Map images

Pont maps   |   Pont texts   |   biographies   |   history   |   subjects   |   further reading

Pont Maps of Scotland, ca. 1583-1614 - Pont texts

Anent the lengtht of Scotland; Cowell

Pagination: 82v-83r

Notes:

The marginal note from "The lenth of Cowel..." to "...being 12 myles" also appears on Pont 12 front.

Transcription of text:

Anent the length of Scotland
Dungisbie head in Catnes, the most nordern poynt in Scotland, differeth from Invernes. upon a lyne of just south and north - 63 myles but ther is much more grownd betuix them to go the hie way.
Dungisbee head and Elgyn differ in a right lyne of north and south be-55 myles.
Peeterhead lyeth be south Elgyne upon a straight lyne - 10 myle
Abirdeen lyeth be south Peeterhead upon a straight lyne of north and south - 18 myles.
Dundee lyeth be South Abirdene upon a straicht lyne of north and south - 32 myles.
Edinburg lyeth be south Dundee upon a straicht lyne conforme to the former cownt - 25 myles
South Barwick at tweed mouth do ly upon a straicht lyne more south than Edinburgh - 20 myles.
The latitude of Barwick according to Cambden and the English mens account is - 55 Gr. 48 M

[all thir I have wytten ovir in another paper more accuratlie]

The length of Scotland upon the East coast from Dungisbie head to Barwick upon a straight lyne of north and south is 160 myles. but upon the west syd it is much more to Sulway firth and Eskmouth for theis ly upon south westward from Barwick
Latitude of Dungisbie head according to Mr Timothie Ponts his setting down is 58 Gr. 32 M.
the nordermost poynt of all the Orkney Yles according to him is 59 Gr 24 M.
The soudermost poynt of Schetland be him also is 60 Gr. 3 M.
The nordermost poynt of Shetland be him is 61 Gr 6 m.
Be his reconing ther runn of Scottish myles - 51 to a degree of latitude and 10 Scottish myles answer to 12 English myles.

Edinburgh is set be him in his mappe of Lothian under 55 Gr 46 m. According to his reconing in that mappe - 15 Scottish myles do answer to 20 minuts of Latitude so that therby 45 of our myles do mak a degree, but it is falss, for be his cownt Dungsbie head sould fal to be 58 Gr. 51 m. which yit in his mappe of Orkney he maketh to be onlie 58 Gr. 32 so that the difference is 19 m.

So far as I have tryed be cownt or experience I do find a common myle of our cowntrey to hold of ellns sixteen hundreth, sumtyms they ar longer, sumtyms they ar shorter, and very rudelie ar they cownted but I do hold this may be a just proportion to stand for all, being measured in a right lyne.

Now comparing the latitude of placis in our cowntrey, be sum few observations of utheris, I do find a sensible difference among them, and Mr Timothie in his mappes of Lothian and Orkney doth not agrie with himself, wherfor casting all that asyd, in Latitude I have followed Cambden and the English as most accurat, who place Berwick under 55 Gr. 48 M and I do find that 50 of our myles agreeth best of all to 60 Italian miles or a degree, wherupon I have followed out all the latituds of Scotland.

Cowell

Cowell in Argyll lyeth on the north syd of Loch-loing and upon the southwest syd of Loch-fyne. therein is a toun called Dun-oyne whair ther is ane old castell, sumtyms the residence of sum of the old kings to it do perteyn sum castell lands, as to the richt of his majesties howsis of that nature, the Assemblie of the kirk for the dioces not long since used to be keaped thair, but in older tymes the place of meeting wes at Kil-moune upon the northeast syd of Loch-scant in english the holy logh, plentie of hering ar taken therin.

[Mr Timothy. The lenth of Cowel is 30 myles, betuix the poynt of Towart, and a Craig in a hill upon the head of Glen-Fynn called Clachan-in-Foycach. Item the broad of Cowel is betuix Loch lung and Loch fyn being 12 myles.]

Thair is also another loch upon the east syd of Kilmoune called Loch Goill whair is abowndance of herring also. ther runns in Loch-Scant a river named Eaghie the draught of lands throwgh whiche the river runneth is cald Strath-Eaghie, it lyeth to the south west from Loch-fyne and betuix thois two sea lochs, ther is a freche water Loch called Loch-haick, rough and uneven grownd about it yet usefull for pasture. Hard by is another valley cald Strath-gurr betuix thois two Straths lyeth that freche water cald Loch-haick. The one end of thir loch lyeth southward towards the head of Loch-scant, the uthir end therof looketh almost nordwest to Loch-fyne. In this Strath-gurr ther is a litle glen on the northeast syd therof, with a small river runnng to the sea throch the same. There is one churche in Strath-gurr, not far from the ferry of Loch-fyne called Kil-maglais. It is 15 myles fra Dun-oyne and the said ferry of Lochfyn and it is thrie myles betuix the ferry of port Chregan on the north syd of Loch-fyne and Innerrara, the principall dwelling of the Earls of Argyll, thir town is commodiously situat, lying upon the sea, and at the mouth of the river of Reray, which falleth in Loch-fyne, which loch lyeth eastward of Innerraray. At the head of the said loch is a church called Kilmoirch. The river of Fyne runneth throch a glen called Glen-fyne. Upon the southsyd of Lochfyne is the castell of Ardginglais perteyning to Mack-ean-Riogh of the surname of Campbell. Upon the east syd of thir castell is a prettie river called Ginglais, falling down throch a glen cald Glen-ginglasse. Betuix Kean-loch-goil and Ard-ginglas ar sum five miles of grownd. Loch-Goil is a salt water loch and therin ar plentie of herring. At the head therof a glen cald Glengoilin and a river going throche the same called Goilline. Ther be also dyvers uthirs smal glennis at the east or southeast and west or north syds of this glen and a churche at the southeast syd of Loch-fyne not far from this Glengoilin called Kil-Catherin.

Thee is one Glene on the northsyd of Lochfyne called Glen-syro, the river that runneth throch it called Syro, or Phyray rather, is impetuous and falling throch rogh grownd, runneth suyftly wherby be the ovirflowings therof it oftymes much endammageth the nearest low cornlands and specially Kilblaen, specially on the south syd of the river   
Continued.