The firste [laste] volume of the chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande conteyning the description and chronicles of England, from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest : the description and chronicles of Scotland, from the first original of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 : the description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation untill the yeare 1571 / faithfully gathered and set forth by Raphaell Holinshed.

The description of an auncient Pict. Chap. 14.

THe Pict (saith Herodian) hath generally no vse of apparell, howbeit the nobler sorte of them do wrappe theyr heades and wombes in houpes of yron, which they take for great bra∣uery, esteeming this kinde of attyre in suche as weare the same, to be a token of wealth and ri∣ches, and so great an ornament, as if they had worne Golde or any costly iewelles. Beside this, and the shauing of theyr nether lippe, they paynted ouer their bodies with the images of al kindes of beastes, so that he was the gayest mā, that had his skinne most disguised in this ma∣ner. Certes none of them regarded to weare a∣ny apparell, bycause they esteemed it a greate glory to haue these paintings seene. In warres they were bolde, and desirous to shedde bloud, contenting themselues (in steede of other ar∣mour) with a shorte launce, and narrow target, or buckler, theyr swordes were tied to their na∣ked sides with a thong, and as for Iacke, shirt of Mayle, or Helmet, they made no regarde of them, bycause they would trouble thē in swim∣ming, or otherwise at a pinche, whē they should be compelled to wade. Dion wryting general∣ly of the whole countrey, diuideth it with Hero∣dien into the Calidons, and Meates, saying that the sayde country is very sauage, their Cities voyde of walles, & fields, without townes: they liue moreouer (saith he) by hunting and pray, and often times with the fruite of their trees: & albeit that they haue exceeding plenty of fish,

yet they eate not of it. They liue naked in tents and without shoes on theyr feete, theyr wiues are common, and children generally looked vn∣to: they haue moreouer a populous regiment, & are very ready to steale: they fight in wagons, & haue little light & swift horses, whiche runne also very swiftly, and stande at their feete with like stedfastnesse. In y^e nether end of their laun∣ces they haue hollow bullets of Brasse, in eche is a litle peece or two of yron, whiche ratleth when they shake it, & maketh a strange noyse where many of them are togither. They haue also narrow daggers: but chiefly they can s•…•…∣steyne hunger and colde best of all men, & like∣wise sore labour: and if it happen them to hun∣ger and haue no meate at hand, they wil sitte in the marrishes vp to the chinnes by many dayes togither. In the wooddes they feede on rootes or barkes of trees, and they haue a kinde of meate among them, whereof if they take but so muche as a beane, they neyther hunger nor thirste in a long time after. And thus much of the meates (whiche were the nearest vs) and the Caledons that dwelled beyond the wall, and both in their prouince called Maxima Cesariensis, wherof let this suffice.