David Riccio murder

[tucho58]

Was David Riccio (Mary Steward's secretary) after being stabbed dumped from the window or drag downstairs ?

[jennymac]

At eight o�clock on the evening of Saturday 9th March 1566, Darnley entered the Queen�s chamber, where she was having supper with Lord Robert Stewart, her half-sister Jean, countess of Argyll, Arthur Erskine (her equerry), Anthony Standen (her page) and Riccio. A few minutes later Lord Ruthven appeared, dressed in armour. Ruthven was known to be ill, and those present initially thought that he was delirious. He demanded that Riccio be handed over. Mary turned to her husband, realising the purpose of his unusual visit. Ruthven attempted to grab Riccio, and when those present tried to restrain him he cried out and was immediately joined by a band of followers who rushed up the stair - Andrew Ker of Fawdonside, Patrick Bellenden, George Douglas, Thomas Scott and Henry Yair. George Douglas stabbed Riccio over the pregnant Queen�s shoulder, and Kerr held a pistol to her abdomen. Bellenden also had a pistol, the others daggers. Riccio was dragged from within the Queen�s skirts, and stabbed between fifty three and sixty times before his bloody corpse was thrown down the main staircase, Darnley's dagger clearly visible.