the west halfe, and the rest in the other. But now through ioining house
to house & land to land (a common plague and canker, which will eat vp
all, if prouision be not made in time to withstand this mischéefe) that
number is halfe diminished, and yet many of the rich inhabiters want
roome, and wote not how and where to bestowe themselues, to their quiet
contentations. Certes this impediment groweth not by reason that men
were greater in bodie, than they haue béene in time past, but onelie for
that their insatiable desire of inlarging their priuate possessions
increaseth still vpon them, and will doo more, except they be
restrained: but to returne to our purpose. It was once spoiled by the
Scots in the time of king Athelstane, chéeflie by Anlafus in his flight
from the bloudie battell, wherein Constantine king of Scotland was
ouercome: secondlie by the Scots 1388. after it came to the possession
of the English, for in the beginning the kings of Scotland had this
Iland vnder their dominion, almost from their first arriuall in this
Iland, and as Beda saith till Edwine king of the Northumbers wan it from
them, and vnited it to his kingdome. After the time of Edwine, the Scots
gat the possession thereof againe, and held it till the Danes & Norwaies
wan it from them, who also kept it (but with much trouble) almost 370.
yeares vnder the gouernance of their viceroies, whome the kings of
Norwaie inuested vnto that honor, till Alexander the third king of that
name in Scotland recouered it from them, with all the rest of those Iles
that lie vpon the west coast, called also Sodorenses in the daies of
Magnus king of Norwaie. And sithens that time the Scotish princes haue
not ceased to giue lawes to such as dwelled there, but also from time to
time appointed such bishops as should exercise ecclesiasticall
iurisdiction in the same, till it was won from them by our princes, and
[Sidenote: _Chronica Tinemuthi._]
so vnited vnto the realme of England. Finallie, how after sundrie sales
bargains and contracts of matrimonie (for I read that William Scroope
the kings Vicechamberleine, did buy this Ile and crowne thereof of the
lord William Montacute earle of Sarum) it came vnto the ancestours of
the earles of Darbie, who haue béene commonlie said to be kings of Man,
the discourse folowing shall more at large declare. Giraldus noteth a
contention betwéene the kings of England & Ireland for the right of this
Iland, but in the end, when by a comprimise the triall of the matter was
referred to the liues or deaths of such venemous wormes as should be
brought into the same, and it was found that they died not at all, as
the like doo in Ireland, sentence passed with the king of England, & so
he reteined the Iland. But howsoeuer this matter standeth, and whether
anie such thing was done at all or not, sure it is that the people of
the said Ile were much giuen to witchcraft and sorcerie (which they
learned of the Scots a nation greatlie bent to that horrible practise)
in somuch that their women would oftentimes sell wind to the mariners,
inclosed vnder certeine knots of thred, with this iniunction, that they
which bought the same, should for a great gale vndoo manie, and for the
[Sidenote: Tall men in Man.]
lesse a fewer or smaller number. The stature of the men and also
fertilitie of this Iland are much commended, and for the latter supposed
verie néere to be equall with that of Anglesei, in all commodities.
There are also these townes therein, as they come now to my remembrance,
Rushen, Dunglasse, Holme towne, S. Brids, Bala cury (the bishops house)
S. Mich. S. Andrew, kirk Christ, kirk Louel, S. Mathees, kirk S. Anne,
Pala sala, kirk S. Marie, kirk Concane, kirk Malu, and Home. But of all
these Rushen with the castell is the strongest. It is also in recompense
[Sidenote: Riuers.]
of the common want of wood, indued with sundrie pretie waters, as first
of al the Burne rising in the northside of Warehill botoms, and
branching out by southwest of kirk S. An, it séemeth to cut off a great
part of the eastside thereof, from the residue of that Iland. From those
hils also (but of the south halfe) commeth the Holme and Holmey, by a
towne of the same name, in the verie mouth whereof lieth the Pile afore
mentioned. They haue also the Bala passing by Bala cury, on the
westside, and the Rame on the north, whose fall is named Ramesei hauen,
as I doo read in Chronicles.
[Sidenote: Hilles.]
There are moreouer sundrie great hils therein, as that wherevpon S.
Mathees standeth, in the northeast part of the Ile, a parcell whereof
commeth flat south, betwéene kirk Louell, and kirk Marie, yéelding out
of their botoms the water Bala, whereof I spake before. Beside these and
well toward the south part of the Ile, I find the Warehils, which are
extended almost from the west coast ouertwhart vnto the Burne streame.
[Sidenote: Hauens.]
It hath also sundrie hauens, as Ramsei hauen, by north Laxam hauen, by
east Port Iris, by southwest Port Home, and Port Michell, by west. In
[Sidenote: Calfe of man.]
[Sidenote: The pile.]
[Sidenote: S. Michels Ile.]
like sort there are diuers Ilets annexed to the same, as the Calfe of
man on the south, the Pile on the west, and finallie S. Michels Ile
[Sidenote: Sheepe.]
in the gulfe called Ranoths waie in the east. Moreouer the sheepe of
this countrie are excéeding huge, well woolled, and their tailes of such
[Sidenote: Hogs.]
greatnesse as is almost incredible. In like sort their hogs are in maner
[Sidenote: Barnacles.]
monstrous. They haue furthermore great store of barnacles bréeding vpon
their coasts, but yet not so great store as in Ireland, and those (as
there also) of old ships, ores, masts, peeces of rotten timber as they
saie, and such putrified pitched stuffe, as by wrecke hath happened to
corrupt vpon that shore. Howbeit neither the inhabitants of this Ile,
[Sidenote: Barnacles neither fish nor flesh.]
nor yet of Ireland can readilie saie whether they be fish or flesh, for
although the religious there vsed to eat them as fish, yet elsewhere,
some haue beene troubled, for eating of them in times prohibited for
heretikes and lollards.
For my part, I haue béene verie desirous to vnderstand the vttermost of
the bréeding of barnacls, & questioned with diuers persons about the
same. I haue red also whatsoeuer is written by forren authors touching
the generation of that foule, & sought out some places where I haue
béene assured to sée great numbers of them: but in vaine. Wherefore I
vtterlie despaired to obteine my purpose, till this present yeare of
Grace 1584. and moneth of Maie, wherein going to the court at Gréenewich
from London by bote, I saw sundrie ships lieng in the Thames newlie come
home, either from Barbarie or the Canarie Iles (for I doo not well
remember now from which of these places) on whose sides I perceiued an
infinit sort of shells to hang so thicke as could be one by another.
Drawing néere also, I tooke off ten or twelue of the greatest of them, &
afterward hauing opened them, I saw the proportion of a foule in one of
them more perfectlie than in all the rest, sauing that the head was not
yet formed, bicause the fresh water had killed them all (as I take it)
and thereby hindered their perfection. Certeinelie the feathers of the
taile hoeng out of the shell at least two inches, the wings (almost
perfect touching forme) were garded with two shels or shéeldes
proportioned like the selfe wings, and likewise the brestbone had hir
couerture also of like shellie substance, and altogither resembling the
figure which Lobell and Pena doo giue foorth in their description of
this foule: so that I am now fullie persuaded that it is either the
barnacle that is ingendred after one maner in these shels, or some other
sea-foule to vs as yet vnknowen. For by the feathers appearing and forme
so apparant, it cannot be denied, but that some bird or other must
proceed of this substance, which by falling from the sides of the ships
in long voiages, may come to some perfection. But now it is time for me
to returne againe vnto my former purpose.
[Sidenote: Bishop of Man.]
There hath sometime beene, and yet is a bishop of this Ile, who at the
first was called Episcopus Sodorensis, when the iurisdiction of all the
Hebrides belonged vnto him. Whereas now he that is bishop there, is but
a bishops shadow, for albeit that he beare the name of bishop of Man,
yet haue the earles of Darbie, as it is supposed, the cheefe profit of
his sée (sauing that they allow him a little somewhat for a flourish)
[Sidenote: Patrone of Man.]
notwithstanding that they be his patrons, and haue his nomination vnto
that liuing. The first bishop of this Ile was called Wimundus or
Raymundus, and surnamed Monachus Sauinensis, who by reason of his
extreame and tyrannicall crueltie toward the Ilanders, had first his
sight taken from him, & then was sent into exile. After him succéeded
another moonke in king Stephens daies called Iohn, and after him one
Marcus, &c: other after other in succession, the sée it selfe being now
also subiect to the archbishop of Yorke for spirituall iurisdiction.
[Sidenote: King of Man.]
In time of Henrie the second, this Iland also had a king, whose name was
Cuthred, vnto whome Vinianus the cardinall came as legate 1177. and
wherin Houeden erreth not. In the yeare also 1228. one Reginald was
viceroy or petie king of Man, afterward murthered by his subiects. Then
Olauus, after him Hosbach the sonne of Osmond Hacon, 1290. who being
slaine, Olauus and Gotredus parted this kingdome of Sodora, in such
wise, that this had all the rest of the Iles, the other onelie the Ile
of Man at the first; but after the slaughter of Gotredus, Olauus held
all, after whom Olauus his sonne succeeded. Then Harald sonne to Olauus,
who being entered in Maie, and drowned vpon the coastes of Ireland, his
brother Reginald reigned twentie and seuen daies, and then was killed
the first of June, whereby Olauus aliàs Harald sonne to Gotred ruled in
the Ile one yeare. Next vnto him succéeded Magnus the second sonne of
Olauus, and last of all Iuarus, who held it so long as the Norwaies were
lords thereof. But being once come into the hands of the Scots, one
Godred Mac Mares was made lieutenant, then Alane, thirdlie Maurice
Okarefer, and fourthlie one of the kings chapleines, &c. I would gladlie
haue set downe the whole catalog of all the viceroyes and lieutenants:
but sith I can neither come by their names nor successions, I surcesse
to speake any more of them, and also of the Ile it selfe, whereof this
may suffice.
After we haue in this wise described the Ile of Man, with hir
commodities, we returned eastwards backe againe unto the point of
Ramshed, where we found to the number of six Ilets of one sort and
other, whereof the first greatest and most southwesterlie, is named
[Sidenote: Wauay.]
the Wauay. It runneth out in length, as we gessed, about fiue miles and
more from the southeast into the northwest, betwéene which and the maine
land lie two little ones, whose names are Oldborrow and Fowlney. The
[Sidenote: Fouldra.]
fourth is called the Fouldra, and being situate southeast of the first,
it hath a prettie pile or blockhouse therin, which the inhabitants name
[Sidenote: Fola.]
[Sidenote: Roa.]
the pile of Fouldra. By east thereof in like sort lie the Fola and the
Roa, plots of no great compasse, and yet of all these six, the first and
Fouldra are the fairest and most fruitfull. From hence we went by
[Sidenote: Rauenglasse.]
Rauenglasse point, where lieth an Iland of the same denomination, as
Reginald Wolfe hath noted in his great card, not yet finished, nor
likelie to be published. He noteth also two other Ilets, betwéene the
same and the maine land; but Leland speaketh nothing of them (to my
remembrance) neither any other card, as yet set foorth of England: and
thus much of the Ilands that lie vpon our shore in this part of my
voiage.
Hauing so exactlie as to me is possible, set downe the names and
positions of such Iles, as are to be found vpon the coast of the Quéenes
Maiesties dominions, now it resteth that we procéed orderlie with those
[Sidenote: Iles in Scotland.]
that are séene to lie vpon the coast of Scotland, that is to saie, in
the Irish, the Deucalidonian & the Germans seas, which I will performe
in such order as I may, sith I cannot do so much therin as I would. Some
therefore doo comprehend and diuide all the Iles that lie about the
north coast of this Ile now called Scotland into thrée parts, sauing
that they are either occidentals, the west Iles, aliàs the Orchades &
Zelandine, or the Shetlands. They place the first betwéene Ireland and
the Orchades, so that they are extended from Man and the point of
Cantire almost vnto the Orchades in the Deucalidonian sea, and after
some are called the Hebrides. In this part the old writers indéed placed
[Sidenote: Hemodes of some called Acmodes,
sée _Plinie, Mela, Martianus, Capella,
Plutarch. de defect. orac._]
the Hebrides or Hemodes, which diuers call the Hebudes and the Acmodes;
albeit the writers varie in their numbers, some speaking of 30 Hebudes
and seuen Hemodes; some of fiue Ebudes, as Solinus, and such as follow
his authoritie. Howbeit the late Scottish writers doo product a summe of
more than 300 of these Ilands in all, which sometime belonged to the
Scots, sometime to the Norwegians, and sometime to the Danes. The first
of these is our Manaw, of which I haue before intreated: next vnto this
is Alisa a desert Ile, yet replenished with conies, soland foule, and a
fit harbor for fishermen that in time of the yeare lie vpon the coast
thereof for herings. Next vnto this is the Arran, a verie hillie and
craggie soile, yet verie plentifull of fish all about the coast, and
wherein is a verie good hauen: ouer against the mouth whereof lieth the
Moll, which is also no small defence to such seafaring men as seeke
harbor in that part. Then came we by the Fladwa or Pladwa, no lesse
fruitfull and stored with conies than the Bota, Bura, or Botha, of eight
miles long & foure miles broad, a low ground but yet verie batable, and
wherein is good store of short and indifferent pasture: it hath also a
towne there called Rosse, and a castell named the Camps. There is also
another called the Marnech, an Iland of a mile in length, and halfe a
mile in breadth, low ground also but yet verie fertile. In the mouth
likewise of the Glot, lieth the more Cumber and the lesse, not farre in
sunder one from another, and both fruitfull inough the one for corne,
and the other for Platyceraton. The Auon another Iland lieth about a
mile from Cantire, and is verie commodious to ships, wherof it is called
Auon, that is to saie, Portuosa, or full of harbor: and therefore the
Danes had in time past great vse of it. Then haue we the Raclind, the
Kyntar, the Cray, the Gegaw six miles in length and a mile and a halfe
in breadth; the Dera full of déere, and not otherwise vnfruitfull: and
therefore some thinke that it was called the Ile of déere in old time.
[Sidenote: Scarba.]
Scarba foure miles in length, and one in breadth, verie little
inhabited, and thereinto the sea betwéene that and the Ile of déere is
so swift and violent, that except it be at certeine times, it is not
easilie nauigable. Being past these, we come to certeine Ilands of no
great fame, which lie scattered here and there, as Bellach, Gyrastell,
Longaie, both the Fiolas, the thrée Yarues, Culbrenin, Duncomell, Lupar,
Belnaua, Wikerua, Calfile, Luing, Sele Ile, Sound, of which the last
thrée are fruitfull, and belong to the earle of Argile. Then haue we the
[Sidenote: Slate Ile.]
Slate, so called of the tiles that are made therin. The Nagsey, Isdalf,
and the Sken (which later is also called Thian, of a wicked herbe
growing there greatlie hurtfull, and in colour not much vnlike the
lillie, sauing that it is of a more wan and féeble colour) Vderga, kings
Ile, Duffa or blacke Ile, Kirke Ile and Triarach. There is also the Ile
Ard, Humble Ile, Greene Ile, and Heth Ile, Arbor Ile, Gote Ile, Conies
Ile aliàs idle Ile, Abrid Ile or bird Ile, and Lismor, wherein the
bishop of Argill sometime held his palace, being eight miles in length
and two miles in breadth, and not without some mines also of good
mettall. There is also the Ile Ouilia, Siuna, Trect, Shepey, Fladaw,
Stone Ile, Gresse, great Ile, Ardis, Musadell, & Berner, sometime called
the holie sanctuarie, Vghe Ile, Molochasgyr, and Drinacha, now
ouergrowne with bushes, elders, and vtterlie spoiled by the ruines of
such great houses as haue heretofore béene found therin. There is in
like sort the Wijc, the Ranse, and the Caruer.
[Sidenote: Ila.]
In this tract also, there are yet thrée to intreat of, as Ila, Mula and
Iona, of which the first is one of the most, that hath not béene least
accounted of. It is not much aboue 24 miles in length, and in breadth 16
reaching from the south into the north, and yet it is an excéeding rich
plot of ground verie plentious of corne, cattell, déere, and also lead,
and other mettals, which were easie to be obteined, if either the people
were industrious, or the soile yéeldable of wood to fine and trie out
the same. In this Iland also there is a lake of swéet water called the
Laie, and also a baie wherein are sundrie Ilands; and therevnto another
lake of fresh water, wherein the Falangam Ile is situate, wherein the
souereigne of all the Iles sometime dwelled. Néere vnto this is the
[Sidenote: Round Ile.]
round Ile, so called of the consultations there had: for there was a
court sometime holden, wherein 14 of the principall inhabitants did
minister iustice vnto the rest, and had the whole disposition of things
committed vnto them, which might rule vnto the benefit of those Ilands.
There is also the Stoneheape, an other Iland so called of the heape of
stones that is therein. On the south side also of Ila, we find moreouer
the Colurne, Mulmor, Osrin, Brigidan, Corkerke, Humble Ile, Imersga,
Bethy, Texa, Shepeie, Naosig, Rinard, Cane, Tharscher, Aknor, Gret Ile,
Man Ile, S. Iohns Ile, and Stackbed. On the west side thereof also lieth
Ouersey, whereby runneth a perilous sea, and not nauigable, but at
certeine houres, Merchant Ile, Vsabrast, Tanask, Neff, Wauer Ile,
Oruans, Hog Ile, and Colauanso.
[Sidenote: Mula.]
Mula is a right noble Ile, 24 miles in length and so manie in bredth,
rough of soile, yet fruitfull enough: beside woods, déere, & good
harbrough for ships, replenished with diuers and sundrie townes and
castels. Ouer against Columkill also, it hath two riuers, which yeld
verie great store of salmons, and other riuellets now altogither
vnfruitfull, beside two lakes, in each of which is an Iland: and
likewise in euerie of these Ilands a castell. The sea beating vpon this
Ile, maketh foure notable baies wherein great plentie and verie good
herrings are taken. It hath also in the northwest side Columbria, or the
Ile of doues; on the southeast, Era: both verie commodious for fishing,
cattell, and corne. Moreouer, this is woorth the noting in this Ile
aboue all the rest, that it hath a plesant spring, arising two miles in
distance from the shore, wherein are certeine little egs found, much
like vnto indifferent pearles, both for colour and brightnesse, and
thereto full of thicke humour, which egs being carried by violence of
the fresh water vnto the salt, are there within the space of twelue
houres conuerted into great shels, which I take to be mother pearle;
except I be deceiued.
[Sidenote: Iona.]
Iona was sometime called Columkill, in fame and estimation nothing
inferiour to anie of the other, although in length it excéed little
aboue two miles, and in breadth one. Certes it is verie fruitfull of all
such commodities, as that climat wherein it standeth dooth yeeld, and
beareth the name of Columbus the abbat, of whome I haue spoken more at
large in my Chronologie. There were somtimes also two monasteries
therein, one of moonks builded by Fergus, another of nuns: and a parish
church, beside many chappels builded by the Scotish kings, and such
princes as gouerned in the Iles. And when the English had once gotten
possession of the Ile of Manaw, a bishops see was erected in the old
monasterie of Columbus, whereby the iurisdiction of those Iles was still
mainteined and continued. Certes there remaine yet in this Iland the old
burials apperteining to the most noble families that had dwelled in the
west Iles; but thrée aboue other are accompted the most notable, which
haue little houses builded vpon them. That in the middest hath a stone,
[Sidenote: Regum tumuli.]
whereon is written, Tumuli regum Scotiæ, The burials of the kings of
Scotland: for (as they saie) fourtie eight of them were there interred.
Another is intituled with these words, The burials of the kings of
Ireland, bicause foure of them lie in that place. The third hath these
words written thereon, The graues of the kings of Norwaie, for there
eight of them were buried also, and all through a fond suspicion
conceiued of the merits of Columbus. Howbeit in processe of time, when
Malcolme Cammor had erected his abbeie at Donfermeling, he gaue occasion
to manie of his successors to be interred there.
About this Iland there lie six other Iles dispersed, small in quantitie,
but not altogither barren, sometimes giuen by the kings of Scotland and
lords of the Iles vnto the abbeie of saint Columbus, of which the Soa,
albeit that it yeeld competent pasturage for shéepe, yet is it more
commodious, by such egs as the great plentie of wildfoule there bréeding
[Sidenote: The Ile of Shrewes.]
doo laie within the same. Then is there the Ile of Shrewes or of women;
as the more sober heads doo call it. Also Rudan, & next vnto that, the
Rering. There is also the Shen halfe a mile from Mula, whose bankes doo
swarme with conies: it hath also a parish church, but most of the
inhabitants doo liue and dwell in Mula. There is also the Eorse or the
Arse, and all these belong vnto saint Columbus abbeie. Two miles from
Arse is the Olue, an Iland fiue miles in length, and sufficientlie stored
with corne and grasse, & not without a good hauen for ships to lie and
harbor in. There is also the Colfans, an iland fruitfull inough, and full
of cornell trées. There is not far off also the Gomater, Stafa, the two
[Sidenote: Mosse Ile.]
Kerneburgs, and the Mosse Ile, in the old Brittish speech called Monad,
that is to saie Mosse. The soile of it is verie blacke, bicause of the
corruption & putrefaction of such woods as haue rotted thereon: wherevpon
also no small plentie of mosse is bred and ingendered. The people in like
maner make their fire of the said earth, which is fullie so good as our
English turffe. There is also the Long, & six miles further toward the
west, Tirreie, which is eight miles in length and thrée in breadth, & of
all other one of the most plentifull for all kinds of commodities: for it
beareth corne, cattell, fish, and seafowle aboundantlie. It hath also a
well of fresh water, a castell, and a verie good hauen for great vessels
to lie at safegard in. Two miles from this also is the Gun, and the Coll
two miles also from the Gun. Then passed we by the Calfe, a verie wooddie
Iland, the foure gréene Iles, the two glasse or skie Ilands, the Ardan,
the Ile of woolfes, & then the great Iland which reacheth from the east
into the west, is sixteene miles in length, and six in breadth, full of
mounteins and swelling woods: and for asmuch as it is not much inhabited,
the seafoules laie great plentie of egs there, whereof such as will, may
gather what number them listeth. Vpon the high cliffes and rocks also the
Soland géese are taken verie plentifullie. Beyond this, about foure
miles also is the Ile of horsses: and a little from that the hog Iland,
which is not altogither vnfruitfull. There is a falcon which of custome
bréedeth there, and therevnto it is not without a conuenient hauen. Not
farre off also is the Canna, and the Egga, little Iles, but the later
full of Soland géese. Likewise the Sobratill, more apt to hunt in than
méet for anie other commoditie that is to be reaped thereby.
[Sidenote: Skie.]
After this we came to the Skie, the greatest Ile about all Scotland: for
it is two and fortie miles long; and somewhere eight, & in some places
twelue miles broad: it is moreouer verie hillie, which hilles are
therevnto loaden with great store of wood, as the woods are with
pasture, the fields with corne and cattell; and (besides all other
commodities) with no small heards of mares, whereby they raise great
aduantage and commoditie. It hath fiue riuers verie much abounding with
salmons, and other fresh streams not altogither void of that prouision.
It is inuironed also with manie baies, wherein great plentie of herrings
is taken in time of the yéere. It hath also a noble poole of fresh
water; fiue castels and sundrie townes; as Aie, S. Iohns, Dunwegen, S.
Nicholas, &c. The old Scots called it Skianacha, that is, Winged, but
now named Skie. There lie certeine small Ilands about this also, as
Rausa a batable soile for corne & gras; Conie Iland full of woods and
conies; Paba a theeuish Iland, in whose woods théeues do lurke to rob
such as passe by them. Scalpe Ile, which is full of deere; Crowling,
wherein is verie good harbour for ships; Rarsa, full of béechen woods
and stags, being in length seuen miles, and two in breadth. The Ron, a
woodie Ile and full of heath: yet hath it a good hauen, which hath a
little Iland called Gerloch on the mouth thereof, and therein lurke
manie théeues. There is not farre off from this Ron, to wit about six
miles also, the Flad, the Tiulmen, Oransa, Buie the lesse, and Buie the
more and fiue other little trifling Iles, of whose names I haue no
notice.