1.5. The diſcourſe of Ros, Stranauern, and M [...]rr [...]y land, with the lake [...], riuers and notable townes in them. Chap. 5.

The diſcourſe of Ros, Stranauern, and M [...]rr [...]y land, with the lake [...], riuers and notable townes in them. Chap. 5.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 BEyond the water of Spanȝe lieth Ros ſomtime called Lugia, a very narrow re|gion God it wote, but running out in greate lẽgth thorow the middeſt of the Ilande, being enuirõned on both ſides with the Ocean. That portion thereof whiche lieth neareſt to the Iriſh ſeas, is very difficulte for ſuche as trauell by the countrey, by reaſon of the high Mountaynes, whiche maketh the countrey more apt for wilde beaſtes than mankind to inhabite: neuertheleſſe waxing more fertile on that part whiche ſtret|cheth toward y^e Germaine ſea, it yeeldeth it ſelf to culture, & rendreth ſome grayne. In paſture alſo it is not altogither vnprofitable, ſith there is good graſſe, and very batable for their heards: for the valeys there, bring watered with ſundry pleaſant ſtreames, do yeelde a ſweete & very ſa|uoury graſſe, wherewith all ſortes of cattell are very muche delited. In Ros are ſundry lakes, but Lochbrun is the greateſt. There are alſo many freſh riuers, fraught with excellent fiſhe, and finally a notable Firth or ſafe hauen called Cromart, whervnto diuers in time of neceſſitie do reſort, to auoyde the daunger of ſhipwrack, that otherwiſe would aſſuredly annoy thẽ. The Scottiſh mẽ call it heill of ſhipmen. In this re|gion moreouer is y^e towne called Thane, where the bones of Dutho an holy man (as they ſay) do reſte, & art had in greater eſtimation among the ſuperſtitious ſorte (as ſometime ouer the whole Iland) than the holy Goſpel of God and merites of his Sonne, wherby we are onely ſa|ued. Two auncient houſes are likewiſe main|tained in one vale of the Ros, whoſe formes re|ſemble ſo many belles, but to what ende as yet I do not find. Next vnto the ſayd Ros lieth the Stramauerne, as the vttermoſt regiõ of Scot|land, y^e coaſtes wherof abutting for a while vpõ the Dencalidon ſea, do afterwarde turne againe towarde the Almaigne ſeas, hauing partly the Deucalidon coaſt, and partly Catheneſe vpon the North ſide, Sutherland on the eaſt, Roſſ [...] on the ſouth, & Deucalidõ againe vpõ the weſt. There are three great cragges or pointes lying on the vttermoſt ſide of Stranauerne, that is to ſay, the Hoye, Howbrun (the greateſt of y^e three) and Downiſby, which bicauſe they ſhoote farre off into the ſea, do make two great Firthes and lakes, eche of them being ſeuerally diſtinguiſhed from other. Next vnto Catheneſe lieth Suther|land, a profitable region both for grayne and all kindes of prouiſion, but chiefly for the nouriſh|ment of veſtial, whervnto it chiefly enclineth, as do the other two laſt before rehearſed. On the farder ſide alſo of this, lieth Murray land, ſom|time called Vararis, although the marches ther|of are changed from that they were of old. For wheras in time paſt all the regiõ lying betwene Spay and Neſſe to the Irelãd ſea, was named Murray, now it is knowen to be onely beyond the water of Spay & Kſſock [...], & reacheth on vn|till it come to the Iriſh ſea. Betwixt Ros and Murray land, is a great Baie, & likewiſe a diſ|cẽt of ſundry waters: for therinto fal the Neſſe, EEBO page image 6 Nardin, Findorn, Los and Spay, whereof this latter runneth with ſo fierce and violent a ſtreame, that the force of the ſea at the flood ſtri|uing to enter into the ſame, is put backe & may not reſiſt y^e inuincible fal, & beats backe the wa|ter that deſcendeth into the Ocean. The Neſſe iſſueth out of a lake of the ſame name (which is not paſſing eight myles from the ſayde plaſhe, from whence the Lochtie runneth) and thence goeth into the Iriſhe ſeas: And this property it hath, that neither the ſtreame, neyther the lake it ſelfe will yeelde to be frozen in the very deepe of winter. Such alſo is the force therof, that if any Ice or whatſoeuer froſen ſubſtance be caſt ther|into, it will by and by relent and diſſolue againe to water, whereby it becommeth very profitable for ſuche cattell as are benũmed with colde. In the mouth of the Neſſe, ſtandeth a towne cal|led Inuerneſſe, where ſometime was great abũ|dance of herring taken, but now they be gone, by the ſecrete working of God. The common people put the fault in the riche & men of higher calling, who enuying the commoditie of the poore inhabitantes, will often ſeeme to bereeue them of this emolumẽt, by force and ſlaughter. Wherevpon (as they ſay) it cõmeth to paſſe, that the encreaſe eftſones decayeth, & very ſmal ſtore is taken there by many yeares after ſuch iniurie offered. But to proceede: beſide Lochneſſe, which is 24. miles of length & 4. in breadth, by reaſon of the great woodes there ſtãding, is great ſtore of ſauage beaſts, as Harts, wild Horſes, Roes, and ſuche like. There are likewiſe Martirnes, Beuers Foxes, & Weſelles, whoſe ſkinnes and caſes are ſolde vnto ſtraungers at huge and ex|ceſſiue prices. In Murray land alſo is not all-only great plenty of wheate, Barley, Otes, and ſuch like grayne, beſide Nuttes and Apples, but likewiſe of all kindes of fiſhe, and eſpecially of Salmon. The people thereof in like ſort do vſe a ſtrange maner of fiſhing: for they make a lõg Weele of wicker, narrow necked & wide mou|thed, with ſuch cunning, that whẽ the tide com|meth the fiſhe ſhoote themſelues into the ſame, & foorthwith are ſo incloſed, that whileſt the tide laſteth he cannot get out, nor after the water is gone, eſcape the hands of the fiſhers. In this re|gion moreouer is a lake named Spiney where|in is exceeding plenty of Swannes. The cauſe of their increaſe in this place is aſcribed to a certaine hearbe which groweth there in great a|bundãce, and whoſe ſeede is very pleaſant vnto the ſayde foule in the eating, wherfore they call it Swan Gyrs: & herevnto ſuch is the nature of y^e ſame, that where it is once ſowen or plãted, it wil neuer be deſtroyed, as may be proued by ex|perience. For albeit that this lake be fiue myles in length, & was ſometime within the remem|brance of man very well ſtored with Salmon and other great fiſhe, yet after that this [...] began to multiply vpon the ſame, it became [...]o ſhallow, that one may now wade thorow the greateſt parte thereof, by meane whereof all the great fiſhe there is vtterly conſumed. In the portion furthermore, is the Churche of Pe [...], where the bones of litle Iohn remayneth great admiration. Certes this catcaſe hath bene 24. foote long, his members well proportioned ac|cording to his ſtature,This was no Fo [...] [...] into [...] and [...] Scotland. and not fully ſixe yeares before this booke was written (by Boethus) hee ſawe his hanche bone, whithe ſeemed ſo great as the whole thighe of a man, and he did thruſt his a [...]me into the hollowneſſe thereof, whereby it appereth what mighty people grew vp in [...] region before they were ouercome with glutto|ny and exceſſe. In this quarter finally is the towne called Elgyn, not farre from the mouth of Spaye, and therin is a Cathedral church fur|niſhed with Chanons: there are thereto ſundry riche and very wealthy Abbayes in Murray, as Kyll [...]s of the order of the Ciſteaux, and Pluſ|cardy of the Cluniackes.