Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Historie of Scotland > Volume 1, 1888

THE HISTORIE OF SCOTLAND.
35
sawe, in a schorte tyme, as quheit into beir allutterlie it
degeniris.
Last of al, frame the * diode of Perth evin to the grete
Sey quhatevir land is betueine thir twa mane Andes Forth
5 southward, and Tai northward, Fife is called: Nathir is
this schire sa ample as be the beniAte of nature, and
Industrie of the peple, it is weil manured and laboured
with diligence. For it round about hes hauinis com¬
modious anuich; f quhair, quhe/z thay ar bigit, with a
to certane and gret schawe of magniAcence, of sum gret
toune, mony thay delyte. Of thir sorte cheiAie ar thir.
Orel, Pittinweme, Kirkaldie, Diserte, Kingorne, Dun-
fermling, Culrosse. The ground heir ouir al maist fer-
tle, athir in quheit, or ony vthir kynde of corne, or maist
15 co;menient for the feiding of Cattel lykwyse and of scheip :
This schire, anew of stane coles to burne in the fyre, and
abundantlie it Andes no1 to the selfe only, bot lykwyse to
all beyond Tai, in quhilkes cuntreys, excepte in only
Suthirland, and that only in our age, thir coles ar nocht
20 to be funde. Heir throuch the beniAte of thir coles is
maid mekle quhyt salte, as on the bray forane;zt vpozz
Laudian syde, is maid of salte water : Bot in vthir places,
for the penuritie of wodis, out of the 3eard we cutt, peates
and turfes, quhilkes, quhen we haue cuttit, we dry at the
25 sone, and j of this is aestemet lyght fyr, and evin sa, hail-
sum ; throuch the hail Realme. Bot this land, evin as al
that it cozzteines, we meruel nocht a litle off. Abr it will
be sax, sevin, or viii. cubites hich of fat mossie ground as
glew, bot maist barren, beiring nathing bot ane pure and
Fife.
The tounes
in Fife.
stane coles
to the fire.
quhyte salte.
Fire of peitis
of the earth
and turfes
dryet at the
sone.
* L. “ Ditione”—the territory.
+ L. “ Ad quos cum magni quidem vici summa quadam magnifi-
centias extruantur, plurimum delectant”—at these ports large streets
(towns) are built, with the appearance of great magnificence, and
are very delightful to behold.
J L. “ Unde et ignis lucidus et saluber toto fere regno habetur”
—whence a bright and healthy fire is obtained in nearly all the
kingdom.