Craigmillar Castle — Its Historical Associations. 39 



hands, and I will go with her though she murder me." 

 Whether Mary was cognisant of any plot to get rid of her 

 husband, or whether she simply advised him for his good, 

 is still a matter on which much diversity of opinion exists. 

 Bothwell, generally regarded as chief actor m the 

 plot, followed the Queen to Craigmillar after the 

 murder, and a few months later Mary accepted him as 

 her husband. From this fact many have concluded 

 that the Queen could not have been altogether ignorant 

 of the dark deed consummated at Kirk-of-Field. On 

 the other hand, it is recorded that the Laird of 

 Ormiston, who was convicted upwards of six years 

 after the murder of Darnley, made a confession to the 

 Rev. John Brand, during his last moments, while the 

 latter was trying to cheer him with the consolations 

 of religion. In this confession, already referred to, he 

 stated that Bothwell spoke to him on the subject of the 

 murder only two days before it was committed, and 

 that " he utterly refused to join the plot." Bothwell 

 also informed him that the bond had been drawn up 

 by Sir James Balfour, and signed a quarter of a year 

 before the deed was done. x\fter the murder, Ormiston 



