Contents The Dethe of the Kynge of Scotis

james of scotland

while chronicle covers james s reign king, focuses on murder , aftermath in detail. james stabbed death, in conspiracy led sir robert graham , brothers christopher , robert chambers, on night of february 20–21, 1437, @ blackfriars, perth. according dethe, murdered while hiding in priory s privy; 15th-century chronicle contains detail. rest of account relates how murderers tortured , executed.

the chronicle describes how king hears noise of armed men outside door of bedchamber; locks door , unsuccessfully attempts break through windows. metal tongs fireplace breaks open wooden floor of privy , finds himself in stone passage through privy drains. way out hole through privy can emptied, hole had ordered closed 3 days before stop tennis balls rolling it. conspirators break down door, , 1 of them threatens kill queen, joan beaufort, queen of scots, stopped son of sir robert graham. when discovered, 2 men go down king defeats them, though unarmed; graham descends privy and, refusing let king have confessor, stabs him through body. graham overcome emotion , kills king, of other 2 men, after being threatened other conspirators. try find , kill queen, has escaped , alerted king s retinue, pursues conspirators manage escape.

the rest of account relates in detailed fashion how murderers tortured , executed. found within month. robert stewart, master of atholl , christopher chambers tortured in edinburgh being bound on crosses, having flesh pulled bodies tongs, being dragged horses, hung see, decapitated rusty axe, , quartered. heads displayed on city gate. walter stewart, earl of atholl, given paper crown traitour, traitour, traitour written on it. given confession; denied being part of assassination, though said knew of it. beheaded, , head, crowned iron crown, put on pole in centre of edinburgh.

the torture , death of graham in stirling takes 6 pages in manuscript. mane of grete hart , manhode , defiant until end , denounces accusers. hoisted onto cart on tree placed, , hand nailed tree knife used kill king. executioner ordered cut off hand same knife, , drawn through streets naked , tortured iron instruments. continues defy tormentors; take pity on him , throw him in jail, while more conspirators drawn , quartered. graham retrieved jail , taken execution site, son disemboweled , beheaded before eyes, after himself has heart , bowels torn out.