the mill-town of Roberton’), murdered in 1590;
Archibald (’in Gallowfarren’), killed
with shots of pistols and hagbuts in 1608. Three
violent deaths in about seventy years, against which
we can only put the case of Thomas, servant to Hume
of Cowden Knowes, who was arraigned with his two young
masters for the death of the Bastard of Mellerstanes
in 1569. John (’in Dalkeith’) stood
sentry without Holyrood while the banded lords were
despatching Rizzio within. William, at the ringing
of Perth bell, ran before Gowrie House ’with
ane sword, and, entering to the yearde, saw George
Craiggingilt with ane twa-handit sword and utheris
nychtbouris; at quilk time James Boig cryit ower ane
wynds, “Awa hame! ye will all be hangit"’—a
piece of advice which William took, and immediately
‘depairtit.’ John got a maid with
child to him in Biggar, and seemingly deserted her;
she was hanged on the Castle Hill for infanticide,
June 1614; and Martin, elder in Dalkeith, eternally
disgraced the name by signing witness in a witch trial,
1661. These are two of our black sheep. {3a}
Under the Restoration, one Stevenson was a bailie
in Edinburgh, and another the lessee of the Canonmills.
There were at the same period two physicians of the
name in Edinburgh, one of whom, Dr. Archibald, appears
to have been a famous man in his day and generation.
The Court had continual need of him; it was he who
reported, for instance, on the state of Rumbold; and
he was for some time in the enjoyment of a pension
of a thousand pounds Scots (about eighty pounds sterling)
at a time when five hundred pounds is described as
‘an opulent future.’ I do not know
if I should be glad or sorry that he failed to keep
favour; but on 6th January 1682 (rather a cheerless
New Year’s present) his pension was expunged.
{4a} There need be no doubt, at least, of my exultation
at the fact that he was knighted and recorded arms.
Not quite so genteel, but still in public life, Hugh
was Under-Clerk to the Privy Council, and liked being
so extremely. I gather this from his conduct
in September 1681, when, with all the lords and their
servants, he took the woful and soul-destroying Test,
swearing it ‘word by word upon his knees.’
And, behold! it was in vain, for Hugh was turned
out of his small post in 1684. {4b} Sir Archibald
and Hugh were both plainly inclined to be trimmers;
but there was one witness of the name of Stevenson
who held high the banner of the Covenant—John,
’Land-Labourer, {4c} in the parish of Daily,
in Carrick,’ that ‘eminently pious man.’
He seems to have been a poor sickly soul, and shows
himself disabled with scrofula, and prostrate and
groaning aloud with fever; but the enthusiasm of the
martyr burned high within him.