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.