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

Badenoch

Pagination: 137v-138r

Transcription of text:

Six or seaven myle above Garvie ocre in the wildernes betuix Lochabyr and Badenoch is Loch Spey, out of which that great river falleth, it is smal not a myl of lenth, the place about thelLoch is called Kory-chertill. it is esteemed to be four myle therfra to the first town in Lochabyr called Lacroy upon the river Roy in Glen-Roy.

This river of Spey is accownted the longest river in Scotland, for following the draught therof, not accownting smal crooks and windings, it wilbe no les then thriescoir myles long. in its cours it is swyft above them all, running throw hills and cuming from a hie cowntrey. it is most myld and calme in the course as it runneth through Badenoch, afterward lower down a great deal more furious, yea at the entrie into the sea it abateth nothing of the wonted swiftnes and suffreth the sea within it be tyds verie litle not above a myle. it is exceeding clear water, so that a man looking into it wold judge it shallow in many places and foordable, but it is far uthirwayis, and a great deal more deepe then it doth show. it hath manie rivers and great burns fall in it. Al viry clear streamis but Avin river, which cumeth out of Strathavin on the south-syd, above them all, yea more clear and pure then anie river in Scotland whatsoever. this swiftnes and furious cours of Spay suffreth no mills, dams, cruvis years upon it, wherby great plentie of salmond ar therin far beyonnd anie river in the kingdome, even from the springs to the fall therof, the greatest plentie wherof ar fished at the mouth be thrie cobils onlie, wherof every one hath a number of men to attend the service of them, far by the use of uthir rivers becaus of the great strenth of the streame and all thir great and gaynefull fishing is done in less space of the river than a quarter myl or litle more. This fishing perteyned to the Abay of Pluscardine, whiche lyeth sum four myles from Elgyne in Murray south west therfra and as is reported upon thir occasion. one of the old Kings travayling that way was lodged in that Abay, whair his fair wes very sobre altho the monks could have done better, the pryour a subtle greedie man had so devysed. The King enquired the reason, the pryour excused all upon the povertie of the hous, whiche being easelie believed, the King myndfull help that, asked what they desyred perteyning to him to help them the pryour desyred no more but the fishing of a ridge length in Spay, which wes easie grawnted wherby they became maisters of that riche fishing as their neighbors Killos wer of the fishing of Findorne besyd Forres, and indeed there are no rivers whatsumever, from Dornorth to Strathnaverne, yea farr beyownd, may compair in plentie of fishing with thois two rivers of Spay and Findorne.

A myle be east Laggan on the south syd of Spay is Crechie Beg, hard by is Crechie-moir with a burne betuix them. Tua myl thence is Shyro beg, and hard by Shyro moir. Betuix the twa Creechies runneth in the water of Glen-Aermy. A myl from Shyro moir is Katelaig, a myl from that is Gaskin- Lhoyne. ( After it ar thrie towns forgotten).

[the names of thir thrie towns ar Catelaig, Brecachie, Coryaltie, and the fourt is Messin-Tullich which last is ovir aganis Owy.]

Ther be thrie myles from Gaskin-Lhoyne to the mouth of Avon Truym, falling from Glen-Truyme five myle long and cuming out of Loch Eirag.

More sum burns and waters cum out of Carne-Derg (or Rid-carne), a mightie mowntayne riche in Deer and Bin-Aillhoyr, these ar the twa principal hunting places in Badenoch, betuix the Rannach and Badenoch and betuix Bra-Vadenoch and Lochabyr. Loch Eirak is but 4 myl long, and two of breadth and is upon avon Truym. 2 myle from Loch Eirak on west syd therof is press-Muccara upon the east syd of Truym, half a myl thence is Tallunnoch, therfra a myl on the west syd is Krowbin moir, a quarter therfra Krowbin beg, a quarter fra that upon the east syd is Etteresh, a myl furdir down upon the east syd at the mouth of Truyme is Innerhavon. South from Spay a myle is Fayenes with Alt-Fayeness. 2 myle therfra Naid-moir upon Spay with a litle burne, a quarter thence Naid Beg. fra that it is half a myle to Ruven castell, the onlie and principall dwelling of the lord of the cowntrey, weell seated up-on a green bank, about a bowshot from the river.

A myle be east the Castall of Ruffen is the glen called Glen-Trummie 4 myl long cuming out of Loch-na-Schele-Chirnich towards Athole, a loch of twa myle long, 1 myl broad. twa myl up upon the east syd of Trummy is Kayllie-Whundenie. At the west syd of the mouth of Trummy, a myle fra Ruffen is Inner-Trummie, ovir aganis it upon the other syd of Trummy is Inner Dale, half a myl beneth that upon Spay is Inner- Owlash, a myl therfra is Farlety upon the west of Loch-Inche. then is Loch Inche. a myle from Farletie is Balenespick, a myl from it is Inner-Ishie, upon the west syd of Fishie river at the mouth therof. Item upon a half yland in Loch-Inche is Tome-inche, a seat and kirk, a quarter myl be west Inner-Ishie. Tua myl above Inner-Ishie up the said River of Fishie upon the west syd therof is Contelait, 1 myl upp on the same syd of that river is Cory-Arnisdail beg, 2 myle thence Cory-arnisdaill moir. Aught myle above that on the mowntayns of Scairsoch wher out of floweth the hiest branche of Fishie, no dwellings above Cory-arnisdail moir. A myle from Coryarnisdail moir upon the east syd of Fishie is Innermarky, with alt- Marky cuming out of Glen Marky, half a myle thence Croft Innermarky, a quarter myl from Innermarky entereth in Alt-Roy falling out of a uglie corie cald Cory-Roy, with a mightie steep craggie hill cald Craig- Megevie, with manie deer above and fair firr wood below. 2 myl thence fornent Inner-ishie is Dalnavert, a myl thence hard upon Spay is Kinrara- na-Caille with good firr wood.

All the Strath of Badenoch is not ovir a myle of breadth untill the hills beginne. It is a most rich and fertil valey in cornis and riche medow pasturis, with manie pleasant and commodious situations. the cornis ar abowndant and soon rypened wherby they never lack plentie, and furnish all the neighbour cowntreys (wherof many ar scars of cornis altho plentifull in pasturis) abowndantlie every year, they have stoar of cattell, and riche pasturis among the hills and glennis. they have abowndance of freshe water fishe specially salmon and no lack of wood, so that they lack litle whiche ane inland cowntrey can require. Altho they be of all the provinces of Scotland furthest of from seas, and seated as it wer in a verie hie cowntrey, no other cowntrey be dwellings or corneland being neer them except Strath-Spey, whiche lyeth beneth them alongst the river.

Nixt Kinrara is Rothymurcus. Half a myle southeast from Kinrara is Loch-na-gawin a myle long with firrwoods about it. a myl be east this loch is Rothymurcus loch a myl long with a burne joyning the said twa Lochs, in this last loch is a tour in ane inch. A myl from Kinrara hard upon Spey is Kean-na-pool. heir is a great hie hill called Torbain just ovir aganis Craig-Alvie, which is on the northsyd, and betuix Rothymurkus and Spey. Half a myl be east Kean-na-pool is Balemore, with the kirk of Rothymurkus, upon the west syd of Avon Rothymurcus as it falleth in Spey. A myle above Balemore is Tullich-row upon the east of Loch Rothymurcus with great and large firr woods. Item avon Trowy entereth in Avon Rothymurcus a myl befor it fall in Spay . This avon Trowy hath a glen on the west of it call Glen-Ennich, with Loch Ennich thrie myl long cuming out of Cory-Ennich. Item upon the southeast of Trowy is a burn cuming out of Loch-Moirlich, a myl long in glen-moir, it is twa myl befor Ennich fal in Trowy from the head therof and 2 myl befor Moirlich entereth in Trowy from the head therof also.

Half a myl from Tulloch-Row upon the west is Innertrowy. Upon the east syd of Trowy hard by the former is Inner-dale.

Item upon the east beneth Loch Moirlich twa myle is Balerongan, half a myl therfra Gewsalich, it is a myle above Dale.