an autobiography-第3部分

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　Bairds　have　ever　been　a　loyal　and　gallant　family。　　Sir　Gilbert；　father　of　John　Baird；　fell　at　Flodden　in　1513；　in　defence　of　his　king。

The　royal　eyrie　of　Posso　Crag　is　on　the　family　estate；　and　the　Lure　worn　by　Queen　Mary；　and　presented　by　her　son　James　VI。　to　James　Naesmyth；　the　Royal　Falconer；　is　still　preserved　as　a　family　heirloom。

During　the　intestine　troubles　in　Scotland；　in　the　reign　of　Mary；　Sir　Michael　Naesmyth　espoused　the　cause　of　the　unfortunate　Queen。　He　fought　under　her　banner　at　Langside　in　1568。　　He　was　banished；　and　his　estates　were　seized　by　the　Regent　Moray。　　But　after　the　restoration　of　peace；　the　Naesmyths　regained　their　property。　Sir　Michael　died　at　an　advanced　age。

He　had　many　sons。　　The　eldest；　James；　married　Joana；　daughter　of　William　Veitch　or　Le　Veitch　of　Dawick。　　By　this　marriage　the　lands　of　Dawick　came　into　the　family。　　He　predeceased　his　father；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　son　James；　the　Royal　Falconer　above　referred　to。　Sir　Michael's　second　son；　John；　was　chief　chirurgeon　to　James　VI。　of　Scotland；　afterwards　James　I。　of　England；　and　to　Henry；　Prince　of　Wales。　　He　died　in　London　in　1613；　and　in　his　testament　he　leaves　〃his　herb　to　his　young　master；　the　Prince's　grace。〃　　Charles　I。；　in　his　instructions　to　the　President　of　the　Court　of　Session；　enjoins　〃that　you　take　special　notice　of　the　children　of　John　Naesmyth；　so　often　recommended　by　our　late　dear　father　and　us。〃　　Two　of　Sir　Michael's　other　sons　were　killed　at　Edinburgh　in　1588；　in　a　deadly　feud　between　the　Scotts　and　the　Naesmyths。　　In　those　days　a　sort　of　Corsican　vendetta　was　carried　on　between　families　from　one　generation　to　another。

Sir　Michael　Naesmyth；　son　of　the　Royal　Falconer；　succeeded　to　the　property。　　His　eldest　son　James　was　appointed　to　serve　in　Claverhouse's　troop　of　horse　in　1684。　　Among　the　other　notable　members　of　the　family　was　James　Naesmyth；　a　very　clever　lawyer。　　He　was　supposed　to　be　so　deep　that　he　was　generally　known　as　the　〃Deil　o'　Dawyk〃。　　　His　eldest　son　was　long　a　member　of　Parliament　for　the　county　of　Peebles；　he　was；　besides；　a　famous　botanist；　having　studied　under　Linnaeus；　Among　the　inter…marriages　of　the　family　were　those　with　the　Bruces　of　Lethen；　the　Stewarts　of　Traquhair；　the　Murrays　of　Stanhope；　the　Pringles　of　Clifton；　the　Murrays　of　Philiphaugh；　the　Keiths　（of　the　Earl　Marischal's　family）；　the　Andersons　of　St。　Germains；　the　Marjoribanks　of　Lees；　and　others。

In　the　fourteenth　century　a　branch　of　the　Naesmyths　of　Posso　settled　at　Netherton；　near　Hamilton。　　They　bought　an　estate　and　built　a　residence。　The　lands　adjoined　part　of　the　Duke　of　Hamilton's　estate；　and　the　house　was　not　far　from　the　palace。　　There　the　Naesmyths　remained　until　the　reign　of　Charles　II。　The　King；　or　his　advisers；　determined　to　introduce　Episcopacy；　or；　as　some　thought；　Roman　Catholicism；　into　the　country；　and　to　enforce　it　at　the　point　of　the　sword。

The　Naesmyths　had　always　been　loyal　until　now。　　But　to　be　cleft　by　sword　and　pricked　by　spear　into　a　religion　which　they　disbelieved；　was　utterly　hateful　to　the　Netherton　Naesmyths。　　Being　Presbyterians；　they　held　to　their　own　faith。　　They　were　prevented　from　using　their　churches；*　　＇footnote。。。　In　the　reign　of　James　II。　of　England　and　James　VII。　of　Scotland　a　law　was　enacted；　〃that　whoever　should　preach　in　a　conventicle　under　a　roof；　or　should　attend；　either　as　a　preacher　or　as　a　hearer；　a　conventicle　in　the　open　air；　should　be　punished　with　death　and　confiscation　of　property。〃　　。。。＇　and　they　accordingly　met　on　the　moors；　or　in　unfrequented　places　for　worship。　　The　dissenting　Presbyterians　assumed　the　name　of　Covenanters。　Hamilton　was　almost　the　centre　of　the　movement。　　The　Covenanters　met；　and　the　King's　forces　were　ordered　to　disperse　them。　　Hence　the　internecine　war　that　followed。　　There　were　Naesmyths　on　both　sides　Naesmyths　for　the　King；　and　Naesmyths　for　the　Covenant。

In　an　early　engagement　at　Drumclog；　the　Covenanters　were　victorious。　They　beat　back　Claverhouse　and　his　dragoons。　　A　general　rising　took　place　in　the　West　Country。　　About　6000　men　assembled　at　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　knock