Now about the middle of Lent, Hazier, my former Friend, was appoynted to attend me agayne, suspecting Ellenors compassion; but as my miseries were multiplied, my Patience in God was redoubled: For men are rather killed with the impatience they have in adversity, then adversity it selfe: And of all men, that man is most An impatient man in trouble is a triple torture.unhappy, to whom God in his troubles hath not given Patience; for as the violent enemy of age is griefe, so is the mindes impatiency, the arch-corruptor of all our troubles: But indeede in the weakenesse of judgement, when men seeme lost by long affliction to themselves, then they are often and ever neerest to God: for who would have thought, that I who had seene so many sects and varieties of Religion, dispersed over the face of the earth, could have stucke fast to any religion at all; Travailers being reputed to be Ubique et omnibus parati. But I will tell thee Christian, it was the grace of God in me, and not mine: For as fire lying hid under ashes, and touch’d will flame; so I seeming to my selfe carelesse of Christianity, then God pricking my Conscience made tryall of my Faith: For Christ forbid, that every Shippe which coasteth the rockey shoare, should leave her ruines there.

This I speake not for any selfe-prayse, but to glorifie God, and to condemne the rash censures of opinion, and [X. 480.]with Phocion, I mistrust my selfe, because of popular applause: Erubuit quasi peccasset quod placuerit: But now to abbreviate a thousand Circumstances of my Lamentable sufferings, which this Volume may not suffer to containe: By Gods great providence, about a fortnight before Easter, Anno 1621. there came a Spanish Cavaliere of Grenada to Malaga, whom the Governour one night invited to Supper, being of old acquaintance: where after Supper to intertayne Discourse, the Governour related and Gods great mercy in my first discovery by a stranger.disclosed to the stranger (God working thereby my discovery and deliverance) all the proceedings and causes of my first apprehending, my Confessions, Torments, starvings, their mistaking of the English Fleete, and finally the wresting of the Inquisition upon me, and their Condemnatory Sentence seeming also much to Lament my mis-fortunes, and praysing my Travailes and Deserts.

Now all this while, the Gentlemans servant, a Flandrish Fleming, standing at his Maisters backe, and adhering to all the Governours Relations, was astonished, to heare of a sakelesse Stranger, to have indured, and to indure such damnable Murther and Cruelty. Whereupon, the Discourse ending and mid-night past, the stranger returned to his Lodging; where the Fleming having bedded his Maister, and himselfe also in another Roome, he could not sleepe all that night, and if hee slumbered, still hee thought hee saw a man Torturing, and burning in the fire: which hee confessed to M. Wilds when morning came.

Well, he longed for day, and it being come, and hee cloathed, hee quietly left his Lodging, inquiring for an English Factor, and comming to the House of M. Richard Wilds, the chiefe English Consull: Hee told him [X. 481.]all what hee heard the Governour tell his Master, but could not tell my name: only Maister Wilds conjectur’d it was I, because of the others report of a Traveller, and of his first and former acquaintance with me there.

These are the English Factors which first wrought my reliefe.Whereupon the Fleming being dismissed, he straight sent for the other English Factors, Mr. Richard Busbitche, Mr. John Corney, Mr. Hanger, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Cooke, Mr. Rowley, and Mr. Woodson: where advising with them, what was best to be done for my reliefe; they sent letters away immediatly with all post dilligence, to Sir Walter Aston, his Majesties Ambassadour lying at Madrile: Upon which hee mediating with the King and Counsell of Spaine, obtained a strait warrant to command the Governour of Malaga, to deliver mee over in the English hands: which being come, to their great disliking, I was released on Easter-satturday before midnight, and carryed uppon Hazier the slaves backe to Master Busbitches house, where I was carefully attended till day light.

Meanewhile (by great fortune) there being a Squader of his Majesties Ships lying in the Road, Sir Richard Halkins came earely a shoare, accompanied with a strong trayne, and receaved mee from the Merchants: Whence I was carryed on mens armes in a payre of blanquets, to I durst not stay a shoare for feare of the Inquisition.the Vangard his Majesties ship. And three dayes thereafter, I was transported to a ship bound for England, the Fleets victualler, named the goodwill of Harwich; by direction of the Generall Sir Robert Maunsell: where being well placed, and charge given by Sir Richard Halkins to the ships master William Westerdale, for his carefulnes toward the preservation of my life, which then was brought so low & miserable. The foresaid Merchants [X. 482.]sent mee from shoare (besides the ships victuals) a sute of Spanish apparrell, twelve Hennes, a barrell of Wine, a basket full of Egges, two Roves of Figges and Rasins, two hundred Orenges and Lemmons, eight pounds of Sugar, a number of excellent good Bread, and two hundred Realls in Silver and Gold; besides two double Pistolls Sir Richard Halkins sent mee as a token of his love.

The kindnesses of whom to bury in oblivion, were in me the very shame of ingratitude, I being then a lost man and hopelesse of life, which argued in them a greater singularitie of kindnesse and compassion. Yet I remember Religious Sir Richard Halkins my speciall friend.for all my lamenes and distraction, I intreated Sir Richard Halkins to goe a shoare to the Governour, and demand him for my gold, my eight Patents, my Booke of Armes, and his Majesties Letters and Seales; the which he willingly obeyed, (being accompanied with Captaine Cave, and Captaine Raymond) but could obtaine nothing at all, save blandements and leying excuses.

And now on the twelfth day of our lying in the Road, our ship weighing her Anchors, and hoysing her Sailes, wee passed through the straits of Gibelterre, or fretum Herculeum; for this was the furthest Land that Hercules could attayne unto; which made him erect a Pillar, and indent thereon, nil ultra; but when Charles the fift, returned from that untoward voyage of Algier, hee caused to set up in the same place, Plus ultra.

Here in this Channell, I remarked a perpetuall current; flowing from the Ocean to the Mediterrene Sea without any regresse: which indeed is admirable the Mediterranean [X. 483.]Seas being hembd in, and environed with the mayne Continent of South Europe; the North and North west coasts of Asia, and the Northerne parts of Affricke; save onely the narrow passage of Hellespont, which from Mare Propontis bendeth his course to Mare Euxinum: And yet the Euxine, or blacke Sea, hath no affinity with any other moving waters, being likewise incompassed with the mayne continent: And from it also runneth a continuall current, through Bosphorus Thraicus, to the Mediterraneum.

The strait of Gibelterre five leagues broad.This narrow Sea on Affricke, or side of Fez, consisteth betweene Cap di Sprat, and the Promontore of Sewty, and upon the coast of Spayne, betweene Cap de Trafolger, and the butting forehead-land of Gibelterre, or Jubile Tauro; the passage being five leagues broad, and nine in length.

And to be briefe, upon the fifty day after my departure from Malaga, I arrived at Datford upon Thames; whence the next morning I was carried to Theoballs on a feather-bed, and brought to the privy Gallery, for the Kings comming from Parke. Witnesse all the Court of England, even from the King to the Kitchin, what a martyrd anatomy I was, at then of me their first sight; and what small hope was either expected of my life or recovery.

Where, when immediatly having made my most humble and grievous complaints unto his sacred Majesty, his gracious consideration (in the meane time) was such, for the recovery of my health, that I was twice sent to the Bath at the charges of his Royall love, during the space of twenty seven weekes, where by the Divine providence, and his Princely clemency, I have recovered for the time in a [X. 484.]large measure, the health and strength of my body, although my left Arme, and crushed bones be incurable.

Meane while, in the first Weeke of my Arrivall in England, I was conveyed from Theobalds (by his Majesties direction) to Don Diego Surmento de Gundamore, the Spanish Ambassadour, then Resident in Holborne. A false promise unperformed.Where he votally undertooke, before then the two Lord Marquesses, Hammilton and Buckingham, (confirming it the day following to his Majesty at Greenewich) that after a condigne tryall had from Spaine, concerning my grievances: I should have all my money, Cloathes, Observations, Testimoniall Patents, and his Majesties Seales restored me agayne, with a thousand pound sterling also, (beeing modified by his Royall pleasure) of the Governour of Malagaes meanes, for the maintayning of my Lame and Racked body.

These promises were made the sixt of June 1621. and were to be performed againe Michaelmasse day insuing: But this day come, hee continued his drifts to the Prima vera; and it also arrived, he deferred time, with new protestations, onely to Easter or Pascua: And that Season come, he turned my Pascua to Prison: For a little before his departure (seeing his policy too strong for mine oppressed patience) I told him flatly in his face, from the griefe of my soule, what he was, and what he went about; which afterward proved true: Whereupon in the Chamber of Presence, before the Emperours Ambassadour, and diverse Knights and Gentle-men, his Majesties servants: A single combat betweene a Spanish Earle and a Scottish Traveller.he rashly adventured the credite of Leager honour, in a single Combat against me a retorted Plaintive: Where indeed his Fistula was contra-banded with a fist, and for Victory, favour lent him authority; because of my Commitment, [X. 485.]for I lay nine Weekes incarcerate in the Marshall-Sea at Southwarke: Whence I returned with more credite, then hee left England with honesty; beeing both Vanquish’d and Victor. And my Muse left to mourne for my Liberty, deplored thus.

But I remember in the aforesayd time of this my A false aspersion laid on me by Papists.imprisonment, there were two Papists my Countrey-men, who wrot to me a Letter; not like to a familiar Epistle of Cicero: No, but they would have fastned an untruth upon me; affirming that I was a Romane Catholicke in my heart; and that they would justifie it, that I received the Sacrament at Rome, in the first yeare that Paulus (Burgesius) Papa Quintus, came to his triple Crowne: to whom in a true and Christian defence, my serious and approbable reply was thus:

After this, their sequell answere being mortified, and I set at liberty by a just favour of the Privy Councell, my formalists durst never attempt any further dispute with me, neither any passing countenance in our rancounters: But what shall I say concerning my grievances, Sed qui Patitur vincit: Since there is no helpe or Redresse to bee [X. 489.]had for wrongs past, no, neither (alasse) for any present in either meane, or mighty falls: for when the Starres of great states, decline under the selfe-same constellation of my sorrowes, and made the deplored for spectacles, of the inconstancy of fortune; what shall I then in a privat life, and publicke pilgrimage expect, but the common calamity of this age, and the irrevocable redresse of my miseries sustayned, for this Crowne and Kingdome of England, which shall be presently cleared: yet would to God, I might doe, as Xerxes the Persian King did, that when the Greekes had taken Sardis, the Metropole of Lydia, he commanded one of his servants to stand before him everyday at dinner, and cry aloud, saying; the Grecians have taken Sardis: whereby he was never at quiet, till it was recovered.

Incompatible griefe without deserved reliefe.So would I, oppressed I, by mighty powers; (though not a King, yet the faythfull subject of a King) cry dayly from the heart-broken sorrow of my incompatible injuries; O barbarous, and inhumane Malaga! when shall my soule be revenged on thy cruell murther, and when shall mine eyes see thy mercilesse destruction? But tush, what dreame I? now a dayes griefe can find no reliefe, far lesse compassion, and meaner revenge, and so farewell satisfaction, when flattering feare dare challenge obsequiousnesse, to the alteration of any thing.

But afterward when death, Heavens fatall messenger, and enemy to nature, had darted King James of matchlesse memory; who sometimes (besides my soveraigne) in some respects, and for the former cause, was a father to me; then was I forcibly (I say) constrayned to preferre a bill of grievance to the upper house of Parliament Anno 1626. which I dayly followed 17. weekes: Well; my grievances [X. 490.]were heard and considered, and thereupon an order graunted me (bearing the Lords reference and pleasure concerning my suite) unto Sir Thomas Coventrey, Lord keeper of Englands great Seale; and through whose office my businesse should have passed: which order was delivered unto him, by Mr. James Maxwell Knight of the blacke Rode, and one of his Majesties Bed-chamber, in behalfe of the Lords of the upper house: The order thus being reserved then with the Lord-keeper for a moneth, hee appointed me to fetch him (because of a Warrant to his A direction for Certificats by the Lord Keeper.State office) the Certificats of Sir Walter Aston, Sir Robert Maunsell, and Sir Thomas Button, to cleare my sufferings, and the causes wherefore: which I gladly obeyed, and brought all their three Certificates unto him: yea, and Sir Walter Aston, (besides his hand-writ) spoke seriously face to face with him thereanent.

Meane-while the house breaking up abruptly (because of soveraigne disliking) their order for my suite could take none effect as then, nor yet since, in regard it was no Session Parliament; and so my order and reliefe lyeth suspended till some hapy time.

But now to confound the calumnious and vituperious Papists, the miscreant and miserable Atheists, the peevish and selfe-opiniating Puritanes, the faithles misbeleeving Mungrells of true Religion, and of this trueth: And the very objections have beene sayd sometimes in my face, by irreligious and disdainefull Nullifidians: who have sayd and thought that I could neither be so constant, nor they so cruell: I thinke it not amisse, to set downe verbally one of their Certificats here, being all of one style, and to one purpose; and thus it followeth.

[X. 491.]To the Right Honorable, Sir Thomas Coventry Knight, Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England, &c.

May it please your Honour: I have taken boldnesse to certifie your good Lordship, of the trueth concerning the grievous sufferings of this heavily injured man, William Lithgow: true it is, that this bearer, being bound for Alexandria in Egypt, having with him Letters of safe Conduct, under the Hand and Seale of his late Majesty King James of blessed memory; ran-countred with us, and our Fleete at Malaga: Whereof I was imployed as Vice-Admirall against the Pyrats of Algier; where he repayring a Boord of us, and frequenting our Company a shoare, was presently (after we had set Sayle) apprehended by Command of the Governour and Magistrates there as a Spie; whom they suspected, had of purpose beene left behind by our Generall, and us of the Counsell of Warre, for the Discovery of that place, and other adjacent parts: Whereupon beeing secretly imprisoned in the Governours Palace; and after serious examination of our intention; hee was without any cause done, or offered by him, most [X. 492.]unjustly put to the cruell Racke and tortures; besides all other his unspeakable miseries, which for a long time he sustained thereafter: whereof I was credibly and infallibly informed by M. Richard Wilds, to whom he was first discovered, and by other English Factors of good note then resident there: in my repayring diverse times to the Roade of that towne with my Squadron of shippes, during the time of his long imprisonment, and after his deliverance. And afterward the Governour there beeing better informed of our loyall proceedings in those parts, and to colour their former cruelties, and suspition had of us, hee did wrest the Inquisition upon him, where being condemned to Death, he had doubtlesse undergone (as I was likewise truely informed by the afore-said Merchants) the finall Sentence of their Inquisition: if it had not beene, for the Religious care, and speedy prevention of Sir Walter Aston, then Leiger Ambassadour there: By whose earnest mediation he being delivered, and afterwards sent home by direction of Sir Robert Maunsell Generall: I now commend his grievous and lamentable cause, unto your Lordshippes tender and Religious Consideration. Resting,

Your Lordships to Command,
to serve You:

From Fulham this tenth
of July. 1626.

Sir Thomas Button.

[X. 493.]And now to conclude this Tragicall discourse, the Religious eye, may perceive Gods compassionate love, foure wayes here extended. First, his powerfull providence in my long and admirable preservation in Prison: hunger, Vermine, and Tortures, being my comfortlesse Companions. Secondly, the pittifull kindnesse of his All-seeing Gods miraculous mercy in my deliverances.Eye, in the miraculous Wonder of my Discovery, when the perverted policy of subtile Serpents, had sceleratly suggested my concealement. Thirdly, his unspeakable mercy in my unlooked-for deliverance, beeing by hopelesse me, not thought, nor sought; and yet by his munificence was wrought. And lastly, his gracious goodnesse, in the recovery (after some large measure) of my health and use of body againe; all prayse and glory be to his infinite Majesty therefore.

And finally, merit beeing masked, with the darkenesse of ingratitude, and the morning Spring-tide of 1627. come: I set face from Court for Scotland, suiting my discontents, with a pedestriall Progresse, and my feete with the palludiat way; where fixing mine eyes on Edenbrugh, and prosecuting the Tennor of a Regall Commission (which partly beeing some where obeyed, and other-where suspended) it gave mee a large sight of the whole Kingdome, both Continent, and Iles. The particular Description whereof, in all parts, and of all places, besides Ports and Rivers: I must referre to the owne Volume already perfected, Intitulated Lithgowes Surveigh of Scotland: which this Worke may not Containe, nor time suffer to publish till a fitter occasion. Only Commenting a little upon some generalls. I hasten [X. 494.]to be at Finis. Traversing the Westerne Iles (whose inhabitants, like to as many Bulwarkes, are abler and apter to preserve and defend, their libertie and Precincts from incursive invasions; then any neede of Forts or Fortified places they have, or can be required there: Such is the The kindnes I received from the illustrious Lord the Marques of Hammilton.desperate courage of these awfull Hebridians:) I arrived (I say) at the Ile of Arrane, Anno 1628. where for certayne dayes, in the Castle of Braidwicke, I was kindly intertayned, by the illustrious Lord, James Marquesse of Hammilton, Earle of Arrane and Cambridge, &c.

This Ile of Arrane, is thirty miles long, eight in breadth, and distant from the Maine, twenty foure miles; beeing sur-clouded with Goatfield Hill: which with wide-eyes, over-looketh our Westerne Continent, and the Northerne Countrey of Ireland: bringing also to sight in a cleare Summers day, the Ile of Manne, and the higher [X. 495.]Coast of Cumberland: A larger prospect no Mountaine in the World can show, poynting out three Kingdomes at one sight: Neither any like Ile or braver Gentry, for good Archers, and hill-hovering Hunters. Having agayne re-shoared the Maine, I coasted Galloway even to the Mould that butteth into the Sea, with a large Promontore, being the South-most part of the Kingdome. And thence footing all that large Countrey to Dumfries, and so to Carlile: I found heere in Galloway in diverse Rode-way Innes, as good Cheare, Hospitality, and Serviceable attendance, as though I had beene ingrafted in Lombardy or Naples.

The nobility and commodities of Galloway excell in goodnesse.The Wooll of which Countrey, is nothing inferiour to that in Biscai of Spaine: providing they had skill, to fine, Spin, Weave, and labour it as they should. Nay, the Calabrian silke, had never a better luster, and softer gripe, then I have seene and touched this growing wooll there on Sheepes backes: the Mutton whereof excelleth in sweetnesse. So this Country aboundeth in Bestiall, especially in little Horses, which for mettall and Riding, may rather be tearmed bastard Barbs, then Gallowedian Nagges.

Likewise their Nobility and Gentry are as courteous, and every way generously disposed, as eyther discretion would wish, and honour Command: that (Cunningham being excepted, which may bee called the Accademy of Religion, for a sanctified Clergy, and a godly people) certainly [X. 496.]Galloway is become more civill of late, then any Maritine Country, bordering with the Westerne Sea. But now to observe my former Summary condition, the length of the Kingdome lyeth South and North: That is, betweene Dungsby head in Cathnes, and the afore-sayde Mould of Galloway; beeing distant per rectam lineam, which my weary feet troad over from poynt to poynt (the way of Lochreall, Carrick, Kyle, Aire, Glasgow, Stirveling, St. Johns Towne, Stormount, the Blair of Atholl, the Bra of Mar, Badeynoh, Innernes, Rosse, Sutherland, and so to the North Promontore of Cathnes) extending to three hundred twenty miles: which I reckon to be foure hundred and fifty English miles: Confounding hereby the ignorant presumption of blind Cosmographers, who Scotland is 120. miles longer than England.in their Mappes make England longer than Scotland; when contrariwise Scotland out strippeth the other in length, a hundred and twenty miles. The breadth whereof I grant is narrower than England; yet extending betweene the extremities of both Coasts in divers parts to threescore, fourscore, and a hundred of our miles: But because of the Sea ingulfing the Land, and cutting it in so many Angles, making great Lakes, Bayes, and dangerous Firths, on both sides of the Kingdome, the true breadth thereof can not justly be conjectured, nor soundly set downe.

Our chiefest fresh water Lakes are these, Lochlomond, contayning twenty foure Iles, and in length as many miles: divers whereof are inriched with Woods, Deere, and other Bestiall: The large and long Lake of Loch-Tay, in Atholl, the Mother and Godmother of Headstrong Tay, the greatest River in the Kingdome: And Lochnes, in the higher parts of Murray, the River whereof (that graceth the pleasant and commodious situation of Innernes) no frost can freize: The propriety of which water will quickly melt and dissolve any hard congealed lumps of frozen Ice, be it on Man or Beast, stone or timber.

The chiefest Rivers are Clyde, Tay, Tweed, Forth, Dee, Spay, Nith, Nesse, and Dingwells flood-ingorging Lake, that confirmeth Porta salutis; being all of them, [X. 497.]where they returne their tributs to their father Ocean portable; and as it were resting places for turmoyled seas and ships: And the principall Townes are Edenbrugh, Perth, Glasgow, Dundie, Abirdene, St. Andrewes, Aire, Stirveling, Lithgow, Dumfries, Innernes, Elgin, Minros, Jedbrugh, Hadington, Leith, &c. and for antiquity, old Lanerk, &c.

So the most delicious soiles of the Kingdome are these following: first, the bounds of Clyde, or Cliddisdale, betweene Lanerk and Dunbertan, distanced twenty sixe miles; and thence downeward to Rossay that kisseth the devulgements of the River: the beginning whereof is at Arick stone sixteene miles above Lanerk, whose course contendeth for threescore miles: All which, being the best mixed Countrey for Cornes, Meeds, Pastorage, Woods, Parks, Orchards, Castles, Pallaces, divers kinds of Coale, and earth-fewell, that our included Albion Cliddisdale is the Paradice of Scotland.produceth: And may justly be surnamed the Paradice of Scotland: Besides, it is adorned on both borders along, with the greatest Peeres, and Nobility in the Kingdome: The Duke of Lennox, the Marques of Hammilton, the Earle of Angus, the Earle of Argyle, and the Earles of Glencairne, Wigton, and Abircorne.

And for Lord Barons, Semple, Rosse, Blantyre, and Dalliell: The chiefest Gentry whereof are the Knights and Lairds of Luce, Skellmurelie, Blakhall, Greenock, Newwark, Houston, Pook-maxwell, Sir George Elpingston of Blythswood, Minto, Cambusnethen, Calderwood, the two Knights of Lieye, and Castel-hill, Sir James Lokharts elder & yonger, Lamington, Westraw, his Majesties Gentleman Sewer, Blakwood, Cobinton, Stanebyres, and Corhous, &c. All which in each degree, as they illuminat the soyle with grandure, so the soyle reflecteth on them againe with beauty, bounty, and riches.

And now the second soyle for pleasure, is the platformd Carse and Murray two pleasant Soyles.Carse of Gowry, twelve miles long (Wheat, Rye, Cornes, Fruit yards, being its onely commodity) which I may tearme for its levelld face, to be the Garden of Angus; yea, the Diamond-plot of Tay, or rather the youngest Sister of matchlesse Piemont: The Inhabitants being onely defective in affablenesse, and communicating courtesies of naturall things, whence sprung this Proverbe, The kearlles of the Carse.

The third, and beautifull soyle, is the delectable planure of Murray, thirty miles long, and sixe in breadth: whose comely grounds, inriched with Cornes, Plantings, Pastorage, stately dwellings, overfaced with a generous Octavian Gentrye, and topped with a Noble Earle, its chiefest Patrone; it may be surstyled, a second Lombardy, or pleasant Meaddow of the North.

Neither may I (abandoning eye-pleasing grounds) seclude here that sudaick bottome, reaching thirty miles twixt Perth and Minros; involving the halfe of Angus, [X. 499.]within a fruitfull, populous, and nobilitat planure, the heart whereof saluting Glames, kisseth Cowper: So likewise, as thrice divided Louthiane, is a girnell of graine, for forrane Nations; and Fiffe twixt Carraill and Largo, the Ceren trenches of a Royall Camp, the incircling coast a nest of Corporations; and Meandring Forth from tip-toed Snadoun, the prospicuous mirrour for matchlesse Majesty: Even so is melting Tweed, and weeping Tiviot, the Ægyptian Strands, that irriguat the fertile fields, which imbolster both bosomes, sending their bordering breath of dayly necessaries to strengthen the life of Barwick.

The Nobility and Gentry of Scotland, are the best house-keepers, and generous Gentlemen in the World.Now as for the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome; certainely, as they are generous, manly, and full of courage; so are they courteous, discreet, learned Schollers, well read in best Histories, delicatly linguishd, the most part of them, being brought up in France or Italy: That for a generall compleat worthinesse, I never found their matches amongst the best people of forrane Nations: being also good house-keepers, affable to strangers, and full of Hospitality.

And in a word the Seas of Scotland, and the Iles abound plentifully in all kind of Fishes, the Rivers are ingorged with Salmond, the high-landish mountaines overcled with Firre-trees, infinite Deere, and all sorts of other Bestiall, the Valleyes full of Pasture, and Wild fowle; the low layd Playnes inriched with beds of grayne; Justice all where administred, Lawes obeyed, malefactors punished, Oppressors curbed, the Clergy religious, the people sincere Professors, and the Country peaceable to all men.

The chiefest commodities whereof, transported beyond sea, are these, Wheat, Cornes, Hides, Skins, Tallow, Yearn, Linnen, Salt, Coale, Herrings, Salmond, Wooll, [X. 500.]Keilling, Ling, Turbet and Seaths. And last, and worst, all the Gold of the Kingdome, is daily Transported away with superfluous posting for Court. Whence they never returne any thing, save spend all, End all, then farewell Fortune: So that numbers of our Nobility and Gentry now, become with idle projects, downe-drawers of destruction, upon their owne neckes, their children, and their estates: and posting Postilions by dissolute courses, to Prodigall and superfluous posting from Scotland to Court.inrich Strangers, leave themselves deservingly desolate, of Lands, Meanes, and Honesty for ever. Doing even with their former Vertue, long continuance, and memory of their noble Ancestors, as M. Knoxe did with our glorious Churches of Abbocies, and Monasteries (which were the greatest beauty of the Kingdome,) knocking all down to desolation; leaving nought to be seene of admirable Edifices, but like to the Ruines of Troy, Tyrus, and Thebes, lumpes of Wals, and heapes of stones.

So do our ignoble Gallants (though nobly borne) swallow up the honour of their famous Predecessours, with posting foolery, boy-winding Hornes, cormandizing Gluttony, Lust, and vaine Apparrell; making a Transmigration of perpetuity to their present Belly, and Backe. O lashivious ends: which I have condignely sisted, in my last Worke Intitulated Scotlands welcome to King Charles: with all the abuses and grievances of the whole Kingdome besides.

But now leaving Prodigalls to their Purgatoriall Postings, I come to Trace through Rosse, Sutherland, and Cathnes: Soiles so abundant in all things, fit to illustrate greatnesse, Resplendour Gentry, and succour Commons; that their fertile goodnesse far exceeded my expectation, and the affability of the better sort my deservings: beeing [X. 501.]all of them the best, and most bountifull Christmasse-keepers (the Greekes excepted) that ever I saw in the Christian World: Whose continuall incorporate Feastings one with another, beginning at Saint Andrewes day, never end til Shrovetide: which Ravished me, to behold, such great and daily cheare, familiar fellow-ship, and joviall chearefulnesse; that me thought the whole Winter there, seemed to me, but the Jubilee of one day. And now beeing arrived at Maii, to imbarke for Orknay, sight, A dutifull remembrance of two Noble persons.time, and duty, command me to celebrate these following Lines, to gratifie the kindnesse of that noble Lord, George Earle of Cathnes, with his Honorable Cousing, and first Accadent of his House, the Right worshipful Sir William Sinclair of Catboll Knight, Laird of Maii.

Forsaking Cathnes, I imbraced the trembling Surges (at Dungsby) of strugling Neptune, which ingorgeth Pentland or Pitland Firth with nine contrarious Tides: each Tide over-thwarting another with repugnant courses, have such violent streames, and combustious waves, that if these dangerous Births be not rightly taken in passing [X. 505.]over, the Passengers shall quickely loose sight of life and land for ever: yea, and one of these tides so forcible, at the backe of Stromaii, that it will carry any Vessell backward, in despight of the winds, the length of its rapinous current.

A dangerous place in Pentland Firth.This dreadfull Firth is in breadth betweene the Continent of Cathnes, and the Ile of South Rannald-shaw in Orknay twelve miles: And I denote this credibly, in a part of the North-west end of this Gulfe, there is a certaine place of sea, where these destracted tydes make their rancountering Randevouze, that whirleth ever about: cutting in the middle circle a devalling hole, with which if either Ship or Boat shall happen to encroach, they must quickly either throw over some thing into it, as a Barrell, a piece of timber, and such like, or that fatall Euripus shall then suddenly become their swallowing Sepulcher. A custome which these bordering Cathenians and Orcadians have ever heretofore observed.

Arriv’d at South Rannaldshaw an Ile of five miles long, and thwarting the Ile of Burray, I sighted Kirkwall, the Metropole of Pomonia, the mayne Land of Orknay, and the onely Mistresse of all the circumjacent Iles being thirty in number. The chiefest whereof (besides this tract of ground, in length twenty sixe, and broad five, sixe and seven miles) are the Iles of Sanda, Westra, and Stronza: Kirkwall it selfe is adorned with the stately and magnifick Church of St. Magnus built by the Danes, whose Signiory with the Iles lately it was; but indeed for the time present, more beautified with the godly life of a most venerable and religious Bishop Mr. George Grahame: whom now I may tearme (Soveraignity excepted) to be the Father of the Countries government, then an Ecclesiasticke Prelat: The Inhabitants being left void of a Governour, or solid Patrone, are just become like to a [X. 506.]broken battell, a scattered people without a head: having but a Burges Shreive to administer Justice, and he too an Aliene to them, and a Resider in Edenburgh: So that in most differences, and questions of importance, the Plaintives are inforced to implore the Bishop for their Judge, and hee, the adverse Party for redresse.

Zetland mightily impoverished by corrupt governement.But the more remote parts of this auncient little Kingdome, as Zetland, and the adjacent Iles there; have found such a sting of deoccular government within these few yeares; that these once happy Iles, which long agoe my feet traded over, are Metamorphosed in the Anatomy of succourlesse oppression, and the felicity of the Inhabitants, reinvolved within the closet of a Cittadinean cluster.

But now referring the whole particulars, and dividuall descriptions of these Septentrion Iles, the mayne Continent, and the Gigantick Hebridian Iles, to my aforesayd worke to be published, intitulated Lithgows surveigh of Scotland, I send this generall verdict to the World: