Theatrum Scotiæ containing the prospects of Their Majesties castles and palaces : together with those of the most considerable towns and colleges, the ruins of many ancient abbeys, churches, monasteries and convents, within the said kingdom : all curiously engraven on copper plates, with a short description of each place / by John Slezer ...

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To the Right Honourable JOHN Maister of Stairs, One of the Lords of their Majesties Most Honou∣rable Privy Council; and Principal Secretary of State for the Kingdom of Scotland. (Book Ayr)

AIRE or AIRTH. (Book Ayr)

AIRE an ancient Town, and the Chief Market-Place of the West of Scotland. In it the Sheriff Courts are kept, it being the head Town of that Sheriffdom, which bears the same Name. It was of old called St. John's Town; but now that Name is antiquated.

This Town though it be situated in a sandy Plain, yet it hath plea∣sant and fruitful Fields, and Greens equally pleasant both Summer and Winter. It hath a stately Church; and a Bridge with Four Arches joins it to the New Town, which is situated on the North side the Water, where is to be seen the Castle of the Laird of Craigwallace.

A Mile North of the Town, not far from the Sea-Shoar, there is a Lazer-House, commonly called the King's Chapel, which King Robert de Bruce set apart for maintaining Lepers.

This Town by the King's Patent is the Sheriff's Seat, and hath Thirty and Two Miles to the South and North within its Jurisdiction.

De Aira, Carmen ARCTURI JONSTONI.

URBS coeli contenta bonis, vel ab aere puro Vel quo forte cluis nomen ab aere trahis. Mole quidem parva es, sed molem dotibus auges, Ʋrbibus & magnis nobilitate praeis. Grandia saxa vides, exili corpore gemmas; Plus tamen exilis gemma nitoris habet. Et Jovis exiguo surgit de semine Quercus, Et septemgemini fluminis or a latent. Macte animis terras sibi quae subjecit & undas Tibridis urbs, olim nil nisi villa fuit.

De eadem, Carmen J. JONSTONI.

PArva urbs, ast ingens animus in fortibus haeret, Inferior nulli nobilitate Virum. Aeris e campis haurit purissima coelum, Incubat & miti mollior aura solo. Aeria hinc, non Aera prius, credo, illa vocata est: Cum duris quid enim mollia juris habent? Infera cum superis quod si componere fas est, Aurea fors dici debuit illa prius.

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