chronicles of the canongate-第41章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nation；　could　neither　be　induced　by　the　passion　of　anger；　nor　that　of　fear。　　It　was　the　purpose　and　the　act　of　predetermined　revenge；　for　which　law　neither　can；　will；　nor　ought　to　have　sympathy　or　allowance。

〃It　is　true；　we　may　repeat　to　ourselves；　in　alleviation　of　this　poor　man's　unhappy　action；　that　his　case　is　a　very　peculiar　one。　The　country　which　he　inhabits　was；　in　the　days　of　many　now　alive；　inaccessible　to　the　laws；　not　only　of　England；　which　have　not　even　yet　penetrated　thither；　but　to　those　to　which　our　neighbours　of　Scotland　are　subjected；　and　which　must　be　supposed　to　be；　and　no　doubt　actually　are；　founded　upon　the　general　principles　of　justice　and　equity　which　pervade　every　civilized　country。　Amongst　their　mountains；　as　among　the　North　American　Indians；　the　various　tribes　were　wont　to　make　war　upon　each　other；　so　that　each　man　was　obliged　to　go　armed　for　his　own　protection。　　These　men；　from　the　ideas　which　they　entertained　of　their　own　descent　and　of　their　own　consequence；　regarded　themselves　as　so　many　cavaliers　or　men…at…arms；　rather　than　as　the　peasantry　of　a　peaceful　country。　　Those　laws　of　the　ring；　as　my　brother　terms　them；　were　unknown　to　the　race　of　warlike　mountaineers；　that　decision　of　quarrels　by　no　other　weapons　than　those　which　nature　has　given　every　man　must　to　them　have　seemed　as　vulgar　and　as　preposterous　as　to　the　NOBLESSE　of　France。　　Revenge；　on　the　other　hand；　must　have　been　as　familiar　to　their　habits　of　society　as　to　those　of　the　Cherokees　or　Mohawks。　　It　is　indeed；　as　described　by　Bacon；　at　bottom　a　kind　of　wild　untutored　justice；　for　the　fear　of　retaliation　must　withhold　the　hands　of　the　oppressor　where　there　is　no　regular　law　to　check　daring　violence。　　But　though　all　this　may　be　granted；　and　though　we　may　allow　that；　such　having　been　the　case　of　the　Highlands　in　the　days　of　the　prisoner's　fathers；　many　of　the　opinions　and　sentiments　must　still　continue　to　influence　the　present　generation；　it　cannot；　and　ought　not；　even　in　this　most　painful　case；　to　alter　the　administration　of　the　law；　either　in　your　hands；　gentlemen　of　the　jury；　or　in　mine。　The　first　object　of　civilisation　is　to　place　the　general　protection　of　the　law；　equally　administered；　in　the　room　of　that　wild　justice　which　every　man　cut　and　carved　for　himself；　according　to　the　length　of　his　sword　and　the　strength　of　his　arm。　The　law　says　to　the　subjects；　with　a　voice　only　inferior　to　that　of　the　Deity；　'Vengeance　is　mine。'　The　instant　that　there　is　time　for　passion　to　cool；　and　reason　to　interpose；　an　injured　party　must　become　aware　that　the　law　assumes　the　exclusive　cognisance　of　the　right　and　wrong　betwixt　the　parties；　and　opposes　her　inviolable　buckler　to　every　attempt　of　the　private　party　to　right　himself。　　I　repeat　that　this　unhappy　man　ought　personally　to　be　the　object　rather　of　our　pity　than　our　abhorrence；　for　he　failed　in　his　ignorance；　and　from　mistaken　notions　of　honour。　　But　his　crime　is　not　the　less　that　of　murder；　gentlemen；　and；　in　your　high　and　important　office；　it　is　your　duty　so　to　find。　Englishmen　have　their　angry　passions　as　well　as　Scots；　and　should　this　man's　action　remain　unpunished；　you　may　unsheath；　under　various　pretences；　a　thousand　daggers　betwixt　the　Land's…End　and　the　Orkneys。〃

The　venerable　Judge　thus　ended　what；　to　judge　by　his　apparent　emotion；　and　by　the　tears　which　filled　his　eyes；　was　really　a　painful　task。　　The　jury；　according　to　his　instructions；　brought　in　a　verdict　of　Guilty；　and　Robin　Oig　M'Combich；　ALIAS　McGregor；　was　sentenced　to　death；　and　left　for　execution；　which　took　place　accordingly。　　He　met　his　fate　with　great　firmness；　and　acknowledged　the　justice　of　his　sentence。　　But　he　repelled　indignantly　the　observations　of　those　who　accused　him　of　attacking　an　unarmed　man。　　〃I　give　a　life　for　the　life　I　took；〃　he　said；　〃and　what　can　I　do　more？〃　　＇See　Note　11。Robert　Donn's　Poems。＇


*


NOTES。


NOTES　TO　CHRONICLES　OF　THE　CANONGATE。

Note　1。HOLYROOD。

The　reader　may　be　gratified　with　Hector　Boece's　narrative　of　the　original　foundation　of　the　famous　abbey　of　Holyrood；　or　the　Holy　Cross；　as　given　in　Bellenden's　translation：

〃Eftir　death　of　Alexander　the　first；　his　brothir　David　come　out　of　Ingland；　and　wes　crownit　at　Scone；　the　yeir　of　God　MCXXIV　yeiris；　and　did　gret　justice；　eftir　his　coronation；　in　all　partis　of　his　realme。　　He　had　na　weris　during　the　time　of　King　Hary；　and　wes　so　pietuous；　that　he　sat　daylie　in　judgement；　to　caus　his　pure　commonis　to　have　justice；　and　causit　the　actionis　of　his　noblis　to　be　decidit　be　his　othir　jugis。　　He　gart　ilk　juge　redres　the　skaithis　that　come　to　the　party　be　his　wrang　sentence；　throw　quhilk；　he　decorit　his　realm　with　mony　nobil　actis；　and　ejeckit　the　vennomus　custome　of　riotus　cheir；　quhilk　wes　inducit　afore　be　Inglismen；　quhen　thay　com　with　Quene　Margaret；　for　the　samin　wes　noisum　to　al　gud　maneris；　makand　his　pepil　tender　and　effeminat。

〃In　the　fourt　yeir　of　his　regne；　this　nobill　prince　come　to　visie　the　madin　Castell　of　Edinburgh。　　At　this　time；　all　the　boundis　of　Scotland　were　ful　of　woddis；　lesouris；　and　medois；　for　the　countre　wes　more　gevin　to　store　of　bestiall；　than　ony　productioun　of　cornis；　and　about　this　castell　was　ane　gret　forest；　full　of　haris；　hindis；　toddis；　and　siclike　maner　of　beistis。　　Now　was　the　Rude　Day　cumin；　called　the　Exaltation　of　the　Croce；　and；　becaus　the　samin　wes　ane　hie　solempne　day；　the　king　past　to　his　contemplation。　　Eftir　the　messis　wer　done　with　maist　solempnitie　and　reverence；　comperit　afore　him　mony　young　and　insolent　baronis　of　Scotland；　richt　desirus　to　haif　sum　plesur　and　solace；　be　chace　of　hundis　in　the　said　forest。　　At　this　time　wes　with　the　king　ane　man　of　singulare　and　devoit　life；　namit　Alkwine；　channon　eftir　the　ordour　of　Sanct　Augustine；　quhilk　well　lang　time　confessoure；　afore；　to　King　David　in　Ingland；　the　time　that　he　wes　Erle　of　Huntingtoun　and　Northumbirland。　　This　religious　man　dissuadit　the　king；　be　mony　reasonis；　to　pas　to　this　huntis；　and　allegit　the　day　wes　so　solempne；　be　reverence　of　the　haly　croce；　that　he　suld　gif　him　erar；　for　that　day；　to　contemplation；　than　ony　othir　exersition。　　Nochtheles；　his　dissuasion　is　litill　avalit；　for　the　king　wes　finallie　so　provokit；　be　inoportune　solicitatioun　of　his　baronis；　that　he　past；　nochtwithstanding　the　solempnite　of　this　day；　to　his　hountis。　　At　last；　quhen　he　wes　cumin　throw　the　vail　that　lyis　to　the　gret　eist　fra　the　said　castell；　quhare　now　lyis　the　Canongait；　the　staik　past　throw　the　wod　with　sic　noyis　and　din　of　rachis　and　bugillis；　that　all　the　bestis　were　rasit　fra　thair　dennis。　　Now　wes　the　king　cumin　to　the　fute　of　the　crag；　and　all　his　nobilis　severit；　heir　and　thair；　fra　him；　at　thair　game　and　solace；　quhen　suddenlie　apperit　to　his　sicht　the　fairist　hart　that　evir　wes　sene　afore　with　levand　creature。　　The　noyis　and　din　of　this　hart　rinnand；　as　apperit；　with　awful　and　braid　tindis；　maid　the　kingis　hors　so　effrayit；　that　na　renzeis　micht　hald　him；　bot　ran；　perforce；　ouir　mire　and　mossis；　away　with　the　king。　　Nochtheles；　the　hart　followit　so　fast；　that　he　dang　baith　the　king　and　his　hors　to　the　ground。　　Than　the　king　kest　abak　his　handis　betwix　the　tindis　of　this　hart；　to　haif　savit　him　fra　the　strak　thairof；　and　the　haly　croce　slaid；　incontinent；　in　his　handis。　　The　hart　fled　away　with　gret　violence；　and　evanist　in　the　same　place　quhare　now　springis　the　Rude　Well。　　The　pepil　richt　affrayitly；　returnit　to　him　out　of　all　partis　of　the　wod；　to　comfort　him　efter　his　trubill；　and　fell　on　kneis；　devotly　adoring　the　haly　croce；　for　it　was　not　cumin　but　sum　hevinly　providence；　as　weill　apperis；　for　thair　is　na　man　can　schaw　of　quhat　mater　it　is　of；　metal　or　tre。　　Sone　eftir；　the　king　returnit　to　his　castell；　and　in　the　nicht　following；　he　was　admonist；　be　ane　vision　in　his　sleip；　to　big　ane　abbay　of　channonis　regular　in　the　same　place　quhare　he　gat　the　croce。　　Als　sone　as　he　was　awalkinnit；　he　schew　his　visione　to　Alkwine；　his　confessoure；　and　he　na　thing　suspended　his　gud　mind；　bot　erar　inflammit　him　with　maist　fervent　devotion　thairto。　The　king；　incontinent；　send　his　traist　servandis　in　France　and　Flanderis；　and　brocht　richt　crafty　masonis　to　big　this　abbay；　syne　dedicat　it　in　the　honour　of　this　haly　croce。　　The　croce　remanit　continewally　in　the　said　abbay；　to　the　time　of　King　David　Bruce；　quhilk　was　unhappily　tane　with　it　at　Durame；　quhare　it　is　haldin　yit　in　gret　veneration。〃BOECE；　BOOK　12；　CH。　16。

It　is　by　no　means　clear　what　Scottish　prince　first　built　a　palace；　properly　so　called；　in　the　precincts　of　this　renowned　seat　of　sanctity。　　The　abbey；　endowed　by　successive　sovereigns　and　many　powerful　nobles　with　munificent　gifts　of　lands　and　tithes；　came；　in　process　of　time；　to　be　one　of　the　most　important　of　the　ecclesiastical　corporations　of　Scotland；　and　as　early　as　the　days　of　Robert　Bruce；　parliaments　were　held　occasionally　within　its　buildings。　　We　have　evidence　that　James　IV。　had　a　royal　lodging　adjoining　to　the　cloister；　but　it　is　generally　agreed　that　the　first　considerable　edifice　for　the　accommodation　of　the　royal　family　erected　here　was　that　of　James　V。；　anno　1525；　great　part　of　which　still　remains；　and　forms　the　north…western　side　of　the　existing　palace。　　The　more　modern　buildings　which　complete　the　quadrangle　were　erected　by　King　Charles　II。　　The　name　of　the　old　conventual　church　was　used　as　the　parish　church　of　the　Canongate　from　the　period　of　the　Reformation；　until　James　II。　claimed　it　for　his　chapel　royal；　and　had　it　fitted　up　accordingly　in　a　style　of　splendour　which　grievously　outraged　the　feelings　of　his　Presbyterian　subjects。　　The　roof　of　this　fragment　of　a　once　magnificent　church　fell　in　in　the　year　1768；　and　it　has　remained　ever　since　in　a　state　of　desolation。　　For　fuller　particulars；　see　the　PROVINCIAL　ANTIQUITIES　OF　SCOTLAND；　or　the　HISTORY　OF　HOLYROOD；　BY　MR。　CHARLES　MACKIE。

The　greater　part　of　this　ancient　palace　is　now　again　occupied　by　his　Majesty　Charles　the　Tenth　of　France；　and　the　rest　of　that　illustrious　family；　which；　in　former　ages　so　closely　connected　by　marriage　and　alliance　with　the　house　of　Stewart；　seems　to　have　been　destined　to　run　a　similar　career　of　misfortune。　　REQUIESCANT　IN　PACE！


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　wa