distrustful of each other, and
ignorant of the extent of the conspiracy, only endeavoured to
make good the defence of their separate lodgings; but darkness and
confusion prevented the assailants from profiting by their disunion.
Melville, who was present, gives a lively picture of the scene of
disorder, transiently illuminated by the glare of passing torches;
while the report of fire arms, the clatter of armour, the din of
hammers thundering on the gates, mingled wildly with the war-cry of
the borderers, who shouted incessantly, "Justice! Justice! A Bothwell!
A Bothwell!" The citizens of Edinburgh at length began to assemble for
the defence of their sovereign; and Bothwell was compelled to retreat,
which he did without considerable loss.--_Melville_, p. 356. A similar
attempt on the person of James, while residing at Faulkland, also
misgave; but the credit which Bothwell obtained on the borders, by
these bold and desperate enterprizes, was incredible "All Tiviotdale,"
says Spottiswoode, "ran after him;" so that he finally obtained
his object; and, at Edinburgh, in 1593, he stood before James, an
unexpected apparition, with his naked sword in his hand.
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