1.4. The situation of Renfrew, Clides|dale, Lennox, Lowmund, Argile, Louchquhaber, Lorne, and Ken|tire, with all the notable things conteined in the same. The fourth Chapter.
EEBO page image 10The situation of Renfrew, Clides|dale, Lennox, Lowmund, Argile, Louchquhaber, Lorne, and Ken|tire, with all the notable things conteined in the same. The fourth Chapter.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 _THe water of Clide diui|deth Lennox on the north side from the baronie of Renfrew, and it ariseth out of the same hill in Calidon|wood, from whence the An|nand falleth, and goeth with a long course into the Irish sea; some call this riuer Gluda, and Cluda: but Tacitus nameth it Glota. Not far also from the foun|teines of Clide, ariseth the water of Forth, that runneth on the contrarie side into the Germane ocean. In like sort after the water of Clude hath run for a season toward the north, it gathereth some|what inward, till it come to the mounteine of Gran|zeben, & from thence holdeth on with a swift course, till it fall (as I said) into the Irish seas. The coun|trie where it runneth is named Clidesdale. Betwixt Clide and Lennox lieth the baronie of Renfrew, wherein are two pooles named Quhinsouth and Le|both, of which the first is 12 miles in compasse, the other 20, and both verie rich and plentifull of fish. But in Lennox, that lieth next aboue Renfrew to|ward the ocean (called by Ptolomie Lelgouia) is a great mere or lake that hight Lochmond, of 24 miles in length, and eight in breadth, and within this lhin or poole are 30 Ilands, well replenished with churches and dwelling houses.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 And in the same also are three things woorthie con|sideration, whereof the first is, that the pleasant and verie delicat fishes there bred doo want fins. The second is, that the water will often swell with huge waues though no wind be stirring, and that in such wise that the best mariners in the countrie dare not aduenture to saile thereon. There is also a ve|rie fruitfull and commodious Ile therein, verie ne|cessarie for the pasturage of cattell, which fléeteth hi|ther and thither as the wind bloweth. This lake is situat at the foot of the hill called Granzeben, which were sometime the marches or limits betwixt the Scots and Picts, and are extended from Lochlow|mund to the mouth of Dée. Certes the Picts had no part of the countrie beyond the Granzeben, nor toward the Irish seas, for this region was inhabi|ted by the Scots. Eight miles from Lochlowmond is the castell of Dumbritteme named sometime Al|cluid, and here the water of Leuen falleth into the Clide.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Beyond Lochlowmund is Argile, an hillie coun|trie and full of crags and mounteins, therein also are two lakes, Lochfine & Lochquho, that diuide the region into three parts, that in the middest being cal|led Knapdale. In Lochfine is more plentie of hering than in anie part of the coast that compasseth the I|land, but in Lochquho are such kinds of fish to be vsu|allie had, as are commonlie bred in fresh waters. There are moreouer in Argile two castels, Glenun|quhart and Enconell, & in it are 12 Iles, whose chiefe commoditie resteth rather in pasturage for cattell, than abundance of graine. In Argile furthermore are manie rich mines full of mettall, but the people there haue no skill to find and trie out the same. The constant report also goeth there, how there is a stone of such nature, that if it be hidden in straw for a cer|teine season, it will kindle of it selfe, and consume the straw to ashes. There are seuen other lakes in Argile, whereof some are thirtie miles in length and bredth, and other lesse.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 It was told me once by Doncan Campbell a no|ble knight, that out of Ga [...]loll, one of the pooles of Argile, there came a terrible beast, in the yeare of Grace 1510, which was of the bignesse of a grei|hound, and footed like a gander, and issuing out of the water earlie in the morning about midsummer time, did verie easilie and without anie visible force or streining of himselfe ouerthrow huge okes with his taile, & therevnto killed thrée men out-right that hunted him with thrée stroks of his said taile, the rest of them sauing themselues in trées thereabouts, whilest the foresaid monster returned to the water. Those that are giuen to the obseruations of rare and vncouth sights, beléeue that this beast is neuer séene but against some great trouble & mischiefe to come vpon the realme of Scotland. For it hath béene de|scribed also before that time, although not verie of|ten. Lorne abutteth vpon Argile, which was once a part of Argile, and reacheth out into the Irish sea, in maner of a cape or toong, full sixtie miles. This point also was called Nouantia, but now it is na|med Kintire (that is to saie) the head of Lorne, whose vttermost part is not full 16 miles from Ireland. Some authors affirme, that both Argile and Can|tire, were called Nouantia in old time, sith Ptolo|mie maketh no mention of Argile in his cosmogra|phie. In this Lorne is great abundance of barleie, which the Scots call beir. Beyond Lorne is Loch|quhaber, heretofore a portion of Murrey land, verie rich in mines of iron and lead, and no lesse benefici|all to the countrie in all kinds of cattell.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 There are likewise manie woods, manie lakes, and manie riuers, but two of them are most notable for the plentie of samons, and other delicate fish, as|well of the salt as fresh water, which be there taken, and almost without anie trauell; neither is there anie where else in all the Ile such store. The one of these is named Lochtie, & the other Spanze, but vpon what occasion these names were giuen to them I find as yet no certeintie. The Lochtie riseth not a|boue eight miles from Lochnes, and falleth beneath the same into the Germane ocean, and beside it, there is a rockie crag, running out at length into the sea, named Hardnomorth. In the mouth of Lochtie likewise was sometime a rich towne name Inuer|lochtie, whither the merchants of France & Spaine did make their dailie resort, till at the last it was so defaced by the warres of the Danes, that it neuer was able since the said time to recouer hir pristinate renowme. But whether the negligence of the due repare of this towne, procéedeth of the slouth of our people, or hatred that some enuious persons doo beare to cities and walled townes in our countrie, as yet it is vncerteine. Beyond Lochtie is the castell of Dunstafage, in time past named Euonium: beyond Dunstafage also is the mouth of the water of Spanze, where it falleth (as I heare) into the Ger|mane ocean.