ard 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."

*****

"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 gen