an autobiography-第4章

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　Hamilton；　mostly　raw　and　undisciplined　countrymen。　　The　King's　forces　assembled　to　meet　them；　　10；000　well…disciplined　troops；　with　a　complete　train　of　field　artillery。　　What　chance　had　the　Covenanters　against　such　a　force？　　Nevertheless；　they　met　at　Bothwell　Bridge；　a　few　miles　west　of　Hamilton。　It　is　unnecessary　to　describe　the　action。*　　＇footnote。。。　See　the　account　of　a　Covenanting　Officer　in　the　Appendix　to　the　Scots　Worthies。　　See　also　Sir　Waiter　Scott's　Old　Mortality；　where　the　battle　of　Bothwell　Brig　is　described。　　。。。＇

The　Covenanters；　notwithstanding　their　inferior　force；　resisted　the　cannonade　and　musketry　of　the　enemy　with　great　courage。　　They　defended　the　bridge　until　their　ammunition　failed。　　When　the　English　Guards　and　the　artillery　crossed　the　bridge；　the　battle　was　lost。　　The　Covenanters　gave　way；　and　fled　in　all　directions；　Claverhouse；　burning　with　revenge　for　his　defeat　at　Drumclog；　made　a　terrible　slaughter　of　the　unresisting　fugitives。　　One　of　my　ancestors　brought　from　the　battlefield　the　remnant　of　the　standard；　a　formidable　musquet　〃Gun　Bothwell〃　we　afterwards　called　it；　an　Andrea　Ferrara；　and　a　powder…horn。　　I　still　preserve　these　remnants　of　the　civil　war。

My　ancestor　was　condemned　to　death　in　his　absence；　and　his　property　at　Netherton　was　confiscated。　　What　became　of　him　during　the　remainder　of　Charles　II。's　reign；　and　the　reign　of　that　still　greater　tormentor；　James　II。；　I　do　not　know。　　He　was　probably；　like　many　others；　wandering　about　from　place　to　place；　hiding　〃in　wildernesses　or　caves；　destitute；　afflicted；　and　tormented。〃　　The　arrival　of　William　III。　restored　religious　liberty　to　the　country；　and　Scotland　was　again　left　in　comparative　peace。

My　ancestor　took　refuge　in　Edinburgh；　but　he　never　recovered　his　property　at　Netherton。　　The　Duke　of　Hamilton；　one　of　the　trimmers　of　the　time；　had　long　coveted　the　possession　of　the　lands；　as　Ahab　had　coveted　Naboth's　vineyard。　　He　took　advantage　of　the　conscription　of　the　men　engaged　in　the　Bothwell　Brig　conflict；　and　had　the　lands　forfeited　in　his　favour。　　I　remember　my　father　telling　me　that；　on　one　occasion　when　he　visited　the　Duke　of　Hamilton　in　reference　to　some　improvement　of　the　grounds　adjoining　the　palace；　he　pointed　out　to　the　Duke　the　ruined　remains　of　the　old　residence　of　the　Naesmyths。　　As　the　first　French　Revolution　was　then　in　full　progress；　when　ideas　of　society　and　property　seemed　to　have　lost　their　bearings；　the　Duke　good…humouredly　observed；　〃Well；　well；　Naesmyth；　there's　no　saying　but　what；　some　of　these　days；　your　ancestors'　lands　may　come　into　your　possession　again！〃

Before　I　quit　the　persecutions　of　〃the　good　old　times；〃　I　must　refer　to　the　burning　of　witches。　　One　of　my　ancient　kinswomen；　Elspeth　Naesmyth；　who　lived　at　Hamilton；　was　denounced　as　a　witch。　　The　chief　evidence　brought　against　her　was　that　she　kept　four　black　cats；　and　read　her　Bible　with　two　pairs　of　spectacles！　　a　practice　which　shows　that　she　possessed　the　spirit　of　an　experimental　philosopher。

In　doing　this　she　adopted　a　mode　of　supplementing　the　power　of　spectacles　in　restoring　the　receding　power　of　the　eyes。　　She　was　in　all　respects　scientifically　correct。　　She　increased　the　magnifying　power　of　the　glasses；　a　practice　which　is　preferable　to　using　single　glasses　of　the　same　power；　and　which　I　myself　often　follow。　　Notwithstanding　this　improved　method　of　reading　her　Bible；　and　her　four　black　cats；　she　was　condemned　to　be　burned　alive！　　She　was　about　the　last　victim　in　Scotland　to　the　disgraceful　superstition　of　witchcraft。

The　Naesmyths　of　Netherton　having　lost　their　ancestral　property；　had　to　begin　the　world　again。　　They　had　to　begin　at　the　beginning。　But　they　had　plenty　of　pluck　and　energy。　　I　go　back　to　my　great…great…grandfather；　Michael　Naesmyth；　who　was　born　in　1652。　He　occupied　a　house　in　the　Grassmarket；　Edinburgh；　which　was　afterwards　rebuilt；　in　1696。　　His　business　was　that　of　a　builder　and　architect。　His　chief　employment　was　in　designing　and　erecting　new　mansions；　principally　for　the　landed　gentry　and　nobility。　　Their　old　castellated　houses　or　towers　were　found　too　dark　and　dreary　for　modern　uses。　The　drawbridges　were　taken　down；　and　the　moats　were　filled　up。　Sometimes　they　built　the　new　mansions　as　an　addition　to　the　old。　But　oftener　they　left　the　old　castles　to　go　to　ruin；　or；　what　was　worse；　they　made　use　of　the　stone　and　other　materials　of　the　old　romantic　buildings　for　the　construction　of　their　new　residences。

Michael　Naesmyth　acquired　a　high　reputation　for　the　substantiality　of　his　work。　　His　masonry　was　excellent；　as　well　as　his　woodwork。　The　greater　part　of　the　latter　was　executed　in　his　own　workshops　at　the　back　of　his　house　in　the　Grassmarket。　　His　large　yard　was　situated　between　the　back　of　the　house　and　the　high　wall　that　bounded　the　Greyfriars　Churchyard；to　the　east　of　the　flight　of　steps　which　forms　the　main　approach　to　George　Heriot's　Hospital。

＇Image＇　Michael　Naesmyth's　House；　Grassmarket。The　lower　building　at　the　　　　　　　　　right　hand　corner　of　the　engraving；　with　the　three　projecting　　　　　　　　　gable　ends

The　last　work　that　Michael　Naesmyth　was　engaged　in　cost　him　his　life。　He　had　contracted　with　the　Government　to　build　a　fort　at　Inversnaid；　at　the　northern　end　of　Loch　Lomond。　　It　was　intended　to　guard　the　Lowlands；　and　keep　Rob　Roy　and　his　caterans　within　the　Highland　Border。　A　promise　was　given　by　the　Government　that　during　the　progress　of　the　work　a　suitable　force　of　soldiers　should　be　quartered　close　at　hand　to　protect　the　builder　and　his　workmen。

＇Image＇　Inversnaid　Fort。　　After　a　drawing　by　Alexander　Nasmyth

Notwithstanding　many　whispered　warnings　as　to　the　danger　of　undertaking　such　a　hazardous　work；　Michael　Naesmyth　and　his　men　encamped　upon　the　spot；　though　without　the　protection　of　the　Government　force。　　Having　erected　a　temporary　residence　for　their　accommodation；　he　proceeded　with　the　building　of　the　fort。　　The　work　was　well　advanced　by　the　end　of　1703；　although　the　Government　had　treated　all　Naesmyth's　appeals　for　protection　with　evasion　or　contempt。

Winter　set　in　with　its　usual　force　in　those　northern　regions。　One　dark　and　snowy　night；　when　Michael　and　his　men　had　retired　to　rest；　a　loud　knocking　was　heard　at　the　door。　　〃Who's　there？〃　　asked　Michael。　A　man　outside　replied；　〃A　benighted　traveller　overt　aken　by　the　storm〃　He　proceeded　to　implore　help；　and　begged　for　God's　sake　that　he　might　have　shelter　for　the　night。　　Naesmyth；　in　the　full　belief　that　the　traveller's　tale　was　true；　unbolted　and　unbarred　the　door；　when　in　rushed　Rob　Roy　and　his　desperate　gang。　　The　men；　with　the　dirks　of　the　Macgregors　at　their　throats；　begged　hard　for　their　lives。　　This　was　granted　on　condition　that　they　should　instantly　depart；　and　take　an　oath　that　they　should　never　venture　within　the　Highland　border　again。

Michael　Naesmyth　and　his　men　had　no　alternative　but　to　submit；　and　they　at　once　left　the　bothy　with　such　scanty　clothing　as　the　Macgregors　would　allow　them　to　carry　away。　　They　were　marched　under　an　armed　escort　through　the　snowstorm　to　the　Highland　border；　and　were　there　left　with　the　murderous　threat　that；　if　they　ever　returned　to　the　fort；　they　would　meet　with　certain　death。

Another　attempt　was　made　to　build　the　fort　at　Inversnaid。　　But　Rob　Roy　again　surprised　the　small　party　of　soldiers　who　were　in　charge。　They　were　disarmed　and　sent　about　their　business。　　Finally；　the　fort　was　rebuilt；　and　placed　under　the　command　of　Captain　（afterwards　General）　Wolfe。　　When　peace　fell　upon　the　Highlands　and　Rob　Roy's　country　became　the　scene　of　picnics；　the　fort　was　abandoned　and　allowed　to　go　to　ruin。

Poor　Michael　never　recovered　from　the　cold　which　he　caught　during　his　forced　retreat　from　Inversnaid。　　The　effects　of　this；　together　with　the　loss　and　distress　of　mind　which　he　experienced　from　the　Government's　refusal　to　pay　for　his　worknotwithstanding　their　promise　to　protect　him　and　his　workmen　from　the　Highland　freebootersso　preyed　upon　his　mind　that　he　was　never　again　able　to　devote　himself　to　business。　One　evening；　whilst　sitting　at　his　fireside　with　his　grandchild　on　his　knee；　a　death…like　faintness　came　over　him；　he　set　the　child　down　carefully　by　the　side　of　his　chair；　and　then　fell　forward　dead　on　his　hearth