which we have not room to infift upon. The Dutch, Hamburghers, &c. come hither to fish in June, and go away again in August or September; and fometimes there are two thousand Buffes fifhing in Brassa's Sound at once. The most remarkable of the other Islands here, are Zeal, commonly called Yell, eighteen Miles long, and nine broad; it has three Churches, and feveral Chapels. Farther North lies Vuift, much of the fame Dimenfions, plain, pleafant to the Eye, fruitful, and well inhabited. Tronda lies over against Scalloway, is three Miles long, and two broad. A little North-eaft lies Walfey, three Miles long, and as many broad. On the Eaft of Braffa's Sound lies Great Rule, eight Miles long, and two broad: it has a good Harbour. Six Leagues Weft from the main Land lies Foula, three Miles in length. More to the eaft lies Brassa, five Miles long, and two broad: it has fome arable Ground, and two Churches. Burray is three Miles long, has good Pafturage, abounds with Fish on the Coast, and has a Church in it. No Mice will live here, and, 'tis faid, they forfake the Place, wherever the Earth of it is brought. Vuit is eight Miles long, is the pleafantest of the Shetland Ifles, has three Churches, and as many Harbours. The Inhabitants fay, no Cats will live in it. Shetland is divided into twelve Parishes, but there are many more Churches and Chapels in it. This Country, like Orkney, has no Wood in it; but they have fome Fish and Fowl peculiar to themselves. The Inhabitants are very bold in venturing to Sea at all Seasons for Fish, and in climbing the Rocks for Fowl. It has been debated among the Learned, whether these Islands, the Orcades, or the North-east Coast of Scotland, was the Thule of the Antients; but we have not room to give an Account of the Arguments for the feveral Hypotheses, nor to confider which of them are most conclufive. The chief Families in Orkney and Shetland are the Bruces, Sinclairs, Mouats, Nivets, Chyneys, Stewarts, Grahams, Moodies, Dowglaffes, Honeymans, Trails, Bakies, Southerlands, Craigies, Youngs, Buchanans, &c. but the most antient, and, I may fay, original, are the Fletts, Hackrews, Richens, Feas, Skolas, Grottes, &c.

I have often wondered how the Publisher of Pitt's English Atlas could have been fo far mistaken, as to describe Shetland among the Danish Dominions; and affirm, that the Manners of the Inhabitants, Quality of the Air, and Soil are the fame as in Iceland; though, I think, they may be pardoned for the Dif fertation about its being the Thule, fince many learned Men have split upon that Rock, till Sir Robert Sibbald brought it almost to a Demonftration, that the North-eastern Parts of Scotland was what the Antients called fo.

In the Mouth of the River Forth there lie feveral Islands, the most confiderable of which is the May: it was formerly dedicated to St. Adrian, who was martyred there by the Dane, and afterwards

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afterwards a Religious Place was built in memory of him. The Monks gave out, that barren Women, who came there annually to worship at St. Adrian's Shrine, would thereby be cured of their Barrennefs; and it was frequented upon that Account by Women in the Popish Times. But whether St. Adrian, or the Monks, had the most Influence in curing their Barrenness, the Readers may judge. Yet that fond, filly Perfuafion obtained fo much Credit, that Wood of Largo, who was a noted Sea Captain, had a Charter of several Lands from King James IV. to be in readiness upon call to attend His Majefty and the Queen while they vifited St. Adrian. This Ifland is a Mile long from North to South, and about a Quarter of a Mile broad: it lies feven Miles from the Coast of Fife, has a fresh Water Spring, and a small Lake: there grows no Corn here, but in the Summer Time it affords Pafturage for an hundred Sheep, and twenty black Cattle. The Weft Side is inacceffible, because of high Rocks; but the East Side is plain, and has four Places where Boats may arrive, one of them a very fafe Harbour for Ships during a ftrong Weft Wind. Fish of all Sorts are numerous on the Coalt of this Ifland, and it abounds with Fowl, particularly those called Skarts, Dunters, Gulls, Scouts, and Kittawaax; the latter is about the Size of a Dove, and in July is prefer'd to a Partridge: the Scouts are fomewhat lefs than a Duck, but their Eggs are larger than thofe of a Goofe, and being boiled hard, eat very well with Vinegar and Parfley. This Ifland formerly belonged to the Priory of Pittenweem, but was granted in Fee by King Charles I. to Cunningham of Barns, with Liberty to build a Light-house there for the Benefit of Ships; for the Maintenance of which they were to allow Two Pence per Tun. A Tower of forty Foot high is built there for that End, with a Fire every Night; and the first Builder was caft away, as returning from Power of thence to his Houfe in Fife, by a Tempeft, which fome Witches, afterwards executed, owned they raised by the Help of the Devil. The Baf lies next, but we have given an Account of it already in the Defcription of Lothian. Higher up in the Forth lies Inchkeith, betwixt Fife and Lothian, a Mile and a half long, and about half a Mile broad; the Soil is fat, and produces good Grafs, and abundance of phyfical Herbs: it has four fresh Water Springs, and as many Harbours, one towards each Quarter: it rifes in the middle, and has a strong Stone Fort raised upon it by Queen Mary. There is a Stone Quarry here, which fends forth a fulphurous Smell when any Pieces are broke off, but very fit for Building. There are great Shoals of Fih round the Coafts of this Island, and abundance of Oyfters during the Winter. This Ifland had its Name from the noble Family of Keith, whofe Founder had this Ifland, with the Barony of Keithmareschal in Lothian, and the Hereditary Dignity of Earl Mare

Witches.

fchal of Scotland confer'd upon him by King Malcolm II. in the Year 1010. for his Gallantry in the Battle against the Danes at Bar in Angus; it came afterwards to the Crown, and was given by King Robert II. to John Lord Lyon of Glames, the Chief of that Family, with the Barony of Kinghorn, upon his marrying that Prince's Daughter. It is fince come into other Hands. It is obferved, that Horfes grow fat here in a little Time. Higher up, within two Miles of Aberdour, lies an Ifland, called St. Colm's Inch, as being dedicated to St. Columba: it had formerly a famous Abbey, with large Endowments, but it is now ruined; and upon the Alienation of Abbey Lands, was given to the Lord Downe, a Branch of the Family of Stewart. Higher up lies Inchgarvy, between two Promontories, near the Queen's Ferry; it was alfo fortified, and the Guns of the Forts could reach the Shore on both Sides, fo that no Ships could fafely pals it without Leave.

CHA P. XIII.

Of the Civil Government of Scotland.

T

HE Government of Scotland in fome Refpects, as that of England, was by the King and Parliament; but there were many great and notable Differences between the two Conftitutions, which I fhall take notice of in a proper Place. The Scots Monarchy is justly reckon'd the oldest of the known World, his prefent Majefty being the 115th Sovereign, according to the following Catalogue: but Lefly, and others, do not reckon Edward Baliol.

69 Kennethus II. qui fubegit 112 Guilielmus & Maria, P. &

If there be other Nations, who pretend to as numerous and as antient a Catalogue, there is none, who can pretend to such a Catalogue all of one Race, and who poffeffed the Sovereignty of a Nation fo many Years without being conquered. The Original of the Scots Monarchy is by Buchanan, Lefley, and other Hiftorians, afcribed to the Choice of the Chieftains, or Heads of Tribes, who governed the People in an ariftocratical Manner, after their first Arrival in Albion; till being attack'd by the Pias and Britons, and none of thofe Chieftains being willing to fubmit to any of their own Number, they fent to Ireland for Fergus, Son to King Ferquhard, to come to their Affiftance with Troops; upon which they owned and acknowledged him King, and the Crown has continued in his Pofterity ever fince, It appears however by Hiflory, that thofe Heads of Tribes, and afterwards the Chieftains, or great Men, always had a very great Power in their own Hands; and that they allowed not the King to do any Thing of Moment without their Confent, though all paffed in his Name, as being at the Head of the Administration in Peace and War. From Fergus I. till Kenneth III. they difpofed of the Succeffion to the fittest of the Line, without regard to a direct Descent from Father to Son, if the Son was under age; but fince that Time it has been for the most part directly Hereditary, till Baliol's Time, when he and his Pofterity were dif owned, for betraying the Sovereignty of the Nation to the English: upon which the Sovereignty was recovered by Robert Bruce, the next of the Line, and from him his prefent Majesty is lineally defcended. The Prerogative before the Union of the Crowns was much more limited than it has been fince, as appears by History, and by fome old Acts of Parliament; from which it feems evident, that their Confent was necessary for Peace and War, for Guards and Garrisons, for Embassies to foreign Princes about the Marriage of our Princes, Trade, War, &c. for appointing Judges, Officers of State, and Privy Counfellors; for annexing and alienating the Revenues of the Crown, and for fettling the Succeffion, in cafe of its being controverted. The Curious may find Vouchers for this in a Book intituled, An Hiftorical Account of the antient Rights and Power of the Parliament of Scotland, printed in the Year 1703. where the Hiftories and Acts of Parliament, which prove it, are quoted at large.- Thus far our Author.

But fuch as have farther, and more impartially confidered these Matters, give a very different Account; and make a Distinction between what was done in troublesome and rebellious Times, efpecially during the Minority of the Prince, and what was his real Right and Prerogative, acknowledged and practifed in Times more peaceable and fettled. When the antient Scots Colonies fent to Ireland for Relief from King Ferquhard, he fent a confi

derable