It is true, that
the annals and documents in my hands say but little of this Highland
chase; but then I can find copious materials for description elsewhere.
There is old Lindsay of Pitscottie ready at my elbow, with his Athole
hunting, and his 'lofted and joisted palace of green timber; with all
kind of drink to be had in burgh and land, as ale, beer, wine, muscadel,
malvaise, hippocras, and aquavitae; with wheat-bread, main-bread,
ginge-bread, beef, mutton, lamb, veal, venison, goose, grice, capon,
coney, crane, swan, partridge, plover, duck, drake, brissel-cock,
pawnies, black-cock, muir-fowl, and capercailzies;' not forgetting the
'costly bedding, vaiselle, and napry,' and least of all the 'excelling
stewards, cunning barters, excellent cooks, and pottingars, with
confections and drugs for the desserts.' Besides the particulars which
may be thence gleaned for this Highland feast (the splendour of which
induced the Pope's legate to dissent from an opinion which he had
hitherto held, that Scotland, namely, was the--the--the latter end of
the world)--besides these, might I not illuminate my pages with Taylor
the Water Poet's hunting in the braes of Mar, where,
Through heather, mosse, 'mong frogs, and bogs, and fogs,
'Mongst craggy cliffs and thunder-battered hills,
Hares, hinds, bucks, roes, are chased by men and dogs,
Where two hours' hunting fourscore fat deer kills.
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