So I having viewed the haven and town of _Leith_, took a pa.s.sage boat to see the new wondrous Well,[15] to which many a one that is not well, comes far and near in hope to be made well: indeed I did hear that it had done much good, and that it hath a rare operation to expel or kill divers maladies; as to provoke appet.i.te, to help much for the avoiding of the gravel in the bladder, to cure sore eyes, and old ulcers, with many other virtues which it hath, but I (through the mercy of G.o.d, having no need of it, did make no great inquisition what it had done, but for novelty I drank of it, and I found the taste to be more pleasant than any other water, sweet almost as milk, yet as clear as crystal, and I did observe that though a man did drink a quart, a pottle, or as much as his belly could contain, yet it never offended or lay heavy upon the stomach, no more than if one had drank but a pint or a small quant.i.ty.

I went two miles from it to a town called _Burntisland_, where I found many of my especial good friends, as Master _Robert Hay_, one of the Grooms of his Majesty's Bed-chamber, Master _David Drummond_, one of his Gentlemens-Pensioners, Master _James Acmootye_, one of the Grooms of the Privy Chamber, Captain _Murray_, Sir _Henry Witherington_ Knight, Captain _Tyrie_, and divers others: and there Master _Hay_, Master _Drummond_, and the good old Captain _Murray_ did very bountifully furnish me with gold for my expenses, but I being at dinner with those aforesaid gentlemen, as we were discoursing, there befel a strange accident, which I think worth the relating.

I know not upon what occasion they began to talk of being at sea in former times, and I (amongst the rest) said, I was at the taking of _Cadiz_; whereto an English gentleman replied, that he was the next good voyage after at the Islands: I answered him that I was there also. He demanded in what ship I was? I told him in the Rainbow of the Queens: why (quoth he) do you not know me? I was in the same ship, and my name is _Witherington_.

Sir, said I, I do remember the name well, but by reason that it is near two and twenty years since I saw you, I may well forget the knowledge of you. Well said he, if you were in that ship, I pray you tell me some remarkable token that happened in the voyage, whereupon I told him two or three tokens; which he did know to be true. Nay then, said I, I will tell you another which (perhaps) you have not forgotton; as our ship and the rest of the fleet did ride at anchor at the Isle of _Flores_ (one of the Isles of the _Azores_) there were some fourteen men and boys of our ship, that for novelty would go ash.o.r.e, and see what fruit the island did bear, and what entertainment it would yield us; so being landed, we went up and down and could find nothing but stones, heath and moss, and we expected oranges, lemons, figs, musk-mellions, and potatoes; in the mean s.p.a.ce the wind did blow so stiff, and the sea was so extreme rough, that our ship-boat could not come to the land to fetch us, for fear she should be beaten in pieces against the rocks; this continued five days, so that we were almost famished for want of food: but at last (I squandering up and down) by the providence of G.o.d I happened into a cave or poor habitation, where I found fifteen loaves of bread, each of the quant.i.ty of a penny loaf in _England_, I having a valiant stomach of the age of almost of a hundred and twenty hours breeding, fell to, and ate two loaves and never said grace: and as I was about to make a horse-loaf of the third loaf, I did put twelve of them into my breeches, and my sleeves, and so went mumbling out of the cave, leaning my back against a tree, when upon the sudden a gentleman came to me, and said, "Friend, what are you eating?" "Bread," (quoth I,) "For G.o.d's sake," said he, "give me some." With that, I put my hand into my breech, (being my best pantry) and I gave him a loaf, which he received with many thanks, and said, that if ever he could requit it, he would.

I had no sooner told this tale, but Sir _Henry Witherington_ did acknowledge himself to be the man that I had given the loaf unto two and twenty years before, where I found the proverb true, that men have more privilege than mountains in meeting.

In what great measure he did requite so small a courtesy, I will relate in this following discourse in my return through _Northumberland_: so leaving my man at the town of _Burntisland_, I told him, I would but go to _Stirling_, and see the Castle there, and withal to see my honourable friends the Earl of _Mar_, and Sir _William Murray_ Knight, Lord of _Abercairney_, and that I would return within two days at the most: but it fell out quite contrary; for it was and five and thirty days before I could get back again out of these n.o.ble men's company. The whole progress of my travel with them, and the cause of my stay I cannot with gratefulness omit; and thus it was.

A worthy gentleman named Master _John Fenton_, did bring me on my way six miles to _Dunfermline_, where I was well entertained, and lodged at Master _John Gibb_ his house, one of the Grooms of his Majesty's Bed-chamber, and I think the oldest servant the King hath: withal, I was well entertained there by Master _Crighton_ at his own house, who went with me, and shewed me the Queens Palace; (a delicate and Princely Mansion) withal I saw the ruins of an ancient and stately built Abbey, with fair gardens, orchards, meadows belonging to the Palace: all which with fair and goodly revenues by the suppression of the Abbey, were annexed to the crown. There also I saw a very fair church, which though it be now very large and s.p.a.cious, yet it hath in former times been much larger. But I taking my leave of _Dunfermline_, would needs go and see the truly n.o.ble Knight Sir _George Bruce_, at a town called the _Culross_: there he made me right welcome, both with variety of fare, and after all, he commanded three of his men to direct me to see his most admirable coal mines; which (if man can or could work wonders) is a wonder; for myself neither in any travels that I have been in, nor any history that I have read, or any discourse that I have heard, did never see, read, or hear of any work of man that might parallel or be equivalent with this unfellowed and unmatchable work: and though all I can say of it, cannot describe it according to the worthiness of his vigilant industry, that was both the occasion, inventor, and maintainer of it: yet rather than the memory of so rare an enterprise, and so accomplished a profit to the common-wealth shall be raked and smothered in the dust of oblivion, I will give a little touch at the description of it, although I amongst writers, am like he that worse may hold the candle.

The mine hath two ways into it, the one by sea and the other by land; but a man may go into it by land, and return the same way if he please, and so he may enter into it by sea, and by sea he may come forth of it: but I for variety's sake went in by sea, and out by land. Now men may object, how can a man go into a mine, the entrance of it being into the sea, but that the sea will follow him, and so drown the mine? To which objection thus I answer, that at low water mark, the sea being ebbed away, and a great part of the sand bare; upon this same sand (being mixed with rocks and crags) did the master of this great work build a round circular frame of stone, very thick, strong, and joined together with glutinous or bituminous matter, so high withal that the sea at the highest flood, or the greatest rage of storm or tempest, can neither dissolve the stones so well compacted in the building or yet overflow the height of it. Within this round frame, (at all adventures) he did set workmen to dig with mattocks, pickaxes, and other instruments fit for such purposes. They did dig forty feet down right into and through a rock. At last they found that which they expected, which was sea coal, they following the vein of the mine, did dig forward still: so that in the s.p.a.ce of eight and twenty, or nine and twenty years, they have digged more than an English mile under the sea, so that when men are at work below, an hundred of the greatest ships in _Britain_ man sail over their heads. Besides, the mine is most artificially cut like an arch or a vault, all that great length, with many nooks and bye-ways: and it is so made, that a man may walk upright in the most places, both in and out. Many poor people are there set on work, which otherwise through the want of employment would perish. But when I had seen the mine, and was come forth of it again; after my thanks given to Sir _George Bruce_, I told him, that if the plotters of the Powder Treason in England had seen this mine, that they (perhaps) would have attempted to have left the Parliament House, and have undermined the Thames, and so to have blown up the barges and wherries, wherein the King, and all the estates of our kingdom were. Moreover, I said, that I could afford to turn tapster at _London_, so that I had but one quarter of a mile of his mine to make me a cellar, to keep beer and bottled ale in. But leaving these jests in prose, I will relate a few verses that I made merrily of this mine.

I that have wasted, months, weeks, days, and hours In viewing kingdoms, countries, towns, and towers, Without all measure, measuring many paces, And with my pen describing many places, With few additions of mine own devising, (Because I have a smack of _Coryatizing_[16]) Our _Mandeville_, _Primaleon_, _Don Quixote_, Great _Amadis_, or _Huon_, travelled not As I have done, or been where I have been, Or heard and seen, what I have heard and seen; Nor Britain's _Odcombe_ (_Zany_ brave _Ulysses_) In all his ambling, saw the like as this is.

I was in (would I could describe it well) A dark, light, pleasant, profitable h.e.l.l, And as by water I was wafted in, I thought that I in _Charon's_ boat had been, But being at the entrance landed thus, Three men there (instead of _Cerberus_) Convey'd me in, in each one hand a light To guide us in that vault of endless night, There young and old with glim'ring candles burning Dig, delve, and labour, turning and returning, Some in a hole with baskets and with bags, Resembling furies, or infernal hags: There one like _Tantalus_ feeding, and there one, Like _Sisyphus_ he rolls the restless stone.

Yet all I saw was pleasure mixed with profit, Which proved it to be no tormenting Tophet[17]

For in this honest, worthy, harmless h.e.l.l, There ne'er did any d.a.m.ned Devil dwell; And th' owner of it gains by 't more true glory, Than _Rome_ doth by fantastic Purgatory.

A long mile thus I pa.s.sed, down, down, steep, steep, In deepness far more deep, than _Neptunes_ deep, Whilst o'er my head (in fourfold stories high) Was earth, and sea, and air, and sun, and sky: That had I died in that _Cimmerian_[18] room, Four elements had covered o'er my tomb: Thus farther than the bottom did I go, (And many Englishmen have not done so;) Where mounting porpoises, and mountain whales, And regiments of fish with fins and scales, 'Twixt me and heaven did freely glide and slide, And where great ships may at an anchor ride: Thus in by sea, and out by land I past, And took my leave of good Sir _George_ at last.

The sea at certain places doth leak, or soak into the mine, which by the industry of Sir _George Bruce_, is all conveyed to one well near the land; where he hath a device like a horse-mill, that with three horses and a great chain of iron, going downward many fathoms, with thirty-six buckets fastened to the chain, of the which eighteen go down still to be filled, and eighteen ascend up to be emptied, which do empty themselves (without any man's labour) into a trough that conveys the water into the sea again; by which means he saves his mine, which otherwise would be destroyed with the sea, besides he doth make every week ninety or a hundred tons of salt, which doth serve most part of _Scotland_, some he sends into _England_, and very much into _Germany_: all which shows the painful industry with G.o.d's blessings to such worthy endeavours: I must with many thanks remember his courtesy to me, and lastly how he sent his man to guide me ten miles on the way to _Stirling_, where by the way I saw the outside of a fair and stately house called _Allaway_, belonging to the Earl of _Mar_ which by reason that his honour was not there, I past by and went to _Stirling_, where I was entertained and lodged at one Master John _Archibalds_, where all my want was that I wanted room to contain half the good cheer that I might have had there! he had me into the castle, which in few words I do compare to _Windsor_ for situation, much more than _Windsor_ in strength, and somewhat less in greatness: yet I dare affirm that his Majesty hath not such another hall to any house that he hath neither in _England_ or _Scotland_, except Westminster Hall which is now no dwelling hall for a prince, being long since metamorphosed into a house for the law and the profits.

This goodly hall was built by King _James_ the fourth, that married King _Henry_ the Eight's sister, and after was slain at _Flodden field_; but it surpa.s.ses all the halls for dwelling houses that ever I saw, for length, breadth, height and strength of building, the castle is built upon a rock very lofty, and much beyond _Edinburgh_ Castle in state and magnificence, and not much inferior to it in strength, the rooms of it are lofty, with carved works on the ceilings, the doors of each room being so high, that a man may ride upright on horseback into any chamber or lodging. There is also a goodly fair chapel, with cellars, stables, and all other necessary offices, all very stately and befitting the majesty of a king.

From _Stirling_ I rode to Saint _Johnstone_,[19] a fine town it is, but it is much decayed, by reason of the want of his Majesty's yearly coming to lodge there. There I lodged one night at an inn, the goodman of the house his name being _Patrick Pitcairne_, where my entertainment was with good cheer, good lodging, all too good to a bad weary guest. Mine host told me that the Earl of _Mar_, and Sir _William Murray_ of _Abercairney_ were gone to the great hunting to the _Brae_ of _Mar_[20]; but if I made haste I might perhaps find them at a town called _Brekin_, or _Brechin_, two and thirty miles from Saint _Johnstone_ whereupon I took a guide to _Brechin_ the next day, but before I came, my lord was gone from thence four days.

Then I took another guide, which brought me such strange ways over mountains and rocks, that I think my horse never went the like; and I am sure I never saw any ways that might fellow them I did go through a country called _Glen Esk_, where pa.s.sing by the side of a hill, so steep as the ridge of a house, where the way was rocky, and not above a yard broad in some places, so fearful and horrid it was to look down into the bottom, for if either horse or man had slipped, he had fallen without recovery a good mile downright; but I thank G.o.d, at night I came to a lodging in the Laird of _Edzell's_ land, where I lay at an Irish house, the folks not being able to speak scarce any English, but I supped and went to bed, where I had not laid long, but I was enforced to rise, I was so stung with Irish musquitoes, a creature that hath six legs, and lives like a monster altogether upon man's flesh, they do inhabit and breed most in s.l.u.ttish houses, and this house was none of the cleanest, the beast is much like a louse in _England_, both in shape and nature; in a word, they were to me the _A._ and the _Z._ the prologue and the epilogue, the first and the last that I had in all my travels from _Edinburgh_; and had not this Highland Irish house helped me at a pinch, I should have sworn that all _Scotland_ had not been so kind as to have bestowed a louse upon me: but with a shift that I had, I shifted off my cannibals, and was never more troubled with them.

The next day I travelled over an exceeding high mountain, called mount _Skene_, where I found the valley very warm before I went up it; but when I came to the top of it, my teeth began to dance in my head with cold, like Virginal's jacks;[21] and withal, a most familiar mist embraced me round, that I could not see thrice my length any way: withal, it yielded so friendly a dew, that did moisten through all my clothes: where the old Proverb of a Scottish mist was verified, in wetting me to the skin. Up and down, I think this hill is six miles, the way so uneven, stony, and full of bogs, quagmires, and long heath, that a dog with three legs will out-run a horse with four; for do what we could, we were four hours before we could pa.s.s it.

Thus with extreme travel, ascending and descending, mounting and alighting, I came at night to the place where I would be, in the Brae of _Mar_, which is a large county, all composed of such mountains, that Shooter's Hill, Gad's Hill, Highgate Hill, Hampstead Hill, Birdlip Hill, or Malvern's Hills, are but mole-hills in comparison, or like a liver, or a gizard under a capon's wing, in respect of the alt.i.tude of their tops, or perpendicularity of their bottoms. There I saw Mount _Ben Aven_, with a furred mist upon his snowy head instead of a night-cap: (for you must understand, that the oldest man alive never saw but the snow was on the top of divers of those hills, both in summer, as well as in winter.) There did I find the truly n.o.ble and Right Honourable Lords _John Erskine_ Earl of Mar, _James Stuart_ Earl of Murray, _George Gordon_ Earl of Enzie, son and heir to the Marquess of Huntly, _James Erskine_ Earl of Buchan, and _John_ Lord _Erskine_, son and heir to the Earl of Mar, and their Countesses, with my much honoured, and my best a.s.sured and approved friend, Sir _William Murray_ Knight, of _Abercairney_, and hundred of others Knights, Esquires, and their followers; all and every man in general in one habit, as if _Lycurgus_ had been there, and made laws of equality: for once in the year, which is the whole month of August, and sometimes part of September, many of the n.o.bility and gentry of the kingdom (for their pleasure) do come into these Highland Countries to hunt, where they do conform themselves to the habit of the Highland men, who for the most part speak nothing but Irish; and in former time were those people which were called the _Red-shanks_.[22] Their habit is shoes with but one sole apiece; stockings (which they call short hose) made of a warm stuff of divers colours, which they call tartan: as for breeches, many of them, nor their forefathers never wore any, but a jerkin of the same stuff that their hose is of, their garters being bands or wreaths of hay or straw, with a plaid about their shoulders, which is a mantle of divers colours, of much finer and lighter stuff than their hose, with blue flat caps on their heads, a handkerchief knit with two knots about their neck; and thus are they attired. Now their weapons are long bows and forked arrows, swords and targets, harquebusses, muskets, dirks, and Lochaber axes. With these arms I found many of them armed for the hunting. As for their attire, any man of what degree soever that comes amongst them, must not disdain to wear it; for if they do, then they will disdain to hunt, or willingly, to bring in their dogs: but if men be kind unto them, and be in their habit; then are they conquered with kindness, and the sport will be plentiful. This was the reason that I found so many n.o.blemen and gentlemen in those shapes. But to proceed to the hunting.

My good Lord of _Mar_ having put me into that shape,[23] I rode with him from his house, where I saw the ruins of an old castle, called the castle of _Kindroghit_ [Castletown]. It was built by King _Malcolm Canmore_ (for a hunting house) who reigned in _Scotland_ when _Edward_ the Confessor, _Harold_, and Norman _William_ reigned in _England_: I speak of it, because it was the last house that I saw in those parts; for I was the s.p.a.ce of twelve days after, before I saw either house, corn field, or habitation for any creature, but deer, wild horses, wolves, and such like creatures, which made me doubt that I should never have seen a house again.[24]

Thus the first day we travelled eight miles, where there small cottages built on purpose to lodge in, which they call Lonchards, I thank my good Lord _Erskine_, he commanded that I should always be lodged in his lodging, the kitchen being always on the side of a bank, many kettles and pots boiling, and many spits turning and winding, with great variety of cheer: as venison baked, sodden, roast, and stewed beef, mutton, goats, kid, hares, fresh salmon, pigeons, hens, capons, chickens, partridge, moor-coots, heath-c.o.c.ks, capercailzies, and termagants [ptarmigans]; good ale, sack, white, and claret, tent, (or Alicante) with most potent _Aquavitae_.

All these, and more than these we had continually, in superfluous abundance, caught by Falconers, Fowlers, Fishers, and brought by my Lord's tenants and purveyors to victual our camp, which consisted of fourteen or fifteen hundred men and horses; the manner of the hunting is this: five or six hundred men do rise early in the morning, and they do disperse themselves divers ways, and seven, eight, or ten miles compa.s.s, they do bring or chase in the deer in many herds, (two, three, or four hundred in a herd) to such or such a place, as the n.o.bleman shall appoint them; then when day is come, the Lords and gentlemen of their companies, do ride or go to the said places, sometimes wading up to their middles through bournes and rivers: and then: they being come to the place, do lie down on the ground, till those foresaid scouts which are called the Tinchel, do bring down the deer: but as the proverb says of a bad cook, so these Tinchel-men do lick their own fingers; for besides their bows and arrows, which they carry with them, we can hear now and then a harquebuss or a musket go off, which they do seldom discharge in vain: Then after we had stayed there three hours or thereabouts, we might perceive the deer appear on the hills round about us, (their heads making a show like a wood) which being followed close by the Tinchel, are chased down into the valley where we lay; then all the valley on each side being waylaid with a hundred couple of strong Irish greyhounds, they are let loose as the occasion serves upon the herd of deer, so that with dogs, guns, arrows, dirks, and daggers, in the s.p.a.ce of two hours, fourscore fat deer were slain, which after are disposed of some one way, and some another, twenty and thirty miles, and more than enough left for us to make merry withal at our rendezvous. I liked the sport so well, that I made these two sonnets following.

Why should I waste invention to indite, _Ovidian_ fictions, or Olympian games?

My misty Muse enlightened with more light, To a more n.o.ble pitch her aim she frames.

I must relate to my great Master JAMES, The Caledonian annual peaceful war; How n.o.ble minds do eternize their fames, By martial meeting in the Brae of _Mar_: How thousand gallant spirits came near and far, With swords and targets, arrows, bows, and guns, That all the troop to men of judgment, are The G.o.d of Wars great never conquered sons, The sport is manly, yet none bleed but beasts, And last the victor on the vanquished feasts.

If sport like this can on the mountains be, Where _Phoebus_ flames can never melt the snow; Then let who list delight in vales below, Sky-kissing mountains pleasure are for me: What braver object can man's eyesight see, Than n.o.ble, worshipful, and worthy wights, As if they were prepared for sundry fights, Yet all in sweet society agree?

Through heather, moss, 'mongst frogs, and bogs, and fogs, 'Mongst craggy cliffs, and thunder-battered hills, Hares, hinds, bucks, roes, are chased by men and dogs, Where two hours hunting fourscore fat deer kills.

Lowland, your sports are low as is your seat, The Highland games and minds, are high and great.

Being come to our lodgings, there was such baking, boiling, roasting, and stewing, as if Cook Ruffian had been there to have scalded the devil in his feathers: and after supper a fire of fir-wood as high as an indifferent May-pole: for I a.s.sure you, that the Earl of _Mar_ will give any man that is his friend, for thanks, as many fir trees (that are as good as any ship's masts in England) as are worth if they were in any place near the Thames, or any other portable river) the best earldom in England or Scotland either: For I dare affirm, he hath as many growing there, as would serve for masts (from this time to the end of the world) for all the ships, caracks, hoys, galleys, boats, drumlers, barks, and water-crafts, that are now, or can be in the world these forty years.

This sounds like a lie to an unbeliever; but I and many thousands do know that I speak within the compa.s.s of truth: for indeed (the more is the pity) they do grow so far from any pa.s.sage of water, and withal in such rocky mountains, that no way to convey them is possible to be pa.s.sable, either with boat, horse, or cart.

Thus having spent certain days in hunting in the Brae of _Mar_, we went to the next county called _Badenoch_, belonging to the Earl of _Enzie_, where having such sport and entertainment as we formerly had; after four or five days pastime, we took leave of hunting for that year; and took our journey toward a strong house of the Earl's, called _Ruthven_ in _Badenoch_, where my Lord of _Enzie_ and his n.o.ble Countess (being daughter to the Earl of _Argyle_) did give us most n.o.ble welcome three days.

From thence we went to a place called _Balloch Castle_,[25] a fair and stately house, a worthy gentleman being the owner of it, called the Laird of _Grant_; his wife being a gentlewoman honourably descended being sister to the right Honourable Earl of _Athol_, and to Sir _Patrick Murray_ Knight; she being both inwardly and outwardly plentifully adorned with the gifts of grace and nature: so that our cheer was more than sufficient; and yet much less than they could afford us. There stayed there four days, four Earls, one Lord, divers Knights and Gentlemen, and their servants, footmen and horses; and every meal four long tables furnished with all varieties: our first and second course being three score dishes at one board; and after that always a banquet: and there if I had not forsworn wine till I came to _Edinburgh_ I think I had there drunk my last.

The fifth day with much ado we gate from thence to _Tarnaway_, a goodly house of the Earl of _Murrays_,[26] where that Right Honourable Lord and his Lady did welcome us four days more. There was good cheer in all variety, with somewhat more than plenty for advantage: for indeed the County of _Murray_ is the most pleasantest and plentiful country in all _Scotland_; being plain land, that a coach may be driven more than four and thirty miles one way in it, alongst by the sea-coast.

From thence I went to _Elgin_ in _Murray_,[27] an ancient City, where there stood a fair and beautiful church with three steeples, the walls of it and the steeples all yet standing; but the roofs, windows, and many marble monuments and tombs of honourable and worthy personages all broken and defaced: this was done in the time when ruin bare rule, and Knox knocked down churches.

From _Elgin_ we went to the Bishop of _Murray_ his house which is called _Spiny_, or _Spinay_: a Reverend Gentleman he is, of the n.o.ble name of _Douglas_, where we were very well welcomed, as befitted the honour of himself and his guests.

From thence we departed to the Lord Marquess of _Huntlys_ to a sumptuous house of his, named the _Bog of Geethe_, where our entertainment was like himself, free, bountiful and honourable. There (after two days stay) with much entreaty and earnest suit, I gate leave of the Lords to depart towards _Edinburgh_: the n.o.ble Marquess, the Earl of _Mar_, _Murray_, _Enzie_, _Buchan_, and the Lord _Erskine_; all these, I thank them, gave me gold to defray my charges in my journey.

So after five and thirty days hunting and travel I returning, past by another stately mansion of the Lord Marquesses, called _Stroboggy_, and so over _Carny_ mount to _Brechin_, where a wench that was born deaf and dumb came into my chamber at midnight (I being asleep) and she opening the bed, would feign have lodged with me: but had I been a _Sardanapalus_, or a _Heliogabulus_, I think that either the great travel over the mountains had tamed me; or if not, her beauty could never have moved me. The best parts of her were, that her breath was as sweet as sugar-candian,[28] being very well shouldered beneath the waste; and as my hostess told me the next morning, that she had changed her maiden-head for the price of a b.a.s.t.a.r.d not long before. But howsoever, she made such a hideous noise, that I started out of my sleep, and thought that the Devil had been there: but I no sooner knew who it was, but I arose, and thrust my dumb beast out of my chamber; and for want of a lock or a latch, I staked up my door with a great chair.

Thus having escaped one of the seven deadly sins as at _Brechin_, I departed from thence to a town called _Forfor_; and from thence to _Dundee_, and so to _Kinghorn_, _Burntisland_, and so to _Edinburgh_, where I stayed eight days, to recover myself of falls and bruises, which I received in my travel in the Highland mountainous hunting. Great welcome I had showed me all my stay at _Edinburgh_, by many worthy gentlemen, namely, old Master _George Todrigg_, Master _Henry Livingston_, Master _James Henderson_, Master _John Maxwell_, and a number of others, who suffered me to want no wine or good cheer, as may be imagined.

Now the day before I came from _Edinburgh_, I went to _Leith_, where I found my long approved and a.s.sured good friend Master _Benjamin Jonson_, at one Master _John Stuarts_ house; I thank him for his great kindness towards me: for at my taking leave of him, he gave me a piece of gold of two and twenty shillings[29] to drink his health in _England_. And withal, willed me to remember his kind commendations to all his friends: So with a friendly farewell, I left him as well, as I hope never to see him in a worse estate: for he is amongst n.o.blemen and gentlemen that know his true worth, and their own honours, where, with much respective love he is worthily entertained.

So leaving _Leith_ I returned to _Edinburgh_, and within the port or gate, called the _Nether-Bow_, I discharged my pockets of all the money I had: and as I came pennyless within the walls of that city at my first coming thither; so now at my departing from thence, I came moneyless out of it again; having in company to convey me out, certain gentlemen, amongst the which Master _James Acherson_, Laird of _Gasford_, a gentleman that brought me to his house, where with great entertainment he and his good wife did welcome me.

On the morrow he sent one of his men to bring me to a place called _Adam_, to Master _John Acmootye_ his house, one of the Grooms of his Majesty's Bed-chamber; where with him and his two brethren, Master _Alexander_, and Master _James Acmootye_, I found both cheer and welcome, not inferior to any that I had had in any former place.

Amongst our viands that we had there, I must not forget the Sole and Goose (_sic_), a most delicate fowl, which breeds in great abundance in a little rock called the _Ba.s.s_, which stands two miles into the sea. It is very good flesh, but it is eaten in the form as we eat oysters, standing at a side-board, a little before dinner, unsanctified without grace; and after it is eaten, it must be well liquored with two or three good rouses[30] of sherry or canary sack. The Lord or owner of the _Ba.s.s_ doth profit at the least two hundred pound yearly by those geese; the _Ba.s.s_ itself being of a great height, and near three quarters of a mile in compa.s.s, all fully replenished with wild fowl, having but one small entrance into it, with a house, a garden, and a chapel in it; and on the top of it a well of pure fresh water.

From _Adam_, Master _John_ and Master _James Acmootye_ went to the town of _Dunbar_ with me, where ten Scottish pints of wine were consumed, and brought to nothing for a farewell: there at Master _James Baylies_ house I took leave, and Master _James Acmootye_ coming for _England_, said, that if I would ride with, that neither I nor my horse should want betwixt that place and _London_. Now I having no money nor means for travel, began at once to examine my manners and my want: at last my want persuaded my manners to accept of this worthy gentleman's undeserved courtesy. So that night he brought me to a place called _c.o.c.kburnspath_, where we lodged at an inn, the like of which I dare say, is not in any of his Majesty's Dominions. And for to show my thankfulness to Master _William Arnot_ and his wife, the owners thereof, I must explain their bountiful entertainment of guests, which is this:

Suppose ten, fifteen, or twenty men and horses come to lodge at their house, the men shall have flesh, tame and wild fowl, fish with all variety of good cheer, good lodging, and welcome; and the horses shall want neither hay or provender: and at the morning at their departure the reckoning is just nothing. This is this worthy gentlemen's use, his chief delight being only to give strangers entertainment _gratis_: and I am sure, that in _Scotland_ beyond _Edinburgh_, I have been at houses like castles for building; the master of the house his beaver being his blue bonnet, one that will wear no other shirts, but of the flax that grows on his own ground, and of his wife's, daughters', or servants'

spinning; that hath his stockings, hose, and jerkin of the wool of his own sheep's backs; that never (by his pride of apparel) caused mercer, draper, silk-man, embroiderer, or haberdasher to break and turn bankrupt: and yet this plain home-spun fellow keeps and maintains thirty, forty, fifty servants, or perhaps, more, every day relieving three or fourscore poor people at his gate; and besides all this, can give n.o.ble entertainment for four or five days together to five or six earls and lords, besides knights, gentlemen and their followers, if they be three or four hundred men, and horse of them, where they shall not only feed but feast, and not feast but banquet, this is a man that desires to know nothing so much, as his duty to G.o.d and his King, whose greatest cares are to practise the works of piety, charity, and hospitality: he never studies the consuming art of fashionless fashions, he never tries his strength to bear four or five hundred acres on his back at once, his legs are always at liberty, not being fettered with golden garters, and manacled with artificial roses, whose weight (sometime) is the last reliques of some decayed Lordship: Many of these worthy housekeepers there are in _Scotland_, amongst some of them I was entertained; from whence I did truly gather these aforesaid observations.

So leaving _c.o.c.kburnspath_, we rode to _Berwick_, where the worthy old Soldier and ancient Knight, Sir _William Bowyer_, made me welcome, but contrary to his will, we lodged at an Inn, where Master _James Acmootye_ paid all charges: but at _Berwick_ there was a grievous chance happened, which I think not fit the relation to be omitted.

In the river of _Tweed_, which runs by _Berwick_, are taken by fishermen that dwell there, infinite numbers of fresh salmons, so that many households and families are relieved by the profit of that fishing; but (how long since I know not) there was an order that no man or boy whatsoever should fish upon a Sunday: this order continued long amongst them, till some eight or nine weeks before Michaelmas last, on a Sunday, the salmons played in such great abundance in the river, that some of the fishermen (contrary to G.o.d's law and their own order) took boats and nets and fished, and caught near three hundred salmons; but from that time until Michaelmas day that I was there, which was nine weeks, and heard the report of it, and saw the poor people's miserable lamentations, they had not seen one salmon in the river; and some of them were in despair that they should never see any more there; affirming it to be G.o.d's judgment upon them for the profanation of the Sabbath.

The thirtieth of September we rode from _Berwick_ to _Belford_ from _Belford_ to _Alnwick_, the next day from _Alnwick_ to _Newcastle_, where I found the n.o.ble Knight, Sir _Henry Witherington_; who, because I would have no gold nor silver, gave me a bay mare, in requital of a loaf of bread that I had given him two and twenty years before, at the Island of _Flores_, of the which I have spoken before. I overtook at _Newcastle_ a great many of my worthy friends, which were all coming for _London_, namely, Master _Robert Hay_, and Master _David Drummond_, where I was welcomed at Master _Nicholas Tempests_ house. From _Newcastle_ I rode with those gentlemen to _Durham_, to _Darlington_, to _Northallerton_, and to _Topcliffe_ in _Yorkshire_, where I took my leave of them, and would needs try my pennyless fortunes by myself, and see the city of _York_, where I was lodged at my right worshipful good friend, Master Doctor _Hudson_ one of his Majesty's chaplains, who went with me, and shewed me the goodly Minster Church there, and the most admirable, rare-wrought, unfellowed[31] chapter house.

From _York_ I rode to _Doncaster_, where my horses were well fed at the Bear, but myself found out the honorable Knight, Sir _Robert Anstruther_ at his father-in-law's, the truly n.o.ble Sir _Robert Swifts_ house, he being then High Sheriff of _Yorkshire_, where with their good Ladies, and the right Honourable the Lord _Sanquhar_, I was stayed two nights and one day, Sir _Robert Anstruther_ (I thank him) not only paying for my two horses' meat, but at my departure, he gave me a letter to _Newark_ upon _Trent_, twenty eight miles in my way, where Master _George Atkinson_ mine host made me as welcome, as if I had been a French Lord, and what was to be paid, as I called for nothing, I paid as much; and left the reckoning with many thanks to Sir _Robert Anstruther_.

So leaving _Newark_, with another gentleman that overtook me, we came at night to _Stamford_, to the sign of the Virginity (or the Maidenhead) where I delivered a letter from the Lord _Sanquhar_; which caused Master _Bates_ and his wife, being the master and mistress of the house, to make me and the gentleman that was with me great cheer for nothing.

From _Stamford_ the next day we rode to _Huntington_, where we lodged at the Postmaster's house, at the sign of the Crown; his name is _Riggs_.

He was informed who I was, and wherefore I undertook this my pennyless progress: wherefore he came up to our chamber, and supped with us, and very bountifully called for three quarts of wine and sugar, and four jugs of beer. He did drink and begin healths like a horse-leech and swallowed down his cups without feeling, as if he had had the dropsy, or nine pound of sponge in his maw. In a word, as he is a post, he drank post, striving and calling by all means to make the reckoning great, or to make us men of great reckoning. But in his payment he was tired like a jade, leaving the gentleman that was with me to discharge the terrible shot, or else one of my horses must have lain in p.a.w.n for his superfluous calling, and unmannerly intrusion.

But leaving him, I left _Huntington_, and rode on the Sunday to _Puckeridge_, where Master _Holland_ at the Falcon, (mine old acquaintance) and my loving and ancient host gave me, my friend, my man, and our horses excellent cheer, and welcome, and I paid him with, not a penny of money.

The next day I came to _London_, and obscurely coming within Moorgate, I went to a house and borrowed money: and so I stole back again to _Islington_, to the sign of the Maidenhead,[32] staying till Wednesday, that my friends came to meet me, who knew no other, but that Wednesday was my first coming; where with all love I was entertained with much good cheer: and after supper we had a play of the Life and Death of _Guy of Warwick_,[33] played by the Right Honourable the Earl of _Derby_ his men. And so on the Thursday morning being the fifteenth of October, I came home to my house in _London_.

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