Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of BritaineHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of Britaine
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
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
[Sidenote: The Ile of Shrewes.]
doo laie within the same. Then is there the 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
[Sidenote: Mosse Ile.]
Kerneburgs, and the 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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