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 noble Countess (being daughter to the Earl of _Argyle_) did give us most noble 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 noble 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 Noble 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.