that in our circuit about the same, we met with other little Ilets, of
which one lieth northwest thereof almost ouer against Butricke mouth,
or the fall of the water, that passeth by Butricke. The Britons called
[Sidenote: Adar.]
[Sidenote: Moil.]
[Sidenote: Rhomaid.]
[Sidenote: Ysterisd.]
[Sidenote: Adros.]
[Sidenote: Lygod.]
it Ynis Ader, that is to say, the Ile of birds in old time, but now it
hight Ynis Moil, or Ynis Rhomaid, that is the Ile of porpasses. It
hath to name likewise Ysterisd, and Adros. Being past this, we came to
the second lieng by north east, ouer against the Hilarie point, called
Ynis Ligod, that is to saie, the Ile of Mise, and of these two this
latter is the smallest, neither of them both being of any greatnesse
[Sidenote: Seriall.]
[Sidenote: Prestholme.]
to speake of. Ynis Seriall or Prestholme, lieth ouer against Penmon,
or the point called the head of Mon, where I found a towne (as I told
you) of the same denomination. Ptolomie nameth not this Iland, whereof
I maruell. It is parcell of Flintshire, and of the iurisdiction of S.
Asaph, and in fertilitie of soile, and breed of cattell, nothing
inferiour vnto Anglesei hir mother: although that for quantitie of
ground it come infinitelie short thereof, and be nothing comparable
vnto it. The last Iland vpon the cost of Wales, hauing now left
[Sidenote: Credine.]
Anglesei, is called Credine, and although it lie not properlie within
the compasse of my description, yet I will not let to touch it by the
waie, sith the causey thither from Denbighland, is commonlie
ouerflowne. It is partlie made an Iland by the Conwey, and partlie by
the sea. But to proceed, when we had viewed this place, we passed
foorth to S. Antonies Ile, which is about two or thrée miles compasse
or more, a sandie soile, but yet verie batable for sheepe and cattell,
it is well replenished also with fresh wels, great plentie of wild
foule, conies and quarries of hard ruddie stone, which is oft brought
thence to Westchester, where they make the foundations of their
buildings withall. There are also two parish churches in the same,
dedicated to S. Antonie and S. Iohn, but the people are verie poore,
bicause they be so oft spoiled by pirats, although the lord of the
same be verie wealthie thorough the exchange made with them of his
victuals, for their wares, whereof they make good peniworths, as
théeues commonlie doo of such preies as they get by like escheat,
notwithstanding their landing there is verie dangerous, and onelie at
one place. Howbeit they are constreined to vse it, and there to make
their marts. From hence we went on, vntill we came to the cape of Ile
[Sidenote: Hilberie.]
Brée, or Hilberie, and point of Wyrale, from whence is a common
passage into Ireland, of 18. or 20. houres sailing, if the wether be
not tedious. This Iland at the full sea is a quarter of a mile from
the land, and the streame betwéene foure fadams déepe, as ship-boies
haue oft sounded, but at a lowe water a man may go ouer thither on the
sand. The Ile of it selfe is verie sandie a mile in compasse, and well
stored with conies, thither also went a sort of supersticious fooles
in times past, in pilgrimage, to our ladie of Hilberie, by whose
offerings a cell of monkes there, which belonged to Chester, was
cherished and mainteined.
The next Iland vpon the coast of England is Man or Mona Cæsaris, which
some name Mana or Manim, but after Ptolomie, Monaoida, as some thinke,
though other ascribe that name to Anglesei, which the Welshmen doo
commonlie call Môn, as they doo this Manaw. It is supposed to be the
first, as Hirtha is the last of the Hebrides. Hector Boetius noteth a
difference betwéene them of 300. miles. But Plinie saith that Mona is
200000. miles from Camaldunum, lib. 2. cap. 75. It lieth also vnder
53. degrées of latitude, and 30. minuts, and hath in longitude 16.
degrees and 40. minuts, abutting on the north side vpon S. Ninians in
Scotland, Furnesfels on the east, Prestholme and Anglesei on the
south, and Vlsther in Ireland on the west. It is greater than Anglesei
by a third, and there are two riuers in the same, whose heads doo
ioine so néere, that they doo seeme in maner to part the Ile in
[Sidenote: Eubonia.]
[Sidenote: Meuania.]
twaine. Some of the ancient writers, as Ethicus, &c: call it Eubonia,
and other following Orosius, Meuana or Mæuania, howbeit after Beda and
the Scotish histories, the Meuaniæ are all those Iles aforesaid called
the Hebrides, Eubonides, or Hebudes (whereof William Malmesburie, lib.
1. de regibus (beside this our Mona) will haue Anglesei also to be
one. Wherefore it séemeth hereby that a number of our late writers
ascribing the said name vnto Mona onelie, haue not beene a little
deceiued. Iornandes lib. de Getis speaketh of a second Meuania; "Habet
& aliam Meuaniam (saith he) necnon & Orchadas." But which should be
prima, as yet I do not read, except it should be Anglesei; and then
saith Malmesburie well. In like sort Propertius speaketh of a Meuania,
which he called Nebulosa, but he meaneth it euidentlie of a little
towne in Vmbria where he was borne, lib. 4. eleg. De vrbe Rom.
Wherfore there néedeth no vse of his authoritie. This in the meane
time is euident out of Orosius, lib. 1. capite 2. that Scots dwelled
somtime in this Ile, as also in Ireland, which Ethicus also affirmeth
of his owne time, and finallie confirmeth that the Scots and Irish
were sometime one people. It hath in length 24. miles, and 8. in
bredth, and is in maner of like distance from Galloway in Scotland,
Ireland and Cumberland in England, as Buchanan reporteth.
In this Iland also were some time 1300. families, of which 960. were
in 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
[Sidenote: _Chronica Tinemuthi._]
our princes, and 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
[Sidenote: Tall men in Man.]
the same, should for a great gale vndoo manie, and for the 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 of the common want of wood, indued
[Sidenote: Riuers.]
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
[Sidenote: Hauens.]
streame. 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 like sort there are diuers Ilets annexed to the same, as the
[Sidenote: Calfe of man.]
[Sidenote: The pile.]
[Sidenote: S. Michels Ile.]
Calfe of man on the south, the Pile on the west, and finallie S.
Michels Ile in the gulfe called Ranoths waie in the east. Moreouer the
[Sidenote: Sheepe.]
sheepe of this countrie are excéeding huge, well woolled, and their
[Sidenote: Hogs.]
tailes of such greatnesse as is almost incredible. In like sort their
hogs are in maner monstrous. They haue furthermore great store of
[Sidenote: Barnacles.]
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, nor yet of Ireland can readilie saie
[Sidenote: Barnacles neither fish nor flesh.]
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
[Sidenote: Patrone of Man.]
flourish) 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. In time of Henrie the second, this Iland also had a
[Sidenote: King of Man.]
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.
[Sidenote: Fouldra.]
The fourth is called the Fouldra, and being situate southeast of the
first, it hath a prettie pile or blockhouse therin, which the
inhabitants name the pile of Fouldra. By east thereof in like sort lie
[Sidenote: Fola.]
[Sidenote: Roa.]
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
[Sidenote: Rauenglasse.]
hence we went by 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
[Sidenote: Iles in Scotland.]
with those 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
[Sidenote: Hemodes of some called Acmodes,
sée _Plinie, Mela, Martianus, Capella,
Plutarch. de defect. orac._]
writers indéed placed 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
[Sidenote: Slate Ile.]
we the 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
[Sidenote: Round Ile.]
Iles sometime dwelled. Néere vnto this is the 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
[Sidenote: Regum tumuli.]
them. That in the middest hath a stone, 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 doo laie within the same. Then is there the
[Sidenote: The Ile of Shrewes.]
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 Kerneburgs, and the
[Sidenote: Mosse Ile.]
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.
After these we come vnto the Ise, a pretie fertile Iland, to the Oue,
to the Askoome, to the Lindill. And foure score miles from the Skie
towards the west, to the Ling, the Gigarmen, the Berner, the Magle,
the Pable, the Flad, the Scarpe, the Sander, the Vateras, which later
hath a noble hauen for great ships, beside sundrie other commodities:
and these nine last rehearsed are vnder the dominion of the bishop of
[Sidenote: Bar.]
the Iles. After this we come to the Bar, an Iland seauen miles in
length, not vnfruitfull for grasse and corne, but the chiefe
commoditie thereof lieth by taking of herrings, which are there to be
had abundantlie. In one baie of this Iland there lieth an Islet, and
therein standeth a strong castell. In the north part hereof also is an
hill which beareth good grasse from the foot to the top, and out of
that riseth a spring, which running to the sea, doth carrie withall a
kind of creature not yet perfectlie formed, which some do liken vnto
cockels; and vpon the shore where the water falleth into the sea, they
take vp a kind of shelfish, when the water is gone, which they suppose
to be ingendred or increased after this manner. Betwéene the Barre and
the Visse lie also these Ilands, Orbaus, Oue, Hakerset, Warlang, Flad,
the two Baies, Haie, Helsaie, Gigaie, Lingaie, Fraie, Fudaie, and
Friskaie. The Visse is thirtie miles long and six miles broad; and
therein are sundrie fresh waters, but one especiallie of three miles
in length: neuerthelesse, the sea hath now of late found a waie into
it, so that it cannot be kept off with a banke of three score foot,
but now and then it will flowe into the same, and leaue sea-fish
behind it in the lake. There is also a fish bred therein almost like
vnto a salmon, sauing that it hath a white bellie, a blacke backe, and
is altogither without scales: it is likewise a great harbour for
théeues and pirats.
Eight miles beyond this lieth the Helscher, appertinent to the nuns of
Iona: then haue we the Hasker, verie plentifullie benefited by seales,
which are there taken in time of the yéere. Thrée score miles from
this also is the Hirth, whose inhabitants are rude in all good science
and religion; yet is the Iland verie fruitfull in all things, and
bringeth foorth shéepe farre greater than are else-where to be found,
for they are as big as our fallow deare, horned like bugles, and haue
their tailes hanging to the ground. He that is owner of this Ile,
sendeth ouer his bailiffe into the same at midsummer, to gather in his
duties, and with him a préest to saie masse, and to baptise all the
children borne since that time of the yéere precedent: or if none will
go ouer with him (bicause the voiage is dangerous) then doth each
[Sidenote: Baptisme without preests.]
father take paine to baptise his owne at home. Their rents are paid
commonlie in dried seales and sea foule. All the whole Ile is not
aboue a mile euerie waie; and except thrée mounteines that lie vpon
one part of the shore, such as dwell in the other Iles can see no part
thereof.
Being past the Visse, we came after to Walaie, the Soa, the Strome, to
Pabaie, to Barner, Ensaie, Killiger, the two Sagas, the Hermodraie,
Scarfe, Grie, Ling, Gilling, Heie, Hoie, Farlaie, great So, little So,
Ise, Sein the more, Sein the lesse, Tarant, Slegan, Tuom, Scarpe,
Hareie, and the seauen holie Ilands, which are desert and bréed
[Sidenote: Wild sheepe.]
nothing but a kind of wild shéepe, which are often hunted, but seldome
or neuer eaten. For in stéed of flesh they haue nothing but tallow;
and if anie flesh be, it is so vnsauorie, that few men care to eate of
it, except great hunger compell them. I suppose, that these be the
wild sheepe which will not be tamed; and bicause of the horrible
[Sidenote: Tigers.]
grenning thereof, is taken for the bastard tiger. Their haire is
betweene the wooll of a sheepe, and the haire of a goat, resembling
both, shacked, and yet absolutelie like vnto neither of both: it maie
be also the same beast which Capitolinus calleth Ouis fera, shewed in
the time of Gordian the emperour; albeit that some take the same for
the Camelopardalis: but hereof I make no warrantise.
There is also not farre off the Garuell, the Lambe, the Flad, the
Kellas, the two Bernars, the Kirt, the two Buies, the Viraie, the
[Sidenote: Ile of Pigmeies.]
Pabaie, the two Sigrams, and the Ile of Pigmeies (which is so called
vpon some probable coniecture) for manie little sculs and bones are
dailie there found déepe in the ground, perfectlie resembling the
bodies of children; & not anie of greater quantities, wherby their
coniecture (in their opinion) is the more likelie to be true. There is
also the Fabill Ile, Adams Ile, the Ile of Lambes, Hulmes, Viccoll,
Haueraie, Car, Era, Columbes Ile, Tor Ile, Iffurd, Scalpe, Flad, and
the Swet; on whose east side is a certeine vault or caue, arched ouer,
a flight shoot in length, wherevnto meane ships do vse to runne for
harbour with full saile when a tempest ouertaketh them, or the raging
of the sea, in those parts do put them in danger of wrecke. Also we
passed by the old castell Ile, which is a pretie and verie commodious
plat for fish, foule, egges, corne, and pasture. There is also the Ile
Eust or Eu, which is full of wood, and a notable harbour for théeues,
as is also the Grinort; likewise the preests Ile, which is verie full
of sea foule and good pasture. The Afull, the two Herbrerts, to wit,
the greater and the lesse; and the Iles of Horsses, and Mertaika: and
these 8 lie ouer against the baie which is called the Lake Brian.
After this, we go toward the north, and come to the Haraie, and the
Lewis or the Leug, both which make (in truth) but one Iland of thrée
score miles in length, and sixtéene in breadth, being distinguished by
no water, but by huge woods, bounds, and limits of the two owners that
doo possesse those parts. The south part is called Haraie, and the
whole situate in the Deucalidon sea, ouer against the Rosse, & called
[Sidenote: Lewis called Thule by Tacitus, with no
better authoritie than the Angleseie Mona.]
Thule by Tacitus, wherein are manie lakes, and verie pretie villages,
as lake Erwijn, lake Vnsalsago: but of townes, S. Clements, Stoie,
Nois, S. Columbane, Radmach, &c. In like sort, there are two churches,
whereof one is dedicated to saint Peter, an other to S. Clement,
beside a monasterie called Roadill. The soile also of this Ile is
indifferent fruitfull; but they reape more profit vnder the ground
than aboue, by digging. There is neither woolfe, fox, nor serpent
séene in this Iland; yet are there great woods therein, which also
separate one part from the other. Likewise there be plentie of stags,
but farre lesse in quantitie than ours: and in the north part of the
Iland also is a riuer which greatlie aboundeth with salmons. That part
also called Lewisa, which is the north half of the Ile is well
inhabited toward the sea coasts, and hath riuers no lesse plentifull
for salmon than the other halfe. There is also great store of herrings
taken, whereof the fisher men doo raise great gaine and commoditie;
and no lesse plentie of sheepe, which they doo not sheere, but plucke
euerie yeere; yet is the ground of this part verie heathie, and full
of mosse, and the face thereof verie swart and blacke, for the space
of a foot in depth, through the corruption of such woods as in time
past haue rotted on the same. And therefore in time of the yeere they
conuert it into turffe to burne, as néede shall serue; and in the
yéere after, hauing well doonged it in the meane time with slawke of
the sea, they sowe barleie in the selfe places where the turffes grew,
and reape verie good corne, wherewith they liue and féed. Such plentie
[Sidenote: Tithe whales.]
of whales also are taken in this coast, that the verie tithe hath
béene knowne, in some one yéere, to amount vnto seauen and twentie
whales of one greatnesse and other. This is notable also in this part
of the Ile, that there is a great caue two yards déepe of water when
the sea is gone, and not aboue foure when it is at the highest; ouer
which great numbers doo sit of both sexes and ages, with hooks and
lines, and catch at all times an infinite deale of fish, wherewith
they liue, and which maketh them also the more idle.
Being past this about sixtie miles, we come vnto the Rona, or Ron,
which some take for the last of the Hebrides, distant (as I said)
about fortie miles from the Orchades, and one hundreth and thirtie
from the promontorie of Dungisbe. The inhabitants of this Ile are
verie rude and irreligious, the lord also of the soile dooth limit
their number of housholds, & hauing assigned vnto them what numbers of
the greater and smaller sorts of cattell they shall spend and inioie
for their owne prouision, they send the ouerplus yéerlie vnto him to
Lewis. Their cheefe paiments consist of a great quantitie of meale,
which is verie plentifull among them, sowed vp in shéepes skins. Also
of mutton and sea foule dried, that resteth ouer and aboue, which they
themselues do spend. And if it happen that there be more people in the
Iland than the lords booke or rate dooth come vnto, then they send
also the ouerplus of them in like maner vnto him: by which means they
liue alwaies in plentie. They receiue no vices from strange countries,
neither know or heare of anie things doone else-where than in their
owne Iland. Manie whales are taken also vpon their coasts, which are
likewise replenished with seale, and porpasse, and those which are
either so tame, or so fierce, that they abash not at the sight of such
as looke vpon them, neither make they anie hast to flie out of their
presence.
[Sidenote: Suilscraie.]
Beyond this Ile, about 16 miles westward, there is another called
Suilscraie, of a mile length, void of grasse, and without so much as
heath growing vpon hir soile: yet are there manie cliffes and rocks
therein, which are couered with blacke mosse, whereon innumerable
sorts of foules do bréed and laie their egs. Thither in like sort
manie doo saile from Lewissa, to take them yoong in time of the yeare,
before they be able to flie, which they also kill and drie in eight
daies space, and then returne home againe with them, and great plentie
of fethers gathered in this voiage. One thing is verie strange and to
[Sidenote: Colke foule.]
be noted in this Iland, of the Colke foule, which is little lesse than
a goose; and this kind commeth thither but once in the yeare, to wit,
in the spring, to laie hir egs and bring vp hir yoong, till they be
able to shift for themselues, & then they get them awaie togither to
the sea, and come no more vntill that time of the yéere which next
insueth. At the same season also they cast their fethers there, as it
were answering tribute to nature for the vse of hir mossie soile:
wherein it is woonderfull to sée, that those fethers haue no stalkes,
neither anie thing that is hard in them, but are séene to couer their
bodies as it were wooll or downe, till breeding time (I saie) wherein
they be left starke naked.
[Sidenote: Orchades.]
The Orchades (whose first inhabitants were the Scithians, which came
from those Iles where the Gothes did inhabit, as some sparks yet
remaining among them of that language doo declare) lie partlie in the
Germaine, and partlie in the Calidon seas, ouer against the point of
Dunghisbie (being in number eight and twentie, or as other saie
thirtie & one, yet some saie thirtie thrée, as Orosius, but Plinie
saith fortie) and now belonging to the crowne of Scotland, as are the
rest whereof héeretofore I haue made report, since we crossed ouer the
mouth of the Solueie streame, to come into this countrie. Certes the
people of these Islands reteine much of their old sparing diets, and
therevnto they are of goodlie stature, tall, verie comelie,
healthfull, of long life, great strength, whitish colour, as men that
féed most vpon fish; sith the cold is so extreame in those parts, that
the ground bringeth foorth but small store of wheate, and in maner
verie little or no fuell at all, wherewith to warme them in the
winter, and yet it séemeth that (in times past) some of these Ilands
also haue béene well replenished with wood, but now they are without
either trée or shrub, in stéed whereof they haue plentie of heath,
which is suffered to grow among them, rather thorough their
negligence, than that the soile of it selfe will not yéeld to bring
forth trées & bushes. For what store of such hath béene in times past,
the roots yet found and digged out of the ground doo yéeld sufficient
triall. Otes they haue verie plentifullie, but greater store of
barleie, wherof they make a nappie kind of drinke, and such indéed, as
will verie readilie cause a stranger to ouershoot himselfe. Howbeit
this may be vnto vs in lieu of a miracle, that although their drinke
be neuer so strong, & they themselues so vnmeasurable drinkers (as
[Sidenote: If he speake all in truth.]
none are more) yet it shall not easilie be séene (saith Hector) that
there is anie drunkard among them, either frantike, or mad man, dolt,
or naturall foole, meet to weare a cockescombe.
This vnmeasurable drinking of theirs is confessed also by Buchanan,
who noteth, that whensoeuer anie wine is brought vnto them from other
soiles, they take their parts thereof aboundantlie. He addeth
moreouer, how they haue an old bole (which they call S. Magnus bole,
who first preached Christ vnto them) of farre greater quantitie than
common boles are, and so great, that it may séeme to be reserued since
the Lapithane banket, onelie to quaffe and drinke in. And when anie
bishop commeth vnto them, they offer him this bole full of drinke,
which if he be able to drinke vp quite at one draught; then they
assure themselues of good lucke, and plentie after it. Neuerthelesse
this excesse is not often found in the common sort, whom penurie
maketh to be more frugall; but in their priests, and such as are of
the richer calling. They succour pirats also, and verie often exchange
their vittels with their commodities, rather for feare and want of
power to resist (their Ilands lieng so scattered) than for anie
necessitie of such gains as they doo get by those men: for in truth,
they thinke themselues to haue little need of other furniture than
their owne soiles doo yéeld and offer vnto them. This is also to be
read of the inhabitants of these Ilands, that ignorance of excesse is
vnto the most part of them in stéed of physicke; and labour and
trauell a medicine for such few diseases as they are molested and
incombred withall.
In like sort they want venemous beasts, chéefelie such as doo delight
in hotter soile, and all kinds of ouglie creatures. Their ewes also
are so full of increase, that some doo vsuallie bring foorth two,
three, or foure lambes at once, whereby they account our anelings
(which are such as bring foorth but one at once) rather barren than to
be kept for anie gaine. As for wild and tame foules, they haue such
plentie of them, that the people there account them rather a burthen
to their soile, than a benefit to their tables: they haue also neat
and gotes, whereby they abound in white meat, as butter and cheese:
wherein, next vnto fish, the chéefe part of their sustenance dooth
consist. There is also a bishop of the Orchades, who hath his see in
Pomona the chéefe of all the Ilands, wherein also are two strong
castels, and such hath béene the superstition of the people here, that
there is almost no one of them, that hath not one church at the least
dedicated to the mother of Christ. Finallie, there is little vse of
physicke in these quarters, lesse store of éeles, and least of frogs.
As for the horsses that are bred amongst them, they are commonlie not
much greater than asses, and yet to labour and trauell, a man shall
find verie few else-where, able to come neere, much lesse to match
with them, in holding out their iournies. The seas about these Ilands
are verie tempestuous, not onelie through strong winds, and the
influences of the heauens and stars; but by the contrarie méetings and
workings of the west ocean, which rageth so vehementlie in the
streicts, that no vessell is able to passe in safetie amongst them.
Some of these Ilands also are so small and low, that all the
commoditie which is to be reaped by anie of them, is scarselie
sufficient to susteine one or two men: and some of them so barren and
full of rocks, that they are nothing else but mosse or bare shingle.
Wherefore onelie thirtéene of them are inhabited and made account of,
the rest being left vnto their sheepe and cattell. Of all these Ilands
also Pomona is the greatest, and therfore called the continent, which
conteineth thirtie miles in length, and is well replenished with
people: for it hath twelue parish churches, and one towne which the
Danes (sometime lords of that Iland) called Cracouia: but now it hight
[Sidenote: Kirkwa.]
Kirkwa. There are also two pretie holds, one belonging to the king,
the other to the bishop: and also a beautifull church, and much
building betweene the two holds, and about this church, which being
taken as it were for two townes, the one is called the kings and the
other the bishops towne. All the whole Iland is full of cliffes and
promontories, whereby no small number of baies and some hauens are
producted.
There is also tin and lead to be found in six of these Iles, so good
and plentifullie as anie where else in Britaine. It lieth foure &
twentie miles from Cathnesse, being separated from the same by the
Pictish sea: wherein also lie certeine Ilands, as Stroma, foure miles
from Cathnesse, which albeit that it be but foure miles from
Cathnesse, is not reputed for anie of the Orchades. Going therefore
from hence northward, we come to the first Ile of the Orchades, called
south Rauals, which is sixtéene miles from Dunghilsbie, aliàs
Dunachisbie, & that in two houres space, such is the swiftnesse of the
sea in that tract. This Ile is fiue miles long, and hath a faire port
called saint Margarets hauen. Then passe we by two desert Iles, which
lie towards the east, wherein nothing is found but cattell: some call
them the holmes, bicause they lie low, and are good for nothing but
grasse. On the northside lieth the Bur, and two other holmes betweene
the same & Pomona. From Bur, toward the west lie thrée Iles, Sun,
Flat, and Far: and beyond them Hoie and Vall, which some accompt for
two, and other but for one; bicause that in March and September, the
flats that lie betwéene them, doo séeme to ioine them togither, after
the tide is gone. This neuerthelesse is certeine, that in this single
or double Ile, which is ten miles in length, the highest hilles are to
be séene that are in all the Orchades. And as they lie eight miles
from Rauals, so are they two miles from Pomona, & from saint Donats in
Scotland full twentie miles, and on the north side of it lieth the
Brainse, in a narrow streict, as Buchanan dooth remember. And these
are the Iles which lie betweene Pomona and Cathnesse. As for the west
side of the continent, I find that it lieth open to the sea, without
either shelues, Ilands, or rocks appéering néere vnto it: but on the
east side thereof Cobesa dooth in maner ouershadow it. Siapinsa also
an Ile of six miles long, lieth within two miles of Cracouia, toward
the east, on the west side of Pomona lieth the Rouse of six miles in
length: and by east of that, the Eglisa, wherin (as they saie) their
patrone S. Magnus lieth interred. From hense southward lie the Vera,
Gersa, and not far off the Vester (which is fourescore miles from
Hethland) Papa & Stronza, which is also eightie miles from Hethland as
is the Vester. In the middest also of this tract lieth Far, or Fara,
which is to saie, faire Ile, in old English, faire eie: and within
sight so well of Hethland, as the Orchades (by reason of three
insuperable rocks which are apparant in the same) a verie poore Iland,
and yet yearelie robbed of such commodities as it hath by such Flemish
and English fishermen as passe by the coasts thereof in time of the
yeare, to catch fish for the prouision of their countries.
Next vnto this is the greatest of all the Hethlands, an Iland called
the Maine, sixtie miles in length, and sixteene in bredth, full of
rocks, and whose coasts are onelie inhabited, the innermost parts
being left vnto the foules of the aire, bicause of the barrennesse and
vnfruitfulnesse of the soile: yet of late some haue indeuoured to
impeople it, but with no successe correspondent to their desire.
Wherefore they returned to their former trades, making their chéefe
commoditie and yearelie gaine by fish, as aforetime. Ten miles from
this toward the north, lieth the Zeale, twentie miles in length, eight
in bredth, and so wild that it will suffer no creature to liue
thereof, that is not bred therein. Betwéene this Iland also and the
Maine, are other smaller Ilands to be found, as the Ling, Orne, Big,
and Sanferre. And from hense nine miles northward Vsta, twentie miles
long, & six in bredth, plaine, pleasant, but inuironed with a swift
and terrible sea. Betwéene this also and the Zeale, are the Vie, the
Vre, and the Ling: also towards the west, the two Skeues, Chalseie,
Nordwade, Brase, and Mowse, on the west side lie the west Skeies,
Rottia, Papa the lesse, Wunned, Papa the more, Valla, Londra, Burra,
Haura the more, Haura the lesse, & in maner so manie holmes dispersed
heere and there, whereof I haue no notice. Some call these the
Shetland, and some the Shotland Iles. Buchanan nameth them in the
third member of his diuision Zelandine, and toward the end of his
first booke seemeth to auouch, that they liue in maner as doo the
inhabitants of the Orchades: although not in so ciuill wise, nor in
such large measure and aboundance of diet in their houses. He addeth
moreouer, that their apparrell is after the Germaine cut, comelie, but
not so chargeable and costlie, and how they raise their gaine by skins
of beasts, as marterns, sheepe, oxen, and gotes skins, and therevnto a
kind of cloth which they weaue, and sell to the merchants of Norwaie,
togither with their butter, fish, either salted or dried, and their
traine oile, and exercise their trade of fishing also in their
vncerteine skewes, which they fetch out of Norwaie.
Their speech is Gothish, and such of them as by their dealing with
forren merchants doo gather anie wealth, that will they verie often
bestow vpon the furniture of their houses. Their weights & measures
are after the Germaine maner, their countrie is verie healthie, and so
wholesome, that a man was found which had married a wife at one
hundred yeares of age, and was able to go out a fishing with his bote
at one hundred and fortie, and of late yéeres died of méere age,
without anie other disease. Dronkennesse is not heard of among them,
and yet they meet and make good chéere verie often. Neither doo I read
of anie great vse of flesh or foule there, although that some of their
Ilands haue plentie of both. Nor anie mention of corne growing in
these parts, and therefore in steed of bread they drie a kind of fish,
which they beat in morters to powder, & bake it in their ouens, vntill
it be hard and drie. Their fuell also is of such bones as the fish
yéeldeth, that is taken on their coasts: and yet they liue as
themselues suppose in much felicitie, thinking it a great péece of
their happinesse to be so farre distant from the wicked auarice, and
cruell dealings of the more rich and ciuill part of the world.
Herein also they are like vnto the Hirthiens, in that at one time of
the yeare, there commeth a priest vnto them out of the Orchades (vnto
which iurisdiction they doo belong) who baptiseth all such children,
as haue béene borne among them, since he last arriued, and hauing
afterward remained there for a two daies, he taketh his tithes of them
(which they prouide and paie with great scrupulositie in fish, for of
other commodities haue they none) and then returneth home againe, not
without boast of his troublesome voiage, except he watch his time. In
[Sidenote: Amber.]
these Iles also is great plentie of fine Amber to be had (as Hector
saith) which is producted by the working of the sea vpon those coasts:
but more of this elsewhere. This neuertheles is certeine, that these
Ilands, with the Orchades, were neuer perfectlie vnited to the crowne
of Scotland, till the mariage was made betwéene king Iames and the
ladie Marie daughter to Christierne king of Denmarke 1468, which
Christierne at the birth of their sonne Iames (afterward king of
Scotland and called Iames the fourth) resigned all his right and title
whatsoeuer either he or his ancestors either presently or hertofore
had, might haue had, or herafter may or should haue, vnto the
aforesaid péeres, as appéereth by the charter.
From these Shetland Iles, and vntill we come southwards to the Scarre,
which lieth in Buquhamnesse, I find no mention of anie Ile situat vpon
that coast, neither greatlie from thence, vntill we come at the Forth,
that leadeth vp to Sterling, neither thought we it safetie for vs to
search so farre as Thule, whence the most excellent brimstone commeth,
& thereto what store of Ilands lie vnder the more northerlie climats,
whose secret situations though partlie seene in my time, haue not yet
bin perfectlie reueled or discouered by anie, bicause of the great
aboundance of huge Ilands of ice that mooueth to and fro vpon their
shores, and sundrie perilous gulfes and indraughts of water, and for
as much as their knowlege doth not concerne our purpose, wherfore
casting about, we came at the last into the Firth or Forth, which some
call the Scotish sea, wherein we passe by seuen or eight such as they
be, of which the first called the Maie, the second Baas, and Garwie
the third, doo seeme to be inhabited. From these also holding on our
course toward England, we passe by another Ile, wherein Faux castell
standeth, and this (so far as my skill serueth) is the last Iland of
the Scotish side, in compassing whereof I am not able to discerne,
whether their flats and shallowes, number of Ilands without name,
confusion of situation, lacke of true description, or mine owne
ignorance hath troubled me most. No meruell therefore that I haue
béene so oft on ground among them. But most ioifull am I that am come
home againe: & although not by the Thames mouth into my natiue citie
(which taketh his name of Troie) yet into the English dominion, where
good interteinement is much more franke and copious, and better
harborough wherein to rest my wearie bones, and refresh at ease our
wetherbeaten carcasses.
The first Iland therefore which commeth to our sight, after we passed
[Sidenote: Lindesfarne or Holie Iland.]
Berwike, is that which was somtime called Lindesfarne, but now Holie
Iland, and conteineth eight miles; a place much honored among our
monasticall writers, bicause diuerse moonks and heremits did spend
their times therein. There was also the bishops see of Lindesfarne for
a long season, which afterward was translated to Chester in the
stréet, & finallie to Duresme, Dunelme, or Durham. It was first
erected by Oswald, wherein he placed Aidanus the learned Scotish
moonke, who came hither out of the Ile called Hij, whereof Beda
speaking in the third chapter of his third booke, noteth, that
although the said Hij belong to the kings of Northumberland, by reason
of situation & néerenesse to the coast; yet the Picts appointed the
bishops of the same, and gaue the Ile with the see it selfe to such
Scotish moonks as they liked, bicause that by their preaching they
first receiued the faith. But to returne to Lindesfarne. After Aidan
departed this life, Finanus finished and builded the whole church with
sawed timber of oke, after the maner of his countrie, which when
Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie had dedicated, Edbert the
bishop did couer ouer with lead.
[Sidenote: Farne.]
Next vnto this is the Ile of Farne, and herein is a place of defense
so far as I remember, and so great store of egs laid there by diuerse
kinds of wildfoule in time of the yeare, that a man shall hardlie run
for a wager on the plaine ground without the breach of manie, before
his race be finished. About Farne also lie certeine Iles greater than
Farne it selfe, but void of inhabitants; and in these also is great
[Sidenote: Puffins.]
store of puffins, graie as duckes, and without coloured fethers,
sauing that they haue a white ring round about their necks. There is
[Sidenote: Saint Cuthberts foules.]
moreouer another bird, which the people call saint Cuthberts foules, a
verie tame and gentle creature, and easie to be taken. After this we
came to the Cocket Iland; so called, bicause it lieth ouer against the
fall of Cocket water. Herein is a veine of meane seacole, which the
people dig out of the shore at the low water; and in this Iland
dwelled one Henrie sometime a famous heremite, who (as his life
declareth) came of the Danish race. And from thence vntill we came
vnto the coast of Norffolke I saw no more Ilands.
Being therfore past S. Edmunds point, we found a litle Ile ouer
against the fall of the water that commeth from Holkham, & likewise
another ouer against the Claie, before we came at Waburne hope: the
third also in Yarmouth riuer ouer against Bradwell, a towne in low or
little England, whereof also I must néeds saie somewhat, bicause it is
in maner an Iland, and as I gesse either hath béene or may be one: for
the brodest place of the strict land that leadeth to the same, is
little aboue a quarter of a mile, which against the raging waues of
[Sidenote: Little England.]
the sea can make but small resistance. Little England or low England
therefore is about eight miles in length and foure in bredth, verie
well replenished with townes, as Fristan, Burgh castell, Olton,
Flixton, Lestoft, Gunton, Blundston, Corton, Lownd, Ashebie, Hoxton,
Belton, Bradwell, and Gorleston, and beside this it is verie fruitfull
and indued with all commodities.
Going forward from hence, by the Estonnesse (almost an Iland) I saw a
small parcell cut from the maine in Orford hauen, the Langerstone in
Orwell mouth, & two péeces or Islets at Cattiwade bridge; and then
[Sidenote: Merseie.]
casting about vnto the Colne, we beheld Merseie which is a pretie
Iland, well furnished with wood. It was sometime a great receptacle
for the Danes when they inuaded England; howbeit at this present it
hath beside two decaied blockehouses, two parish churches, of which
one is called east Merseie, the other west Merseie, and both vnder the
[Sidenote: Foulnesse.]
archdeacon of Colchester, as parcell of his iurisdiction. Foulenesse
is an Ile void of wood, and yet well replenished with verie good
grasse for neat and sheepe, whereof the inhabitants haue great
plentie: there is also a parish church, and albeit that it stand
somewhat distant from the shore, yet at a dead low water a man may (as
they saie) ride thereto if he be skilfull of the causie; it is vnder
the iurisdiction of London. And at this present master William Tabor
bacheler of diuinitie and archdeacon of Essex hath it vnder his
iurisdiction & regiment, by the surrender of maister Iohn Walker
doctor also of diuinitie, who liued at such time as I first attempted
to commit this booke to the impression.
In Maldon water are in like sort thrée Ilands inuironed all with salt
[Sidenote: Osithe.]
[Sidenote: Northeie.]
streames, as saint Osithes, Northeie, and another (after a mersh) that
beareth no name so far as I remember. On the right hand also as we
[Sidenote: Ramseie.]
[Sidenote: Reie.]
went toward the sea againe, we saw Ramseie Ile, or rather a Peninsula
or Biland, & likewise the Reie, in which is a chappell of saint Peter.
And then coasting vpon the mouth of the Bourne, we saw the Wallot Ile
and his mates, whereof two lie by east Wallot, and the fourth is
Foulnesse, except I be deceiued, for here my memorie faileth me on the
one side, and information on the other, I meane concerning the placing
of Foulenesse. But to procéed. After this, and being entered into the
Thames mouth, I find no Iland of anie name, except you accompt
Rochford hundred for one, whereof I haue no mind to intreat, more than
of Crowland, Mersland, Elie, and the rest, that are framed by the
ouze. Andredeseie in Trent, so called of a church there dedicated to
saint Andrew, and Auon (two noble riuers hereafter to be described)
sith I touch onelie those that are inuironed with the sea or salt
[Sidenote: Canwaie.]
water round about, as we may see in the Canwaie Iles, which some call
marshes onelie, and liken them to an ipocras bag, some to a vice,
scrue, or wide sléeue, bicause they are verie small at the east end,
and large at west. The salt rilles also that crosse the same doo so
separat the one of them from the other, that they resemble the slope
course of the cutting part of a scrue or gimlet, in verie perfect
maner, if a man doo imagine himselfe to looke downe from the top of
the mast vpon them. Betwéene these, moreouer and the Leigh towne lieth
another litle Ile or Holme, whose name is to me vnknowne. Certes I
would haue gone to land and viewed these parcels as they laie, or at
the least haue sailed round about them by the whole hauen, which may
easilie be doone at an high water: but for as much as a perrie of wind
(scarse comparable to the makerell gale, whereof Iohn Anele of Calis
one of the best seamen that England euer bred for his skill in the
narow seas was woont to talke) caught hold of our sailes, & caried vs
forth the right waie toward London, I could not tarie to sée what
things were hereabouts. Thus much therefore of our Ilands, & so much
may well suffice where more cannot be had.