Holinshed Chronicles: England, Scotland, and Ireland. Volume 1, CompleteHolinshed, Raphael
History
Holinshed Chronicles: England, Scotland, and Ireland. Volume 1, Complete
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
Eight miles beyond this lieth the Helscher, appertinent to the nuns of
Iona: then haue we the Hasker, verie plentifullie benefited by seales,
which are there taken in time of the yéere. Thrée score miles from
this also is the Hirth, whose inhabitants are rude in all good science
and religion; yet is the Iland verie fruitfull in all things, and
bringeth foorth shéepe farre greater than are else-where to be found,
for they are as big as our fallow deare, horned like bugles, and haue
their tailes hanging to the ground. He that is owner of this Ile,
sendeth ouer his bailiffe into the same at midsummer, to gather in his
duties, and with him a préest to saie masse, and to baptise all the
children borne since that time of the yéere precedent: or if none will
go ouer with him (bicause the voiage is dangerous) then doth each
[Sidenote: Baptisme without preests.]
father take paine to baptise his owne at home. Their rents are paid
commonlie in dried seales and sea foule. All the whole Ile is not
aboue a mile euerie waie; and except thrée mounteines that lie vpon
one part of the shore, such as dwell in the other Iles can see no part
thereof.
Being past the Visse, we came after to Walaie, the Soa, the Strome, to
Pabaie, to Barner, Ensaie, Killiger, the two Sagas, the Hermodraie,
Scarfe, Grie, Ling, Gilling, Heie, Hoie, Farlaie, great So, little So,
Ise, Sein the more, Sein the lesse, Tarant, Slegan, Tuom, Scarpe,
Hareie, and the seauen holie Ilands, which are desert and bréed
[Sidenote: Wild sheepe.]
nothing but a kind of wild shéepe, which are often hunted, but seldome
or neuer eaten. For in stéed of flesh they haue nothing but tallow;
and if anie flesh be, it is so vnsauorie, that few men care to eate of
it, except great hunger compell them. I suppose, that these be the
wild sheepe which will not be tamed; and bicause of the horrible
[Sidenote: Tigers.]
grenning thereof, is taken for the bastard tiger. Their haire is
betweene the wooll of a sheepe, and the haire of a goat, resembling
both, shacked, and yet absolutelie like vnto neither of both: it maie
be also the same beast which Capitolinus calleth Ouis fera, shewed in
the time of Gordian the emperour; albeit that some take the same for
the Camelopardalis: but hereof I make no warrantise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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