http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/katie-bar-the-door/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/katie-bar-the-door/comment-page-1/#comment-44406 Barry Wood Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:22:17 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=7190#comment-44406 Per SongMeanings, this phrase arose in connection with the murder of James I, King of Scotland, February 21, 1437 at Blackfiars Monastery outside of Perth. James I had irritated much of Parliament with a plan to raise taxes. At the time of the visit to Perth, Sir Robert Stewart, the chamberlain of the royal household, removed the bar from the door to the king's chamber in order to facilitate entry by his confederates. Catherine Douglas, lady in waiting to the queen, placed her arm where the door bar had been. Her arm was not strong enough to fend off the attackers, let by Robert Graham. They gained entry and ultimately found the king hiding beneath the floor in a sewer. He would have escaped except that the exit had recently been boarded up to minimize the loss of tennis balls. Thus ended the reign of the most musically accomplished king Scotland has ever known. Three months later, Graham, Stewart and Stewart's grandfather Walter of Atholl were "gruesomely executed." See the Wiki article on James I. Per SongMeanings, this phrase arose in connection with the murder of James I, King of Scotland, February 21, 1437 at Blackfiars Monastery outside of Perth. James I had irritated much of Parliament with a plan to raise taxes. At the time of the visit to Perth, Sir Robert Stewart, the chamberlain of the royal household, removed the bar from the door to the king’s chamber in order to facilitate entry by his confederates. Catherine Douglas, lady in waiting to the queen, placed her arm where the door bar had been. Her arm was not strong enough to fend off the attackers, let by Robert Graham. They gained entry and ultimately found the king hiding beneath the floor in a sewer. He would have escaped except that the exit had recently been boarded up to minimize the loss of tennis balls. Thus ended the reign of the most musically accomplished king Scotland has ever known. Three months later, Graham, Stewart and Stewart’s grandfather Walter of Atholl were “gruesomely executed.” See the Wiki article on James I.

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