CHAPTER I.

SCotland, the second King∣dom of Great Britaine, and the north part of the Iland, hath on the East, the Ger∣man Ocean, on the North, the Orkneys & Deucalidon Sea, the West affronted with Ireland, and the South hath the riuer Tweed, the Cheuiot hils, and the adia∣cent tract, reaching to the Sulway sands, whereby it is separated from England.

(2) This Kingdome is faire and spacious, and from these South-borders spreadeth it self wide into the East and West, till againe it contracts it selfe narrower vnto the Northerne Promontories: furnished with all things befitting a famous Kingdome, both for ayre and soile, riuers, woods, mountaines, fish, foule, and cattle, & corne so plenteous, that it supplieth therewith other Countries in their want. The people thereof are of good feature, strong of body, and of couragious mind, and in warres so venturous, that scarse any seruice of note hath beene performed, but that they were with the first, and last in the field. Their Nobility and Gentry are verie studious, of learning, and all ciuil knowledge, for which end they not onely frequent the three Vniuersities of their owne Kingdome (S. Andrews, Glasco, and Eden∣brough, the nurseries of Piety, and mansions of the sacred Muses,) but also much addict themselus to trauaile into forraine Countries.

(3) The Counties contained in this Kingdome are many, and euery where bestrewed with Cities, Townes, and Burrows, as is that of England: and, as England, I *entended to describe it, had I not beene happily preuen∣ted by a learned Gentleman of that Nation, who hath most exactly begunne, and gone through the greatest difficulties thereof; to build vpon whose foundations, I hold it iniurious: and am so farre from any ambition to preuent his Noble purposes, that I heartily wish all hap∣pie furtherances thereto, with a longing desire to see, by his industrious labours, another Scene added to the perfecting of the Theatre of Britaines Glory.

(4) Yet, in the meane while, lest I should seeme too defectiue in my intendments, let mee without offence (in this third, though short booke) giue onely a gene∣rall view of that Kingdome, vpon obseruations from others; which to accomplish by mine owne suruey (if others should hap to faile, and my crazie aged bodie will giue leaue) is my chiefe desire; knowing the Iland furnished with many worthy remembrances apper∣taining both vnto them and vs, whom God now hath set vnder one Crown▪ and the rather, for that their more Southern people are from the same Original with vs the English, being both alike the Saxon branches: as also, that the Picts, anciently inhabiting part of that kingdom, were the in-borne Britaines, and such as thither fled to auoid the Romane seruitude: whose names beganne first *to be distinguished vnder Dioclesian the Emperour, when they were tearmed Picti, for painting their bodies, like the Britaines, as saith Flauius Vigetius: which is more *strengthened, for that the Northerne Britaines conuer∣ted by Saint Columb, are called Britaine Picts.

(5) But the Highland-men (the naturall Scot indeed) are supposed to descend from the Scythians, who with the Getes infesting Ireland, left both their Issue there, and their maners, apparant in the Wild-Irish euen to this day: And from Scythae (as is thought) the name of Scot grew; for so the Netherlanders by Scutten expresse in∣differently the Scythian, or Scot: so Gildas calleth the Irish-Britains, Scythians: so King Elfred in translating the history of Orosius, turneth Scotos into Scyttan: and so saith Walsingham, from one and the same originall, Scythae, Scytici, Scoti, Scotici, take their names, as from Getae Getici, Gothi Gothici haue done.

(6) Their Manners were alike, say Diodorus Siculus and Strabo, and their garments not much different, as by Sidonius Apollinaris may be gathered, where he see∣meth rather to describe the modern Wild-Irish, then the antike Gete. Notwithstanding this Nations Originall by some hath bin deriued from Scota, the supposed Daugh∣ter of the Egyptian King Pharaoh, that nourished Moises, afterwards married vnto Gaithelus, the sonne of Cecrops, (Founder of Athens,) who first seating in Spaine, passed thence into Ireland, and lastly into Scotland, where his Wife Scota gaue Name to the Nation; if we beleeue that they hit the mark, who shoote at the Moone.

(7) But that the Scythians came into Spaine, (besides the Promontory bearing their name Scythicum) Silius Italicus a Spaniard borne doth shew, who bringeth the Concani, a Nation therein seated, from the Massagetae, which were the Scythians; and the Sarmatae, whom all confesse to haue been Scythians, were the builders (as he saith) of the Citie Susana in Spaine. And how from Spaine they possessed themselues of Ireland, (at the time when the Kingdome of Iudah flourished,) Ninius the disciple of Eluodugus doth tell, and their owne Histories of Ne∣methus and Delas, besides Cisnerus and others, doe shew; who were first knowne by the name of Scots, as is gathe∣red out of Porphyry, (alleged by S. Ierome) in the raigne of Aurelianus the Emperor. Gyldas calleth them the Irish-Spoilers: Giraldus, A Scotish Nation descended from Ire∣land: which in regard of them by Eginhardus, is termed, the Ile of Scots: by Beda, the Ile inhabited by the Scots; and by other Historians, Scotland the Great; as their seat in Britaine, was called, Scotland the Lesse.

(8) These, when the Roman Empire was farre in the wane, burst into Britaine vnder Reuda their Captaine, *who entring amity with the Picts, possessed the North part of the Iland, and assisted them against the Britaines, then ready to fall, when the Romans were gone. But these afterward entertaining dissensions amongst themselues, put the hazard of their estates on the triall and chance of one daies battel, fought betwixt them in the yeer of sal∣uation, 740. wherin the Picts not only lost their liues, but soon after euē their very Name also; & fortune crowning the Scots with victory, aduanced their Kingdome vnto such fame and strength, that the same hath long continu∣ed without any absolute conquest or surprise, against the assaults of whatsoeuer enemies.

(9) Scotlands South part in Galloway▪ washed with the water of Solway Bay, toucheth the degree 56. of Lati∣tude, and then ce imbosoming many Loughes and In-lets vpon the East and West, extendeth it selfe vnto the degree 60. and 30. minutes; whose Longitude is likewiselaid be∣twixt the degree 13. and 19. and the same growne very narrow, being so neere the North-Pole, as lying directly vnder the hindermost starres of the Greater Beare.

(10) The whole Kingdome is diuided into two parts, by the great Riuer Tay; the South whereof is the more populous and more beautified in manners, riches, and ci∣uilitie: the North more rude, retaining the customes of the Wild Irish, the ancient Scot, in whose seuerall Territo∣ries, these Counties ensuing are contained.

(11) And these againe are sub-diuided into Sherif∣domes, Stewardships, and Bailiwicks, for the most part inheritory vnto honourable Families. The Ecclesiasticall gouernment is also subiect vnder two Metropolitan

Amongst the things worthie of note of antiquity in this Kingdom, most memorable was that fortification drawn from Abercorne vpon the Firth of Edenborough, vnto Alcluyd, now Dunbritton, opening vpon the west sea, where Iulius Agricola set the limit of the Roman Em∣pire; past which, saith Tacitus, there was not other boūds of Britaine to be sought for: and, that here the second Legion Augusta, and the 20. Legion Victrix, built a part of the Wall, certaine inscription s there digged vp, and reserued at Dunloyr and Cader, doe witnesse: as also an ancient coped Monument of an high and round compas, which, as some think, was a Temple consecrated vnto the God Terminus: others, a Trophey raised by Carausius, who fortified this wal with seuen Castles, as Ninius doth declare

(12) At this place beganne the great and darke Wood Caledonia, famous for the wild white buls that therein were bred, whose Manes were Lion-like, thicke and curled, of nature fierce and cruell, and so hatefull to mankind, that they abhorred whatsoeuer was by them handled or breathed vpon: these woods stretched farre and wide with many turnings, darke shades, and dread∣full dens, and so famous in the Roman writers, that they often vsed that name for all Britaine; whose inhabitants were the last in this Iland, that yeelded their necks to the yoke of subiection, as shall appeare in our following Story.

(13) Ninian a Britaine is recorded to haue conuerted the South-Picts vnto the faith of Christ, in the raigne of Theodosius the yonger, and the Church in Galloway bea∣ring his name, doth witnes it: so likewise in the same age Palladius sent from Pope Coelestine, became an Apostle vnto the Scots, whose reliques lay enshrined at Fordon in Mernis, as was verily supposed: but that Christianity had beene formerly planted in this vttermost Prouince, is testified by Tertullian, in saying the Britaines had em∣braced the faith further then the Romans had power to follow, or persecute them, whereupon Peter Monke of Clun in Spain concludeth their conuersion to bee more ancient then the Southerne Britaines.

(14) But touching things obseruable for the present, surely admirable is the report of the plenty of Cattle Fish, and Foule there abiding: their Neat but little, yet many in number; Fish so plentifull, that men in some places (for delight) on horsebacke hunt Salmons with Spears: & a certain foule, which som call Soland-geese, spreading so thicke in the aire, that they euen darken the Suns light; of whose flesh, feathers, and oile, the inhabitants in some parts make great vse and gaine; yea and euen of Fishes brought by them, abundant pro∣uision for diet, as also of the sticks (brought to make their nest•) plentifull prouision for fewell.

(15) With these, as of wonders, I might speak of the natures of these two famous Loughes, Lomund and Nessa, the later wherof, neuer freezeth in winter, thogh neuer so extreame, and the waters of the other most raging in the fairest and calmest weather, wherein also floteth an Iland that remoueth from place to place, as the wind forceth her spongeous and vnfastened body. In Buquhan vpon the bankes of Ratra is a well, whose trickling drops turn (in Piramidy-wise) into hard stone, and another neere Edenbrough that floteth with Bitu∣men. In Dee and Done, besides the admired plenty of Salmons, is found a Shell-fish, called the Horse-mus∣kell, wherein Pearles are engendred most pretious for phisicke, and some of them so orient, that they giue not place to the choisest.

(16) No lesse strange then any the forementioned waters, but more lamentable is the remembrance of the great inundation, hapning by the suddaine rising of Tay, which bare away the walles and Towne of Berth, and with it the cradle and yong son of king William into the sea, wherin the roial Infant with many others perished, the King and his Courtiers hardly escaping the danger, with life. The ruine of this towne, raised another more famous, & more commodiously seated, euen Perth, since called Saint Iohns-town.

(17) Ilands and Ilets yeelding both beauty and subie∣ction to this Scottish kingdome, are the Westerne, the Orknayes, and the Shetlands, reckoned to be aboue three hundred in number; their inhabit ants for the most part vsing the frugality of the ancient Scot.

(18) The Western, lying scattered in the Deucalidoni∣an sea, were anciently ruled by a King of their owne, whose maintenance was out of their common coffers, and the regall authority neuer continued in lineall suc∣cession, for (to preuent that) their Kings were not per∣mitted *to haue wiues of their owne, but might by their lawes accompany with other mens: as the like * law was in the other parts of Scotland, that the virginity of al new wiues, should be the Landlords prey, til king Mal∣colme enacted, that *halfe a marke should bee paid for redemption. The residence of those fore mentioned kings, was chiefly in Ila, Bunals, and Iona, now Columb∣kill, where (as Donald Munro, who trauelled through these Ilands reporteth) are three Tombes, hauing the seuerall inscriptions of the Kings of Scotland, of Ireland, and of Norway.

(19) Among these Westerne Ilands, the Hebrides, Skie, Mula, Ila, and Arran, are the greatest: All of them plen∣tifull of corn, woods, Salmons and Herrings, as others of Conies, Deere, Horses, and Sheepe, where in some they are wilde, and in others without any owners; but the people vnciuill, and lacking religion, they rather liue rudely in state of necessity, then as Lords of these porti∣ons which God hath allotted them; and with a sufferable ease, ignorant of ambition, enioy those contentments, which some others (though they no great summe) doe more laboriously attaine vnto by the preceptes of Philosophie: for, feeding themselues with competen∣cy without any excesse, they returne all the ouer-plus vnto their Lords, as doe the inhabitants of Hirta and Rona; but alas, Religion not knowne among them, these penurious vertues are rather the curses of Cham, then the followings of Christ, who forbids vs to be too careful for the morrow.

(20) The Iles of Orkenay vpon the North of Scotland, lying in a most raging and tempestuous sea, are about 33 in number, whereof 13. are inhabited, and the other re∣plenished with cattle: in these are no venemous ser∣pents, nor other vgly vermin; the aire sharpe and helth∣full, and the soile apt to beare onely oates and barlie, but not a sticke of wood: among these, Pomonia is the grea∣test, accounted and called the Maine-land, affording sixe Minerals of Lead and Tinne, and in her chiefe Town a Bishops See: wherein are seated 12. parish Churches, one of them very magnificent for so remote a Country.

(21) Of all the Romans, Iulius Agricola first discouered the Orknays, yea and subdued them, if wee will beleeue Tacitus: but Pomponius Mela that wrote 30. yeares be∣fore him, doth mention them, and Iuuenal in Hadrians time after him, tels vs the Roman had won them, and lastly Claudian nameth Saxons that were slain in them, & so doth Ninius name Octha, & Ebissus, Saxon commaun∣ders, who in their rouing Pinnaces wasted the Orknays. These Ilands Donald Bane the vsurper of the Scottish crowne, gaue to the king of Norway for his assistance, and by the Norwegians were they held the space of an hundred and sixty yeeres, vntill that Alexander the third king of Scotland, with sword and composition got them from Magnus the fourth, king of Norway, which after∣ward king Haquin confirmed vnto king Robert Bruce: but lastly Christian the first, king of Norway & Denmark, vtterly renounced all his right to those Ilands, when he gaue his daughter in mariage vnto K. Iames the 3. which deed was further ratified by the Pope, who openeth the way to the possession of kingdomes with his own key.

(22) More North, & further then this Chart could wel expresse, lie the Isles of Shetland, of some thought to bee Thule, and by the Commenter vpon Horace, the fortu∣nate Iland, where as Tzetzes fabuleth, the souls of good men are ferried into those Elizian fields that euer grow greene, and whence Iulius Caesar could hardly bee drawne, as Muretus hath written: but their fictions intended onely, that the vertuous soules of the dead, pas∣sed the vttermost bounds of earthlie abode, and attained to an ouerpleasing repose, & euer flourishing happines; which whether they borrowed from the description of Paradise (takē both for a faire garden, & the souls happy rest) I cannot define; but sure they would not haue made those fields alwaies greene, if they had seene how they lie euer couered with Ise and snow, being in the 63. de∣gree of latitude, as Ptolomie hath placed it, where (for the most part) is a continuall winter: but for proofe that this was the Thule, besides Ptolomies positure, Saxo Grammaticus betwixt Norway and Scotland hath placed it, and Solinus, two daies sailing from the point of Cale∣donia: and Tacitus saith, that the Romans kenned Thule a far off, as they sailed about Britain by the Orcades: and lastly, Mela maketh it to face Berge a City in Norway.