1.2. The deſcription of the Eaſt weſt and middle bor|ders of Scotland, with
the moſt notable townes and flouds therof.
Chap. 2.
The deſcription of the Eaſt weſt and middle bor|ders of Scotland, with
the moſt notable townes and flouds therof.
Chap. 2.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 THe Pictes had ſometimes
the principall & moſt fertile parte of that countrey, whiche now is
vnder the regiment of the Scottes, and after they had cõtinued in the ſame
by the ſpace of .1171. yeares, ioyned in maner in perpetuall league with the
Scots, & mainteining mutual|ly the warres ſometimes with the
Brytaines & Romaines, & ſometimes alſo iarring with their
Scottiſh neighbours, at the laſt they fel into ex|treme hatred one wt another, till it was brought to paſſe by
the diuine prouidence, that the ſayde Pictes were ouerthrowen, their name
extin|guiſhed, & the kingdome vnited vnto that other of the Scots
for euermore. After this time fur|thermore, although the Scottes haue bene
very oftentimes aſſayled with moſt daungerous and terrible warres &
oftẽtimes inuaded by enimies from diuers regions, yet ſuch hath bene the
fa|uour of almighty God towards them, that ſtill they flouriſh & retaine theyr eſtate
inuiolate.
Compare 1587 edition:
1
2
3 Whatſoeuer wee haue
generally ſpoken of Albion, that is chiefly to be vnderſtanded of the
Scottes, & farre greater, eſpecially among the Scottes, as they call
them in the high lande, as people that haue leſſe to do with forraine
Mer|chants, & therfore are leſſe delicate, & not ſomuch
corrupted with ſtrange bloud and alliaunce. Hereby in like ſorte it cõmeth
to paſſe, that they are more harde of conſtitution of body, to beare off the
colde blaſtes, to watche better, & abſteyne long, wherevnto alſo it
appeareth that they are bolde, nimble, and thereto more ſkilfull in the
warres. As for their faith & promiſe, they holde it with greateſt
conſtancie, as Hector hath ſet downe. Towardes the Almaine ſea, I
find, that Scotland hath the Mers, ſometime the moſte plenteous region of
the Pictes for their marche, which ſo long as the ſayd people did inhabite
it, was called Deera, or Dere, but after their ex|pulſion it was named Mers,
that is to ſay, the Merches or limites of their coũtrey. In proceſſe of
time alſo the Scottes extended their boundes euen vnto ye Twede, which now
diuideth Nor|thumberlande from the Mers. On the other ſide of the countrey
towarde the Weſt, ſundry ſmall bournes deſcend from the Cheriot hilles,
& other mountaynes lying thereabout into the Solue, diuiding
Cumberlãd from Annandale, & ſo being brought into one chanel, they
fall togi|ther into the Iriſhe Ocean, and ſtande for the bounds of Scotland
vpõ that halfe of the coun|trey. The Cheriot hilles are in like ſorte taken
for the middle Marches of the region, whiche with certaine ſmal brokes that
fall frõ theſame, do ſeparate both the countries, whereby their li|mites
art knowen. The Mers hath vnder mar|ches at ſeueral places (whether it is
extended) as ſometime the Germayne ſea, ſometime Eaſt Lowthian, ſomtime the
Twede, & ſomtime the Forth, & among many ſtrong holds
& Caſtels, that ſtand vpon the borders, is the towne &
Ca|ſtell of Barwijck in time paſte called Ordolu|cium, as the
inhabitantes are called Ordoluci (if Hector be not
deceiued.) The Twede ſpringeth out from a meane head, and after his
augmẽta|tion, with other ſmall waters that fall into the ſame, it
deſcendeth with a large courſe into the Almayne ſea. Beyond ye Twede, to
the middle March vnder the Cheriot hilles lieth Teuidale, that is to ſay,
the vale of Tiffe: Beyond it is Eſkedale, or the vale of Eſke, of a riuer ſo
cal|led that runneth thorow the ſame: ouer againſt Eſkedale on the other
ſide lieth Euſdale, ſo na|med of the riuer Eus that paſſeth
thereby, & fal|leth into the water of Annande: But Tif and Eſke do
runne into the Twede: furthermore on the weſt ſide ouer againſt ye Iriſh
ſea, lieth An|nandale, wherevnto the Annand water giueth denomination, which
marcheth ſomtimes with out the boũdes of Niddeſdale, where al the three
riuers aforeſayd, that is to ſay, Eus, Annand & Sulway deſcende
togither in one bottome into the Iriſh ſeas.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 In Annãdale is a Loch or
lake named Loch|maben .5. miles in lẽgth & 4. in breadth, not only
EEBO page image 3 very ful of fiſh, but of ſuch kinde as few men are
ac|quainted with. Beſide this lake alſo there is a ca|ſtell of ye ſame name
builded of purpoſe to reſtraine the furious dealing of theeues whiche do
great hurt in thoſe quarters. For not only in Anandale, but in all the Dales
or Vales afore rehearſed, are many ſtrong theeues, which often ſpoile the
countrey, and exerciſe much cruel ſlaughter vpon ſuch as inhabite there in
any troublous time. Theſe robbers (bicauſe the Engliſh do border vpõ their
dry marches, & are their perpetual
enimies) do oftẽ make forcible rodes into the Engliſh boundes, for their
better mainte|naunce & ſuſtẽtation, or els they pilfer priuily from
them, as men leading in the meane ſeaſon a poore beggerly & very
miſerable life. In the time of peace alſo, they are ſo inured to theft and
rapine, that they cãnot leaue off to ſteale at home: &
notwithſtãding that they be often very ſore handled therefore, yet they
thinke it prayſe worthy to moleſt their aduer|ſaries, as they cal the truer
ſorte, whereby it cõmeth to paſſe, yt
many riche & fertile places of Scotlãd lie waſt & voyde of
culture for feare of their inuaſion.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Not far from the Sulway
(a water where great plenty of fiſh is to be had) are many quicke ſandes,
& thoſe ſo perillous that no man may well go ouer the ſame, but with
great difficultie & daunger of his life. This vale of Annand was
ſomtime called Or|douitia, & the people thereof
Ordouices, whoſe aun|cient barbarouſneſſe is reported to be
ſuche, that in times paſt they refuſed not to kill and eate ſuch pri|ſoners
as had yeelded themſelues vnto them.
The very womẽ in like ſort would ſlea their huſbands, if at any time they
fled frõ the field, and returned to their houſes, only to giue occaſion
vnto other mẽ to ſtand to their tacklings at euery ſuch aduenture.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 On the Weſt borders
& toward the North lieth Niddeſdale, ſo called of the water of
Nidde. It be|ginneth with a very narrow courſe, and increaſing broder in the
middle marches of Scotland, it final|ly reſtrayneth it ſelf againe, till it
cõmeth at the ſea, whether it runneth
with a ſwift courſe, as ye Scot|tiſh writers do report. In this vale
ſtãdeth a towne named Dunfriſe, wherein many fine clothes eſpe|cially
whites are made, which are brought vp & ca|ried into England,
Fraunce, Flaũders & Germany where they are had in great price and
eſtimation.