Towns > Hamilton > 1855-56 - Brown's Hamilton directory for 1855-1856

41
courts were sometimes held and royal charters dated — ^'' Apud Castnim de
Cadichou," at our Castle of Cadzow. King Robert the Brace gave the manor,
and his niece Isabella, to a gallant English gentleman, Sir Walter de Hamel-
ttin, the founder of the present noble family. By the subsequent marriage in
J 474, of James first Lord Hamilton to the princess Mary, eldest daughter of
James II., his descendants came to be declared in parliament next heirs to the
crown in the event of the death without issue of Maiy Queen of Scots, and
liave in consequence ever since been regarded as a branch of the royal family,
quartering tiie royal arms. — See History of Ducal Family in subsequent pages.
CIVIC RISE AND PROGHESS.
Very early a church was planted in the parish ; and where church, court,
•and castle exist, there would be feasts and fasts, and folk to share in them. A
Wllage of retainers was sxu-e to spring up. Moreover, the common ferry of the
district was at the jimction of the Cadzow with the Clyde, — a station sure to
gather trade and traders, ale-shops and hostelries, v/orkers in wood and metal ,
baj'-ers and sellers of com and wool, beef and butter.* So the town grew round
I he feiTy, on both banks of the Cadzow ; the lower part named the Netherton,
from the margin of the Clyde to where the ancient church stood (now the site
of the palace), and the part west of the chm'ch called the Ilietown. The
Nethertown has long since disappeared in the ducal policies, and what remains
cf the Hietown is one of the low lying districts of modern Hamilton, just as
Low-waters is one of its most elevated sites. The moat hill, where once
justice was dispensed (and latterly cakes and ale), a curious Stone cross with
wavy mystical inscriptions, and an old carved gateway, yet exist in the palace
parks — sole relics of the Netherton. At this cross, where heralds blew their
horns, bulls were published, and traffickers met, cattle now scratch themselves
— sic transit. The town was created a burgh of barony by James II. in 1456.
So early as 1475, James Lord Hamilton, inter alia, conveyed to the inha-
bitants a bakehouse and oven, with ground for a common green, round which
hedges were to be planted and the grass reserved for the horses of travellers
and townsmen. The rent was to be 13s. 4d. Scots, to be paid to the church for
the support of a lamp to be kept bm-ning before the crucifix in the choir for
the salvation of the patron's soul and those of his successors.- This gi'een still
exists, and the part of the town standing near to it is considered the most
ancient. The next charter was granted by Mary Queen of Scots in 1548,
erecting the town into a free burgh royal, with power to elect bailies and
councillors, &c. and have a weekly market on Saturdays and Sundays, and
two yearly fairs at the festivals of St. Lawrence and St. Martin. Lowiy's
Fair, held at Lammas tide, was long a famous fair for blankets and yams, and
* The old Sco!s Acts appointed a yill taster, who often got so drunk that
lie lost the taste rS j,is mouth The brewster of " evill yill was to be fined and
Kit on the cock stool. ' There being no tea, ale was the common beverage;
price Id and 2d the gallon. Laws were made for baxters, taillyeurs, and
sutors— the bitter sad rogues : " they made i-hooii before the leather was bai-kit
and sewed wi lause rotten threed, so that they v.-ere lint before half-worn."
E