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1.9. Of the ſundry kindes of Muſkles and Cockles in Scotland, and pearles gotten in the ſame: of the vncouth and ſtrange fiſh there to be ſeene, and of the nature of the herbe Cythiſus commonly called Hadder. Chap. 9.

Of the ſundry kindes of Muſkles and Cockles in Scotland, and pearles gotten in the ſame: of the vncouth and ſtrange fiſh there to be ſeene, and of the nature of the herbe Cythiſus commonly called Hadder. Chap. 9.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 HEre it reſteth that I ſhewe the nature of Muſkles & Cockles, wherof we haue many & ſundry kindes amongſt vs: of theſe alſo ſo [...]e are ſmall, and yet if they be eaten freſh, are not without a naturall delicacy in taſt. Others are greater & not vnlike in forme & quãtitie to thoſe that haue the purple: & albeit that they are vt|terly voyde thereof, yet is their meate and ſub|ſtance right pleaſant in the eating. There are of an other ſorte whiche are longer & greater, than either of theſe, called horſe Muſkles, to be had in the Dee & the Done, & in theſe are the pearles in|gendred. Certes they loue to be reſident in the deepeſt and cleereſt waters that are voyde of mudde & filth, & ſuch is their eſtimation among the deintieſt kindes of foode, that they were not vnworthely called of old time, widowes luſtes. Their ſhelles alſo are as it were wrought euen from the very toppes, and thereto ful of ſpottes wherein (as in yeld of gaine) they farre exceede al other. Theſe early in the morning, Cardane de|nieth this, lib. 7. de Sub|tilitate. in the gẽ|tle, cleere, & calme ayre, lift vp their vpper ſhel [...]s & mouthes, a litle aboue the water, and there re|ceiue of the fine & pleaſant breath or dew of hea|uen, & afterwardes according to the meaſure & quantitie of this vitall force receyued, they firſte conceyue then ſwell, and finally product the pearle. They are ſo ſenſible & quicke of hearing, yt although you ſtanding on the bray or banke aboue them, do ſpeake neuer ſo ſoftly, or throw neuer ſo ſmall a ſtone into the water, yet they wil deſcrie yo [...], and ſettle againe to the botome, without returne for that time. Doubtleſſe they haue as it were a naturall carefulneſſe of their owne commodity, as not ignorant, how great eſtimation wee mortall men make of the ſame amongſt vs, and therefore ſo ſoone as the fiſher men do catche them, they binde their ſhelles to|gither, for otherwiſe they would open, and ſhea [...] theyr pearles of purpoſe, for whiche they know themſelues to be taken and purſued. Their ma|ner of apprehenſion is this, firſt foure or fiue per|ſons go into the riuer togither, vp vnto the ſhoulders, and there ſtand in a compaſſe one by another with poles in their handes, wherby they reſt more ſurely, ſith they fixe thẽ in the ground, & ſtay with one hand vpon them: Then caſting their eyes downe to the botome of the water, they eſpie where they lie by their ſhinyng and cleereneſſe, and with their toes take them vp (for the deapth of the water will not ſuffer them to ſtoupe for them (& giue thẽ to ſuch as ſtand next them. The perles that are ſo gotten in Scotlãd, are not of ſmall value, they are very orient and bright, light & round, & ſomtimes of the quanti|tie of ye nayle of ones litle finger, as I haue had & ſeene by mine own experiẽce. Almoſt ſuch an|other muſkle found on the coaſt of Spaine, the ſhels whereof are gathered by ſuch as go in pil|grimage to S. Iames; & brought into Scot|lãd, but they are wtout perles, bicauſe thei liue in ſalt water, which is an enimy to ye Margarite: EEBO page image 12 but Cardane alſo denieth it. In all the ſea coaſtes alſo of Scotlãd are Cockles & M [...]ſkles of the ſame forme, but without this commo|dity. Many vncouth and ſtrange ſhapes of fiſh likewiſe are ſeene there, whereof ſome are ar|med with ſhelles, ſome with harde ſkales, and diuers round as a ball ſkinned like an Ircheon or Hedgehogge, hauing but one conduct bothe for purgation of their excrements, and reception of their ſuſtenaũce. To ſhew euery kinde of fiſh that is in Scotlãd, it were but a vaine, trauaile, ſith the ſame are knowẽ almoſt in euery region. In like ſorte we haue ſuch plenty of fiſhe vpon our ſeuerall coaſtes, that although Millions & infinite numbers of them be taken on the one day, yet on the next their loſſe wil ſo be ſupplied with new ſtore, that nothing ſhal be miſſing by reaſon of the yeſterfang: ſo bountifull is God in theſe his benefites vnto vs. Furthermore, there is another gift beſtowed vpon vs by the ſingu|lar prouidence of God. For the greater dearth and penury of fleſh and corne is ſeene in Scot|land, the greater ſtore of fiſhe is taken vpon our ſhores. In like ſorte in the deſertes and wilde places of this realme, there groweth an hearbe of it ſelf called Hadder or Hather very delicate, Galen lib. 1. de An [...] lo [...]is ſaith that Cytiſus is no hearbe but a ſhrubbe, and ſo dothe Pliny lib. 12. cap 3 lib. 13. cap 24 lib 16. cap: 38: And Columella in the end of his 5. boke, where he accompteth it amõg trees. as Columella lib. 9. cap. 4. ſayth, for Goates and all kinde of cattell to feede vpon, and likewiſe for diuers Foules, but Bees eſpecially. This herbe in Iune yeeldeth a purple floure, ſweete as bony, whereof the Pictes in time paſte did make a pleaſaunt drinke, and very wholeſome for the body: but for aſmuche as the maner of making hereof is periſhed in the hauocke made of the Pictes, when the Scottes ſubdued their countrey, it lieth not in me to ſet downe the or|der of it, neyther ſhewed they euer the learning hereof to any but to their owne nation. Final|ly there is no parte of Scotland ſo barren and vnprofitable, but it produceth eyther yron or ſome other kinde of mettall, as may be proued eaſely thorow out all the Iles that are annexed to the ſame.

1.10. Of the Iles of Scotland, and ſuch notable things as are to be found in them. Chap. 10.

Of the Iles of Scotland, and ſuch notable things as are to be found in them. Chap. 10.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 BEing fallen at the laſte into mention of our Iles, I wil addreſſe my ſelf to deſcribe the ſame, in maner and forme as followeth. In the Iriſhe ſea betwixt Ireland and Scotlande are forty and three Iles, whereof ſome are xxx. myles long, diuers xij. and others more or leſſe. Theſe are called by ſome writers Euboniae, and by other Hebrides. But the principall of them all is that of Man, whiche lieth ouer a|gainſt Galloway, and was ſometime the prin|cipall ſeate of the Driuydes, as Cornelius Taci|tus, Ceſar in his Cõmentaries, and other R [...]|mayne writers do teſtifie at large. North from the Ile of Man lieth Arran, otherwiſe named Botha, after S. Brandons time, who dwelled there in a little cottage, whiche (as all other the like were in thoſe dayes) was called Bothe. Frõ Arran wee go to Hellaw and Rotheſay, whiche later is ſo named of ye Scot, which brought the Scottes firſte out of Ireland into Brytaine. Not farre from this Ile is Ailſay, where there is ſuch ſtore of Soland geeſe as the ſayde before to be in Bas. Beyond Ailſay lie many other di|ſtinguiſhed by their ſeuerall names, but full of mynes, as of Iron, Tinne, Lead, and ſundry other mettals. Howbeit the moſte notable Ile belonging to Scotland is Ila, that lieth beyond the promontory of Nouant cliffe, (in Scottiſh the toũg of Lorue) within ſight of Lochquhabre. Certes it is a riche parcell, xxx. miles of length, and full of corne and mettall, if the people were cunning to finde and trimme the ſame. Not farre from thence is Cumbra, and Mula, fully ſo large as Ila both for length and breadth. In Mula is a fayre ſpring two miles from the ſea, from whence runneth a little brooke or ſtrippet, whereof you ſhall reade more in the deſcription of Brytaine, lib. 1. cap. 8. Neare vnto this is Iona, otherwiſe called Columkill, in whiche is an Abbay, wherein the Kings of Scotlande were commonly buried from the time of Fer|gus the ſecond, vnto Malcoline Cammor, who excited the Monaſtery of Dunfermelin, where ſithence that time the moſte parte of our Kings haue bene of cuſtome interred. Paſſing forward to ye Northnorthweſt ſeas, ouer agaynſt Roſſe is an Ile named Lewis .lx. myles in length, in this Ile is but one fiſhe riuer, and it is ſayd that if a womã wade thorow the ſame at the ſpring of the yere, there ſhall no Salmon be ſeene there for a twelf moneth after, wheras otherwiſe that fiſhe is knowen to abounde there in very great plenty. Beyonde Lewis lie the Sky and the Rona, in the later wherof, it is incredible to ſay what of Seale, of Pellock & Porpaſſe is to be ſeene, whiche are nothing abaſhed at the ſight of any man. The laſt and vttermoſt Ile is na|med Hirtha, where the eleuation of the pole, is lxiij. degrees, and ſithence the latitude of Man, is but lvij. I conclude, that from the Ile of Man the firſt Ile of Albion, to Hirtha the laſt Ile hereof are 377. myles, after 62. miles and an half to eche degree, as Ptholomy hath ſet down. It is named Hirtha, which in Iriſh ſoundeth ſo much as a Sheepe in Engliſh, for herein that kinde of cattell aboundeth, eche one being grea|ter than any Bucke, their Hornes longer and thicker than of the Bugle, and thereto they haue ſide tailes that reach vnto the earth. It is enui|rõned EEBO page image 13 on euery part with rochy or rocky cr [...]gs, whereby fewe veſſelles may lande there but at one place, where the working of the ſea is often times ſo terrible and rough, that no man days aduenture thither without daunger of his lyfe. They that go thither therefore, do watch theyr times when the ſea is calme and ſtill. In the moneth of Iune alſo, a Prieſt commeth vnto them out of Leuiſſa, and miniſtreth the ſacra|ment of Baptiſme to all the children that haue bene borne there ſithe that moneth in the yeare precedent: whiche beyng done, and a certayne number of Maſſes ſayde, he receyueth Tithes of all their commodities, & then returneth home againe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the Ile of Lewis are two Churches or Chappels, wherof one is dedicated to S. Peter, another to S. Clement. The fame is, that ſo ſoone as the fire goeth out in this Ile, the man that is holden of moſt cleane and innocent life, goeth to the Aultare with great ſolemnity, and there layeth a wiſpe of ſtraw, which being done they fall all to prayer, in the middeſt whereof fire commeth downe from Heauẽ and kindleth or ſetteth the ſame on fire.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Beyond this, is yet another Ile, but voyde of people and all other liuing Creatures, ſauing a certen kinde of beaſtes like vnto Sheepe, whoſe nature and forme I haue already touched in the deſcription of Brytaine, and therefore omitte it here, for haſte and breuitie ſake. Betwixt theſe Iles alſo is a right daungerous paſſage, ſith the ſea by working of oppoſite ſtreames hath in|gendred a goulf, whiche ſometime taketh in an incomprehenſible deale of water, and ſomtimes caſteth it foorth agayne, by meanes wherof ma|ny ſhippes that by rage of winde and weather are inforced to come that way, are eyther ſwal|lowed vp by the waues, or throwen againſt the rockes to their vtter daunger and ruine. The greateſt rage of this confluẽce is at a place cal|led Corebrecke, where it will eyther ſinke or at the leaſt wiſe draw any ſhip vnto it, though it be a full myle diſtant from the ſame.

1.11. Of the nature of the Claike geeſe, and ſundry maners of their procreation, and of the Ile of Thule. Chap. 11.

Of the nature of the Claike geeſe, and ſundry maners of their procreation, and of the Ile of Thule. Chap. 11.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 NOw it is come to hande that I entreate of thoſe Geeſe, which are ingendred by the ſea, whoſe procreatiõ hath hitherto bene thought to haue bene made vpon trees. But the opinion is falſe, and yet ſith theyr generation is ſtrange in deede, I haue not a litle trauayled, and with no ſmall diligence indeuoured to ſearch out the truth hereof, wherby I learne that their ingen|drure is rather to be referred to the ſea, than any+thing els, if my coniecture be oughtes: for al|though that they are in ſundry wiſe producted, yet I finde the ſame to be performed continu|ally in the ſea, and not elſwhere, as ſhal appeare hereafter. All trees caſt into the Element in proceſſe of tyme become worme eaten, & in the holes thereof are the ſayde wormes to be founde though very little and ſmall (in compariſon to that they be afterwarde) to be perceyued at the firſt. In the beginnyng, theſe wormes do ſhew their heades and feete, & laſt of all their plumes and winges. Finally when they are come to the iuſt meaſure and quantitie of Geeſe, they flye in the ayre as other foules do. This was notably proued in the yeare of grace 1490. in ſight of many people, beſide the Caſtell of Petſleg [...], whether the body of a greate tree was brought by working of the ſea. This tree beyng taken, it was caried to the Lord of the ſoyle, who ſone after cauſed it to be flitte in ſunder with a ſawe which being done, it is incredible to ſee, what a multitude of wormes came out of theſe holes. Of theſe alſo ſome appeared as if they had bene but newe ſhapen, diuerſe had head, foote and winges, but no fethers, the reſt were formed in|to perfite foules. At the laſt when the people had gazed thereon by the ſpace of an whole day, they caried it to S. Andrewes Churche beſide [...]ire, where the ſaide blocke remayneth ſtill to be ſeene. Within two yeares after there hapned ſuch another tree to come into the fyrth of Tay beſide Dundee, worme eaten and full of young ge [...]ſe after the ſame maner: the thirde was ſeene in the [...]auen of Leith beſide Edenborow: alſo within a fewe yeares, in like ſorte a ſhip named the Criſtopher, after ſhe had lien three yeares at [...] in one of theſe yles was brought to Leith where bycauſe hir timber was found to be rot|ten ſhee was taken in ſunder, and in hir keel [...] were found infinite holes as if they had bene ea|ten with wormes or bored with a wimble, and eche one of them filled with ſuch creatures as I haue ſayde before. Here if any man will al|ledge that the Chriſtopher was buylded of ſuch timber onely as grew in theſe Iles, and that all rootes & trees there growing, are of ſuch nature as in their corruptiõ do turne into theſe foules, I will diſproue his aſſertion by one notable ex|ample ſhewed before mine eyes. Maſter Alex|ander Galloway parſon of Kinkell, was with vs in theſe Iles, and giuing his minde with at|tentiue diligence to ſearche out a full reſolution with vs of theſe obſcure and hidden matters, it hapned on a tyme that he tooke vp a braunche of Alga, called in Scottiſhe, Seatangle, whiche hanged ful of muſkle ſhelles from the roote euen to the very to [...]. Being alſo deſirous to ſee what was in them, he grewe to be more aſtoniſhed EEBO page image 14 than before: for when he had opened one or two of them, he ſaw no fiſh but a foule perfitely ſha|ped, fully anſwering to the capacitie of the ſhell.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Finally, knowing that I was very inquiſi|tiue of theſe and the like rare nouelties, he came haſtily with the ſayde hearbe and ſhewed it vn|to me, who founde no leſſe by experience [...]an I before reported. By theſe and many other rea|ſons and examples I cannot beleeue that theſe Claikes or Barnacles as I call them) are pro|ducted eyther by the qualities of the trees or the rootes thereof, but only by the nature of the ſea, whiche is the cauſe and product [...] of ſo many wonderfull creatures. Furthermore, bycauſe the rude and ignoraunt people ſaw oftentimes the fruytes that fell from trees (which ſtoode ne|uer in the ſea, conuerted within ſhorte time into geeſe, they beleeued that theſe geeſe grewe vpon trees, hangyng by their nebbes as apples and other fruyte do by their ſtalkes, but their opi|nion is vtterly to be reiected. For ſo ſoone as theſe apples or fruyte fall from the tree into the Sea, they grow firſt to be worme eaten, and in proceſſe of time to be conuerted into geeſe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus haue I ſpoken ſufficiently of the Iles of the Hebrides adiacent vnto the realme of Scotland, and therewith all would ſhut vp my diſcourſe of the ſame, were it not that I haue ſomwhat to ſay alſo of Thule, not vnknowen vnto the Romaynes, as may appeare by Taci|tus, who telleth how the Romaine nauy by the cõmaundement of Agricola, was ſent to dewe the coaſtes of the whole Iland of Brytaine, and in their returne reported how they had ſeene the Thule, with other Ilandes lying aboute the ſame. Ptholomy writeth that the Ile of Thule is one of the Shetland Iles, whiche lie neare vnto Norway, and beyond the Orchades, but this cannot be proued ſo by late experience: for Thule is many miles diſtant from Shetland. Some ſay that Thule is the ſame whiche wee call Iſland: other write that it is the laſt Ile of the Ocean ſea, and ſo is Iſland, which lieth in the colde froſty ſea, beyond the Artike circle to|ward the North pole. The people of Iſlande bycauſe no corne groweth among them, lyue onely by fiſhe, whiche they drie and powder ſo ſmall as meale doth come backe from the mill, afterward they mixe it with water, and worke it vp for bread.

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1.9. Of the sundrie kinds of muskles and cockles in Scotland, and of pearles gotten in the same: of the vncouth and strange fish there to be seene, and of the na|ture of the herbe Citisus, com|monlie called Hadder. The ninth Chapter.

Of the sundrie kinds of muskles and cockles in Scotland, and of pearles gotten in the same: of the vncouth and strange fish there to be seene, and of the na|ture of the herbe Citisus, com|monlie called Hadder. The ninth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _HEre it resteth that I shew the nature of muskles and cockles, wherof we haue ma|nie and sundrie kinds among vs: of these also some are small, and yet if they be eaten fresh, are not without a natu|rall delicacie in tast. Others are greater and not vnlike in forme and quantitie to those that haue the purple: and albeit that they are vtterlie void therof, yet is their meat and substance right pleasant in the eating. There are of another sort which are longer and greater than either of these, called Horsse muskles, to be had in Dee and Done, and in these are the pearles ingendered. Certes they loue to be resident in the déepest and clearest waters that are void of mud and filth, and such is their esti|mation among the deintiest kinds of food, that they were not vnwoorthilie called of old time, widowes lustes. Their shelles also is as it were wrought euen from the verie tops, and thereto full of spots, where|in (as in yéeld of gaine) they farre excéed all other. Cardane de|nieth this, lib. 7. de Sub|tilitate. These earlie in the morning, in the gentle, cleare, and calme aire, lift vp their vpper shelles and mouthes a little aboue the water, and there receiue of the fine and pleasant breath or dew of heauen, & afterwards according to the measure and quantitie of this vitall force receiued, they first conceiue, then swell, and fi|nallie product the pearle.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 They are so sensible and quicke of hearing, that although you standing on the braie or banke aboue them, doo speake neuer so softlie, or throw neuer so small a stone into the water, yet they will descrie you, and settle againe to the bottome, without re|turne for that time. Doubtlesse they haue as it were a naturall carefulnesse of their owne commoditie, as not ignorant, how great estimation we mortall men make of the same amongst vs, and therefore so soone as the fishermen doo catch them, they bind their shelles togither, for otherwise they would open and shed their pearles of purpose, for which they know themselues to be pursued. Their maner of apprehen|sion is this, first foure or fiue persons go into the ri|uer togither, vp vnto the shoulders, and there stand in a compasse one by another with poles in their hands whereby they rest more suerlie, sith they fix them in the ground, and staie with one hand vpon them: then casting their eies downe to the bottome of the wa|ter, they espie where they lie by their shining and cléerenesse, and with their toes take them vp (for the deapth of the water will not suffer them to stoope for them) & giue them to such as stand next them.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The perls that are so gotten in Scotland, are not of small value, they are verie orient & bright, light and round, and sometimes of the quantitie of the naile of ones little finger, as I haue had and séene by mine owne experience. Almost such another mus|kle found on the coast of Spaine, the shels whereof are gathered by such as go in pilgrimage to saint Iames, and brought into Scotland, but they are EEBO page image 16 without pearls, bicause they liue in salt water, which is an enimie to the margarite: but Cardane also denieth it. In all the sea coasts also of Scotland are cockles and muskles of the same forme, but without this commoditie. Many vncouth and strange shapes of fish likewise are seene there, whereof some are ar|med with shels, some with hard skales, and diuers round as a ball skinned like an yrcheon or hedghog, hauing but one cundit both for purgation of their excrements, and reception of their sustenance. To shew euerie kind of fish that is in Scotland, it were but a vaine trauell, sith the same are knowne almost in euerie region.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In like sort we haue such plentie of fish vpon our seuerall coasts, that although milians and infinite numbers of them be taken on the one daie, yet on the next their losse will be so supplied with new store, that nothing shall be missing by reason of the yester|fang: so bountifull is God in these his benefits vnto vs. Furthermore, there is another gift bestowed vpon vs by the singular prouidence of God. For the greater dearth & penurie of flesh and corne is séene in Scotland, the greater store of fish is taken vpon our shores. In like sort, in the deserts and wild places of this realme, there groweth an hearbe of it selfe called Hadder or Hather verie delicat, as Columel|la lib. 9. cap. 4. saith, for goats & all kind of cattell to Galen. lib. [...]. de Antidotis sai|eth that Citi|sus is no herb but a shrub, and so dooth Plinie lib. 12. cap. 3. lib. 13. cap. 24. lib. 16. chap. 38. And Columella in the end of his 5. booke, where he accompteth it amõg trées. feed vpon, and likewise for diuerse foules, but bées es|peciallie. This herbe in Iune yéeldeth a purple sloure, swéet as honie, whereof the Picts in time past did make a pleasant drinke, and verie wholsome for the bodie: but forsomuch as the maner of making hereof is perished in the hauocke made of the Picts, when the Scots subdued their countrie, it lieth not in me to set downe the order of it, neither shewed they euer the learning hereof to any but to their owne nation. Finallie there is no part of Scotland so barren and vnprofitable, but it produceth either iron or some other kind of mettall, as may be proo|ued easilie throughout all the Iles that are annexed to the same.

1.10. Of the Iles of Scotland, and such notable things as are to be found in them. The tenth Chapter.

Of the Iles of Scotland, and such notable things as are to be found in them. The tenth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _BEing fallen at the last in|to mention of our Iles, I will addresse my selfe to des|cribe the same, in maner and forme as followeth. In the Irish sea, betwixt Ire|land and Scotland are fortie and thrée Iles, whereof some are thirtie miles long, diuers twelue, and others more or lesse. These are called by some writers Eu|boniae, and by other Hebrides. But the principall of them all is that of Man, which lieth ouer against Galloway, & was somtime the principall seat of the Druides, as Cornelius Tacitus, Caesar in his com|mentaries, and other Romane writers doo testifie at large. North from the Ile of Man lieth Arran, o|therwise named Botha after S. Brandons time, who dwelled there in a little cottage, which (as all o|ther the like were in those daies) was called Botha. From Arran we go to Hellaw and Rothesay, which later is so named of the Scot, which brought the Scots first out of Ireland into Britaine. Not far from this Ile is Ailsay, where there is such store of soland géese as they said before to be in Bas. Be|yond Ailsay lie manie other distinguished by their se|uerall names, but full of mines, as of iron, tin, lead, & sundrie other mettals. But the most notable Ile belonging to Scotland is Ila, that lieth beyond the promontorie of Nouant cliffe (in Scotish the toong of Lorne) within sight of Lochquhabre. Certes it is a rich parcell, thirtie miles in length, and full of corne and mettall, if the people were cunning to find and trim the same.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Not farre from thence is Cumbra, and Mula, ful|lie so large as Ila, both for length and breadth. In Mula is a faire spring two miles from the sea, from whence runneth a little brooke or strippet, whereof you shall read more in the description of Britaine, lib. 1. cap. 8. Neere vnto this is Iona, otherwise cal|led Columkill, in which is an abbie, wherin the kings of Scotland were commonlie buried from the time of Fergus the second, vnto Malcolme Cammof, who erected the monasterie of Dunfermelin, where since that time the most part of our kings haue béene of custome interred. Passing forward toward the northnorthwest seas, ouer against Rosse is an Ile named Lewis, 60 miles in length, in this Ile is but one fish riuer, & it is said that if a woman wade through the same at the spring of the yeere, there shall no samon be séene there for a twelue month af|ter, wheras otherwise that fish is knowne to abound there in verie great plentie. Beyond Lewis lie the Sky and the Rona, in the later whereof, it is incre|dible to saie what of seale, of pellocke and porpasse is to be séene, which are nothing abashed at the sight of any man. The last and vttermost Ile is named Hir|tha, where the eleuation of the pole is 63 degrées, and since the latitude of Man, is but 57.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 I conclude, that from the Ile of Man the first Ile of Albion, to Hirtha the last Ile hereof are 377 miles, after 62 miles and an halfe to each degrée, as Ptolomie hath set downe. It is named Hirtha, which in Irish soundeth so much as a shéepe in English, for herein that kind of cattell aboundeth, each one be|ing greater than any bucke, their hornes longer and thicker than of the bugle, and thereto they haue side tailes that reach vnto the earth. It is enuironed on euerie part with rochie or rockie crags, whereby few vessels may land there but at one place, where the working of the sea is oftentimes so terrible & rough, that no man dare aduenture thither without danger of his life. They that go thither therefore, doo watch their times when the sea is calme and still. In the moneth of Iune also, a priest commeth vnto them out of Leuissa, and ministreth the sacrament of bap|tisme to all the children that haue béene borne there since that moneth in the yeare precedent: which bée|ing doone, and a certeine number of masses said, he receiueth tithes of all their commodities, and then returneth home againe.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 In the Ile of Lewis are two churches or chappels, whereof one is dedicated to saint Peter, another to saint Clement. The fame is, that so soone as the fire goeth out in this Ile, the man that is holden of most cleane and innocent life, goeth to the altar with great solemnitie, and there laieth a w [...]pe of straw, which being doone they fall all to praier, in the mid|dest whereof fire commeth downe from heauen and kindleth or setteth the same on fire. Beyond this is yet another Ile, but void of people and all other li|uing creatures, sauing a certeine kind of beasts like vnto shéepe, whose nature and forme I haue al|readie touched in the description of Britaine, and therefore omit it here for hast and breuitie sake. Be|twixt these Iles also is a right dangerous passage, sith the sea by working of opposite streames hath in|gendred a g [...]lfe, which sometimes taketh in an in|comprehensible deale of water, and sometimes ca|steth it foorth againe, by meanes whereof many ships EEBO page image 17 that by rage of wind and weather are inforced to come that waie, are either swallowed vp by the wauss, or throwne against the rocks to their vtter danger and ruine. The greatest rage of this conflu|ence is at a place called Corebrecke, where it will ei|ther sinke, or at the least wise draw any ship vnto it, though it be a full mile distant from the same.

1.11. Of the nature of the Claike geese, and sundrie maners of their pro|creation, and of the Ile of Thule. The eleuenth Chapter.

Of the nature of the Claike geese, and sundrie maners of their pro|creation, and of the Ile of Thule. The eleuenth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _NOw it is come to hand that I intreat of those géese which are ingendred by the sea, whose procreation hath hitherto béen thought to haue beene made vpon trees. But the opinion is false, and yet sith their generation is strange indeed, I haue not a little trauelled, and with no small diligence indeuoured to search out the truth héereof, wherby I learne that their ingendrure is rather to be referred to the sea, than any thing els, if my coniecture be oughts: for although that they are in sundrie wise producted, yet I find the same to be performed continuallie in the sea, and not else|where, as shall appéere hereafter. All trées cast in|to that element in processe of time become wormea|ten, and in the holes thereof are the said wormes to be found, though verie little and small (in compari|son to that they be afterward) to be perceiued at the first. In the beginning, these worms doo shew their heads and féet, and last of all their plumes & wings. Finallie when they are come to the iust measure and quantitie of géese, they flie in the aire as other foules doo.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This was notablie prooued in the yeare of Grace 1490, in sight of many people, beside the castell of Pestego, whither the bodie of a great trée was brought by working of the sea. This trée being ta|ken, it was carried to the lord of the soile, who soone after caused it to be slit in sunder with a saw: which being doone, it is incredible to sée, what a multitude at wormes came out of their holes. Of these also some appeered as if they had béene but new shapen, diuers had head, foot and wings, but no feathers, the rest were formed into perfect foules. At last when the people had gazed theron by the space of an whole daie, they carried it to saint Andrewes church beside Tire, where the said blocke remains still to be seene. Within two yeeres after there hapned such another trée to come into the firth of Tay beside Dundée, wormeaten and full of yoong géese after the same maner: the third was séene in the hauen of Leith be|side Edenburgh: and also within a few yéeres, in like sort a ship named the Christopher, after she had lien thrée yéeres at anchor in one of these Iles, was broght to Leith, where bicause hir timber was found to be rotten she was taken in sunder, and in hir kéele were found infinite holes as if they had beene eaten with wormes, or bored with a wimble, and each one of them filled with such creatures as I haue said be|fore.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Héere if any man will alledge that the Christopher was builded of such timber onelie as grew in these Iles, and that all roots and trees there growing, are of such nature as in their corruption doo turne into these foules, I will disprooue his assertion by one no|table example shewed before mine eies. Maister A|lexander Galloway parson of Kinkell, was with vs in these Iles, & giuing his mind with attentiue dili|gence to search out a full resolution with vs of these obscure and hidden matters, it hapned on a time that he tooke vp a branch of Alga, called in Scotish, S [...]at|angle, which hanged full of muskle shels from the root euen to the verie top. Being also desireus to sée what was in them, he grew to be more astonished than before: for when he had opened one or two of them, he saw no fish but a foule perfectlie shapen, ful|lie answering to the capacitie of the shell.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Finallie, knowing that I was verie inquisitiue of these and the like rare nouelties, he came hastilie with the said hearbe & shewed it vnto me, who found no lesse by experience than I before reported. By these and many other reasons and examples I can|not beleeue that these Claiks (or Barnacls as I call them) are producted either by the qualities of the trées or the roots thereof, but onelie by the nature of the sea, which is the verie cause and productrir of so manie wonderfull creatures. Furthermore, bicause the rude and ignorant people saw oftentimes the fruits that fell from trées, which stood neuer in the sea, conuerted within short time into géese, they beléeued that these géese grew vpon trées, hanging by their nebs as apples and other fruit doo by their stalks, but their opinion is vtterlie to be reiected. For so soone as these apples or fruit fall from the trée into the sea, they grow first to be wormeaten, and in processe of time to be conuerted into géese.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus haue I spoken sufficientlie of the Iles of the Hebrides adiacent vnto the realme of Scotland, and therewithall would shut vp my discourse of the same, were it not that I haue somewhat to say also of Thule, not vnknowne vnto the Romans, as may appeare by Tacitus, who telleth how the Romane na|uie by the commandement of Agricola, was sent to view the coasts of the whole Iland of Britaine, and at their returne reported how they had séene the Thule, with other Ilands lieng about the same. Pto|lome writeth that the Ile of Thule is one of the Shetland Iles, which lie néere vnto Norwey, and be|yond the Orchades; but this cannot be prooued so by late experience: for Thule is manie miles distant from Shetland. Some say that Thule is the same which we call Island: other write that it is the last Ile of the ocean sea, and so is Island, which lieth in the cold srostie sea, beyond the Artike circle toward the north pole. The people of Island because no corne groweth among them, line onelie by fish, which they drie and powder so small as meale dooth come backe from the mill, afterward they mix it with water, and worke it vp for bread.