Strict in the records of eternall fame,
For sight, for gaine, for birth, for noble name.
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.