Tudor Murder Files by Moore James

Author:Moore, James
Format: epub
Tags: TRUE CRIME / Murder / General
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2016-10-31T04:00:00+00:00

The murder of David Riccio, from The Murder of Rizzio, by John Opie, 1787. (Courtesy of the Guildhall Art Library)

On the evening of Saturday 9 March, the six months pregnant Mary was at her private supper chamber at Holyrood. This room, measuring just 12ft by 10ft, was part of her apartments on the second floor in the turreted northwest corner of the palace. Attending the meal were a handful of close associates, including her half-sister the Countess of Argyll, her half-brother Robert Stewart and Sir Arthur Erskine, along with some servants. Riccio was there too, dressed in a fine fur-lined damask robe, satin doublet and velvet hose.

Suddenly, at about 7pm, Darnley, who had played tennis with Riccio that very afternoon, made a surprise appearance. His rooms were below Mary’s and he entered via a private staircase and through a curtain that separated Mary’s bedroom from the dining area. He and the queen did not usually eat together. Evidently bemused, the queen asked him if he had already dined and he replied that he had, casually putting his arm around Mary, kissing her and sitting next to her at the table.

Darnley gave no sign that he had just let his co-conspirators into the palace. They had with them a 100 strong force with which to overwhelm any guards and secure all the entrances. Around twenty had been stationed on the stairway leading to Mary’s rooms. Shortly after Darnley had arrived Lord Ruthven burst into the supper room too. He must have made a striking sight, dressed in a cloak, with full armour underneath and a helmet on his head but still looking pale from an illness which, until now, had seen him laid up in bed. He told Mary that he had come to render her a service, ‘To rid you of the villain who is at the end of the table and who merits neither place nor honour. We will not be governed by a varlet.’ Another account has it that he said: ‘Let it please your majesty that yonder man David come forth of your privy-chamber where he hath been overlong.’

Mary demanded to know what offence Riccio had committed and Ruthven replied that, ‘he had offended your honour which I dare not be so bold as to speak of.’ The implication was obvious. The reason for Darnley’s visit must now have become clear to Mary – that he was involved in a dastardly plan to seize Riccio. Remaining remarkably composed, she offered that if Riccio had done wrong then the matter could more properly be dealt with before Parliament.

Ruthven ignored her and ordered Darnley to take hold of Mary, drawing his dagger. Some of those present tried to lunge towards Ruthven but he held them back saying, ‘Lay no hands on me for I will not be handled.’ More conspirators, Andrew Ker of Fawdonside, Patrick Bellenden, George Douglas, Thomas Scott and Henry Yair rushed in to aid him, brandishing blades and pistols.

In the ensuing commotion the table and most of the candles were knocked over.

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