| In his blind anger against the house of Douglas, Lady Glamis as the sister of the banished Earl was marked down for destruction by James V, but the conduct of his intended victim was so irreproachable that years elapsed before the King was able to put his purpose into execution. Her name was included in the general Douglas proscription of 18 January 1528-29, for the counsel, assistance and help given by her to her brothers Archibald and George, but no immediate action followed, and on 20 September 1529 she with Patrick Charteris of Cuthilgurdy had a special licence' now to depart and pas to the partis bezond sey in thaire pilgrimage and utheris liefull besynes there to be done, and to remaine in quhatsumevir realme or cuntre they pleas as thai sail think expedient except the realme of Ingland.' On 1 July 1531 a certain Gawyne Hamilton received a gift of her escheat 'throw her being fugitive fra the law and at the horn or convicted of intercommonyng with our souerane lordis rebellis.' On 1 January 1532 she was indicted on the ground of poisoning her late husband John, Lord Glamis, her uncle John Drummond of Innerpeflray becoming cautioner for her appearance. A month later she appeared to answer the accusation, but the jury summoned, mostly Angus gentry, refused to countenance so shameless a charge, and were fined for non-appearance; a second jury summoned from a wider circle three weeks later also refusing to appear were likewise fined. At length on 17 July 1537 she was accused as being 'art and part of the tressonabill conspiratioune and ymaginatioune of the slauchter and destructione of our souerane lordis maist nobill person be poysone, and for art and part in the tressonable assistance supple ressett intercommonyng and fortifying of Archibald, sumtyme Erll of Anguse and George Douglas hir brother, traytouris and rebellis.' She was found guilty and condemned to be burned on the Castlehill of Edinburgh, and the horrid sentence was carried out the same day.' She was burnt upon the Castle Hill with great commiseration of the people, in regard of her noble bloud, of her husband, being in the prime of her years, of a singular beauty, and suffering all, though a woman, with a man-like courage; all men conceiving that it was not this fact [the charge of poisoning the King] but the hatred the King carried to her brothers.' The English ambassador wrote that Lady Glamis was put to death ' as I can perceyue without any substanciall ground or proyf of mattir.' On the day after her trial her husband Archibald Campbell of Skipnish, in trying to escape from Edinburgh Oastle, fell from the rocks and was killed.9 |