Allthesepreparationshadbeenmade，oneimagines，becauseMurraywastospendthefollowingdayinLinlithgow。But，secretastheywere，theyweretoberendereduseless，fortheregent’sfriendswarnedhimthatitwouldnotbesafeforhimtopassthroughthetown，whichbelongedalmostwhollytotheHamiltons，andadvisedhimtogobyit。However，Murraywascourageous，and，accustomednottogivewaybeforearealdanger，hechidnothingbutlaughataperilwhichhelookeduponasimaginary，andboldlyfollowedhisfirstplan，whichwasnottogooutofhisway。Consequently，asthestreetintowhichtheArchbishopofSt。Andrews’balconylookedwasonhisroad，heentereduponit，notgoingrapidlyandprecededbyguardswhowouldopenupapassageforhim，ashisfriendsstillcounselled，butadvancingatafoot’space，delayedashewasbythegreatcrowdwhichwasblockingupthestreetstoseehim。Arrivedinfrontofthebalcony，asifchancehadbeenintunewiththemurderer，thecrushbecamesogreatthatMurraywasobligedtohaltforamoment：thisrestgaveBothwellhaughtimetoadjusthimselfforasteadyshot。Heleanedhisarquebuseonthebalcony，and，havingtakenaimwiththenecessaryleisureandcoolness，fired。
Bothwellhaughhadputsuchachargeintothearquebuse，thattheball，havingpassedthroughtheregent’sheart，killedthehorseofagentlemanonhisright。Murrayfelldirectly，saying，“MyGod！Iamkilled。“
Astheyhadseenfromwhichwindowtheshotwasfired，thepersonsintheregent’strainhadimmediatelythrownthemselvesagainstthegreatdoorofthehousewhichlookedontothestreet，andhadsmasheditin；buttheyonlyarrivedintimetoseeBothwellhaughflythroughthelittlegardengateonthehorsehehadgotready：theyimmediatelyremountedthehorsestheyhadleftinthestreet，and，passingthroughthehouse，pursuedhim。Bothwellhaughhadagoodhorseandtheleadofhisenemies；andyet，fourofthem，pistolinhand，weresowellmountedthattheywerebeginningtogainuponhim。
ThenBothwellhaugh；seeingthatwhipandspurwerenotenough，drewhisdaggerandusedittogoadonhishorse。Hishorse，underthisterriblestimulus，acquiredfreshvigour，and，leapingagullyeighteenfeetdeep，putbetweenhismasterandhispursuersabarrierwhichtheydarednotcross。
ThemurderersoughtanasyluminFrance，whereheretiredundertheprotectionoftheGuises。There，astheboldstrokehehadattemptedhadacquiredhimagreatreputation，somedaysbeforetheMassacreofSt。Bartholomew，theymadehimoverturestoassassinateAdmiralColigny。ButBothwellhaughindignantlyrepulsedtheseproposals，sayingthathewastheavengerofabusesandnotanassassin，andthatthosewhohadtocomplainoftheadmiralhadonlytocomeandaskhimhowhehaddone，andtodoashe。