William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, 4th Lord of Ruthven (c. 1541May 1584) was a Scottish peer known for devising the Raid of Ruthven. Life and career William Ruthven was born in 1541 in Ruthven Castle, in Perthshire, Scotland, the son of Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven and Janet Douglas. On 23 August 1581, he was named Earl of Gowrie by James VI of Scotland. He and his father had both been involved in the murder of David Rizzio in 1566; and both took an active part on the side of the Kirk in the constant intrigues and factions among the Scottish nobility of the period. William had been the custodian of Mary, Queen of Scots, during her imprisonment in Loch Leven Castle, where, according to the queen, he had pestered her with amorous attentions. Ruthven wrote a friendly letter to his "great aunt" Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox in June 1571 during the Marian Civil War. He asked about the health of her son Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox and hoped for peaceful times in which she could visit Scotland. He said the young James VI was growing tall. In 1582 Ruthven devised and undertook the Raid of Ruthven, a plot to seize the fifteen-year-old King James during a visit to his house in Perth. Ruthven remained at the head of the government for several months during the detention. Ruthven continued to plot against the king, and was the last-known custodian of the silver casket that contained the Casket Letters; letters said to have been written by Mary, Queen of Scots, implicating her in the murder of her husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Ruthven was arrested at his house in Dundee by Colonel William Stewart. Stewart surrounded the house with 100 soldiers from 3 o'clock in the morning to 3' o'clock in the afternoon before Ruthven surrendered, when the town of Dundee was ordered received an order from James VI to take arms against him. Ruthven was shipped to Leith and brought to Holyrood Palace. He was taken to Kinneil House and then to Stirling Castle. His trial was held in Mar's Wark or "Lady Mar's house" at Stirling. The judges included John Graham, Lord HallyardsThe charges, recorded by Roger Aston, included "witchcraft in conferring with sorcerers". He was beheaded at Stirling on 3 May 1584 because of his leading involvement in the Raid of Ruthven and all