The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts

Previous | Next

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 ye 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 ye 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, ye 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 ye 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 ye 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 ye 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.

Previous | Next

1.5. The discourse of Ros, Stranauerne, & Murrey land, with the lakes, riuers, and notable townes in them. The fift Chapter.

The discourse of Ros, Stranauerne, & Murrey land, with the lakes, riuers, and notable townes in them. The fift Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _BEyond the water of Spanze lieth Ros, sometime called Lugia, a verie nar|row region (God it wote) but running out in great length through the middest EEBO page image 11 of the Iland, being enuironed on both sides with the ocean. That portion thereof which lieth néerest to the Irish seas, is verie difficult for such as trauell by the countrie, by reason of the high mounteins, which maketh the countrie more apt for wild beasts than mankind to inhabit: neuerthelesse waxing more fer|till on that part which stretcheth toward the German sea, it yeeldeth it selfe to culture, and rendreth some graine. In pasture also it is not altogither vnpro|fitable, sith there is good grasse and verie batable for their heards: for the vallies there, being watered with sundrie pleasant streames, doo yeeld a sweet and verie sauorie grasse, wherewith all sorts of cat|tell are verie much delighted. In Ros are sundrie lakes, but Lochbrun is the greatest. There are also manie fresh riuers, fraught with excellent fish, and finallie a notable firth or safe hauen called Cromart, wherevnto diuers in time of necessitie doo resort, to a|uoid the danger of shipwracke, that otherwise would assuredlie annoy them. The Scotish men call it Heill of shipmen. In this region moreouer is the towne called Thane, where the bones of Dutho an holy man (as they say) doo rest, & are had in greater estimation among the superstitious sort (as sometime ouer the whole Iland) than the holie gospell of God and me|rits of his sonne, whereby we are onelie saued. Two ancient houses are likewise mainteined in one vale of the Ros, whose formes resemble so manie belles, but to what end as yet I doo not find. Next vnto the said Ros lieth the Stranauerne, as the vttermost region of Scotland, the coasts whereof abutting for a while vpon the Deucalidon sea, doo afterward turne againe toward the Almain seas, hauing part|lie the Deucalidon coast, and partlie Cathnesse vp|on the north side, Southerland on the east, Rossia on the south, and Deucalidon againe vpon the west. There are thrée great crags or points lieng on the vttermost side of Stranauerne, that is to saie, the Hoie, Howbrun (the greatest of the thrée) and Dow|nisbie, which bicause they shoot farre off into the sea, doo make two great firths and lakes, each of them being seuerallie distinguished from other.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Next vnto Cathnesse lieth Southerland, a profi|table region both for graine and all kinds of proui|sion, but chieflie for the nourishment of bestiall, wherevnto it chieflie inclineth, as doo the other two last before rehearsed. On the further side also of this, lieth Murrey land, sometime called Vararis, al|though the marches thereof are changed from that they were of old. For whereas in time past all the re|gion lieng betweene Spaie and Nesse to the Ire|land sea, was named Murrey; now it is knowne to be onlie beyond the water of Spaie & Kissocke, & rea|cheth on vntill it come to the Irish sea. Betwixt Ros and Murrey land, is a great baie, and likewise a descent of sundrie waters: for thereinto fall the Nesse, Narden, Findorne, Los and Spaie, whereof this latter runneth with so fierce & violent a streame, that the force of the sea at the floud striuing to enter into the same, is put back, & may not resist the inuin|cible fall, and beates backe the water that descendeth into the ocean. The Nesse issueth out of a lake of the same name (which is not passing 8 miles from the said plash, from whence the Lochtie runneth) & thence go|eth into the Irish seas: and this propertie it hath, that neither the streame, neither the lake it selfe will yeeld to be frozen in the verie deepe of winter. Such also is the force thereof, that if anie yee or anie frozen substance be cast thereinto, it will by and by relent and dissolue againe to water, whereby it becommeth verie profitable for such cattell as are benummed with cold. In the mouth of the Nesse, standeth a towne called Inuernesse, where sometime was great abundance of herring taken, but now they be gone by the secret working of God. The common people put the fault in the rich & men of higher cal|ling, who enuieng the commoditie of the poore inha|bitants, will often séeme to bereue them of this emo|lument, by force and slaughter. Whervpon (as they say) it commeth to passe, that the increase estsoones decaieth, and verie small store is taken there by manie yeares after such iniurie offered.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But to procéed: beside Lochnesse, which is 24 miles of length, and foure in bredth, by reason of the great woods there standing, is great store of sauage beasts, as harts, wild horsses, roes, and such like. There are likewise martirns, beuers, foxes & wezels, whose skins and cases are sold vnto strangers at huge and excessiue prices. In Murrey land also is not alonelie great plentie of wheat, barlie, otes, and such like graine, beside nuts and apples, but likewise of all kinds of fish, and especiallie of samon. The peo|ple thereof in like sort doo vse a strange maner of fi|shing: for they make a long weele of wicker, nar|row necked, and wide mouthed, with such cunning, that when the tide commeth, the fish shoot themselues into the same, and foorthwith are so inclosed that whi|lest the tide lasteth he cannot get out, nor after the water is gone escape the hands of the fishers. In this region moreouer is a lake named Spiney, wherein is excéeding plentie of swans.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The cause of their increase in this place is as|cribed to a certeine herbe, which groweth there in great abundance, and whose séed is verie pleasant vnto the said foule in the eating, wherefore they call it Swangirs: and herevnto such is the nature of the same, that where it is once sowne or planted, it will neuer be destroied, as may be prooued by expe|rience. For albeit that this lake be fiue miles in length, and was sometime within the remembrance of man verie well stored with samon and other fish, yet after that this herbe began to multiplie vpon the same, it became so shallow, that one may now wade through the greatest part thereof, by meanes wherof all the great fishes there be vtterlie consumed. In this portion furthermore, is the church of Pette, where the bones of little Iohn remaine in great esti|mation. This was no Scot but an Englishman, fled into Ire|land, and then into Scotland Certes his carcasse hath béene 14 foot long, his members well proportioned according to his stature, and not fullie six yéeres before this booke was written (by Boetius) he saw his hanch bone, which sée|med so great as the whole thigh of a man, and he did thrust his arme into the hollownesse thereof, wherby it appeareth what mightie people grew vp in our re|gion before they were ouercome with gluttonie and excesse. In this quarter finallie is the towne called Elgin, not farre from the mouth of Spaie, and ther|in is a cathredrall church furnished with canons: there are thereto sundrie rich and verie wealthie ab|beies in Murrey, as Killos of the order of the Ciste|aux, and Pluscardie of the Cluniaks.