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1.7. The description of Louthian, Striue|ling, Menteth, Calidon wood, Bouge|wall, Gareoth, with the notable ci|ties, castels, and flouds thereof. The seuenth Chapter.

The description of Louthian, Striue|ling, Menteth, Calidon wood, Bouge|wall, Gareoth, with the notable ci|ties, castels, and flouds thereof. The seuenth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _ON the south of the Forth lieth Louthian, so called of Lothe or Loth, one of the kings of the Picts, it was sometime named Pictland; but now it is parcell of the Scotish kingdome, & there|to for bountie of soile is not inferiour to anie region of Scotland. In Louthian are manie abbeies, castels and townes, as Hadin|ton, Dunbar, Northberw [...] and Leith: but Eden|burgh passeth them all, as well in policie of regi|ment as in forme of building and wisedome, and riches of the inhabitants: therein also is the castell of Maidens, remembred by the most renowmed au|thors, & also the kings chiefe palace, the which tri|pleth the renowme of the foresaid citie. Not farre from thence moreouer is a certeine oilie spring, which riseth out of the ground in such abundance, that the more is caried from thence, the more is re|stored: and the people are persuaded hereof, that it is verie medicinable against all cankers and skalls.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Not farre from the mouth of Forth is the castell of Dunbar, which by naturall situation and indu|strie of man, is now become one of the cheefe holds in Albion. It was sometimes the principall house apperteining to the earles of March: and there hard by is a towne of the same name, wherin is a rich ab|beie or colledge of canons founded by those earles. Next vnto Louthian lieth Mers, whereof I haue spoken alreadie, but we will now go vp higher in|to the land. Neerest vnto Mers therefore lieth Te|uidale, and aboue it is Twedale: next vnto Twe|dale is Druisdale, Walcopdale, Douglassedale, and Cliddisdale, and all these are such names as the riuers haue that run along their bottoms. The prin|cipall towne of Cliddisdale is Glasco the archbi|shops sée, wherein is a notable church erected in the honor of saint Mongow, and builded with great magnificence. In Glasco also is a noble vniuersi|tie, where the liberall arts and sciences are verie ze|louslie taught.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In this region moreouer is a verie rich mine of gold, and another of azure, the commoditie of which later is reaped with small trauell. There are some|times found diuers pretious stones also, as rubies and diamonds. Certes this mine was disclosed in the time of Iames the fourth, who would no doubt haue brought it to full perfection, if he had longer li|ued, whereas now little profit redoundeth thereby to the commonwealth, bicause it is either vtterlie neglected, or not very much regarded. North of Glas|co lieth Menteith, and Striueling shire, bordering vpon Argile and Lennox. In Striueling shire is the towne of Striueling, and aboue it is the castell of Striueling, which was sometime called the dolorous mounteine. At this towne also began the great Ca|lidon wood, which ran through Menteith and Stra|therne, to Atholl and Lochquhaber, as Ptolome wri|teth in his first table.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In this wood were somtime white buls with shackt heares and curled manes like fierce lions, otherwise they were like vnto the [...]ame, neuerthelesse so wild and sauage, that they would neuer be made famili|ar, nor tast of any hearbe or grasse that mans hand had once touched, after manie daies. Being taken also by the industrie of man (which was very hard to doo) they would refuse all sustenance, & starue them|selues to death. Assoone as any did inuade them, they would rush vpon him with great violence, and beare him to the earth; as for dogs, nets, or any kind of weapon they feared not, neither cared for any ma|ner of engine.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 It is said that Robert Bruze after his coronation did hunt one of these buls in the foresaid wood, be|ing accompanied but with a small traine, in which voiage he escaped narowlie with his life. For after the beast felt himselfe sore wounded by the hunters, he rushed vpon the king, who hauing now no wea|pon left in his hand wherewith to defend himselfe, he had suerlie perished if rescue had not come: howbeit in this distresse one came running vnto him, who o|uerthrew the bull by plaine force, and held him down till the hunters came that killed him outright. For this valiant act also the king indued the aforesaid partie with great possessions, and his linage is to this daie called of the Turnebuls, bicause he ouer|turned the beast, and saued the kings life, by such great prowesse and manhood. Certes the flesh of these beasts were reputed in old time as a most de|licate EEBO page image 14 food, and onlie meate for the nobilitie, notwith|standing that it be verie full of sinews and gristries, whereat some delicat féeders doo often take offense. In times past also they were bred in many places of the Calidon, but now they be all consumed by the gluttonie of the inhabitants, so that none of them are left, but onlie in Comerland.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 On the east side of Menteith lieth Stratherne, & bordereth also vpon Fife. Through the vallies like|wise of this region runneth the water of Ern, that falleth into Tay. This is moreouer worthie to be no|ted, that not foure miles from the confluence of Ern and Tay, there is a stone of small quantitie, and yet of great woonder, for in what place soeuer it be laid, it will not be remooued from thence by manuall prac|tise, art, or engine, & yet one man may so soone moue it as an hundred. On the other side of Tay beyond Angus and Gowray lieth Stermond, a region plen|tifullie indued both with grasse and corne. Not farre from Stermond is Athole, wherein are manie noble vallies and riuers full of fish, as pikes, lamperns, &c. The soile there also is so bountifull, that it yéeldeth corne in maner without any tillage. There is like|wise therein a towne called Lud, whose féelds are so plentious, that (if they be well tilled and dressed) they will yéeld great store of barlie without any sowing of seed. Howbeit, as this is in that part of the regi|on often verified, so in other there is a contrarious disposition to be found in the earth, which turneth wheat soone into good and perfect rie, the like wherof I heare to be not far from Luke, & in the countries thereabouts.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 West of Buchquhane and Bocne lieth Bostge|well and Gareoth, very plentifull soiles both for grasse and corne. In Gareoth also is an hill called Doundore, that is to saie, the golden mounteine: for the shéepe that féed thereon are yellow, and their téeth of the same hew, resembling burnished gold. Their flesh moreouer is red as it were tinged with saffron, and so is their wooll much after the same ma|ner. There is furthermore in the same region, an heape of stones lieng togither in maner of a crown which yéeld a sound when one of them is stricken as if it were a bell. Some are of the opinion, that one idoll temple or other stood heretofore in that place, while the Scotish nation was addicted to the wor|shipping of diuels. Many other regions are in Scot|land, as Bradalbane, Strabraun, and Badzenoth, with diuers small territories and flouds, howbeit they are not so notable as those which we haue alrea|die touched, and therefore I thinke it but follie to deale any further with them.

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1.7. The deſcription of Lowthian, Striueling, Men|teth, Calidon wood, Bowgewall, Gar [...]oth, with the notable Cities, Caſtels and Floudes thereof. Chap. 7.

The deſcription of Lowthian, Striueling, Men|teth, Calidon wood, Bowgewall, Gar [...]oth, with the notable Cities, Caſtels and Floudes thereof. Chap. 7.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ON the Southſide of the Forth lieth Low|thian, ſo called of Lothe or Loth, one of the Kinges of the Pictes, it was ſometime named Pictlande: but now it is parcell of the Scottiſh kingdome, and thereto for bounty of ſoyle is not inferiour to any region of Scotlande. In Lowthian are many Abbayes, Caſtelles and townes, as Hadington, Dunbar, Northder|wi [...]e and Leith: but Edenborow paſſeth them all, aſwell in pollicy of regiment as in forme of buylding and wiſedome, and riches of the inha|bitantes: therein alſo is the caſtell of Maydens remembred by the moſte renowned Authors, and alſo the Kings cheefe pallace, whiche di|pleth the renowne of the aforeſayde citie. Not farre from thence moreouer, is a certayne oyly ſpring whiche riſeth out of the ground in ſuche aboundance, that the more is caried from thẽce, the more is reſtored: and the people are perſwa|ded hereof, that it is very medicinable agaynſt all Cankers and ſkalles. Not farre from the mouth of Forth is the caſtel of Dunbar, whiche by naturall ſituation and induſtry of man, is now become one of the chiefe holdes in Albion. It was ſometime the principall houſe apper|tayning to the Earles of Marche: and there harde by is a towne of the ſame name, wherein is a rich Abbay, or Colledge of Chanons foun|ded by thoſe Earles. Nexte vnto Lowthian lieth Mers, whereof I haue ſpoken already, but wee will nowe goe vp higher into the lande. Neareſt vnto Mers therefore lieth Teuidale, and aboue it is Twedale: nexte vnto EEBO page image 9 Twedale is Druyſdale, Walcopdale, Douglaſſe|dale, and Clidiſdale, and all theſe are ſuche names as the riuers haue that runne along their botomes. The principall towne of Cliddeſdale is Glaſco the Archbiſhops ſee, wherein is a notable Church ere|cted in the honour of Saint Mungow, and buyl|ded with great magnificence. In Glaſco alſo is a noble Vniuerſitie where the liberal Artes and Sci|ences are very zealouſly taught. In this region moreouer is a very riche mine of Gold, and another of Azure, the commoditie of whiche later is reaped with ſmall trauayle. There are ſometimes founde diuers precious ſtones alſo, as Rubies and Dia|mõdes. Certes this myne was diſcloſed in the time of Iames the fourth, who would no doubt, haue brought it to full perfection if he had longer liued, whereas now litle profite redoundeth thereby to the common wealth, bycauſe it is eyther vtterly ne|glected or not very much regarded. North of Glaſ|co lieth Menteith, and Striueling ſhire bordering vpon Argile & Lennox. In Striueling ſhyre is the towne of Striueling, and aboue it is the Caſtell of Striueling, which was ſometime called the do|lorous Mountaine. At this towne alſo began the great Calidon wood, whiche ranne thorow Men|teith and Stratherne, to Atholl and Lochquhaber, as Ptholomy writeth in his firſt table. In this wood were ſomtime white Bulles with ſhack bears and curled manes like fierce Lions, otherwiſe they were lyke vnto the tame, neuertheleſſe ſo wilde and ſauage, that they woulde neuer be made familiar, nor taſt of any hearbe or graſſe that mans hande had once touched, after many dayes. Being taken alſo by the induſtry of man (whiche was very hard to do) they would refuſe all ſuſtenaunce, and ſterue themſelues to death. As ſoone as any did inuade them, they would ruſhe vpon him with great vio|lence, and beare him to the earth:) as for Dogges, Nettes, or any kinde of weapon they feared not, neyther cared for any maner of engine. It is ſayd that Robert Bruze after his Coronation did hunt one of theſe Bulles in the aforeſayde wood, being accompanied but with a ſmall trayne, in whiche voyage he eſcaped narowly with his life. For after the beaſt felt himſelfe ſore wounded by the hunters, he ruſhed vpõ the King, who hauing now no wea|pon left in his hande wherewith to defend himſelfe, he had ſurely periſhed if reſkue had not come: how|beit in this diſtreſſe one came running vnto him who ouerthrew the Bull by playne force, and held him downe till the Hunters came that killed him out right. For this valiant acte alſo the King in|dued the aforeſaid partie with great poſſeſſions, and his linage is to this day called of the Turnebulles, bicauſe he ouerturned the beaſt, and ſaued the kings lyfe, by ſuch great prowes and manhood. Certes the fleſh of theſe beaſtes were reputed in old time as a moſt delicate foode, and onely meete for the nobi|lity, notwithſtanding that it be very ful of ſinewes and griſtles, whereat ſome delicate feeders do often take offence. In times paſte alſo they were bredde in many places of the Calidon, but now they be all cõſumed by the gluttony of the inhabitants, ſo that none of them are left, but only in Comernald. On the eaſt ſide of Menteith lieth Stratherne, & borde|reth alſo vpon Fife: thorow the valeys likewiſe of this region runneth the water of Ern, that falleth into Tay. This is moreouer worthy to be noted, that not foure miles from the confluence of Ern & Tay, there is a ſtone of ſmall quantitie, and yet of great wonder, for in what place ſoeuer it be layde, it wil not be remoued from thence by manuall pra|ctiſe, acte or engine, and yet one man may ſo ſoone moue it as an hundred. On the other ſide of Tay beyond Angus and Gowray lieth Stermond, a re|gion plentifully indued both with graſſe and corne. Not farre from Stermond is Athole, wherein are many noble valeys and ryuers full of fiſhe, as pikes Lampernes, &c. The ſoyle there alſo is ſo boũtifull, that it yeeldeth corne in manner without any til|lage: there is likewyſe therein a towne called Lud, whoſe fieldes are ſo plenteous that (if they be well tilled and dreſſed) they will yeelde greate ſtore of Barley without any ſowing of ſeede. Howbeit as this is in that parte of the region often verified, ſo in other there is a contrarious diſpoſition to bee founde in the earth, whiche turneth wheate ſoone into good & perfite Rye, the like whereof I heare, to be not farre from Luke and in the countreys there|aboutes. Weſt of Buchquhane and Boene, lieth Boſtgewell, and Gareoth very plentifull ſoyles bothe for graſſe and corne. In Gareoth alſo is an hill called Doundore, that is to ſay, the Golden mountayne: for the Sheepe that feede thereon are yellow, and their teeth of the ſame hewe, reſem|blyng burniſhed golde. Theyr fleſhe moreouer is redde as it were tygned with Saffron, and ſo is their wooll muche after the ſame maner. There is furthermore in the ſame region, an heape of ſtones lying togither in maner of a Crowne which yeeld a ſounde when one of them is ſtricken as if it were a bell. Some are of the opinion, that one Idoll Temple or other ſtoode heretofore in that place whyleſt the Scottiſhe nation was addicted to the worſhippyng of Diuels. Many other regions are in Scotlãd, as Bradalbane, Strabraun and Bad|zenoth with diuers ſmall territories and floudes, howbeit they are not ſo notable as thoſe which we haue already touched, and therefore I thinke it but folly to deale any farther with them.