Previous to 1720, or thereabouts, the belted plaid was universally worn,
in which the portion which surrounded the middle of the wearer, and
that which was flung around his shoulders, were all of the same piece of
tartan. In a desperate onset, all was thrown away, and the clan charged
bare beneath the doublet, save for an artificial arrangement of the
shirt, which, like that of the Irish, was always ample, and for the
sporran-mollach, or goat's-skin purse.
The manner of handling the pistol and dirk was also part of the Highland
manual exercise, which the author has seen gone through by men who had
learned it in their youth.
NOTE 17.--HIGHLAND ABHORRENCE OF PORK
Pork, or swine's flesh, in any shape, was, till of late years, much
abominated by the Scotch, nor is it yet a favourite food amongst them.
King Jamie carried this prejudice to England, and is known to have
abhorred pork almost as much as he did tobacco. Ben Jonson has recorded
this peculiarity, where the gipsy in a masque, examining the king's
hand, says,--
--'you should, by this line, Love a horse, and a hound, but no part of a
swine.'--THE GYPSIES METAMORPHOSED.
James's own proposed banquet for the devil was a loin of pork and a poll
of ling, with a pipe of tobacco for digestion.
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