chronicles of the canongate-第51节

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Note　2。STEELE；　A　COVENANTER；　SHOT　BY　CAPTAIN　CREICHTON。

The　following　extract　from　Swift's　Life　of　Creichton　gives　the　particulars　of　the　bloody　scene　alluded　to　in　the　text：

〃Having　drank　hard　one　night；　I　（Creichton）　dreamed　that　I　had　found　Captain　David　Steele；　a　notorious　rebel；　in　one　of　the　five　farmers'　houses　on　a　mountain　in　the　shire　of　Clydesdale；　and　parish　of　Lismahago；　within　eight　miles　of　Hamilton；　a　place　that　I　was　well　acquainted　with。　　This　man　was　head　of　the　rebels　since　the　affair　of　Airs…Moss；　having　succeeded　to　Hackston；　who　had　been　there　taken；　and　afterward　hanged；　as　the　reader　has　already　heard；　for；　as　to　Robert　Hamilton；　who　was　then　Commander…in…chief　at　Bothwell　Bridge；　he　appeared　no　more　among　them；　but　fled；　as　it　was　believed；　to　Holland。

〃Steele；　and　his　father　before　him；　held　a　farm　in　the　estate　of　Hamilton；　within　two　or　three　miles　of　that　town。　　When　he　betook　himself　to　arms；　the　farm　lay　waste；　and　the　Duke　could　find　no　other　person　who　would　venture　to　take　it；　whereupon　his　Grace　sent　several　messages　to　Steele；　to　know　the　reason　why　he　kept　the　farm　waste。　　The　Duke　received　no　other　answer　than　that　he　would　keep　it　waste；　in　spite　of　him　and　the　king　too；　whereupon　his　Grace；　at　whose　table　I　had　always　the　honour　to　be　a　welcome　guest；　desired　I　would　use　my　endeavours　to　destroy　that　rogue；　and　I　would　oblige　him　for　ever。

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〃I　return　to　my　story。　　When　I　awaked　out　of　my　dream；　as　I　had　done　before　in　the　affair　of　Wilson　（and　I　desire　the　same　apology　I　made　in　the　introduction　to　these　Memoirs　may　serve　for　both）；　I　presently　rose；　and　ordered　thirty…six　dragoons　to　be　at　the　place　appointed　by　break　of　day。　　When　we　arrived　thither；　I　sent　a　party　to　each　of　the　five　farmers'　houses。　　This　villain　Steele　had　murdered　above　forty　of　the　king's　subjects　in　cold　blood；　and；　as　I　was　informed；　had　often　laid　snares　to　entrap　me；　but　it　happened　that；　although　he　usually　kept　a　gang　to　attend　him；　yet　at　this　time　he　had　none；　when　he　stood　in　the　greatest　need。　　One　of　the　party　found　him　in　one　of　the　farmers'　houses；　just　as　I　happened　to　dream。　　The　dragoons　first　searched　all　the　rooms　below　without　success；　till　two　of　them　hearing　somebody　stirring　over　their　heads；　went　up　a　pair　of　turnpike　stairs。　　Steele　had　put　on　his　clothes　while　the　search　was　making　below；　the　chamber　where　he　lay　was　called　the　Chamber　of　Deese；　＇Or　chamber　of　state；　so　called　from　the　DAIS；　or　canopy　and　elevation　of　floor；　which　distinguished　the　part　of　old　halls　which　was　occupied　by　those　of　high　rank。　　Hence　the　phrase　was　obliquely　used　to　signify　state　in　general。＇　which　is　the　name　given　to　a　room　where　the　laird　lies　when　he　comes　to　a　tenant's　house。　　Steele　suddenly　opening　the　door；　fired　a　blunderbuss　down　at　the　two　dragoons；　as　they　were　coming　up　the　stairs；　but　the　bullets　grazing　against　the　side　of　the　turnpike；　only　wounded；　and　did　not　kill　them。　　Then　Steele　violently　threw　himself　down　the　stairs　among　them；　and　made　towards　the　door　to　save　his　life；　but　lost　it　upon　the　spot；　for　the　dragoons　who　guarded　the　house　dispatched　him　with　their　broadswords。　　I　was　not　with　the　party　when　he　was　killed；　being　at　that　time　employed　in　searching　one　of　the　other　houses；　but　I　soon　found　what　had　happened；　by　hearing　the　noise　of　the　shot　made　with　the　blunderbuss；　from　whence　I　returned　straight　to　Lanark；　and　immediately　sent　one　of　the　dragoons　express　to　General　Drummond　at　Edinburgh。〃SWIFT'S　WORKS；　VOL。XII。　（MEMOIRS　OF　CAPTAIN　JOHN　CREICHTON）；　pages　57…59；　Edit。　Edinb。　1824。

Woodrow　gives　a　different　account　of　this　exploit：〃In　December　this　year；　（1686）；　David　Steil；　in　the　parish　of　Lismahagow；　was　surprised　in　the　fields　by　Lieutenant　Creichton；　and　after　his　surrender　of　himself　on　quarters；　he　was　in　a　very　little　time　most　barbarously　shot；　and　lies　buried　in　the　churchyard　there。〃


Note　3。IRON　RASP。

The　ingenious　Mr。　R。　CHAMBERS'S　Traditions　of　Edinburgh　give　the　following　account　of　the　forgotten　rasp　or　risp：

〃This　house　had　a　PIN　or　RISP　at　the　door；　instead　of　the　more　modern　conveniencea　knocker。　　The　pin；　rendered　interesting　by　the　figure　which　it　makes　in　Scottish　song；　was　formed　of　a　small　rod　of　iron；　twisted　or　notched；　which　was　placed　perpendicularly；　starting　out　a　little　from　the　door；　and　bore　a　small　ring　of　the　same　metal；　which　an　applicant　for　admittance　drew　rapidly　up　and　down　the　NICKS；　so　as　to　produce　a　grating　sound。　　Sometimes　the　rod　was　simply　stretched　across　the　VIZZYING　hole；　a　convenient　aperture　through　which　the　porter　could　take　cognisance　of　the　person　applying；　in　which　case　it　acted　also　as　a　stanchion。　　These　were　almost　all　disused　about　sixty　years　ago；　when　knockers　were　generally　substituted　as　more　genteel。　　But　knockers　at　that　time　did　not　long　remain　in　repute；　though　they　have　never　been　altogether　superseded；　even　by　bells；　in　the　Old　Town。　　The　comparative　merit　of　knockers　and　pins　was　for　a　long　time　a　subject　of　doubt；　and　many　knockers　got　their　heads　twisted　off　in　the　course　of　the　dispute。〃　CHAMBERS'S　TRADITIONS　OF　EDINBURGH。


Note　4。COUNTESS　OF　EGLINTON。

Susannah　Kennedy；　daughter　of　Sir　Archibald　Kennedy　of　Cullean；　Bart。；　by　Elizabeth　Lesly；　daughter　of　David　Lord　Newark；　third　wife　of　Alexander　9th　Earl　of　Eglinton；　and　mother　of　the　10th　and　11th　Earls。　　She　survived　her　husband；　who　died　1729；　no　less　than　fifty…seven　years；　and　died　March　1780；　in　her　ninety…first　year。　　Allan　Ramsay's　Gentle　Shepherd；　published　1726；　is　dedicated　to　her；　in　verse；　by　Hamilton　of　Bangour。

The　following　account　of　this　distinguished　lady　is　taken　from　Boswell's　Life　of　Johnson　by　Mr。　Croker：

〃Lady　Margaret　Dalrymple；　only　daughter　of　John；　Earl　of　Stair；　married　in　1700；　to　Hugh；　third　Earl　of　Loudoun。　　She　died　in　1777；　aged　ONE　HUNDRED。　　Of　this　venerable　lady；　and　of　the　Countess　of　Eglintoune；　whom　Johnson　visited　next　day；　he　thus　speaks　in　his　JOURNEY：'Length　of　life　is　distributed　impartially　to　very　different　modes　of　life；　in　very　different　climates；　and　the　mountains　have　no　greater　examples　of　age　than　the　Lowlands；　where　I　was　introduced　to　two　ladies　of　high　quality；　one　of　whom　（Lady　Loudoun）　in　her　ninety…fourth　year；　presided　at　her　table　with　the　full　exercise　of　all　her　powers；　and　the　other　（Lady　Eglintoun）　had　attained　her　eighty…fourth　year；　without　any　diminution　of　her　vivacity；　and　little　reason　to　accuse　time　of　depredations　on　her　beauty。'〃

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〃Lady　Eglintoune；　though　she　was　now　in　her　eighty…fifth　year；　and　had　lived　in　the　retirement　of　the　country　for　almost　half　a　century；　was　still　a　very　agreeable　woman。　　She　was　of　the　noble　house　of　Kennedy；　and　had　all　the　elevation　which　the　consciousness　of　such　birth　inspires。　　Her　figure　was　majestic；　her　manners　high…bred；　her　reading　extensive；　and　her　conversation　elegant。　　She　had　been　the　admiration　of　the　gay　circles　of　life；　and　the　patroness　of　poets。　　Dr。　Johnson　was　delighted　with　his　reception　here。　　Her　principles　in　church　and　state　were　congenial　with　his。　　She　knew　all　his　merit；　and　had　heard　much　of　him　from　her　son；　Earl　Alexander；　who　loved　to　cultivate　the　acquaintance　of　men　of　talents　in　every　department。〃

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〃In　the　course　of　our　conversation　this　day；　it　came　out　that　Lady　Eglintoune　was　married　the　year　before　Dr。　Johnson　was　born；　upon　which　she　graciously　said　to　him；　that　she　might　have　been　his　mother；　and　that　she　now　adopted　him；　and　when　we　were　going　away；　she　embraced　him；　saying；　'My　dear　son；　farewell！'　My　friend　was　much　pleased　with　this　day's　entertainment；　and　owned　that　I　had　done　well　to　force　him　out。〃

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〃At　Sir　Alexander　Dick's；　from　that　absence　of　mind　to　which　every　man　is　at　times　subject；　I　told；　in　a　blundering　manner；　Lady　Eglintoune's　complimentary　adoption　of　Dr。　Johnson　as　her　son；　for　I　unfortunately　stated　that　her　ladyship　adopted　him　as　her　son；　in　consequence　of　her　having　been　married　the　year　AFTER　he　was　born。　　Dr。　Johnson　instantly　corrected　me。　　'Sir；　don't　you　perceive　that　you　are　defaming　the　Countess？　　For；　supposing　me　to　be　her　son；　and　that　she　was　not　married　till　the　year　after　my　birth；　I　must　have　been　her　NATURAL　son。'　A　young　lady　of　quality　who　was　present　very　handsomely　said；　'Might　not　the　son　have　justified　the　fault？'　　My　friend　was　much　flattered　by　this　compliment；　which　he　never　forgot。　　When　in　more　than　ordinary　spirits；　and　talking　of　his　journey　in　Scotland；　he　has　called　to　me；　'Boswell；　what　was　it　that　the　young　lady　of　quality　said　of　me　at　Sir　Alexander　Dick's？'　　Nobody　will　doubt　that　I　was　happy　in　repeating　it。〃


Note　5。EARL　OF　WINTON。

The　incident　here　alluded　to　is　thus　narrated　in　Nichols'　Progresses　of　James　I。；　Vol。III。　p。306：

〃The　family〃　（of　Winton）　〃owed　its　first　elevation　to　the　union　of　Sir　Christopher　Seton　with　a　sister　of　King　Robert　Bruce。　With　King　James　VI。　they　acquired　great　favour；　who；　having　created　his　brother　Earl　of　Dunfermline　in　1599；　made　Robert；　seventh　Lord　Seton；　Earl　of　Winton　in　1600。　　Before　the　King's　accession　to　the　English　throne；　his　Majesty　and　the　Queen　were　frequently　at　Seton；　where　the　Earl　kept　a　very　hospitable　table；　at　which　all　foreigner