The expenses of the Regent's household were more costly than that of the young king, James VI of Scotland, who remained at Stirling Castle in the care of Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar.
[5] David Hume of Godscroft writing around 1600 tells how Oliver Sinclair, an old man who had been a favourite of James V of Scotland met George Auchinleck.
David Moysie says that Auchinleck was captured with Alexander Lawson and tortured with the boot, a device to crush the victim's leg, on 14 March 1581, on suspicion of involvement in murder of Lord Darnley, a plot to kidnap James VI from Doune Castle and send him England, and plans to set fire to Edinburgh.
[8] David Calderwood said that "George Fleck" revealed the hiding place of some of Morton's treasure at Dalkeith Palace.
[9] He was said to have confessed that Morton had the Earl of Atholl poisoned, blaming another prisoner, Sanders Jordan or Jardine.