Camden's Britannia newly translated into English, with large additions and improvements ; publish'd by Edmund Gibson ...

BƲQƲHAN.

WHere now Buquhan (in Latin Bogha∣nia and Buchania) above the River Done, extends it self towards the Ocean, there were anciently seated the Taizali. Some derive this later name from Boves (Oxen,) whereas the ground is fitter to feed sheep; whose wooll is highly commended. Notwithstand∣ing the Rivers in this Coast every where breed abun∣dance of Salmon, yet they never enter into the River Ratra,* 1.1 as Buchanan hath told us. Neither let it prove to my disadvantage, if I cite his Testimony, although his books were prohibited by authority of Parliament in the year 1584. because many passages in them were fit to be dash'd out. He there reports also, That on the bank of Ratra there is a Cave, near Stany's Castle, whose na∣ture seems worth our taking notice of.* 1.2 The water distilling by drops out of a natural vault, is presently turned into pyramidal stones, and if people did not take the pains to clear the cave now and then, the whole space in a little time would be fill'd up to the top of the vault. Now the stone thus made is of a middle nature betwixt Ice and hard stone, for it is friable, and never arrives to the solidity of Marble. It is hardly worth my while to mention the Clayks,* 1.3 a sort of Geese, believed by some, with great admiration, to grow upon trees here in this coast, and in other places, and when they are ripe, to fall down into the sea; because neither their nests nor eggs cou'd ever any where be found. But those that have seen the ship in which Sir Francis Drake sailed round the world, laid up in the river Thames, can testifie that little birds breed in the old rotten keels of ships; since a great number of such without life and feathers stuck close to the outside of the keel of this ship. Yet I should think that the generation of these birds was not from the logs of wood, but from the sea, term'd by the Poets the Parent of all thingsa 1.4.

A mighty mass likewise of Amber,* 1.5 as big as the body of a Horse, was (not many years since) thrown up upon this shore. This the learned call Succinum, Glessum, and Chryso-electrum; and Sotacus was of opi∣nion that it was a juice, which amongst the Britains distill'd from trees, ran into the sea, and was there hardned. Tacitus had the same sentiments of it in this passage of his, I should believe,* 1.6 that as there are trees in the secret parts of the east, which sweat out fran∣kincense and balm, so in the Islands and other countreys of the west, there are woods of a more fatty substance, which melting by the hot beams of the near-approaching sun, run into the sea hard by, and being driven by tempestuous weather, float to the opposite shores. But Serapio and the modern Philosophers will have it to work out of a bi∣tuminous sort of earth under the sea and by the sea-side, that the waves in stormy weather cast part of it upon the shore, and that part of it is de∣voured by the fish. But I have digressed too far, and will return into my way; hoping my ingenuous con∣fession will purchase me a pardon.

In the reign of Alexander the 2d, Alexander Comin had conferr'd upon him the honour of Earl of Bu∣quhan,* 1.7 who married a daughter, and one of the heirs

of Roger de Quircy Earl of Winchester in England; and his grand child by a son brought the same title to Henry Beaumor•• her husband. For he, in the reign of Edw. the 3d, sat in the Parliament of England under the name of Earl of Buquhan. Afterwards, Alexander Stewart, son to King Robert the 4th, was Earl of this place; succeeded by John, a younger son of Robert Duke of Albany, who being sent for into France (with 7000 Auxiliary Scots) by the French King, Charles the 7th, did extraordinary good ser∣vice against the English; and had so great a reputa∣tion there, that after he had killed Thomas Duke of Clarence, K. Henry the 5th's brother, at Baugy, and got as great a victory over the English, as ever was obtained, he was made Constable of France. But 3 years after, when the fortune of the war turned, he with other valiant Commanders,* 1.8 Archibald Douglas Earl of Wigton and Duke of Tours, &c. was routed at Vernoil by the English, and there slain. Whom yet as the Poet said—

—Aeternum memorabit Gallia cives Grata suos, titulos quae dedit & tumulos. Those grateful France shall ever call her own, Who owe to her their graves and their renown.

The French cannot but confess, that they owe the preservation of France and recovery of Aquitain (by thrusting out the English in the reigns of Charles the 6th and 7th) in a great measure to the fidelity and valour of the Scots. But afterwards K. James the first (out of pity to Geo. of Dunbar, whom by authority of Parliament he had before divested of the Earldom of March for his father's crimes) gave him the Earl∣dom of Buquhan. And not long after, James, son of James Stewart of Lorn, sirnamed the Black Knight14 1.9, whom he had by Joan of Somerset, obtained this ho∣nour, and left it to his posterity; but not long since, for default of heirs male, it went by a daughter to Douglas, a younger brother of the House of Loch∣levin.

Beyond Buchan, in the bending back of the shore northwards, lies Boen;* 1.10 anda 1.11 Bamff, a small Sheriff∣dom* 1.12; and Ainza a little tract of less consideration; as also Rothamy Castle, the seat of the Barons of Sal∣ton,* 1.13 sirnamedb 1.14 Abernethy. Beneath these lies Strath-bolgy,* 1.15 that is, the Valley upon the Bolgy, formerly the seat of the Earls of Athol, sirnamed from thence; but now the chief residence of the Marquess of Hunt∣leyc 1.16.* 1.17 For this title K. James the 6th conferred upon Geo. Gordon Earl of Huntley, Lord Gordon and Bad∣zenoth, eminent for his ancient nobility, and his many followers and dependants. Whose ancestors are descended from the Setons, and by authority of Parliament took upon them the name of Gordon, (upon Alexander Seton's marrying the daughter of Sir John Gordon, with whom he had a very noble estate,) and received the honour of the Earl of Hunt∣ley from K. James the second, in the year 1449. [l].

Notes

• * 1.1

  Th•• R••ver Ra••ra.
• * 1.2

  A strange ••••••er.
• * 1.3

  C••ayks, a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of G••ese.
• a 1.4

  Hector Boetius first spread this errour; but that it is such, Dr. Sibbalds has largely proved in his Scotia Illustrata; only he is now convinced that th••y are not informis m••ssa carnosa, as he there c••lls them. And a Discourse concerning the late worthy Sir Andrew Balfour, to be prefixt to the Catalogue of his Books, will in a short time give further light into it.
• * 1.4.1

  ••ppend. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Librum ••. Part 3. ••••atiae Il∣••••••atae.
• * 1.5

  Amber.
• * 1.6

  De mori∣bus Ger∣manorum.
• * 1.7

  Earls of Baquhan.
• * 1.8

  The va∣lour of the Scots in the Wars of France.
• 14 1.9

  Whom he had by Queen Joan, sister to the Duke of Somerset, and widow to King James I. &c.
• * 1.10

  Boen.
• a 1.11

  Now a Barony in the family of Ogilby.
• * 1.12

  See the Additi∣ons.
• * 1.13

  Barons Salton.
• b 1.14

  Now Frazer.
• * 1.15

  Strath-bolgy.
• c 1.16

  Now from the Marquisate of Huntley, rais'd to the Dukedom of Gordon.
• * 1.17

  Marquess of Hunt∣ley.